《Mommy Villainess》


 Chapter 1: Matilda Yap/Lady Prescott

    Chapter 1: Matilda Yap/Lady Prescott


    [SECOND LIFE]


    The second life I remember was where I was born as Matilda Sandrine Yap, a modern woman on Earth.


    I was an heiress for a huge Asian conglomerate and I was married to a business tycoon. But it was an arranged marriage and for me, it was something simr to a "business contract" only. Plus, my husband was gay. He just used me to cover-up his sexuality.


    Knowing that, I still married him. I wanted a child so bad. But because of my husband''s sexuality, we never slept together. We just opted for artificial insemination. It was sessful and I got pregnant. I thought I would finally be a mother again.


    But when I was only three months pregnant, the ne I was riding crashed and I died.


    When I "woke up", I was back to the first life I still clearly remember.


    ***


    [FIRST LIFE]


    Before I became Matilda Sandrine Yap, I was born as Matilda Prescott the only daughter of Duke Maverick Prescott. We were one of the few higher nobles of Moonchester Empire.


    As Lady Prescott, I was snobbish and ambitious. In my first life, I wanted to be the empress. But from the very beginning, it was already impossible.


    The Moonchester Empire had a strict tradition. The royal family married only within themselves. That meant that the current emperor, His Majesty Aku Moonchester was engaged to Her Royal Highness Nia Moonchester his very own twin sister. ording to their beliefs, marriage within the royal family would keep their bloodline "pure."


    As if giving up on my dream to be an empress wasn''t bad enough, my father had to choose Kiho as my fianc. He wasn''t a noble so he didn''t have a family name. Worse, he was feared in the empire as the Captain of the ck Serpent Knights.


    Kiho was dubbed as the emperor''s "shadow beast." Rumors said that the ck Serpent Knights, led by their ruthless captain, did "dirty jobs" for His Majesty. That included countless of killings, of course.


    But despite Kiho''s bad reputation, I still followed my father''s wish and married the captain.


    I did that to gain the emperor''s favor. The High Priest that His Majesty trusted said that Kiho''s child would be a special existence to the empire. But the problem was it would be hard for an ordinary woman to carry the "Serpent''s child" in her womb. Fortunately, the High Priest saw a prophecy about a "dark-haired" woman that would be able to give birth to Kiho''s son.


    I possessed the darkest hair among the noblewomen in the empire. And thus, my father who was a part of the Royal Faction, arranged my marriage with the captain.


    In hopes of gaining the emperor''s favor, I married Kiho.


    ***


    A year after my dull and loveless marriage with Captain Kiho, I gave birth to our son that he named ''Winter.'' But Kiho was almost never home because he was always in a never-ending war to protect the emperor.


    In short, I was the one who raised Winter by myself. The moment I noticed the emperor''s interest in my son, I vowed to myself that I would "create" a perfect child a child that would be more than enough to be the emperor''s heir. If I couldn''t be an empress, then being the future emperor''s mother didn''t sound bad.


    For the sake of my renewed ambition, I decided to make my son sit on the throne.


    To support Winter, I betrayed the trust of Princess Nia, the emperor''s twin sister-sh-fiance and exposed her secret to the public. After the scandal, the royal princess was exiled from the pce. His Majesty begged the higher nobles to spare Princess Nia''s life.


    During that time, I had be the voice of the Royal Faction. In exchange of the princess'' life, I asked His Majesty to choose an heir. Of course, none of the noble kids was deserving enough for the position other than my very own Winter.


    That was how my son became the emperor''s heir.


    Back then, I was too happy that I didn''t notice that I was creating a monster.


    Winter wanted to be a good son but he couldn''t help developing hatred towards me, his own mother, for his cruel upbringing. As a result of the internal conflict, my son developed a split personality caused by stress. In front of me, he was dutiful. But when no one was looking, he would turn into a vicious criminal. Sadly, it all happened when he was only twelve years old.


    But eventually, Winter would be saved by another woman.


    ***


    Lucina Morganna was a lower noble with a beautiful face and long ck hair. The first time she appeared in the Royal Capital, she created a fuss. In the empire, it was very rare to have dark hair, much more a ck one. Other nobles who hated me for my arrogance imed that Lucina Morganna was the true woman in the prophecy.


    They weren''t wrong though.


    When Kiho met Lucina, he fell in love with her at first sight. After they confirmed their feelings for each other, he asked me for a divorce. I thought I didn''t need him anymore since Winter had already be the emperor''s heir, so I gave my husband the freedom that he wanted. But of course, I divorced him on a condition that Winter''s custody remained mine.


    Our son promised that I would be his one and only mother. But since he needed the best training to be the future emperor, I let him stay at his father''s mansion with his new wife.


    It was the biggest mistake I made in my first life.


    Winter was soon won over by Lucina Morganna. She "fixed" my son and made him realize how terrible of a mother I was by bing a good stepmother to him. In the end, my own son stopped listening to me. When Winter disowned me, I lost my power and influence in the social circle. I also became aughingstock for the nobles.


    I med my misfortune to Lucina Morganna and made several attempts to kill her. I even begged Kiho to take me back. But in the end, Kiho and Winter discovered my crimes.


    The emperor still holding a grudge against me after I wronged Princess Nia sentenced me to death by public execution. During myst moments, before my head rolled off the ground, I looked at my family onest time.


    Kiho and Winter didn''t look sad at all. They only looked relieved. It seemed like Lucina Morganna had taken good care of my ex-husband and son the job I failed to do so.


    The very moment before I lost my first life, I felt regretful.


    I wondered how my life would have turned out had I be a good wife to Kiho and a good mother to Winter? Would we have be a happy family? Maybe, maybe not.


    ***


    While living as Matilda Sandrine Yap (my second life), my memories as Lady Matilda Prescott (my first life) had stayed with me vividly. I didn''t want to be sad and lonely like her so I promised myself that I would build a family of my own.


    But in my second life, I never met a good man. Maybe it was my bad karma for the crimes Imitted as Lady Prescott. But I didn''t give up on having a child. That was why I married a gay man. I thought having a child would finally make me happy.


    I guess my sins in my first life were too heavy for me to have a peaceful life.


    Because for some reason, when I "woke up" after I died as Matilda Sandrine Yap, I have returned to my previous life as Lady Matilda Prescott.


    ***


    [PRESENT LIFE]


    "Why am I back as Lady Prescott?" I asked in frustration while looking at my reflection on the mirror.


    I woke up in my old room in House Prescott. If I''m still living with my father, that only means that I''m not yet married to Kiho. I''m not even sure if I have already met him in this timeline.


    Honestly, I''m still in shock. Is this a form of punishment from the heavens? Well, I can only be sure of one thing.


    "Winter, I''ll be a good mother to you this time," I whispered to myself while cing a hand on my tummy. "But before we meet, I''ll be a good partner to your father first."


    I don''t have any intention of stealing Kiho from Lucina Morganna. But I want to meet Winter again and for that to happen, I need to marry the captain first. Or should I just let him get me pregnant without marriage, then run away from him with my baby?


    Just how should I change my life this time?!


    ***


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 Chapter 2: Begin Again

    Chapter 2: Begin Again


    TILLY finally believed that she really went back in time the moment she saw Duke Maverick Prescott during breakfast a while ago.


    The duke is only in histe forties and he''s probably just as fit as most young men in their twenties. Also, her father is still considered handsome despite his age. The duke''s youthful look and vast wealth attract noblewomen all over the empire. But still, her father refused to remarry. Apparently, he''s still in love with herte mother.


    [''Why am I the only one in the family with dark hair?''] Tilly asked herself while looking at the huge family portrait hanging on the gallery wall. [''My mother and father both have tinum blonde hair.'']


    Thankfully, she looks like the carbon copy of her mother. She also got her father''s purple eyes. If not, she''d probably think that she was adopted.


    "Mydy, is everything alright?"


    Tilly turned to Isabe the young maid that she grew up with.


    [''Even Isabe has light-colored hair.'']


    The young maid has light brown hair, pale skin, and freckles on her small face. They''re both neen years old but Isabe looks small for their age.


    Well, Tilly is pretty well-endowedpared to otherdies around her.


    When she hit puberty, her body changed abruptly. Now she has ample breasts and thin waist that is emphasized by the corset she wore. And under her heavy dress hides her round and firm bottom, as well as her creamy long legs that she used to be so proud of.


    She remembered that during her first life, she enjoyed the lustful look the men in the empire threw her way.


    [''Ah, I also remember that Kiho used to get into fights because of that.'']


    Despite their loveless marriage in the past, Kiho was a protective husband. He was stoic but he was always respectful of her. Her ex-husband got into a lot of fights against other noblemen to protect her honor.


    Too bad she took Kiho for granted then because of her fixation on the throne.


    [''I can''t even remember why I wanted so much power back then.'']


    "Mydy, what''s the matter?" asked Isabelle in a worried voice. "You''re too quiet today. Are you still upset because of His Majesty''s official engagement with Her Royal Highness?"


    Tilly blinked in surprise.


    [''Ah, that''s right. In this timeline, the emperor just announced his official engagement with the princess who also happens to be his own twin sister.'']


    She remembered that in the past, she sulked for several days after the news broke out. She was so upset because she lost the chance to be the empress then. Not that she stood a chance.


    Anyway, Tilly was thankful that she got reincarnated during the time that her behavior was still eptable. Well, she used to throw tantrums every now and then. But acting like a spoiled brat wasmon for noble children so the servants in House Prescott were able to tolerate her.


    If her memory served her right, she only started to act like a crazy woman after she gave birth to Winter.


    "Fortunately, I already got over it," said Tilly to Isabe in an effort to reassure the maid that she''s fine. Then, she turned to the family portrait again. She couldn''t take her eyes off of her mother''s beauty. She wasn''t saying that just because she looked like her mommy. Lady Marianne Prescott just happened to be a stunning woman when she was alive. "I''m just wondering why I was born with dark hair when both my parents have light-colored hair."


    She has dark chocte hair. Sometimes it lookedpletely ck. But when hit by sunlight, it bes a lighter shade of brown.


    [''Unlike mine, Lucina Morganna''s hair ispletely jet-ck.'']


    She gently shook her head to drive her thoughts away from Lady Morganna. As far as she remembered, she wouldn''t meet the otherdy in this timeline yet. They were meant to meet a decadeter.


    "If it wasn''t for your dark hair, you wouldn''t have been chosen to marry the scary captain of the ck Serpent Knights," said Isabe in a scared and worried voice. "Mydy, you''re going to meet the captain very soon, aren''t you? That must be the reason why you''re restless."


    She was reincarnated a few days after the emperor and her father agreed to marry her off with Captain Kiho of the ck Serpent Knights. His Majesty told the duke about the prophecy.


    [''ording to that prophecy, Captain Kiho''s child would be a special existence to the empire. But only a woman with "dark hair" would be able to carry his child in her womb.'']


    During her first life, she only felt rage when her father told her that she must marry Kiho.


    Duke Prescott was loyal to the royal family so it was a big honor for him when his daughter was chosen for a role that would serve the empire favorably. Because of her father''s loyalty to the throne, he didn''t listen to her when she said she didn''t want to marry the captain. She secretly hated Kiho for simply epting the emperor''s "request."


    Well, that was how she took the news in the past.


    But right now, she''s not scared or angry.


    "I''m actually looking forward to it," said Tilly with a smile. When she turned to Isabe and saw the maid''s disbelieving look, sheughed softly. "Captain Kiho may not be that bad, Isabe. Most of the time, rumors are exaggerated for entertainment purposes."


    Isabe blinked in surprise. "Mydy, this is very different from your reaction the first time you heard about the news of your engagement."


    Tilly just smiled as a response.


    After she was reborn as Matilda Sandrine Yap in the modern world, she learned the importance of family. She was lucky enough to grow up in a household filled with love. Her parents from her second life loved each other genuinely, and that was the reason why she wanted to build her own family then. Unfortunately, her parents died when she was only in her early twenties.


    Anyway, even if she was happy in her second life as a modern woman, she still wasn''t able to forget her first life as Lady Matilda Prescott. She lived in regret every single day.


    She thought she would be able to make amends with her past if she became a good mother. Plus, when she reached herte twenties in her second life, her maternal instinct kicked in. She longed for the child that she mistreated as Lady Prescott. Because of that, she became desperate to be a mother. Unfortunately, she lost her baby.


    [''I don''t know why and how I came back here but one thing is for sure: I won''t make the same mistake I did in the past. I will treasure Kiho and Winter in this lifetime.'']


    "Tilly, what are you staring at the portrait for?"


    Tilly turned around and was greeted by Duke Maverick Prescott.


    Her father looked dashing in his dark tail coat, an outfit that befitted a higher noble like him. Every single essory on him also screamed of luxury. Well, the duke owned a "miningpany" of spirit stones. Those are a type of gem that has magic stored in them.


    Ah, right. In this world, magic is prevalent. Most of the nobles in the empire were born with Mana or magic ability.


    She was also born with magic ability but her Mana wasn''t powerful enough forbat.


    "Greetings, Father," said Tilly politely with a little curtsy. "I apologize for making you wait."


    Duke Prescott walked towards her and stood in front of her, then he turned to Isabe and dismissed the maid. When there were only the two of them, he looked up at the huge portrait behind her. "Tilly, do you miss your mother?"


    "Every single day, Father," she said truthfully.


    Lady Marianne Prescott died when the carriage she was riding in went out of control and fell into a cliff. Tilly was only seven then. During her first life, she didn''t remember her mother that much because of her selfishness.


    But now that she was back after living another life in the modern world, she had learned to appreciate her family.


    Her thoughts were cut off when the duke''s gazended on her face.


    "You must be feeling that way because of your uing marriage," said her father in a gentle tone. "I am nothingpared to your mother but I''m also your parent, Tilly. As your father, I wish you all the happiness in the world. And I know that you can achieve that by fulfilling your duty as a noble. If you marry Captain Kiho and give birth to his child that will one day be the pir of the empire, it would be a great honor for our family."


    She already lived in a modern world where women had more rights than thedies born in an empire with outdated customs, so hearing what her father just said didn''t sit well with her.


    But she had to remind herself that she wasn''t in the modern world anymore. It sucks to follow outdated customs for a second time but she had to if she wanted to fit in. Plus, she wanted to be with Kiho and Winter again anyway.


    [''I must endure.'']


    "I understand, Father," said Tilly with a small smile. "I will fulfill my noble duty for the honor of our family and the empire."


    Her father''s face lit up in surprise. "You have this air of maturity around you now, Tilly. I can''t believe you''re the same girl who cried her eyes out when His Majesty officially announced his engagement."


    Okay, that made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Let''s forget about that, Father."


    The dukeughed heartily.


    [''Let''s take advantage of his good mood.'']


    "Father," said Tilly in a sweet voice. "Can I have a time with only myself before I officially meet Captain Kiho next week?"


    ***


    [''I MISSED the smell of the sea.'']


    Tilly couldn''t help by smile while looking at the vast sea before her.


    She''s currently at a port town called Atlenta. It took her five hours via carriage before she got there. Surprisingly, her father allowed her to wander around without a knight or a maid.


    [''Maybe he feels guilty for marrying me off with a man I haven''t met yet.'']


    Anyway, since she was alone, she wore a ck hooded cloak over a casual street dress. To hide her noble upbringing, she didn''t wear any essory. Although she had a pouch of gold coins with her.


    [''It can''t be helped since I want to pig out tonight.'']


    She arrived at Atlenta in the afternoon and spent time buying ingredients in the market.


    The interesting thing about the port town was the spices that could only be found there. Back on Earth, those spices were known in Asian countries. Here on Moonchester Empire, they came from the "East Continent."


    She specifically went to Atlenta to eat seafood because she knew that they use spices to cook the food they serve. The restaurants in the Royal Capital serve so-so food. She was an Asian in her second life so she knew her spices well.


    [''Atlenta is like a little "Asian Town," if that makes any sense.'']


    Her thoughts were cut off when she finally arrived at the restaurant.


    It''s called ''Sea Feast'' and it faces the pier. The restaurant is small and it looks shabby. In her previous life, Kiho brought there when Winter was seven. He took them out because she said she wanted to eat lobster that day. But when she saw the restaurant from the outside, she got mad at Kiho for bringing her to a "cheap" ce. Then, she walked out on him and their son.


    That was also thest time that they went on a "family trip."


    During her second life, she realized that Kiho probably brought her at Sea Feast because he knew that the food there were great.


    She went at that restaurant to find out if her guess was correct.


    "Wee, dear customer," said a smiling youngdy when she entered Sea Feast.


    Then, the friendly waitress ushered her to a table beside the window. Like she expected, the restaurant isn''t full. Aside from her, there were only a group of eight young men upying the two tables beside hers.


    The young men all wore a ck long-sleeved shirt as if it was their uniform.


    [''They must be colleagues or something.'']


    "Two king crabs please," said Tilly to the waitress after she asked for her order. "And one huge ss of beer. Thank you."


    She has low alcohol tolerance but she loved pairing seafood with beer. She specially loved crabs and beer together. It was one of her guilty pleasures when ites to food.


    "Miss, do you have apanion?" asked the waitress in a worried tone. "One king crab weighs four kilograms. Its body is even bigger than your face, dear customer."


    Tillyughed softly at the waitress "warning." "I can manage."


    ***


    TILLY loved seafood.


    The two giant king crabs on her table made he really happy. The waitress wasn''t lying when she said that one crab was bigger than her face. But she also didn''t lie when she said she can manage.


    In fact, she was able to chow down all the crab legs in ten minutes.


    [''The crabs here are so good. They''re sweet and not salty. Now I know why Kiho brought me here in the past.'']


    She was already tipsy just from one ss of beer. But the crabs were so delicious that she asked for another ss. She was really having a good time


    but something was making her ufortable.


    [''Why are they looking at me?'']


    The young men on the other table were respectful enough not to approach her. But they were watching her with full curiosity and amusement. They weren''t even trying to be discreet.


    Plus, they were talking loudly about her.


    "She''s really good at eating crabs."


    "This is the first time I saw ady finish two king crabs by herself."


    "And she''s using her hands."


    [''I can hear you.'']


    Of course, she had to use her hands (that she washed thoroughly first). How else was she supposed to get the crab meat? Plus, she was really good at cracking crab legs.


    It was kind of tiring to separate the legs from the body by twisting and pulling but it was worth it. There was an insane amount of meat in the legs. Her tummy was so happy that she just let her fellow customers watch her as if they were looking at an animal in a zoo.


    [''These amateurs don''t know anything about eating crabs.''] Tilly said to herself while rolling up the sleeves of her cloak and dress. [''Let me show you how it''s done.'']


    This time, she broke the body of the crab in half with her bare hands.


    In her surprise, her "audience" apuded her as if breaking the crab was a huge feat. The young men pped their hands and the others even whistled in admiration.


    "She really eats well."


    "Amazing. She''s eating with her bare hands but she still looks elegant."


    "Could she be a noble?"


    "Nobles don''t go to shabby restaurants to eat, fool."


    "Our restaurant isn''t shabby!" yelled the waitress at the young men.


    The guys had the decency to apologize.


    "But hey. Do you know whom thedy reminds me of?"


    [''Why do I feel like I''m doing mukbang here?''] Tilly asked herself while eating the crab meat from the body she just broke in half. [''They make me feel like I''m a celebrity.'']


    She''s talking gibberish now. Perhaps it''s the alcohol. She should finish her meal and go home before she getspletely drunk.


    [''Now, let''s move on to my favorite part of a crab.'']


    She saved the best forst.


    By that, she meant the ws. The meat in the crab legs was a popr choice. But for her, the sweetest nuggets of meat were in the ws.


    [''Argh.'']


    Unlike the body of the crab, the ws were hard to break.


    [''I knew this would happen so I brought my secret weapon.'']


    "Mydy, let me help you."


    Tilly was surprised to receive help from a familiar voice just as she was pulling her "secret weapon" from the pocket of her cloak.


    When she looked up at the owner of the ~undeniably~ low and husky voice, she got the biggest surprise of her life.


    [''Hot damn.'']


    Captain Kiho is standing in front of her while offering a small wooden mallet to her.


    [''He''s still as handsome as I remember.'']


    He has chestnut hair a color of deep brown with red hues thatplements his pale skin. To be honest, he has an immactely handsome face that she finds it hard to believe that people are afraid of him.


    [''Well, he rarely appears in social gatherings. Plus, because of his bad reputation, a lot of people are too afraid to look at him properly.'']


    And that was a shame.


    If people would only look at Kiho properly, they will be blown away by his face. Well, he''s stoic but that doesn''t lessen his beauty.


    [''But more than his pretty face, his body is something that I thoroughly enjoyed in the past.'']


    Kiho is very tall but he''s quite slender for a man of his status. Most of his enemies look down on him for being "pretty and lean" because stupid people think that only bulging muscles equal strength.


    [''Besides, under his clothes hides a sinful body'']


    And even though Kiho appeared stoic on the outside, he was actually a beast in the sheets.


    Okay, she stopped fantasizing about her ex-husband when she felt her cheeks burn.


    [''Gosh. Why do I have to remember that?!'']


    "Mydy?" said Kiho, trying to get her attention. "You can use my mallet to crack the ws."


    Only seafood fanatics would carry around a crab mallet with them.


    "Thank you, but I can manage," said Tilly in an apologetic voice. Then, she pulled out her very own wooden crab mallet from her pocket. "I have my own mallet."


    Kiho looked pleasantly surprised when he saw the mallet in her hand. Then, much to her shock, his face lit up instantly. He was even looking at her with twinkle in his beautiful amber eyes. Eyes that sometimes appear as golden orbs.


    He didn''t say anything but the respect and admiration in his eyes were very clear.


    Tilly couldn''t help but wonder at his cute reaction. [''Did Captain Kiho fall in love with me at first sight because I carry around a mallet like he does?'']


    Impossible, right?


    ***


    "CAPTAIN!"


    Tilly was startled when the young men from the other table suddenly greeted Kiho in a loud voice.


    [''Ah. So those dudes are members of the ck Serpent Knights.]


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. Did her father allow her to go to Atlenta "alone" because he knew that Kiho was there?


    [''Oh, Father'']


    "Keep it down," said Kiho to his knights in a low voice. Then, he turned to her. "If you''ll excuse me for a while, mydy."


    She just smiled and waved her hand at him.


    Kiho then slightly bowed his head before he walked towards his men.


    Now that her ex-husband was no longer in front of her, she let out a deep breath, She may appear calm on the outside, but she was having a slight panic attack inside. Okay, she didn''t expect to meet Kiho at the restaurant.


    But what really shocked her was her reaction when she saw him.


    [''His face and his body are still my style!'']


    In her memories of her past life, the thing that stuck to her the most was the time their family fell apart. Because of that, she almost forgot the feelings she had for Kiho before.


    Well, she wasn''t in love with the captain. But she had always been physically attracted to him. Plus, she remembered that she liked how he was so patient with her. He really tried to tolerate her when they were still married. But when she started to kill and hurt people for her ambition, he finally snapped and abandoned her. Not that she could me him.


    [''Wait, I didn''te here to catch feelings.'']


    While Kiho had his back on her as he talked to his knights in a serious manner, she discreetly asked the waitress for her bill. As soon as she was done paying, she grabbed thest crab leg on her te and quietly left the restaurant.


    Or so she thought.


    "Mydy, it''s dangerous to walk alone at night."


    Of course it was Kiho. Obviously, he followed her. Did she really think that she could sneak away from the captain of the ck Serpent Knights without him noticing?


    [''Being drunk made me dumb.'']


    When she reached the dock where no other visible person was around, she turned around to face Kiho. He was standing a few meters away from her. The distance was far enough to not invade her personal space, but also close enough to reach her if danger suddenly befalls on her.


    [''He''s really a knight through and through.'']


    "Mydy, you''re drunk," said Kiho in his usual monotone voice. "Please allow me to walk you home."


    He was so thoughtful and everything but her mind was filled with impure thoughts.


    It was the shirt, okay?


    The ck long-sleeved shirt that the captain wore clung to his toned body beautifully. Even the slim pants and boots that he wore made his legs look attractive to her.


    [''Why am I so horny tonight?'']


    To force her thoughts away from his sinful body, she put the crab leg into her mouth and started to suck the meat from the shell. Delicious food was always a good solution.


    But then, she suddenly realized that it may look like she was sucking the crab leg suggestively when she saw Kiho gulp while staring at her mouth.


    [''Ah, I''m not the only one who''s hot and bothered here.'']


    She didn''t know if it was the alcohol in her system or her desperation to have a child


    but she suddenly felt like flirting with him.


    They were bound to get married and have a child together anyway.


    "Captain," said Tilly as soon as she pulled the crab leg out of her mouth. "I can clearly see that we''re both attracted to each other. Shall we spend the night together?"


    Kiho remained pokerfaced but she saw panic cross his now glowing yellowish eyes. Ah, the captain was flustered. "Mydy, you seem to be really drunk."


    She walked towards him and when he didn''t move an inch, she stood in front of him and looked up at him with a grin. "Captain, are you the type of man who will only sleep with his betrothed?"


    "That seems to be the case, mydy."


    He said that as if he was forcing the words out of his mouth. Plus, she could see in his eyes that he was conflicted that it was hard for him to reject her.


    [''Aw, I didn''t know that I have this kind of effect on my ex-husband.'']


    Or perhaps she just didn''t pay attention in the past.


    "Captain, I have a solution to your problem," said Tilly in a yful voice. Then, she stood on her toes and whispered in Kiho''s ear. "Let''s get married."

 Chapter 3: Catching Feelings (And Fishes)

    Chapter 3: Catching Feelings (And Fishes)


    FOR today''s outfit, Tilly opted for avender off-the-shoulders long dress. She chose light clothing because she didn''t n to go out anyway. Plus, her Mana kept her body warmer than average humans. So even if it was autumn, she didn''t feel cold.


    ording to her father, herte mother also possessed the type of Mana that kept her body warmer than normal.


    [But Father said that Mother''s Mana only served as a protection from cold.] Tilly thought to herself while enjoying a cup of tea in the rose garden. [It''s a shame but that''s also the case for me. In my first life, I thought I could be a Fire Wielder because of my warm Mana. But it turned out that my body was just resilient to cold.]


    But she thought her strange warmth had something to do with her ability to give birth to Kiho''s son. Her earlier memories of the past are kind of hazy now so she doesn''t remember most of it. Maybe it was because it happened a long time ago. After all, she lived a second life before she went back in time.


    [I was thirty years old when I was sentenced to death in my first life. Then, I was twenty eight when I died in my second one. Currently, I''m neen years old. If you add them all, I''ve been living for seventy-seven years now. Wow, I''m old.]


    "You''re here, Tilly."


    Tilly stood up when her father arrived. She didn''t see him this morning because he was summoned to the royal pce early. "Wee back, Father," she said politely to the duke before she turned to the maids. "Prepare another cup of tea for my father."


    "Yes, mydy," the three maids answered in unison.


    A few momentster, her father has joined him in her afternoon tea. He looked distressed and that made her worry.


    "Father, what''s the matter?" Tilly asked worriedly, breaking the silence between them. "Did His Majesty summon you?"


    The duke nodded gently before he responded to her. "Tilly, it seems like Captain Kiho''s decision to marry you has wavered."


    Okay, that made her stop sipping from her cup of tea.


    [I don''t remember Kiho hesitating to marry me in the past. He just went along with His Majesty''s order like a loyal knight that he was.]


    "Father, did Captain Kiho express his hesitation to His Majesty?" she asked curiously. "Did the captain say that he doesn''t wish to be married to me anymore?"


    "No, nothing like that happened," the duke denied while gently shaking his head. "But His Majesty said that a few days ago, Captain Kiho asked him if he really have to marry you. Specifically, the captain asked if it has to be you or if another dark-haired "will do.""


    [Ah, that''s so Kiho.]


    Unfortunately, the captain wasn''t the best atmunication. Plus, Kiho didn''t enjoy talking much and he had a bad habit of shortening his words in a way that could be easily misunderstood. As a result, he sounded rude most of the time.


    [But that''s not the main problem right now.]


    Have Kiho already met Lucina Morganna? In her past life, Lady Morganna was the only other dark-haired woman that the captain met. "Does it mean he met another dark-haired woman, Father?" she asked nervously. "Is that''s the reason why the captain is hesitating now?"


    The duke paused for a while before he put down the tea cup on the table, then he looked at her straight in the eye with a worried look on his face. "My daughter, His Majesty suspects that Captain Kiho met a woman when he went to visit a port townst week."


    She raised an eyebrow when realization dawned upon her.


    [Father didn''t send Captain Kiho to Anta that night. So the captain and I met by chance?]


    "The emperor also thinks that the woman in question possesses dark hair just like you," the duke continued. "Apparently, the captain seemed smitten by the mysterious woman."


    Her brain seemed to buffer for a moment.


    So, Kiho met a dark-haired woman in a port townst week


    [The captain was talking about me?]


    She suddenly remembered the fateful night she met Kiho at the port.


    After she asked him to marry her, the coachman who drove her carriage to Atlenta came to fetch her. She left the stunned captain without much ado. Well, she was drunk and sleepy so she wanted to go home then. Plus, he didn''t say anything.


    But Kiho looked like he wanted to stop her from leaving. Although in the end, he just stood there and watch her go.


    [Did I leave a strong impression on the captain for him to waver?]


    Wait, did he seriously fall for her just because she had a crab mallet like him?!


    She couldn''t help butugh softly at that thought.


    "Tilly, this isn''t aughing matter," the duke scolded her in a stern voice. "Well, your engagement hasn''t been officially announced yet. But the nobles in the whole empire have already heard about the prophecy. If Captain Kiho decided to break off your engagement, our family will be aughingstock. It will be especially bad for your reputation, my daughter."


    Of course she knew what her father was talking about.


    She was the daughter of a duke while Captain Kiho was just amoner who went up the ranks thanks to his swordsmanship. If a man with a "lower status" turned down a higher noble like her, she would be deemed "undesirable."


    "Don''t worry, Father," Tilly reassured her father with a yful smile. Then, she sipped her tea before she continued. "It''s my destiny to marry Captain Kiho and have his son."


    [I''ll do anything to meet you again, my precious Winter.]


    ***


    "LADY Prescott, your ball gown is gorgeous!" Isabe said while admiring the morous blue ball gown with a beaded cloak. "The color is lovely."


    Blue mockingbird was the symbol of House Prescott and thus, she often wears dresses with blue shades.


    Anyway, light and form-fitting dresses were bing more and more popr now than the ones with petticoats. Still, thedies in this world were yet to ditch the corset. But thanks to the influence of the empire''s "fashion icon," the clothes for women were starting to be morefortable to wear and move in.


    [And oh. The fashion icon I''m talking about is none other than Her Royal Highness Nia Moonchester the emperor''s twin sister-sh-fiance. As far as I remember, the princess and I were good friends before I betrayed her in my previous life.]


    The banquet that she was required to attend tomorrow night was for the emperor and the princess'' month-long engagement party. It had been weeks since they officially announced their uing union but the parties to celebrate it were yet to stop.


    But thising banquet served another purpose.


    [Tomorrow night, Kiho and I will be officially introduced to each other.]


    Actually, she has already prepared the gift for her future fianc once they meet again. She thought of the perfect present after they met at Atlenta. As soon as she got back at the Royal Capital, she went to a master craftsman and asked him to make the stuff she needed.


    But after hearing what her father said about Kiho''s wavering feelings, she thought of another n to surprise him.


    "Mydy, you already have a gorgeous evening gown so why are you still looking at the catalog?" Isabe asked in a confused tone.


    The catalog that she was browsing came from Miss Antonia''s tailor shop. It was the most popr shop in the Royal Capital and Miss Antonia only makes clothes for the upper ssdies. As the daughter of a duke, she was considered as a VIP client in the store.


    "I want this one," Tilly said before marking the dress that caught her attention with the fountain pen in her hand.


    It was an elegant ash blue floral-embroidered tullece long gown. Compared to the blue gown that Isabe admired a while ago, the ash blue dress that she just chose was simple. It was also the kind of gown that other high-rankingdies will probably ignore for being "nd."


    But she knew she can pull it off just fine.


    "Isabe, bring this back to Miss Antonia," she said, then she handed the catalog to the maid. "Tell them to deliver the dress to our house before the day ends."


    "I understand, mydy," Isabe said politely while taking the catalog from her. "May I know what the second dress is for?"


    "For catching a fish," Tilly answered yfully. "A big, sexy fish at that."

 Chapter 4: Pull and Push Dance

    Chapter 4: Pull and Push Dance


    AFTER Tilly showed her face to her fellow nobles, she sneaked out of the Eclipse Ballroom the royal pce where banquets hosted by the royal family are held with the "props" she prepared.


    She didn''t want to waste her time in the ballroom because she knew Kiho wouldn''t be there. After all, the ck Serpent Knights operate in the dark. That means the squadron are guarding outside the pce to make sure that no assassins could break in.


    The "visible" royal guards were the ones in-charge of guarding the pce and the guests inside.


    [If my hunch is right, then Kiho must be in that ce.]


    By that, she meant the hidden pavilion in the middle of the maze garden.


    In her past life, she ran away from the pce the night that she was supposed to meet Kiho for the first time. She hid in the giant maze and ended up lost. While desperately finding a way out, she discovered a hidden pavilion. There, she cried her eyes out and bargained with herself. She made a vow that she would marry Kiho if he found her.


    And he did.


    After they got married, she asked her husband how he found her that night. He said that he wasn''t really looking for her. Apparently, the pavilion just happened to be his favorite hiding spot. ording to him, he would go there every time the emperor would force him to show his face in a banquet.


    [Ah, sweet memories.]


    She smiled when she reached the hidden pavilion. In her first life, she would often go there to drag Kiho back to the banquet because she didn''t want to be the only marrieddy without a spouse. That was how she became familiar with the maze.


    "Mydy, this ce is off-limits."


    She froze when she heard Kiho''s familiar husky voice behind her. Gosh, she didn''t even notice his presence until he spoke.


    [He''s the captain of the ck Serpent Knights indeed.]


    She took a deep breath in before she turned around to face Kiho.


    The breath she just took was blown away instantly.


    Kiho looked absolutely gorgeous in his official military uniform. The ck tunic jacket with velvet cor and cuffs fit him well. Plus, his golden one-shoulder cape made his overall outfit look extra chic!


    [He''s so handsome.]


    Under the moonlight, Kiho''s amber eyes glowed and turned into a pair of beautiful golden orbs. As soon as recognition crossed his eyes, his face instantly lit up. "Thedy with a crab mallet."


    [That sounds like a good title for a fantasy romance book.]


    Tilly couldn''t help but giggle at the cute nickname he just gave her. "Good evening, Captain."


    "You''re a noble?"


    She just smiled as a response. It''s not like she can lie to him. The invited guests for tonight''s banquet areposed of higher-nobles. "I apologize for trespassing," she said politely to change the subject. "I didn''t know that the maze is off-limits."


    He looked like he had something to say but then, his gaze shifted to the basket that she painstakingly carried around.


    [Thank you, Isabe.]


    She made Isabe wait at the secret passage she discovered a while ago. When she sneaked out of the pce, she met up with her maid to get the basket from her before she ran towards the maze garden.


    "If you don''t mind my asking, is that a food basket?" Kiho asked before he looked up at her face. "Did you take out some food from the pce to eat here?"


    [He''s still as crude as ever.]


    "A gentleman should feign ignorance at times like this, you know?" she teased him. "But to answer your question, yes. I brought some food from the banquet to eat here."


    Well, that was a lie.


    The food didn''te from the banquet. She asked the head chef of House Prescott to cook a variety of seafood for her. Fortunately, there are lobsters at the banquet earlier.


    "May I know why?"


    "It''s ufortable to eat seafood in the presence of other nobles," she told him. "You may not know this because you''re a man. But thedies of our empire were taught from childhood that eating at a banquet isn''t good for their image."


    Now she wasn''t lying.


    She still clearly remembered the etiquette that she was taught at such an early age. ording to her teachers in the past, men don''t like women who eat a lot especially in the presence of other nobles.


    [It sucks but in this world, women are raised to please men. Well, that still kind of applies to the modern world. It''s just that the empire has harsher standards that thedies must follow.]


    "I''m not a noble but I understand you," said Kiho in a somewhat gentle tone. She didn''t know if it was just her or if his face really softened up a bit. "I''ll pretend that I didn''t see you here. I''ll guard the area while you enjoy your meal, mydy."


    "Wait," she said. "I think I''ll just leave."


    "Why?"


    "I don''t want to be involved in a rumor with you."


    "Rumor?"


    "I heard it at the banquet," she said coyly. But of course, that was just a part of her acting. "Apparently, the captain of the ck Serpent Knights is engaged with the daughter of House Prescott."


    "You know who I am?"


    "I can see your crest," she said while looking at his snake-shaped brooch. Only the captain of the ck Serpent Knights was allowed to wear that even in her past life. It was amon knowledge among nobles. "I heard from thedies at the banquet that the captain of the ck Serpent Knights is engaged to the daughter of Duke Prescott." She looked up at his handsome yet stoic face. "Captain, please forget about my proposal. I''m taking it back."


    Kiho''s stoic face finally cracked. He was usually emotionless but right now, he was frowning and he wasn''t even trying to hide it. "Mydy, may I know your name?"


    "You just gave me one," answered Tilly with a smile. "I''m giving you the permission to call me the dy with a crab mallet," Captain."


    ***


    {KIHO, Captain of the ck Serpent Knights}


    "KIHO, are you ready to meet your fiance?" asked the emperor with a yful grin while he was having tea on the sofa. Silver hair, red eyes, skin as pale as the moon those were the three physical attributes that the royal family members possessed. Ah, he should also add youthful look in the list. Members of the royal family would stop aging at their mid-twenties. "I heard Lady Prescott is a beauty."


    Kiho didn''t feel the need to respond to His Majesty who was obviously having a good time teasing him. He just remained standing in front of him with his hands on his back.


    He was summoned by the emperor in the royal family''s private parlor. There was a parlor for the guests but the immediate royal family had their own room to rx in. He was only allowed inside because he was the emperor''s personal knight.


    "You''re the only person in the empire who will dare to ignore me," Emperor Aku said with a chuckle. Then, he gently ced the cup on the table before he turned to him. "Kiho, your mind seemed to be wondering elsewhere."


    "Your Majesty, I met her again."


    The emperor''s red eyes sparkled in a mix of curiosity and excitement. "The dark-haired woman you met at the port town is a noble?"


    He nodded before he spoke again. "Your Majesty"


    "No," the emperor cut him off with his sickeningly sweet smile. "I will not allow you to break off your engagement with Lady Prescott. If you do that, you will ruin her honor as the daughter of a duke. Forget about me me who chose Lady Prescott as the woman of the prophecy."


    The sarcasm wasn''t missed.


    [Argh. His Majesty doesn''t want to take responsibility even if he was the one who insisted that thedy who had the darkest hair in the empire was the woman in the prophecy.]


    "I''m sure you''re not that selfish to do that to an innocent woman, Kiho," Emperor Aku said, obviously trying to prick his conscience. "I know that you never asked me for anything but don''t put me in an awkward position."


    [Then you shouldn''t have asked for Duke Prescott''s daughter''s hand in marriage for me. Which I never asked you to do, by the way.]


    "Oho, I know that look," the emperor said yfully. "I can tell that you''re putting the me on me in your head."


    He only responded with silence.


    "I''m doing this for you, Kiho," His Majesty insisted. "Duke Prescott is the highest-ranking noble that has no heir apparent yet. In our empire, women are not allowed to inherit a noble title. So unfortunately, Lady Prescott can''t be her father''s heiress."


    [If you think it''s unfortunate, then change thew. You''re the emperor, aren''t you?]


    "Oho. You''re probably badmouthing me in your head," the emperor used him.


    Well, Kiho didn''t deny it.


    "You''re a mean bastard," His Majesty said while gently shaking his head. "Anyway, if you marry Lady Prescott, you''ll inherit the duke''s title. Let''s be thankful that Duke Prescott doesn''t have bias againstmoners. It''s very rare for a higher noble like him to ept amoner in their family. But I guess the duke recognizes your skill as the ck Serpent Knight''s captain."


    [Don''t make it sound like I begged the duke to let me marry her daughter, Your Majesty.]


    "I want you to have more power to protect yourself, Kiho," the emperor said in a serious voice. "If you really want the woman you met at the port, you can just convince him to be your mistresster. It''s normal for nobles to have a lover anyway."


    He frowned at that. Maybe it was because he wasn''t born a noble. But he didn''t like most of the things that the nobility do especially those who were in the upper ss.


    "You''re the only friend I consider in the whole empire, Kiho. We grew up together so it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that I see you as my younger brother," Emperor Aku said in a somewhat gentle yet sad voice. "I''ll make you climb up in the high society even if you hate me for it."


    He knew that His Majesty was genuinely concerned of him, and he also vowed his loyalty to the emperor. But for the first time in his life, he wanted something so bad for himself. He was willing to risk his life to get it.


    To be with thedy with a crab mallet.


    "What do you like about thedy at the port anyway?" the emperor asked, curiosity visible in his eyes. "This is the first time I saw you interested in another person."


    "Her eyes," Kiho answered. "She knows who I am but she doesn''t look at me with fear or disgust. I like how clear her eyes are."


    [And how she eats well, and her love for seafood, and the fact that we both have crab mallet, and that she''s beautiful.]


    Ah, it seemed like he liked her more than he thought.


    [Is this what they call love at first sight?]


    "Oho," Emperor Aku said in surprise. "Kiho, this is the first time I heard you talk that much in a while. Those were the longest words you''ve said this year. You usually just say five to ten words when I talk to you." When he didn''t react, His Majesty groaned in frustration. "What should I do? Now that I''ve seen how serious you are with the portdy, my heart is wavering."


    "It wouldn''t be a problem if Lady Prescott breaks off the engagement herself," Kiho said in a firm voice. "Is that right, Your Majesty?"

 Chapter 5: Wrong Move

    Chapter 5: Wrong Move


    TILLY sneaked out of the pce for the second time that night.


    After she met with Kiho in the hidden pavilion a while ago, she went back in the ballroom to assure her father that she hasn''t left the banquet. Just like she expected, a knight went to her and informed her that the emperor has requested a private audience with her.


    [That was exactly what happened in my previous life. After I went to the emperor''s private room, I was formally introduced to Captain Kiho. Then, the moment we went out of the chamber, we were already engaged.]


    But she wanted to tweak the event a little.


    That was why right now, she was quietly on her way to meet Isabe again. This time, she asked the young maid to bring her second dress the ash blue floral-embroidered tullece long gown that she chose from the catalog.


    She wanted to meet Kiho wearing a dress that embodied her current personality: simple yet elegant. Right now, she wasn''t as ambitious as she used to be. She thought she could show that to Kiho by wearing afortable dress rather than a morous one.


    For that, she was currently walking quietly on the hidden side of the courtyard.


    "Lady Prescott, are you trying to run away from destiny?"


    Tilly let out a loud gasp when she heard the voice that she would never forget. She instinctively ced a hand on her chest when she felt her heart jump. Then, fear started to paralyze her system when she realized that she knew very well the person who just talked.


    How could she forget the loud and firm voice that sentenced her to death in her past life?


    [Emperor Aku Moonchester.]


    When her heart started to return to its natural beat, she gracefully turned around.


    Just like she expected, Emperor Aku was standing in front of her with a curious look on his immactely handsome face. But surprisingly, he was alone.


    Did he sneak out of the pce, too?


    His Majesty wasn''t wearing his regal red cape. It looked like he sneaked out by blending with the other nobles because he was wearing a cloak over a normal three-piece crisp suit. He probably used the hood of his cloak to hide his unique silver hair.


    [But his good looks and good built are hard to miss. He definitely used some sort of magic to escape from his royal knights. I remember he often did that in the past.]


    "Greetings to the one and only moon that embraces our great empire," Tilly politely greeted the emperor with a curtsy and a lowered gaze.


    To be honest, she didn''t expect the emperor to recognize her. In her past life, she was close with Princess Nia. But before she married Kiho, she didn''t have any solo interaction with the emperor. So right now, she was surprised when he called her by her name.


    "Rise," Emperor Aku said smoothly.


    She looked up into the emperor''s red eyes glowing with obvious curiosity. Under the moonlight, his hair and skin looked paler than usual.


    [Gosh, did he have to be this handsome?]


    But despite the emperor''s beauty, she was still a little scared of him.


    She couldn''t help it because this was the man who sent her to death in her previous life. Until now, she couldn''t forget the look of hatred on his face as he watched her get beheaded along with the citizens who came to the za to witness her public execution.


    [But it''s not like I can me the emperor. I was a bitch who deserved to die then.]


    "Lady Prescott, I believe I asked for a private audience with you," Emperor Aku reminded her in a gentle yet firm voice. "You''re not running away, are you?"


    "I''m not running away, Your Majesty," she said politely. "I''m simply on my way to meet my servant whom I asked to bring my change of clothes."


    "Change of clothes?" the emperor asked curiously while scanning her dress with his glowing red eyes. Then, he looked up at her face with confusion. "I think your dress is lovely enough."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said before exining herself. "I want to change into a dress that will show Captain Kiho my true personality."


    He seemed impressed by what she said. "You prepared another dress just for Captain Kiho?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    For some reason, the emperor''s face suddenly looked sad. "Oh, Lady Prescott. I think you''re too good for that stubborn child."


    "Your Majesty, I heard that Captain Kiho is hesitating about our engagement," she said. "But don''t worry. I''ll do everything in my power to change his mind."


    The emperor smiled, obviously pleased by her determination. "The guest room in the pce is too nd. How about we change the location and let you and Kiho meet at the rose garden instead? What do you think, Lady Prescott?"


    "I will dly follow what Your Majesty ns for Captain Kiho and I," she said with a polite smile.


    "Then, I shall ask my servants to prepare the rose garden now," the emperor said excitedly. Ah, right. His Majesty loved games, festivities, and anything that looked "fun" to him. "Lady Prescott, you may use the royal parlor to prepare. You can bring your servant to assist you."


    "How can I do that, Your Majesty?" she refused politely.


    "I insist. I''ll ask the royal maids to aid you," His Majesty said. "Lady Prescott, Kiho is like a younger brother to me. I''m grateful to House Prescott for epting him to be a part of your family. Not all higher nobles would open their doors for amoner like him. Even though he is very skilled in swordsmanship, I''m afraid that the captain''s biggest w is hisck of noble roots. I apologize but let me be honest: I chose you because I know that your father needs an heir. I used the prophecy to marry Kiho into a noble family to help him expand his power and influence on the higher society."


    "Your Majesty, you don''t have to apologize to a lowly subject like me," she said, embarrassed that she had to hear the emperor apologize to her. "I am fully aware that most people would think that my union with Captain Kiho is nothing but a mere political marriage. But I could care less about that. It was my choice to marry the captain."


    That seemed to surprise the emperor. "Lady Prescott, perhaps you have feelings for the captain?" Before she had the chance to respond, he raised a hand to stop her from speaking. "Ah, you don''t have to answer my question. That was intrusive of me."


    She just smiled at him when she realized that before she betrayed Princess Nia in her past life, the emperor had been so kind to her. But when His Majesty found out that she was the person who exposed the princess'' secret, he changed.


    [I had a good life then but I let my greed ruin me and my rtionship with the precious people around me.]


    But now, she vowed to treasure every single person in her life.


    "I''ll go ahead and inform my servants to assist you," the emperor said. "Ah, I have a question though. Have you seen Princess Nia? You''re one of her closest friends so I was wondering if you know where she went to. She disappeared after she gave her speech a while ago." He smiled while gently shaking his head. "The princess really hates socializing."


    Her heart hurt when she remembered the tragic end of Princess Nia that she caused in her previous life. Because of that, the emperor loathed her so much.


    [I have to make it up it to Princess Nia in this lifetime.]


    "Her Royal Highness Nia loves to look at the white roses under the moonlight as bright as what we have tonight, Your Majesty," she said to the emperor.


    Princess Nia has a private garden where only white roses bloomed. The emperor definitely knew where the garden was because he had it built for the princess when he proposed. In the past, she remembered that Princess Nia would always go and watch the white roses every time she sneaked out of the pce.


    "Thank you, Lady Prescott," Emperor Aku said. "Now, I shall summon Kiho and teach him a thing or two about how he should treat a finedy like you."


    Tilly smiled and bowed politely at the emperor. "Thank you for being considerate, Your Majesty."


    ***


    [THE royal maids are so extra.]


    Tilly was now sitting on a bench in a garden away from the ballroom. Beside her was a nicely wrapped big box with a white ribbon on it. Two royal knights and two maids brought her there but they left a while ago. They told her that Captain Kiho was on his way.


    [His Majesty probably thought that I will confess to Kiho so he asked the knights and the maids to leave us.]


    The emperor was surely confident that nothing bad could happen when she was with Kiho. Her ex-husband might have a bad reputation, but the whole empire knew that he was one of the greatest swordsmen the empire had ever produced.


    [Anyway, I prefer this kind of peace and quiet.]


    While alone, she couldn''t help but remember how the royal maids assisted her once she was done changing her dress in the private parlor earlier.


    They meticulously applied makeup on her face and fixed her hair by giving her a half up crown braid. Well, it turned out good. When she saw her face in the mirror a while ago, she was quite surprised.


    [His Majesty definitely asked the maids to treat me like a royal. This is probably his way of showing me that he supports my "feelings" for Kiho.]


    Because of that, she couldn''t help but feel guilty.


    In the past, she exposed Princess Nia''s secret that caused the exile of Her Royal Highness.


    And she was about to find out the princess'' secret in this lifetime.


    In the past, after her engagement with Kiho was officially announced, Princess Nia invited her to a tea party. That was when she discovered the princess'' secret. So once her engagement with Kiho was confirmed tonight, she would probably receive the invitation soon.


    [I can''t turn down the princess'' invitation but I have to somehow find a way to avoid discovering her secret.]


    "Good evening, Lady Prescott."


    Tilly flinched when she heard Kiho''s low and cold voice from behind. When she stood up and turned around to face him, she was surprised by what he did.


    Without even looking at her face, the captain got down on one knee and lowered his head.


    [Okay, what is he up to now?]


    "Lady Prescott, I''m not a noble and Ick proper etiquette," Kiho said in a serious voice. "All I ever learned from childhood was to hold a sword and kill people to live. Before His Majesty officially took me under his wing, I worked as a mercenary during my adolescence. My hands are tainted with blood and even if I inherit your father''s title, the high society you belong to will never fully ept me as a duke. I''ll just probably be a disgrace to you if you choose to marry me."


    Tilly gently bit her lower lip to stop herself fromughing.


    [Kiho is speaking a lot, huh? He''s really trying so hard to get dumped. Did he really fall in love with the dy with a crab mallet?"]


    "But all of the things I just said were nothing but ame excuse," Kiho continued. "The truth is I met ady with a crab mallet and I can''t get her out of my mind."


    Tilly couldn''t help but smile at his confession. [Ah, my husband is smitten.]


    "I am not worthy to be your husband, Lady Prescott. Don''t marry a man whose heart already belongs to another woman," Kiho continued. "Please break off our engagement, mydy. If you grant me this favor, I''ll do anything you want."


    "That kind of promise is dangerous, Captain," Tilly scolded him yfully.


    Kiho suddenly fell silent and for a few moments, he didn''t move.


    [Did he freeze or something?]


    He probably recognized her voice. The captain was sharp so he definitely figured out that "Lady Prescott" and the dy with a crab mallet" were the same person.


    [Is he angry?]


    She was about to tap his shoulder but stopped when Kiho suddenly looked up at her.


    The intensity in his glowing golden orbs made her step back.


    To be honest, Kiho rarely got mad at her in the past so she couldn''t really remember how he looked when he was angry. But right now, the look on his face was something akin to anger and that scared her a bit.


    [Is he angry because he thinks I made a fool out of him?]


    Tilly could only pray that she hasn''t ruined her second chance.

 Chapter 6: One More Time

    Chapter 6: One More Time


    "CAPTAIN, please rise," Tilly said when she finally gathered the courage to speak while looking at Kiho''s intense gaze.


    Kiho, without breaking their eye contact, stood in front of her with a nk look on his handsome face. She only reached his chest so he had to literally look down just to meet her gaze. "Lady Prescott?"


    "Please just call me ''Tilly,''" she said before giving him a curtsy. "Good evening, Sir Kiho."


    "You don''t have to be so formal with me, Tilly," he said, mentioning her name in a firm voice. She liked how he didn''t hesitate to call her by her first name as if he wanted to be close with her so bad. "You can also call me by my name, too."


    She couldn''t help but smile at their fast progress.


    In her past life, they only started to call each other by their first names after she gave birth to Winter. But now, they were obviouslyfortable with each other right away.


    [I''ll definitely change our future.]


    "Kiho, first of all, let me apologize to you for keeping my identity from you," she said. "I understand if you''re angry. But I hope you let me give you an exnation."


    "I''m not angry," he denied in his usual monotonous voice. But despite his stoic look, the glow in his golden eyes showed his interest. "Did I scare you?"


    She nodded as confirmation. "You red at me."


    "Ah, I wasn''t ring you," he said with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I was just berating myself for being stupid. Had I known you were Lady Prescott from the very beginning, I wouldn''t have held back the night you asked me to"


    "Woah, Captain!" she said, then covered his mouth with her hands. Gosh, her cheeks were flushed but the captain remained as stoic as usual. "Are you really about to say that I asked you to s-sleep with me that night?"


    He nodded, his golden orbs sparkling in amusement.


    "Gosh," sheined, getting more and more embarrassed by the minute. "You''re a knight. Aren''t you supposed to protect ady''s honor?"


    Well, she was perfectly aware that it wouldn''t happen if she didn''t ask him to sleep with her. She just didn''t expect him to bring it up right away.


    [Where''s the indifferent husband that I know?]


    Kiho gently tapped the back of her hand with his finger.


    [Oh.]


    She removed her hands from his mouth.


    "I''m d that we''re having this conversation. Because this proves that we really met that night," Kiho said in a somewhat gentle tone. He was really in the mood to talk tonight, huh? "I searched for you all over the town the next day, Tilly. When I didn''t find you, I thought you were just a beautiful dream. If the squires of my troop didn''t see you then, I would have probably believed that you were a goddess that I luckily stumbled upon."


    Okay, now her whole face felt hot. In her previous life, she was married to Kiho for more than ten years but he neverplimented her that way. "G-Goddess?"


    "Goddess of crabs."


    She red at him even though she could tell from his yful tone that he was just teasing her, then she yfully hit his chest.


    [Wow, it''s solid!]


    Casually touching a man wasn''t amon behavior for ady in that empire. But since she also remembered her life as a modern woman, she couldn''t help but sometimes act like how she did in the modern world. She was trying hard to act like a properdy to avoid suspicions from the people around her.


    But for some reason, she felt sofortable with the captain that she could drop her guard around him.


    [This is definitely different from our civil rtionship in the past.]


    Well, she could remember a few happy moments with her husband and son in her previous life. But she could confidently say that what she had with Kiho right now was better, even though their rtionship has yet to be confirmed.


    [He seems to be just asfortable as I am.]


    Kiho''s lips didn''t turn upward but his eyes definitely smiled. "Tilly, you''ve heard everything I said about my past a while ago. I know that His Majesty personally talked to your father about the prophecy. But if you''re scared to marry amoner with a cruel past like me, don''t hesitate to break off our engagement. I will make sure that the emperor won''t force you to marry me. Prophecy be damned."


    "Are you insane?" she asked between giggles. "If you disobey the emperor, you''ll be branded a traitor."


    "I''d rather be a traitor than be the kind of husband that will only make you miserable."


    Those words made her heart beat loud and fast.


    She couldn''t believe that a chance encounter by the sea could entirely change her rtionship with Kiho.


    It made her wonder if he loved her in the past, even just a little, when they were still married. During that time, Kiho was respectful and always mindful of her boundaries. Plus, he never cheated on her even during the time they started to sleep in separate rooms.


    Most of all, Kiho had always been a good father to Winter. Strict when he needed to, but he got his son''s back all the time.


    [I took them for granted because of my damn hunger for power. I don''t even remember why I wanted to be the mother of the next emperor back then. I lost my husband and my son and I died a painful death.]


    "You''re doing it again," Kiho said with a hint of worry in his voice. "You''re looking at me with sad eyes."


    Well, that was because during thest moments of her previous life, she never stopped feeling apologetic to Kiho. Before he asked for divorce, she remembered that he really tried his best to keep their family together. And even when she was used of a severe crime against the royal family, he still stood by his side.


    But stupid her pushed him away. She had to because she didn''t want him to be associated with her crimes. Winter needed his father after all. For her, that was her final peace offering to her husband and son and a farewell.


    [I hope Lucina Morganna had been good to them until the end.]


    "I''m just sad because it seems like you don''t find me pretty enough," she said just to tease the captain. "I dolled up for you, Captain. But instead of calling me a moon goddess, you called me a goddess of crabs."


    In Moonchester Empire, being called as "moon goddess" was the highest form ofpliment ady could receive from a man.


    [Well, that''s what most people believe.]


    "But I like crabs more than the moon," Kiho said in a serious voice. "I''d rather catch crabs than watch the moon. I never had the luxury to do thetter."


    Growing up an orphan then being forced to be a mercenary to survive that was Kiho''s past. In her previous life, she used to be embarrassed of her husband''s background. If he wasn''t favored by the emperor, the captain would have probably been bullied by other nobles.


    Not that Kiho would let other people bully him. But still, even though he became a duke in the past, she was fully aware that the other nobles would talk behind his back and make fun of him. She knew that but she didn''t stand up for her husband. Because in her previous life, she sucked up to the nobles to support Winter as the next emperor.


    [I''ll take care of Kiho this time.]


    "You can do that now," she said to Kiho. "I may not be as pretty as the moon but you can look at my face anytime you want."


    Kiho looked pleased. "That''s an offer that I won''t turn down."


    She just smiled at him. "Ah, let me exin why I kept my identity from you."


    "Would you like to sit down first?"


    She shook her head before she started to exin. "When we met at the port town, I thought my father sent you there to escort me. I noticed that you didn''t recognize me but I still had my doubts. A few dayster, when I talked to my father, he mentioned that the emperor was worried that you didn''t want to marry me anymore."


    He coughed as if he wanted to forget about that.


    She just giggled at his reaction before she continued. "My father said ording to the emperor, you seemed to have been smitten by another dark-haired woman you met at the port."


    His brows visibly twitched. "It seems like His Majesty enjoys talking about my personal life with other people."


    She justughed softly. "Thanks to His Majesty''s concern, I had an idea. I wanted to know if I was really the woman you spoke about to the emperor. As the captain of the ck Serpent Knights, I knew you''d be at the banquet so I sneaked out of the party to look for you. Luckily, I found you by ident when I got lost in the maze." She had to lie because she didn''t want Kiho to find her suspicious. "I didn''t properly introduce myself because I wanted to know what you''d do if you met thedy you met at the port the night you were supposed to meet your fiance."


    "In short, you wanted to test my feelings?" he asked carefully.


    She nodded before she gave another exnation. "I know that our marriage is considered as a political one. A prophecy from the High Priest dered your future child as an important existence to the empire. But only a dark-haired woman could give birth to your son. I happen to be the woman with the darkest hair in the empire so I was chosen as your wife. But what will happen if you meet another dark-haired woman? I don''t want to be thrown away. And so, I decided to test your feelings."


    "Are you saying that you don''t want a loveless marriage?"


    "Very sharp, Captain," she told him with a smile. "I know that we''re both physically attracted to each other. It''s too early to call it love, but it''s a good start. If we''re going to get married and have a child together, why don''t we try to fall in love with each other while we''re at it? You know, I''m one of the few who believes that you can teach yourself to love a person."


    To be honest, even if she had all the memories of her previous life, she was still not sure if she loved the Captain in the past.


    But right now, she had no reasons not to love him.


    [I want a happy family in this lifetime.]


    "Honestly, I could care less about the prophecy," Kiho saidter. "Before we met at the port, I was prepared to marry the faceless Lady Prescott because His Majesty wanted me to. The emperor believes that my future son would be a great help to the royal family. Since I vowed my life and loyalty to him, I didn''t even think about refusing his "request.""


    "But for the first time in your life, you tried to defy His Majesty," she said, then she teased him. She wanted to flirt, okay? "Did you want to sleep with me that bad?"


    "I don''t do one-night stands," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "That''s why I''m d and relieved when you asked me to marry you."


    Her eyes widened at his confession. "Then, why didn''t you make a move?"


    "Because you were drunk," he said. "I didn''t want to take advantage of you so I thought we should talk about sleeping together or marriage only when you''re sober. But like I said a while ago, I didn''t find you at the port when I looked for you."


    Aww she was touched.


    Kiho might think that hecked proper etiquette because he didn''t have the education that nobles received her. But he didn''t realize that his honor as a knight was just as admirable. Plus, not all nobles were as honorable as him despite having higher education.


    [Kiho has always been a gentleman.]


    "I''m sober now, Kiho," she said. "And I''m still very much attracted to you, good sir."


    "Mydy, you always beat me to it," he said. Then, much to her surprise, he got down on one knee and stretched out his hand to her. "May I have the honor of being your other half, Lady Matilda "Tilly" Prescott?"


    Ah, yes. This was how the knights in the empire propose.


    "It will be an honor to be yours, Sir Kiho," she said before she gave her his hand.


    Kiho gently took her hand and brought it to his lips. Then, he ced a light kiss on her knuckles before he looked at up at with glowing golden eyes. "Thank you for epting me, Tilly."


    Tilly smiled and squeezed his hand. "I have no reason not to ept you, Kiho."

 Chapter 7: Present

    Chapter 7: Present


    "I PREPARED a small gift for you, Kiho," Tilly told the captain while they were sitting side by side on the bench. Even though they just got engaged, he was still very mindful of her personal space. He wouldn''t even let their arms touch. But she was fine with it. "Here."


    She handed him the box with a big bow on it. He looked hesitant when he took the gift because she insisted. It looked like he was conflicted for some reason.


    "Tilly, I''m happy that you got me a present but at the same, I''m embarrassed," Kiho said. "I didn''t prepare a gift for you."


    Of course he wouldn''t prepare a gift for a woman he was supposed to dump.


    He may not have prepared a material gift for her, but she sure received a nice present from him a while ago.


    "That''s not true, Kiho," she said with a yful smile. "You gave me a gift."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "You gave me a lovely title," she answered. "You called me a goddess."


    "Of crabs," he reminded her. "And you hit me for it."


    Sheughed heartily at how light and fun their conversation was. This was so different from the formal ones that they had in her previous life. Plus, the current Kiho spoke a lot. In the past, he used to be so awkward atmunicating.


    [I''m d our first meeting turned out to be very different from the first one we had in my previous life.]


    "I may have overreacted but I like the sound of it. For real," she said sincerely. "If you didn''t see me struggling from trying to open crab ws, you wouldn''t have approached me. So I''m grateful for the crabs for letting us talk that night."


    "Ah, that''s true."


    "I like your confession, too," she added. "You were willing to risk your life just to be with me. That''s already a priceless gift, Kiho."


    He blinked in surprise. "I didn''t expect a duke''s daughter to be this easy to please."


    She giggled at his straightforwardness. "You seem to have prejudice against higher nobles."


    "Did I offend you?"


    "No. Most of your bad impressions on higher nobles might be true anyway," she admitted. Before she was reborn, she used to be a high-maintenancedy. She loved morous clothes and expensive jewelries. Well, she still enjoyed luxury but right now, she has also learned the value of non-material things. "Anyway, you may open your gift. It''s a simple present so don''t expect too much."


    "That will be impossible because whatever I receive from you, I will treat it like it''s the most precious thing in the world," he said while opening the box in a swift movement.


    Thank god he was busy "unboxing" her present because he couldn''t see her blushing face.


    [I didn''t know Kiho can be this smooth.]


    "Oh."


    She couldn''t help but smile when she saw Kiho''s face light up as soon as he saw the content of the box. Then, he turned to her with a childish glint in his golden eyes. He looked like a little kid who just received a present from Santa us.


    "You got me seafood tools," he said with a slightly more cheerful tone than his usual monotonous voice. "I''m delighted."


    "And I''m happy that you liked my simple present."


    She got Kiho a set of crab crackers, a pair of butter warmer (a small ceramic bowl over a votive holder and candle), and a customized seafood scissors. She drew the design of the seafood scissors and had a great smith to create it. It was closer to the seafood scissors she had in the modern world than what was currently avable in the empire.


    [No wonder the captain looks very impressed.]


    "You even got me butter warmer," he said, then turned to her with a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "Do you know that I like dipping lobster and shrimp in melted butter?"


    Of course she knew. They were married for ten years in her previous life. Though unfortunately, her past self didn''t enjoy seafood so they didn''t bond over that.


    [I really was a bad bitch then.]


    "I like melted butter so I thought that we have the same taste as fellow seafood lover," she said as an excuse. "I''m d that my instinct was right."


    "I never thought the day I''d say this woulde but I can''t wait to marry you."


    She justughed softly while trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.


    [I''m already an adult but he''s making me feel like I am young again!]


    "Thank you, Tilly," he said in a gentle tone. "What can I give you in return?"


    "I''m not expecting anything in return when I prepared a present for you."


    "I know. But I still insist," he said in a firm voice. "I may not be as wealthy as your family but I have enough to pamper you."


    She already knew that since she was in-charge of their family''s finances in the past.


    Kiho, as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights, actually earned a fortune. Every time his troop conquered a country or a kingdom to expand the empire''s territory, Emperor Aku would give him a portion of the fallennd''s wealth. Aside from that, the emperor would also pay Kiho a huge amount of money for every person he would kill under His Majesty''s order.


    But Kiho was frugal. He wouldn''t spend money on himself. But he let her spend his hard-earned money on luxury.


    [Yes, I was an awful wife.]


    "Okay, I understand," she said when she saw the determination on his face determination to dote on her. That was so cute of him. "Captain, please get me a nice engagement ring."


    He gasped aloud. That was the most vivid reaction she got from him yet. "I proposed to you without a ring."


    "That''s why you have to make it up by giving me a ring that I can show off to otherdies."


    He nodded as if he was telling her that he wouldn''t disappoint her. "I will find the perfect ring for you."


    "I''m looking forward to it."


    "Tilly, are you sure you want to marry me?"


    "Yes," she answered. "Why?"


    "I just want you to know that when Imit to something, I don''t stop halfway," he said like a mild warning. "I''m giving you this one and only chance to run away."


    "I won''t run away," she said firmly. But then, she got curious. "But what will happen if I ran away from you after we''re married."


    "I''ll chase you," Kiho answered almost immediately. "And I won''t stop until I find you again."


    She barely noticed the threat in his words because his voice sounded really sexy. Plus, his face was so handsome that staring at it for long made her forget how to think straight.


    But she would be careful, okay? She knew that Kiho wouldn''t physically hurt her. But she would also make sure that he wouldn''t get too obsessive. She may have been reincarnated in that world, but her mind and heart still remembered the modern woman that she once was.


    [I''m still that strong, independent woman.]


    "Alright," Tilly said after a while. "Let''s stay together for as long as we can."


    ***


    "WHAT?" Emperor Aku asked Kiho with a raised brow. "Will you repeat what you just said, Kiho?"


    "I want to give Lady Prescott an engagement ring, Your Majesty," Kiho told the emperor. He called Tilly formally because he was talking to the emperor. He didn''t want Emperor Aku to know Tilly''s adorable nickname and use it carelessly. "I want to give her a pearl ring as a symbol of my feelings."


    They were currently riding a horse side by side. The emperor went on a hunt and he was in charge of His Majesty''s safety. While they were on their way back to the vi where the emperor was spending his short break, he asked about his engagement with Tilly.


    "Are you crazy?" the emperor asked while gently shaking his head. "Sure, a pearl ring looks nice. But an engagement ring has to be diamond" He paused for a few seconds before he turned to him with a horrified look on his face. "Kiho, am I not paying you enough that you can''t afford a diamond ring?"


    "Your Majesty, I have enough money to buy Lady Prescott expensive jewels," he assured the emperor. "But I thought a pearl ring would be more special because we both love seafood."


    "I fail to see the connection between the two," the emperor said in a dire tone. "Kiho, there''s a reason why pearls aren''t popr as engagement rings. ording to Nia, pearls are easily scratched. If Lady Prescott wears it regrly, there''s a high possibility that she might damage the ring even before you get married. But most of all, pearl rings are considered cheappared to diamonds. Do you want the nobles to have another reason to look down on you?"


    "Your Majesty, I heard there''s a special kind of pearl in the Great Sea of the East."


    His Majesty''s eyes widened in shock. "Are you insane, Kiho? The Great Sea of the East is air for sea monsters! Are you thinking of braving the Great Sea just to get a pearl for Lady Prescott?"


    "I heard the pearl is hiding in a giant m," he said, ignoring the emperor''s whining. "Pearls are usually found in oysters but this one, it can be found in a m. That''s already rare."


    "The giant m you''re talking about is in the nest of giant sea monsters."


    "Your Majesty, I haven''t taken a long vacation ever since I became a captain," Kiho said while looking at the emperor. "Please approve my vacation leave as soon as possible."


    "You''re crazy," Emperor Aku said in frustration while shaking his head. "Don''t make Lady Prescott a young widow, you fool."


    ***


    [IT CAME.]


    Tilly was actually waiting for Kiho. Today was the day the captain would visit their house to formally ask her father for her hand in marriage.


    But this morning, a special letter was delivered to her by a messenger from the royal pce. The seal in the envelope had the crest of the royal family: a white lion and a full moon. To be precise, it was a letter from Her Royal Highness Princess Nia Moonchester.


    Like what she was expecting, the princess sent her an invitation for a tea party with just the two of them.


    [If I ept the invitation, I''m bound to discover her "secret." Well, I don''t have any n to use that against the royal family. But I still don''t want to deal with it again in this lifetime.]


    But how would Tilly avoid Princess Nia?

 Chapter 8: Order of the Knights

    Chapter 8: Order of the Knights


    "MY LADY, your beauty is blinding!"


    For today, she wore a yellow brocade dress with mesh puff sleeves. The neckline was wide so she wore a ck silk choker with a dangling amber gemstone.


    For her face, she asked the maids to put light makeup on her. Her cheeks and lips were naturally pinkish anyway. And for her hair, Isabe tied it in an elegant braided bun using a flower-shaped pin. It matched the tiny dangling earrings and bracelet that she wore.


    "Thank you, Isabe," Tilly said while looking at the maid''s reflection in the mirror. Right now, she was alone in her room with Isabe. She asked the other maids to leave after they helped her dress up. "I can''t wait to meet Captain Kiho."


    Isabe suddenly went pale. "M-Mydy, I know that you said that rumors are usually exaggerated to amuse people. But I don''t think that''s the case with Captain Kiho. It''s an open secret that the ck Serpent Knights carry out assassination jobs for the emperor. Out of the four Orders in the empire, the ck Serpents are the scariest."


    In the Moonchester Empire, there were Four Orders of the Knights:


    1. The ck Serpent Knights


    2. The Golden Tiger Knights


    3. The Blue Dragon Knights


    4. The Red Phoenix Knights


    The Golden Tigers, Blue Dragons, and Red Phoenixes were all adored by the citizens. Only the ck Serpents were discriminated. And it wasn''t only because of their assassination job.


    [The ck Serpents Knights aren''t from the nobles families. Most of them are mercenaries in the past just like Kiho. While the others aremoners. That''s the reason why most people look down on them.]


    Unlike the ck Serpent Knights, the other three orders were of nobility. The captains of the Golden Tigers, Blue Dragons, and Red Phoenixes were all higher nobles. And aside from their noble blood, they were also just as skilled as Kiho.


    [But my captain is still the best for me.]


    "Isabe, a good heart is more important than a noble bloodline when you''re choosing a partner," Tilly gently said to Isabe.


    Isabe still looked horrified. "But mydy, does the captain have a heart?"


    Sheughed at her innocence. She wasn''t upset because she knew that Isabe said that out of ignorance. After all, the maid didn''t know the captain personally. "Kiho is a good person. But I prefer it if I''m the only woman who sees his gentle side. If you discover the real him that''s very different from the rumors, I''m afraid that you might fall in love with my captain."


    The maid''s face suddenly went red as if she was embarrassed. "M-Mydy, perhaps you''re in love with the captain?"


    "We''re not yet there," she said with a yful smile. "But we''ll get there soon."


    Isabe gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. "If that''s how mydy feels, then I will support you. I''ll try not to get scared of Captain Kiho."


    "I appreciate that."


    A few momentster, another maid came to inform her that Kiho has arrived in the estate.


    When she went down, she was informed by the butler that Kiho was already in the parlor room with her father. After that, she went to the room where the two men were. This time, the head butler Gustang was waiting by the door.


    "Lady Prescott has arrived," Gustang announced before he opened the double doors.


    [Here we go.]


    She went inside the parlor room alone. When she did, Kiho and her father stood up like the gentlemen that they were. But her gaze was instantly fixed on the captain.


    [He''s really handsome.]


    Kiho was wearing a ck formal suit with gold ents. And he was also holding a bouquet of red roses. For her, of course.


    [His Majesty probably forced him to bring flowers, just like in the past.]


    "Lady Prescott," Kiho greeted her formally when he walked towards her. Maybe he called her that way because they were in the presence of the duke. "Why are you so beautiful?"


    She couldn''t help butugh softly at his praise. It wasn''t just his words. The way he said it while looking at her like she was the most beautiful girl in the world made her feel giddy. "It is said thatdies look more blooming when they''re happy."


    The captain didn''t smile but his golden eyes sparkled. Then, he finally gave the flowers to her. "The roses pale inparison with you, Lady Prescott."


    Okay, that made Tilly blush. "Those words warm my heart knowing that they came from a gentleman as dashing as you, Sir Kiho."


    Their little moment was cut off when the duke "coughed" a little loudly.


    "Tilly, Captain Kiho, why don''t we all sit down first and talk?" Duke Prescott "suggested." Then, he turned to the door. "Bring in the tea and snacks."


    ***


    [IT''S finally over]


    Tilly was relieved that their discussion was finally over.


    Right now, she and Kiho were in the pavilion by the pond. That area was still a part of Duke Prescott''srge estate. Inside the pavilion, there was a table for two were tea and snacks (again) were served for them.


    Outside the pavilion, the maids were at standby. One of them was Isabe who was sticking out like a sore thumb. Her close aid was obviously watching Kiho''s every move even though she still looked scared of the captain.


    "Tilly, you also like fishes?" Kiho asked while they were standing side by side while watching the Koi fishes in the pond. He had his arms on the railings while leaning forward as if he wanted to get a closer look at the fishes. "Are they edible?"


    Tillyughed at his very practical question. "Yes, they are. You can eat them. But I''d rather not since I treat them as pets."


    He turned to her and his usual stoic face was a little bit livelier today. "Would you like me to build a pond for you at my estate?"


    "That would be nice," she answered with a smile.


    "I have a garden that I don''t have any use for," he said with a hint of excitement in his voice. "I''ll ask my people to renovate it for you."


    "Thank you, Kiho."


    "I can''t wait to bring you home."


    In the empire, it wasmon for the future bride to move in to the house of her fianc a few months or weeks before their wedding. Once she moved in to Kiho''s residence, she would receive bridal lessons.


    The captain didn''te from a noble bloodline so in a normal case, it would be hard for him to find nobles who would be willing to teach his future bride. But Emperor Aku took care of that matter for Kiho.


    [His Majesty really treats him like a brother.]


    "You say that but you''re leaving me as soon as we got engaged," sheined lightly with a pout. "Do you really have to go on a mission right away?"


    Kiho told her and her father a while ago that he would leave in two days because he received an order from the emperor.


    She was upset by the news but her father didn''t mind. ording to the duke, it was only natural for a captain like Kiho to be that busy even though he just got engaged. Her father also advised her to get used to it because it would definitely happen again in the future.


    [I know that. I just can''t wait to meet Winter again. If it''s possible, I''ll choose to have the honeymoon first before the wedding.]


    Premarital sex was also quitemon in that world. A couple just has to be discreet about it. Well, it was eptable for married nobles to have a lover so she shouldn''t be surprised that sex between unmarried couples wasn''t a big deal there.


    "I''ll be back before you know it," Kiho said as if he wanted tofort her. "Since the Pis Inds is a part of the empire''s territory, His Majesty gave me the permission to use the magic portal connected to it. Usually, getting to the Pis would take five days by a ship. But since I''ll be using the portal, it will only take me a day to get there."


    Pis Inds was a tropical country that was also known as the "Great Sea of the East."


    "But isn''t the ind infamous for its sea monsters?" she asked worriedly. "Will you be okay?"


    He frowned upon her question. "Tilly, I''m strong."


    [Aww he''s offended.]


    "I''m not questioning your skill, Kiho," she said gently. "I''m just worried about you."


    He blinked in surprise. The offended look on his handsome face was instantly gone. "You''re worried about me? But why? I''m strong. That''s the only thing I can brag about."


    "I know that you''re strong. You wouldn''t be a captain at age twenty one if you weren''t," she said. Then, she gently ced a hand on his cheek. He seemed surprise, but he didn''t move away from her touch. "But you can''t stop me from worrying about you, Kiho. I don''t want you to get hurt. Now that we''re about to get married, you have to know that you don''t own your body alone anymore. If you get hurt, I''ll be sad and upset. And if you die, I''ll be a young widow. Do you want me to get married to another man once you''re gone?"


    "No," he said in a firm voice. Then, he put his hand on top of hers. "I don''t want that to happen, Tilly."


    "Then, you should take care of yourself more."


    "Is this really okay?" he asked in a somewhat worried voice. "Is it really okay for me to be selfish and keep you all to myself?"


    "As long as you don''t get too possessive or obsessive, I''ll be yours," she promised him. "We belong to each other now, Kiho."


    "Okay," he agreed in a somewhat shy tone. She also noticed that for some reason, he looked a little flushed. "Tilly, if you have time today, would you like to visit the town with me?"


    Tilly couldn''t help but smile as she felt the butterflies in her stomach once again. "Only if it''s a date, Captain."


    "It''s a date," Kiho said, his cheeks nowpletely red. "Let''s go on a date, Tilly."


    ***


    PS: Hi! Thank you for reading Mommy Viiness. This is my entry for Spirity Awards 2020 and I need your help~ You can support my story by leaving a review and giving power stones. Also, please "like" the chapters. Thank you~ <3

 Chapter 9: Odd Couple

    Chapter 9: Odd Couple


    "WOW," Tilly said while admiring the big, ck carriage with the crest of the ck Serpent Knights. The troop''s symbol was a ck serpent (duh) with yellow snake eyes coiled around a rapier sword. "Your carriage is huge, Kiho."


    "Oh, is it?" Kiho asked with a curiosity in his voice. "To be honest, I rarely use that carriage since I often ride on my horse." He paused for a while before he turned to her. "I even get lost in my own mansion. Not because it''s huge but because I haven''t stayed in it long enough to know my way around."


    She giggled at that.


    Kiho''s residence and servants were all chosen by Emperor Aku. But the captain was often away on long missions, missing the chance to explore his own home or bond with his servants. And even if he was in the Royal Capital, he still couldn''t catch a break because the emperor would always summon him in the pce.


    [Emperor Aku is very clingy.]


    Not that he could me the emperor. After all, His Majesty knew that the most loyal and the most dependable follower he had was Kiho.


    "And here I am, hoping you''d give me a house tour once I moved in to your residence," she teased him.


    "Let''s go together once I return from my mission," he said. "The head butler knows the mansion more than I do."


    She just smiled and nodded at him. Then, her gaze went past him to look at the young knight standing behind the captain.


    "Ah, I almost forgot," Kiho said, obviously a bit embarrassed that he forgot to introduce hispanion to her. But as soon as he regained hisposure, he motioned the young knight toe closer. "Lady Prescott, I''d like to introduce you to Damian the youngest yet one of the most talented in his batch. He''s my aid."


    "G-Greetings, Lady Prescott," Damian greeted her nervously. "I''ll do my best to serve you well!"


    "Don''t yell," the captain scolded the young knight.


    Damian immediately bowed to her. "I-I a-apologize, mydy."


    She giggled at the adorable young dork. "Rise, Sir Damian."


    Damian looked up at her with a surprised look on his face. Like he couldn''t believe that she called him "sir." He looked touched. "M-Mydy"


    ''Sir'' was the appropriate title that every knight in the empire was bestowed upon.


    But because of the discrimination against the ck Serpent Knights, most people didn''t "ept" them as knights. There were still a lot of citizens who looked down on the ck Serpents, especially the snotty nobles.


    Kiho cleared his throat. When she turned to him, he offered her his hand. "Shall we go, Tilly?"


    Tilly smiled and gently grabbed his hand. "Let''s go."


    ***


    TILLY was now in the spacious carriage while sitting across her handsome date. Kiho looked ufortable, obviously not used to using a carriage. But she understood why he looked that way because he said a while ago that he was morefortable in riding on a horse.


    Right now, the carriage they were in was being escorted by Damian who was riding on a horse beside their coach.


    "Kiho, do you want to sit beside me?" Tilly offered while gently patting the space beside her. "Come here."


    Kiho nodded, then he stood up and quickly sat beside her. "I didn''t know that a carriage is a dangerous space. If we were attacked here, it would be hard to move."


    She raised an eyebrow at that. "Is that what you''re worried about the whole time?"


    No wonder he fell silent as soon as the carriage started to move!


    "I was thinking about different ways to protect you if we were suddenly ambushed," he said while looking back and forth to the window on her right and the door on his left. "It will be hard, but I''ll do my best to pull you out unscathed."


    She couldn''t help butugh at how serious he was about that when they were supposed to go on a peaceful date. "Kiho, I know that the ck Serpent Knights have a lot of enemies. But no one in their sane mind would attack us in broad daylight. Especially not when we''re headed to the heart of the Royal Capital."


    "I can''t help it though," he said. "It''s impossible to not care about you."


    "Thank you for worrying about me," she said with a smile. She was genuinely touched by his concern. But she had to remind him of one thing. "Kiho, I''m not a frail, porcin doll. Just like other nobles, I was born with Mana. That Mana makes us stronger than average humans. Well, my magical ability isn''t really fit forbat but I can use it to protect myself." She gently nudged his sides with her elbow. The action surprised him, but in a pleasant way. She clearly saw his face light up when they made physical contact. "If you worry too much, we won''t get to enjoy our first date."


    He took a deep breath before he nodded. That seemed to calm him down because a few momentster, he was back to his usual stoic face and monotonous voice. "You''re right, Tilly. I should focus on our date. Where do you want to go again?"


    "I want to check out the newest attraction at the Moon River," she said excitedly. In fact, she wore a hat and brought a parasol for that. "There''s a newly opened riverside caf called Velvety. We can buy light fare for lunch at the caf, then rent a boat to tour the riverbanks. The weather is good and it''s not too hot so I''m sure we can enjoy the boat ride. Is that okay with you?"


    "Will that make you happy?"


    She nodded, a huge smile stered on her face. "Yes."


    He looked pleased while looking at her smile. "Then, let''s do that."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion when she noticed the mild hesitation on his face. "Kiho, if you''re notfortable with my idea, don''t hesitate to say so. We can n a date that the both of us can enjoy."


    He shook his head. "No, I like to do what makes you happy."


    "But I don''t want you to do that at the expense of your ownfort."


    "I''m fine," he assured here in a gentle tone. "Don''t worry too much, Tilly."


    She was about to say something when the carriage stopped. Then, the coachman announced that they have arrived at the caf.


    The captain went out first. Then, he lent his hand to her and she let him assist her while getting down the carriage. After that, the captain gently took the parasol from her to open it. But he didn''t give it back. Instead, he carried it and made sure she was protected from the sun. Then, he offered his arm to her.


    [When did he be extra sweet?]


    She smiled while feeling giddy again. Then, she linked her arm with his. While walking, only Damian was left following them quietly. That was because the coachman had to take the carriage elsewhere to park while waiting for them.


    She was starting to think that they would have a good time but as soon as she got aware of her surroundings, her smile faded right away.


    [What the hell?]


    Everyone around them was looking at their direction. To be precise, people had their attention fixed on Kiho. Worse, they didn''t even bother to mask their fear and disgust.


    That was when she realized why Kiho looked ufortable a while ago.


    [Kiho probably knows that the people they''d meet would react this way. He may be used to getting this sort of reaction, but it still definitely hurts to be treated like a monster.]


    She felt guilty for being so thoughtless.


    But on second thought, she should use this opportunity to support Kiho.


    After all, one of her greatest regrets in her past life was her failure to stand up for her husband. She let the nobles stomp on Kiho''s pride before. She wouldn''t make the same mistake again. This time, she would fight for him.


    "Kiho, it''s because you''re too handsome," she said with a yful smile.


    The captain was smart so she knew that he''d get what she really wanted to say.


    "Don''t worry, Tilly," he assured her with a nk face. "I''m used to this."


    "But it doesn''t mean it hurts any less, right?"


    He turned to her with a surprised look on his face. "Tilly"


    "Tell me, Kiho," she started carefully. "Between the opinion of one hundred strangers and the opinion of a few who cares about you, which matters more to you?"


    "Thetter, of course."


    "Good," she said with a smile. "But I know that even if you ignore how other people look at you, it won''t change the fact that they make you ufortable that they hurt you. So I won''t tell you to don''t mind them. Because if we always ignore the way they treat you, they''ll never acknowledge that they''re awful for bullying a person just because of his bloodline."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "I''m sorry but I don''t seem to follow you, Tilly"


    "What I''m saying is sometimes, it''s okay to be petty and stoop down to their level," she said with augh. "You don''t always have to tolerate them, Kiho. I know that you''re in a disadvantage if you fight back because once you do, you''ll only "prove" to them that they should really fear you. But you know what? I''m not as patient as you. If someone dares to cross the line, I''ll show them who the boss is."


    Kiho''s face lit up, his yellowish eyes turning into gold under the sunlight. He seemed to be relieved so that meant her attempt to cheer him up was a sess. Gosh, this man was so really beautiful. "For someone who''s tiny, you''re quite intimidating."


    "I''m not "tiny,"" Tillyined lightly while gently hitting Kiho''s arm. "You''re just too big, Captain."


    [And I mean that in every sense of the word.]


    She noticed that while she and the captain were teasing each other, the people around them were giving them strange looks. Now, she was the one who had their attention. Those nameless strangers were looking at her as if they were asking her if she just lost her mind.


    Their "audience" obviously couldn''t believe that she just (yfully) hit the "monster''s" arm. Some of them were probably expecting that Kiho would suddenly strangle her or something. But of course, that would never happen.


    [My captain might be a scary "monster" to you, but he''s a gentle monster to me.]


    ***


    [Note: May I humbly ask everyone to please rate the chapters? Reviews and powerstones will also be highly appreciated. Pretty please? Thank you~]

 Chapter 10: Butterflies in the Stomach

    Chapter 10: Butterflies in the Stomach


    TILLY could feel the curious gaze of the other customers in Velvety towards her and Kiho.


    [Well, I''ll ignore them as long as they don''t approach us with hostility.]


    Plus, she and the captain were busy lining up while looking up at the menu board. Velvety just opened but it was swarming with customers. The owner of the caf was the wife of Viscount kely so most of the patrons were nobles, too.


    If she remembered it right, the viscount''s wife was a noble from a neighboring country.


    [No wonder the menu is very strange from the usual food served in the Royal Capital.]


    "Kiho, they have crab cake," Tilly said to the captain, then she looked up at him (literally because he was just so tall). "Would you like to get that?"


    "Yeah, it sounds good," Kiho said in his usual monotonous voice. "What else would you be getting?"


    The captain''s face was back to being stoic. She also noticed that he was stiffer than usual. By that, she could tell that he was on his guard. It was as if he was expecting an ambush anytime and he was prepared for it.


    [My poor captain.]


    "I''d like to try their shrimp avocado toast," she said while looking at the array where the caf''s various bestsellers were disyed. "And some pastries. Their macarons look good. The cookies, too. Oh my gosh. I think I''d like to have muffins and brownies, too. But I''m worried about my tummy. I don''t want to get bloated."


    [It''s gonna be hard to breathe because of my damned corset.]


    The captain visibly rxed while looking at her (probably) excited face. "Don''t worry about it, Tilly. I don''t mind even if you get some weight. Actually, I''m worried that a mere gush of wind would be enough to literally blow you away."


    So, he was saying that she looked too thin to him.


    The giddiness she felt made her giggle. "Oh, Captain. You''re making the butterflies in my stomach ram against my tummy."


    "You have butterflies in your stomach?" Kiho asked in a shocked voice. "Tilly, it''s not healthy to eat butterflies. Are you okay? Should I bring you to a hospital?"


    She was stunned by the captain''s innocence.


    When she realized that he took her words literally, she burst outughing. Then, she couldn''t stop herself from yfully hitting Kiho''s chest.


    The captain blinked in surprise, but he also looked amused by her reaction.


    [I didn''t know that Kiho has a funny side!]


    But her happy mood was ruined when she heard the sudden loud buzz around them.


    That was when she realized that everyone in the caf was giving them strange looks. Just like how people in the streets looked at them a while ago.


    She looked up at Kiho to make him feel less ufortable. But then, she realized that she didn''t have to do anything.


    The captain''s gaze was fixed on her face. He seemed so focused on her that he probably didn''t hear or notice that the people around them were talking about them again. But the best thing about it was Kiho''s face was so bright and his eyes were sparkling.


    He wasn''t smiling but he looked really happy.


    [Does this cinnamon roll really look like a monster to other people?]


    "Kiho, stop being cute," Tilly yfully scolded him. Then, she linked her arms with his and gently pulled him to the counter because it was their turn to order. "Come on. Let''s get our food for our boat ride."


    His face seemed to glow even more when they walked arm by arm. "Tilly, I''ll buy you all the food you want."


    Sheughed softly at that. "Thank you."


    Kiho''s innocence face was gone instantly when he faced the female staff on the counter. Suddenly, the captain returned to his usual intimidating look.


    The poor girl visibly shivered in fear. She couldn''t even look at Kiho''s face. So she just turned to her as if she was silently asking for help.


    [Chill, girl. My captain won''t hurt you. He just put up his guard because he could sense your fear and that''s making him really ufortable.]


    But unfortunately, Tilly couldn''t say that to the staff. "Hi. We''d like to get two sets of crab cake and shrimp avocado toast. Then, we''d also get one of all the desserts on the disy cab." After cing their order, she motioned her hands to Kiho. "Please give the receipt to the handsome gentleman here. Thank you."


    Kiho didn''t say anything but he looked happy and proud that she was letting him pay for their food.


    [I''m so d to discover this side of my captain in this lifetime.]


    ***


    TILLY was amazed that the "take-out order" from Velvety Caf came with an old-style pic box. Also, they bought tea. The caf owner gave them a tea set (cups, teaspoons, saucers, and tea pot) that she put in a bigger basket.


    Well, it cost them a fortune because the tea set wasn''t cheap. But Kiho didn''t seem to mind. In fact, he looked really happy when he paid.


    Now, they were walking to the riverside to rent a boat. Unfortunately, she couldn''t link her arm with his because he was carrying a basket in each of his hand. So now, she was carrying her parasol. She wanted to put the umbre above his head but he was too tall for her to reach.


    "Tilly, you can ask Damian to carry the parasol for you," Kiho told her.


    Damian was walking behind them. He didn''t enter the caf a while ago but he stood guard outside.


    "I can manage," Tilly said with a giggle. Then, she turned to Kiho and noticed that his snake-shaped golden brooch was glowing in yellowish light. She knew that it wasn''t just an ordinary brooch it was actually amunication device. "Captain, you can answer the call. It might be important."


    He let out a frustrated sigh. "I told them not to contact me today"


    "It can''t be helped," sheforted him. "You''re the dependable captain of the great ck Serpent Knights after all."


    He seemed to be pleased. "Let''s stay under that tree first."


    The tree he was referring to was a huge Juniper tree. It has a bench under it. Also, the tree was just a few steps away from the tent where the boat rental was.


    Anyway, Tilly sat on the bench and Kiho put the pic baskets on each of her side. Then, the captain stood a few feet away from her as he answered the call by putting the brooch on his ear. It worked like a mobile phone that was only meant to receive and make calls.


    While Kiho was away, Damian stood behind her while holding the parasol above her.


    "Damian, you don''t have to do that," she said to the young knight while looking up at him. "The tree''s shade is good enough to keep me cool."


    "It''s my job to protect you, Lady Prescott," Damian said in a cute, firm voice. He was talking and acting like an adult even though he was just fourteen years old. "And the captain will kick me in the butt if you get sunburn."


    Sheughed softly at that. Well, she knew that Kiho was the type of person who wouldn''t hurt other people without any reason. But she gave in and let Damian serve her.


    [It''s an honor for knights to serve their master in any way.]


    "Tilly, I apologize but I have to leave for a while," Kiho said apologetically as soon as he went back to her side. Instead of standing in front of her, he went down on one knee and looked up at her to meet her eyes. "My vice-captain returned earlier than expected. And unfortunately, he got into another brawl with some Blue Dragon Knights. I have to bail him out myself."


    She almostughed when she remembered ke the hot-tempered vice-captain of the ck Serpent Knights. In her previous life, ke was Winter''sbat teacher. Also, the vice-captain was openly hostile to her in the past because of how badly she treated Kiho.


    "It''s alright," Tilly told the captain. "I''ll rent the boat while waiting for you. So when you return, we can take the tour right away."


    "I''ll be back right away," Kiho promised her. "I''ll leave you in Damian''s care for the meantime. Tell him to call me when anything happens."


    "I will," she said. "Take care."


    "Do you want to wait for me at the caf instead of here?" the captain asked gently. Then, his hand moved to gently wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead. "It''s cooler there."


    Her Mana was naturally warm so when she was exposed to too much sun, she would feel really hot even though the weather was cold.


    "I saw some of thedies having a cold beverage in the caf a while ago," he said. "I don''t know what it is but maybe it will help you cool down. Do you want to try it? I''ll buy you one before I go. And I''ll leave my pouch to you so buy anything you want."


    By "pouch," he meant the pouch of gold coins that he carried with him.


    [He really wants to pamper me, huh?]


    "Okay, let''s do that," Tilly agreed with a smile. "Thank you for worrying about me, Kiho."


    "It''s my job to take care of you, Tilly," Kiho said in a voice that sounded happy. Then, he stood up and held out his hand to her. "I''ll drop you off the caf first before I leave."


    ***


    [THIS tea is so-so.]


    Tilly was on sitting under one of the huge umbres in the front porch of Velvety Caf. It was full inside and since she was alone, she decided to enjoy her iced tea outside.


    She was alone because Damian volunteered to go to the boat rental and reserve one in her ce. The young knight insisted that she just stayed at the caf when they saw the long line in the tent. It seemed like the boat riding business was a sess, huh?


    Anyway, it only had been almost twenty minutes since she got in the caf but she already had two tall sses of iced tea. She was very thirsty because the warmth of her body caused by her Mana was yet to cool down.


    The iced tea wasn''t that good but the coldness helping her body''s temperature to return to normal.


    [This is just tea that''s literally has ice in it. The owner should have at least tried to tweak the vors a bit to suit the coldness of the beverage. Should I start my own caf that offers cold drinks?]


    In her previous life as a modern woman, she used to have several businesses. She had a chain of restaurants and caf. Also, she made a small business where she made her own jewelries and sold it online.


    Although she was a sessful businesswoman as Matilda Yap, her heart still yearned to be a mother so she built her own kindergarten school. From time to time, she would volunteer as a teacher and spend the day with the children.


    [I really miss Winter so bad. Should I jump Kiho''s bones before he leaves?]


    "Lady Prescott?"


    Her thoughts were cut off when a pair of nobles stood in front of her. When she looked up, she was greeted by the notorious Belington Siblings, children of a rich marquis. Lady Mara Belington and Sir Michael Belington (a Golden Tiger knight and the heir of House Belington).


    The two shared the same blonde hair and blue eyes.


    [Beautiful outside, rotten inside.]


    If her memory served her right, the Belington Siblings were two of the nobles who loved bullying Kiho in her past life.


    Tilly stood up like a properdy that she was. Then, she greeted the Belington Siblings with a smile. But inside her heart, she was already prepared to fight.


    [If they mock Kiho in my face, there''s gonna be an ugly war.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Thank you so much for the powerstones and for rating the chapters. I appreciate it. *insert crying emoji here*]

 Chapter 11: Public Display of Affection

    Chapter 11: Public Disy of Affection


    TILLY let the Belington Siblings join her table. Now, the two were enjoying their hot tea while she was having her third ss of iced tea. So far, the siblings offering small talk with her. But she could feel it in her bones that they weren''t there to talk about boring stuff like the state of her father''s business.


    But she was ying along with the Belington Siblings because even if her father was a duke and theirs was a marquis, the House Prescott and House Belington were equal in terms of wealth and power in the social circle.


    [In short, I just can''t pick a fight with them.]


    But luckily, all her jewelries had spirit stones. After all, their family had been producing the highest quality of spirit stones ever since her ancestor''s time.


    Anyway, one of the spirit tones in her bracelet had the magical ability to record voices. During her time in the modern world, she learned that the best way to "burn" an enemy was to keep "receipts" or evidence. If the situation called for it, she would record her conversation with the Belington Siblings.


    "Lady Prescott, I heard you''re now officially engaged to Captain Kiho," Lady Belington said with a not-so-trusty smile. "Congrattions."


    Tilly smiled politely. "Thank you, Lady Belington."


    "Are you really going to marry the captain of the ck Serpents?" Sir Belington asked in a somewhat condescending tone. "What would you get if you marry amoner like him? I can''t believe that Duke Prescott allowed Kiho to be his heir."


    [Okay, they''re starting.]


    Tilly discreetly touched the yellow topaz stone embedded on her bracelet. All she had to do to activate its recording function was to press the stone.


    [I''m so prepared.]


    "Brother, haven''t you heard about the High Priest''s prophecy?" Lady Belington asked her brother. "ording to His Eminency, the future child of Sir Kiho and Lady Prescott is going to be a special existence to the empire. Because Lady Prescott was personally picked by His Majesty, the duke was forced to ept the captain as his daughter''s husband and his heir." Then, thedy turned to her and gave her a look full of pity. "I feel bad for you, Lady Prescott. If you need a friend to talk to, don''t hesitate to send me a letter."


    "Thank you for the offer but I''m fine," Tilly said with a smile. "First of all, my father wasn''t forced to ept Sir Kiho as my husband. He epted the captain because he believes that it''s our noble duty to contribute to our empire by fulfilling the prophecy. But most of all, it''s my personal choice to marry Sir Kiho."


    "But why would you marry a monster like Kiho?" Sir Belington asked. "Lady Prescott, if you''re afraid of breaking off the engagement because of the captain, just say so. I will help you."


    Tilly already expected that because in her past life, Michael Belington also expressed his intention to steal her away from Kiho. She turned him down then because she wanted to gain the emperor''s trust. But right now, she would not only refuse this asshole. She would also stand up for her fianc. "Why would you do that when I wasn''t even asking for your help?"


    The siblings looked shocked by her retort.


    Tilly knew that the siblings would now show their true intentions so she pretended to fix her bracelet, then secretly pressed the yellow topaz stone. [Bring it on, evil siblings.]


    "Excuse me?" Sir Belington asked, obviously offended. "Lady Prescott, I''m willing to go to His Majesty and convince him to stop your marriage with Kiho. We grew up together so I don''t want to see you suffer just because of a stupid prophecy."


    "My brother and I were only concerned about you, Lady Prescott," Lady Belington told her with a scowl. "How dare you stomp on our good will?"


    Tilly sipped her iced tea before she spoke. "It seems like you won''t get it unless I spell it out for you so please excuse my being straightforward: Lady Belington, Sir Belington, please mind your own business. My uing union with Captain Kiho has nothing to do with you. Your concern is appreciated but not necessary."


    Once again, the siblings looked shocked.


    "Aren''t you being a little too rude, Lady Prescott?" Sir Belington asked in a loud voice. Thanks to his yelling, now they got the attention of everyone around them. Even the customers from inside the caf were watching them even though they couldn''t probably hear them. "Is Kiho''sck of proper manners rubbing off on you?"


    [Okay, I can''t let that slide!]


    "That''s ''Captain Kiho'' to you, Sir Belington," Tilly corrected him in a stern voice. "I''m trying to be patient because I don''t want to make a scene. But I can no longer endure the way you disrespect Sir Kiho. You may have your bias, but it won''t change the fact that Sir Kiho is the captain of one of the Orders in the empire. I''m disappointed that a member of the Golden Tiger Knights can''t even show basic manners to a captain. I''ll make sure that Sir Dustin Ainsworth will be informed of this."


    Sir Dustin Ainsworth was the heir of Duke Ainsworth and the captain of the Golden Tiger Knights. Sir Ainsworth was known for his intolerance to knights who abused their power.


    No wonder Sir Belington suddenly went pale.


    "Take that back," Lady Belington threatened her. "If you ruin my brother''s honor as a knight, I will make sure that the social circle will never ept you or your monster of a husband until I''m alive."


    "Do you know that House Prescott produces the best spirit stones in the empire?" Tilly asked with a smirk. Then, she put her elbow on the table to show the siblings her beautiful and very useful bracelet. "I have a recording of everything you said a while ago including the one where you said that the High Priest''s prophecy is "stupid." If this recording spread in the empire, who do you think between us would be kicked out from the high society?" She smirked when Lady Belington''s face turned as pale as her brother''s. "Definitely not me, right?"


    Like Tilly expected, Sir Belington grabbed her by the wrist to probably snatch away her bracelet.


    [Hah! I knew you''d do that.]


    As soon as Sir Belington touched Tilly, shemanded her Mana to burn. When her magical ability was activated, her body temperature began to rise until she was literally hot.


    Sir Belington stood up and screamed in pain. When he let go of her wrist, he looked shocked when he realized that his hand was burnt. Upon realizing that it was her Mana that hurt him, he scowled and tried to attack her.


    But Lady Belington stood up and grabbed her brother by the arm to stop him. Then, she turned to the knights that happened to pass by. Based on the knights'' crest, they were from the Golden Tiger troop. No wonder the stupid siblings suddenly looked relieved.


    "Golden Tiger Knights, help us," Lady Belington said to the knights. "Lady Prescott attacked my brother!"


    "She did!" Sir Belington added while pointing a finger at her. "She burnt my hand!"


    Tilly rolled her eyes at the jerk before she stood up with her head held high. [Aren''t you a knight yourself? Why are youining to your fellow knights?]


    Tilly was about to put Sir Belington in ce when she felt a sudden chill.


    Then, her eyes widened when she saw a faint of ice blue, thin smoke around Sir Belington''s finger the one that was pointing at her. It seemed like the guy hadn''t noticed yet that his finger was now starting to get covered in ice.


    [That''s Kiho''s Mana!]


    ***


    Tilly couldn''t see Kiho yet but she could feel his presence.


    She didn''t want Kiho to be used of attacking another knight so she grabbed Sir Belington''s finger. Using her Mana, she thwarted the ice around his finger discreetly. Poor Sir Belington once again screamed in pain. "Don''t point your finger at me," she hissed at him, then she let go of his finger when she was sure that the ice around it already melted.


    "Did you see that?" Lady Belington screamed at the Golden Tiger Knights. "Lady Prescott attacked my brother again!"


    "Seize her!" Sir Belington said to his fellow knights.


    "Lady Prescott," one of the Golden Tiger Knights called her. "May we invite you to our office?"


    "Don''t get it wrong," Tilly said firmly while facing the two knights with her chin up. "You shall escort me to your office and not invite me. I will formally file aint for Sir Belington''s disgraceful actions as a Golden Tiger knight. I''d also like to ask Sir Ainsworth about what kind of training does he give his knights for them to behave like a thug."


    The two Golden Tiger knights looked shocked by her demand.


    "Sir Belington failed to show proper respect to Sir Kiho, the captain of the ck Serpent Knights, by casually calling the captain''s name without his title," Tilly continued in a calm but stern voice. She was d to see that even though she wasn''t raising her voice, she got everyone''s undivided attention. "Additional to that, Sir Belington also mocked the royal family by saying that the High Priest''s prophecy is stupid." The "audience" and even the two Golden Tiger Knights gasped at her deration as if they couldn''t believe what they just heard. So she raised her arm and showed everyone her bracelet. "I have the evidence here."


    The Belington Siblings now looked like they were about to faint, especially now that everyone was ring at them for mocking the royal family.


    "Tell me, good sirs," Tilly challenged the two Golden Tiger Knights. "Between me and Sir Belington, who should you invite to your office?"


    The buzzing murmur of the people around them seemed to pressure the knights.


    After all, the citizens were criticizing Sir Belington for his careless actions. So no wonder the two Golden Tiger Knights were forced to arrest their fellow knight. If they didn''t do that, the people would definitelyin.


    On the other hand, Lady Belington broke down into tears while begging the knights not to arrest her brother.


    [Hah!]


    "You''ll pay for this, Lady Prescott!" Sir Belington yelled at her while pointing his finger at her. Again. "I''ll make sure you''d regret this!"


    Tilly ignored him and she was about to go back to her seat when she felt that strange chill in the air once more.


    This time, she wasn''t the only one who noticed it. Everyone near her suddenly started to embrace themselves to protect their bodies from the cold. The sun was still up and it wasn''t snowing but it sure felt like winter there.


    "Are you threatening my fiance, Sir Belington of the Golden Tiger Knights?"


    Tilly turned around and like she expected, it was Kiho.


    [Oh, he''s not alone.]


    Aside from Damian, the captain had anotherpanion.


    [Blonde curly hair, light blue eyes that always res at people, and a huge built ah, that''s definitely Vice-Captain ke.]


    At the appearance of the captain and vice-captain of the ck Serpent Knights, the people around them now shivered in fear. Well, Kiho''s Mana was still oozing so it was still cold. But the temperature was no longer the reason why everyone was trembling.


    [Kiho is mad but he''s doing a good job at hiding it.]


    But damn, the captain and Vice-Captain ke really looked intimidating. Even Damian who seemed like a baby a while ago now had the eyes of a warrior.


    [No wonder the ck Serpents are feared.]


    Kiho stood next to her while ke and Damian stayed behind them. The ck Serpents all had their guards up. No wonder the people around them were intimidated.


    "Tilly, are you okay?" Kiho asked in a gentle tone.


    Tilly was surprised by not only his tone but by what she called him. He called her in an affectionate manner as if he wanted to let the public know what kind of rtionship they had.


    She didn''t mind though.


    "I''m okay, Kiho," Tilly assured her fianc with a smile. Well, her body still felt hot but she could manage. Especially now that Kiho''s cool Mana was helping her lower her temperature. "Thank you for worrying about me."


    Kiho just nodded, then he gently put a hand on her forehead.


    Everyone who was watching let out a collective gasp as if they couldn''t believe that the "monster" was capable of being this affectionate.


    Even ke and Damian looked stupefied.


    Tilly could only smile was savoring the funny reactions they were getting. Most people probably didn''t notice but Kiho was actually giving her some of his Mana to help her burning body cool down. And it was working.


    Kiho looked relieved when her body temperature returned to normal. When he was sure that she was now feeling better, the captain turned to Sir Belington. As soon as he did, Kiho''s face turned murderous. Gone was the gentle side that he would only show to her.


    Anyway, the Belington Siblings and the two Golden Tiger Knights looked scared as hell when Kiho faced them. Lady Belington even covered her mouth with her hands as if she was afraid that her breathing would get the captain''s attention.


    [If you are that scared of Kiho, then why do you talk behind his back?]


    Ah, that was probably it. The Belington could only talk behind Kiho''s back because they didn''t have the courage to bully the captain.


    "Sir Belington, I believe you owe Lady Prescott an apology a private and a public one," Kiho said in a voice colder than his Mana. And his re? Damn, if looks could kill, Sir Belington would have dropped dead a while ago. "If you refuse, the ck Serpent Knights will have to take this matter into our own hands. I don''t take threats to my fiance lightly."


    Sir Belington''s knees gave up. The fool probably couldn''t handle the Mana pressure from Kiho. When he fell down on the ground, he immediately shifted to a kneeling position and bowed his head to Tilly politely. "L-Lady Prescott, I humbly ask for your f-forgiveness."


    Lady Belington let out a sob while ring at her brother. She probably couldn''t believe that the future head of House Belington kneeled and bowed in front of the person they called a "monster" just a while ago.


    Tilly didn''t expect that things would turn out like this. She didn''t enjoy having someone kneel and bow to her in apology. But she knew she had to take a stand. She would take this opportunity to let everyone know that they couldn''t look down on the future duke and duchess of House Prescott. "Rise, Sir Belington," she said in a formal tone. When Sir Belington looked up at her, she gave him a sweet, fake smile. The Belington Siblings were still high nobles so it would be better to wrap this up as soon as possible. "How about we talk and reach for a settlement instead of going to the court?"


    ***


    [Please don''t forget to rate the chapter. Thank you~]

 Chapter 12: Settlement

    Chapter 12: Settlement


    "I BEG your forgiveness, Lady Prescott," Damian said in an anguished voice while bowing to her. "I should have not left you alone in the caf."


    Tilly blinked in surprise. It looked like Damian would beat himself over and over because he wasn''t by her side when the incident with the Belington Siblings happened. Was he afraid to be punished by Kiho? "Damian, it''s okay. I forgive you. It was just a minor incident."


    Right now, she was inside the carriage while waiting for Kiho who went back to the caf to buy food again. The one they ordered a while ago had already gone cold so the captain insisted that they rece them. Before he left, he lent her his jacket infused with his Mana. Thanks to that, the fabric felt cool on her skin.


    It was windy outside so Kiho kept the door open. He was confident to do so because Damian and ke were guarding here.


    "It wasn''t a minor incident, Lady Prescott," ke said roughly. As usual, he spoke his mind without minding his manners. The vice-captain was rude and he was unapologetic. Also, he kind of hated nobles like her so she understood why he was speaking that way. At least he called her dy." In the past, he used to call her "snake woman." "Damian''s order was to stay with you until the captain returns. But he left you to do an errand you didn''t even ask him to do. Then, you were harassed by another noble in his absence. But you know what''s worst? Captain Kiho saw you dealing with the noble alone."


    [Poor Damian.]


    The young knight flinched at everything the vice-captain said.


    Well, ke didn''t say anything wrong. But it wasn''t like Damian did it on purpose. The younger knight was new at his job so he was bound to make mistakes.


    "Rise," Tilly told Damian.


    When Damian looked up to meet her gaze, her chest tightened when she saw the sad look on his face. It also looked like he was about to cry.


    [What a cinnamon roll.]


    She couldn''t remember if she had met Damian in her previous life. She didn''t bother to get to know Kiho''s knights then. But right now, she wanted to be kind to her fianc''s peers as well.


    [But as a future duchess, I also have to be strict. Strict, but fair.]


    "I will discuss your punishment with Sir Kihoter," Tilly said to Damian. "But don''t worry because I''ll make sure that your punishment will be appropriate for the mistake you made." She wanted to put him at ease so she teased him a bit. "So try to rx, okay?"


    "I''m not really afraid of my punishment, Lady Prescott," Damian said in a sad voice. "I deserve it. If I''ll be honest, I''d say I want to beat myself for failing to protect you. If you ask me to kill myself, I''ll dly do it."


    [Ah he''s genuinely concerned about me.]


    She was touched. This was a bit embarrassing to admit but she thought Damian was acting that way because he was afraid of Kiho. But apparently, she was wrong.


    "You can''t die yet," Tilly gently said to him. "You still have to protect me, right?"


    Damian looked surprised. Then, a few momentster, he smiled brightly. Now he really looked his age. "I''ll protect you with my life, Lady Prescott."


    "Thank you, Sir Damian."


    The young knight blushed. "M-Mydy, you don''t have to be so formal with me. You can just call me by my name."


    She smiled at him. "Okay, Damian."


    Damian seemed to be satisfied.


    "I think I understand now why the captain almost went berserk a while ago," ke said in an amused voice while looking at her face. "Maybe you''re really different from the rumors I heard about you, Lady Prescott."


    The vice-captain was probably talking about the rumors regarding her being a spoiled princess. In the past, she used to throw tantrums for every minor inconvenience she experience. Before she woke up in that body, she probably misbehaved a lot.


    But that wasn''t what caught her attention.


    "The captain almost went berserk earlier?" Tilly said in an excited voice. "Before you appeared, I thought I saw Kiho''s Mana manifest around Sir Belington''s finger. But he didn''t show himself."


    ke sighed while shaking his head. "Lady Prescott, the captain was about to freeze the noble''s whole hand. If you didn''t grab Michael Belington''s finger, he would have frozen him already. Thanks to what you did, I was able to distract Captain Kiho and pull him away. I didn''t let him go until he calmed down."


    "That''s true," Damian said. "I was still lining up in the boat rental tent when I felt the captain''s blood lust. When I realized what was going on, I immediately ran to where the captain and vice-captain were."


    Ah, no wonder the three of them showed up together.


    ke and Damian probably only let go of Kiho when they were sure that he was already calm. If not, the captain would have definitely frozen the Belington Siblings.


    [Kiho is still as protective as usual.]


    Tilly couldn''t help but smile at that thought. "Damian and Sir ke, thank you for looking after Kiho kindly."


    Damian blushed again.


    ke was about to say something but then, he suddenly flinched. Then, he grabbed Damian by the cor and took the young knight with him in a hurry. "Excuse us, Lady Prescott!"


    And just like that, the two ck Serpents were gone.


    [What happened to them?]


    "Tilly?"


    She realized why ke ran away and took Damian with him when she saw Kiho. He walked towards her with a gloomy look on his face. The captain had a pic basket in each of his hand which meant he sessfully reordered their food.


    But he looked like he was in a bad mood.


    "Kiho," Tilly greeted him with a smile. "Is there something wrong?"


    Kiho stood in front of herand upon looking closer, she realized that he was kind of pouting. "You seem to get along well with Damian and ke."


    "Is that a bad thing?"


    "No."


    He only uttered a word but his pout said a lot.


    [Does he want to be spoiled?]


    She gently patted the space next to her. "Kiho, I still feel a little hot. Can you help me cool down? The Mana in your jacket seems to be fading by now."


    That was true. The captain only left a little bit of Mana in his jacket. Too much of his magical ability might freeze her. He was that powerful.


    Anyway, Kiho''s face lit up because of her request. He went inside the carriage, put the baskets on the couch across her, closed the door, and then finally sat beside her. But still, he left a space between them. "Is this close enough?"


    "No," Tilly said, then she moved closer to him. After that, sheid her head on his shoulder. "Is this okay?"


    "Yes," the captain answered in a somewhat shy voice. "I''m d I could be of help."


    "I''m also d that we''re getting along well," Tilly said. "Kiho, I want you to know that aside from my father, you''re the closest person to me."


    When Kiho spoke, she ''heard'' the smile in his voice. "And so are you to me, Tilly."


    [Ah, he''s in a good mood again.]


    "Tilly, are you sure that you want to have a settlement with Sir Belington instead of pursuing yourint against him?" the captain asked in a stiff voice. Ah, someone was still pissed about what happened a while ago, huh? "He threatened you."


    "But he apologized," she said. "Twice."


    The first apology was a public one.


    While the second apology happened when they were at the Golden Tiger Eyes'' station. The area was under the jurisdiction of the said Order so they went there for the settlement. Once they got in the station, the Belington Siblings apologized to her before they talked.


    Kiho paid for Sir Belington''s medical bill.


    While Sir Belington agreed topensate her by giving her a piece of hisnd located at the Ste za the biggest shopping district in the Royal Capital.


    One might think that it was too much forpensation. But in reality, it wasn''t. She was a daughter of a wealthy and highly-respected duke. But most of all, the emperor and the High Priest believed that she was the woman from the prophecy. If His Majesty heard that Sir Belington mocked the prophecy, he could be executed for treason.


    Plus, she threatened that she would report Sir Belington''s rude behavior to the captain of the Golden Tiger Knights. She agreed to drop it as well in exchange of thend that she wanted.


    [That''s a low price to pay. If I filed a formalint, Sir Belington would have been executed by either the emperor or the captain of the Golden Tiger Knights. He should feel grateful that the businesswoman in me has awakened a while ago.]


    "I''m not satisfied with that. To be honest, I wanted to punish Sir Belington myself," Kiho confessed in a whisper. "I''m sorry foringte, Tilly."


    Tilly smiled at how gentle he treated her now. "Just make it up to me by giving me a memorable date, my silly captain."


    ***


    [NOTE: Hello! Please don''t forget to rate the chapter. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 13: Romantic Boat Ride

    Chapter 13: Romantic Boat Ride


    TILLY was amazed by the boat that Kiho rented (Damian wasn''t able to reserve a boat due to what happened a while ago).


    [This is not a boat this is a floating garden dock!]


    There was a sofa and a table in the middle of the dock. It was surrounded by four wooden pirs decorated with sheer curtains. The dock also had grass and flowers on it. It was beautiful, but also excessive.


    Actually, there were normal boats for rent. But Kiho asked for the biggest and the mostfortable one. The captain also chose the floating garden dock because it had a ceiling drape. Maybe he thought the drapes would do a better job in protecting her from the sunlight instead of a mere parasol.


    "How do you feel, Tilly?" Kiho asked when they were sitting side by side on the sofa. The food that he bought was already served on the table when they got there. "Is your temperature back to normal?"


    "Yes. Thank you for asking," Tilly said. When the boat started to move, she flinched. "How is this thing moving, Kiho?"


    She couldn''t hear an engine and they weren''t rowing the boat!


    Kiho pointed at the columns around them. "Those things were made of spirit woods. The magic in each pir is programmed to move around pre-designated areas in the river. In that way, we won''t bump into another boat. And after the time limit, this boat is going to return by the dock on its own."


    Ah, right. They rented the boat for only an hour. That was the maximum time the owner allowed the visitors to use the boats.


    "Are you scared, Tilly?"


    "No, I was just surprised," she said. "It''s been quite long since thest time I rode a boat."


    "Do you want me to stop the boat until you''refortable?"


    "Can you do that?" she asked out of curiosity. [I thought the destination of each boat is already determined]


    Kiho nodded before he responded to her question. "I can freeze theke to stop our boat from moving. My Mana is stronger than the magic here."


    She blinked in surprise while waiting for him to say that he was joking. But he remained silent while looking at her with an innocent look on his handsome face. "Wait, you''re serious?"


    He nodded. "Yes. I''ll freeze the river if you want me to."


    "You can''t do that," she said in a stern voice, then motioned the other (ordinary) boats around them. "We''re not the only people who wanted to enjoy a good boat ride here."


    "You''re my priority," he said. "And it''s not like they''re going to get hurt or die if I freeze the river."


    [But that would give them another reason to fear or hate you.]


    "I''m fine," she reassured him, then changed the topic right away. "Ah, I''m curious about something, Kiho. Do you know about my Mana?"


    He nodded before he exined. "Duke Prescott told me about your Mana. He also asked to help you cool down if needed. I believe that my ability to control ice is one of the reasons why your father chose me as his son-inw."


    Oh, she didn''t think about that in her previous life.


    All she thought was her father wanted glory for their household. It never crossed her mind that the duke entrusted her to a man who could help her stabilize her Mana.


    She was touched.


    [I should be kinder to my father.]


    "I never liked my Mana," Kiho confessed that kind of surprised her. After all, he wasn''t this open to her in her previous life. "But now that I know that it can save and protect you, I feel grateful to be born with this magical ability."


    Aww her chest suddenly felt warm and the reason had nothing to do with her Mana.


    She couldn''t remember why she never fell in love with Kiho in the past. Was it because he was never this sweet to her? Well, she wasn''t that kind to him so it was inevitable that they got estranged along the way.


    [What changed now?]


    "Kiho, what do you think of me before we met?"


    "Can I be honest?"


    "Yes, please."


    "His Majesty often said that you were a beauty but I really didn''t care about that," the captain said hesitantly. But when she nodded as an encouragement, he continued. "Actually, I heard a lot of bad rumors about you. They said you were a spoiled princess and you throw tantrums when things don''t go your way. I also heard that you were a sheltered child so I thought you''d die if I leave you in a mountain for a few minutes."


    That meant he thought she was ignorant and didn''t know the harsh reality of life.


    She wasn''t offended because she knew what kind of person she was before she got reincarnated. The rumors Kiho heard were true so she didn''t mind his assumptions about her.


    "I''m the type of person that treats others the way they treat me," the captain said. "I was prepared to keep my distance with you if you turned out to be the person I thought you were."


    Ohh now she got what changed between them in this lifetime!


    In her previous life, she turned out to be the person that Kiho heard from the rumors. So right from the start, he had put his guard up around her.


    But when they met this time, she was very different from the Lady Prescott in his mind. Because of that, he allowed himself to get close to her.


    And of course, the way she treated him now also mattered.


    [We''re no longer the people we used to be in my previous life.]


    "How about now?" Tilly asked out of curiosity. "What do you think of me, Kiho?"


    "I think I can spend my life with you."


    He said that very straightforwardly in a very sincere voice.


    She almost had a heart attack from giddiness.


    [Let''s not put malice on his words yet.]


    "That''s interesting," she said. Argh, she wanted to p herself for her stupid response but what could she do? She couldn''t think straight from the excitement she felt so she decided to change the topic again. "Anyway, what kind of punishment would you give Damian?"


    He looked quite taken aback when she brought another discussion out of the blue. But a few momentster, he seemed to fall into a deep thought.


    "I''m thinking of sending him back to our base and make him train again as a squire for a month," the captain said carefully. "I thought he was already suited to be a knight but I guess I was wrong. After all, he''s still a child."


    [Demotion, huh?]


    "Kiho, can I have a say on that matter?"


    "Of course," he answered right away. "I''m listening."


    "I think a lighter punishment will do since I wasn''t hurt anyway," she said. "I suggest you just cut his sry for a month."


    He paused for a while as if he was contemting. Then, he slowly nodded his head. "That''s a good idea. I''ll do that."


    "Thank you, good sir."


    "I should be the one thanking you, Tilly," he said. "Thank you for protecting me from your fellow nobles."


    When she felt the gratitude in his tone, her heart tightened.


    [I should have done that in my previous life.]


    In the past, she''d remain quiet whenever the nobles would make fun of Kiho. And she knew that he was aware that she never stood up for him. But despite knowing that, the captain never upbraided her.


    [He didn''t love me then but he was still good to me. I can''t imagine how he would treat me if he falls in love with me in this lifetime.]


    "I''ll always protect you, Kiho," Tilly promised him. This time, she would. "I''m strong, too."


    Kiho seemed to find her ~adorable~ because for the first time since they met in that lifetime, he finally gave her a full-blown smile. The kind of smile that showed hisplete set of white teeth and the dimples below the corners of his lips.


    [He''s so beautiful.]


    And he just took her breath away.


    "Mydy, may I?" he asked while extending his hand to her.


    She didn''t know what he had in mind but she gave her hand to him almost immediately.


    Kiho brought her hand to his lips without breaking their eye contact. Then, he gently ced a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "I vow my eternal devotion to you and only you, Lady Matilda ''Tilly'' Prescott."


    To say that she was surprised would be an understatement.


    The vow that Kiho used was the vow that the knights of Moonchester Empire make to their beloved.


    He never made that vow to her in her previous life.


    She wouldn''t lie: she knew that the captain was starting to have feelings for her. Of course, that made her happy. After all, she also wanted to fall in love with him.


    But now that everything was smoothly sailing, fear started to creep in her heart.


    Yes, Kiho might be interested in her for now. But how long was he going to have feelings for her? Would he abandon her once he met Lucina Morganna? What if she fell hard for a man who was bound to fall out love with her because of another woman?


    She knew in her heart that she wasn''t the same person as before so she had a chance to be with Kiho as his real wife. But she also believed in destiny. What if Kiho and Lucina were fated soul mates that couldn''t be torn apart?


    [Let''s not think about it for now. My priority for now is to meet Winter again and be a good mother to him this time.]


    "Thank you for the vow, Kiho," Tilly said with a smile even though her heart felt heavy at the moment. "I''ll also devote myself to you."


    [At least until Lucina Morganna takes you away if that was meant to happen again.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Hello! Please don''t forget to rate the chapter. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 14: Mini Family

    Chapter 14: Mini Family


    "TILLY, how do you feel?"


    "I''m okay now, Father," Tilly assured her father with a smile. "My body temperature is back to normal."


    Currently, they were having tea in the "family room." Her father heard about her dispute with the Belington Siblings. He wanted to hear her side so she gave him a full report. But when she told the duke that she used her Mana to protect herself, her father''s mood suddenly changed.


    She couldn''t decide if he was worried or upset that she used her Mana.


    "Tilly, don''t use your Mana like that again," her father said in a stern voice. "You don''t have to fight to protect yourself. That''s the job of our knights. And you''re engaged with the strongest captain in the empire. How many times do I have to say that your Mana isn''t fit forbat?"


    She couldn''t really understand why the duke was so strict when it came to that.


    In her past life, she didn''t question her father because like any other nobledy, she relied too much on her knights to protect her. But now, she found it weird that the duke was almost banning her from using her Mana.


    [This is suspicious.]


    "Father, I know that my Mana isn''t strong enough to use in a battle," she said carefully. "But why shouldn''t I use it to protect myself if the situation calls for it? I can rise my temperature to the point that the assant may get burnt by simply touching me. Aside from the ufortable feeling of my body burning, I don''t receive any external injury or pain. Please tell me why you sound so opposed to my using my magical ability, Father."


    The duke looked like he was taken aback by everything she just said.


    [Well, I can''t me my father. In my previous life, I never questioned why he was so against my use of my own Mana. And back then, I didn''t find the use for it.]


    But now, she was so curious about her magical ability.


    "I just didn''t want you to end up like your mother, Tilly," the duke said with a solemn look on his face.


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "Father, I thought my mother died in an ident?"


    "Yes, that''s true," he confirmed. "But before that, your mother used to be sick. The doctors and the priests never found the source of her illness. But they believed that it was because of your mother''s Mana."


    "Mother''s Mana killed her?"


    He nodded before he spoke again. "When your mother was still alive, her Mana was a small fire inside her heart. Each time she used her Mana, the fire grew bigger and bigger until it finally burnt her heart and made her physically ill. The day Marianne got into the ident that took her life, she was supposed to go to the Saint''s temple to recuperate there."


    She blinked a few times before everything sank in. "Father, why are you only telling me this?" She ced a hand on her chest. "What if my Mana has been literally burning inside my heart all these years without my knowing?"


    "Your Mana is different from your mother," her father said. "When you were born, I summoned all the best doctors and priests in the empire to check your Mana. ording to them, your Mana is inside your heart but it isn''t burning. Thankfully, it manifested in a form of a tiny red diamond. The doctors and the priests assured me that your Mana would never burn the way your mother''s Mana did. But of course, they advised me supervise your use of your magical ability." He let out a deep sigh while gently shaking his head. "You never cared about your Mana when you were a kid. Why are you suddenly interested in it now?"


    "I just want to be strong enough to protect myself, Father."


    "You''re not a female knight you don''t need to be strong," her father said sternly. "You''re ady, Tilly. And now that you''re about to get married, I want you to focus on your family instead of wasting your time on learning about your Mana."


    It didn''t sit well with her but she had to remind herself that in this world, people think that women were only meant to be a wife and a mother. But fortunately, in this time, there were progressive women across the empire dominating various fields that men used to monopolize.


    [I''ll be one of those progressive women in this world.]


    "I understand, Father," Tilly lied just so the discussion would end. After all, she was supposed to meet Kiho in the afternoon. "I''ll keep your advice in mind."


    [Just kidding!]


    ***


    TILLY was sitting on the sofa in their mansion''s pavilion while watching Kiho feed the koi fishes in the pond with the little fishes that he brought. Apparently, he got those fishes from ake when he apanied the emperor in fishing yesterday.


    [Yes, instead of flowers, he brought food for me and my koi fishes.]


    The captain brought a variety of meat for her: beef, venison,mb, and tuna. Kiho was probably the only man in the empire who would bring food to his fiance instead of flowers or jewelries.


    She wasn''tining. In fact, she found it cute. And practical.


    [Being practical is a good trait.]


    "Tilly, your pets eat well like you do," Kiho said when he turned around to face her. His face was as stoic as usual but his eyes were sparkling. Despite his built and reputation as a "monster," she couldn''t see him anything other than a "cinnamon roll" that she wanted to protect at all cost. "In time, your fishes will get big enough for you to eat."


    "I won''t eat them," Tillyined with a pout. "Stop picking on my koi fish. They are my children."


    His eyes widened in obvious shock. "Y-Your children? How? Were the children cursed by an evil mage and turned them into koi fish?"


    She stifled augh at his adorable wholesomeness.


    Well, she couldn''t me him if he often took her words too literally. As far as she knew, he grew up in istion. He never had friends to joke around with. When he became a captain, his personality became more serious because now, his knights'' lives were in his hands.


    "It was just an expression, Kiho," Tilly exined with a smile. "How can you even think that I already have children?"


    He blinked in confusion. "Ah, right. ke often tell me that I''m slow when ites to "jokes.""


    "But you thought I was serious and didn''t care if I already have children that I hid from you?"


    "It''s fine with me even if it was true," he said in a casual yet sincere voice. "I''m willing to ept everything about you, Tilly."


    She tried to hide her smile by pretending to cough. Then, she changed the subject. Her heart wasn''t ready yet to confront his feelings for her.


    "What I mean with what I said earlier is that I treat my pets like they''re my own children." She yfully red at him. "They''re now your children, too. So don''t even talk about eating them ever again."


    He looked pleasantly surprised for some reason. "I''m their father now?"


    "Of course," she said. "If you want to marry me, you should ept my children as well."


    "Okay," he agreed in a more cheerful voice than usual. Then, he turned around to face the pond again. Much to her surprise, he bowed to the fishes. "Hello, children. My name is Kiho and from now on, I am your father. Let''s take care of each other."


    She covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped from so much cuteness.


    [OMG! He''s so cute! If I could go back to the time I was being mean to him in my first life, I would beat myself to death!]


    "Are you okay, Tilly?" Kiho asked when he found her frozen in her seat when he turned around to face her. "Are you crying?"


    She might have been a little teary-eyed but she didn''t want to make a big issue out of it.


    Tilly pulled her hands away from her mouth. "I''m okay," she assured him. Then, she tapped the space next to her. "Come here and have some tea."


    The captain nodded, then he sat beside her. As usual, he left a decent space between us. See? He didn''t have noble bloodline but he was far more decent than some of the nobles she knew.


    She poured some tea for the handsome gentleman.


    "Thank you," Kiho said when she was done. "Are you feeling better now?"


    "Hmm?" she asked while slicing a chocte cake with a fork.


    "You seemed to be in a bad mood when I arrived," he said. "But now, you''re back to your usual happy disposition."


    To be honest, she didn''t expect him to notice that she was in a bad mood a while ago. But she was d that he did. That meant he was paying attention to her.


    "Can I share my troubles with you, captain?"


    "Of course."


    "Actually, I had a little argument with my father a while ago," she said, then ate the slice of cake in her fork before she continued. She wanted to tell him about her mother''s sickness but she held back. Kiho was about to leave for his mission tomorrow. She didn''t want him to worry about her. So she just told him the "tip of the iceberg." "He practically banned me from using my Mana again."


    ***


    [NOTE: Hello! Please don''t forget to rate the chapter. Thank you! <3]

 Chapter 15: Fire Mage

    Chapter 15: Fire Mage


    "DID Duke Prescott scold you for what happened the other day?" Kiho asked Tilly after she told him about her argument with her father.


    "He scolded me as soon as he got home," Tilly confirmed while nodding her head. "Kiho, I''m starting to get suspicious of my father."


    "What do you mean?"


    "My Mana is weak but it seemed like he wanted me to get rid of my magical ability," she said. "I can''t help but think that my Mana is something that''s supposed to be special."


    Her mother got gravely ill because of her Mana and that fact was strange already.


    All nobles were born with strong bodies capable of containing Mana no matter how strong it was. Of course, there were exceptionally raremoners like Kiho who were born with magical abilities despite theck of a noble bloodline.


    But her mother was a noble and she was supposed to bepatible with her Mana. But her mother''s own magical ability technically killed her.


    "Kiho, have you heard of a Mana that could kill its host?"


    The captain shook his head. Then, he paused as if he just remembered something. But he seemed to be hesitant.


    "Tell me," she said while looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. "Please?"


    He gulped while looking at her face as if he couldn''t bear to say "no" to her. His resistancested for a mere five seconds before he gave in and told her what she wanted to know. "In the past, there were ck mages who performed human experiments onmoners without magic ability. These ck mages forcefully injected Mana stones inside the body of their victims. Most of themon folk died because their body wasn''tpatible with the Mana inside them. Because of that, the previous emperor ordered execution for all the ck mages who participated in that cruel experiment."


    That was depressing.


    Ah, now she knew why he didn''t want to tell her at first.


    "Tilly, is there something wrong with your Mana?" Kiho asked with a hint of worry in his usual monotonous voice. "Is it trying to hurt you?"


    She shook her head to put him at ease. "I was just wondering if I could do something else aside from making my body temperature hot. I thought I could be a Fire Wielder."


    When she was a little girl in her previous life, she thought she could be a Fire Wielder because she once watched the parade of some Red Phoenix Knights who could control fire. But she lost interest as soon as she started to attend tea parties withdies her age.


    "Fire Wielders can only control fire using special weapons or rare spirit stones," Kiho said. "If you can produce fire within your body, then you must be a Fire Mage."


    "Fire Mage?" she asked in a voice filled with curiosity. She didn''t know why but her heart started to beat erratically when she heard the term. "That sounds fancy, Kiho."


    Well, it didn''t really sound fancy. In fact, the term was so nd andmon. She just liked the idea of her turning out to be a mage.


    [And a Fire Mage at that!]


    "You can''t be a Fire Mage, Tilly," Kiho said in a serious tone. "Their tribe is considered as the royal family''s sworn enemy."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. "But why?"


    "Apparently, the Fire Mage Tribe betrayed the royal family in a war that happened a long time ago," he exined. "Ever since then, their tribe was exiled from Moonchester Empire. But since the royal family needed fire to strengthen their military power, the Royal Mages searched for people with affinity to the fire element. They taught the chosen ones how to use tools with fire-based magic. Thus, Fire Wielders were created."


    In short, the Fire Wielders were just a poor man''s version of the Fire Mages.


    "I''ll support in whatever you want to be, Tilly," Kiho said in a softer voice. "But please don''t be a Fire Mage. Your life will be in grave danger if the royal family brands you as an enemy worse, a traitor."


    For some reason, that sent shivers down her spine.


    In her previous life, the emperor branded her as a traitor for her crimes against the royal princess. She was executed mercilessly. Needless to say, she didn''t want that to happen again.


    "But I guess even if you turned out to be a Fire Mage, I''d still choose you."


    She blinked in surprise.


    Kiho said it so casually and yet, the firmness and sincerity in his voice convinced her that he was being honest.


    [It''s sweet, but I don''t want us to be branded as traitors.]


    How could they give Winter afortable life if they became enemies of the empire?


    "Forget it," she said, then sipped her tea before she spoke again. "I don''t want to be a Fire Mage. Not that I have the power to be one anyway."


    "Yeah, your Mana is rtively weak."


    She pouted at his bluntness. "Ouch."


    He suddenly looked guilty but didn''t know how to apologize.


    [He''s so awkward sometimes.]


    "You better bring me some big lobsters and crabs when you return," she said. It was her attempt to help make it up to her. "I''ll forget that you called me weak if you bring me good seafood to eat with you."


    The captain nodded eagerly. "I will bring you all the best food I''d find in the ind."


    "Thank you," she said with a smile. "And can you run an errand for me while you''re at the Pis Inds?"


    "Of course. What is it?"


    "Can you buy the most popr clothes and jewelries there for me?" she asked. "I''ll give you the money before you leave."


    He shook his head. "You don''t have to, Tilly. Consider it as a gift from me."


    "No, I''m not asking you to buy the clothes and the jewelries because I want them for myself," she exined. "I just need them for the business I want to start. I need to know the trends outside the Royal Capital."


    "Then, consider it as my investment," he said firmly. "I''m not a businessman but I know that you need investments to open up a business, right? I know that you''re wealthy enough but as your fianc, I want to help."


    She could onlyugh softly at his stubbornness.


    [He really doesn''t want to ept money from me.]


    "Alright," she agreed. "Buy me whatever you want. But do you know my size?"


    "Pardon?"


    "You have to know my body''s size before you buy me clothes," she teased him. "I''m not there so how can you know if a dress will suit me or not?"


    "Then, what''s your size?"


    She gasped aloud, then hit him lightly on the arm. "How can you casually ask that to ady?"


    He looked so confused that a crease on his usually smooth forehead appeared. "But how can I know your size if I''m not going to ask you?"


    That gave her another avenue to tease him.


    Tilly cleared her throat to hide her smile. Then, she stood up and opened her arms wide open. "Touch any part of my body and remember my size with your hands."


    She didn''t dare to look around because she was so sure that her servants were getting second-hand embarrassment because of her actions. After all, in this world, it was unconventional for a woman to initiate a physical contact in public.


    [But whatever.]


    "Are you sure?" the captain asked, then he stood in front of her while looking down at her literally. Damn, their height difference was really cute. "Can I really touch any part of your body to get your size?"


    "Yes," she said firmly. "I''m giving you the permission to touch me."


    [Let''s level up and be lewd.]


    "Then, please excuse me," Kiho said, then he gently held her left hand.


    [Just my hand?]


    Much to her surprise, the captain started to touch her ring finger as if he was engraving it to his mind.


    [Wait is he getting the size of my finger?]


    Ah, he''d probably buy her an engagement ring once he returned.


    Actually, she wanted a hug from Kiho before he leaves for tomorrow. He would be gone early in the morning. Plus, he would use the portal in the emperor''s pce which was off-limits for someone like her. In short, she wouldn''t have the chance to send him off.


    That was exactly why he visited her today.


    She wanted to seduce Kiho so she could meet Winter as soon as possible. But seeing Kiho''s innocent and gentle side wasn''t bad either.


    [Winter, my baby, please wait a little longer.]


    "I''m done," the captain said, obviously satisfied for getting her ring size. "Thank you for the opportunity, Tilly."


    Tilly couldn''t help but smile at him. She just changed her mind. Kiho wasn''t a cinnamon roll. He was a big teddy bear a very cute one at that. "Have a safe trip, my captain."


    Kiho gave her a small smile. "I''ll hurry back home for you, mydy."


    ***


    [NOTE: Hello! Please don''t forget to rate the chapter. Thank you! <3]

 Chapter 16: Of Lobsters and Changes

    Chapter 16: Of Lobsters and Changes


    TILLY blinked in surprise when she saw ke when she went out of her room.


    [Ah, I almost forgot.]


    She remembered that Kiho left the vice-captain to her as her personal knight.


    It was actually a big deal because everyone in the empire knew that ke would only follow Kiho''s orders. But knowing his stubborn personality, she was surprised that the vice-captain epted that kind of job.


    "I''m ke," he said to her. "Vice Captain of the ck Serpent Knights."


    Isabe (who was standing beside her), red at ke. It was funny how the tiny girl tried to intimidate a huge guy like the vice captain


    and it actually worked.


    "Lady Prescott," ke added politely. "Good morning."


    Isabe looked quite satisfied.


    Tillyughed softly at the exchange.


    She remembered that ke, no matter how intimidating he looked, was actually afraid ofdies who had the courage to call him out or talk back to him. So the key to taming the vice captain was to simply hold your ground and resist his intimidation.


    [Isabe did a good job, huh?]


    "Good morning, Sir ke," Tilly greeted him with a smile. "Would you like to apany me to the pavilion?" She motioned for the pot that Isabe was holding. It contained the little fishes that she would feed her "children" in the pond. "It''s time for my pets to eat."


    "That''s literally my job, Lady Prescott," ke said. "I''ll follow you anywhere, just like what Captain Kiho instructed me to do."


    "Very well," she said, then she started to walk first.


    Isabe and ke followed a few steps behind her.


    She greeted and smiled back at every servant that she saw while walking from the mansion to the garden leading to the pond.


    "Sir ke, did Kiho bring Damian with him?" Tilly asked ke to make a small talk. "I forgot to ask the captain about the number of knights he''d be bringing with him."


    "It''s not a big mission so the captain only brought Damian and another knight called Whitton," the knight said. "Since they''d be using the portal in the royal pce, Captain Kiho was advised to bring a smallpany."


    That made her feel relieved.


    Kiho was the strongest captain in the empire, no doubt about it. But she didn''t want him to overestimate himself and get hurt. Especially not when he was only going to a dangerous ind to get her a fine engagement ring.


    [Yeah, I figured him out when he not-so-discreetly measured my ring size.]


    Last night, she asked her father about Pis Inds since she hadn''t been there even in her previous life. She knew that the duke had already been in the ind for his trading business so she asked him to tell her about his time there.


    ording to her father, the Pis Inds was known for its pearls and tropical fruits.


    As soon as she heard about the pearls, she realized that Kiho may have decided to get her a pearl for her engagement ring. That made her worry because she also heard from her father that the finest pearls in the ind could only be found in the nest of gigantic sea monsters.


    She wasn''t sure if Kiho really had a mission in the Pis Inds or his sole purpose was to get her a pearl. But she was certain about one thing: the captain would definitely aim to get the finest pearl in the ind even if it was in the heart of the sea monsters''ir.


    [Well, it''s too early to say that Kiho is in love with me. But I can tell that he''s fond of me. And if he''s still the same person as he was in my previous life, then he''d definitely give me all the best things in the world.]


    Just like how he showered Lucina Morganna with love in the past


    She gently smacked her cheeks with her hands. She made sure to do it as lightly as possible but it still made a sound.


    Isabe and ke seemed to have heard it because they asked immediately if she was okay.


    "I''m fine," she assured them while climbing up the stairs to the pavilion. Then, she walked towards the banister and looked over the colorful koi fishes in the pond. When she saw her pets," she remembered the time Kiho talked to them. That memory instantly put her in a good mood. "Hello, my dear children. For today, your mother is in charge of feeding you. I know that you miss your father but you have to understand. He''s working hard for our family. Shower him with love once hees home, okay?"


    Tilly turned to Isabe to ask her for the vessel. But she stopped when she realized that the maid and ke were looking at her strangely. Ah, they were probably shocked to see her talking to the fishes like they were real children.


    She couldn''t help but smile at their reaction.


    [Kiho''s adorable quirk has rubbed off on me, huh?]


    "I''m fine," Tilly reassured Isabe and ke with a softugh. Then, she turned to the koi fishes in the pond and wished that she didn''t look as sad as she felt. "I wonder if the captain has reached the ind by now."


    ***


    "CAPTAIN!"


    Kiho was having coffee in the ship''s kitchen while trying to decide if he wanted to kick Damian out of the vessel or send him back to the Royal Capital. But one thing was for sure.


    [I regret bringing him with me.]


    But then again, he couldn''t leave the young knight at the Prescott Estate. It wasn''t that he no longer trusted Damian. He just wanted Tilly to have the knight in his troop to be her bodyguard.


    And ke was the most suited for the job.


    "Captain, what should we do?" Damian asked when he entered the kitchen, face pale with fear. "The lobsters here are so huge and so wild. They''re trying to climb the ship!"


    Kiho''s ears perked up. "Oh."


    He immediately stood up and walked fast to get to the ship''s deck.


    He heard that the sea creatures in the Great Sea of the East were very different from ordinary "sea food." If there were "wild lobsters" now, then they must have reached far enough from the coast and closer to the "nest." Which also meant that they were about to meet the infamous gigantic sea monsters in the area.


    [Well, I also came here to y them anyway.]


    Emperor Aku "ordered" him to y the sea monsters that had apparently left the nest and started to pass through the barrier that the folks of Pis had put to keep the coastline safe.


    The emperor had to give him a mission for him to gain the permission to cross the Great Sea of the East. Even if Pis Inds was a part of the empire''s territory, they still had to respect the ind''s rights to the sea.


    [If I seed to y the sea monsters that threaten the ind''s coast, the ruler of Pis said I''m free to take home any pearl or sea life that would pique my interest.]


    "Captain, look at those lobsters!" Whitton said as soon as he got on the deck. The knight was holding his sword while facing three giant lobsters. "They managed to climb up here by using their ws!"


    Kiho was amazed when he saw the biggest lobsters he had ever seen. They were probably ten to twelve kilograms each. "Catch them alive," he said while pulling out his sword in the holster attached to his hip. "Tilly would love to eat lobsters that huge."


    ***


    TILLY let out a sigh while looking outside the window of the carriage.


    Right now, she was on her way to the royal pce to have an afternoon tea with Her Royal Highness Princess Nia Moonchester. The princess sent her an invitation a few days ago. There was no way she could turn down a request from a member of the royal family so here she was now, suffering in silence.


    It wasn''t like she could suddenly change her attitude towards the princess.


    [Father and our servants are pleased by my good rtionship with Her Royal Highness.]


    As a duke''s daughter, she belonged to same social circle as Princess Nia. Even in her previous life, she was always invited by the princess in every party, banquet, or gathering that she had organized.


    And as far as she remembered, they were good friends.


    Not until she betrayed the princess.


    Remembering that today was the day she was supposed to "discover" Princess Nia''s "royal secret" was enough to dampen her mood.


    She let out another sigh.


    "I hate to ask but the captain strictly told me to prioritize your well-being, Lady Prescott," ke said. The knight was sitting across from her. He was inside the carriage because she insisted. "If something is bothering you, I can take care of it, mydy."


    "I''m just tired, Sir ke," Tilly lied because she couldn''t tell him the truth. "The maids made me take a bath twice."


    That was true.


    Since she was going to the royal pce to meet the princess, her maids paid extra attention to her bath. They chose the newest dress and the fanciest jewelries in her collection. They also decorated her hair carefully. Even her makeup looked prettier than usual.


    [I''m pretty confident with my looks but once I''m next to Princess Nia, I would surely look like a couch potato.]


    "Ah, I see," ke said in an obviously uninterested manner. "If you need something, don''t hesitate to tell me, Lady Prescott."


    She just smiled at the knight, then looked outside the window again.


    Based on the road she was seeing, she could tell that they were about to enter the premise of the royal pce. She remembered that in her past life, she came a little earlier than her scheduled meeting with the princess. Because of that, she witnessed something that she shouldn''t have


    [Wait. I discovered the princess'' secret because I was early. But what if I camete? That would be rude of me but if it could change the event that''s supposed to happen today, then it''s worth the risk. Coming on time is also an option but I want to arrive when "that" incident is already over.]


    She immediately turned to ke who looked like he was monitoring her every move. "Sir ke, can you help me get into a little "ident?""


    ke looked surprised by her request. "Lady Prescott, I''ll do anything but that." He motioned his hand as if it was a knife shing his neck. "Captain Kiho will kill me if you get hurt in any way under my protection."


    "Trust me, Sir ke," Tilly said sweetly in hopes of charming the vice captain to do what she had in mind. "I have a brilliant n."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please don''t forget to rate the chapter. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 17: Chance Encounter

    Chapter 17: Chance Encounter


    "GOOD job," Tilly said to ke while looking at the broken wheel of the carriage they were using a few minutes ago.


    [My father will probably get mad at me but I have to do this.]


    Earlier, she asked the coachman to stop the carriage and pretended that her hips hurt from sitting for too long. When they got off the carriage, she asked ke to cut the back wheel.


    Then, she used hermunication stone to call a nearby carriage rental. Themunication stone was a ruby stone embedded in her dangling left earring. She used it like a wireless earphone. After talking to the owner, she asked the coachman to pick up the carriage and gave him a bag of gold to pay for it.


    Anyway, she knew that there was a carriage rental near the premise of the royal pce. If she didn''t know that, she wouldn''t ask ke to cut the carriage''s wheel. She still had to show up at the princess'' afternoon tea party after all.


    "Lady Prescott, why are you doing this?" ke asked in a curious voice. "Pardon me but do you not want to attend Her Royal Highness'' tea party?"


    "That''s not it," she denied while shaking her head. "I just need to create a little detour. I can''t bete without a proper reason so I asked you do this. I apologize if my order vited your code of conduct."


    He looked flustered by her apology. "Mydy, you didn''t have to apologize to me. I''m just a mere servant."


    "You''re Kiho''s precious friend and the dependable vice-captain of the ck Serpent Knights," she told him. "Sir ke, I''d like it if you don''t think too little of yourself again."


    When she vowed to herself that she would treasure Kiho in this lifetime, she also decided to take care of his friends and family. The captain was an orphan but she knew that he treated the ck Serpent Knights like his family even though some of the members were afraid of him. Thus, she felt the need to look after them like a big sister.


    Plus, it wasn''t hard to do because the people around Kiho were all good to her.


    "Thank you for your kind words, mydy," ke said with a bow. "I promise to keep that in mind."


    She was actually surprised that he used a more polite tone now.


    [Did I earn his respect?]


    Wow, that was a feat. In her past life, she remembered ke would always look at her with contempt.


    [Ah, I''m slowly but surely changing my fate by simply being a decent human being.]


    "Rise, Sir ke," she said. When he stood up straight and looked at her with respect, she smiled at him. "Would you mind walking me to the Sky za?"


    ke gave her a small smile before he bowed again. "It''s an honor to apany you, Lady Prescott."


    She just smiled at that before she started to walk towards the Sky za. It was just a few meters away from the Majestic Forest a manmade woods built to protect the royal pce. Only people with invitations or summons from the royal family could pass the Majestic Forest.


    [The security around the pce is really tight.]


    Anyone who was headed to the forest would inevitably pass by the Sky za first. It was the heart and the upscale area of the Royal Capital.


    The Sky za also boasted ''Aristo'' the shopping district for the higher nobles. Well, there wasn''t a written rule that said only higher nobles could shop there. But the prices of the products sold in that area were so high that the lower nobles couldn''t afford them.


    [Oh, our jewelry shop is in Aristo.]


    The jewelry shop that her father owned was called Prescott''s Choice. Their shop was famous for its jewelries embedded with spirit tones. Those spirit stones had variety of functions. They could be used as amunication device, a voice and video recorder, and also for taking pictures like how a camera would work.


    The spirit stones in their shop came from the mountain that their family owned. And yes, they had their own miningpany.


    [No wonder our family is so rich.]


    "Move!"


    Tilly was surprised when a young boy suddenly came out of the dark alley on her right side. He child even pushed her out of his way. If ke didn''t catch her, she would have stumbled on the ground. Unfortunately, the boy who pushed her tripped and fell t on his face.


    Tilly gasped and was about to run towards the boy when ke stopped her.


    "Lady Prescott, please stay here," ke said and pulled away from her. "I''ll check on the young boy first."


    She nodded because she didn''t want to get in the way of his duty.


    ke got down on one knee to face the child who just got up while holding his bleeding chin.


    [Oh, that looks painful.]


    But she had to say that the young boy looks suspicious. The child was wearing a ck beret hat and a ck cloak, too. But under the cloak, she could see that he was wearingmoners'' clothes. His shoes also looked too big for him.


    [No wonder why he tripped.]


    Tilly was about to walk towards the boy but she stopped when she found several rolling red marbles on the ground. The marbles came from the child''s pouch that fell from his pocket.


    She bent down to pick the marbles that rolled towards her shoes.


    "Don''t touch it!"


    She was surprised when the boy screamed at the top of his lungs. Instead of letting go of the red marbles, she only held them tighter in her hand. It was reflex.


    The young boy stood up right away and looked at her with a shocked look on his face. Even though fresh blood was dripping from the wound on his chin, it looked like he was worried about her instead. "Big sister, are your hands okay? Did they get burn?"


    Tilly opened her hand where he held the three red marbles that she picked. Her palm wasn''t burned or anything so she looked turned to the boy with a knotted forehead. "My hands are fine. Are these marbles mmable or something?"


    The young boy''s eyes widened in shock. "Why aren''t you burned?"


    Her eyes also widened. "D-Do you want me to burn?"


    The child was about to run towards her but ke grabbed him by the cor. "Let go!" the boy snarled at the knight. "I need to make sure that big sister is safe!"


    "She''s not your "big sister,"" ke told the child strictly. "Mind your manners and call her ''Lady Prescott,'' brat."


    The boy looked at her with a knotted forehead. "You''re a noble?"


    She smiled at the boy as a response and walked towards him. Then, she gestured ke to let go of his cor. When the child looked up at her, she bent down to reach his eye level. Looking closely, she could tell that he was around nine to eleven years old. And wow, his eyes were a beautiful shade of orange. "Boy, I have a lot of questions for you but we have to bring you to the hospital first," she told him. Then, she held his hand and put the red marbles in his palm. "I hope your marbles didn''t get scratched."


    "Big sister, these marbles won''t get scratched even if you try to cut them with a sword," the boy said. "And only people with affinity to fire can hold these marbles without getting burnt"


    "There you are."


    Tilly was surprised when she heard the stern voice. When she turned around, she was even more surprised to see Sir Dustin Ainsworth the captain of the Golden Tiger Knights.


    [It''s really him.]


    Sir Ainsworth was the oldest among the captains of the Four Orders.


    He had light blonde hair, sharp gray eyes, and a faint scar on his chin. He was also lean, tan, and undeniably handsome.


    Because of the appearance of Sir Ainsworth, a crowd of nobles gathered around them.


    She immediately stood up straight and gave Sir Ainsworth a polite greeting. ke also greeted the Golden Tiger Knights'' captain.


    The boy with orange eyes attempted to run away from them but was caught by a Golden Tiger knight right away.


    Her chest tightened while watching the child struggle to be freed but to no avail.


    "Sir Ainsworth, may I know why the boy is being arrested?" Tilly asked out of curiosity and worry. [He''s too young to be a criminal, isn''t he?]


    "Lady Prescott, that child is known as ''Flint'' and he''s being arrested for disturbing the peace," Sir Ainsworth responded in his usual stern voice. "Unfortunately, the child is spreading rumors about the return of the "Fire Mages.""


    Sir Ainsworth said thest two words as if he didn''t believe in the existence of the Fire Mages.


    "The Fire Mages are real!" Flint yelled as if he was offended by Sir Ainsworth tone. "This empire''s Fire Wielders are nothing against the real masters of the fire!"


    "Mikhail would be sad to hear that," Sir Ainsworth said.


    The captain was talking about Sir Mikhail Denver the heir of Marquis Denver and the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights. As far as she remembered, Sir Denver was one of the empire''s most talented Fire Wielders and the second youngest captain from the Four Orders.


    [Kiho is the youngest among them.]


    "Mikhail Denver is a fake!" Flint yelled again. "Every Fire Wielder here is only a cheap version of the real Fire Mages!"


    The buzz among the crowd started to grow louder.


    The nobles were making fun of the child, treating Flint like an insane person. Some of them were even urging Sir Ainsworth to execute the boy.


    [How heartless!]


    "Sir Ainsworth, I understand that you have to arrest the child," Tilly said in a desperate attempt to turn the captain''s attention away from the people who wanted Flint to be killed. "But doesn''t he need medical assistance first? He got hurt when I bumped into him." She lied so Sir Ainsworth wouldn''t question her concern for the boy. "I won''t be at ease until his injury is treated."


    "Very well," Sir Ainsworth said. Then, he turned to the knight holding Flint in ce. "Bring the boy to the hospital. Once he''s treated, transfer him into my office."


    "Yes, Captain," the knight answered politely before marching away from them while holding Flint by the neck.


    [Poor boy.]


    Flint turned to her with a sad look on his face.


    Tilly wanted to assure the boy that she would look for himter. But then, Sir Ainsworth suddenly blocked her view. The captain also red at the crowd which caused them to disperse.


    [Good riddance.]


    "Lady Prescott, may I know if you have time to talk?" Sir Ainsworth asked politely. His face was as nk as a canvas so she couldn''t really read what was on his mind. "It''s about a certain knight from my troop who disyed rude behavior towards you."


    [Ah, he must be talking about Sir Belington.]


    "Sir Ainsworth, I would love to have a talk with you but the timing isn''t right," Tilly said politely. "I have a scheduled tea party with Her Royal Highness this afternoon. I''m actually runningte. The carriage I was using a while ago had a problem so my coachman went to a carriage rental. I''m just waiting for his return."


    "Oh, I''m about to head to the royal pce as well," Sir Ainsworth said. "How about we share my carriage and have a talk there, Lady Prescott?"


    ***


    KIHO didn''t know why but he suddenly felt annoyed.


    He was supposed to use his mallet to crack the lobster''s huge w but when his mood changed, he identally crushed the shell in his hands.


    Whitton and Damian who were having dinner with him in the ship''s kitchen looked surprised. But when he frowned at the two knights, they shifted their eyes away from him and continued eating the lobsters in silence.


    [What''s this unpleasant feeling?]


    For some reason, he could also vividly see Tilly''s beautiful face in his mind. Well, he never got her out of his head ever since they met at the port. But this time, she came into his mind when he couldn''t understand why he felt angry for no reason.


    [I hope nothing bad happened to her. ke is with her so I''m sure she''ll be safe. But why do I feel uneasy?]


    And why did he feel like he wanted to punch someone?


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 18: Best Actress

    Chapter 18: Best Actress


    "LADY PRESCOTT, I''ve heard about the dispute you had with Sir Belington a few days ago," Sir Ainsworth told her.


    Tilly almost choked on her own saliva when Sir Ainsworth brought that up after the small talk they had a while ago.


    Currently, they were using the captain''s carriage. She epted his offer because she didn''t want to be rude to him. Plus, she didn''t want anyone to think that she was making Her Royal Highness wait for her.


    She was kind of scared now because she was alone. That was because she asked ke to follow Flint and to make sure that the child wouldn''t be hurt. She also asked him to bail the boy out of jail. At first, the vice-captain didn''t want to leave her alone with Sir Ainsworth.


    But when she pleaded, ke finally gave in. The vice-captain left her amunication device and told her to contact him if anything happens.


    [I''m with the Golden Tiger Knights'' captain so I''ll be safe.]


    "The knights who arrested Sir Belington that day told me that you wanted to question how I train my troop," Sir Ainsworth continued. "But it didn''t push through when you decided for a settlement instead."


    Sir Ainsworth was a really intimidating now that she had met him in person. But she had to stand by what she said that day. It wasn''t like she would take it back just because the captain of the Golden Tiger Knights looked a little bit scary.


    "That''s true, Sir Ainsworth," Tilly confirmed in a voice that she hoped sounded confident enough. "I may not be close enough to you for us to be considered as friends. But I heard stories about how fair and honorable you are both as a noble and as one of the captains of the Four Orders. And I believe them. My father talks highly of you. That''s why I can''t believe that your troop has produced a knight that would tarnish your good name by showing disrespect to a captain." She clenched her teeth when she remembered the harsh words Sir Belington said to Kiho that day. "Sir Kiho doesn''t have a noble bloodline but he''s still the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. I just couldn''t stay silent as Sir Belington belittle Sir Kiho for being amoner. Isn''t it also a part of our noble duty to look after the citizens of Moonchester Empire regardless of their blood?"


    Sir Ainsworth seemed to be impressed by her long "speech." "Spoken like a true noble."


    She just smiled at his remark.


    "I understand your sentiment," he continued. "I know this may sound like an excuse but I have to let you know that there are problematic knights in every troop. I''ll monitor my men closer to make sure that the Golden Tiger knights will uphold the value I instill in them whether I''m looking or not. Thank you for your honest feedback, Lady Prescott."


    She suddenly felt embarrassed. "I hope my words didn''t offend you, Sir."


    "Not at all," he assured her. "I appreciate your honesty."


    "Thank you."


    "I heard that you recently got engaged to Captain Kiho," he said when he changed the subject. "I apologize for thete greeting but congrattions on your engagement, Lady Prescott."


    She lightly bowed her head. "On behalf of Captain Kiho, thank you, Captain Ainsworth."


    "Captain Kiho is lucky to have you as his future wife, Lady Prescott," Sir Ainsworth said in a somewhat more gentle tone than usual. When she raised her head to look at him, he gave her a small smile. "It seems like you genuinely care about him. I thought it would be a political marriage between you and Captain Kiho. But I guess I was wrong."


    "It was both our choice to get married, Sir Ainsworth," Tilly said with a smile. "Captain Kiho is good to me so I''m luckier to have him."


    ***


    TILLY was really nervous.


    She was currently on her way to Moonflower Pce Princess Nia''s residence.


    Sir Ainsworth walked her to the entrance of the Moonflower Pce before he left. Now, she was being escorted to the parlor by the princess''sdies-in-waiting. Since the sun was already about to set, the tea "party was going to be held inside the pce instead of the garden.


    [I''m half an hourte. I hope "that" incident is already over.]


    To make sure that it wouldn''t happen in her presence, she called and informed the princess''s secretary that she''d bete because of a minor ident.


    [Please don''t let me discover Her Royal Highness'' secret this time!]


    "Your Royal Highness, Lady Prescott has arrived," one of thedies announced in front of the door leading to the tea room.


    "Let her in," said a familiarmanding voice.


    [Ah, it must be Catalina the princess'' close aid.]


    She took a deep breath when the knights outside the tea room finally opened the huge double doors. Then, she entered the chamber where the princess was already waiting for her.


    Her Royal Highness Princess Nia Moonchester was sitting on the sofa regally.


    [Gosh, she''s unbelievably beautiful.]


    The princess, just like the emperor, had silver hair and red eyes. Her skin was also as pale as the moonlight. If it only weren''t for her rosy cheeks and pinkish lips that were sign that she was alive, anyone would easily mistaken her for a pretty porcin doll.


    [Her clothes look modern-ish.]


    The dress that Princess Nia chose to wear was a gorgeous floor-length gown with a bell skirt that was slightly shorter in the front and longer in the back. The style of her dress showed a little bit of her legs and also made her heels visible. And the top of the gown was a short-sleeved brocade with a wide neckline. She also had a tight bodice that made her waist look thinner.


    The princess had her long silver hair down with minimal hair decoration. Her makeup was light, emphasizing her natural good looks and clear skin. Her Royal Highness'' overall outfit waspleted by a set of simple jewelries: a small pair of earrings, ayered ne with a tiny pendant, a simple bracelet, and a diamond ring the engagement ring given by the emperor.


    [It''s really her.]


    Tilly gave the princess a polite curtsy. "Greetings to the brightest star of the Great Moonchester Empire," she said. If the emperor was the "moon," then his sister and fiance was the "brightest star" of the empire. "I, Lady Prescott, present herself to Her Royal Highness."


    "Rise," Princess Niamanded in a soft voice.


    [The word "gentle" was probably made for Her Royal Highness.]


    Tilly looked up at the princess to absorb her beauty once again. But she looked surprised when she saw the pained look on her face.


    [Oh, no]


    In her previous life, she discovered the princess''s secret when Her Royal Highness fainted. Then, she discovered what was mixed in the tea that she drank.


    [Will it happen again?]


    When Tilly looked at the table, a purplish tea was served and it seemed to have been drunk by the princess.


    [But why? As far as I remember, the princess should have already drunk the tea before I arrived. There was a schedule for it and if Her Royal Highness followed it, she would have fainted half an hour ago. That was the effect of the tea. But it would onlyst for five minutes so Princess Nia should have been okay by now.]


    Tilly deliberately arrivedte so she wouldn''t witness the princess faint.


    In her past life, when Her Royal Highness fainted, she immediately checked if the tea was poisoned. That was her duty as a noble. But because of that, she discovered what kind of medicine was mixed with the princess''s tea.


    "Lady Prescott, you seem to be worried about me," Princess Nia said with a weak smile. Then, she ce her small hand (and slender fingers!) on her now pale cheek. It was rosy just a few minutes ago. Did it mean the medicine was already working? "I feel a little bit sick."


    "Your Royal Highness, shall I call the doctor?" Catalina, who was standing behind the princess, asked politely.


    "No, I''m fine," Princess Nia said kindly.


    Tilly was seriously having a dilemma right now.


    [If the princess faints now, I have to check the tea for poison because it''s my noble duty. The servants wouldn''t be allowed to touch the food and tea that the princess consumed. I am the only person here who would be qualified to investigate because everyone who served Her Royal Highness would be immediately suspected, even Catalina.]


    In her previous life, when she found out the royal secret, Princess Nia confessed to her. Then, she promised that she would keep her secret safe with her.


    [I''ll change my destiny!]


    Tilly didn''t want to experience that so she did the first thing that came into her mind: to faint before the princess does.


    She made her body temperature rise to make it look like she was having a high fever. To be honest, she wasn''t good at acting but she tried her best to drop on the ground as naturally as possible. It hurt her head and shoulder but she''d rather feel that than repeat the events in the past.


    Then, she closed her eyes tight to pretend that she fainted.


    "Lady Prescott!" Princess Nia said in a worried voice. "Catalina, call the royal doctor!"


    "A-As you wish, Your Royal Highness."


    Tilly knew that lying in front of the royal family could be considered as treason. But she didn''t want the princess to know that she was aware of her secret


    . And that royal secret was the fact that Her Royal Highness was taking a forbidden medicine that prevented her from getting pregnant.


    Yes, Princess Nia didn''t want a child with Emperor Aku.


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 19: Princess Nia Moonchester

    Chapter 19: Princess Nia Moonchester


    KIHO received a call from ke who broke the news of Tilly''s current health state.


    ording to the vice captain, his fiance fainted due to high fever.


    [I should hurry back to her side.]


    Now he regretted not getting amunication device with Tilly. He didn''t want to hear her voice or see her while on the mission because he would probably want toe home right away. But if he knew she''d get sick, he wouldn''t leave her side at all.


    [Past is past. I should focus on the current situation first.]


    "C-Captain, can we really defeat those monsters?" Damian stuttered. The young knight was shaking in fear while looking up at the sea monsters blocking their ship. "They''re huge!"


    "Damian!" Whitton scolded him. "A ck Serpent knight should never tremble before the enemies! And hold your sword properly. You''ll die because of your awful posture!"


    "Hush," Kiho said coldly that made both Damian and Whitton quiet instantly. "I''ll attack first. Just watch my back."


    "Yes, Captain!" Damian and Whitton said in unison.


    Kiho looked sized up the three headed ck serpent in front of them.


    [A serpent, huh? Our squad was named after this monster. I feel bad that I have to y it but I have to hurry back to Tilly.]


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Serpent," Kiho said while unleashing his power. The breeze started to get colder and the waves began slowing down. He was going to freeze the giant serpent and attack it to get past the monster. "You don''t look appetizing so I can''t bring you home to Tilly."


    ***


    TILLY woke up alone in one of the luxurious guest rooms in Moonflower Pce.


    She got up and carefully moved her shoulders in a circr motion to loosen up her muscles. Thankfully, it didn''t hurt. She remembered being in pain when she fell badly on the ground because of her terrible acting.


    [The royal doctor must have treated me.]


    At first, she was just pretending to lose consciousness. But since she was in pain, she forced herself to sleep. She could barely remember being brought to the room to be examined by the royal doctor.


    Ah, right. She woke up a while ago when the maids gave her a bath and changed her clothes into afortable night gown. But then, they made her drink a medicine for fever. She had to take it and so, she fell asleep again.


    Luckily, no one was in the room this time when she awoke.


    [I''m sure the pce sent a letter to my father to inform him that I''m spending the night here.]


    Tilly was safe, right?


    She didn''t witness the princess faint so she didn''t have to investigate the cause of it. And so, in this lifetime, she didn''t have to "discover" that Her Royal Highness was taking medicine that would cause infertility.


    That very act was treason.


    [Does the princess secretly hate the emperor?]


    But as far as she remembered, Princess Nia and Emperor Aku had a good rtionship. Everyone in the empire knew that the emperor was in love with the princess. In fact, the two were the main reason why diamond rings became popr as engagement rings.


    [Ever since they were kids, His Majesty would give Princess Nia diamonds as a present. So somehow, diamond became the symbol of love in the empire.]


    To be honest, in her past life, she didn''t think that the royal family''s custom to marry within the family was weird or disgusting. For the citizens of Moonchester Empire, that was something normal. Actually, they even thought that it was the royal family''s duty to the empire.


    [But during my second life as a modern woman, I learned that marrying your own sibling was banned and frowned upon. It also causes birth defect.]


    In this world, children born within the royal family werepletely healthy. In fact, they were even born beautiful, intelligent, and strong. Maybe it was because people in this world had what they didn''t have in the modern world Mana.


    It wasn''t like incest was heavily practiced in the empire though. Only the royal family was allowed to marry a sibling. But in other parts of the empire, marriages between cousins were legal as well. It was mostly done by nobles.


    For the nobles, marriages between cousins were done to keep their wealth within the family.


    While for the royal family, marriages between siblings were practiced to keep their bloodline pure. The purer the blood of a Moonchester was, the stronger their Mana was. And ording to the rumors, only a female Moonchester could carry the child of a male Moonchester in her womb.


    The emperors in the past had other lovers. But no concubine in history had seeded in giving birth to a Moonchester.


    [Which means that right now, only Princess Nia is capable of giving birth to an heir.]


    And that was exactly why taking medicine that caused infertility was a heavy crime enough for her to be executed even though she was a princess.


    Tilly''s train of thought was cut off when she heard a light knock. When Princess Nia entered the room, she tried to get up. But Her Royal Highness told her to stay still so she did.


    "How are you feeling, Lady Prescott?" Princess Nia asked in a kind voice. "The doctor said you fainted because of high fever. I apologize for calling you over when you are in such state."


    "Please don''t apologize, Your Royal Highness," Tilly said while gently shaking her head. "In fact, I should be punished foring into the princess''s residence while I have fever. I have endangered Your Royal Highness'' health." She lightly bowed her. "I apologize. I''ll ept any punishment that you see fit, Your Royal Highness."


    [I don''t want to be punished but I have to apologize. No noble should be crazy enough to be in the presence of the princess while having a "high fever."]


    "Rise," the princess said. When Tilly raised her head, Her Royal Highness smiled. "I won''t punish you, Lady Prescott. If you want to make it up to me, just get well as soon as possible. My heart hurts to see you in poor health."


    "Your Royal Highness'' concern is enough to rejuvenate my energy," she said. "Thank you for the concern."


    The princessughed softly. "Why are being so formal, Tilly?" she asked casually this time. "We''re the only people in the room right now. You can talkfortably."


    Right, they were supposed to be good friends.


    But Tilly''s heart right now was heavy with guilt that she couldn''t act friendly with the princess.


    In her previous life, Emperor Aku also discovered Princess Nia''s secret. In order to protect Her Royal Highness, the emperor postponed the royal wedding several times. If the two got married and the princess didn''t get pregnant right away, the royal doctor and the High Priest would definitely examine the princess'' body.


    Normally, an empress candidate should have been examined first for her fertility before she was dered as a crown princess. But since the only purpose of a female Moonchester was to give birth to an heir, everyone in the empire just assumed that the princesses of the royal family couldn''t be infertile. There was no record of an infertile princess in the long history of the empire after all.


    [Anyway]


    In the past, Emperor Aku never stopped looking for a medicine or a method to "fix" Princess Nia''s infertility.


    Tilly, during that time, thought that if the emperor seeded, then Princess Nia would definitely give birth to an heir. She was afraid that Winter''s supposed special existence would be overshadowed by the birth of the crown prince.


    And so, just before Princess Nia became the empress, she exposed Her Royal Highness'' secret.


    Tilly''s family was supposed to be a part of the Royal Faction the group of nobles who supported the royal family. But in the past, she secretly worked with a high-ranking member of the Noble Faction the group of nobles who wanted to overthrow the Moonchesters and destroy the monarchy and exposed Princess Nia''s secret.


    So while maintaining her position in the Royal Faction, she was coborating with the Noble Faction. She did that because she needed the Noble Faction''s support to put Winter on the throne. After all, the Royal Faction were too fanatics to allow a non-Moonchester like her son to be the next emperor.


    In the end, her evil n seeded.


    Thankfully, Tilly was stopped before she could further destroy the empire and her son.


    "Tilly?" Princess Nia called her before she gently ced a hand on her forehead. Her face lit up as soon as she did that. "Your fever has gone down," she said while pulling her hand away. "I''m relieved. I thought you were about to faint again because you''re looking at me like you wanted to cry."


    Oh, was she?


    "I apologize, Princess Nia," Tilly said. Because the princess gave her permission to talkfortably, she called her the way that she did in her previous life. "Ah, how about Your Royal Highness? You weren''t feeling good a while ago"


    The princess gently shook her head. "I''m fine, Tilly. It was just a minor headache."


    "That''s a relief, Princess Nia."


    Tilly was really relieved. After all, Princess Nia didn''t have to confess her secret to her in this lifetime. She just wanted to focus on her family than get involved in a royal drama.


    [Let me live a good life this time.]


    "Tilly, are you not upset anymore?"


    "Pardon?"


    Princess Nia''s hand reached for her cheek. She wasn''t sure if it was the soft moonlight on her face or did the princess really look solemn when she spoke again. "You wanted to be the empress, didn''t you? Tilly, you were upset when my engagement with the emperor was officially announced."


    She was about to deny the princess'' remarks but suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head. The next things she knew, she was already hearing an unfamiliar yetmanding voice inside her mind.


    [You want to be the empress so bad,] the voice inside her head said. She couldn''t figure out if it was a male or a female. All she knew was she couldn''t get the voice out of her mind even if she wanted to. [Matilda ''Tilly'' Prescott, you''re only purpose in life is to be an empress. And if you can''t be one, then find a new way to seize the throne. Perhaps, the son you''re supposed to give birth to can help you]


    At that moment, Winter''s face painted with blood came into her mind.


    Tilly snapped out of whatever spell she fell into when she remembered her son. She believed that she was given a chance to correct her mistakes to protect Winter and Kiho. And that purpose was stronger than any suppressed greed for power in her heart, if there was any.


    "I don''t want to be an empress, Princess Nia," Tilly said in a firm voice that seemed to surprise the princess. "I just want to have a normal life with Sir Kiho and our future son."


    Princess Nia pulled her hand away from her face with a shocked look on her face. But that expression was gone as soon as it appeared so she wasn''t sure if she really saw that. "Very well," Her Royal Highness said with a smile. Then, she stood up and said her farewell. "Good night, Lady Prescott."


    Tilly suddenly felt a chill by the way the princess called her this time. But before she could pinpoint what exactly was going on, she suddenly felt very sleepy. The next thing she knew, she was already plopped on the bed.


    [Just what the hell happened?]


    ***


    TILLY woke up feeling refreshed.


    The maids gave her a bath and helped her get ready. The princess prepared a brand new dress for her. It was a peach long off-shoulder dress that reached her ankles. Her Royal Highness also gave her a new pair of shoes and a set of jewelries that went well with it.


    After getting ready, she was ushered to the fancy dining hall to have breakfast.


    The Princess Nia, apparently, wasn''t able to join her because of her busy schedule.


    Right now, the maids were showing her the way to the rose garden where ke would pick her up.


    [And my mind won''t shut up.]


    To be honest, her memory ofst night was a little blurry. She couldn''t decide if Princess Nia really visited her or she just had a nightmare.


    [And was the voice I heard came from the greed in my heart?]


    Tilly never wanted to be dumb as much as she did right now. But unfortunately, her head wasn''t only for disy. Gosh, why did she have to be smart?!


    [If what I heard wasn''t an illusion, then it can only mean that Princess Nia]


    She couldn''t say it even to herself because fear started to creep in her heart.


    [What will I do now? It looks like Princess Nia purposely revealed her secret to me. If she turns out to be involved with happened to me in my previous life, then I''m in trouble.]


    But what would Her Royal Highness gain by getting herself exiled?


    [What are you nning, Princess Nia?]


    "Fancy meeting you here, Lady Prescott."


    Tilly flinched in surprise when she heard Emperor Aku''s voice. When she realized that she was standing in front of the emperor, she immediately gave him a curtsy with a bow. "Greetings to the one and only moon that embraces our empire."


    "Rise," Emperor Aku said.


    She thanked His Majesty before she raised her head to properly face him.


    Only now did she notice that the emperor was being apanied, naturally, by Sir Noel Sherwood the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights and Emperor Aku''s personal knight.


    Captain Sherwood was Emperor Aku''s official personal knight while the Blue Dragon Knights were the royal knights assigned to guard the whole pce. But whenever Captain Sherwood was out on a mission, the other remaining three captains of the Four Orders would take turns in protecting His Majesty,


    Anyway, Captain Sherwood was also the handsome young duke of House Sherwood.


    His hair was a mix of silver and light blue while his eyes were ash gray. He was tall and lean, and had a gentle face. Out of all the captains of the Four Orders, he was the one with the best reputation.


    [And the citizens love Captain Sherwood.]


    She greeted the captain and he returned it with a smile and a polite nod.


    "Nia asked me to take care of you since she was busy for today while I have a little bit of free time this morning," Emperor Aku said in his usual cheery voice. "So, Lady Prescott. Do you miss Kiho?"


    The question made Tilly blush but smile at the same time. "I can''t wait to be with Sir Kiho again, Your Majesty."


    "Then, lucky you because their ship is about tond in a few hours," Emperor Aku asked in a yful tone. "Lady Prescott, would you like to fetch Kiho yourself?"


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 20: Hot Welcome

    Chapter 20: Hot Wee


    [COME to think of it, I can''t remember what happened to Princess Nia after she was exiled from the empire.]


    The only thing Tilly remembered was the fact that Her Royal Highness was sent to a far-away country with Catalina and a knight from the Blue Dragons. Since the emperor made a deal with the Noble Faction, the princess''s life was spared.


    [But in my past life, I never saw the princess again until the day I died.]


    Her gut feeling was telling her that the Princess Nia was involved in her past tragedy. But she couldn''t find a logical reason as to why the princess would expose her secret just to ruin her life. Plus, House Prescott had always been loyal to the royal family.


    [I guess I need to investigate first.]


    "Lady Prescott, are you listening?"


    "Huh?" Tilly asked ke in bewilderment, then blinked a few times before she realized that she spaced out. "Oh. What were you saying again, Sir ke?"


    [Gosh, I should stop thinking about the past for the meantime and focus on my surprise wee for Kiho.]


    To surprise her fianc, the Emperor Aku prepared an ordinary carriage for her and Sir ke. If they used a fancy carriage from the royal family or House Prescott, Kiho would surely find her right away.


    [And so, here we are now.]


    She was on an ufortable ride with ke as they travel the long road to the Lunar Ind. It was a private ind owned by the royal family.


    ording to Emperor Aku, Kiho would return home using the portal from Pis connecting to the Lunar Ind. The captain already used the portal in the royal pce and it takes time before the Mana that powers it to get replenished.


    And thus, Kiho had to use another gateway. Plus, the captain would be bringing a ship with him this time. It wouldn''t fit in the portal from the royal pce. So he really had no choice but to use the one in the Lunar Ind even if it was a little far from the Royal Capital.


    "Mydy, are you tired?" ke asked with a hint of worry in his usually nonchnt voice. "I can ask the coachman to stop for a while."


    Tilly shook her head. "We can''t surprise Sir Kiho if we''rete. I''m fine. Thank you for worrying about me, Sir ke."


    "I''m just doing my job, Lady Prescott," he said.


    She just smiled at that. "Anyway, what were you saying about Flint again?"


    Yesterday, she asked ke to make sure that the boy they met at the za woulde home safely. For that reason, the knight had to leave her side. He wasn''t allowed to enter the Moonflower Pce. Apparently, while she was asleep in the princess''s residence, Catalina talked to ke and asked him to go back in the morning to pick her up.


    After ke picked her up from the pce a while ago, they went back to the Prescott Mansion first. She asked for her father''s permission to fetch Kiho from Lunar Ind. Since it was Emperor Aku''s idea, the duke didn''t have the choice but to allow her to go.


    As soon as she finished packing her things, the ordinary carriage that the emperor prepared for her came to pick her up.


    "The child called ''Flint'' is a notorious liar, apparently," ke reported to her. "ording to the Golden Tiger knights I talked to, the kid has been spreading rumors about the return of the Fire Mages across the capital."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "Why would he do something as dangerous as that?"


    Kiho told her that the Fire Mages were banned from the empire a long time ago because of a dispute with the royal family. Spreading rumors about the apparent return of the Moonchesters''s enemies could be considered treason.


    In this world, even a boy as young as Flint could be executed if hemitted a crime against the royal family.


    "Apparently, Flint believes that he and his little brother are descendants of a great Fire Mage," ke said. "Maybe the child heard stories about the Fire Mages and got fascinated with them."


    "That''s possible," she said. But deep in her heart, she somehow didn''t believe that Flint was a liar. His eyes were clear after all. "He has a little brother? What about his parents?"


    "They are orphans, mydy," the knight said. "An old woman has taken them in and acts as their guardian. After bailing out Flint, I sent him home just like you instructed."


    "Do you remember where he lives?"


    "Of course, mydy," ke answered. "The boy lives in the foot of Mount Elea."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. "That''s far from the Royal Capital."


    "I used my horse when I brought him home, mydy," he said. "And I also gave a pouch of gold coins to their guardian. The boy speaks highly of his "grandma" and so I entrusted her the money. The grandmother refused to ept the pouch at first but I convinced her to use it for the kids. She was very thankful to you, Lady Prescott."


    "Good job, Sir ke."


    "I''m honored to be recognized by you, mydy."


    She just smiled at that.


    A few momentster, ke''s forehead knotted as if he just remembered something he didn''t particrly like. "Lady Prescott, would you really do what His Majesty suggested?"


    Tilly smiled at the reminder. Thanks to that, her mind drifted away from her worrying thoughts. She knew it was only temporary because whether she liked it or not, she still had to figure out what was happening for her to survive in this lifetime. But a short break like this one was very weed. "I''ll do it," she answered to ke''s question. "It sounds fun."


    ***


    KIHO felt relieved as soon as he stepped foot on the ground after getting off from the ship.


    He gave Damian and Whitton a day off since they looked exhausted from ying sea monsters. The two decided to spend the night in the ship because they were too tired to go home. He gave them the permission to use the ship to rest in exchange of looking after the tank.


    The tank in the bottom part of the ship contained the giant lobsters, crabs, ms, abalones, scallops, and other sea creatures that Tilly would definitely enjoy eating. He''d love to bring the seafood with him but he couldn''t because he''d be riding a horse.


    It would take him hours before he reached the Royal Capital but he was used to travelling at night so he''d be fine. Unfortunately, because he wanted to go home as fast as he could, he had to leave the souvenirs he brought for Tilly in the ship. But he asked Damian to bring it to his office once Damian and Whitton went back to the Royal Capital.


    [I just want to see Tilly as soon as possible.]


    The only thing he had right now was a sling bag where he put the special pearl that he got in the nest of the sea monsters. It wasn''t as big or as heavy as he imagined it to be. The pearl that he found was shaped like a cube. It was also smooth and light.


    If the experts in the Pis Inds didn''t examine the "cube," he wouldn''t have believed that it was really a pearl.


    [But the elders in the ind said that this pearl is special. ording to them, it wouldn''t get scratched or broken. If it''s that the case, then Tilly could wear her engagement ring without having to worry about damaging it.]


    He couldn''t wait to get back in the Royal Capital to ask the best jewelry maker to make the finest engagement ring from the pearl he got specifically for Tilly.


    "Captain Kiho?"


    Kiho almost groaned in frustration when a royal guard blocked his way. The Lunar Ind was owned by the royal family so obviously, everyone in the ind worked for the emperor. And he remembered that this man was one of the knights who greeted his group when the shipnded at the dock. "Yes?"


    "A message from His Majesty''s aid came to our office. The emperor wanted you to check the package that was sent to the ind this afternoon," the guard said. "ording to the letter, His Majesty also wanted you to bring the package to the Royal Capital, Sir."


    If he could curse the emperor even if it was only in his head, he would have done that.


    "Where''s the package?" Kiho asked. "I''ll check it now."


    "It''s in the barracks, Sir."


    "Lead the way."


    "Yes, Sir."


    The barracks was only a few walks away from the dock. After bringing him to an empty room (save for the big box in it), the guard left.


    [What kind of package is that?]


    Kiho walked towards the box in a hurry. He wanted to check the item inside immediately so he could finally leave the ind. In one swift movement, he pulled out a dagger from the inside pocket of his jacket. He was about to cut it open when suddenly, something came out of the box.


    "Surprise!"


    If he didn''t recognize the voice and the pretty face that greeted him, he would have thrown the dagger at Tilly because of his reflex.


    [Thank goodness I recognized her right away!]


    He could tell right away that this was Emperor Aku''s n.


    [If I would be given onest wish before I die, I''d use it to hit the emperor in the head.]


    "That was dangerous, Tilly," Kiho scolded her. He was relieved that he didn''t identally hurt her. But knowing that he almost did was enough to make him feel flustered. "I almost attacked you."


    "But you didn''t," Tilly reasoned with a pout. "I know that you wouldn''t because you''re Sir Kiho, the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. You''re not the type of person who would attack others recklessly. Your senses are sharp after all."


    He blinked in surprise. "You have too much faith in me, Tilly."


    "Of course," she said with a smile. Then, she lifted her arms like a child asking to be carried. "Help me get out of this box, Captain."


    He felt his cheeks burn when he realized that he had to hold her waist to lift her up


    and it seemed like that was exactly what she wanted him to do.


    [Tilly is really strange.]


    He meant it in a good way, of course.


    Kiho may sound arrogant but to be honest, a lot ofdies around him had expressed their interest in him. Some even practically threw themselves at him despite his refusal.


    But all of them only wanted him for his face and his, uh, physique. Every singledy who approached him made it clear to him that they only wanted a physical rtionship. They wouldn''t consider him as a proper lover because he was amoner.


    He was far from prude but he couldn''t imagine himself being used by the snotty nobledies to satisfy their carnal desires. Each time he turned down ady''s advances, they would use their families'' power to punish him for simply saying ''no'' to them.


    That was the first "type" ofdy that would approach him.


    Second would be the type ofdies who wouldn''t even bother to hide their disgust towards him. They were easier to deal with than the former.


    [But Tilly is neither.]


    She would tease him but still respect his personal space. She also didn''t care if they were seen together in public. And even thought she was a duke''s daughter, she never looked down on him. In fact, she treats everyone as equal.


    [I heard bad rumors about her so I thought she was going to be a pain in the never mind. it wasn''t true anyway.]


    "Kiho?" Tilly asked with a hint of worry in her voice. "Are you okay?"


    "Yes," Kiho said while putting the dagger back in the inside pocket of his jacket. "May I touch you?"


    She nodded eagerly. "I want you to."


    That made him feel things.


    He cleared his throat in hopes of clearing his mind, too. "Then, please excuse me," he said, then he gently ced his hands on her tiny waist.


    [Why is she so soft?]


    He lifted up Tilly easily, surprised at how light she was.


    [I should feed her more.]


    His n was to put her down immediately. But suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.


    [Wow.]


    Because of what she did, her soft breasts were now pressed nicely against his solid chest.


    Damn, it felt good.


    He was a twenty-one year old adult and Tilly was two years younger than him. But between the two of them, it was him who was as red as an apple while thedy remained calm.


    "T-Tilly," he said. When he realized that he stuttered, he cleared his throat. "Your breasts are pressed against mine."


    "Do you hate it?"


    He swallowed before he replied honestly. "No."


    She smiled yfully while running her fingers at the back of his neck.


    Again, that felt good.


    "Lady Prescott," he said in a weak voice. Damn it. He wanted to sound stern but at that moment, he didn''t sound convincing even to himself. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m seducing you, Captain."


    He couldn''t stop himself from looking at her pinkish lips and suddenly, he was hungry. "It''s working, mydy." Before he ran his gaze down her gorgeous body, he looked up to focus on her beautiful face. "May I kiss you, Tilly?"


    She smiled as if she was relieved. "I thought you''d never ask."


    Kiho didn''t waste any second.


    He gently put her down, his hands still on her small waist. Then, he pulled her closer and leaned down as slow as possible to savor every moment before their lips meet.


    Tilly smelled like roses, she always did. Her heavy-lidded eyes emphasized her longshes. He was d that she was about to close her eyes because once he stared at her beautiful purple orbs, he was afraid that he might just freeze and forget how to breathe.


    That was how breath-taking she was to him.


    [Ah, I can''t wait any longer.]


    He put a hand on her soft and smooth cheek, then tilted her head back before he finally kissed Tilly softly on the lips. Ah, he had always wondered how her lips would feel.


    They were soft


    and her mouth was warm.


    A few momentster, Tilly leaned forward and kissed him back.


    That was the response he was hoping for.


    This time, he used both of his hands to hold her lovely face and kiss her again and again. The more they kissed, the hungrier he got for her lips.


    Kiho wondered where these passionate kisses would lead them tonight


    ***


    TILLY was firmly pulled against Kiho''s solid body and she loved it. She didn''t know how and when but when she came into her senses, she was already trapped between his warm body and the cold wall against her back.


    They broke the kiss to catch their breath, but only for a moment.


    When he stared into her eyes, his own yellowish orbs started to glow until they were golden. He was still hungry hungry for her kisses.


    "More," Kiho said, nting his hands on the wall on either side of her head.


    Tilly could tell that the captain was being very careful not to "crush" her. It seemed like he was worried about their difference in height and build. She appreciated that. And his thoughtfulness made him ten times sexier than he already was.


    "Yes," Tilly said, her gaze fixed on his red and swollen lips. Her lips were probably the same as his since he nibbled them a while ago. "Kiss me more, Captain."


    Kiho closed his eyes and kissed her again. He lightly brushed his tongue between her lips. This time, he couldn''t help but touch her body once more. His hands left the wall to slide up her body. Then, he cradled her face with his hands while he sucked her lips.


    She moaned into his mouth and that seemed to encourage him even more. He dipped his tongue inside her mouth, coaxing her tongue to dance with his. She kissed him back with as much fervor, her hands now wandering on the wide expanse of his chest.


    [Kiho is really a good kisser.]


    Tilly wondered if tonight was the perfect time to conceive Winter


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 21: Endearment

    Chapter 21: Endearment


    THE sizzling moment between Tilly and Kiho was cut when her stupid stomach growled loudly. As soon as the captain heard that, he pulled away from the kiss and looked at her with a worried look on his handsome face.


    She was relieved that Kiho didn''t make her feel like she should be embarrassed by the sound her stomach made. Most men in this world think thatdies don''t fart, after all.


    "Let''s eat first," Kiho said.


    "No," Tilly said while shaking her head stubbornly. "I want more kisses."


    He held her shoulders and moved his face away from his when she tried to kiss him again. "I''m not sure if I can stop if we do something more than this."


    "I want you to do more."


    "I want to do more, too. But not at the expense of your health so we''ll eat first," he insisted. Then, he ced a hand on her cheek while gently brushing his thumb over her swollen lips. "Don''t push yourself, Tilly. You just recovered from your fever."


    Damn it.


    She didn''t expect that her little lie would result to this.


    But she had to give up for now. She didn''t want to look desperate in front of Kiho. Plus, this time, she wanted to conceive Winter with love.


    "Okay, I understand," she said. "We should head to the castle then."


    "The emperor''s castle in his ind?"


    "There''s only one castle in this ind, my silly captain," she said between giggles. But she understood why Kiho had to ask. "His Majesty wanted you to rest first before you go back to the Royal Capital. And so, the emperor ordered us to spend the night in his castle. The servants there are expecting us."


    For some reason, his face suddenly went red. "W-We''re going to spend the night together? Does Duke Prescott know about this?"


    She nodded while exining. "It was an order from His Majesty so my father had no choice but to give his consent."


    That was how loyal her father was to the royal family even though he was a noble.


    Majority of the Royal Faction consisted of people rted to the royal family. While the Noble Faction who wanted to destroy the monarchy were supported by higher nobles who had always hated the Moonchesters.


    "Are you okay with that?" Kiho said, voiceced with concern. "If you''re notfortable with that set-up, I''ll send you home. I''ll talk to His Majesty so don''t be scared."


    "I want to spend the night with you, Kiho."


    He didn''t smile but his eyes glowed in a beautiful golden light. Someone was happy, huh? "Okay, let''s go to the castle."


    She just smiled at him, then linked her arm with his as she gently pull him out of the room. "How was your mission, Captain?"


    "It was a sess," he answered. "Tilly, how''s your health?"


    "I''m good," she assured him. "I just fainted because of high fever. But the royal doctor took care of me so I recovered fast."


    "Fainting is a serious matter, Tilly. Please don''t make it sound like it''s not a big deal by saying you "just" fainted," he lightly scolded her. But she let it slide because she knew he was just concerned about her. "Let''s be more careful next time, okay?"


    She smiled and hugged his arm. "Okay."


    "Oh," he said as if he remembered something. "Did ke escort you here?"


    "Of course," she said. "Kiho, please don''t scold him too much for not being by my side when I fainted." Kiho was a strict captain and he seemed to be protective of her in this life time. She had a feeling that he would scold keter so she wanted to appease him a little. She didn''t want ke to be punished like Damian for failing to protect her. "Before I went to the pce, I sent Sir ke on a mission."


    She told Kiho about the minor "ident," then her encounter with Flint (the young boy who spread rumors about the return of Fire Mages) and Sir Ainsworth. She also talked about how she suddenly felt "feverish" when she arrived at the princess''s residence. And that she couldn''t just go home without greeting Princess Nia first so she had to "hide" her sickness, probably resulting to her fainting.


    She didn''t want to lie to Kiho but she couldn''t tell him that she didn''t really get sick.


    "Captain Ainsworth?" Kiho asked with a scowl. "You shared a ride with the captain of the Golden Tiger Knights?"


    She rolled her eyes discreetly.


    [Oh, men.]


    She talked about a lot of things but the only thing that seemed to stick to Kiho was the fact that she met Sir Ainsworth. Was he jealous? That was both cute and petty.


    "The only reason I didn''t reject Sir Ainsworth''s offer was because I was runningte from my scheduled meeting with Her Royal Highness," Tilly exined. "Do you not trust me?"


    "I trust you," he said almost immediately. "I''m just worried. We had a dispute with Sir Belington, a knight from Captain Ainsworth''s squad. He didn''t bully you, did he?"


    Ah, so he was worried about that.


    "He didn''t bully me," she said. "I''m relieved. I thought you were jealous."


    "Who said I wasn''t?"


    Her eyes widened in shock. She looked up at him to confirm if he was telling the truth. And yep, someone was really jealous. "Oh."


    "Don''t worry, I know that I have nothing to be jealous of Captain Ainsworth," Kiho assured her. "I guess it''s just a normal reaction to feel a little jealous when thedy I like was alone with another man."


    She blinked in surprised. And giddiness. "You like me?"


    "Yes, I like you," the captain confirmed, his cheeks tainted with a nice shade of pink. "I thought I was being obvious."


    "Why do you like me?" she asked curiously. "Is it because I have a crab mallet?"


    "Hmm I guess it''s part of the reason," Kiho said, then he put a hand on the top of her head. "But Tilly, I won''t get attracted to a woman just because of a crab mallet."


    Oh.


    She wanted to ask what exactly made him like her but his stomach growled loudly this time. He blinked in surprise as if he just realized that he was hungry.


    Then, she remembered that Emperor Aku told her that Kiho would definitely go straight to the Royal Capital without resting just to meet her. She just smiled politely at His Majesty, not really believing that the captain would do that. Now she owed the emperor an apology.


    "Let''s hurry," Tilly said while walking faster, pulling Kiho along with her. "What would you like for dinner, Captain?"


    "You."


    Her dirty mind thought of lewd stuff naturally. "You want to eat me, Kiho?"


    "No, not that. I''m asking what you want to eat," the captain exined, cheeks red in embarrassment. Then, he paused for a while before he spoke again. "I mean, I''d like to do thatter but I want to feed you first."


    Now it was her turn to blush. She couldn''t decide if Kiho was innocent or not. Sometimes he acted clueless. But there were times that he could be as naughty as she was.


    [Or maybe he learns fast.]


    "Kiho, you''ve grown," Tilly said jokingly while patting the captain''s arm gently. "I''m proud of you."


    "I don''t understand what you''re saying but if you''re happy, then I won''t ask anymore," Kiho said. Then, he gently removed her arm linked with his to hold her hand. "May I?"


    When Tilly nodded, Kiho entwined their fingers together.


    ***


    THE CASTLE in the Lunar Ind was like any other castles that Tilly had seen in the modern world. It wasn''t as huge as the royal pce but it was big enough for a royal family.


    [And it''s a castle on the cliff so the view from there is breathtaking.]


    When they arrived at the castle, they were greeted by the servants headed by Malou (the head maid in her 50s) and Alejandro (the head butler in his 60s).


    Then, they were ushered in a parlor room to have tea. When Malou asked if they had any preference for dinner, Kiho said that he''d ask his men to bring the main protein. ke was the one who brought the sea creatures from the ship.


    After that, the captain asked the head chef to cook it for them. While waiting for the food, they spent time catching up while having tea and some light snacks. ke, on the other hand, went back to the ship and would spend the night there with Damian and Whitton.


    She tried to invite ke to stay in the castle because Malou said that theirpanions would also be treated as guests. But the vice-captain politely refused so she didn''t insist anymore.


    Anyway, a few hourster, they were on the rooftop where their dinner was prepared.


    [It was also Kiho''s idea.]


    "Captain, I didn''t know that you have a romantic bone in you," Tilly said, impressed by the spread of seafood on the long table. The table was facing the sea and aside from that, they also had a scenic view of the starry night sky. But the thing she liked most were the floating huge crystal balls around. They served as lights so they could see properly. "This is so nice."


    "Did you like it?" Kiho asked while looking at her with an expectant look on his face. "I thought it would be nice to have dinner here instead of the dining hall."


    She smiled at him and ced a hand on his cheek. "I like it," she said. Then, she tiptoed to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Kiho."


    He looked happy yet surprised. "Was that a reward?"


    "Hmm?"


    "The kiss," he said. "If I do nice things for you, will you reward me with a kiss?"


    She giggled at his innocence. He obviously didn''t know how dating works. But it wasn''t like she was experienced in that department as well. Maybe she was reborn in this world to learn with Kiho. "Captain, we can kiss each other as long as we have consent. Is that okay with you?"


    Kiho nodded eagerly. "I''m giving you the consent to kiss me anytime you want, Tilly."


    Sheughed softly, then lightly pinched his cheek. "You can also kiss me as long as I give you consent. But when I say stop, you should stop right away. Of course, I''ll also do the same."


    "I understand."


    "Thank you, Captain," she said. Kiho was always respectful to her in her past life and she was d to know that even thought a lot of things already changed in this lifetime, he was still as chivalrous as she remembered. "Let''s eat."


    Kiho nodded and ushered her to the table.


    She already noticed that the seafood that the captain brought were huge. But now that she was seated facing the spread, she realized that these sea creatures were not normal in size. Even the prawns seemed to be bigger than her hands.


    "Kiho, look at this lobster''s w," Tilly said in amazement while touching the lobster''s w. Then, she leaned down to try andpare the size with her head. "Wow. It''s bigger than my head, isn''t it?"


    "It is," he said. "And your face is small anyway."


    "My face is small?"


    He nodded. "And very cute."


    Sheughed softly at hispliment. She was used to be praised as someone "beautiful" because she had a mature charm. Cute would be girls like Isabe, not her. But it made her giddy to know that Kiho finds her cute. "Kiho, call me ''baby.''"


    ''Baby'' was amon endearment between couples in the modern world. She always wanted to hear her lover call her that way. But unfortunately, she never got into a serious rtionship during her second life. That was why she got into an arranged marriage instead.


    "''Baby?''" Kiho asked in confusion. "Is it okay if I call a grown woman ''baby?''"


    "Just call me that when there''s only the two of us," she said. "And if it''s okay with you, I want to call you ''baby'' as well. It will be our secret endearment."


    His face suddenly lit up. "We''re going to have our own endearment?"


    "Do you hate it?"


    Kiho shook his head. Then, he gently ced a hand on her cheek. "Baby."


    Tilly smiled widely. "Yes, baby?"


    ***


    TILLY was surprised when she saw Kiho in the room where the maids ushered her after her bath. Just like her, the captain had just finished taking a bath. While she was wearing a night gown, Kiho was wearing a silk night shirt and pants.


    And they both looked shocked to find each other in the same room.


    Just like that, the maids bid them goodnight and closed the doors.


    "Kiho, is this also the room the maids told you to use?" Tilly asked in bewilderment. "Does this mean we have to sleep on the same bed?"


    "Uh, yeah?" Kiho said, then he scowled. "Emperor Aku definitely nned this as a prank."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 22: Surely This Time

    Chapter 22: Surely This Time


    "DO you not want to sleep in the same room as me?" Tilly asked Kiho. "If you''re notfortable, I can ask the maids to find me another room to use."


    "No, I want to stay with you here," Kiho said, his cheeks turning pink. "It''s me who''s worried that you might not befortable with this."


    "Oh," she said, then she sat on the bed. The mattress wasn''t as soft as what she had back at home but it wasfortable enough. "I''m fine with this. We haven''t seen each other for a few days so I''m d that the emperor arranged this room for us."


    He looked at her as if he was trying to read her mind. But in the end, it seemed like he gave up. "You''re always calm andposed. I like that about you."


    "It''s because my mental age is old," she said yfully. "You''re technically allowed to call me "grandmother," you know."


    "No, you''re not my grandma," he said straightforwardly. "You''re my baby."


    She instantly regretted bragging about her mental age." Because right now, she wanted to squeal like a teenager (that she was in this world). Kiho could really make her feel things that she didn''t feel in the past.


    [Wait, I don''t really remember my moments with Kiho and Winter.]


    The memories that clung to her ever since she woke up in that world again were the memories of her sins. How did she treat her husband and son before she fell into madness because of her greed for power?


    [And I can''t really remember why I was so thirsty for power back then.]


    If her doubts about Princess Nia were correct, could it be possible that she was controlled by someone else in the past?


    [I was young and gullible then so it was highly possible."


    "Tilly?" Kiho asked in a worried tone. "Are you okay?"


    "Kiho, can I ask you stuff about the royal family?"


    "It depends on what you want to know," he said cautiously. "There are things that I can''t say even to you."


    "I understand that," she said. Then, she crawled to the bed, sat on the mattress with a pillow on her back, then leaned against the headboard. After that, she patted the space next to her. "Come here, baby. Let''s talk."


    He seemed pleased by that. "Okay, baby."


    A few momentster, Kiho was already sitting beside her. There was also a pillow on his back. And they were sharing the nket.


    "Kiho, have you served Her Royal Highness as a guard before?" she asked curiously. "You used to work in the royal pce, didn''t you?"


    "Yes," he said. "But I worked for His Majesty, not for Her Royal Highness. The knight that was assigned to the princess untilst year was Captain Sherwood of the Blue Dragon Knights."


    "Huh?" she asked in confusion. In her past life, she didn''t care about other people so she couldn''t remember who the princess''s personal knight was. Gosh, why were the only things clear in her memories were her evil schemes in the past? "Oh, right. This morning, I saw the emperor with Captain Sherwood. Did the princess change her personal knight?"


    "I''ll tell you because it''s an open secret in the pce anyway," he said with a mild hesitation. "His Majesty wasn''t too happy to see that Her Royal Highness and Captain Sherwood had developed a close rtionship. Before the emperor officially proposed to the princess, he "promoted" Captain Sherwood as his personal knight."


    "What happened to Sir Gregory, the emperor''s knight ever since he was a crown prince?"


    "He retired."


    "Did the emperor ask him to retire?"


    "I don''t know."


    [His Majesty definitely did.]


    Everyone in the empire knew that their great emperor was crazily in love with Princess Nia.


    "So, who is now the princess''s knight?" she asked. "I didn''t see anyone else with her aside from Catalina."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "Oh, you didn''t know? I thought you''d know because ording to the emperor, you''re good friends with the princess."


    She fell silent.


    [Why can''t I remember the stuff about Princess Nia when we were supposed to be "good friends" in my past life?]


    "I apologize," Kiho said. "Just because you''re good friends doesn''t mean you should know everything about the princess."


    She just smiled at him. "It''s okay, Kiho."


    "The princess''s new "knight" is actually one of the Great Mages of the White Tower," the captain said. "She''s called Lahara."


    She gasped in surprise. "Isn''t Lahara the rumored "immortal beauty" who was a strong candidate to be the next Grand Mage?" Her forehead knotted in confusion. "Wait. Are mages even allowed to be a knight?"


    "Miss Lahara quit her position in the White Tower," he said. "Apparently, she took her training with the Blue Dragon Knights. Because of her strong ability as a mage, she easily graduated from being a squire. And as soon as Lahara became a full-fledged knight, Emperor Aku appointed her as Princess Nia''s new personal knight. It all happenedst year."


    [Justst year?]


    She couldn''t remember most of the things that happened in her past life before she married Kiho. Why did it feel like the only memories that remained in her mind were the ones she had after giving birth to Winter?


    [There are several gaps in my memory. I remember my childhood. But the things that took ce since I met Kiho were blurry.]


    She tried hard to remember her ''missing'' memories but all she got was a sharp pain in the head.


    "Aww" she groaned while holding her head.


    "Tilly, what''s wrong?" Kiho asked in a worried tone. "Headache?"


    She nodded. "My head suddenly hurts"


    "Wait here," he said. "I''ll call a doctor."


    "No," she whined. Then, she gently pushed Kiho until he was lying on the bed. After that, sheid beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She also used his solid chest as a pillow. "Is this okay, Kiho?"


    "Yes," he said right away. "I like this position."


    She smiled at his honesty.


    [Kiho really smells good. And he''s warm. I wonder what was wrong with me in the past to be a b*tch to him?]


    "Tilly, may I hold you as well?"


    "Yes," she said with a smile. [I really like how Kiho asks for my consent.]


    She had said this many times already but despite their estranged rtionship in the past, the captain had never been disrespectful to her. He even tried to appeal to His Majesty to exile her instead of giving her a death sentence. Because ording to Kiho in the past, no matter what happened, she was still the woman who gave birth to Winter.


    [But did I do something good for Kiho to help me in myst moments? But I remember the look of relief on his face when I was about to be beheaded]


    Could she still trust her memories?


    Her thoughts were suddenly cut off when Kiho''s arms wrapped around her. She liked how she melted into his body when she pulled her closer to him.


    "You fell silent," Kiho said, a hint of worry evident in his voice. "What are you thinking, baby?"


    She couldn''t help but smile when another battalion of butterflies rammed against her tummy once again. The captain was really making her feel giddy when she wasn''t supposed to feel that way anymore because of her mental age. "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Do you know what Princess Nia''s power is?" she asked cautiously. "I know that the Moonchesters are born with powerful Mana. I''ve also heard how strong Emperor Aku was in the battlefields. Apparently, His Majesty alone is worth thousands of elite knights."


    "That''s true," he confirmed. "The emperor can invade a small country on his own if he wanted to."


    [No wonder His Majesty ascended the throne when he was only eighteen.]


    "How about Her Royal Highness?" she asked as careful as she could. "Even though I''m quite close to the princess, I have no idea about her power. I know that she has strong Mana. But I want to know what exactly her ability is."


    He paused for a while before he spoke in a hesitant voice. "Tilly, if you asked that to other people, you could be used of treason. You sound like youre looking for Her Royal Highness''s weakness."


    "I know that," she admitted. "But I wouldn''t ask those questions to just anyone. I asked you because I know that you''re not going to treat me like a threat to the royal family."


    "But may I know why you''re interested in the princess''s power?"


    [Because Princess Nia might turn out to be a threat to our family, baby.]


    "For politics," she lied. "The social circle is thedies'' "battlefield," you know?"


    "I think His Majesty said that once."


    "I''m a duke''s daughter so even if I don''t want to, I have to form a good rtionship with the otherdies," she continued. "House Prescott has always been a part of the Royal Faction so naturally, I''ve be a part of the princess''s faction. I just want to make sure that I chose to take the right side."


    "I apologize but I''m not a noble so I fail to see the connection," he said in a confused tone. "How will knowing the princess''s power help you decide if you took the right side?"


    "Well, a war within the Royal Faction and the Noble Faction might break out anytime," she lied again. "I just want to know if I''d be safe by the princess''s side."


    She knew that she was speaking gibberish. But she was starting to get sleepy so she couldn''t think straight anymore.


    "You don''t need the princess for that," Kiho said. "I''ll always protect you, Tilly."


    She smiled at his promise. Then, she looked up at him to find him looking at her with gentle eyes. "It''s my turn to protect you, Kiho."


    "Hmm?"


    "I''m not going to ask anymore," she said. She had to give up because Kiho was a knight who pledged loyalty to the royal family. Of course, that included protecting the Moonchesters''s secret. "You can''t tell me about the princess''s power, right?"


    He nodded. "I think it''s better if you don''t know it. If you know too much about the royal family, they will treat you like a threat."


    "I understand."


    "I''m sorry, Tilly."


    She shook her head. "You don''t have to apologize, Kiho. Thank you for worrying about me. Let''s just sleep."


    "Okay," Kiho said. Then, he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "Good night, baby."


    She smiled and closed her eyes, then hugged him tight. "Good night, baby."


    But as soon as Tilly hid her face against Kiho''s chest, she opened her eyes. And even though she couldn''t see her reflection, she knew that she had a somber look on her face right now.


    [How do I fight Princess Nia if I don''t know anything about her?]


    ***


    NIA was gazing down at the garden of moonflowers while she was standing in the balcony of her chamber.


    The more moonlight the moonflowers absorbed, the more their effectsted.


    "It seems like Lady Prescott has changed," Nia said. "She doesn''t seem to be as gullible as she had been when she was younger."


    "Stubborn people are hard to control," Lahara said while sitting on the balcony, swaying her feet back and forth like a child. The most striking feature she had was her curly caramel-colored hair and orange eyes. "But Matilda Prescott is just a child. She couldn''t possibly resist the moonflowers'' effect for so long, Your Royal Highness." The mage-turned-knight looked at her with a yful smile on her face. "Why are you worried?"


    "Lady Prescott''s surprisingly close rtionship with Captain Kiho is a variable I cannot ignore, Lahara."


    "Do you want me to kill him, Princess Nia?"


    "Don''t be too arrogant," she scolded her. "My brother once told me that Captain Kiho is worth a hundred thousand of elite knights. And that if the captain wished to, he could invade several small countries on his own. Even if you''re a mage, you can''t easily kill Captain Kiho. Especially not when you just lost a huge portion of your Mana when you left the White Tower."


    "Is he that strong?" Lahara asked curiously. "I''ve been locked up in the White Tower for far too long that I didn''t know any outstanding knight of this generation, except for Captain Noel Sherwood."


    "Captain Kiho is strong," Nia said with a faint smile. "So strong that I want to add him to my little collection."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 23: Moonflowers

    Chapter 23: Moonflowers


    TILLY woke up alone in the bed.


    But she wasn''t really surprised. Back in her previous life, she always woke up alone. That was because Kiho would always wake up early for his morning training.


    [He''s probably swinging his sword or something.]


    She got up and washed her face first. Then, she put her robe on while walking towards the huge window.


    In her second life as Matilda Yap in the modern world, she would start her morning with a coffee. Then, she would either run around the exclusive vige where she lived or go to the gym to exercise. After that, she would go to the office for work.


    [This world has coffee but in our empire, tea remains the number one drink.]


    Also, she couldn''t just run or exercise even in her father''s estate. As a duke''s daughter, she was a nobledy who had to uphold her dignity. The only exercise she was allowed to do was walking. That was why she would take a long walk in their garden after every meal.


    [But I miss running and exercising.]


    She tried to do yoga once but when Isabelle and the other maids saw the "weird" positions she did, they made a fuss. ording to them, those moves were very "udylike."


    [I envy you, Kiho.]


    Tilly put her elbows on the windowsill while holding her face with her hands.


    From her standpoint, she could clearly see Kiho in the courtyard. Like she expected, he was practicing his sword swinging. Just like what she remembered in the past, his movements were small and precise. No unnecessary moves at all.


    [Look at his posture]


    Ah, she could also see Damian, Whitton, and ke running around the courtyard but she could barely pay attention to the three.


    How could she see other men when Kiho was so gorgeous it was almost blinding?


    [Yeah, I wanted to punch my past life for ignoring a man like Kiho.]


    The captain wasn''t a ''snack,'' he was the whole f*cking course meal.


    [Kiho is so sexy.]


    The captain seemed to notice her ~lustful~ gaze because he stopped swinging his sword to turn to her direction.


    Tilly smiled and waved at Kiho.


    Kiho put his sword back in the holster.


    Then, he suddenly disappeared.


    [Wait, what?]


    A few blinkster, Kiho suddenly appeared before her. He was squatting on the windowsill while holding onto the frame. And his face was only a breath away from hers.


    [So handsome.]


    "Good morning, baby," Kiho greeted her in his low, husky voice. "Did you sleep well?"


    Tilly couldn''t help but hold his face in her hands. "Crazy. How can someone be this good-looking? You''re prettier than me, Kiho."


    "That''s not true," he said. "You''re the most beautiful to me, Tilly."


    She smiled and rewarded him with a light kiss on the lips. "It''s a good morning, indeed."


    The captain swiftly jumped off from the windowsill. Then, he stood in front of her to give her a proper kiss. You know, the deep and long kind that made her moan into his mouth.


    "Ah," Kiho said when he broke the kiss. But his arms remained around her shoulders. "Is it okay with you if we leave after breakfast?"


    She nodded, her arms still wrapped around his waist, too. "Yes. You need to report to His Majesty as soon as we return to the Royal Capital, right?"


    He just nodded as confirmation. "Tilly, should you move into my residence once we return?"


    "I''d love to," she said. "I''ll pack my things as soon as I get home."


    His face immediately lit up. "That would be nice."


    "Kiho, is there a space in your residence that I can use to exercise?" she asked, giving him the cutest puppy dog eyes that she could muster at the moment. "And is it possible to have my alone time when I''m doing my work out? I don''t want your servants to disturb me."


    She couldn''t have those things back at her father''s estate. Her maids wouldn''t even leave her for a second. She understood that they were only doing their jobs. But still, it was very suffocating for her.


    It was okay during her first life. But when she experienced life in the modern world, she started to crave for freedom in this world.


    "I can arrange that," Kiho said. "If it''s only an hour or two, then I suppose it''s okay to have your alone time. I''ll make sure you''re safe in my residence."


    "Thank you, baby."


    "I''m surprised to know that you like exercise," he said. "Do you want to join my morning routine? I usually run a fewps around the estate."


    She blinked in surprise by his offer. "Really? You''re not going to ask me why I need to work out?"


    "People usually work out to keep their bodies healthy, right?" he asked, obviously confused by her question. "Do you have other reasons for doing so?"


    Well, to be honest, she had another agenda aside from health benefits.


    She needed her body to be flexible enough for sex.


    [Yes, sex.]


    In her previous life, even though she didn''t love Kiho, she enjoyed making love with him. He was just so good in bed. But her past self wasn''t as physically fit as she was in her second life. She would always had body pain because of uh, the "activities" she did with her husband while in the sheets.


    "Tilly, are you okay?" Kiho asked in a worried voice. Then, he ced a hand on her cheek. "Your face is red and warm." His eyes widened in worry. "Are you feverish?"


    "No," Tilly denied. "I''m just hungry."


    [Hungry for you, baby.]


    ***


    "KIHO, you spent a fortune on these, didn''t you?" Tilly asked while gazing down at the beautiful dresses and jewelries on her bed. Those were the souvenirs from Pis Inds that Kiho got for her. The materials of the clothes were obviously high-quality, and so were the jewelries. "Isn''t this a bit too excessive?" she asked, then she turned to him.


    "Not at all," Kiho said. His face looked stoic but she could clearly see that he was worried about her reaction. "Did you not like my presents, Tilly?"


    "Oh, I liked them," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Kiho."


    He looked relieved. "You''re wee."


    Currently, they were in her room in her father''s mansion.


    When they arrived there, Kiho brought out all the gifts he had for her. It was in another carriage so she didn''t see the presents until he brought it out. She asked her servants to bring everything to her room so here they were now.


    "I need to go," Kiho said. "Just call me when you''re ready to move in. I''ll free my schedule tomorrow so I can go and pick you up."


    "Okay," she said, then gasped when she remembered something. "Kiho, I''m sorry but can we change our schedule? I''ll move in to your house the day after tomorrow. Is that okay?"


    "It''s fine with me," he said. "Do you have work tomorrow?"


    "I want to visit the child that I bumped into the za," she said. "I wasn''t able to properly say goodbye to him so I want to see him again."


    Once she arrived at Kiho''s mansion, she''d be busy with her bridal lessons and she wouldn''t have time to go out.


    She didn''t know why but there was something about Flint that she was curious about. It didn''t look like he was lying to her. The child had eyes as clear as Kiho''s. That meant those were the eyes of a person who couldn''t and wouldn''t lie.


    [I want to hear the boy''s stories about Fire Mages.]


    She also didn''t know why she was so drawn to the Fire Mages despite Kiho''s warning.


    [I don''t want Kiho to worry so I won''t tell him about it.]


    "Do you want me to apany you?" Kiho asked. "Mount Elea is quite far from the Royal Capital."


    "You have work," she reminded him. "And you''re the ck Serpents'' captain. You have to work hard and earn a lot for our family, okay?"


    "I understand," he said. He seemed pleased by what she just said. "I''ll earn a lot to spoil you."


    She giggled at that. "You can''t take that back, Kiho."


    "I won''t," he assured her. "I''ll ask ke to apany you tomorrow. Is that okay?"


    She nodded as a response. "Kiho, you should really go. Don''t make His Majesty wait."


    "Alright," Kiho said. Then, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her on the forehead. "Call me anytime you want, Tilly."


    "I can''t call you during work," Tilly said with a giggle. "Take care, Kiho."


    ***


    "SO, HOW was your first night together?"


    Kiho gave Emperor Aku a dire stare. They were currently in the throne room. Of course, the emperor was sitting on the throne while he stood before him. They were alone inside the chamber but Captain Sherwood was guarding outside.


    [If I could hit the emperor, I would.]


    "Oho," Emperor Aku said with azy smile. "Your looks tell me that you''re trying to kill me in your head."


    "No, I would never think of that, Your Majesty," Kiho answered politely. "But I once thought that if I would be given onest wish before I die, I''d use it to hit you once in the head."


    The emperorughed at his confession. "Kiho, you are so brutally honest. If my advisors heard you, they wouldn''t let it slide."


    He didn''tment on that.


    "You''re really no fun, Kiho," Emperor Aku said while shaking his head. "Did I overstep my boundary?"


    "Your Majesty, I appreciate your effort to bring Lady Prescott and I closer," he said carefully. "But I''d like it if you don''t ask questions regarding our progress. I don''t want to speak about our rtionship especially if she''s not here. I''m not asking this as a knight."


    He meant to ask that as the emperor''s friend.


    "Alright, I understand," the emperor said. Thankfully, he changed the subject after that. "So, did you get the pearl that you wanted?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," he said. "I''ll bring it to a jewel makerter."


    "Do you need a day-off for that?"


    "No, Your Majesty. I can do that after work," he said. "But I''d like to ask for another break the day after tomorrow. Lady Prescott would be moving in to my residence that day."


    "Oh, I''ll approve it."


    He bowed to the emperor. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    "I''m relieved that you''re getting along well with Lady Prescott," Emperor Aku said with a genuine smile. "I know that it was me who asked you to marry her to fulfill the prophecy. I did that because if your future son really turns out to be a special existence to the empire, then the nobles would shut up about your background. But at the same time, I wanted you to marry for love. That''s why I''m ying matchmaker." His smiled turned into a softugh. "But after seeing you now, I guess I don''t need to meddle anymore."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    The emperor was about to say something but he was interrupted by Captain Sherwood''s voice from outside the room.


    "Your Majesty, pardon my interruption," Captain Sherwood said behind the doors. "Her Royal Highness Princess Nia is here."


    Emperor Aku''s face instantly lit up. He was obviously delighted by the princess''s arrival. "You''re dismissed, Kiho," he said. "Work hard."


    Kiho just bowed to the emperor before leaving the throne room.


    As expected, he met Princess Nia on his way out. He hardly noticed other people around him but Her Royal Highness''s existence was hard to ignore. To other people, the princess''s beauty and elegance were the things they noticed right away.


    But to Kiho, every time he looked at the princess, all he could see was a huge lump of Mana.


    [Tilly, this is how powerful Her Royal Highness is.]


    Anyway, the princess was apanied by Captain Sherwood and Miss Lahara.


    "Greetings to the brightest star of our Great Moonchester Empire," Kiho politely said to the princess with a bow.


    "Rise, Captain Kiho," Princess Nia said with her gentle voice.


    He did as he was told. He wanted to leave right away but it looked like the princess had something to say.


    [I wonder if Tilly is resting now]


    "Captain Kiho?"


    "At your service, Your Royal Highness," Kiho said politely.


    "How is Lady Prescott?" Princess Nia asked with a hint of worry in her voice. "I hope she has fully recovered from her fever."


    "Lady Prescott is fully recovered now, Your Royal Highness," he said. "Thank you for your concern."


    "Oh, a leaf," the princess said while looking at his shoulder. "Let me get that for you."


    Kiho knew that he shouldn''t but when he saw the princess''s hand reaching out to touch him, he instinctively moved away from her while brushing off the leaf from his shoulder. There was a forest that one must enter before reaching the royal pce. A leaf might have fallen when he was riding on his horse on his way to the pce a while ago.


    "I apologize for my rudeness but I can''t let Her Royal Highness do something as trivial as brushing a leaf off a lowly knight''s shoulder," Kiho said as an excuse so he wouldn''t embarrass the princess.


    But the way Captain Sherwood and Lahara looked at him told him that they weren''t happy that he avoided the princess''s touch.


    "You don''t have to apologize, Captain Kiho," Princess Nia said kindly. "I was at fault, too, for suddenly invading your personal space."


    "Not at all, Your Royal Highness," Kiho said, still as polite as possible.


    "Your Royal Highness, we should hurry," Captain Sherwood said in his usual gentle tone. "His Majesty must be waiting."


    "Alright," Princess Nia said to Captain Sherwood. Then, she turned to him. "See you next time, Captain Kiho."


    Kiho responded with a bow.


    After that, Princess Nia left with Captain Sherwood


    While Lahara remained.


    [Does she need something from me?]


    "Child, aren''t you being a little too arrogant?" Lahara asked him in a yful tone. But even though she was smiling, he could clearly see the glint of anger in her eyes. "You should be grateful that Her Royal Highness has a good heart. If you did something as disrespectful as that to a princess during my time, your head would have rolled off the ground instantly."


    Lahara was a mage from the White Tower and that meant she was at least a century old.


    But despite her age, her appearance was that of a youngdy in her mid twenties. And even though she was wearing the Blue Dragon Knights'' uniform, her aura and Mana still gave off the "mage feeling." Just look at her weapon of choice. Instead of a sword, a wooden cane was attached to her hip.


    "I apologize," Kiho said because he knew he was wrong for avoiding the princess.


    This would sound like an excuse but because of Princess Nia''s unusually strong Mana, even her little movement could feel like an attack. That was why his reflex took over and avoided her touch. It was instinct.


    "Child, do you know why I became one of the greatest mages of the White Tower?"


    He nodded and when he realized she was waiting for his verbal answer, he spoke. "You''re a descendant of the Blue Dragon n, Miss Lahara."


    "Yes, that''s right," Lahara said with a smirk, her eyes looking frenzied. Her Mana was also oozing out from her body as if she was threatening to attack him. "It will do you well to remember that I have dragon blood in me, child."


    "So what?" Kiho retorted while unleashing his own Mana as defense. The air around him instantly turned cold while ayer of thin ice started to form on the ground under his feet. And even without looking at himself, he was pretty sure that his eyes were now glowing with gold light. "A dragon is just an extrarge serpent."


    ***


    "WHAT''s that?" Tilly asked curiously when she saw a bunch of silver flowers in the vase on her night table. [Those flowers look familiar though]


    "Her Royal Highness Princess Nia sent those moonflowers this morning, Lady Prescott," Isabe said. "It came with a letter, too. Shall I get it for you, mydy?"


    "Yes, please," she said to the maid. "Thank you."


    Isabe bowed politely before going out of her room.


    When she was finally alone in her chamber, she sat on the edge of her bed and took one of the moonflowers from the vase.


    The flower''s silver color reminded her of the Moonchesters'' silver hair.


    [Oh, now I remember why this flower looks familiar. There was a vase filled with in the room that I used in the princess''s pce. And almost all thedies in the empire knew that this is her favorite flower. Howe I almost forgot it?]


    Tilly brought the flower near her nose to breathe in the scent.


    As soon as she did, she felt a joint of pain in her head the same time she heard an unfamiliar voice in her mind.


    [Take the throne at all cost, Matilda Prescott!]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 24: The Clash

    Chapter 24: The sh


    WHEN Kiho raised his hand, a thick wall of ice sprouted from the ground to protect him from Lahara''s attack. A ck spear-shaped energy pierced through and broke his ice wall in an instant. He already expected that so he geared up for a physical attack this time.


    On the other hand, Lahara looked like she was ready to attack, too.


    They were about to sh against each other when a harsh gush of wind literally stopped them from moving.


    He felt a sting on his cheek the same time he saw Lahara''s cheek bleed from a long cut.


    Then, all of a sudden, Captain Sherwood appeared between him and Lahara.


    [Dammit.]


    "Stop," Captain Sherwoodmanded in a calm yetposed voice while looking back and forth between him and Lahara. "If you don''t, I will arrest both of you for threatening the royal family. How dare you fight in the pce when you know that His Majesty and Her Royal Highness are both in the throne room right now?"


    That cleared his head.


    "I apologize," Kiho said while the shattered pieces of ice around them were melting down. The water from it vaporized right away and returned to him as Mana. "As a captain, I shouldn''t have let an extrarge serpent provoke me."


    Captain Sherwood''s intimidating aura disappeared when he stifled augh.


    Ah, right. The captain of the Blue Dragon Knights was quite an oddball. He was very strong but clumsy. He looked intimidating in the battlefield but if he wasn''t in a war, he was as carefree as the next guy. Hisplexity made him the hardest to fathom out of all the captains of the Four Orders.


    "Don''tugh," Lahara scolded Captain Sherwood. "Your squad''s name was made in honor of the Blue Dragon n, Noel Sherwood. I''m technically your living ancestor."


    Captain Sherwood cleared his throat. When hisposure was back, he turned to Lahara with a somber look on his face. "Madam Lahara, we are all aware that you are a descendant of the Blue Dragon n. But when you left the White Tower to be a knight, your bloodline doesn''t really matter anymore. The knighthood of the Four Orders doesn''t give special treatment to anyone. That means you have to follow the protocol. Captain Kiho is in a higher rank than you so please show him some respect."


    Lahara let out a deep sigh. "I understand, Captain Sherwood," she said, then she turned to him. "I apologize for my rudeness, Captain Kiho."


    "I was at fault, too," Kiho said. "Let''s just pretend that this didn''t happen."


    ***


    "HOW boring of it to end like that."


    Nia smiled at Aku''s disappointment. "Brother, we should be thankful that Captain Sherwood stopped Lahara and Captain Kiho in time. If they shed, the pce would definitely get destroyed."


    Both of Lahara and Kiho''s Mana were so crazily strong that there was no way they wouldn''t feel the tension from the outside to the throne room.


    But the emperor liked "fun" events so he definitely wouldn''t punish the two for fighting in their presence. The disappointed look on his brother''s face told her that he would have preferred it if the sh between Lahara and Kiho pushed through.


    "Why did they fight, Nia?" Aku asked her. "What happened?"


    "Lahara may have thought that Captain Kiho didn''t show enough respect to me."


    "Did the captain offend you, Nia?"


    "Not at all, brother," she answered. "I''ve known Captain Kiho ever since you brought him to the pce eight years ago. He doesn''t have the etiquette of a noble but I know that his loyalty to our family is stronger than the loyalty of other noblemen. He wouldn''t disrespect us in any way."


    The emperor looked relieved.


    Her brother never tried to hide his fondness with Kiho. He wasn''t even aware that his friendship with the captain fueled the envy of the higher nobles. Because of that, they bullied Kiho every time the emperor wasn''t looking.


    [But Captain Kiho endured it in silence and never told my brother a single word about it.]


    "Brother, may I know the reason you summoned me?" Nia asked.


    Aku flicked his fingers.


    Just like that, her body floated in the air. The next thing she knew, she was already plopped on the emperor''sp. To secure her position, he wrapped a possessive arm around her waist.


    "Brother, this is inappropriate," she scolded him. "This is a tant disrespect to the throne."


    "But I missed you," Aku whined. "We barely see each other recently."


    She smiled and ced a hand on his cheek. That gesture instantly made her foolish brother smile warmly at her. "I missed you, too, brother."


    "Call me by my name, Nia," he told her. Then, he held the hand on his face and kissed her palm. "We''re going to get married soon. You should stop calling me "brother." I''m just a few seconds older than you anyway."


    "Alright, Aku," she said with a smile.


    Smiling at her brother had always been tiring to her. But she had to if she wanted to make him dance on the palm of her hand.


    He smiled brightly at that. "Nia, Kiho is getting married ahead of us. I know you''re busy but can you help Lady Prescott be the new star of the social circle?"


    "That wouldn''t be a problem," she said. "Lady Prescott is a duke''s daughter. She already has the right to stand next to a princess like me. All I have to do is show my support to her and the otherdies will automatically suck up to her."


    The emperorughed heartily. "I like how you say cruel things with a kind voice, Nia."


    She just smiled at his remark. "Do you intend to make House Prescott stronger?"


    "Kiho is going to be the next duke of House Prescott so I have to back them up," he admitted. "And ording to the prophecy, his son is going to be a special existence to the empire. I want the child to be born in a strong and influential household. In the end, it''s the royal family who would gain benefits if House Prescott became a stronger ally. After all, I consider Kiho as my sword. It wouldn''t be bad if House Prescott became my shield."


    "Are you starting to feel the pressure from the Noble Faction?"


    "I don''t like them," heined. "Their hatred towards the monarchy is unjustifiable. They just want to ruin the system to feed their greed. I will never let them steal the power from the royal family. Nia, we have to protect the throne." He ced a hand on her cheek and gently ran a thumb over her lower lip. "Once you give birth to our heir, the Noble Faction will weaken. We have to crush them before they be more arrogant."


    "I understand, brother," she said. When he raised a brow at her, she corrected herself. "Aku."


    Aku smiled. Then, he gently pinched her chin and moved her head to face him properly. He looked at her for a while before he closed his eyes and leaned down to kiss her on the lips.


    Nia closed her eyes and forced herself to kiss the emperor back. Her mouth moved emotionlessly yet still in synch with his mouth. Was it because they were twins? Ah, being reminded that she was kissing her own brother made her skin crawl.


    [This is so disgusting.]


    ***


    TILLY was shocked to hear the strange voice in her mind.


    Worse, that voice was forcing stupid ideas in her head. She knew that she shouldn''t listen but there was something in the voice that was putting her on a daze.


    She felt like if she listened more, she would go crazy.


    [No], Tilly said firmly in her head. [I don''t want to be an empress! And I will never involve my son in a political war!]


    She looked at the moonflower and realized that it might be the cause of the "voice" in her head. It took her all the willpower in her to snap out of the "spell" and crush the flower in her hand. Then, she stood up and walked towards the night table.


    She lifted the vase and threw it in the floor. It created a loud crash and as a result, the maids outside her room knocked and came running inside.


    "Lady Prescott, please don''t move," Ca, one of the older maids in their mansion, told her. "We''ll clean it up right away."


    "Thank you," Tilly said. Then, she held her head and acted like she was in pain. "I suddenly felt dizzy and bumped into the table," she lied so the servants wouldn''t think that she was disrespecting the princess''s present. To be more convincing, she looked at the scattered moonflowers on the ground with a forced sadness on her face. "What a pity that the flowers Her Royal Highness sent me have gone to waste."


    [Princess Nia, I don''t know what you''re up to but I swear I won''t let you ruin my life and my family this time.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 25: Descendants of Fire Mages

    Chapter 25: Descendants of Fire Mages


    TILLY was pleasantly surprised when Kiho visited her early in the morning.


    Since he was already there, she invited him for breakfast. Her father didn''t say much but she knew that the duke had fully epted Kiho as her future husband. Not only because of the prophecy, but maybe because her father could see that Kiho was good to her.


    Anyway, after breakfast, she asked the head chef to prepare sandwiches for Kiho. While waiting for the food, she brought him in the guest room to show off her outfit of the day.


    "How do I look?" Tilly asked while spinning around in front of Kiho who was sitting on the sofa while having tea. "I dressed down today so I could movefortably."


    For her scheduled activity today, she wore a in white long-sleeved blouse with a huge red ribbon (and a corset, of course), an ankle-length maroon skirt, and leather brown boots. She would wear a maroon cloakter because the weather was cold today. Well, she wasn''t affected by the cold but she didn''t want to get sick.


    Toplete her look, she applied light makeup on her face and tied her hair in a messy bun.


    "You''re beautiful, Tilly," Kiho said with a satisfied look on his face. "And I like that you look morefortable now. The fancy dresses you usually wear will get you killed."


    "Huh?"


    "Your fancy dresses look heavy and hard to move in," he said. "How are you supposed to run in that if you were attacked?"


    "Way to ruin the mood, Captain," sheined. Then, she sat next to him with a pout while her arms were crossed against her chest. "Why do you always talk about being ambushed and the likes?"


    "Oh, sorry," he said in an embarrassed tone. "Bad habit."


    Well, it wasn''t like she didn''t understand him.


    Kiho was the captain of a squad that specialized in assassination. Of course, his head was filled with strategies on how to kill and survive. Wherever he was, he would always analyze the surroundings and find an escape routine.


    [That only goes to show that he''s used to being attacked.]


    Bute to think of it, now that she realized that Princess Nia had an evil n against her, she should learn how to defend herself.


    "Baby, are you upset?"


    Tilly smiled right away when she heard Kiho call her in their endearment in a very gentle tone. Thanks to that, her annoyance a while ago disappeared in an instant. "No, not anymore," she said. Then, she hugged his arm and looked up at him with the most adorable face that she could make. "Baby, I want to learn swordsmanship. Will you teach me?"


    Kiho looked hesitant. "Why do you suddenly want to learn how to use the sword?"


    "Because we live in a dangerous world!"


    "That''s why I''m leaving ke to you."


    "But you or ke can''t always protect me," she countered. "I should learn how to defend myself. My Mana is useless in abat so I must pick up a weapon instead."


    The captain fell silent.


    Then, they heard a knock in the door. The butler informed them that the carriage she rented had arrived in the mansion. Using her family''s carriage would gather attention so she decided to rent an ordinary carriage, just like what she didst time.


    "Let''s talk about this againter," Kiho said. Then, he gently patted her head. "I''ll carefully consider your request, Tilly."


    "Thank you, Kiho," she said, satisfied that Kiho didn''t casually reject her idea. "Oh, wait. I''ll ask someone the sandwiches I asked the head chef to make. Bring them with you, Captain. Eat it during your lunch break or snack time."


    His face lit up immediately. "You asked your head chef to make lunch for me?"


    "I suck at cooking so I can''t prepare the lunch myself," she said. "But I''ll make sure that once we''re living in the same house, I''ll make a menu that will suit your pte."


    "Sounds good," he said. "Ah, how long do you n to y outside?"


    "y outside" was amon term that people in the empire use whenever ady would go out of the house.


    "I''m not sure," she said. "Why?"


    "I can pick you up after my workter," he exined. "I checked my schedule for today and apparently, I have to patrol the town near Mount Elea."


    "Oh, really? Is something wrong with the town?"


    "We received reports that a group of rebels was hiding in the town," he answered. "His Majesty asked me to eliminate them" He stopped and cleared his throat. "Sorry. I know that you already know the kind of work that I do for the emperor. But talking about it with you made me feel ashamed."


    "You have nothing to be ashamed of your work, Kiho."


    He turned to her with a surprised look on his face. "Tilly"


    "I''m not saying that killing is good," she said carefully. "But you''re doing it to protect the emperor. I mean, it''s still bad but it''s a lot better than killing just because you wanted to. So even if your job makes you a "monster" to other people, I see you as a gentle monster." Her cheeks reddened when she realized that she wasn''t making sense. "Sorry. Did I offend you?"


    "Far from it," he said. "Thank you for epting my ws, Tilly."


    "You ept me wholly, too," she said. [Plus, I won''t let you be the emperor''s "shadow beast" forever.]


    She knew that it would be hard to convince Kiho to lessen his assassination missions. After all, he was close to the emperor. But now that she had her suspicions against Princess Nia, she would do anything in her power to take the captain away from the royal family.


    Kiho touched her face. "You''re making me want to ditch work today, baby."


    "You can''t ck off, baby," Tilly yfully scolded him. "See youter, Kiho."


    ***


    "LADY Prescott, are you tired?"


    "No, I''m good," Tilly said to ke, her voice filled with energy. "In fact, I''m having fun."


    When they reached the foot of Mount Elea, they had to get off the carriage and climb via foot to arrive at Flint''s house.


    She also had the option to ride a horse with ke. But since he said it was just a few minutes of walk, she decided to do it. The trail reminded her of the time she would go on trekking during her second life.


    [Sometimes, I miss the modern life I had as Matilda Yap.]


    "Please tell me when you''re tired, mydy," ke said. "I''ll carry you."


    She turned to the vice captain to see if he was serious.


    [Oh, he is.]


    ke was carrying a basket in each of his hand. And yet, he still offered to carry her if she was tired? Aww, she didn''t know that they could be friends in this lifetime but she was happy to know that it was possible now.


    "Sir ke, you don''t have to be so formal with me," she said. "Instead of my family name, you can just call me by my nickname. I''m sure Kiho won''t mind."


    Kiho treated ke like his younger brother. So she wanted to treat the vice-captain as her brother-inw.


    "Is that an order, mydy?"


    "No," she said with a softugh. "More like a request."


    "I can''t turn down a heartfelt request like that, Lady Tilly," he said, still as respectful as before. "In return, please call me by my name and drop the "sir.""


    She smiled at that. "Okay, ke."


    It was a huge relief that she managed to "tame" ke in this lifetime. In that past, he used to hate her. He didn''t even use polite tone when talking to her.


    But now, the way he treated her changed.


    [He''s trying to control his bad temper around me and I appreciate that.]


    "Mydy, we''re here," ke announced when they were only a few feet away from an old cabin-like house. "That''s where Flint and his family live."


    As if on cue, Flint went out of the house. The child looked surprised when he saw them. Then, he ran towards her.


    "Big sister!" Flint called her. Then, he stopped in front of her and held her hands. Now that he wasn''t wearing a beret, she noticed that he had caramel-colored hair. "You''re here!"


    "I came here to see you how you''re doing," Tilly said with a smile. "I brought lunch. Would you like to eat together?"


    "I''d love that!" the boy said in excitement. "Can we invite grandma, too?"


    "Of course," she agreed. "Where is your grandma?"


    "She went to the market to buy milk for my brother," he said. "I can pick her up."


    Tilly turned to ke. "Can you pick-up his grandmother instead, ke? You''ve met here so she already knows you. Since the market is only a few minutes away, you won''t leave me for too long. I''ll be fine."


    "I''ll protect big sister," Flint said. "I promise."


    ke looked defeated when he nodded as a sign of giving in. "I''ll be back quickly, Lady Tilly."


    ***


    "BIG SISTER, I''ll show you my little brother."


    Tilly smiled when Flint held her hand as soon as put the pic baskets on the table. Then, the child pulled her towards a small room. She knew that he wanted her to meet his little brother. But she was still surprised when she saw how pretty the sleeping baby inside the crib was.


    "Red hair," Tilly said in amazement. "Flint, your little brother has beautiful red hair."


    "Big sister."


    She turned to the little boy when she heard the seriousness in his voice. To her surprise, he looked as solemn as his voice sounded. "What is it, Flint?"


    "My little brother and I are descendants of Fire Mages."


    Of course, she wouldn''t easily believe that. But not because she didn''t trust the child. she was just afraid that their lives might be put in danger if he turned out to be saying the truth. After all, Kiho said that the royal family would execute every Fire Mage they see.


    "Flint, don''t say that casually," Tilly scolded the child. "Do you want the royal family to execute you and your brother? The knights almost jailed you for spreading the rumor about the return of the Fire Mages. What would you do if they hear your im?"


    "I''m only saying this to you, big sister," Flint insisted. "I''m saying this to you because I believe that you''re a descendant of a Fire Mage, too."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 26: Unexpected Guest

    Chapter 26: Unexpected Guest


    TO SAY that Tilly was shocked by what she heard would be an understatement. "No, I''m not," she said when she got herposure back. "My parents are both nobles from the Royal Faction. The royal family would have killed them a long time ago if one of them turned out to have Fire Mage blood in them."


    "But I can''t be wrong!" Flint insisted in a frustrated voice. "The marbles you picked up the day we met weren''t ordinary marbles. Only people with Fire Mage blood in them wouldn''t get burnt. I carry those marbles with me to use them as weapons. But I didn''t expect that they would help me find another person like me and my brother."


    She let out a sigh, still finding it hard to believe what Flint was saying. "Where did you get the marbles, Flint? I''m pretty sure there are spirit stones that function the same way your marbles do. They might just be weapons with spell."


    "Our parents created the marbles themselves," the boy said. "When they were still alive, they would produce fire and put them inside marbles. ording to them, we can use those marbles to protect ourselves."


    "What happened to your parents?"


    "We were attacked by bandits when we were travelling to another townst year. My mother just gave birth to my brother and they were both sick then. So my father decided to move to another town where the health center could be easily essed. But the night we were about to cross the border, a group of bandits attacked us. They wanted to take my little brother because of his unique hair color," he said in a sad voice. "My parents were left with no choice but to burn the bandits to death. But because they overused their power to protect me and my brother, their hearts stopped beating." He became emotional. "Grandma found me and my brother by the road and brought us here. But I couldn''t tell her the truth. I didn''t even have evidence because the bandits'' bodies turned into ashes. And my parents told me that it wouldn''t do us good if other people find out that we are descendants of Fire Mages."


    Her heart hurt for the boy. She could feel the pain and bitterness in his voice. But still, she couldn''t easily give in. "If you know that it''s dangerous for your identity to be revealed, then why are you spreading the news about the return of the Fire Mages?"


    He scowled as if he just remembered a bitter memory. "I''m just fed up of hiding. I want a world for my brother where people like us could live without being afraid for the abilities that we have. The Fire Mages weren''t the viin in the story."


    "They weren''t the viin?" she asked curiously. "Do you know the history between the royal family and the Fire Mages?"


    Flint nodded before he spoke again. "The history books in the empire say that the Fire Mages betrayed the royal family because they wanted to take over the throne. But ording to my mother and father, the Fire Mages were falsely used. There were people who were interested in the power of the Supreme Fire Mage the one who held the strongest heart of fire among her n. And that heart could summon the beast that the royal family feared the most."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "But who would do that to the Fire Mages?"


    "My parents didn''t know either," he said. "The only thing they were certain about was someone wanted to steal the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage. Anyone who had the heart could summon the sky beast."


    ""Sky beast?""


    "The phoenix," Flint said. "The ming red bird."


    She didn''t know why but her heart thumped against her chest loudly when she heard that.


    [Phoenix the ming red bird]


    "You''re a good storyteller, young boy."


    Tilly gasped in surprise when she heard the deep male voiceing from her left side.


    When she turned to that direction, she was even more surprised to find a handsome man sitting on the windowsill. He had a red cloak but underneath, she could see the red and gold uniform of a knight.


    [Wait he looks familiar.]


    Sharp amber eyes and orange messy hair


    [Could he be?]


    "Mikhail Denver," Tilly whispered in disbelief. "The captain of the Red Phoenix Knights."


    [We are so dead.]


    ***


    NIA was lying on the ground where her moonflowers sprouted. She had her eyes closed and her hands on her stomach. She was concentrating hard to "water" the roots of the flowers with her own Mana.


    By doing so, her ability to manipte minds could be used absorbed by the moonflowers. Anyone who had sniffed the smell of the flowers for a certain period of time would hear the message she wanted them to hear.


    Ever since Lady Prescott made her society debut, she had been by her side. She would always invite her to her tea parties so that she could make her "drunk" from the smell of the moonflowers. It was supposed to be enough to control Lady Prescott''s mind. That was why she was confused as to how she managed to snap out of her hypnosis thest time she tried to directly control her mind.


    [Am I getting weak?]


    Maybe she shouldn''t underestimate Lady Prescott.


    Nia opened her eyes and used her hand to shield her eyes from the harsh sunlight. "I apologize for looking down on you, Lady Prescott. From now on, I''ll use everything I have to get what I want," she said to herself. "Your heart, that is."


    ***


    "WHO are you?" Flint yelled at Captain Denver. Then, the child stood in front of Tilly as if he was trying to protect her. "How did you get in here without making a sound?!"


    Tilly gulped. To be honest, she was scared right now. Captain Denver probably heard everything that Flint said. That meant the captain was now aware that the brothers were descendants of a Fire Mage.


    [They could be killed]


    She gasped when Captain Denver put a hand on top of Flint''s head.


    "Captain, no!" Tilly pleaded in a shaky voice. "Please don''t kill the child!"


    Captain Denver ignored her. His amber eyes glowed while he was gazing down at Flint who seemed to be in daze while staring back at the captain. "You shall forget everything you know about the Fire Mages, including your parents'' history," he said to the young boy. "You shall remember them as Fire Wielders and not Fire Mages. The only time you''d remember the truth is when I tell you to remember it."


    She covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped aloud. [Is that mind maniption?]


    When the captain''s eyes stopped glowing, Flint started to copse. Thankfully, Captain Denver caught him before he hit the ground. Then, the captain carried the boy in his arms.


    "And now" Captain Denver turned to her. His eyes started to glow again. "Lady Prescott, isn''t it?"


    Again, she gasped when she realized what the captain was about to do. To stop him from controlling her mind, she closed her eyes and even covered them with her hands. "Captain Denver, please don''t manipte my memories!"


    "Who said I would?"


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    "Do you swear that on your honor as one of the captains of the Four Orders?"


    He let out a sigh before he spoke again. "I swear on my honor as the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights that I won''t manipte your memories, Lady Prescott."


    Only then did she believe him.


    When she opened her eyes and removed her hands from them, she found the captain looming before her. She had to look up at him just to meet his intimidating gaze.


    [He''s taller than Kiho.]


    But that wasn''t the interesting thing that she discovered.


    "Captain, manipting memories is like mind control, right?"


    "Yes."


    "If you can do mind control, can you protect yourself from being mind controlled by other people?"


    "Of course," he said with confidence. "Why do you ask?"


    "I want to be your disciple," Tilly said eagerly. "Captain Denver, please teach me how to protect myself from being mind controlled!"


    Captain Denver took a step away from her as if her enthusiasm scared him. "Uh, no," he said. "I don''t want to be killed by your scary fianc."


    ***


    KIHO was surprised when the tip of his fountain pen suddenly snapped.


    At the same time, he felt something ominous.


    [Did Tilly get to her destination safely?]


    He wanted to check on her but he was stuck in his temporary office in nca the town near Mount Elea. He had to make a report about the group of rebels before he could leave. And unfortunately, it was still too early to think about going home.


    His gazended on the pic basket on the table in the lounging area of his office. The basket contained the sandwiches that Tilly packed for him. Ah, he forgot to eat lunch again. Should he take a break first?


    [But why do I feel like there''s something I should worry more about than a missed lunch?]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 27: Advice from a Fire Wielder

    Chapter 27: Advice from a Fire Wielder


    TILLY watched Captain Denver carefully put a nket over Flint after he tucked him into bed. She was only convinced that Flint was safe when she heard him snore loudly.


    Then, she heard the baby in the crib cry.


    She immediately ran towards the crib and carried the baby gently to soothe him.


    [Oh gosh he''s so tiny!]


    ording to Flint, his mother gave birth to his brother a year ago. So this little human being was only a year old.


    She almost got emotional while singing luby to the baby. Sadly, she couldn''t even remember if she had held Winter or sang him a luby when he was born. During her past life, she saw her son as nothing more than a tool to gain power.


    [Winter, I miss you so much.]


    Thankfully, the baby stopped crying. Then, he fell asleep again.


    [How cute.]


    When she was sure that the baby was sleeping deeply, she carefully put him down on the crib. Then, she gently tapped him on the tummy. She was rewarded by a beautiful smile from the little angel.


    [He must be having a good dream.]


    "Lady Prescott, pardon me for saying this but you look like you''re the child''s mother."


    Tilly turned to Captain Denver who was now leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. "Really?"


    If she looked like a mother just now, then maybe she could really take care of Winter this time.


    Back in her second life in the modern world, she built a daycare center where she would often volunteer as a teacher. Only then would her longing for Winter lessen even just for a while. She hoped that if she was being a good "mother" to other kids, then Lucina Morganna would treat Winter kindly, too.


    "Are you preparing yourself to be a mother to your future son with Captain Kiho?"


    "You can say that again, Captain Denver."


    "Then, be careful next time," he warned her. "If you want to live long enough to marry your fianc and give birth to his son, then never get involved in dangerous people again."


    Her smile disappeared when she remembered that they had an issue to discuss. "Captain Denver, may I know why exactly you''re here?"


    "Captain Ainsworth told me about the infamous child who keeps on spreading rumors about Fire Mages," he said. "Since I''m the current master of the Fire Wielder Guild, he thought I have more authority in this matter."


    She gulped when she realized how serious the situation was for Captain Denver toe here himself. "D-Do you believe that Flint and his brother are Fire Mages?"


    "It''s amon urrence formoners to delude themselves as descendants of Fire Mages," he told her calmly. "They do it to make themselves feel special. But in reality, most of them just have affinity to the fire element. They could use a Fire Wielder weapon, at most. But summoning fire within their bodies is almost impossible."


    "But Flint said his parents burnt the bandits to death"


    "I heard that," the captain said. "And that''s exactly why I had to manipte his memories."


    She gasped when she realized what he meant. "No"


    "I was sent her to kill the child and his brother if they turn out to be real Fire Mage descendants," Captain Denver said coldly. "But I decided to spare the children. First of all, the boy called Flint doesn''t have the evidence to prove that his parents really burnt the bandits to death. We can''t also investigate his parents'' corpses because they were already cremated and the boy spread the ashes in the sea."


    Cremation wasmon for themoners who didn''t have enough money to buy a piece ofnd in the cemeteries.


    "Second, Flint doesn''t show any sign of being a Fire Mage," the captain continued. "He ims that the marbles in his possession can determine if a person has Fire Mage blood or not. But any Fire Wielder can hold those marbles without getting burnt. It''s not as special as he makes it out to be. In short, his parents might just really be Fire Wielders who used a weapon to burn their assants to death."


    She wanted to argue and say that Flint didn''t look like he was lying. But what would the child gain from that? If Captain Denver determined that the boy was indeed a Fire Mage''s descendant, then he would be executed along with his baby brother.


    Her heart broke for the child who would be branded a liar from now on. But if it could save his life and his baby brother''s, then she''d keep her mouth shut.


    [I''m so sorry, Flint]


    "Don''t worry too much, Lady Prescott," Captain Denver said. "The Fire Wielder Guild will wee Flint and his brother warmly."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "Really, Captain?"


    "I''m the master of the guild. I won''t lie to you," he said, probably offended that she questioned his im. "I personally came here to see if I can recruit the brothers to join my guild. Flint is still young and that could be the reason why he doesn''t exhibit any fire controlling ability yet. But I can tell from his Mana that he has the potential to be a good Fire Wielder someday." The captained turned to the baby in the crib. She didn''t know if it was just his imagination or his eyes did really glow for a moment. "Especially his little brother. I can see the huge amount of Mana in that tiny body."


    "Then, you will take them in as apprentices?"


    "Uh-huh," he confirmed. "In our guild, we don''t discriminate based on blood. Anyone who has the ability to wield a fire weapon is wee."


    "I just want to be clear, Captain," she said carefully. "Once you take Flint and his brother with you, it means you''re going to give them a decent life, right? Shelter, clothes, food, and education. You''ll provide them all, won''t you?"


    "Yes," he answered. "We ran a charity that fundsmoners who join our guild." Much to her surprise, the captain smiled charmingly at her. "Lady Prescott, our guild also epts donations."


    Sheughed softly at that. "Yes, I will donate to your guild''s charity, Captain."


    "Thank you, mydy," he said. Then, just like that, he became serious again. "I don''t think your Mana is enough for you to be a Fire Wielder. It''s too weak."


    [Ouch.]


    "But the boy said you didn''t get burnt when you held the marbles," the captain said. "That means you have affinity to the fire element, no matter how weak it is."


    "I know that my Mana isn''t fit forbat," she said. "But I want to at least learn how to protect myself from mind control."


    "And why would you need that kind of ability?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I hope you don''t think that learning mind control is easier than learning how to wield a weapon."


    "I apologize if my words sounded that way," she said humbly. "That wasn''t my intention."


    He looked at her long and hard as if he was trying to read her mind. "Tell me the reason why you want to learn resistance from mind control, then I''ll decide if I''m going to take you in as my student or not."


    "I deeply apologize but I can''t tell you the reason."


    "Then, why didn''t you just lie to me?"


    She gasped when she realized her mistake. "Oh. Let me think."


    "Toote," he said. "I won''t consider your request until you give me a valid reason."


    She was about to say something when he raised a finger, so she just kept her mouth shut and listened to him.


    "But I''ll give you a useful advice," Captain Denver continued. "A mind control weakens if the target is aware that they are being mind controlled. So it''s important for the target to fool the user into thinking that they are being controlled."


    [Oh. He is saying that I should act like I''m being controlled instead of tantly acting so stubbornly in front of the mind control user.]


    "Captain, how can I act like I''m being controlled if I don''t know when it would happen?"


    "Your awareness is a variable that the user doesn''t know about," he said. "If you are already aware that you''re being controlled, then the influence of the user will be weak against you. Most likely, you''ll snap out of it as soon as you realize that you''re being controlled."


    That actually made sense.


    In her past life, she didn''t have a clue as to why she was so greedy with power. She had always wondered about that even when she was living her life in the modern world. Maybe her doubts made her aware of the mind controlling stuff when she came back here.


    [Could that be the reason why I had to be reincarnated in the modern world with the memory of my first life? To make me ponder as to why I was so hungry with power?]


    Come to think of it, how the hell did she wake up back in her previous life anyway?


    She was so overjoyed by the thought of reuniting with Winter that she easily epted the fact that she was given a chance to correct her mistakes. But right now, she wanted to know how and why did shee back in that time.


    [My head is about to explode from too much information.]


    "It seems like my hunch is right," Captain Denver said. "Someone is trying to control your mind. Am I right, Lady Prescott?"


    "I neither confirm nor deny your hunch, Captain Denver," she said. "But I''m grateful for your advice, good sir."


    "You''re quite the stubborn one, huh?" he said like he was amused with her. "Anyway, I don''t want to say this but if you tell a single soul about what happened in this room, I''ll kill Flint and his baby brother. I may not enjoy killing children, but it doesn''t mean I can''t do it." His amber eyes glowed as if he was trying to intimidate her. "Do you understand, Lady Prescott?"


    "I understand, Captain Denver," she said, trying to hide the fact that she felt shivers down her spine when he threatened her. "I trust that the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights wouldn''t speak about my request to other people as well."


    He smirked as if he really found her amusing. "The rumors said that Lady Prescott was your typical spoiled kid from a rich family. But I guess they were wrong. You have the eyes of a predator, youngdy."


    "I''ll take that as apliment, Captain Denver," Tilly said with a smile. "Thank you."


    Captain Denverughed heartily. "You''re interesting, Lady Prescott," he said, his eyes glowing for some reason. "Very, very interesting."


    ***


    TILLY was amazed by Captain Denver''s mind/memory maniption.


    When Flint woke up, he referred to himself and his brother as descendants of Fire Wielders instead of Fire Mages. The child also apologized to Captain Denver for spreading "false rumors" to "gain attention."


    It made her sad that Flint''s memories were manipted but she was d that the captain spared him and his baby brother.


    [Oh, the baby''s name is Julian.]


    Anyway, she had lunch with Flint, ke, Captain Denver, and Grandma Rosa (the acting guardian of Flint and Julian). She was d that she brought a lot of meat.


    While having lunch, Captain Denver told Grandma Rosa about his intention to bring Flint and Julian to the Fire Wielder Guild with him. Flint, for her brother, decided to ept the captain''s invitation.


    And just like that, Flint bid his goodbye to Grandma Rosa.


    While Flint was packing their things, she volunteered to look after Julian. She sat on the bench outside the house while Julian was sitting on herp. She secured the baby''s position by wrapping an arm around his tiny waist.


    Anyway, ke was standing beside her and Captain Denver was on her other side.


    "I''m going to miss you, Julian," Tilly said to the baby. Then, she gently pinched his chubby cheek. "Should I visit you every weekend?"


    "You can''t do that," Captain Denver, who was standing beside her, scolded her. "Our guild isn''t a yground."


    "Then, I''ll visit you twice a month," she said to the baby, ignoring the captain. "Make sure to always be healthy, okay?"


    "If you donate a huge sum of money, we''ll make sure to feed everyone in the guild healthy food," the captain said.


    She turned to the captain with a re. "I''ll donate every month if you want if you ept my request, Captain."


    Captain Denver raised an eyebrow at her. "Ohh. Someone knows how topromise."


    She just gave him a polite smile before turning to Julian again. When she saw the baby''s huge green eyes, she giggled and pinched his other cheek. "You''re so cute, Baby Julian."


    Of course, her Winter was just as cute.


    Her son had burgundy hair, golden eyes, and milky skin. She wouldn''t be biased if she said that Winter was beautiful. Now, she missed her child even more.


    [Winter, your father and I have positive feelings towards each other now. This time, I''ll make sure that you''ll have a loving family. Who knows? Maybe in this lifetime, Kiho and I might give you a sibling.]


    "Julian, please grow up healthy," Tilly said to the baby. "I want you to be friends with my son someday."


    Julian looked at her like he understood what she just said. Then, the baby ced a hand on her chest without breaking eye contact. After that, he giggled like an angel that he must be.


    She was about to smile back at the child when suddenly, she felt like her heart was burning. It was so hot and that made her confused. She had never felt like she was burning even if she raised her temperature. But now, she felt like someone had put her heart on fire literally.


    "ke," she said in an urgent voice while clutching her chest with her other hand. "Hold Julian for me."


    ke immediately carried Julian in a swift but careful move. But he didn''t take his eyes off of her. "Mydy, what''s wrong?"


    She couldn''t answer because she didn''t know what was happening to her.


    And she didn''t have time to think about it when Captain Denver suddenly grabbed her by the arm. He pulled her until she was standing in front of him. Then, much to her shock, the captain raised his hand as if he would touch her chest.


    She couldn''tin because it was hard for her to breathe, much more to speak.


    [Captain Denver, what kind of help are you nning to do?!]


    Her fears vanished when Captain Denver''s hand literally froze in mid-air. A thinyer of ice suddenly covered his hand and arm.


    [Ice?]


    "Captain Mikhail Denver," said a familiar deep but angry voice. "Just what are you trying to do to my fiance?"


    Tilly turned to the owner of the voice and like she expected, it was indeed Kiho.


    [And he looks very, very angry.]


    ***


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 Chapter 28: Green-eyed Monster

    Chapter 28: Green-eyed Monster


    "CAPTAIN Kiho," Captain Denver greeted him with a serious look on his face. "You''re scaring me."


    Tilly noticed that even Captain Denver said that Kiho scared him, she didn''t look scared at all. The captain of the Red Phoenix Knights didn''t even flinch even though his hand and arm were now covered with ice.


    And she realized why right away.


    An orange me engulfed Captain Denver''s hand and arm until the ice melted. She could see that the me came from the metal arm band that he was wearing.


    [Right. Captain Denver is a Fire Wielder. He can''t produce fire from his body but he can use items that produce fire.]


    Tilly didn''t have the time to process that because the next thing she knew, she was already leaning against Kiho''s solid chest while a protective arm was wrapped around her shoulders. Everything happened so fast that she didn''t know how exactly Kiho "snatched" her away from Captain Denver''s hold.


    "Are you okay, Tilly?" Kiho asked her. His voiced wasced with a mix of worry and anger. But she knew that his anger was directed at Captain Denver and not her. "What did Captain Denver do to you? Don''t be afraid to talk. I''m here."


    "Hey," Captain Denverined. "You make it sound like I assaulted your fiance, Captain Kiho."


    Kiho turned to the other captain with a very, very cold stare.


    [It''s cold enough to freeze the entire mountain.]


    "Kiho, Captain Denver was just trying to help me," Tilly exined to calm Kiho. When he turned to her, she ced a hand on his cheek. His face instantly softened up. "My chest suddenly felt like it was burning. Captain Denver noticed that and tried to help."


    [I just don''t know how.]


    Kiho turned to Captain Denver, his face cold again. "Captain Denver, how do you n to help my fiance by trying to touch her chest?"


    "I just wanted to absorb the heat in her chest," Captain Denver said. "I can''t produce fire within my body but my Mana allows me to absorb it. Same with body heat."


    Kiho didn''tment on that but he turned to her. Then, he ced a hand on her forehead to probably check her temperature. "Are you having fever again?"


    "I''m not sure," Tilly said. "I think my body is acting weird these days."


    Was it because she kept on making her temperature rise? In her past life, she rarely used her Mana. Maybe the side-effect of continuously using it was only showing now that she was kind of "abusing" it.


    "Tilly, we should go to the hospital," Kiho said. "I think this has something to do with your Mana."


    The hospital in the empire had "Mana Doctors." Like its name, a Mana Doctor was someone who specialized in treating Mana that was harming its owner''s physical health.


    [If a Mana Doctor takes a look at my Mana, they would find out that I''m using it to fake my sickness.]


    "We don''t need to go to the doctor, Kiho," Tilly said. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Your body is cool. The burning in my chest is starting to disappear."


    And that was true.


    Kiho''s cool temperature seemed to help her.


    "Are you sure?" Kiho asked while wrapping his arms around her body. "Should I lower my temperature more?"


    "You''ll die if your body temperature dropped down any more than this," she lightly scolded him. "This is fine. Let''s stay like this for a while."


    "Okay."


    Captain Denver cleared his throat but they just ignored him. That was probably why he turned to ke instead. "Vice Captain ke, are they usually like that?"


    "Yes, Captain Denver," ke answered politely. "Captain Kiho and Lady Prescott get into their own world when they are together."


    ***


    TILLY was now perfectly fine. The burning in her chest was gone as if it never happened. But now, she had learned her lesson.


    [I will not abuse my Mana again.]


    "Kiho, this is Baby Julian," Tilly said to Kiho. "Pretty, isn''t he?"


    She was carrying the baby in her arms while showing him off to Kiho who was standing protectively in front of her. To be precise, her fianc was blocking Captain Denver''s view of her.


    Captain Denver was helping Flint pack his things. ke left for a while to walk Grandma Rosa to home. They were waiting for the vice captain to return before they left. And of course, she wanted to properly send off Flint and Julian, too.


    "He''s pretty," Kiho said while looking down at Julian. "But tiny. Very tiny."


    She giggled at his remark. "Julian is only fourteen months old. Of course, he''s tiny."


    When Julian giggled, she smiled and gently rubbed her nose against his little nose.


    [He''s so cute!]


    "Kiho, try holding him," she told him.


    Kiho backed away while shaking his head. "I''m afraid that I might actually crush him. I think my hands are bigger than him."


    Sheughed softly at that. "No, you won''t crush him. Just try it, Kiho. You need practice anyway. Will you not hold our son once he was born?"


    That seemed to change his mind. "Y-You''ll guide me, right?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Of course."


    He gulped before he agreed. "Okay. I''ll try"


    Tilly carefully guided Kiho to hold Julian in his arms. Once he was carrying the baby, he froze. If it wasn''t for the heaving of his chest, she''d think that he had turned into an ice sculpture. His face also looked as pale as a white canvas.


    [Who knew that the mighty captain of the ck Serpent Knights is afraid of babies?]


    Well, more like he was afraid of holding a tiny human being.


    "Don''t worry, you''re doing great," she assured him. She had one hand on the baby''s back while the other was wrapped around Kiho''s waist. She held onto him so he wouldn''t panic. "How is it?"


    She knew that he would easily get used to holding a baby because in her past life, Kiho practically raised Winter on his own. Because during that time, she was a spoiled little girl who didn''t have the patience to take care of her son.


    "He''s very light," Kiho said. Now he was looking at Julian like he was the most precious thing in the world. "I want to take him home."


    She giggled. "Right?"


    "Hey!" Flintined. Then, the child stood in front of them while ring at Kiho. "Mister, you can''t take my brother away from me."


    Kiho''s face reddened in embarrassment. "Sorry."


    "And who are you?" Flint continued "harassing" Kiho. "Why are you clinging to my Big Sister Tilly?"


    Well, she was actually the one clinging to Kiho


    "I''m Kiho," he said to the child. "And I''m Tilly''s fianc."


    "No!" Flint whined. "I''m the one who''s going to marry Big Sister Tilly when I grow up!"


    Tilly bit her lower lip to stop herself fromughing.


    [Kids are cute.]


    "No," Kiho told Flint coldly. "I''ll freeze you to death if you try to steal Tilly from me."


    Flint looked shocked and scared by Kiho''s threat.


    She couldn''t help but finallyugh at her fianc''s childishness.


    "Hey," Captain Denver lightly scolded Kiho. "He''s just a child."


    "A rival is a rival," the ck Serpent Knights'' captain countered.


    Captain Denver just rolled his eyes.


    Tilly, on the other hand, yfully hit Kiho in the arm. "Stop that, Kiho."


    "Okay," Kiho said right away. Then, he turned to her with a soft look on his face. "Tilly, do you want to shop for baby thingster?"


    ***


    "TAKE care, Flint," Tilly said to Flint while hugging him tight. "And always be a good brother to Julian."


    "I will," Flint promised her. Then, he looked at her with a smile. "Can I write to you, big sister?"


    "Of course," she said. "I''ll wait for your letter."


    Flint smiled, then kissed her on the cheek.


    She felt a cold aura behind her so Kiho was probably getting jealous. He might be even ring at the child. She ignored him for now.


    [I didn''t know that Kiho had this side.]


    After saying her farewell to Flint, she turned to Julian who was now asleep in Captain Denver''s arms.


    "Bye-bye for now, Baby Julian," she whispered, then she kissed the baby''s floppy cheek. "See youter." Then, she looked up at Captain Denver. "Please take care of them, Captain Denver. Make them fine Fire Wielders someday."


    "I''ll take care of the children," Captain Denver promised her. "As the master of the Fire Wielder Guild, I swear that I will raise them well."


    Tilly smiled at that. "Thank you, Captain Denver."


    ***


    [OH, someone is in a good mood.]


    Tilly couldn''t help but notice that Kiho looked happy while talking about the baby things that they would buy for Julian. They decided to shop for Flint and the baby so that they could have brand new stuff once they lived in the guild.


    Currently, they were in the carriage (that ke was driving) on the way to nca the town near Mount Elea. They were sitting across each other so she had a nice view of his handsome and glowing face.


    [Kiho looks more handsome when he''s happy.]


    "Kiho, I''ve never seen you that excited," Tilly said with a smile. "It seems like you''re ready to be a father now, huh?"


    Kiho''s cheeks reddened but he didn''t act shy this time. "Yes. When I saw how you took care of Julian and the brat I mean Flint, I knew right away that you''d be a good mother. I can''t wait to see you with our own child."


    She smiled at that.


    [I can''t wait for our family to beplete again, Kiho.]


    "Kiho, should we try making our baby now?" she teased him.


    The captain''s face lit up. Instead of answering verbally, he just extended his hand to her.


    She was confused by she still gave him her hand.


    Much to her pleasant surprise, he gently pulled her until she was sitting on hisp. He secured her by snaking his arms around her waist. Then, he pulled her closer for a kiss.


    She hugged his neck and leaned forward while closing her eyes.


    And then, they kissed.


    It was as hot and as intoxicatingly as the first one. Kiho''s body was usually cold but right now, his every touch left a burning sensation on her body. The warmth of his wandering hand prated the fabric her clothes, making her feel like he was directly touching her skin.


    She did the same. From his neck, her hands slid down his chest, and then further more until she was feeling the hardness of his stomach.


    [Ohhh abs!]


    When they broke their kiss to catch their breath, Kiho buried his face in her neck, taking in her scent. Then, his mouth started to move, leaving a trail of wet kisses in its wake. His hands slip up her back and brushed the sides of her breasts.


    She moaned, her fingers skimming through the length of his neck. He seemed to like that because he groaned lowly against the skin of her corbone.


    Hot.


    She felt so hot.


    "Tilly," Kiho said in a surprised voice. Then, he gently pulled away from her to look at her with a worried look on his face. "You''re hot."


    Tilly smiled weakly at him, wondering why she was suddenly out of breath. "Thank you, baby."


    And then she copsed.


    [Oh, Kiho meant it literally.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 29: Hot Damn

    Chapter 29: Hot Damn


    [THIS is so embarrassing.]


    Tilly woke up in a hospital and right now, she was ring at the white ceiling above.


    [Do you know howme it is to copse in the middle of making out?!]


    But on a serious note, she was confused as to why her body was acting up. It didn''t happen in her first life so she didn''t know what exactly was wrong with her.


    "Tilly?"


    [Oh, it''s Kiho.]


    Tilly got up when she heard his voice. In the blink of an eye, Kiho was already by her side while putting a pillow on her back for her to lean against. "Thank you."


    "How are you feeling?" Kiho asked while sitting on the edge of the bed. Worry was written all over his face. "Does your body still feel hot?"


    "No," she said truthfully. "I feel okay. Where are we, baby?"


    "We''re in the Rosemary Hospital," he said. "Thankfully, we''re already at nca when you fainted."


    Ah, so they were still in the town of nca.


    "Baby, do you need anything?" the captain asked, obviously worried about her. "Water? Food? Anything."


    "I''m a little hungry."


    "What do you want to eat?"


    "Steak," she answered. "I want a huge steak and a good red wine to go with it."


    "I like how you know exactly what you want," he said. Then, he gently brushed the strand of her on her cheek, then tucked them behind her ear. "I''m d that I got out of work early."


    Ah, right. She remembered Kiho telling her a while ago that he was able to follow them at Flint''s house early because he finished his job quickly.


    [I''m pretty sure he worked really hard just to pick me up.]


    "I''ll call the doctor," the captain said before standing up. "He said he''d like to talk to us about the condition of your Mana. Wait for a second, Tilly."


    "Okay," she said.


    A few momentster, Doctor McMin came in with Kiho. She instantly recognized the short and plump gentleman with white hair. His most striking feature was his freckles and the scar on his chin. And surprisingly, he was also known for his gentle face.


    The doctor was the viscount of House McMin and a part of the Royal Faction. No wonder he looked extra friendly to her.


    [Oh, right. Viscount McMin owned the Rosemary Hospital.]


    And that hospital catered tomoners, too.


    Anyway, Kiho sat beside her when the doctor started to exin her situation.


    "Lady Prescott, you fainted due to Mana exhaustion," Doctor McMin said while standing in front of her with his hands behind his back. "Have you been overusing your magic ability these past few days?"


    She gulped and slowly nodded her head. She could feel Kiho''s questioning gaze but she tried her best to ignore it. "But I''ve used it for only, like, twice. So why did my body weaken?"


    "Lady Prescott, I was one of the doctors who helped your mother gave birth to you," the viscount exined. "You were born with a body that can''t handle too much Mana. It''s a fortunate thing that your Mana is naturally weak. But even if you continuously use your magic ability, it will still take a toll on your body. Just like what happened now."


    She was surprised to hear that her body couldn''t handle her Mana. "Why didn''t my father tell me about the condition of my body?"


    Bute to think of it, her father never failed to remind her not to use her Mana.


    "Duke Prescott probably doesn''t want to scare you," Doctor McMin said. "But to be honest, the condition of your body isn''t that serious so I understand why your father didn''t tell you. As long as you don''t overuse your Mana, you''ll be fine."


    "I understand, Doctor McMin," she said. "I won''t overuse my Mana again."


    "Ah, aside from that, I advise that you refrain from vigorous activities until your body has fully recovered," the doctor said while looking meaningfully at her and Kiho.


    [Vigorous activities?]


    Her cheeks burned from embarrassment when she realized what the doctor meant by that.


    "What do you mean by "vigorous activities," Doctor McMin?" Kiho said, as clueless as ever. "Can you cite some example?"


    She was about to ask the captain to stop asking questions but the doctor, who looked unfazed, answered right away.


    "I''m talking about sex," Doctor McMin said without missing a beat. Obviously, the doctor was used to discussing stuff like that to his patients. "I know that the two of you are engaged to be married and as adults, you''re free to engage in intimate activities. But for the sake of Lady Prescott''s fast recovery, please refrain from having sex for a while. You know what happens when two people with Mana had sexual intercourse, right?"


    Right. In this world, when two people with Mana engaged in sex, the woman would absorb some of her partner''s Mana as they became one. That was how their children would inherit both the Mana of their parents.


    That meant that if she had sex with Kiho, she would take up some of his Mana (and everyone in the empire knew how strong his magical energy was). It wasn''t hard to see how having sex with him would affect her body negatively now that she knew that she couldn''t handle too much Mana.


    [Ah, now I know why I would feel so exhausted every time we had sex in my past life. So aside from Kiho having a high sex drive, absorbing his Mana was also the reason why my body would feel heavy after our intimate moments.]


    "I understand, Doctor McMin," Kiho said, his face as red as an apple. "We''ll be careful."


    "But Doctor, would my body be able to handle decent amount of Mana if I be more physically fit?" Tilly asked intensely. "Exercising wouldn''t hurt, right?"


    "I like your enthusiasm, Lady Prescott," Doctor McMin said with a softugh. "I''ll prescribe an effective pill for you to stabilize your Mana. If you take them for a week, your body will be fit enough for light exercises."


    Tilly smiled, satisfied by the doctor''s diagnosis. "Thank you, Doctor McMin."


    ***


    "THEY look like candies," Tilly said in amusement while looking at the small jar of pills that Doctor McMin gave her. The pills were round and kind of transparent. In fact, they looked like jellies. "I want to eat them all."


    "You should only take three pills a day, Tilly," Kiho, who sat beside her, said strictly. "One every after meal."


    Right now, they were back in the carriage and they were on their way to a restaurant for dinner. It was already dark outside. She was a little nervous because at this hour, she was sure that the duke was already home.


    But she was really craving for steak and red wine. Plus, she was super hungry now. She couldn''t wait to go home and eat so she''d risk it.


    [I''ll probably get scolded by my fatherter but foodes first.]


    "Tilly, I''m sorry," Kiho said in a voice filled with remorse. He also looked sad, like a puppy that had been kicked by its owner. "I should have taken better care of you."


    "Hey, don''t say that," she said while caressing his face. "You did a good job taking care of me. It was my fault for exerting myself."


    "But I don''t understand how and why did you have to overuse your Mana," he asked in confusion. "And when did that happen?"


    "I was just trying to find out what else could I do with my Mana," she lied. "I yed around with my body temperature. I didn''t know that it would strain my body."


    "Please don''t do that again, baby," the captain pleaded her.


    "I won''t," she promised. Then, she kissed him on the cheek. "I''m sorry for making you worry, baby. And thank you for being so good to me."


    Kiho just held her hand and brought it close to his lips. Then, he ced a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "I''ll take care of you forever, Tilly."


    Tilly smiled and squeezed Kiho''s hand. "And I''ll protect you, Kiho."


    [I''ll protect our family this time.]


    ***


    TILLY and Kiho were scolded by Duke Prescott, as expected.


    Kiho took her homete because they had dinner first.


    Her father demanded for an exnation. Kiho, as honest as ever, told the duke almost every single thing about their whole day. Thankfully, he omitted Doctor McMin''s advice about their (non-existent) sex life.


    Her father was livid when he found out that she fainted again.


    [Well, this time, I fainted for real. But no one else knew that I faked the first one so for Kiho and my father, this was the second time that I copsed.]


    Anyway, Duke Prescott had been so harsh to Kiho. He practically used her fianc of failing to look after her properly. Kiho silently epted her father''s long lecture. After that, the captain apologized to the duke again and again, then promised that he wouldn''t let something bad happen to me again. Only then did her father let Kiho go home.


    "Father, you didn''t have to be so harsh to Kiho," Tillyined to her father while they were having tea in her room. His father visited her to make sure that she would drink the medicine that Doctor McMin prescribed. "It wasn''t his fault that I fainted."


    "Now that you''re engaged to be married, you are each other''s responsibility," her father said strictly. "And Kiho is a knight. I''m sure he knows that it''s now his responsibility to make sure that you''ll live a good life."


    She just sipped her tea.


    "Tilly, you shouldn''t get close to Captain Denver."


    Okay, that confused her. "Why not, Father? They''re not our enemies."


    "They''re not our allies either," her father countered. "House Denver is in neutral stand. You shouldn''t trust families who couldn''t choose between the Royal and Noble Faction."


    Gosh, the political war in this world was really insane.


    "And Captain Denver is the master of the Fire Wielder Guild," the duke continued. "I personally don''t want you to be associated with people with fire attributes."


    She carefully ced the cup on the table. "Why, Father? Why do you not want me to be associated with them?"


    "Nothinges good from being close to the people of fire."


    ["People of fire?"]


    "Father"


    "Don''t ask questions," her father interrupted her. "Just do as I say."


    "Yes, Father," she lied. "I''ll keep that in mind."


    [Just kidding! You just made me even more curious, Father. If you won''t answer my questions, I''ll find the answers myself.]


    "And it would only harm your reputation if you get close to another captain when you''re already engaged to Captain Kiho," the duke said sternly. "You''re one of the highest-ranking nobledies in the empire so you have to be careful all the time."


    "I understand, Father."


    "Anyway, I heard that you already received thend title of the property that you demanded from Sir Belington," he said, abruptly changing the topic. "What do you n to do with it?"


    "I''m nning to open up a business, Father."


    "A business?" he asked with a knotted forehead. "But the property you got from Sir Belington is located at Komono."


    If Aristo was the upscale part of Sky za, then Komono was the opposite.


    Well, she couldn''t really say that Komono was for the poor. It would be more appropriate to say that it was the area for the nouveau riche (new money) or people who have recently acquired wealth and noble titles.


    [Right, now I remember. A few years ago, Emperor Aku passed aw that allowsmoners to gain noble titles for their skills or abilities instead of inheriting it. The vieux riche (old money) were against it but the emperor got the support of the Royal Faction.]


    The younger generation of the vieux riche at the emperor''s side supported His Majesty''s progressive ideals. Emperor Aku gained a lot from the neww because now, the majority of the nouveau riche had be a part of the Royal Faction.


    In short, the power and influence of the Noble Faction were slowly weakening.


    "Father, the nouveau riche will soon make the empire more prosperous. We''re starting to enter a new era," Tilly said. She was confident because in her past life, she had witnessed the rise of the new money people. And even in this timeline, she could see that it would still happen again. "Now that the nouveau riche has started to enter the social circles, they are willing to spend money just to keep up with the vieux riche. I think it''s time for businessmen like us to sell products that will cater to the new money folks. Items that are as elegant as the ones used by the old money families, but affordable. I believe that Komono is the perfect location for my target consumers."


    Duke Prescott smiled and it was a huge feat for her. Plus, he looked really proud of her. So even if he didn''tpliment her verbally, she was already contented with his reaction.


    "What kind of products are you thinking of selling to the nouveau riche?" her father asked enthusiastically. "If it''s doable, I might invest in your business."


    She smiled before she answered. "Jewelries, Father. Jewelries and clothes that will surely be the next trend."


    "What kind of jewelries and clothes?"


    "The ones that Her Royal Highness would love," she said with a smile. "The princess has started to wear lighter dresses that expose the neck. The big and extravagant jewelries in the market right now don''t fit light dresses. I want to introduce small but elegant jewelries that will match the future trend indies'' clothes. To be precise, I want to focus on nes."


    "Nes are the least popr jewelries based on the sales report of our jewelry shop."


    "That''s because most of thedies still wear heavy dresses that cover the neck," she said. "But once the light dresses be the trend, nes are guaranteed to be popr as well, Father."


    Her father nodded, obviously absorbed in her business proposal. "And why did you choose to introduce those products to the nouveau riche instead of the vieux riche?"


    "House Prescott is a part of the Royal Faction," she said. "His Majesty supports the nouveau riche so I want to warmly wee them to the high society, Father. By doing so, House Prescott could also show the emperor our loyalty."


    Finally, Duke Prescott smiled. "I will invest in your business, Tilly."


    "Thank you, Father," Tilly said, happy that she made her father proud. "I will make sure to give back your investment in double."


    Tilly still didn''t know how to protect herself from mind control. But she thought of three ways to make sure that Princess Nia couldn''t easily touch her.


    First, she would pretend that Her Royal Highness''s had her under her clutches.


    Second, she would suck up to Emperor Aku. If the emperor showed favor towards House Prescott, then maybe Princess Nia would think twice beforeying a hand on her family.


    And third, she nned to be the richest nobledy in the empire. Just because the royal family sat on the throne didn''t mean that they were the richest. In short, the Moonchesters still need wealthy families to back them up.


    To simply put, she wanted to be important enough not to be disposed easily.


    [I''ll make sure that my wealth would protect Kiho as well.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 30: Brewing Rivalry Perhaps

    Chapter 30: Brewing Rivalry Perhaps


    KIHO was pleased by the bouquet of red roses that he got from Blooms a famous flower shop in the Royal Capital.


    Today was the day that he would fetch Tilly from Duke Prescott''s house and bring her to his residence. Of course, he wanted to make it special. Emperor Aku advised him to get flowers for Tilly before he picked her up.


    [This is probably the only time that His Majesty''s nosiness doesn''t annoy me.]


    Tilly was supposed to move in to his residence yesterday. But because she was sick, he decided to postpone it. And now that she had enough rest, they decided that today would be her "moving in day."


    "I didn''t know you were the romantic type, Captain Kiho."


    Kiho''s mood suddenly turned sour when he met Captain Denver as soon as he got out from Blooms. "Would it be eptable to ignore you now that I''m not wearing my uniform?"


    "Don''t be rude," Captain Denver whined lightly. "We''re the youngest captains of the Four Orders. We should get along, Captain Kiho."


    "I refuse."


    Captain Denver just shook his head in dismay before he changed the subject. "How''s Lady Precott? I heard that she fainted and was brought in the hospital the day we met at Mount Elea."


    "How did you know that?"


    "The rumor has already spread in the empire," he said. "Apparently, a baroness from nca saw the two of you in Rosemary Hospital that day. She assumed that you were because Lady Prescott is already pregnant."


    He almost choked in his own saliva out of surprise. "Huh?"


    "I know that it isn''t true," the other captain said. "If you want to clear the issue, you might have to do a public announcement. I know someone who works for a newspaper. Would you like me to introduce him to you?"


    "There''s no need for that," he said. "I don''t really care about what other people say. And we''re engaged anyway."


    Of course, it would be an entirely different matter if Tilly wanted to clear the issue. He would support whatever decision she would made regarding the rumor. Captain Denver didn''t need to know that though.


    "Whatever floats your boat," Captain Denver said. "Oh, right. I have a question for you, Captain Kiho."


    "What is it, Captain Denver?"


    "I believe Lady Prescott''s Mana has a fire attribute," the Red Phoenix knight said that surprised him. "I know that if she wanted to, she could be a Fire Wielder. If I recruit her to my guild, would you let her?"


    "I don''t have the right to decide for Lady Prescott," Kiho said stiffly. To be honest, he didn''t know how to feel now that he found out that Tilly''s Mana had fire attribute. But he did know that he didn''t have the right to decide for her. "Even when we get married, she''d still be her own person. So I think you should ask her that question and not anyone else, Captain Denver."


    "Then, let me rephrase my question," he said. "How would you feel if I recruit Lady Prescott to join the Fire Wielder Guild?"


    "I wouldn''t like it," Kiho said coldly and sharply. "In fact, I would hate every minute that she''d be spending with you if she joined your guild."


    Captain Denver raised an eyebrow at him. "Captain Kiho, that''s not healthy. You should trust your fiance more."


    "I trust Tilly," he said. "But I don''t trust you, Captain Denver. I don''t like the interest I see in your eyes whenever you look at her."


    "Really now?"


    "I know that you find Tilly amusing. Maybe it''s because you''re interested in her Mana," Kiho said carefully. "But if you look at my fiance with something more than a mere interest, I''ll gouge your eyes out, freeze them, and put the ice orbs as disy in my office."


    "Is that a threat, Captain Kiho?"


    "No," he retorted. "It''s a promise."


    "Scary," Captain Denver said sarcastically. "Don''t worry, Captain Kiho. I''m not interested in Lady Prescott as a woman."


    "And you should never be," Kiho threatened. The air around them turned cold and he was pretty sure that his eyes were glowing at the moment. "If you fall for her, I''ll freeze you to death even if it starts a war between our Orders."


    ***


    "MY LADY, please take care of yourself!"


    Tillyughed softly as she hugged Isabe who had been crying all morning. "I''ll be fine, Isabe. Kiho will take care of me," she assured the young maid. "And Kiho''s residence is also here at the Royal Capital. We can meet up often, you know?"


    "Mydy, if the servants in Sir Kiho''s residence bully you, just tell me," the young maid said while blowing her nose with a white handkerchief. "I''ll fight them for you."


    "I won''t be bullied," she said with augh. "I can take care of myself, Isabe."


    "Ah," Isabe said, then flicked her fingers as if she just remembered something important. "Lady Prescott, I heard a strange rumor when I was at the market yesterday. People were saying that you and Sir Kiho had already conceived the child in the prophecy. Mydy, are you already pregnant with the captain''s child?"


    "I''m not yet pregnant," she said,ughing at the silly rumor. "But I n to get pregnant as soon as possible so I hope the rumors help me conceive the baby soon."


    Isabe blushed as if she was experiencing second hand embarrassment from the stuff that she was talking about. "Mydy, I didn''t know that you were this aggressive."


    She justughed at that.


    A few momentster, the head butler informed her that Kiho had arrived. Then, he brought her to the parlor room where the duke had already weed the captain.


    "Lady Prescott has arrived, Your Grace," the head butler announced before opening the door for her.


    When Tilly entered the room, Kiho and her father stood at the same time to wee her.


    But as usual, her attention was fixed on ~her~ captain.


    Kiho looked so handsome in his maroon suit. His outfit matched the peach cold-shoulder dress that she wore for today. Ah, she noticed that he brought flower again.


    Tilly smiled at Kiho.


    He didnt smile but his eyes sparkled.


    [It''s the start of our life together, Kiho.]


    ***


    TILLY felt emotional when she saw Kiho''s mansion again.


    [It''s been a long time.]


    Kiho''s residence wasn''t as huge as her father''s mansion but it was big enough for a family of three. As far as she remembered, the house had fifty rooms each in the west and east wing. The rooftop had also a nice view of the whole Royal Capital. It was especially beautiful there at night because of the city lights.


    And of course, just like any mansion in the empire, it has a huge garden.


    In her past life, she didn''t appreciate his house because she was used to the luxury that House Prescott provided her ever since she was born.


    But now, she was very grateful to be back here.


    "Your house is lovely, Kiho," Tilly told with a smile. "Thank you for sharing your home with me."


    Kiho looked relieved by her reaction. "I''m d you liked my house, Tilly. Please treat this like your own home."


    She smiled and extended her hand to him.


    The captain held her hand and squeezed it. Then, they walked hand in hand on the way to the mansion.


    When they arrived at the main entrance, the servants were already there. The head maid and the head butler were in the front. Behind them were the fifty servants of Kiho''s residence. They were all bowing down to them.


    [Hah. I just remembered something.]


    In her past life, there were "rats" in Kiho''s house. If she remembered correctly, there were two or three arrogant maids who couldn''t treat the captain with respect. She ignored them before but this time, she would surely kick them out.


    [I won''t let them disrespect my baby Kiho.]


    "Wee, Sir Kiho," the servants said in unison, heads were still hanged low. "Wee, Lady Prescott."


    Kiho squeezed her hand and when she turned to him, he gave her a small smile. "Wee to our home, Tilly."


    "Thank you," Tilly said, then she let go of his hand to wrap an arm around his waist. "I''m happy to be home with you, Kiho."


    ***


    "WOW," Tilly said while looking around her new room. "This is lovely, baby."


    The chamber had a big four-poster bed with pretty sheer curtains. It also had a lounging area, a space for a tea table for two, a balcony, and its own bathroom. The dominant color of the furniture and the decorations was a pretty shade of rose gold.


    "Did you like your room?" Kiho asked nervously. He was following her like a puppy. "If you want to change something, please tell me."


    "It''s already perfect," she said. Then, she sat on the bed and was surprised at how soft the mattress was. "Ohh. It''s soft."


    "I told my people to find the softest mattress for you," the captain said while standing in front of her. "I''m d you liked it."


    She looked up at him with a yful smile. "I thought we were going to share the same room."


    Like she expected, he blushed right away. "We have to hold back, baby. Doctor McMin said we can''t do it yet."


    She giggled at his honesty. "Baby, have you heard the rumors? Apparently, I''m already pregnant with your child."


    "I''ve heard about it," he said, worry written on his face. "Do you want to do something about it?"


    "No," she said. "I mean, I''m going to get pregnant in the future anyway. Let the people talk. That would be good publicity since I n to open a new business soon."


    For some reason, he was looking at her like he was so proud of her. "You really know what you want, Tilly."


    "Yes," Tilly agreed, then she opened her arms. "And I want a kiss right now."


    "Okay," Kiho said obediently. Then, he leaned down while holding her face between his big and cool hands. "A kiss won''t hurt."


    ***


    "YOUR Royal Highness, have you heard the rumors about Lady Prescott?"


    "Yes," Nia answered while putting moonflowers in the vase. She was spending her free time in her room with Lahara. "Apparently, Lady Prescott is already pregnant with Captain Kiho''s child. But we know that it isn''t true."


    "Oh, I''ve heard that, too," Lahara said. "But I wasn''t talking about that rumor, my princess."


    She stopped with what she was doing to look at the mage-knight. Lahara was sitting on her bed while looking at her with a glint of mischievousness in her eyes. "Is there another rumor about Lady Prescott?"


    "Yes, Your Royal Highness," the mage-knight answered. "It''s a rumor that only a fewmoners were talking about."


    "What is it?"


    "Apparently, amoner living at the foot of Mount Elea saw Lady Prescott with Captain Mikhail Denver," the older woman said with a smile. "The witness ims that she saw the two in apromising position. If I heard it right, Captain Denver was allegedly touching Lady Prescott''s chest."


    "Now that''s interesting," Nia said with a small smile. Then, she proceeded in putting moonflowers in the vase. "Find a way to turn that rumor into a scandal, Lahara."


    Lahara stood up and bowed to her. "As you wish, Your Royal Highness."


    ***


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 Chapter 31: Nasty Rumor

    Chapter 31: Nasty Rumor


    "TILLY, have you taken your medicine?"


    "Uh-huh," Tilly answered while fixing Kiho''s tie. They were currently in her room because a while ago, he came to check if she drank her medicine. When she noticed that his tie wasn''t tied properly, she fixed it for him. "Did you get your lunch box?"


    "Yes," Kiho said. "Thank you for preparing the menu for my everyday lunch."


    She smiled at him. "You''re wee."


    It had been a week since she moved into Kiho''s residence.


    Ever since then, she had been taking bridal lessons every single day. Those lessons included stitching, dancing, flower arrangement, and organizing tea parties. Since she was already a high-ranking noble who received education since childhood, she didn''t need to take etiquette sses.


    During her free time, she would design jewelries for her uing store. And about the interior for the store itself


    "Kiho, do you have a scheduled n for your next day-off?" Tilly asked after she was done fixing the captain''s tie.


    Kiho thanked her before he answered her question. "No. Do you want to go somewhere?"


    "Not really. I''d like to ask for your help," she said. "I''m going to open up a new jewelry store soon. I know that you''re busy but if you have spare time, would like help me design the store? I already hired an architect but I would need help for interior designing. And if you know a ce where we can buy high-quality materials, I can also use some suggestions."


    His eyes sparkled in delight. "Of course, I''d love to help. I know a thing or two about interior designing."


    She knew that very well. In her past life, Kiho would redecorate some of the extra rooms in their mansion whenever he had free time. He would even create furniture if he couldn''t find a particr design that he was looking for.


    Before, she thought his love for interior designing and furniture making were useless skills. But now, she''d love to work with him and that talent of his.


    "Great," she said with a smile. "Then, should we also visit the building on your day-off? The architect was almost done with the blueprint." It was the same architect who designed most of her father''s stores. He modeled her new building from the previous store that their family built so he finished up with the design pretty fast. "I heard that they will start the construction tomorrow."


    The construction of buildings in this world was fasterpared to the construction in the modern world. If the modern world used equipments to build, in this empire, they used magic. It was pretty amazing to watch.


    "Then, let''s go out on my day-off," Kiho said, his usual monotonous voice sounding a little bit livelier now. "We can also go shopping if you want."


    She smiled and nodded at his suggestion. "Sure, let''s do that."


    Last week, they shopped clothes and toys for Flint and Julian. They sent the children''s stuff to the Fire Wielder Guild. Would it be weird if she bought clothes for the kids again?


    Let''s write them a letter first.


    "Ah, right," the captain said as if he remembered something. "Are you going to the royal pceter?"


    She almost scowled at the reminder.


    [Right, Princess Nia sent me another invitation for a tea party a few days ago.]


    But this time, she wasn''t the only person invited. The tea party was for the youngdies from the houses belonging to the Royal Faction.


    "Yes, I''ll be attending the Her Royal Highness''s tea party," she said. "Why do you ask?"


    "Can I pick you up after the party?" he asked and for some reason, he looked excited. "I''d be going to the royal pce to report to His Majestyter. I was thinking that it would be nice if we go home together."


    "Oh, I like that," she said with a smile. "I''ll send you a message once the tea party starts to wrap-up."


    "Understood.


    "Wait," she said, then made him sit on the bed. "I''ll show you the ne I''ll wearter. See if it looks good on me."


    "I''m not an expert on that field but I''ll try to give a sensible remark."


    She justughed at that. "Don''t look," she told him while she was walking towards the vanity.


    Kiho, as cute as he was, closed his eyes.


    [Gosh, he''s so adorable!]


    She sat in front of the mirror and quickly put on the two nes that she preparedst night. First, she wore the dangling ne that had a tear-shaped pendant. Then, she wore a short pearl ne a dainty chain with three tiny pearls like a choker.


    After she was done, she stood in front of Kiho.


    "Baby, you may open your eyes now," she told him. When he opened his eyes, she pointed at her neck. "How do these nes look on me?"


    "Your neck is pretty," Kiho said out of the blue while looking intently at her neck.


    That made her blush.


    "Baby, focus on my nes," she lightlyined.


    "They look pretty," he said, then he looked up at her face with shining eyes. "Baby, are those the nes I got for you from Pis?"


    "I''m d you noticed," she said while gently touching the pearls. "I kind of changed them a bit to look like this. The pendants I chose are smallerpared to the jewelries I used to wear. Are they noticeable?"


    "The tiny pendants made them look dainty," the captain said. "And your neck is pretty so anything you wear on them will look pretty as well."


    She couldn''t help but smile at that. "Thank you, baby," she said. Then, she sat on hisp and wrapped her arms around his neck. After that, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you also for the nes. They inspired me to make my new collection."


    "You''re wee, baby. I''m d to be of help," he said, then he gazed down at her neck with hungry eyes while his hand was sliding up and down her waist. "May I?"


    Tilly giggled because she knew what he wanted to do. "Go ahead."


    And Kiho started to give her open mouth kisses on the neck.


    [Good morning to me.]


    ***


    AFTER Kiho''s work, he went straight to Amilo''s. It was a small jewelry store owned by the empire''s greatest jewelry maker. But not everyone knew that because Amilo''s was a rundown shop in the poor district of the empire. And the jewelries they sold were mostly cheap and fake.


    But Amilo, the owner, was a good friend of his. He once saw the old man turn a rock into a fine ring. That was why Amilo was the first person he thought when he got the pearl.


    And he didn''t regret it.


    "This looks great, Amilo," Kiho said genuinely while looking at the pearl ring inside the small box he was holding. He couldn''t believe that the "pearl cube" that he found was now turned into a smooth and round pearl. "As expected of you and your skills."


    Amilo, a grumpy old man who hatedpliments, just scoffed at him. Gray hair, dark brown eyes, good built. He could tell that the jewelry maker used to be a dashing man in his younger years. "I used the finest materials that suit the pearl you brought. You betterpensate me properly."


    "Of course," he said while putting the small box in the inner pocket of his jacket. Then, he lifted the medium-sized chest of gold that he brought and put it on the table. "Would this be enough, Mr. Amilo?"


    The old man gave him a strange look. "You''re the only fool in this empire who would pay that much for a sham like me."


    "I know that you''re the real deal," he said. And he was aware that Amilo had a poor living condition because he would donate his earnings to an orphanage every month. He knew that Amilo would put his money to good use. "And the payment I''m giving you couldn''t be enough to show my gratitude. Thank you for making a beautiful ring for my beloved."


    "Is "Lady Prescott" the beloved you''re talking about?"


    "Yes," he said almost right away. "Have you heard about my lovely fiance?"


    The old man hesitated before he finally spoke. "I heard a nasty rumor about your fiance."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. The coldness he felt told him right away that he wouldn''t like what he would hear. But still, he needed to know. "What rumor?"


    "Apparently, Lady Prescott is having a sexual affair with Captain Denver."


    When Kiho was angry, he wouldn''t scream or get violent.


    He would simply freeze his surroundings sometimes on purpose, but often not.


    [Just like now.]


    The anger he felt materialized in the form of a thinyer of ice that covered the whole store in an rming speed.


    "Hey!" the old jewelry makerined. "Don''t freeze up my shop!"


    "Who?" he asked in a voice colder than his ice. "Who said that gibberish?"


    Amilo gulped, fear cracking his usual grumpy face. "W-What are you going to do if I tell you?"


    "I''ll cut their throat, of course," Kiho said menacingly. "I''ll cut their throat so they couldn''t speak gibberish against my Tilly again."


    ***


    "THE rumor has already spread in the whole empire, hasn''t it?"


    "My friends from another household were talking about itst night."


    "Do you think Lady Prescott is really having an affair with Captain Denver?"


    "Well, if I were the madam, I would cheat on Captain Kiho as well! I mean, Captain Kiho is amoner with filthy blood. His good looks will fade when he gets old. If he loses the only nice thing about him, then what would be left of him?"


    "Ah, that''s right. If he doesn''t pay a huge amount of money, I wouldn''t be working for amoner like him."


    Tilly had enough listening to that bullshit.


    But to be honest, she intentionally went to the dirty kitchen in secret because she knew that the two "rats" would be there. In her past life, she remembered that two maids from Kiho''s residence would talk shit about the captain. These two women would also spread rumors that would hurt Kiho''s reputation.


    [Sorry, girls, but I''ll f*ck you up this time.]


    When she noticed that the two maids were missing, she knew right away that they would be hiding in the dirty kitchen to talk shit about Kiho. That was why she intentionally asked Louisa, the head maid, toe with her to the dirty kitchen in pretense of looking for something in the cupboard.


    As soon as they got there, the two rats were already talking. Louisa wanted to stop them but she told head maid to wait because she wanted to listen.


    [Gosh, where did the rumor about me and Captain Denvere from?]


    "That sounds interesting," Tilly said when she finally announced herself to the rats. "Care to share the rumor with me?"


    As expected, the maids looked shocked when they saw her.


    "How dare you speak ill of the master of the house with your filthy mouth?" Louisa sternly scolded the maids. In her past life, she remembered that the head maid was one of the few servants who genuinely respected Kiho. In fact, Louisa never hesitated to humiliate her whenever she was acting like a bitch in the past. "Do you want to die?"


    The two rats immediately dropped down to their knees. They even bowed so low that their foreheads touched the floor. "Please forgive us, Lady Prescott!"


    "Not even god could save you from my wrath," Tilly said coldly. She was so angry that her chest felt warm again. To be honest, she was afraid that she might faint again. But she couldn''t control her anger. They didn''t only insult her by assuming that she was cheating on Kiho with Captain Denver. They also insulted her fianc, the master that they were supposed to be serving. "Before I kick you out, tell me everything you heard about that nasty rumor, you rats."


    ***


    NIA was surprised when the candle inside the hour ss suddenly lit up in red me. It was ced on her table so she could keep an eye on it while she was working. And finally, after a long time, what she had been waiting for hade.


    Red was the coolest me and the one that signified the beginning of the "process."


    [She''s really angry, huh?]


    "Congrattions, Your Royal Highness," Lahara, who was standing beside her, said while bowing to her. "Spreading that nasty rumor seems to be effective."


    Nia smiled while looking at the lovely me. "Lady Prescott really has a bad temper."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 32: A Villainess Wears Red Lipstick

    Chapter 32: A Viiness Wears Red Lipstick


    TILLY was dressed to kill.


    Well, she wouldn''t kill people literally but she would make sure that the nasty rumors about her with end today.


    In her past life, she had witnessed high-ranking noblewomen bullying the low-rankingdies by spreading false rumors. As a duke''s daughter, she never experienced that. Well, at least not until her crimes were exposed and she was shunned by the high society.


    [I will not let them bully me.]


    So for today''s tea party, she wore a ck draped off-shoulder backless A-line midi dress and paired it with stiletto sandals that were starting to be popr these days.


    Anyway, her dress was from the collection that Kiho got her from Pis Inds. Since Pis was a tropical country, she wasn''t surprised to know that the women there wore clothes that exposed "too much" skin by Moonchester Empire''s standards. Thankfully, the weather in the Royal Capital right now was warm enough to be used as an excuse to wear a "revealing" dress.


    [Again, my outfit is only revealing because the current trend in the empire is still the heavy and conservative types of dresses.]


    Princess Nia had only started to wear light dresses recently so it would take a while before the otherdies copied her style. There had to be a demand first before the tailors in the empire start to make light dresses.


    [Hmm should I import clothes from Pis Inds and sell them in my store along with the jewelries I''m currently designing?]


    Wait, this wasn''t the right time to think about business.


    Tilly looked at herself in the mirror once again.


    For her makeup, she asked Leni and Lani the twin maids with light chocte brown hair and eyes to make her lips as red as possible. The current trend here was equivalent to the "no makeup makeup look" that was quite popr in the modern world, particrly in the Asian countries. In the empire,dies put makeup as light as possible to make them appear "innocent."


    To hell with that. She wanted to express her anger in bold red lips. Thankfully, her "mature charm" matched it.


    As for her hair, she told Leni and Lani to tie it in an elegant braided bun. Then, she wore theyered nes that she showed Kiho that morning. She also put on a pair of pearl earrings and a bracelet with a dainty thin chain. She didn''t wear a ring because she was waiting for the one that Kiho would give her.


    [Yes, I''m assuming that he''d give me an engagement ring one of these days.]


    "How do I look?" Tilly asked the twin maids. She stood up and twirled around in front of them. "Do I look beautiful?"


    "You''re very beautiful, Lady Prescott," Leni and Lani said in unison.


    The twins were a year older than her and had different personalities. Leni was prim and proper while Lani was kind of tomboyish and energetic. But both girls were nice to her and Kiho. Even in her past life, the two served her with respect despite her terrible attitude.


    "Thank you," she said to the twins. "You did a good job."


    And that was true.


    Leni and Lani gave her one of the best baths she had in her life. Plus, they meticulously chose a perfume thatplimented the rose scent that she got from her bath a while ago.


    "Thank you, mydy," Leni and Lani said at the same time, again.


    Tilly giggled at the twins'' amusing rapport. She wanted to talk to them some more but themunication device on her table rang. "You may leave. I''ll call you when I need you."


    The twins bowed and answered at the same time. "As you wish, Lady Prescott."


    When the maids left the room, she sat in front of the mirror and picked up the dangling earrings that also worked as amunication device. She put her on her ear like a bluetooth earpiece. Since the jewelry had a spirit stone, it had the magical ability to attach itself to the user''s ear for easier ess.


    "Yes, Father?" she politely answered the duke''s call.


    "Tilly, I''ve heard the rumor about you and Captain Denver," her father said on the other line, his voice filled with worry. I don''t believe it but it will surely hurt your reputation. If this goes on, the business you''re nning might get doomed as well. But most of all, how would Captain Kiho feel if he hears the rumor when you''re just about to get married?"


    "Don''t worry, Father. Kiho won''t believe the rumors," she assured her father. "And I''ve already came up with a n to use this opportunity to promote my uing business."


    "Daughter, I don''t think this is the right time to think about business."


    "Bad publicity is still publicity, Father," she insisted. "The "spotlight" is currently focused on me so I won''t waste the chance to promote my business for free. But I need your help."


    "What do you want me to do, daughter?"


    Tilly smiled while her brain was busy working out exciting scenarios in her head. "Father, we know people in the newspaper industry, right?"


    ***


    KIHO made ice sculptures out of the men who dared to talk dirty things about Tilly.


    Thanks to Amilo''s information, he was able to track down the people who were spreading the nasty rumor about his fiance. He ended up at the mansion of Baroness Alphonse in nca. Apparently, one of the baroness''s servants saw Tilly and Captain Denver at Mount Elea. When the madam heard it, she didn''t think about spreading the rumor without verifying it first.


    When he arrived at the mansion of House Alphonse and requested an audience with the baroness, the knights tried to make him leave by making fun of him. He didn''t care when the foolish knights said that Captain Denver was better than him since he was a noble and the master of the Fire Wielder Guild.


    But when a knight said that Tilly was a loose woman for seducing two captains of the Four Orders and the othersughed, he lost it. The next thing he knew, he already froze every single knight around him.


    [I can''t kill them though.]


    Not yet, at least. He wanted these foolish knights to kneel and beg for Tilly''s forgiveness first. Only after that could he kill these bastards.


    "Baby?"


    Kiho was surprised to hear Tilly''s voice in his ear. After that, the in round silver earring in his right ear appeared. It was amunication device that was designed to be in stealth mode when inactive. But once someone linked to his device called, the earring would appear. It was very convenient and thus, the high price.


    [Well, all the stuff in Prescott''s Choice is expensive.]


    "Yes, baby?" Kiho answered. "Is everything alright?"


    "Not really," Tilly said. "Have you heard of the stupid rumor about me and Captain Denver?"


    "Yes. I''m taking care of it."


    "Whatever you''re doing, stop it," she lightly scolded him. "But if you found the source of the rumor, bring them to the royal pce now."


    He noticed that she sounded confident. That could only mean one thing. "Do you have a n, Tilly?"


    "Yes," she said. And even though he couldn''t see her, he could hear the smile in her voice. He had always known that she was smart but now, he could also see that his fiance was cunning. And he liked that about her even more. "But I need your help, baby."


    "Just tell me what you need me to do and I won''t disappoint you."


    "Kiho, I need you to use your connection to our emperor," she said, her voice more serious than a while ago. "Do you think you can convince His Majesty to help us?"


    "Yes," he said confidently. House Prescott was a part of the Royal Faction so the emperor wouldn''t hesitate to support Tilly. But other than political reasons, he was absolutely sure that Emperor Aku would help them because of his personality. "His Majesty loves meddling with other people''s lives, you know?"


    She giggled and he loved the sound of it. "Baby, I have one more favor. I''m sure you won''t like it but please bear with it for me."


    "If it''s to clear your reputation and make people stop assuming wrong things about our rtionship, then I''ll do it," Kiho said determinedly. "What is it, Tilly?"


    "I need you to work with Captain Denver," Tilly said. "We need his cooperation for my n to seed."


    ***


    LIKE Tilly expected, the atmosphere in the tea party when she arrived was already hostile.


    She was fashionablyte because she had to take care of a lot of things before showing up at the Moonflower Garden. The amount of time that she waste was enough for the otherdies to talk about behind her back. And it showed.


    Everyone was smiling at her but the look on their eyes told her that they were looking down on her. She could almost hear their nasty thoughts: "whore," "cheap," "a disgrace to nobility." She was a duke''s daughter and one of the highest-ranking noblewomen at the party right now. Of course, those who felt inferior to her would use her "scandal" to make themselves feel better.


    [Her Royal Highness isn''t here yet, huh? No wonder these little b*tches are acting like they''re above me.]


    "How are you, Lady Prescott?" Lady Mara Belington, the sister of Sir Michael Belington, greeted her with a smirk. "Her Royal Highness excused herself a while ago because of an urgent matter that she had to attend to. Why don''t you use this opportunity to leave before you spoil the princess''s mood?" She motioned the otherdies around them. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but no one here wants to be associated with you, Lady Prescott. Not after you brought disgrace to every noblewoman in the empire."


    [Well, Lady Belington is the daughter of the richest marquis in the empire. Counting me aside, she''s the highest-rankingdy here so naturally, she''d be the "spokesperson."]


    Tilly stifled aughter at Lady Belington''s attempt to bully her. She was acting like a high school queen bee who didn''t know that she was merely a fish in a small pond. "How cute," she said that obviously annoyed Lady Belington. "I thought you already learned your lesson after I ended your brother''s whole career. But since you''reing at me like this, then I''ll assume that you want to give me another piece of property from your family?"


    Lady Belington looked pissed but she did a good job holding back. Maybe she thought she had the upper hand because of the stupid rumor. "My brother has nothing to do with this. I''m simply fulfilling my duty as a noblewoman. I can''t overlook the fact that a disgrace like you will associate herself to Her Royal Highness. Just how thick-skinned could you be, Lady Prescott?"


    "Disgrace, my foot," Tilly said that shocked the otherdies. Well, in this world, what she said was already considered foul words. But she didn''t give a f*ck. "Pray tell me, Lady Belington. What did I do for you to gang up on me?"


    After saying that, she took her time looking around and memorizing the faces of thedies who did nothing while she was being bullied.


    [I hold grudges, you know?]


    "You''re feigning innocence now?" Lady Belington scoffed at her. "I don''t want to say this but you''re forcing me. Lady Prescott, we''ve heard the rumors about you and Captain Denver. How can you show up here and act like nothing happened?"


    Tilly turned to the nosydy with her head held high. "I am here because I''ve done nothing to be ashamed of. I can prove my innocence. But do you have evidence to prove that the rumors you speak of are true?"


    Lady Belington was obviously taken aback.


    "After I prove my innocence, I will askpensation from everyone for trying to ruin my reputation by spreading false rumors," she dered with a smile. "I hope you don''t go bankrupt once I starting at you."


    Thedies started to whisper loudly to one another. Everyone was obviously shock and scared by her threat.


    "How can you do that to us?" Lady Belington asked in rage. "We''re not the ones who started the rumor!"


    "But you''re the ones having fun spreading it," Tilly said with a smirk. "I thought all noblewomen received proper education since childhood? You were all educated and yet, you can''t even verify a news before sharing it? Are you stupid?"


    She heard a collective gasp from thedies.


    [They''re offended, huh?]


    Tillyughed at their reaction. "A person who starts a baseless rumor is stupid. But anyone who believes and spreads it is a bigger moron. I''d rather be a disgrace to the nobility than be an idiot who''d definitely bring downfall to the empire."


    "Lady Prescott!"


    "I will sue everyone who spread the nasty rumor about me and Captain Denver," Tilly dered firmly. She didn''t raise her voice but it was firm enough to shut everyone up. "As a noblewoman, it''s my responsibility to get rid of the idiocy that some morons spread among us."


    All the otherdies fell silent. Fear was evident in their eyes and they were even looking at her like she was a viiness. Hah, the irony!


    [They probably didn''t expect me to snap back at them.]


    "What''s themotion here?"


    It was Emperor Aku who came and he was followed by Princess Nia. Captain Sherwood and Lahara were behind the twin royals. But her gaze was fixed on Her Royal Highness only.


    [Oh, the "urgent matter" that Princess Nia attended to was probably His Majesty''s surprise visit at her residence. If the emperor is here, then Kiho obviously seeded. And His Majesty''s presence also means that the other guests have arrived.]


    Princess Nia was wearing a burgundy off-shoulder ruffles dress that fell elegantly below her knees. Shepleted her outfit with a pair of stiletto sandals as well.


    [We have the same taste in clothes, huh?]


    The difference was in their makeup.


    Princess Nia had her long silver hair down and she had a flower crown on top of her head. As if it wasn''t enough to make her look like a fairy, she had to put on a light makeup that made her look ethereal.


    Ifpared to one another, Tilly with her ck dress and red lips would definitely be the devil while Her Royal Highness would be the angel.


    "Greetings to the moon and the star that light up the Great Moonchester Empire," Tilly and the otherdies greeted His Majesty and Princess Nia with a curtsy.


    "Rise," His Majesty said. When everyone did, he spoke again. "I heard amotion a while ago. What''s happening here?"


    Tilly raised her hand confidently. "May I speak, Your Majesty?"


    "Yes," Emperor Aku said while looking at her with amusement in his eyes. "I want to hear what you have to say, Lady Prescott."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said with a light bow. "I am currently being attacked by a malicious rumor spread by my fellow noblewomen." She heard the surprised and offended gasp by thedies but she ignored them. Instead, she turned to Princess Nia who had a stiff expression on her beautiful face. "It''s a shame that this has to happen during Her Royal Highness''s tea party. But I would like to use this opportunity to prove my innocence. After all, as someone who serves His Majesty, my tarnished reputation could also harm the emperor." When the princess''s eyes turned cold, she smiled at her. "Is that okay, Your Royal Highness?"


    "Of course, Lady Prescott," Princess Nia said with a smile a smile that didn''t reach her empty red eyes. "Your issue is more important than my tea party."


    "Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Tilly said with a smile a smile that definitely made her red lips stand out even more. Then, she turned to Emperor Aku who was obviously trying hard to control hisughter. Ah, Kiho was right. His Majesty loved meddling with other people''s affair. "Your Majesty, please allow me to invite the people who could prove my innocence."


    Stealing the spotlight from a princess was a rude thing to do.


    But did she care? Of course not. After all, she was the viiness in her past life.


    [I am not a pushover like you think, Princess Nia.]


    ***


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 Chapter 33: Good Girl Gone Bad

    Chapter 33: Good Girl Gone Bad


    PRESS CONFERENCE.


    If Tilly needed to exin the tactic she chose to prove her innocence to the whole empire, then that would be organizing a press conference. She asked her father to invite the most credible journalists in the empire.


    [To be honest, the royal family kind of hates journalists because sometimes, they act like the paparazzi. So I wasn''t sure if the emperor would allow them in the pce especially in the princess''s residence.]


    Thankfully, Kiho managed to convince Emperor Aku to give them the permission.


    [His Majesty wasn''t just all talk when he said that he considers Kiho as his younger brother, huh?]


    Anyway, right now, Tilly was having a tea on a table that she upied by herself.


    Lady Belington and the otherdies were flocked together on her right side. They were sitting on a long table but couldn''t even enjoy the tea served to them.


    [They''re too tense.]


    If the reporters weren''t sitting on the long table on her left side, she would haveughed her ass off like a viiness that she used to be.


    [But I have to be careful of who''s in front of me.]


    Princess Nia was having tea with Emperor Aku in front of them. Of course, Captain Sherwood and Lahara were standing behind the twin royals.


    "Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness," a royal standing by the garden''s entrance announced. "Captain Kiho, Vice Captain ke, and Captain Denver have arrived."


    [Finally.]


    Kiho, ke, and Captain Denver greeted the emperor and the princess first.


    Then, after that, Kiho turned to her. Much to her surprise, he started to walk towards her. Of course, she stood up to greet him as well.


    Kiho put his hands on her waist then kissed her forehead.


    [OMG!]


    While she was giddy, everyone around them was obviously shocked by their public disy of affection.


    [Well, the noblemen in the empire are stiff. Most of them believe that showing affection to their spouses is a sign of weakness. The sexist men of the society also taught women that any amount of clinginess is a nuisance that women should be ashamed for showing affection to their husband in public. So, yeah. The couples in the empire are so stiff and boring.]


    For the record, she believed that everyone should be mindful of their manners when they were out in the public. But to make two adults in a loving rtionship feel ashamed for showing a bit of affection? That''s b*llshit.


    "How are you, Tilly?" Kiho whispered in a worried voice. "I hope you''re not too affected by the rumors."


    "I should be the one saying that," Tilly said with a smile. "Are you okay, Kiho?"


    ~Her~ captain nodded and kissed the top of her head this time. "Let''s get this done and over with."


    Emperor Aku cleared his throat to get his attention.


    Tilly and Kiho automatically put a decent distance between them before facing the emperor.


    "Lady Prescott, all the people you have requested have arrived," Emperor Aku said. "What do you n to do now?"


    "Your Majesty, I would like to ask your help," Lady Prescott said politely. "Captain Denver could show everyone here our memories of what happened the day the "witness" saw me and Captain Denver in apromising position. Captain Denver could also show the memories of Captain Kiho and Vice Captain ke of that incident. By doing so, we can prove to everyone that the nasty rumors about me and Captain Denver aren''t true."


    In her past life, Captain Denver used his ability to "pull out" a person''s memory and show them to others like a movie on a projector on her. The captain used his power to prove to the whole empire that shemitted crimes to the royal family.


    But today, she was going to use Captain Denver''s ability to prove her innocence.


    [I''ll use the memories of my past life to my advantage.]


    "Let me guess," the emperor said with an amused smile. "You want me to check if the memories that Captain Denver would show us are tampered or not. Am I right?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she said. "Please lend us your ability to know if the information presented to you is real or fake."


    Everyone in the empire knew that Emperor Aku had the keen sense when it came to fact-checking the information being presented to him. That ability of His Majesty was one of the reasons why no one had seeded in fooling him ever since he ascended the throne.


    [Well, maybe Princess Nia is an exception since she can use mind control.]


    "Since you and Captain Kiho are two loyal subjects of mine, I shall grant your request," Emperor Aku told her. "And personally, I don''t like the fact that a rumor involving an engaged couple is circting around the empire. As an engaged person myself, I wouldn''t also like it if Princess Nia gets involved in a malicious rumor like that." The emperor turned to Princess Nia and held her hand. Then, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Ah, it looked like the emperor was influenced by Kiho''s boldness, huh? "My princess, don''t you think it''s unfortunate that something like this happened to Lady Prescott when she''s about to get married?"


    "I''m also disheartened by the news especially since Lady Prescott is a dear friend of mine, Your Majesty," Princess Nia said in a convincing sad voice. Then, she turned to her with a sympathizing look on her face. "Lady Prescott, my heart goes out to you. His Majesty and I will help you in any way we can."


    [Pfft.]


    To hide her evil smile, Tilly gracefully bowed to the princess. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."


    "Now, shall we begin?" Emperor Aku asked, then he turned to Captain Denver. "Captain Denver, do it now."


    Captain Denver bowed to the emperor. "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    ***


    TILLY''s n was a sess.


    Captain Denver pulled out his own memory first. Then, he pulled out Tilly''s, ke''s, and Kiho''s. Thanks to that, everyone finally realized that Captain Denver didn''t touch her chest because they were having an indecent affair.


    Also, everyone witnessed her sweet moment with Kiho after he pulled her away from Captain Denver.


    [Now they know that Kiho''s sweetness isn''t just for show.]


    "I swear on my name that the memories Captain Denver had shown us are real," Emperor Aku dered. "Lady Prescott and Captain Denver are innocent. Anyone who will still continue to spread the malicious rumor will be held ountable for their actions."


    Tilly was relieved.


    The reporters were having a field day while writing on their little notebooks and talking about themselves. She could hear some of them saying that the newspaper tomorrow would definitely sell like hot cakes.


    On the other hand, Lady Belington and the otherdies went pale. They had been quiet from the start but now that her innocence was proven, they looked like they would faint anytime.


    "Tilly, I''m happy for you," Kiho said while looking at her with shining eyes. "I''ve found who started the rumor. What do you want to do to Baroness Alphonse and her servants?"


    "Good question, Captain Kiho," Princess Nia said. Then, she looked at Lady Belington and the otherdies. "So, Lady Prescott. What kind of punishment do you want to bestow upon thedies who spread the malicious rumor about you and Captain Denver?"


    Tilly was just about to answer when Lady Belington screamed.


    "This is unfair!" Lady Belingtonined. "We didn''t start the rumor! We didn''t even hear about it until we arrived at the princess''s pce!"


    Tilly raised an eyebrow.


    [Lady Belington and the otherdies just heard about the rumor when she got here? Then, where did they hear it from]


    She gasped when she realized something.


    [Could it be Princess Nia?]


    "What are you trying to say, Lady Belington?" Emperor Aku asked in a cold voice while his red eyes were glowing. "Are you pinning the me on the princess?"


    Everyone in the garden felt the heavy pressure from the emperor''s Mana.


    That included Tilly, of course.


    Her knees buckled and she almost fell on the ground. Thankfully, Kiho wrapped a protective arm around her waist and pulled her close to him until she was leaning against his solid body.


    Lady Belington and the otherdies fell on the ground crying.


    Even the reporters and the royal guards weren''t able to remain standing.


    The only people who managed to withstand the emperor''s Mana without a problem were Kiho, ke, Captain Denver, Captain Sherwood, and Lahara.


    [His Majesty is scary!]


    "I m-misspoke, Your Majesty!" Lady Belington said while crying. Then, she went into a kneeling position and bowed so low that her forehead touched the ground. The otherdies followed suit. "P-Please forgive your lowly subject!"


    "Do not apologize to me," Emperor Aku said, his Mana still putting pressure on everyone. "Beg for the princess''s forgiveness."


    "P-Please forgive me, Your Royal Highness!" Lady Belington begged. "I d-din''t mean to say that I heard the rumor from the princess. What I was trying to say was I heard the rumor while I was on the way to the pce."


    Tilly wasn''t convinced. When she turned to Princess Nia, she saw her looking at Lady Belington with glowing red eyes.


    [Is Her Royal Highness controlling Lady Belington?]


    Then, did it mean that Princess Nia had something to do with the rumor?


    "It''s okay, Lady Belington. I know you didn''t mean to use me," Princess Nia said in her usual kind voice. Her red eyes also stopped glowing. "But unfortunately, it doesn''t change the fact that you and the otherdies have wronged Lady Prescott. You still need to be punished." The princess turned to her with a smile. "Lady Prescott, the decision is yours."


    Tilly smiled and bowed at Princess Nia to hide her scowl.


    [What is the princess up to?]


    ***


    "YOUR Royal Highness, I apologize for ruining your tea party," Tilly said to Princess Nia while bowing to her. "Your Majesty, thank you for helping us clear our names."


    Right now, she was in the throne room while having a private audience with Emperor Aku and Princess Nia. The twin royals were sitting on their thrones, of course.


    Captain Kiho and Captain Denver were standing behind her.


    "Forget about the tea party, Lady Prescott," Princess Nia said kindly as soon as she raised her head. "I never believed the rumor so I''m happy that the issue has been cleared."


    "Thank you for your generosity, Your Royal Highness," she said.


    "I''m also d that the rumor was cleared right away," Emperor Aku said. "I don''t want two of the Four Orders'' captains to get into a messy love triangle."


    "That will never happen, Your Majesty," Captain Denver assured the emperor.


    "I agree with Captain Denver, Your Majesty," Kiho said. "But if that happens, I won''t make it messy and just kill Captain Denver without shedding too much blood."


    Captain Denver scoffed at that. "Bold of you to assume that I will just let you kill me."


    Tilly wanted to re at the two captains but she just decided to ignore them.


    Plus, Emperor Aku started tough heartily. "I would love to witness that."


    "Aku, don''t say that," Princess Nia scolded him lightly.


    Oh. Princess Nia addressed the emperor casually. Was it because there were only a few of them in the throne room?


    "I was just kidding, Nia," Emperor Aku said with augh. Then, he turned to them again. "Kiho and Lady Prescott, best wishes on your uing wedding."


    Tilly and Kiho bowed and talked at the same time. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    ***


    "FINALLY," Tilly said as soon as she sat on the couch inside Kiho''s carriage.


    "Are you tired?" Kiho said when he sat across her. "Do you want to go home right away?"


    She was about to say ''yes'' but when she saw the nervousness in his face, she changed her mind. For some reason, her heart started to beat fast and loud because of excitement.


    [Could it be?]


    "No, I don''t want to go home yet," she said. When she saw the relief on Kiho''s face, she smiled. "Do you have a n?"


    Kiho nodded eagerly. "Would you like to go to the Moon River with me?"


    Oh. That was the location of their first date. It was special to them so if he was going to give her a ring, then it would be the perfect ce to do so.


    "Yes, Kiho," Tilly answered with a smile. "I''d love to."


    [OMG! Is Kiho really going to give me a ring tonight?!]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 34: A Knights Vow

    Chapter 34: A Knight''s Vow


    TILLY smiled when Kiho swiftly took his jacket off and gently draped it over her shoulders.


    The captain did it without saying a word, but with enough confidence that said he knew exactly what he was doing.


    [That''s sexy, Kiho.]


    "I hope you don''t mind," Kiho said while they were walking arm by arm in the riverside. "For the record, I have nothing against your dress. It looks nice on you, honestly. But your back is exposed and I''m afraid you''d catch a cold."


    "The dress looks good on me?" Tilly asked with a yful smile. "Really?"


    "Yes," the captain answered without missing a beat. "You look even more elegant and confident whenever you wear the dress that you like best."


    The ambiance was already romantic because the river was sparkling thanks to the spirit gems in the water. Plus, there were floatingnterns around to guide the passersby like them. No wonder they weren''t the only couple taking a stroll in the area.


    Thanks to Kiho''s words, their date night had turned more romantic.


    She liked how supportive he was to her choices, especially to the way she dressed. Even in her past life, she enjoyed wearing clothes that were deemed "too revealing" in that world. But the captain never asked her to cover up. When a nobleman tried to touch her because ording to him, she was "asking for it," Kiho beat him to a bloody pulp.


    The captain even told everyone that her clothes were none of anyone''s business.


    [He protected me even though I was a horrible wife. Is it possible that Kiho loved me during our marriage? Was he in love with me before he met Lucina Morganna?]


    Too bad she couldn''t remember if she had happy moments with Kiho and Winter before.


    "I like your mindset, Kiho," Tillyplimented him. "Thank you for being supportive of my choice of clothes even though they''re a bit unconventional."


    "Maybe it''s because I wasn''t born and raised as a noble," Kiho said. "Ick the etiquette that you learn at childhood so I don''t know how you''re supposed to dress. But since I''ve been travelling outside the empire since I was a child, I''ve seen other cultures that are different from the ones we have here in Moonchester Empire. That''s probably why I became open-minded." He paused for a while. "But respecting women should be basic."


    "Kiho, you''re an angel."


    [What a respectable king. I stan you, Captain. From now on, I''m your number one fan.]


    "Thank you but I don''t want to be praised for doing something that should be basic," the captain said in a shy voice.


    "Not everyone can be as decent as you so you deserve the praise," she insisted. "You''re admirable, Kiho."


    "I am nothingpared to you, Tilly," he said. "You''re the real angel. If I were you, I don''t I could easily forgive the people who purposely spread malicious rumors about me."


    Ah, right.


    She showedpassion to Lady Belington and the otherdies who begged for her forgiveness a while ago. Even if she wanted to punish them, she couldn''t do that in front of the emperor and the reporters. She would look like a b*tch if she turned down thedies'' apology after they knelt down and bowed their heads to her.


    Plus, she already got her revenge when she invited the reporters. Tomorrow morning, everyone in the empire would know that she was only a victim of malicious rumors. That she was bullied by her fellow noblewomen.


    [It would be a disgrace to the nobility but if those little b*tches didn''t want to be humiliated, they shouldn''t have bullied anyone in the first ce. That''s karma for them.]


    "I didn''t forgive them because I was kind," Tilly admitted to Kiho. "I only did it because I didn''t want to look like a bad person. Don''t you think I''m petty for calling the reporters and making a big deal out of this?"


    "The nasty rumor that you got involved in wasn''t petty," he said firmly. "I would never believe such rumors and I know that we don''t owe anyone an exnation. But I also don''t want people to talk gibberish about you. You''re the kindest, the loveliest and the most beautifuldy I''ve met, Tilly. I won''t allow anyone to disrespect you in any way."


    She knew that he was being serious.


    And she just heard that Kiho froze the knights in Baroness Alphonse''s mansion. The baroness''s servant was the one who saw her and Captain Denver in Mount Elea but the servant quickly ran away so she didn''t see the whole thing. When Baroness Alphonse heard the servant sharing the gossip with the other maids, she told her servants to spread it to other servants.


    [House Alphonse belongs to the Noble Faction and their family also has a miningpany. No wonder she used the rumor to try and destroy my reputation. Maybe the baroness was hoping that House Prescott''s business will go down with me.]


    "What are you thinking, baby?" Kiho asked. "You suddenly fell silent."


    "I was just thinking about Baroness Alphonse," Tilly said. "My father called a while ago. He said that a letter from the baroness addressed to me was delivered to our mansion. It seems like Baroness Alphonse haven''t yet heard that I''ve already moved into you residence."


    "The baroness will probably negotiate with you," the captain said. "She''ll probably offer youpensation to appease you. What do you n to do, Tilly?"


    "I''ll ask for a property aspensation," she said, then she stopped walking when they reached the dock by the river. Since it was alreadyte at night, the boat rental was closed. But going there was still worth it because the river looked beautiful with all the lights around. "She has a piece ofnd here at Moon River area. That would be perfect for the caf that I''m nning to open soon."


    "You''re already thinking about a new business?" Kiho asked, obviously amused. "That''s amazing, Tilly."


    "Thank you," she said with a softugh. It was cute how Kiho looked at her as if she was the most amazing person he had met. "I don''t want to stop at opening a jewelry store. Aside from a caf, I also want to have my own dress shop." She looked up at him with a serious look on her face. "Kiho, my goal is to be the richest woman in the empire."


    Because that was the only way she could protect Kiho.


    Even if the captain inherited her father''s title as a duke, it wouldn''t change the fact that he was amoner. He would never be truly epted in the high society. And the captain didn''t really care about his status. He was looked down because of his attitude.


    [But if House Prescott bes the wealthiest family once Kiho bes a duke, then he would gain power over the high society.]


    "I''ll support you, Tilly," Kiho said. "I swear."


    "Then, are you willing to learn how to run a business for me?" she asked. "I appreciate your moral support but to be honest, I need something more than that."


    In the past, Kiho never cared about the businesses they owned and continued being a captain. Since she was a spoiled brat back then, she also refused to manage their businesses. The vassal families of House Prescott ran theirpany and its subsidiaries for them.


    Their businesses didn''t grow ever since her father passed away. Because of that, House Prescott soon lost its power and influence in the high society.


    [I won''t let that happen in this lifetime.]


    "Of course, I''ll support you as well," she continued. "I want us to be each other''s source of strength, Kiho."


    "I can''t say that I''m smart enough to run a business but I will study hard," Kiho promised. Then, much to her surprise, he suddenly got down on one knee. Without saying a word, he held her left hand while looking up at her with a solemn look on his face. And his eyes, they were glowing in a beautiful gold light. "Tilly, will you take me as your husband and allow me to be your pir of support for the rest of our lives?"


    He didn''t propose to her this way in her past life.


    Tilly already expected that he would properly propose to her tonight. But she didn''t expect that she''d get teary-eyed. To be honest, she was so touched by his proposal. Ever since she came back in this time, all she ever thought about was giving birth to Winter.


    Of course, being kind to Kiho was also a part of her n. After all, she wanted to give her son a loving family. But at that moment, she thought that she could do more than being kind to the captain.


    [I may fall in love with him this time.]


    "Kiho, I''m selfish and ambitious."


    He gave her a small smile. "I already know that, Tilly."


    "You''re not my number one priority."


    "I can live with that," he said. "And since I vowed my loyalty to the emperor, I can''t say that you''re my number one priority. But you''re definitely the second."


    "No, I can''t ept that," she said while shaking her head. "Make me your fourth priority."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "But I don''t have a family, Tilly. You''re the most important person in my life now."


    "Take care of yourself and our son before me, Kiho, she said seriously. "Your second priority must be our future son, then yourself. I''m okay with being the fourth in the list."


    "I understand," he said. "Then, our future son will be my second priority. You and myself will be the third. We are partners in life so we should be tied in the same number."


    "Okay," she agreed with a softugh. "Kiho, ask me again."


    Kiho nodded and squeezed her hand. "Tilly, will you marry me and allow me to stay by your side forever?"


    His proposal was as humble as he was.


    [And I love it.]


    "Yes, Kiho," Tilly answered while holding back her tears. "I will marry you."


    The captain''s golden eyes shined even more. Then, he pulled out a ring from the pocket of his pants. After that, he put a beautiful pearl ring on her left wedding finger.


    "Kiho, this is beautiful," she said while admiring the ring.


    The engagement ring that Kiho got her was simple but elegant. The diamond halo around the single pearl was stunning. But of course, the star itself was the pearl. Out of all the pearls she had seen, the one in her ring was the brightest she had everid eyes on.


    [Wait, how many times did I say ''pearl'' now?]


    Well, whatever.


    "I''m d you liked it, Tilly," Kiho said before he stood up. "May I have a kiss?"


    "Of course," Tilly said with a yful smile. Then, she stood on her toes and whispered seductively in his ear. "You may have more than a kiss, baby."


    The captain groaned lowly, then he grabbed her waist and devoured her mouth.


    [Winter,e to Mama!]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 35: Passionate Lovers

    Chapter 35: Passionate Lovers


    "NIA, did you ask the reporters to omit the fact that Lady Belington and the otherdies bullied Lady Prescott?"


    "I did," Nia answered while lighting up a candle with a matchstick. "I know that Lady Prescott is upset but if the fact that she got bullied gets leaked out, the noblewomen will be criticized heavily. I can''t let that happen." She turned to her brother who was standing beside her. "I know that you treat Captain Kiho as your little brother, Aku. But I hope you understand why I needed to do what I did. The most important thing is that Lady Prescott''s innocent was proven anyway. Am I wrong?"


    "You''re the queen of social circle so I''ll trust your judgment," Aku said. Then, he caressed her face with the back of his hand. "Nia, Lady Prescott is your friend, right?"


    "Yes, she''s one of my closest friends," she said. "Why do you ask?"


    "I was just wondering about what Lady Belington said a while ago," he said, his red eyes glowing. "You didn''t spread the rumor about Lady Prescott and Captain Denver, did you?"


    [I hate how perspective you are, brother.]


    There was only one way to stop the emperor from doubting her. To be honest, she hated using this "tactic" but she was left with no choice. After all, her mind control would never work on her powerful brother.


    So she just acted like she was hurt and let her tears fall silently.


    Aku''s red eyes immediately stopped glowing. "Nia," he said in a voiceced with worry. "Why are you crying?"


    "Because I''m upset with you," she said while ring at him. She hated herself for acting that way but she needed to stop Aku from doubting her. If using her tears as a weapon would do the trick, so be it. "I didn''t mind when Lady Belington tried to shift the me on me because I know that she''s desperate. But to be used by my brother by my beloved" She covered her face with her hands while sobbing loudly. "I didn''t know that you think so lowly of me."


    "That''s not true, Nia," he denied in a panicky voice. "I didn''t mean it that way. I''m sorry."


    If the emperor''s advisors heard him apologize to her, they would probably faint.


    [Thankfully, my brother is weak against my tears.]


    "Hey, stop crying," he said gently while wrapping his arms around her. Then, he kissed the top of her head. "Please forgive me, hmm?"


    She pulled her hands away from his face to look up at him with a pout. "Brother."


    "Call me by my name, Nia."


    "Aku," she corrected herself. "Do you like Lady Prescott?"


    He raised an eyebrow at her question. "Are you jealous?"


    Of course not.


    But she would be at disadvantage if her brother became fond of Lady Prescott.


    "I can''t me you if you like her," she said while trying to make her face look as pitiful as possible. "Lady Prescott is beautiful, smart, and"


    Aku shut her up with a kiss on the lips.


    "Nia," Aku said seriously when he broke the kiss. "You''re the only one I love. Never question that again, okay?"


    "Okay," she said. "I''m sorry for doubting your feelings."


    The emperor smiled and kissed her on the lips again. "Can I stay overnight?"


    "You can''t," she said. "The High Priest is yet to decide the date of our wedding. That means we''re forbidden from spending the night together."


    As per tradition, the High Priest would wait for the oracle that would tell them when they should get married. Only on their first night as a wedded couple could they sleep together. That was because for two Moonchesters to conceive a child, it required a meticulous preparation.


    Both Nia and Aku possessed very strong Mana. If they became one, she''d have to absorb some of his Mana. Her body might not be enough to contain two powerful auras inside so the High Priest must prepare a spell that would ensure her safety.


    There wouldn''t be a wedding or a honeymoon until everything was ready.


    [Thank goodness my union with my brother takes a long process.]


    Because that meant she had more time to stop the stupid wedding.


    "Maybe I should visit the High Priest," Aku said, his red eyes glowing in anger. "He''s taking his sweet time deciding for the date of our wedding."


    "He''s not his fault that the oracle hasn''t arrived yet," Nia said gently. Then, she kissed his cheek to appease him. Thest time her brother threw a tantrum, half of her room was destroyed. "Aku, be patient."


    ***


    [HE finally left.]


    Nia rolled her eyes when she saw in the mirror how swollen her lips were. Her brother also left a trail of kiss and bite marks all over her neck and shoulders. Thank goodness Captain Sherwood came to pick him up.


    [Aku''s obsession with me is getting worse day by day.]


    "Your Royal Highness."


    Nia turned to Lahara who appeared before her with one knee on the ground. "What is it?"


    "We have a problem," Lahara said. Then, she opened her palm. A few momentster, the hour ss with a candle inside materialized. "The me disappeared."


    She felt an ungodly amount of rage when she saw that Lahara was telling the truth. The red me was now gone. It could only mean one thing. "Lady Prescott is happy," she whispered to herself. "Only genuine happiness could extinguish the me created by her wrath."


    "ording to the spy that I sent to follow Lady Prescott, Captain Kiho gave an engagement ring to her," Lahara informed her. "That must be the cause of her happiness right now."


    "Only wrath and misery can wake up the heart of the phoenix," she said while gritting her teeth in anger. "Lady Prescott can''t be happy."


    "Your Royal Highness, we should get rid of Captain Kiho."


    "We can''t touch them for the meantime," she said firmly. "My brother may act like a fool around me, but he''s not stupid. If Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho were attacked again after the rumors, he will definitely be suspicious of me. We should lie low for now."


    "Then, will you let Lady Prescott win tonight?" Lahara asked. "What a lucky woman. She cleared her name, gotpensated for the bullying she experienced, and now she received an engagement ring from Captain Kiho."


    "That pisses me off," Nia said. Then, she opened her palm and waited for a cube-shaped red diamond materialized. It was a piece of Lady Prescott''s "heart" that she got from a very useful ally. A faint smile appeared on her face when she remembered what she could do with that tiny piece. "I suppose a little payback shall appease me, Lady Prescott."


    After saying that, Nia closed her fingers tight until the cube was crushed in her hand.


    ***


    TILLY suddenly felt like her heart was crushed by a strong force while she was walking with Kiho back to their carriage. She clutched her chest tight while trying to breathe properly. For some reason, she was suddenly out of breath.


    "Tilly?" Kiho asked worriedly. "What''s happening?"


    "I can''t breathe," Tilly said, then she turned to Kiho. He was already blurred in her vision. And at the same time, she felt like she would drop anytime. "Baby, catch me."


    ***


    TILLY woke up with a bad mood.


    First, she hated the fact that she was in the hospital again.


    Second, she read the newspaper that morning and she was disappointed to see that the part where the otherdies bullied her was omitted.


    Third and foremost, she wasn''t able to have sex with Kihost night.


    [We were both ready, dammit! The moodst night was perfect for making love. Plus, the way Kiho kissed me then told me that he wanted more.]


    Did someone curse her sex life?!


    "Tilly, you''re awake?"


    Tilly smiled as soon as she saw Kiho enter the room. She opened her arms to him. "Baby, love me."


    Kiho stopped walking towards her. He even took a step backwards as if he was nervous to approach her. "Tilly, Doctor McMin travelled all the way here to check on you. He reminded me that we can''t do it because your Mana depleted again."


    "What?" sheined, then got up from frustration. "But my body is feeling okay. I''m ready!


    The captain put a finger on his nose. "Shh, baby. Duke Prescott mighte in anytime. Your father just went out to buy your medicine."


    She blew the strand of hair on her forehead. "This is so frustrating."


    "I understand, Tilly. But your healthes first," heforted her. "Doctor McMin said that we should hold back until our wedding night."


    "That''s still a month from now," she whined, then she turned to her with a pout. "Kiho, can you wait that long?"


    "Yes," he said, his face and ears red from embarrassment. "Of course, I want to make love with you as soon as possible. But I don''t want to hurt you."


    She just went back to lying down on her back to stare at the ceiling, then she whispered to herself. "Someone definitely cursed my sex life."


    But kidding side, the state of her Mana wasn''t normal.


    [Should I consult with a priest?]


    The priests in the empire were more knowledgeable with Mana than the doctors. Plus, she could asked for a prayer to make her body physically stronger.


    [Wow, someone is horny.]


    To be honest, she wasn''t just frustrated because she wanted to conceive Winter as soon as possible. She was feeling this way because she wanted to do it with Kiho.


    [You''d feel this way if you have a hot boyfriend.]


    "Tilly?" Kiho called her carefully. Then, he sat on the stool beside her bed. "Are you upset?"


    "Not anymore," she lied. [Well, I don''t want him to know how ~thirsty~ I am for him.]


    "You''ll cheer up once you hear this," he said. When she turned to him, he continued. "A famous reporter wants to interview us about your engagement ring. I thought you could use that as an opportunity to advertise the jewelry collection that you''re working on since you''d be talking about your ring."


    She gasped at his suggestion. Then, she got up to give him a hug. "You''re amazing, baby. You know how marketing works."


    "I know a little about it," he said in a shy voice, then he wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her until she was sitting on hisp. "Have you cheered up?"


    She nodded before pulling away from his hug to look up at him. But of course, her arms remained wrapped around his neck. "Thank you for cheering me up, baby."


    "Don''t be too upset, baby," the captain said while caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. For some reason, his golden eyes started to glow. "I''ll make it up to you on our wedding night. You can look forward to it."


    He gently touched her face while running his thumb over her lower lip lightly. Now she knew what the glowing of his golden orbs mean it was hunger. It looked like her libido had awakened the beast in him.


    [Kiho is a gentleman in the streets, but a beast in the sheets.]


    "You''re not the only frustrated here, Tilly," Kiho said in a low, sexy voice while gazing down at her lips like he wanted to devour them. Then, he looked up at her face with sultry eyes. "I have so many things that I want to do to you so you better be prepared on our wedding night, okay?"


    Hot.


    [That''s so f*cking hot.]


    Tilly melted into his body and buried her flushed face against his neck. "I won''t be satisfied unless we do it at least five times, Captain."


    Her lewd joke was rewarded by a rare heartyugh from Kiho.


    [I was half-serious though.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 36: Change of Plans

    Chapter 36: Change of ns


    "KIHO, you really fought giant sea monsters just to get me a pearl ring?" Tilly asked the captain while they were taking a rest at her room.


    They just finished talking to the reporter interviewed them for her engagement ring. Apparently, she was the first noblewoman in the empire who received a pearl ring instead of a diamond one. Moreover, the pearl came from the nest of sea monsters.


    Yep, the reporter already heard the story from a "very reliable source."


    "Yes," Kiho said with a scowl, then he sipped his coffee.


    After living with him under the same roof for the past week, she found out that Kiho preferred coffee over tea when she discovered his stash of coffee beans.


    She didn''t notice that in her past life despite being married to him for many years. After all, she loved tea and would always ask the maids to make one for them. She just assumed that Kiho liked tea as well because he neverined.


    But this time, she wanted him to have more freedom around her. And she liked coffee as well. So she asked the servants to make coffee for them after the reporter left.


    "It''s not a big deal though," Kiho continued when he put the cup down on the table. "Pis asked for the empire''s help to get rid of the sea monsters that managed to destroy the barrier that they made. And so, His Majesty sent me to deal with it."


    "Uh-huh," she said, not entirely believing him.


    [Knowing Kiho, he probably asked the emperor to send him to Pis Inds to get the pearl that he wanted. And thus, His Majesty had to make an excuse for him to enter the ind.]


    But it seemed like the captain didn''t want to make a big deal out of it so she just let it slide.


    Plus, she noticed that he was in a sour mood the entire time they were being interviewed. His answers were polite but short, as if he didn''t want to share anything more than what he was asked. The reporter felt that too so he focused on talking to her instead.


    "Kiho, why are you in a bad mood?" Tilly asked curiously. "Were you just forced to do the interview a while ago?"


    "No, Tilly," Kiho denied while shaking his head. "To be honest, His Majesty asked me to do the interview with you. ording to the emperor, even though the rumor about you and Captain Denver were proven to be false, people wouldn''t easily forget the scandal. So to make them forget it, we have to distract their attention from the negative news to a positive one." He let out a deep sigh while shaking his head. "But I didn''t expect that His Majesty would tell the reporter how I got the pearl that was used to make your engagement ring. I didn''t want the whole empire to know that."


    "But you still shared the story to the reporter."


    "Well, I also think that His Majesty is right," he admitted. "I want everyone to forget the false rumor between you and Captain Denver as soon as possible." He tilted his head at one side as if he was in deep thought. "Right. I shouldn''t be acting this way since the emperor only did that to help us. I just hope that after this, people would stop assuming malicious things about our rtionship."


    "It won''t be easy because people love gossips," she said. Then, a brilliant idea suddenly popped into her head. "Kiho, I also believe that His Majesty is right. We have to make them pletely~ forget about the false rumor between me and Captain Denver. But this interview wouldn''t be enough. Some naysayers may even think that we''re only doing damage control. So to shut them up, I just thought of a grand n."


    "What is it?"


    "I want to add something to our wedding, Kiho," she said. "But it will cost a fortune."


    As per the empire''s tradition, the groom should shoulder all the expenses needed for the wedding.


    "Money won''t be an issue, Tilly," he assured her. "Please don''t worry about it."


    She knew that money wouldn''t be an issue to Kiho. After all, he had killed high-profile people from different parts of the continent for the emperor. Those assassination missions weren''t easy so naturally, His Majesty would pay him a fortune every time he seeded.


    [And so far, Kiho never had a failed mission.]


    But even though she knew about Kiho''s vast wealth, she still felt bad. After experiencing a life in the modern world, she learned that men didn''t need to pay for everything. But it was a hard to incorporate that in this world were traditions matter.


    [Anyway]


    "I want the reception party to take ce in Lunar Ind," Tilly said. "After our wedding ceremony at the Eclis Church, we''ll bring the guests to the ind by a ship. My father owns a few ships so it won''t be a problem."


    The reception party in the empire was usually held in the newlywed''s residence. That was also their initial n. But after hearing what the emperor thought about their situation, she decided to make the reception party as grand as possible.


    "Let''s have the reception party by the beach," she continued. "During the party, we can exchange vows."


    In this world, "exchange of vows" wasn''t a part of the wedding ceremony.


    The ceremony in Moonchester Empire was short and formal. The couple would face a priest in the altar. Then, the priest would recite their duties as man and wife, ask them to exchange rings, and finally, tell them to seal their promise with a kiss.


    After that, the priest would announce that the couple was already married.


    [in and simple.]


    "Exchange of vows?" Kiho asked in confusion. "What kind of vows do we have to exchange? I haven''t heard of it yet."


    She was sure that different countries or kingdoms had different wedding ceremonies as well. Kiho travelled a lot but not to attend weddings. No wonder he had yet to encounter a wedding where an exchange of vows was required.


    "Something like this" Tilly started, then she held Kiho''s hand and brought it to her lips. Then, without breaking eye contact, she ced a gentle kiss on his knuckles. "Captain Kiho, I swear that I will always be devoted and faithful to you for the rest of our lives."


    Kiho''s cheeks, as well as the tip of his ears, went red. "I-I see," he said. "Then, I''ll prepare a vow for the reception party."


    "I''m looking forward to it," she said yfully before she let go of his hand. "Ah, baby. Is it okay if I take care of the gifts that we''ll give to the guests?"


    Actually, giving wedding souvenirs wasn''tmon in this world. But she needed it for her next n.


    "I don''t mind," the captain said. "You can do whatever you want, Tilly."


    She smiled at that before exining her n. "I''d like to introduce my new jewelry collection on our wedding day by giving them as souvenirs to the guests."


    She was done with the design and there were three weeks left before the wedding.


    With the number of workers their jewelry stores had, she could probably make the jewelries in time. Of course, she wouldpensate the workers properly and she would make sure that they wouldn''t be overworked just because her ns changed.


    [I''ll hire more people to make sure the jewelries will be done in three weeks.]


    It would be possible thanks to the magical equipments in this world.


    "Thank you, Kiho," Tilly said. Then, she kissed him on the cheek. "And thank you for getting me the finest pearl ring of all."


    "You''re wee, Tilly," Kiho said. Then, he held her face and kissed her on the forehead. "I can''t wait for our wedding night."


    The emphasis on "night" made her giggle and blush.


    [Captain Naughty!]


    ***


    TILLY didn''t want to visit Princess Nia but she had to.


    First and foremost, Her Royal Highness was the owner of Lunar Ind.


    Second, the princess was in charge with the guest list so she had to report her change of ns. After all, it was Princess Nia''s job to inform the guests of what to expect during the ceremony.


    "Your idea is unique, Tilly. I approve of it," Princess Nia said kindly. She was talking to herfortably and casually because there was only the two of them in the garden. As usual, they were having tea. Lahara and the maids were standing a few meters from them. Every time there weren''t surrounded by other people, the princess would refer to her by her first name. "You may use Lunar Ind as you wish. I''ll also inform the guests about the change of venue."


    Tilly bowed to the princess. "I apologize for the trouble, Your Royal Highness."


    "It''s nothing, really," the princess said with a smile. "So, what else should the guests know about? Do they have to bring a change of clothes or something?"


    "Please inform the guests that the change of clothes and footwear will be prepared ordingly," she said. "All they have to do is show up in the ind."


    "Very well."


    "Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Tilly said with a smile. "Once your wedding date has been decided, please allow me to help you in any way possible."


    At the mention of her wedding with the emperor, Princess Nia''s smile suddenly froze.


    [Pfft. The princess really doesn''t want to marry His Majesty."


    "Of course," Princess Nia said when she gained back herposure. "I''d love to keep you by my side once I start preparing for my own wedding, Tilly."


    Tilly just smiled and sipper her tea.


    It was petty but she enjoyed teasing the "princess" without Her Royal Highness knowing that she was very aware of how she truly felt for the emperor.


    [Princess Nia, I will make sure that you''ll marry Emperor Aku in this lifetime.]


    ***


    "LANI and Leni, listen carefully," Tilly said to the twins while they were in the carriage. The two maids were sitting across her, the serious look on their identical faces told her that they were listening intently. "Lend me your strength."


    Actually, the twins had been doing that from the start.


    Lani and Leni help would apany her everyday wherever she needed to go for her wedding preparations. But today, she needed their help the most.


    "Mydy, we''re always here to support you," Lani said.


    "Just tell us what you need, Lady Prescott," Leni added. "We will be happy to serve you."


    "This is the most important decision that I have to make so far," Tilly said seriously. "Help me decide what lingerie to wear on my wedding night."


    And the twins blushed.


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 37: Wedding Day

    Chapter 37: Wedding Day


    {AFTER one month}


    TILLY was standing in front of a huge mirror in the chamber that Eclis Church lent her. She used that as a dressing room. When she was done dolling up, she asked her maids to leave her alone for the meantime. She wanted to absorb everything in.


    [I''m really getting married again in this lifetime.]


    She was surprised at how beautiful she looked in her ssic white wedding dress. Her gown had multi-tiered skirtsbined with ace bodice and three-quarter sleeves.


    Her hair was styled in a half up crown braid and was adorned by hairpins with pearls. Of course, her makeup made her look even more dainty and beautiful. No wonder her maids who dolled her up were crying tears of joy when they saw the finished product.


    [Well, I can''t me them.]


    No offense to Her Royal Highness but today, she looked like a princess.


    "Finally," Tilly whispered to herself. "Kiho, let''s change our lives this time."


    Her thoughts were cut off when she heard a knock.


    As soon as she let the person in, the doors opened and Kiho came in the room.


    [My baby is so gorgeous.]


    Kiho wore a ssic ck three-piece crisp suit. He also used the tie tack that she made for him. It was a customized pearl tie tack set in yellow gold with a touch of wood.


    [Thank goodness we''re allowed to see each other before the wedding.]


    In the empire, it was a tradition that the bride and the groom would enter the church together.


    "Tilly, you look extra beautiful today," Kiho said, his golden eyes shining with happiness. When he reached her, he ced his hands on her waist and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you for allowing me to marry you."


    "I feel the same, Kiho," she said. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt like crying because finally, she could build her family again. But her maids would get heartbroken if her makeup got ruined. So she made a joke to make herself forget about being emotional. "You look so gorgeous and yummy, baby."


    "I look "yummy?""


    "Yes," she said. Then, she stood in her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "I want to eat you, Captain."


    From being sentimental, she suddenly felt horny this time.


    [Tilly, be wholesome], she scolded herself. [You have to attend the wedding ceremony first so you can''t jump his bones yet, okay?]


    "Let''s see if you can eat me before I eat you," the captain said teasingly.


    He wasn''t smiling but his eyes and voice were filled with yfulness.


    "Wow, Kiho," she said in disbelief. Then, she let out a softugh while yfully hitting his shoulder. "When did you be a pervert?"


    "I learned from you," he said proudly. "You only have yourself to me, baby."


    Sheughed heartily at his light retort. Then, she changed the subject. She didn''t want them to get carried when the wedding ceremony was about to begin half an hour from now. "Kiho, let''s change our endearment now that we''re going to be husband and wife."


    For her, their engagement period was their "dating phase," that was why she asked him to call her ''baby.''


    But now that they were about to get married, she wanted to level up their endearment, too.


    "I asked you to call me ''baby'' before," she continued. "So this time, I will let you choose our new endearment."


    He looked pleasantly surprised by that. "Really?"


    She nodded. "Do you have anything in mind?"


    His cheeks turned pink as he nodded gently. "I''d like to call you ''honey,'' Tilly. Is that okay with you?"


    She smiled at his adorable shyness. Who would think that this was the same man who slew giant sea monsters just to get her a pearl ring? "Okay, honey."


    Kiho gave her his rare full-blown smile hisplete set of white teeth and dimples making aeback. "Honey?"


    Tilly smiled at his cuteness. "Yes, honey?"


    The captain responded by giving her a recklessly and intoxicatingly hot kiss.


    [Pre-honeymoon version, huh?]


    ***


    AFTER the short and formal wedding ceremony, Tilly and Kiho sent their guests to the ships that they prepared at the Atlenta Town.


    In each ship, there were several designated dressing rooms for the guests. In those rooms, a variety of cocktail dresses were prepared for thedies. For the men, there was an array of linen shirts and chinos.


    Of course, the sizes and designs of the clothes prepared for the guests were diverse.


    [Just a little bit more.]


    Tilly just finished changing her clothes. After taking off her wedding dress, she now wore a white maxi tube dress with pleated skirt. It was kind of sexypared to her wedding gown a while ago and it was on purpose.


    [This party dress is easier to take off.]


    "Honey?"


    Tilly smiled when Kiho entered her room after she let him in.


    Her husband looked good in his loose white shirt. The V-neckline of his shirt was deep, so his wide expanse of chest was kind of exposed.


    She instinctively licked her lips.


    [Yummy.]


    "Don''t look at me like that, honey," Kiho lightly scolded her while walking towards her. The glint in his yellowish eyes told her that he was barely holding back from locking up themselves in the room. "We still have a reception party to attend to."


    To distract herself from her dirty thoughts, she looked down at her wedding ring.


    Just like her engagement ring, her wedding ring was simple but elegant. It was a diamond ring with a white a tinum band. Kiho''s ring had a thicker band and the diamond was embedded in its center. She liked their wedding rings.


    "Tilly?"


    "I''ll behave," Tilly said with a pout. When the captain hugged her, she sneakily ced her hands on his chest. That made him groan lowly. "Oops."


    "You''re so naughty," he said while gently shaking his head. Then, he kissed her temple before he spoke again. "Would you like to stroll in the deck? The view of the sea is breathtaking. It might cleanse your lewd mind."


    She gasped at his ~hard~ teasing. That was the first time he said something that straightforward. After the initial shock, sheughed and hit him in the arm. He didntin though. "Did you just call me "lewd," Captain?"


    "You are lewd, honey," Kiho said with a smirk. "And I love that about you."


    Tillyughed and buried her face against his solid chest. "Let''s "cleanse" my lewd mind before I jump your bones, honey."


    ***


    IT WAS early evening when the reception party by the beach officially started.


    Tilly was satisfied by the oue.


    There was a beautiful floral arch above the round stage where she and Kiho stood.


    On their either side, chairs that the guests upied were lined neatly. Behind all the chairs was a pavilion specifically made for Emperor Aku and Princess Nia. Only Lahara and Captain Sherwood were behind the twin royals. But everyone knew that there hidden knights around.


    And, uh, Tilly hated to admit this but even though Her Royal Highness was at the farthest row, she was still glowing.


    Princess Nia looked gorgeous in her whitece flower wrapped chest dress. This time, her hair was tied in an elegant bun. But as usual, her makeup was so light and innocent-looking. If she didn''t know any better, she''d think that the princess was an angel.


    Of course, Emperor Aku looked just as dashing. And now that he wasn''t wearing his heavy cape or clothes, the linen shirt he wore exposed his gorgeous built.


    [Gosh, why are they so beautiful?]


    Tilly shook her head to focus on her moment with Kiho.


    Right now, they were standing on the round stage in front of their hundreds of guests. Now that everyone was there, they finally started their exchange of vows.


    "Tilly, I swear on my honor as a knight that you''re the only woman that I will give my heart and devotion to," Kiho said sincerely while holding her hands. Love and respect were evident in his eyes as he looked at her like she was the only woman he could see. "I know that this wedding is only the beginning of our journey together. I''m not a fool to think that we will always be happy. Life doesn''t work that way. But what I can promise you is that I will prove to you every day that you made the right choice when you married me. I won''t let you regret choosing me as your husband. I vow to give you all the happiness in the world, my wife."


    Tilly got emotional when she heard his vow. His eyes and voice were filled with love and sincerity. She couldn''t believe that she got lucky in this life time. "Kiho, I swear on my life that I will devote myself to you and the family that we will build in the near future. I will be the safe haven that you will always go home to. I will never let you be alone again." When she saw the tears in Kiho''s eyes, her tears silently fell down her cheeks. "I vow to stay by your side for as long as you want me to, my husband."


    And they sealed their vows with a chaste kiss.


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 38: Round 1 (of 5)

    Chapter 38: Round 1 (of 5)


    AFTER the exchange of vows, Tilly gave her guests their souvenirs.


    It was her token of gratitude for everyone who showed up at their wedding. And to be honest, it was also some sort of bribery. She knew that some of the nobles weren''t happy that she almost tarnished the nobility''s image. So she was hoping that they would forget about the unfortunate incident if she showed them a little bit of generosity.


    For thedies, she prepared aplete set of pearl jewelries: ne, earrings, bracelet, and ring.


    For the gentlemen, she prepared two gifts: a white and ck pearl cufflinks, and a tie tack with a pearl attached to a thin chain.


    Of course, the set of jewelries and essories that she gave to Emperor Aku and Princess Nia were more special and more expensive. No one wouldin because it was only natural for the nobles to treat the twin royals differently.


    Thankfully, the guests seemed to be satisfied by their generous wedding souvenirs.


    [I hope that they speak nicely about me and Kiho from now on.]


    ***


    TILLY and Kiho would spend their first night as a newlywed couple at the biggest chamber in the castle that Emperor Aku lent them for a week.


    A week with only just the two of them, as they requested.


    After the reception party, they sent off their guests before they headed to the castle.


    Tilly didn''t have the time to wear her lingerie because as soon as they arrived at their room, Kiho turned into a beast that she was waiting for.


    [Finally!]


    The next thing Tilly knew, she was already lying on the soft mattress with Kiho hovering her. He was showering her face with little kisses. That made her giggle.


    Then, he gave her a sensual look one that was definitely asking for more.


    She held his hand and put it on her breast as a response.


    Kiho looked surprised and amazed at how soft she was. Tentatively, he began squeezing her breast. Gently at first, then he became greedy. He pulled down her dress until she was only in her underwear. When he gave her the look that asked for permission, she removed her bra.


    Now, she was only wearing her ckcey panty.


    The captain looked mesmerized by her naked upper body.


    He didn''t need to say anything to let her know that he liked what he saw. The way he worshiped her body with his mouth and hands were more than enough.


    [Oh, gosh.]


    She moaned when his tongue explored her throat, her corbones, and then further. And while his mouth was moving down her body, she felt his fingers against hercey panties, tracing a line that has been soaked for a while now.


    His kisses were enough to make her wet.


    And now, his slender fingers were pushing her to the edge.


    [No, not yet]


    She said that, but she couldn''t stop her hips from grinding against his fingers.


    [It feels so good]


    Kiho looked at her with hungry eyes before he disappeared from her view. When she felt his warm breath against her thighs, she closed her eyes and prepared herself for all the pleasure that was about to wreck her in a good way, of course.


    She knew what was about toe so she physically prepared herself. She grabbed onto the sheets that she could hold. Then, she stretched her right leg when he carefully moved and put it over his shoulder. Just a few hot secondster, he pressed his mouth on her.


    [Yes!]


    He swiped his tongue deliciously on her, almost making here.


    As if it wasn''t enough to make her breathless, she then felt his tongue on her clit, teasing the sensitive part with slow strokes. She reminded herself to breathe; she had to because the pleasure was knocking her off her breath.


    And at the moment when she just caught her breath, he pushed a finger inside. When she gasped aloud, he pushed another one. His fingers hitting the right spots in her center made her moan deliciously.


    [He''s making me a screamer!]


    But then, he suddenly moved his hand away from her moist center.


    She was about toin when he reced his hand with his tongue. His mouth was doing wonders on her when he reminded her that he still had his fingers. He slid one digit while he was sucking her. She let out another loud gasp and when she did, she inserted another finger.


    Looked like he was enjoying her tiny whimpers, huh?


    [But damn! Thebination of his tongue and fingers are crazy good!]


    She wasn''t surprised when she felt herself clench around his fingers. She let herself surrender to the tingling sensation until she was tipping over the edge.


    But he wasn''t done with her yet.


    He curled his fingers, pumping then in and out of her fast as he used his tongue top up the juices escaping around his digits. And then he moved his mouth away from her clit and reced it with his thumb, rubbing her through orgasm and making her squirm.


    "You taste delicious, Tilly," Kiho teased her when he got up. And damn, he was licking his juice-covered fingers clean. It was so erotic that she almost came again. "Yummy."


    Tilly, still catching her breath, roared yfully at him. "Kiho, I want it NOW."


    ***


    TILLY swallowed hard when Kiho finally took off his clothes.


    She already knew that he had a gorgeous body but right now, her gaze was fixed on his very considerable length.


    [Gosh, he''s really big.]


    He looked shy when he caught her looking at his thing. But that expression was gone as soon as he cradled his cock. Then, he hovered over her and held her hips as he positioned himself between her legs.


    "Tilly, are you ready?" Kiho asked gently while looking straight into her eyes. "I''ll be very gentle. But if it hurts, just tell me. I''ll stop right away."


    Tilly smiled at his thoughtfulness.


    He also said those words during their first night in her past life.


    [This is the first time that I''m having sex in this lifetime. It would hurt a bit so I''m feeling a bit scared. But since it''s with Kiho again, I know that I''m safe.]


    With that thought in mind, her body eventually rxed.


    "I''m ready, Kiho," Tilly said while wrapping her arms around his neck. Then, she locked her fingers behind his nape. "Let''s do it."


    "Are you sure?


    She smiled again. "Yes, Kiho. I''m very sure."


    Kiho nodded gently.


    Then, he slowly entered her.


    They moaned in unison. The first thrust stung a bit but overall, it felt great. He was so big that she felt instantly filled even though he hadn''t moved yet.


    Kiho''s breath was heavy and he had a look of intense concentration in his face as he pushed into her. Like he was being so careful as to not hurt her. She could also tell that he wanted to move but his desire to protect her overpowered his own lust.


    [He''s really selfless.]


    "Kiho, I''m okay," Tilly assured her. "You can move now."


    The captain still looked worried. "Are you really sure, Tilly? I know it hurts."


    "It doesn''t hurt too much because you''re being so gentle," she said. To convince him, she grinded her hips against his. "It feels good, Kiho."


    His golden eyes glowed hungrily.


    He finally began gliding in and out of her.


    [So f*cking good.]


    The deeper he surged inside her, the more she circled her hips to feel him to her very core even more.


    "Kiho, more," she moaned while moving her hips in harmony with his. "I want more."


    He didn''t respond with words.


    But his hand moved and reached between them. He found her throbbing nub and gently caressed it as if he knew that there was an ache there. It hurt a bit because it was their first time and the captain was big. But his touch reced the pain with pleasure


    pleasure that made her scream again.


    [Thank goodness we have the castle to ourselves!]


    Kiho stopped moving for a while to kiss her on the lips.


    The kiss was fierce, as always.


    Then, he held her hips tight, picking up his pace. This time, despite the loud beat of her heart, she could hear the bed creak under their weight and movements.


    But the creaks soon faded in the background as her moans became louder. She moved her hips in the same rhythm as his. Their movements were now faster, his thrust deeper. The friction of their bodies ignited a spark inside.


    And then it exploded.


    She closed her eyes and let herself burst from pleasure.


    "Ah, Tilly," Kiho whispered in her ear. His groan was deeper and louder now as his hips moved faster. His heavy breathing set her off again. And this time, she wasn''t alone. He joined her as he came as hard as she did. Then, he copsed against her. His body was usually cold because of his Mana. But right now, his skin felt as hot as a red me. "I love you, Tilly..."


    Tilly was surprised at what Kiho whispered in her ear.


    [Did I hear him right?]


    Sadly, she didn''t have the time to confirm it because as soon as they were done, she felt so exhausted that she fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.


    That night, she dreamt of the first time she held Baby Winter in her arms.


    ***


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 Chapter 39: Honeymoon Stage

    Chapter 39: Honeymoon Stage


    WARNING: This chapter is full of mature scenes. Please excuse Kiho and Tilly. It''s their honeymoon. >.<


    ***


    WHEN Kiho woke up, he was surprised when he realized that Tilly was sleeping peacefully beside him. She was using his arm as a pillow while hugging his waist tight. Also, her leg was pressed between his legs.


    He silently prayed that she wouldn''t suddenly move or else, her knee would probably hit his uh, "male member."


    But despite that, he still felt blessed to wake up beside his wife.


    [My wife], he said to himself while gently caressing her cheek. He couldn''t see his reflection but he could feel a smile forming in his lips. [Tilly is my wife now.]


    And they had already consummated their marriage a while ago.


    The marks all over Tilly''s milky white skin confirmed that.


    His wife was wearing his linen shirt (the reason why he only had his pants on) and nothing else. The shirt was big enough to cover her body until her mid-thigh. But the fabric was so thin that he could see her erect nibs poking against it.


    The sight of her perky breasts made him hard.


    [More I want more.]


    But he controlled himself.


    Making love with him for the second time would make Tilly absorb some of his Mana again. He wasn''t sure if her body could handle that. And most of all, she was still probably sore.


    [You worked hard, Tilly.]


    He kissed her on the nose.


    Tilly''s forehead knotted, then her nose that he just kissed wrinkled. A few momentster, she finally opened her eyes. "Kiho?"


    When she tried to move, he pressed his legs against hers.


    "Honey, be careful," he lightly warned her. "Or else, you''d break my, uh, family jewels."


    She looked down at her leg trapped between his legs. "Oh, we wouldn''t want that to happen," she said before carefully pulling away her leg from his manhood.


    He felt relieved.


    "Sleep more, honey," he gently told her. "Sorry for waking you up."


    "I feel cold inside, hon," she said. She told him a while ago that "hon" was short for "honey." "This is the first time I felt this."


    "It''s probably my Mana," he said. "Does the cold make you feel ufortable?"


    "No, it''s actually a pleasant feeling," she said with a smile. "I was just surprised because I''m used with the warm feeling inside my body."


    He just touched her face as a response. "Go back to sleep, honey. I know you''re tired."


    "Not really," she said in a yful tone. Then, her arms wandered on his bared stomach. "Kiho"


    "I want to do it again, too," he admitted. "But I''m worried about you, Tilly."


    "I''m fine," she assured him. "Trust me. I don''t feel the pain."


    "Are you sure?"


    Instead of answering, she just leaned forward to kiss him causing her soft breasts to press nicely against his chest. Since the fabric of the clothes she wore was thin, he also felt her nibs poke against his skin.


    [Feels good]


    And it felt even better when she started to nibble on his lower lip.


    He was rock hard now.


    Kiho snaked his arms around Tilly''s soft body, then grabbed her firm buttocks in his hands as he pulled her closer to his body. He took over the kiss and devoured her mouth, coaxing her tongue to dance with his until she was moaning and grinding against his erection.


    He gently pushed his wife until she was lying on her back and he was on top of her, grinding his hips against her belly.


    "Can we do it again, Tilly?" Kiho whispered in her ear before he gently bit the lobe.


    "Yes, please," Tilly moaned, her hand reaching for his crotch. "Give it to me, Kiho."


    ***


    TILLY shivered in pleasure when Kiho''s cold fingertips touched her warm skin when he pulled up her shirt up to her belly. Then, he kissed the skin that he found underneath.


    [His body is cool again but it still feels good.]


    She took in a sharp breath when he sessfully puller her shirt up and exposed her breasts. He hungrily put one erect nipple in his mouth and swirled the tip of his tongue around the orb. Then, he sucked on it.


    And while his mouth was busy with her left breast, his hand was ying with the other nipple. He ran his thumb over the peak, then gently squeezed it.


    She could only moan and wrap her legs tight around his body as he worshiped her breasts.


    Then, he stopped to get up and kiss her on the lips. While he was gently sucking on her tongue, he slipped his fingers between her legs. She wasn''t wearing her panty anymore so he had an easy ess down there.


    Teasingly, he used the tip of his middle finger to trace a wet path up her slit.


    She prepared herself for what was about to happen so she grabbed the bed sheet under, hard, until her knuckles turned white.


    Like she expected, Kiho left her mouth after he made her lips swollen. Then, he put his head between her legs again. Suddenly, his tongue and fingers were on her. She was already soaked under his amazing mouth. No wonder she surrendered right away.


    She clenched around his fingers and her stiffening legs wrapped around him. Then, she quivered when she released another powerful orgasm.


    While catching her breath, she decided to return the favor.


    "Kiho?"


    "Mm?" he answered while he waspping up the remaining juices on her. Then, he got up and hovered over her. "What is it?"


    She wrapped her arms around his neck then pulled him down beside her. After that, she rolled over until she was on top of him and he was on his back.


    [This is my chance to "attack."]


    She quickly tugged at his pants. Without being told to lose them, he did it himself. Now he was only in his tightly fitting boxers that resembled modern boxers from her second life. Well, even the women''s undergarments here weren''t that different from the ones in the modern world.


    Anyway, she gulped when she saw the huge bulge straining against Kiho''s boxers.


    [He''s rock hard.]


    And so big.


    Before she realized what she was doing, she was already pulling his very stiff member out of his boxers. And boy, the captain''s cock was really impressive. It was long and thick and probably too big for her mouth. But it didn''t stop her from eating him out as she promised him that morning.


    [Happy eating to me.]


    She got his cock in and out of her mouth in no time.


    Kiho groaned lowly, his heavy breathing told her that he was enjoying her mouth. "Tilly that feels so f*cking good"


    It was the first time she heard Kiho curse. And he even did that using his sexy bedroom voice. That was more than enough to encourage her to please him with her mouth and hands.


    In her past life, she rarely pleasured him this way. Despite her selfishness, he neverined or demanded her to do that for him. Instead, he continued making her happy in bed. She wondered how he endured that kind of sex life with a b*tch like her before.


    [I''ll make it up to you this time, Kiho.]


    She dipped her tongue around the tip of his cock, pushed it in and out of her mouth. Then, she held the base of his length and pumped slowly. Then faster, as she took him as deep as she could. He was still in her mouth when he starteding. While the hot fluid was filling her throat, she heard him call her name again and again.


    "Sorry, Tilly," Kiho said, still breathing heavily. "I should have told you that I was close"


    "It''s okay," Tilly said when she got up, licking her lips clean. "You taste good, Captain."


    His whole face turned red before he held her hand and pulled her closer to him. When was lying on her back, he lied down on top of her. Then, he pressed his face between the valleys of her breasts.


    She wrapped her arms around his head and hugged him tight while listening to his heavy breathing. For some reason, the sound of his shallow breathing was a turn on to her.


    [He sounds sexy without even trying to be.]


    Tilly''s thoughts were cut off when she felt Kiho''s growing erection against her hips. "Gosh," she said in surprise. "You''re ready again?"


    It hadn''t been ten minutes since he ejacted!


    [Well Kiho is only twenty one.]


    Kiho got up and gazed down at her with glowing gold eyes. Then, he held her waist. "Tilly, can we do another position?"


    She felt her cheeks burn but she nodded eagerly. "Sure."


    "Thank you," he said politely


    then he gently flipper her over onto her stomach.


    He grabbed her hips and pulled them back up, the new position making her go on all fours. Oh, she remembered that she liked this one because it allowed Kiho to prate her deeper.


    "Tilly, is this okay?" Kiho asked, his erection pressing against her moist entrance. "Are youfortable with this position?"


    "Yes," Tilly said, grinding herself against his erection. "Take me again, Kiho."


    As a response, the captain slid inside her again.


    And they would do it three more times, ending their first night as a married couple with Kiho gantly fulfilling his promise of "five rounds" to Tilly.


    ***


    TILLY wasn''t surprised when she woke up at noon with her body sore all over.


    Five rounds. They did it five freaking times in different positions. Thank goodness she had a month of solo yoga "sses" before their honeymoon. If she didn''t make her body physically fit for that moment, she wouldn''t be able to match his high sexual drive.


    [My captain is a sex god!]


    "Honey, you''re awake?"


    She got up and wrapped her naked body with the thick nket when Kiho entered while pushing a food trolley.


    Tilly smiled at the wonderful sight of her husband bringing her breakfast. "What did you cook for breakfast, hon?"


    They were the only people in the castle so obviously, he was the one who cooked the food.


    "I made a simple breakfast. Well, it''s actually noon but since this is our first meal for today, let''s call it breakfast," Kiho said. Then, he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead before he told her what he made. "I just fried eggs, sausages, and bacons. I also made baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and mushrooms on toast. And for the drinks, I made coffee for us."


    "Perfect," she said. "Thank you, hon. And sorry for not waking up earlier. I should have helped you prepare our breakfast."


    His face went red when he gazed down at her neck


    her neck that was covered with love bites.


    [Actually, he left marks all over my body.]


    "It''s okay, Tilly," the captain said. Then, he looked up at her with shining eyes. "I know that you''re tired."


    "Tsk," she lightlyined, then hit him in the arm. "Why do you look so proud, huh?"


    He shrugged, a smile threatening to form on his lips. "I''m just d that I made you happy even though it was both our first time."


    "It doesn''t seem like it was your first time."


    "Well, I studied really hard for this night," he admitted in a shy voice. "I read tons of popr romantic novels as part of my preparation."


    By that, he probably meant the ''infamous'' erotic books that the youngdies in the empire were raving about.


    She couldn''t help but let out a softugh at his cute confession. "Thank you for working hard to make me happy, Kiho."


    "Tilly?"


    "Hmm?"


    "After breakfast, do you want to take a bath together?" Kiho asked. The blush on his cheeks said that he was being shy. But the glint of hungriness in his eyes showed the beast in him. "I want to experience taking a bath with you."


    "Sure," Tilly said with a smile. If she wasn''t hungry, she would have jumped his bones by now. But she needed to eat to have enough energyter. "Let''s take a bath together after breakfast, Kiho."


    [So, bathroom sex it is.]


    ***


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 Chapter 40: The Sought-After Elusive Heart

    Chapter 40: The Sought-After Elusive Heart


    [This is the wedding day and the reception party through Princess Nia''s eyes.]


    ***


    NIA was amused by the number of nobles that attended Lady Prescott''s wedding despite her recent dispute with the other nobledies.


    [Are they curious about the real score between Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho?]


    It wasn''t like she didn''t understand.


    When the High Priest announced the prophecy about Captain Kiho''s future son, her brother chose Lady Prescott to fulfill the divination with the captain. Duke Maverick Prescott, as a loyal subject of the royal family, epted the order without even consulting his daughter. And of course, as a knight, Captain Kiho couldn''t and wouldn''t refuse the emperor''s "request."


    To simply put, everyone in the empire knew that it would be a political marriage between Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho.


    [I thought so, too.]


    But Captain Kiho''s shameless disy of affection for Lady Prescott caught everyone off-guard. Who knew that the stoic "monster" and cold-blooded assassin would y giant sea monsters just to get hisdy a fine pearl for an engagement ring?


    Not only that.


    The captain of the ck Serpent Knights also stood by Lady Prescott''s side during her scandal with Captain Denver.


    [Even if Lady Prescott didn''t call the reporters, I''m pretty sure that she''d be proven innocent either way. After all, Captain Kiho would have probably murdered anyone who dared to speak gibberish about her.]


    The emperor quickly brushed it under the carpet but she heard that Captain Kiho went to Baroness Alphonse''s mansion and froze her knights.


    [Aku treats Captain Kiho like his younger brother so I knew he''d protect his reputation.]


    The emperor even arranged an interview for Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho for the pearl engagement ring. Her brother did that to distract the people from the previous scandal involving the two.


    [Thanks to that, I wasn''t able to touch Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho for the meantime.]


    And thus, the peaceful wedding between them right now.


    "What are you thinking so deeply about, Nia?" Aku, who was sitting next to her in the balcony of Eclis Church, asked her. "You''ve been silent since we arrived here."


    They were watching the wedding from the top so they wouldn''t steal the spotlight from Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho. After all, they were surrounded by knights. Captain Sherwood and Lahara were the only ''visible'' guards behind her and her brother.


    But that didn''t mean there were only two knights around.


    The others were simply in "stealth mode."


    "I find their rtionship amusing," Nia said. She was watching Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho in the altar listen to the priest who was officiating the wedding. Everyone below was quiet since the ceremony was wedding. But they were in the balcony and there was a protective barrier around her and the emperor. In short, no one could hear them talking. Well, except for Captain Sherwood and Lahara. "It started as an arranged marriage but look at them now. I never thought that the stoic captain can make a face like that."


    Captain Kiho''s face would soften up every time he would turn to Lady Prescott.


    "He lost," she continued in a light tone. "The captain lost because he fell in love first."


    Akuughed heartily. Good thing they were required to put a protective barrier every time they were outside the pce. If not, everyone would have heard the emperorugh in the middle of a solemn wedding ceremony.


    [He can be so immature sometimes.]


    "That''s true," Aku said. "It seems like I should wee Kiho to the "losers'' club.""


    "Why are you calling yourself a loser, Aku?"


    "You said it yourself, Nia. The first one who falls in love with their partner is the loser," he said yfully. "That makes me a loser, right?"


    Nia smiled even though she wanted to puke inside. "Aku, behave," she lightly scolded him. "We''re supposed to focus on the newlyweds instead of ourselves, remember?"


    "Alright," Aku agreed, then he turned to the main couple of the hour. "We should make our wedding grander than this."


    ***


    "THEY really spent a fortune for this," Nia said while admiring the beach side where Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho would "exchange vows."


    The floral arch was beautiful, and so were the arrangement of seats.


    But it wasn''t just the stage that looked pretty.


    The makeshift pavilion made for her and Aku was also wonderful. They even had a table before them. The menu prepared for them was also different from the one served to the guests.


    On either side, there was a long table filled with a wide variety of food. Most of them were seafood. When she checked the menu earlier, she was surprised to see some unique choices like "bite-sized lobster rolls." Majority of the food presented were finger food and easy to eat.


    The selection of refreshments was surprising as well because tea and coffee weren''t included. Instead, they got water and different vors of juice to choose from. She''d say they were good choices because even though it was autumn, the weather today was hot.


    [It''s especially warmer here in the ind.]


    Also, the array of desserts looked delectable. They were colorful and the presentation was cute, probably appealing to thedies.


    When she asked the chef who decided the menu, he said it was mostly Lady Prescott.


    That quite surprised her.


    [I didn''t know that Lady Prescott is this good at organizing events. Even though she''s a duke''s daughter, she never hosted a tea party of her own. I thought it was because she can''t be bothered to use what little amount of creativity that she has. But looking at the beautiful setup of this reception party, I guess I''m wrong.]


    But when did Lady Prescott be a responsible adult?


    "Nia, Lady Prescott and Kiho just keep on breaking traditions for their wedding, huh?" Aku said in amusement. Like her, the emperor was also admiring the whole setup. "Usually, the reception party is held at the newlywed''s manor."


    "Yes," Nia agreed. "But it''s not like they''re breaking any rule."


    "That''s true," the emperor said with a softugh. "I bet this kind of reception party will be the next trend among the nobles."


    She nodded in agreement.


    Tilly could see that every guest was very satisfied. After all, they were pampered from the start. Even boarding the ship was a delight. Aside from the trendy and chic clothes that were prepared for them, the snacks served in the ship were also very delicious.


    "Lady Prescott has just set the bar high for reception parties," Nia said. "But as the royal princess and the so-called "Queen of Social Circle," I can''t lose."


    Of course, she just said that because she knew the emperor wanted to hear that from her.


    "Spoken like a true Moonchester," Aku said with a smile. "I''m looking forward to our own reception party, my dearest Nia."


    ***


    NIA didn''t expect that she''d get emotional listening to Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho''s exchange of vows.


    Their promise with each other was obviously genuine and filled with love.


    Watching the newlyweds made her feel like there was a hole in her chest.


    [I envy you, Lady Prescott. You were able to marry your beloved. Not everyone who has the same status like you has the freedom to do so.]


    Now Nia wanted to destroy Lady Prescott''s happiness even more.


    ***


    AFTER the exchange of vows, Nia was once again surprised by what Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho prepared for the guests.


    "We are very grateful to everyone here for joining us during this joyous moment," Lady Prescott said. Her voice was being amplified by the spirit stone embedded in the choker ne that she was wearing. "Please ept the little token of gratitude that Captain Kiho and I prepared for all of you."


    Their token of gratitude was anything but "little."


    Each guest received pearls. A set of jewelries for thedies was given. While the gentlemen received pearl cufflinks and tie tacks with pearls.


    [They''re being so generous.]


    More like, they were showing of the vast wealth of House Prescott.


    But maybe it wasn''t just Lady Prescott''s fortune. After all, she knew that Aku pays Captain Kiho arge sum of money for every kill he''d made.


    Her thoughts were cut-off when Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho went to their pavilion.


    "Greetings to the moon and the brightest star of our Great Moonchester Empire," Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho greeted them with their heads hang low.


    "Rise," Aku said. When the newlyweds raised their heads, the emperor smiled. "Congrattions on your beautiful union, Lady Prescott and Kiho."


    Nia smiled at the couple. "We are very happy for the both of you."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness," the newlyweds said in unison.


    "We''re very blessed to have been graced by your presence during this special day," Lady Prescott said. "Please ept our humble offerings for His Majesty and Her Royal Highness."


    Kiho signaled the servants who each held a box in their hands.


    Captain Sherwood received the gift for Aku while Lahara received the gift for her. After that, the two carefully ced the boxes in front of her and the emperor.


    [Again, their gifts weren''t humble at all.]


    Nia received the same jewelry set that the otherdies got. But the pearls used in each jewelry were the rare ck ones. She could also tell that they were very high-quality.


    The same went for the cufflinks and tie tacks that Aku received.


    "These are beautiful," Nia said genuinely before she looked up at Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho. Then, she gave them a kind smile. "Thank you, Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho."


    "You''re wee, Your Royal Highness," the newlyweds said in unison, again.


    [Well, you can''t just talk freely to the royal family after all. So anyone would just be polite.]


    "I didn''t know that pearls can be used like this for cufflinks," Aku said in amusement. "Is this your idea, Lady Prescott?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lady Prescott said, excitement visible in her eyes. "They''re going to be a part of the men''s essory line that I''m nning tounch soon."


    "Then, I''m looking forward to it," Aku said to Lady Prescott. When she just smiled and bowed, the emperor turned to Kiho. "You married a great businesswoman, Kiho."


    Kiho''s eyes shined. "Your Majesty, I never thought that the day I''d say this woulde but thank you for meddling with my love life."


    The emperorughed at that.


    Lady Prescott whole face turned red but she couldn''t hide her smile as she lightly nudged Kiho in the stomach.


    Kiho then turned to her with a small smile.


    [I didn''t know Captain Kiho can smile like that.]


    Nia hid her hands under the table and clenched them hard.


    [I really want to rip out your heart right now, Lady Prescott.]


    ***


    "YOUR ROYAL Highness, His Majesty ordered me to apany you to the pce."


    Nia looked at Captain Sherwood who opened the carriage''s door for her. "Oh. It''s a surprise that he left you to apany me even though Lahara is with me."


    Aku had to leave ahead of her because of an urgent matter that he had to attend at the pce. To get back quickly, he used the portal in the castle connected to his residence.


    She had to stay until the reception party was over, of course.


    After saying goodbye to Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho, she went to her carriage that would bring her to the dock.


    "The ind is far from the royal capital so His Majesty probably wanted you to travel back home as safely as possible, Your Royal Highness," Captain Sherwood told her with a smile. "But to be honest, I''m not sure how to protect a person who''s stronger than I am."


    "You''re being modest, Captain Sherwood," she told him. "You''re the de-facto leader of the Four Orders. If I were you, I wouldn''t underestimate myself even in front of a Moonchester."


    The captain just smiled and bowed to her as a show of his gratitude.


    She then entered the carriage.


    Lahara and Captain Sherwood joined her inside. While Lahara sat across her, Captain Sherwood sat directly beside her. Then, he held her hand.


    "Look at this," Captain Sherwood said while shaking his head. He was looking at the little cuts on her palm that she got from clenching her hands tight a while ago. "Why did you have to do this to yourself, Princess Nia?"


    "I''m surprised you noticed," Nia said. "And I''m even more surprised that my brother didn''t notice that you were watching me the entire time."


    The captain smirked. "I''m good at being discreet," he said. Then, he gently touched the little cuts until they were gone. "There. Your hand is good as new."


    "Thank you," she said before pulling her hand away from him. "You act like a feral child whenever my brother isnt around, Noel."


    Now that there weren''t prying eyes and ears around, she dropped the formality.


    "It''s stiffening to act so formal around you all the time," the captain said while moving his shoulders. "His Majesty keeps a close eye on me."


    "You acting so familiar with the princess is the reason why," Lahara said with a softugh. "Just be grateful that His Majesty didn''t kill you."


    The carefree captain justughed it off. Then, he turned to her. "So, Princess Nia. What''s the next n?"


    "We''ll leave Lady Prescott and Captain Kiho alone for now," she said. "Lady Prescott has to give birth to a child first. The protection of the heart of female Fire Mages weakens after child birth. We''ll wait for that opportunity before we make a move."


    "Just like what we did to Lady Marianne Prescott when she gave birth to Lady "Tilly" Prescott, right?" Lahara asked with a smirk. "It became easier to steal Lady Marianne''s heart when she had Lady Tilly. Too bad her heart wasn''t the one we''re looking for."


    "But how sure are we that Lady Prescott owns the heart that can summon the sky beast?" Captain Sherwood asked.


    "I''m taking my chances on every Fire Mage I''ll meet," she said. "I need that heart to get rid of my "unbreakable" bind with Aku."


    "You should be careful, Princess Nia," Lahara warned her. "I''m not the only mage who can make a device to detect Fire Mages. And we''re surely not the only ones who are after the heart."


    "We''ll be fine as long as Lady Prescott''s true Mana doesn''t awaken yet," Captain Sherwood said casually. This guy really never worried about anything. "And thus, we have to protect her identity as a Fire Mage descendant."


    She turned to Captain Sherwood with a raised brow. "Noel, I''m grateful that you''re on my side. But I have to say that your reason for joining my side is kind of shallow."


    "It''s not shallow, Princess Nia," Captain Sherwood said, his boyish grin still stered on his face. "It has always been my dream to see the sky beast with my very own eyes."


    "I don''t understand what''s special about a ming red bird but if that will keep you by my side, so be it," Nia said before turning outside the window again. "Just make sure that Aku won''t catch you betraying him."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 41: Newlyweds

    Chapter 41: Newlyweds


    TILLY was impressed by the castle''s huge bathroom.


    Instead of a tub, there was an indoor tiled pool with four posts. Statues and water fountains were also around the room. And most of all, there was a giant crystal chandelier above.


    [I feel like I''m in a five-star hotel.]


    "Kiho, isn''t this pool beautiful?" Tilly said when they were on the pool corner steps. She was sitting between his legs while leaning against his back. "In some other ces, we have to pay a fortune to have this room to ourselves," she said before she turned to him.


    "Uh-huh," Kiho agreed but he was gazing down at her breasts. "They are beautiful."


    And she could feel his growing erection against her hip.


    She couldn''t help butugh softly at his reaction.


    [Are all newlyweds like this or we just have high sex drive?]


    In her past life, she remembered doing it three times with Kiho during their honeymoon. But he didn''t act as clingy as he did now.


    "Captain, eyes on my face," she lightly scolded him. "I''m talking to you."


    Kiho looked at her with an embarrassed look on his face. "I''m sorry, honey."


    "You know what I was thinking earlier?" she asked with a yful smile. When he shook his head, she continued. "I was wondering if all newlyweds are as horny as we are or we just have high sex drive."


    "Oh, I''m not sure," he said. "But I remember that one time, ke scolded me for giving one of our men a weekend break after his wedding."


    She gasped at that. "You gave a two-day break to a man who just got married? You''re a monster, Captain Kiho!"


    "I told you I''ve killed people for my job and you justughed it off," he said, his voice filled with amusement. "But now that you heard that I gave a newly married knight a two-day vacation, you''re looking at me like I''m despicable."


    "Because you are," she said with widened eyes. "You''re a terrible boss for giving a weekend break to newly married guy. How would you feel if His Majesty gave you two days instead of a week for our honeymoon?"


    To be honest, one week was too short for a honeymoon.


    But Kiho was a captain and he couldn''t leave his post for too long. In fact, the ck Serpent Knights weren''t able to attend the reception party because they had a mission away from the empire. ke and the others had to leave after the wedding ceremony.


    Kiho would have to join the troop a week from now. ke was currently leading the squad but the sess rate of their mission would drop without the captain. And so, Kiho had to follow his knights after their honeymoon.


    They were lucky that it wasn''t an urgent mission because if not, they would have to move their wedding date.


    "You''re right," Kiho said while nodding his head. "I would be pissed if His Majesty gave me two days to spend with you after our wedding." He scratched his cheek, obviously ashamed of his ignorance then. "I didn''t know the joy of having a wife during that time so I didn''t care."


    "You owe that knight an apology, Kiho."


    "I do," he admitted. "I''ll give him a one week break. Then, I''ll send him and his wife to a vacation ce of their choice as peace offering. With pocket money, of course."


    "That sounds like a good n," she said. Then, she kissed his cheek. "Good thinking, Captain."


    That kiss seemed to awaken his libido once again.


    "Tilly, can we do it again?" Kiho asked while wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Then, he kissed her cheek and proceeded to gently bit her earlobe. "Please?"


    He didn''t have to beg but she decided to tease him first.


    "But if we do it now, I''m sure you won''t stop with just one round," she lightlyined. "I don''t want to be so exhausted because I want to walk by the beachter."


    "I promise one round is enough."


    "Really?"


    "I swear."


    "Okay, then," she said. "But on one condition."


    "Anything."


    "I want to be in control this time," she said slyly.


    "I don''t mind," he said, then he caught her lips for a hungry kiss.


    When she started to kiss him back with as much fervor, his hands began to fondle her breasts and y with her nipples. He took her hardened peak between his thumb and index finger, then he rolled it around and gave it light pinches.


    It felt so good that she came right away.


    [Argh, and he wasn''t even touching me down there yet.]


    One of Kiho''s hand reached between her legs while the other remained squeezing her breast.


    "Oh," he said when he cupped her mound. "You already came?"


    "Shut up," sheined, a little bit embarrassed that she came with just him ying with her boobs.


    He just let out a softugh.


    Her whining soon turned into a moan when his thumb rubbed her clit while his two fingers were thrusting inside her.


    [Gosh, he''s so good at multi-tasking!]


    Kiho nuzzled his face against her neck and made a trail of open-mouth kisses on it down to her shoulders. Then, he lightly nibbled at her corbone.


    She turned to him to kiss him on the temple. Then, she leaned a bit forward to reach and gently bite his earlobe. This time, it was his turn to groan. And boy, she had to say that every sound Kiho made during sex turned her on even more.


    No wonder she felt herself tightening around his fingers. She knew he felt it too because his fingers moved in and out of her faster.


    Gosh, she released a powerful orgasm again.


    [Just from his fingers]


    He slowed down with this thrusting when she leaned against his chest to catch her breath.


    "Are you okay, honey?" he teased her. He only pulled out his fingers when she waspletely spent. Then, he licked his digits one by one as if he was licking a delectable treat. "Dessert."


    She rolled her eyes at his teasing. "Where''s my innocent little Kiho?"


    "You made a man out of him, honey."


    Okay, sheughed at that. "Well, I like your duality."


    She couldn''t wait anymore to feel him inside her again so she stood up and faced him. Then, she held onto his shoulders and straddled his hips. After securing her position, her hand reached down between his legs and carefully held his erect cock.


    He leaned against the tiled wall and groaned, obviously pleased by the sensation brought by her fingers around his manhood.


    [Ohh.]


    Satisfied by his reaction, she slid her hand along his considerable length. She was still wet and they were in a pool so he''d definitely slide inside her easily.


    "Are you ready, hon?" she asked him.


    "I am," he said, then he ced his hands on her waist. "Please be careful and don''t break my little guy."


    She justughed it off.


    A few heartbeatster, she sank down and took him all the way inside. That caused them to moan simultaneously. Gosh, he was so big that he filled her uppletely.


    [And I haven''t moved yet.]


    Amodating his massiveness inside her made her feel like she was breaking into two.


    The captain seemed to notice that she froze. "If it hurts, I''ll pull out."


    "No, I''m fine," she assured him.


    She just didn''t expect that that position would allow her to take him in as deep as possible. But that was the point of that sitting on top of him to give her the control on how deep he would prate her.


    Kiho, probably in an attempt to help her rx, kissed her gently on the lips.


    And it worked.


    She wrapped her arms around his neck while kissing him. Then, she started to move slowly. When her bodypletely rxed, she took him deeper.


    Then, Kiho thrust his pelvis up to match her downward slides. He filled herpletely that even his tiniest moves still hit all the right spots inside her. So even though she was supposed to be the one doing the work in that position, she didn''t feel that at all.


    Anyway, when she broke the kiss for air, his mouth found her breasts again. He took one nipple in his mouth while his hand yed with the other mound.


    She moaned loudly and changed her movements.


    Now she was bouncing up and down his cock as careful as possible while he pushed his ups, matching her new rhythm.


    This time he put the other breast in his mouth. Then hezily made a circle around her nipple with his wet and hot tongue until he got to the center of the orb. She almost came again when he flicked his tongue several times before he wrapped his lips around the hardened peak.


    And then he sucked on her nipples. Gosh, the sounds he made while sucking it was very erotic to her ears.


    "Kiho," she moaned in his ear. "I''m close"


    The captain stopped worshipping her breasts to grab her hips tight. Then, his thrust became faster and deeper. She was still on top but he clearly had to control now.


    But she waspetitive so she grabbed her shoulders and moved her hips in a way that would match his pace. It seemed like he loved it because he groaned and buried his face against her neck.


    His warm breath tickled her skin. Everything about that moment sent her to blinding bliss. A few bounces and pumpster, she was screaming with a powerful orgasm.


    Then, she copsed on him.


    But he wasn''t done yet, and so was she.


    He groaned lowly when she ran her palms over his bare chest, identally brushing her fingers against his hardened nipple. When he cursed out of pleasure, she nibbled the sensitive part of his neck to tease him further.


    That seemed to send him to the edge because he shot his load after a few thrusts his release taking longer than usual.


    "Let''s stay like this for a while, honey," Kiho whispered while kissing the top of her head. "Can we?"


    "Of course," Till said with a smile. "I want you inside me a little longer, too."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 42: Ugly Past Memories

    Chapter 42: Ugly Past Memories


    [OH. I haven''t worn the lingerie that Leni and Lani chose for me.]


    Tilly only remembered the sexy lingerie that she brought when she was looking for an outfit to wear. She was supposed to wear the lingerie on their first night together. But Kiho didn''t even give her the chance to change after their wedding.


    [Gosh, we didn''t even shower.]


    Well, they did shower separately after their first time. But since she was too tired to look for her lingerie, she went to bed and wore Kiho''s shirt instead.


    [I''ll just wear the lingerie on ourst night here in the ind.]


    After hiding the lingerie in the closet, she chose a floral maxi dress with cap sleeves and a pair of sandals for her outfit. She put on light makeup and tied her hair in a messy bun. When she was done dolling up, she went out the room.


    She smiled when she saw Kiho walking towards her.


    [Gosh, my husband is so sexy.]


    The captain was wearing a pale blue corless linen shirt, ck trousers, and a pair of boots. His sword was attached to his belt.


    "Hon, why did you get your weapon?" she asked with a knotted forehead. "We''re just going out for a stroll, right?"


    "It''s alreadyte at night," Kiho said while cing his hands on her waist. Then, he kissed her forehead before he continued. "We''re the only people in the castle right now. We may never know, but we might be ambushed. I have to make sure that you''re going to be safe with me."


    "Uh-huh," she said, a little bit distracted because she was busy checking him out.


    Kiho''s gorgeous body was emphasized by his fitted linen shirt.


    Just look at those broad shoulders that wide expanse of chest his taut waist and of course, his washboard stomach


    [We can''t forget about the abs, right?]


    But the most important thing was the hidden gem inside his trousers


    [I want to y with it]


    "Eyes on my face,dy," Kiho teased her. Then, he cupped her face and gently moved her head so that she was looking up at his face instead of gazing down on his crotch. "Who was it that said she wanted to stroll by the beach?"


    [Me, I''m the dumb one who said that.]


    "Fine. As a nobledy, I have to keep my word," Tilly said. "I shall not think of lewd thoughts for now. I won''t also touch you indecently."


    Kiho raised a brow at her, a glint of mirth in his yellow eyes made it look like he wasughing softly at her "promise." "Let''s see how long you can keep your hands off me."


    She gently hit his arm that seemed to amuse him even more.


    [#RIP, my innocent little Kiho.]


    ***


    "KIHO, there''s something we didn''t do during our wedding that I wish we did," Tilly said while she was walking with Kiho by the beach. Of course, they were holding hands. "I heard it was done in other cultures."


    The surface of the sea was sparkling as if it was sprinkled with millions of crystals. The moon was full so the night sky was a little bit brighter than usual. The wave sounded nice and the breeze was cool. The sand also felt soft under their feet.


    In short, the ambiance was so romantic.


    [Perfect for ate night stroll.]


    "What is it?" Kiho asked curiously. "If we can do it right now, then let''s do it."


    "I want to dance," she said with a smile. "In other cultures, couples dance in front of the guests during the reception party."


    [Well, at least, it''s the tradition from where I was living in a modern world.]


    She stopped walking when Kiho did. When she looked up at him, she noticed that his face was red from embarrassment. That made her worry. "What''s wrong, hon?"


    "Tilly, I haven''t danced in my life yet," Kiho said as if he was embarrassed by that fact. "Commoners don''t usually learn dancing because it''s a luxury we can''t afford."


    While for nobles like her, dancing lessons were a privilege they enjoyed since childhood.


    [I was lucky to be born rich even in my second life.]


    "His Majesty tried to make me take etiquette lessons that nobles have since childhood," he continued. "But I skipped them all to practice my swordsmanship."


    The emperor took Kiho under his wing when the captain was still a young boy.


    [That reminds me Emperor Aku and Princess Nia are way older than us.]


    If she remembered it correctly, the twin royals were turning thirty soon.


    [But they look as young as we are.]


    The Moonchesters weren''t blessed with eternal youth. But they aged really, really slow. So even if they were in their early thirties now, they still looked like they were in their early twenties. And they would stay that way for a very long time.


    [Talk about lucky.]


    "Now I kind of regret it," Kiho said with a sad voice. "I know that I''ve said many times that I don''t care about other people''s opinion. But still, I don''t want to embarrass you."


    In her past life, Kiho inherited her father''s title when Winter was born. But even though he became a duke, hisck of "proper etiquette" was still an issue for other higher nobles. And so, he stopped attending social gatherings with her.


    Before, she was relieved to go alone because she knew that the captain would only embarrass her. She didn''t even consider his feelings then. Gosh, she wanted to b*tch-p her old self.


    "Kiho, I just want to dance with you," Tilly said gently. Then, she ced a hand on his cheek. "I can teach you how. And I don''t care even if you mess up in front of other people. I just want to have fun with you. But if you''re ufortable, I won''t force you."


    "It''s not that I''mfortable," Kiho denied. "I just don''t want to embarrass myself in front of you. You''re the only person that I want to impress the most. That''s why I aim to always be perfect for you."


    She giggled at that. "Hon, no one is perfect."


    "You are, honey."


    Sheughed heartily. Of course, she was very giddy. But she had to talk seriously with him. "Kiho, I''m not perfect. So you don''t have to force yourself to be perfect for me. I have so many uglyyers. Are you saying that you can''t ept them?"


    He shook his head eagerly. "No. I ept you wholly, Tilly."


    "So do I," she said to him with a smile. Then, she lightly pinched his cheek. "I ept all of you, Kiho the good and the bad."


    He didn''t say anything but his eyes glowed beautifully.


    Tilly let go of the captain''s hand and made a curtsy to him. "Captain Kiho, may I dance with you?"


    "Of course," Kiho said, then he offered his hand to her. "It''s my honor to have a dance with you, Lady Prescott."


    And they spent the night dancing waltz to the beat of their hearts.


    ***


    TILLY woke up feeling hot.


    [Literally, okay?]


    When she was fully awake, she realized that she felt hot because Kiho was spooning her from behind. His arms and legs were wrapped around her body as if he was afraid that she would run away from him.


    [So clingy.]


    Not that she wasining.


    She loved it


    especially because she could feel his "morning wood" pressed deliciously against her hip.


    [Good morning to me.]


    "Honey?" Kiho whispered in a hoarse voice. Obviously, like her, he just woke up. "You awake?"


    "Uh-huh," Tilly answered, grinding her hips against him to feel his erection even more.


    [Gosh, why am I so horny?]


    The captain groaned in her ear. "Can we do it?"


    As a response, she just rolled her hips until his erection was pressed nicely between the cracks of her buttocks.


    That made them moan simultaneously.


    Just the feel of his warm breath against her neck already made her wet.


    It seemed like she wasn''t the only one who felt really eager that early morning.


    Kiho, without "warming up" her body first, hooked his fingers at the waistband of her panties and pulled it down right away.


    A few momentster, she felt the tip of his cock at the entrance of her moist center.


    Then, he slid in easily.


    Tilly, once again, was thankful that they were the only ones in the castle who could hear her lewd moans.


    ***


    [THIS is refreshing.]


    Tilly felt happy while watching Kiho make pancakes for breakfast.


    Her body was still sore from their morning sex and she couldn''t even walk properly. The captain had to carry her to the kitchen like a princess.


    [The sex was that good, y''all.]


    Anyway, Kiho didn''t let her help him prepare food so she was just sitting prettily while admiring his sexiness.


    "I''ll wash the dishester," Tilly offered. Before he could refuse, she spoke again. "It''s only fair that I do that because you''ve been doing all the chores since we got here."


    And that was because ever since their first night in the castle, she had been making love with Kiho many times a day. She would instantly fall asleep after their "vigorous activity." Each time she would wake up, the food was already prepared for her.


    [He''s been taking good care of me all this time.]


    "Okay," Kiho agreed when he probably realized that she wouldn''t change her mind. "But for now, let me take care of you."


    When he was done making the pancakes, he setup the table himself.


    A few momentster, they were now sitting side-by-side while having their simple but delicious breakfast: pancakes, sausages, and some maple syrup. Instead of tea, they both chose to have coffee.


    "I don''t want this to end," Tilly said. "Can we go on a vacation again after your mission?"


    "That will be hard, honey," Kiho admitted sadly. "Three weeks from now, the Clean-Up Hunt will begin."


    The "Clean-Up Hunt" was Emperor Aku''s project.


    Before autumn ends, flesh-eating monsters called Crades would go out of their hidings and hunt humans. These monsters would go in hibernation every winter and so they needed humans as their stockpile of food.


    So annually, nobles and knights from different parts of the empire would join the hunt to eliminate Crades and keep the civilians safe.


    It was a dangerous job so to entice more people to join, Emperor Aku came up with a game. Every year, the emperor would release a clone of an ancient beast in wherever the Hunt would be held. Whoever catches the clone would win the game.


    [But only men are allowed to join the Hunt.]


    Then, the winner would choose thedy that would gain the title of the ''Beast Priestess'' of the year. The chosendy would have the honor to serve the High Priest for three days


    [Wait]


    Tilly gasped and identally dropped her bread knife when she remembered what happened during the Hunt the year that she married Kiho in her past life.


    Captain Sherwood won the Hunt and that idiot dedicated his win to Princess Nia. Of course, Emperor Aku went batshit crazy because of jealousy. Half of the forest vanished in the map and many innocent people were heavily injured as a result.


    [Including Kiho]


    How could she forget that Kiho lost his left eye and left arm because of that incident?!


    Aspensation, Emperor Aku ordered the Grand Mage of the White Tower to make a prosthetic eye and arm for Kiho. But despite that, the captain never regained his full confidence again. And that was mostly the reason why he never apanied her to social events.


    [No I won''t let my Kiho suffer that fate in this lifetime!]


    "Tilly!"


    Tilly was surprised when she heard Kiho''s loud voice. She blinked a few times before she realized that he was shaking her shoulders. "W-What happened?"


    "You suddenly froze in your seat as if you got into shock," Kiho said in a worried voice. "You weren''t responding when I was calling you. What happened, honey?"


    "I just remembered something bad."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. Then, he used the back of his hand to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead. "Do you want to talk about it?"


    She gently shook her head. "Kiho, you''ve been joining the annual Hunt ever since you became a knight, don''t you?"


    He nodded, worry still visible in his eyes. "Yes. Especially now that I''m a captain. After all, the captains of the Four Orders are required to join the Hunt."


    [Then, I can''t ask him to withdraw from it.]


    She could only think of another way to change his fate.


    "Kiho, you never won the Hunt, right?"


    He looked mildly offended by her question. "Only because I had no reason to win."


    "Then, can you win for me?"


    "Do you want me to?"


    "Yes, please," Tilly pleaded seriously. "No matter what happens, promise me that you''d win the Hunt."


    She knew that she was being selfish but she believed in Kiho. Captain Sherwood was crazy strong, but so was her husband.


    "I''ll win the Hunt," the captain promised her. "So please calm down, honey."


    She was relieved to hear that. But she also felt guilty. "Are you not going to ask me why I''m asking you this selfish request?"


    "I don''t want to force you to say something that you''re not ready to share with me yet, Tilly," Kiho said. "I''ll do what you want and just patiently wait for you to open up to me."


    "Thank you, hon," Tilly said, touched. Then, she hugged him and buried her face on his neck. "Thank you for spoiling me."


    ***


    "YOUR n to make Lady Prescott discover your secret failed, huh?"


    Nia rolled her eyes at what High Priest Howard told her. White hair, green eyes, pale skin the High Priest looked like a young man in histe twenties even though he had already lived for more than a century. "For some reason, my mind control doesn''t seem to work on her anymore."


    Right now, she was in the prayer room with the High Priest.


    Today was the day of their weekly rendezvous. As the emperor''s fiance, she was required to meet the High Priest every week to receive his "blessing" ever since she had her first menstruation. The "blessing" from the High Priest was supposed to make her body physically fit for childbirth.


    After all, it wasn''t easy for siblings with very powerful Mana to conceive a child together.


    [That''s exactly the reason why Moonchester couples have long engagement.]


    Just like what happened to her and Aku.


    She was born as his betrothed but their engagement had only been official recently. She had to undergo a rigorous amount of "preparation" before the Elders epted her.


    [But of course, they didn''t know that I''m taking medicine to make myself infertile.]


    Aside from her loyal servants, only the High Priest knew her secret.


    "That''s a shame," Howard said while pouring her some tea. "Your n to control Lady Prescott expose your secret to have you exiled failed. That was your only chance to stop your wedding. Why don''t you just expose yourself?"


    "If I do that, I''ll get executed right away," she said. "I''ve been using mind control on Lady Prescott so that she would strike a deal with Aku after she exposed me. I wanted her to ask my brother to make her child the heir to the throne so in return, she''d convince the Royal and the Noble Faction to just have me exiled instead." She sighed and shook her head. "But Lady Prescott has changed. I don''t think she''s capable of influencing either side to help me if ever I was exposed."


    "What will you do now, Nia?" the High Priest asked her. "I''ve already received the oracle that His Majesty has been waiting for."


    She froze in her seat.


    "Your wedding date has been decided," he said with a smile. "You''re supposed to get married eleven months from now. You know that I can''t keep this from the emperor for too long, don''t you? Thest time His Majesty was here, he almost blew up the temple when I failed to give him the information that he wanted."


    "I know that very well," she said. "Aku may act carefree outside. But the truth is he''s just good at hiding his lunacy."


    "His Majesty isn''t lunatic," he said with a softugh. "He''s just obsessed with you. Obsessed enough that no matter how many times you tried to kill yourself in the past, he just revived you over and over again."


    She hissed in anger.


    But of course, the High Priest wasn''t shaken. "Do you think His Majesty would leave you alone if you were exiled? Of course not. He''d follow you even to hell, Nia. You can''t escape him." His green eyes glowed dangerously in the dark. "I can see the unbreakable bind you have with him, my poor little princess. No matter how many times you get reborn in whatever world it is, Aku would find you again and again."


    "I can change that," she said firmly. "I just need the heart. If I have it, I can summon the sky beast that could burn anything in the world even the unbreakable bind that you speak of."


    "You only have a year to get the heart, Nia," Howard reminded her with that annoying smile of his. "If you get married to Aku, the bind between you and him will only get stronger. Once it happens, not even the sky beast could burn it."


    "I know that," Nia said while clenching her hands tight. "As soon as Lady Prescott gives birth to her son, I''ll rip her heart out. And if she doesn''t have what I need" She caught her reflection in the mirror behind the High Priest the exact time her red eyes glowed in the dark. "I might as well rip her baby''s heart out, too."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 43: Back to Work

    Chapter 43: Back to Work


    [I REALLY am shameless.]


    Tilly was checking herself in the bathroom''s mirror.


    For theirst night at the castle, she finally wore the ck peek-a-booce babydoll lingerie with g-string. That was the one that she chose with Lani and Leni. To be honest, she also wanted a suspender garment set toe with the lingerie. But unfortunately, it wasn''t avable in the current market in the empire yet.


    [I should just be grateful that we have sexy lingerie here.]


    She was satisfied with how she looked on it anyway. The fit and the colorplemented her body andplexion. And the lingerie wasfortable.


    When she turned around and looked at her reflection, she felt a little bit embarrassed to see that her butt was very exposed. Thank goodness she still had "apple butt" in this lifetime even though she didn''t have time to work out properly.


    [I guess a got lucky to be born with this body.]


    After admiring herself in the mirror, she got out the bathroom to surprise her husband.


    Kiho took a bath first and when she went to their room, she found him doing his sword swinging practice.


    [So workaholic.]


    But she didn''t want toin because watching the captain work out was a blessing.


    Kiho was only wearing pants so his sweaty upper torso was a sight to behold. Each swing he made literally flexed his sexy arm muscles. And the look of utter concentration on his face was also hot. It was admirable of him to stick to the basic exercises of swordsmanship even though he was already a master swordsman.


    [He never forgets his roots.]


    Kiho stopped when he probably felt her presence. He looked at her as if he''s say something. But when she saw her, he froze with his mouth open.


    He didn''t need to say anything.


    The sudden glint of hunger in his glowing gold eyes told her that he liked what he saw.


    "Tilly, I wanted to take it easy tonight because we''re going to travel early morning," Kiho said in a low voice while walking towards her. "But I don''t think I can hold back now."


    "Kiho, I don''t want you to hold back," Tilly said with a yful smile. Then, she turned around to show him her buttocks. When she turned to him, she smirked when she saw him lick his lips. She turned around to face him again when he was already within arm''s length. [My captain is so sexy.]


    Her husband growled when he finally reached her.


    The captain grabbed her by the waist and kissed her so hard and so good until she found herself leaning against the wall.


    She wrapped one leg around his waist while his hand slid under her lingerie. He squeezed a cheek of her butt before he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her g-string. He pulled it down in a hurry.


    [Gosh, I corrupted my cute innocent Kiho.]


    The captain broke this kiss while his finger was tracing her slick slit. "Honey, you''re never not wet around me, huh?"


    Okay, that seriously made her blush. She yfully hit his arm while whining. "I don''t want to hear that from someone whose erection is pressed against me."


    "Touch," he conceded lightly.


    Then, he used his other hand to pull down his pants. He released his hard cock before he grabbed her buttocks to hoist her. That made it easier for her to wrap her legs around his waist. And as soon as she did, he pushed in making them moan at the same time.


    It felt so good that her nails dug into his shoulders.


    "I think I gave your shoulders and back a lot of scratches," Tilly said while breathing heavily. "Sorry about that, hon."


    "The scratches you give me are the only ones I don''t mind, Tilly," Kiho said, the he started to move inside her. "I''ll ept them all if it means doing this with your for the rest of our lives."


    ***


    TILLY couldn''t believe that when she woke up, she was already on their bed in Kiho''s residence. Thest thing she remembered was being in the carriage on the way home.


    Well, she was too tired but still


    [I wonder how the servants reacted.]


    "Good morning, honey."


    Tilly smiled when Kiho, who was sitting on the side of the bed, leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "Good morning. Why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "Because I know you''re tired," Kiho said. "I carried you to our room. Then, I asked the maids to change you into your sleepwear."


    "You could have done it yourself."


    He blushed at that. "I wanted to. But it seemed like your maids wanted to take care of you themselves so I let them."


    She smiled. Then, her forehead knotted when she realized that he was already wearing his uniform. "You''re going back to work this early?"


    "Yes," he said. "I have to drop by at the pce first and report to His Majesty."


    "Can''t you have breakfast first?"


    "I don''t have time for that," he said apologetically. "Sorry. I want to join you for breakfast but my schedule for today is tight."


    "At least bring a sandwich with you," she said. When he just nodded, she continued. "Are you going to leave and follow your squad after that?"


    "I''ll go home first," he said while caressing her face with the back of his hand. "I want to have lunch with you before I leave. Is that okay?"


    She smiled and nodded at that. "I want the try the famous restaurant at the Sky za. It''s called ''Delite.'' Should we have lunch there?"


    "Okay, I''ll make a reservation," he said, then gave her butterflies kisses on the face. "You should sleep more, honey. I''ll tell the maids to wake you up before lunch."


    She nodded because admittedly, she still felt tired from their vacation. "But let me send you off. I want to do it since this is our first day as a married couple at home."


    Kiho''s face instantly lit up. "I''d love that, Tilly."


    "Give me ten minutes," Tilly said, then she got up. "Do you want to help me get dressed?"


    "Absolutely."


    ***


    "YOU''RE going to join the Hunt?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Kiho answered politely while standing in front of Emperor Aku in the throne room.


    "This is the first time, isn''t it?" Emperor Aku asked in amusement. "I''ve been encouraging you to join the Hunt but you always refused me."


    The Clean-up Hunt was different from the Hunt that the emperor made as a game.


    In the clean-up operation, you just have to y as many Crades as you want. But if you join the emperor''s Hunt, you have to catch the replica of an ancient beast. He thought it was just a bother before but since Tilly requested it, he''d join and win thepetition.


    "What made you change your mind?" the emperor asked. Then, he smirked knowingly. "Is it for Lady Prescott? Do you want to win the Hunt and offer your winnings to her?"


    "Let''s just say that you are correct, Your Majesty."


    His Majesty justughed at his response. Then, he became serious. "I''m d that you''re joining the Hunt this year, Kiho. I''d hate it if Captain Sherwood wins again."


    "Your Majesty, Captain Sherwood is your personal knight," he reminded him carefully. "Shouldn''t you feel proud about his achievements?"


    "I don''t want him to impress Nia every Hunt," the emperor said, his red eyes glowing. "I don''t know what I might do if he won and dedicated it to Nia."


    "Why would Captain Sherwood dedicate his win to Her Royal Highness?"


    "The winning gentleman is supposed to dedicate his victory to the most beautifuldy in the Hunt," Emperor Aku said. "And that can only be Nia."


    "Ah," he said, not really interested in what the emperor was saying. "But if I win, I won''t offer my victory to Her Royal Highness."


    "Excuse me?"


    "I''ll dedicate my win to Tilly," he said casually. "She''s the most beautifuldy to me."


    "I don''t know how to feel," the emperor said with a knotted forehead. "I''d hate it if you dedicate your victory to Nia. But I''m also irritated to hear that you won''t offer it to my fiance because that means she''s not the most beautifuldy in your eyes."


    He didn''t respond to that because he felt like he didn''t need to.


    [His Majesty bes irrational when ites to Her Royal Highness.]


    "But I like you more than Captain Sherwood so I''ll let it slide," Emperor Aku said in a calmer tone. The glow in his red eyes also disappeared. "I''ll pray for your victory, Kiho."


    Kiho bowed politely. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    After that, he was dismissed.


    When he left the throne room, he met Captain Sherwood in the hallways. He just gave the other captain a polite nod and was supposed to continue on his way out when he spoke.


    "Captain Kiho, are you going to join the Hunt this year?" Captain Sherwood asked. "I heard from the administration office that you requested a form for the Hunt. Is it true?""


    "It''s true, Captain Sherwood," Kiho confirmed.


    "Knowing you, I don''t think you''d dedicate your victory to Her Royal Highness," he said with a grin. "Kiho, do you want me to concede?"


    "Why would I want you to do that?"


    "Because I don''t want to embarrass you to your wife," the Blue Dragon Captain said, as casual as ever. "I know that if you win, you''d dedicate it to Lady Prescott."


    "Captain Sherwood, do you know why you''ve been the victor of the Hunt for the past years?"


    "Of course, I know," Captain Sherwood said cheerily. "It''s because I''m the strongestpetitor."


    "Wrong," Kiho said without even batting an eye. "You only won in the past because I wasn''t part of thepetition, Captain Sherwood."


    ***


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 Chapter 44: Chosen Ancient Beast

    Chapter 44: Chosen Ancient Beast


    TILLY was in the carriage while looking outside the window.


    She brought Lani with her and she was sitting across her. Sitting beside the young maid was Damian the one Kiho assigned to be her personal knight. Because Damian was still being punished, Kiho didn''t send him with the squad and made him "house sit" the ck Serpent Knights'' barracks.


    [But it''s still not official.]


    Kiho wanted ke to be her personal knight but she refused. Being a bodyguard didn''t suit a vice-captain like ke. Personally, she wanted the vice-captain to be by her husband''s side because he was the one Kiho trusted most among the ck Serpent Knights.


    [Plus, only ke can scold Kiho and stop him from overworking. If the vice-captain bes my personal knight, who''s going to look after my husband?]


    But she wasn''t saying that she wanted ke to "babysit" Kiho, okay?


    [Oh!]


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she saw a familiar boy in front of a weapon store called ''Equip.''


    "Stop the carriage," Tilly said when she turned to Lani and Damian. "I''ll step out for a while. Lani, you stay here and wait. Damian, you go with me."


    "As you wish, Lady Prescott," Lani and Damian said at the same time.


    A few momentster, she got down the carriage while being assisted by Damian.


    Lani stayed behind with the coachman to find a ce where they could park the carriage since they couldn''t just leave it in front of the shopping district.


    "Mydy, are we going to the weapon store?" Damian, who was walking behind her, asked. "Are you going to buy a present for Captain Kiho?"


    "If I find something interesting, I will," Tilly said. When they entered the store, she smiled widely when she confirmed that she wasn''t mistaken with what she saw a while ago. "Flint."


    Flint turned to her and when recognition crossed his eyes, he smiled and ran towards her. "Big sister!"


    The child was about to hug her but Damian stood in front of her and literally blocked the boy.


    "It''s okay, Damian," she told the knight. "I know the boy. Just wait outside for me." Her gaze went past the little boy to focus on his "guardian." "I don''t think I''ll be harmed anyway if Captain Denver is here."


    Yep, the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights was also there. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "And contact Kiho," she told the young knight. "Tell him that I''m here."


    When she talked to Kiho a while ago using their linkedmunication device (a couple ear stud made of ck diamond pierced in their upper lobe), he said that he was near Sky za. She asked Damian to call Kiho instead because it was his job to report to her husband anyway.


    [And I''m avoiding using mymunication device in public. The "couplemunication ear stud" is part of the new collection that Prescott''s Choice willunch in the market soon. I have to keep its function a secret for now.]


    "As you wish, mydy," Damian said with a bow before he left the store.


    "Big sister, I''m d to see you again," Flint said, then he politely bowed to her. "I received the food that you sent for me and my brother, big sister. We shared it with everyone and we all enjoyed them. Thank you."


    She smiled at how happy Flint looked now.


    To be honest, she wanted to invite Flint and Julian to her wedding. But she didn''t want them to be seen by the royal family. So instead, she just sent them food with a big quantity enough to share with the guild.


    She ruffled his head. "You''re wee.


    "Big sister, how do I look?" the child asked excitedly. Then, he opened his arms and turned around. "Do these clothes fit me?"


    Flint was dressed like a young lord now and it looked good on him.


    [Oh, wait. That outfit looks familiar.]


    "These are some of the clothes that you sent me, big sister," Flint said after spinning around. "I''m wearing them nicely, am I not?"


    [Ah, I see.]


    "Yes, the clothes look good on you," she said with a proud smile.


    His face lit up as he held his hands. "Big sister, thank you."


    "You''re wee," she said. "But you should thank my husband, too. He''s the one who chose most of the clothes we bought for you and Julian."


    "I still don''t like your husband because he stole you from me, big sis," the child said with a pout. "But okay. I will personally thank him if I see him."


    Sheughed softly before she changed the subject. "How are you and Julian?"


    "We''re doing great, big sis!" he said with a grin. It was as if he suddenly forgot about Kiho and his "rivalry" with the captain. "Julian is being taken care of the nice big sisters in the guild. Last week, Grandma visited us and she brought vegetables for everyone."


    "That''s nice," she said. "So, are you here to get your first weapon as a Fire Wielder?"


    "Yes, big sister!" the boy answered enthusiastically. Then, he turned to Captain Denver. "Brother Mikhail brought me here to buy me a customized arm band like his."


    Tilly turned to Captain Denver and bowed to him as a greeting.


    Captain Denver stood straight and gave her a curt nod in return.


    [Gosh. Why does he always look grumpy?]


    Their greetings were interrupted when the store owner called Captain Denver and said that he needed to get Flint''s arm size.


    "Go with him," Captain Denver told Flint. "I''ll wait for you here."


    "Okay, Brother Mikhail," Flint said obediently, then he looked up at her. "Big sister, I''ll be back. Please wait for me."


    "Sure," she said. "My husband will pick me up here anyway."


    The young boy just pouted at that before he ran towards the store owner. Then, the two entered the staff room.


    And it just so happened that only her and Captain Denver were the clients there.


    [At least the two store clerks don''t look nosy.]


    The male clerks were just standing on the other while and they weren''t even looking at their direction. Oh, they must be afraid of Captain Denver.


    "I heard Captain Kiho will join the uing Hunt," Captain Denver said while she was pretending to check the array of daggers on the table in front of her. "I heard my knights talk about it this morning. Is that true?"


    "Yes, it''s true," Tilly said before she turned to him. "Captain Denver, are you going to join the Hunt as well?"


    "No, I''m not interested," he said direly. "And I have an important job during the clean-up operation. I''m in-charge of burning the bodies of the beasts that the hunters would y."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Will you be attending the Hunt with Captain Kiho?"


    "Of course."


    He let out a frustrated sigh while shaking his head. "If Captain Kiho won the Hunt, he''d definitely dedicate his victory to you."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "Is there something wrong with that?"


    "Don''t stand out," Captain Denver said in a hushed voice as if he was afraid that others might hear him. "Please don''t stand out, Lady Prescott."


    Tilly was confused. "What do you mean by that, Captain Denver?"


    ***


    NIA was currently at the High Priest''s temple with Aku and the nobles involved in organizing the uing Hunt.


    Howard, the High Priest, was assigned to choose from the four white mystery boxes in front of him. Each box contained the replica of the four beasts that served as the empire guardians: the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, the Golden Tiger, and the ck Serpent.


    Every year, Aku would release a replica of one of the ancient beasts to be hunted by the participating nobles and knights.


    Last year, she chose the box that contained the golden tiger.


    This year, it was the High Priest''s turn to choose from the "mystery boxes."


    "Your Eminence, please choose one box," Aku said politely to the High Priest. "I want you to choose from the mystery boxes that I prepared."


    "It''s an honor to be chosen for this task, Your Majesty," Howard said with a "gentle" face. "I shall perform my duty well."


    Nia almostughed at how "angelic" Howard looked like now.


    No wonder many of the nobles suddenly became religious. He had the face that could make anyone trust him easily.


    [A gentle faade that hides his sinister personality, huh?]


    Howard chose the white box the second box to his left. "May I open the box now, Your Majesty?"


    "Of course," Aku said, excited like a child. "I can''t wait to see what kind of ancient beast should we release this year."


    The High Priest just smiled. Then, he lifted the lid of the box. As soon as he did, a blinding red light burst out from it.


    Nia gasped in surprise because ever since the Hunt began, this was the first time that it was chosen as the ancient beast to be released. [The Red Phoenix!]


    ***


    "WHAT DO you mean by that, Captain Denver?" Tilly asked in confusion. "Why shouldn''t I "stand out?""


    Captain Denver was about to say something but when his gaze went past her, his facial expression became rigid. "I''m just giving you a friendly advice. You''ve just gone through a "scandal" after all."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. She just realized someone was standing behind her when she felt cold hands on her shoulders. As soon as she got a whiff of that familiar manly and earthly scent, she calmed down.


    "Tilly?"


    Tilly turned to Kiho who was standing behind her. She smiled when he kissed her on the forehead. "Kiho, you''re here."


    "I just arrived," Kiho told her before he turned to the other captain. "Captain Denver."


    "Captain Kiho," Captain Denver greeted him. "I heard you joined the Hunt this year. Captain Sherwood is a tough enemy so good luck."


    "Thank you, Captain Denver."


    And an awkward silence ensued after.


    "Big sis!"


    Tilly was relieved when Flint came out of the staff room.


    "Ekkk!" Flint made a weird sound when he saw Kiho. "What are you doing here?"


    She giggled at what the young boy said.


    "I''m here to fetch my wife," Kiho said smugly. He wasn''t smiling but his tone was obviously "mocking" the child. "I''m going to have a lunch date with my wife. What about you, child? What are you doing here with my wife?"


    [Gosh, he said "my wife" thrice!]


    She could tell that Kiho did that on purpose to rile up Flint.


    And it worked.


    "Scary Brother, there''s thisw called "divorce" in our empire," Flint said with a smirk. "Big sister can dump you anytime she wants."


    Her husband looked shocked by that. He turned to her with a scared look on his face.


    [Gosh! How could he let a child scare him when he was the one who started it?]


    Well, she still found it cute.


    "That''s how divorce works," Tilly teased Kiho. When he looked like he was about to have a meltdown, she giggled and gently pinched his cheeks. "As long as we''re happy with each other, we won''t divorce."


    Kiho seemed to be relieved by that. Then, he gazed down at Flint with a smug look on his face. "You heard that, brat? We won''t divorce."


    Flint hissed at him. "Wait until I grow up, you scary brother!"


    Her husband just smirked at the child''s "threat."


    She rolled her eyes while shaking her head. [Maybe it''s true that your husband is your "first son."]


    "I didn''t know that you have this side, Captain Kiho," Captain Denver said in amusement. "I thought you were just an ice sculpture pretending to be human."


    Flintughed at that.


    Tilly giggled, then wrapped her arms around Kiho''s waist that seemed to surprise Captain Denver and Flint. "Kiho is literally cold but he''s warm inside," she said. "He''s my ball of sunshine."


    Kiho looked at her with shining eyes that made his yellow eyes glow in gold. "I really don''t deserve you, Tilly."


    And in her book, that was one way of saying "I love you."


    ***


    "WHY are you sulking, Aku?" Nia asked her brother while they were sitting across each other inside the royal carriage. "Do you hate the fact that His Eminence has chosen the box that contained the red phoenix''s energy?"


    "You know that phoenix is considered a bad omen in our empire because it is the guardian of the Fire Mages," Aku said. "Our predecessors tried to change its image by creating the Fire Wielders that use the phoenix as their symbol as well. But still, most of the old families consider the red ming bird as bad luck. That includes us, Nia."


    "The Fire Mages have long been banished from our empire," she reminded him even though she wanted tough at her brother''s ignorance. "The phoenix is now the symbol of Fire Wielders. And the Fire Wielders are loyal to the throne."


    That seemed to relieve him a bit. "You''re right."


    "You''re still sulking, aren''t you?"


    "I just hate the fact that the chosen ancient beast is favorable to Captain Sherwood," the emperor admitted. "The captain has wind attribute so he can fly. He has the advantage when ites to catching the sky beast."


    "We chose the ancient beast fair and squarely," she said. "It''s not Captain Sherwood''s fault that he was born with wind attribute."


    "I hate it when you''re taking his side, Nia."


    "I''m not taking his side," she insisted. "I''m just being fair. And shouldn''t I say the same thing about you? You obviously want Captain Kiho to win the Hunt, Aku."


    Aku smiled at her usation. "Kiho will emerge the victor of this year''s Hunt, my dear."


    "Don''t underestimate the other hunters, Aku," Nia said carefully. "Captain Kiho may not see what''sing if he bes toocent from your support."


    [I won''t let your "shadow beast" win, brother.]


    "Nia, shall we make a bet?" Aku challenged her, his red eyes glowing menacingly. "If Kiho wins the Hunt, you''ll tell me why you''re trying to dy our wedding."


    Nia''s eyes widened at that. [Did Aku find out about my secret?!]


    ***


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 Chapter 45: Rise of New Generation

    Chapter 45: Rise of New Generation


    "WHAT is your schedule while I''m gone, Tilly?"


    "Father and I will visit our oyster farm tomorrow," Tilly said while having caviar in a tin can made of gold. As a duke''s daughter, she would always order the most expensive dish in the menu. If she didn''t, there would be rumors about House Prescott losing its power and money. In short, it was a disy of wealth. Plus, Kiho was with her. Everyone in the empire knew that she was richer than him. Some brainless idiot might spread a rumor that Kiho couldn''t spoil her if she ordered something "modest" from a fancy restaurant. "I''ll probably be busy with the preparations for theunch of my new jewelry collection."


    The date had been decided and they would release the collection three days after the Hunt. She was supposed tounch the collection this week but she ended up postponing. She wanted to focus on support Kiho in the uing Hunt first.


    [Wife duties, y''all.]


    "I left the key of the treasury room in your drawer," Kiho said casually. He was having a roasted salmon with truffle oil. Oh, they also got the most expensive bottle of red wine in the menu. "You can use it as you wish."


    Her brain buffered for a minute. "Wait, what? You''re giving me the key to your treasury room?"


    The treasury room in Kiho''s house (now their home) was where he kept all the treasures (obviously) that he got from his missions ever since he became a knight. His treasury room had everything from gold bars to the rarest jewelries. Most of them were also sent by Emperor Aku as reward to the captain.


    In her past life, Kio gave her all the money he had but not the treasury room. He knew that she would just spend them mindlessly. She had to cry and use him of failing to be a good provider before he gave in.


    [But he gave it to me so easily this time.]


    She had really changed her life now.


    "Are you sure, Kiho?" Tilly asked him. "It''s your treasury room."


    "Everything I own belongs to you now, Tilly," Kiho said. "Please ept it."


    Well, epting the treasury was easy. In fact, she was even touched. But of course, this time, she''d be careful about using it.


    [I might not touch the treasures at all.]


    "Thank you, Kiho," she said while very touched. "I''ll take care of it very well."


    Kiho gave him a smile. Then, his hand moved to gently caress her cheek. "Please take extra good care of yourself while I''m gone, Tilly. I''ll call thrice a day if I can."


    That meant he''d miss her, right?


    "You take care of yourself, too," Tilly said. Then, she ced a hand on top of his hand on her face. "I''ll miss you, Kiho. Please return home safely."


    The glow in the captain''s golden eyes told her he''de back home for her in no time.


    ***


    "I DON''T know what you''re talking about, Aku," Nia denied. "I''m not dying our wedding. Why would I even do that?"


    "I don''t know," Aku said, his red eyes still glowing. "You tell me."


    "Your Majesty," she said firmly and formally. "The High Priest decides the date of our wedding. How can I dy it?"


    "That''s exactly what you''re going to tell me if Kiho wins the Hunt, Nia," he said strictly. "You''ve been meeting up with the High Priest since you got your first period when you were nine years old."


    "Are you suspecting me and the High Priest?"


    "Nia, we''re turning thirty years old soon," he reminded her in a cold voice. "Our parents were married when they were twenty five. We''re the only Moonchesters who had their engagement for this long."


    "We are different from our parents and other predecessors," she insisted. "We''re the first pair of twins to be married in our history. The High Priest has already exined it to us before."


    "Nia, I know that I''ve been spoiling you ever since we were kids," he started menacingly. "And I''m aware that I act foolish most of the time. But that doesn''t make me stupid. I want to trust you fully so I rarely get involved in your affair. But my patience has a limit, too."


    "Your Majesty"


    "Let''s talk again after the Hunt," Aku said firmly, his red eyes still glowing menacingly. "You better tell me the truth then, Your Royal Highness Princess Nia Moonchester."


    Nia clenched her hands tight. She couldn''t believe that Aku could treat her this way. It was a mistake to overestimate his love for her. If only killing him was easy, she would have done that a long time ago.


    But they were twins so there was a special bind between them.


    [If one of us dies by the hands of the other, then the killer will die as well.]


    ***


    TILLY and Duke Prescott were standing at the deck of a farming boat while watching their people rake the oysters on the sea''s surface.


    This was the first time they visited their oyster farm together. Her father wasn''t also that interested in their farm before. He only used the cultured pearls to trade them outside the empire. But now that her new jewelry line was focusing on pearls, they were paying more attention to their oyster farm.


    "When will Captain Kiho return?" her father asked. "I heard he joined the Hunt for the first time. Shouldn''t he train first or something? I used to hunt myself so maybe I can teach your husband a thing or two."


    Tilly smiled at her father''s attempt to get close to Kiho. "Kiho said he''ll be back before the Hunt, Father. We''ll visit you once he returns."


    "You should," he said before he turned to her. "Tilly, I''m thinking of stepping down and passing my title to Captain Kiho."


    She gasped in surprise.


    [It''s happening earlier again!]


    In her past life, her father only announced Kiho as his heir apparent after she gave birth to Winter. Her husband officially inherited the title of duke when her father passed away when her son was barely three years old.


    "Are you sure, Father?" she asked. "Have you talked about it to our vassal families?"


    "I''m the head of House Prescott," he reminded her strictly. "Why would their opinion matter?"


    Oh, that was right.


    "Ever since you met Captain Kiho, you''ve changed," the duke saidter. "You''ve be a proper adult. I think he has good influence on you."


    Well, Kiho really inspired her to be a better person. But to say that she only became a proper adult because of him didn''t sit well with him. Still, she didn''tin. It wasn''t like she could tell her father that she was reborn.


    "I''m relieved that you have a healthy rtionship with your husband," her father continued. "That makes me have more faith in Captain Kiho."


    She smiled at that. "Father, you can trust Kiho one hundred percent."


    "I can see that," he agreed while nodding his head. "And for that reason, I want Captain Kiho to have his own family name."


    Again, she gasped aloud. "Father"


    In her past life, Kiho inherited his father''s title and he became Duke Kiho Prescott. To be precise, the captain married into her family.


    But if her father would give Kiho the chance to have his own surname, that would mark the end of House Prescott. That was a rule unique to Moonchester Empire. She couldn''t believe that her father even thought of it. After all, House Prescott was an old family that had been around since the empire was built. They were practically as old as the royal family


    And her father wanted to end their history in his generation?


    "Father, are you sure?" Tilly asked in disbelief. "If Kiho uses another surname, a new family would be born. But in exchange, House Prescott would end in your generation. Do you understand what it means?"


    The union of a vieux riche like her and a nouveau riche like Kiho was already controversial. But if House Prescott ends for Kiho''s future family name to rise


    [It would definitely be big!]


    "Our dukedom won''t change its name even if House Prescott ends," her father reasoned. "You and Captain Kiho will still be the Duke and Duchess of Oakes."


    "Father"


    "Tilly, it''s not like House Prescott will just magically disappear overnight," her father said. "Once Captain Kiho gets his own surname, House Prescott will just be a new vassal of your family. You will lead us to a new history."


    That was heavy.


    "I will support Captain Kiho as his personal aide until he learns the ropes of being a duke," her father promise. "I will also lead the other vassal families."


    She suddenly got emotional. "You''re really going to do this for my husband, Father?"


    "I''m not only doing this for the captain," the duke denied as if he was embarrassed that she totally saw through him. Was her father a "tsundere" all along? "I want my grandson to be born into a loving but strong family. I know that a lot of higher nobles still look down on Captain Kiho. I can''t just sit and watch my son-inw get looked down just because he doesn''t have noble blood. Those fools don''t even realize that the age of the old families ruling over the empire is about to end."


    She was so d that her father was progressive.


    "Father, thank you," she said sincerely. "I mean it."


    "Just promise me one thing, Tilly."


    She got nervous when she saw how serious her father was. "What is it, Father?"


    "Whatever happens, do not go against the royal family," Duke Prescott said, almost pleading her. "Just bow your head and do not stand out, Tilly."


    [Captain Denver said the same thing!]


    Tilly was certain now.


    [My father and Captain Denver are hiding something important about my identity.]


    But what was her family''s rtionship with the master of the Fire Wielder Guild?


    ***


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 Chapter 46: Home

    Chapter 46: Home


    "MY LADY, Sir Kiho has returned."


    Tilly literally dropped what she was doing (stitching a white handkerchief) when she heard the news from Leni, and then stood up. She was shocked because when they were talking via theirmunication devicest night, Kiho told her that he''d be home the day after tomorrow. "He''s already here?"


    "Yes, mydy," Leni confirmed. "The other servants have assembled in the main entrance to greet the master."


    She immediately bolted out of the room.


    If her father saw her running down the grand staircase, she would definitely get scolded. After all, running when your life wasn''t in danger was considered "udylike." She was trying her best to fit in this world again but her second life as a modern woman had changed a lot of things about her personality and beliefs.


    And most of all, she just really couldn''t wait to see Kiho again after twelve lonely days of being apart.


    Kiho was giving his ck cloak to David, the head butler, when he turned to her. His face instantly lit up. When he realized that she was running towards him, he handed the bouquet if red roses that he was holding to the head butler. "Tilly."


    "Kiho!" Tilly said excitedly. "You''re back!"


    Then, she literally threw herself at him. Like she expected, he caught her without a problem. He even spun her around that made her giggle.


    [Gosh, this is such a newlywed''s behavior.]


    The best thing out of that was he didn''t put her down yet.


    "How are you, honey?" Kiho asked while carrying her effortlessly in his arms as if she was just as light as a feather.


    "I''m better now that you''re back," she said. "Why didn''t you tell me that you''d be back today?"


    "I wanted to surprise you," he confessed. "Did it work?"


    "Yes!" she said. "But I wish I could have asked the chef to prepare your favorite food instead of mine."


    "No, it''s okay," heforted her. "I like everything that you like."


    She smiled warmly at him. "Wee home, hon."


    "I''m d to be weed home by you, honey," he said gently.


    After saying that, the captain asked David to hand her the bouquet of red roses.


    "Thank you," she said while adoring the flowers. "I love flowers."


    "I also got you some unique jewelry that you''d probably like," he said. "Would you like to see them now?"


    "Later," she said. "You should rest first, Kiho."


    "Uh-huh," the captain said, then he started to walk towards to stairs. He obviously didn''t have any intention to put her down yet. "Have you been eating well, Tilly? Why does it feel like you''ve lost weight?"


    Sheughed softly while shaking her head. "It''s just your imagination. I didn''t lose weight."


    She was about to say something but she stopped when she realized that the servants were watching them. The maids were blushing but they looked happy. The butlers also seemed pleased. While Louisa (the head maid) and David (the head butler) looked like proud parents.


    [Oh. I''ve noticed it a while ago but the servants seemed to have been more epting to Kiho than they did before.]


    The servants used to be scared of Kiho because of his bad reputation and hisck of interest to change other people''s perception of him.


    So she was thinking that her presence might have helped the servants see Kiho in a different light. The captain may have not noticed it but every time he was with her, he would let his guard down. Thanks to that, the people serving her might have realized that he was just an awkward shy person and not a cold-blooded monster.


    [I''m happy for Kiho. He needs more people by his side more than ever. If his servants are loyal to him, then he would seed as the future Duke of Oakes.]


    "Should I ask them to stop looking at us?" Kiho whispered while he was climbing up the grand staircase. Ah, so he noticed that the servants were watching them with interest, huh? "Just tell me if they make you ufortable."


    "No, it''s fine. Let them watch all they want," Tilly said. Then, she hugged his neck tight. "They''re just happy for us."


    ***


    THE bathtub sex was very good it made Tilly realize just how much Kiho had missed her.


    She had to grasp the edge of the tub hard while he was on top of her, thrusting fast and deep inside her while his hands were on either side of her head pressed against the wall. It was an awkward position but he did her so good that she didn''t mind that her back kind of hurt. He gave her multiple delicious orgasms and they did it thrice in the bathroom.


    To simply put, they spent many hours in "taking a bath."


    And now, she was lying on her husband''s chest while his hand yed with her hair. Both of them were just in their white robes.


    "Look at this, honey," Kiho said while showing her the ne in his other hand. "This is a cheap jewelry but I thought you''d like it."


    "I do," Tilly said genuinely. Then, she touched the dangling moon-shaped pendant with a preserved blue tiny flower inside. Yes, the pendant was made from resin. She almost forgot about that. "It''s beautiful, Kiho. Thank you."


    It wasn''t the only resin jewelry that he got for her. The others were already in her jewelry box in the other room. That was because he got them a lot of it. She just chose the pieces that she liked best to keep in their chamber.


    "From now on, I''ll buy you the dresses and jewelries from every nation or kingdom that I''d visit," he promised her. "Especially the unique ones."


    She kissed on the cheek as reward. "Are you going to report to His Majesty tomorrow?"


    "Yes," he said while cing the ne on the night table. "But I''d be free after that. His Majesty said he''d give me a few days off to prepare for the Hunt. We can make up for lost time."


    "That would be lovely," she said. "Kiho?"


    "Yeah?"


    "Could you spare my father some of your time?" she asked. "Father said he wanted to talk to you once you''ve returned."


    "Of course," he said. "I n to ask you to visit Duke Prescott anyway."


    "Really?"


    "Yes," he confirmed. "I heard that Duke Prescott was a very good hunter during his peak. I wanted to ask him for some advice."


    "Oh, I didn''t expect that you''d want advice from my father," she said in amusement. "I mean, you''re already a swords master and your Mana is one of the strongest in the empire."


    "Hunting is different from assassination," he exined. "I heard that hunters do some sort of ritual to pay respects to their prey. I''m not knowledgeable when ites to that and I want to learn it before the Hunt."


    That was just one thing that she liked about Kiho.


    He wasn''t embarrassed to let her know about the stuff that he had no knowledge of. And most of all, he was always willing to learn.


    [He''s so humble.]


    "I''ll let Father know that we''re going to visit him," she said. "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I don''t want you to be surprised so I''ll tell you why my father wanted to see you," she started carefully. Then, she looked up at him to watch his reaction. "Hon, my father wants you to have your ownst name."


    He just didn''t look shocked.


    The captain froze. If it wasn''t for the movement of his chest, she would have thought that he already stopped breathing.


    His reaction was understandable though.


    "House Prescott is one of the oldest families in the empire," Kiho said in disbelief. "And to be honest, I don''t mind taking your name once the duke passed his title to me. He doesn''t have to go this far for us."


    "I said the same thing to my father," she said. "But it seems like he won''t change his mind anymore. He said he''d make House Prescott a vassal for the family that we will build with your newst name."


    He looked even more shocked.


    "Once you be the duke, you''d also inherit my father''s duchy," she continued. "We''ll be the Duke and Duchess of Oakes when that happens."


    He swallowed hard. "Well, I already expected that when we got married. But I didn''t expect it to happen this soon."


    "I know, right?" she said sympathetically. Then, she touched his cheek. "Take your time before you decide, Kiho. If you don''t want to have your own surname, please befortable to say it to my father. I''ll support your decision."


    He looked at her as if he was relieved by her support. "But if I let you decide, what would you want me to do?"


    "Can I be honest?"


    "Of course."


    "To be frank, I want you to ept my father''s offer," Tilly said seriously. "If you just simply take my father''s title and be a Prescott, you''d still be looked down because you were only married into my family. But if you get ast name, you''ll have your own identity as the future Duke of Oakes. My father is willing to make House Prescott a vassal for our family because he believes in you. He trusts us, Kiho."


    And if Kiho became a noble in his own right, his debut in the high society would be much more impactful than simply taking her father''s title.


    [If our family bes powerful, then we''d get more freedom. And yes, the royal family can''t touch us if majority of the empire''s economy depends on our businesses. I have to the richest noblewoman and make Kiho an untouchable duke.]


    They needed to be that strong for Winter.


    "I''ll consider that, Tilly," Kiho said seriously. "I''ll think about it carefully before I make a decision."


    "Thank you," Tilly said. "And I apologize if I somehow put pressure on you."


    "You don''t have to apologize for that," he said. "I know what marrying you means. And I epted that because I''m willing to take anything and everything if it means being with you for the rest of my life. I''ll never think of my responsibility as a burden."


    She never felt so thankful to be back in that time more than she did now.


    [I wasted this treasure in my past life. So whoever brought me back here, thank you. I don''t know what you want me to do but I''m certain about one thing: my family won''t suffer this time.]


    Her thoughts were cut-off when the captain suddenly kissed her on the lips.


    "Oh, wow," she said. "What a pleasant surprise."


    "You were spacing out," he said. "What were you thinking?"


    "I''ve missed you," Tilly said genuinely. "I''m just so happy that we''re together again."


    Kiho gave her a small smile


    and then he rolled over to position himself on top of her.


    [Gosh, we''re so horny.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 47: Duke of Oakes

    Chapter 47: Duke of Oakes


    KIHO felt a little betrayed when Tilly left him with Duke Prescott alone.


    ording to his wife, she needed to pick up the tailored hunting clothes that she personally ordered for him.


    And so, here he was in the foot of the mountain that the Prescotts owned.


    [They own a freaking mountain.]


    It wasn''t just any mountain because it was home to the rarest spirit stones in the empire. No wonder they were so rich.


    "Captain Kiho, do you know how to use a rifle?" Duke Prescott asked while holding a rifle in his hands. "I know that you''re a swords master. But in hunting, using a rifle can also be advantageous. I heard it''s all the rage among young men these days. Even Captain Sherwood has shifted from swords to rifles."


    "I heard about it, too, Your Grace," Kiho answered politely. "I''m not an expert but I know how to use rifles."


    "Good," the duke said. "I want you to use a rifle at the Hunt."


    "That won''t be a problem," he said. He wasn''t choosy when it came to weapons anyway. Heck, most of the time, he used his bare hands for the kill. "But may I know if there''s a specific reason as to why I need to use a rifle?"


    "Because Captain Sherwood would definitely use a rifle at the Hunt."


    "I apologize but I don''t see the connection."


    "I''ll get straight to the point then," the duke said while looking at him with widened eyes. "Captain Kiho, I want you to beat Captain Sherwood at what he''s good at."


    He swallowed hard at the duke''s request. "I will try my best, Your Grace."


    "House Sherwood is also a part of the Royal Faction," Duke Prescott continued. "But I can''t forgive them forughing when they heard that you joined the Hunt for the first time. Worse, Captain Sherwood''s arrogant father even apologized to me because apparently, his son would ruin my son-inw''s debut in the Hunt. That obnoxious old man"


    He knew that it was a serious matter but to be honest, he was doing his best to stop himself fromughing. He found it amusing how Tilly resembled her father a lot.


    [They both have nasty temper.]


    "I don''t want you to simply win the Hunt, Captain Kiho," the duke said menacingly. But he knew that his anger was directed at the Sherwoods and not at him. "I want you to crush Captain Sherwood so bad that his father can''tugh at you anymore. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Your Grace," he said.


    He wasn''t sure about the crushing part but he never intended to lose. After all, he promised Tilly that he''d emerge as the victor of the Hunt.


    "Has my daughter told you about my wish for you to have your ownst name?"


    "She did, Your Grace."


    "I''ll give you until the Hunt to think about it," the duke said. "I want to hear your answer after you were awarded as the victor."


    What high expectations.


    Well, he was willing to live up to it.


    "I''ll think about it carefully, Your Grace," he said politely. "My utmost gratitude for the generous offer, Duke Prescott."


    The duke looked at him with a knotted forehead. "You have the reputation of a wolf but you act like a puppy. Did my daughter tame you or something?"


    He almostughed at that. But he didn''t want the duke to think that he wasn''t taking him seriously so he just bowed.


    "Anyway, I''ll teach you how to catch the hardest one to hunt among the Four Ancient Beasts that serve as the empire''s guardians," the duke said. "Captain Kiho, do you know which among the four ancient beasts is the hardest to catch?"


    "I believe it''s the Blue Dragon," he answered politely. "Thest time the replica of the Blue Dragon was released, almost half of the hunters were killed."


    "I understand why you think that the Blue Dragon is the most dangerous," the duke said. "After all, you haven''t seen the Red Phoenix, have you?"


    He shook his head. "As far as I know, the replica of the Red Phoenix hasn''t been chosen ever since the Hunt began."


    "That''s true," Duke Prescott said. "But we never know. The Red Phoenix must have been chosen as the ancient beast for today''s Hunt."


    That kind of surprised him because the duke said it with confidence, like he was so sure that the Red Phoenix was the chosen ancient beast for this year. But he was probably just over thinking.


    [The replica of the chosen ancient beast will only be released before the Hunt begins.]


    "Your Grace, do you know how to catch the Red Phoenix?"


    "I know two ways to catch the Red Phoenix," the duke answered. "But I will only teach you the safest way the one that wouldn''t require you to hurt other people."


    "I''m curious, though," he said. "Your Grace, why do you know how to catch a Red Phoenix?"


    "My predecessors fought in a war where the Fire Mages were seized," the duke exined. "They helped seal the Red Phoenix and the method was passed down generation to generation."


    "Does it mean Tilly also knows how to seal the Red Phoenix?"


    "Of course not," the duke said. "It was only passed down to the males in the family. That''s the reason why I''m teaching it to you instead of my daughter."


    "Pardon me but I think it''s unfair," he said. "Tilly is capable. She''s even more qualified to inherit your title over me, Your Grace."


    "I chose not to teach Tilly the method because it''s life-threatening and not because she''s a woman," the duke denied. "And there''s no reason for her to learn how to seal the Red Phoenix since my daughter isn''t a warrior."


    "Oh, that makes sense," he said. He agreed with the duke. Tilly had no reason to learn how to seal the Red Phoenix. "I apologize for being rude, Your Grace."


    "Forget it," the duke said casually. "I want to know if you''re willing to learn the method I''m talking about even if it''s dangerous. I don''t know if it''s worth it especially if you consider the fact that there''s a miniscule chance that the Red Phoenix was chosen as the ancient beast."


    "If it''s a method that House Prescott has been preserving for years, then I''d like to learn it as your heir," Kiho said, then he bowed to the duke. "Please teach me the method, Your Grace."


    "Raise your head," Duke Prescott said and when he did, he saw him smile at him for the first time. "I''m d that my daughter married you, Captain Kiho."


    And Kiho was lucky that his father-inw respected him.


    [I swear on my life that I will protect House Prescott forever.]


    ***


    "DID you and the High Priest manipte the mystery boxes?"


    "Of course not," Nia answered Captain Sherwood''s ridiculous question. They were sharing a table while having tea. It was kind of dark because there was no window in the room. But the candles made it bearable. "Aku would know if the mystery boxes were manipted."


    It was midnight right now.


    She secretly met up with Captain Sherwood in the basement of the High Priest''s temple. It was a ce that not even Aku could detect. Everyone in that room would temporarily "disappear" in the empire. That was thanks to the spell in there that nullified their Mana.


    "You''re saying that it was co-incidence that the Red Phoenix was chosen?" Captain Sherwood asked in amusement. Then, he munched on a sandwich. Wherever he was, this gentleman was really so carefree. "That''s amazing."


    "It''s going to be hard even for you to catch the Red Phoenix," she said seriously. "There are two ways to seal the Red Phoenix. Unfortunately, we only know one of those methods."


    "So, what do I have to do to catch the legendary bird?"


    "The Red Phoenix doesn''t have a heart," she started. "It''s the replica of the original bird so naturally, it doesn''t have a heart as well. You can kill the phoenix and seal its ability to reincarnate if you crush the heart."


    The captain''s eyebrow rose. "Are you telling me to crush Lady Prescott''s heart to catch the Red Phoenix?"


    "If you crush Lady Prescott''s heart and the phoenix died, then it will be confirmed the she really has the heart that we need," she said. "We can''t destroy the heart just to win the Hunt. But it''s a good opportunity to test if Lady Prescott''s heart is really the one I''m after."


    "How do we do that?"


    "I''ll give you a dagger that can make any heart stop for a minute. If the Red Phoenix''s heart stops beating, the bird will also get paralyzed," she said, then sipped her tea before she continued. "The dagger won''t kill Lady Prescott or damage her heart. But you have to catch the Red Phoenix in a minute. Because once Lady Prescott''s paralysis is over, the bird would also recover and might even turn aggressive."


    "Wait, I''m confused," the captain said with a knotted forehead. "Your Royal Highness, how am I supposed to stab Lady Prescott''s heart and capture the Red Phoenix at the same time? The Hunt would be held in the forest while the audience area would be far from the hunting grounds. I can fly but I can''t turn invisible."


    "Have you forgotten about my ability, Captain Sherwood?" she asked while shaking her head. "Our predecessors were the ones who made the replica of the ancient beasts. I can also make a replica of anyone or anything that has shadows."


    Captain Sherwood grinned as if he already realized her n. "Oh. So, you''re going to make a clone of me?"


    Nia smiled sweetly. "Exactly."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 48: Winter is Coming

    Chapter 48: Winter is Coming


    TILLY was lying on her stomach when she felt Kiho copse on top of her. She knew that he just had a warm bath so it was amusing to feel that his body was already cool.


    [He''s been going homete for the past five days.]


    Anyway, she was already in bed when Kiho came home. When he thought she was already sleeping, he just kissed her on the forehead before he went to take a bath. He probably noticed that she was wide awake now and so, he just copsed on top of her as if he was light.


    [Well, I can feel that he''s trying not to crush me under his weed weight.]


    "Is my father being too harsh on your training?" Tilly asked him. "My father can really be strict sometimes so please be more patient with him, hon."


    "Of course," Kiho said. Then, he kissed her shoulder. "But I was too stupid for going easy on Duke Prescott at first, Tilly. I was being careful because of his age. At the end of our first training session, His Grace beat me to a pulp."


    She giggled at that confession. "Well, my father is old but he''s still a duke. House Prescott might be known for our wealth. But I heard that during Father''s peak, he used to fight alongside the previous emperor in wars."


    The previous emperor was Emperor Aku and Princess Nia''s father, of course. Unfortunately, the previous emperor and empress died before she was even born.


    [Right. Emperor Aku and Princess Nia lost their parents when they were only ten.]


    She remembered that in her past life, Kiho once told her that Emperor Aku acted immature most of the time to cope-up from his harsh upbringing. The emperor didn''t have freedom while growing up with the empire on his little shoulders. So when he became an adult and officially ascended the throne when he was eighteen, His Majesty broke free from his shackles aka the nosy advisors and ministers that "raised" him and "took care" of the throne for a while.


    Thus, when the emperor tasted freedom, he acted the way he wanted to without reservation.


    "I believe that," Kiho saidter. "Even though I was already fighting the duke seriously, he still kicked my ass."


    Tillyughed at his vulgar choice of words. It rarely happened but it was fun to hear him talk that way. In fact, he even sounded sexy. "I''m d to know that you''re getting along with my father."


    "You think so?" he asked in a suspicious tone. "By the way His Grace hit me, I''m thinking that he secretly hates me."


    She giggled while shaking her head. "If my father hates you, he wouldn''t have given you the time of day. He''s one of the busiest people in the empire, Kiho. But still, he invited you for training again and again."


    "Oh, I see," he said, relieved. "That''s good to know."


    "What is Father teaching you, hon?"


    "Just the art of hunting," he answered before he changed the topic. "How was your day, honey?"


    "I kept the empire''s economy afloat by spending your money on shopping."


    "How noble," he teased her. "Did you visit the orphanages and charities that you''ve been supporting?"


    House Prescott had several orphanages and charities that they had been supporting just to lessen their taxes. But this time, she had a genuine heart to help the less fortunate. Especially the children. She wanted to give back to themunity.


    "Yes," she admitted. "I brought thick clothes and nkets for them. Winter is approaching and I don''t want them to freeze."


    "That''s nice of you, Tilly."


    "It''s a rich person''s job to help the less fortunate," she said. "Being nice is easy when you have money, Kiho."


    "I know that," he admitted. "But not everyone can be as genuine as you."


    "I''m just trying to be a decent person every day."


    "And that''s inspiring," he told her. Then, he moved to kiss her on the cheek. "I like winter."


    She knew the captain was talking about the season but she couldn''t help but smile hearing that from him. "That''s so random, hon. Random but adorable fact."


    "I just remembered it when you mention that winter ising soon," he exined. "I know that for most people, winter is a season that makes their livelihood suffer. But personally, I enjoy it since ice is my attribute. I hope I don''t sound selfish."


    "You don''t," she assured him. She liked that he was aware of his privilege. "I don''t have a favorite season but if you like winter, then it''s also my favorite season from now on."


    Kiho let out a softugh. Oh, he wasughing more recently than he did in her past life. It looked like they were really growing closer this time. "Wouldn''t it be adorable if we named our future son ''Winter?''"


    Tilly instantly got emotional.


    In the past, she only named her son ''Winter'' because she gave birth to him the first day it snowed during that season. Had the prophecy been wrong and her child turned out to be a girl, she was determined to call her daughter ''Snow.'' That was how thoughtless she was in choosing the name of her child with Kiho.


    But this time, she was really d that they were having that conversation.


    "I like it," she said, trying to hold back her tears. "We should name our son ''Winter.''"


    "Are you sure?"


    Sheughed softly as his surprised reaction. "You suggested it, my silly husband."


    "Oh, I didn''t know that you''d ept it easily," he admitted. "I heard that most of the nobles go to the temple and ask the High Priest to name their children."


    "You''re the father of my future child and not the High Priest," she said in between giggles. "Why would I ask a random man to name my son?"


    He gasped at that. "Honey, you just called the High Priest a "random man.""


    She justughed it off. "You''re the only man that matters to me, Captain."


    Not counting her father, of course.


    Anyway, Kiho responded to her by grinding his growing erection against her hip.


    [Gosh, someone is getting horny while I''m being sentimental here.]


    Oh, not that she wasining, okay?


    Kiho, still on top of her while she was lying on her stomach, held her waist. "Tilly, can we do it?"


    She liked how he would always ask for her consent first.


    "Yes, I want to do it, too," Tilly said. "In this position, please."


    [Winter ising, y''all.]


    ***


    THE DAY of the Hunt has finallye.


    Tilly was very satisfied by the hunting clothes that she asked the best tailor in the Royal Capital to make for her.


    Today she wore a ck spencer jacket over a midnight blue waistcoat with gold buttons. She also wore a whitece top underneath the waistcoat. And in the middle of the ascot tie was a gold brooch with a round purple diamond in the center.


    Because purple is the shade of my eyes.


    Anyway, she also wore a white pleated high-low skirt. And toplete her hunting attire, she wore ck stockings and boots.


    [Well, I''ll just have tea with thedies but I still want to look extra.]


    She also put a mini midnight blue ribbon hat on top of her hair that was tied in a bun.


    "Lady Prescott, Captain Kiho has arrived," Damian announced outside the room.


    She asked Damian to let her husband in.


    After Leni and Lani greeted Kiho, she dismissed her maids. And so, she was now alone in the chamber with the captain.


    [Gosh, my hon looks extra dashing today!]


    Kiho looked handsome in his ck double-breasted frock uniform with gold epaulets. Under the jacket was a midnight blue waistcoat (just like hers, of course). And under the waistcoat, he wore a grandad cor shirt with white ascot tie. His tie also had a brooch and a yellow amethyst gem in the center. His outfit waspleted by his ck pants and a pair of ck hunting boots.


    "God, you''re beautiful," Kiho said in a whisper as he appreciated her with his eyes. "I can''t believe you married me, Tilly."


    Tilly hugged his waist before she tiptoed to kiss him on the lips. "My dear Captain, you look so dashing today that I want to kidnap you and hide you in my pocket forever."


    He looked confused. "I''m too big to be hidden in your pocket, Tilly."


    Sheughed softly. "I''m just saying that I want to keep you all to myself, Kiho."


    His face instantly lit up. "Oh. I want to keep you all to myself, too." He cupped her face between his gloved hands. Gosh, those ck gloves looked hot on him. "Tilly, I don''t know how to exin this but you look extra radiant today."


    Of course, she was.


    In her past life, they found out that she was pregnant after the Hunt


    in an ugly way.


    After Kiho was heavily injured in his attempt to stop Emperor Aku from wrecking havoc, he was brought to the hospital.


    When she saw that the captain lost an eye and an arm, she passed out from shock. When she woke up, the doctor informed them that she was pregnant. But because of what happened to Kiho, they didn''t celebrate the supposed-to-be joyous moment.


    Currently, she didn''t feel any sign yet that she was pregnant but if she would follow the timeline of her past life, Winter should be starting to grow inside her womb right now.


    [I''ll ask Kiho to apany me to the hospital after the Hunt.]


    "I just feel like something good is going to happen today," she teased him.


    He suddenly became serious. "I''ll win the Hunt for you, Tilly."


    Well, that would be nice. To be honest, she was okay as long as Captain Sherwood wouldn''t win. But out of all thepetitors, Kiho was the only one capable of beating him.


    "I''ll cheer for you," Tilly said happily with her fists raised. "Kiho, fighting."


    Kiho looked confused by her cheer but he gave her a small smile anyway. Then, he kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Tilly."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 49: Let the Hunt Begin

    Chapter 49: Let the Hunt Begin


    TILLY wanted to concentrate on Emperor Aku''s noble speech about protecting the citizens through the Clean-up Hunt. But she couldn''t help but stare at Princess Nia.


    [Gosh, she''s really a certified fashion icon.]


    Princess Nia wore a red custom-made suit with chic gold capelet. For her footwear, the princess chose pointy-two T-strap heels with gold ent. For the first time in a while, the princess tied her silver hair in a braided bun instead of letting it flow down her back.


    [The princess looks so expensive.]


    Tilly wasn''t the only one who thought that way. Even though no one would dare talk while the emperor was talking, she could see the look of envy that thedies were throwing at the princess. Maybe they were thinking how could an outfit "for men" look good on a woman?


    [In the modern world I lived in, it''smon for women to wear pants. Even in other parts of this empire, women are also starting to wear trousers. After the light dresses, I''m sure women''s pants are going to be the next trend.]


    She couldn''t wait to capitalize on that.


    Anyway, right now, they were in front of Castle Vania. It was the fortress that kept the Crades hiding in the Forest of Enryu from attacking humans. While the hunters do their job, the emperor and the princess, along with thedies waiting for their partners, would be waiting inside Castle Vania.


    Currently, a makeshift stage was built in front of the giant gate for the emperor''s speech. Behind His Majesty was Princess Nia who was sitting on her throne with a calm and elegant look on her beautiful face.


    [The twin royals are really the elite among the elites.]


    "So without further ado" Emperor Aku said. He looked so majestic in his maroon custom-made three-piece suit with gold ent. Anyway, he raised the pistol in his right hand. "Let the Hunt begin!"


    And then, His Majesty fired the gun.


    Tilly didn''t hear the shot as loud as she expected because a pair of cold hands covered her ears. Even though Kiho was wearing gloves, she still felt the temperature of his cold body. Anyway, she smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Honey, I''m fine. You should raise your weapon like the others."


    The other Hunters around them were raising their weapon of choice.


    "Oh," Kiho said. "Right."


    When she turned to him, she saw him raise his rifle with his right hand. She was surprised to see that the gun was his main weapon for today and not his sword. "Hon, why a rifle instead of your sword?"


    "This is Duke Prescott''s personal request," Kiho told her. "His Grace wants me to win the Hunt using a rifle."


    Tilly let out a sigh while shaking her head. "My father could be an oddball sometimes."


    ***


    "HON, be careful," Tilly told Kiho while they were at the entrance of Castle Vania just like the other couples who were bidding each other a tearful farewell. "Please don''t take this the wrong way but if the situation gets dangerous, forget about winning and just give up. I''d rather you make it out alive in one piece than emerge a victor with some heavy injuries."


    "I understand that you''re worried about me, Tilly," Kiho said gently. "But don''t worry, I won''t die here. Especially not when we haven''t met our child yet."


    She smiled at that. "Yes, you can''t die before that."


    He nodded before he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Honey, don''t you have something to give to me before I leave?"


    She pouted because if there was one thing she wasn''t good at, then it would be embroidery.


    In the Moonchester Empire, it was a tradition for ady to give her lover a handkerchief with handmade embroidery as a sign of good luck.


    "I''m not confident about my embroidery skills so please don''tin," Tilly said while pulling out a white handkerchief from the inside pocket of her jacket. Then, she handed it to him. "Remember, it''s the thought that counts."


    The captain stared at the embroidery of the white hankie.


    She couldn''t stitch a blue mockingbird (House Prescott''s crest) or a ck serpent (Kiho''s squad symbol). So she did the simplest thing she could stitch: a cute "chibi" crab.


    Kiho, much to her shock,ughed heartily.


    She wasn''t the only who was surprised by the captain''s reaction. Everyone who heard and saw himughing was obviously shocked.


    [See? My Captain isn''t scary!]


    "I love it," Kiho said sincerely. He already stoppedughing but his full smile and his dimples told her that he was really happy. "Thank you, Tilly."


    "You''re wee, hon."


    The captain then got down on one knee. Then, he held her hand and kissed her knuckles. It was the kind of vow that a knight would bestow his lover before the Hunt. That vow meant that he would offer his victory to her.


    "I''ll pray for your safety, Kiho," Tilly said sincerely. "Have a safe Hunt."


    Kiho nodded. Then he stood up, cupped her face between his hands, and kissed her on the lips. "I''ll return safely back to you, Tilly."


    Kissing on the lips wasn''t part of the vow


    and they sure made every couple around them jealous.


    [Sorry not sorry, folks.]


    ***


    "YOU''RE using a rifle, Captain Kiho?"


    "Yes," Kiho answered Captain Sherwood''s question.


    Right now, they were walking inside the deepest part of Forest of Enryu where the wildest Crades dwelled.


    Even though they were bothpeting for the Hunt, as captains, they should first fulfill their duty. It meant that before they chase the Red Phoenix, they had to y as many flesh-eating monsters as they could first.


    Most of thepetitors for the Hunt were noblemen. As he and Captain Sherwood were both captains, they had to make sure that the most dangerous Crades wouldn''t reach the nobles.


    Only then they could chase the Red Phoenix.


    To be honest, until now, he was still surprised by the chosen ancient beast for this year.


    [I''m d that Duke Prescott taught me how to catch the legendary ming bird.]


    "You look calm, Captain Kiho," Captain Sherwoodmented. "Most of the Hunters have quit when they found out that the chosen ancient beast this year is the Red Phoenix."


    He didn''t respond to that because he didn''t really like talking to other people.


    [Tilly is the only person in the world that I enjoy talking to.]


    "Your calmness makes me think that you know a method to catch the Red Phoenix," Captain Sherwood continued. "What a co-incidence. I also know how to capture the sky beast."


    Okay, that caught his attention.


    But suddenly, two Crades from either of their side attacked them. The flesh-eating monsters took the shape of a grizzly bear. Only it was twice the average''s bear''s size. And the Crades had longer and sharper fangs enough to crush human bones in one bite.


    They were big but weak though.


    Both him and the other captain didn''t even need to use a weapon.


    The Crades in Kiho''s side literally froze in mid-air when he enclosed it in a giant cube ice.


    On the other hand, the Crades in Captain Sherwood''s side was neatly cut up in many pieces. He did that using his ability to make the air around him sharp and fast enough to slice enemies people and monsters alike.


    Before the green blood of the Crades ssh on them, Kiho put up a thinyer of ice as his shield. He didn''t want to return to Tilly covered in blood.


    But Captain Sherwood was different. Even though he was capable of avoiding the blood, he stood still and let the green blood rain on him. In fact, it looked like the other captain reveled in the feeling of being covered in blood.


    [What a scary fellow.]


    "Captain Kiho, let''s have a fun game," Captain Sherwood with a smile and a frenzied look in his ash gray eyes. "Let''s see which one of us could win without losing something important."


    And after saying that, Captain Sherwood suddenly shot up into the sky.


    Kiho suddenly felt nervous. The first thing that came into his mind was Tilly''s smiling face. But he shouldn''t worry, right? After all, his wife was in the castle where Emperor Aku and Princess Nia were staying as well.


    [Please wait for me, Tilly.]


    ***


    TILLY felt awkward while on the rooftop of Castle Vania along with the otherdies. And she wasn''t the only one who felt that way.


    [And it''s His Majesty''s fault.]


    Emperor Aku fell in a sour mood after Captain Sherwood made a vow to Princess Nia.


    As far as Tilly remembered, in her past life, Her Royal Highness had never attended the Hunt because the emperor forbade her.


    But this year, Princess Nia was required by the advisors and the ministers to attend the Hunt with Emperor Aku. The citizens were losing faith to the twin royals because of their super long engagement. Plus, the princess was turning thirty soon and she hadn''t gotten pregnant yet. In short, the people were worrying about the royal family''s future.


    Rumors about the emperor and the princess''s estranged rtionship started to spread. So to recover their image and put the citizens at ease, their advisors asked them to show up in public events more often.


    [But Emperor Aku throwing tantrums out of jealousy will only make the rumors worse.]


    Gosh, the emperor was really a man-child.


    Thanks to the twin royals'' "silent war," no one enjoyed the moment that Emperor Aku opened the "mystery white box." When the lid was opened, a beautiful trail of red light scattered in the air until it disappeared.


    That meant that for today''s Hunt, the Red Phoenix was the chosen ancient beast.


    And that made Tilly nervous.


    [In my past life, it was the Golden Tiger that was released and not the Red Phoenix.]


    To be honest, it was the first time in history that it happened.


    [Gosh, isn''t that an omen? I hope Kihoes back safely.]


    After the emperor released the ancient beast, Princess Nia went back inside the pce with her royal guards. Emperor Aku could only watch the princess with sad eyes.


    [Tsk. Their LQ is making everyone ufortable.]


    Tilly was about to go back inside the castle to have tea but stopped when Lahara, the princess''s personal knight, literally blocked her way. She had a bad feeling about Lahara but she couldn''t help but get mesmerized by her beauty.


    [Lahara is the type of girl that people can also call "handsome."]


    In short, Lahara had the "girl crush" concept.


    [But she''s bad news so I have to be super careful.]


    "Lady Prescott, pardon me but Her Royal Highness Princess Nia wants to talk to you in private," Lahara said with a smile. "Please follow me."


    Tilly raised her eyebrow. "And what if I refuse?"


    "Don''t misunderstand, Lady Prescott," the mage-knight warned her lightly. "It''s not a request it''s an order."


    After that, Lahara''s orange eyes started to glow.


    Then, Tilly felt her body freeze. The next thing she knew, she was already walking back inside the castle against her will. She wanted to stop but her body won''t listen to her.


    That could only mean one thing.


    [This is mind control!]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 50: Summon the Sky Beast

    Chapter 50: Summon the Sky Beast


    BEING aware that she was being mind controlled, Tilly didn''t resist anymore.


    [Captain Denver said that the trick to fight mind control is to be aware of the surroundings and pretend that you sumb to the controller.]


    So she quietly followed Lahara to the tea room where Princess Nia was waiting for her. When the mage-knight pulled a chair for her, she obediently sat down across Her Royal Highness. Her movements were minimal because she was afraid to get busted so she didn''t have the luxury to look around her. But she could tell that the room was luxurious, something that would fit the empire''s only princess and future empress.


    Anyway, after she was settled in her seat, Lahara stood behind her instead of Princess Nia. Her nape suddenly felt cold. She felt like death itself was breathing against the back of her neck.


    [It''s a warning. Lahara stood behind me so she could easily kill me if she needs to.]


    As a person with a warm body, she broke into a cold sweat.


    She could easily act like she was being controlled but hiding her fear was a different matter. If it was only her life in danger, she wouldn''t be this scared. But knowing that Winter was already growing inside her womb, she feared for her son''s life more than anything else.


    [Don''t worry, baby. Mommy will protect you at all cost.]


    "Would you like some tea, Lady Prescott?" Princess Nia asked in a sweet voice while holding a teapot so gracefully.


    Tilly slowly nodded her head, acting as stoic as she could. "It would be an honor to be served by you, Your Royal Highness."


    The princess just smiled at her, then poured her some tea like she said.


    [How can be a beautiful woman like her be so rotten inside?]


    "Lady Prescott, let me ask you one thing," Princess Nia said, then sipped her tea elegantly before she continued. "Do you think Captain Kiho would win the Hunt? Tell me honestly."


    "Yes, Your Royal Highness," she answered truthfully. It looked like the princess was waiting for an exnation so she gave her one. "Kiho prepared a lot for the Hunt. He went to training under my father''s supervision for a week."


    "Duke Prescott was a war hero," Her Royal Highness said in amusement. "When I was a little girl, I would often wee His Grace to the pce along with the previous emperor and their entire troop. Come to think of it, your father and my father had a long history together."


    "I honestly don''t know much about my father being a war hero, Your Royal Highness," she confessed. "I heard stories of it from our servants. But my father doesn''t want to talk about it with me."


    "Understandable," the princess said. "Men believe that women shouldn''t be involved in wars so they wouldn''t even talk about it in our presence. After all, the gentlemen of our empire only want thedies to smile and stay pretty." She smiled bitterly. "Fools."


    "That''s true," she agreed with Her Royal Highness. "But a younger generation of men doesn''t have that kind of mindset anymore. Especially the ones we call "new money folks.""


    The "conservative" men from the old families still strongly thought that women were nothing more than a trophy wife.


    To be honest, Tilly wasn''t sure if her father was one of them. Sometimes she would feel like the duke was looking down on her because she was a woman. But other times, she couldn''t help but wonder if her father was doing that on purpose so she wouldn''t think about leaving the mansion. He had been overprotective of her ever since she was a child.


    "Is Captain Kiho included in the generation that you''re talking about, Lady Prescott?" Princess Nia asked.


    "Yes, Your Royal Highness," Tilly answered. "Captain Kiho is very open-minded and thoughtful. He gives me the utmost respect and he treats me as an equal."


    Well, Kiho could be overprotective most of the time. But it wasn''t suffocating and he knew his boundary so she didn''t make a big deal out of it.


    "How lovely," Her Royal Highness said in the dullest voice she had heard from her yet. "Based on your confidence in Captain Kiho, then I must say that he might win the whole Hunt."


    She didn''t respond to that because she suddenly felt nervous.


    "I''ll be honest with you, Lady Prescott," the princess said. "I''d be dead if Captain Kiho wins the Hunt. So why don''t you go and make your husband lose?"


    Her forehead knotted in confusion.


    And she felt threatened when Lahara put her hands on her shoulders. Suddenly, Tilly couldn''t move. The mage-knight was definitely using her power to freeze her in her seat!


    [This is against thew! No one is allowed to use a spell or wield a weapon in the presence of the royal family!]


    That was the reason why Damian and the other knights were told to wait outside for their masters. After all, wherever the emperor was would be a safe ce because of the barrier that would be automatically put to ensure His Majesty''s safety. That said barrier was now around Castle Vania. Thus, there was no need for personal guards in his presence.


    If Lahara was using her Mana, then that could only mean that the room had a spell that could hide the use of power in there.


    "Lady Prescott, you feel sick so you''re going to leave the castle and go home in your carriage," Princess Nia ordered her while her red eyes were glowing dangerously. Tilly could feel the weight of her every word being carved in her mind and body. No doubt that the princess was using her mind control on her. "Once you step out of this room, you''ll forget about everything that we talked about. You won''t even remember that I summoned you. If you understand, then get out of here now."


    "As you wish, Your Royal Highness," Tilly said before she bowed and stood up to leave the room. [Now how should I protect myself from an overpowered princess?!]


    ***


    KIHO threw the lifeless and bloody body of thest high-level Crades in the area on top of the other bodies that he had just in. It created a mountain of corpses that would definitely scare the remaining weak-leveled Crades around. With that, he was sure that they wouldn''t leave their hiding ce to attack the hunters that wouldtere that way.


    Once the wildest and the most dangerous flesh-eating monsters were killed, the weaker ones wouldn''t dare toe out anymore. That was why the emperor ordered the captains of the Four Orders to y the precarious Crades first before they joined the Hunt for the ancient beast.


    [My job here is done.]


    As if on cue, he heard a melodious cry from above that gave him goosebumps.


    When he looked up at the sky, his eyes widened in awe.


    [The Red Phoenix is beautiful]


    The legendary bird was ten times bigger than an average eagle, with brilliant scarlet and hold plumage. And yes, it was indeed engulfed in me that looked hotter than normal me.


    Duke Prescott taught him the method to temporary seal the Red Phoenix to capture it. He was also aware that the Red Phoenix was a ming bird. But still, he didn''t expect it to be that intimidating. Now he knew why it was called the "sky beast."


    Kiho swallowed hard.


    [Why do I feel like I''m going to be burned into ashes once I touch the Red Phoenix?]


    ***


    TILLY somehow felt that she''d get ambushed on her way home so she asked the coachman to bring her to the hunting grounds instead. As far as she knew, the Golden Tiger Knights were assigned at the border of Forest of Enryu to make sure that non-participants wouldn''t enter.


    The coachman tried to convince her to change her mind but she was adamant. She was a duke''s daughter so the knights wouldn''t hurt or capture her. At most, she would just be escorted back to the castle.


    [And that''s my goal. I need to be surrounded by knights for my protection.]


    She was trying to contact Kiho as soon as she got in the carriage but she couldn''t reach him. It was probably due to the barrier around the Forest of Enryu. The protection was put around the forest so the Crades wouldn''t go past the border and attack civilians.


    When contacting Kiho failed, she tried to call her father. But for some reason, she also couldn''t reach the duke. Her father didn''t attend the Hunt because of a business trip. But even if he was in another town, it should have been easy to contact him.


    [Is mymunication device bugged?]


    Her thoughts were cut-off when the carriage suddenly crashed into something.


    She thought she was going to fly out of the coach. But out of the blue, an arm wrapped around her waist. The next thing she knew, she was already out in the open. To be precise, she was inside the forest without anyone else in sight


    and she was definitely not safe.


    Tilly gasped when she realized that the "man" holding her was literally a shadow. But it had a physical body that seemed to be stronger than average humans. The thing that bothered her most was its familiar silhouette. She felt like she knew to whom that shadow belonged to.


    Sadly, she didn''t have the time to figure out whom it reminded her.


    And that was because the shadow suddenly stabbed her in the heart with a dagger.


    Instead of pain, she felt numbness. Her body suddenly felt so heavy and the next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground while facing the bright sky. Thankfully, the sun was being covered by thick clouds so it didn''t hurt her eyes as much as she expected. It still felt ufortable but she had to endure because she couldn''t move an inch.


    [This is paralysis.]


    She didn''t know why but she was suddenly super aware of her own body. Heck, she could even tell that her heart just stopped beating.


    [Wait I''m going to die at this rate!]


    And suddenly, she heard another heartbeat. It was weaker than hers, and it seemed like the sound belonged to a smaller heart.


    [Smaller heart?]


    It must be Winter''s heart!


    Based on her calctions, she must be approaching four weeks of pregnancy right now. She was sure that the heart of the fetus shouldn''t have been fully-developed at that stage yet. But nobles like her were different from average humans.


    It wouldn''t be a surprise if their babies developed faster than normal.


    [If I die here, Winter will die as well!]


    Tilly''s original n was to avoid the royal family''s drama and live a peaceful life with Kiho and Winter. She wanted to be the richest noblewoman in the empire so she''d gain the freedom to remove their family from politics. Heck, she was even willing to give up her nobility.


    She thought that Princess Nia would stop bothering her when her n to use her to expose the royal secret failed. To be honest, she knew that the princess wanted something from her. But she stopped herself from digging further because she wanted to avoid dealing with it.


    Hah! She was a fool to think that Princess Nia would leave her alone if she bowed to her and pretended that she was on her side.


    [Father, I wanted to listen to you. Even though you''re a duke, I know that we can''t stand against them at our current state. So I intended to keep my head hanged low before the royal family until we be untouchable even for them. I just want to have a peaceful life with Kiho and Winter. But now, I know that I can''t achieve that by acting passive.]


    Now she was fully awake from her foolishness.


    [It''s either kill or be killed.]


    And she had no intention to die by the hands of Princess Nia again.


    Just the thought of Her Royal Highness was enough to summon an ungodly amount of rage in her heart. Her body felt so warm until she was literally engulfed in a red me. Surprisingly, she wasn''t being burned.


    In fact, the warmth of the me embracing her wasforting.


    At the same time, she also heard a melodious cry that seemed to be reaching out to her.


    [Come], Tilly told to whoever or whatever it was that was calling her. [Come to me, Red Phoenix.]


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 51: Supreme Fire Mages Awakening

    Chapter 51: Supreme Fire Mage''s Awakening


    WHEN Kiho reached the top of the highest redwood in the forest, he finally got a closer look at the majestic ming bird. But his forehead knotted in confusion when he realized that the Red Phoenix wasn''t moving.


    [Did someone shot it with a paralyzing bullet?]


    He hated that he had to attack the red bird when it couldn''t fight back. It felt worse to know that he was going to take advantage of other people''s handiwork. But he wanted to win the Hunt. Honestly speaking, he was used to dirty tactics because of his assassination missions. But hunting a legendary beast like this was taking a jab on his pride.


    He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts.


    [Eyes on the prize, Kiho.]


    He got down on one knee and prepared his rifle to hit the Red Phoenix in both eyes.


    ording to Duke Prescott, the Red Phoenix albeit being a replica would look for something important to it. Hence, it would "wake up" agitated. To temporary stop its movement, he had to literally blind the red bird. Once it loses its sight, it would stop flying and would rest on top of anything tall enough to its liking. A giant tree or the castle''s rooftop, for example.


    But since the Red Phoenix had fast regeneration, he had to capture the ming bird while it was still blind.


    [I can''t miss.]


    When Kiho was sure that he would hit the target, he finally pulled the trigger.


    But before the bullet could even reach the Red Phoenix, the majestic bird suddenly disappeared in thin air.


    [What?!]


    He was even more surprised to see Captain Sherwood floating in the air. He sliced the bullets that almost hit him. Ah, the Blue Dragon Knights captain was probably trying to catch the phoenix as well from the other side.


    "Hey, careful," Captain Sherwoodined when he saw him. "You almost shot me, Captain Kiho."


    "Sorry," Kiho said casually. "I didn''t expect that the Red Phoenix would suddenly disappear, Captain Sherwood."


    Just where did the majestic ming bird disappear to?


    ***


    TILLY didn''t know if she was hallucinating or something.


    But right now, she was looking at a beautiful ming red bird in the sky. Its golden orbs were staring straight back at her as if it finally found the thing it was looking for. She could read it in its mesmerizing eyes.


    "Come," Tilly whispered, relieved to hear and feel the beat of her heart again. When her body finally felt light, she opened her arms to the red bird. "Come to me."


    The Red Phoenix seemed to understand her because it suddenly started toe down to her in an rming speed. But even though the giant bird was engulfed in red me, she didn''t feel scared. She could feel that it wouldn''t hurt her.


    When the Red Phoenix was a few meters away from her, her body started to float until she was standing in the air. She wrapped her arms around the red bird as it enclosed her in its soft and warm wings.


    The dagger in her chest burned to ashes but her body and her clothes were fine.


    "Can you feel my wrath, Red Phoenix?" Tilly asked the red bird while stroking its soft feathers. It moved its head as if it was nodding as a response to her question. Like she expected, the phoenix could understand her. "Then, burn the b*tch Nia Moonchester for me."


    ***


    TILLY knew that wasn''t herself at the moment.


    The wrath in her chest was taking over and she couldn''t stop it. Rather, she didn''t want to. She was tired of Princess Nia messing up her life again and again. That b*tch would probably stop only when she was dead.


    [I have to kill her this time before she hurts my family again.]


    The power inside her was overflowing and that was where her confidence wasing from. She felt she could kill Princess Nia instantly. Well, the Red Phoenix would do the job for her.


    [Please take care.]


    She watched the Red Phoenix flying high up in the sky in its glory.


    While she had to stay and deal with the shadow who stabbed her heart a while ago. It seemed like a robot that could only perform the job programmed in its "head." After all, the silhouette stopped moving as soon as it stabbed her.


    [But I can''t leave it alone. It might have a recording device that may have captured my moment with the Red Phoenix. I have to destroy it the shadow.]


    As soon as she thought of destroying it, she heard a strange voice in her head. She couldn''t tell if it was a male or a female. But for some reason, the voice was soothing to hear. Like she knew who it was but she couldn''t just remember.


    [Ring of Fire], the strange voice whispered. [Say the words, Supreme.]


    "Ring of Fire," Tilly said under her breath while looking at the unmoving shadow.


    As soon as she said the "magic words," a literal ring of fire appeared around the silhouette and burned it to ashes. It only took three seconds!


    She smiled at the oue.


    [It feels good to be this powerful.]


    Tilly looked up at the sky. The Red Phoenix couldn''t be seen anymore. She hoped that the princess was already being toasted alive. "Please don''t fail, Red Phoenix."


    ***


    NIA felt a shiver down her spine when she felt a very strong powering at her.


    [It can''t be!]


    "Your Royal Highness!" Lahara screamed while standing protectively in front of her. "It''s the Red Phoenix!"


    The red bird plowed into the ss window.


    Everything that it touched burned right away. In just a few seconds, the entire room was already engulfed in me and they were in the middle of it.


    Nia was shocked.


    First of all, Castle Vania was supposed to be surrounded by a powerful barried. Howe a mere replica had managed to break into it?!


    [But this shouldn''t happen in the first ce!]


    Before the replicas of the Four Ancient Beasts were put in the boxes, they were conditioned to never attack any member of the royal family. So she couldn''t understand why the replica of the Red Phoenix was suddenly attacking her!


    [Wait is it really a mere replica?]


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she heard Lahara screaming in agony. When she turned to the mage-knight, she gasped when she saw her being literally burned alive.


    "Lahara!"


    Nia tried to run towards Lahara and help her. But she was stopped when the Red Phoenix let out a loud shriek. Then, the red bird pped her with its huge ming wings.


    She raised her hands and created a barrier to protect herself.


    But it was useless. As soon as the red bird''s wing touched the barrier she made, it burned and was reduced to nothing. She instantly panicked because it was the strongest barrier that she could create. This was the first time her shield was broken.


    Right at that moment, she knew she didn''t have enough power to fight it.


    Nia got down on one knee, touched her shadow, and pulled it out of the floor.


    After making her own clone fight the Red Phoenix, she tried to run away. But she was shocked when the red bird burned her shadow to ashes.


    Losing her shadow instantly weakened her until she was coughing blood.


    [This phoenix definitely isn''t a replica!]


    Once again, she tried to run using all her strength. But when the Red Phoenix opened its huge wings, she was suddenly engulfed in red me.


    It was hot, unforgiving, and bone-melting.


    For the first time in her life, she felt physical pain.


    "Aku!" Nia cried when she fell on the ground while hugging herself tight. No matter how much Mana she used, she still couldn''t extinguish the me burning her alive. She could only cry in agonizing pain, especially when she realized that her skin was seriously starting to get burned. "Help me, Brother!"


    ***


    TILLY clutched her chest tight when she felt like her heart was being squeezed at the moment. After that, she started to cough blood.


    [What''s happening to me?]


    The overflowing power she felt a while ago also started to disappear.


    As evidence, the Ring of Fire that she created to burn the shadow was suddenly quenched.


    But then, all of a sudden, theforting me that engulfed her began to hurt. It was as if the me was starting to burn her now.


    [It hurts]


    "I knew this would happen."


    Tilly looked up and was surprised to see Captain Denver standing in front of her. She stepped back from him when he started to walk towards her. "No," she said weakly. "You''re going to get hurt if you touch me, Captain Denver."


    Captain Denver just grabbed her by the wrist. Then, he pulled her and hugged her tight.


    She tried to push him away but he suddenly let her go and gently pushed her away from him, literally.


    That was when she realized that the me engulfing her a while ago was transferred to Captain Denver. But unlike her, he didn''t seem like he was hurt at all. In fact, the red me started to vanish as if it was absorbed by his body.


    She would understand if it was an ordinary me. But it came from the Red Phoenix. That could only mean one thing.


    "Captain Denver" Tilly said in disbelief. "Are you a Fire Mage?"


    "I told you not to stand out, didn''t I?" Captain Denver asked softly, a sad smile spread across his lips. Then, much to her shock, he got down on one knee and hanged his head low before her. "Wee back, Supreme Fire Mage."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 52: Loss and Victory

    Chapter 52: Loss and Victory


    TO SAY that Tilly was shocked would be an understatement.


    [I''m the Supreme Fire Mage?]


    Although she had only met Captain Denver recently, she knew that he wouldn''t lie. Still, she had so many questions for him. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she just coughed blood again. The pain in her chest had also gotten worse.


    Captain Denver stood and put his hands on her shoulders. "Lady Prescott, what did you ask the Red Phoenix to do?"


    "Kill the bitch," Tilly answered when her coughing stopped. "I asked the phoenix to kill Her Royal Highness."


    The captain gasped. "Take it back, Lady Prescott. You can''t ask the replica of the Red Phoenix to kill a royal family member!"


    "Shut up," she said while ring at him. The wrath in her chest hadn''t diminished yet so she wasn''t in the mood to be polite right now. "You have no idea what the princess has done to me. I have to kill her now before she kills me again."


    "I''m saying this for your own good, Lady Prescott," he insisted. "The replicas of the Four Ancient Beasts are programmed to self-destruct if they hurt any member of the royal family especially His Majesty and Her Royal Highness! If the replica of the Red Phoenix dies, you''ll get hurt as well!"


    "Why would I die if it''s just a replica?"


    "The royal family had inserted a piece of the original Supreme Fire Mage''s heart inside the replica to make it alive," he exined. "Your current heart is iplete, Lady Prescott. Several pieces are either hidden or stolen. And a part of it is inside the replica."


    "What?"


    "I''ll exin itter," he said. "But you have to stop now before you hurt yourself even more!"


    "I don''t care," she hissed. "This is my chance to kill the bitch"


    "I hear two heartbeats in your body, Lady Prescott!"


    That made her freeze.


    "You are pregnant," Captain Denver said. "We don''t know what will happen to you if you kill the princess using the replica. Would you sacrifice your child for that?"


    No.


    Of course not.


    "We can kill the royal family next time," the captain continued. "But if you lose your child now, we can''t bring him back anymore."


    That was more than enough to put out the me of wrath in her chest.


    [Winter] She carefully ced her hands on her belly. [Mommy is sorry for almost putting your life in danger.]


    "Have you calmed down?" the captain asked. "You shouldn''t strain yourself when you''re pregnant, silly."


    She was about to say something when the ground shook hard. She lost bnce but thankfully, Captain Denver caught her in time. To be honest, now that she had calmed down, she was starting to feel exhausted.


    The shaking of the ground hadn''t stopped yet when they heard a loud bang. And a very menacing aura that made her shiver in fear.


    "What was that?" Tilly asked under her breath. "The pressure is heavy"


    "It''s the emperor''s unleashed power," Captain Denver said while looking at the direction of the castle. Then, he swallowed hard fear evident on his face. "His Majesty is probably releasing the real Ancient Beasts!"


    ***


    AS SOON as Kiho felt the replica of the Red Phoenix break the barrier around Castle Vania, he immediately ran as fast as he could back to the castle. Captain Sherwood definitely felt it too because he flew towards the castle at the speed of light. He hated to admit this but his legs couldn''t catch up with the other captain''s ability to fly.


    But he didn''t want to get left behind so he froze the ground with ice. Then, he created ice skate under his hunting boots and slid into it swiftly.


    When he got to the castle, he saw Captain Sherwood using his wind attribute to make the debris float so that everyone running out of the castle wouldn''t get hurt. The tower were the emperor and the princess were staying was destroyed.


    He instantly thought of Tilly. She was a close friend of the princess. But he hoped that his wife wasn''t with Her Royal Highness at this moment.


    "Captain Kiho!" Captain Sherwood shouted. "Go and protect His Majesty and Her Royal Highness! I will evacuate everyone and make sure that your wife is safe! So please, go and do your job as a captain!"


    Kiho nodded, then he leapt from balcony to balcony to reach the top of the tower.


    [Captain Sherwood, please make sure Tilly will be safe until I return.]


    When he reached the room where the replica of the Red Phoenix was, he was shocked. Lahara and Princess Nia were being burned alive!


    Both were already unconscious.


    [Shit!]


    When he stepped foot in the room, she froze the floor with ice and tried to enclose Princess Nia and Lahara in a giant ice sphere. But the Red Phoenix''s me thawed his ice easily.


    [Damn it!]


    He tried to attack the phoenix but he stopped when the ground shook hard. The next thing he knew, the windows and all the sses in the room were already broken, and so was the door. And, uh, the roof also copsed.


    He used an ice barrier to protect Princess Nia, Lahara, and himself from the debris.


    [This is His Majesty''s doing]


    Kiho''s knees almost gave up when he felt the immense pressureing from Emperor Aku who just entered the room. The emperor''s body was oozing with a golden and blue lightbined. Not only that.


    His Majesty was also being escorted by real Ancient Beasts.


    On the emperor''s left side was the Golden Tiger ten times bigger than an ordinary tiger. And on his right side was the Blue Dragon. It seemed to have shrunk but the oozing aura from it hadn''t changed.


    "A mere replica" Emperor Aku started in a very angry but low voice. "How dare a mere replica hurt my beloved princess?"


    When the emperor raised his arm, the Golden Tiger roared and attacked the Red Phoenix.


    On the other hand, the Blue Dragon''s tail wrapped its tail around Princess Nia and brought her to the emperor. Surprisingly, as soon as Emperor Aku carried Princess Nia''s burnt body, the me burning Her Royal Highness disappeared.


    Ordinary people wouldn''t see it but His Majesty was covered by what they called the Divine Protection. Attacks from the Four Ancient Beasts wouldn''t work on him. And since the emperor was now carrying the princess in his arms, the Divine Protection nullified the Red Phoenix''s me so His Majesty wouldn''t get hurt.


    [He''s the emperor for a reason.]


    But unfortunately, Princess Nia didn''t have a Divine Protection. From where he stood, he could see that Her Royal Highness''s body was severely burned. The princess''s skin seemed to be suffering from third degree burn.


    Despite that tragedy, the princess was still lucky to be alive. If it wasn''t for Her Royal Highness''s powerful Mana, she would have definitely been burned to ashes. He could feel the princess''s Mana all over the room. That only meant she used all the magical abilities she had to protect herself from the phoenix''s me.


    [If Her Royal Highness is weak, she would have turned to ashes in just under one minute.]


    That was the case for Lahara.


    The mage-knight was still alive despite being burned alive.


    [Shit, she''s still being burned!]


    Emperor Aku created a barrier around him and Princess Nia in the form of a golden light. It seemed like the emperor was trying to give first aid to the princess using his "pure Mana."


    That meant the emperor didn''t care about anyone else at the moment.


    Kiho knew it was up to him to save Lahara.


    He turned to the replica of the Red Phoenix that was being overpowered by the Golden Tiger right now.


    [A replica is just a replica when it''s faced with a real Ancient Beast.]


    The Red Phoenix was now on the floor while the Golden Tiger was pinning its wings with its ws. That had to hurt. No wonder the red bird was crying in pain. And it seemed like the Golden Tiger had done something to paralyze the phoenix.


    Kiho used that opportunity to attack. He got his rifle, then shot the Red Phoenix''s left eye first. Then, the right. The ming bird let out a shriek.


    The Golden Tiger leapt backwards away from the Red Phoenix.


    He raised both his hands and used almost all the remaining strength he had to create an ice sphere big and strong enough to enclose the ming bird. He thought the me would melt his ice again. But it seemed like the phoenix''s me weakened when it was paralyzed.


    And so, he seeded in entrapping the Red Phoenix in the ice sphere.


    That left him catching his breath though. Still, he was relieved to see that the me burning Lahara was extinguished when the Red Phoenix was entrapped.


    [I''ve used up almost all the Mana I have.]


    But he knew it was far from over.


    When Kiho turned to Emperor Aku, he saw the emperor silently cry so he immediately turned away. But before he did, he already saw Princess Nia''s terrible state. The emperor''s healing power didn''t work on Her Royal Highness.


    Princess Nia''s body was still in deep red a clear sign that the degree of burn she received was very bad.


    [His Majesty will definitely lose his mind over this.]


    But to be honest, he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Tilly was also in the castle. He wanted to make sure that she was safe.


    [Tilly, you''re okay, right?] Kiho asked in his mind. [Please stay safe, honey.]


    ***


    TILLY was surprised when the pain in her chest suddenly disappeared. She also didn''t feel like coughing blood. But she suddenly felt a sharp pang in her belly.


    She gasped aloud while holding her stomach carefully.


    "Lady Prescott?" Captain Denver asked worriedly. "What''s happening?"


    "Captain Denver, my baby" Tilly said while losing consciousness. "Please save him"


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 53: Two Promises

    Chapter 53: Two Promises


    KIHO noticed that Emperor Aku''s Mana was increasing in an rming rate. And as it happened, the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger in either of his side were also starting to turn back into their original size. Both Ancient Beasts were said to be as big as a mountain.


    If the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger seeded in reverting back to their original state, then the whole Castle Vania would definitely crumble. Ah, scratch that. The castle and the entire Forest of Enryu might disappear from the map!


    That meant everyone in the area would die. Yes, including him. Unfortunately, sealing the replica of the Red Phoenix had depleted his Mana. He didn''t have enough left to protect himself once Emperor Aku went berserk.


    "Your Majesty!" Kiho yelled. He didn''t mean to disrespect the emperor by raising his voice. He just needed to shout because he bet that the emperor was too angry to listen to anyone or anything around him. "Please don''t do this!"


    [I really want to hit His Majesty right now.]


    He wasn''t good at making other people calm because he himself had a nasty temper. But at this situation, he had to if he wanted to live.


    "Your Majesty, I understand that you''re angry because of what happened to Her Royal Highness," Kiho said. "But blowing up the entire area won''t save her."


    It didn''t work.


    In fact, the emperor''s Mana just continued growing faster.


    He thought of one way to make the emperore back to his senses. Actually, he didn''t want to use this. But he didn''t have a choice. Aside from wanting to save everyone, he also wanted toe back to Tilly alive and in one piece.


    Kiho took a deep breath, then yelled the following words at the top of his lungs. "Save me, Brother Aku!"


    God, he wanted to die from embarrassment.


    And well, if the emperor''s advisors or ministers heard him call His Majesty by name, he would have been seized and executed.


    But he had permission. When Emperor Aku took him under his wing when he was a little boy, he didn''t know that he was a crown prince during that time. He thought he was just another mercenary just like him. And, uh, he used to call him "Brother Aku" then.


    [Damn it.]


    Anyway, when he found out that Emperor Aku was the empire''s crown prince during that time, he immediately stopped calling him "Brother Aku." No matter how much His Majesty teased them then, he never called him that casually again.


    One day, Emperor Aku told him that if his life was in danger, he could call him "Brother Aku" again and ask him to save him.


    [I can''t believe I just did that.]


    Thankfully, it seemed to work.


    Emperor Aku''s Mana started to decrease and the Ancient Beasts stopped growing in size as well. A few momentster, the emperor''s Mana finally stabilized. Then, the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger vanished in thin air.


    "Kiho."


    Kiho bowed deeply when the emperor turned to him. "My deepest apologies for calling you by your name, Your Majesty."


    "Rise," Emperor Aku said. "You don''t have to apologize for doing something I''ve given you permission to do so."


    When he looked up at the emperor, he was relieved to see that he was indeed calm now. "Your Majesty, the High Priest might heal Her Royal Highness. I''ll take care of everything here so please don''t worry."


    "No, your Mana has been depleted," the emperor said. "I want you to go to your wife and rest. Let the other captains take over."


    "But"


    "You already did well, Kiho," His Majesty said strictly. Then, he looked up at the replica of the Red Phoenix inside the giant ice sphere. "Thank you for catching the replica."


    "I couldn''t have done it without your Ancient Beasts, Your Majesty."


    "You''re too modest for you own good, Kiho," the emperor said when he looked at him. "I didn''t save you today. You saved me, my little brother."


    That was how the emperor used to address him before he became a knight.


    Thank goodness no one was around to hear it.


    It wasn''t that he was embarrassed of his connection with the emperor. He just thought it wasn''t proper since he was now the ruler of the empire while he was a mere captain.


    "Kiho, promise me that you''ll help me catch whoever is behind this tragedy," Emperor Aku said seriously. "I can''t forgive them for what they did to Nia."


    Ah, so the emperor was thinking something manipted the replica of the Red Phoenix to attack the princess? Then, it must be investigated thoroughly.


    "I''ll do everything to be of use to you, Your Majesty," Kiho said. "After all, you''re the one who put me in this position."


    The emperor just smiled at that.


    "Your Majesty!"


    Their talk was interrupted when Captain Sherwood came. He looked shocked when he saw what happened. But his gaze instantly fixed on Princess Nia.


    "Don''t look," Emperor Aku warned Captain Sherwood menacingly, his red eyes glowing in obvious anger towards the captain. "I''ll gouge your eyes out if you look at Nia again."


    Captain Sherwood bowed his head lowly. "Please forgive my insolence, Your Majesty."


    "Carry Lahara and follow me, Captain Sherwood. We''re going to the High Priest using my portal," Emperor Aku ordered before turning his back on them. "Kiho, rest for the meantime and leave everything to Captain Denver and Captain Ainsworth. I''ll leave a message to them to make sure they''d kick you out if you insist to help. So you better go home and rest, Kiho."


    Kiho bowed at Emperor Aku''s order. "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    ***


    A FEW moments after Emperor Aku and Captain Sherwood left the castle, Captain Ainsworth arrived at where Kiho was guarding the replica of the now frozen Red Phoenix.


    "Captain Kiho, I received His Majesty''s order," Captain Ainsworth, the leader of the Golden Tiger Knights, told him. "I''ll take over and put the replica of the Red Phoenix back inside the mystery box. You need to leave, Captain Kiho."


    "I understand," Kiho said. "How are the civilians, Captain Ainsworth?"


    "Everyone has been evacuated safely," he said. For some reason, he was giving him a look of sympathy. "Captain Kiho, you have to know that your wife, Lady Prescott, has been brought to the hospital."


    His eyes widened at that. "What? Was Tilly hurt from the attack?"


    "ording to the report I received, Lady Prescott has left the castle before the attack because she was feeling unwell," Captain Ainsworth exined. "Unfortunately, the carriage she was using lost control and hit a tree. The coachman lost consciousness and was also brought to the hospital."


    "How about Tilly?" he asked, impatiently. "How hurt was she?"


    "Unfortunately, I haven''t received a report about Lady Prescott''s current state," the other captain said. "It was Captain Denver who found your wife in the woods, Captain Kiho. He was in the area while looking for Crades corpses to burn when he found Lady Prescott unconscious. After that, he informed your wife''s knight of what happened. Then, they brought her to the hospital. The hospital isn''t too far from here so you''d get there easily by horse."


    "I leave everything to you, Captain Ainsworth," Kiho said in a hurry. "Thank you for informing me about my wife''s state."


    "Go," Captain Ainsworth encouraged him. "I understand that you''re worried but please be careful on your way, Captain Kiho."


    ***


    WHEN Kiho arrived at the hospital, he saw Damian at the entrance as if he was already waiting for him. He got off the horse and ran towards the young knight right away. "Damian, where''s Tilly?"


    Damian bowed to him as a greeting before he answered. "Captain Kiho, Lady Prescott was admitted in a private room."


    He felt like his heart was in his throat so he swallowed hard. "How is she?"


    "Lady Prescott was unconscious when she was brought her," Damian said. "But she woke up a while ago."


    He was relieved to hear that.


    Damian bowed to him deeply and when he spoke again, his voice was shaking. "I-I apologize, Captain Kiho. I d-didn''t even know that Lady Prescott left the castle. I was surprised when one of Captain Denver''s knights informed me that the madam was brought to the hospital. I''m really sorry for being so ipetent, Captain."


    "We''ll talk about thatter," he said hurriedly. Then, he tapped Damian''s shoulder. "For now, I want you to go to the coachman and make sure he''s safe. I''ll drop byter."


    Damian nodded, obviously unhappy with himself. "As you wish, Captain Kiho."


    Kiho didn''t have time tofort the young knight even though he wanted to.


    He ran inside the hospital and went straight to the floor where the private rooms were located. Tilly was a noble so she was definitely admitted there. That thought of his was confirmed when he saw Captain Denver outside the room at the end of the hallway.


    "You''re here, Captain Kiho," Captain Denver greeted him. "Lady Prescott just woke up. Unfortunately, the coachman suffered concussion and he''s still unconscious. But I guess it''s not important right now."


    "My people''s lives are important to me," he insisted. "But my priority right now is Tilly."


    "eptable."


    Kiho bowed to him. "Thank you for saving my wife, Captain Denver."


    "We''re lucky that I was on patrol around the area where the ident happened," Captain Denver said. Then, he tapped his shoulder. "Go, Captain Kiho. Lady Prescott has been looking for you ever since she opened her eyes."


    Hearing that made him feel warm.


    [Tilly is looking for me]


    Kiho bowed at Captain Denver again before he walked past him and entered the room. He forgot to knock because he was in a hurry. And to be honest, he didn''t regret it.


    Seeing Tilly alive and well gave him life.


    [God, what did I do to deserve such a beautiful and amazing woman?]


    "Kiho," Tilly greeted him with a smile. She was sittingfortably on the bed while leaning against the pillow behind her back. Overall, she looked like she didn''t have any physical injury. "You''re here."


    Kiho closed the door behind him and ran towards her. He sat on the edge of the bed and hugged her tight, burying his head against her neck. Her sweet and delicate smell, the warmth of her body, and the stable beat of her heart instantly calmed him. "You''re alive," he whispered in relief. "Thank you for being alive, Tilly."


    "I''m okay, Kiho," she assured him while gently patting his back. "I heard about the attack at the castle. Are you okay? Please tell me you''re not hurt."


    "I''m not hurt," he assured her. Then, he pulled away from the hug to look at her and inspect her once again. "I heard you got into an ident. Any injury?"


    She shook her head. "I managed to jump out of the carriage before it hit the tree. Luckily, Inded on soft grass. Plus, as a noble, I am physically stronger than average women. But I guess I was shocked so I lost consciousness."


    He was horrified to hear what she had gone through. God, his wife jumped out of a moving carriage? He would have passed out in fear if he had witnessed that. "Tilly, you''re not riding a carriage without me ever again."


    She giggled as if she thought he was joking. "We are fine, Kiho. Don''t worry too much."


    ""We?""


    Did she mean the coachman?


    "Me and our baby," Tilly said with her hands ced carefully on her tummy. The smile on her face was the warmest and the happiest one he had seen yet. "Kiho, the doctor who checked on me a while ago said that I''m four weeks pregnant."


    He froze, shocked at the news.


    When it finally sank in, he suddenly felt emotional.


    He was an orphan and even though he became a knight, he never thought that he was going to have his own family. To be honest, he didn''t know if he was going to be a good father because he grew up without one.


    But looking at Tilly''s beautiful and kind face gave him confidence. She always brought out the best in him. With her by his side, he knew that she would be there to guide him.


    "Kiho," Tilly said in a soft voice. Then, she gently caressed his cheek and wiped his tears with her thumb. "Why are you crying?"


    "I''m happy," Kiho whispered, his voice cracking from the overwhelming feelings in his chest. "Tilly, thank you for making me this happy. I grew up without a family. Honestly, I thought I didn''t need one. But when I met you, I knew that I could no longer go back to istion again."


    "I won''t let you be lonely again," she promised him. This time, she was already teary-eyed as well. "Kiho, let''s help each other be the best parents for our baby."


    He nodded as he held her hand that was on his face. Then, he kissed her palm before he gently pulled her hand away from his face. After that, he leaned down and wrapped his arms carefully around her waist. And with utmost care, he buried his face on her stomach. "Hi, baby. This is Kiho, your father. Are you growing well inside your mommy''s womb? We are very excited to meet you, little one. Pleasee out as soon as possible."


    "We have to wait for a little while, Kiho," she said between giggles. Then, she gentlybed her fingers through his hair. "But like you, I can''t also wait to see our little angel."


    "If the prophecy is right, then we''d have a baby boy," he said, then he looked up at her beautiful face. "I hope he looks like you, Tilly."


    "I''m sure our Winter will be beautiful because he''s the fruit of our love."


    ""Winter?"" he asked, pleasantly surprised. "You''re really okay with the name I chose for our son?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Of course, hon."


    "Then, let''s call him Winter," Kiho agreed. Then, he sat up and cupped her face in his hands. When she smiled and closed her eyes, he also closed his eyes before leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Then, he gently pressed his forehead against his. "Tilly, I''ll protect you and our Winter forever."


    "I trust you, Kiho," Tilly said in a warm voice. "I know that you will protect me and our baby at all cost."


    ***


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 Chapter 54: A Thorn-Filled Road Ahead

    Chapter 54: A Thorn-Filled Road Ahead


    TILLY woke up in a hospital.


    As soon as she remembered everything that happened, she immediately ced her hands on her tummy. She let her wrath take over and endanger Winter in the process. If something bad happened to her baby boy, she would never forgive herself.


    "The baby is fine."


    Tilly turned to the owner of the voice and was disappointed to see Captain Denver instead of Kiho. But the news he said was a huge relief to her. "Are you sure, Captain Denver?" She gently ced her hands on her tummy. "Is my baby really safe?"


    "Yes. The doctor who checked on you a while ago confirmed it," Captain Denver said. "You can ask herter if you have other questions."


    She nodded. "Where''s Kiho, Captain Denver? Is he still at the castle?"


    "What do you think?" the captain asked. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. "The replica of the Red Phoenix wrecked havoc at the castle. Of course, it''s the captains'' job to stop it."


    She gasped when she realized that. This was embarrassing to admit but she had been too consumed by anger a while ago that she almost forgot everything. "Please tell me the phoenix didn''t hurt my husband."


    "Your husband sessfully sealed the replica," he said. "The captains received an order from His Majesty. Captain Sherwood left the castle with the emperor. Captain Ainsworth and I were supposed to take over while the emperor specifically asked us to make sure that Captain Kiho would take a rest."


    That made her worry. "I-Is he injured?"


    Captain Denver shook his head. "Captain Kiho isn''t injured. But apparently, his Mana depleted when he sealed the replica with his ice."


    Okay, that made her feel guilty. "This is my fault. I let my anger take over. No matter how much I wanted to kill the bitch, I should have been more careful."


    "It can''t be helped since you weren''t taught how to control the phoenix," the captain said. "But you''re amazing to actually control a mere replica even if it has a piece of your heart."


    She gave him a dubious look. "Captain Denver, we have a lot of things we should talk about. You''re a Fire Mage, right? And you know a lot about me."


    "We can talkter," he said firmly. "Lady Prescott, this is not the good time to talk about that yet. After the replica went berserk, an investigation will soon follow to trace whoever or whatever caused it to attack the princess."


    She swallowed in fear. "A-Are they going to find out that it was me?"


    "No," he assured her confidently. "I''ve manipted the coachman''s memory so he wouldn''t remember that you were ambushed earlier."


    "You knew I was ambushed?"


    "I had a feeling when I saw Captain Sherwood and I noticed that he didn''t have his shadow," he exined. "One of the methods to seize the phoenix is to make your heart stop for a moment. I knew he''d target you so I rushed to find you. But I was stillte."


    "Wait," she said with a knotted forehead. "Are you saying that you knew the people who are after my heart?"


    "We know that Her Royal Highness wants your heart," he confirmed. "We''re also aware that Captain Sherwood and Lahara are working for her. We''re suspicious of the High Priest as well but we don''t have evidence against him yet."


    She was shocked to hear that.


    If Captain Denver and his people knew that she was being targeted, then where were they during her first life?


    "I don''t understand," she said, shaking her now aching head. "I feel like my head is about to explode."


    "Like I said, I''ll tell you everything you want and need to knowter," he said. "For now, we''ll erase all the traces that will lead the attack to you. Don''t worry, Lady Prescott. We will protect you."


    "Who are you with, Captain Denver?"


    "The other Fire Mages, of course."


    She gasped aloud. "You''re not the only one?"


    He nodded seriously. "A lot of us survived the purge, Lady Prescott."


    "How can you hide from the royal family all these years?"


    "My family can seal a Fire Mage''s Mana so it wouldn''t get detected by any spell or device. Not even the mages of the White Tower can tell if a person is a Fire Mage or not once we have sealed their power," he exined. "We''ve been doing that for many years now. Unfortunately, we can''t seal the special Mana that surrounds your heart. The only thing we could do for you was to force your heart to "sleep." So even though the princess found out that your heart is a heart of a Fire Mage, she didn''t rip it out of you as soon as you were born."


    She couldn''t react because she was still absorbing everything. If Captain Denver''s family made her heart "sleep" when she was born, then they must have been watching her since then. Howe she didn''t remember them being involved with her in her past life?


    "Lady Prescott, let me put your heart to sleep again," Captain Denver said. "We don''t want the enemies to find out that you have awakened."


    "Captain Denver, what happened to Princess Nia?" she asked. She heard him when he said he wanted to make her heart sleep again. But she wanted to know about Princess Nia''s state first. Now that she had calmed down, her conscience finally kicked in. God, she didn''t kill a person, did she? "I-Is the princess still alive?"


    "Her Royal Highness is still alive," Captain Denver said. "If she wasn''t, the emperor would have gone berserk by now."


    That was true.


    She didn''t want to admit this but she was relieved to know that Princess Nia was still alive.


    "Lady Prescott, did you have a change of heart?" Captain Denver asked him. "Don''t you want to kill your enemy anymore?"


    "It''s not like that," she denied. "I just realized that death is the easiest way out for the princess. I want her to suffer her entire life instead of having an easy death."


    Yes, that was what her heart was saying right now.


    Princess Nia made her previous life miserable before she killed her. This time, she wanted to make the princess suffer as much as she did.


    "I''ll start by making sure that despite everything, Princess Nia would still end up marrying Emperor Aku," she said firmly. "I want them to be bound to each other forever."


    The captain smiled as if he was proud of her. "We will follow you, Supreme."


    That made her head ache again. "Please don''t call me "Supreme" yet. I still need to hear everything yet before it sinks in."


    "Once the investigation is over, I''ll make a secret appointment with you."


    "And Kiho," she said that obviously shocked the captain. "Yes, I want to be honest with my husband."


    "Lady Prescott, Captain Kiho vowed his loyalty to the throne."


    "But he vowed his heart to me," she insisted. "I know that Kiho will never betray me. Plus, I don''t intend to be the empire''s enemy."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "If I really am the Supreme, then I''ll uncover the truth behind the Fire Mages'' "betrayal,"" she said. "I have to find a way for the royal family and the Fire Mages to restore what they lost in the past. I know that it won''t be easy. But I''d rather give it a try than live a life hiding from them and Kiho. I don''t want to live in constant fear of being executed just because of my blood, Captain Denver."


    He let out a frustrated sigh. "What will you do if Captain Kiho betrays you? Lady Prescott, I''ll have to let you know that the lives of the remaining Fire Mages are in your hands now."


    "Kiho will not betray me," she insisted. "I''ll take responsibility, Captain Denver. If you don''t want to get Kiho involved, then you better erase my memories now."


    "My grandfather used to say that the Supreme Fire Mage had a stubborn heart. It seems like you inherited it," Captain Denver said while shaking his head. "Fine. I''ll trust your decision, Lady Prescott."


    "Thank you, Captain Denver," Tilly said. "Now, please make my heart "sleep" again."


    "I need to ce my hand on your chest," he said carefully. "Please don''t think that I''m sexually harassing you."


    Gosh, thank goodness Kiho wasn''t there.


    "Make it quick, please," she requested.


    "Alright," Captain Denver said. Then, he gently put his palm on her left chest on the area where her heart was. In fairness, his palm was barely touching her and she didn''t feel like she was being harassed. To simply say, the captain was very professional. "Sleep tight, Lady Prescott."


    Tilly felt a strange warmth from Captain Denver''s hand going through her body. Then, she felt sleepy.


    [I hope Kiho is here when I wake up.]


    ***


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 Chapter 55: The Emperors Selfish Love

    Chapter 55: The Emperor''s Selfish Love


    TILLY was surprised when the door opened and Kiho entered the room. He was out of breath as if he ran to get to her.


    [He definitely did.]


    "Kiho," Tilly greeted her husband with a smile. She noticed that he was checking her from head to toe for any physical injury. He looked relieved when he saw that she was physically fine. "You''re here."


    Kiho closed the door behind him and ran towards her. He sat on the edge of the bed and hugged her tight, burying his head against her neck. She smiled and hugged him back. Ah, her husband''s masculine scent and cool body made her feel like she was "home," atst.


    "You''re alive," Kiho whispered in relief. "Thank you for being alive, Tilly."


    "I''m okay, Kiho," Tilly assured him while gently patting his back. "I heard about the attack at the castle. Are you okay? Please tell me you''re not hurt."


    "I''m not hurt," he assured her. Then, he pulled away from the hug to look at her and inspect her once again. "I heard you got into an ident. Any injury?"


    She shook her head before she exined. "I managed to jump out of the carriage before it hit the tree. Luckily, Inded on soft grass. Plus, as a noble, I am physically stronger than average women. But I guess I was shocked so I lost consciousness."


    She felt guilty that she had to lie to Kiho for now.


    When she woke up earlier, Captain Denver told her the memory that he nted in the mind of the still-unconscious coachman. Her statement had to match the coachman''s fake memory so she wouldn''t appear suspicious.


    [This is not yet the time to tell Kiho about my real identity. Once we go home, I''ll tell him everything right away.]


    "Tilly, you''re not riding a carriage without me ever again," Kiho said as if he was horrified to hear that she jumped out of the carriage to save herself.


    She giggled. He couldn''t be serious, could he? "We are fine, Kiho. Don''t worry too much."


    [Oopsie herees the good news.]


    As expected, her captain looked confused. ""We?""


    "Me and our baby," Tilly said with her hands ced carefully on her tummy. She was nervous but her happiness and excitement were greater than it. Thus, she was able to give him the best smile that she could offer while telling her husband the good news. "Kiho, the doctor who checked on me a while ago said that I''m four weeks pregnant."


    He froze, obviously shocked at the news.


    She didn''t expect that next thing that happened: Kiho''s tears silently fell.


    Seeing her husband get emotional made her feel soft as well.


    She knew that Kiho was an orphan. In her past life, he told her that he didn''t want their son to grow up without parents like he did. That was one of the reasons why he didn''t give up on their marriage before he met another woman.


    [Let''s not think about her for the meantime.]


    This time, she would do everything in her power to make sure that their family would be happy together for eternity.


    For that, she was willing to risk exposing her identity to her husband. She knew that they would never have a peaceful life if she would keep a huge secret from him. Plus, she needed Kiho''s help to make sure that Winter would be born safely in this world.


    "Kiho," Tilly said in a soft voice. Then, she gently caressed his cheek and wiped his tears with her thumb. She didn''t want to see him sad anymore. It hurt her heart to see him crying. That only meant that her husband had really be the most important man in her life now. "Why are you crying?"


    "I''m happy," Kiho whispered, his voice cracking a little. "Tilly, thank you for making me this happy. I grew up without a family. Honestly, I thought I didn''t need one. But when I met you, I knew that I could no longer go back to istion again."


    "I won''t let you be lonely again," she promised him, tear-eyed now. She knew that their journey together wouldn''t be easy, especially once he found out that she was a Fire Mage. Kiho would definitely get torn between her and his loyalty to the throne. But she wanted to believe that he would choose her. But right now, she wanted to make Winter their priority. "Kiho, let''s help each other be the best parents for our baby."


    He nodded as he held her hand that was on his face. Then, he kissed her palm before he gently pulled her hand away from his face. After that, he leaned down and wrapped his arms carefully around her waist. And with utmost care, he buried his face on her stomach. "Hi, baby. This is Kiho, your father. Are you growing well inside your mommy''s womb? We are very excited to meet you, little one. Pleasee out as soon as possible."


    "We have to wait for a little while, Kiho," she said between giggles. Then, she gentlybed her fingers through his hair. "But like you, I can''t also wait to see our little angel."


    "If the prophecy is right, then we''d have a baby boy," he said, then he looked up at her beautiful face. "I hope he looks like you, Tilly."


    "I''m sure our Winter will be beautiful because he''s the fruit of our love."


    ""Winter?"" he asked, pleasantly surprised. "You''re really okay with the name I chose for our son?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Of course, hon."


    "Then, let''s call him Winter," Kiho agreed.


    Then, he sat up and cupped her face in his hands.


    She knew what he was about to do so she smiled and closed her eyes. A few heartbeatster, she felt his warm breath on her face. Then, his lips touched hers for a chaste kiss.


    [Ah, he''s so gentle.]


    Kiho gently pressed his forehead against his. "Tilly, I''ll protect you and our Winter forever."


    "I trust you, Kiho," Tilly said in a warm voice. "I know that you will protect me and our baby at all cost."


    [Please choose me and Winter, Kiho.]


    ***


    AKU''s heart broke when he saw Nia''s terrible state. His beloved was lying on a table with a cloth to cover her severely burnt body. He brought her in the High Priest''s temple, hoping that Howard''s divine power would help his sister.


    [Oh, Nia]


    The princess''s long hair was burned and she was almost bald now. Since her clothes were turned into ashes, he saw the state of her naked body a while ago. God, her skin had been terribly burnt that no amount of his healing powers could return it to normal.


    Worse, Nia was unconscious.


    But he was still grateful that his most beloved was still alive.


    [I don''t care how you look, Nia.]


    Unfortunately, his advisors and even his subjects wouldn''t ept an "unattractive" empress. Even if Nia was a Moonchester, if people would find out how she looked now, they would rather have an ordinary noble for an empress than a Moonchester that looked like a burnt corpse.


    [To protect Nia''s position, I have to help her recover her beauty.]


    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," Howard, the High Priest, told him with his head hanged low. "I can''t heal the burn from the Red Phoenix''s me. I do not have the power to heal injuries from an Ancient Beast."


    "That''s not what I want to hear," Aku said, ring at the High Priest with his glowing red eyes. "If you don''t want me to murder everyone in the church, return Nia''s beauty to its original state. You''re a High Priest, aren''t you? Why don''t you pray for your god to save you from my wrath?"


    The High Priest paused for a while before he continued in a hesitant voice. "Your Majesty, I know a way to help Her Royal Highness. But it requires a huge sacrifice"


    "What kind of sacrifice?"


    "The blood of a dragon''s descendant can rejuvenate anyone who''d drink it," the High Priest said. "But at Her Royal Highness''s state, she needs a huge amount of blood to consume before she regains her beauty."


    "Are you saying that we need a whole body of a dragon''s descendant as supply?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    He turned to the other table where Lahara''s unconscious body was lying. Like Nia, the mage also survived but in a terrible state right now. "Lahara is a descendant of the Blue Dragon. Use her blood to save Nia."


    "But Your Majesty" Howard started in a hesitant voice. "Miss Lahara is still alive. Even though she already left the White Tower, the Grand Mage and the other mages in there are still fond of her. If they find out that we''d be using her blood as supply for Her Royal Highness''s recovery, they would definitely get mad. We can''t underestimate the White Tower, Your Majesty. If they turn their back on us, the empire''s military strength would weaken."


    "If Lahara died, can you find a way to keep her blood fresh for Nia to consume?"


    "We have a method to do that, Your Majesty."


    "Very well," he said. Then, without even batting an eye, he used his right hand to stab Lahara''s chest and rip her heart out. As soon as the mage-knight''s beating heart was in his hand, he crushed it. Then, he looked at Howard who looked shocked by what he did. "Send a message to the White Tower and tell them that Lahara had been burnt to ashes by the Red Phoenix''s replica. Only you and Captain Sherwood know what happened to the mage. I hope you know what will happen if the White Tower found out the truth."


    Howard bowed to him. "I''ll carry this secret to grave, Your Majesty."


    "You better," he said while pulling out a white handkerchief using his clean hand. "Take care of Nia while I hunt the people behind this tragedy."


    "Your Majesty, do you know who caused the replica to go berserk?"


    "Only the Fire Mages can control the Red Phoenix whether it''s a replica or not," he said with his teeth clenched. "That only means that there are Fire Mages who are hiding in the empire. I''ll wipe out every single one of them."


    "You''re the only one with the power and ability to eliminate the Fire Mages, Your Majesty," Howard said carefully. "But you can''t do it alone, can you?"


    "I''m not the only one who can kill Fire Mages, Howard," Aku said with a smile while wiping off the blood in his hand using the handkerchief. "There''s a reason why I brought Kiho to the empire, you know?"


    ***


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 Chapter 56: A Fathers Decision

    Chapter 56: A Father''s Decision


    "LADY Prescott and Captain Kiho, I''ll be honest with you."


    Tilly felt nervous at what Dr. Montero, the female doctor who checked on her, said. The doctor had dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and tanplexion. She was probably in her forties but her kind face made her look younger than her age. Also, her voice was soothing. She was the type of doctor that could make her patients feel at ease.


    But still, when it came to her son, she could never not be nervous.


    It seemed like Kiho noticed her nervousness because he held her hand and squeezed it tight. When she turned to him, she gave him a thankful smile before she faced the doctor again.


    "You''re only four weeks pregnant but the heart of your baby is already almost fully-developed," Dr. Montero said. "It happens when the child is gifted with a very strong Mana."


    Tilly wasn''t surprised to hear that. [Even in my past life, my doctor said that Winter had a very strong Mana befitting the child of the prophecy.]


    Come to think of it, her doctor was given to her by Princess Nia then.


    [Not this time. I''ll find a doctor that I can trust.]


    "The problem is your body, Lady Prescott," Dr. Montero continued. "Your Mana is weak and so you''ll have a difficult pregnancy."


    That also happened in her past life.


    "Doctor Montero, what can we do to make sure that Lady Prescott and our baby are both going to be safe?" Kiho asked carefully. He referred to her formally because they were talking to someone they weren''t acquainted with. "Can I do something for my wife and child?"


    The doctor smiled before she answered Kiho''s questions. "Lady Prescott is only at the early stage of pregnancy. She can still work as usual but of course, she has to be extra careful. It''s also important to eat healthy food and have enough rest. You can support your wife by giving her moral and physical support, Captain Kiho."


    This time, Dr. Montero directly talked to her. "Lady Prescott, I know that you''re a businesswoman. I won''t stop you from running your businesses but I''ll advise you to lessen your working hours. If you want, I can also prescribe you some vitamins to make your body stronger."


    "Thank you, Doctor," Tilly said with a smile. "I''ll have to turn down the vitamins. I''ll try to make my body physically stronger the natural way."


    She couldn''t trust other people easily now that she knew that people wanted her heart.


    Once she found a trust-worthy doctor, she''d take vitamins if she needed to. But for now, she wouldn''t take any medication from anyone she didn''t trust yet.


    "Tilly, are you sure you don''t want to take vitamins?" Kiho asked worriedly. "We need all the help we can get to make sure you''d have a safe pregnancy."


    "I''ll be fine, Kiho," she assured him with a smile. "I want to be healthier the natural way. It''s not that I don''t trust the doctors or the vitamins. I just want it to be an option instead of a necessity."


    "Lady Prescott is correct," Dr. Montero assured Kiho with a gentle smile. "We don''t want your wife''s body to be dependent on medicines. Although vitamins are proven to boost one''s health, it''s still a case to case basis. The vitamins may or may not be good for Lady Prescott. So f course, strengthening one''s body through natural means is still the best way to go. Healthy food and enough rest will be enough for your wife, Captain Kiho."


    Kiho seemed to be relieved by that. "Thank you, Doctor Montero," he said. Then, he turned to her. "Don''t worry, Tilly. I''ll make sure that you and our baby will be both safe and healthy."


    Tilly smiled and squeezed Kiho''s hand. "I trust you, hon."


    ***


    "HONEY, should I carry you?"


    Tilly was surprised by Kiho''s question when she got out of bathroom.


    [Gosh, he''s overreacting.]


    She turned to Leni and Lani who were standing behind her. The two gave her a bath as usual. "You may leave now."


    The twin maids bowed to her and the captain before they left.


    When she was alone with her husband, she put her hands on her waist and red yfully at him. "Kiho, I can walk on my own."


    "But I don''t want you to get tired," Kiho countered with a pouty face. He looked like a child who was using his charm to get what he wanted. "The bathroom is kind of far from the room."


    That wasn''t true.


    The bathroom was just a few walks away from their room. They had a toilet inside their chamber but the bathroom was built outside.


    "I''m fine, hon," she assured him. Then, she linked her arm with his as they walked towards their room. "I''m not sick."


    "Should we renovate our room?" he asked. "Let''s make it bigger and build a bathroom inside."


    She giggled at that. "Fine, let''s do that."


    The idea didn''t sound bad anyway.


    In her second life, she had an adjacent bathroom in her bedroom. Plus, once she became heavy with pregnancy, it would be more convenient if the bathroom was inside their chamber.


    "I''ll tap the architecture I know tomorrow," the captain said. "I want a room that will be safer and easier for you to move."


    Aww, wasn''t he so thoughtful?


    When they settled in the bed, she kissed him on the lips to make him feel how much she appreciated his concern for her.


    Kiho got into the kiss right away. Just a few momentster, he was already on top of her. She was so sure that they were going all the way tonight as usual. But suddenly, he broke the kiss and rolled over. Then, he sat up on the bed with a flushed face.


    "I''m sorry, honey," the captain said apologetically. "I didn''t mean to crush you and our baby. Are you okay?"


    "Crush" her and Winter?


    She almostughed at that. "Kiho, you didn''t "crush" us. I''m not that fragile. Plus, you''re not that heavy."


    Well, Kiho was a six foot tall of pure muscles (and sexiness). But even before, he was always careful not to identally crush her with his weight. It seemed like this time, he was starting to be paranoid.


    "Is that true?" he asked worriedly. "I''m not going to hurt you or Winter?"


    Hearing Kiho say their baby''s name made her smile. "You''re not going to hurt us."


    His cheeks turned pink. "So, uh, we can still do it?"


    Her smile widened at his question. "Yes, hon. We can still do it."


    "Oh," he said, obviously pleased by that news. "But let''s be extra careful."


    "Of course."


    The hunger in his eyes came back.


    Kiho crawled towards her, straddled her hips ever so carefully, and kissed her fiercely.


    [After a long and tiring day, we deserve this.]


    Tilly wrapped her arms around Kiho''s neck and kissed him back with as much fervor.


    [Winter, this time, you''re going to be born into a loving family.]


    ***


    "THE SUPREME has awakened, Duke Prescott," Mikhail Denver told Duke Prescott while they were at the Fire Wielder Guild''s Red Tower. As of now, they were in the basement of the tower where they couldn''t be seen or heard by anyone else, especially the enemies. "Lady Prescott has taken it better than I expected."


    Duke Prescott let out a frustrated sigh. "I never wanted Tilly to awaken as the Supreme, Captain Denver. I just want her to live as a normal person."


    "It was out of our control," he countered. "We also didn''t expect that the replica of the Red Phoenix would be chosen as this year''s Ancient Beast. It seemed like the piece of the Supreme''s heart inside the replica had resonated with Tilly when her life was put in danger."


    "What did you talk about with my daughter?"


    "She wanted to know everything about her heart and her connection with the first Supreme Fire Mage," he answered. "And she wanted to confess her real identity to Captain Kiho."


    The duke''s eyes widened in shock. Eventually, he slowly nodded his head calmly. "I agreed to marry my daughter off to the captain because I didn''t want the emperor to doubt my loyalty to the throne. To be honest, I don''t want my family to betray the emperor. But I also don''t want my daughter to be punished just because she was born with a special heart. So in the end, I chose to bow my head to the royal family."


    Mikhail''s family respected Duke Prescott''s decision to live quietly.


    That was why they pretended that they didn''t have any connection to them. His n may not agree with the duke''s resolve to bow his head to the royal family. But they understood that he wanted to protect his daughter.


    [Especially after what happened to thete Lady Marianne Prescott.]


    But things had changed now.


    "I''ve observed Captain Kiho these past few weeks," the duke continued. "I can see the love he has for my daughter. If Tilly trusts him, then I will trust the captain as well. I know that if a war breaks out between the Fire Mages and the royal family, Kiho will protect Tilly. I believe that he will choose my daughter over the emperor."


    Mikhail sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "Duke Prescott, are you saying that we should tell Captain Kiho about our secret as well?"


    "Captain Kiho isn''t an outsider," Duke Prescott lightly scolded him. "Kiho is now my son, Captain Denver."


    ***


    KIHO stared at Tilly all night.


    They had a "vigorous activity"st night and he was afraid that he may have exhausted her too much. He hated himself for having high libido. Why couldn''t he keep his hands off his wife?


    [I have to hold back starting now.]


    It would be hard but if it meant protecting Tilly and Winter, he''d endure anything.


    "You''re up?" Tilly asked when she opened her eyes and saw him looking at her. Then, she smiled at him. "Good morning, hon."


    Kiho kissed her on the lips. "Good morning, honey."


    She looked at his face, then her forehead knotted. "You have bags under your eyes, Kiho. Did you stay up all night?"


    "I was thinking."


    "Thinking about what?"


    [About how much I love you.]


    But he didn''t want to overwhelm Tilly with his feelings. He knew that he was important to her. But she was yet to say that she loved him verbally. He could feel it, though. That was why he wasn''t pressuring her to say the words he wanted to hear most.


    [I can wait.]


    "I know how I can protect you and Winter during your pregnancy, Tilly."


    "Really?"


    "Yes," Kiho answered seriously. Then, he gently caressed her face with the back of his hand. "I''ll quit my position as the captain of ck Serpent Knights, Tilly."


    As expected, Tilly''s eyes widened in surprise. "Kiho, are you serious?"


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 57: The Captains Resignation

    Chapter 57: The Captain''s Resignation


    TO SAY that Tilly was surprised when Kiho said that he was going to resign as a captain would be an understatement.


    She was shocked!


    "You worked hard to be a captain, Kiho," Tilly reminded him. Well, she wanted him to resign because she didn''t want her husband to be close to the royal family any more than he already was. But still, she didn''t want him to regret his decisionter. That was why she was helping him decide if that was what he really wanted to do. "And you''re not just any captain. You''re one of the leaders of the Four Orders that represent the Four Ancient Beasts. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that you, Captain Denver, Captain Ainsworth, and Captain Sherwood are the new guardians of the Great Moonchester Empire."


    It wasn''t easy to reach that position, especially since Kiho was amoner.


    If only the royal family wasn''t a threat to her and her family, she wouldn''t want her husband to leave his position. She knew that he''d be a great duke. But she also wanted Kiho to follow his passion. If being a captain was the job he really wanted to do, then she wouldn''t take that away from him even though she would be put in jeopardy.


    [I just want to be considerate of his feelings.]


    "I take pride in my position of the captain of the ck Serpent Knights because it means I''m being useful to the empire," Kiho said carefully. "But I''ve always wanted to quit the assassination jobs thate along with my position. I don''t enjoy killing people."


    Oh. That made sense.


    [Kiho isn''t a killing machine after all.]


    "When I married you, the thought of quitting had already crossed my mind," the captain continued. "And now that you''re pregnant, I''ve be more resolved to resign. I want to be a more decent human being for our son." He fell silent before he continued talking in a sad voice. "Well, I know that my hands would remain tainted with blood from all the people that I''ve killed. But now that I have a family, I want to atone for my sins and be kind for the remaining years of my life." He smiled but it was a sad one. "Do I really deserve to be this happy after I''ve taken so many lives with my very own hands?"


    "We can''t change our past mistakes but we can atone for it by living decently in the present," Tilly gently said while caressing his cheek. Of course, she was speaking from experience. "Kiho, from now on and until the day we die, let''s be kind to ourselves and kinder to other people."


    He nodded, then he kissed her palm. "Tilly, I''m going to ept Duke Prescott''s offer. Once I quit being a captain, I''ll do my best to be a good Duke of Oakes. I will work hard to not tarnish your father''s legacy."


    She smiled at that, but she was still worried. "But do you think Emperor Aku would let you quit your job? You''re known as his "shadow beast." I don''t think anyone in the empire would want to take your position."


    "I have a way to make His Majesty agree," he said confidently. "Trust me, honey."


    "I trust you, hon," she said, then her forehead knotted in worry. "But what will happen to the ck Knights if you resign? Will the emperor appoint a new captain? Will they continue doing assassination jobs for the empire?"


    "His Majesty only gives assassination jobs to the ck Serpent Knights because I''m the captain," he exined. "If I quit, he wouldn''t use the squad for his dirty tasks. The emperor knows I''m the only one capable of executing his ns."


    Kiho wasn''t being arrogant. He was simply stating a fact. He wouldn''t be dubbed as the emperor''s "shadow beast" if he sucked at his job.


    "I''ll rmend ke to be the next captain," Kiho said. "I know that they will ept my decision. They''re the ones who have always wanted me to quit the assassination jobs that I take from the emperor. I''m in debt with them so I''ll make sure that the new generation of ck Serpents Knights wouldn''t be associated with dirty jobs anymore."


    She believed that. Even in her past life, ke and the other ck Serpents Knights had been loyal to her husband.


    [I want to take care of them this time as a token of gratitude for looking after Kiho.]


    "Hon, once you get a surname and be the new Duke of Oakes, you''ll need more people to protect you as a sign of your rise in power," Tilly said seriously. "As a duke, you''ll have the right to ask the emperor to have your own private army."


    His eyes widened in shock. "I can do that?"


    "The other captains are doing that, Kiho," he said. "Captain Sherwood is a duke and the Blue Dragon Knights serve as his family''s private army as well. It didn''t cause a conflict of interest because the Sherwoods are a part of the Royal Faction. On the other hand, Captain Ainsworth is a part of the Noble Faction. So even if the Golden Tiger Knights are working for the empire, once a civil war breaks out, their squad will definitely fight for House Ainsworth. Despite knowing that, the emperor couldn''t simply kick them out because he doesn''t want the Noble Faction to start a coup. Plus, His Majesty is confident that he has control over the Four Orders because he has you and Captain Sherwood."


    Captain Denver stood in the neutral side so she wasn''t sure what the emperor thought of the Red Phoenix Knights.


    "Anyway, I don''t think that His Majesty would deny your request if you want the ck Serpent Knights to be our family''s private army," she continued. "And we''re a part of the Royal Faction anyway."


    Well, for now.


    Plus, she wasn''t nning on starting a coup anyway. She was determined to amend the rtionship between the royal family and the Fire Mages. Well, she knew it wouldn''t be easy after she tried to fry the bitchy princess.


    [That was a mistake on my part.]


    But it felt good so she didn''t really feel guilty.


    "Thank you for the support, honey," Kiho said, then he leaned down to kiss her on the lips.


    Tilly immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to him until he was on top of her.


    But he pulled away from her.


    "Our baby," her husband said. "I don''t want to identally crush our Winter."


    "Then, let''s change positions."


    She gently pushed Kiho down the bed and she straddled his hips.


    Without breaking their eye contact, she licked her fingers one by one. All the while his gaze was stuck on her. He was obviously turned on.


    To please him even more, she slid her hand inside his pants and wrapped her hand around his cock, sliding it up and down his length. He groaned a little louder than usual which encouraged her even more. This time, she was even rubbing herself against his leg. She stopped her hand for a few seconds before she slid again and squeezed on her way up.


    "Tilly," Kiho groaned.


    Then, he pulled her by the neck for a deep and searing kiss. She moaned against his mouth and pumped him faster. When she felt that Kiho was about to reach his climax, she let go of his cock. Before he couldin, she went down on him and spread his legs.


    He blushed at what she did.


    [Cute.]


    Then, she wrapped her mouth around him. Her other hand was t on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat under her palm. His body might be cold, but the way he called her name was hot. That was all she needed to know that he was enjoying the moment.


    She was pleasantly surprised when Kiho wrapped her hair around his fingers, pulling her closer to him. Not to force her, but to encourage her instead. Slowly and with her consent, he started to push his hips up, hitting the back of her throat. He shuddered when he slid back out as if he was trying not toe yet.


    "Tilly," Kiho said, breathless. "I''m close."


    After onest lick, she removed her mouth on his rigid cock.


    Then, she held onto his shoulders. It looked like he wanted to have control this time because he grabbed her waist. Then, he carefullyid her on the bed while spreading her legs with his knee. As soon as she amodated him between her legs, he covered her with his body.


    The moment she felt him hot and ready, she guided him. They moaned and groaned at the same time when he slid inside her.


    God, it really felt good to have him inside her.


    "Am I not crushing you and our baby?" Kiho asked, still not moving. "Is this okay, Tilly?"


    "Yes," she answered while trying to catch her breath. "You can move now, Kiho. I swear you''re not crushing our Winter."


    To convince him that he wasn''t hurting him, she moved her hips.


    He groaned and finally took over.


    Ever so gently, he grabbed her hips and he started to pump. Still moving deliciously inside her, he copsed on her and buried his face against her neck. His warm breath fanned the sensitive part of her neck, making her giggle.


    [God, I giggled in the middle of sex!]


    Well, that giggled soon turned into another delicious moan.


    Kiho''s thrusts were fast and deep, and the way he slid inside her was precise. And it seemed like he already knew her body very well because he immediately found the perfect rhythm for them. She felt sore, the kind that sent her to blinding bliss.


    "Tilly," Kiho whispered in her ear, his voice filled with undeniable need.


    "It''s okay, Kiho," she said, already aware of what he needed that moment. "You cane first. Fill me up, hon."


    His response came in his sexy heavy breathing.


    [God, why do I find his shallow breaths hot?!]


    The answer was simple: Kiho was made of sexiness.


    Anyway, her thoughts were cut-off when the captain caught her lips for a hot kiss. His tongue plunged deep in her mouth, imitating the way his cock moved inside her. A few thrustster, he did what she wanted him to do he came inside her and filled her uppletely.


    To bepletely honest, sex without protection was very messy. But since she was doing it with Kiho, she still found it very hot.


    "Just a minute, hon," Kiho whispered when he copsed on her. But she could tell that he was being careful not to crush her under his weight. "I''ll clean you up in a while."


    That was one of the things that she liked about her husband.


    After making love, he would always bring her a washcloth and clean her up. Even in bed, he treated her like a queen. Kiho was really a keeper.


    "Thank you, Kiho," Tilly whispered while hugging him tight. Then, she kissed him in the temple. "Thank you for taking care of me and our Winter."


    ***


    "KIHO, how''s Lady Prescott?" Emperor Aku asked him. "I heard that she got into an ident during the hunt."


    "Tilly is fine, Your Majesty," Kiho answered politely. Right now, he was standing in front of the emperor in the throne room. Like usual, there were only the two of them inside. "Thank you for asking. May I ask how Her Royal Highness is doing?"


    He waspletely clueless about what happened after he left Castle Vania yesterday.


    Since he was considered in a break, he didn''t receive any report. And what happened to Princess Nia would definitely be kept confidential.


    The nobles probably hadn''t heard of it yet because they were still quiet.


    [If they found out about what happened to the princess, hell will break loose.]


    He had a feeling that was the reason why Emperor Aku summoned him today.


    "Before I answer your question, I have a bad news to share with you first," Emperor Aku said. "Kiho, Lahara didn''t make it. Before we reached the temple, her body suddenlybusted and turned into ashes. ording to the High Priest, the me that Lahara absorbed burned her insides and so in the end, it made herbust."


    That shocked him.


    [I was pretty sure Lahara was still alive before I left]


    But if the mage-knight absorbed the me, then what the emperor said was possible.


    "Nia is still in a terrible state," the emperor continued. "Kiho, I know I don''t need to say this but let me remind you. The princess''s state is confidential. Aside from and the High Priest, only you and Captain Sherwood saw her that day."


    "I understand, Your Majesty," he said. "Your secret is safe with me."


    "I know that," Emperor Aku said, then he gave him a weak smile. "Kiho, you won the Hunt. Congrattions."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," he said politely. "But after what happened that day, I don''t feel like it''s something to celebrate. And I wouldn''t have caught the replica without your help."


    "That''s not true, Kiho," the emperor said while shaking his head. "We can''t celebrate your victory. The investigation is still on-going and the nobles are forcing me to talk about what really happened during the Hunt. Out of consideration for you and your wife, I decided not to involve you in cleaning up this mess. Catching the replica was already a huge contribution. But still, I know it''s not enough as reward for what you did."


    Kiho held his breath.


    To be honest, he was acting sly. Truth be told, he was waiting for the emperor to bring up his reward from the Hunt. He didn''t feel like he won but still, that was the key for his freedom.


    "I''ll grant you a wish, Kiho," the emperor said. "Tell me anything you want. As long as it''s within my power and ability, and if it wouldn''t put the empire or the throne in jeopardy, then I shall give it to you."


    "I only have one wish, Your Majesty," Kiho said seriously. "I want to resign as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights."


    His Majesty was obviously not pleased by his wish.


    The ground shook as if it was responding to the emperor''s anger.


    "You want to what?" Emperor Aku said with a smile. But his eyes were glowing red with anger. "Kiho, do you want to die?"


    ***


    TILLY was surprised when her father visited her at Kiho''s mansion without prior notice.


    When she got into the parlor room where the duke was waiting, she saw how serious her father looked. Right at that moment, she had a feeling she knew the reason he was there.


    At the hospital, she asked Captain Denver if her father was aware that she had the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage. ording to the captain, he wasn''t in the position to answer her question. Right then and there, she already knew that her father was aware of who she really was.


    "Father," Tilly politely greeted the duke when the servants left them alone in the parlor. "Are you here to tell me about who I really am?"


    Duke Prescott, her strict but kind father, smiled sadly at her. "Tilly, I''m here to tell you about a lovelymoner called Marianne."


    That shocked her.


    Did she hear it right?


    [My mother was amoner?!]


    ***


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 Chapter 58: Unknown Origin

    Chapter 58: Unknown Origin


    KNOWING that their conversation was going to be very confidential, Tilly invited her father to the study instead.


    She remembered Kiho told her that the study had a strong spell inside. No one or nothing could hear anything inside the room even if someone was to use an eavesdropping spell. After the servants brought tea and snacks for them, she told them not to disturb them unless she called for them.


    "Father, is it true that my mother was amoner?" Tilly asked while gripping the handle of her tea cup tight. "But as far as I know, Mother was a daughter of a fallen marquis from a neighboring kingdom."


    She knew that House Prescott was a fallen noble house.


    Also, ording to the memory of her past life, her father was already a duke when he met her mother. So even if her mother''s family had already fallen, the fact that she was still a noble made it possible for her parents to get married.


    "I paid House McMin from Alec Kingdom to adopt Marianne before we get married," Duke Prescott confessed. "As the Duke of Oakes, our vassal families wouldn''t have let me marry Marianne if she remained amoner. But House McMin wasted the fortune I paid them to gambling and that caused their downfall."


    Okay, she was shocked by that revtion.


    Her father practically bought a noble title for her mother. Well, being a dy" was technically a title because only women with high social rank could be called that way.


    "If Mother was only adopted by House Prescott before you got married, then what kind of family Mother had before?" she asked curiously. "And did you meet here in the Royal Capital?"


    "No, we didn''t meet here," her father answered. Then, he sipped tea before he continued. "I met Marianne when I was at Aranka."


    "Isn''t that the small vige at the border of our territory?"


    "Yes, Aranka is a vige at the border of Oakes," her father confirmed. "It used to be a poor vige. I went there to personally check on our people." Much to her surprise, the duke smiled as if he just remembered a fond memory. "Your mother was working at the vige as a Healer."


    ''Healers'' were what the empire considered as "unlicensed doctors." They used herbal medicines and some simple spells to cure diseases.


    [I didn''t know that my mother used to be Healer.]


    "But her passion was dancing," the duke added. "Whenever she had free time, she would teach the children of Aranka to dance."


    Okay, she was surprised again.


    Well, she didn''t really have many memories of her mother because she died when she was still small. And in the past, her father rarely talked about her.


    "When I met Marianne, she was already an orphan," Duke Prescott said. "Actually, she grew up in an orphanage so she didn''t know who her parents were. But I didn''t care about that. The moment I fell in love with your mother, I knew that she was the one for me."


    She got teary-eyed at that.


    [Father really loved my mother. And he still does.]


    God, she wanted that kind of love with Kiho.


    "I was willing to give up my nobility to marry Marianne," her father continued. "But your mother didn''t want me to lose the life I was used to. So even if it hurt her pride, she let House McMin adopt her just so she could marry me."


    "I''m sure Mother didn''t regret that, Father," she consoled him. "I also know that Mother was aware that you would still marry her even if everyone around you were against it. But because she loved you so much, she chose to protect the kind of life that you were used to. And you made it worth it, Father."


    The duke looked touched by her words. "I hope so, daughter. I really hope so."


    She just smiled and sipped her tea.


    [I''m sure my father and my mother had a lovely marriage.]


    "When your mother got pregnant with you, her Mana started to weaken," Duke Prescott said. "During that time, Marquis Morgan Denver Captain Mikhail Denver''s father came to talk to us and told us a surprising truth about your mother''s blood. You may already have an idea so let me confirm it now: your mother was a Fire Mage."


    She couldn''t say that she was surprised.


    Ever since Captain Denver told her that she had the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage, she realized right away that her mother was a Fire Mage. It couldn''t be her father because House Prescott was an old family. If they were Fire Mages, then they should have been purged by the royal family a long time ago.


    On the other hand, she thought her mother came from another kingdom and somehow managed to hide the fact that she had Fire Mage blood in her.


    "We were scared when Marquis Denver proved to us that Marianne was indeed a Fire Mage," her father continued. "To be precise, we were scared for you. We thought of leaving the Royal Capital and moving to Oakes, our dukedom. But when your mother was two months pregnant with you, she received an invitation from Her Royal Highness. During that time, the princess was ten years old."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "What kind of invitation was that?"


    "The princess requested Marianne to be her personal dance teacher," he answered.


    It was normal for royals to be served by high-ranking nobles. In fact, most of thedies-in-waiting for the princess came from good families. So Princess Nia requesting her mother to be her dance teacher could be considered normal.


    [Except the princess is a b*tch you can''t trust.]


    "We couldn''t turn her down and use your mother''s pregnancy as an excuse," her father continued. "After all, House Prescott is a part of the Royal Faction. Marquis Denver also advised that we should stay at the Royal Capital to avoid suspicions."


    She swallowed before she asked the question that had been bugging her. "Father, at that age, do you think Her Royal Highness was already aware that my mother was a Fire Mage? Was that the reason why the princess asked Mother to be her dance teacher?"


    "Yes, Tilly," Duke Prescott answered. Then, anger crossed his eyes. That was a rare sight because her father was one of the calmest people that she knew. He always acted with elegance and showing one''s anger wasn''t considered as one. "I''ll tell you the truth now: your mother didn''t die from ident she was killed by Her Royal Highness."


    Tilly felt a sharp pang of pain in her heart when she heard that.


    [God, I should have burnt that princess to crisp!]


    ***


    "I DON''T want to die, Your Majesty," Kiho calmly told the emperor. "I want to live long enough to see my grandchildren born. You can try to kill me right now but I can''t promise that I won''t fight back to protect myself."


    "You''re crazy, Kiho. You''re crazily stupid. And here I thought I raised you well," Emperor Aku said, the glow in his red eyes fading away as the ground returned to being stable. Thankfully, no physical damage to the throne room urred from his bout of anger. "If other people heard what you just said, you''d be thrown to jail for threatening me."


    "That wasn''t a threat," he said. "I would really do it, Your Majesty."


    The emperor closed his eyes tight as if he was calming himself.


    When Emperor Aku was acting that way, he was reminded that the emperor was almost a decade older than him. He often forgets that because first, His Majesty was immature. Second, he looked young for his age. Andstly, the emperor liked imitating how young people in the empire talk.


    But Emperor Aku was very different when he was in the battlefield. He was anything but immature as a leader.


    "Why do you want to quit as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights?" Emperor Aku asked when he opened his eyes. "I''ll decide after I hear your reason."


    "Tilly''s pregnancy is sensitive," Kiho answered honestly. "I want to personally take care of her to make sure that both her and our baby would stay safe and healthy."


    "Lady Prescott is pregnant?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," he answered and even in his own ears, he sounded really excited. "My wife is already pregnant."


    "ording to the prophecy, your child''s existence is going to be special to the empire," the emperor said carefully. "Of course, I want him to be delivered in this world safely as well. But is it really necessary for you to personally look after your wife during her pregnancy? You can hire as many servants as you want to make sure that Lady Prescott will be safe and healthy."


    "I want to give my wife my full moral support," he reasoned. "And aside from that, I also want to study under Duke Prescott''s guidance."


    The emperor raised an eyebrow. "Does Duke Prescott intend to pass his title to you already?''


    "Not only that, Your Majesty," he said. "The duke also wants me to have my own surname."


    His Majesty''s eyes widened in surprise. "That''s big, Kiho. House Prescott is one of the empire''s oldest families. Duke Prescott should have told that to me first."


    He scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Ah, His Grace doesn''t know yet that I intend to ept his offer. I told my decision to Tilly first. And then to you, Your Majesty. Duke Prescott would definitely tell you right away once I give him my decision."


    "When you be a duke with your own name, then you''d have all the right to quit as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights," the emperor said while shaking his head. "And once you be the Duke of Oakes, I''m sure you''d request the whole ck Serpent Knights squad to be your private army."


    It was his turn to be shocked. "How did you know that, Your Majesty?"


    "Because I''d do the same," he said. "Will you really abandon me for your wife, Kiho?"


    [So dramatic.]


    "Im not abandoning you, Your Majesty," he denied. "I gave many years of my life to you. Is it selfish that I want to dedicate my life to Tilly now? Do you consider that as betrayal?"


    "And what if I do?"


    "I guess I''d be a traitor then."


    Emperor Aku let out a frustrated sigh. "Be careful with what you say, Kiho. I''m still the emperor, you know."


    He just bowed as an acknowledgement of his mistake.


    "It''s true that you gave many years of your life doing dirty jobs for me," the emperor said. "Thanks to you, I was able to expand my territory without having to leave the throne for a long time. I don''t want you to see me as a tyrant so let''spromise: I''ll give you a year long break."


    "Your Majesty"


    He raised one finger to shut him up. "One year, Kiho. You can look after your wife until she gives birth and study how to be a proper duke. But after a year, I want you toe back and report to me. We''ll talk again whether I''ll let you quit or not. Just so you know, you can be a duke and a captain at the same time. Captain Sherwood is also a duke."


    He wasn''t really happy with that but he could see that Emperor Aku wouldn''t change his mind anymore.


    "ept it, Kiho," Emperor Aku ordered in a strict voice, his red eyes glowing again. "If you don''t ept my offer, I''ll take your legs before I let you quit being a captain."


    Who was it again that said he didn''t want him to see him as a tyrant?


    [Liar.]


    Kiho bowed his head to the emperor. "My utmost gratitude for your generosity, Your Majesty."


    ***


    AKU didn''t expect Kiho to say that he wanted to quit being a captain of the ck Serpent Knights.


    Now he kind of regretted setting him up with Lady Prescott. If he knew that his "shadow beast" would fall in love with thedy, he wouldn''t marry him off to her. After all, he was a very possessive person.


    He was the emperor. Everything here belonged to him, right?


    [Kiho should be grateful that I''m a generous emperor. If he was another person, I would have killed him on the spot for abandoning me for his lover. But since it''s Kiho, I''ll just consider it as him being in his rebellious phase.]


    "I''m not in a good mood right now, Captain Sherwood," Aku said while putting on his ck gloves. Right now, he was in the underground cell of his pce no servants or knights in sight. "Don''t test my patience today."


    Captain Sherwood was now chained on the wall, topless. His body was now painted with whip marks all over. His face the face that Nia once admired was now almost unrecognizable from beatings. Ah, how the great Duke of Kessler had fallen.


    "You can torture me all you want, Your Majesty," Captain Sherwood said with a smile. "But still, you can''t get what you want from me. My memories are sealed and no matter how powerful you are, you can''t break it. I won''t tell you who has the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage."


    Aku had always known that Nia was looking for the heart that could summon the sky beast. Of course, he also knew everyone who worked for her.


    Unfortunately, his dear twin sister had done a good job to hide the traces of her search from him. Nia couldn''t control his mind. But she could manipte his memories so whenever he found a clue about the heart, she would always erase it from his mind.


    And he let her because it wasn''t the time for him yet to summon the real sky beast.


    But after what happened to Nia, he changed his mind.


    "I said I''m not in the mood to y mind games with you," Aku said coldly. "I guess you really want to die now."


    "Do you want to exchange information with me, Your Majesty?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "I''ll tell you where the heart is, Your Majesty," the captain said, smirking this time. "But in return, tell me who Kiho is."


    "Kiho was a mercenary I picked up from a neighboring country," he answered stiffly. "I thought everyone already knows that."


    "You can''t fool me, Your Majesty," Captain Sherwood said with a crazedugh. "Kiho is that child the one that has blood purer than the Moonchesters, isn''t he?"


    Aku smirked. And in one swift movement, he was already standing in front of Captain Sherwood with his fingers wrapped tightly around his neck. Of course, the captain choked immediately. "I guess you don''t need a tongue anymore, Captain Sherwood."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 59: Tree of Truth

    Chapter 59: Tree of Truth


    TILLY felt the same burning in her chest that made her lose control just yesterday.


    Just when she thought she was going to lose it again, she felt a cool Mana that seemed to quench the sudden fire in her heart. It felt familiar because Kiho''s Mana was also cool like that. But it was still different because after putting out the burning in her chest, the coolness of the strange Mana turned lukewarm.


    A Mana was that neither hot nor cold could only belong to the little on in her womb.


    [Winter, our baby boy.]


    She gently ced her hands on her tummy. It seemed like her son noticed her anger rising up so he used his own Mana to calm her down. Winter was really special.


    [Thank you, baby.]


    "Tilly, are you okay?" Duke Prescott asked worriedly. "Does your stomach hurt?"


    Tilly gasped when she realized that aside from Kiho, she was yet to share the happy news with her father. Well, she nned to tell him but she almost forgot about it because of the serious conversation they were having. "Father, I have good news for you," she said excitedly. "I''m pregnant now."


    Her father looked shocked. And then he gave her a small smile. "Congrattions, Tilly," he said warmly. The happiness was evident in his eyes. But there was also sadness in them. "Your mother would have been happy for you as well if she was still with us."


    "I know that, Father," she said with a smile. "Actually, I n to visit Mother''s grave with Kiho to tell her about my pregnancy."


    "Please do that."


    "Father, will youe with us?"


    He looked taken aback by her request. "But why would you want to bring me along? You should spend your free time with your family."


    "We''re family, Father," she gently reminded him. "Even if I''m already married and will have my own child soon, I will always be your little girl."


    He looked touched by her words, but it seemed like he also felt awkward.


    [Well, I can''t me Father because I don''t remember being affectionate to him during my first life.]


    But of course, she also wanted to change her rtionship with her father this time.


    "Alright, I''ll ept your invitation," the duke said. "I want to visit your mother''s grave with you and your family."


    She smiled at that, and then got serious when she remembered what her father said a while ago. "Father, is it true that Her Royal Highness killed my mother?"


    "Yes, but we don''t have evidence to prove it," he father said grimly. "I told you that your mother died in an ident. That was true. But what I didn''t tell you was when we found her body, her heart was missing."


    She gasped at that. "Mother heart was ripped out?"


    Her father nodded, his mood understandably turning sour. "Your mother trusted the princess even though we were warned by the Denvers." He smiled sadly. "She was that kind of woman, you know? Marianne would always try to see the good in others. Your mother had a big heart, and that heart caused her death."


    "What happened, Father?" she asked, her chest tightening in pain. "What do you mean when you said Mother trusted the princess?"


    "The Denvers told us that Her Royal Highness has a device that can detect Fire Mages. They sealed your mother''s Mana so she wouldn''t get detected. But unfortunately, the princess still found out about her blood when she got pregnant with you," the duke exined. "The Denvers didn''t have the ability to conceal your heart, Tilly."


    She got teary-eyed when she felt a pang in her chest. "It was my fault"


    "Of course not," her father denied. "Your mother never med you. I also never thought that it was your fault."


    She heard that but she already got upset.


    [Maybe it''s the hormones.]


    "Tilly, there was no one to me but the princess," her father said firmly. "When she asked your mother to be her dance teacher, she convinced Marianne that she was an ally. That she was looking for the surviving Fire Mages to mend their broken rtionship with the Moonchesters."


    But since Captain Denver was still alive, that could only mean one thing. "Mother didn''t tell the princess about the Denvers?"


    "No, she didn''t," he confirmed. "Your mother didn''t want to put the Denvers in danger. So, she asked Morgan Denver to protect her memories while she was trying to figure out the princess''s n. Apparently, Her Royal Highness said she needed the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage to summon the sky beast. And ording to the princess, once she summoned the Red Phoenix, she would use it to find the Great Fire Tree."


    "The ''Great Fire Tree?'' I haven''t heard about that, Father."


    "It''s a knowledge that only the royal family knows," the duke said. "Her Royal Highness told your mother that the Great Fire Tree knows the truth that would clear the Fire Mages of their "betrayal." And once the truth is out, the princess promised that the royal family would wee the Fire Mages back to the empire."


    "I can believe the existence of the Great Fire Tree, Father," she said. "But I can''t believe that the princess would ept the Fire Mages."


    "Unfortunately, your mother believed the princess," her father said sadly. "They made apromise. Marianne promised that she would help the princess summon the sky beast and in return, Her Royal Highness would secure the safety of the surviving Fire Mages."


    She bit her lower lip in annoyance. [That b*tch tricked my mother!]


    "We can''t really me your mother, Tilly," he said gently as if he was trying to calm her down. "Back then, the princess was only a child. Your mother thought that a little girl like the princess wasn''t capable of killing innocent people."


    She held back her tears. "Mother was betrayed by the princess."


    Her father nodded. "When you were born, your Mother decided to help the princess summon the sky beast. The Denvers were also ready toe forward to give assistance. But then, your mother found out that the princess needed to rip out her heart to summon the Red Phoenix. And Her Royal Highness didn''t have any intention of finding the Great Fire Tree."


    [God, the princess wasn''t normal even as a kid!]


    "When your mother discovered the n, she immediately ran away," the duke continued. "While on her way to the Saint''s temple where we were supposed to meet, she called Morgan Denver to inform him that the princess had betrayed us. Thanks to your mother''s call, the Denvers were saved from exposing themselves as Fire Mages. But it caused Marianne''s life. She was being chased by the princess that time. To make sure that Her Royal Highness wouldn''t find her connection to the Denvers, she burned themunication device that she used. After that, I don''t know what exactly happened next. I just woke up to the bad news a few hours after your mother got into an "ident.""


    "Where were you when Mother was being chased, Father?"


    "I was passed out," the duke said, frustrated. "Thanks to Morgan Denver''s fast thinking, he came to me and temporarily erased my memories about your mother''s real identity. He also did that to protect their family''s secret. I lost consciousness because of the method they used to erase my memories."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "Your memories was erased, Father?"


    "Yes," he said. "And it was a smart move. During your mother''s funeral, Her Royal Highness manipted my mind to make me confess about the Fire Mages that had been secretly assisting Marianne. Since I had no recollection of the truth, I was cleared of suspicion."


    "How did you know that you were manipted, Father?"


    "After the princess summoned me, Morgan Denver secretly met up with me to return my memories," he exined. "He wanted to ask me what I n to do to protect you. I told him that I decided to bow my head to the royal family and live a quiet life with you, hoping that the princess wouldn''t take an interest in you. Then, I asked him to seal my memories again and only return it when your life is in danger. And so, here I am now."


    "Father, why did you choose to bow your head to the royal family?" she asked in frustration. "The princess killed my mother."


    "I''m just as angry as you are, Tilly," Duke Prescott said. "But I needed to protect you. I was hoping that you didn''t have the heart that they needed. You may call me fool, but I think I made the right decision. If we went to war with the princess then, we would have died. To fight Her Royal Highness, we need power that can match up to hers. We didn''t have that." He shook his head as if he was driving away bad memories. "That was also the reason why I asked Morgan Denver to erase my memories. If he didn''t, I may have lost my mind."


    "Father, I can''t take this anymore," Tilly said firmly. "I''ll find the Great Fire Tree using the Red Phoenix. Once I discover the truth, I will make sure that the Fire Mages will be allowed back to the empire." She clenched her fists tight. "And if I prove that the Fire Mages didn''t betray the royal family, I will do everything to overthrow the Moonchesters."


    ***


    "I''M GLAD that you didn''t cut Captain Sherwood''s tongue, Your Majesty."


    Aku let out a frustrated sigh at what Sir Gregory said.


    Yes, he may have removed Sir Gregory as his personal knight to keep an eye on Captain Sherwood. But that didn''t mean he wasn''t working for him anymore. Aside from Kiho, the old knight was the person he trusted most in the empire.


    "Captain Sherwood is still a duke," Aku said while he was resting on the sofa of his office. "The Sherwoods wouldn''t keep quiet if I hurt him more than I already had."


    "The nobles and the people are also demanding for an exnation, Your Majesty," Sir Gregory said. "They want to know what happened to Her Royal Highness."


    "I''ll give a statementter," he promised. He needed to shut them up so he could focus on finding the heart that he needed. "Have you found a clue as to why the replica of the Red Phoenix had gone berserk?"


    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," the knight said. "The traces were cleaned up neatly."


    "I knew this wouldn''t be easy," he said while staring at the ceiling. "But we need to find the heart as soon as possible, Sir Gregory. After all, Lady Prescott is already pregnant."


    "Do you believe the prophecy, Your Majesty?"


    "Howard is dodgy but he would never lie about his prophecies," he reasoned. "That''s the High Priest''s only saving grace. He wouldn''t get into that position considering his background if his prophecies had nevere true."


    "Then, will you kill the child?"


    "I am torn," he admitted. "The prophecy said that Kiho''s child would be needed by the empire. Even though I''m like this, I''m still the emperor and I want the best for my citizens."


    "I understand that, Your Majesty," Sir Gregory said. "But would you sacrifice the throne for that the throne that has been with the Moonchesters for centuries now?"


    "That what makes it hard, Sir Gregory," Aku said, then he closed his eyes. Actually, the prophecy that was announced to the public was iplete. Kiho''s child wouldn''t just be a special existence to the empire. The child was destined to be more than that. "After all, Kiho''s son was prophesied to steal the throne from me."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 60: Burning Resolve

    Chapter 60: Burning Resolve


    "DO YOU know what you''re saying, Tilly?" Duke Prescott, her father, asked her. He seemed shocked by her deration a while ago. "You''re going to overthrow the Moonchesters once you find the truth? We don''t even know if the Great Fire Tree really exists."


    "It exists," Tilly said confidently. "I don''t know why but my gut feeling is telling me that the Great Fire Tree really exists. And my instinct is telling me that I have to find it."


    "Are you nning to use the "truth" that you''d find and use it against the royal family?"


    "Father, to be honest, I thought I should mend the Fire Mages'' rtionship with the Moonchesters," she admitted. "I have the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage but Kiho vowed his loyalty to the throne. I know that he will choose me over the emperor. But it would mean he''d betray His Majesty for me. And I don''t want Kiho to end up as a traitor."


    "That''s true. Captain Kiho is the one who''s going to be in a tight position," the duke agreed. "I feel bad but even though I had my memories when the emperor told me about the prophecy, I would have still agreed to marry you off to the captain. A direct request from His Majesty would be hard to reject. And the prophecy was made public so had we turned down the request, our family would have suffered heavily. We could have been used of treason as well."


    That was true.


    The prophecy came from the High Priest himself. His Eminence said that Kiho''s child would be a special existence to the empire. Had House Prescott refused to marry her off to the captain, they would have been scrutinized.


    Being used of treason was possible, too. After all, turning down an offer that would apparently bring prosperity to the empire would have been disservice to the royal family. Plus, high ranking nobles like them had "noblesse oblige."


    Noblesse oblige meant that privileged people like them had the responsibility to act with generosity and nobility towards the less privilege. So when House Prescott was chosen to fulfill the prophecy for the good of the empire, they weren''t really in the position to refuse. If they did, they would have been a disgrace to the nobility while themoners would have hated them.


    [It''s really hard to be the enemy of the royal family.]


    "I don''t regret marrying Kiho, Father," she said. "And I will protect him."


    "What''s your n, Tilly?"


    "I''ll forget about my foolish thought of fixing our rtionship with the royal family," she said. "Aside from the fact that the princess killed my mother, I also realized that the emperor would definitely not forgive me for burning Her Royal Highness to crisp. I unwittingly dered a war against them but I could no longer take it back. And after hearing the truth about Mother''s death, I know for a fact that I couldn''t bow my head to them anymore. I have to fight or else, I''ll lose everything."


    [Again.]


    "I understand your feelings, daughter," her father said carefully. "But it wouldn''t be easy. You know that, don''t you?"


    She knew that.


    To be honest, when she returned to this time, she never thought she would be fighting against the royal family. All she wanted was to have a good and decent life with Kiho and Winter. But it was time to shed her naivety.


    Plus, it wasn''t like she had nothing to fight against the royal family. Aside from her special heart, she still had the knowledge from her first life.


    "Father, His Majesty''s lineage would end in his generation," she said confidently. "He would never have an heir."


    The duke looked surprised by her revtion. "Are you sure, Tilly? How did you know that?"


    "I can''t tell you yet, Father," she said apologetically. "And please don''t tell it to other people yet. Let''s save it until ites in handy."


    Her father looked at her long and hard as if he was studying her. "Alright. I will trust you."


    "Thank you, Father."


    To be honest, she was hoping that her hunch was correct.


    Princess Nia had been taking infertility medicine since she was a kid so by this time, the princess might already lost her ability to get pregnant.


    Of course, the emperor had the option to choose another empress. Or a concubine, at least. If it was exposed to the public that Her Royal Highness couldn''t bear a child for the emperor, the nobles would settle for a "half-breed" heir instead of no one.


    [But in my past life, His Majesty refused to get married to anotherdy.]


    The emperor was too crazy for Princess Nia to pick a new wife.


    And that was exactly why Emperor Aku epted Winter as his heir. The higher nobles also easily epted her son because of the prophecy.


    [That reminds me]


    "Father, about the prophecy" she started. "Did it say anything else other than my son being a special existence to the empire?"


    Her father shook his head. "That was the only thing that the High Priest announced. Why did you ask?"


    "I feel like the prophecy was iplete," she said. "It didn''t specify how my son would be a special existence to the empire."


    "Do you think there''s something more to it?"


    "Yes, Father," she said. "But ording to Captain Denver, we can''t trust the High Priest. So I''m thinking that the prophecy he announced had something more to it. I think we need to find a way to get the High Priest tell us the whole prophecy."


    "I''ll secretly meet up with Morgan Denver and tell him about your n to know the full prophecy," her father said. "When will you tell Captain Kiho the truth about your identity?"


    "Father, do you agree with my decision?"


    "When I spent time training Captain Kiho, I saw how much he loves you," the duke said. "I trust your husband."


    She smiled at that. "Thank you, Father."


    "Oh," he said as if he remembered something. "When we visit your mother''s grave, would it be alright if we stay at our ancestral home for the short vacation? I want to show you something."


    "Sure, Father," she said. "What is it that you want to show me?"


    "I haven''t told you this before but our ancestors aided the royal family to seal the Four Ancient Beasts in the past," her father said. "Particry, the Prescotts were trained how to seal the Red Phoenix."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "Really, Father?"


    "Yes. I taught Captain Kiho the method on how to seal the red bird," he confirmed. "I showed your mother the stuff our ancestors used to seal the Red Phoenix before but she didn''t find any use of it. I''m thinking that it might not be the case for you. We have some treasure that are rted to the Red Phoenix that might be useful for you or the heart that you possess."


    "That will be great, Father," she said. "Thank you."


    "I''ll also tell the story of your birth once we get to our ancestral home," Duke Prescott promised. "I can''t tell you right now because I want Captain Kiho to hear it as well. I want your husband to know that it''s a miracle that you''re here with us." His facial expression suddenly turned stern. "In short, I want Captain Kiho to know that I''ll have his head if he betrays you."


    "Kiho won''t do that, Father," Tilly assured him between giggle. "My husband will protect me and our baby forever."


    ***


    AKU''S head was breaking into two.


    Right now, he was in a meeting with twelve of his advisors and they were sharing a long table. Standing on his right was Sir Gregory and on his left was Captain Sherwood. Yes, he had to free the captain or else, House Sherwood wouldn''t leave him alone. He couldn''t deal with another problem just yet.


    [But I''m not yet done with Captain Sherwood, of course.]


    Anyway, his advisors weren''t happy when he told them that Nia was in aatose state. Imagine if he told them that his fiance was also burnt to crisp.


    Of course, that information was confidential. He didn''t want anyone to badmouth the princess for something she didn''t wish to happen to her. It wasn''t Nia''s fault that she was almost burnt to death by the Red Phoenix''s replica.


    "Your Majesty, you should be married before you turn thirty," Duke Nelson, an old gentleman with gray hair and huge dark eyes, told him in a frustrated voice. "What if Her Royal Highness never wakes up again?"


    Everyone else fell silent and turned to the foolish duke with a horrified look on their face. Perhaps only Duke Nelson didn''t know that saying those careless words would earn his wrath.


    He was trying to stay calm despite worrying about Nia''s terrible state.


    Of course, the thought of losing his beloved already crossed his mind. His healing power wasn''t working on the damage caused by the replica after all. But hearing that Nia might not wake up anymore from other people didn''t sit well with him.


    The ground shook with his anger.


    "Princess Nia will wake up," Aku said in a cold voice enough to make his advisors tremble in fear. "So you better watch your words, Duke Nelson."


    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty!" Duke Nelson said while bowing at him. "I am simply worried about the empire''s future. The people are talking. They can''t be at ease while the emperor has yet to be married. The empire needs an empress, Your Majesty."


    The duke just wouldn''t shut up, huh?


    "The High Priest had already announced my wedding date with Princess Nia," he said. "It''s eleven months from now. I''ll make sure that the princess would wake up before that day. So if you''re thinking of sending women in my pce to be my concubine, or a new batch of candidates to be the empress, you better forget it," he warned while giving cold looks to everyone in the room. "I swear I will murder any and every woman you''d send to seduce me."


    He noticed that most of the gentlemen turned their gaze away from him guiltily.


    [Ah, so they were really nning to force me to take a concubine.]


    He shouldn''t be surprised.


    It was true that the nobles would want his heir to be a pure Moonchester.


    But as an option in case something bad happened to Nia, they had chosen potential concubines from different prestigious lineage. They would rather settle for a "half-breed" heir than have none at all.


    [As if I''d ept that.]


    It wasmon for emperors to have concubines but he only wanted Nia.


    "Your Majesty, may I know how the investigation is going?" Viscount Hamilton asked. Unlike Duke Nelson, the viscount had proper manners despite being the youngest advisor in the bunch. "There''s a rumor that''s instilling fear in the public. Apparently, the replica of the Red Phoenix had gone berserk because of the return of Fire Mages."


    "That''s not true," he denied. The investigation couldn''t find a trace that would link the incident to Fire Mages. He had a feeling that it had been covered up. But he wouldn''t say that to not cause panic among his people. "The replica woke up aggravated after being locked up in the mystery box for hundreds of years. It attacked the Castle Vania without a specific target. Princess Nia was hurt because she was trying to protect everyone in the castle. And sadly, while protecting the princess, Lahara lost her life."


    That was the script that he and Sir Gregory came up with.


    He had also sent his condolences to the White Tower before attending that meeting. The mages of the White Tower sent a letter thanking the royal family for taking care of Lahara. ording to them, it was an honor for the mage-knight to have served the princess until thest moment of her life.


    [It''s a relief that the White Tower didn''t take it negatively. Perhaps it''s because Lahara had already left them to serve Nia directly.]


    Now thest thing in his agenda was to address the public about the incident.


    "If you have nothing else to say, then this meeting is adjourned," Aku dered before standing up. "Again, Princess Nia will wake up." He made sure to make an eye contact with everyone as he said the following words. "If I have to summon the sky beast to revive my beloved, I would do it in a heartbeat."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 61: Taste of Guilt

    Chapter 61: Taste of Guilt


    KIHO felt a familiar kind of warmth in his chest when Tilly ran towards him as soon as she saw at the main entrance.


    Before she married him, he was used to his servants'' emotionless greetings whenever he would arrive. But this time, his wife was her to wee him home. And he also noticed that ever since she moved into his residence, the servants had started to treat him more kindly. In the past, it was obvious that they were only doing their jobs. But now, he could see and feel the respect that they had for him.


    [It must be Tilly''s influence.]


    He almost smiled at the thought. But then, he remembered that she was pregnant and shouldn''t be running. He went to her as fast as he could and held her by the shoulders.


    "Honey, please don''t run," Kiho begged her. "I don''t want you or our baby to get exhausted."


    Tilly pouted because of his light scolding. "Okay."


    [God, she''s so adorable.]


    He cupped her face between his hands and leaned down to kiss her. His urge to do so was so strong that he didn''t mind the servants around them. He was sure that they wouldn''t watch anyway.


    He was about to close his eyes when he caught the figure behind Tilly.


    [Duke Prescott?!]


    Well, he didn''t mind showing affection to Tilly in front of the servants. But her father was a different case. To be honest, that duke still made him nervous.


    Kiho immediately stopped trying to kiss Tilly. He even pulled his hands away from her face. Then, he stood straight and bowed at the duke who was throwing daggers at him with his eyes. "Good evening, Your Grace."


    "Good evening, Captain Kiho," Duke Prescott greeted him sternly when he stood beside his daughter. "Do you mind walking me to my carriage? Tilly is insisting to do that but I don''t want her to exhaust herself."


    "I don''t want that to happen as well, Your Grace," he said. "Let me apany you instead."


    The duke just nodded before excusing himself to wait by the entrance.


    "I''ll walk your father to the carriage, Tilly," he said to his wife. Then, he cupped her face again and kissed her on the forehead. "Wait for me."


    "Okay," Tilly said. "I''ll ask the chef to prepare our dinner. I invited Father to join us but he said he had a dinner meeting with a business partner. Please remind him to take a rest, too. My father is tired of my "nagging" but he might listen to you."


    "I will."


    After that, he left the mansion to apany Duke Prescott for a walk.


    He knew that they had something important to talk about. Tilly was probably aware of that so she didn''t insist to join them.


    "Captain Kiho, I know about the tragedy that happened at the Hunt," Duke Prescott started. "But still, I want to congratte you for catching the replica of the Red Phoenix. I heard that thanks to you, Her Royal Highness was saved by His Majesty in time. Good job."


    "Thank you, Your Grace," he said politely. "I wouldn''t have done it without your guidance."


    An awkward silence ensued after that.


    [Uh, why am I not as sociable as my Tilly?]


    "Tilly said that you decided to quit your position as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights," the duke said, breaking the silence while they were walking by the rose garden. "Have you made a decision regarding my offer?"


    "Yes, Your Grace," he said. "Having my own name will help me protect Tilly and our child even more. For our family, I decided to join the high society."


    The duke stopped walking so he also did. Then, they stood facing each other.


    "That''s a wise decision, Captain Kiho," Duke Prescott told him. "The high society is filled with corruption and it has a dirty history. But not every member is bad. You just have to find the right people that would support you as a genuine ally. More importantly, the rise of the new generation of young nobles is promising. With you as an addition to it, I''m sure that the empire would be in good hands." He put a hand on his shoulder. "I''m entrusting House Prescott to you from now on, Captain Kiho."


    He was touched.


    Until now, he still couldn''t believe that Duke Prescott had been very epting of him from the start. And he even entrusted the House Prescott to him even though he was just amoner who lucked out in life.


    "Thank you, Your Grace," he said genuinely. "And please call mefortably. You don''t have to call me "captain" since I already quit."


    Well, that was temporarily.


    But he was determined to convince the emperor to let him go after a year.


    "If that''s what you want, Kiho," Duke Prescott said, then he cleared his throat and turned his gaze away from him before he continued. "You shouldn''t also be too formal with me. You can call me the same way Tilly does."


    He froze at that request.


    [Doesn''t Tilly call him "Father?"]


    His cheeks burned. He didn''t have the chance to meet his father. The closest thing to a father figure that he had was Emperor Aku.


    But now, the duke was saying that he could call him "Father."


    God, he didn''t know that he could still be a crybaby at that age.


    Kiho bowed his head in respect to his father-inw, and also to hide his tears. "Thank you for being good to me, Father."


    And his fatherforted him by gently tapping his shoulder.


    [Ah, I gained another family member thanks to my lovely wife.]


    ***


    TILLY wasn''t really happy to know that instead of relieving Kiho from his position, Emperor Aku only gave her husband a year-long vacation.


    [We should work hard until the emperor couldn''t do anything but let go of Kiho.]


    Well, she had already expected that it wouldn''t be easy to separate her husband from the emperor. But at least, Kiho would be away from the royal family for a year.


    "Sorry, honey," Kiho said while kissing her neck. Right now, they were in the giant tub of their bathroom. She was sitting between his legs while leaning against his solid chest. And of course, his hands were wandering on her body particrly on her chest area. He loved ying with her breasts after all. "I should have tried harder to convince His Majesty to let me quit. But he''s in a sour mood. I didn''t want to lose my limbs."


    "You did a good job, hon," Tillyforted him. "Once you be a duke that''s needed by the empire more than a captain for a squad, the emperor couldn''t do anything but to let you quit."


    "I''ll work hard to be a duke worthy of Father''s legacy."


    She turned to him in surprise. ""Father?"''


    He blushed and when he talked, it was obvious that he was embarrassed. "The duke allowed me to call him "Father.""


    "That''s so nice," she said excitedly. "I was wondering how long the two of you would be so formal with each other. I''m d you fixed that already."


    He smiled and kissed her on the lips.


    "Kiho, I want us to visit my mother''s grave with Father," she said, more excited now. "Would that be okay with you?"


    "Of course," he said. "I''d love to meet your mother as well. But can we do it next week? The emperor will give a speech tomorrow. Then, I have to teach ke what to do as a temporary captain. And oh, we''re also required to attend Miss Lahara''s funeral."


    She froze when she heard that. "F-Funeral?"


    "Ah, right. It''s still a secret from the public," her husband said. "Unfortunately, Miss Lahara didn''t survive the replica''s me. Shebusted and was turned into ashes."


    That made her feel guilty.


    Not wanting Kiho to see her distress, she looked away from him and hugged her knees close. She was hoping that he wouldn''t notice that she was shaking.


    [God, I killed a person.]


    She was angry when she ordered the replica of the Red Phoenix to burn Princess Nia. Lahara might have protected the princess and so, she was also caught up in the me. Even though she knew that the mage-knight deserved to die, she still felt guilty that it was her who caused Lahara''s death.


    [You have to be strong, Tilly], she told herself. She reminded herself that being soft-hearted wouldn''t help her protect herself and her family. If she wouldn''t kill, then she wouldn''t survive the war that she started. [This is just the beginning.]


    "Honey, are you alright?" Kiho asked worriedly, then he kissed her shoulder lightly. "You''re trembling. Are you cold?"


    "A little," Tilly said, then she turned to her husband with a sultry look in her eyes. "Can you warm me up, hon"


    "Will pleasure, mydy."


    And then Kiho gently grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up.


    With Tilly''s back on her husband, she sank down on him, taking him all the way, reversed cowgirl-style. They moaned simultaneously at how good it felt to finally have their bodies be one again after a long, tiring day.


    [Let''s forget about anything else for now.]


    ***


    "LET''S make a deal, Captain Sherwood," Aku told him while he was sitting on the table. Captain Sherwood was standing respectfully a few feet away from him. They were in the office and Sir Gregory was standing outside. "If you tell me where the heart is, I''ll show you what you really want to see."


    Captain Sherwood grinned. Now that he was exposed, it seemed like the captain didn''t have any n to hide his real nature from him. "Do you know what I want to see, Your Majesty?"


    "All the Sherwoods that I have met are the same," he said with a smirk. "You want the sleeping sea beast, don''t you?"


    The captain''s smile faded. "Have you found it, Your Majesty?"


    "The royal family has many secrets, you know?" he said yfully. "I know that you also want to see the real Red Phoenix. But only one Ancient Beast had captivated the Sherwoods."


    Captain Sherwood smiled, the frenzied look in his eyes bing more evident. "Can you really show me the sleeping sea beast, Your Majesty?"


    "Of course," Aku said smilingly. "I know where to find the real ck Serpent."


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 62: Beast Priestess

    Chapter 62: Beast Priestess


    TILLY was satisfied with how she looked.


    For today''s ceremony, she wore a maroon dress with a ck mesh top. She also wore aplete set of jewelry. Her earrings, ne, bracelet, ring, and brooch all had ck pearls.


    Her hair was neatly tied in a bun and she used ck lipstick.


    Leni and Lani were shocked by her bold choice of makeup but the twins both agreed that she pulled it off nicely.


    [I really have a sexy charm.]


    Anyway, when she heard a knock on the door followed by her husband''s voice, she asked the maids to leave. After giving her and Kiho a polite greeting, the twins left the room.


    "Honey, are you done?"


    Tilly turned around when Kiho stood behind her.


    Oh.


    Her husband looked so dashing in his uniform as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. His ck tunic jacket with velvet cor and cuffs and golden one-shoulder cape really made him look ten times hotter. And the ck gloves. Damn, it looked so good on him.


    [God, thank you for giving me another chance to marry this man.]


    "Hi, gorgeous," Tilly greeted her husband who had a funny look on his face. He looked half pleased-half scared while checking out her dress. "What''s wrong?"


    "Tilly, you look wonderful," Kiho said when he looked at her face. "But why do you like you''re attending a funeral? We''re not going to pay respects to Miss Lahara since we don''t have ess to the White Tower."


    Of course she knew that.


    But she still dressed that way because she wanted to secretly "mourn" Princess Nia. Well, the b*tch unfortunately survived but she would make sure that once she woke up, she couldn''ty a finger on her and her family ever again.


    At first, she felt guilty for Lahara''s death. But she reminded herself that if the mage-knight was still alive, she would have killed her first under the princess''s order just to get her heart.


    [But next time, I''ll be wiser when I make another kill.]


    "Wearing dark clothes would make me look slimmer," Tilly lied. It wasn''t like she could tell Kiho that she wore dark clothes to mock theatose princess. Well, it was kind of petty of her to do that but she wanted to express her joy through fashion. "I''m worried that I look fat now that I''m pregnant."


    "You''re not fat, Tilly. You don''t look fat either," Kiho said carefully. "And even if you gain weight, that''s fine. It''s normal for pregnant women to gain weight, isn''t it?"


    She liked what he said but she decided to tease him. "Kiho, I heard that most men cheat when their wives are pregnant. Once a woman''s baby bump gets bigger, it will be hard for her to make love with her husband." He blushed at what she said but she continued anyway. "I heard that''s exactly the reason why men cheat during those times."


    "I''ll never cheat on you, Tilly," he said seriously. "Especially not for that shallow reason."


    Her yfulness vanished when she remembered why they divorced in her past life.


    Well, Kiho fell in love with Lucina Morganna when they were still married. But that happened when their marriage had already fallen apart a long time ago. Plus, he didn''t cheat on her behind her back. He went to her and asked her for divorce.


    [But falling in love with someone else while you''re married is considered as emotional cheating, isn''t it?]


    God, that gave a sharp pang in her chest.


    Since the events that happened in her past life had long been changed, what if the timeline of Kiho and Lucina Morganna changed as well? What would she do if the two met earlier than expected? Would her husband still fall for Lucina Morganna again?


    She knew that Kiho loved her now.


    But she didn''t want to underestimate the power of destiny.


    To be honest, at first, she thought that she would be okay if Kiho and Lucina Morganna got together in this lifetime once again as long as she had Winter. She really thought that all she needed was her son. That she would survive without her husband.


    But now, she couldn''t bear the thought of losing Kiho to another woman.


    "Tilly, what''s wrong?" Kiho asked her worriedly. "Why do you look like you''re about to cry?"


    "I''m upset," she admitted. "I''m upset at the thought of you falling in love with another woman."


    She brought that up but she still got upset.


    [God, these hormones]


    "It won''t happen," he assured her. Then, he cupped her face between his hands. "Do you not trust me, Tilly?"


    "I trust you," she said. "But Kiho, can I hold onto you? Can I be possessive of you? Is it okay for me to think that all of you belong to me?"


    "All of me belong to you, Tilly," Kiho said. Then, he hugged her tight. "No one can steal me away from you so don''t be upset, okay?"


    She wanted to cling to that.


    [Yes, this is different from my past life so I should have more confidence.]


    Plus, she was the original wife anyway.


    "You''re mine, Kiho," Tilly said while hugging him tight. "I won''t share you with anyone."


    ***


    TILLY had to hold back herughter while listening to Emperor Aku''s rubbish speech.


    Right now, she was in the Sky za with her fellow nobles.


    This time, they were joined butmoners. But of course, their sses were literally separated from one another.


    The nobles were in the front of the stage. They were seated ording to their ranks. Her father couldn''t make it so she was his proxy. As a duke''s daughter, she was seated in the front seat among other nobles with the same rank as her father.


    Behind them were the marquises and marchionesses, followed by the earls and countesses, then by viscounts and viscountesses, and finally, the barons and baronesses.


    At the further back were themoners. Unlike them, the ordinary citizens didn''t have seats for them. They were simply standing behind. Also, there was a barricade surrounding the nobles and themoners weren''t allowed to cross that.


    [Gosh, the ss war in the empire is this bad.]


    Anyway, there was a makeshift stage in front of them. Of course, Emperor Aku was sitting on the throne. He was being guarded by the captains of the Four Orders.


    [My husband is so gorgeous.]


    Well, the other captains were also good-looking. They wore the same uniform as Kiho but the colors were different. It was red for Captain Denver, blue for Captain Sherwood, and yellow for Captain Ainsworth.


    [They look like P*wer R*ngers.]


    "Rest assured, we weren''t attacked by rebels," Emperor Aku said while standing in front of his subjects. The emperor looked dashing in his gold and red military uniform. This time, the usual yfulness on his face was reced by solemnity. Understandable because his beloved fiance was still in aa. "The rumors about the return of the Fire Mages aren''t true as well."


    Tilly almost smiled at that.


    [You''re wrong about that, Your Majesty.]


    The nobles and themoners were obviously relieved by the emperor''s assurance.


    "It was just unfortunate that the replica woke up aggravated after being locked up in the mystery box for hundreds of years," the emperor continued. "It attacked the Castle Vania without a specific target. Princess Nia was hurt because she was trying to protect everyone in the castle. And sadly, while protecting the princess, Lahara lost her life."


    A collective gasp was heard among the crowd.


    Ah, right. Kiho told her about Lahara''s death in advance. So unlike her, the others were surprised to hear the "bad news."


    "But Lahara''s noble sacrifice won''t be put in vain," His Majesty said. "Thankfully, Her Royal Highness is alive and recuperating well. But don''t fret, my dear people. The princess will definitely wake up before our wedding date that has already been decided by the High Priest. It will happen eleven months from now and you can look forward to it."


    The crowd was definitely uplifted by the "good news."


    They cheered and congratted the emperor for his uing wedding.


    The nobles elegantly pped for His Majesty while themoners shouted, whistled, andughed happily as celebration.


    Some elitist nobles looked evidently ufortable by the "noise."


    [So snotty.]


    "Thank you, everyone," Emperor Aku said and when he raised his hand, the crowd fell silent instantly. "I have another announcement. As you already know, the replica of the Red Phoenix was caught by Captain Kiho of the ck Serpent Knights."


    Tilly was surprised when the emperor said that.


    [It wasn''t in the agenda, was it?]


    When she looked at Kiho, despite his stoic face, she could see the confusion in his eyes. She had spent enough time with him to know what his facial expression meant.


    [Emperor Aku didn''t tell Kiho as well.]


    "That means Captain Kiho is the victor of the Hunt," the emperor continued. The crowd apuded once again. "Usually, we would have a huge feast to celebrate the end of the Hunt. But because of Princess Nia''s current state, I decided to keep it simple." His Majesty turned to Kiho. "I hope you understand, Captain Kiho."


    Kiho just bowed respectfully to the emperor.


    "Now, Captain Kiho," Emperor Aku continued. "It''s time to dedicate your victory to thedy that would be this year''s Beast Priestess."


    Tilly''s heart thumped loudly against her chest when she made eye contact with Kiho.


    Not to anyone''s surprise well, they were married so she assumed that everyone already knew that Kiho would choose her the captain of the ck Serpent Knights walked towards her.


    Then, Kiho got down on one knee and offered his hand to her.


    She stood up and held onto his hand. Then, he pressed his forehead against the back of her hand before he kissed her knuckles.


    [And that''s how a knight offers his victory to thedy of his heart.]


    The crowd once again cheered and showered them with praises. Well, themoners did. The nobles just respectfully pped their hands as usual.


    She thought the ceremony was over when Kiho stood.


    Her husband was about to assist her back to her seat when the emperor spoke again.


    "And for myst announcement," Emperor Aku said. Then, he respectfully pointed at their direction using his hand. "I would like everyone to congratte Captain Kiho and Lady Prescott. They have sessfully conceived the child of the prophecy and fulfilled their noble duty to our Great Moonchester Empire."


    The apuse and the cheers this time were louder.


    Kiho looked ufortable by the attention.


    Tilly smiled and thanked the crowd but deep inside, she was seething.


    [Why did the emperor announce my pregnancy without telling us first?!]


    ***


    AFTER the public ceremony, Tilly was summoned by Emperor Aku at his pce. To be precise, they were now having tea in the beautiful rose garden. She was nervous to be alone with the emperor, especially since Kiho wasn''t around.


    When they got at the pce, the emperor asked Kiho to fetch ke so they could talk about the vice captain''s new temporary position.


    [His Majesty could have asked other people to summon ke. This only means that he wants to talk to me alone.]


    Well, not really "alone."


    As expected, they were surrounded by servants and royal knights. Captain Sherwood and Sir Gregory were there as well. They were far enough not to eavesdrop, but also close enough to reach the emperor if something or someone was to attack His Majesty.


    [I wish Kiho would return as soon as possible.]


    "Lady Prescott, I apologize for announcing your pregnancy without your consent," Emperor Aku said, then he gently and elegantly put the tea cup down on the round table between them. The table had also a threeyer stand filled with different pastries and savory snacks. "I needed to shower the public with good news so they wouldn''t focus on Nia''s state. It slipped my mind to ask for your permission since I was busy these days."


    "You don''t have to apologize, Your Majesty," Tilly said respectfully. Well, she was angry but the emperor already apologized to her. It wouldn''t do her good if she acted stubborn about it. "It''s the public''s right to know about my pregnancy because my child is the child in the prophecy."


    "I''m d you understand," he said with a smile. But his eyes were unusually dark and that made her a bit nervous. "Lady Prescott, why are you dolled up like you''re in a funeral?" Okay, now she was certain that the emperor was unhappy with her choice of clothes and makeup. "You''re not celebrating Nia''s terrible state, are you?"


    She was scared because even though the emperor was smiling, the coldness in his eyes and voice were saying otherwise.


    But amazingly, she also felt her blood boil in excitement. She didn''t know why but seeing the emperor''s anger directed at her thrilled her. Like she was waiting for a chance to fight back. Her gut feeling was urging her to bare her fangs at His Majesty.


    She held back though.


    At her current state, the emperor would just easily kill her.


    "It''s the opposite, Your Majesty," she said respectfully when she regained herposure. "I wore my precious ck pearls today as a symbol that my heart is with Her Royal Highness. These ck pearls aren''t a sign of mourning. Rather, I''m using them as a reminder that I can''t be too happy until my precious friend wakes up. I apologize for calling the princess casually. But I hope Your Majesty understands that Her Royal Highness is close to my heart as a person and not by her royal title."


    Gosh, she almost puked at the lies she spitted. She couldn''t wait home to wash her mouth thoroughly.


    At least, the emperor looked convinced.


    "I''m d that Nia has a friend like you, Lady Prescott," the emperor said. Then, he sipped his tea before he continued. "Anyway, I summoned you here because I have a question for you."


    "You can ask me anything, Your Majesty."


    Aku smiled in an overly sweet manner before he spoke again. "Lady Prescott, where were you when the replica of the Red Phoenix attacked Nia?"


    Tilly suddenly felt her heart in her throat.


    [Oh, god.]


    ***


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 Chapter 63: Battle of Wits

    Chapter 63: Battle of Wits


    KIHO was waiting at the entrance of the emperor''s pce for ke.


    The vice-captain didn''t have an ID that would give him ess to the premise of the emperor''s pce so he had to pick him up. He had only been standing there (with two other royal guards) for five minutes but he was already restless.


    To be honest, he didn''t want to leave Tilly alone with the emperor. Not that he didn''t trust His Majesty. But Emperor Aku loved teasing other people.


    [I hope the emperor doesn''t tease my wife too much.]


    "Captain Kiho."


    Kiho turned to see Captain Denver. He nodded politely as a greeting. "Captain Denver."


    "I heard you and Lady Prescott were summoned by His Majesty," Captain Denver said when he stood in front of him. "Where''s your wife?"


    He didn''t like that the other captain asked for his wife.


    "It''s none of your business, Captain Denver."


    "Hey, no need to be hostile," Captain Denver said. "I''m just making a small talk."


    "Tilly is having tea with His Majesty right now."


    "What?"


    "My wife is having tea with His Majesty," he repeated. "What''s with that reaction?"


    "You left Lady Prescott alone with His Majesty?"


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "And what''s wrong with it? The safest ce in the empire is beside His Majesty."


    "Of course," Captain Denver said dryly. "It''s just that knowing how protective and possessive you are when ites to Lady Prescott, I didn''t expect that you''d be okay to leave her alone with another man."


    "I don''t consider His Majesty as a potential rival though," he said without missing a beat. "Everyone in the empire knows that his heart belongs to Her Royal Highness alone."


    In the history of Moonchester Empire, only Emperor Aku was the emperor who didn''t take a concubine. Emperors were allowed to have one empress and three concubines that would be crowned as queens.


    The first queen was expected to take the empress''s ce in case the empress died or wasn''t able to fulfill her duty properly.


    But Emperor Aku was firm on his decision to only marry Her Royal Highness.


    [I respect His Majesty for that.]


    In the past, the emperor killed all the women sent to his chamber to seduce him. Even though thosedies came from affluent families, they didn''t attempt to take revenge because the emperorpensated them with either territories or high position in the pce.


    "Ah, is that so?" Captain Denver said, obviously uninterested with what he said. "Kiho, be careful whom you trust. Lady Prescott is a specialdy."


    "Captain Denver, you''re not interested in my wife are you?"


    He shrugged casually. "What if I am?"


    Kiho tried to attack the other captain with ice daggers.


    But Captain Denver just raised his arm with a red and gold armband. The fire produced from his weapon melted his ice daggers.


    That was only because he created the ice without the intention to kill Captain Denver. If he did, the other captain wouldn''t and couldn''t easily melt his ice. Unfortunately, he had to restrict his Mana because fighting in the emperor''s pce was forbidden.


    In fact, the two royal guards looked nervous while watching them. They knew that they had to stop them but obviously, the royal guards were scared because he and Captain Denver were both captains of the Four Orders.


    "I''m just teasing you, Captain Kiho," Captain Denver said before he jumped away from me. "But don''t leave your wife carelessly. She needs you by her side as much as possible."


    "You don''t have to tell me that," he countered. "I know my duty as a husband."


    "I hope so, Captain Kiho."


    "Captain Denver, I''d appreciate it if you refrain from getting involved with my wife," he warned him. "His Majesty is the only man in the empire that I won''t consider a rival. I don''t care if you''re a fellow captain. I''ll kill you if you try toy a finger on my wife."


    "Keep that energy on the right enemy," Captain Denver told him while walking away. He even had the audacity to wave at him. "Take care of your wife, Captain Kiho."


    [Kill], Kiho told himself while watching Captain Denver''s back. He knew that the previous rumor between the other captain and his wife was only a misunderstanding. But as a man, he could sense that Captain Denver was seriously interested in Tilly. [I''ll kill you if you try to steal Tilly from me, Captain Denver.]


    ***


    "LADY Prescott, where were you when the replica of the Red Phoenix attacked Nia?"


    Tilly got scared for a second.


    But she knew she''d be suspicious if she showed her emotion so she caught herself right away. She could only hope that the emperor didn''t catch her initial reaction.


    "Her Royal Highness summoned me before the castle was attacked, Your Majesty," Tilly said carefully. Now that she had regained herposure, she sounded as natural as earlier. "We had tea for a while but the princess noticed that I was feeling unwell. Her Royal Highness was worried about me so she told me to go home and rest. Unfortunately, I got into an ident on my way home. I lost consciousness from shock and thus, I''m not sure if the castle was attacked during my ident." She politely lowered her head. "My deepest apologies for failing to give you a satisfying answer, Your Majesty."


    "You don''t have to apologize for that, Lady Prescott," Emperor Aku said. "Now raise your head."


    She did as she was told.


    The emperor smiled at her. Then, he sipped his tea before he continued. "I just asked because I heard that you got into an ident. For all it''s worth, I''m d that you weren''t with Nia when the replica of the Red Phoenix attacked the castle."


    Really now?


    "Nia was able to survive the replica''s me because of her power as a Moonchester," the emperor continued. "If a powerful mage like Lahara didn''t survive, there was no way a delicatedy like you would have survived being burnt by the Red Phoenix." He elegantly put the tea cup down on the table before he grinned at her. "Not unless you''re a Fire Mage, right?"


    She got goosebumps when realization dawned upon her.


    [He knows the emperor already knows.]


    Tilly smiled to hide her shock. "How could a person like me with a weak Mana be a Fire Mage, Your Majesty?"


    "I know, right?"


    "If I were a Fire Mage, I''m sure I would have been killed the moment I was born," she said, testing the waters. "After all, the Fire Mages are enemies of the royal family." She sipped her tea before she smiled sweetly at the emperor. "Isn''t that right, Your Majesty?"


    Emperor Aku looked taken aback by her question. But when he regained hisposure, she smirked as if he was amused by her retort. "That is correct, Lady Prescott," he confirmed. Then, he picked up a cookie and broke it into two without breaking eye contact with her. "We cannot allow traitors to return to the empire, can we?"


    "Of course not, Your Majesty," she said with a smile. Then, she picked up the bread knife and used it to gently "stab" the croissant on her te. She did that without breaking eye contact with the emperor as well. "The real traitors shouldn''t be forgiven, right?"


    He smiled as if he found her funny. Then, he changed the topic. "Ah, right. As the Beast Priestess, you''ll have the honor to serve the High Priest for three days. A priest from the church will soone in contact with you to exin the details, Lady Prescott."


    "I can''t wait to serve the His Eminence," she said with a smile. "I have a lot of things to ask of him."


    "May I know what it is that you''re curious to ask the High Priest?"


    "I want to hear the prophecy again," she said with an exaggerated excitement in her voice. "I didn''t really pay attention when father told me about the prophecy. I''m not sure if I was just not listening properly or the prophecy is really iplete."


    The emperor visibly froze. The yfulness in his eyes was suddenly reced by cautiousness. "Lady Prescott, do you think that the prophecy is iplete?"


    Based on His Majesty''s reaction, she could now safely assume that her hunch was correct: the prophecy was indeed iplete. The risk she took when she brought that up was worth it. Plus, she was sure by now that both her and the emperor were aware that the "silent war" between them had just begun.


    [We both know that the other is just purposely acting dumb.]


    "It''s not that I think that the prophecy is iplete, Your Majesty," she denied while shaking her head. "I just want to know more about it so that I could raise my son the way that he should be brought up, considering that the empire would need him someday."


    "Ah, I''m touched by your loyalty," he said with a softugh. "I''m sure that the High Priest would love to answer your questions, Lady Prescott."


    She just smiled at that.


    "Speaking of your son" Emperor Aku started. "Lady Prescott, you''re a dear friend of Nia so in her stead, I will look after you. I''ll pray for your safe pregnancy."


    She politely bowed to him. "My utmost gratitude, Your Majesty. I''m sure Her Royal Highness will be pleased to know that you''re looking after her friends in her ce."


    "Thank you for saying the words I want to hear," he told her. "I just want to make Nia proud of me once she wakes up."


    "That''s definitely how the princess would feel, Your Majesty."


    The emperor just smiled, then he changed the topic again.


    "Your son is prophesied to be a very special existence to the empire," Emperor Aku continued cheerfully. "Lady Prescott, I can''t wait to meet your child."


    "We feel the same way, Your Majesty," Tilly said with a forced smile. "Kiho and I can''t wait to meet our baby as well."


    ***


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 Chapter 64: Dangerous Mind Game

    Chapter 64: Dangerous Mind Game


    TILLY felt exhausted after smiling for the emperor for more than twenty minutes. Thank goodness Emperor Aku let her use one of the parlors in his pce. Now she had the room all to herself. The royal maids also served tea for her a while ago.


    [Tea is life here.]


    Well, she needed refreshment again even though she just had tea with the emperor. Using her brain toe up with careful but witty retorts was very tiring. But at least, she picked up pieces of important information from their conversation.


    First, the emperor also knew that she was a Fire Mage. He was probably aware of her heart, too. She wasn''t really surprised because he was Princess Nia''s twin brother and fianc. Plus, he was the emperor. He couldn''t be clueless of his surroundings.


    [But thest thing he said is the most worrisome of all.]


    His Majesty purposely told her that he was looking forward to meeting her son as a warning.


    [He wants my son and that''s the only reason why he''s keeping me alive.]


    That also meant that the emperor would kill her as soon as she gave birth to Winter.


    [Scary.]


    "Tilly?"


    Tilly was startled when Kiho entered the parlor room. She blinked in surprise because she didn''t hear him knock. "Oh."


    "I''ve knocked several times, Tilly," Kiho said while walking towards her. "I got worried when you didn''t answer so I went ahead and opened the door. I apologize for startling you."


    "It''s okay, hon," she said, then she tapped the space next to hers. "Come here."


    He nodded, then he sat beside her. "The emperor''s maid told me you were waiting here. Are you okay?" He touched her forehead with the back of his hand. "You look pale."


    "I''m just tired."


    "May I know what you talked about with the emperor?" he asked politely. "His Majesty didn''t tease you, did he?"


    [No, he just threatened my life.]


    "His Majesty just wished me a safe pregnancy," she said. "He said he''ll look after me in ce of Her Royal Highness."


    His face softened up. "Oh. That''s nice of His Majesty."


    It kind of hurt her to be reminded that Kiho trusted Emperor Aku. Well, she was confident that he would still choose her over His Majesty. But she knew that his choice would hurt him. After all, Kiho had a good rtionship with the emperor.


    "Do you want to rest here more or do you want to go home now?" her husband asked worriedly. "You look really tired, honey."


    "I want to go home," she said. "Aren''t youing home with me?"


    He shook his head. "Unfortunately, I still have a meeting with His Majesty. Today, he will officially assign ke as the temporary captain of ck Serpent Knights. I also have to file my leave of absence, as well as the memo about ke''s new position."


    She pouted. "You sound busy."


    "Sorry, honey," he said apologetically, then he kissed her on the forehead. "I''ll try to go home as early as I can."


    "Kiho, can we go on a date tonight?" she asked him. "I don''t care howte it is. I want us to go to a ce where there would only be the two of us. Do you know a ce like that?"


    He nodded. "I''ll ask my men to clean it up for us."


    She shook her head. "Please don''t. I don''t want anyone else to know where we''ll be meeting up tonight."


    "You look serious, Tilly," he said worriedly. "What''s wrong?"


    "We have something serious to talk aboutter, Kiho," she said. "Please don''t ask what it''s about. You''ll find outter."


    Kiho looked at her long and hard before he nodded. "Alright. I''ll pick you up atter. But please, rest as soon as you get home." He ced a hand on her tummy. "You and our Baby Winter need a lot of rest, as per the doctor''s advice."


    "Okay," Tilly said, then she hugged him. "Pleasee home as soon as possible, Kiho."


    ***


    "IS IT really wise to give Lady Prescott a hint that you already know who she really is, Your Majesty?"


    "Of course," Aku answered Captain Sherwood''s question. Right now, they were in his office while waiting for Kiho and Vice Captain ke. He knew that they had time to talk right now because Kiho said he''d walk Lady Prescott to the carriage first. "If Lady Prescott knows that her life is in danger, then she''d definitely ask for her fellow Fire Mages to protect her."


    "Do you think that the hiding Fire Mages have already made contact with Lady Prescott, Your Majesty?" Captain Sherwood asked. "Do you think Duke Prescott and the vassal families under them are hiding his daughter''s real identity?"


    "Duke Prescott doesn''t know that his wife was a Fire Mage. He''s not aware of Lady Prescott''s real identity as well," he said. "I attended Lady Marianne Prescott''s funeral many years ago. I can tell when a person is lying to my face. And thest time I saw Duke Prescott, his eyes are still clueless. And if he knows the truth, I should have felt remorse from him no matter how much he hides it."


    "Does it mean someone else helped Lady Prescott awaken?"


    "Uh-huh," he said. "Lady Prescott knows who she is. I felt that when we were talking a while ago." He smiled when he remembered their conversation. "I should have known that Lady Prescott was special when Nia suggested that I choose her as Kiho''s partner. Unfortunately, my beloved had tricked me into believing that she just wanted her friend to rise up in the society."


    "It''s not that Her Royal Highness has tricked you, Your Majesty," the captain said. "You know that she has a hidden agenda but you just chose to turn a blind eye."


    Heughed at how true that was. "I let Nia do all the things she did behind my back because I wanted her to think that she has freedom. If I breathed against the back of her neck every minute of her life, she would have felt suffocated. That''s why I chose not to look at the things she wanted to hide from me, such as the owner of the heart that she wanted. I also pretended that I didnt know she was killing off Fire Mages just to keep her by my side."


    "Her Royal Highness believed that she had fooled you, Your Majesty."


    "That''s what makes her cute," he said with a smile. "But since she failed to do what she wanted to achieve, then I shall continue it in her stead as her twin brother and lover."


    "I''m surprised that you managed to control your anger, Your Majesty," Captain Sherwood said in amusement. "I thought you were going to kill Lady Prescott after I told you that she has the heart of the Supreme."


    And that meant only Lady Prescott could have ordered the replica to burn Nia alive.


    "At first, I was really mad and I even swore to kill whoever it was that caused Nia to end up that in that terrible state," he admitted. "But after a few days of watching Nia unconscious, I felt d that she fell into aa. I don''t care even if her physical beauty doesn''t recover 100%. What''s important to me is that she''s alive" He smirked before he continued. "And that she could no longer run away from me. Not in that horrible state."


    "You''re crazy, Your Majesty," the captain said with a smirk. "No wonder Her Royal Highness is desperate to get away from you."


    He justughed it off. "I can''t kill Lady Prescott anyway. Not yet, at least. I still need her to give birth to her son."


    "Will you really let the boy live despite the prophecy, Your Majesty?"


    "Of course," he said. "I need the Kiho and his child to get what I want in the future."


    "Speaking of Captain Kiho, do you think he''s not aware of Lady Prescott''s identity?"


    "He is not aware," he said confidently. "For now."


    "What if Lady Prescott confesses her identity to Captain Kiho?"


    "I''m betting one hundred percent that Kiho will choose Lady Prescott over me," he said with augh. "Kiho and I are the same. We will abandon everything for our lover."


    The captain''s forehead knotted in confusion. "Wouldn''t that be a problem, Your Majesty?"


    "I will turn a blind eye to Kiho''s betrayal for a year," he said firmly. "I will leave their family alone until Lady Prescott gives birth to her son."


    "But why wait for a year, Your Majesty?"


    "Because I''m sure that in a year, Lady Prescott is going to prepare for a war against me. That means she''d secretly meet up with her allies," he exined. "All I need to do is wait for the perfect timing and catch them all together. If I ask my people to follow her, then she''d be very careful. But if I leave her alone, then she''d let down her guard. It will be easier to catch her and the other Fire Mages that way."


    "Oh, that makes sense," Captain Sherwood agreed. "But what about Kiho? I''m sure he won''t leave Lady Prescott and their child."


    "Kiho''s son can stay with us despite his Fire Mage blood because the child is one of the keys I need. But Lady Prescott is receable. We can throw her away after she gives birth to the child," Aku exined. "And most of all, I have a way to make Kiho return to my side."


    ***


    [THE WAR begins now.]


    Tilly was thinking deeply while she was alone inside the carriage. She asked Damian to sit beside the coachman because she needed to think.


    [The emperor clearly gave me an ultimatum.]


    In a year, Emperor Aku would take her child away from her.


    She was pretty sure that the emperor would leave her alone to make her lower her guard. He definitely wanted her to ask help from her allies so that he could catch her all together. But that also meant that the emperor wasn''t aware yet of whom his real enemies were.


    [I have to be careful to protect the Denvers as well.]


    Then, there was the thing about the High Priest, too. During the three days that she would serve his temple, she had to find the truth about the prophecy.


    [I need to know why His Majesty needs my son.]


    But above anything else, she had to let Kiho know about her real identity first. She needed all the ally that she could get. And of course, she wanted her greatest support to be her husband.


    [Kiho, you''re going to choose me and Winter right?]


    ***


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 Chapter 65: Heartbreaking Confession

    Chapter 65: Heartbreaking Confession


    TILLY decided to take a detour before going home.


    She suddenly thought of visiting their coachman who just got out of hospital. Yes, the one that was driving the carriage when she was ambushed. Fortunately, the coachman was recovering well now. Thanks to Captain Denver''s memory maniption, his memory matched the statement that she gave about the ident.


    Aspensation, she paid the hospital bill. Also, she gave the family a huge amount of money for them to use while the coachman couldn''t return to work yet. But she didn''t want them to think that they could only offerpensation to them.


    To other people, it was just a simple ident.


    But she knew the truth. The coachman was hurt because she was ambushed. Naturally, she would feel guilty about it.


    So here she was now at the coachman''s house while having early dinner with the family. She brought a lot of meat. For their three children (all boys and aged five, seven, and nine), she brought sweets and pastries, as well as toys and clothes.


    [I really like children.]


    "Lady Prescott, thank you for looking after our family," Bert, the forty year old coachman, said with a smile. The coachman and his wife Ca insisted to send her off. "I''ll return to work as soon as I can. I want to be of use to you and Sir Kiho again, mydy."


    "Don''t worry about it, Bert," Tilly said with a smile. "Just focus on your recovery."


    "We don''t deserve your kindness, Lady Prescott," Ca said, almost in tears. "Please allow us to serve your family forever."


    "We are always grateful for your service," Tilly said to the old couple. "Kiho and I are lucky to have you in our family."


    After bidding goodbye to the family, Damian escorted her to the carriage.


    While walking, she could feel eyes on her. It was as if someone was watching her closely. Of course, she got afraid. But she didn''t let it show.


    [Did His Majesty already make his move?]


    To be honest, she didn''t expect that.


    She thought the emperor was the "chill" type. Was it His Majesty''s "style" to be this aggressive? For some reason, she couldn''t believe it.


    [It''s also possible that someone else is after me.]


    "Damian, tell the coachman to use the long way back home," Tilly said to the young knight. "And as much as possible, avoid the route with less people."


    Usually, their coachman would take a short cut so they could go home faster. But those short cuts were usually remote. But the long routes were safer because the roads were usually filled with people and other carriages.


    If there were a lot of witnesses that the assants couldn''t simply kill, then the probability of being ambushed on her way home would be reduced.


    Tilly turned to Damian. "And stay with me inside the carriage."


    Damian bowed to her. "As you wish, mydy."


    ***


    KIHO was relieved when he finished all his paper works a few minutes before the end of his working hours. He didn''t have to work overtime and he could go home early Also, he had time to prepare for his date with Tilly.


    [I can only think of one ce where we can be alone but it''s kind of dangerous.]


    Well, he''d be with her wife anyway. He just had to make sure that his wife and their baby in her womb wouldn''t get hurt in that ce. Despite the risk, he was still excited to bring Tilly there because it was his "secret base" in the empire.


    [I bet not even the emperor knows that a ce like that exists.]


    "Kiho."


    To say that Kiho was surprised when Emperor Aku appeared in his humble office would be an understatement. God, his men guarding outside must have been shocked when they saw the emperor. Well, that was if they caught a glimpse of him anyway.


    [Maybe not. His Majesty is good at hiding his presence.]


    "Your Majesty, with all due respect, I can''t work overtime tonight," Kiho said in a t voice. "If you have work for me, I''ll just do it tomorrow."


    "I''m not here to make you work overtime," Emperor Aku denied with a pout. Then, he sat on the sofa in the lounging area of his office. "I''m just here to hang out with you for thest time."


    ""Last time?"" he asked in confusion. "Are you saying that it''s okay if I don''t return to my post after a year?"


    "Of course not," the emperor denied. "What I mean is this is thest time we''d get to hang out before your year long vacation."


    "Oh."


    "Why do you look so disappointed?" His Majestyined. "Do you really want to quit as a captain that much?"


    He didn''t answer. Instead, he just went to the mini pantry of his office. He hated being served so he built a pantry inside his office so he could make coffee for himself. Thankfully, ke put some tea in his stash to serve his guests. "I''ll make some tea for you, Your Majesty."


    "Yes, please."


    "I only have cheap tea here so don''tin."


    Well, not really cheap. It was the same brand that average nobles consume. But of course,pared to what royals drink, it could still be considered cheap.


    The emperor justughed it off. "I won''t, I won''t. I like trying whatmoners eat and drink sometimes."


    [So bourgeois.]


    After making tea, he served it to the emperor and joined him in the lounging area. He sat on the sofa across His Majesty.


    "Hmm," Emperor Aku said after having a sip of the tea. "It tastes okay."


    "You don''t have to force yourself to drink it if you don''t like the taste, Your Majesty."


    "I said it tastes okay," he whined, pouting like a child. "Why are you always harsh to me, Kiho?"


    "Your Majesty, if you have anything to say, please say it now," he said with a straight face. "I have a date with my wife."


    "I''m hurt, Kiho," Emperor Akuined again. "Tell me. If Lady Prescott and I were both drowning, who would you save first?"


    "Tilly."


    "You didn''t even stop to think about it," the emperor whined. Again. "Kiho, you vowed loyalty to the throne. Choosing your wife over me could be considered treason."


    He tilted his head to one side in confusion. "Why though? I''m sure you''re capable of saving yourself, Your Majesty. Wait, can you even drown?"


    Heughed at his question. "Kiho, even though you quit as a captain, you''re still a knight of the Great Moonchester Empire. It''s your responsibility to prioritize me above anything or anyone else in the empire."


    "I vowed my loyalty to the throne," he said carefully. "The throne is the symbol of power and authority in the empire. I believe that the power and authority granted to whoever is sitting on the throne is for the sake of the citizens. As a knight, it''s my duty to keep an eye on the emperor and make sure that he doesn''t abuse the power given to him. I am not obliged to follow you blindly, Your Majesty. I''m a knight of the empire not your personal puppet."


    "Hmph," the emperor said, acting like a child throwing tantrums. "You talk big for someone who''s dubbed as my "shadow beast.""


    The "shadow beast" term was a euphemism for "assassin."


    It was true that he had done a lot of dirty work for the emperor.


    But


    "Don''t get mistaken, Your Majesty," Kiho said carefully. "The only reason I haven''t said ''no'' to your assassination requests is because I judged that killing off the people in your list would benefit our empire. But if I have to reject a mission from you, I will. I don''t care if you punish me. I''ll stand by what I believe is right."


    "You''re breaking my heart, Kiho," the emperor said with a bitter smile. "What you said wasn''t wrong. Knights vow their loyalty to the throne and not on the person sitting on it. But I thought you''d choose my side whatever happens because of our bond."


    "We''ve met when I was only eight years old," he said. During that time, he didn''t know that he was the empire''s crown prince. "You appear and disappear from time to time. But each time you show up, you would always give me food and new clothes. I don''t want to admit this but you''re a father figure to me."


    "Hey, I''m not that old," His Majestyined lightly. ""Big brother." Say that I''m like a big brother to you instead of father figure."


    "Same difference," he said, refusing to call him "big brother" again. "Anyway, when I was thirteen, you brought me to the Royal Capital. Despite the higher nobles'' firm refusal, you still gave me the title of a knight just after a year of training. And after two years, you asked me to kill the previous captain of the ck Serpent Knights."


    The emperor asked him to kill Sir Horan because of his corruption. He used his position as a captain and made his men run his illegal "business." Sir Horan sold information about Emperor Aku and the other captains to anyone who had money to pay for it.


    He killed Sir Horan but his corruption was swept under the rug. The emperor''s advisors didn''t want the public to know that Sir Horan was a traitor because they didn''t want other people to know and copy the previous captain''s "business."


    And so, he became the scape goat. The public thought he killed Sir Horan just to steal his position as the captain.


    [Ah, right. His Majesty made me the captain of ck Serpent Knights after that.]


    The emperor also made him recruit his own members because all the knights under Sir Horan''s previous squad were locked up in Arabe the worst prison in the empire.


    He recruited the mercenaries he worked with as the new members of ck Serpent Knights. The nobles weren''t too happy that people from questionable background were appointed as knights but they couldn''t do anything about it. After all, he was backed up by the emperor.


    "It''s true that you helped me to be where I am right now, Your Majesty," Kiho continued. "But that doesn''t mean that I will turn a blind eye if I believe that you''re abusing your power. You don''t have to worry about that though. So far, you''re a good emperor that this empire needs to prosper even more."


    Emperor Aku smiled. He didn''t know if it was just him or that smile looked really sad. "Kiho, I''m d that I brought you to the Royal Capital," he said in a mncholic tone. "I hope I don''t regret it someday."


    ***


    FOR tonight''s date, Tilly wore an equestrienne outfit.


    She chose to wear trousers because ording to Kiho, they''d ride a horse to get where they needed to be.


    "How do I look, Kiho?" Tilly asked while spinning around in front of him. Lani and Leni also braided her hair so it wouldn''t be blown by the wind. "Do I look good?"


    "Yes," Kiho, who was sitting on the edge of their bed, answered while checking her out. "It looks good on you."


    She sat on hisp sideways and he secured her position by wrapping his arms around her waist. "Really? You always say that I look good whatever I wear. You''re not just saying that, are you?"


    "I''m not lying," he said. "But I prefer it when you''re naked."


    God, she blushed at that.


    "But of course, that''s only for my eyes," Kiho said. "So I''m fine whatever you wear in public. I''ll always respect your choice."


    Sheughed at his duality. One second he was saying hot stuff that could turn her on. Then the next, he was back to his usual adorable side. "Kiho, did you choose a ce that has a bed?"


    He let out a little gasp as if he realized a mistake. "Oh. I should have chosen a hotel instead."


    "I''m just kidding," she said between giggles. "But when are you taking me for our date tonight, hon?"


    "A cave."


    She blinked in surprise. "A what?"


    "A cave," he said. "For snakes."


    She tilted her head to one side. "That''s a unique date spot. It sounds dangerous but I trust you, Kiho."


    "Thank you," he said. "Don''t worry, Tilly. The snakes won''t attack us. They listen to me."


    Tilly''s forehead knotted in confusion. "The snakes listen to you?"


    "Uh-huh," Kiho confirmed while nodding his head. "I don''t know why but ever since I was a kid, I''ve always had an affinity with snakes."


    Now that was a strange but cool ability.


    ***


    THE CAVE Kiho told Tilly was actually at the furthest area of Forest of Enryu.


    He had to use a secret passage to get there because he didn''t ask for Castle Vania''s permission to enter the forest. It was wrong but getting permission from the castle would take at least a day before it gets approved. He didn''t time for that.


    After all, before he went home, he secretly killed the remaining Crades in the area to make sure it would be safe for Tilly to be there.


    But now, another problem came up.


    [We''re being followed.]


    He could tell that whoever was following them was very skilled. That person had almost erased their presence. If it wasn''t for Kiho''s keen senses, he wouldn''t notice that they were being followed in the first ce.


    [I have to deal with it.]


    "Tilly, I''ll put you in an ice cage," Kiho whispered in a hurry. "It''s going to be a little cold but please bear it for a while. Your body is warmer than average so you''re not going to freeze. I promise to end it quick before you get cold."


    "Kiho, wait," Tilly said in confusion. "Why would you put me in an ice cage?"


    "It''s for your protection," he said. "We''re currently being followed."


    She gasped at that. "What"


    He didn''t have to exin anymore because the person tailing them was closing in on them.


    So he stopped the horse and got down with Tilly in his arms. Then, without further ado, he knelt down on one knee and raised his hand. As soon as he did, a huge ice cylinder sprouted from the ground. It encircled Tilly and the horse. The ice cage didn''t have a "roof" but he made it as high as the tallest tree to make sure that his wife wouldn''t be attacked from above.


    "Kiho," Tilly whispered. "Be careful."


    "Yes," he said. "I''ll be back in a jiffy."


    Without moving from where he stood, he raised both his hands and pointed them at one direction. Hundreds of solid and sharp ice daggers shot from his palms in a fast way.


    No wonder it hit the target who fell immediately on the ground.


    "Captain Denver?" Kiho asked in shock when the person''s hood fell off. "What are you doing here?"


    "Captain Denver?" Tilly asked in surprise. "Is it really Captain Denver?"


    He was about to answer but the other captain beat him to it.


    "Yes, it''s me, Lady Prescott," Captain Denver said while he was pulling out the ice daggers in his shoulder and stomach. He was bleeding a lot. "Damn you, Kiho. You didn''t hold back."


    "What are you doing here, Captain Denver?" Kiho hissed. "Why are you following us?"


    "I just want to make sure that Lady Prescott is safe."


    That was enough for him to snap.


    [Captain Denver likes Tilly.]


    And so, he had to eliminate the other captain.


    "I already warned you several times but you still didn''t listen," Kiho said menacingly. "I''ll f*cking kill you now, Captain Denver."


    Without anymore warning, he threw another set of ice daggers at his direction. This time, the daggers were bigger and sharper. Each one would be enough to kill a giant Crades with just one hit.


    "Kiho!" Captain Denver said. He had his arms raised and the me from his armbands was melting some of his ice daggers. But most of it still hit him. In just a few seconds, the other captain already looked like a dart board. And he was coughing blood. "Let me exin, dammit!"


    "No," Kiho said while pulling out the sword from the sheath attached to his hip.


    He would strike the final blow with his sword. He wouldn''t be satisfied until he stabbed the other captain''s heart with his very own hand.


    "Kiho!" Tilly yelled. "Don''t kill Captain Denver!"


    "Tilly, I understand that you''re only protecting Captain Denver out of the goodness of your heart," Kiho said coldly. "But your concern for him makes me want to kill him even more."


    "Kiho, no!"


    "He likes you, Tilly," he hissed. "And he''s being so persistent about it."


    "It''s not like that!" Tilly screamed in a frustrated manner. "Captain Denver just wants to protect me because we''re the same!"


    That already caught him off-guard.


    But what happened next shocked him: the giant ice cage he created started to melt.


    Tilly''s hands that were pressed on the wall of the ice cage were the ones that were causing it to melt and her hands were engulfed in a red me.


    Not even Fire Wielders could produce fire within their body.


    "It can''t be," Kiho said in disbelief, his heart thumping hard and loud against his chest. He never really sweats because of his cool temperature. But this time, he broke out into cold sweats. "Tilly, please tell me what I''m thinking right now is wrong."


    "No," Tilly whispered, the heartbroken look on her face made his chest tighten even more. "Kiho, I am a Fire Mage."

 Chapter 66: Test of Loyalty

    Chapter 66: Test of Loyalty


    TILLY was amazed while looking up at how high the ice cage Kiho created went up to. It was probably as high as the trees in the forest. And the ice cage also looked hard.


    [Kiho''s Mana is really amazing.]


    She gently ced her hands on the ice wall. It was supposed to be freezing cold but thanks to her warm Mana, she didn''t feel it that much.


    "Kiho," Tilly whispered. She talked as softly as possible so that the person or people following them wouldn''t hear her. "Be careful."


    "Yes," Kiho whispered back. "I''ll be back in a jiffy."


    She couldn''t see anything because of how thick the ice cage was. But surprisingly, she could hear what was happening around them.


    A few momentster, she heard a loud thud followed by her husband''s voice.


    "Captain Denver?" Kiho asked in a shocked tone. "What are you doing here?


    "Captain Denver?" Tilly also asked in surprise. "Is it really Captain Denver?"


    Wait, was it Captain Denver who was following her a while ago as well?


    "Yes, it''s me, Lady Prescott," Captain Denver said in an anguished voice. Was he hurt by Kiho''s attack? "Damn you, Kiho. You didn''t hold back."


    Oh, the other captain was definitely attacked by her husband!


    "What are you doing here, Captain Denver?" Kiho hissed. "Why are you following us?"


    "I just want to make sure that Lady Prescott is safe."


    Tilly''s forehead knotted in confusion. [Does it mean Captain Denver knows that my life is already in danger?]


    "I already warned you several times but you still didn''t listen," Kiho said in a low and angry tone. "I''ll f*cking kill you now, Captain Denver."


    She gasped at what her husband said. [Wait, what''s happening?!]


    "Kiho!" Captain Denver said desperately. "Let me exin, dammit!"


    "No," Kiho said in a tone colder than his ice cage.


    [He''s going to kill Captain Denver!]


    "Kiho!" Tilly yelled while thumping her hands against the ice wall. "Don''t kill Captain Denver!"


    "Tilly, I understand that you''re only protecting Captain Denver out of the goodness of your heart," Kiho said coldly. She knew that his anger wasn''t directed at her. Yet, she shivered at the cold tone he used. "But your concern for him makes me want to kill him even more."


    "Kiho, no!"


    "He likes you, Tilly," he hissed in a frustrated voice. "And he''s being so persistent about it."


    "It''s not like that!" Tilly screamed. She knew that Kiho was being jealous because he loved her. But it was just a big misunderstanding on his part! "Captain Denver just wants to protect me because we''re the same!"


    Her desire to protect a fellow Fire Mage gave her a sudden boost of power.


    She didn''t know exactly what happened but she felt her body burn. The strange warmth flowed down her entire body until it gathered in her hands. All of a sudden, her palms that were pressed against the ice wall started to sizzle.


    The next thing she knew, her hands were now engulfed in red me.


    And the ice cage started to melt fast.


    A few heartbeatster, she was finally free from the ice cage. But the me in her hands was still burning bright.


    Kiho, as expected, looked shocked.


    She instantly felt a lump in her throat.


    Her husband was smart. He was the one who told her that unlike Fire Wielders who only used weapons to create fire, the Fire Mages were capable of producing me within their bodies. There was no way he couldn''t identify her real identity now that he saw her powers in flesh.


    "It can''t be," Kiho said in disbelief. Beads of sweat started to form in his forehead and it was a rare sight. After all, he didn''t really sweat because of his cool temperature. He was probably scared for her and their baby because he knew what it meant to be a Fire Mage. "Tilly, please tell me what I''m thinking right now is wrong."


    "No," Tilly whispered, her chest tightening from fear. "Kiho, I am a Fire Mage."


    Her husband dropped his sword in shock, then he looked at her stomach with a worried look on his face.


    "Yes, that means our baby is a Fire Mage as well," she confirmed, the me in her hands vanishing. "If the empire finds out about our lineage, they will kill us."


    "Stop," Kiho told her. Then, he looked up at her with a stiff expression on his face. "Not now, Tilly."


    "But Kiho"


    All of a sudden, he was in front of her. He covered her mouth with his hand while looking around them as if he was scared someone else was listening to them. "Let''s move to the cave first, Tilly."


    She nodded her head. When he removed his hand on her mouth, she turned to Captain Denver who was leaning against a tree. The other captain was bleeding a lot. "Kiho, let''s help Captain Denver as well."


    Her husband looked like he didn''t want to but in the end, he nodded. "Alright," he said, then he held her hand tight. "Stay close to me, Tilly."


    Tilly was relieved to hear that. Kiho wouldn''t leave her. She could feel it by the way he pulled her protectively by his side. "Thank you, Kiho."


    Kiho''s face finally softened up.


    He didn''t say anything. But the warm gaze he gave her was enough to tell her that he wouldn''t abandon her. Especially not their Baby Winter.


    [Ah, this is what it feels like to be loved.]


    ***


    TILLY felt a little scared when they were walking inside the dark cave. She was hugging Kiho''s arm tightly because she didn''t want to be separated from him. Plus, there were snakes around them. She wasn''t good with snakes but thankfully, they weren''ting near them.


    Also, Kiho brought a floating lighting gem. Every time the snakes were hit by light, they would slither and hide away.


    Aside from that, Captain Denver also used the me in his right armband as a mp."


    "Captain Denver, you''re scaring the snakes with your fire," Kiho said sternly. "Put it out."


    "I''m using my fire to scare the snakes away," Captain Denver, who was walking behind them, retorted. "Why are the snakes giving way to you while they''re following me as if they''re ready to attack me anytime, huh?"


    Oh, she didn''t notice that.


    She tried to turn to look at Captain Denver but Kiho gently held her face and made her look straight ahead.


    [Gosh, why is he so jealous of Captain Denver?]


    "Tilly, the road ahead is uneven," Kiho said. "May I carry you?"


    "Yes, please."


    Without further ado, her husband carried her in bridal style. Then, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He seemed like he liked it because he kissed her on the forehead.


    "God," Captain Denverined. "Can you not flirt in front of me?"


    "We can''t help it," she said. "We''re newlyweds, remember?"


    "Argh."


    Kiho smirked, obviously enjoying Captain Denver''s "misery."


    [My husband can really be a manchild sometimes.]


    Anyway, after a few minutes of walking, they finally reached the end of a cave.


    It wasn''t as bad as she thought it would be. Well, maybe it was because of the fact that the cave was prepared in advance.


    [Kiho obviously prepared everything to make mefortable here.]


    There was a sofa, a table with two cups and a kettle, a paper bag of snacks, and lots of scented candles. It looked like a ce for camping.


    [This would have been a perfect date spot if only we weren''t here to talk about serious stuff.]


    Kiho gently put her down on the sofa and assisted her until she was sittingfortably. "Wait here, hon. I''ll help Captain Denver treat his wounds first before we talk."


    She smiled at that. "You''re an angel, hon."


    "I''m only doing this for you," he confessed. "If it weren''t for your plea, I would have still killed him regardless his blood."


    "Wow," Captain Denver said sarcastically. "Thank you for your generosity, Captain Kiho."


    Before Kiho could turn to the other captain, she cupped his face between her hands. Then, she pulled him down and kissed him on the lips.


    That was enough to calm him down.


    "Please get along with Captain Denver, hon. He''s an ally," Tilly said while giving him puppy dog eyes. Then, she turned to Captain Denver now sitting on the ground while digging his hand on his bag to give him a re. "And please stop provoking my husband, Captain Denver."


    Captain Denver raised his hands in surrender. "As you wish, Lady Prescott."


    Kiho smirked, obviously pleased that she scolded Captain Denver.


    [Gosh, my husband is so adorable.]


    Anyway, after Kiho helped Captain Denver treat his wounds, the three of them had a serious talk.


    Tilly revealed to Kiho that she had the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage. She also told him that Princess Nia and Emperor Aku were the ones that wanted her heart. And that the princess killed her mother, too. She also confessed that her father knew about it but chose to keep quiet to protect her.


    Most of all, she confessed that she was the one who asked the replica of the Red Phoenix to kill Princess Nia.


    On the other hand, Captain Denver confessed to Kiho that he and his family were actually Fire Mages. He also emphasized to her husband that the only reason why he was paying attention to her was because he needed to protect her heart literally.


    Much to her shock, Captain Denver also revealed that most of the Fire Wielders in his guild were actually Fire Mages that he took in to hide them from the empire.


    [He didn''t tell me about it.]


    "I returned Flint''s memory when we reached the guild," Captain Denver told her. He was on a lotus position in front of her and Kiho. "Right now, he knows that he needs to hide his real identity. I''m training him to use weapons that would conceal his ability to produce fire." He raised his arms as if he was showing his armbands to them. "These armbands are just decorations to conceal my real ability. Even without these weapons, I can still produce fire within my body. Also, these armbands limit that fire that I produce so no one or no spell would detect my me as something that belongs to a Fire Mage. All the Fire Mages under our protection are using this trick."


    Her heart thumped loud against her chest.


    [There''s a lot of Fire Mages alive.]


    For some reason, she felt like they were her responsibility.


    [But I''ll think about thatter.]


    She turned to Kiho who was sitting beside her on the sofa and realized that he fell in deep thought.


    [We need to talk alone.]


    "Captain Denver," she called him. "Can you leave me and Kiho alone for the meantime?"


    "I can''t do that," Captain Denver said. "It''s my duty to protect you, Lady Prescott."


    "Kiho will not hurt me," she said firmly. "I need to talk to my husband alone."


    They had mini staring contest for a few seconds. In the end, the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights let out a sigh and stood up.


    "I''ll guard outside," Captain Denver said. "I''ll make sure no one will find us here."


    She nodded. "Thank you, Captain Denver."


    He just bowed to her, then he looked at Kiho. After that, he silently left the cave.


    [And now]


    "Kiho?" she said carefully. Then, she gently put a hand on his back. "Are you okay?"


    Kiho looked at her, then he nodded. "Yes. I''m just a little shocked."


    She smiled because she understood his feelings. Then, she got up. As soon as she kneeled down before him, his eyes widened in shock.


    "Tilly, stand up," Kiho said, then he got down on his knees as well. "Why are you kneeling in front of me?"


    "Kiho, you''re a knight and I''m aware that you gave your loyalty to the throne," Tilly said, then she held his hands. "I''m sorry but I have to make you choose between me and the emperor."


    ***


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 Chapter 67: When Love and Duty Collide

    Chapter 67: When Love and Duty Collide


    "I ORDERED the replica to burn Her Royal Highness to ashes," Tilly continued. "And because of me, Lahara died. I don''t think His Majesty would forgive me for harming his beloved. I''m also certain that once Princess Nia wakes up, she''d be after my throat again. The war has already started. If I don''t fight them, I''ll die." He let go of his hands to put her hands on her tummy. "I won''t let them kill me easily. I have a son to protect. You know the emperor more than I do, Kiho. So, tell me. Do you think he''d listen to me and my fellow Fire Mages?"


    Pain crossed his eyes. Then, he gently shook his head. "For His Majesty, the Fire Mages are the royal family''s enemies. And he''d never forgive you for harming Her Royal Highness."


    "I know, right?" she said with a bitter smile. "That''s why I need to make you choose now, Kiho. If you wouldn''t take my side, then you''d have to kill me. Because no matter what you say, I won''t change my mind. To make the royal family stop killing the Fire Mages, I need to fight them first to force them to listen. If you don''t want me to die by the hands of His Majesty, then you''d have to kill me and Winter now."


    "How can you say that easily, Tilly?"


    "The war has already started, Kiho. I have to act quickly or else, I''d lose everything," she said firmly. Then, she pulled out the dagger in the holster attached to his hip. Then, she put the dagger in his hand and made him point the sharp edge at her heart. He looked horrified by what she did but she held his hands tight. "My life is in your hands now, Kiho."


    He didn''t look happy with that.


    The dagger was suddenly covered in ice and when he grasped it tighter, the frozen dagger broke into tiny pieces.


    "If protecting you and our son would make me a traitor, so be it," Kiho said firmly. Then, he held her hands and ced them on his chest on the area where she could feel the beat of his heart. "My heart is in your hands, Tilly."


    And she finally broke into happy tears.


    ***


    "NOW I understand why His Majesty went to my office this afternoon," Kiho told Tilly. Right now, they were riding on his horse that was walking leisurely. His wife was leaning against his chest, listening closely to what he was saying. They could talk freely now because they were already in his estate. Before he talked, he made sure that no one was spying on them. Ah, Captain Denver went home after their conversation because it would be dangerous if other people saw the three of the together. "I thought he was only joking when he made me choose between you and him."


    "His Majesty did that?" Tilly asked in surprise. "Who did you choose, Kiho?"


    "You."


    "Are you crazy?" she said, then turned to him with a knotted forehead. "Even if you think the emperor was only joking, you should have given him lip service."


    "The emperor is perceptive. He''d know even if I lied," he reasoned. "Now I understand why he was so mncholic then. His Majesty knows that even if you expose your identity to me, I''d still choose you."


    "I''m sorry, Kiho," she said in a sad voice. "I''m sorry for making you betray the person you vowed your loyalty to."


    "I would lie if I said betraying His Majesty doesn''t hurt me," he confessed. "He was the only father figure that I had when I was growing up. I witnessed how he grew from a carefree crown prince into a responsible emperor. He only acts immature as a coping mechanism. I know because I''ve seen his vulnerable side. But despite the bond that we have, I still can''t let him kill you and our baby. Knowing his hatred towards the Fire Mages and the people who hurt Her Royal Highness, we cannot hope that he''d listen to our side. Fighting the royal family is the only choice that we have if we want to survive."


    "Kiho, I''m still not giving up on the chance that we might still clear the Fire Mages from the usations against them," his wife said firmly. "I can feel it in my heart that my ancestors were innocent. I want to prove it to the royal family and the whole empire. I''m going to war against the royal family not just to overthrow them. I''m doing this to find out the truth about the past." She turned to him with a determined look on her beautiful face. "I want to find the Great Fire Tree before I give birth to our baby."


    After hearing Tilly and Captain Denver''s story, his mind had already started to work on different strategies.


    "Tilly, I think it would be better if Captain Denver would lead the search for the Great Fire Tree instead of you," he said. "Even though you have the heart of the Supreme, you really don''t know anything about the Fire Mages. But the Denvers know a lot of stuff about your people. All we need is to find a solid clue as to where to find the tree first."


    "You''re not sending away Captain Denver just because you''re jealous of him, are you?"


    "Well, that''s a part of the n," he admitted. "But my n would be beneficial to the Denvers as well. If Captain Denver is away from you, then the emperor wouldn''t be suspicious of their family. He doesn''t have to worry about you because I''m here to protect you and our son. But for that happen, Captain Denver must find a reason to leave the Royal Capital without raising suspicions."


    "How can we tell the n to Captain Denver?" Tilly asked. "I''m sure that His Majesty has already considered you as an enemy after your conversation this afternoon."


    "I''ll be having myst meeting with the captains before I officially start my vacation leave," he said. "I''ll find the right time to talk to Captain Denver."


    "Be careful of Captain Sherwood," she warned him. "We can''t trust him."


    "Considering his close rtionship with Her Royal Highness, then we can''t really trust him," he said. "In fact, I wouldn''t trust anyone else aside from the Fire Mages." His forehead knotted when he remembered something. "Tilly, confessing everything to me was dangerous. What would have you done if I didn''t choose you over the emperor?"


    "It never crossed my mind that you would betray me, Kiho."


    "You trust me that much?"


    She nodded. "But even if I turned out to be wrong, I wouldn''t regret dying by your hands. I''d rather be killed by you than the emperor."


    "Shh," he lightly scolded her. "I''d never hurt you, Tilly. So please stop saying that you''re considering the fact that I''m capable of killing you."


    "Okay, sorry."


    He just kissed her on the top of her head. "There''s also the thing about your duty as this year''s Beast Priestess. You said a while ago that you also don''t trust the High Priest. Should you reconsider epting the role? You''re pregnant and everyone in the empire is looking forward to the birth of our son. Not even the royal family would say a word if you turn down the role of the Beast Priestess."


    "I want to do it," she said determinedly. "I need to investigate the High Priest, Kiho. I have a feeling that the prophecy about our son is iplete."


    "I wouldn''t be allowed in the temple but I''ll find a way to keep an eye on you while you''re in there," he promised her. "We''ll figure everything out together, Tilly. But for now, you have to rest. I know you''re tired after using your power."


    She nodded in agreement. "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Don''t you feel a tiny bit of regret that out of all the women you could fall in love with, you fell in love with a Fire Mage?" she asked, fear evident in her voice. "Worse, I have the heart that the twin royals want. Wouldn''t your life be simpler if you fell in love with an ordinarydy?"


    "I don''t regret falling in love with you, Tilly," he said sincerely. "And I don''t mind that you''re a Fire Mage. Or that you have the heart of the Supreme. You didn''t choose to be born that way. But I''ll ept it because I love every inch and every part of you the good and the bad."


    "Oh, Kiho," she said, sniffing. "You''re making me cry again."


    He stopped the horse to wrap his arms around her. Then, he pulled her closer and gently ced his chin on top of her head. "Tilly, I don''t care who you are. I will always stay by your side. Even if it ends up with us against the world."


    "I''ll protect you," Tilly said when she turned to him. "I''ll protect you and Winter, I swear."


    "Cute," Kiho said with a smile, then he kissed the tip of her nose and gently ced his hands on her tummy. "I will live and die for you and our son, Tilly."


    And that was the only vow that he wouldn''t break no matter what.


    ***


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 Chapter 68: Nystrom

    Chapter 68: Nystrom


    AS SOON as Tilly woke up, she immediately tried to reach Kiho with her hand. When she didn''t feel him beside her, she opened her eyes and got up right away. She felt a little bit of panic when she didn''t find him on the bed. "Kiho?"


    She was relieved when the door opened and Kiho entered their room.


    Based on his training outfit and the wooden sword attached to his hip, she figured that he got up early to practice swinging. He always did that in the morning.


    "Oh, you''re awake," Kiho said, pleasantly surprised. "Good morning, honey."


    "Good morning," Tilly said, then she opened her arms to ask for a hug. "Come here, hon."


    Kiho hugged her and she fell backwards until she was lying on her back. He was on top of her, kissing her hungrily as usual. She remembered falling asleep right after she washed upst night. He must have missed their intimate moment.


    "Shall we take a bath together?" Kiho whispered, then gently bit her earlobe.


    "Sorry, not today," she said with a pout. "Leni and Lani are getting sad because they can''t give me bath these days. They may end up hating you if you steal their job from them."


    The twin maids were very serious about her bath. They would always prepare the best bath bomb, roses, oils, etc. for her. At first, she felt awkward to be given a bath after her second life. But now, she was getting used to being pampered again.


    "Don''t be sad," she told her husband while gently pinching his cheek. "We''re having vacation next week anyway. We won''t be bringing our servants so you''ll have me all to yourself."


    His face lit up. "Oh, that''s right" His face suddenly fell gloomy as if he remembered a bad memory. "Or not. Father is joining us, isn''t he?"


    Next week, they would be visiting her mother''s grave. It was located in the estate of their ancestral house. And the house was in the Oakes, their family''s territory. Her father would introduce her husband as the new duke there.


    "Our ancestral house is huge, Kiho," sheforted him. "We will be staying at the main house while father will be using the annex building. He''ll be bringing his servants but they wouldn''t be allowed at our residence. Father knows that we''re newlyweds so he''s being considerate of us."


    "That''s nice of Father," he said. "I''ll visit him today."


    "Did he summon you?"


    He nodded, then he sat up and made hery her head on hisp. "Father told me to meet him once Ie up with a name that I want to use as the new Duke of Oakes."


    "Have you thought of a name to use?"


    He blushed but the sparkle in his eyes showed his pride for the name that he''d be using soon. "I want to be called as Kiho Nystrom, Tilly. Does it sound good?"


    "It sounds unique," she said with a smile. "I like it. It''s my first time to hear that name though. Where did you get that, hon?"


    "That was the alias of my master," he said in a sad voice. "He was the mercenary who raised me until I was eight. I don''t remember much about him now except for the name he always told me. Ever since I can remember, my master had taught me to never forget his name."


    She didn''t miss the use of past tense and the sadness in his tone. "May I know what happened to your master, Kiho?"


    "He was killed in a mission," he told her. "I was also almost killed by the bandits that he was supposed to take down. But luckily, His Majesty was there to save me. During that time, I didn''t know that he was the crown prince."


    Hearing his story about the emperor made her feel guilty again.


    [I broke their bond.]


    "Ah," Kiho said as if he caught himself. "Tilly, the guilt in your face makes me think that you''re ming yourself for my now-broken rtionship with the emperor."


    "I can''t help it though," she admitted. "You have a good brotherly rtionship with the emperor before you met me."


    "That doesn''t matter anymore," he assured her while gentlybing his hand through her hair. "If he''s going to kill you and our baby, then he''s already an enemy to me. I am grateful to His Majesty but that doesn''t mean I can allow him to kill off my family."


    To say that she was touched would be an understatement.


    Well, she expected Kiho to take her side. But she didn''t expect him to easily ept the fact that the "father figure" in his life was now an enemy.


    "This isn''t the first war I''m being a part of, Tilly," he gently reminded her as if he could the emotions on her face. "But this is your first time so let me give you an advice: don''t get too attached on anyone. In a war, anything can change fast. Your friend today might be your enemy tomorrow that you have to kill. When that timees, you have to have a heart of steel. You''re leading this war so you ought to have a strong resolve, honey."


    She took his advice to heart.


    Kiho was a veteran in war. He wouldn''t be alive today if let his emotions take over. Maybe she had underestimated his experience by worrying too much about his feelings.


    [My husband is kind but he''s not soft-hearted.]


    He should be her inspiration.


    "I''ll remember that, honey," she said. "Thank you for the advice. From now on, I will focus on our survival." She ced her hands on her tummy. "Our top priority now is Winter."


    "Agreed," her husband said. "Ah, do you have schedule for today, Tilly?"


    She shook her head. "Theunch of my new jewelry collection has been dyed again. I can''t organize a big event after His Majesty announced Her Royal Highness'' current state. That would be tasteless."


    Well, she didn''t really care if she would offend the royal family.


    But Kiho was going to be a new duke soon. She had to protect their image and rise up to the high society elegantly.


    "Why do you ask, hon?"


    "I''ve thought about what our next move should be," he exined. "Tilly, I think it''s time for you to learn how to control your power. Do you remember how you were able to summon the me in your body?"


    "The first time I was engulfed by me, I was angry," she said. "And the next thing I knew, the replica of the Red Phoenix was alreadying to me. When the bird embraced me with its ming wings, I wasn''t burnt."


    "Uh-huh."


    "The second time me came out of my body wasst night," she continued. "I was a little bit frustrated at the situation. Then, I thought I should save my fellow Fire Mage. After that thought crossed my mind, my hands suddenly lit up with red me."


    He nodded as if he was absorbing the information she just told him. "Then, we can safely assume that you were able to summon your power because of strong emotions. But we can''t rely on that, Tilly. You should be able to summon your me whenever you want to."


    "I''m also thinking about it, Kiho."


    "We should train starting today," he said firmly. "I know that your pregnancy is sensitive but you really need to go on training, Tilly. Of course, we''d be careful. I''ll make a safe training menu for you."


    She let out a tiny gasp. "Oh my gosh. Captain Kiho of the ck Serpent Knights will personally train me? What an honor."


    "I''m a strict teacher." He gently flicked her forehead with his fingers. "Once I get hometer, we''ll start your training. I''ll make you strong as soon as possible so be prepared, Tilly."


    She gave him puppy dog eyes. "Be gentle with me, Teacher Kiho."


    Based on his growing erection, it seemed like he got turned on with what she called him.


    "No," she teased him. "Leni and Lani are looking forward to giving me a bath today, Kiho."


    He made a pitiful face that made him look like a puppy. "Just one round, honey. Please?"


    "When did you stop at round one?" she yfullyined. "You say that all the time but we always end up having at least three rounds."


    "It''s for real this time," Kiho pleaded, giving her the most adorable puppy dog eyes. "Please, Tilly."


    "Gosh," Tilly said while pinching Kiho''s cheeks. "How can I say "no" to this face?"


    But that adorable face was a "scam."


    As expected, they still ended up in "three rounds" and took a bath together.


    [I''m sorry, Leni and Lani.]


    ***


    "I HAVE chosen a name that I want to use, Father," Kiho said to Duke Prescott. Right now, they were having coffee in his office in his grand mansion. "Tilly and I have talked about it this morning. She wants to use it as well."


    "If Tilly approves of it, then you won''t hear aint from me," Duke Prescott said. "What is the name that you have chosen, Kiho?"


    "Nystrom," he said proudly. "I want our family to take the name ''Nystrom,'' Father."


    His master had a huge influence on his life.


    He was a little distant because of his aloof personality, but he taught him all the things he needed to survive. Master Nystrom was the one who taught him sword and how to use his Mana. If it weren''t for the old man, he would have died when he was still a little boy.


    [I want to honor him by using his name for me and my family.]


    "That''s a unique choice," Duke Prescott said. "I like the sound of it." His forehead knotted in confusion. "I think I''ve heard it before but I can''t remember where." A few secondster, the duke obviously gave up trying to remember where he heard the name. "Well, it''s not important where I heard it. I''ll submit a request to the emperor today to have your new name registered in the nobility as soon as possible."


    "What''s the rush for, Father?"


    "I want to give you my title before we visit my territory," his father-inw dered that shocked him. "Usually, a big celebration is prepared when a son inherits his father''s title. But because of what happened to Her Royal Highness, it has be an unspoken rule to refrain from organizing big events. Thanks to that, the other nobles wouldn''t criticize our family if we don''t throw a huge banquet for you. Will that be okay, Kiho?"


    He nodded in agreement. "I''m notfortable with too much attention, Father."


    "I figured that out."


    "Thank you for always being considerate of me, Father," he said sincerely. "I will do my best to make you proud."


    The duke just nodded, then he sipped his tea.


    "Father, about Tilly"


    Duke Prescott gave him a knowing look, then he put a finger on his nose. "We''ll talk about it during our vacation."


    Kiho understood right away. The mansion wasn''t a safe ce to talk about his daughter''s real identity. Ah, that was careless of him. "I''m looking forward to our vacation, Father."


    ***


    "YOUR MAJESTY, a letter from Duke Maverick Prescott has arrived," Captain Sherwood announced as he entered his office.


    Then, the captain stood in front of his table while holding the tray where the letter was. He told him to read the letters sent to his office in advance and pick the most important ones. He was too busy to go through the letters one by one.


    Usually, it was his secretary''s job to check the letters sent to him. But he wanted to work Captain Sherwood to death. Even though the captain was on his side now, he was still pissed at his close rtionship with his beloved Nia.


    "His Grace is requesting for Captain Kiho''s new name to be registered to the nobility as soon as possible."


    Aku brought the tea cup near his lips. "So, what did Kiho choose as his surname?"


    "It''s kind of unique," Captain Sherwood said. "Duke Prescott wants Captain Kiho to be registered as Kiho Nystrom."


    Aku dropped the cup.


    The hot tea poured over his legs but he was too shocked to feel it.


    "Your Majesty!" Captain Sherwood said. "Are you hurt?"


    "How did Kiho remember that name? I thought Ipletely erased it from his mind," Aku said under his breath. "Howe he remembers the name of his n that he never knew about?"


    ***


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 Chapter 69: Pure Blood

    Chapter 69: Pure Blood


    "M-MY LADY, are you sure that''s what you''re going to wear?"


    "Yes," Tilly said to Lani while admiring herself in the mirror. "I think I have a talent in dress making."


    She sewed her own training clothes all day.


    Right now, she wore a sleeveless crop top that was close to the sports bra that she used to wear in her second life each time she went to the gym. She turned the trousers akin to leggings to cycling shorts. Unfortunately, there wasn''t an alternative for trainers shoes in the empire yet so she settled for boots. In fairness, the boots werefortable enough to use.


    "Don''t worry, Lani," she assured the young maid. "Aside from you, only my husband will see me in this outfit."


    After saying that, she wore the long cloak that she asked for to hide her outfit.


    [I''m going to surprise Kiho.]


    A few momentster, Leni entered the room.


    "Mydy, Sir Kiho has arrived," Leni announced politely. "Like you ordered, I asked the master to wait for you in the training room."


    There were still a few hours left before dinner so she decided to start their training right away. She wanted to learn how to control her powers as soon as possible.


    "Thank you," she said. "Let''s head out now."


    She went out of the room with Leni and Lani tailing behind her.


    Damian was waiting outside the chamber and he escorted them on the way to the training room. When she got there, she asked the servants to leave. After bowing to her and saying their polite greetings, they left.


    "Hon, wee back," Tilly greeted Kiho who was already walking towards her. "How was your day?"


    Kiho kissed her on the lips before he answered. He already took off his jacket. Now, he was only wearing his dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Ah, his forearms looked very sexy. "Thank you for asking. My day is fine, honey. After visiting Father, I dropped by at the ck Serpent Knights'' training ground to check how ke is doing. He''s leading the squad just fine."


    "That''s good to hear."


    "How about you, Tilly?" he asked, his arms snaking around her waist. "How was your day? Were you bored?"


    "I was busy all day," she said proudly. "I made a specific outfit for today''s training time."


    "Really?" He looked down at the cloak she was wearing. "Is that why you''re wearing a cloak inside the mansion?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Are you ready to see it?"


    He looked at her face before he answered. "Yes, honey."


    Without breaking eye contact, she took off her cloak and let it fall down on the floor.


    Kiho''s jaw dropped at the sight of her revealing attire. Panic crossed his eyes as he looked around as if he was afraid someone else might see her in that glorious outfit. He only calmed down when he realized that they were alone in the training room. "Tilly, are you trying to distract me?"


    "Is it working?"


    "Yes," he said, then he suggestively turned to the lounging area.


    The training room was as huge as a ballroom. At the further corner of the chamber was a small lounging area. It was a tea table for two persons. And a sofa.


    [Oh, there''s a sofa.]


    "We''re here to train," Tilly teased her husband. "Stop thinking about lewd stuff, you beast. I only wore this outfit because I''m expecting I''d sweat a lot from your training."


    "This is just the first day of our training so we''ll take it lightly for now," he said. "Captain Denver said that he put your heart to sleep. When I heard that, I finally realized why your Mana is so weak."


    She pouted at that. "Is my Mana really that weak?"


    "Considering your noble birth, yes, it''s really weak," he said truthfully. "But it''s only because it''s inactive."


    "How will you train me if my Mana is inactive?" she asked curiously. "Are you going to awaken my heart?"


    "If we awaken your heart, the royal family will detect it so unfortunately, we can''t do that," he said. "But I know how to make your Mana release enough power that you can use to protect yourself."


    "Where did you learn that trick, Kiho?"


    "My master taught me how," he said. Then, he ced a hand on his chest. "When I was a child, my master also put my heart to sleep. ording to him, I couldn''t control my Mana when I was young. And if he didn''t put my heart to sleep, I would have identally frozen my whole body with my very own ice. He trained me little by little until I was able to control my power. And after that, my masterpletely awakened my heart."


    She blinked in surprise. "Is putting a heart in sleep actually moremon than I expected?"


    He shrugged. "My master was an aloof one. He never really talked unless he needed to."


    "Ah."


    Now she understood why Kiho grew up as dense as he was. He probably got his clueless attitude from his supposedly distant master.


    "But isn''t it amazing, Kiho?" she said with a smile. "We found something inmon again."


    "Uh-huh," he agreed. "It''s just probably normal for people who are fated together."


    She giggled and lightly hit his arm. "You''re so cheesy, hon."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "Cheesy? Do I look like a cheese?"


    She justughed at his naivety. "Anyway, what should we do first?"


    "You''ll need to concentrate first," he said. Then, he assisted her in sitting on the mat on the floor. He made her sit in a lotus position. He did the same while facing her. "Tilly, close your eyes and imagine that you are looking at your heart. Then, find a small hole where your Mana must be leaking."


    "A hole?" she asked. "There''s a hole in my heart?"


    "ording to my master, all sleeping hearts have a hole," he exined. "It''s like a window that needs to be opened for air to enter the room. Even though your heart is asleep, it still needs to produce Mana. That''s why you can make your body temperature warm."


    "Oh, that makes sense," she said, then she closed her eyes. "Okay. I''ll try to imagine my heart and find the hole in it."


    She remembered that her father said her heart looked like a red diamond.


    Seeing a heart-shaped red diamond was easy. But finding the supposedly hole in it was hard. She was used to working with high quality pieces of jewelry and she never had produced one with a hole in it.


    [Where is it supposed to be?]


    ["Here, Mommy."]


    Tilly gasped when she heard the familiar voice of a boy that she couldn''t and wouldn''t forget. ["W-Winter?"]


    She looked at the part where she heard his voice. Sadly, she didn''t see her son. But she found a tiny, shining hole in the center of the heart-shaped red diamond. The more she looked at it, the more the strange sparkle looked different.


    Eventually, the light took the form of a little boy''s white silhouette.


    This time, she was sure that it was Winter. He was that tall thest time she saw her in her past life. She could tell even if it was just a shadow taking her sons form.


    ["Winter"]


    The white shadow floated towards her. And then, she felt warm arms wrap around her waist. ["I''m so happy that we''d see each other again, Mommy."]


    Her son said "again."


    ["Winter, what do you mean by that?"]


    ["Later, Mommy,"], Winter said, the warmth of his arms around her waist starting to feel cold. ["Say "hi" to Daddy for me."]


    The shadowpletely turned into an ice sculpture.


    Then, it broke into beautiful tiny pieces.


    ["My baby"]


    "Tilly!"


    Tilly gasped when she felt like her breath was suddenly knocked out of her. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a worried Kiho. "What happened, hon?"


    "Youpletely went still," Kiho exined worriedly. "You weren''t breathing for a few seconds."


    "Oh," she said. "That exins why I suddenly feel breathless."


    "What happened?"


    "Our Baby Winter talked to me," she said excitedly. "I couldn''t really remember what he said but he pointed the hole of my heart to me."


    She had to lie because she hadn''t decided yet if she should tell Kiho that this was already her second life. Her hesitation was rooted from her fear of meeting Lucina Morganna earlier than expected. She didn''t want Kiho to even know about the woman''s existence.


    [I''m sorry, Lucina Morganna. But Kiho and Winter are mine now. If this will make me a viiness in your story, so be it.]


    "Really?" Kiho asked excitedly. "I heard that mothers usually dream about their children during their pregnancy. I didn''t expect that you''d dream about our son so soon."


    She smiled and nodded. Then, she held his hand and ced it on her chest where her heart and Winter''s were beating simultaneously. "Can you feel it, Kiho? Our baby is only five week old but his heart is already fully-developed."


    Kiho''s face softened up. He even looked like he was about to cry. To simply say, he looked really happy. "I can''t wait to meet our baby," he said softly. Then, he pressed his ear against her chest as if he wanted to feel and hear their son''s tiny heartbeats. "Winter, thank you for looking after your mommy."


    Tilly got teary eyed. She gently raked her fingers through his hair. "I think Winter wanted toe out as soon as possible."


    If only it was possible to give birth to Winter now


    ***


    "YOUR MAJESTY, isn''t it time for you to fulfill the end of the bargain?" Captain Sherwood demanded. "I told you where the heart is."


    Aku let out a frustrated sigh. He still hadn''t gotten over the fact that Kiho had chosen to use the name of his n the n that had beenpletely wiped off their history. In fact, not even Nia knew about the existence of the Nystroms.


    That was a knowledge that was only passed down to the emperors.


    "You''ve already seen where the ck Serpent is," Aku told Captain Sherwood. "You know that Kiho is the child who has a blood purer than the Moonchesters. So why haven''t you connected the dots yet?"


    The captain''s forehead knotted in confusion. "What do you mean" He stopped as if he just realized something. Then, his eyes widened in shock. "Your Majesty, don''t tell me that the ck Serpent is sleeping inside Captain Kiho?"


    "No," he said. "Do you know why Kiho''s blood is purer than the Moonchesters?"


    Captain Sherwood shook his head. "My n only knows that people with ice power are more special than Fire Mages because of their blood, and thus their n was wiped off long before the purge for the Fire Mages had begun. But we don''t really know what makes their blood purer than the royal family''s. We can''t find anything else about them because they weren''t in the history books."


    And that was the reason why no one cared even though Kiho had ice powers.


    If the story about the Nystroms were to be revived, then everyone in the empire would have to bow their heads to Kiho.


    [Yes, even the Moonchesters.]


    "Kiho has blood purer than the Moonchesters because he''s a god," Aku revealed. "Kiho is the ck Serpent itself."


    ***


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    ***


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 Chapter 70: Forgotten Beast Gods

    Chapter 70: Forgotten Beast Gods


    "I DON''T think it''s working," Tilly said in frustration. "I can''t produce fire."


    She did what Kiho told her to do. But even though she found the hole in her heart thanks to Winter, she still couldn''t produce fire within her body. The only thing she could do was what she was already capable of: making her body temperature hot.


    [Well, it feels like my body is hotter than usual. But my goal is to produce fire.]


    "Tilly, don''t be too impatient," Kiho slightly scolded her. "The fact that you found the hole at your first try was already a huge feat. I found mine after a week of training."


    "But our baby helped me find it," she said with a pout. "Plus, you were a child then. You were still better than I am."


    "Honey, don''t underestimate yourself," he said patiently. "A small progress is still progress. Great things don''t happen overnight."


    She wanted to be powerful as soon as possible so her slow progress irritated her. But Kiho was right. Just because she awakened as a Fire Mage didn''t mean that she would wake up powerful. It was kind of simr to working out.


    [You''ll get hurt if you start exercising without warm up.]


    "You''re right, hon," she said while nodding. "Great things take time."


    He nodded, then he caressed her face with the back of his hand.


    But all of a sudden, he hissed as if he was hurt. Then, he pulled away his hand from her face as if he was burnt. He looked at her with a shocked look on his face.


    Also,


    "Tilly, your body is unnaturally hotter than usual," her husband said in surprise. "I think if it weren''t for my Mana, you would have burnt me to ashes."


    Sheughed it off. "Don''t exaggerate hon."


    Maybe Kiho only said that to uplift her spirits.


    She picked up the face towel next to her and was shocked by what happened next: the face towel suddenly lit up with red me. In just a few seconds, itpletely turned into ashes.


    [OMG!]


    "Tilly, I think it worked," Kiho said in amazement while looking at the ashes of the towel that she just touched. Then, he looked at her face. "Your power is incredible."


    Tilly gulped, then she looked at her hands. "I''m a little scared of my power, Kiho."


    ***


    "KIHO is the ck Serpent itself?" Captain Sherwood asked in disbelief. "How did that happen, Your Majesty?"


    "Right now, the Four Ancient Beasts are seen only as the emperor''s weapon," Aku said. "But the truth is, the Four Ancient Beasts are gods. Before the Moonchester Empire was built, the kingdom where the empire started was called a different name. The ruler of thatnd was King Aleo who had two sons: Auro and Kalel Moonchester."


    "I know that King Auro Moonchester was the first emperor of the Moonchester Empire," the captain said in confusion. "But it wasn''t written in any history book that the first emperor had a sibling."


    "King Aleo hid Kalel''s existence because the first son was special."


    "Kalel Moonchester was the first born?" he asked in surprise. "Then, he should have been the heir apparent."


    "Like I said, King Aleo hid Kalel''s existence," he told the captain. "Kalel was the reincarnation of the ck Serpent."


    "Reincarnation?"


    "The Four Beasts all used to be humans," he revealed that shocked Captain Sherwood. "The most powerful humans in the world, I suppose. They were too powerful that their fellow humans started to hunt them down. Because of that, the Four Beasts decided to ascend to heavens. They had to sacrifice their human forms though. Before they were allowed to enter the gates of heavens, the gods made them choose what kind of forms they wished to take. The one who could control the fire chose the phoenix. The master of the wind chose the blue dragon. The strongest man on earth chose the golden tiger. And finally, the one who could control both water and ice, he chose the ck serpent at first. But just when he reached the heavens, he changed his mind. He gave up his chance to be a god and chose to be reborn as human instead."


    "What a stupid choice," Captain Sherwoodmented. "Why would he give up on the chance to be a god and choose to be reborn as a human instead?"


    "Apparently, the ck serpent loved the human n too much. He wanted to use his power to protect humans," Aku exined while shaking his head. He agreed with the captain: the ck serpent was a fool for wasting the chance to be a god. "Anyway, the ck serpent was reincarnated as Kalel Moonchester. Even though he was still human, he still possessed his ability from his past life. But not only was he born with the ability to control ice and water. Every time he would use his Mana, the scales of the ck Serpent would appear all over his body. Because of his strange ability, the king locked him up in the castle."


    The captain smirked. "See? The humans he loved so much treated him badly just because he was different."


    "I know, right?" he agreed with a softugh. "Anyway, unlike the king, Auro Moonchester was actually kind. He secretly freed Kalel and gave him enough money to survive on his own. But before they went separate ways, Kalel gave Auro a bracelet that would apparently summon him and the Beast Gods."


    "The "Beast Gods?""


    "Yes, the Ancients Beasts were used to be called "Beast Gods,"" he exined. "When Kalel was born, the Beast Gods descended the earth as well. They chose special humans that they would lend their strength to. To give you an example, the Red Phoenix chose the Supreme Fire Mage as its Priestess. And so, the Red Phoenix had be the Fire Mage n''s Guardian."


    "That was definitely not in the history books," Captain Sherwoodmented in an amused voice. "My family prides itself as the empire''s "history keeper." But the story you''re telling me isn''t kept in our books, Your Majesty."


    "Of course not. The story I''m telling you is something only the emperors know," he said, then he gave him a menacing smile. "And I''m telling you all of this because I know that I can easily kill you once you open your mouth."


    "I won''t do that, Your Majesty," the captain promised her. "As a Sherwood, my only interest is to discover the truth behind the Ancient Beasts, especially the one about the ck Serpent because my family doesn''t know much about it. And as you know, the Sherwoods are curious people. We would die if our curiosity wasn''t satisfied."


    He knew that Captain Sherwood wasn''t lying.


    To be honest, the Sherwoods that he had met so far were all bookworms. Only Noel Sherwood entered the knighthood and even became a captain. But now, he realized that he only became a captain to dig deeper in the history of the empire specifically, the history of the Ancient Beasts.


    [The Sherwoods aren''t called "History Bookkeeper" for nothing. They will do anything just to satisfy their excessive hunger for knowledge.]


    "That''s good to know," Aku said, then he continued with his story. "Naturally, Kalel the ck Serpent chose to protect Auro Moonchester and the Moonchester Empire that he built after King Aleo died. Also, during that time, Kalel had already changed his name and started his own family. Do you know what name did he choose?"


    Captain Sherwood''s eyes widened. "Nystrom?"


    "Yes."


    "Oh, shit," Captain Sherwood cursed in obvious excitement. "Your Majesty, even though Kalel changed his name, he was still a Moonchester. That means the Nystroms were also of royal blood, weren''t they?"


    "They weren''t just of royal blood," he corrected him. "The Nystroms had purer blood than the Moonchesters because Kalel was a god."


    "And you''re saying that Captain Kiho is the reincarnation of that god, Your Majesty?"


    "Yes," he confirmed. "Kalel wasn''t reincarnated in every generation. Sometimes it would take many, many years before he would be reborn again. And it became harder for him to be reborn eventually when my ancestors started to hunt down the Nystroms."


    "Why did the Moonchesters decided to hunt down the Nystroms?"


    "The generations that came after Auro Moonchester were all greedy," he exined. "They wanted the power of the Four Ancient Beasts. They eliminated the ns or the tribes that the Four Ancients Beasts chose to serve."


    "Was that the reason why the Fire Mages were purged?" Captain Sherwood smirked. "My family never believed that the Fire Mages betrayed the royal family, Your Majesty."


    "Think whatever you want to think," he said seriously. "For the royal family, the Fire Mages would always be traitors."


    The captain''s forehead knotted in confusion.


    "Stop asking about the Fire Mages," he said. "I have already fulfilled my end of the bargain."


    Captain Sherwood nodded. "Just onest question, Your Majesty. You said that the ck Serpent could use ice and water. Howe Captain Kiho can only use ice? We''ve fought in wars together several times. I never saw him control water."


    "I sealed Kiho''s power when he was a little boy," Aku confessed. "I can''t let Kiho be more powerful than I am."


    ***


    TILLY frowned when she felt a strange coldness in her chest. The next thing she knew, her body''s temperature was starting to get cooler. She was sure that it wasn''t her Mana. "Kiho, I think my body is starting to cool down."


    Kiho, even though he was burnt a while ago, didn''t hesitate to touch her again. He gently cupped her face between his hands. He looked relieved when he realized that her body temperature went back to normal. "How did you do it, Tillu?"


    She shook her head. "I''m not sure," she said. Then, she ced a hand over her chest. "But the coolness started here. I think it''s Winter''s Mana. His heart is already fully-developed, and that means his Mana already exists inside my body."


    "Our baby is taking care of you, honey," he said softly. "Maybe our Winter knows that you need to cool down your temperature."


    She smiled and nodded. "Our Winter is protecting me."


    "I have to do a better job," her husband said. "I should ask help from someone who knows how to train Fire Mages."


    Tilly gasped when she realized what Kiho was trying to say. "Are you sure, Kiho?"


    "I hate if but I don''t have a choice," Kiho said while shaking his head. "We need to ask Captain Denver to teach us how to properly train you."


    ***


    "BROTHER Mikhail, when will you bring Big Sister Tilly in our guild?"


    "That''s ''Captain Denver'' to you, brat," Mikhail scolded Flint. Then, he gently flicked the child''s forehead with his fingers. "Bringing Lady Prescott in our guild wouldn''t be easy."


    They could talk freely because right now, they were in one of the training room in the Fire Wielder Guild''s tower. He was personally training Flint and thus, only the two of them were in that room.


    Currently, they were taking a break.


    "I want to train with Big Sister as soon as possible," Flint said excitedly. Then, he raised his arm and made it burn without using any weapon. Now, his frail arm was engulfed in orange me. "I can''t wait to show this to Big Sister."


    "Like I said, it wouldn''t be easy."


    The child pouted. "Isn''t there a way to bring Big Sister here without the royal family knowing about it?"


    "It''s not the royal family that I''m worried about, brat."


    "Then, what''s the matter?" Flint asked curiously. "Why can''t you bring Big Sister here if the royal family isn''t the problem?"


    "Her husband, Captain Kiho, is really scary," Mikhail told the child. "If we want Lady Prescott here, we have to get through the captain first.


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 71: Morning Sickness

    Chapter 71: Morning Sickness


    "HONEY, are you okay?"


    "No," Tilly said honestly while she was on the floor. She just threw up even though she hadn''t eaten yet. This morning, she woke up with an upset stomach. Then, she remembered that she was already in her sixth week of pregnancy. "But don''t worry, hon. This is just morning sickness. Pregnant women during this time usually go through this."


    "We should find a doctor for you, Tilly," Kiho said worriedly. He was kneeling beside her, still holding her hair. While she was throwing up a while ago, he stayed beside her and held her hair so it wouldn''t touch the toilet bowl. "Can we not trust your family doctor?"


    She shook her head. Then, she stood up. Of course, her husband assisted her. He also helped her wash her face and mouth. After she was cleaned up, he carried her back to their room.


    Kiho gentlyid her on the bed and sat beside her.


    "Father said that the doctors that assisted my mother during her pregnancy were sent by Her Royal Highness," Tilly said. "At this point, I can''t even trust the doctors that our vassal families are rmending."


    "Then, should we ask Captain Denver to rmend a doctor for you?"


    She blinked in surprise. "That would be nice. But are you sure about that, Kiho? I thought you don''t like Captain Denver."


    "I don''t like him," Kiho said tly. "But I can set aside my personal feelings for you and our baby''s sake."


    She giggled at his honesty. "Kiho, you know that I don''t have feelings for Captain Denver, don''t you? And he doesn''t like me that way. He''s just nice to me because I have the heart of the Supreme. So, why are you jealous of him?"


    "He''s a Fire Mage."


    She held back herughter. To be honest, she wanted tough at how cute Kiho''s pout was. But she didn''t want to offend him. "Yes. And?"


    Her husband blushed as if he was shy to share his true feelings.


    [Aww he''s still my adorable cinnamon roll.]


    "Technically speaking, Captain Denver can be more of use to you than I do," he said with a pout. "Since he''s a Fire Mage, he''s the one who knows how to help you control your power. He also knows the history of your lineage. Whether I like it or not, I have to admit that the captain has the right to stay by your side." His face turned dark. "But I hate it. Even though I know that you need him, I still don''t want to see him beside you. Most of all, I''m afraid that there would be a day that you''d need him more than you need me."


    Ah, so Kiho wasn''t jealous of Captain Denver. He was just afraid that she''d need another man for her protection. Her husband was the possessive type so she understood where he wasing from.


    "That''s not going to happen, Kiho," she assured him softly. "You''re the one I need most."


    "Really?"


    She nodded and touched his face. "Really."


    He looked relieved and happy to hear that. "Tilly, you should stay at home. I''ll do your errands instead."


    To be honest, she didn''t really feel good. She was a little workaholic so taking a break from work made her feel a little edgy. But for Winter''s safety, she would endure. Her son would always be more important than work.


    "I only have two errands for today," she told him. "First, I need to check the pre-order of my new jewelry collection."


    She recently introduced the "pre-order system" to their customers. Anyone who would reserve their orders in advance would get a discount and the first dibs to the new pieces during theunch. The jewelry collection would only be avable to the public after a week. And most of all, the slot for the pre-order was limited.


    "That concept is new to me," Kiho said in amazement. "It''s not that I doubt you, Tilly. But I''m kind of wondering how can you be sure that people would reserve items that they haven''t seen yet?"


    "Our family name is already a brand," she exined. "We produce the best pieces of jewelry in the empire, hon. Prescotts Choice equals luxury. And the higher-nobles would always want to get new items first. I''m sure they''ll bite the bait."


    "Oh. I thought the new collection is for the nouveau riche?"


    "Yes, they are the main target," she said, her smile widening. "I released the price list in advance so the nouveau riche could save up for it. The discount is for them. I''m sure they won''t pass up the chance to buy what the vieux riche would. In fact, the nouveau riche would be the most eager to get a hold of ourtest collection. After all, it''s the new rich who loves showing off their newly-acquired wealth."


    He looked amazed by her n. "Honey, you were born to be a businesswoman."


    She smiled at thepliment. "Thank you, hon."


    "I''ll check the pre-order of the store," he said. "What''s your second errand?"


    "I''m supposed to visit the charities I''m supporting," she answered. "I personally check on them to see what I need to provide for them. Especially now that winter season ising."


    "I''ll do that for you," he said determinedly. "And as a future duke, it''s going to be my responsibility to check on the charities that you support. I want to be involved with our people as much as possible."


    She smiled proudly at him. "I''m sure that you''ll do well. After all, you''re a good person."


    "Thank you for the trust," he said with a tint of pink on his cheeks. He wasn''t used to being praised so he''d get shy every time he wouldpliment him. "Is that all your errands for today, honey?"


    "Uh-huh. Thank you for volunteering to do them for me, hon," she said, then she snapped her fingers in the air when she remembered something. "Kiho, one of the charities I support is the Fire Wielder Guild. They have a foundation that supportsmoners who entered the guild as Fire Wielders. Specifically, I''m supporting Flint and Julian. Please check if the brothers have personal needs that we can provide for them."


    Hesitation crossed his face. "Tilly, would it really be wise if we continue our connection to the Fire Wielder Guild? His Majesty knows that you''re a Fire Mage. I''m sure that he knows that there are people supporting you. The Denvers have been doing a good job in hiding themselves. What if the emperor connects the dots if we continued getting involved with Captain Denver?"


    She shook her head. "It would be more suspicious if we suddenly avoid Captain Denver. Even after the malicious rumor between Captain Denver and I spread, I didn''t avoid him because people would think that we were really guilty. That''s the same with our current situation. If we suddenly cut our rtionship with the captain, His Majesty would wonder why."


    He nodded his head as if he was absorbing every word she said.


    "But of course, we still need to be careful," she continued. "It''s actually going to be hard because we need to act naturally. But at the same time, we must be cautious of what we say and do especially in public. Although I''m pretty sure that the emperor wouldn''t be breathing at the back of our neck, we can''t still eliminate the chance of him having someone spy on us." She smirked at the thought of the emperor waiting for her to put her guard down. "His Majesty won''t catch us by surprise not on my watch."


    Kiho blinked, then he suddenly leaned down to kiss her on the lips.


    "Wow, that tastes good," she said between giggles. "May I know what I did to deserve a kiss from you?"


    "You''re always beautiful but just now, you look sinister," he confessed. "That''s sexy."


    She giggled, not expecting to hear the word "sexy" from him. "Gosh, you''re making me feel giddy, hon."


    And after saying that, her stomach growled loudly.


    "My big baby and small baby are hungry," Kiho said softly while cing a hand on her tummy. "What do you and our Winter want for breakfast, honey?"


    "Winter said he wants lobster for breakfast," Tilly said. It obviously surprised Kiho because lobster wasn''t a usual choice for breakfast. But in the end, heughed softly as if he found her cute. That reaction made her smile. [I hope these peaceful daysst forever.]


    ***


    KIHO just finished inspecting the pieces of jewelry at Precott''s Choice when Captain Sherwood arrived at the store.


    He was quite surprised, but he remembered that it was already lunch time. Even captains were given an hour to eat unless they were really busy. But since the Hunt just ended, their workload must not be that loaded yet.


    "Fancy meeting you here, Captain Kiho," Captain Sherwood said. Then, he gently smacked his lips. "Ah, pardon my insolence. I should greet you by your new title, Your Grace."


    Kiho felt shy to be referred that way.


    He had lived as an orphan and amoner all his life. Then suddenly, he became a noble. And not just a noble at that. He actually became a duke the highest in the nobility hierarchy.


    If it weren''t to protect Tilly and their baby, he wouldn''t have epted the title.


    "Thank you, Captain Sherwood," Kiho told him. "But it''s fine to refer to me like before. Technically, I''m still a captain anyway."


    "If you insist, Captain Kiho," he said. "Anyway, are you alone?"


    He nodded before he answered. Like Tilly told him, they should still act as natural as possible around their suspected enemies. And Captain Sherwood was one of the people that they should be careful of. "Yes, I am alone. Tilly isn''t feel good because of her morning sickness. I''m running errands for her."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Do you have a specific jewelry that you''re looking for, Captain Sherwood?" he asked politely. "I can ask the staff to bring you to the VIP room if you want."


    Prescott''s Choice was a big and luxurious jewelry store after all.


    It had a VIP room where the rarest and the most expensive gems were disyed. Only VIP customers were allowed inside. But still, the pieces of jewelry showcased in the "general room" were already high quality.


    [And expensive. Nothing is cheap is here. No wonder only higher nobles are shopping inside.]


    Well, for now.


    After all, Tilly''s new jewelry collection was made for the nouveau riche.


    "Thank you, but I''m only here because of my mother''s request," Captain Sherwood said with a softugh. Ah, this person was really carefree. His wind attribute really suited him. "ording to my mother, Lady Prescott introduced this thing called "pre-order." My mother asked me to reserve the jewelry set that would beunched soon. She''s not here in the Royal Capital at the moment so she asked me to do it for her instead."


    "You''re lucky, Captain Sherwood," he said. "The slot for pre-order is limited. Thankfully, there are a few slots left."


    "Whew," the other captain said. "That''s a relief."


    He just nodded at that.


    "Captain Kiho, I have a request," Captain Sherwood said. "May I shake your hand?"


    He was surprised by the weird request.


    [Is this a trap or something?]


    "I just want to congratte you for entering the nobility," the other captain said, then he extended his hand to him. "Wee to the high society, Your Grace."


    He epted Captain Sherwood''s hand. "Thank you, Duke Sherwood."


    Captain Sherwood addressed him as a nobleman so he thought he should do the same.


    He was about to pull his hand from the other captain but he suddenly squeezed his hand. Then, he noticed that Captain Sherwood''s eyes had a frenzied look on them. He was looking at him like he wanted to dissect him or something.


    That made his skin crawl.


    "What are you two doing?"


    Kiho was relieved by the neer''s arrival because Captain Sherwood finally let go of his hand. But he wasn''t too happy to see who came.


    "Did I not get the memo that we have a meeting or something?" Captain Denver asked. Then, he turned to Captain Ainsworth that he came with. "Did you bring me here because you know that Captain Kiho and Captain Sherwood are here?"


    "Of course not," Captain Ainsworth denied. "I only asked you toe because I don''t want to go to a jewelry store alone."


    "It''s rare for us to gather coincidentally," Captain Sherwood said cheerfully, then turned to every captain around him. "Why don''t we have lunch together as some sort of celebration?"


    Kiho groaned mentally.


    [Can we not?]


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 72: Unlikely Alliance

    Chapter 72: Unlikely Alliance


    KIHO didn''t have a choice but to join his fellow captains for lunch.


    Since they were all hungry, they went to the first restaurant that they saw. They were at Aristo so naturally, every store in there was high-end. The steakhouse that they chose was famous for its high-quality beef.


    Majority of the customers were higher nobles. They seemed shocked and amazed when the four captains of the Four Orders entered the restaurant.


    [This is a rare sight after all.]


    To be honest, there was a line outside. But when the staff saw them, he immediately called the owner of the restaurant. Then, the earl who owned it escorted them inside and even ushered them to the VIP lounge. They had privacy there because they were separated from the hall where most of the customers were.


    The VIP lounge was closed and was only opened for them.


    [Well, the captains of the Four Orders are important people in the empire.]


    "This is my first time in this restaurant," Captain Sherwood said cheerily after they made their orders. They all got rib-eye steak and red wine. "Am I the only one?"


    "This is my first time as well," Captain Denver said. "Actually, I rarely get the chance to dine in restaurants since our workload has been full recently."


    "Uh-huh," Captain Sherwood agreed.


    "This is also my first time here," Kiho said. "If the food here is great, I''ll bring my wife here next time."


    "I''ve been here with my wife before. She loved it here. I''m sure Lady Prescott would be pleased if you bring her in this restaurant," Captain Ainsworth told him. "Captain Kiho, thank you for helping me reserve a jewelry set for my wife. I heard the slot for the "pre-order" thing is limited. I''m d I made it before it was gone."


    "Oh, yeah," Captain Sherwood added. "Thanks for the assist, Captain Kiho."


    Before they left the restaurant, Captain Sherwood and Captain Ainsworth had sessfully reserved a slot of Tilly''s pre-ordered jewelry set.


    "You''re wee," Kiho said to Captain Sherwood and Captain Ainsworth. "Thank you for the patronage, captains."


    Their small talk was interrupted when their food finally arrived.


    Four staff served them, one for each of the captain. The steaks served to them were big and juicy. The bottle of red wine that came with the food was apparently the best one in the restaurant. Aside from that, the presentation was pretty as well.


    [I''m sure Tilly would love it here.]


    All of the captains had only taken a bite of their steak when something unimaginable happened: the restaurant was suddenly attacked by rebels.


    "Nobody moves!" one of the rebels, dressed like a proper nobleman, shouted while holding a rifle. How he managed to bring it in the area without being spotted by a knight would definitely be investigated. "We''ll shoot everyone who''d move!"


    The rebels were eight men armed with rifles and swords. Two of them closed the doors and the windows. Based on the noise and cry of help outside, it was obvious that the knights and the civilians were killed outside.


    [We didn''t hear or feel a thing. They must be using some sort of concealment spell. That could also exin how on earth they managed to sneak in weapons in Aristo.]


    "Stop eating, you f*cking nobles!" the angry rebel yelled again, pointing his rifle at the nobles. Most of the customers right now weredies from affluent families. None of the nobles listened to the rebel and just continued eating and talking to each other. "Are you listening to me, you m*therf*ckers?!"


    "Oh, shut up," ady shouted back at the rebel. "If you have something toin about the empire, then say it to our great captains and let the innocent people have lunch in peace!"


    The rebel looked taken aback. "C-Captains?"


    Everyone calmly and politely pointed at their direction.


    When the rebels turned to the VIP lounge, they were greeted by the four captains of the empire''s Four Orders.


    Captain Sherwood was smiling and even waving at the rebels.


    Captain Ainsworth looked worried about the customers'' safety.


    While Kiho and Captain Denver looked passive as usual.


    "A-Attack!" the leader-like among the rebels shouted while pointing his rifle at the captains. "The captains are here so we can''t afford to hold back!"


    But the captains didn''t need to move to seize the rebels.


    When the rebels started to fire at them, Captain Sherwood just waved his hand and the direction of the wind changed. The bullets, instead of aiming towards their direction, took a turn and shot the rebels instead.


    Captain Ainsworth stomped on the ground and a concrete wall sprouted, protecting the innocent customers from stray bullets.


    Captain Denver tapped the gems embedded in his armband, effectively burning the enemies'' swords and other weapons into ashes.


    "Retreat!" the leader said. "Retreat!"


    Kiho snapped his fingers. Then, a thickyer of ice wrapped around the rebels'' bodies like ropes. [Where did these rebelse from?]


    And just like that, the assants were apprehended.


    ***


    "THIS ISN''T the end!" the rebel yelled while being escorted by knights from Captain Ainsworth''s squad out of the restaurant. "Even if you caught us now, our allies would definitelt avenge us!"


    No one batted an eye at the threat.


    [Anyway]


    The customers inside were safely evacuated by Captain Sherwood (the "crowd favorite" among the captains). Kiho and Captain Denver helped give first aids to the victims outside the restaurant while they were waiting for doctors.


    Every captain of the Four Orders knew first aid. Heck, if they needed to, they also knew how to perform minor surgeries. After all, doctors weren''t always present during wars.


    "You can ignore us all you want!" the rebel continued to shout. "But one day, I swear! They will be back and reim their rightful ces! I''m talking about Fire Mages!"


    Now everyone who heard that turned to the rebel.


    Kiho felt annoyed.


    The Denvers, who were legit Fire Mages, had been trying hard to hide their identities for so long. But why were these stupid and fake supporters using the Fire Mages to instill fear in the public? God, he wanted to kill these fools.


    "Fire Mages, huh?" Captain Denver smirked at the rebels. "If they are real, then why didn''t you bring them here instead?"


    Kiho was impressed. [Good acting, Captain Denver.]


    Thanks to that, he calmed down.


    "They are real!" the rebel insisted. "The Fire Mages will rise soon now that the heart has been found!"


    Okay, Kiho was surprised by that.


    When he turned to Captain Denver, he also looked shocked.


    [Does it mean another group had found out about Tilly?!]


    Kiho felt gutted.


    [Tilly]


    "Shut it," Captain Sherwood told the rebel. "Who cares if you found the heart or something? At the end of the day, that heart would be crushed by His Majesty anyway."


    He tried hard to control his emotions when he heard that.


    The rebel was about to speak again but when Captain Sherwood waved his hand, a strong wind pressure hit the rebel at the back of his head causing him to lose consciousness. The rebel had to be carried away by the knight escorting him.


    "I wonder why the rebels are starting to get bold just because of a piece of heart," Captain Sherwood said to himself, then he turned to Kiho. "Bute to think of it, His Majesty wouldn''t have to deal with it himself. Isn''t it the captains'' job to crush everyone who''d be foolish enough to fight against the royal family? Right, Captain Kiho?"


    "Of course," Kiho said nkly. "That''s the captains'' duty."


    [Count me out though.]


    ***


    "CAPTAIN DENVER, I have a request," Kiho told Denver.


    Right now, they were at Captain Ainsworth''s office because it was the closest one from the restaurant where they came from.


    They were still with Captain Sherwood and Captain Ainsworth. After all, the four of them needed to write a report. Every time a captain used his Mana to seize an enemy, they were required to file a report and send it to the emperor.


    The captains weren''t allowed to use their Mana without a valid reason, especially if civilians were around.


    "My wife asked me to go the charities she supports to ask them what we can provide for them," Kiho continued. "One of the charities she supports is your guild''s foundation. Specifically, she''s sponsoring two of your students."


    He couldn''t find a better timing to ask that. So even though Captain Sherwood and Captain Ainsworth were in the same room, he had to ask now.


    But he was hoping that Captain Denver would get his real intention.


    "We want to know what kind of training the kids are going through so we could provide the right weapons and clothing for them," Kiho continued. In reality, his question meant for Captain Denver to share the kids'' training menu so he could copy it for Tilly. He specifically said "kids" to let the other captain know that he wanted the basic menu for his wife to start with. "Can you make a list of that?"


    Captain Denver looked confused at first. Butter, understanding crossed his eyes. Then, he nodded while giving him a knowing look. "I''ll give you a listter, Captain Kiho," he said. "Please tell Lady Prescott that we''re grateful for her support."


    Ah, mission aplished.


    ***


    TILLY''S craving was the reason why she was in the carriage now heading to Komono. It was the area formoners. She wanted to go there to have their street food that was only sold there. She could ask for her servants to buy it for her but she couldn''t wait anymore.


    She knew that Komono wasn''t really safe for a higher noble like her. But she dressed like amoner, used a simple carriage, and made Damian wearmoners'' clothes instead of his military uniform.


    [I can''t wait to see Komono''s famous street food.]


    She was humming happily when suddenly, the carriage stopped.


    Damian immediately pulled out his sword. Based on the serious look on the knight''s face, she realized right away that they were in danger.


    Tilly unconsciously ced her hands on her tummy. [What now?]


    ***


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    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 73: Witch Doctor

    Chapter 73: Witch Doctor


    "MY LADY, please stay here," Damian said to Tilly in a whisper. "I''ll check what''s happening outside."


    Tilly nodded and whispered back to the knight. "Be careful, Damian."


    The young knight nodded, then he went out of the carriage.


    [I hope it''s nothing serious.]


    To be honest, she was really curious of what was happening outside. But for the sake of her baby, she stayed inside the carriage obediently.


    Now she regretted letting her cravings take over.


    She really thought that it would be safe to go outside because it was only afternoon, and the sun was still bright. Plus, Komono was a crowded area. She didn''t expect that they would be ambushed in a ce like that.


    As far as she remembered, they were in the main road. Plus, she wasn''t using the carriage with Kiho''s ck Serpent crest. Unless they were stalked from the start, there was no way the enemies would know that she was inside that carriage?


    [And who would be bold enough to attack people in broad daylight in the middle of a busy road?]


    Tilly gasped when the door on her side suddenly opened. She was about to prepare herself for attack when she saw a woman with burgundy short and messy hair. The woman was also wearing a dirty brown cloak. Despite her rugged appearance, the woman had a beautiful face.


    [Her pink eyes are so pretty.]


    Wait, what?


    In her past life, she only met one person with pink eyes.


    "Oi, I''m hungry," the woman with pink eyes told her in a rough tone. "Do you have food in there? Even water will do."


    God, it was really her.


    [Luna, the witch doctor.]


    "Oi, oi, oi," Luna said in a panic while looking at her with widened eyes. "I haven''t done anything to you. Why are you crying?"


    Tilly could only cry harder.


    Meeting the "witch doctor" again reminded her of one of the terrible crimes that she hadmitted in her past life.


    [Oh, god]


    She got out of the carriage to properly face Luna.


    Once outside, she realized what was happening around. There were knights in front of the carriage. Based on their red uniforms, they must be from the Red Phoenix squad. The knights were arresting men dressed like rebels.


    Spectatorsposed of lower nobles andmoners mostly surrounded the scene while whispering to themselves.


    [Ah, so that''s why the carriage suddenly stopped.]


    She was relieved to know that she wasn''t specifically ambushed.


    "Mydy!"


    Tilly''s attention diverted to Damian who came running to her side. "Damian, where did you go?"


    "The vice-captain of the Red Phoenix Knights recognized me. He exined to me that it''s not safe to stroll around Komono now because some rebels terrorized the area a while ago," Damian exined. Then, when he noticed Luna, he suddenly stood protectively in front of her. "Who are you?"


    Luna waved her hand casually. "Don''t mind me. I''m just a hungry traveler." The witch tilted her head to look at Tilly. "Oi, do you know me? You''re looking at me we''ve already met before."


    "Watch yournguage, Miss," Damian warned the woman. "Don''t talk to thedy that way."


    "Eh?" the witch doctorined. "No wonder she looks so frail."


    Damian was about to retort but Tilly held his shoulder to stop him. He turned to her and bowed before he stepped aside for her.


    "Miss, I don''t have food or water with me right now but I''m on my way to eat," Tilly told Luna, pretending that she didn''t know her. "Would you like to join me for some snacks?"


    "Oi, you''re interesting," Luna said with a smirk. "Why do I feel like you owe me big time?"


    She could only smile sadly at the witch''s light "usation."


    Luna wasn''t wrong though.


    After all, Tilly ordered the death of the witch in her first life.


    [And that''s because in the past, I found out that Luna had the ability to fix Princess Nia''s infertility.]


    ***


    "CAPTAIN Kiho, may I know where you''re heading next?"


    Kiho was starting to get ufortable with Captain Sherwood''s sudden clinginess. But he didn''t want him to think that he was hiding something from him.


    Right now, they were still at Captain Ainsworth''s office. The captain of the Golden Tiger Knights left for a while to ask his men to send a report to the pce. Captain Denver also excused himself when he received a call from his vice-captain.


    And so, he was left with Captain Sherwood.


    "Let me check for a minute," Kiho said. Then, he pulled out the small notebook from the inside pocket of his jacket. He jotted down Tilly''s errands for him so he wouldn''t miss a thing. "Now that I''m done with the Fire Wielder Guild''s foundation, I''ll be heading to Children''s Haven next."


    ''Children''s Haven'' was an orphanage for kids who were orphaned because of Crades.


    "Oh, isn''t that in Komodo?" Captain Sherwood asked. "May Ie with you?"


    "Why?" he asked curiously. "Don''t you have work for today?"


    He grinned like a child. "Apanying you seems more fun."


    For some reason, that gave him goosebumps. [Why is Captain Sherwood acting this way? Does he want to get close to me to spy on me and Tilly?]


    "Captain Kiho, I received a report from my vice-captain," Captain Denver said when he entered the office. "Rebels attacked Komodo as well a while ago. ording to my men, Lady Prescott was in the area when the attack happened."


    Kiho gasped and immediately stood up. "Is Tilly hurt? Where is she?"


    "Lady Prescott wasn''t hurt," Captain Denver assured him. "She''s with her personal knight and a woman that my men aren''t familiar with."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. Tilly said that she didn''t have ns for today. So who was it that his wife met up with? "Thank you for informing me, Captain Denver." He turned to Captain Sherwood. "I apologize, Captain Sherwood. I have to go to my wife first."


    "I understand, Captain Kiho. Don''t mind me," Captain Sherwood said with a smile. "Be careful. And I mean it."


    Okay, that was creepy.


    It seemed that Captain Sherwood was genuinely concerned about him. But that was very suspicious. The captain never showed him this much interest before.


    [Ah, whatever. I''ll think about itter.]


    "Thank you, Captain Sherwood," Kiho said, walking as quickly as possible. Then, he tapped Captain Sherwood''s shoulder when he walked past him. "Thanks again, Captain Denver."


    ***


    "WOW THIS is so good!"


    Tilly smiled while watching Luna eat with so much gusto.


    Right now, they were at a restaurant with grilled steak as its best selling dish. Of course, the quality of the steak wasn''t as good as what was served at high-end restaurants. But it was the best in Komodo.


    And Luna seemed to be enjoying the food.


    "I''m d you liked the food," Tilly said with a relieved smile. "You can order as much as you want, Miss Luna."


    Yes, introductions were made a while ago.


    Damian didn''t look happy that she was acting friendly with a stranger. So the young knight went to the restaurant with them. He was sitting beside Luna and he looked shocked by the amount of food that she had already eaten.


    After all, the witch had nine tes of grilled rib-eye steak now while Damian only ordered a cup of tea.


    [And it looks like she''s far from being full.]


    Tilly had already forgotten her cravings for street food. Watching Luna eat with gusto seemed to make her full as well. She only had one te of steak and now, she was having tea to digest it properly.


    "Nah, I''m already full," Luna said. Then, she burped loudly that made Damian frown. "Thank you for the food, Lady Prescott. So now, what''s the catch?"


    [As expected, she''s quick to catch on.]


    "Damian, please leave us alone," Tilly told the young knight. "You can wait outside. That''s an order."


    Damian couldn''t argue anymore when she said it was an "order." He just politely bowed to her. "Mydy, I''lle back after fifteen minutes."


    "Alright," she said. "I''ll end it in fifteen minutes."


    The young knight bowed to her before he stood up and left the restaurant.


    She looked around first. Thankfully, because of the incident with the rebels a while ago, the restaurant was almost empty. The other two customers aside from there were upying the tables far from the one they upied.


    They were out of ear-shot.


    "Miss Luna, I know that you''re a witch," Tilly said softly. "To be precise, you specialize in pregnancy and female reproductive health."


    If they were in the modern world, then the witch would be an OB-GYN.


    "So, my hunch was correct," Luna said with a smile. Then, she put her elbows on the table and held her face between her hands while giving her an amused look. Eventually, her eyes glowed in a deeper shade of pink, making it almost red now. "I can tell that everything about you is special your heart, your soul, and the baby inside your womb."


    "And for that reason, I want you to look after me and my baby," she said seriously. "I know that you''re the only doctor who can do the job."


    "Why would I help you?" she askedzily. "I only returned to the Royal Capital to spit on a certain former mage''s grave. I don''t have any intention to stay here for long."


    The witch was talking about Lahara.


    Unfortunately, Tilly didn''t know why Luna hated Lahara and the royal twins.


    But in her past life, she remembered that Emperor Aku captured Luna and sent her to where Princess Nia was exiled to. The witch was ordered to fix the princess''s infertility.


    When Tilly found out about Luna''s ability in the past, she ordered her people to kill the witch. ording to the people she ordered, the witch didn''t resist and just epted her death. Apparently, Luna said that she''d rather die than fix Princess Nia''s body.


    "We hate the same people, Miss Luna," Tilly answered with a smile. "Isn''t that enough reason for us to be friends?"


    Lunaughed at her answer. "You''re interesting, Lady Prescott," she said. Then, she raised her hand as if she was about to touch her face. "I think I might like you"


    The witch stopped talking when someone grabbed her wrist.


    Tilly looked up to see Kiho holding Luna by the wrist. Her husband was usually pokerfaced. But this time, he looked pissed.


    [Ah, I forgot to call him.]


    "Don''t touch my wife," Kiho warned Luna in a low voice. "Who are you?"


    Luna gasped while looking at Kiho''s face.


    Tilly turned to the witch, wondering if she knew her husband. But she didn''t like the sparkle in the other woman''s eyes while ogling Kiho as if he was a piece of steak.


    "Oi, you''re the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life," Luna told Kiho, her cheeks suddenly turning pink. "Are you single?"


    Tilly was about to throw hands but her husband spoke.


    "I''m not," Kiho said, then he dropped Luna''s wrist so that he could gently hold her by her shoulders. He held her like he was proudly showing her off to the other woman. "I''m married to this beautiful and amazingdy."


    Tilly smiled proudly at Luna. But she was hoping that the witch could see the glint of warning in her eyes. "My husband is off-limits, Miss Luna."


    ***


    "I HEARD that Captain Kiho would be a duke soon."


    "Yes, Father," Mikhail answered. Right now, he was standing in front of Marquis Morgan Denver his father while they were in his office. "But because of what happened to Her Royal Highness, there wouldn''t be a big celebration. I heard that aside from His Majesty, only House Prescott and their vassal families would attend the ceremony."


    "That''s understandable. We can''t hold big celebrations until Her Royal Highness wakes up," her father said. "But Mikhail, don''t be toocent just because you think it''s peaceful these days."


    "I always have my guard up, Father," he assured him. "That''s why I noticed that Captain Sherwood is acting strange. For some reason, he''s following Captain Kiho around."


    "Now that''s strange," the marquis agreed with a knotted forehead. "The Sherwoods pride themselves as Bookkeepers or Historians of the empire. It is said that history is written by victors. And so, the Sherwoods would always choose the side of the "champions." For many years, they stayed by the Moonchesters'' side because no one had sessfully managed to destroy the royal family. Captain Noel Sherwood, for the first time in their family history, even entered the knighthood just to uncover the knowledge that the royal family has been keeping for the past centuries. If he''s following Captain Kiho now, that only means one thing."


    "I thought the same, Father," he said. "Captain Sherwood definitely discovered either a secret about Captain Kiho''s origin or his connection with His Majesty."


    "The prophecy wouldn''t choose amoner like Captain Kiho. And His Majesty wouldn''t marry him off to Lady Prescott without a reason," Marquis Denver said. "We don''t know if we can trust Captain Kiho''s origin yet so dig deeper about his past, Mikhail. If you find evidence that Captain Kiho would be a danger to our Supremeter, then kill him. Our n exists for the Supreme so we can''t let harm befall on Lady Prescott."


    "Yes, Father," Mikhail said to his father. "I''ll kill anyone that would pose a threat to Lady Prescott even if it''s Captain Kiho, her own husband."


    ***


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 Chapter 74: New Brewing Troubles

    Chapter 74: New Brewing Troubles


    "MISS LUNA, please think about my offer," Tilly said seriously. Right now, they were in front of the carriage that she asked Damian to rent for Luna. After havingte lunch, Luna thanked her and said she needed to leave. She offered to get the witch a ride and thankfully, she epted it. "I''ll be waiting for your decision. If you can''te to our residence, please send me a letter and I''lle to you instead."


    "We wille to get you, Miss Luna," Kiho added, then he turned to her. "The two of us. Right, honey?"


    She smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Right, the two of us," she said, then she turned to Luna. "Miss Luna" She stopped talking when she realized that Miss Luna was looking at Kiho with sparkling eyes. The witch was literally drooling over her husband. To hide her annoyance, she cleared her throat. "Miss Luna, did you hear what we just said?"


    "I''ll definitelye and visit your residence to see that handsome face," Luna said while ogling Kiho. Then, she wiped the drool on the side of her mouth before she turned to her. "I''d love to visit your residence if it means seeing your husband again."


    Okay, that kind of upset her.


    "Hon, please wait inside our carriage," Tilly said while looking up at her husband. When he was about toin, she open her eyes wider than usual. "Now."


    Kiho nodded. Well, their carriage was just next to the one they rented for Luna. Maybe he thought that he could reach her anytime if something bad was to happen. "I''ll wait inside, honey," he said. Then, he turned to Luna and bowed. "Have a safe trip, Miss Luna."


    "Thank you, Sir Kiho," Luna said with shining eyes. "My trip is already worth it because I met you."


    Her husband obviously looked unimpressed.


    [Thank goodness.]


    Kiho just politely bowed to Luna again before he walked away and got inside their carriage.


    Damian was standing outside their carriage but the young knight was far enough to not hear their conversation from there.


    [I feel like I owe Miss Luna an apology because of what I did to her in the past.]


    But before Tilly could open her mouth, the witch beat her to it.


    "Lady Prescott, you''re husband is thest of his kind," Luna said, her pink eyes glowing in a reddish shade again. "Protect him at all cost."


    She didn''t know why but she suddenly got goosebumps. Luna may look like a lunatic. But the words she said just now had gravity in it. "What do you mean by that, Miss Luna?"


    "His face is a national treasure!" the witch said yfully, the glow in her eyes and the seriousness on her face disappearing altogether. "Be careful, Lady Prescott. A face like that could start a war." She held her by the shoulders. "For the sake of your peace, don''t let another woman steal your husband."


    This crazy witch definitely wasn''t sprouting random things.


    Well, Luna might look and sound like she was only joking.


    But Tilly, from her experience in dealing with Luna in her past life, knew that the witch wouldn''t say rubbish things. Her words were always filled with riddles.


    "Kiho is one of a kind and his face is a national treasure," Tilly said under her breath while thinking carefully. "If he gets stolen from me, a war might start." She gave Luna a questioning look. "Are you saying that my husband is an important existence in the empire?


    Luna pulled her hands away from her as if she was burnt. "Don''t be too serious, Lady Prescott. I''m just saying that your husband is too handsome so you should be worried about other women who might seduce him."


    "You''re not the type of person who''d give random advice to married couples, Miss Luna," she said. "Your words always have a deeper meaning than what you make it sound like."


    "Why are you talking like you know me well?"


    She just smiled sadly at the witch.


    What she couldn''t tell Luna was in her past life, she also gave her a "random advice." But she didn''t listen to her.


    In her first life, Luna told her that the empire''s greatest treasure wasn''t the throne. The witch said that she already had "them." But of course, her foolish past self didn''t listen to Luna. So in the end, she was left with nothing and died a painful death.


    [Come to think of it, Miss Luna in my first life was probably telling me that the empire''s greatest treasures were Kiho and Winter. But was it because a family is priceless or was the witch trying to tell me something else about my husband and son?]


    "I''ll tell you everything once you decide to work as my doctor," Tilly said confidently. "See youter, Miss Luna."


    Lunaughed in amusement. "You''re really interesting, Lady Prescott."


    ***


    "WHERE have you gone to, Captain Sherwood?" Aku asked the captain in a strict tone. It was way past lunch when Captain Sherwood came back to the pce. Right now, they were in the throne room. "Just because I didn''t kill you don''t mean I won''t change my mind again."


    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," Captain Sherwood said with a bow. When he raised his head again, he saw the look of amusement in his eyes. The captain didn''t look sorry at all. "The captains of the Four Orders have been busy this afternoon. Several groups of rebels from different areas in the Royal Capital have appeared. They were all iming that the Fire Mages have found the heart. Well, the ordinary citizens don''t have any idea what the heart the rebels are talking about is. But the fact that they mentioned the Fire Mages is enough to instill fear among the people, especially themoners. After all, if a war breaks out, the ss that would be affected most is the poor."


    "Uh-huh," he saidzily. "I''ve received several reports about it already."


    "Your Majesty, was it you?" the captain asked, obviously not scared of him. Well, he could talk freely since it was only the two of them in the throne room right now. "Was it you who ordered those "rebels" to scare the public using the Fire Mages'' name?"


    "What do you think, Captain Sherwood?"


    He shook his head. "That''s not something that you''d do, Your Majesty. After all, when you want something, you keep quiet about it so other people wouldn''t discover it. That''s the reason why you locked up Her Royal Highness in the pce until your debut in society. Am I right?"


    Ah, the Sherwoods'' knowledge about the royal family was starting to be a problem.


    [I should deal with them soon.]


    "It wasn''t me," he admitted. "I''m afraid this is the work of my beloved Nia."


    "Her Royal Highness?" Captain Sherwood asked in surprise. "Is the princess awake, Your Majesty?"


    "Unfortunately, Nia is still unconscious," Aku said, the he let out a deep sigh. "But her "collection" of "unique" warriors has returned to the Royal Capital after they heard the news about the princess."


    Aku wouldn''t lie: he never liked Nia''s "collection."


    ***


    "KIHO, are you upset?" Tilly asked her husband nervously while they were sitting side by side in the carriage. To give them privacy, Damian sat beside the coachman instead of joining them inside. "I didn''t get hurt though. The fiasco was over when we arrived here at Komodo."


    "I know and I''m d that you weren''t hurt," Kiho said patiently. "But I almost got a heart attack when Captain Denver informed me that you were here. I thought you were going to stay home all day because you felt unwell."


    Okay, now she felt guiltier.


    "Tilly, I''m not asking you to lock yourself up in the house or report to me every hour," he continued softly. "I understand that you''re an independent woman and I like that about you. But please. Tell me whenever you''re going out. I want to know where you are so if something like that happens again, I could follow you right away." His hand touched the ck earring in her lobe, the one that they used as amunication device. "I''m just one call away, honey."


    "I''m sorry, Kiho," she said, a lump forming in her throat. She wasn''t a crybaby but her hormones were messing her up. Gosh, who would have thought that she would cry just because Kiho scolded her lightly? "This may sound like an excuse but I really thought it would just be a short trip. I was craving for Komodo''s street food and so I went here without telling you. Please don''t be mad at me."


    Panic crossed his eyes when tears started to fall down her cheeks.


    "Tilly, don''t cry," Kiho said in a panic while wiping her tears off her face using his hands. "I''m not mad, honey. I just want to remind you that you can depend on me anytime. As long as you understand, then we''re good."


    She nodded. "Hon, I''m really sorry."


    He kissed her on the forehead. "Apology epted, honey. Are you still craving for some street food? I''ve been here a lot in the past so I can rmend some good food stall."


    Tilly smiled, her mood instantly turning bright again. "Yes, I''m craving for it again."


    "Alright, let''s go on a date before we go home," Kiho said, then he kissed her on the lips this time. "I can''t really stay upset with you for longer than a minute."


    ***


    AS MUCH as Luna wanted to enter the White Tower''s premise, she couldn''t.


    The closest she could get was to the tower''s gate located at the foot of Mt. Erion. The White Tower stood at the mountain''s peak. So yes, anyone who intended to go to the tower had to climb all the way up. But of course, it wouldn''t be a walk in the park.


    Considering her power, she could easily climb the mountain to reach the White Tower. But that would mean the ugly mages up there would detect her.


    "Tsk," Luna clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You should have expected Lahara toe back as a corpse after you let her leave the White Tower to support the princess. Ah, wait. You didn''t even get her body, did you?"


    After her monologue, she did what she came there for: she spat on the gate.


    Now she felt good.


    "Lahara, you bitch," she said while looking at the White Tower. "You deserve to be burnt to death."


    Just because a person was dead didn''t mean she should speak about her with respect, right?


    First and foremost, Lahara and that now crispy fried princess ruined her life. If Lahara didn''t get burnt to ashes, she would have ended her life anyway.


    [So, my utmost gratitude to you, Red Phoenix.]


    Speaking of the Red Phoenix


    "I found your heart," she said while looking up at the sky, wondering if the sky beast could hear her from there. "Did you send me back at the Royal Capital to meet her? She''s an interesting fellow, and so was her family."


    She couldn''t get Sir Kiho out of her mind.


    Well, the captain was really handsome. She didn''t lie about that. But of course, that wasn''t the reason why she was interested in him.


    "I can''t believe that the Supreme Fire Mage married an ancient god," she whispered to herself. "The son of the Supreme and the ck Serpent he''s the key that the emperor needs for his goal. I have to protect that child."


    Yes, from the very beginning, she didn''t have any intention to turn down Lady Prescott. And she wanted to know her secret as well. Actually, she already had an idea. She just wanted to confirm it.


    "Ah, Lady Prescott," Luna said under her breath. Then, she closed her eyes and sniffed in the scent of blood in the air. In her mind, she could see Lady Prescott''s image. And behind her was a woman who had her back on her. The only feature she could see from the other woman was her long, jet-ck hair. "Be careful of her."


    ***


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    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 75: Lady with a Crab Mallet

    Chapter 75: Lady with a Crab Mallet


    "OH MY gosh," Tilly said while looking at an array of clothes presented in front of her. "This is going to be a huge problem."


    Right now, she was in their dress room. Actually, it was a very grand room where all the finest silks and clothes in the mansion were kept. She was there with Lord Simone and his elite team of dress tailors and designers.


    Lord Simone was the best tailor for men''s clothes in the whole empire. His family had been making clothes for the royal family for many decades now.


    As Emperor Aku''s gift for Kiho''s debut in the high society, His Majesty sent Lord Simone a viscount to make some custom-made suits for her husband a few weeks ago. The tailor got Kiho''s size and checked his other clothes for "reference."


    And now, Lord Simone and his team visited their residence to show them the finished products. They presented all the suits they made for Kiho.


    "I like them all," Tilly dered while seated on the sofa. "My husband has a gorgeous body so anything he wears looks good on him."


    Lord Simone and his staff stifled augh at her shameless deration.


    [But did I lie?]


    Also, in fairness to Lord Simone and his team, they weren''t as snotty as she thought they would be considering the fact that they literally made clothes for the emperor. They were polite, approachable, and open-minded.


    "That, I agree," Lord Simone said with a polite smile. "I''m certain that any suit would fit His Grace well."


    ["His Grace."]


    Tilly smiled. Her husband''s new title sounds music to her ears. Anyway, she turned to Kiho who was sitting beside her. But instead of the clothes in front of them, her dorky husband was looking at her. Gosh, was he in love with her face or something? "Hon, I like all the clothes that Lord Simone and his team made for you. But of course, you get to choose what you''d want to wear for your debut, Kiho."


    Kiho''s debut would be the night he would be officially known as His Grace Kiho Nystrom, Duke of Oakes.


    Instead of throwing a huge banquet as celebration, they decided to opt for a simple dinner instead. Only the emperor and House Prescott''s vassal families were invited. But it wouldn''t be considered rude because after the tragedy that happened to Princess Nia, there had been an unspoken rule that big parties were prohibited in the Royal Capital.


    She was fine with it because she wasn''t a fan of huge banquets as well.


    The only downside was they would be forced to face Emperor Aku again.


    "I like all the clothes as well," Kiho finally said after admiring her face. Then, he turned to Lord Simone. But his hand was still holding hers tightly. "I have a request though."


    "We''ll be honored to grant a request from you, Your Grace," Lord Simone said. "We''re humbly listening."


    "Whatever suit I choose, I want you to make a matching one for Duke Prescott," Kiho said. "I want to have matching clothes with my father."


    Lord Simone smiled fondly and bowed to Kiho. As you wish, Your Grace."


    Tilly suddenly felt emotional. When Kiho turned to her, she smiled at him and squeezed his hand. He didn''t smile back at her but the glow of happiness in his yellowish eyes was more than enough. [Thank you for being kind to my father, Kiho.]


    ***


    "TILLY, I have a surprise for you."


    Tilly smiled at the excitement that she saw in Kiho''s face when he entered her office. She closed the ounting book that she had been checking. When she noticed that he was hiding something behind her back, she giggled. "What is it, hon?"


    Kiho sat on her table, his hands still hidden behind his back. "Guess what finally got approved today?"


    She blinked while thinking. Then, she gasped. "Don''t tell me?"


    "Yes," he said excitedly. Then, he finally showed the surprise he was hiding behind him. It was a scroll. "The crest of our new family had been approved by the pce. You haven''t seen it yet, right?"


    "I haven''t," she said with a pout. "You and Father have kept it a secret from me."


    Ever since the day her father approved Kiho''s choice of name, the two had been working together for their family''s crest.


    "Here," he said, then handed the scroll to her. "I want to show you the final design first."


    She smiled and epted the scroll. "Thank you, Kiho."


    Taking a deep breath first, she finally opened the scroll.


    She gasped when she saw the final design of their new family crest.


    The background of the crest was midnight blue. In the center, there was a ck snake with golden eyes that had its body wrapped around a wooden


    crab mallet?


    Tillyughed softly, then she looked up at her husband. He looked just as happy as she was. "Hon, is this a crab mallet?"


    Kiho nodded eagerly. "The crab mallet is you. Originally, I wanted your face stered on our crest. But Father scolded me. He said everyone in the empire already knows that I''m head over heels for you even without putting your face on our crest."


    "I''m d that Father rejected it," she said while shaking her head. "I mean, I appreciate the thought. But it would have been embarrassing to see my face everywhere."


    "I thought about it as well," he admitted. "And I don''t want other men from other ces discover how beautiful my wife is."


    She blushed at that. Kiho tended to say sweet nothings that would often catch her off-guard. And she loved that about him. "Good job oning up with the perfect item to honor me."


    "Thank you, honey," he said. "I also wanted to put a crab on the crest but Father scolded me again."


    Sheughed at that. "I wish I could have seen Father scolding you."


    "Father doesn''t yell or get violent but his still voice is still scary."


    She nodded in agreement. "True. Anyway, please continue exining the details of our crest, Kiho."


    "The snake with the color of my eyes is me," he continued. "I wanted to add a little snake for our Baby Winter but I thought it would be unfair for our next child if only their brother is included in the family crest."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. "Kiho, do you want to have more kids?"


    He nodded, suddenly looking nervous. "D-Don''t you want to have more kids, honey?"


    She focused on Winter since she came back because he was the only child she had in her past life.


    But now that she had a good rtionship with Kiho, it wouldn''t be impossible for them to have another kid. Of course, that was assuming that they survived their "silent war" with the royal family.


    And if they survived


    "I want a daughter," she admitted with a shy smile. "I want a mini me."


    In her past life, Winter looked like Kiho''s carbon copy. So if they were going to have a new baby, she wanted her mini version.


    "I want a daughter as well," Kiho said with a small smile. Then, he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Let''s work hard after you give birth to Winter."


    Sheughed and lightly punched his arm.


    After a short make out session, her husband finally continued exining the crest to her.


    "I chose midnight blue as the background color as a nod to House Prescott''s family color," Kiho finished. "Did you like it?"


    "No," she teased him with a straight face. When his face fell, she giggled and pinched his cheek. "Hon, I love it!"


    His face lit up again. "God, Tilly. I thought you didn''t like it. Father approved it but he was worried that the crest was too simple for our status."


    "It''s simple but meaningful," she assured him. "That''s also the kind of family that I want to build with you. So for me, it''s perfect."


    "I''m really lucky that you''re the woman of the prophecy, Tilly," Kiho said seriously while touching her face with the back of his hand. "You''ll always be the goddess of crabs to me my one and onlydy with a crab mallet."


    "I love that title," she said. "Ah, now that you mention crab, I want to have some." She gave him puppy dog eyes. "Hon, can we have seafood for dinnerter? I want King Crabs, lobsters, and prawns. The big ones."


    "Sure," he said. "I''ll go to the portter to buy fresh seafood."


    "Thank you, hon," she said. "Can I invite Father to our dinner? Having our new family crest is worth a celebration."


    "Of course," he said. "I''ll call Fatherter."


    "I''m touched, hon," she said. Then, she stood up between his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You''ve been doing errands for metely while I stay home. I''m sorry for making you do most of my workloads."


    "It''s nothing, honey," he said, then he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Anything for you and our baby."


    She looked at him long and hard.


    To be honest, there was another reason why she wanted to invite her father to their dinner. It has been three days already since she met Luna. She hadn''t heard from the witch again but she couldn''t get her words out of her head.


    [Luna definitely gave me a hint that Kiho isn''t a simplemoner.]


    Now she felt stupid. She should have realized from the start that Kiho wouldn''t even be a part of an important prophecy if he wasn''t special. And maybe there was another reason as to why Emperor Aku took him in.


    [House Prescott is one of the oldest families in the empire. I''ll ask Father if he can do a background check on Kiho. Since my husband doesn''t have a surname, then we should start by looking up for people with the same ice power as him. Usually, people with the same Mana are connected to one another.]


    Another realization dawned upon her: Kiho was the only one with ice power in the empire.


    [Oh, god. I''m so stupid!]


    "What are you thinking about, Tilly?" Kiho asked softly while brushing his thumb across the knot on her forehead. "You can share it to me if you want."


    "I''ll tell youter," she promised him. "I still need to do some thinking. I feel very stupid right now."


    "You''re not stupid, Tilly," he said. "You''re one of the smartestdies I have met."


    That made her smile instantly. "Thank you."


    "Are you still working?"


    "I''m done checking the logbooks," she said. "I think I''ll have afternoon tea now. Would you like to join me, hon?"


    "Let''s use our free time in a more productive way," he said, his hand sliding down from her waist to her leg. The heated look in his eyes told her how hungry he was for her. "Can we?"


    Her eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and excitement. "Here? In my office?"


    "We haven''t done it in a table yet," Kiho said teasingly. "And I locked the door when I came in."


    "So, this is your n all along?" Tilly asked between giggles, her hands already busy undoing the buttons of his dress shirt. "You''re so naughty now, Kiho."


    And she loved it.


    ***


    "CAPTAIN, you should have just asked me to buy seafood for you. You didn''t have toe here yourself," ke said, then he paused for a while. "Oh, I apologize. I should have addressed you with your new title. Please excuse my insolence, Your Grace."


    "It''s fine, ke," Kiho told the vice-captain. "I''m still the captain of our squad anyway."


    "I understand," he said. "But I want to help you get used to your new title, Your Grace. You''re a duke now."


    Well, he had a point.


    But he was distracted when he saw the giant King Crabs in the aquarium.


    Right now, they were Atlenta the port town where he and Tilly met for the first time. To be precise, they were in a restaurant that sold the biggest sea creatures such as King Crabs. Also, that ce had a unique concept.


    Customers could choose the seafood that they wanted to eat, then ask the chef to cook it for them as they waited inside the restaurant.


    "Tilly would love that," Kiho said while pointing at the biggest King Crab in the aquarium. "My wife is small but she eats well."


    "I know, Your Grace," ke said. "We''ve all seen Lady Prescott eat with so much gusto the first time you met here."


    He smiled faintly at the memory.


    "Mister, please get me that King Crab."


    Kiho turned to thedy who pointed at the same King Crab that he pointed. He was surprised when the woman''s hood fell off her head. At first nce, he thought her hair was jet-ck. But when he blinked, thedy''s hair turned into chocte brown.


    [Am I seeing things because I''m tired?]


    Maybe he was just tired because right now, thedy''s hair remained brown in his eyes.


    [Her hair is almost as dark as Tilly.]


    "Miss, are you sure you can eat that by yourself?" the restaurant owner asked thedy. "Does a youngdy like you even know how to eat crab properly?"


    "Don''t underestimate me, Mister," the girl with the chocte brown hair said. Then, she pulled out something from the pocket of her cloak. "Look, I even have a crab mallet with me."


    [A crab mallet]


    It seemed like the woman noticed that he was looking at her because she turned to his direction.


    [Shit, why am I even looking at her?]


    When Kiho met thedy''s dark brown almost reddish eyes, his heart suddenly thumped painfully against his chest.


    [Who is this woman?]


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 76: Sacred Invitation

    Chapter 76: Sacred Invitation


    TILLY ACCIDENTALLY dropped the cup that she was about to ce on the table, making her gasp in the process. She was so surprised that her heartbeat suddenly went erratic. But to be honest, she had been feeling that way since a while ago.


    <em>Is it mine or Winter''s heart though?</em>


    Anyway, she wasn''t looking when she put the cup down and thought that she had properly ced it on the table. She didn''t pay attention to it because she was checking the blueprint of her new store at Komodo. The architect just sent it to her and she was very eager to check it.


    The opening of her new store had also been dyed because of what she went through recently. But she didn''t want to dy it further.


    And because of her haste, this was what happened: the tea cup ended up in broken pieces.


    <em>What a shame I''m fond of that tea cup.</em>


    "Your Grace, is everything alright there?" Louisa, the head maid, asked from outside the room. Along with Leni and Lani, the three served as herdies-in-waiting. "We heard a crashing sound."


    "I dropped the tea cup," Tilly said. "Please clean it up."


    "Give us a moment, Your Grace."


    Now that she had calmed down, she realized that she had started to get used to be called "Your Grace." After all, the emperor had already signed Kiho''s registration as a duke. That made her a duchess as well, of course.


    But even though her father already passed his duke title to Kiho, it wasn''t like he was no longer a higher noble. Her father had other titles aside from being a duke. To other territories, he was a marquis.


    <em>Father is that rich.</em>


    And he would still be rich even if he gave Oakes to Kiho.


    <em>Speaking of Kiho</em>


    Her husband left home after lunch to check his squad and to buy the ingredients for their dinnerter. But it had already been hours since then.


    <em>What''s taking you long, hon?</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she heard a knock on the door.


    A few momentster, the maids entered her office with cleaning tools with them. They were cleaning up the broken pieces of the cup when David, the head butler, came to deliver a letter for her.


    "Your Grace, a letter from the High Priest''s temple had arrived," David informed her while holding a tray where the letter was ced carefully. "The letter has His Eminence''s seal."


    She suddenly got nervous even though she already knew what the letter was about.


    <em>It''s definitely about the date of when I need to serve the temple as the Beast Priestess.</em>


    Gosh, why wouldn''t her heart stop beating like crazy?


    Tilly clutched her chest tight. For some reason, her heart had been palpitating non-stop even though she didn''t have caffeine. She didn''t want to admit this but she was feeling ominous right now. <em>Pleasee home ASAP, Kiho.</em>


    ***


    UNPLEASANT.


    That was the feeling Kiho had when his gaze met with the woman with the brown hair. His heart was thumping so hard against his ribcage because of the sudden rise of anger in his chest. He didn''t understand why he felt that way.


    When she noticed that the woman was about to talk to him, he immediately turned his back on her and walked away quietly.


    <em>Why do I feel pissed?</em>


    While he was on his way out, a young knight bumped into him. The knight just bowed to him as an apology before walking past him.


    "I''ve been looking for you everywhere, Miss Morganna!"


    That was thest thing Kiho heard before he got out of the restaurant.


    "You''re acting strange, Your Grace," ke, who was walking behind him, said. "It''s rare for you to be rude to a woman you just met."


    "I got an unpleasant feeling from her," Kiho admitted. "I don''t know why though. For some reason, every fiber of my being screamed at me to walk away." Her turned to the vice-captain. "Am I making sense?"


    "To be honest, I don''t understand what you''re saying, Your Grace," the vice-captain answered honestly. "I didn''t feel any threat from thedy. She didn''t give me an unpleasant feeling. In fact, she was nice to look at because she was beautiful."


    Kiho didn''tment on that because first, he didn''t care about other women.


    Second, he didn''t really notice the brown-haired woman''s face. What caught his attention was her hair and nothing else.


    Finally, Tilly was the most beautiful woman in his eyes.


    <em>Always and forever.</em>


    "But I trust your sense and instinct, Your Grace. You were never wrong when ites to judging people," ke continued. "If you felt something off with the woman at the restaurant, then there must really be something wrong with her."


    Kiho nodded in agreement. "I hope to never cross paths with her again."


    ***


    KIHO hurried over to Tilly as soon as he heard from David that his wife called a doctor to check on her.


    When he got to their chamber, he saw his wife sitting on the bed while leaning against the headboard. Her maids were standing by her side. In front of her, the doctor was already packing up his things.


    "Wee back, Your Grace," the maids greeted him when they saw him enter the room.


    Tilly turned to him and smiled. "Wee back, hon."


    Kiho immediately walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed. "Honey, are you okay? What''s wrong?"


    "I''m fine, Kiho," she assured him with a smile. "I just thought my heart was beating erratically so I called over our family doctor to check on me." She turned to the doctor and politely pointed him using her hand. "Hon, meet Dr. Silvano. He''s my father''s doctor."


    Kiho stood up and was about to bow when he realized that he shouldn''t.


    A duke shouldn''t bow to people lower in rank.


    He didn''t like it but now that he had be a part of the nobility, he should follow the rules they lived by.


    "It''s an honor to meet you, Your Grace," Dr. Silvano said with a bow.


    He just nodded as an acknowledgement. "Doctor, how''s my wife''s condition?"


    "Her Grace''s condition is fine," the doctor assured him. "The palpitations that she felt was actually the beat of your baby''s heart."


    His ears perked up that. "Our baby''s heart?"


    "Yes, Your Grace," Dr. Silvano answered. "Unlike other babies, your child''s heart is already fully-developed. That''s why Her Grace could feel and hear the baby''s heartbeat along with her own heartbeat. But overall, both the madam and the child are doing well."


    "That''s a relief," he said. "Thank you, doctor."


    After that, Doctor Silvano bid them goodbye.


    Then, his wife asked the maids to leave the room.


    And now, he had Tilly alone to himself.


    "Honey, how are you feeling?" Kiho asked when he sat beside his wife. "Are you and our baby really okay?"


    "Yes," Tilly answered while nodding. "I thought my heart was palpitating. I''m d to know that I''m just feeling our Winter''s heartbeat. The way his heart is beating loud and hard against my chest, I can assure you that our baby is healthy. And OP."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. ""OP?""


    "Overpowered," she exined, then changed the topic. "How was your trip, hon? Did you remember to buy our dinner for tonight?"


    "Of course," he said. He contemted whether to tell his wife about the strange woman he met. But in the end, he decided not to tell her. He didn''t want her to get upset or jealous. He heard that pregnant women could get really jealous. And the woman was insignificant to them anyway. "How about Father? Is he on his way?"


    "Yes, Father is on his way here," she said while nodding her head.


    "Tilly, shouldn''t we find a new doctor for you and Winter?" he asked carefully. "I don''t think Miss Luna ising."


    "She will. Let''s wait for a bit longer," she said. "Trust me.


    One look at her pretty face and he knew he could never say "no" to her. "Alright."


    "Thank you, hon," she said while gently pinching his cheeks. "Ah, Kiho. I received a letter from the High Priest. The date for my service as a Beast Priestess has been decided."


    "When will it take ce?"


    "Next weekend."


    "So soon," he said while shaking his head. "When a Beast Priestess serves the High Priest, she''s not allowed to bring her servants or knights with her. I''m worried, Tilly. Our enemies could use this chance to hurt you."


    "They won''t hurt me, Kiho," she assured him, then she ced a hand on her tummy. "As long as I have Winter in my womb, they won''t hurt me. We should take advantage of this, hon. While they can''t touch me yet, we should use this time to investigate about your origin."


    He blinked in surprise. "My origin? But I''m just an orphan and amoner, honey. Everyone knows that."


    "You''re an orphan, Kiho," she reminded him carefully. "We don''t know who your parents are, do we?"


    "Tilly, where is thising from?"


    "I''ve thought about it, Kiho," she said seriously. "You were chosen by the prophecy. I don''t know why I haven''t realized it earlier. But only special people could change the fate of a whole empire." She ced a hand on her chest. "Kiho, I''m also a part of the prophecy and I have the heart of the Supreme. You might just be as special. And other people might already know about your real identity from the start."


    <em>Other people?</em>


    He gasped when he realized what Tilly was trying to say.


    Come to think of it, his wife was right. If he was just amoner, he couldn''t possibly be chosen to be a huge part of an important prophecy. And if he was just an ordinary orphan, someone like Emperor Aku wouldn''t be interested in him.


    He felt a pang in his chest.


    "His Majesty" Kiho started, his chest tightening painfully. He felt like his heart was squeezed by something hard when realization dawned upon him. "Did the emperor only take me in because he needs me and not because he cares for me?"


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 77: Fragile Bonds, Tangible Connections

    Chapter 77: Fragile Bonds, Tangible Connections


    TILLY''S HEART broke for Kiho when she saw the pained look on his face.


    "Did the emperor only take me in because he needs me and not because he cares for me?" Kiho asked in a broken voice. "Then, everything he has done for me until now has only been for show?"


    <em>Oh, Kiho</em>


    She suddenly felt guilty. Maybe she could have said it to him more gently. Or perhaps, she shouldn''t have said anything at all until she was sure about his real identity.


    "I''m sorry, Kiho," she said while cupping his face between her hands. "Everything is just my spection. I have no proof that the emperor has only been using you all this time. Maybe I shouldn''t have said anything yet. I was so thoughtless"


    "No, you''re not. You did the right thing, Tilly," he said, putting his hands on top of hers. "We should always share this kind of thing with each other. After all, this is our fight for our family."


    She knew he was right but she was still worried. "How are you feeling, Kiho?"


    "To be honest, the thought that the emperor only took me in because he needs me for something hurts me," he confessed in a soft and sad voice. "I know that I chose to betray His Majesty. But it doesn''t mean that it didn''t hurt. He wasn''t just a brother to me. This is embarrassing but he was a father figure to me while I was growing up. While I owe a lot of things to my master, it was the emperor who taught me what a family is." He smiled sadly at her. "I''m sorry, Tilly. The emperor and the princess have hurt you. I shouldn''t have said this to you so I apologize if I made you guilty."


    She was touched to hear that.


    <em>Ah, he knows that I feel guilty for making him choose between me and His Majesty.</em>


    "You have nothing to feel guilty for, Tilly," he said to her. "It was my choice to choose you over His Majesty. While that decision hurt me, I still don''t regret it. You and our baby will always be my top priority."


    She smiled at that. "Thank you for your unconditional love, hon," she said. Then, she gave him a light kiss on the lips. "How are you feeling now?"


    "Better," he said. "But I will be much, much better with another kiss. The deep one. With tongue."


    "Gosh, you''ve be a pervert," sheined yfully with a pout. "Who taught you to be like that, huh?"


    "You," he said teasingly. "So you should take responsibility, Tilly."


    "Fine," Tilly said between giggles. Then, sheid on her back and opened her arms. "Come here."


    Kiho smiled naughtily, then he carefully copsed on top of her. "I hope Fatheres a little bitte."


    And sheughed at that.


    ***


    <em>FATHER looks confused.</em>


    Tilly held back herughter when he saw her father''s confused face when he saw the spread of giant seafood on the table.


    Right now, they were in the dining hall.


    Lord Prescott was the one sitting on the center as a sign of their respect for him.


    Tilly sat on her father''s left side while Kiho sat on his right side. So right now, she and her husband her sitting across each other.


    But when there was only her and Kiho in the dining hall, they would eat side by side. He wasn''tfortable taking the center seat yet and she didn''t want to pressure him. She knew that Kiho was studying hard to be a proper noble. But still, she wanted to follow his pace. Pressuring him to follow the nobility''s strict protocol right away would only give him stress.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Tilly really found it amusing to see her father confused by giant seafood on the table.


    She couldn''t me her father though. The higher nobles of the empire weren''t really fond of seafood especially those with shells because apparently, they didn''t look "elegant" to it. After all, food like King Crabs were food that would be enjoyed more if it was eaten with hands.


    "Children," her father said. "Shouldnt we ask the chef to open the shells first before he serves it to us?"


    Tilly and Kiho exchanged knowing looks before they turned to Lord Prescott at the same time.


    "Don''t worry, Father," Tilly assured him. "We will teach you how to properly eat seafood."


    "And we have a small gift for you," Kiho added, then he gave a wooden box to Lord Prescott. That box contained a crab mallet. "We hope you like it, Father."


    ***


    AFTER having dinner, Tilly was now in the tea room with Kiho and her father.


    The tea they were having was good for digestion. But that wasn''t the only reason why they went there. Aside from the study, Kiho also embedded spirit stones in the tea room to protect the conversation being held there.


    "The wee party for you is already tomorrow night, Kiho," her father said while looking at Kiho. Then, he elegantly put the tea cup on the table. "How are you feeling?"


    "A little nervous, Father," Kiho admitted, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "But I''ll be fine. I''m seriously taking etiquette ss these days."


    Tilly nodded in agreement. "My husband is really working hard, Father. I''m sure he''ll do us proud so don''t worry about it."


    Kiho turned to her with a small, grateful smile.


    She smiled back at him. <em>You deserve the praise, hon.</em>


    Lord Prescott cleared his throat to get their attention. Then, he turned to her. "Tilly, you''re going to serve the High Priest a few days from now. How''s your training going? Will you be able to protect yourself on your own while you''re in the temple?"


    "I''m starting to get the hang of it, Father," she reported to him. "Thanks to Captain Denver''s advice, I can now control the amount of heat that my body should produce to burn stuff."


    The first time she made her body literally hot after her awakening, she burnt a face towel to ashes. But currently, she no longer burned stuff identally. In fact, if she concentrated hard enough, she could produce a small fire in the tip of her finger. Although its use was only to light up a candle.


    But still, we owe Captain Denver a big one.


    Captain Denver''s advice was simple. ording to the list that he gave Kiho, she must learn how to control her body temperature first based on what she wanted to do. Also, he rmended that she focused on meditation first to improve her concentration level.


    <em>And it''s working.</em>


    "I''m still worried," Lord Prescott said. Then, he turned to Kiho. "I have a resting house near the temple, Kiho. Since Marianne was sickly when she was alive, we often visited the temple. I bought a house for her so she wouldn''t get tired from traveling back from our mansion to the temple, and vice-versa. You can use that house, Kiho."


    "Thank you, Father," Kiho said. "To be honest, I just asked my vice-captain to book me a room in the hotel nearest to the temple. I want to be as near as possible to my wife during that time."


    Her father just nodded at her husband as acknowledgement for his devotion to her.


    "Father, we have something to say," Tilly said, then she turned to Kiho. When he nodded as an encouragement, she turned to her father again and continued. "We think that Kiho came from a special n. Personally, I believe that he''s not a simplemoner."


    She expected that her father would get surprised, but it didn''t happen.


    <em>Why does it look like Father had already expected that?</em>


    "I knew my hunch was correct," her father finally said. Then, he turned to Kiho. "When I heard the surname you chose, do you remember that I said that it sounds familiar?"


    Kiho nodded. "Yes, Father."


    "I tried to look it up to the history books that our family has been keeping for many years now," her father continued. "Unfortunately, I haven''t found a clue yet. But I will dig deeper. I want the two of you to focus on what you have to do for now. Let me take care of this one."


    "Thank you, Father," Tilly and Kiho said simultaneously.


    "We also have a vacation to look forward to," Lord Prescott said in a mildly excited tone. "Let''s work hard for now and rxter when we visit your mother''s resting ce."


    ***


    THE DINNER to celebrate Kiho''s debut in high society was finally tonight.


    Since Emperor Aku was invited, the party was held at his pce (as if the emperor would visit their residence instead). Thankfully, he just lent them the venue but the emperor let them n everything about the party.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Tilly wore an elegant ck dress with midnight blue ents to honor the Nystrom''s family crest. Kiho, on the other hand, wore a ck tailored suit with midnight blue tie. Of course, she made him wear her creation: a matching pearl cuff links and tie brooch.


    <em>Oh, Father also wore the matching suit that Kiho asked to be made for him.</em>


    Gosh, the two looked like real father-and-son duo.


    <em>And I''m happy for them.</em>


    Anyway, while Kiho and her father were greeting their guests in the entrance of the pce, she stayed in the parlor room to rest.


    She wanted to greet their guests as well but she suddenly felt tired. Baby Winter was only seven weeks old but it seemed like their baby was taking most of her strength already. But of course, she wasn''tining.


    Get all the energy that you need, baby, Tilly told Winter while lovingly caressing her tummy. She was yet to have an evident baby bump. But she could feel her son growing in her womb every day. Mommy will be fine as long as youe out healthy.


    Her thoughts were cut off when she heard a knock, and then the door suddenly opened.


    "Duchess Nystrom?"


    Tilly''s body froze when she saw the beautifuldy with auburn short hair and light green eyes who entered the parlor room. She instantly recognized the woman because in her past life, she was the one who served as her doctor. Also, she was the one who helped her give birth to Winter in the past.


    That woman was definitely Lady Alisa Hayward.


    <em>She was the doctor that Princess Nia sent to "take care" of me in the past!</em>


    Tilly suddenly clutched her tummy tighter. To be honest, she didn''t remember much about Lady Hayward but for some reason, she was shaking in fear. And the fear that she was feeling came from her heart


    or was it from Winter''s heart and not hers?


    <em>My baby, are you afraid of this woman?</em>


    "Let me introduce myself, Lady Nystrom," Lady Hayward said, then she curtsied in front of her. "I am Alisa from House Hayward. I came here by Her Royal Highness''s order. Before her tragic ident happened, she asked me to be your doctor."


    Tilly wanted to tell her to get out but suddenly, she lost her voice.


    <em>What''s happening to me?</em>


    "Don''t be afraid, Lady Nystrom," Lady Hayward said with a sickeningly sweet smile. Then, her hand started to reach out to her stomach. "Let me feel your baby first"


    Tilly almost made her body burn to protect her son.


    But all of a sudden, Lady Hayward stopped moving. Based on the frown on her face, it wasn''t her own will to stop. Someone made her do it.


    <em>Via magic, obviously.</em>


    "Don''t touch my patient," Luna dered coldly as she entered the parlor room. And wow, the witch dolled up for tonight. Most of all, she wore a nice dress that made her beauty stand out even more. Though she had to say that the deadly re she was giving Lady Hayward at the moment was scary. "You can''t touch my patient and her baby without my permission, woman."


    Tilly gasped at Luna''s rudeness but deep inside, she was relieved and happy to see her.


    <em>Gosh, Luna is so badass!</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    ***


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    ***


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 78: "Brothers"

    Chapter 78: "Brothers"


    TILLY stared at Luna with admiration.


    <em>She''s really beautiful.</em>


    Luna looked very elegant in her full-length dress with sheer mesh ovey, intricate ck embroidered and embellished detailing, and frills across the bodice and sleeves.


    She almost got insecure of the witch''s dress.


    Thankfully, Tilly loved her ck and midnight blue gradient ombre chiffon dress.


    "I mean no harm to Lady Nystrom and her baby," Lady Hayward told Luna in a calm voice, like a nobledy that she was. Gosh, her angelic face and peach-colored high neck corset dress made her look even lovelier. But still, looks could always be deceiving. "Please release me from your restraining magic,dy doctor."


    Luna ignored Lady Hayward and turned to her instead. Then, the witch held her shoulder lightly. "Are you okay, Lady Nystrom?"


    Tilly didn''t know what exactly happened but when Luna touched her shoulder, she calmed down and was able to breathe properly again. And most of all, her body felt light all of a sudden. "I''m okay, Miss Luna. I just feel a little tired," she said. Then, she turned to Lady Hayward who looked confused for some reason. "Please undo the restraining magic you put of Lady Hayward. She''s an important acquaintance of Her Royal Highness."


    The witch politely bowed to her. "As you wish, Your Grace."


    With just a snap of Luna''s fingers, Lady Hayward suddenly was able to move.


    Tilly stood up because it was rude not to when she had guests in the parlor room. She would have done that earlier had she not been frozen in her seat a while ago. "Lady Hayward, I''d like to introduce you to Miss Luna my personal doctor." She turned to Luna with a knowing smile. "Miss Luna, this is Lady Hayward. She''s also a doctor like you."


    Lady Hayward and Luna exchanged polite greetings.


    "Lady Hayward, I apologize if you feel offended," Tilly said after the introductions. "My doctor is new to the Royal Capital so she''s not familiar with the nobles here yet. And Miss Luna is probably just worried about me because my pregnancy is sensitive. I hope you understand."


    "Of course, Your Grace," Lady Hayward said with a smile. Then, she politely bowed to her. "I apologize if my appearance startled you. I know this will sound like an excuse but I came here assuming that Her Royal Highness has already told you about me. Again, my deepest apologies for my behavior tonight."


    Tilly smiled at her. "It''s alright, Lady Hayward."


    "Now that your doctor is here, I will excuse myself," Lady Hayward said politely. Then, she bowed to her before turning to Luna. "I''m d that Her Grace has a reliable doctor like you, Miss Luna."


    Luna just smiled politely.


    After that, Lady Hayward finally left the room.


    <em>Gosh, that was intense.</em>


    "Miss Luna" Tilly gasped when Luna suddenly flicked her forehead with her fingers. "What was that for?"


    "You almost revealed your powers to that cunningdy," Luna scolded her. "I know that you want to protect your baby. But will you please be more careful?"


    She bit her lower lip but she couldn''t counter the witch. "I''m sorry. I panicked when I was frozen in fear. And I couldn''t move."


    "That cunning doctor was trying to put a curse on you," the witch exined and her revtion made her gasp. But Luna remained pokerfaced as she continued exining what happened to her. "It wasn''t a deadly kind of curse. But if she seeded, you would have been physically weak the whole duration of your pregnancy. I don''t know what her n is but she probably wanted you to rely on her while you were pregnant."


    She got goosebumps.


    In her past life, she remembered that she was "sick" her entire pregnancy. But she thought it was normal because ording to her father then, her mother went through that as well.


    "What would they aplish by doing that?" Tilly asked in confusion. "Do they want me to be stuck in my room to restraint my movements?"


    Luna flicked her forehead again. "Don''t think about that yet, Lady Nystrom. The emperor will be here any minute. You can''t show that kind of face to him. He''s good at reading people so you should act as natural as possible."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "You seem like you know what''s going on between us and the royal family, Miss Luna. Moreover, how did you get here?"


    "I have my ways to find you," the witch said. "And it''s easy for me to infiltrate a pce with weak barrier. You know how strong I am, don''t you?"


    She nodded as confirmation. "Aren''t you going to ask me how I got to know about you?"


    "I am, but that can wait," she said. "You can rx for the whole evening. No one and no spell can touch you on my watch."


    That was very reassuring to hear.


    She still didn''t understand how Luna seemed to know everything. But she already decided to trust her. Plus, she believed that the power of the witch could protect her and Winter.


    "We''ll talk about important matters after this party," Luna told her. Then, she put her hands on her shoulders. "Breathe, Lady Nystrom," she said to her softly. "I''ve got your back."


    Tilly got emotional. She was so relieved to have another ally that she could trust. But also at the same time, she felt guilty because of what she did to Luna in her past life. "Thank you, Miss Luna I mean it."


    <em>And I''ll make it up to you in this lifetime.</em>


    ***


    TILLY was surprised when she woke up after she felt a cold hand on her forehead.


    <em>Eh? I fell asleep?</em>


    "Honey, you''re up?"


    Tilly blinked a few times while looking at Kiho''s worried face. Then, a few momentster, she realized that she was still in the parlor room. She was sitting on the sofa while leaning against Kiho''s solid and literally cool body. "Gosh," she said in admiration. Then, she cupped his face between her hands and kissed her on the lips. "Why are you so handsome, Kiho?"


    Kiho smiled and caressed her face with the back of his hand. "Maybe I have this certain kind of glow because you make me feel loved every single day?"


    She smiled and was about to kiss him again when she heard a barfing sound. When she looked at the direction of where it came from, she blushed when she saw Luna. The witch was just sitting across them while eating a slice of strawberry shortcake.


    And Luna looked disgusted.


    "Please don''t make me throw up," Luna said with a frown. "I hate married couple who shamelessly flirt in front of single people. God, I never so felt lonely in my life until now."


    Tilly just giggled at that. "Sorry. We can''t just help it."


    "I''m going to head out for a minute," Luna said, then she stood up with her te of cake. "I''ll just call you when His Majesty arrives."


    "Thank you, Miss Luna," Kiho said sincerely.


    The witch just waved her hand before she went out of the parlor room.


    "What happened?" Tilly asked curiously. "Why do you seem like you have softened up to Miss Luna already?"


    "When I came to fetch you, I saw that Miss Luna was sincerely protecting you," Kiho exined. "I want to be kind to everyone who''s kind to you."


    She smiled and gently pinched his cheek. "Thank you, hon."


    He shifted his head to kiss the palm of her hand. "His Majesty is about to arrive. But if you still feel tired, you can stay here. Everyone knows you''re pregnant so they''ll understand."


    She shook her head. "Thank you for worrying about me, hon. But as a duchess, I have social responsibilities. Plus, I have rested enough."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Uh-huh," she assured him. "How about you? Are you ready for the dinner?"


    "Yes. Father is guiding me ordingly," he said. "And you''re here, Tilly. As long as you''re by my side, I can get through everything."


    Tilly smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, she pulled him closer to her and rubbed her nose against his nose. "Let''s get this dinner over and done with so we could go home and you know?"


    "Oh," Kiho said, then something akin to exhration glinted gold in his warm gaze. "I''ll have you for dessert, Tilly."


    Gosh.


    <em>My husband is so sexy!</em>


    ***


    THANKFULLY, the dinner went smoothly.


    The guests, all high-ranking nobles, seemed to enjoy the variety of sumptuous dinner that Kiho and Tilly prepared for them.


    After the short ceremony where Emperor Aku officially appointed Kiho and Tilly as the new Duke and Duchess of Oakes, the nobles took turns in congratting them. After that, the emperor asked everyone to go home because ording to him, Tilly was pregnant and had to rest early.


    Each guest that attended the party took home a gift set from Tilly''s jewelry shop. That would help House Nystrom show off their wealth despite being a newly established house.


    After that night, every noble in the empire wouldn''t dare to look down on House Nystrom anymore.


    ***


    AFTER the formal dinner, Kiho was summoned by the emperor in the royal parlor room.


    Begrudgingly, he had to send Tilly home first because he didn''t want her to get tired of waiting. He knew that he could trust his wife''s safety to Lord Prescott and Miss Luna. He was just hoping that His Majesty would send him home early.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    When he got inside the parlor, the emperor invited him for tea. Seeing that only the two of them were in the room, he knew that they would talk about something important.


    "Kiho, congrattions on being a duke," Emperor Aku greeted him with a smile. "You don''t have any idea how proud I am of who you have be."


    Kiho bowed politely. "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    "I''m genuinely happy for you," the emperor continued. "I know I always say this but I really see you as a younger brother."


    In the past, he would feel warm whenever His Majesty said those words to him.


    But right now, all he felt was pain.


    "Your Majesty, if you really see me as a younger brother, then shouldn''t you treat my family as your own as well?"


    The emperor was supposed to drink tea but his hand stopped mid-way. He looked shocked by his question. After looking at him long and hard, understanding finally crossed the emperor''s eyes. Then, he gently put the tea cup down on the table. "You and your son will always be family to me, Kiho."


    Kiho felt gutted when he heard that.


    <em>His Majesty doesn''t consider Tilly as family.</em>


    To be honest, a part of him still regretted the fact that he had betrayed the emperor for his wife. But after hearing what His Majesty just said about his family, the part of him that still saw His Majesty as a brother finally vanished.


    He told Tilly that in a war, she shouldn''t get attached to anyone.


    It''s time for me to walk the talk.


    "Your Majesty, I won''t consider anyone who doesn''t treat Tilly kindly as a part of my family," Kiho dered coldly. "And I will consider anyone who would try to harm my wife as an enemy. No matter who they are, or how their status in the society is."


    The emperor obviously didn''t feel threatened by his words. "Oh, Kiho. How many times do I have to tell you that you should be careful of what you say to me? I will not always tolerate your rudeness, you know? My patience and generosity have limits as well."


    "I have my limits, too, Your Majesty," he said firmly. "I won''t stay still if someonees at my family."


    "It seems like I have spoiled you too much, Kiho," Emperor Aku said coldly, his red eyes glowing menacingly. "How dare you say to my face that you''re going to betray me just because of a woman?"


    "Tilly is not just any woman, Your Majesty," he said, his own yellowish eyes glowing in golden light now. "She''s my life."


    The emperor seemed to be affected by his words because he suddenly calmed down.


    "How can I hate you when I see myself in you?" Emperor Aku asked with a bitter smile. "I knew you''d choose Lady Nystrom because if I were in your situation, I would choose Nia as well no matter what. I understand you, Kiho. And for that reason, I wouldn''t hold this against you. After all, just like me, you''re only a victim of love."


    "We''re different, Your Majesty," he said while shaking his head. "Yes, I am in love with Tilly. But I''m not blinded by love. If Tilly was the kind of woman who would hurt other people just to get what she wanted, then I wouldn''t turn a blind eye. I wouldn''t tolerate her no matter how much I loved her. But thankfully, my Tilly is different from the one you love."


    "Take. It. Back," the emperor said in an eerily calm but intimidating voice. "You can insult me all you want, Kiho. But I won''t forgive you if you talk that way about Nia."


    "Your Majesty, I genuinely see you as a brother."


    Again, his words seemed to have a calming effect on the emperor.


    But this time, he knew that it wasn''t just his words that forced him to calm down. The shocked look on the emperor''s face was enough to tell him that his feelings reached him.


    "You''re an older brother and a father figure to me so let me say this," Kiho said in a broken voice, tears now forming at the corner of his eyes. "An emperor shouldn''t sacrifice the life of his subjects just to protect his own interest. As a younger brother, I have to stop you from bing a rotten ruler." He couldn''t hold it back now. He stood up and bowed to the emperor. When he raised his head, his tears silently rolled down his cheeks while looking at the man that he used to respect the most. "Thank you for everything, Brother Aku."


    Aku, just like him, got emotional. His head hanged low while he was gently pressing the bridge between his eyes as if he was trying hard not to cry. "I can''t believe that would be thest time I''d hear you call me that, Kiho."


    And that was how their brotherhood ended.


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>AUTHOR''S NOTE</strong>: Hi. I apologize. I was supposed to post 2 chapters today but my file got corrupted. I couldn''t recover the stuff that I had written so far so I had to rewrite it again. I could only finish one chapter tonight because I spent the day crying and getting angry at myself for not having a backup file. I''m sorry. I''ll make it up to you soon. :''(


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 79: Lunas Story

    Chapter 79: Luna''s Story


    TILLY plopped on the sofa as soon as she entered her room.


    On the other hand, Luna sat on the chair across her.


    <em>I''m so tired.</em>


    After the dinner party, Kiho was summoned by the emperor. So her husband asked her to go home first with Luna. Her father dropped them off at their residence because he wanted to make sure that they''d go home safely.


    "Miss Luna, would you like you live with us from now on?" Tilly asked the witch. "Aside from the fact that I''d be reassured to have you by my side, I also want to ensure your safety. I know that you''re strong and capable of protecting yourself. But still, I want to do something for you. Consider it as my token of gratitude."


    "After what I''ve seen tonight, there''s no way I''d leave you alone," Luna said. "That Lady Hayward is something. I can tell that she''s a mage but she tried to use ck magic on you. She definitely belongs to the princess''s "collection.""


    "Collection?" she asked curiously. "What kind of "collection" does Her Royal Highness have?"


    "The princess likes collecting people with unique powers and twisted personalities," the witch exined. "Most of them are good-looking men. The royal family is obsessed with beauty, aren''t they?" When she just nodded at her question, Luna continued. "But there are also female members in her collection."


    "Why do you know so much about the princess''s collection, Miss Luna?"


    "My sister was a part of her stupid collection."


    She didn''t miss the use of past tense.


    "Let me introduce myself properly," Luna said seriously. "I am Luna of the Colorless Coven. Our n has unique pink eyes. We are the only witches with this eye color," she said softly as if she was reminded of a fond but sad memory. "But our eyes aren''t just pretty. If you gouge out our eyes and use them as ornaments, they could be powerful protection."


    "Really?"


    The witch nodded. "That''s exactly the reason why our n was hunted down by greedy rich people. They wanted our eyes because they are pretty and useful. Unfortunately, our n doesn''t specialize in fighting. Most of us dedicate our lives to creating medicine for rare diseases. So when we were hunted down for our eyes, only a few survived." She pointed at herself. "Obviously, I''m one of those who are still alive until now."


    She nodded while absorbing Luna''s story. "How did you survive, Miss Luna? Were you born stronger than your people?"


    "You can say that," she confirmed. "My mother was the most powerful witch in our n. And my father was also a powerful wizard. Me and my sister inherited their strong Mana. But since the enemies outnumbered us, we weren''t able to protect our n. Worst of all, our parents died protecting our people. Then, my sister and I got separated from them."


    She felt sad hearing the witch''s tragic story. "I''m so sorry to hear that, Miss Luna."


    Luna just smiled at her before continuing with what she was saying. "My sister and I were adopted by the mages of the White Tower."


    Tilly gasped in shock. "What?"


    "Lahara found us when we arrived at the Royal Capital," the witch said in a bitter voice. "She felt our presence because during that time, my sister and I didn''t know how to hide our powers. We were just in our adolescence then. And since we were young and didn''t know any better, we followed Lahara to the White Tower."


    She was now very invested in the story. <em>Wow, I never found out about it in my first life.</em>


    "Lahara became our teacher," Luna continued. "My sister, Ste, got attached to Lahara too much though. It got worse when Lahara introduced my sister to the bitch princess."


    She almostughed at the way Lahara referred to Princess Nia.


    "That now-crispy fried princess was fifteen years old when Ste and I met her," the witch said. "I never liked the princess''s eyes but even though I warned Ste not to trust that bitch and Lahara too much, she didn''t listen to me. I couldn''t stand Lahara when I was at the White Tower so I often went out to travel. When I got a chance to join a war, I took it just so I could leave the tower for a long time. I know that the bitchy princess and that Lahara bitch would be a problem so I set out on a journey to improve my fighting abilities."


    <em>Gosh, Luna is so cool!</em>


    "But it was a terrible mistake," Luna said softly. "The war I partook in ended after five years. When I returned to the White Tower, Ste had be distant. Moreover, my sister and Lahara often time met up with the bitchy princess. Do you know why?"


    "Her Royal Highness probably got your sister involved in a sketchy business."


    Lunaughed softly before she spoke again. "It was Ste who made the perfect and most effective infertility medicine."


    She gasped in surprise. <em>Daebak.</em>


    Ah, that was a word she had learned from her previous life. <em>''Daebak''</em> was an exmation that was akin to "amazing" or unbelievable.


    "The bitchy princess has been taking infertility medicine since she was a little girl," the witch continued. "But it was Ste''s medicine thatpletely destroyed her reproductive organs. I freaked out when I discovered that. Helping the princess be infertile would have definitely sentenced my sister to death."


    <em>That''s true.</em>


    "My sister wasn''t dumb though," Luna said. "She knew she''d get killed by the emperor himself. So she made an antidote for her protection." Her face suddenly darkened. "When the bitchy princess discovered that Ste made an antidote to bring back her reproductive organs to normal, she asked Lahara to kill my sister."


    Tilly gasped aloud while covering her mouth with her hands. "Luna"


    "They tried to kill me as well because they were afraid that I also know how to make the antidote, the witch continued bitterly. "Since it was the bitchy princess''s order, the mages of the White Tower turned their backs on me." She smirked haughtily. "But unfortunately for them, they raised a lioness. And a lioness bites the hand of those who oppress them."


    She clutched her chest tight when her heart started to beat fast and loud. "Miss Luna, if I were born a straight male, I would have fallen in love with you." She gave the witch a thumbs up. "You''re so cool."


    Lunaughed at that. "Anyway, my hatred of the White Tower and the royal family wouldn''t be quenched. But no matter how powerful I am, I can''t still kill the bitchy princess since she''s being protected by the dumb emperor."


    She bit her lower lip to stop herself fromughing. If other people heard Luna, she would definitely be hanged for sphemy against the royal family.


    "Unfortunately, even though the emperor is dumb, he''s still too powerful," the witch said. "After all, he can use two ancient beasts. Moreover, his natural Mana is already too big. Only a god can kill the emperor."


    "Does it mean I can kill the emperor?"


    Luna looked surprised, then sheughed heartily. "Do you think you''re a god just because you have the heart of the Red Phoenix?"


    As expected, Luna really knew who and what she was.


    But still, she wanted to know one thing.


    "How did you know that, Miss Luna?" Tilly asked curiously. "Is it so obvious that my identity isn''t safe anymore?"


    "Your heart is asleep so only people like me can tell who and what you are," she said. "And don''t worry, only a few people like me exist here."


    "People like you?"


    The witch pointed at her ears. "Someone who can hear the voice of an ancient god."


    She gasped aloud. "You can hear the voice of a god?"


    "Well, only the voice of the Red Phoenix," Luna admitted. "The real one."


    "But how?" she asked. "I have its heart but I can''t hear its voice."


    "It''s because your connection with the Red Phoenix had been cut off by someone when you were born," she exined. "I bet the bitchy princess cut it off so you wouldn''t know about your real identity. If the princess didn''t cut it off, you wouldn''t have forgotten about the memories of your first life."


    "You even know that this isn''t my first life"


    "I heard it from the Red Phoenix," the witch said. "The phoenix asked me to find you and help you retrieve your old memories."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "But I have the memories of my previous lives in my head."


    "Don''t trust those memories," the witch warned her. "You weren''t yourself for most part of your first life. Don''t let it confuse you."


    To be honest, she didn''t understand how her memories could be fake. But she decided to trust Luna. "How can I retrieve my old memories, Miss Luna?"


    Luna smirked naughtily. "Steal it from the High Priest''s temple, mydy."


    Tilly''s eyes widened in shock. "Can I do that?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''S conversation with Luna was interrupted when Kiho arrived.


    She wanted to wee her husband so she excused herself. While she was going down the grand staircase, she smiled when she saw Kiho who just entered the mansion. He was greeted by the servants. Like usual, he gave her jacket and other stuff to David.


    When Kiho looked up and saw her going the down stairs, his face was suddenly etched with worry.


    Then, when she blinked, her husband was already literally standing in front of her.


    <em>Wow, speed.</em>


    "Honey, you don''t have to wee me from now on," Kiho said worriedly. Then, he ced a hand on her tummy. "I don''t want you to overwork yourself."


    "I''m fine. Baby Winter also likes waiting for your return," she assured them. Then, her forehead knotted when she noticed that his eyes were swollen. Don''t tell me "Kiho, did "you-know-who bully you?" she asked in an annoyed voice. She couldn''t mention the emperor because the servants were still within earshot. Thankfully, it looked like Kiho understood her. "Did he summon you just to bully you? I should have stayed with you. Tsk!"


    He looked surprised. "This is the first time I saw and heard you click your tongue, Tilly."


    "I''m seriously pissed right now, Kiho," she said in a low voice, her body temperature rising rmingly. "How dare that sc*mbag make my Kiho cry?"


    Now he looked shocked by her sphemy against the emperor. He even turned around in panic to make sure that no one heard her. Then, he looked at her with worry. "Honey, hearing you curse is sexy but please calm down." He held her by the shoulders. "I''m okay."


    She felt a cool sensation from the palm of his hands. It looked like he was trying to literally cool her down. And it was working. "Are you really okay?"


    Kiho nodded. Then, he hugged her tight and buried his face against her neck. "I''ll feel better if we take a bath together though."


    Okay, that made herugh.


    <em>Instant serotonin boost.</em>


    "My maids will surely hate you soon," Tilly said jokingly. Then, she hugged him back. "But I like doing it with you as well."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HON, thank you," Tilly told Kiho while she was sitting between Kiho''s legs while they were on bed. Her husband really stole her maids'' jobs and was now dying her hair with a white towel. "Thank you for letting Luna stay here in our house."


    Before they took a bath together, Tilly brought Kiho to Luna and told her husband about her offer to her doctor. He agreed right away to let her stay with them. He even gave the witch the biggest guest room in the mansion.


    <em>My husband is so generous.</em>


    "It''s nothing, honey," Kiho said. "Miss Luna is your doctor. And she''s strong. I''ll be more at ease if you have her by your side.


    "I also feel safe with her."


    He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Tilly?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Thank you."


    She smiled at the warmth of his voice. "For what?"


    "You were so mad for me," he said. "It looked like you were ready to start the war against His Majesty. That made me feel special." He kissed the side of her neck. "Thank you, Tilly."


    "You''re wee, Kiho," she said, then she turned to him. "May I know why you cried?"


    "I ended my brotherhood with His Majesty," he confessed. "And honey?"


    "Yeah?"


    "I''m sorry. I revealed to the emperor that I already know who and what you are," he said apologetically. "I was carried away by my emotions."


    "Don''t apologize, Kiho. His Majesty is smart. I''m sure he already knows that even if you didn''t expose yourself."


    His face lit up, then he leaned down to kiss her on the lips. "I want to spoil you. Do you want to go shopping tomorrow?"


    "Yes," she said honestly. "But I don''t want clothes or shoes or jewelries. I want to buy stocks and invest on some businesses."


    "I like that you know exactly what you want."


    She just smiled at gently tapped his cheek. "I''ll pay you triple once my investments be a huge sess, hon. House Nystrom will be the richest family in the empire soon."


    "House Nystrom," he said softly. "Matilda ''Tilly'' Nystrom. Tilly Nystrom. My Tilly is now a Nystrom. I still can''t believe that you took my name instead of retaining yours."


    She had an option to remain as a Prescott and still be the Duchess of Oakes.


    But this was the first time that Kiho would use a surname. It was his symbol of nobility. There was no way she wouldn''t support him.


    "It''s your name so of course, I love it," she told him. "It sounds nice."


    Kiho kissed on the forehead. "Thank you for taking my name, Tilly."


    "You''re wee, Kiho," Tilly said. "But is a forehead kiss the only kiss I''m getting tonight?"


    Her husband rewarded her with a naughty smile.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THEY''RE in love with each other. The heart and the god," Luna whispered while sitting on the windowsill, gazing at the full moon. She sighed, then closed her eyes. "I can already smell the tragedy that''s about toe."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 80: Priestess of the Red Phoenix

    Chapter 80: Priestess of the Red Phoenix


    TILLY WOKE up when she felt Kiho''s body shake.


    She opened her eyes and found Kiho on the other side of the bed with his back turned on her. He was crouching, his body shivering probably from the cold. He was wearing a shirt but obviously, that wasn''t enough to keep him warm. And instead of wrapping himself in the thick nket, he let her monopolize it instead.


    <em>Ah, right. It''s already winter.</em>


    She remembered that Kiho wasn''t good at handling the cold during winter. His body was already cold and so during this season, he would feel even colder. And thus, the shaking.


    <em>My poor baby.</em>


    She scooted next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist while making her body warmer than usual. Yes, she served as a human heater for him but she didn''t mind. A few momentster, Kiho''s body finally stopped from shivering.


    "Tilly?"


    "Yeah?"


    "Thank you for keeping me warm," Kiho said softly. "I appreciate it."


    "Youre wee," she said. "You didn''t have to scoot away from me, hon."


    "I didn''t want to wake you up with my shivering."


    Gosh, he was always this selfless and thoughtful when it came to her. He would rather endure than inconvenience her.


    "I don''t mind," she told him. "Also, I won''t mind if you snagged the nket from me. I don''t feel cold even if it''s winter."


    "Just because you don''t feel cold doesn''t mean you won''t get sick from it," he scolded her lightly. "You should always bundle up with warm clothes for yourself and for our baby, Tilly."


    "Okay," she said with a pout. "Then, the next time you shiver from cold, just hug me. I''m warm. And I can increase my warmth for you. You can be greedy, you know?"


    "I''ll remember that," he said. "Thank you, honey."


    "Why aren''t you turning around to face me, Kiho?" she lightlyined. "Don''t you want to see my just-woke-up face? Do you find me ugly now?


    "You''ll always be beautiful to me, Tilly. Even your "just-woke-up face" is enough to leave me breathless," Kiho said in a sincere tone. "But I''m enjoying the feel of your breasts pressed nicely against my back."


    Tilly''s cheeks burned, then sheughed heartily. "Kiho, you pervert!"


    She said that, but her hand reached down to cup his erection.


    He groaned, his manhood getting rock-hard now.


    "Touch me," he said under his breath. "Please touch me, Tilly."


    Instead of answering verbally, she just slid her hand inside his trousers. When her fingers found his cock, he inhaled sharply. She teasingly slid her hand up and down his length.


    Pleasuring him turned her on as well. Her nipples strained against the thin fabric of her nightgown. Using her other hand, she pulled down her neckline until her nipples were directly touching his wide expanse of back.


    She loved the tingling sensation it caused her.


    Moaning, she rubbed her breasts against his warm and solid back as she pumped his cock faster. Gosh, she almost came when her nipples brushed against the tight muscles of his back.


    "Tilly," Kiho whispered, his breath uneven. "I''m close"


    As a response, she licked his shoulder de.


    That seemed to "end" him.


    His cock spasmed in her hand and then, her skin felt the warm liquiding out of him. And his release took longer than usual.


    <em>Wow, it''s a lot this time.</em>


    Kiho finally turned around to face her. Then, he leaned down to give her a deep, passionate, and long good morning kiss.


    <em>Good morning, too, honey.</em>


    And her morning got even better when his kiss started to trail down her neck, corbone, breasts, navel


    and even further.


    Just like that, Kiho''s head was now cedfortably between her legs.


    <em>Hot.</em>


    Kiho, without breaking eye contact with her, kissed her inner thigh.


    <em>Gosh!</em>


    Tilly grabbed the bed sheet under, bracing herself for the pleasure that her husband could and would definitely give her.


    <em>What a way to start the day right.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DO YOU usually wake up thiste?"


    Tilly almost spilled her tea literally because of Luna''s question.


    In the corner of her eyes, she could see Kiho blushing.


    <em>Gosh, what a question.</em>


    As embarrassing as it was, they let Luna, their valued guest, to have breakfast by herself instead of joining her because they "woke up"te.


    <em>Lies.</em>


    They woke up early but their uh, "intimate activities" ended a little bit toote. They finished taking a bath together around ten in the morning.


    "Wait, don''t answer my question," Luna said while looking at her and Kiho from side to side. It was obvious that the witch noticed their reddening cheeks. "I don''t want to throw up the breakfast I just had."


    Tilly almostughed at that.


    Anyway, right now, they were in the tea room. The garden was being renovated so instead of having tea outside, she decided to use that room instead. They shared a round table. Aside from tea, a variety of snacks and pastries were also prepared.


    Kiho cleared his throat and when Tilly and Luna turned to him, only then did he speak. "Miss Luna, do you have a spell that will somehow protect Tilly while she''s in the temple? Unfortunately, she''s not allowed to bring her own servants and knights while fulfilling her duties as the Beast Priestess. I can''t also visit her during the three days that she''d be serving in the church. I want to make sure that she''d be capable of protecting herself."


    Last night, she told Kiho that Luna already know who and what she was.


    Her husband wasn''t reallyfortable with the idea that another person knew her real identity. But she managed to convince him that they could trust Luna.


    "You don''t have to worry too much, Your Grace," Luna said to Kiho. "Lady Nystrom wouldn''t get hurt in the temple. After all, she <em>is</em> the heart of the Red Phoenix."


    "What do you mean by that, Miss Luna?" Kiho asked. "Why is the heart of the Red Phoenix safe in the temple?"


    "Kids these days don''t know that the temple was built in honor of the Four Beast Gods," Luna said.


    ""Beast Gods?"" Tilly asked curiously. "You mean the Four Ancient Beasts?"


    "That''s what they are called now," the witch said in a bitter voice. "But until a century ago, they are known and feared as the Beast Gods. They aren''t just living weapons for the Moonchesters they are gods, you know?"


    She let out a soft gasp. "That''s so cool."


    "Tilly, you''re really amazing," Kiho said in a cheerful voice. When she turned to him, she saw that his yellowish eyes were glowing as if he was so proud of her. "You have the heart of a god. Your existence is really special."


    "You''re more special, dummy," Luna whispered to no one before she sipped her tea.


    "What was that?" Tilly asked Luna curiously. "Sorry, I didn''t catch what you said, Miss Luna."


    "I said there''s a special room in the temple," the witch said, then put down her cup on the table. "Lady Nystrom, when you get to the temple, I want you to find the room for the Red Phoenix. Unlike the room for the Blue Dragon, Golden Tiger, and ck Serpent, the room for the Red Phoenix is hidden and locked. I''ve been there once but as far as I know, they change the location of the room every year."


    She blinked in surprise. "Miss Luna, you''ve been to the temple before?"


    "Before Ste and I were found by Lahara, we used to be high-profile thieves," the witch said proudly. "I tried to steal a statue from the temple. That was how I got into the room for the Red Phoenix. When I touched the red bird''s statue, I was able to hear its voice. That''s why I want you to find it as well. If you touch the statue, I''m hoping that your connection to the Red Phoenix would return."


    "Oh, okay."


    "I''m sure you''ll find it easily because you''re the Red Phoenix Priestess."


    ""Red Phoenix Priestess?""


    "ording to the Red Phoenix, that''s the other name for the Supreme," the witch exined. "When the Fire Mages were hunted, they started to call the Supreme as the ''Priestess'' to hide her identity from the enemies."


    "I like the sound of it," she said honestly. "Now I''m excited to go to the temple and do a treasure hunt by myself."


    "Tilly, don''t wander too much," Kiho scolded her lightly. "Remember, you''re not alone. Winter is with you."


    "Oh, that''s right," she said, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "Let''s go on an adventure together, my little cinnamon roll."


    Her husband sighed. "I wish I could go with you."


    "Like I said, the temple is a safe ce for the heart," Luna said to Kiho. "But since you''re worrying too much, let me give you a gift." She extended her hands to them. "Give me your wedding rings."


    Tilly and Kiho looked at each other, and then they both nodded before taking off their wedding rings. Then, they gave the rings to Luna."


    "Any jewelry or essory except for the wedding ring will be confiscated from you once you enter the temple, Lady Nystrom. So let me put a spell on your ring," the witch said, then she closed her eyes and muttered an incantation in anguage that she didn''t understand.


    A few momentster, she noticed a strange ck mark on the band of the rings.


    <em>What''s that?</em>


    "Done," Luna dered. Then, she returned the rings to her and Kiho. "I''ve put a strong spell on your rings." The witch turned to her. "Lady Nystrom, if you find yourself in danger when you''re in the temple, just kiss the mark on the band of the ring." After saying that, she turned to Kiho. "Duke Nystrom, once the mark on the band of your ring lights up, I want you to hide yourself if you can. Once the mark disappeared, you''d literally vanish and be teleported to where Lady Nystrom is."


    "Teleportation?" Kiho asked in disbelief. "That''s a high-level magic, Miss Luna."


    "Well, <em>I''m</em> a high-level witch," Luna dered, then flipped her hair before she sipped her tea. "But even if I am that powerful, breaking the temple''s holy barrier wouldn''t be easy. So unfortunately, you can only use that once."


    "I hope Tilly wouldn''t need a reason to use this spell," Kiho said worriedly, then he turned to her. "Honey, please be extra careful."


    "I will," Tilly promised him. "I''ll protect Winter."


    They were about to kiss when Luna put down the tea cup on the table with a little bit of force.


    "Don''t. I''ve been single now for one hundred years so don''t you dare kiss in front of me," Luna warned them. "I''ll seriously throw up if you do."


    "Hundred years?" Tilly asked in surprise. "I thought you were in adolescence when Lahara found you."


    "I''m a witch," she reminded her. "We age differently from humans."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Miss Luna, can we excuse ourselves now?" Kiho asked eagerly. "I want to kiss my wife."


    Tilly blushed, then giggled and yfully hit her husband on the arm. "Oh, Kiho."


    "This is why I hate couples," Luna dered in an irritated voice, then she shooed them away in a yful voice. "Get out of my sight, you clingy lovers."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA sighed when Lady Nystrom and the new duke finally left the tea room.


    Then, she gently pped her mouth.


    "You stupid mouth," Luna scolded herself. "You almost revealed Kiho Nystrom''s identity."


    Kiho Nystrom''s identity as an ancient god was the only thing she couldn''t revel to Lady Nystrom yet.


    The rtionship between the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent was very, veryplicated. If the ck Serpent consciousness returned at this moment, that would be a catalyst for a disaster.


    Unfortunately, even though she liked calling the emperor dumb, he wasn''t stupid. She knew that the emperor was aware of Kiho''s identity, too. But he was smart enough not to wake up the ck Serpent yet. But still, she couldn''t trust that dumb ruler.


    "Why did he marry Kiho off to Lady Nystrom?" Luna wondered to herself. "Doesn''t he know that the son of the heart and the ck Serpent could either make the empire prosperous or destroy it?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MADAM, you received a box of letters from Captain Denver, the master of the Fire Wielder Guild," Butler David told Tilly. "The captain also sent a separate gift for you."


    Tilly smiled but soon felt cold because of Kiho''s aura.


    <em>Gosh, someone is jealous again.</em>


    Right now, they were in the library of their house because her husband asked him to teach him about business. They were supposed to go out and buy stocks from huge corporations. But since they "woke up"te, they decided to just stay home and study.


    To be precise, they were now sitting side-by-side in the study table in front of the biggest shelf in the library.


    "Thank you, David," Tilly said with a smile. "Please leave the letters and the gift on the table."


    David bowed to her. "As you wish, Your Grace."


    The head butler carefully ced the small box on the table. On top of that box is a rectangr velvet box with a ribbon. It wasn''t hard to guess that thetter contained a piece of jewelry. And thus, Kiho was jealous again.


    When the butler left, she turned to her husband.


    "Kiho, shall we open Captain Denver''s gift together?" Tilly asked Kiho who was sitting beside her. "Don''t be upset. It''s just probably a token of gratitude for the gifts we sent to his foundation."


    Kiho nodded, but he was still frowning. "Even though it''s a token of gratitude, I hope he didnt choose a piece of jewelry for you."


    Her smile froze.


    <em>Captain Denver''s gift is obviously a piece of jewelry.</em>


    She didn''t want to say it aloud so she just opened the rectangr velvet box.


    And wow, she was greeted by a beautiful gold bracelet with rubies and diamond studs. It was obviously expensive, not a gift that a man would usually give a married woman.


    <em>God, is he waging war on my husband?!</em>


    She was surprised when the velvet box and the bracelet inside was suddenly enveloped with ice. Because she was startled, she identally dropped the box.


    "I''ll destroy that piece of jewelry," Kiho said, his golden eyes ring at the innocent bracelet. "A captain has no business gifting you a piece of jewelry as beautiful as that."


    She was about to scold Kiho but suddenly, the bracelet produced a red me that melted the ice around the box and the jewelry itself.


    That was when she realized what the gift was.


    "Kiho, I don''t think it''s an ordinary jewelry," Tilly dered confidently. "I believe it''s a tool I can use to conceal my ability as a Fire Mage."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 81: Greetings from the High Priest

    Chapter 81: Greetings from the High Priest


    THE FLAME from the fancy bracelet disappeared as soon as it appeared.


    That was when Tilly realized that it wasn''t a simple piece of jewelry. It was the same tool that Captain Denver used to conceal his power.


    "Hon, I think it functions like Captain Denver''s armband," Tilly said excitedly. "If I have this, then I can just say that the me I produce is from the bracelet and not from within my body. It''s the same trick that the hidden Fire Mages are using right now. Captain Denver told me about it when he brought me to the hospital before."


    "Ah, is that so?" Kiho said, obviously uninterested. "How nice of Captain Denver."


    "Don''t be jealous," she slightly scolded him. "Shouldn''t we be happy that Captain Denver is an ally?"


    He paused for a while, then he nodded. "I guess you''re right," he said finally. "But you wouldn''t be allowed to use other pieces of jewelry aside from your wedding ring inside the temple. How would you use that?"


    "I''m sure Captain Denver knows that," she said. "If he sent me this despite knowing that, then I believe that this bracelet has a purpose. I''ll bring it with me just in case I might need it."


    "Do you trust Captain Denver that much, honey?"


    "Yes," she said truthfully. "I need to trust anyone who can help me survive." She cupped his face between her hands. "Kiho, I want to live long for you and our Baby Winter. And for that to happen, we need as many allies as we could gather. Plus, no matter how big of a help Captain Denver would be, in my heart, you''re still the biggest support that I need." She kissed him on the lips. "You believe me, don''t you?"


    "Of course," he answered right away. "Sorry. I know that I''m starting to get annoying. I can''t help but feel jealous. But from now on, I promise to be more open-minded. Please be patient with me, honey. I''m trying."


    She nodded and gently pinched his cheeks. "I understand, hon. If another woman starts to get close to you, I''d feel jealous, too. But let''s have faith in each other, okay?"


    "Okay," he said while nodding. "Thank you for always being understanding, Tilly."


    "I want our marriage tost forever, Kiho," she said softly. "I know that it''s not going to be easy because of who I am. Most of the time, I feel guilty. If only I didn''t have this heart, then maybe we''d get to live peacefully."


    "Shh, don''t say that, honey," he told her gently. "Your heart is the reason why we''re together. And why you were able to carry our baby in your womb. I don''t regret being married to you, Tilly. I''m willing to go through anything just to be with you."


    "Aww, you''re so sweet," she said. Then, she opened her arms. "Hug me."


    He gave her a small smile. Then, he held her by the waist and lifted her, causing her to squeal and hug his neck tight. In one swift movement, he was able to put her on hisp. "Tilly, I know that you have to fulfill your duty as the Beast Priestess. Miss Luna also asked you to find the altar room for the Red Phoenix so you could hear its voice. I know that you''re strong and smart. But if you feel like you can''t do any of it, it''s fine if you quit. We can always find another way to get what we need." He caressed her face gently. "Remember, our priority is your safety. As well as Winter''s, of course."


    "I''ll remember that," Tilly promised her husband. "I won''t risk my life and Winter''s safety at the temple."


    "Yes, thank you," Kiho said. Then, he kissed her forehead. "I''ll be praying for your safe return, my babies."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>MY BELOVED Nia</em>


    Aku felt like his heart was squeezed when he saw that Nia was still in a terrible state.


    His beloved was still unconscious, and her beauty was yet to return to normal. Her hair was growing slowly and the burnt marks all over her body were still very reddish. He could see that a tube attached to Nia''s arm allowed her to consume fresh blood.


    But it didn''t seem like it was working.


    "Howard, did you lie to me?" Aku asked the High Priest coldly. "You said Lahara''s blood would help Nia recover. But why is her recovery so slow? She can''t even wake up."


    Howard bowed so lowly he thought he would break his back. "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. Her Royal Highness''s blood as a Moonchester is too "thick" and too pure that it''s rejecting Lahara''s blood. It might be because Lahara wasn''t a pure descendant of the Blue Dragon."


    "Does it have to be the blood of the Blue Dragon?" he asked in annoyance. "If you need more blood from that freaking n, then can''t you get some from the Sherwoods? They also have the Blue Dragon''s blood in them, don''t they?"


    "I''m afraid the Sherwoods aren''t direct descendants as well, Your Majesty," the High Priest said. "If the blood isn''t pure, then it wouldn''t have the effect that we desire."


    "Let me ask again: does it need to be the blood of the Blue Dragon?"


    "My deepest apologies but I haven''t tried using the blood of the other ancient beasts'' descendants, Your Majesty," the High Priest said. "I''m not sure if others would work when ites to recovering one''s beauty."


    "Then, go and find out," he hissed. "Lady Nystrom is going to serve the temple for three days. I know that you already know who she really is. Get her blood and see if it could be used for Nia''s recovery."


    "I will do so, Your Majesty," Howard said, his head still hanged low. "I will do anything and everything for Her Royal Highness."


    "You better," Aku said. "If my beloved doesn''t return to normal, I will make sure that you and your church will be forgotten from the history of Moonchester Empire."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TODAY was the first day that Tilly was going to serve the temple as the Beast Priestess.


    <em>Wow, I''m nervous.</em>


    It only took an hour to get there via carriage.


    Of course, Kiho was with her the entire time to help her calm down. Sadly, he was only allowed until the entrance of the temple.


    "Honey, stay strong," Kiho whispered while caressing her face between his hands. Then, he kissed her forehead. "I''m staying near the temple. If you quit, I''ll fetch you right away."


    "Having you stay near the temple makes me feel safer," Tilly said, hugging Kiho tight and sniffing his manly scent that she loved. She would miss him even if she was only supposed to stay in the temple for three days. She wanted to engrave every inch of him in her mind. "Winter and I will hurry back to you, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AFTER TILLY was ushered inn a chamber inside the temple by a priestess named Lilly, she was asked to change clothes.


    Unlike what she was used to, she didn''t have any maids to assist her in changing clothes in the temple. Not that she minded. Taking off her light dress was easy even for a pregnant woman like her.


    And wearing the in long-sleeved white dress was easy. Instead of boots or fancy shoes, the dress was paired with t ballet shoes.


    <em>Oh, the outfit they gave me is veryfortable.</em>


    The chamber that she would be using for her stay was also smallerpared to her room in the mansion. But it was spacious enough for one person. It also had all she needed: bed, a small tea room, a balcony, and her very own toilet and bathroom.


    <em>I kind of like it here.</em>


    Also, she was d that the staff there didn''t confiscate her belongings unlike what Luna told her. They simply reminded her that she couldn''t wear any piece of jewelry except her wedding ring. After that, they helped her bring her belongings inside her room.


    <em>I''m yet to meet the High Priest though.</em>


    She was testing how soft the mattress was when she heard a knock. Then, a few momentster, the door opened and Lilly entered the room. She noticed that the priestess was holding a tray that had a cup of tea on it.


    "Lady Nystrom, please drink this tea before we begin our lesson. The tea we make here is good for the health, especially for pregnant women like you," Lilly said in a soft and gentle tone while cing the tray on the night table. "We will teach you what you need to do for the following days. Once you''re done drinking the tea, you may go out and join us."


    "Okay, Miss Lilly," she said with a smile. "Thank you."


    After Lilly left the room, she stood up and drank the tea.


    As soon as she had taken a sip, she felt dizzy. She dropped the cup on the floor while her body started to fall on the ground as well.


    Ah, she should have been more careful.


    <em>Damn it</em>, Tilly said when she felt her body hit the cold floor. <em>I didn''t expect them to attack as soon as I arrived!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    HOWARD was shaking while holding Lady Nystrom''s wrist.


    He secretly put a sleeping pill in her tea and sneaked in her room to do his job. To be honest, he didn''t want to do this to a guest. Much more to a pregnant woman. But Emperor Aku would surely destroy the church if he didn''t do as he was told.


    <em>Please forgive me, Lady Nystrom. I just need a drop of your blood.</em>


    Howard swallowed hard, then in one swift movement, his hand moved to sh her palm with the dagger that he was holding.


    He was expecting blood toe out of the duchess''s hand but instead


    a bright red me suddenly came out from her wound!


    He gasped when he realized that the me was about to burn him. But for some reason, a thinyer of ice started toe out from Lady Nystrom''s body and literally froze him in his ce. Howe the duchess could use ice when she was supposed to be a Fire Mage?


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to think about it when the red me grew bigger and was about to burn him alive.


    Howard could only scream in fear. "Please no!"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 82: The Real Prophecy

    Chapter 82: The Real Prophecy


    "PLEASE NO!"


    Tilly gasped when she heard the noise. As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt her body float. Now that she was conscious, she realized what was happening around her.


    <em>This is like what Luna said.</em>


    A gentle force helped her stand on the floor and didn''t leave her until she got her bnce back. Then, she observed her surroundings.


    <em>He really got paralyzed.</em>


    Howard, the High Priest, was frozen while kneeling in front of her. He was holding the dagger that he cut her with. The wound in her hand still stung a bit but a drop of her blood was the one that protected her.


    "Miss Luna, you''re really cool," Tilly said while looking at the wound in her palm. It had stopped bleeding and the wound itself was starting to heal. "I can''t believe you predicted this to happen."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>[Last night] </strong> </em>


    <em>"LADY Nystrom, I want you to be careful with what you eat and drink once you''re in the temple," Luna told her. Right now, they were in the balcony of her room while having tea. "The temple is a holy ce but not everyone in there can be trusted. I''m sure that they wouldn''t kill you. But since you have the heart, they might need something else from you. There''s only one way to get what they want without killing you. Do you know what I''m talking about?"</em>


    <em>Tilly fell in a deep thought, then she snapped her fingers when she remembered the Korean crime and detective dramas that she used to watch in her second life. "They will probably try to make me fall asleep."</em>


    <em>"Exactly," the witch said as if she was proud of her quick-thinking. "We should consider every move that the enemies will make. One of them is trying to make you sleep by mixing something in your food or drinks."</em>


    <em>"How can Tilly protect herself from that?" Kiho, who was sitting beside her, asked. "Miss Luna, do you have a medicine or a spell that will protect my wife from sleeping medicines?"</em>


    <em>"We can do that but simply avoiding an attack isn''t my style," the witch said. "If we were attacked, we must attack as well."</em>


    <em>Tilly''s ears perked up at that. "What should I do if I find myself in a situation where the enemy tries to make me fall asleep, Miss Luna?"</em>


    <em>"Catch them and gather evidence against them," Luna said confidently, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "The downside is you have to let them think that they got you."</em>


    <em>"Are you saying that Tilly has to fall into their trap even if there''s a way to avoid it?" Kiho asked with a frown. "Miss Luna, I want to remind you that my wife would be alone in the temple."</em>


    <em>"I know," the witch said casually. "I didn''t say that Lady Nystrom will be left unprotected." She turned to her. "Lady Nystrom, before you go, I will cast a protective spell on you. It''s the kind of spell that will only activate if you suddenly lost consciousness. While you''re in that state, anyone who touches you with ill-intentions"</em>


    <em>"Must perish," Kiho dered in a menacing tone, cutting off the witch who obviously looked offended. "Miss Luna, make a spell that will kill them in the most painful way if they touch my Tilly."</em>


    <em>"I wish killing the enemies was that easy, Your Grace," Luna said while shaking her head. "Unfortunately, the High Priest is an influential person in the empire. Even themoners love him. If he or his servants were killed and Lady Nystrom was framed up for it, what would you do? Getting her arrested would only give the enemies the upperhand."</em>


    <em>Kiho blushed as if he was suddenly embarrassed. "I apologize for my hasty decision, Miss Luna," he said, then she turned to him. "Tilly, I''m sorry for not thinking straight."</em>


    <em>Tilly touched his face. "It''s okay, hon. I know you''re just worried about me. But let''s calm down for now. I''m sure Miss Luna wouldn''t let me get hurt."</em>


    <em>"Damn right," Luna said which made them turn to the witch. "Once I ept someone as my patient, I never let any harm befall on them."</em>


    <em>She smiled at that, relieved and happy that her decision to make Luna her doctor was correct after all. "Thank you, Miss Luna."</em>


    <em>Luna just nodded before she continued. "Anyway, as I was saying a while ago, anyone who would touch you with ill-intention would have a hallucination where they would experience extreme pain. In that hallucination, they would "die" in the way they feared most. And while they were experiencing that, they would be paralyzed. And if the enemies made you shed blood, the pain that they would experience would feel like it was real."</em>


    <em>"So in short, mental torture, huh?" she said while nodding her head. "I like that."</em>


    <em>"I guess that would suffice," Kiho agreed. "But Miss Luna, what should Tilly do after that?"</em>


    <em>"Good question," the witch said, then she turned to her. "Lady Nystrom, I heard that your family produces the best spirit stones in the empire."</em>


    <em>"We do," she answered proudly. "What kind of spirit stone do I need to provide?"</em>


    <em>"The one that could capture moments," the witch said with an evil smile. "If we caught the enemy in action, then shouldn''t we preserve the moment for everyone to see?"</em>


    <em>"A recording gem," Kiho said, then he turned to her. "It''s one of the most expensive spirit stones but I''m sure House Prescott has it."</em>


    <em>"Of course," Tilly said. "I''ll call father to have it delivered now."</em>


    <em>"Alright," Luna said while cracking the bones in her knuckles. "Now let me cover you with protective spells from head to toe, Lady Nystrom."</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I WONDER what kind of hallucination you''re having right now, Your Eminence," Tilly wondered to herself while pointing the tip of the fountain pen at the High Priest. He looked like he was in pain and he was perspiring a lot even though it was cold in the chamber. And speaking of cold "Where did that icee from?"


    She had been wondering why there was a thinyer of ice around the High Priest''s ankles.


    Did Luna put an ice protection on her or


    "Winter?" she whispered under her breath. Then, she ced a hand on her tummy. "Baby, did you protect me?"


    In what seemed like a response, she felt a tiny beat in her chest that wasn''t from her heart.


    "Aww," she said, touched. "Thank you, our little cinnamon roll."


    Now she was more eager to get her revenge.


    She focused all her energy on taking onest shot (as in recording video) of the High Priest.


    That fountain pen served as her personal CCTV. She didn''t know when she would be attacked so she ced the magical pen on her night table ad activated it as soon as she arrived. Meaning, the pen recorded everything that happened in her chamber.


    She just wanted to make sure that the High Priest''s face would be seen clearly in the video.


    <em>Thank goodness for my family''s inventions.</em>


    The only thing she regretted was not calcting where she''d fall. She didn''t expect that they would put the sleeping pill in the wee drink. If she considered that, she would have stood closer to the bed and plopped there instead.


    <em>Sorry, Winter. Mommy should have been careful. I hope you''re okay.</em>


    As soon as she was done recording, she did what Luna told her to do: scratch the nib of the pen on the mark around her wedding ring. Like the witch said, the fountain disappeared. That meant that the evidence was safely delivered to Luna.


    <em>Her power is so useful.</em>


    "Stop!"


    Tilly flinched when the High Priest shouted again.


    <em>Oh, the hallucination is over.</em>


    Howard looked confused when looking around while catching his breath. Then, he looked up at her with wide eyes. "Lady Nystrom" He looked at his arms and his torso as if he couldn''t believe that he was still in one piece. "I thought I was burned alive"


    She raised an eyebrow at that.


    <em>Luna said that the person experiencing hallucination would get the death that they feared most. So, that''s the High Priest''s fear? To be burned alive?</em>


    The High Priest looked up at her. "Lady Nystrom"


    She was quite taken aback by the High Priest''s beauty. To be honest, she recognized him right away because she remembered him from her first life. But wow, she was still surprised at how handsome he was.


    He had white hair but he still looked young. His eyes were green and his skin was very pale. She knew that he was really old but his youthful look almost made her forget about his real age.


    "Greetings, Your Eminence," Tilly said with a smile. Then, she sat on the bed, crossed her legs, and looked down at him with a re. "Just so you know, I have already sent the evidence of your assault to an ally. If something bad happens to me again, they will post the video I got and expose your crime to the whole empire. I want to respect you as one of the highest authorities of the church. But I don''t bow down to people who tried to kill me. So please understand why I won''t use the manners engraved into my every fiber on you, Your Eminence."


    "It''s perfectly fine if you speak informally to me, Lady Nystrom," Howard said. He was still on his knees as if he really intended to kneel before her. "I am the High Priest, the second highest authority in the church. Butpared to you and the child inside your womb, I am nothing. Your existence is even more sacred than the saint himself."


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. To be honest, she didn''t expect that development. She thought that the High Priest was an ally to the royal twins. But of course, she wouldn''t trust him that easily.


    "What do you mean by that?" she asked him. "Why is my existence more sacred than the saint because of my child?"


    Howard smile the kind of smile that made her skin crawl for some reason. "Your Grace, do you want to hear the full prophecy about your child?"


    Tilly gulped, tempted but still careful. "I will hear you out but it doesn''t mean I already trust you, Your Eminence."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MISS LUNA, let me go," Kiho hissed at the witch. But still, he couldn''t move an inch from where he stood. "Tilly is in danger."


    Currently, he was in the house that Lord Prescott lent him. He brought Luna along as per his wife''s request. And he wanted Luna to be near the temple as well so they could rescue Tilly fast if they needed to.


    But now, he kind of regretted bringing her along.


    A few moments ago, while they were sharing an awkward tea time, a fountain pen suddenly appeared on Luna''s hand. When she yed the video recorded by the spirit stone embedded in the pen, they saw how the High Priest himself tried to hurt Tilly.


    As soon as he saw that, he tried to leave. But Luna casted a binding spell on him. It was so strong that he couldn''t break it even with his Mana.


    "Lady Nystrom is fine," Luna said seriously. "I would know if her life is in danger. And if she was, she would have summoned you. The fact that she sent the evidence here instead of calling you is proof that she can handle the situation. I understand that you''re worried about your wife. But Your Grace, the madam isn''t weak. Trust her."


    That helped him calm down. "Are you sure that Tilly is safe?"


    "Yes," the witch said confidently. "I covered her with protective spell from head to toe. Her minor wounds would heal easily as well. Let''s trust Lady Nystrom. If she isn''t calling for help, then she might be trying to deal the matter by her own hands. Don''t you trust your wife?"


    It was hard for him to totally calm down but he felt a bit at ease now. "Tilly is smart. I''m just a little worried because she has a bad temper."


    Sheughed softly. "As far as I know, even the first Supreme who protected the heart had a bad temper."


    "That''s her charm though," Kiho defended his wife. "Even though she has a bad temper, she''s still cute."


    "Stop," the witch told him while looking at him with pitiful eyes. "Your Grace, I don''t need to know how much you love Lady Nystrom because it''s only breaking my heart."


    He was about to ask about it but she changed the subject.


    The witch snapped her fingers, freeing him from the binding spell. "Get ready, Your Grace," she told him while standing up. "We have other jobs to do."


    Kiho finally rxed when the binding spell was finally gone. "What kind of job?"


    "Stalking," Luna said with a yful smile. "We have some rats to catch."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I WANT to hear the full prophecy," Tilly said to the High Priest. "I hope you don''t lie this time, Your Eminence."


    "I won''t, Duchess Nystrom," Howard said seriously, still kneeling in front of her. "Mydy, you know that the emperor is referred to as the only moon of the empire, don''t you?"


    "I know," she answered. "What about it?"


    "In our empire''s history, the emperor is always referred to as the moon," the High Priest continued. "When I received the prophecy from god, I saw the moon being swallowed by a giant serpent. The emperor, obviously, is the moon. Who do you think represents the serpent that I saw in the prophecy?"


    Tilly got goosebumps, her hands automatically covering her tummy as a way to protect Winter in her womb. "Are you saying that my son is that serpent?"


    "Yes, Your Grace," Howard said, a crazy smile now etching his face. He was handsome, no doubt about it. But the lunatic look on his face was anything but attractive. "Your son is the serpent that will swallow the moon. It means your child is the one who will end the Moonchesters," he continued, his smile getting creepier. "Duchess Nystrom, your son is the Moon Serpent the giant silver snake that exists in the sky."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 83: Legend of the Moon Serpent

    Chapter 83: Legend of the Moon Serpent


    "MISS LUNA, what exactly are we going to catch?" Kiho asked Luna while silently following behind her. Right now, for a reason unknown to him yet, she brought him in a long, dark, and empty alley. "You weren''t talking about real rats, were you?"


    Luna stopped walking. Then, she turned around to face him. But her gaze went past him. "Caught them," she said. Then, she raised her palm and pointed it at his direction. "Boo!"


    He was surprised when an energy wave was released from her palm. It was toote for him to avoid but thankfully, he didn''t have to. He wasn''t hit by the strong wave. But he heard some people groan behind him.


    <em>Huh?</em>


    When he turned around, he was surprised to see two men on the ground.


    <em>Howe I didn''t feel them following us?</em>


    Luna seemed to have read what was on his mind because she answered his questioning look. "They have been following you since we arrived here. And you probably didn''t feel them because they were covered with high-level pieces of equipment. Most of all, your mind has been all over the ce because you''re worrying too much about your wife."


    Oh, that made sense.


    And now, he felt ashamed of himself.


    <em>I shouldn''t let my guard down.</em>


    Kiho stood in front of the two "stalkers" d in dark blue cloaks. He stomped his feet on the ground, causing a thinyer of ice to literally freeze the strange men on the ground. He made the ice go up to their chest. No wonder the two looked afraid of him. "Who sent you after us? State your purpose and the location of your otherpanions if you want to live."


    "W-We don''t mean any harm, Your Grace!" one of the men said, his voice shaking from fear and cold. "We were sent here to protect you!"


    Okay, that was totally not the answer he was expecting to hear.


    <em>And I am not weak to be protected, thank you very much.</em>


    "P-Please believe us, D-Duke Nystrom!" the other pleaded. "C-Captain Sherwood sent us here and told us to m-make sure that no one would attack y-you, Y-Your G-Grace!"


    To say that he was shocked to hear that would be an understatement.


    "Captain Sherwood?" Luna asked in an amused voice. When he turned to her, he realized that the witch was already standing beside him. "The captain of the Blue Dragon Knights?"


    "Yes. Captain Sherwood is the leader of the Blue Dragon Knights," Kiho confirmed with a nod. Then, he turned to the two men. "Did Captain Sherwood say what kind of threat do you need to protect me from?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE MOON Serpent?" Tilly asked curiously. She didn''t want to admit this but the title sounded so cool that it made her heart thump in excitement. Or maybe it was Winter who was excited and not her? "That''s the first time I heard of it."


    "Let me share with you a myth that''s almost unknown to the empire now, Your Grace," Howard said, still kneeling in front of her. She wanted to say that he may sit properly but he looked quitefortable in that position so in the end, she didn''t say anything. "In a time way before the Moonchester Empire was built, there used to be seven moons in the sky. Six of these moons decided to leave the sky ande down to earth, taking the form of humans. Only six were able toe down because sky god required one of them to stay and light up the night."


    She didn''t know why but she felt sympathetic of the moon that was forced to remain in the sky while theirpanions were able to live a different life.


    "Each of the moons that took a human form eventually built their own kingdom," the High Priest continued. "But every single one of the six moons became greedy. Each one of them wanted to invade the others. Eventually, a bloody war among the six moons began. The chaos that the war caused awakened the sleeping sky serpent. The appearance of the giant silver serpent forced the six moons to return to their original forms and gain back their powers. But still, the angry silver serpent was too powerful for them. In the end, the silver serpent swallowed the six moons one by one. Thus, earning its title as the "Moon Serpent.""


    Her forehead knotted in confusion. "Why didn''t the Moon Serpent swallow thest moon, the one that was never given the opportunity toe down to earth as a human?"


    "The sky god intervened before the Moon Serpent had the chance to eat thest moon," Howard said. "The sky god granted the "essence" of the moon something simr to a human''s soul a life of its own. To simply put, thest moon became a human but its "shell" remained in the sky. And that shell is the moon that we see now."


    "Oh, I see."


    "The sky god made a deal with thest moon," the High Priest continued. "If thest moon seeded in ying the Moon Serpent, he would remain a human forever. But if he failed, he would have to return to the sky as a moon."


    "So, thest moon managed to y the Moon Serpent?"


    "Yes," he confirmed. "The st moon" that killed the Moon Serpent would eventually be known as Aku Moonchester the first Moonchester in history."


    She suddenly had goosebumps.


    To be honest, it wasmon for the emperors to be named after the previous rulers. But for some reason, she felt uneasy after hearing that. Plus


    "The "first" Aku Moonchester wasn''t written in the history books," she said. "If His Majesty, our current emperor, was named after a previous ruler, then he should have been named ''Aku the II.'' Am I wrong?"


    "There are plenty of things that had been erased in our history, Your Grace," he said. "Emperor Auro, the one who built Moonchester Empire, wasn''t the first born son of King Aleo. But his brother was erased from history."


    "The first emperor of the empire had a brother?" she asked in surprise. The history of the empire was engraved in the mind of every noble child like her. But she didn''t remember that Emperor Auro had a brother. "The only sibling of Emperor Auro that I remember was Empress ine Moonchester who was a decade younger than him."


    Yes, the tradition of marrying within the royal family started in Emperor Auro''s time.


    "I don''t know what happened to Emperor Auro''s brother since that knowledge is only passed down to the emperors," the High Priest said. "I also don''t know what happened to the first Aku Moonchester. Obviously, he wasn''t the one who built the empire. The only thing I''m certain is that King Aleo, the father of Emperor Auro, was his direct descendant."


    She felt a pang in her head. "My brain is about to overheat from too much information. Forget about the history of the Moonchesters. I want to know why my son is the Moon Serpent in the prophecy. Are you telling me that my baby is supposed to y the current emperor?"


    "That''s what I saw in the prophecy, Your Grace."


    "Does His Majesty know the full prophecy as well?"


    "Of course," he said. "But His Majesty needs your son for his goal. Unfortunately, unlike Nia, the emperor doesn''t trust me enough to share his secrets with me."


    "I can see why His Majesty doesn''t trust youpletely," she deadpanned. "You''re the High Priest and you''re supposed to protect the royal family. But why do you seem like you do not care even if my son is "destined" to "swallow the moon?""


    "I vowed to myself that I will only serve the true ruler of the empire," Howard said, then his gaze lowered at her tummy. God, he looked like an obsessed lunatic. "I believe that the Moon Serpent is the one that should rule us all, Your Grace."


    Tilly covered her tummy with her arms. <em>Winter, we can''t trust that "holy" lunatic.</em>


    The tiny beat in her chest seemed to agree with her.


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU covered his mouth with his hands when he sneezed. "Argh, someone must be talking about me."


    When he didn''t get a response, he stopped walking and turned around. He found Captain Sherwood reading a letter with a hawk on his shoulder. Obviously, that bird delivered a message to the captain. If he used a bird instead of amunication device that could be easily tampered, it must only mean that the message he received was confidential.


    "As expected of a god," Captain Sherwood said, then he raised his head to face him. "Your Majesty, may I leave early?"


    He raised a brow at that. "Why? What happened?"


    "I sent my people to protect Captain I mean, Duke Nystrom," he said. "But he caught my men and he''s now demanding me to give him an exnation."


    He let out a frustrated sigh. "Are you crazy, Captain Sherwood? Ah, wait. I shouldn''t have asked the obvious. You and your whole family get crazy whenever you discover a piece of history that only a few selected know about."


    "Don''t worry, Your Majesty," the captain said cheerfully. "I won''t tell Duke Nystrom about his real identity."


    "And what would you tell him then?"


    "Maybe I should tell the duke that I fell in love with him?" Captain Sherwood dered with augh. "My obsession with him isn''t that different from love, is it?"


    Aku gave the captain a dire stare. God, out of all the Sherwoods he had met, Noel Sherwood was definitely the craziest of all. What was he thinking when he appointed this lunatic as a captain? "I hope Duke Nystrom kills you on the spot."


    ***


    UNFORTUNATELY, Tilly''s conversation with Howard was interrupted when the Lilly came and fetched her. The High Priest disappeared when the priestess came so she was relieved.


    Anyway, right now, she was in a huge room that she was supposed to clean.


    The chamber was huge and in every corner, a statue of an Ancient Beast stood. Of course, she was drawn to the statue of the huge bird.


    <em>It''s made of pure gold.</em>


    While Lilly was exining her the task that she was supposed to do, she couldn''t help but stare nkly at the statue as if she was dazed


    and she only snapped out of it when the red bird suddenly took a different form.


    All of a sudden, she was now staring back at a pair of deep-red eyes that belonged to a very handsome man with red ming hair.


    Tilly gasped when she realized that the statue had turned into a handsome man! "Who the hell are you?"


    "How rude," the man with red mingined. Then, he pointed a slender finger at her chest. "Is that how you''re supposed to greet the celestial being that lent you his heart, descendant of that Supreme Fire Mage with a bad temper?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    ***


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 Chapter 84: The Sentinel

    Chapter 84: The Sentinel


    FOR SOME reason, Kiho suddenly felt very irritated. In fact, he identally froze the teaspoon he was using to stir his tea. <em>Why am I suddenly feeling this way?</em>


    "What''s wrong, Your Grace?" Luna, who was sitting from across him, asked. "What did the poor teaspoon did wrong for you to freeze it?"


    Right now, they were back in Lord Prescott''s house.


    They brought Captain Sherwood''s men along with them and locked them up in the basement. Before that, they made them write and send a letter to the captain with his message. He told Captain Sherwood that if he didn''t give him a proper exnation before the day ended, he would kill his people.


    After that, Louisa made tea for them. The head maid was the only servant that he brought along from the mansion. To be honest, he didn''t think about bringing servants with them. But when he realized that he''d be alone with Luna, he changed his mind. He didn''t want other people to see him with another woman and create a nasty rumor from it.


    In the past, he didn''t care about what other people thought about him. But now that he had a wife, he wanted to be careful of his actions and protect his family in all aspects.


    "I felt irritated for some reason," Kiho answered Luna''s question after the ice in the teaspoon melted. Since it was only an ident, the ice he created was very thin that it melted by itself. "Miss Luna, aside from the High Priest, are there other males in the temple?"


    When he sent off Tilly in the temple this morning, she was fetched by priestesses. He was relieved then. But now, he realized that other priests might be in there as well.


    He really didn''t know much about the temple since he wasn''t a religious person. Maybe it was because he grew up as an orphan. But in the past, whenever he was asked by the adults around him to pray, he would feel strange. Like he wasn''t supposed to worship anything or anyone. And he didn''t know why he would feel that way.


    Of course there are other men in the temple aside from His Eminence," Luna said as if she was wondering why he asked the obvious. "The temple is the house of priestesses and priests. Plus, since it''s also the house of the saint, the Holy Knights are there as well. Are you worried that your beloved wife would be surrounded by other men?"


    His cheeks burned in embarrassment, but he still nodded as a shy confession.


    "With all due respect are you stupid?"


    He almost choked at the witch''s direct mockery. But he knew where she wasing from so he couldn''t really get angry at her.


    "The High Priests, the priests, and the Holy Knights have taken a vow of celibacy," Luna reminded him while shaking her head. "No matter how lovely you think Lady Nystrom is, no one would hit on her in the temple."


    "You''d never know," he countered. "Tilly is beautiful inside and out."


    "Your Grace, how much do you love Lady Nystrom?" Luna asked seriously. "I don''t mean any harm by my question. I''m just genuinely curious. I mean, aside from being a Fire Mage, she also has the heart that Her Royal Highness wants. I know that you''re very strong. But can you really protect her and your child from the whole empire?"


    "I''ll probably die along the way," he admitted in a soft voice. This was the thing that he could never say to Tilly. But for some reason, he could open up to Luna. After all, the witch was someone he knew he could trust. "I''m not that arrogant to think that I''d escape the war against the royal family unscathed. But before I die, I''ll make sure that Tilly and our son would have a safe future. They are the reason I''m living. And I''m willing to die for them."


    The witch smiled sadly. "Thank you for your honesty, Your Grace."


    "Please don''t tell Tilly the things I just said," he asked her. "She''d be upset if she hears it."


    "I won''t tell her, Your Grace," the witch assured him. "May I ask one more question, Duke Nystrom?"


    He sipped his tea before he answered. "Go ahead, Miss Luna."


    "What if Lady Nystrom isn''t the woman in the prophecy?"


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "Tilly was able to carry my child in her womb. How can she not be the woman in the prophecy?"


    "Then, let me rephrase the question," the witch said. "What if there''s another woman who is more deserving of Lady Nystrom''s ce? What if one day, she suddenly shows up?"


    "Even if she shows up, it wouldn''t change anything," he said firmly. "My heart, my mind, my soul, my body, my Mana everything belongs to Tilly now. I admit that I''m grateful to the prophecy because it led me to Tilly. But if the same prophecy would ruin my rtionship with my wife, then I''d go against the heavens just to be with Tilly until the end of time."


    Luna smiled warmly. For some reason, she looked like a mother looking after her child. Was she that old for her to see him as a child? "That''s all I want to hear from you," she said. "I am and will always be rooting for you and Lady Nystrom."


    Kiho wasn''t sure what Luna was talking about but he was relieved to confirm that she was really on their side. "Thank you, Miss Luna."


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LADY Nystrom?"


    Tilly blinked several times before she turned to Lilly, the priestess who was exining the task assigned to her. "Yes, Miss Lilly?"


    "Are you okay?" Lilly asked worriedly. "You suddenly went as stiff as a statue."


    "I''m fine," she assured the priestess with a smile. Then, she respectfully pointed her hands at the gold statue of the Red Phoenix. The "apparition" that she saw disappeared when Lilly woke her up from her daze. "I was just absorbed at how beautiful the statue is."


    The priestess smiled proudly. "Your Grace, would you like to offer a prayer to the Four Ancient Beasts before you begin your task? We can leave the room to give you privacy."


    "Would that be alright?" she asked politely. "I don''t want to cause inconvenience to everyone."


    "Praying is important to everyone in the temple, Your Grace," the priestess assured her. "And as a pregnant woman, we know that you''d want to pray for the safe delivery of your child. We will give you privacy."


    "That would be nice," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Miss Lilly."


    "You''re wee, Lady Nystrom," Lilly said before she bowed to her. "Take your time praying, Your Grace."


    After saying that, Lilly asked the other priestesses to leave the room.


    She politely nodded when they bid her goodbye. And once she was alone in the chamber, she stood in front of the gold statue of the Red Phoenix.


    "Come out," Tilly said to the statue while crossing her arms over her chest. "I know I wasn''t hallucinating earlier."


    A few momentster, the statue was suddenly engulfed in red me.


    Then, the handsome young man she saw earlier appeared again. This time, she had the chance to look at him properly.


    The stranger''s long ming hair was red. He wore a simple red robe with gold ents. The robe itself wasn''t properly tied. And thus, his wide expanse of white chest was exposed. She also noticed that he was bare-footed.


    <em>Still, he looks very regal.</em>


    "Kids these days are really rude," the Red Phoenix dude said. "But even though you''re rude, you''re still the heart so I''ll let it slide." He extended his hand to her. "Come, I''ll bring you to my chamber."


    She grabbed his hand but not to let him take her anywhere.


    Remembering what she learned from Kiho and Captain Denver, she made her body temperature rise with the intention of burning the strange being. It worked because red me came out of her palm and burned the "being."


    "Aw!" the handsome manined before he pulled his hand away from her. Then, he hissed at her face. "How dare you aw!"


    She pressed her still burning palm on his forehead, causing him to jump away from her.


    "How dare you hiss at my face," sheined to him. "You fake."


    His forehead knotted in confusion. "Fake?"


    "If you''re the human form of the Red Phoenix, you wouldn''t get burned by my me," she told him in a cold tone. "Do you think I''ll believe you just because you told me that you''re the owner of my heart?"


    He looked confused, then he suddenlyughed. "Why did you suspect me?"


    "I didn''t feel anything when you appeared before me," she exined. "When I saw the replica of the Red Phoenix, my heart thumped hard against my chest. I found you attractive, but that''s it. I didn''t feel anything special about you even though you imed that you were a celestial being."


    "I''m relieved," the dude said. "The previous "vessels" of the heart didn''t even find me suspicious and just came with me willingly."


    "Where did you bring them?"


    He smiled sweetly the kind of smile that made her skin crawl. "To their death, of course. Dumb b*tches don''t deserve the heart of my master."


    "Ah," she said. She had already met the lunatic royal twins so meeting another crazy and cruel dude didn''t faze her anymore. It was kind but yeah, she was starting to be jaded. "So, you serve the Red Phoenix."


    "Yes, the Red Phoenix is my master," the man said, then he politely bowed to her. "You may call me ''Sentinel,'' Lady Nystrom."


    "You already know my name."


    "I know everyone who was born with the heart," he said with a smile. "But out of all of them, you''re the only one who deserves to have the heart of my master. After all, you are directly connected to the first Supreme Fire Mage."


    Her knotted in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "I''ll exinter," he said. "Don''t you want to meet the real Red Phoenix?"


    "I do, she admitted. "I have business with him."


    "Then, please prepare yourself."


    Okay, that gave her goosebumps. "What do you mean by that, Sentinel?"


    Sentinel just gave her an apologetic smile, then he snapped his fingers. "I''m sincerely hoping that you''d be able to return safely, Lady Nystrom."


    Before she could even ask, the room she was in suddenly changed.


    Tilly found herself being engulfed in a red me. She never knew what it felt like to be burned because fire never hurt her


    until that moment.


    The me engulfing her whole body was very, very hot.


    <em>It hurts it hurts so much!</em>


    Tilly embraced her stomach and even though she hated crying, she couldn''t help but scry and scream in so much pain. The me, even though it was burning her to death, still felt familiar, giving her an idea of where it came from. "F*ck you, Red Phoenix!"


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO''s body suddenly turned ice cold.


    He didn''t know why but all of a sudden, his already low body temperature dropped down even more. He was shaking and every part of him felt numb. In fact, he couldn''t feel anything!


    But his heart was thumping so hard and so loud against his chest.


    <em>Tilly and Winter</em> Kiho said in his head because he couldn''t even move his lips. <em>They''re in danger!</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 85: Devotees of the Gods

    Chapter 85: Devotees of the Gods


    SENTINEL, after sending Lady Nystrom to the prayer room of the Red Phoenix, returned to his original human form.


    He had the form of a small and skinny teenaged human boy. He had short caramel brown hair, light brown eyes, and pale skin. Compared to his master''s appearance that he copied, he looked like a child even though he was already five hundred years old.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    He only copied the human form of the Red Phoenix to entice the heart. He had been doing that for many decades already. As the Red Phoenix''s sentinel, he wouldn''t let an undeserving person own the precious heart of his master.


    When the first Supreme Fire Mage died, the heart of the Red Phoenix disappeared with her. But not for too long.


    In each generation of the Fire Mage n, there would always be a woman born with the heart of the Red Phoenix. In the past, the Fire Mage n used to be a close-knitted one. They built a hiddenmunity where the Moonchesters wouldn''t find them. Thatmunity protected each woman born with the heart hoping that one day, their n would be cleared of the usation against them and be weed in the empire again.


    <em>But that didn''t happen.</em>


    When the Moonchesters found the Fire Mage Vige, they killed all the Fire Mages they found. From then on, the surviving Fire Mages got scattered and never found one another again. Because of that, there were "vessels" that were born without being protected.


    That happened again and again until finally, Lady Nystrom was born.


    "It wasn''t just a co-incidence that you were born with the heart of the Red Phoenix, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel whispered to himself. "You''re the only one that Master has been waiting for all this time."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA was surprised when she realized that Kiho couldn''t move. He was frozen in his seat but she knew it wasn''t because of his Mana. She was sure of it because she noticed the sudden change in the air. As a witch who made a pact with the Red Phoenix, she could feel it in her bones that it was awake.


    <em>Lady Nystrom is definitely near the real Red Phoenix now.</em>


    Since Kiho was the ck Serpent, he definitely felt his fellow god''s awakening. He didn''t have his old memories but his anger for the Red Phoenix was etched in every fiber of his being.


    <em>Yes, the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent never got along.</em>


    Luna was suddenly nervous when she saw the glint of anger in Kiho''s now golden eyes. She was sure he was trying to break free from the numbness that was currently binding him. The sudden increase of his Mana was proof.


    <em>No if the Red Phoenix feels Kiho''s presence, all hell will break loose!</em>


    She knew she had to do something so she stood up behind the duke.


    <em>Forgive me, Your Grace</em>, Luna said, then she put her hand on top of his head. <em>I have to make you sleep for now.</em>


    A few momentster, Kiho lost consciousness.


    And that was exactly her goal foring along with the Nystroms.


    Whatever happens, I have to prevent Duke Nystrom from waking up as the ck Serpent.


    Her thoughts were cut off when she felt a sting at the back of her hand. If she didn''t put a protective spell around her body as soon as felt the sharp pain, her hand would have been cut-off.


    "What the hell did you do to my god?!"


    Luna turned around to face the owner of the voice.


    She was greeted by a young man with light blue almost silver-ish hair and ash gray eyes. He was handsome, but the anger on his face made him look quite intimidating.


    <em>He has the scent of the blood of the Blue Dragon.</em>


    Aside from Lahara''s family, only one n in the empire had that blood.


    "Ah," Luna said when she realized who she was. "You must be Captain Sherwood. Duke Nystrom was expecting you but it''s still rude to trespass the mansion."


    If the captain entered the residence the proper way, then Louisa would have ushered him to the tea room. But seeing that he came alone, she could only conclude that he entered the mansion without Louisa knowing. Based on his flustered face, it was obvious that he came in a hurry.


    "I wouldn''t have resorted to trespassing had I not felt Duke Nystrom''s unstable Mana," Captain Sherwood hissed. "I knew he was in danger and I wasn''t wrong. What did you to the duke, you witch?"


    "I just made him sleep."


    "And why did you do that?"


    She acted like she was zipping her mouth. "None of your business, Captain."


    He smirked


    and then pointed a gun at her.


    Before she could even blink, he pulled the trigger. He also used hismand of the wind to make the bullet reach her faster.


    "Insolent child," Luna said, then she caught the bullet with her bare hand.


    The bullet wasn''t an ordinary bullet because it was made of dark magic. Had she been hit by it, she would havebusted. That was how strong the dark magic of the bullet was.


    No wonder the captain looked shocked that she was able to stop it with one hand.


    "Insolent brat," Luna said while opening her palm. The bullet turned into dust because of her powers. "You''re two hundred years too early to challenge the sole survivor of the Colorless Coven."


    "Ah, the witches with pink eyes."


    She wasn''t surprised to know that the captain knew her n.


    After all, the Sherwoods were famous for being the "Bookkeepers" or Historians of Moonchester Empire. Their family was full of schrs. She heard that the current duke of House Sherwood chose to enter knighthood instead of bing another schr in the family.


    <em>This one is definitely not normal.</em>


    If Captain Sherwood called Kiho his ''god,'' it only meant one thing.


    "How did you know about the duke''s real identity?" Luna confronted the captain. "Who told you about that, Captain Sherwood?"


    "Ah, so you knew Duke Nystrom''s real identity as well," Captain Sherwood said in amusement. "Would you tell me how you found out about his real identity if I asked you?"


    <em>Of course not.</em>


    "Touch," she conceded. "I heard from the old legends that the Blue Dragon and the ck Serpent were sort of rted to each other. Apparently, the Blue Dragon was the ck Serpent''s keeper. Is that the reason why you''re so drawn to Duke Nystrom now?"


    "Maybe, maybe not," he answered vaguely with a yful smile. "Anyway, even though you know that Duke Nystrom is a god, you''re keeping mum about it. Is there a reason why you''re hiding his real identity while staying beside him? Are you a friend or a foe?"


    "I don''t have any ill-intention towards the duke."


    "That''s a relief," he said. "I don''t want to kill you because I don''t want to get on his bad side."


    She rolled her eyes at him. "You''re acting like a woman obsessed with His Grace."


    "Hmm I can''t deny that," the captain said yfully. "These days, I can''t get Duke Nystrom out of my head. I can''t help but worry about him every minute of the day. If I could follow him anywhere and anytime, I would. But I couldn''t so I sent my people to protect him instead. Obviously, that created a misunderstanding."


    She cringed at everything he just said. "I think the duke would only get more confused if you tell him everything that you said to me just now."


    "What''s confusing about it?" Captain Sherwood asked, even tilting his head to one side. "I care about Duke Nystrom because I love him. Is that hard to understand?"


    "Okay, but what kind of love are you talking about?"


    Captain Sherwood smiled brightly. "The kind of love where I want Duke Nystrom all to himself."


    She was too shocked to react.


    And she didn''t have the chance to give a response to the captain''s deration because on her left side, she heard a loud thump. When she turned to the source of the noise, she saw Kiho standing with the chair on the ground.


    It looked like the chair fell on the floor when he abruptly stood up.


    <em>He''s already awake?</em>


    She made sure to put a huge amount of sleeping spell on him to make sure he''d be knocked out for an hour! But it hadn''t even been ten minutes since then.


    <em>Is he that worried about Lady Nystrom and his child that he easily broke free from my spell?!</em>


    "Your Grace, how long have you been awake?" Luna asked worriedly. "How much did you hear?"


    "I woke up at the moment when Captain Sherwood said that he couldn''t get me out of his head these days," Kiho answered hesitantly while holding his head as if he suddenly got a migraine. Then, he turned to the captain with an awkward look on his face. "Captain Sherwood, please tell me I just hit my head hard and so I''m hearing things."


    "No," Captain Sherwood said with a boyish grin while looking at Kiho with sparkling eyes. "I mean everything I just said in the way that you understood, Your Grace."


    "Sorry, Captain Sherwood," Kiho deadpanned without missing a beat. "My wife has already upied all the space in my heart. Please don''t waste your time on me."


    The captain just remained smiling.


    Luna didn''t have a problem with the kind of "feeling" that Captain Sherwood had for Kiho


    but she couldn''t trust him.


    <em>What is Captain Sherwood nning?</em>


    ***


    "ARE YOU ready, child?" Mikhail Denver asked Flint while they were quietly walking in the dark alley. Both of them were wearing a face mask that didn''t only conceal their faces. Their masks also had the ability to change their voice. "You know what to do, don''t you?"


    "Yes, Master," Flint answered cheerfully while holding the armband in his right arm. "Burn anyone that would try to harm our Supreme."


    "Good."


    To be honest, it was a big risk to go to the city where the temple was as the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights. He wanted to bring the elite team of the Fire Wielder Guild. But he knew he would gain attention if he did.


    So he had no choice but to bring a child with him.


    Flint may one of the youngest members of his guild. But he was definitely one of the most talented "Fire Wielder" that they ever produced.


    <em>Most of all, he''s attached to Lady Nystrom.</em>


    "Recently, some people with strange but strong powers arrived at the Royal Capital," Mikhail said to the child. "I believe they are the members of Her Royal Highness''s infamous "collection." They disappeared when the Nystroms left the Royal Capital to go to the temple. Do you know what that meant, child?"


    "Yes, Master," Flint answered firmly. "They followed the heart."


    And now, they were discreetly following the trails of two of the princess''s allies that went to that city to probably capture Lady Nystrom.


    <em>As if I''d let them touch our Supreme.</em>


    He stopped walking the moment the enemies they were hunting appeared before them.


    <em>Ah, they noticed us tailing them</em>.


    There was a huge guy d in ck cloak. He had gray hair and tan skin. His physical built suggested that he was strong. But his Mana level was rtively normal.


    The big guy''spanion, a fragile-lookingdy d in ck cloak, was a familiar face.


    <em>If I''m not mistaken, that''s Lady Alisa Hayward. She''s recognized as one of the empire''s youngest female doctors. Most of all, she''s a close friend of Her Royal Highness.</em>


    "I can''t believe I have to take care of small-fries just when I''m about to meet my fianc who I haven''t seen for a long time," Lady Haywardined with a pout. "I guess I have no choice but to kill you then."


    "Big words," Mikhail said with a smirk, his voice sounding metallic because of the mask he was wearing. "Let''s see who''d end up dead, mydy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY DIDN''T like pain.


    <em>Well, who does?</em>


    At first, she cried from so much pain because of the heat of the me engulfing her.


    But when she realized that she wasn''t really being burned into ashes, she calmed down. When she got a hold of herself, the fear that she felt a while ago was reced by anger. Just what the hell did she do to end up being roasted by a f*cking old dude that happened to be a god?


    She rarely cursed but it was probably normal for a person going through so much physical pain to be foul-mouthed.


    <em>Gosh, this is pissing me off.</em>


    When hatred rose up in her chest, the heat she felt a while ago suddenly cooled down. Or would it be more correct to say that the heat she released from her anger was now hotter than the me eating her alive?


    For some reason, getting angry made her feel more powerful than usual.


    Just a few momentster, she was able to stand up straight and own the red me.


    <em>Whew.</em>


    "God, you smell awful."


    Tilly flinched when she heard a deep and low male voice from behind.


    Suddenly, her heart thumped hard and loud against her chest. So even without turning around, she already recognized who the owner of the voice was.


    <em>It''s the real deal.</em>


    She took a deep breath, then finally, she turned around to meet the real owner of her heart.


    <em>Oh, pretty.</em>


    The Red Phoenix looked exactly like the "copy" she met earlier. But for some reason, the real one felt more regal.


    "Why do you have the stench of that ck snake" the Red Phoenix stopped talking when he looked at her face properly. Then, he suddenly froze. She was starting to get worried that he might have reverted back into a being statue when suddenly, tears rolled down his cheeks. "Soleil?"


    "I''m not Soleil," Tilly said. Then, she raised her left hand and showed him her wedding ring proudly. "I''m Tilly Nystrom, Kiho''s wife."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 86: For Her Royal Highness

    Chapter 86: For Her Royal Highness


    MIKHAIL Denver suddenly found himself in the middle of a huge forest with literally living trees. The roots were moving as if they were ready to attack him anytime. He also couldn''t see Flint anywhere.


    But he didn''t panic. He knew everything he was seeing was just in his head.


    Mikhailughed bitterly. "Seriously? You''re using illusion on <em>me</em>? I admit that this is impressive. `Almost felt real."


    But of course, that really didn''t work on him.


    The Denvers'' ability that they had been hiding from the royal family was their mind maniption skill. Creating illusions could also be considered as mind maniption. Because he had hyper awareness, such skills wouldn''t work on him or his family members.


    <em>It''s cute though.</em>


    "You''re talking too much, Masked Stranger," Lady Hayward said. The woman was sitting on the branch of the huge tree in front of him. "If you''re going to talk, then tell me the reason why you''re following us sneakily."


    Then, she waved her hand.


    The next thing Mikhail knew, the roots of the trees were already wrapped around his body until it was impossible for him to move.


    But only because he wasn''t trying to break free yet.


    "Before we talk about that, tell me where mypanion is," Mikhail said. "Do you want me all to yourself or something?"


    "Don''t be haughty," she said with a frown. "My noble pride would get bruised if I killed a child so I let mypanion deal with him."


    Heughed at that.


    But also, he noticed that Lady Hayward didn''t care if her identity as a noble was revealed to an enemy. Well, he could tell that right away when she showed up before him without hiding her face. If that was the case, then it only meant one thing.


    <em>She''s confident that we wouldn''t survive today.</em>


    Hah, how haughty.


    But he could use that arrogance of her against her.


    "You seem confident that we wouldn''t live to tell the tale," Mikhail started carefully. "But why are so hell bent on silencing us forever? You asked the reason why we were following you. But even though I haven''t stated our purpose yet, it seems like you already decided to kill us. I can''t help but wonder if you have an idea of why we were following you."


    "Her Royal Highness has only one enemy," Lady Hayward said. "She already saw thising. Before that tragedy happened to her, the princess already gave us an instruction. Her Royal Highness told us that if something bad happened to her, then we shall catch the heart and use it to heal her."


    <em>I knew it.</em>


    "But Her Royal Highness also warned us that getting to the heart wouldn''t be easy," the woman continued. "She said the heart has hidden allies. Considering that I sensed your presence near the temple, it could only mean that you''re here to protect the heart. In short, you''re an enemy. And anyone who gets in the way of the princess shall perish."


    "Okay, big words," he said nonchntly. "Now I''m pretty certain that only one of us can leave this ce alive."


    She raised a questioning brow at him. "Do you seriously believe that you''d get out of here alive?"


    "I admire your loyalty to Her Royal Highness. I understand what it feels to be so drawn to a person that you can give up your life for them," he said, his armband starting to melt. "As a sign of my respect, I''ll kill you painlessly."


    Sheughed at him. "Big wordsing from someone who can''t even show his face to ady."


    He smirked at the way she shoved his words back at her with an insult.


    <em>She has a point.</em>


    "I apologize for that, mydy," Mikhail said. "But don''t worry, I''ll show my face to you once you''re breathing yourst moments."


    After saying that, he made his body burn until the roots and the trees around him were burning as well. Now that the armband that he was using to limit his power was gone, he could use as much me as he needed.


    In short, he wasn''t holding back his power as a Fire Mage.


    "I can''t believe this. Her Royal Highness is right," Lady Hayward said, her eyes widening in shock. "The heart is not the only Fire Mage alive!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "GREETINGS to the only moon of the Great Moonchester Empire."


    Aku smiled at Captain Ainsworth''s polite but stiff greeting.


    <em>The captain of the Golden Tiger doesn''t really like me, huh?</em>


    Right now, they were in the prayer room of his pce.


    In every corner of the chamber, a statue of an Ancient Beast stood. And in the center of the room was a ss case where the statue of the moon was ced nicely. Of course, that moon represented the emperor of the Moonchester Empire.


    To be honest, only the emperor and his immediate family should have been allowed to enter the prayer room.


    But he could make an exception for Captain Ainsworth.


    "Wee to the prayer room, Captain Ainsworth," Aku said with a smile. Right now, he was standing in front of the statue of the Golden Tiger. The captain was respectfully standing a few meters away from him. "Did I summon you in an inconvenient time?"


    "That''s not the case, Your Majesty," Captain Ainsworth said politely. "I just don''t feelfortable standing in a room that I know I shouldn''t be. After all, only the royal family members were supposed to have ess in here."


    "You''re more than qualified to be here, Captain Ainsworth," he said yfully. "After all, you are the direct descendant of the Golden Tiger."


    The captain flinched at that. "Your Majesty"


    "I know that the Ainsworths are angry at the royal family because we forcefully took the Golden Tiger to be the emperor''s beast weapon. Unlike the Blue Dragon n who really doesn''t care about their ancestor, you''re different. You believe that the Golden Tiger should serve no one else but your n," Aku said directly. "And that''s the reason why House Ainsworth chose to side with the Noble Faction. You''re waiting for the royal family to be destroyed to get a chance to steal back the Golden Tiger. Am I wrong?"


    He remained silent as if he was debating with himself whether to entertain him or not.


    "This isn''t a trap, Captain Ainsworth," he told him. "You can be honest. I''m here to make a deal with you."


    Captain Ainsworth''s brows furrowed in confusion. "What kind of deal, Your Majesty?"


    "A year from now, a bloody but silent war would begin," Aku dered seriously. "But it''s not the kind of war that mere humans could get involve with. The war I''m talking about is within the Four Ancient Beasts."


    His eyes widened in shock. "But the Red Phoenix and ck Serpent are both sleeping up to this day, aren''t they?"


    "They are destined to wake up soon," he said. "I have the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger. But I''ll be honest. I can''t use the full potential of the Golden Tiger because it still refuses to acknowledge me as its master."


    In fact, his predecessors had never seeded in taming the Golden Tiger.


    That was why they relied on the Blue Dragon instead. But the previous emperors didn''t care about that because their power as Moonchesters was still stronger than the Ancient Beasts.


    But right now, he needed all the force he could gather.


    <em>The Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent wouldn''t be easy to defeat.</em>


    Understanding crossed the captain''s eyes. "You want to use me to control the Golden Tiger. Am I right, Your Majesty?"


    "You can say that," he admitted. "If you take my side, I''ll return the Golden Tiger to House Ainsworth."


    Captain Ainsworth looked really shocked. It even took him a few minutes before he responded. "Are you serious, Your Majesty?"


    "Yes," he said firmly. "The only reason House Ainsworth is opposing the royal family is because we stole the Golden Tiger from your n. If I return your god to you, would you aid me in the uing war?"


    The captain swallowed, obviously tempted by his offer. "Your Majesty, may I know why you''re doing this?"


    "It''s for the princess," Aku answered truthfully. He wanted to gain Captain Ainsworth''s favor so lying to him couldn''t be an option. And most of all, he had no reason to cover up his real reason anyway. "I''ll be honest with you, Captain Ainsworth. Nia is still in a terrible state. The thing that can save her is in the hands of the enemies. I''ll wage a war on them for my beloved. This is a battle that I can''t lose, captain."


    "For Her Royal Highness, you''re willing to relinquish your guardianship of the Golden Tiger?"


    "I have no use of an Ancient Beast that wouldn''t even give me its 100%," he reasoned. "Might as well give it back to its n. But in return, I want House Ainsworth to swear their loyalty to me."


    Captain Ainsworth was known to the empire as a just person.


    But at that moment, something akin to greed gleamed in his gray eyes.


    Well, the captain might be a direct descendant of a god. But he was still human. And humans were naturally greedy creatures.


    "You don''t have to give me an answer now, Captain Ainsworth," Aku told him. "You may discuss this with your n."


    Captain Ainsworth bowed to him. "My utmost gratitude, Your Majesty."


    He just smiled and dismissed Captain Ainsworth.


    After praying to his ancestors, he went out of the chamber where Sir Gregory was waiting for him.


    "Your Majesty, it''s confirmed that Captain Sherwood went to Lord Prescott''s mansion located near the temple," Sir Gregory informed him. "It''s also confirmed that Duke Nystrom and Lady Nystrom''s doctor are staying in that ce."


    "Keep an eye on every single member of House Sherwood," Aku ordered his knight before he started to walk. "From now on, Captain Sherwood and his whole family are to be considered as the royal family''s enemies."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 87: A Purpose, An Oath

    Chapter 87: A Purpose, An Oath


    "TRAITOR"


    Mikhail Denver already expected that to hear from Lady Hayward as soon as he took his mask off. "I don''t want to hear that from a member of Her Royal Highness''s infamous collection."


    "We''re different from you," Lady Hayward hissed. "Serving the princess is akin to protecting the empire!"


    "Miss me with the b*llshit, Lady Hayward," he said emotionlessly. Now that he already revealed himself to the enemy, there was no use pretending that he didn''t know her. "We both know that Her Royal Highness is doing stuff that wouldn''t benefit the empire in any way. And one of those selfish agendas of her is stealing the heart for her own good."


    Lady Hayward red at him but she didn''t have a retort.


    Well, maybe it was hard for her to talk now.


    As of this moment, Lady Hayward was being burned alive with his me. But she remained calm because she couldn''t feel any pain. If she did, she would have been screaming and crying by now.


    He used his mind control on thedy to make her forget the feeling of physical pain. After all, he promised her a painless death. As a gentleman, he didn''t want to take his words back.


    "You don''t understand Her Royal Highness," Lady Hayward said in a soft voice. "She just wants to be free and change her destiny. Is being selfish really a bad thing?"


    "Being selfish is a part of human nature," he admitted. "But when your selfishness drives you to hurt innocent people just to get what you want, then you''re nothing but a trash who deserves to be burnt to death."


    "It''s the first Supreme Fire Mage''s fault why Her Royal Highness is tied to His Majesty for the rest of her life!" she said angrily. "What right does the Supreme have to return and make the princess suffer again?! Does she really have to make the princess miserable even in this life time?!"


    "I don''t know the history between the first Supreme Fire Mage and Her Royal Highness," he said indifferently while putting on a new pair of armbands. "But I know that killing off an entire n without a valid reason is wrong. What did the Fire Mages do wrong for the royal family to make them as our history''s viin?"


    "The Fire Mages are traitors. Always have been and always will be," she said with a snarl. "I can''t believe that the Denvers are Fire Mages. How did you manage to fool the royal family all this time?"


    "I have no intention of sharing our n''s secret with an enemy," Mikhail told her coldly. Then, he bowed to her as a final sign of respect. The woman as an enemy, but taking someone else''s life was still something he could never be proud of. "Goodbye, Lady Hayward."


    "I''m cursing you, Captain Denver. I''m cursing you to fail saving the life of the one you loved the most in the future," Lady Hayward said bitterly. "My fianc will certainly avenge me remember that."


    After saying herst words, Lady Hayward turned into ashes.


    As soon as she disappeared, the world that she created through her illusions also crumbled. The next thing he knew, he was already back in the dark alley.


    "Master!"


    Mikhail was relieved to see Flint alive. It pained him to see the bruises and the cuts in that child''s small body. But still, he was happy and proud that he was able to survive his first real fight. The ashes on the ground were proof that Flint was able to burn his enemy to death. "Thank you for surviving, Flint."


    Flint took his mask off. Then, he looked up at him with furrowed brows. "Master, you don''t look like you''re happy with my triumph. The enemy was huge and had high Mana. But he was slow and not so smart. Still, he wasn''t an easy enemy. You should be congratting me, you know? Please be proud of me."


    "Of course, I''m proud of you," he said, then he ruffled his hair. "But still, congratting a child for his first kill doesn''t sit well with me. I know it''s hypocrite of me to feel this way because I brought you along knowing that we would have to kill our enemies. I thought I prepared myself for this way. But in the end, my heart still aches to see a child like you kill another person."


    "We''re in a war, Master," he reminded him gently. "I''m not a child I''m a warrior. Please don''t feel guilty. I chose this path myself. No one forced me to do this."


    "Still"


    "Master, I want to protect Big Sister Tilly," Flint cut him off with a grin. "And I want a safe future for my brother Julian. I don''t want him and the other children to grow up being hunted down by the enemies just because they were born as Fire Mages. For that purpose, I''m willing to throw my childhood away, Master."


    Mikhail, reminded that the surviving Fire Mages had their hopes on him and the Supreme, managed to suppress his guilt and focus on their purpose again. Involving a child in a war was still uneptable. But if he wouldn''t do this, Flint wouldn''t learn how to fight and survive once the royal family started to hunt them down again. It didn''t justify his decision. But his guilt lessened. "You''re right. We''re doing this so the other children in our guild wouldn''t have to walk a thorny path." He smiled and patted his head. "Thank you for thinking about the future of your generation, Flint."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "CAPTAIN Sherwood, I don''t want to be rude but please leave," Kiho said frankly. "I have an urgent matter to attend to. My wife needs me."


    Captain Sherwood was about to talk but someone else beat him to it.


    "Duke Nystrom, please listen to me first," Luna pleaded. "Lady Nystrom is safe. Trust me. I''d know if she''s in danger."


    His brows furrowed. To be honest, the ominous feeling that he had a while ago disappeared. Come to think of it "What happened to me, Lady Luna? Did I pass out?"


    "I made you sleep, Your Grace," the witch answered honestly. "You needed to calm down and so I had to knock you out. I''ll ept any punishment that you will bestow upon me."


    As a captain, he was used to giving punishments to his men.


    He knew that a leader should know when to use an iron hand. But in this case, he knew that Luna only did that out of her concern for his safety. And she wouldn''t have stopped him if Tilly was really in danger.


    "Miss Luna, are you sure that my wife isn''t in danger?" he asked.


    "Yes," Luna answered firmly. "I know that you''re worried about Lady Nystrom. I care about her as well. But we also have to trust her. If she needs help, she has a means to let us know."


    Those wordsforted him. <em>Yes, Tilly is smart. She wouldn''t put her life at risk just to satisfy her curiosity. I should trust her more.</em>


    "I can check up on Lady Nystrom if you want, Your Grace," Captain Sherwood offered, causing him and Luna to turn to the captain at the same time.


    "Why would you do that?" Kiho asked curiously. "We''re not even friends, Captain Sherwood."


    "Ouch," the captain said whileughing softly. "I just want to be useful to you, Duke Nystrom."


    Okay, that made him feel ufortable.


    And one more thing


    "I can''t trust you, Captain Sherwood," Kiho said frankly. "I know that you''re working for Her Royal Highness."


    "Oh, I already betrayed the princess to get valuable information from His Majesty"


    The revtion shocked him.


    But the casual way Captain Sherwood announced it shocked him even more.


    <em>I know that he''s carefree. But I can''t believe that he is this carefree to the point that I want to question his sanity.</em>


    "I don''t mind betraying the emperor to follow you, Duke Nystrom," Captain Sherwood continued in his usual cheerful voice. "And I don''t think he''d trust me anymore after I left the pce to follow you here."


    "If you can betray the most powerful man in the empire, I''m certain youd betray me as well," Kiho said when he got over his shock. "I won''t a trust a man who doesn''t know what loyalty means."


    For some reason, the captain looked like he suddenly got serious even though he was still lying. "I know you''d find it hard to believe but I know what loyalty is, Duke Nystrom. The Sherwoods'' loyalty lies on the true ruler of the empire. We never believed that the Moonchesters deserve the throne. But we stick with them all this time because we want the knowledge that they have been keeping. That''s how we view the royal family. To simply say, turning our backs on His Majesty couldn''t be considered betrayal when they never had our loyalty in the first ce. So please let me serve you, Duke Nystrom."


    He wanted to reject Captain Sherwood''s "offer."


    But for some reason, he wanted to give it another thought.


    He needed as much strong ally as he could find. While he couldn''t fully trust Captain Sherwood''s words, he had faith in his strength.


    <em>I don''t have to trust him 100%. We can work together as colleagues. And if I don''t need him anymore, I can simply cut my ties with him. After all, I don''t have a deep bond with him. If I can turn my back on His Majesty whom I consider as a father figure, I can drop anyone else.</em>


    Except for Tilly and Winter, of course.


    "I understand why you can''t trust me, Duke Nystrom," Captain Sherwood said seriously. Then, much to his shock, he got down on one knee and held his hand. Before he could even react, he leaned down and touched the back of his hand with his forehead. "Duke Kiho Nystrom, I, Duke Noel Sherwood, vow my life and loyalty to you for the rest of my life."


    To say that Captain Sherwood''s vow of life and loyalty shocked him would be an understatement.


    Kiho was speechless.


    <em>Now what?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    ***


    "NYSTROM?"


    Tilly stepped back when the Red Phoenix''s face suddenly turned grim. He looked angry but she knew that anger wasn''t directed at her. Still, the celestial being suddenly looked intimidating. "What''s wrong with my husband''s surname?"


    The Red Phoenix red at her. "You don''t know the person you''ve married, do you? Foolish little girl."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 88: Nostalgia

    Chapter 88: Nostalgia


    AKU let out a loud sigh when he walked past the courtyard in front of his pce.


    "What''s wrong, Your Majesty?" Sir Gregory, who was walking behind him, asked worriedly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"


    "I''m fine, Sir Gregory," Aku assured the old knight. "I just missed the days where the captains of the Four Orders would train together in front of my pce. I miss watching them y together."


    ""y?"" the knight asked in surprise. "The four captains would always try to kill each other during their "sparring," Your Majesty. Unfortunately, they don''t know what "practice" means. They also destroyed the front porch of your pce several times. That was the reason why your advisors begged you to stop letting the captains use your pce as a training ground."


    Heughed at the memory. "I want to go back to those peaceful days."


    "Your Majesty, do you regret sharing what you know with Captain Sherwood?"


    Sir Gregory had a point.


    Maybe if he didn''t revealed Kiho''s real identity to Captain Sherwood, then he would have stayed by his side.


    The thing was


    he didn''t regret it.


    "I''ve always known that the Sherwoods'' "loyalty" to me is just all for show. They just want the knowledge and dark secrets that I hold," Aku said softly. "I knew that Captain Sherwood would turn his back on me for Kiho because Kiho is the living legend that they seek. But still, I did what I had to do to know where the heart is. Losing Captain Sherwood is just a small price to paypared to what I gained." He let out another sigh while shaking his head. "And it was good riddance anyway. A year from now, a war would begin. I need to get rid of people who can''t be loyal to me. And at the same time, gain new allies that I know I can depend more."


    "I don''t trust Captain Sherwood so getting rid of him is a relief for me," Sir Gregory said. "But Your Majesty, do you believe that Captain Ainsworth would ept the deal that you offered to his n?"


    "He would," Aku said confidently. "If the Sherwoods sought knowledge, then the Ainsworths longed for the Golden Tiger all this time."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FOOLISH little girl."


    Tilly raised a brow at that. Gosh, she almost pitied him when he suddenly cried. But his tears suddenly disappeared when he spoke so now, she wasn''t sure if he really cried or was it just her hallucination. "You talk like you know my husband more than I do. Have you met him personally, huh?"


    "I don''t need to meet him to know that he''s no good for you," the Red Phoenix said. "His name alone is enough to tell me that you married a trash."


    "Don''t you dare speak of my husband that way," she warned him. "I don''t care if you''re a god. I''ll throw these hands on you if you insult Kiho again."


    "How hot-headed," the godined. "You really got Soleil''s bad temper."


    Her brows furrowed at the name that he called her a while ago. "And who''s this Soleil?"


    "Soleil Rosenberg the first Supreme Fire Mage," the Red Phoenix said proudly. "She''s your ancestor."


    "What''s with the pause?"


    "Nothing."


    <em>Okay, this red bird dude is suspicious.</em>


    But she was more curious about something else.


    "Mr. Red Phoenix, do you know my husband?" she asked curiously. "You reacted at his surname. Do you personally know a Nystrom?"


    "There used to be a n who call themselves as Nystroms," he answered nonchntly. "They were a bunch of jerks."


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    <em>Gosh, this fossil isn''t taking me seriously.</em>


    But for the sake of her Baby Winter, she forced herself to calm down.


    The Red Phoenix had lived a long time and it was highly possible that he had met a n of Nystroms in the past. Those people might really have been jerks. But that didn''t mean that Kiho was rted to them so there was no need for her to get worked up.


    Kiho only picked that name because of his Master.


    But still, she had to ask more because they were investigating her husband''s origin anyway.


    When Tilly calmed down, she opened her eyes and found the Red Phoenix looking intently at her. She felt awkward, but she still asked anyway. "Can you tell me more about the Nystroms that you''ve met in the past?"


    "No," the Red Phoenix said. Before she could evenin, he spoke again. "You''re here to regain the memories of your past life, aren''t you?"


    Okay, that was a good distraction.


    <em>I''ll ask about the Nystromster.</em>


    "How did you know that?"


    "I can hear the desire of your heart," the Red Phoenix said. "After all, that used to be mine."


    "And because of that, you realized that this isn''t my first life?"


    He nodded. "If you expect me to be shocked, you''d be disappointed. You have the heart. It wouldn''t be impossible for you to have a rebirth."


    Oh, that makes sense.


    "Can you help me regain the memories of my past life?" she asked, hopeful. "I really need them, Mr. Red Phoenix."


    "Wixx," he said. "My name is Wixx. I don''t have a title so you can call me ''Wixx.''"


    <em>What a weird name.</em>


    "Okay, Wixx," she said. For some reason, she didn''t find it hard to call him by that name. Weird, but she felt like it wasn''t the first time that she said that name. But she set aside that thought for now. "Can you help me?"


    "There''s a powerful seal in your memories. Most of them are fake memories imnted in your head," Wixx exined seriously. "The spell sealing your memories is a forbidden one. And it''s so strong that even in your rebirth, the memories of your past life remained tightly sealed. Unfortunately, what remained in this prayer room is only my consciousness. My real body is sleeping somewhere that even I do not where."


    She suddenly felt helpless. "So, you can''t help me?"


    "I didn''t say that," the Red Phoenix denied. "Without my real body, I''m not as powerful as I should be. But thankfully, I have some strength left enough for me to unseal a portion of your old memories. In short, you''d only regain a small part of your past. So don''t be disappointed if you don''t gain anything from the memory that I''m about to unseal."


    "No, I won''t be disappointed," she promised desperately. "I''ll ept anything, Wixx. Please help me."


    "Alright," Wixx said. Then, he tried to touch her but she avoided his hand. His brows furrowed in confusion. "Did you just avoid my touch? Don''t you know that in the past, people line up just to kiss my hand? Kings, emperors, High Priests, and even Saints."


    "Please don''t be offended," she said politely. "But as a woman, and a married woman at that, I don''t like being touched without my consent. I don''t care who you are, Wixx. My body, my rules."


    "You really act and talk like Soleil," he said while shaking his head. "Lady Nystrom, may I touch your head? It''s a process I need to do to help you regain your past memories."


    "Yes, you may," she said. "Thank you for asking."


    Wixx just rolled his eyes. Then, he gently put his hand on top of her head. "Now, close your eyes and think about the thing that you wanted to know most about your past life."


    Tilly nodded, then she closed her eyes.


    <em>What happened before I died?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MY LORD, are you crying?"


    "Shut up," Wixx told Sentinel who appeared beside him when Lady Nystrom fell "asleep."


    Right now, Lady Nystrom was enclosed in a transparent rectangr box. Yes, it was shaped like a coffin but it looked more elegant. After all, the box was surrounded by sparkling red lights. Those lights were remnants of his Mana.


    "My lord, why didn''t you tell Lady Nystrom that she was the reincarnation of Lady Soleil Rosenberg?" Sentinel asked in curiosity. "You''ve been waiting for her to be reincarnated for a long time."


    "I don''t want her to remember her past life as Soleil," he said firmly. "I want to treat Lady Nystrom as a different person from my foolish little sister."


    Yes, Soleil Rosenberg was his precious little sister in the past.


    He gave his heart to Soleil before he ascended the heavens when he became a god. But before that happened, a tragedy that caused her present ordeal urred.


    "I''m amazed that you were able to control your anger when she mentioned Kiho Nystrom," Sentinelmented in an amused voice. "After all, the ck Serpent was the one who killed Lady Soleil."


    The memory didn''t fail to make his chest tighten in pain.


    "But it wasn''t just him, Sentinel. I''m angry with the ck Serpent as much as I am angry with myself," he said, then he looked at his hands. "We both killed my little sister."


    "It wasn''t you, my lord," Sentinelforted him. "If we''re going to me someone, it should be the Moonchesters."


    "The Moonchesters those people with filthy blood," Wixx said angrily. "This time, it''s their family that is going to be erased from history and not the Fire Mages."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>AUTHOR''S NOTE</strong>: HI. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. I''VE BEEN TRYING TO POST THE UPDATES SINCE 10PM (in our time). MY WIFI IS SUPER SLOW. I WILL TRY AGAIN LATER AT 12AM-1AM (two hours from now). I''M REALLY SORRY. HUHU. *bows* SORRY. T_T


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 89: Unrecognizable Gaze

    Chapter 89: Unrecognizable Gaze


    TILLY found herself transparent and floating in the air like a ghost.


    <em>Cool.</em>


    But her childlike excitement vanished as soon as she realized where she was.


    It was her old living room in the house that she bought after her divorce.


    <em>"Lord Kiho, please believe me!"</em>


    Tilly flinched when she saw the past version of herself while chasing Kiho''s past version while they were going down the grand staircase. Her past self was crying while her ex-husband a rigid expression on his face.


    Ah, in this version, both she and her husband were more than a decade older than their current "versions."


    <em>"I really didn''t know what I was doing back then!" her old self begged. Ah, right. In the past, Kiho took his father''s title and surname. But she refused to call him "Lord Prescott" so she opted for "Lord Kiho" instead. "Please listen to me, my lord!"</em>


    <em>Old Kiho turned to herself with an angry look on his face. "Do you expect me to believe you after all the awful things you''ve done to Winter and my new wife?"</em>


    Tilly felt a pang in her chest. <em>Obviously, he''s talking about Lucina Morganna.</em>


    <em>"Believe me, Lord Kiho," her old self pleaded. Then, she kneeled and clung into Kiho''s legs while looking up at him with a devastated look on her face. "Most of the time, I don''t know what I''m doing. I feel like I''ve just woken up from a long and tiring dream, Lord Kiho. Thest clear memory I remember was when I gave birth to our son."</em>


    <em>He smirked bitterly. "Are you telling me that for more than ten years, you didn''t know what you were doing?"</em>


    <em>"Exactly!" she said firmly. "Lord Kiho, please believe me. I''m still the mother of your child. Will you really let me get executed?"</em>


    <em>"You''ve stopped being a mother to Winter a long time ago," old Kiho said coldly. "Lucina is the only mother that my son knows."</em>


    Tilly couldn''t help but cry.


    It broke her heart to see and hear old Kiho say those words again. She was hurt to be vividly reminded that he stopped acknowledging her as their son''s mother in the past. But the most painful thing to hear was when he said Lucina Morganna was Winter''s only mother.


    "Winter, I hope that doesn''t happen this time," Tilly whispered between sobs while hugging her tummy. "I''m so sorry for being an awful mother in the past."


    But even though she was emotional right now, she didn''t miss the things her old self said.


    <em>My old self ims that she doesn''t remember most of terrible things that she did. And that herst clear memory was when she gave birth to Winter.</em>


    It made sense, actually.


    She didn''t have a clear memory of her past life. She just assumed that she was a terrible person because all she remembered was the awful things she had done. And then, her execution.


    <em>"His Majesty won''t change his mind anymore," old Kiho said coldly. "He''ll have you executed for your crimes and as his revenge for what you did to Her Royal Highness."</em>


    <em>Her old self cried harder. "Why won''t you believe me, Lord Kiho?"</em>


    Tilly cried with her old self. She felt her pain. And she must also be confused of what was going on with her miserable life.


    <em>I swear I won''t end up like that again.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was surprised when the "scene" changed.


    This time, she found herself in a big but old room. Her old self was there with another woman who was d in a ck cloak.


    <em>"It''s been a long time," the familiar voice said. Then, she took off the hood of her cloak. "How are you, Lady Prescott?"</em>


    Tilly surprised when she recognized the woman. <em>Her Royal Highness?</em>


    She didn''t remember meeting the princess this way before!


    <em>Her old self didn''t look surprise though. "Your Royal Highness, why am I locked up here?"</em>


    <em>"I just want to thank you, my dear "Tilly,"" Princess Nia said. Then, she touched her old self''s face. "Thank you for telling me who your fellow Fire Mages are."</em>


    Tilly gasped at that, then she looked at her old self in disbelief. "You did what?"


    <em>"I don''t know what you''re talking about," her old self said in confusion, then she held her head as if she was in pain. "There are other Fire Mages aside from me?"</em>


    Tilly''s eyes widened. "I found out in my past life that I was a Fire Mage?"


    <em>"Oh, you don''t remember?" the princess said in an exaggerated sad voice. "Captain Denver and his guild tried to save you. But instead of epting their help, you actually brought them to me. Thanks to that, now I have a reason to return to my rightful ce. The nobles are very grateful to me after I captured the Fire Mages, you know?"</em>


    <em>"Stop," her old self pleaded. "I''m going to lose my mind!"</em>


    <em>Princess Nia onlyughed softly.</em>


    Tilly was suddenly enraged. She knew it was hopeless but she still ran towards the princess to punch her in the face. But her fist just went through Her Royal Highness.


    And then once again, the scene changed.


    <em>Dammit!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    THIS time, Tilly found herself in a cell.


    <em>Ah, I remember this prison cell in my past life.</em>


    But she didn''t remember being there with Captain Denver!


    The captain was obviously beaten up. But he still kneeled in front of her old self with his back straightened up like a noble that he was.


    On the other hand, her old self was crouching while sitting on the floor as if she was very exhausted a posture that didn''t fit a noble like her. The dress she wore was also very simple and kind of dirty. No wonder she looked pitiable.


    Tilly had goosebumps. "I don''t remember this"


    <em>"Do it, Captain Denver," her old self said in a tired voice. If you pull my memories out my mind and prove to everyone that I have the heart of the Supreme, Princess Nia promised that she would spare your family."</em>


    Once again, Tilly gasped aloud. "I knew that I had the heart of the Supreme? And I made a deal with Her Royal Highness to protect the Denvers? And most of all, that was the reason for my execution and not because of the other crimes that Imitted?!"


    <em>"No, I won''t do it," Captain Denver said firmly. "It''s our family''s duty to protect you, Supreme. We failed to do it and so, we deserve to die with you."</em>


    <em>"Don''t be a fool, Captain Denver."</em>


    <em>"You''re the one who''s being a fool here, mydy," the captain said. "Princess Nia wouldn''t reveal to the public that you''re a Fire Mage. That''s the deal that she made with His Majesty so that she could take her title back as the princess. After all, if she revealed that you''re a Fire Mage, then the public would know that Winter Prescott is a Fire Mage as well. The princess doesn''t have any intention or capability to carry a child for the emperor. In short, they need your son as an heir. And the heir apparent couldn''t be a Fire Mage. That''s the reason why they will execute you for your other crimes and not for your blood."</em>


    Tilly got angry and sad at that revtion. She clenched her hands so hard until her nails dug into her skin. "Princess Nia you b*tch."


    <em>"The princess will still kill me and our fellow Fire Mages even after we followed her order," Captain Denver continued. "Only the higher nobles know about the existence of Fire Mages in the empire. They don''t want the public to know about us so they n to kill us in silence. Do you seriously believe that the princess would keep us alive after they executed you?"</em>


    <em>"No," her old self said. "I know the princess by now. I''m aware that she will kill of you after I was executed."</em>


    <em>"Then, why are you still asking me to betray you?"</em>


    <em>"The princess will use your ability to prove the crimes Imitted," her old self exined, her voice starting to have life in it. "Since she just returned, she hasn''t gained back the public''s trust yet. So she will need you to get the proof that she needs to execute me. My execution will be witnessed by arge crowd. That means the princess couldn''t touch you easily. As soon as you''re done with your job, I want you to escape."</em>


    <em>His brow furrowed in confusion. "Escape and leave our fellow Fire Mages to survive by myself? I can''t do that!"</em>


    <em>"You have to," her old self said firmly. "Once you sessfully escaped, I want you to do everything you can to tell Lord Kiho and my son about the truth. I know it won''t be easy to convince them. But please do it for me."</em>


    <em>"Mydy"</em>


    <em>"I still don''t understand what exactly is going on," her old self said in a sad voice. "My head only got cleared recently."</em>


    <em>Anger crossed the captain''s face. "It''s because you''ve been drugged by the princess for so many years, mydy. We tried to help you several times. But she would always find a way to mess you up even though she was in a faraway ce."</em>


    <em>"We can''t do anything about it now," her old self said bitterly. "They want to get my heart when I die, right? Well, I''ll make sure that they won''t get it."</em>


    <em>The captain looked shocked. "What do you n to do, mydy?"</em>


    <em>"You told me before that the heart of the phoenix can bring me back to life after I died," her old self said. "I would use its power so that Princess Nia wouldn''t be able to use it anymore."</em>


    <em>Captain Denver suddenly had a hopeful look on his face. "Supreme"</em>


    <em>"I will return," her old self said in a determined voice. "I''ll return and burn the whole Moonchester family with my own me."</em>


    That made Tilly wonder.


    <em>Did I return to my previous life of my own volition?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY couldn''t look at her old self after she got beheaded.


    Instead, she fixed her gaze on Kiho. He was with their son Winter and Lucina Morganna. She didn''t care about his new wife though.


    It broke her heart to see Kiho''s cold and empty eyes as he watched her old self''s head roll on the ground. Winter, despite being so young, already looked jaded. Her chest tightened to see her son look at her without any ounce of emotion.


    She knew that in her current life, her bond with Kiho and Winter was different. But that didn''t mean that watching old Kiho and "future Winter" wouldn''t hurt anymore.


    "This won''t happen this time," Tilly promised herself. "Kiho loves me. And so does Winter. I feel the same way for them."


    Even after consoling herself, she got hurt again when old Kiho and future Winter started to walk away from the za. They went there to witness her execution, then left as soon as it was over as if they just watched a show instead of her death.


    <em>They really don''t care about me in the past.</em>


    She was about to close her eyes and wait for her to be sent to another piece of her memory. But then, she realized that Lucina Morganna didn''t leave with Kiho and Winter. When she turned to the woman, she saw something that made her very furious.


    Lucina Morganna was covering her mouth with her hand while the other was on her tummy. Her shoulders were shaking. Yes, the b*tch wasughing at her decapitated head.


    Tilly. Was. Enraged.


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 90: Earth-Shattering Moment

    Chapter 90: Earth-Shattering Moment


    WIXX was surprised when the ss where Lady Nystrom was started to crack, then the ground shook hard.


    "My lord, thedy is angry," Sentinel said, fear evident in his voice. "I can feel it in my bones."


    "I know," Wixx said. "She must have seen something in her past that made her upset."


    Whenever Soleil was seriously angry in the past, she would always make the ground shake as if the earth itself was afraid of her wrath.


    He didn''t have his physical body right now so he wasn''t sure if he could stop Lady Nystrom''s anger. But he hoped his remaining power was enough. To be honest, unsealing a small portion of her old memories had almost depleted his energy.


    <em>But before my consciousness disappears, I have to make sure that she''s safe first.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when the ss boxpletely shattered. He was about to jump and catch Lady Nystrom but abruptly stopped when he realized he didn''t have to.


    Lady Nystrom remained floating in the air, her body suddenly engulfed in ck me.


    And just like Soleil in the past, Lady Nystrom''s hair also started to turn darker. After all, the angrier the Supreme was, the darker her hair turned into. Once her hair colored turnedpletely jet-ck, the temple and the other buildings around would definitely crumble.


    "Sentinel, get ready," Wixx told his servant seriously. "We have to stop Lady Nystrom!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA was surprised when the ground started to shook hard. Worse, she also felt a strong and menacing aura that she had never felt before. For the first time after many decade, she felt fear again. What is this feeling?


    "Is it just the ground or is it me shaking from fear of that menacing aura in the air?" Captain Sherwood asked. He was still kneeling on the floor but this time, his body was uncontrobly shaking. "This is the first time I felt this kind of threat."


    <em>The captain is right.</em>


    That was also when Luna realized that her body was also shaking nonstop.


    "I need to go," Kiho dered in an eerily calm manner. Unlike her and Captain Sherwood, the duke wasn''t shaking. When he turned to her, she noticed that he had a nk look on his face as if he wasn''t really himself. "The heart is summoning me."


    "The heart?"


    Kiho had never referred to Lady Nystrom as the "heart."


    Luna gasped when she realized what was happening. <em>Duke Nystrom is starting to awaken as the ck Serpent!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU just went in his pce when he suddenly felt his strength abandoning him.


    The next thing he knew, he was already on his knees while his whole body was shaking uncontrobly. His heart was also beating loud and fast against his chest. He didn''t want to admit this but this was the first time he felt fear again after a long while.


    "Call the royal doctor and the Healing Mage!" Sir Gregory yelled at the servants of his pce that were panicking when he suddenly fell on the floor. Then, the knight got down on one knee to check on him. "Your Majesty, what''s wrong?"


    To be honest, he was very embarrassed at the moment because he fell on his knees.


    But that was the least worrisome thing in his mind.


    Only one phenomenon could make a Moonchester like him to be forced to kneel.


    "The heart is starting to awaken," Aku said with a bitter smile. "Is Lady Nystrom asking to be killed even before she gives birth to her son?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was very furious.


    She could literally see red and nothing else. All she heard right now was the voice in her head telling her to burn everything. And so she made her body burn to release the anger that had built up in her chest.


    I must burn everything


    She was about to increase the amount of me her body was releasing when suddenly, she felt cool arms around her waist.


    It was akin to someone pouring water on her because all of a sudden, she was awake.


    The room was she was in was very dark and hot. Her feet weren''t touching anything and her body felt light. If she was floating, then she might not have returned yet to her current world.


    <em>My tummy feels cold.</em>


    When she looked down, she broke into tears when she saw a pair of round golden eyes staring back at her. Not only that. The young boy had also burgundy hair, milky skin, and beautiful face.


    "Winter," Tilly said in a cracked voice. Then, she got down on one knee and hugged him tight. Her baby boy''s body was as cold and as soft as she remembered. But she knew that her son wasn''t sick or anything. It was just his normal body temperature. He got that from Kiho. "It''s really you," she whispered, and then she broke into sobs. "I''ve missed you so much, baby."


    "Mommy," Winter called her in his gentle voice that she almost didn''t recognize. After all, in her previous life, he had stopped talking to her way before she was sentenced to death. "I''m scared, Mommy."


    She gasped and pulled away from him. Then, she put her hands on his shoulders and looked at him with worry. "Why are you scared, baby?"


    "You''re hurting yourself by being angry, Mommy," Winter lightly scolded her. He had the same tone as Kiho whenever her husband would scold her for her bad temper. "Please don''t be angry," he pleaded in his cute voice. Then, he touched her face gently. "You''re prettier when you''re happy, Mommy."


    "Your father said I look hot even if I''m angry."


    He rolled his eyes at what she said. "Dad spoils you too much, Mommy."


    Sheughed heartily.


    To be honest, she didn''t remember if she had this kind of moment with Kiho and Winter in her past life. But she didn''t want to think about that anymore.


    Because this time, she had already changed her life.


    <em>And I wouldn''t let anyone destroy my family.</em>


    "I''m sorry for scaring you, baby," Tilly said with a sad smile. "But mommy won''t forgive the people who ruined our family in the past and are doing the same terrible thing again. I will calm down, but I won''t forget. Will you think that I''m a bad person if I say that I hold grudges?"


    He shook his head. "But please take care of yourself, Mommy. How can you protect me and Dad if you lose yourself in anger?"


    "Gosh, you already talk like an adult," she lightlyined. "You definitely got that maturity from your father." She couldn''t help but gently pinch his cheeks. "And thank god you got Kiho''s prettiness."


    "I got it from you, Mommy," Winter said with a smile. And boy, her baby also got Kiho''s adorable dimples. Gosh, her son was so pretty. "Mommy, we don''t have time. Please wake up before something bad happens to both of us," he said in a hurry. Then, he kissed her cheek. After that, his small body started to vanish. "We will meet again soon, Mommy you, Daddy, and me."


    Tilly nodded, sad that she had to part ways with Winter so soon. "See youter, Winter."


    When her sonpletely vanished, she realized that she forgot to ask him about something very important.


    <em>Does Winter have his old memories as well?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY slowly opened her eyes when she regained consciousness.


    She found herself lying on Wixx''sp who was looking down at her with a worried look on his face. She knew that she was in that position because he was making sure that she was safe and not because he was taking advantage of her. For some reason, she knew that she could trust the Red Phoenix.


    <em>Is it because I have his heart?</em>


    "Lady Nystrom, are you okay?" Wixx asked in a worried voice. "You almost created a catastrophe, you know?"


    Tilly suddenly got emotional when she remembered the painful things that she remembered from her past life. "Wixx, my fellow Fire Mages died in the past because of me. They tried to save me, but in the end, they were sentenced to death because I was ipetent. I had your heart but I couldn''t do anything for anyone."


    "Don''t cry," he scolded her as if he was talking to a child. "Unfortunately, we didn''t get to meet in that life time so I didn''t know what actually happened to you. But I''m certain that the Moonchesters had something to do with it. So take care of that anger in your heart, Lady Nystrom. Anger fuels the me of your heart. But of course, you should always be careful."


    Her brows furrowed. "Why are you talking like you''re already saying your goodbye?"


    "Because I am," he said in a serious but sad voice. "Lady Nystrom, I''ve already used up all my strength left in this prayer room. So now, my unconsciousness will fade."


    "Will I get to talk to you like Miss Luna does?"


    He shook his head. "I was able to link my mind with Luna because she found my prayer room by ident. Her strong power allowed her to connect to mine. But once my consciousness disappears, I will return to my sleeping body."


    "Where can I find you, Wixx?"


    "I''m sorry but I don''t know where the Moonchesters hid my physical body," he said. "But I know where you can find people who are also looking for me. Lady Nystrom, go to the East and look for the ind that worships the sun. They are on your side."


    "That''s so vague, Wixx."


    "I''ve been locked up in this prayer room for a very long time. If Luna didn''t find me here, I wouldn''t have seen the outside world through her eyes," the Red Phoenix said. "Thanks to her, we were able to meet. I''ve forced myself to stay unconscious all these years because I wanted to tell you where you must go."


    Okay, she was touched.


    <em>I''m sorry for calling you ''fossil,'' Wixx.</em>


    "May I touch your face, Lady Nystrom?"


    She nodded. "You have my permission."


    "Thank you," he said, then he caressed her face with the back of his hand. "Find me, Lady Nystrom. Once you do, I''ll give you all the power you need to burn your enemies. My me only belongs to you. Remember that."


    She nodded firmly. "I will find you, Wixx."


    "Rest for now, Lady Nystrom," Wixx said, then he covered her eyes with his hand. "I''ll make your heart sleep again. You shall only awaken once you''ve found me."


    Tilly had so many questions left but then, she started to feel drowsy.


    "Thank you for everything, Wixx," Tilly murmured. "Now I can see as you as the regal Red Phoenix instead of a red bird dude"


    "Just sleep, you insolent child."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 91: Sudden Confession

    Chapter 91: Sudden Confession


    "SENTINEL, I''M leaving her to you," Wixx told his servant while raking his fingers through Lady Nystrom''s hair. She was already asleep and he let her use hisp as a pillow. "Guide my sister to me."


    "I''ll do my best, my lord," Sentinel said. "I also want to find your real body. Lady Nystrom wouldn''t stand a chance against the Moonchesters without you."


    "I know," he agreed, then he looked down at thedy who used to be his little sister in the past. "No matter how much I hated the ck Serpent in the past, I don''t have a choice but to leave Lady Nystrom in his care as well. He needs to protect the heart" He looked at her stomach area. "As well as the Moon Serpent the one who could swallow the moon."


    "The child of the legend has to be born," his servant said. "I can''t believe that the Moonchesters allowed the heart and the ck Serpent to have a son."


    "Aku Moonchester needs the child," he said. "But to be honest, I''m not really worried about the emperor. The one that we should be really wary of is Her Royal Highness. She''ll do everything and anything to undo the spell that Soleil had put on her soul in the past."


    "The princess is really the cause of all evil in the empire," Sentinel said while shaking his head. "But I have to say that the punishment that Lady Soleil bestowed upon Her Royal Highness was also quite wicked."


    "Yes, the punishment was evil but the princess deserves it," he said firmly. Then, he leaned against the post behind him. "I''m getting sleepy, Sentinel."


    Sentinel understood what he meant because he got down on one knee and bowed to him. "I will protect Lady Nystrom and the Moon Serpent with my remaining energy, Lord Wixx," he vowed. "And my lord, we will find you at all cost. Please rest well until we meet again."


    "See youter, Sentinel," he said.


    They had spent so many decades in that prayer room together. But they didn''t need a dramatic goodbye. After all, both of them believed that they would see each other again.


    The sad thing was he wouldn''t be able tomunicate with anyone else once his consciousness returned to his body. Because once he came back, he would forget everything that he experienced while his consciousness was separated from his physical body.


    He also wasn''t sure if he was going to wake up right away, or what kind of situation he would be in once his consciousness returned to his real body. After all, who knew what kind of spell the "cage" the Moonchesters made for him had?


    "Finding me wouldn''t be easy but I trust you," Wixx said softly to Lady Nystrom, then he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "I''ll be waiting for you, my foolish but wonderful little sister."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>"HEY, LUNA."</em>


    Luna flinched when she heard the familiar irritating (but sexy) voice in her head. But she didn''t appreciate that he entered her mind while she was in the carriage with Kiho and Captain Sherwood. Well, she could talk to him in her mind but she had to control her facial expression.


    That would be difficult because talking to the bird man would always leave her irritated.


    <em>"What did you do?"</em> Luna asked him in an usatory tone inside her head. <em>"What happened to Lady Nystrom? Is she okay?"</em>


    <em>"I''m really happy to talk to you as well,"</em> the Red Phoenix said sarcastically. <em>"Hearing your angry voice never fails to make my heart jump in joy."</em>


    And yet, he said those words in a very dry tone.


    She clenched her fists in annoyance.


    <em>See? He''s very irritating!</em>


    <em>"Lady Nystrom is here,"</em> he said when he probably realized that she was pissed. <em>"Don''t worry because she''s fine."</em>


    She was relieved to hear that.


    Duke Nystrom would definitely lose it if something bad happened to his wife.


    Honestly, she still wasn''t sure if Kiho was really okay.


    She expected him to run or use a horse to get to the temple right away. But he remained calm and chose to ride the carriage instead. The duke even brought Captain Sherwood because ording to him, he needed to keep an eye on the captain.


    <em>"Luna, I''m going to leave Lady Nystrom in your care."</em>


    Okay, she was shocked to hear that. <em>"Hey, are you leaving?"</em>


    <em>"Unsealing a small part of Lady Nystrom''s past memories had depleted my remaining energy. I''m losing my unconsciousness now,"</em> he exined. <em>"Lady Nystrom almost awakened because of the memories that she has retrieved."</em>


    She was surprised to hear that. The moment she saw Lady Nystrom, she already felt how strong the seal was. She knew that she didn''t have the power to break the spell. <em>"Wow. I can''t believe you managed to unseal a part of her memories even though you didn''t have your physical body."</em>


    <em>"The seal is stronger than I expected though so I wasn''t able to unseal everything,"</em> he exined. <em>"I''m certain that there are gaps in the memories that she retrieved so she must have been confused. I just hope that she found something useful in them."</em>


    <em>"You already did good,"</em> she praised him because he deserved it. <em>"Thank you."</em>


    <em>"Did the nasty snake feel the heart''s awakening?"</em>


    <em>"Yes,"</em> she said. <em>"He''s acting strange right now. But I can''t knock him out because we have an unexpectedpanion."</em>


    <em>"Don''t worry,"</em> heforted her. <em>"I''ve put the heart to sleep again. The ck Serpent won''t awaken now."</em>


    <em>"That''s a relief."</em>


    There was an awkward pause before he spoke again.


    <em>"Thank you for everything you''ve done for me, Luna,"</em> Wixx said. <em>"See you."</em>


    And just like that, the stupid bird man cut the link in their minds.


    Was that supposed to be his goodbye?


    <em>That''s it?!</em>


    Luna''s cheeks burned in embarrassment when a realization dawned upon her.


    <em>Why am I expecting more from that bird man?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO blinked several times and was confused when he found himself in the carriage. For some reason, he felt like he just awakened from a nap. Thest thing he remembered was the earthquake. But when that happened, he was in the mansion.


    But howe he was in the temple now?


    "Tilly," Kiho whispered to himself when his mind had cleared.


    "We''re on our way to the temple, Your Grace," Captain Sherwood told him.


    He was surprised to find the captain sitting closely beside her. As reflex, he scooted as far away from him as possible. "Captain Sherwood" He gasped when he realized that the earthquake must have caused an ident. "Why the hell are we in a carriage?"


    He wanted to get out of the carriage and run to the temple instead. After all, he was sure that he could get there faster than their ride.


    "It was your choice to use the carriage, Your Grace," Luna told him. The witch was sitting across from him. "And don''t worry because we''ve just arrived."


    He was relieved to hear that.


    As soon as the carriage stopped, Kiho stepped out and ran towards the entrance of the temple.


    He got nervous when he saw the priests and priestesses outside. After an earthquake, it was only natural for people in a building to get outside. But it seemed like not everyone from the temple was able to get out quickly because he couldn''t find Tilly.


    The High Priest wasn''t there as well but he didn''t care about him. After all, the High Priest was always protected by the Holy Knights.


    "Excuse me," Kiho said to one of the priestesses. "I''m Lady Nystrom''s husband. Have you seen my wife?"


    "I''m afraid that Lady Nystrom is still inside, Your Grace," the priestess said with a hint of worry in her voice. "The knights are already looking Your Grace, it''s not safe to enter the building yet!"


    He turned to the priestess to bow as an apology, but he didn''t stop running.


    When he got inside the temple, he trusted his instinct. He couldn''t exin why or how but he could tell where his wife was.


    After running for a few minutes, he finally reached an isted room. He felt a strange energy from inside that made his skin crawl. But he ignored that and kicked the door open. His eyes widened when he saw Tilly lying on the floor unconscious.


    God, he suddenly felt his heart in his throat.


    "Tilly!"


    He ran towards his wife and kneeled beside her. He checked her pulse right away and was relieved to feel that her heart beat was normal. His wife was just sleeping.


    "Tilly," he gently called her while he was carefully moving her until her head was using hisp as a pillow. Then, he touched her face. Her body temperature was a little warmer than usual. "Honey?"


    Tilly slowly opened her eyes. She stared at him for a few seconds as if she was making sure that it was really him. Then, for some reason, she suddenly broke into tears.


    Of course, he panicked right away.


    "What''s wrong, honey?" Kiho asked worriedly while checking if she had injuries on her body. "Are you hurt? Where? Tell me."


    "I had a bad dream, Kiho," she said between sobs. "You were cheating on me with a ck-haired woman in my dream."


    He didn''t know why but he remembered the woman he saw in the fish market a few days ago. He could swear that when he saw her, she had jet-ck hair. But when he blinked, the woman''s hair suddenly turned brown and remained that way until he left the ce.


    For some reason, he felt guilty even though he didn''t do anything wrong.


    "I''m not cheating on you and I''ll never do it, Tilly," Kiho promised her. "Although recently, I met a strange woman. When I saw her, I can swear that she has jet-ck hair. But after a few moments, her hair turned brown."


    He felt his chest lighten after he confessed that incident to his wife.


    But when he saw the devastated look on her face, he instantly regretted what he did.


    "You met a woman with a jet-ck hair?" Tilly asked in a cracked voice. "Were you attracted to her, Kiho?"


    "Of course not," Kiho denied firmly. "She made me feel ufortable but that''s it." He held her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Please believe me, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was shocked.


    She only said that she had a "bad dream" about Kiho "cheating" on her because he didn''t want him to ask anymore as to why she was crying. It wasn''t like she could tell him that she saw some painful memories of her past life.


    But she didn''t expect Kiho to confess that he met a ck-haired woman.


    <em>Lucina Morganna is already here?</em>


    Tilly suddenly wanted tomit crime of passion.


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 92: Distance Between Lovers

    Chapter 92: Distance Between Lovers


    "KIHO, I''M not angry with you," Tilly assured her husband while they were walking in the dark hallway. Of course, they were walking while holding each other''s hand. They actually didn''t know where the hallway would lead them. It looked like they were in a basement. But she wasn''t afraid because she was with Kiho. "You didn''t do anything wrong."


    "But why do you look upset?" Kiho asked nervously. "You''re pouting, Tilly."


    She gently pinched her pouting lips. "I''m not."


    "You are."


    "Am not."


    "You are."


    "Am not."


    "Okay," he gave in. "But you''re jealous, aren''t you?"


    She stopped walking forcing him to stop as well. Then, she turned to him. "Excuse me? You think I''m being jealous?"


    He nodded, his face looked as innocent as a cinnamon roll. Obviously, he was in a good mood. "Yes. This is the first time that you got jealous."


    She raised a brow at that. "And you like that?"


    "I''m not happy that I''m making you upset right now," he said. "But I like that you''re being jealous. It makes me feel like you want me all to yourself.


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "I know that you love me even if you''re not vocal about it, Tilly," Kiho said carefully. "But sometimes, I feel like you''re putting a wall between us. Like you''re telling me that you can live without me. Sometimes, I even feel like all you need is Winter. That even if I disappear from your life, you wouldn''t care that much."


    Okay, that made her feel very guilty.


    To be honest, her original n was to just marry Kiho and have Winter. Then, if her husband met Lucina Morganna again in that lifetime, she thought she could give him up as long as she had their son.


    Eventually, her n changed when she met the Kiho in this lifetime and realized that they could get along. And yes, she loved him. But she had her reservation because deep in her heart, she was still afraid of Lucina Morganna and her connection to Kiho in her past life.


    So even if she allowed herself to love Kiho, she still held back and didn''t give her heart fully to him. Yes, she knew that Kiho loved her but she was still traumatized by what happened to their marriage in her past life. She didn''t want to be abandoned again.


    No matter how much their rtionship had changed in this lifetime, she still found it hard to ovee her trauma. She couldn''t get the possibility of Kiho falling for Lucina Morganna again out of her head.


    And as a result, she unconsciously put a wall around her heart.


    <em>He noticed that, huh?</em>


    "I''m sorry, Kiho," she said. Then, she let go of his hand to cup his face between her hands. "I''m just being careful because I''m afraid of getting my heart broken. And most of all, I don''t want to be abandoned."


    Kiho looked hurt by her confession. "Tilly, don''t you trust me? Do you really think that I will abandon you?"


    "It''s not like that, hon," she said carefully while shaking her head. "I guess every married woman is afraid that their husband would leave them for another woman."


    "Am I making you feel like I wouldn''t be faithful to you forever?"


    "No," she said. "That''s why I''m saying sorry now. I let my fear control my feelings for you."


    He leaned towards her hand on his face, then he turned his head to kiss her palm. "It''s okay. All I have to do is make you feel my love for you every single day. So take your time, Tilly. I''ll patiently wait for you until you give me you''re ready to give me your whole heart."


    "I don''t deserve you, Kiho."


    "That''s not true," he said softly. "I belong to you, Tilly."


    She smiled at his sweetness. "Gosh, I miss you. Even though you''re with me now, I still miss you. I think I''m getting addicted to you."


    "That''s the only kind of addiction that I will tolerate," he said, then his golden eyes glimmered. "God, I miss you as well. If only this ce is sanitary, I would have taken you right here, right now."


    She blushed at that. Then, she yfully hit his shoulder. "Kiho, we''re in a sacred ce. Stop saying perverted things."


    Kiho held her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. Then, he hugged her and buried his face against her neck. "Once we get home, let''s make up for lost time."


    Tilly smiled, but she nodded as agreement. "Okay."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was surprised when she saw Howard ran towards them as soon as they entered the temple''s lobby.


    The Holy Knights were following the High Priest closely.


    "Lady Nystrom, are you okay?" Howard asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "We''ve been looking for you everywhere."


    She was about to answer but stopped when Kiho stood protectively in front of her.


    <em>Gosh.</em>


    Tilly slightly pushed Kiho aside to properly face Howard. "Your Eminence, thank you for worrying about me. As you can see, I''m safe." She turned to her husband with a smile. "Kiho found me when I was trapped in the prayer room."


    Kiho didn''t smile but his eyes sparkled. Then, he gently caressed her face with the back of his hand.


    "Lady Nystrom, may I know what prayer room are you talking about?"


    She turned to the High Priest to answer him. "Your Eminence, I was at the prayer room where Miss Lilly and the other priestesses brought me to a while ago. The one with the statues of the Four Ancient Beasts."


    "That''s the problem, Lady Nystrom," Howard said. "As soon as the earthquake began, I looked for you with my Holy Knights. Miss Lilly said that you were in that prayer room so we hurried over to save you. But we didn''t find you there."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. "I didn''t leave that prayer room, Your Eminence," she said, then she turned to Kiho. "Hon, how did you find me?"


    "I''m not sure. I just followed my gut feel," Kiho said, then he turned to the High Priest. "But Your Eminence, I''m sure that the room where I found my wife is a prayer room."


    "That''s strange," the High Priest said. "We searched every prayer room in the temple but we didn''t find you."


    Her brow furrowed in confusion. Then, she looked for the hallway where Kiho and her came from. She realized that it was the same direction where the prayer room that she remembered was located. But the High Priest was saying that they didn''t find her anywhere.


    <em>Was I transported into a different ce when I met the fossi I mean, the Red Phoenix.</em>


    But if Kiho found her, maybe Wixx brought her back to the first prayer room where she had been to.


    "But I guess it''s more important that you''re safe, Lady Nystrom," Howard said.


    She smiled and nodded. "Your Eminence, is everyone safe as well?"


    "Yes," the High Priest said. "Everyone has been evacuated safely. It''s not safe to stay inside the building after an earthquake so we should evacuate as well."


    She was about to answer politely but suddenly, she felt dizzy.


    Kiho seemed to have been watching her closely because as soon as she staggered, he was already behind her. He held her shoulders and let her lean against his chest. "Honey, I''ll carry you. Is that okay?"


    "Yes, please," Tilly said while nodding her head. "I feel tired."


    "Lady Nystrom, you may go home with your husband for today," Howard said. "We can restart tomorrow."


    "Thank you, Your Eminence," Tilly and Kiho said at the same time.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AN ISLAND in the East that worships the sun?"


    Tilly nodded at Kiho''s question. She was sitting on hisp while her husband was sitting on the chair behind the mahogany table. They were both looking at the giant mapid on it. Right now, they were in the study of the mansion. "Yes, that''s what Wixx said."


    ''Wixx?''"


    "That''s the name of the Red Phoenix," she exined. "But in my head, I secretly call him ''fossil.''"


    Kihoughed softly at that. Then, he wrapped his arms around her waist and gently bit her shoulder. "That''s cute."


    "Hon, I think looking at the empire''s map is useless," she said with a pout. "He didn''t tell me the ind''s name."


    "I think the Red Phoenix didn''t tell you the name because he doesn''t know it as well."


    "Well, you have a point," she said, then she turned to him. "I''m d that you''re not being jealous of Wixx. Usually, you frown as soon as I mention another man''s name."


    "I''m not that petty to get jealous of a human bird."


    Sheughed aloud.


    And then she felt, uh, horny.


    The next thing she knew, she was already kissing Kiho while grinding herself against him. Kiho''s hand slid under her night gown while the other started to cup her breast.


    "Oh, please!"


    Tilly was surprised when she heard another voice even though it was only her and her husband inside the study. But she was even more surprised when she suddenly found herself being carried by Kiho. She wrapped her arms around his neck even though she knew that he wouldn''t drop her.


    "Show yourself," Kiho said in amanding voice.


    A few momentster, a reddish light appeared in front of them. Then, it started to take the form of a human. Until finally, a young man with caramel brown hair, light brown eyes, and pale skin stood before her.


    "Oh, god. My eyes," the young boy said. Then, he acted like he wanted to vomit. "I want to throw up."


    She blushed when she realized that this strange young boy saw her making out with Kiho. Out of embarrassment, she buried her face against Kiho''s neck and squealed. "Pervert! Why are you watching a married couple''s intimate moment?!"


    "Don''t worry, honey," her husband assured her. "I''ll kill him"


    "Oh, shut up," the young boy said. "I''m not here to spy on you. I was just sent here by my Lord Wixx to guide you in finding him."


    "Who are you?" Kiho asked sternly. "How can we trust you?"


    "Lady Nystrom has already met me at the temple," the young boy said. "I go by the name ''Sentinel.''"


    Tilly gasped, then she raised her head to look at the young boy. "You are Sentinel?"


    "Yes. But please excuse me for a while," Sentinel said while slowly disappearing. "I need to cleanse my eyes first."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 93: Island of Myth

    Chapter 93: Ind of Myth


    TILLY couldn''t look at Sentinel after he caught her making out with Kiho.


    She would admit that she was shameless when it came to seducing her husband. Still, that didn''t mean she''d befortable knowing that other people saw her intimate moment with Kiho. She wasn''t an exhibitionist.


    "How did you get here, Sentinel?" Tilly asked him suspiciously, finally gathering the courage to look at him. "Have you been following us since we left the temple?"


    Right now, they were having tea in the tea room.


    Kiho and her were sitting side-by-side and sitting across from them were Sentinel and Luna. They gathered in that room after Sentinel reappeared again.


    "Unfortunately, yes," Sentinel answered. "Lord Wixx asked me to be your spirit guardian, Lady Nystrom. I missed my chance to introduce myself to you when your husband found you at the prayer room earlier."


    And the "spirit guardian" probably missed the other opportunities.


    When she arrived at the mansion, she fell asleep. When she woke up, she went to the study with Kiho to look at the empire''s map. And then, that was when Sentinel appeared after catching her making out with Kiho.


    <em>Gosh.</em>


    "Spirit guardian?" Kiho asked in astonishment. "I heard only powerful mages have spirit guardians." He turned to her. "As expected, you''re really amazing, honey."


    "Thanks, hon. But I think it''s only because I have the Red Phoenix''s heart," she said, then she turned to the spirit guardian. "Sentinel, where were you? Are you somewhere inside my body?"


    Kiho frowned. "I don''t like the sound of it."


    "I''m residing inside your heart, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said, then he sipped his tea. Amazingly, even though he was a spirit, he could also function like a normal person now that he was out of her heart. "Unfortunately, when I''m awake, I can see everything within your field view."


    "Poor you," Luna said sympathetically to Sentinel. "I can perfectly rte to you, Sentinel. I also want to throw up whenever I see the Duke and the Duchess of Oakes flirt to each other."


    Okay, Tilly blushed in embarrassment.


    Kiho''s cheeks turned red as well.


    <em>Gosh, are we really that flirty in other people''s eyes?</em>


    "Do you really have to be inside my heart 24/7?" Tilly asked shyly. "I mean, I have a husband and I don''t want someone spying on us."


    "I agree," Kiho said firmly. "And what about when my wife is taking a bath? I''ll kill you if you look at her body."


    "I have no interest in a child''s body," Sentinel said. "And don''t worry. As long as you are near me, I can stay in my human form. In short, from now on, I''ll stay in this body. I''ll just return to my spirit form if I need to protect your heart."


    "Protect my heart from what?"


    "From awakening," the spirit guardian said. "There are people who are capable of sealing your heart but it would never be enough. But now that I''m here, I''ll make sure that no one could literally y with your heart."


    "Why can''t I awaken, Sentinel?" she asked curiously. "I already know that I have the heart. The royal twins already know that I know who and what I am. Shouldn''t it be more beneficial to us if my heart awakened? Wouldn''t it make me super strong or something?"


    "Of course, you''ll be strong once your heart fully awakened," Sentinel agreed. "But you can''t control your power unless the Red Phoenix is awake as well. Otherwise, you''ll go insane."


    "I''ll go insane?" she asked."Why?"


    "Wrath fuels the me of the Red Phoenix," the spirit exined. "Whenever you''re angry, your heart will start to awaken. But once your heart awakens, you''ll be driven with madness. And if that happens, you''d want to burn everything around you."


    She couldn''t deny that.


    <em>I almost lost control a while ago.</em>


    "We should really find Wixx then," Tilly dered. "We must go to the ind that worships the sun."


    ""Ind that worships the sun?"" Luna asked in surprise. "That''s too long for a name. And I haven''t heard it before. Did the Red Phoenix ask you to go to that ind?"


    She nodded. "Apparently, the residents in that ind are on our side. ording to him, the people there will help us find his real body." She turned to Sentinel. "Do you have other information about the ind aside from the fact that it''s located in the East?"


    "Unfortunately, I have been stuck in the prayer room with Lord Wixx for a very long time," the spirit said. "Their ind has always been hidden and so they change locations whenever outsiders find their hideout."


    "Why did the human bird send you to Tilly if you couldn''t be of any use?" Kiho deadpanned.


    Luna stifled augh.


    Sentinel looked shocked.


    Tilly, on the other hand, almost choked at her husband''s frankness. Then, she gently elbowed him. "Hon, he just said that he''s here to guard my heart."


    Kiho turned to her. "I''m here for you."


    She smiled at that and gently pinched his cheek. "Thank you, hon. That''s so sweet."


    "Oh, god," Sentinelined. "There they go again."


    "You have to get used to it, Sentinel," Luna said to the spirit guardian. "They''re shameless when ites to showing public disy of affection."


    Tilly cleared her throat and pulled her hand away from her husband''s face. Then, she faced Sentinel again. "After our vacation with our father, let''s head to the East." She turned to Kiho. "Would that be okay, hon?"


    "Of course," Kiho said. "I''ll go anywhere with you and for you, Tilly."


    She giggled at that. "You still give me butterflies, Kiho."


    He tilted his head at one side. "I haven''t given you butterflies yet, honey. Would you like me to get you some?"


    Sheughed softly at his obliviousness. She was about to exin what "butterflies" meant when she heard Sentinel and Luna "cough" loudly.


    <em>Should I kick them out?</em>


    "Duke and Duchess, I think we should call this a night," Luna told them. "I''ll try to look for the clues about the ind that worships the sun."


    "I''ll join you," Sentinel told Luna. "Would that be okay?"


    "Sure," the witch answered. "I need help anyway."


    "Then, you can use the room next to Miss Luna," Tilly told Sentinel. "If you need anything else, just call Louisa the head maid."


    Sentinel nodded. "Thank you, Lady Nystrom."


    "You had a long day, honey," Kiho told her. "You should rest now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU HAVE good books here, Miss Luna."


    "Just call me ''Luna,'' Sentinel," Luna told him while she was pulling out more books from a huge box. "And thank you. It was hard to acquire those books and most of them are banned in the empire."


    "I can see why," Sentinel said. When she turned to him, she saw the spirit guardian sitting on the floor while flipping the pages of a thick, ck book. "These are the books that tell some truth about the history of the empire."


    "Uh-huh," she agreed. Then, she sat down in front of him. "But I''m sure that the books that the Sherwoods are keeping are much more amazing."


    "The Sherwoods, huh? The keepers of history," the boy said. "They''re still around?"


    She nodded. "Yes. But I think that the current generation is clueless about the Beast Gods. I don''t think that the older generations have passed down their knowledge to the new ones. But unfortunately, the dumb emperor told the current lord of House Sherwood about the ck Serpent."


    "The ck Serpent," Sentinel said, then he looked up at her with knowing eyes. "Do you know that Duke Kiho Nystrom is the ck Serpent, Luna?"


    "Yes, and that''s why I want to ask you something important, Sentinel," Luna said seriously. "What''s the rtionship between the first Supreme Fire Mage and the ck Serpent?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HON, are you still looking for the ind in that map?" Tilly asked curiously. When she got out of the bathroom, she found Kiho sitting on the windowsill while holding the map. "Did you find something?"


    "I''m looking at our territory," Kiho said. "Thend of Oakes."


    She walked towards him and sat on hisp. Then, she took a peek at the map. "Oh. I almost forgot how big our territory is. Now it makes me feel more excited to visit ournd with you. I''m sure you''d love Oakes."


    "I''ll be fine anywhere as long as we''re together," he said. "And of course, I''d love to visit thend that''s under our protection now. I want to see what we can do for our people."


    She smiled at that, liking the fact that Kiho has fully epted his role as the duke. "To be honest, it''s been a while since I''ve been to Oakes. So I''m d that we''d be visiting ournd soon. I want to get to know our people again. I want to oversee Oakes with a different perspective now that I''m more mature than before."


    Their title as the Duke and Duchess of Oakes came with huge responsibility, of course.


    "Kiho?"


    "Yes, honey?"


    She leaned against his chest and turned to him. "I don''t want to raise Winter in the Royal Capital. I want us to settle in Oakes instead. Would that be okay to you?"


    "I''m actually thinking about that, Tilly," he said as if he was surprised that they were thinking about the same thing. Wow, that was some soul mates stuff, huh? "Not just that. To be honest, I want to be independent from the empire."


    "Huh?"


    "Tilly, let''s fight for our territory''s independence," Kiho said seriously. "We''re going to have a war against the royal family anyway, so why not use that as an opportunity to gain our independence and get away from His Majesty?"


    Tilly covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped.


    <em>Why didn''t I think of separating our duchy from the empire before?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 94: Sovereign Monarch

    Chapter 94: Sovereign Monarch


    "IF THEnd of Oakes became an independent state, then His Majesty and the empire would no longer have any authority or control over us," Tilly said, carefully absorbing her husband''s suggestion. "Oakes will be a Grand Duchy. Of course, we will be the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess."


    Kiho nodded. "Yes, we will be a sovereign monarch."


    "It won''t be easy," she said worriedly. "His Majesty would definitely not allow our duchy to be an independent state. We will certainly have to fight for our independence. Since we''ve already waged a war on His Majesty, making it official wouldn''t make a difference. But"


    Of course, going on a war against the empire had its pros and cons.


    "What is it, honey?"


    "The Prescott Knights are rtively smaller in numberpared to His Majesty''s army," she said. "When we waged war on His Majesty, I wasn''t that worried because I know that he wouldn''t use his army since he doesn''t want to reveal to the public that I''m the heart. But if the war bes official, I''m sure that he''d summon every troop under hismand. Wouldn''t we be in a disadvantage?"


    "That would definitely be the case."


    "I don''t like wars," she confessed while shaking her head. "Because whenever a war broke in, the most affected by the conflict would always be the poor. Oakes is a richnd. But our governance isn''t perfect. There are still poor people that I don''t want to suffer once we go on a war against the empire."


    "Your concern is valid, Tilly," Kiho said gently, then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "But whether we ''officially'' go to war or not, His Majesty will still oppress us. He will go after your heart after a year. But he knows that he has to go through me first before he gets to you. To do that, he''d bring me down as the Duke of Oakes and invade our territory."


    Her eyes widened in shock because she didn''t see thating from her perspective. "You mean His Majesty will destroy you as a duke and im our territory?"


    He nodded firmly. "I''ve been sent to war by His Majesty several times. He loves destroying his enemies'' territories first. I''ve seen him take another kingdom''s royal family and force them to watch their people die one by one. He acts like a child to his allies. But he''s a merciless tyrant in front of his enemies. You haven''t seen that side of the emperor, have you?"


    She shook her head. "I thought His Majesty was a generous emperor."


    "Honey, no one is right or wrong in a war," he gently told her. "There''s only the strong and the weak. The victor in a war isn''t good they just happen to be stronger than the enemies."


    Ah, this was the wisdom of a man who had been to war many times.


    Kiho wasn''t being calloused. He was just trying to teach her the realities of war. She had never been directly affected by war because her affluent upbringing had always sheltered her.


    But now, she had to lead a war with her husband.


    "Tilly, please don''t get me wrong," Kiho said gently. "I''m not promoting war. I would void it if I could. But our enemy isn''t just anyone it''s His Majesty. We should be as prepared as possible before he makes his move."


    "I understand, hon," she said. "What should we need to improve our family''s military power? I think ourbined our fortune would be enough to equip our knights with the best tool and weapons to protect them in a battle."


    "Yes, we need good weapons," he agreed. "If you and Lord Prescott would allow me, I''d like to personally train the knights at Oakes."


    "Of course, we''d be d and honored to have you as the family knights'' instructor, hon," she said. "Thank you, Kiho."


    "No need to thank me, honey. I''m just doing my job as the new duke."


    She smiled at that. "I''m more at ease now."


    He caressed her face lovingly. "Tilly, we need more allies. The ck Serpent Knights will surely take our side. But we need more."


    "I believe we can rely on the Denvers and the Fire Mages under their protection."


    He nodded in agreement. "I''m also thinking about letting Captain Sherwood join us."


    "Huh?"


    Come to think, she remembered seeing Captain Sherwood in the temple. But on their way back to the mansion, the captain politely greeted them goodbye and said he needed to return to the Royal Capital. She thought Captain Sherwood just happened to be at the area when the "earthquake" happened.


    She was too tired to think and to be honest, she didn''t care that much about the captain so she never thought hard about why he was there a while ago.


    "Tilly, Captain Sherwood came here to pledge his loyalty to me."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "What?"


    "I don''t know what happened to him," her husband said, obviously distressed. "But he came here to tell me that he already betrayed Her Royal Highness. And now, he said he''s willing to betray His Majesty for me."


    "Did he say why?"


    His cheeks suddenly turned red.


    "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. "Are you hiding something from me, hon?"


    Kiho turned his gaze away from her, his ears now as red as his face. "Captain Sherwood confessed his r-romantic f-feelings for me."


    <em>Wow, the great duke stuttered.</em>


    And he sounded really awkward.


    <em>But that''s quite a surprise. I didn''t know that Captain Sherwood preferred men. Thoughe to think of it, in my first life, he was single. I don''t know if he got married after I died. But the fact that a debonair bachelor like him remained single for that long is kind of suspicious.</em>


    "Tilly, aren''t you surprised?" Kiho asked her when he turned to her. "You''re not upset?"


    "I''m surprised but I''m not upset," she said. "I mean, I understand what Captain Sherwood feels. Who wouldn''t fall for you, hon? Kiho, you''re a six feet of pure male hotness. Your face is a natural treasure. You''re very strong. You''re a gentleman but your brusque side is also attractive. You''re kind but not a pushover. And you can also be so nave sometimes something I find really cute."


    This time, his whole face and his neck were as red as an apple. But he looked happy while she was showering him with praises.


    So she decided to tease him further.


    "Most of all, you have a god-tier body," she said in a seductive voice while running her hands across his wide expanse of chest. "And you''re very good in bed."


    His yellow eyes glowed in a beautiful golden light. Gosh, her husband was hungry for her again. He was about to carry her to bed but she stopped him.


    <em>Gosh, we''re not even done talking about Captain Sherwood.</em>


    "Wait," she said between giggles. "We still have something to talk about, hon."


    He gently bit her earlobe before he spoke. "Hmm?"


    "Kiho?"


    "Yeah, honey?"


    She cupped his face to get his full attention. "Kiho, if we''re letting Captain Sherwood join our side, why don''t we let the High Priest be our ally as well?"


    "No," Kiho growled lowly. But of course, his anger wasn''t directed at her. "He tried to kill you, Tilly."


    "No, he didn''t," Tilly said while cupping his face between her hands. "The High Priest worships our son, Kiho."


    And that was enough to calm him down.


    <em>Okay, let''s try to convince him again.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SO, HOW did your confession go?" Aku asked Captain Sherwood. He was sitting on the railing of his room''s balcony while having red wine. The captain, on the other hand, was standing in front of his pce while looking up at him literally. It was alreadyte at night but he knew that Captain Sherwood would still visit his pce. After all, he left his post without his permission. "Was it worth it?"


    "I was rejected right away, Your Majesty," Captain Sherwood answered with a grin. "But it''s okay. I like the pain of a one-sided love."


    "A masochist, I see."


    "It takes one to know one," the captain said whileughing softly. "Right, Your Majesty?"


    He grinned, then raised his right hand and moved it as if he was scratching something in the air. And the result?


    Three huge, deep, and long w marks had marked Captain Sherwood''s chest.


    The captain looked surprised because he easily broke his armor and the defensive spell on him. Now, Captain Sherwood''s chest was bleeding profusely. He also looked like he was in pain.


    "That''s your brand, Captain Sherwood," he said. "The brand of a traitor."


    Captain Sherwoodughed. "I ept it, Your Majesty," he said. Then, he bowed to him. "However, please keep in mind that House Sherwood will remain as the empire''s Bookkeeper."


    After that, the captain left.


    <em>Another one of my captains turned his back on me again.</em>


    "Is it okay to let Captain Sherwood leave the pce alive, Your Majesty?"


    Aku turned to Sir Gregory who appeared beside him after Captain Sherwood left. "If I kill him now, House Sherwood will retaliate. They''re one of the oldest families in the empire so I can''t just eliminate them. And I need him to stay close to Kiho to serve as his guardian. I don''t n to kill Kiho and his child. I''ll take them back as soon as Lady Nystrom is gone."


    "Your Majesty, I understand that you''re close to Duke Nystrom," Sir Gregory said carefully. "But is it really wise to still keep him by your side even after he betrayed you for a woman?"


    "Kiho is my brother," Aku said firmly. "I don''t want to lose him."


    <em>Never again.</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 95: Conflict as Old as Time

    Chapter 95: Conflict as Old as Time


    "THE High Priest worships our son, Kiho," Tilly said to Kiho. She should have said this from the start. But there were so many things they had to discuss first so she almost forgot to tell him about the conversation she had with Howard. "He told me that our son is the Moon Serpent that will swallow the moon someday."


    "The moon represents His Majesty," Kiho said in surprise. "Was the High Priest implying that our son would kill the emperor in the future?"


    She nodded as confirmation. "ording to him, that''s the real prophecy."


    "If that''s true, then does it mean that His Majesty knows the truth from the start?"


    "That seems to be the case."


    "If His Majesty is waiting for our son to be reborn despite the prophecy, it only means that he needs our son for something important," Kiho said with a hint of worry in his voice. "I don''t like this. He wants your heart and now, he''s aiming for our son who hasn''t even been born yet."


    She noticed that Kiho was angry. His golden eyes were gleaming with anger and his jaw was clenching hard. "Hon, calm down," she said gently, then she cupped his face between her hands. "We won''t let anyone use or hurt our baby boy. We''re here to protect him, right?"


    That seemed to calm him down. "Yes, we will protect our baby."


    She smiled and kissed him on the corner of his mouth.


    He returned the favor by kissing her fully on the lips.


    <em>Gosh!</em>


    "But honey, why do you want the High Priest to join our side?" Kiho asked after the kiss. "He tried to hurt you. And I don''t trust people who worship other people."


    Her husband has a point.


    "You''re right. The High Priest is supposed to be on the neutral side," she agreed. "Whenever there was war between kingdoms, their neutral ground would always be the Holy Land. I can''t trust the High Priest for serving two masters. He ims he''s a man of god but he follows the emperor''s unreasonable requests." She looked at her palm that Howard cut. The wound was already healed, but she would never forget what he did. "Kiho, the High Priest tried to take my blood and use it to heal Her Royal Highness."


    He growled angrily. "God, His Majesty is really making me angry."


    She turned to him and gave him a sympathetic smile. "His Eminence said that His Majesty told him to use my blood to try and heal Her Royal Highness."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "Can your blood do that?"


    She shrugged. "I don''t know. I forgot to ask Wixx. But aren''t Ancient Beasts considered as gods? A lot of people seem to worship them."


    "Isn''t it only because they''re old beings?"


    Sheughed at that. "That''s the only reason why you think the Ancient Beasts are worshipped?"


    "I don''t know why but I never understood why the Ancient Beasts are worshipped," he admitted. "The Blue Dragon is just an extrarge snake. The ck Serpent is just arge reptile. The Red Phoenix is just a ming bird. And the Golden Tiger is just a plump tiger."


    Again, sheughed until her stomach hurt. "Kiho, you are so rude. If the gods heard you, they would punish you."


    "Wouldn''t that be bullying?" he asked in a teasing voice. "The noblesse oblige teaches the nobles like you that the strong must protect the weak."


    "Your funny side is also sexy," she said between giggles. "Gosh, why are you so perfect?"


    "I''m just trying to be the best version of myself for you."


    She smiled at that, and then she remembered the memories of her first life.


    To be honest, she didn''t want to remember them anymore. But she had to because she wanted to somehow use that knowledge to her advantage.


    "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "If you meet that ck-haireddy again, please promise me that you''ll tell me."


    He suddenly looked worried. "Tilly, are you still jealous of her?"


    She bit her lip and nodded.


    Telling Kiho about her first life was easy. She knew that he''d believe her. But it was choice not to tell him.


    She didn''t want Kiho to find out about their terrible marriage in the past. And most of all, she didn''t want him to know that he had loved another woman in her first life. Heck, she didn''t even want him to know Lucina Morganna''s name in this lifetime.


    "I read in a book that pregnant women are sensitive and they get jealous easily," Kiho said carefully. "Even if you have nothing to be jealous about, I understand if you still feel that way. I will never get tired of proving to you that you''re the only one for me."


    God, her husband really loved her.


    <em>I give up.</em>


    "Kiho, you said earlier that you feel like I don''t love you enough."


    "I didn''t really say that," he denied gently. "But I guess that means the same thing."


    She nodded as an agreement. "You''re right, I''m holding back my feelings for you. To be honest, I didn''t realize that I was doing that until you pointed it out." She held his hand and squeezed it. "So thank you for telling me your honest thoughts."


    "My master taught me that goodmunication is needed to get along with other people."


    She gasped when she remembered something after he mentioned his master. "Kiho, Wixx seems to know the Nystrom n."


    ""n?"" he asked. "You mean to say, ''Nystrom'' is a surname and not a first name?"


    She nodded. "You didn''t know?"


    "I didn''t know," he confirmed. "Master told me it was his first name."


    "Wixx said some rude things about the Nystrom n," she continued. "But since he''s a fossil I mean, he''s old maybe the Nystroms he had met were those in the same generation as him. We can''t really trust his words."


    He slowly nodded as if he was absorbing her words well. "Tilly, is Father still trying to find out where the Nystroms are originally from?"


    "Yes. What about it?"


    "I''m bing more interested to know about my master''s root," he said. "It''s now our family name. I hope that Nystroms aren''t bad people because I don''t want you and our son to be ashamed of the name you''re carrying."


    "We will never be ashamed of the name you gave us," she assured him. "Never."


    He rubbed his nose against hers.


    "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    She wrapped her arms around his neck tight. "I was saying something before I got distracted."


    "Uh-huh," he said while wrapping his arms around her waist.


    "Kiho, from now on, I won''t hold back," she promised him. "I''ll give you my whole heart."


    He smiled at her promise. "I like that."


    She giggled when she felt his erection against her hip. "I can feel that, hon."


    "Then will you do something about it?"


    Were they seriously going to do it on the windowsill?


    <em>Hell, yeah!</em>


    Sheughed softly, then her hand gently cupped him.


    Kiho suddenly caught her lips for a fierce kiss.


    While returning his kisses with as much fervor, her hand started to be closer. She yed with his cock until he released some pre-cum. And then, she pulled his length out of his pants and lifted herself up.


    She was already very wet so she knew that she was ready to take him.


    He helped her by lifting her dress up. Then, he slid his hands under her dress and cupped her mound.


    "God," he whispered, then he held her by the waist. "You''re so wet."


    "You made me like this, Kiho."


    She kissed him on the lips while holding on to his shoulders. Then, she straddled his hips and sank down taking him all the way inside. As soon as she did, she moaned into her mouth.


    God, she felt like she would break into two while amodating his massiveness inside her. It was kind of painful, but the pleasure was greater. Just having him inside her almost made here right away.


    "Ah, so deep," she said, then she started to move slowly.


    "`Need help, honey?"


    She shook her head. "I want to be in charge tonight."


    He kissed her on the forehead. "Okay."


    Tilly thrust her hips, tentatively at first. When she took him deeper, she finally got the perfect rhythm that made her breathe heavier. And then she covered her mouth with her hands when she moaned loudly. "God, I hope they can''t hear us."


    "They won''t," Kiho assured her. Then, his hands went around her hips and he thrust his pelvis up while matching her downward slides. Ah, that felt good. "I''ll never get enough of you, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT ARE you doing, Luna?"


    "I''m putting a spell around this room so we can''t hear scandalous sounds from the duke and the duchess," Luna answered while she was putting a talisman on the door. "Louisa probably won''t hear it since she''s human. But we''re different. We need this to protect our ears."


    "I don''t really understand but okay, I trust you," Sentinel said. "Hey, what do you know about the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent?"


    "I heard that the reason why the Red Phoenix gave his heart to the first Supreme Fire Mages was because the Supreme lost her heart," Luna said, then she turned to Sentinel. "Apparently, the ck Serpent ripped the first Supreme''s original heart out of her chest to protect the Moonchesters."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 96: The Sky Gods Remorse

    Chapter 96: The Sky God''s Remorse


    "TO BE HONEST, I''m not really sure about what happened between the first Supreme and the ck Serpent," Sentinel said. "I was just a little boy when the conflict among the Beast Gods urred. All I know is the ck Serpent ripped the heart of the Supreme and gave it to the Moonchesters. To save the Supreme, the Red Phoenix gave his heart to her. And that''s the reason why the Red Phoenix hates the ck Serpent."


    "But why does the ck Serpent hate the Red Phoenix?" Luna asked curiously. "And when Duke Nystrom almost awakened, his behavior changed. It was as if he suddenly hated Lady Nystrom and the heart. Did the ck Serpent hate the Supreme in the past?"


    "I''m not sure," the young boy said. "It was veryplicated. I think the ck Serpent was forced to choose between his love for the Supreme and his duty to the Moonchesters."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "The Supreme and the ck Serpent were lovers?"


    "They were married."


    She gasped in surprise. "So, the history is repeating itself with Lady Nystrom and Duke Nystrom now?"


    "Let''s hope that the history wouldn''t repeat itself, Luna," he said while shaking his head. "Another bloody war would break out if it happened again. And to prevent that from happening, the ck Serpent in Kiho Nystrom should never awaken."


    "If they''re not supposed to be together, then why did the heavens let Lady Nystrom and Duke Nystrom conceive a child?"


    "Because the Moon Serpent has to be born," he said firmly. "Only beings as powerful as the Supreme and the ck Serpent could conceive the child that the gods favor."


    "The Moon Serpent?" she asked in surprise. "The duke and the duchess''s child is the Moon Serpent? And howe the Moon Serpent is favored by the gods? I thought it was a monster that ate the moons out of greediness."


    "That''s not true," he denied. "The Moon Serpent is a god in his own right. He was summoned to stop the war among the moons."


    "But if I remember the legend right, thest moon was sent by the sky god to earth to kill the Moon Serpent, right?"


    "Thest moon tricked the sky god," he said. "I don''t know how or why but thest moon managed to make the sky god believe that the Moon Serpent must perish."


    "Thest moon is the first Moonchester, right?"


    He nodded. "Despicable, aren''t they?"


    "Uh-huh," she agreed. "The Moon Serpent died unfairly."


    "That''s true," he said. "The sky god regretted trusting thest moon. But when he turned thest moon, he blessed him with divine powers that not even him could kill the Moonchester anymore."


    "So, that''s the reason why the Moonchesters are very powerful."


    "Yes, it''s because they are blessed by the sky god himself," he exined. "But the sky god hasn''t lost hope yet. To punish the Moonchesters, he tried to bring the Moon Serpent back to life. The only way to do that is for the Moon Serpent to be reborn again. The sky god knew that only powerful beings could conceive the Moon Serpent. So when the first Supreme Fire Mage and the ck Serpent had fallen in love with each other, the sky god chose them to be the Moon Serpent''s parents."


    "Did they conceive the Moon Serpent before?"


    "Yes. But the Moonchesters had realized that the child that the Supreme had was the Moon Serpent. They killed the child even before it was born."


    "Oh, god."


    "That''s the reason why the Supreme put a forbidden spell on the Moonchesters. That spell forbids the Moonchesters from reproducing from people outside their family. And also, she put a curse on the first princess that affects Her Royal Highness until now," the young boy said. "That was how angry the Supreme was."


    "Now I understand the root of anger between the Moonchesters and the first Supreme," she said while shaking her head. "But if His Majesty already knows that Lady Nystrom''s child is the Moon Serpent, why is he waiting for the child to be born?"


    "I''m not sure but I believe that His Majesty wants to use the Moon Serpent against the sky god," Sentinel said. "I don''t why though."


    "I still have so many questions, Sentinel."


    "I''ve already told you what I know," he said. "Right now, our goal is to keep Duke Nystrom from awakening. Not until Lady Nystrom finds the Red Phoenix first."


    "We have to babysit them."


    "Yes," he confirmed. "We have to take care of them. And if possible, we have to separate them once the ck Serpent awakens."


    "Separate them?" Luna asked in surprise. "Why?"


    "If both of them retrieved their old memories, they might kill each other at first sight," Sentinel said seriously. "So we better pray to gods that the duke and the duchess''s current love for each other is strong enough to erase their old wound."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY couldn''t help but smile while watching Kiho in the mirror.


    She was sitting in front of the vanity mirror while her husband was standing behind her. He had a look of concentration on his handsome face while braiding her hair.


    <em>Yes, he''s braiding my hair and he''s very good at it.</em>


    ording to Kiho, he wanted to assist her in any way possible because she didn''t have her maids.


    <em>We assigned Louisa to take care of the guests.</em>


    It was fine with her because Kiho was obviously having a good time "helping" her, especially while they were taking a bath together this morning.


    <em>Gosh, let''s not think about that for now.</em>


    "Hon, why are you good at braiding?" Tilly asked curiously. "Where did you learn it from?"


    "I used to have a long hair," Kiho said. "Longer than yours."


    She gasped in surprise. "Really? How old were you then?"


    Gosh, she could imagine Kiho with long hair. He already had a pretty face so she was so sure that long hair would also suit him well.


    "I had a long hair ever since I can remember," he said. "When I met His Majesty, I had a long hair. He used to braid my hair for me. And then, eventually, he taught me how to braid my hair on my own."


    She felt a hint of sadness in Kiho''s voice.


    Despite everything, His Majesty is still close to his heart.


    "Sorry, honey," Kiho said. "I shouldn''t have told you that story."


    "It''s okay, Kiho," she said with a smile. "Just because His Majesty is an enemy now doesn''t mean that you could easily forget the fond memories you have with him."


    "Don''t worry, honey. I won''t let those memories take over," he assured her. "My resolve to protect you and Winter from the emperor is unshakable."


    "I know that, hon."


    He just kissed the top of her head as a response. Then, he looked at her in the mirror. "I''m done, honey."


    She looked at her reflection in the mirror and she was pleased with his work.


    Kiho tied her hair in a prettyce braid. With her peach dress with mesh top, she looked like a princess from a D*sney movie.


    "You''re good, honey," she said, then she looked up at him. "You made me look like a princess."


    "You naturally look like a princess, Tilly," he said, then he leaned down to kiss her on the lips. After that, he looked at her with warm gaze. "I want a daughter that looks like you."


    She giggled at that. "I haven''t given birth to our Winter yet but you already want a daughter? I mean, I want a daughter as well. But before we n for our second baby, I want us to spoil Winter first once hees out."


    "Whatever you want, honey."


    Tilly just smiled at that, then she stood up. As usual, Kiho assisted her right away. "Thank you, hon."


    Kiho''s eyes sparkled, then he offered his arm to her. "Shall we go, mydy?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Tilly was surprised upon seeing Captain Sherwood after breakfast would be an understatement.


    But there he was, standing in front of all of them.


    "Captain Sherwood, may I know what you''re doing here?" Tilly asked him. "Aren''t you busy as the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights?"


    "I am, Lady Nystrom," Captain Sherwood answered cheerfully. "I''m just here to make sure that Duke Nystrom is safe."


    <em>Okay, that''s creepy.</em>


    "I''m fine, Captain Sherwood," Kiho answered in an obviously awkward voice. "You didn''t have to ask for my well-being personally."


    "What happened, Captain Sherwood?" she asked curiously. "If you''re here to personally check on my husband, does it mean something happened that caused you to worry about Kiho?"


    "Oh," the captain said. "You''re sharp, Lady Nystrom."


    <em>Ah, so something really happened.</em>


    "He''s hurt," Sentinel dered.


    "Uh-huh," Luna agreed. "I can feel a healing spelling from him."


    The captain turned to the two with a questioning look on his face.


    "Miss Luna is my doctor," Tilly exined as calmly as possible to avoid suspicions. "And Sentinel is my butler." She respectfully pointed her hands to the captain. "Miss Luna, Sentinel, this is Captain Sherwood of the Blue Dragon Knights."


    After that, the three exchanged polite greetings.


    "Even if it''s you, we can''t let you leave our house without having tea first," Kiho said bluntly. "Captain Sherwood, would you like to have tea with us?"


    "Absolutely, Your Grace," Captain Sherwood said with a big smile. "I''d love to have tea with you."


    Tilly cleared her throat. "With us," she said with a forced smile, then she wrapped her arm around Kiho''s waist. "You can''t monopolize my husband, Captain Sherwood."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU CAN''T enter the room right now, Count Huxley!"


    Aku let out a frustrated sigh when he heard the noise outside his office. He stopped signing the papers on his table. Then, he waited for the door to open.


    As he expected, a few momentster, the door burst open and Count Huxley entered his office angrily. Behind him was Sir Gregory who was trying to stop the count from entering without his permission.


    But obviously, his knight failed to do his job.


    <em>I can''t me Sir Gregory though. Count Huxley is known for his bad temper.</em>


    "Good morning, Lord Huxley," Aku greeted him with a smile. He wasn''t particrly fond of the count. But House Huxley was an important family because they produced the strongest and the best weapons in the empire. After all, the count''s family was known as a "military" family. "What''s this about?"


    He motioned for Sir Gregory to leave the room.


    The old knight bowed to him before he quietly left the room.


    <em>My morning is already ruined.</em>


    If only Count Huxly wasn''t a part of Nia''s "collection," he would never let him slide for entering his office without permission.


    "Your Majesty, I need your permission," Count Huxley said. The count was tall and skinny. He had dark green perm hair with bangs that almost covered his blue eyes. And yes, he was always angry. "I need your permission to allow me to kill Mikhail Denver."


    Oh, god.


    "Are we thinking about the same ''Mikhail Denver,'' Lord Huxley?" he asked in frustration. "As in Mikhail Denver, the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights? The heir of Marquis Morgan Denver? And the master of the Fire Wielder Guild?"


    "Yes," the count answered angrily. "I''ll kill that bastard."


    "Why do you want to kill Captain Denver?"


    "He killed Alisa Hayward my fiance!"


    Okay, that was a surprise.


    Lady Alisa Hayward was a close friend of Nia.


    And yes, the woman was also a part of his beloved''s "collection."


    <em>Lady Hayward is the daughter of a viscount. They may not be a big family. But they''re a family of doctors. Her death is a loss to the empire.</em>


    "My condolences, Lord Huxley," he said. "But if your usation is true, then you have to present me some solid evidence. After that, we''ll take Captain Denver on a noble trial."


    "No," the count said angrily. "I want to kill him by my hands, Your Majesty. And it will also do you good if Captain Denver died."


    That caught his attention.


    "What do you mean by that, Lord Huxley?" Aku asked curiously. "What will I gain if Captain Denver died?"


    "Don''t you know, Your Majesty?" Count Huxley asked with clenched teeth. "Captain Denver is a Fire <em>Mage</em>!"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 97: New Allies, New Enemies

    Chapter 97: New Allies, New Enemies


    TILLY wanted to be mature but Captain Sherwood was testing her patience.


    She was very secured of Kiho''s love for her and she knew very well that her husband was straight. But the way the captain was looking at Kiho made her ufortable.


    Captain Sherwood''s eyes were sparkling and it looked like he was about to drool.


    <em>Gosh, why am I being so petty?</em>


    She just sipped her tea to make herself calm down.


    Right now, they were in the tea room. Kiho was sitting beside her while Captain Sherwood was sitting in front of her husband. There was a table between them and aside from tea, it was filled with different delectable snacks. Thankfully, even with only Louisa as their servant, the mansion didn''tck in food that suited a duke''s home.


    <em>Captain Sherwood is also a duke like Kiho so he''s considered as an esteemed guest.</em>


    "Captain Sherwood, may I know what happened to you?" Kiho asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "Was it His Majesty who hurt you?"


    Captain Sherwood''s face lit up. "Are you worried about me, Duke Nystrom?"


    Tilly identally tightened her grip around the cup''s holder.


    <em>Girl, don''t be jealous</em>, she reminded herself. <em>Kiho is loyal to you, okay?</em>


    "You can say that," Kiho said. "But I''m more worried about Tilly and our son. If His Majesty already found out that you betrayed him for me, he might attack my family now."


    The disappointment in the captain''s face almost made herugh.


    <em>Hah! I win!</em>


    She knew that she was being petty but she couldn''t help it, okay?


    "Don''t worry, Your Grace," Captain Sherwood said, still smiling. "His Majesty doesn''t have any intention to attack for now. From the looks of it, he already knew that I was never loyal to him. Most of all, he never liked me because of my close rtionship with Her Royal Highness before. In short, my betrayal is a relief to His Majesty."


    Hearing that made her doubt the captain even more.


    <em>If he can betray the royal family, he can betray anyone.</em>


    "Even if you betrayed His Majesty for me, that doesn''t mean we''ll ept you as an ally," Kiho said indifferently. "Captain Sherwood, I didn''t tell you to betray His Majesty. And I don''t believe that your "feelings" for me is the only reason why you suddenly decided to join my side."


    "What do I have to do to make you trust me, Your Grace?"


    "Nothing, Captain Sherwood," her husband answered. "I can never forget that you''re one of the people who are after my Tilly before. I don''t even know what you tried to do to hurt my wife and our child. I''m sorry but because of that, I can''t trust you. And I don''t want to."


    "Then, I''lle clean," Captain Sherwood said firmly. "During the Hunt, I was the one who attacked Lady Nystrom while she was on her way home."


    She gasped when she heard that.


    <em>I knew the shadow man back then looked familiar!</em>


    "Her Royal Highness ordered me to stab Lady Nystrom''s heart to stop the replica of the Red Phoenix," the captain confessed without an ounce of guilt on his face. "The princess didn''t want you, Duke Nystrom, to win because she made a bet with His Majesty."


    She clenched her teeth in anger.


    <em>God, that b*tchy princess really deserves to be burnt!</em>


    "You attacked my pregnant wife back then? Not only that. Our coachman almost lost his life as well," Kiho said, obviously angry. "F*ck you, Captain Sherwood."


    She gasped again.


    <em>Wow, it''s very rare for Kiho to curse!</em>


    "That wasn''t the only thing I did," Captain Sherwood continued, unfazed by Kiho''s anger. "There''s a "treasure" in the royal family that I want so bad. On the other hand, His Majesty wants to know who owns the heart of the Red Phoenix. And so, we made a deal. I betrayed Her Royal Highness and told his Majesty that Lady Nystrom has the heart of the Red Phoenix to get the "treasure" that I want. I decided to switch sides because I know that His Majesty and Her Royal Highness has no use of me anymore."


    "Captain Sherwood, excuse my rudeness but I want to p you right now," Tilly said while trying to hold back her anger. "I can forgive you had you tried to hurt me when I wasn''t pregnant yet. But the fact that you put my baby''s life at risk is making me angry. You know that I have the heart of the Red Phoenix so you know that I can literally roast you right now, don''t you?"


    The captain turned to her with a smile. "I''ll ept any punishment from you, mydy."


    "Leave," Kiho said angrily. The table and the floor were now starting to be covered by a thinyer of ice. If res could kill, the captain would have dropped dead by now. "Leave before I freeze you to death, Captain Sherwood."


    Despite Captain Sherwood''s carefree personality, the fear that crossed his eyes was evident. The captain probably felt that they seriously want to kill him so to save himself, he stood up and politely bowed to them. "I''ll take my leave now, Duke and Duchess Nystrom," he said, then he looked at Kiho. "Your Grace, please remember that even if you hate me or push me away, I will always be loyal to you."


    Suddenly, Tilly had an idea of what kind of "treasure" did Captain Sherwood mention a while ago.


    <em>I hope I''m right.</em>


    "Let me walk you to the door, Captain Sherwood," Tilly said firmly, then she stood up without asking for anyone''s permission. "We have something to talk about."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU certain that Captain Denver is a Fire Mage?" Aku asked Count Huxley. "What evidence do you hold, Lord Huxley?"


    "I don''t have physical evidence, Your Majesty," Count Huxley answered in frustration. "But Alisa and I had linked our minds together in the past through an ancient spell. Before she died, she sent me the image of thest thing she saw." A mix of anger and pain crossed his eyes. "I saw Captain Denver burn my Alisa to death, Your Majesty."


    "Captain Denver is a Fire Wielder," he countered because until now, he couldn''t believe that Captain Denver was a Fire Mage. Because if it was true, it would only mean that the Denvers had deceived the royal family for many years! "He can use fire."


    "But a Fire Wielder can''t produce fire within their body," the count insisted. "I saw firee out from Mikhail Denver''s arms, Your Majesty. He wasn''t using any weapon."


    For the first time after a long while, Aku felt the pain and bitterness of being betrayed. "If the Denvers are Fire Mages, it only means that the Fire Wielders in their guild might also be Fire Mages that they have been protecting all this time."


    "That''s why I''m thinking as well, Your Majesty," Count Huxley said. "If they were able to conceal their real identity for this long, then they might be using a powerful spell or tool that can hide their real power. But to have deceived the royal family for this long"


    "They made a fool of us," he said in a low voice. "Now I know why the Denvers stood in the "neutral side" all this time."


    He thought that the Denvers weren''t just interested in the politics.


    And as far as he remembered, his father and his grandfather used to tell him stories about how the Denvers had helped them "kill" the Fire Mages that they had caught in the past.


    <em>The Denvers probably didn''t kill those Fire Mages. They definitely faked their death to gain my predecessors'' trust. And they built the Fire Wielder Guild to hide and protect the Fire Mages that they have met along the way.</em>


    Oh, god.


    He never felt this angry after Nia was burnt to a crisp.


    "Your Majesty, please give me the order to kill Mikhail Denver," Count Huxley begged him. "He''s a traitor!"


    "Don''t be hasty, Lord Huxley."


    "What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"


    "Killing Captain Denver right away would be too light of a punishment for his grave sin against the royal family," he said coldly. "Before you kill him, I want to make him watch us kill his family and fellow Fire Mages one by one. To break him even more, I will rip Lady Nystrom''s heart in front of him. I want him to feel hopeless and helpless as he watched his loved ones die without the power to save them. Only after he felt that kind of pain and misery would you be allowed to kill the captain. Do you understand my order, Lord Huxley?"


    Count Huxley smirked, a glint of evilness in his eyes shining bright. "I''ll do as you told me, Your Majesty."


    "Good," Aku said, his mind now forming different strategies to capture all the Fire Mages at once. "It''s time to end the Fire Mages once and for all and that would only be possible once I crush Lady Nystrom''s heart."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY suddenly felt a shiver down her spines. For some reason, her heart suddenly thumped loudly against her chest. And boy, she felt cold even if Kiho wasn''t near her.


    "Are you okay, Lady Nystrom?" Captain Sherwood asked with a smile a smile that never felt warm or genuine to her. It was akin to a "business smile" that she would often give her clients back in her second life. "You don''t have to walk me to my carriage."


    Right now, they already reached the main door of the mansion.


    "I don''t have any intention to walk you to your carriage, Captain Sherwood," Tilly said, then she faced the captain. "I just want to talk out of Kiho''s hearing range."


    "Figures," the captain said, obviously aware that she walked him to the doors for an important matter.


    Kiho also knew that she had something she wanted to talk about with Captain Sherwood alone. But she knew that her husband, Luna, and Sentinel were all on stand-by. She was confident that nothing bad would happen to her even if she was "alone" with the captain.


    "The "treasure" that you mentioned earlier the treasure that forced you to betray Her Royal Highness," Tilly said carefully. "It has something to do with Kiho, right? If not, then it must be Kiho himself. You wouldn''t choose my husband over the royal family if you wouldn''t gain anything by taking his side. Am I wrong?"


    Captain Sherwood smirked as if he was amazed by her deductions. "Lady Nystrom, are you ready to know the real identity of the man you married?"


    For some reason, wind was suddenly knocked out of Tilly.


    <em>Why do I feel like I shouldn''t know?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 98: Glaring Resemblance

    Chapter 98: ring Resemnce


    "SHOULD WE stop them, Sentinel?" Luna asked nervously. "Is it going to be a problem if Lady Nystrom finds out that Duke Nystrom is the ck Serpent?"


    "Yes," Sentinel said. "The only people who are not supposed to know the truth are the duke and the duchess. Not now, at least. If they suddenly retrieved the memories of their past when the two of them aren''t ready yet, they might lose their sanity. Worse, they might start going after each other''s throat. That''s why they can''t awaken at the same time."


    Right now, they were watching Lady Nystrom and Captain Sherwood from the balcony of the second floor. Normal humans wouldn''t be able to hear the two''s conversation from where they stood. But because they had extraordinary senses, they could hear them just fine.


    Most of all, they could hide their presence so the two wouldn''t notice them from their spot even if they didn''t use a spell that would turn them invisible.


    "If Captain Sherwood starts talking, we have to interrupt him," the spirit guardian said. "If we be toote to stop him from talking, then we must erase Lady Nystrom''s memories."


    "I can stop time for a few seconds," she offered. "You can erase Lady Nystrom''s memory and kick out Captain Sherwood. But I''m hoping that we wouldn''t have to do that to her."


    "As guardians of the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent, it''s our duty to stop them from knowing the truth until the time is right," Sentinel said seriously. "But to be honest, we can''t do this on our own."


    "Yes. We only know how to stop the heart from awakening," Luna said with a hint of worry in her voice. "But what would we do if the ck Serpent was suddenly awakened by something that we didn''t seeing?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LADY NYSTROM, are you ready to know the real identity of the man you married?"


    Tilly would admit that she suddenly felt nervous, like Captain Sherwood''s "revtion" would turn out to be something ominous. But still, she decided to go for it. "Yes, I''m ready. I want to know who Kiho really is."


    "Duke Nystrom is an amazing guy," Captain Sherwood said. "You''re lucky to have been married to a man who was willing to turn his back on His Majesty just to protect his family."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I already know that."


    "And that''s the only fact that you should know about the duke," the captain said cheerily. "Trust me, Lady Nystrom. You should be grateful that your rtionship with Duke Nystrom is very smooth-sailing. Do you want to ruin that?"


    "You''re only making me more curious, Captain Sherwood."


    "Don''t be hasty, Lady Nystrom," he warned her lightly. "Someday, everything will fall into its right ce. All you have to do is be patient."


    She looked at him long and hard.


    <em>Ah, he doesn''t really have any intention to tell me what he knows about Kiho''s identity.</em>


    "Then, let me ask onest question," she said. When the captain nodded, she continued. "Is the "treasure" you mentioned would keep you loyal to Kiho once the war starts?"


    He looked surprised by her question. But in the end, he nodded as a response. "I know that you wouldn''t easily ept me as an ally. But even if the duke pushes me away, I will still stick to him no matter what happens. I''ll even point my gun at His Majesty for him."


    She raised a brow at that. After hearing the words the captain said, realization suddenly hit her. "I know that what I''m about to say may sound like I''m invalidating your feelings so let me apologize in advance. But Captain Sherwood, I don''t think what you feel for Kiho is love."


    "What do you think it is then?"


    "Obsession," she answered tly. "I don''t think you see Kiho as a person. You only see him as whatever it is that you''re obsessed with."


    He smirked at that. "Lady Nystrom, I can''t differentiate love from obsession. They mean the same thing in my book. Do you consider me as a rival now?"


    "No," she said honestly. "But it has nothing to do with your sexual preference. I am simply not threatened because Kiho makes me feel secured about our rtionship. However"


    He raised a brow at her. "However?"


    "If your obsession puts Kiho''s life in danger, I''ll destroy you," she warned him. "I have an experience being a viiness, you know? I wouldn''t hesitate to bring back my inner viinous character for anyone who would put my family at risk."


    Heughed softly. "Ah, I''m scared."


    "You should be," she said in a menacing voice, the heat of her body rising slowly.


    The captain''s smile suddenly vanished. And then, he jumped away from her as if he was suddenly threatened by her aura. The usual happy disposition on his face was reced by a somber one. "Okay, I get it now. You weren''t joking when you said you could be a viiness."


    Tilly just smiled, satisfied that the captain received her warning well. "Have a safe trip, Captain Sherwood."


    "How eloquent, Lady Nystrom. Smiling so charmingly as if you didn''t threaten to burn me alive a while ago," Captain Sherwood said with a softugh. "Now I know why Duke Nystrom is crazy about you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID CAPTAIN Sherwood upset you, honey?"


    Tilly smiled and shook her head at Kiho''s question. Then, she wrapped her arm around his waist. "But he didn''t give me the answer that I want."


    Kiho kissed her on the forehead. "What did you ask him?"


    "If the "treasure" he mentioned was your identity," she said. "I mean, that''s the only reason I could believe as to why he''s sticking to you like glue."


    "If he doesn''t want to tell us, then let''s not force him," her husband said gently. "I don''t want to owe him anything. And Father is helping us find my root anyway."


    She nodded in agreement. "I hate to say this but it seems like Captain Sherwood was serious about his vow of loyalty to you, Kiho."


    "I don''t care about that."


    "Is it because he hurt me under Her Royal Highness''s order?"


    "That''s a huge part of my reason why I don''t want to ept him as an ally," he said. "But there''s one more reason why I don''t want Captain Sherwood on our side."


    "What is it, hon?"


    "He only talks about his loyalty to me," Kiho said. "That means he doesn''t care about you or our son."


    "Oh."


    "I don''t want an ally that only cares about my well-being," he continued. "What I need are people who care about everyone I want to protect. Of course, my top priority will always be you and our Winter."


    She smiled at his sweetness. But also, she suddenly felt scared. "Kiho, our rtionship has been smooth-sailing from the very beginning. I know that I should be grateful. But the fact that we don''t fight often scares me."


    "We don''t fight because when we have a problem, we talk about it right away," he said. "Is having a good rtionship a bad thing, honey?"


    <em>Hmm he has a point.</em>


    Back in her second life, she barely talked to the man that she married. See? She couldn''t even call him "husband."


    To her, Kiho was the only husband she had.


    And she was grateful for that.


    "I''m just probably overthinking," Tilly said, then she looked up at him. "Thank you for being a patient husband, Kiho."


    "No, I should be the one thanking you for being a good wife to me," Kiho said, then he gently put a hand on her tummy. "We should always help each other be the best versions of ourselves for our son."


    And she wholeheartedly agreed with that.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MASTER, where are you going?"


    "I''m worried about Lady Nystrom," Mikhail Denver said while putting his mask on. "I''m just going to check on her quickly."


    "In the temple?" Flint asked curiously. "How are you going to enter the temple without being seen?"


    "The Fire Mages who used to serve the temple made a secret passage to the Red Phoenix''s prayer room," he exined. "I''ll use that passage to enter the temple."


    "Can Ie along?"


    "No," he said, then he put his hand on top of the child''s head. "Stay here, Flint."


    Currently, they were staying in an inn near the temple. He rented the whole top floor to make sure that no one would see them there. So far, they had "taken care" of all the suspicious people lurking around.


    Thankfully, no one as strong as Lady Hayward had appeared again.


    <em>But the silence is kind of making me feel nervous for some reason.</em>


    To get rid of that nervousness, he needed to move his body. Thus, he decided to check on Lady Nystrom. He thought that his uneasiness might be connected to the heart''s current state.


    "Okay, I''ll stay here, Master," Flint said. "Be careful not to get caught. Big Sister Tilly''s husband is petty but scary."


    Mikhail Denverughed at that. "Yes, I''ll be careful of Duke Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO, are you sure you''ll be okay here?"


    Kiho nodded at Tilly''s question. "I''m not allowed to help you with your task as the Beast Priestess. But I''m grateful that the High Priest gave me the permission to stay in your room."


    After what happened to Tilly, he couldn''t leave his wife alone in the temple.


    He talked to the High Priest and asked for permission to stay in Tilly''s chamber for the whole day to make sure that she''d be safe. Thus, His Eminence allowed him to use his wife''s chamber. He couldn''t freely roam though.


    He also couldn''t stay for the night but he nned to stay outside and patrol the areater.


    "I brought some books about managing a business," Tilly said. "If you get bored, you may read my books."


    "Okay," he said. "Don''t worry about me, honey."


    Tilly had to leave when a priestess fetched her.


    He walked his wife to the door. Actually, he wanted to give her a goodbye kiss but she widened her eyes at him as if warning him not to do it in front of a priestess.


    <em>I''ll just kiss herter.</em>


    And more. Definitely more. They never stopped at just a kiss anyway.


    <em>Kiho Nystrom, control your thoughts</em>, he scolded himself. <em>You''re in a temple.</em>


    To distract himself, he just borrowed the books Tilly mentioned a while ago. One was sitting on the night table. He picked it up but when he turned around, his hip bump into the table causing him to drop the book on the floor.


    <em>Damn.</em>


    He bent down to pick up the book


    and then something strange happened.


    He thought he saw a white snakee out from under the bed. It was gone as soon as it appeared. But he felt a sting in his hand.


    <em>Strange.</em>


    He felt like he was bitten by a snake but there was no bite mark on his skin.


    And all of a sudden, his body became paralyzed. He wanted to fight it because he thought he was under attack. But unfortunately, his consciousness started to fade fast.


    <em>No</em>, Kiho said to himself. <em>Tilly</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>WHY DO I get the urge to punch this statue?</em>


    Tilly didn''t know but her chest tightened while looking at the statue of the ck Serpent.


    Right now, she was in the prayer room for the ck Serpent and she was supposed to offer a prayer along with the other priestesses. She would also offer a prayer to the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, and the Golden Tigerter.


    The prayer room dedicated to the ck Serpent was the nearest to her chamber so they went there first.


    <em>You''re making my heart ache</em>, Tilly scolded the statue of the ck Serpent. <em>But why?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN KIHO opened his eyes, his reflection on the water greeted him.


    And that very thing was f*cked up.


    He knew that the person looking back at him was himself his face remained the same. But he looked very different from usual.


    His hair was deep brown with red hues. But right now, he had long silver hair that reached his waist. His golden eyes were also gone and they were reced by red orbs instead. He had a fairplexion but not as white as what he had now.


    Silver hair.


    Red eyes.


    Skin as pale as the moon.


    A sudden realization made his skin crawl.


    "Oh, fuck," Kiho whispered to himself. "Why the hell do I resemble His Majesty?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 99: Souvenir from the White Snake

    Chapter 99: Souvenir from the White Snake


    "LADY NYSTROM, are you ready to offer a prayer for the ck Serpent?" Lilly asked her with a smile. "ording to the legends, out of all the Ancient Beasts, ck Serpent was particrly fond of people who wished prosperity for their family. That''s why in the past, a lot of married men and women with children devoted themselves to the ck Serpent. Since you''re a newly married woman who''s now pregnant, I think you should ask for the ck Serpent''s blessing to protect your family."


    "Okay, Miss Lilly," Tilly said with a smile. "I''ll pray to the ck Serpent for me and my family. Thank you for telling me."


    The priestess just smiled at her.


    After that, she ushered her into the altar where Lilly gave her a ck candle. She was supposed to hold that while praying to the ck Serpent. When the other priestesses closed her eyes, she did the same.


    Since she was already there, might as well pray.


    <em>Hi, Mr. ck Serpent.</em>


    She didn''t know why she called the ck Serpent "Mr." even though she didn''t know its gender. But whatever. She would just apologizeter if she was wrong.


    <em>I know that you''re supposed to be a guardian of His Majesty</em>, she continued in her head. <em>But you know what? The master you''re serving is a bad guy! You can read my mind if you want proof. As a god, you''re not supposed to support evil people.</em>


    She knew that it was useless to rant to a god who wouldn''t hear her out anyway. Still, "scolding" the ck Serpent felt right for some reason.


    <em>Hey, Mr. ck Serpent</em>, she continued. This time, she decided to talk to the god "kindly." <em>Why don''t you switch sides? We will treat you well. Plus, if you help us, I promise that we will be kind to other people for the rest of our lives. Sounds good? Sounds good, right?</em>


    Of course, only silence answered her.


    And then suddenly, her stomach growled. It wasn''t loud enough for others to hear. But she felt very hungry.


    <em>Mr. ck Serpent, are you still there?</em> she asked as if the god had been there from the beginning. <em>If you can''t take our side, then just grant me my simple wish. I am so craving for </em>samgyeopsal<em>. I want grilled pork belly dipped in </em>ssamjang<em> or melted cheese. And</em> kimchi<em> for side dish, of course. Along with</em> japchae,<em> braised potatoes, andfish cake. Gosh, I miss Korean food so much. Is it avable in this world?</em>


    If only Tilly could open a Korean barbecue restaurant in the empire


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MY LORD, why are you staring at your reflection for?"


    Kiho, still shocked by the fact that he suddenly resembled His Majesty, turned to the owner of the familiar voice. Then, he got shocked even more.


    <em>Tilly?</em>


    The woman looked exactly like Tilly, except for the hair color. The woman standing in front of him had beautiful jet-ck hair. But her eyes were purple, just like his wife''s.


    <em>What kind of dream is this?</em>


    "My lord?" thedy who looked like Tilly called him again. "Is everything alright?"


    "Why are you calling me so formally, Tilly?" Kiho asked her. "I''m not your lord I''m your husband, honey."


    Thedy smiled bitterly. "Do you hate me that much for you to call me by another woman''s name, my lord?"


    Kiho''s brows furrowed in confusion.


    But before he could even ask, thedy in front of him disappeared and the entire scenery had changed suddenly.


    The next thing he knew, he was already on top of a pile of bloody corpses. Lying on hisp was the same woman who looked like Tilly. This time, she was dying and her chest was bleeding profusely


    while a beating heart was in his left hand.


    He was shocked.


    <em>Did I rip her heart out?</em>


    "You can take my heart, my lord," thedy said in a bitter tone. "And you better tell the Moonchesters to make sure I won''te back from the dead because once I do, I''ll make sure that I''ll burn them alive." Her hand reached out to touch his face. Then, she gently brushed the tear on his cheek with her thumb. "Don''t cry, my lord. We both made a choice that we can no longer change."


    He couldn''t speak. To be honest, he didn''t really understand what was going on. He was confused it was just a dream or he was already seeing a fragment of a past that he didn''t know about. But he was certain of one thing: he killed this woman with his own hands and it was breaking his heart as well.


    <em>Tilly?</em>


    "I hope the next time we meet, you''d be the one to fall in love with me first," thedy said with a smile, tears now brimming in the corner of her eyes. "Please choose me if that happens."


    Then her arm dropped to her side...


    And when she closed her eyes, he knew they would never open again.


    Kiho''s chest tightened. He had never felt that kind of pain before. It felt like it was his heart that was ripped out and crushed by the woman he just killed.


    Just the thought of Tilly dying by his hands was enough to make him lose his sanity.


    And did thedy who looked like his wife just said that the Moonchesters were the ones behind that tragedy?


    <em>The Moonchesters</em> Kiho said while enveloping the heart in his hand inside a cube made out of his ice. He didn''t know why but he felt like he needed to protect that heart. And he didn''t want it to get crushed as anger built up in his chest. <em>Why is it always the Moonchesters who are getting in my way?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME BACK," Aku greeted the White Snake that suddenly appeared around his arm. Because of that, he was forced to stop signing the papers on his table. It was a weed distraction though. "Did you meet Kiho?"


    The White Snake just hissed.


    Unfortunately, unlike Kiho, he didn''t have the ability to talk to snakes. But he was sure that the White Snake wouldn''t return to his side without aplishing the task he gave.


    "I don''t intend to awaken Kiho yet," he whispered. "But I want him to slowly regain the painful memories of his past life. That''s the only way I can weaken his rtionship with Lady Nystrom."


    The White Snake made some "snake noise" that of course, he didn''t understand again.


    "Yes, I''m scared of Kiho''s love for Lady Nystrom," Aku said even though he wasn''t sure if it had something to do with what the White Snake said. "I let him marry Lady Nystrom because I thought that he was still the same little boy who would follow me without questions. That he wouldn''t abandon me for a woman. I guess I overestimated the bond we have. But don''t worry." He smiled bitterly while gently caressing the head of the White Snake. "I will do everything to bring Kiho back to our side."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SENTINEL''S eyes widened in shock when he saw Kiho kneeling on the ground.


    The duke''s eyes were empty and he was obviously in a daze. Worse, a thinyer of ice had already covered the whole chamber. If he wasn''t a spirit, he would have been frozen to death as soon as he stepped foot in the room.


    <em>What the hell is happening to him?</em>


    He was d that he checked on him.


    The truth was he felt the aura of a fellow spirit guardian and when he followed its trace, he was led to Lady Nystrom''s chamber.


    And that was how he found Duke Nystrom in that state.


    <em>Could it be the White Snake?</em>


    Every Ancient God had a spirit guardian. But as far as he knew, the White Snake had disappeared a long time ago. Where did ite from?


    <em>Wait, that''s not important right now!</em>


    Sentinel knelt in front of the duke, then he put a hand on his cold shoulder. "Duke Nystrom, wake up!"


    Duke Nystrom opened his eyes. At first, he looked at him with a nk face. Then, recognition crossed his eyes. "Sentinel"


    "What happened, Your Grace?"


    Instead of answering, tears just suddenly rolled down his face.


    Okay, now he was nervous. "Your Grace?"


    "I had a bad dream," Duke Nystrom said in a cracked voice. "In that dream, Tilly and I looked different. I had long silver hair while she had jet-ck hair."


    He felt a shiver down his spine. <em>He saw a fragment of his past?!</em>


    Only the White Snake had the ck Serpent''s memories!


    <em>I don''t know where you are, White Snake</em>I, Sentinel said to himself. <em>But when I find you, I''ll strangle you! You''re breaking the rules of the spirit guardians!</em>


    "In that dream, I killed Tilly," Duke Nystrom said in a broken voice. "Sentinel, why do I have a feeling that it wasn''t just a dream?"


    "It was just a dream, Your Grace," Sentinel said, then he covered the duke''s eyes with his hand. "Please forget everything that you saw in that "dream.""


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 100: First Big Fight

    Chapter 100: First Big Fight


    "WE MET again, Wixx," Tilly said while looking up at the statue of the Red Phoenix. "You didn''t even say goodbye to me."


    Right now, she was alone in the prayer room dedicated to the Red Phoenix.


    She was done praying to the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger as well. The Red Phoenix was thest one that they had to visit. And now, it was their break time. She said to the priestesses that she would spend her break time in that room.


    They only left her when she promised that she wouldn''t stay for too long.


    "Sentinel said that you''re probably back in your real body," she whispered to herself. "Don''t worry, I will find you soon."


    She was about to pray again when she saw tiny red lights on the top of the Red Phoenix''s head. Of course, she felt nervous because she thought she was under attack again. But when the red lights clustered and manifested into a person, she was relieved.


    And felt sad as well.


    Tilly couldn''t help but cry at the sight of him. "Captain Denver"


    Captain Denver seemed to be surprised when she called him. When he turned to her, his feet slipped and thus, he slid down on the statue


    and fell on her.


    She stepped backwards to avoid him. But then, she stumbled and fell on her bottom. The next thing she knew, she was already lying on the ground with Captain Denver on top of her.


    "Careful," Captain Denver said, his one had catching the back of her head so she wouldn''t hit the ground. "Why are you so clumsy, Lady Nystrom?"


    Tilly stared at Captain Denver. Then she remembered that in the past, he was forced to leave their fellow Fire Mages to follow her final order. And most of all, she was the reason why the Fire Mages died in her first life. She sobbed like a kid because of heavy guilt caused by those painful memories. "I''m so sorry, Captain Denver."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO blinked several times while staring back at Sentinel.


    He didn''t know why the spirit guardian was there. Thest thing he remembered was he was picking up the book on the floor.


    And then all of a sudden, Sentinel was already there.


    "I just came here to hang out with you, Your Grace," Sentinel said as if he could read the confusion on his face. "I got bored apanying Lady Nystrom."


    "Tilly," Kiho said, then he stood up. He didn''t know why but he suddenly got the strong urge to see his wife. "Where''s Tilly?"


    "The duchess is in the prayer room of the Red Phoenix, Your Grace."


    "Thanks," he said, then he ran out of the room despite Sentinel trying to stop him.


    Thankfully, there was no one in the hallway when he came out.


    Using his speed and stealth movements, he was able to go to the prayer room of the Red Phoenix without anyone noticing him. Then, he slowly and quietly opened the door.


    "Tilly?"


    He was surprised to find Tilly on the floor


    while Captain Denver was on top of her.


    Also, Tilly was crying.


    He knew that there was definitely a reason why the two were in apromising position. He trusted Tilly with all his heart and he believed that she would never cheat on him. He was also aware that Captain Denver was only loyal to his wife because of the heart.


    But for some reason, he felt very irritated today.


    "Captain Denver," Kiho said menacingly, causing Tilly and Captain Denver to turn to him at the same time. "Please get away from my wife before I lose my cool."


    Captain Denver stood up immediately. He tried to help Tilly stand but he beat him to it.


    In just a heartbeat, Kiho was already kneeling beside Tilly. He cradled the back of her head in his hand while his other hand held hers as he helped her get up. "Are you okay, Tilly? What happened? Are you hurt?"


    "No, I''m not hurt," Tilly answered. "It looks like I startled Captain Denver when I called him as soon as he appeared on top of the statue. He slipped and I thought he was going to fall on me. When I moved backwards, I lost my bnce and fell on the ground. Thankfully, the captain caught me so I wasn''t hurt." She put one hand on her tummy. "Our baby is safe, too."


    "That''s a relief," he said, then he helped his wife stand. After that, he red at Captain Denver. "Why are you here, Captain Denver? I understand that you''re worried about Tilly because she has the heart that you need to protect. But you know that I''m here with her. Do you not trust me?"


    "It''s not like that, Duke Nystrom," Captain Denver denied calmly. "I just feel uneasy for some reason. I thought I needed to check on Lady Nystrom."


    "Well, now that you''ve seen that my wife is safe and sound, you may leave," he said in a harsh tone.


    "Hon, please calm down," Tilly said gently while patting his back. "Captain Denver is just doing his duty."


    "He''s overstepping his boundary," he said to his wife but his re was fixed on the captain''s face. "I''m the husband, Captain Denver. It''s my duty to protect my wife all the time. If we need your help, we''ll tell you. But as long as I''m with Tilly, you''re not needed."


    "I apologize if I overstepped my boundary, Your Grace," Captain Denver said sternly. Then, he turned to Tilly. "Lady Nystrom, I apologize. You almost got hurt because of me. I''ll make sure this won''t happen again."


    "It''s okay, Captain Denver," Tilly said in an apologetic tone. "I apologize for this. But Kiho is right. You shouldn''t be here. We don''t know if there are spies in the temple. We must protect your identity as a Fire Mage."


    Kiho''s brows furrowed. He knew that his wife was kind to everyone. But he didn''t like how patient she was with Captain Denver who clearly overstepped his boundary. I hate this.


    "I understand, Lady Nystrom. Thank you for worrying about me," Captain Denver said formally. Then, he turned to him. "I''ll take my leave now, Your Grace."


    Kiho didn''t react because he was still pissed.


    After Captain Denver bowed to them, he was suddenly engulfed in a blinding red light. And just a few momentster, hepletely vanished.


    <em>Finally.</em>


    "Kiho, I don''t like how you treated Captain Denver just now."


    Kiho was shocked to hear that from Tilly. And he was a little bit hurt when he saw her ring at him as if he offended her. "Captain Denver was at fault, Tilly."


    "I know," Tilly said, still frowning at him. "But you didn''t have to be that harsh. Captain Denver meant no harm. Why did you have to be that mean to him?"


    "Are you taking his side, Tilly?"


    "I''m not," she said firmly. "But I''m calling you out for your awful behavior."


    He was rendered speechless upon the realization that for the first time since they met, his wife had called him out.


    "I can''t help but think that you''re acting this way because you''re jealous of Captain Denver," his wife continued. "Am I right?"


    Of course she was right.


    But he didn''t want to admit that so instead, he just clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug deep into his palms.


    <em>I hate it when Tilly gets close to another man. I want every inch and every fiber of her all to myself. I don''t want to see her smiling or talking to other men. I get the urge to lock her up in a cage when only the person allowed to adore her is me. I know that it''s wrong. I''m also aware that this obsession can ruin us. But I love her too much. I will lose my sanity if I lose her.</em>


    "You should go back to the mansion, Kiho," Tilly said coldly. "We''ll talk once your head is cool."


    Okay, that hurt.


    Kiho felt a lump in his throat. "Do you hate me now, Tilly?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA''S eye widened when Sentinel suddenly appeared on the floor while she was having tea in her room. The way he was clutching his head told her that something bad happened. "Sentinel, are you okay?" she asked when she stood up and walked towards him. Then, she knelt down beside him and gently held his shoulders. "What happened?"


    "I''m suspecting that the White Snake appeared at the temple a while ago," Sentinel said in a voice filled with pain. "The duke saw a fragment of his past life."


    She gasped at that.


    "Don''t worry. I managed to erase it from his memory," the spirit guardian assure her. "But it''s taking a toll on my life force. Messing with the ck Serpent''s memory almost made mebust and disappear. Thankfully, we were in the temple and the divine power in there somehow protected me."


    "Are you sure you''ve erased it from his memory?"


    "Yes," he answered, then he pulled his hands away from his head. "But I can''t control his emotions, Luna. Whatever kind of emotion awakened in him when he saw the fragment of his past, I can''t do anything about it."


    "You mean"


    "If his anger was awakened, then he''ll never get rid of that feeling anymore," Sentinel said while shaking his head. "Let''s hope that it doesn''t strain his rtionship with Lady Nystrom."


    "We have to make sure that this won''t happen again," Luna said firmly. "Shouldn''t we go and hunt down the stupid White Snake?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''S heart broke when she saw the pained look on Kiho''s face.


    She didn''t like his rudeness towards Captain Denver a while ago and she was seriously pissed at her husband. But now that Kiho was looking at her like a puppy that was kicked by his own master, her anger immediately melted.


    <em>I can''t stay mad at my original baby.</em>


    But she also knew that his jealousy towards Captain Denver wouldn''t disappear until he understood why she was caring towards the captain.


    There was only one effective way to clear that misunderstanding once and for all.


    "Kiho, I don''t hate you," Tilly said gently. "But you hated me in the past."


    Kiho''s brows furrowed in confusion. "I don''t understand, Tilly."


    She got emotional.


    Scared.


    And vulnerable.


    Opening up to Kiho about her first life wasn''t easy. That was the reason why she never got the courage to confess to him about their past until now. If she could, she would keep this secret with her forever.


    But she didn''t want to jeopardize her present with him just because of what happened in her past life.


    He deserved to know the truth.


    Still, that didn''t mean it would be easy for her to tell him everything. Reliving the painful memories of her past was also reliving her trauma.


    "Tilly?" her husband called her with a hint of worry in his voice. "I''m going to touch you, okay?" he asked gently. Then, he lightly held her shoulders. "You''re shaking. What''s wrong, honey? Are you hurt anywhere? Is it because of me? I''m so sorry for being immature. Please don''t be mad at me."


    "Kiho, listen to me.


    "I''m listening, honey."


    She took a deep breath before she could finally talk calmly. On the outside, at least. Because on the inside, her heart was beating erratically. "Will you believe me if I say that this isn''t my first life?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "This is already my third life, Kiho," she exined. "My first life was almost the same one that I have right now. But my first life ended tragically."


    The knot on Kiho''s forehead deepened. He obviously looked confused. But she could also see that he was trying his best to understand her. "Tilly, if your first life was the same as the one you have right now, why did it end tragically? Where was I during that time? What was I doing for you to end up that way? And how about Winter?"


    Tilly smiled sadly. "You and Winter didn''t love me in my first life," she said in a cracked voice. Then, she touched his face as tears rolled down her cheeks. "And Kiho, I wasn''t the woman you loved in the past."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 101: A Trip Down Memory Lane

    Chapter 101: A Trip Down Memory Lane


    "AND KIHO, I wasn''t the woman you loved in the past."


    To say that Kiho was shocked by what Tilly revealed would be an understatement.


    <em>I didn''t love her in her first life?</em>


    To be honest, he was still confused by what Tilly was saying.


    But he knew that she wouldn''t lie to him. Most of all, the pain and fear in her eyes were very real. It broke his heart to see his strong wife suddenly crumble and be this vulnerable in front of him.


    He wanted to hug her and protect her forever.


    "I don''t know how it happened but after I died in my second life, I woke up in this world again," Tilly said in a cracked voice. "I returned in this lifetime a few days before we met, Kiho. Do you believe me?"


    Kiho nodded because even if he still didn''t understand what was going on, he knew in his heart that he would always believe her. "Tilly, what were you saying about your first life? Winter and I didn''t love you? And I fell in love with another woman?"


    He wanted to go back to where Tilly came from and punch himself. And scold Winter as well. Howe they didn''t love Tilly then?!


    "It was my fault, Kiho," she said in a sad voice that broke his heart even more. "I was a bad person in my first life. I was greedy for the throne."


    "For the <em>throne?"</em>


    She nodded before she exined. "I didn''t tell you this but in my first life, Her Royal Highness took medicine that made her infertile."


    He was too shocked to hear that.


    "In my past life, I found out about the princess''s secret," his wife continued. "I exposed that secret to the public. Her Royal Highness was exiled. She was supposed to be executed but I made a deal with His Majesty."


    "What kind of deal?"


    "During my past life, I was influential to both the Royal and the Noble Faction," she exined. "I told His Majesty that if he made Winter his heir to the throne, I would convince the higher nobles to have the princess exiled instead of executed."


    Oh, god.


    "I know what you''re thinking and you''re right," she said with a hint of guilt in her voice. "I was a horrible mother for using Winter that way. I was that obsessed with power that I neglected you and our son. No wonder you fell in love with another woman."


    "I''m not sure if I want to know who this woman is."


    She smiled bitterly at him. "You''ve already met her, Kiho."


    His eyes widened in shock. "I did?"


    "She was the woman with the jet-ck hair."


    His heart thumped hard and loud against his chest when he remembered that woman.


    <em>Is that the reason why I felt that way when I saw the woman with the jet-ck hair?</em>


    "I know that you said that her hair changed into brown," she continued. "But I''m certain that she just used a spell to conceal her real hair color. When she appeared in my past life, she created fuzz because her hair was darker than mine. People said that she was the true woman in the prophecy and not me."


    He frowned at that. "I don''t care about that. And if you weren''t the woman in the prophecy, howe you got pregnant with my child? Were people in your first life stupid?"


    She smiled at that. Then, she gently pinched his cheek. "I''m so d that you are so different from the Kiho in my past life, hon."


    He felt gutted. "Tilly did I cheat on you?"


    "You fell in love with her while we were still married."


    He closed his eyes to control his anger. Kiho of Tilly''s first life, I want to murder you.


    "Do you still want me to continue, Kiho?"


    "Yes, please," he said, then he opened his eyes. "I want to hear everything, Tilly."


    She nodded before she continued. "After meeting her, you asked for a divorce."


    Again, he was gutted. He wanted to cry for Tilly because he could clearly see the pain in her eyes. And most of all, her voice was filled with fear.


    <em>My poor wife.</em>


    "I agreed on the condition that I would still be acknowledged as Winter''s mother, especially once he ascended the throne," she continued sadly. "But Winter eventually grew distant of me. Actually, our son developed a split personality because of how horrible of a mother I was."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What kind of split personality?"


    "He appeared like a perfect noble but in the shadows, he was a merciless killer," she said in a voice filled with guilt. "And he was only a young boy then, Kiho."


    He gently pulled her and hugged her tight. "Shh. It''s okay, Tilly. It happened in your first life. Not in this lifetime."


    "But I''m scared that it might happen again especially when she appeared earlier than expected," she said. "I don''t want to die without being loved by my family."


    "What do you mean by that, Tilly?"


    She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest before she spoke again. "After you married her, I was found guilty of the crimes Imitted against Her Royal Highness and your new wife. I did many awful things to her because I med her for Winter''s hatred towards me. And all of that led to my execution."


    He felt like his heart stopped beating when he heard that. "You were executed?"


    "You, your new wife, and Winter watched my execution in my past life," she said softly, her voice filled with pain and sadness. "I don''t know if you''ll believe me but I saw Lucina Morgannaugh at me when I was beheaded."


    That killed him.


    "May I know the name of that woman, Tilly?"


    "It''s ''Lucina Morganna,''" Tilly said, then she raised her head to look at him. "Why?"


    "I''m going to kill that woman," Kiho said, anger rising in his chest. "I won''t let her hurt you in this lifetime."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''M GOING to kill that woman," Kiho said, his golden eyes glowing menacingly. "I won''t let her hurt you in this lifetime."


    Tilly couldn''t help but smile at what Kiho said.


    She wouldn''t lie it made her happy. Well, she wasn''t fond of violence but after she saw how Lucina Morgannaughed at her after she was executed, she felt an ungodly amount of anger for that woman.


    <em>I won''t let that woman steal everything away from me in this lifetime.</em>


    "Calm down, hon," Tilly said, then caressed his face with the back of her hand. "I was manipted by Her Royal Highness in my first life."


    That effectively calmed him down. "You were?"


    She nodded eagerly. "Her Royal Highness tried to control me in this lifetime as well. She tried to make me expose her secret to the public. The princess also tried to turn me into a power hungry maniac. Kiho, Her Royal Highness was the reason why I acted that way in my first life. But when I snapped out of her control, it was already toote."


    "How did you know that, honey?"


    "When I met the Red Phoenix in that mysterious prayer room where you found me, he helped me retrieve a fragment of my past life," she exined. "I saw how Captain Denver and the other Fire Mages tried to save me."


    "Captain Denver tried to save you?"


    "Apparently, I found out that I was a Fire Mage back then," she exined. "But when I woke up in this lifetime, I don''t remember any of it. In the memory that I retrieved thanks to Wixx, Captain Denver said I was drugged by Her Royal Highness for more than ten years. That''s probably why my memory of my first life is hazy."


    Anger once again crossed his eyes. It looked he wanted to curse or scream but in the end, he just heaved a heavy sigh.


    "Kiho, in that memory, I found out that I was the reason why my fellow Fire Mages were caught and killed by Her Royal Highness," she said in a cracked voice. "In the past, I also forced Captain Denver to abandon his allies to follow my final order. And that''s the reason why I feel sorry to him in this lifetime." She cupped his face between her hands. "Hon, I hope you understand now why I seem like I''m taking Captain Denver''s side."


    Shame crossed his eyes. "I understand now, Tilly. I''m sorry for misunderstanding you."


    "No, you don''t have to apologize," she said while shaking her head. "This is exactly the reason why I finally gathered my courage to tell you about my first life. I don''t want a simple misunderstanding to ruin us. And I don''t want to keep secrets from you anymore."


    "Thank you, honey," he said while touching her face affectionately. "Thank you for sharing everything with me." He kissed her forehead. "And thank you for giving me a chance to love you in this lifetime even though I was a sc*mbag in your first life."


    She smiled at the way he condemned himself. "I''d like to believe that you are different from the Kiho in my past life. Plus, I couldn''t me the Kiho and the Winter from back then for abandoning me. I was a horrible person during my first life."


    "You were only controlled by Her Royal Highness," he insisted. "Winter and I should have noticed that. I hate our versions in your first life, Tilly. They failed to save you."


    She smiled, the pain she felt a while ago finally vanished. <em>Ah, my Kiho is really different from the one in my past life.</em>


    "Tilly, I was wondering"


    "Hmm?"


    "If you were controlled in your first life, is it possible that I was controlled as well?" Kiho said, a deep knot forming on his forehead. "Because honestly, I can''t see myself falling in love with another woman willingly when I already have you not now, not ever."


    She wanted to say that their marriage was a failure in her first life so it was possible for him to fall in love with another woman.


    But then, she remembered that she really shouldn''t trust her hazy memory.


    Plus, she didn''t know what happened after she was executed.


    "You''re right, Kiho. I should work harder to regain the memories of my first life," Tilly agreed while slowly nodding her head. Then, she looked up, tiptoed, and kissed him on the lips. "Thank you for believing me, hon."


    "I will only believe in you, honey," Kiho promised her. Then, he gently pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "You''re my only truth in this world, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 102: The Sun vs. The Moon

    Chapter 102: The Sun vs. The Moon


    "SENTINEL, may I know what was the rule that you mentioned a while ago?" Luna asked the spirit carefully. Right now, Sentinel was lying on her bed while she was sitting on the chair beside it. She tried to heal the spirit but apparently, it wouldn''t work on him. And so, she just made him lie on the bed for the meantime. "To be honest, I only found out that the Ancient Beasts have spirit guardians when I met you. It looks like the knowledge passed down to me by my ancestors was iplete."


    "We were only created by the Beast Gods when they put the ck Serpent to sleep," Sentinel said. "They knew that they had to go to sleep as well because sealing the ck Serpent drained their energy. So to make sure that the ck Serpent would be guided ordingly while they slept, they created us. The spirit guardians are technically a piece of their life force."


    "So, you won''t die as long as your Beast God is alive?"


    "We can die," he said. "But our "death is only equivalent to us being absorbed by the Beast God again. Once that happens, our consciousness and human form would vanish. We''d be another lump of life force for the Beast God just like before."


    "That''s so sad."


    "I don''t mind," he said casually. "I know that I''m created solely to protect the Red Phoenix''s heart, and as well as to make sure that the ck Serpent won''t wake up until it''s the right time for him to awaken." Anger crossed his eyes. "But that White Snake almost sent me back to my lord again."


    "When did this White Snake disappear, Sentinel?"


    "It disappeared as soon as the ck Serpent was put into a deep slumber," Sentinel said with a hint of irritation in his voice. "He was supposed to guide the ck Serpent but he suddenly vanished. I''m really going to strangle him once I see him."


    "But what if the White Snake didn''t disappear on his own volition?"


    He suddenly froze as if he only realized that now.


    "That''s why I''m saying that we should find the White Snake," she said. "What if he needs us to save him?"


    Hesitation was evident in Sentinel''s face when he spoke again. "The spirit guardians vowed to the Beast Gods that we will prevent the ck Serpent from awakening. But still, each of us has a master to serve." He ced a hand on his chest. "The Red Phoenix asked me to protect the heart. And I can''t maintain my human form if I''m outside the Red Phoenix''s prayer room. I have to be near Lady Nystrom. If not, I''ll be forced to stay inside her heart."


    "Then, should I look for the White Snake on my own?"


    "You can''t leave Lady Nystrom while she''s still pregnant," he reminded her. "You''re the duchess''s doctor, Luna."


    "It''s not like I''m neglecting my duty," she said. "I just want to eliminate the threat surrounding the duchess for her to have a safe delivery."


    "Luna, we''re the two people that shouldn''t leave the duke and the duchess by themselves," he reminded her. "I know that right now, we only have a few allies. But can you think of someone else to hunt down the White Snake for us?" He snapped his fingers as if he remembered something. "That creepy Blue Dragon captain is out of the question, okay? I don''t trust people who are as fanatic as that child."


    "I never considered Captain Sherwood as our ally," she assured him. "There''s someone in my mind already."


    Sentinel raised a brow at her. "Can we trust that person?"


    "Like you said, we only have a few allies as of now. But I think there''s one person that Lady Nystrom trusts with all her heart aside from Duke Nystrom," Luna said while thinking hard. "I believe we should give this task to Captain Denver."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HON, I''M going to have tea with the other priestesses," Tilly said whilebing her fingers through Kiho''s soft hair. She was standing between her husband''s legs. Kiho, on the other hand, was sitting on her bed while his arms were wrapped around her waist tight. His face was also buried against her tummy. "I''ll be fine so don''t worry too much."


    "I don''t want to leave your side," Kiho said in a clingy voice. "Not after I heard how my stupid version in your first life treated you. I can''t forgive myself." He paused for a while, then he rubbed his nose against her tummy. "You, too, Winter. I hate your version in your mommy''s first life. If you grow up as a bad son in this lifetime, I''ll punish you harshly."


    "Don''t scold our baby," she scolded him. "Our cinnamon roll is innocent."


    Gosh, this was one of the reasons why she didn''t want to tell Kiho the truth before.


    She knew that he would hate himself and their son (in her first life) for the way they treated her, or for failing to notice that she was under control.


    <em>But</em>


    "We don''t know if you really didn''t do anything for me," she consoled her husband. "I ordered Captain Denver in the past to tell you and Winter the truth."


    "But even if Captain Denver seeded, it was toote," he said in a cracked voice. "You were already gone."


    That was what she thought at first, too.


    But then, she remembered the times that she heard and saw Winter.


    "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "When the Red Phoenix helped me retrieve my past memories, I almost lost myself to my deep hatred," she confessed to him. When he looked up at her with worry in his eyes, she smiled and touched his face. "Winter helped me return to my normal self, Kiho. I believe that just like me, our son also has the memories of his past life."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "How did that happen?"


    "I''m not sure," she said. "But what if Winter was the one who brought me back in this lifetime to change my destiny? At first, I thought I was able to return here because I have the heart of the Red Phoenix. And the Red Phoenix is known for its ability to reincarnate. But when Winter said that he was happy to meet me "again," it made me wonder if he returned back in time just like me."


    "Why didn''t he bring me back with him?" he asked with a pout. "I feel left out."


    Sheughed softly at that. "I prefer that you don''t have the memories of your past life, Kiho. I don''t want you to remember that you fell in love with another woman."


    His face turned sour even more. "I don''t know what happened to me in your past life for me to fall in love with another woman. But I swear it won''t happen in this lifetime, Tilly."


    "I know that," she assured him. "I trust you, Kiho."


    "I know that this will sound like I''m making an excuse. But still, I can''t really believe that I cheated on you," he said. Then, he pulled away from her. "We should consider the fact that I might have been manipted as well. After all, based on what you remember, I stayed by His Majesty''s side, right?"


    She nodded at that. "After you became Duke Kiho Prescott in my past life, you became one of his aides."


    "I already ended my bond with His Majesty but I have to make sure that he won''t have any control over me," Kiho said firmly. Then, he stood up and opened his palm. A few momentster, a sword enclosed in a "ice coffin" materialized from thin air. The de of the sword inside the ice hadplete ck de and holder. It was also just a little thicker than a fencing sword. It was one of the most elegant swords that she had seen yet. "Do you know what sword is this, Tilly?"


    "This is the first time that I''ve seen you summon that sword in this lifetime," she said. "But I recognize that from my hazy past memories. It''s the sword that you received from His Majesty when he appointed you as the new captain of the ck Serpent Knights."


    "His Majesty calls this is as the ''Nameless Sword,''" he exined while looking at the sword with sad eyes. "I only use this whenever I need to execute an assassination mission from His Majesty. I rarely bring this out in public because this sword elicits fear from the citizens who know what I do as the emperor''s "shadow beast." But still, I treasured this sword because this was a gift from His Majesty."


    She gasped when she saw the Nameless Sword being enveloped in a thickyer of ice. "Kiho, what are you doing to that sword?"


    "I''m destroying it," he said in a t voice. "I have to get rid of everything that I received from His Majesty. We don''t know if those things have a spell that might allow him to control me. It''s better to be safe than sorry."


    Well, he had a point.


    And he looked like he wasn''t half-hearted by the choice he made because a few momentster, the Nameless Sword nowpletely covered by ice broke into thousand pieces.


    There was sadness in Kiho''s eyes, but it was quickly reced by determination.


    <em>He doesn''t regret it.</em>


    "Now, I''vepletely stopped serving the moon," Kiho said, then he turned to her and held her hand. "From now on, I will only bow and kneel before my sun."


    She blinked in surprise. "Me? I''m your sun?"


    He nodded before he exined. "You''re a Fire Mage, Tilly. Your me isparable to the sun." He caressed her face with his other sun. "And just like how we only have one sun in the sky, there''s only you in my life always have, always will. I love you as big as the sun, Tilly."


    She immediately got teary-eyed. "You''re so sweet, Kiho. I wish I could be as vocal as you. But I suck at expressing my feelings through words."


    "I already know that," he said teasingly. "And I''m notining."


    Sheughed softly at that. "Thank you for promoting me from being a goddess of crabs to the sun in your sky."


    "You''re still my goddess of crabs," Kiho said, then he gently pulled her for a tight hug. "You''re both a goddess and a sun to me, Tilly."


    Tilly smiled and hugged him back tightly. "You''re spoiling me too much, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU was surprised when his Celestial Sword suddenly appeared before him when he was having breakfast.


    It was the sword that he only used whenever he was in war.


    The de and the holder of the Celestial Sword werepletely silver, save for the red diamonds embedded in the holder. Those red gems resembled the eyes of the Moonchesters.


    Anyway, if the Celestial Sword appeared by its own will without being summoned, that only meant that something bad happened to its "sibling" the Nameless Sword.


    <em>Kiho probably destroyed the sword I gave him.</em><em></em>


    Now that the Nameless Sword was gone, he could no longer track down Kiho''s location.


    "What a shame, Celestial," Aku whispered to himself while looking down at his pitiful sword. "Our stupid younger brother really chose the sun over the moon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHO are you again?" Howard asked the woman d in ck cloak standing in front of him. He was shocked that the woman was able to enter his office without the Holy Knights noticing her presence. But he didn''t call for his guards because the only people who could do that were the people from Her Royal Highness''s collection. "And what do you need from me?"


    "Your Eminence, I''m here to help Her Royal Highness recover," the woman said. Then, she took of the hood of her cloak revealing her hair that was as dark as night. "My name is Lucina Morganna."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 103: Saint Forrester

    Chapter 103: Saint Forrester


    "LADY NYSTROM, tomorrow is your final day as the Beast Priestess."


    Tilly sipped her tea while listening to Howard.


    Right now, she was having an afternoon tea with the High Priest. They were in the rose garden in front of his temple. There were priestesses and two Holy Knights standing a few feet away from them.


    Kiho wanted to join as well but he had to leave because his "curfew" was over. He wasn''t allowed to stay the night after all.


    "The Beast Priestess is supposed to be blessed by His Holiness Saint Forrester," Howard continued, then he put the cup down on the table. "But unfortunately, His Holiness has been in slumber for almost two decades now."


    She heard about that.


    Apparently, the Saint was forced to enter a deep slumber to regain his divine powers that he lost for a reason unknown to people outside the temple.


    That was why all these years, Howard became the highest authority in the church. Some people even say that the High Priest was loved by the people more than they loved the saint. But of course, the die-hard devotees refused to believe that.


    So even if the Saint has been in slumber for a long time, his followers remained loyal.


    "Your Eminence, what am I supposed to do tomorrow?" Tilly asked after she finished her tea. "That''s the reason why we''re having tea right now. Am I wrong?"


    He chuckled. "You''re as straightforward as usual, Lady Nystrom."


    She just smiled at that.


    "You will light the holy candle and lead the prayer tomorrow," the High Priest saidter. "The Beast Priestess is asked to pray to the Ancients Beasts for two days so her voice will be heard by the gods. Then, for the Beast Princess''s final day in the temple, she will be asked to pray to the gods for Saint Forrester to awaken."


    "Oh," she said in surprise. "So, praying for the saint to awaken is the reason why a Beast Priestess is chosen every year?"


    "Yes," he answered. "It''s been a tradition for almost twenty years now. But the selection for the Beast Priestess had been changed when His Majesty, the current emperor, started the Hunt."


    "Before the Hunt began, how did you choose the Beast Priestess annually?"


    "There''s not muchpetition," he said. "Once thedies realized that Her Royal Highness was one of the candidates, they would always concede even before thepetition began."


    "So, Her Royal Highness was the chosen Beast Priestess until His Majesty changed the selection process?"


    "You can say that, Your Grace."


    "No wonder the saint hasn''t woken up yet."


    The High Priest almost choked on his tea. But in the end, he let out a softugh. "Lady Nystrom, I''m really d that you were the chosen Beast Priestess for this year. I hope you seed in waking up the saint."


    "I have no interest in waking up the saint," she said bluntly that seemed to shock the High Priest. "The church is a neutral ground in a war. That means you can''t betray the royal family orpletely take our side. I know that even though you''re fascinated by my baby, you still serve the Moonchesters."


    Guilt crossed his eyes.


    <em>Bull''s eye.</em>


    "That''s why I can never trust you, Your Eminence," she continued. "That''s the same with the saint. I don''t need people who stand in the neutral side. After all, I believe that people who turn a blind eye and keep their silence don''t help the oppressed. In fact, they are worse than the oppressors. I don''t want to associate myself to people without balls."


    Once again, the High Priest choked on the vulgar word that she used.


    She just sipped her tea.


    <em>I''m not in the mood to filter my words.</em>


    "You have to understand the church, Lady Nystrom," Howard said carefully. "When a war starts, we wee everyone who seeks shelter whatever side they belong to."


    "And I''m saying that I don''t need people like that," she said firmly. "Sure, your objective is noble. But we won''t personally gain anything from your role during a war. I know that I sound harsh. But you have to understand that the royal family is practically the god of this empire. If we don''t go all out, we''re going to be wiped out. That''s why what we need are people who will fight with us until the end."


    Understanding crossed his eyes. "I apologize," he said. "I know that I said that I worship your son. But you''re right, Lady Nystrom. My position in the church wouldn''t allow me to fight alongside you. I can''tpletely disobey His Majesty or Her Royal Highness. But I swear that I will protect you and your son in other ways I can."


    "That''s alright," Tilly said. Then, she sipped her tea before she continued. "Even if the gods aren''t in our favor, I''ve got nothing to worry about as long as I have Kiho and our son."


    Howard smiled at that. "I will pray for your family''s safety, Lady Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>THE HIGH Priest is really sketchy.</em>


    That was on Tilly''s mind while she was sitting in front of the mirror. The priestesses helped her take a bath in the temple''s indoor pool. They also assisted her in changing into her nightgown. After that, they left her in the chamber to rest.


    But she couldn''t sleep with her hair still wet so here she was, using a face towel to dry her hair. If only blow dryers existed in the empire


    <em>Should I try making one and sell it to the public?</em>


    "What''s on your mind, Tilly?"


    Tilly gasped aloud in surprise when she saw Kiho''s reflection in the mirror. When she turned around, she found her husband standing behind her. "What the hell, hon?" She stood up and gently hit him in the arm. "You freaking surprised me."


    Kiho looked at her with heated gaze. "I find it hot whenever I hear you curse, Tilly."


    She blushed at that, but she held her ground. "We can''t have sex in the temple, Kiho."


    It was his turn to blush. "I didn''t mean it that way, honey."


    "I''m just reminding you in advance," she said, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "All the people living in the temple vowed to be virgins forever. Let''s respect that and refrain from having sex in a sacred ce like this."


    This time, his ears and neck were also red with embarrassment. "Tilly, sometimes I can''t get over at how blunt you are."


    "Oh, sorry. Habit," she exined. "In my second life, I lived as an independent woman in a modern world. In that world, women have more rights than thedies here. I had a taste of freedom there so I can''t like how I used to be during my first life."


    "What kind of life did you have in that modern world, honey?"


    She tore her gaze away from him. "I was a hot shot businesswoman. And I, uh, I was married to a fellow business tycoon."


    When she didn''t hear a reaction from him, she turned to him.


    Her husband was obviously shocked and upset.


    "I''m upset but I know I deserve that karma," Kiho admitted with a pout. "I got remarried to another woman in your first life. I don''t have the right to get hurt when you got married to another man in your second life. Was he good to you though?"


    "We were married but we never slept together," she said straightforwardly. "His sexual preference prevented us from consummating our marriage. But I didn''t mind because I only married him because I wanted a child."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "How would that happen if you wouldn''t sleep together?"


    "Ah, the modern world I came from has advanced technology," she exined. "There''s a way for the doctors in the modern world to help us conceive a child by artificial insemination. It''s kind ofplicated but to keep the story short, I got pregnant even though nothing happened between me and my husband."


    He looked shocked again. "W-What happened to your baby?"


    "I didn''t have the chance to give birth to the baby," she said sadly. "I died in an ident while I was pregnant. When I woke up, I was already back in this world."


    Sympathy crossed him eyes. Then, he gently pulled her to him and hugged her tight. His body maybe cold, but his thoughtfulness warmed her heart. "You went through a lot, Tilly."


    "I''m fine now," she assured him, then she changed the topic. "How did you get here, Kiho?"


    "Miss Luna helped me," he said. "I was supposed to stay the night in front of the temple. She said I look stupid, so she sent me here."


    Sheughed softly. "That''s very Miss Luna-ish."


    "I''ll leave before the sun rises tomorrow," he promised. "I just want to make sure that you''ll be safe on yourst night here in the temple."


    "Thank you, hon."


    He kissed her on the cheek. "I can''t wait for us to go home."


    "Hmm?"


    Kiho looked at her with hunger in his eyes hunger that only her body could fill. "We''ll make up for lost time," he said in a low and sexy voice. As if that wasn''t enough to seduce her, he had to lick his lips without tearing his gaze from her. "Tilly, I hope your body didn''t get stiff for serving the temple for the past days."


    Tilly''s cheeks burned, but she couldn''t helpughing at his light teasing. "We are so going to hell for being so horny, Kiho Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT did you do to Her Royal Highness?" Howard asked in shock when he saw Princess Nia when he returned to the secret room where the princess was being treated. "Howe you easily managed to heal the burnt marks caused by the Red Phoenix''s me?"


    Princess Nia''s skin returned to its original state: white, smooth, and soft. There wasn''t a sign of her being burned alive. But Her Royal Highness remained unconscious.


    But this huge improvement. I''m sure His Majesty will be very pleased to hear that his beloved has regained her beauty. Still, I don''t understand how this happened. Miss Lahara''s blood barely worked.


    "Who are you really?" Howard asked to thedy who had hair as dark as the night when he saw herst time. But right now, her brown had be an ordinary shade of brown. He tried to ask her about her hair a while ago but she refused to answer his question. But after she sessfully healed Princess Nia''s burnt marks, he suddenly got curious of her. "What are you, Lady Morganna?"


    To be honest, he found it hard to talk to Lady Morganna.


    She was always smiling, but she never paid attention to what he was saying. She would only give him vague answers. Still, there was something about her aura that he found it hard to say ''no'' to her requests.


    "Who or what I am isn''t important right now," Lady Morganna said with a twinkle in her eyes. "I can feel his presence nearby," she said in an excited tone. Then, she turned to the door as if she couldn''t want to get out of there. "Your Eminence, can I visit Duchess Nystrom''s chamber?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 104: Most Favorite Person

    Chapter 104: Most Favorite Person


    TILLY wanted to stop Kiho, but his kisses were so good that she couldn''t help but moan into his mouth.


    Even though his body was literally cold, his touches and little ministrations still burnt her skin. And although he was on top of her, instead of feeling crushed against his huge body, she actually felt like she was molding into him. She found his weight lovely and perfect for her taste.


    <em>Gosh.</em>


    "Kiho," Tilly moaned when Kiho began trailing open-mouthed kisses on her neck, down to her corbone. His hand was also between her legs now, caressing her inner thigh that almost made her leak. "Hon, stop. I told you we can''t have sex here."


    "Please call it "love making," instead, honey," Kiho slightly scolded her when he stopped kissing her. He stopped right away when she told him to. Then, he raised his head to face her properly. His hand didn''t stop caressing her inner thigh though. "We''re not making love right now. We''re just making out, aren''t we?"


    "I know what you''re doing," she used him, her hips shamelessly pushing up to meet the hand between her legs. When she realized what her body was doing, she forced herself to behave. Then, she grabbed his hand and gently pped it. "Bad hand. You''re trying to seduce me to make me forget that we''re in a temple."


    He bit his lower lip, probably to stop himself from smiling. It looked like he found her action endearing. "God, you''re really so cute."


    "Let''s just cuddle," she said, then she opened her arms. "Come here."


    He gave her a small smile before he gently copsed on her. Then, he moved her until she was using his arm as a pillow. His other arm was wrapped carefully around her tummy.


    Because of their position, she felt his erection against her hip. "My poor baby. You''re going to have blue balls all night."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What are blue balls?"


    She gently cupped his erection. When he flinched, she pulled her hand away from his manhood. "Sorry, hon," she said immediately. "Does it hurt?"


    "Just a bit."


    "That''s what I meant when I said you''re going to have ''blue balls'' all night," she exined. "It refers to unrelieved sexual arousal."


    "Oh," he said, then he blushed. "Oh."


    "Will you be okay?"


    He nodded. "It''s fine. I''m used to enduring pain."


    "Sorry, hon."


    "It''s okay," he assured her, then he pulled her closer to him. "I like cuddling with you so much that I don''t feel the mild pain in my balls."


    Sheughed at that. "Gosh, I''ve really corrupted your innocence!"


    "I''m a willing victim," Kiho said casually. "Tilly, can we kiss again? I promise my hands will behave this time." He gave her puppy dog eyes. Not that he knew he was doing that. He just naturally looked cute whenever he wanted to ask for a "reward." "Please?"


    "Sure," Tilly said between giggles. Then, she cupped his handsome face and kissed him on the lips. "Just kisses, okay?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUCINA Morganna was almost hopping in joy as she made her way to Duchess Nystrom''s chamber. She was dressed like a priestess now. And to make her disguise more convincing, she brought a calming tea that could give people a good sleep. She''d use it as an excuse as to why she had to visit thedy''s room at that hour.


    <em>I hope to get a glimpse of him again</em>.


    She could feel the ck Serpent. To be honest, she didn''t expect that he''d be at the temple as well. But she was d that she visited Her Royal Highness tonight.


    <em>Just a glimpse will be enough.</em>


    Her excitement was cut abruptly as soon as she stepped inside a "zone" that she didn''t notice. A "zone" was a kind of spell that could protect a person inside a certain radius. If a "dangerous entity" entered the radius, the spell would be activated.


    And thus, her whole body felt a huge electric shock causing her to drop the tray that she was holding. The tea cup shattered as soon as it hit the marbled floor. She almost fell on the ground as well.


    If she was weak, she would have been toasted by now.


    <em>It hurts,</em> Lucinained while wrapping her arms around her electrified body. <em>Who can make a powerful yet unnoticeable protective spell like this?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA flinched when she felt the protective spell she put on Lady Nystrom got activated.


    "What''s wrong?" Sentinel asked. "You suddenly spaced out."


    "The protective spell I put on Lady Nystrom just got activated," she answered while trying to connect her mind to Kiho.


    "Is the duchess under attacked?"


    "I''m not sure," she said, feeling frustrated that it was taking long for her to connect to the duke''s mind. "The entity that stepped into the zone I created was powerful. I''m not sure if it''s evil. But the zone I made recognized it as dangerous because it''s too powerful to belong to an ordinary person."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "How powerful is it?"


    She swallowed because to be honest, the Mana she was feeling was very familiar. "The Mana I feel right now is kind of simr to the Mana of the Moonchesters. To be precise, it''s very close to Her Royal Highness''s power."


    The spirit guardian looked shocked. "Are you sure?"


    "I''m not," she admitted. "To be honest, the Mana I''m feeling is very strange. Like I said, it resembles the strong Mana of the Moonchesters. But it''s also different."


    "How is it different?"


    "I can''t exin it," she said. "But whatever it is, I need to warn the duke and the duchess."


    "Yeah, you should," the spirit said. "You haven''t connected to the duke''s mind yet?"


    She shook her head and was about to answer when she suddenly heard a buzz in her head. That meant the duke had linked his mind with hers.


    <em>Finally!</em>


    But her relief was soon reced by fluster when she heard Kiho''s heavy breathing.


    Her cheeks instantly burned. Yeah, she had been alive for more than a hundred years. But she was still innocent in all aspect, okay? Though that didn''t mean she had no idea why the duke was breathing heavily at the moment. He was with Lady Nystrom so naturally, they would be very intimate with each other.


    <em>Argh!</em>


    She hated couples who shamelessly flirt in front of other people.


    And she hated horny couples more.


    <em>God, why do I have to serve horny masters when I''m single?!</em>


    "Miss Luna," Kiho said between shallow breaths. "Is there a problem?"


    "Yes," she answered with wide eyes. "With all due respect, you and the duchess have very high libido."


    Sentinel almost choked on his saliva.


    On the other hand, she heard the duke "cough" loudly as if he was trying to cover up his embarrassment.


    <em>Yes, you should be embarrassed.</em>


    "Anyway, you better stop what you''re doing, Your Grace," she said seriously after scolding the duke.


    She didn''t want to pry in someone else''s sex life, okay? But she had to call out the Nystroms. As their babysitter uh, guardian, she didn''t want them to die from failing to notice an enemy because they were too busy with each other.


    And most of all, as the heart of the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent himself, they had a reputation to protect!


    "A dangerous entity entered the zone," Luna informed the duke in a serious and urgent tone. "The enemy is practically outside the room you and the duchess are using, Your Grace."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO immediately got up as soon as Miss Luna informed him that an enemy was lurking outside. He reached for his sword that he ced beside the bed when he took off his jacket a while ago. "How dangerous is it, Miss Luna?"


    As soon as Tilly heard him, she got up with a worried look on her face.


    "It''s highly dangerous, Your Grace," Miss Luna said. "The Mana I feel is kind of simr to the Moonchesters."


    His eyes widened. "Simr to the Moonchesters?"


    "I don''t know what exactly it is," the witch said. "I''ll try to dig deeperter. But for now, protect yourselves. The entity has managed to break the protective spell I put on Lady Nystrom. That means they are strong. Sentinel and I are on the way to back you up."


    "Alright," he said. "Thank you for the warning, Miss Luna."


    "No problem," Miss Luna said. "Please be safe, our dear duke and duchess."


    After that, the witch cut off their connection.


    Miss Luna mentioned before that linking their minds together would literally give her headaches so as much as possible, she would refrain from doing that. But if she had to, she''d keep it short for her own safety.


    <em>Tilly and I are really lucky to have Miss Luna and Sentinel on our side.</em>


    "Kiho, are we under attack?" Tilly said with a hint of worry in her voice. "And the enemy has the same Mana as the Moonchesters?"


    Ah, his wife was really sharp.


    Tilly easily picked up the important information to make a sensible conclusion from simply listening to his conversation with Miss Luna.


    <em>God, I really love her.</em>


    "That seems to be the case," he confirmed. Then, he extended his hand to her. "Come here, honey."


    She nodded, then she held his hand and let him pull her up. After that, he picked up her silk robe and helped her put it on.


    "Thanks, hon," she said, then she held into her arm. "Should we call the High Priest?"


    "Let''s see if we can deal it with our own first," he said while pulling out his sword from the sheath. "We can''t trust anyone close to the royal family. Just stay close to me."


    She nodded. "Okay, hon. I''ll try not to be a burden."


    "You''ll never be a burden to me, honey," he assured her gently. Then, he pulled her and hid her behind him as he headed towards the door. "Don''t be scared, Tilly. I will protect you. You and our Baby Winter."


    "I know that, Kiho," she said in a calm voice. "I''m not afraid because I know that you''re going to protect us."


    He was d and proud to hear that.


    <em>Nothing is more gratifying than being trusted by my most favorite person in the world.</em>


    When he reached the door, he turned to Tilly and signaled her to keep quiet by putting a finger on his nose. When she nodded, he let go of her hand and motioned her to stay there.


    After that, he went out of the room.


    He didn''t want to admit this but he had goosebumps as soon as he felt the presence that Miss Luna talked about earlier.


    <em>It''s really strong.</em>


    In one swift movement, he went to attack the enemy. He saw a figure d in cloak at the end of the hallway. The energy he felt wasing from it so he attacked it without hesitation.


    He grabbed the hood, forced the enemy to face him, and shed their neck.


    Too bad they managed to get away from him.


    He couldn''t tell if it was a man or a woman because of its loose cloak. Also, the person was wearing a in white mask that covered their face.


    But he didn''t care about that.


    He raised his sword to stab the enemy in the chest.


    Unfortunately, they managed to get away from him. The enemy suddenly vanished and when he blinked, he found them already a few feet away. He tried to stop them using his ice that was now shaped like whips.


    But much to his shock, the enemy grabbed the ice whips with their bare hands


    and melted his ice as if they were ordinary ice.


    "Wait!" the enemy said in a voice that sounded metallic.


    <em>They''re concealing their real voice.</em>


    But he didn''t care. As if he would stop just because they said so.


    Instead, he inched closer to the enemy and grabbed them by the shoulder. Then, he pinned them on the wall with his arm pressed heavily against their bleeding neck. He tried to stab them in the chest but much to his shock, he suddenly lost the feeling of his arm. He couldn''t move no matter how hard he tried to.


    All of a sudden, he was paralyzed.


    The binding spell that the enemy used was close to the one that Miss Luna used on him before. But this one was definitely stronger.


    <em>Goddammit!</em>


    "I''m not your enemy," the dangerous stranger said in an annoying metallic voice. "Please believe me, Your Grace. I''m on your side."


    "Are you after my wife?" he hissed.


    The enemy didn''t answer.


    "Then, you''re an enemy," he dered. "I don''t im anyone as an "ally" if they are after my Tilly or our Winter."


    ""My Tilly?""


    He wasn''t sure but the enemy sounded hurt.


    But to hell with that.


    "Yes, <em>my</em> Tilly," he repeated with conviction while mustering all the strength and Mana he had. Thankfully, it worked. As soon as he felt his arm again, he moved it to stab the enemy with the sword in his hand. But just like earlier they suddenly vanished. "Shit."


    "I''m really on your side, Your Grace."


    He turned around to face the enemy. He was about to attack them again. But when he saw them slowly vanishing while being engulfed in a silver and ck light, he stopped because he knew that the enemy had already made their escape.


    <em>When a body vanishes like that, you can''t touch it anymore.</em>


    "Please believe me," the enemy pleaded in a cracked voice. "I will never hurt you, Kiho."


    Hearing the enemy call his name affectionately made him feel disgusted beyond belief.


    "Shut the hell up. Only Tilly is allowed to call me that way," Kiho hissed angrily. "The next time youe near my wife again, I''ll murder the f*ck out of you."


    ***


    LUCINA fell on the ground as soon as she escaped from the temple.


    But she didn''t really get away far. She only managed to make it to the roof of the building next to the temple. But this time, she managed topletely conceal her presence. She was sure no one coulde after her in that state.


    <em>Kiho</em>


    She removed her mask and touched her bleeding neck.


    It hurt but the fact that Kiho shed her neck with the full intention of killing her hurt even more. He didn''t even stop for a second to listen to her. The burning anger in his golden eyes told her that he was serious about finishing her off. He even cursed at her.


    But worst of all, Kiho looked at her as if he was disgusted by her very existence.


    Yes, she was wearing a mask and a voice changer to conceal her identity.


    But she was hoping that he would feel something when they shed. Unfortunately, that didn''t happen. Instead, she almost died by his hands.


    "He said "my Tilly,"" Lucina whispered to herself, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Kiho, did you really fall in love with the duchess?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 105: "Fangirl"

    Chapter 105: "Fangirl"


    "KIHO, are you okay?" Tilly asked worriedly when her husband came back to the chamber. There was blood stain in his shirt and it almost made her heart stop. "Are you injured? Should we call a doctor?"


    "It''s not my blood, Tilly," Kiho assured her. "I''m sorry for making you worry."


    "No, it''s okay," she said. "Did the enemy get away?"


    He nodded, frustration written all over his face. "I''m sorry, Tilly. Next time, I won''t let them escape."


    "It''s okay, hon," she consoled him. Then, she cupped his face between her hands. His body was colder than usual. He might have used his Mana. "Are you sure that you''re not hurt anywhere?"


    "Yes, the enemy paralyzed me for a bit but other than that, I''m fine," he said, then he shifted his face to kiss her palm. "I''m so d that Miss Luna sent me here tonight. I don''t know what I''d do if you were attacked when I wasn''t here."


    "Don''t worry, hon. They can''t kill me easily," she assured him. "I''m strong. I can burn those b*tches like how I roasted the b*tchy princess."


    He stifled augh at her attempt to lighten up his mood. "Don''t tempt me, honey. You know that I like hearing you say bad words."


    She giggled at that.


    <em>I''ll talk dirty to himter and see how he''ll react.</em>


    "Tomorrow is your big day so get some rest, honey," he said. Then, much to her surprise, he carried her in his arms causing her to wrap her arms around his neck. "I''ll guard you so you can sleep peacefully."


    "But you need to rest, too."


    "I can manage," he said. Then, he gently put her down on the bed. He even pulled the nket up to her neck for her before he sat beside her. "When I''m in a war, my men and I take turns in sleeping so I''m used to staying up all night."


    "Then, let''s take turns as well," she offered. "Wake me up after three hours. I''ll be the one to guard you while you sleep."


    He smiled as if he found her cute. "Sure."


    The way he said that made her realize that he had no intention of waking her up after three hours. He probably just said that to avoid a light argument with her.


    <em>Gosh, he''s so overprotective.</em>


    "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "What kind of enemy was it this time?" she asked carefully. "Are they really as strong as the Moonchesters?"


    "Their energy felt strange, just like the Moonchesters'' unique Mana," he admitted. "But it wasn''t the strangest thing that I noticed."


    "What is it then?"


    "The enemy avoided my attacks, but they never fought back," he said in a confused tone. "They also said that they were on my side."


    Okay, that surprised her. "But you still tried to kill them?"


    "They said they were on my side," he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. But she knew that his irritation wasn''t directed at her. "But they didn''t say that they were on your side, Tilly. I don''t care about people who don''t care about you and our son."


    She smiled at that. Ah, even though she told him to care more about himself, it looked like her husband had already made her and Winter his top priorities. "Can we say that this enemy is simr to Captain Sherwood who seems to be obsessed with you?"


    "We can say that."


    "Kiho, you''re popr."


    He looked clueless about what she was talking about.


    "I know that you''re super handsome and super sexy," she said and that made him blush. "But I can''t help but think that there''s something special about you that draws people to side with you even though you aren''t doing anything."


    "You think so?"


    She nodded. "Was the enemy a while ago a woman?"


    "I''m not sure," he answered. "They were covered from head to toe."


    "How about the body built?"


    "I don''t want to assume a person''s gender based solely on their body built," he said. "Not all women are petite and soft, and not all men are muscr and rough."


    "Oh, that''s right," she said, then she gently pinched his cheeks. "Kiho, you''re more progressive than most men in this empire. I like that about you."


    "I''m just trying to be a decent human being."


    "And you''re doing a good job," she said proudly. "I''ll seriously be pissed if the enemy who visited us at this hour is a fangirl of yours."


    ""Fangirl?"" he asked curiously. "What does it mean?"


    "In the modern world where I came from, actors and all kinds of entertainers have fans or supporters," she exined. "In particr, we have this people called "idols" or people who sing and dance. Their fans or supporters are usually called fangirls and fanboys."


    He nodded as if he was absorbing the stuff she was teaching him. "But I''m not an "idol." Why did you think that I have a "fangirl?""


    "Kiho, don''t underestimate your face and your sex appeal," she told him. "If you were born in the modern world, you would have been an idol or an actor."


    He blushed as if he was happy with herpliment. "I like how you find me good-looking."


    Sheughed softly at that. "Anyway, there''s a dark side in this fangirling culture back in my previous world. Some of the fangirls cross the line and be <em>sasaeng</em> fans. <em>Sasaeng</em> fans are obsessive fans who stalk their idols to the point of invading their privacies."


    He looked shocked by that. "That sounds like Captain Sherwood."


    Sheughed loudly. "Yes, that sounds like Captain Sherwood indeed. And the enemy that you encountered earlier. I really hope that they aren''t a fangirl who somehow became your sasaeng fan."


    "Someone sounds jealous."


    "I told you that I won''t hold back anymore," she said. "I was serious when I said that."


    He smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the lips. "You''re so cute, Tilly."


    "You always say that," sheined lightly but deep inside, she was super giddy. "Anyway, I have a feeling that your existence is special, Kiho."


    "Will you still ept me if we find out about my real identity?"


    "Of course," Tilly said, then she cupped his face between her hands. "I will ept you the way you epted me and the dangers that I bring to you as a Fire Mage. We are married, Kiho. And we have a vow to always stick together."


    "Thank you, Tilly," Kiho said while caressing her face with the back of his hand. "I''m also certain that whoever or whatever I may be, I will always stay with you and our son."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MISS LUNA, are you sure that we don''t need to check on the duke and the duchess?"


    Luna continued walking back inside the mansion while Sentinel was following her behind. "Yeah, they''re fine," she assured him. "But if you want to walk in on them while they''re having an intimate moment, go ahead."


    "Eww."


    Sheughed and turned around to face Sentinel. "Sentinel, get ready for tomorrow. We have to be close to the duke and duchess the entire ceremony."


    "Okay," Sentinel said, the his brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you look serious, Miss Luna?"


    "Have you forgotten, Sentinel?" Luna asked in surprise. "His Majesty will also attend the ceremony tomorrow."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 106: A Blasphemous Prayer

    Chapter 106: A sphemous Prayer


    WHEN TILLY woke up that morning, Kiho was already gone. But his scent still lingered in the bed a clear sign that he stayed up all night to guard her.


    <em>He really didn''t wake me up after three hours, huh?</em>


    A few minutes after she woke up, the priestesses came and helped her take a bath. For that morning, she wasn''t allowed to eat breakfast because she has to have an empty stomach while lighting the candle for the saintter. Apparently, the tea that she was supposed to drink at the ceremonyter tastes awful that she might throw up if she was full.


    <em>Gosh, what kind of tea would that be?</em>


    Anyway, she went straight to the bath that morning. The priestesses spent hours on making sure that she was immacte after the bath. Then, they spent more hours in doing her hair and makeup.


    And finally, they put on a pristine white dress on her.


    In fairness, she looked very fresh today. Her skin was glowing and the dress fit her so well that she might be mistaken for an angel.


    <em>Okay, that was narcissist of me but whatever.</em>


    After she was dolled up, the priestesses brought her to the High Priest''s private office. Apparently, Howard was assigned to teach her about her task at the ceremonyter.


    "Wee to my office, Lady Nystrom," Howard greeted her cheerfully. "You look divine."


    "I know," Tilly said with a smile that seemed to surprise the High Priest. Oh, right. She was supposed to be modest. "Thank you, Your Eminence."


    He just smiled, and then ushered her to sit on the receiving table in front of his desk.


    She immediately noticed the medium-sized candle in the center of the table. It was a in white candle with the symbol of the church engraved to its body. The candle holder was made of pure gold and just like the candle, it looked elegant.


    "How was yourst night in the temple, Your Grace?"


    "Are you asking because you really don''t know?" Tilly asked with a smile. "Or do you just want to know if the enemy managed to injure me, Your Eminence?"


    ""Enemy?"" he asked with wide eyes. "Were you attackedst night, Your Grace?"


    <em>He didn''t know?</em>


    "Someone visited my chamberst night," she said but she purposely didn''t go into details. "But they imed that they were on my side."


    It wasn''t like she could say that Kiho was with her all night.


    "Lady Nystrom, I didn''t know about that," he said desperately. "I know that you don''t trust me. But I swear to the gods that I don''t have anything to do with it."


    "It''s not important right now," she said in a dismissive tone, then she changed the topic. If the High Priest didn''t know about the "visit" she receivedst night, there was no point talking about it. "Anyway, what am I supposed to doter, Your Eminence?"


    The High Priest looked surprised by her sudden change of topic, but he answered her question anyway. "I''m going to lead the prayerter and you''re going to stand behind me the entire time. After that, your task is to light this candle" He motioned for the candle on the table. "And bring it to the altar of the saint. I say it''s an altar. But in reality, it''s the door of the saint''s room. He''s literally sleeping under the altar."


    She let out a soft gasp. "That''s like sleeping in a coffin."


    "It was the saint''s request to beid in the altar," Howard exined with a softugh. "He''s a quirky person."


    "A quirky divine person?" Tilly asked while shaking her head. "That sounds troublesome."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO felt very ufortable while Captain Sherwood was looking at him like he was a puppy excited to see its master after a long time.


    <em>Shit, I forgot that His Majesty is going to attend the ceremony as well.</em>


    The ceremony was going to be held at Eclis Church the church where Tilly and him got married. It was in the Royal Capital so yes, they had to travel from the holy city to get there. Of course, the Holy Knights escorted the High Priest.


    And Tilly travelled with the High Priest while he wasn''t allowed to travel behind them.


    It made him anxious but thankfully, Sentinel volunteered to return inside Tilly''s heart so he could protect her. Knowing that the spirit guardian was with his wife, his anxiousness lessened. Only then did he travel to the Royal Capital with Miss Luna.


    Unfortunately, when they got to the church, Captain Sherwood was already there.


    <em>Right, the captains of the Four Orders are supposed to guard His Majesty whenever he''s out of the pce.</em>


    He was sure Captain Ainsworth, Captain Denver, and ke (the temporary captain of ck Serpent Knights) were also there. But since he couldn''t see the other captains around the area, they must have been assigned to different locations.


    <em>If Captain Sherwood is here, that means the Blue Dragon Knights are the ones assigned to protect His Majesty in the church.</em>


    "I''ve missed you, Duke Nystrom," Captain Sherwood greeted him cheerfully. "Did you miss me?"


    Captain Sherwood was lucky that the other guests were a few meters away from them. If the bystanders happened to hear what the captain just said, he would have gutted him. The thing he hated the most was being in the center of a stupid "rumor."


    "No, I didn''t," Kiho said coldly. He was about to bid him goodbye, but then, he suddenly thought of interrogating the captain lightly. "Captain Sherwood, where were youst night?"


    Captain Sherwood was a smart man. No wonder he easily understood what he meant by his question. His boyish grin disappeared and his eyes suddenly darkened. "Your Grace, were you attackedst night?" he asked in a low voice. "Do you want me to investigate it?"


    He was about to say no but suddenly, the guard near them announced His Majesty''s arrival.


    Kiho and Captain Sherwood stood straight as preparation of greeting the emperor.


    <em>We might be enemies now, but I still have to watch my manners.</em>


    A few momentster, the royal family''s grand carriage arrived in front of the church. Sir Gregory opened the carriage''s door. And finally, His Majesty stepped out of the grand coach.


    Emperor Aku looked immacte and powerful in his proper attire and red mantle.


    The emperor hated huge crowds around him so he only had Sir Gregory behind him. To be honest, that was practical. Emperor Aku was the strongest person in the empire. He didn''t really need a royal guard to protect him.


    <em>How am I supposed to kill this person?</em>


    "Kiho," Emperor Aku greeted him with a smile when he stood in front of him. "I know that look on your face. I don''t think this is the right ce for that."


    He flinched at that.


    <em>Howe he knows me so well?</em>


    Anyway, Kiho bowed politely to the emperor. "Greetings to the only moon of our Great Moonchester Empire."


    "Your formality breaks my heart," Emperor Akuined in a yful tone. But for some reason, the sadness in his eyes looked real. "See youter, Kiho."


    <em>What''s up with His Majesty?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY tried her best to stop herself from yawning while listening to Howard''s long and boring sermon.


    <em>His voice is making me feel sleepy.</em>


    Right now, she was in front of the altar while standing behind the High Priest. She was holding the special candle with both hands.


    When Howard told everyone in the church to close their eyes, she was forced to tear her gaze away from her yummy husband who was standing in the front row. Kiho was now a duke so naturally, his seat belonged there. On a side note, His Majesty and his party were in the balcony. But she wanted to ignore the emperor''s presence for now and solely focus on her task


    and her husband who looked immacte in his outfit today.


    <em>ck really looks good on Kiho.</em>


    After checking out her very handsome and very sexy handsome, she finally closed her eyes. She was sure Kiho only closed his eyes after she did.


    <em>Gosh, we''re in the church</em>, she reminded herself. <em>Stop lusting after your husband!</em>


    "Now, let''s offer a prayer to our precious Saint Forrester," Howard said in a calm voice. "Your Holiness, pleasee back to us."


    "Please grace us with your holy presence again, Your Holiness," the church attendees said in unison.


    <em>To be honest, it wouldn''t make a difference to me whether you wake up or not</em>, she said in her head. <em>I know that I sound very rude right now. But I can''t help but feel upset for the gods who let me suffer unjustly in my previous life. I was innocent, Your Holiness.</em>


    Of course, only silence answered to her.


    Y<em>our Holiness, I heard that Her Royal Highness is still unconscious in the temple</em>, Tilly continued in her mind. <em>To make it up to me for letting me die miserably in my previous life, can you grant me a wish? I''m a simple woman with a simple need. I just want Her Royal Highness to sleep forever. The earth doesn''t need her anymore. Can the afterlife im her now?</em>


    The silence she expected was soon reced by a softugh that gave her goosebumps


    and then it was followed by a gentle voice that made her feel like she was a very sinful personpared to the owner of the voice.


    <em>"That''s a sphemous thing to ask of me, Daughter of the Sun."</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 107: Good Morning

    Chapter 107: Good Morning


    <em><strong>A FEW minutes before the ceremony began</strong></em>


    LUNA was alone.


    She returned to the Royal Capital in a carriage with Duke Nystrom. But she asked to be dropped off a few meters away from Eclis Church. She could hide her presence well enough that even though the royal knights could see her, they would simply ignore her and not question her for loitering around the church. It was some kind of a charm that only high-level witches like her could execute well.


    Anyway, the security around Eclis Church right now was very tight because His Majesty would attend the ceremonyter.


    <em>Still, the air around is pricking my skin.</em>


    There was definitely someone or something in the Royal Capital now that wasn''t supposed to exist. That was the feeling she was getting.


    <em>What could it be?</em>


    And was it possible that it was the same entity that "visited" the duke and the duchessst night?


    "Mydy, can I help you with something?"


    Luna was kind of surprised when someone noticed her. But when she turned around and realized who it was, her surprise was reced by amazement.


    <em>Captain Denver.</em>


    Ah, she should have expected that the charm she used, no matter how level it was, wouldn''t work on a high-skilled captain like Mikhail Denver. Aside from his position as one of the captains of Four Orders, he was also a Fire Mage.


    "I noticed that you''ve been looking around," Captain Denver said politely when he stood in front of her. "Are you lost, mydy?"


    "I am where I''m supposed to be," Luna said, then she gave the captain a polite curtsy. "My name is Luna, Sir Denver. I am Lady Nystrom''s doctor."


    "Oh," he said with a hint of surprise in his voice. "May I know why the people around us are acting like they don''t see you?"


    "It''s my charm. As in literal charm," she exined. "I''m hiding my presence so no one would question as to why I''m loitering here. But of course, my charm doesn''t work on people with high level Mana like you, captain."


    "Ah, I see," he said cautiously. "Is there a reason why you need to do that, Miss Luna?"


    "This area isn''t safe for the duchess."


    He looked surprised by her bluntness.


    And as if on cue, all of a sudden, they both felt a very strong bloodlust directed at them. When they turned to where the bloodlust wasing from, they found a grand carriage with the crest of House Huxley. She recognized the crest because it was an old family.


    But the murderous feelings they felt was gone as soon as they felt it, making both of them question if what they felt really happened.


    Still, she noticed something strange.


    <em>The chilling aura that I''ve been feelings since I arrived at the Royal Capital was very strong in that carriage.</em>


    "That was Lord Huxley''s carriage wasn''t it?" Luna asked when the carriage was no longer in sight. Then, she turned to Captain Denver. "Did you offend the count or something?"


    "I''m not sure," Captain Denver answered in a confused tone. "As far as I am concerned, I''ve never been involved in any of Lord Huxley''s business."


    "Still, that chilling killing intent was strongly directed at you."


    "I noticed that as well," he said. "I guess I have to be careful around the count."


    "We should follow them," she told the captain. "Something in that carriage feels strange. I''m certain it wasn''t the count."


    The captain''s brows furrowed in confusion. "I''m sorry but I don''t understand what you''re talking about, Miss Luna."


    "Just trust me, Captain Denver," Luna said seriously. "Like you, it''s also my duty to protect the heart of the Supreme."


    Captain Denver looked surprised. But then, he became serious after he realized that like him, she was also a servant of the Supreme. "Let me lead the way, Miss Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>NOPE, I didn''t hear anything. I''m just hallucinating because I''m hungry. Nope, nope, nope I refuse to deal with this kind of sh*t again.</em>


    Tilly heard a softugh that sounded like it came from a man. Still, she pretended that she didn''t hear that.


    <em>Nope, I''m not hearing things.</em>


    And did that voice call her "Daughter of the Sun" earlier? Gosh, she had so many "pet names." Some people called her the "heart," others "Supreme," and now, "Daughter of the Sun?"


    <em>What the heck?</em>


    Thankfully, the High Priest finally asked them to open their eyes.


    When Tilly opened her eyes, her gaze easily found Kiho who was looking intently at her. She had a feeling that he didn''t even take his eyes off of her. Not even for a second.


    <em>Kiho, that''s kind of rude</em>, she scolded her husband lightly.


    To be honest, Kiho obviously wasn''t a religious person. In fact, he was kind of rude to the gods as if he didn''t believe them.


    <em>But he''s a good person. He''s better than most nobles who attend church religiously but treat other people badly as if they didn''t learn anything from the sermons and teachings of the priests. At least, my husband isn''t hypocrite like them.</em>


    "Lady Nystrom?"


    Tilly''s tore her gaze away from Kiho when Howard stood in front of her while holding a tea cup. "Yes, Your Eminence?"


    "I offer you the drink that His Holiness enjoyed in the past," Howard said. "May the gods answer your prayer and bring the saint back to us."


    <em>Oops, sorry. I didn''t pray for the saint to awaken.</em>


    She politely nodded, and then she parted her lips lightly as she was instructed to do.


    The High Priest helped her drink the tea in the cup.


    She wasn''t afraid to drink it because Sentinel was insider her heart now. He assured her earlier that he would make sure she wasn''t going to be poisoned or anything. Plus, she still had the protection spell that Luna put on her.


    And of course, Kiho was there.


    <em>I''m blessed to be surrounded by good people.</em>


    Anyway, the tea didn''t taste as awful as she expected it to be. It was ck tea mixed with a flower that she wasn''t familiar with. But she understood why the previous Beast Priestesses probably didn''t like the tea. It was very bitter after all.


    <em>Well, as a foodie, I enjoy discovering "strange" food and drinks.</em>


    After she finished the tea, Howard lit the candle she was holding using a huge match stick. "I wish you luck, Lady Nystrom."


    "Thank you, Your Eminence," she said, then she acknowledged the "audience" with a polite nod before she literally turned her back on them.


    <em>Let''s get this done and over with.</em>


    She started to walk to the altar and as soon as she stood in front of the long table decorated with flowers, the me in the candle died out.


    <em>Goddammit.</em>


    Thankfully, she had her back on the people so no one saw what happened.


    Well, she was hoping that His Majesty who was in the balcony area didn''t see it despite his super senses.


    <em>Gosh, the emperor is so OP.</em>


    Anyway, she didn''t want to make a fuss by announcing that the me in the candle died out. After all, it was considered as a bad omen.


    <em>Let me handle this quietly.</em>


    She discreetly ced her index finger on the candle wick, then poured her concentration on it. Her temperature increased, but she gathered the heat of her body at the tip of her finger. She kept it up until she created a tiny me that lit the candle again. After her sessful improvised solution, she smiled proudly at herself.


    <em>Good job, Tilly Nystrom.</em>


    Satisfied by her own work, she gently ced the candle holder in the center of the table. Then, she put her hands together and closed her eyes to "pray."


    <em>Your Holiness, good night</em>, she said. <em>Don''t let the bedbugs bite.</em>


    After praying, she turned her back on the altar to join the High Priest who was standing a few meter away from her.


    "<em>Hey, insolent child</em>."


    She wanted to ignore the voice again but her body suddenly moved in its own. The next thing she knew, she was already turning around to face the owner of the voice.


    <em>Oh. My. F*cking. God.</em>


    Her eyes widened when she saw a very handsome man with long light blonde hair and piercing ash gray eyes. He was d with a white cloak simr to what Howard always wore. The divine presence that he exuded didn''t make it hard for her to realize who he was.


    Heck, he was literally shining!


    At first, she thought she was the only one who could see the saint.


    But the collective gasp behind her said otherwise. The loudest gasp that she heard came from Howard. Gosh, the saint had really awakened!


    "Your me felt nice and warm," the saint said with a smile. "Good morning, Lady Nystrom."


    She took a step backwards and was surprised when her back hit a solid (and cold) chest. When she turned her head to see who it was, she was relieved to confirm that it was really Kiho.


    <em>He''s the only man I know who has a cold body.</em>


    Anyway, her husband probably went up to the altar as soon as he felt the holy presence. He was that overprotective of her. And this time, she appreciated it more than ever.


    Kiho looked serious, and he had his hands on her shoulders. He looked so guarded as if he would attack the saint if he suddenly made a funny move. If her husband didn''t believe in gods, there was no way he would worship a saint. "Tilly, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine, Kiho," Tilly assured her husband, then she turned to the saint again. He was smiling, but the glint in his eyes told her that he didn''t forget every single sphemy that shemitted a while ago. That made her swallow hard, but she refused to show her nervousness. Instead, she smiled sweetly at the saint. "Would you like to have breakfast with me and my husband, Your Holiness?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Aku was shocked when the saint awakened would be an understatement.


    <em>Nia had been the Beast Priestess for many years but she never seeded in awakening His Holiness!</em>


    One of the heavy criticisms that the royal family had received for the past years was their failure to awaken the saint from his deep slumber. It was used against them by the ant-royalty faction several times. And that failure also caused manymoners to question if the god still favored the Moonchesters as the rulers of the empire.


    Of course, he had swiftly dealt with those criticisms by killing off the people who would raise the discussion about the saint''s slumber.


    But now that Lady Nystrom had managed to awaken His Holiness


    <em> there would definitely be a switch of power among the higher nobles!</em>


    "Your Majesty, is that really His Holiness?" Sir Gregory, who was standing beside him, asked in disbelief. "Did Lady Nystrom really awaken the saint just like that?"


    <em>No, the duchess didn''t awaken the saint "just like that."</em>


    He saw it when the me of the candle died out. The angle would have been hard for hispanions to see what the duchess did. But thanks to his sharp senses, he witnessed everything.


    <em>Lady Nystrom used her me to light up the candle again.</em>


    Did the me of the Fire Mage with the "heart" the reason why the saint awakened?


    <em>If my hunch is right, then it could mean that His Holiness has been waiting for Lady Nystrom all this time.</em>


    "This is not good," Aku said in an empty voice. "If the saint blessed the duke and the duchess now, then House Nystrom would solidify their position as the most powerful family in the high society."


    <em>And the Noble Faction would definitely take advantage of this!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA hid behind Captain Denver when she felt the strange auraing near them, then she used her charm again to conceal her presence.


    They didn''t make it the church to witness the ceremony because they were following the ominous energy that she had been feeling since she arrived at the Royal Capital. And Captain Denver, as gentleman as he was, followed her quietly.


    Now that they were walking near Eclis Church, the "enemies" decided to appear before them.


    "Fancy seeing you here, Captain Denver," Count Huxley said with a sinister smile. "How are you?"


    "I''m doing great, Lord Huxley," Captain Denver answered politely. "And how about you?"


    "Oh, I''m good. Especially now that our family is about to grow bigger," the count said yfully. Then, he motioned for the petite brte standing beside him. "Captain Denver, let me introduce you to my adoptive sister."


    Captain Denver looked shocked by that. "House Huxley has adopted another member?"


    "Yes," Count Huxley said proudly, then he turned to thedy beside him. "My precious little sister, introduce yourself to the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights and hispanion."


    Luna flinched at that. <em>The count noticed me.</em>


    "Greetings, Sir Denver and the beautifuldy behind you," the brte greeted them in a sweet yet polite tone. "I''m Lucina Morganna and would officially be Lady Lucina Huxley soon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 108: Fancy Meeting

    Chapter 108: Fancy Meeting


    LUCINA felt a shiver down her spine when the entire area was suddenly engulfed in a divine energy that could only belong to one person.


    <em>The saint has awakened?!</em>


    It looked like she wasn''t the only one who felt the holy presence. Captain Denver, Lord Huxley, and the witch also looked at the church''s direction.


    "I apologize but I have to excuse myself," Captain Denver said, then he stopped as if he remembered something. Then, he turned to the witch. "Miss Luna, you need to go to the church as well, don''t you? Let me apany you."


    The witch just nodded, then she turned to her and Lord Huxley to bow politely before leaving with Captain Denver.


    <em>That''s one powerful witch, huh?</em>


    Now she was certain that Luna was the one who put the protective spell on Lady Nystrom.


    If the witch was with Captain Denver, that means Captain Denver and Lady Nystrom has really joined forces.


    "I really want to kill Captain Denver," Lord Huxley said as soon as the captain and the witch were gone. "His Majesty should praise me for my self-control."


    "You did well, Lord Huxley," Lucina praised him with a smile. "Although I''m pretty certain that Captain Denver felt your bloodlust earlier. I''m sure he''s going to be wary of you from now on."


    "Like I care," the count hissed. " House Huxley was never known for its patient anyway."


    How dumb. If you weren''t crazy strong, you would have died a long time ago because of your bad temper.


    "That witch is strong," he said, then he turned to her with a raised brow. "Can you take care of her?"


    "Of course," she said. "I intend to keep my end of the bargain."


    House Huxley would officially adopt her once she killed Luna.


    She offered her help in exchange of a higher position in the society because that was the only way she could get close to the Nystroms. She was a lower noble so it would be impossible for her to enter the higher society where the Duke and Duchess of Oakes belonged without the help of Lord Huxley.


    Although if Her Royal Highness was awake, she wouldn''t have needed the help of House Huxley.


    "To be honest, I don''t think I need your help to get what I want," Lord Huxley said while looking at her with obvious discontent. "I only epted your deal because you''re one of Alisa''s closest friends. And you also helped Her Royal Highness to recover her beauty."


    "Lord Huxley, I know that you''re very strong. Your Mana and fighting skills areparable to the captains of the Four Orders," she said with a smile. "But still, you can''t kill a witch as strong as Miss Luna."


    "And you can?"


    "It''s not because I''m strong," she said to pacify the offended count. <em>God, men and their stupid ego</em>. "It just happens that my power is the weakness of witches like Miss Luna."


    "Is it really necessary to eliminate the people around Captain Denver first?"


    "You won''t be able to touch even a strand of Captain Denver''s hair as long as Miss Luna is around," she said firmly. "That witch specializes in performing strong protective spell. You saw her eyes, Lord Huxley. They are pink."


    "Yeah, but what about it?"


    <em>Oh, god. How stupid can this muscle head be?</em>


    "If you gouge out her pink eyes, you can make powerful protection out of them," she answered. "Their n was hunted down for that reason."


    Lord Huxley''s face lit up in excitement, his eyes gleaming with frenzy. "I want those pink eyes then," he said. "Get those eyes for me once you killed the witch, my precious little sister."


    She didn''t miss the sarcasm.


    "As you wish, Lord Huxley," she said, not interested to call him "brother."


    He just nodded. "Anyway, I''m heading to the church to see His Holiness. Are youing with me?"


    She shook her head. "The saint''s holy presence is too strong. I''m weak to that."


    "Oh," Lord Huxley said, obviously not interested in what she said. "See youter then, my new little sister."


    She just smiled and bowed politely.


    After that, the count left.


    Lucina looked up at the Eclis Church. To be honest, she wanted to go there to see Duke Nystrom. But Emperor Aku was there. <em>I need to seal my power first before I appear before His Majesty.</em>


    ***


    "WOULD YOU like to have breakfast with me and my husband, Your Holiness?" Tilly asked with a frozen smile. <em>Gosh, what the hell am I saying?!</em>


    Saint Forrester smiled charmingly at her. "I''d love to have breakfast with you, my sweet child. But I''m afraid that I can''t allow your husband to join us."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "But why, Your Holiness?"


    "I don''t like his face and I''m afraid I might lose my appetite."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "With all due respect, Kiho''s face is a national treasure. Your Holiness, is your eyesight starting to get bad due to your old age?"


    The saint looked shocked by her rude question.


    Even Kiho let out a gasp. "Tilly, you''re talking to the saint," he whispered to her with a hint of worry in his voice. "He''s different from the human bird."


    "Oh, that''s right," she said. "I''m sorry, Your Holiness."


    The saint was supposed to say something but he was interrupted.


    "Your Holiness."


    Tilly flinched when she heard Emperor Aku''s voice. When she turned around, she found His Majesty walking towards to the altar while being followed by Sir Gregory and Captain Sherwood.


    When the emperor walked past her and Kiho, they bowed and greeted him politely.


    Emperor Aku just nodded at them as acknowledgement before he stood in front of the Saint Forrester. Then, His Majesty got down on one knee and respectfully held the saint''s hand. "I''m d that you''re finally awake, Your Holiness," he said. Then, the emperor kissed the back of His Holiness''s hand. "Wee back, Saint Forrester."


    "My utmost gratitude for the warm wee, the only moon of our Great Moonchester Empire," Saint Forrester said with a smile. "You may raise now, Your Majesty."


    His Majesty nodded then stood politely in front of the saint. "Your Holiness, you just woke up. Please allow me to escort you back to the temple."


    "Thank you for the offer but I have to decline, Your Majesty," the saint said in an apologetic tone. Then, he turned to her with a bright smile. "I already epted my savior''s invitation to have breakfast with her. After she woke me up from my long and deep slumber, I can''t turn her down. Can I?"


    Tilly didn''t want to admit this but she felt a shiver down her spine when Emperor Aku turned to her with a "sweet" smile.


    <em>Gosh, he''s pissed.</em>


    Thankfully, Kiho was literally behind her so she didn''t get that intimidated.


    "Of course, Your Holiness. You can''t turn down Lady Nystrom''s invitation," Emperor Aku said with a smile. When she just smiled, he turned to the saint again. "Your Holiness, please allow me to prepare the amodation for you. You can have breakfast with Lady Nystrom there. I want you to have the best service the empire could provide for you."


    "That would be great, Your Majesty," Saint Forrester said. "Thank you."


    "You don''t have to thank me, Your Holiness," the emperor said with a smile. "Please wait in the parlor room first. I''ll prepare afortable carriage for you and Lady Nystrom."


    The saint just bowed at that.


    Emperor Aku turned to Kiho. "Lord Nystrom,e with me," he said in a formal tone that surprised her. "Help me prepare the amodation for His Holiness and Lady Nystrom."


    Tilly turned to her husband. When she saw him frowning, she gently and discreetly pinched his side. Hon, we''re in front of other people.


    Kiho immediately fixed his expression and went back to being pokerfaced. "As you wish, Your Majesty," he answered politely. Then, he turned to her and whispered. "Tilly"


    "I''ll be fine," she whispered back. "I''m sure I''m safe with His Holiness."


    And Sentinel is inside my heart to protect me.


    "Stay safe, Tilly," Kiho said, then he kissed her on the forehead. "I''ll follow you as soon as I can."


    "I know," Tilly said with a smile. "I''ll wait for you, Kiho."


    His Holiness cleared his throat a little too loud.


    When they turned to the saint, she realized that His Majesty and the knights all tore their gaze away from them as if to give them privacy.


    Her cheeks burned when she realized what Kiho and her just did.


    <em>Gosh, we just made a public disy of affection!</em>


    "Kids these days," Saint Forrester said. "Anyway, you make a wonderful couple, Lady Nystrom and the handsome duke."


    <em>How sarcastic.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DON''T pout, Kiho."


    "Im not pouting, Your Majesty," Kiho answered with a pout. When he realized what he was doing, he gently pped his mouth. "Now I''m not."


    Emperor Aku just rolled his eyes at him. "Wait here. I''ll just talk to His Eminence about the security arrangement that I''ll prepare for His Holiness."


    He just nodded politely.


    After that, Aku left with Sir Gregory and Captain Sherwood (who gave him a longing look that he ignored, of course).


    Now he was left alone at the back of the church where His Majesty''s grand carriage was parked. He was asked to wait for the carriage that the emperor asked his people to bring to the church. That carriage would be used by Tilly and His Holiness.


    <em>I hate to leave Tilly alone with His Holiness but I still have a duty to fulfill.</em>


    "Duke Nystrom?"


    Kiho flinched at the voice that called him.


    He was surprised to see the woman that he saw at the market ce before. The one that had a jet-ck hair before it turned into brown. Right now, the woman''s hair was brown again.


    "It''s really you," the brte said while walking towards him. "Fancy meeting you here, Your Grace."


    Kiho stepped backwards, his body suddenly having a mind of its own. God, why and how did this strange woman get there when the area was supposed to be guarded by royal knights? He hated to say this but he felt like meeting her there wasn''t a co-incidence. That made him remember the conversation he had with Tilly about "fangirls." "Miss, are you a sasaeng fan?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 109: Duchess Nystroms Tea

    Chapter 109: Duchess Nystrom''s Tea


    THAT damned holy fossil.


    Tilly was pissed because after Saint Forrester dragged her to the parlor, he left her there saying that he wanted to take a bath first.


    And because the saint literally ran off by himself, the servants of the church that were supposed to assist them ran after him. At least, those people had already served the tea and the snacks before they left her.


    But she wasn''t mad. Aside from the fact that she''d rather be alone than socialize with strangers, she knew that the most important person in the church right now was His Holiness.


    <em>I can''t believe that a person as important as the saint is a crazy dude.</em>


    To lessen her stress, she ate the macaroons served on the table. She wanted to eat the sandwiches but she held back, remembering that she had a breakfast "meeting" with the saint.


    <em>Gosh, I''m so hungry. If Kiho finds out that I didn''t have breakfast before going to the church, he''d be super angry at the High Priest. My husband never lets me starve, you know? He asked our chef and kitchen staff to always prepare good food for me even if I''m not hungry.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she heard a knock on the door.


    "Come in," she said, then she sipped her tea.


    She almost choked on her tea when the door opened and His Majesty entered the parlor with Sir Gregory.


    <em>Gosh!</em>


    Tilly immediately stood up and bowed politely. "Greetings to the only moon of our Great Moonchester Empire."


    "Don''t be too formal, Lady Nystrom," Emperor Aku said, then he sat down on the ent chair across from the sofa that she was using. Sir Gregory stood behind the emperor. "Take a seat."


    She bowed again before sitting down.


    As a proper higher noblewoman, she poured some tea for the emperor. He might be an enemy, but that wasn''t an excuse to not follow the protocol. No matter how evil His Majesty was, he was still the emperor. As a duchess, her status came with responsibility.


    <em>If Sir Gregory is the one who''s apanying His Majesty here, then Captain Sherwood might be the one guarding outside. Is Kiho outside as well?</em>


    "Kiho isn''t here," His Majesty said as if he could read her facial expression right now. Or perhaps, it was too obvious that she was looking for her husband. "I asked him to wait for the carriage that I prepared for you and His Holiness."


    "Is that a job that should be given to a duke?"


    His Majesty looked surprised by her retort.


    Sir Gregory remained pokerfaced but his twitched slightly.


    "Your Majesty, with all due respect, Kiho is no longer the captain of the ck Serpent Knights," she reminded him "politely." "I know that officially, my husband is only on a year-long vacation. But we both know that he will never return to his former position. He is now the Duke of Oakes and it will remain that way for as long as House Nystrom stands."


    "Is it confidence or arrogance?" the emperor asked with an amused smile. "I can''t tell."


    She just smiled and sipped her tea.


    "Arrogance it is," he dered while shaking his head. "It looks like you know what will happen to House Nystrom now after you have woken up His Holiness. Your family has lucked out, Lady Nystrom."


    "It''s not luck, Your Majesty," she said with a smile. "It''s good karma."


    "I''m speechless," the emperor said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "Anyway, I''m not giving Kiho a menial job just because I want to. Checking the carriage that you and His Holiness will be using is an important task. And I n to make him the leader of the temporary security team that I''m arranging for His Holiness."


    She smirked because she knew what His Majesty was doing.


    <em>The emperor wants to make it look like he''s the one who assigned Kiho to stick with His Holiness. He doesn''t want other people to think that His Holiness asked for her and her husband''spany. In short, His Majesty doesn''t want to make a big deal out of our sudden closeness with the saint.</em>


    "I hate that look," the emperor said. "You''re looking at me like you know exactly what I''m doing."


    Ah, His Majesty was seriously perceptive.


    But that made sense. As an emperor, it was his duty to be very observant of his surroundings. And thus, he was wary of people around him.


    "How can a lowly subject like me know what His Majesty is thinking?" she said in a slightly sarcastic tone. "Please don''t overestimate me."


    He smirked while shaking his head again. "If you didn''t do that to my beloved Nia, I think we would have been great friends."


    Okay, that surprised her a little.


    The emperor wasn''t being subtle at all.


    Then, there was no reason for her to hold back now.


    "I don''t want to be friends with a person who wants me dead," she deadpanned. "Plus, please don''t make it sound like the princess didn''t deserve what happened to her."


    "Careful, Lady Nystrom," he warned her menacingly. "You can disrespect me all you want and I''ll justugh it off. But talking that way to my Nia especially in her terrible state right now is unforgivable."


    She would admit that the emperor''s rising Mana scared her.


    But her anger was still bigger than her fear.


    "If you don''t want people to talk badly about Her Royal Highness, then you should have raised her as a decent human being," she snapped back. "She wouldn''t have been burnt to crisp in the first ce if she didn''te at an innocent woman who just wants to have a peaceful like with her husband and son."


    Emperor Aku seethed at her. "Matilda ''Tilly'' Nystrom."


    "Aku Moonchester," she hissed back at him.


    Okay, she justmitted a grave sin.


    Calling the emperor by his name was actually a crime punishable by death.


    No wonder Sir Gregory was now pointing his sword at her neck.


    Yep, it happened so fast that she only realized what was happening when she felt the cold de under her chin.


    <em>Dammit!</em>


    She felt the strange chest in her chest threatening toe out. It was probably Sentinel. But even before the spirit guardian coulde out of her heart, the de of Sir Gregory''s sword suddenly broke into tiny pieces.


    The heat in her chest disappeared as well.


    "What are you trying to do to my savior, good sir?"


    Tilly was surprised to see Saint Forrester who was now sitting on the sofa''s arm rest. The saint was even eating a cookie. When did he get here?


    "Please excuse my knight, Your Holiness," Emperor Aku said immediately, then he turned to Sir Gregory. "You overreacted, Sir Gregory."


    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," Sir Gregory said with a bow, then he turned to her and bowed again. "I apologize, Lady Nystrom. It looks like I''ve misunderstood the situation."


    "It''s fine, Sir Gregory," Tilly said with a smile even though she was still seething. "I know that you couldn''t kill me anyway."


    Saint Forrester stifled augh at what she said. But when His Majesty turned to the saint, His Holiness suddenly turned pokerfaced. "Your Majesty, is the preparation for our departure alreadyplete?"


    Emperor Aku stood up. "I''ll check on it, Your Holiness."


    The saint bowed politely. "My utmost gratitude, Your Majesty."


    After that exchange, His Majesty respectfully bid his goodbye to her and the saint. Then, he left the room with Sir Gregory.


    <em>Whew, what an intense confrontation.</em>


    "You''re really an insolent child, aren''t you?"


    Tilly turned to the saint.


    His Holiness has changed into new clothes and he looked fresher now. But she wasn''t sure if he really took a bath because his long hair was as dry as her current mood. Perhaps he used magic to dry himself faster than normal. She didn''t care though.


    "That young spirit inside your heart is also frustratingly impatient," the saint said while getting another cookie from the pastry stand on the table. "Don''t let His Majesty know that you''ve already found the Red Phoenix''s spirit guardian, you hotheaded little girl," he scolded her, and that shocked her.


    "Your Holiness, you know that I have a spirit guardian inside my heart?"


    "You can conceal the spirit''s presence from the emperor, but not from me. I''m the saint, you know? I can feel all kinds of spirits in the empire," he said before he looked up at her. "That spirit guardian is your ace, child. The game has only begun don''t show all your cards yet."


    "You were asleep for many years," Tilly said, confused. "Howe you seem to know what''s going on?"


    "My physical body has been asleep, yes. But my consciousness has always been awake," Saint Forrester said, then he smiled "sweetly" at her. "So you better listen to me before I smack your pretty little head, you bad-tempered troublemaker."


    Wow, who knew a holy fossil could have a sharp tongue?


    <strong>***</strong>


    ""<em>SASAENG</em> fan?"" the woman asked, obviously confused by the term he used. "I apologize by my limited vocabry. But what does it mean, Your Grace?"


    Kiho blinked in surprise when he realized who this woman could be.


    <em>Lu-something, right?</em>


    He remembered that Tilly mentioned the name of his "second wife" in her past life. But his brain refused to acknowledge that fact and thus, the piece of information just simply forgotten.


    If this woman didn''t appear before him, he would never remember her.


    <em>The annoying feeling in my chest is back.</em>


    "You do not have permission to enter the area, Miss," Kiho said in a formal tone,pletely ignoring her question. "Please leave now or I''ll be forced to ask the guards to escort you out."


    "Your Grace, you may not remember this but we''ve already met," Lu-something said in a pleading voice. "You saved my town from being invaded by an enemy kingdom. I owe my life to you"


    "I didn''t save you on my own ord so you don''t owe me anything," he cut her off coldly. "I used to be the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. I only followed His Majesty''s order. And even if I really saved you back then, you still can''t put any meaning behind it."


    "Oh," she said, obviously dejected.


    "Please leave," he said more firmly this time. "Or else, I''ll call the guards to drag you out. His Holiness and my Tilly will use this area so strangers aren''t allowed here."


    "I will leave for now," Lu-something said in a sad tone, but desperation and determination were both evident in her eyes. "See youter, Duke Nystrom. And when we see each other again, I hope you don''t look at me with contempt anymore."


    "Even if we cross paths again, nothing will change," he told her bluntly. "But don''t think that I''m only this way towards you because that''s wrong. I''m always like this to everyone. My Tilly is the only exception."


    Pain crossed Lu-something''s eyes. Then, she bowed to him before she ran away.


    <em>Finally, she''s gone.</em>


    Still, he didn''t let his guard down.


    <em>I don''t want that woman to hurt Tilly in this lifetime,</em> Kiho said while clenching his fists tight. <em>Should I kill her the next time we meet?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <em></em>

 Chapter 110: Calamitous Plans

    Chapter 110: Cmitous ns


    <em>"LADY NYSTROM is a blessed one, isn''t she?"</em>


    <em>"The duchess seeded in waking up His Holiness a task that Her Royal Highness failed to do despite being given several chances to do so."</em>


    <em>"But we shouldn''t be surprised anymore. After all, Lady Nystrom was chosen to be the mother of Duke Nystrom''s child."</em>


    <em>"Yes, we can''t forget about the prophecy that said that Duke Nystrom''s son is going to be a special existence in the whole empire."</em>


    <em>"Lady Nystrom has always been powerful since she was the only daughter of House Prescott an old family and arguably the richest one in the empire. But now that she has be a duchess, she has be more influential."</em>


    <em>"Now that His Holiness showed everyone that he favors Lady Nystrom, the duchess will certainly be the highest-ranking noblewoman in the empire."</em>


    <em>"Personally, I don''t see Duke Nystrom''s worth yet. But he definitely lucked out by having Lady Nystrom as his wife. Once their son is born, the duke''s background will bepletely forgotten. I''m certain that the high society will embrace him fully now."</em>


    <em>"I want to be close to Lady Nystrom but she has changed. She stopped organizing tea parties. And she also seems distanttely."</em>


    <em>"Oh? Your goal has changed. I thought you wanted to be close to Her Royal Highness?"</em>


    <em>"Lady Nystrom is also a part of the Royal Faction so she technically belongs to the princess''s clique. And we don''t even know if Her Royal Highness is still going to wake up."</em>


    <em>"Shh! His Majesty is still in the area. He''d kill you if he heard you."</em>


    Aku stopped walking, then he took a deep breath to calm himself.


    Right now, he was near the exit of the secret passage of the church. That was reserved for very important people like him.


    He purposely expanded the scope of his sensitive hearing to listen to the conversation of his subjects. After what happened a while ago, he knew that people would talk. He kind of expected to hear the things he just heard.


    Still, that pissed him off.


    "Your Majesty?" Sir Gregory, who stood behind him, asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "Is everything okay?"


    "No. Lady Nystrom is getting a little too powerful," Aku said. "It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that right now, the duchess has the high society in the palm of her hand."


    "Should we smear Duchess Nystrom''s reputation?"


    He shook his head. "As much as I want to bring the duchess down as soon as possible, I don''t want Kiho to go down with her. Our original n doesn''t change: we''ll start moving once she gives birth to her son."


    "That''s still a few months from now, Your Majesty," the old knight reminded him carefully. "By the time she gives birth to the child of the prophecy, she''d probably be the highest-ranking noblewoman in the empire. Especially now that Duchess Nystrom gained the saint''s blessing."


    "We can work that to our advantage," he said casually, then he started to walk again. "Lady Nystrom is a part of the Royal Faction on the surface. To be precise, she belongs to Nia''s clique. If the other higher nobles and themoners get fond of the duchess now that she has the saint''s favor, then they will also think that the royal family has His Holiness by our side. Thus, Lady Nystrom''s good reputation will strengthen the monarchy''s power over the empire."


    "Is that worth the risk, Your Majesty?"


    "Of course," he answered with a chuckle, then he turned to his knight. "Sir Gregory, do you only see the benefit that Lady Nystrom gained by having the saint''s favor? Did you not see the drawback that she also received from that?"


    The knight looked confused. "I apologize, Your Majesty. But I can''t see how gaining the saint''s favor could be a disadvantage to the duchess."


    He just smiled before he faced ahead while walking. "Aside from me, there''s one group that wouldn''t like Duchess Nystrom to gain too much power and it''s the Noble Faction. I''m certain that they wille up with a n to kill the duchess before she bes a problem."


    "Oh, that''s correct," Sir Gregory said. "Your Majesty, your ability to foresee all of this is incredible."


    "I wouldn''t be the emperor if I couldn''t do that much," he said with augh. "Anyway, House Ainsworth is the acting leader of the Noble Faction. Once Captain Ainsworthes to our side, I can finally control that stupid faction without them knowing."


    "Do you already have a n, Your Majesty?"


    "Uh-huh," he said cheerfully while several ideas were flooding his mind. "I won''t let the Noble Faction hurt or kill Lady Nystrom until she gives birth to Kiho''s son. I''ll make sure that Captain Ainsworth will limit the movement of the Noble Faction."


    "And after Duchess Nystrom gave birth to her son?"


    "I''ll let the Noble Faction do the dirty job for me," he said with a big smile. "Maybe Kiho wouldn''t hate me that much if the Noble Faction killed his wife and not me."


    "Ah, I see."


    "So while waiting for the birth of her son, we must help Lady Nystrom reach the peak of the high society," he said. "Let her be richer, more powerful, and more influential. Her sess will benefit the royal family. And at the same time, it will ire the Noble Faction so much that they will see Lady Nystrom as a threat that they need to eliminate no matter what."


    "You''ve already thought that far, Your Majesty?"


    "Yes, and that''s just one of the scenarios I see," he said. "Lady Nystrom is a smart and a sassy woman. A good opponent like her warrants the best of me. It would be an insult to her intelligence if I don''t go all out."


    "You seem to be having fun, Your Majesty," Sir Gregorymented with a hint of amusement in his voice. "If only Duchess Nystrom didn''t have the heart, I''m certain she''d be a good ally to you."


    "Uh-huh," Aku agreed, feeling a bit regretful that Lady Nystrom had be an enemy instead of an ally. "I guess we were never meant to be good inws to each other."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DUKE NYSTROM!"


    Kiho frowned as soon as he saw the energetic Captain Sherwooding his way.


    <em>Lu-something just left but now, another sasaeng fan hase to pester me.</em>


    He needed a break, dammit.


    "Your face tells me that you''re not very happy to see me," Captain Sherwood said with augh. "Anyway, I''m here to deliver good news to you. His Majesty asked me to tell you to fetch Duchess Nystrom and His Holiness from the parlor room. You''ll be the head of their temporary security team. That means you''ll be allowed to ride with them in the grand carriage."


    That was indeed good news.


    <em>I already miss my Tilly.</em>


    "Thank you, Captain Sherwood," Kiho said formally, then he bowed to him before he started to walk away.


    "How are you rted to the woman you were talking to a while ago, Your Grace?"


    He stopped and turned to the captain. "I''m not rted to her in any way. She just got lost," he lied. He had no intention of exining the real situation to Captain Sherwood. "Do you know her?"


    "Count Huxley went around a while ago introducing his adoptive sister to everyone," Captain Sherwood told him. "I''m pretty sure that the woman that he introduced as "Lady Lucina Huxley" was the one you just talked to."


    Kiho''s eyes widened a bit in shock. "House Huxley adopted sasaeng fan #1?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 111: Breakfast With His Holiness

    Chapter 111: Breakfast With His Holiness


    "SO YOU BETTER listen to me before I smack your pretty little head, you bad-tempered troublemaker."


    <em>This is my bad karma</em>, Tilly thought to herself with an aching heart (just kidding). <em>I kept giving out rude pet names to powerful and ancient beings so the heavens probably punished me. Maybe Saint Forrester woke up just to bully me as retaliation for being mean to the original fossi I mean to Wixx, and because I kept calling the High Priest a sketchy character.</em>


    "Why are you looking like a puppy that was kicked by her master?" Saint Forrester asked with furrowed brows. "Are you offended that I kept calling you names?"


    Tilly shook her head, then she ced her hands on her chest. "I fully ept my punishment, Your Holiness."


    "You''re one strange child, aren''t you?"


    She smiled "sweetly" at the saint. "I don''t want to hear from someone who''s old as fossil but looks so young and pretty."


    "Don''t call me "pretty,"" he warned her with his eyes widened a bit. "Calling me "pretty" makes it sound like I''m a frail youngdy."


    Her smiled turned even sweeter. "Your Holiness, please don''t put gender on a mere word. Being called "pretty" is apliment."


    He red at her.


    Of course, she red back.


    Their mini "staring contest" was interrupted by a knock on the door.


    A few momentster, Howard entered the room and announced that their carriage had arrived. After the High Priest said that, Kiho came and told them that he''d be the head of their temporary security team.


    <em>Yey! I still miss you even if we''re in the same room, Kiho.</em>


    Kiho was looking at her with darkened eyes, as if he wanted to grab her and bring her to an empty room, and


    <em> and do naughty things to me.</em>


    Her cheeks burned in embarrassment because of the lewd things in her head.


    To think that she was even in the presence of two holy beings.


    <em>Gosh, I''m so shameless.</em>


    "I don''t even want to ask what the two of you are thinking," Saint Forrester said while looking back and forth to her and Kiho. "But can you please stop exchanging those looks?"


    Tilly''s whole face probably turned red.


    Kiho, being the adorable clueless cinnamon roll that he was, didn''t get what the saint meant by that so he remained pokerfaced.


    <em>Gosh, I still have a lot of things I need to teach my husband</em>, Tilly said to herself. <em>Random thought: I miss his abs.</em>


    They hadn''t done <em>it</em> in days, okay?


    Howard, obviously feeling awkward, cleared his throat loudly. When they all turned to the High Priest, he smiled at them. "We shall get going, everyone."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHY ARE you pouting, child?" Saint Forrester asked Tilly. "Are you throwing a tantrum?"


    Tilly discreetly bit her lower lip to stop herself from pouting.


    Right now, she was sitting across from the saint inside the carriage. Only the two of them were using that one because this holy fossil didn''t allow Kiho to ride with them. Instead, he asked her husband to just share a ride with Howard who was acting like their convoy.


    Also, the elite team of Holy Knights was following them in secret to make sure that His Holiness wouldn''t be ambushed. Aside from the Holy Knights, His Majesty also asked the four captains of the Four Orders to lead the way.


    In short, they were very much protected.


    <em>But I don''t feel secured without my Kiho.</em>


    "Why did you kick Kiho out, Your Holiness?" Tilly asked, still upset. "His Majesty has given him the permission to ride with us."


    "Well, I didn''t know how much your husband knows about you," the saint reasoned. "It''s not like I could ask that to you with the High Priest around us."


    "Kiho knows everything."


    "Then, what has he done for you?"


    She frowned because she didn''t like the tone he used. The saint was making it sound like Kiho was useless. "My Kiho has done a lot of things for me already, thank you very much."


    "No, he hasn''t done anything for the heart yet," the saint said in a serious tone.


    Ah, His Holiness really knows my real identity. He also said something about my me a while ago.


    But that wasn''t that thing that got her attention.


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that, Your Holiness?"


    The saint paused for a while as he just caught himself saying stuff he wasn''t supposed to say. When he spoke again, his tone was lighter. "I heard from the people at the church earlier that the duke used to be the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. He should have begun training you as a warrior."


    "Kiho teaches me how to control my power. Thanks to his teaching, I learned how to use my me as self-defense," she countered. "I''m not a warrior so my husband doesn''t need to train me like one."


    "Don''t be stupid, little girl," the saint said in a harsh tone. "The heart isn''t meant to be used for a mere self-defense. Are you looking down on the heart?"


    "It''s my heart," she insisted. "I get to decide what I want to do with it."


    "It looks like you''ve been spoiled by your husband," he said disapprovingly, then he raised his fist and motioned like he was pulling something in the air.


    She was surprised when she felt a soft push. The next thing she knew, she was already leaning against the backrest while Sentinel, in his human form, was now kneeling in front of the saint with his head hanged low.


    <em>Did His Holiness pull Sentinel out of my heart?!</em>


    "Greetings, Your Holiness," Sentinel said politely. "My utmost gratitude for lending me and Lord Wixx a safe haven while we were at the temple."


    <em>Oh, right.</em>


    Wixx and Sentinel had been locked up in the prayer room for many years.


    The saint imed that his consciousness never faded even though his physical body went into a deep slumber. Maybe the three of them got to hang out then when they were all in their spirit forms?


    <em>They''re like the Ghostly Trio from C*sper, the Friendly Ghost.</em>


    "Rise," His Holiness told Sentinel.


    Sentinel politely nodded before he stood up and sat beside her.


    "Sentinel, don''t tell me you waited for the heart for many years just to let that little girl use it for "self-defense?"" Saint Forrester scolded the spirit guardian in a harsh tone. "Are you trying to trample on Wixx''s will?"


    Okay, the saint was getting scarier.


    Their "banter" a while ago wasn''t hostile.


    But the way he scolded Sentinel now was a bit intimidating. No wonder the spirit guardian could only bow in apology.


    "I apologize, Your Holiness," Sentinel said with a hint of fear in his voice. "Everything is my fault forcking in terms of experience and discipline. Lord Wixx asked me to treat you as his recement and therefore, I will ept any punishment that you see fit for my failure."


    That didn''t sit well with her.


    "Stop scolding Sentinel," Tilly said that earned her a cold stare from the saint. That was a bit scary but she didn''t let him intimidate her. "And you can''t punish him. It''s my choice to not use my power that much because I''m protecting my baby."


    "If you don''t want me to punish your spirit guardian, then be my disciple."


    Tilly''s eyes widened in shock. "Your disciple?"


    "I won''t let you waste the heart that your predecessors gave up their lives for," Saint Forrester said with a "sweet" smile so terrifying that she had goosebumps. "Most of all, it''s your duty as the Daughter of the Sun to use your me properly, you spoiled brat."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR HOLINESS, why do you call me "Daughter of the Sun?"" Tilly asked curiously. "What does it mean?"


    She wanted to ask that a while ago but their conversation in the carriage was interrupted when they arrived at the Royal Pce.


    Yes, the amodation that His Majesty mentioned was his own pce.


    But she wasn''tining.


    At least His Majesty let him and the saint to have privacy by asking the servants to leave them alone.


    <em>That''s why all the dishes were served already.</em>


    Unfortunately, Sentinel had to go back inside her heart. They didn''t want His Majesty to feel his presence.


    <em>And so, I''m alone now with the holy fossil.</em>


    Anyway, the dining hall that they were using right now was the definition of luxury. Plus, there was a wide variety of breakfast on the table and every single dish looked divine.


    She chose the Eggs Benedict that was called as "Eggs Royale" in the empire. And boy, she didn''t know how to describe it. All she knew was it was now her favorite breakfast. It was her first time to have "Eggs Royale" with smoked salmon but it was great.


    On the other hand, Saint Forrester was already having his second souffl.


    "If the Moonchesters were known as the "children of the moon," then the Fire Mages were called the "children of the sun,"" Saint Forrester said. "But right now, you don''t deserve to be called the Daughter of the Sun. You''re a disgrace to all Fire Mages."


    <em>Ouch.</em>


    "That hurts," sheined. "Why are you bullying me?"


    "I don''t like how useless you are when you are very powerful," he said bluntly.


    <em>Ouch again.</em>


    She could no longerin. Whether she would like to admit it or not, she knew deep inside that not using her heart to fight was a waste.


    "I know that your heart can''t awaken yet," he said. "But there''s a way to use your me properly without endangering your life or the child in your womb. The people around you, and even Sentinel, seem to have spoiled you. But I''m different from them."


    "I can tell," she said sarcastically. "Are you on my side, Your Holiness?"


    He smirked haughtily at her. "I don''t want to associate myself to useless people."


    <em>Ouch, for the third time.</em>


    Gosh, this holy fossil was brutally honest, huh?


    "I get it," she said while holding the bread knife so tight before she lost herself and throw it at the saint. Just kidding. Unless this old fossil roasted her once more. "What do I need to do to prove my worth to you?"


    "At least, you''re smart," he said, a little bit satisfied with her now. "Heart of the Red Phoenix, I need you to find my stolen Holy Scepter."


    Her eyes widened at that. "It was your fault that your scepter was stolen. Why are you asking me to find it for you? You should take responsibility of your own negligence, you know?"


    This time, it looked like it was the saint''s turn to be roasted.


    <em>Hah!</em>


    "The person who put me into a deep slumber sealed my powers before stealing my Holy Scepter," the saint exined. "At my current state, if I went a little far away from the temple, I''ll turn weak weaker than an average Holy Knight. That''s why I''m asking you to find my Holy Scepter for me."


    She raised a brow at that request. "Who made you like that, Your Holiness? Was it Her Royal Highness?"


    He chuckled while shaking his head. "I know what you think of Her Royal Highness. But no, it wasn''t her. I''ll tell you who it is once you bring me the Holy Scepter."


    "What will I gain if I help you find your scepter?" she asked, then she sipped her tea.


    "You can use my Holy Scepter to find and gather the three Ancient Beasts."


    She almost choked on her tea. "Why do I need to find and gather the Ancient Beasts? And why only three of them?"


    "I already know where the ck Serpent is so you only need to find the other three," he said casually, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "If you want to fight the royal family, then you have to gather the Ancient Beasts by your side."


    "Wow," she said in disbelief. "I''m amazed at how you make it sound so easy. What do you think of the Ancient Beasts P*kmons that I can easily catch by throwing a P*kball at them?" She tapped her chest for emphasis. "And most of all, do I look like a P*kmon Master to you?"


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about, you little girl," the saint said, obviously confused. "But I''m telling you you can''t defeat your enemies without the Four Ancient Beasts by your side."


    She let out a frustrated sigh. She could see his point, but she could also see the tall mountain looming over her a mountain in the form of His Majesty. "The Ancient Beasts are in the possession of His Majesty, aren''t they? He probably hid the bodies of the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger, just like what he did to the Red Phoenix."


    "Steal them," Saint Forrester said casually. "That''s your duty as the Daughter of the Sun, Lady Nystrom."


    The look on the saint''s face told her that his decision was final.


    "Well, I guess I have to be the very best like no one ever was," Tilly said, almost singing those lines. "To catch the Ancient Beasts is my real test, to train them is my cause."


    Now she had to travel across thend, huh?


    <em>Gotta catch them all!</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 112: Little Rival

    Chapter 112: Little Rival


    TILLY was finally free from Saint Forrester''s "bullying."


    After their breakfast, His Majesty invited the saint for tea. She knew that she was no longer needed so she politely excused herself. And then, Kiho fetched her.


    Thus, right now, they were in a carriage while on their way out of the Royal Pce.


    To be precise, she was sitting sideways on Kiho''sp while devouring each other''s mouth, making up for lost time (in reality, they were only apart for a few hours).


    And yes, they closed the windows and locked the door.


    "I missed you, Tilly," Kiho whispered after the kiss. His hand remained under her skirt though, caressing her thigh with his cold fingers. And yet, his touch burned her skin. "How was your meeting with His Holiness?"


    "He''s a tough opponent," Tilly said, her face buried against Kiho''s neck that she was showering with little kisses. Then, she looked up at him when she remembered the task that the saint had given her. "Kiho, His Holiness gave me an important task."


    She could talk freely like that because their carriage was safe. Luna put a spell around it so no one could eavesdrop on them. Yes, she was really thankful to have the witch on their side.


    Kiho frowned, obviously not pleased by the idea that the saint gave her a job. "What task?"


    "He wants me to find his stolen Holy Scepter."


    "Holy Scepter" he said, then he flinched and pulled his hand from under her dress to cradle his head.


    "What happened, hon?" she asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"


    "I''m okay," he said but he looked like he was still in pain. "I just felt a sharp jab in my head."


    "You''re not okay," she said. "Let''s ask Miss Luna to check on youter."


    "I''m really fine but I don''t want you to worry so I''ll listen to you."


    She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Good boy."


    He was about to say something but suddenly, he paused and turned to the window on his right side. "The brat is here."


    ""Brat?"" she asked, then she snapped her fingers. "You mean Flint?"


    He nodded. "He''s with Captain Denver and they''re running after our carriage."


    "You should have said earlier," she scolded him lightly, then she looked in the front and spoke loudly. "Stop the carriage. Thank you."


    A few secondster, the carriage stopped.


    She stepped down the carriage while being assisted by Kiho. As soon as she stepped out, she heard the familiar voice that called her.


    "Big Sister!"


    Tilly smiled when she saw Flint running towards her. She also noticed Captain Denver who was calmly walking behind the child. "Flint!"


    To her surprise, the young boy jumped and was about to hug her.


    She instinctively took a step backward because she was afraid that the child might identally "crush" her tummy.


    But that didn''t happen because Kiho caught Flint mid-air.


    "You can''t," Kiho warned Flint lightly, then he carefully put the boy down on the ground. "My Tilly has our baby inside her tummy."


    "I know that," Flint said. "That''s why I want to hug the baby."


    "Then, do it carefully," her husband said.


    That surprised her.


    <em>Kiho is being nice to Flint?</em>


    Wow, her husband had matured.


    And Flint looked horrified by it. "Who are you?" the child asked in disbelief. "Where''s the mean and evil duke that I know?"


    "Do you really want to summon my evil side, you brat?"


    The young boy smirked. "Now that''s the duke I know and love."


    Sheughed at the child''s sarcasm.


    Not wanting for the two to banter again, she decided to literallye between the two.


    "Hi, Flint," she greeted the child, then she opened her arms. "Come here."


    Flint smiled and carefully wrapped his arms around her tummy. "I missed you, Big Sister," he said cheerfully. Then, he pressed his ear against her stomach. "Hello, baby. I know that you''re growing up well inside Big Sister''s tummy. I hope youe out healthy. I can''t wait to meet you! I''m sure you''ll be good friends with my brother Julian."


    She smiled andbed the child''s hair with her fingers. "Thank you, Flint. Once my baby is born, I''ll let him y with you and Baby Julian."


    The child looked up at her and grinned. "I can''t wait for that to happen, Big Sister."


    She just smiled again. "What are you doing here in the pce, Flint?"


    The little boy suddenly looked excited. "Big Sister, my master brought me here to register me as an official squire of the Red Phoenix Knights! We came here as soon as the ceremony ended."


    "Squire?" she asked with furrowed brows. "Aren''t you a little too young to be a squire?"


    "In average squads, boys as young as Flint aren''t epted as squires yet," Kiho exined. "But the squads under the Four Orders are different. They ept anyone who is skilled and talented enough regardless of age or gender."


    "Duke Nystrom is correct," Captain Denver said as soon as he reached them. "Flint is one of my disciples now. It only makes sense that he bes a squire."


    "Oh," she said, a little bit disheartened. Then, she looked at Flint with sympathy. "Are you going to be fine, Flint?"


    "I''ll be fine, Big Sister," Flint assured her. "I will protect you and your baby!"


    "That''s nice," Kiho said that surprised her. Then, her husband put a hand on the child''s head. "I''m sure you''ll grow up as a fine knight, Flint."


    Flint looked surprised when Kiho called him by his name. Then, the child blushed. It looked like he was embarrassed by Kiho''s sudden sincerity so he buried his face against her tummy. "Stupid duke."


    Tilly giggled, but when she noticed how Kiho and Captain Denver looked at Flint with pity in their eyes, she suddenly got worried.


    <em>What''s up with them?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO, why were you suddenly nice to Flint?" Tilly asked Kiho while they were walking in the rose garden of their house. Of course, they were holding each other''s hands. "Of course, I like that you''re notpeting with the child anymore. But the look that you and Captain Denver gave Flint a while ago made me worry. Is something going on?"


    "You''re sharp, Tilly. But I guess you''re still a sheltered noblewoman," Kiho said carefully. "You didn''t notice the change in Flint''s eyes, did you?"


    Her brows furrowed in confusion, then she shook her head. "What changed in his eyes?"


    "Flint has be a warrior, Tilly."


    Her mind buffered for a moment.


    When she finally got what her husband meant by that, she gasped.


    "Kiho, are you saying that Flint already killed a person?" she asked in disbelief. "Captain Denver let a child kill? How cruel."


    She felt her heart break for Flint.


    "Tilly, I already told you before that there''s no child in a war," he gently but firmly reminded her. "I understand why you think Captain Denver is cruel for allowing a child like Flint to kill another person. But in the point of view for people like us who had already been to war several times, he did the right thing. It is crueler to bring an inexperienced child in a war, honey. As captains, we must make sure that the knights that we''re bringing to fight with us are physically, emotionally, and mentally prepared. If Flint went to a war without having killed a person yet, he would just die easily. Or maybe get traumatized enough to go insane."


    She knew that Kiho was right.


    But still, her heart ached.


    "No children should be sent to wars," she said in a sad voice. "There shouldn''t be wars in the first ce"


    "You can''t say that when we already waged war on the royal family, Tilly."


    "I know that," she said in frustration. "That''s why I want to make sure that the war we''re waging on the royal family would be thest one."


    "I''d like that, too," he agreed with her. "I''ve seen all the awful things that happen in a war. I don''t want more children to experience what young warriors like me had went through."


    <em>Ah, that''s right.</em>


    She was reminded that Kiho was also a young boy when he became a mercenary. No wonder her husband felt a strong sympathy towards Flint. He probably saw himself in him.


    "Now I feel bad for myself," she admitted with a sad smile. "I realized that I''m indeed a sheltered noblewoman."


    Kiho gently squeezed her hand as if tofort her. "It''s not your fault that you''re born as a noblewoman, Tilly."


    "Yes. But I''ve been wasting the privilege that I was born with," she admitted. "When I returned to this time, all I cared about is how I''m going to fix our family."


    "Tilly"


    She stopped walking and faced her husband. "Today, His Holiness said that I''ve been too spoiled. And he''s right. I waged war on the royal family without really thinking of the consequences."


    He touched her face with his other hand. "What do you n to do now?"


    "I''ll take responsibility," she dered firmly. "From now on, I''ll stop acting like a spoiled noblewoman. The lives of my fellow Fire Mages are in my hands, and it''s time to take my role seriously. I have so many excuses before but now, I''ll stop running away from my responsibility." She ced a hand on her tummy. "I''ll train and be stronger. But of course, I''ll be careful for our Winter. So Kiho, stop spoiling me, okay?"


    "It will be hard not to, but I''ll try," he promised her.


    "You have to," Tilly insisted. "Kiho, the saint told me to collect the Ancient Beasts in order to defeat the royal family. Can you help me do that?"


    "Of course," Kiho said casually as if the task was easy. But knowing that he was willing to go through anything for her was very reassuring. "I''ll do anything and everything for you, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THIS COMMONER child is close to Captain Denver, right?" Eugene Huxley said while looking at the paper that Captain Denver submitted to the Knighthood Office a while ago. Yeah, he stole it and brought it in his office. "Flint, huh? What a stupid name."


    "What are you nning to do, Lord Huxley?" Lucina asked with a hint of frustration in her voice. "Didn''t the emperor tell you to stay put for now? If you touch Captain Denver"


    "I won''t attack Captain Denver until His Majesty ordered me to. I know that," Eugene Huxley cut the woman off. Then, he smirked while crumpling the paper in his hand. "But His Majesty didn''t say that I couldn''t touch the people around the captain, did he?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 113: Meeting of the Two Wives

    Chapter 113: Meeting of the Two Wives


    AFTER lunch, Tilly was now having tea with Kiho, Sentinel, and Luna in the tea room.


    She told Luna and Kiho everything that Saint Forrester asked her to do. Sentinel already knew that since he was inside her heart during her conversation with the saint, so the spirit guardian remained quiet while snacking on the pastries on the table.


    "I trusted the saint because I felt like I should," Tilly concluded, then she turned to Sentinel who was still busy with his macaroons. "And Sentinel bowed to His Holiness."


    "I can''t really say that His Holiness is on our side. He''s a strange one," Sentinel said, then he turned to her. "But I can vouch that the saint isn''t on the emperor''s side as well. In fact, His Holiness seems to hate the Moonchesters."


    "My enemy''s enemy is a friend," she said with a smirk.


    "Anyway, I don''t see anything wrong with the saint''s offer," Luna said seriously. "I''d rather the saint train you than Duke Nystrom." The witch turned to her husband who stopped drinking his tea midway. "No offense, Your Grace. But you spoil the duchess too much."


    Kiho gulped as if he was guilty. Then, he carefully ced the cup down on the table. "Okay, I admit that I''m spoiling my wife too much. But I don''t regret it. And before I ept His Holiness as Tilly''s master, I''ll supervise their training session first. I won''t easily hand my wife and my child''s life to a stranger no matter how holy he is."


    She smiled at her husband''s protectiveness. "Aww, that''s so sweet of you, hon."


    Kiho turned to her with a small smile reserved only to her.


    On the other hand, Luna and Sentinel just rolled their eyes.


    <em>These two are so fed up with us, aren''t they?</em>


    "I don''t know His Holiness but I trust your gut feel, Lady Nystrom," Luna said, changing the subject right away. She probably didn''t want to see her and Kiho acting lovey-dovey again. "And if we find His Holinesss scepter, he''ll help us locate the Ancient Beasts. It''s not a bad deal so I suggest that you ept the saint''s offer."


    "I''m relieved that you don''t find the idea ridiculous, Miss Luna," she said in relief. "I''m embarrassed but when I first heard His Holiness say that, I thought it was impossible for me to gather the Ancient Beasts since they belong to His Majesty."


    "The Ancient Beasts don''t belong to the emperor," Luna and Sentinel said in unison, both said the same thing with conviction as if she offended them.


    "The Moonchesters captured and locked up the Ancient Beasts against their will," Sentinel said firmly.


    "Okay, sorry," she said with her hands raised in surrender. "I misspoke."


    "My wife already apologized for her mistake so if you scold her again, I''ll kick you out," Kiho threatened lightly, obviously not pleased with the fact that the two scolded her.


    <em>Yep, he spoils me a lot.</em>


    Luna and Sentinel fell silent after that.


    Tilly cleared her throat before she turned to the witch. "Miss Luna, do you have a moment? I want to speak with you in private."


    "That''s fine with me, Lady Nystrom," Luna said. "If it''s okay with you, will you let me give you a proper bath? I alreadypleted the ingredients that I need to give you the medicated bath that you need."


    Kiho frowned at that, obviously not pleased with the witch''s offer.


    She lightly nudged her husband sides.


    <em>Gosh, I know that he loves taking a bath with me but Miss Luna is my doctor! Giving me a proper bath for pregnant women is a part of her job.</em>


    "I''d love it, Miss Luna," Tilly said in excitement. "I also have a favor to ask of you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR HOLINESS, would you like to stay at my pce for the meantime?" Aku offered the saint. Right now, they were having coffee in the grandest tea room of his pce. "It will put me at ease if you stay here until you are fully recovered. I can feel how low your current divine power is, Your Holiness."


    "I wonder why," Saint Forrester said in a sarcastic tone. "Maybe it''s because some insolent fool stole my Hoy Scepter, seal my divine power, and put me into a deep slumber?"


    He shouldn''t have been surprised.


    After all, the saint had always been this outspoken. If it was any constion, he knew that His Holiness treated everyone that way. Thus, he could let it slide.


    "Your Holiness, I can help you find your Holy Scepter if you allow me."


    The saintughed softly at that. "If you could, you would have found it already even if I was still in a slumber, Your Majesty. But you know that the Moonchesters couldn''t touch my Holy Scepter, don''t you?"


    He smiled at that. Lying at the saint wouldn''t work since His Holiness knew a lot about the royal family and almost everything about the empire. "I didn''t say that I''d find it myself, Your Holiness. I said I can help you look for it."


    "What do you need from my Holy Scepter, Your Majesty?"


    "I''ll get straight to the point then," he said, then he quietly put the cup on the table. "Your Holiness, I need your divine power to bring Nia back to me. You already probably know this but my beloved is currently unconscious. I don''t know how but one of her people helped her regain her beauty. Still, that''s not enough for me. I want her to fully recover as soon as possible."


    The saint raised a brow at that. "Do you really believe that my divine power will work on a Moonchester? You know that my Mana is harmful to the royal family."


    "I know that," he admitted. "But Nia is different she''s a special Moonchester."


    His Holiness''s brows furrowed in confusion. "Are you going to tell me the answer if I asked what makes Her Royal Highness different from the rest of the royal family?"


    He just smiled, then sipped his tea.


    "Then, I''m afraid I can''t help you, Your Majesty," Saint Forrester said with a smile. "My Holy Scepter isn''t meant to be used for the Moonchesters."


    Aku smiled and then, he picked up his cup again. "Then, I suppose the royal family has no need for the church anymore."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MISS LUNA, why is the water so cold?" Tilly asked while hugging herself tight. Right now, she was in the huge tub filled with cold water and bubbles. Of course, she was naked as she was taking a bath. "I don''t usually feel cold but this water is freezing! Are you sure that this is good for my pregnancy?"


    "Your son''s dominant Mana is ice," Luna exined while pouring some dust on the water that looked like a bath bomb to her. "ording to your maids, you prefer lukewarm water when you''re taking a bath. That''s good because average pregnant women shouldn''t bathe in hot water. But since your body and your child are both special, I prepared a special regime made especially for you. This one will help your baby develop faster and healthier. Other babies need nutrients to be healthy. Of course, your son needs that as well. But aside from that, we have to "feed" his Mana. As far as I can tell, your child is craving for coldness since your body is already very warm. So please endure it, Lady Nystrom."


    After hearing that, she stoppedining. If it was for her baby, she''d endure anything. <em>Winter, "eat" as much coldness as you need</em>, she told him. <em>Mommy is okay</em>.


    "Lady Nystrom, what''s the favor that you want to ask of me?" the witch asked, then she sat on the edge of the tub.


    "Oh," she said when she remembered her conversation with Flint. "There''s this Fire Mage child that I''m close to he''s called ''Flint.'' He has a baby brother called ''Julian,'' and the baby is around 17 months old. ording to Flint, Julian''s temperature doesn''t go down even if they put a tool on him that''s supposed to control his power. I''m wondering if you can a look on him and help the baby cool down. I heard that Her Royal Highness has a device that can track down Fire Mages. I don''t want it to pick up Julian''s Mana."


    "I understand," Miss Luna said. "I''ll go and meet the baby, Lady Nystrom."


    Tilly smiled at that. "Thank you, Miss Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO stopped kissing Tilly when he realized that his wife wasn''t kissing him back anymore. When he pulled away, he found out that Tilly already fell asleep. He smiled at how cute she was.


    <em>My Tilly must have been really tired.</em>


    After all, it was a long day for her.


    He was supposed to tell Tilly that Lu-something showed up again. But when he saw his wife after her bath, he forgot about the other woman. He kissed Tilly until they fell on the bed together. Of course, he wanted more than a kiss.


    But his priority would always be his Tilly''s well-being.


    He could die of blue balls if it meant giving his wife a good night''s sleep.


    <em>Rest well, honey</em>, he said in his head while fixing her robe, especially around her tummy area so their baby wouldn''t get cold. Then, he covered her up warmly in the thick nket. <em>Good night, my Tilly.</em>


    Kiho kissed Tilly on the forehead, then he stood up and walked to the bathroom.


    <em>Tilly said that the cure for "blue balls" is a cold shower.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    EUGENE Huxley smirked when he finally saw themoner child called ''Flint.''


    Right now, he was in the tower of the Fire Wielder Guild with his "adoptive sister." He went there to "donate" equipment to the children of the guild. After all, his family was known in the empire for producing the best weapons out there.


    As a count, he had several charities that he supported to lessen his tax. But this was the first time that he donated for the Fire Wielder Guild.


    And he only did that to enter the tower.


    "There you are," Eugene Huxley said that caused themoner child to look at him. Fortunately, there was only the two of them in that training room. He sneaked in there to do his task for today. "You''re ''Flint,'' aren''t you?"


    Flint''s brows furrowed in confusion. But it seemed like he felt his killing aura because the child stepped back. He also raised his arms as if his instinct told him to be wary of him. "Who are you, sir?"


    Eugene Huxley smiled while putting on his ck gloves. "Oh, don''t be afraid of me," he said cheerfully. "I''m just here to say my greetings to your master."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY looked up at the tower of the Fire Wielder Guild when her chest suddenly tightened. She didn''t know why but she suddenly felt nervous.


    <em>What''s wrong with me?</em>


    Right now, she was alone in front of the carriage.


    Kiho and Luna were inside the tower now while listing their names in the logbook. It was the protocol before visitors were allowed inside. The two had to enter the tower together because they had different purposes.


    She and her husband were there to meet Captain Denver.


    While Luna was there to meet up with Julian''s new guardian.


    Kiho asked her to stay in the carriage because he didn''t want her to get tired. He was okay with leaving her for a moment because Sentinel was inside her heart.


    When she got bored waiting, she decided to step out of the carriage and look around.


    The tower looks nd outside. But this area feels warm even if it''s already winter. It''s definitely because of the Mana of the Fire Mages.


    She smiled she felt a warm feeling in her chest.


    <em>This feels like home.</em>


    And suddenly, the nostalgic feeling was ruined when she felt another presence. When she turned around, she got the shock of her life. She already expected that moment, but she didn''t expect it to be that soon.


    By that, she meant meeting the person she hated most.


    <em>Lucina Morganna.</em>


    Kiho was telling the truth when he said that Lucina Morganna had brown hair when he met her instead of a jet-ck one.


    <em>Is it magic?</em>


    But other than that, the beauty and grace that Lucina Morganna had in her past life didn''t change.


    Gosh, if she didn''t retrieve some memories of her past life, she would have felt guilty facing this woman. But when she saw this b*tchugh at her after she was executed, she decided that her memory of Lucina Morganna being a good woman might be false.


    And she didn''t care about her past life anymore.


    <em>I''m the original wife anyway.</em>


    "Good day, Lady Nystrom," Lucina Morganna greeted her with a sweet smile. "I don''t think I need to introduce myself to you anymore. I''m pretty sure that Duke Nystrom has already told you about meeting me twice. Didn''t he?"


    As far as she remembered, Kiho told her that he met Lucina Morganna once.


    But she knew that there was a reason why her husband hasn''t told her about meeting this b*tch again. After all, her husband couldn''t even remember her name and called her ''Lu-something'' thest time they talked about her (only because he asked if the b*tch did something bad to her in the past).


    "Yes. My Kiho told me about a woman who made him very ufortable twice," Tilly said with a smile. And that smile even got bigger when she saw Lucina Morganna''s face turn sour. "But I''m afraid that you still have to introduce yourself to me,dy from an unknown family." When Lucina Morganna''s face turned red from embarrassment, sheughed softly. She knew that she was being mean by bringing up their social status. But all is fair in love and war. "Plus, don''t you know that my husband can''t even remember your name? He calls you ''Lu-something,''" she continued in a calm but mocking tone. "Unless you want me to call you ''Lady Lu-something,'' I suggest you properly introduce yourself to me."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 114: Personification of Envy

    Chapter 114: Personification of Envy


    TILLY didn''t take her eyes off of Lucina Morganna whose face was as red as a tomato now.


    But she made sure that her emotions wouldn''t show on her face. So she was pretty certain that even though she was seething inside, she looked calm on the outside.


    "I apologize for my insolence, Duchess Nystrom," Lucina Morganna said, humiliation and frustration both evident on her lovely face. Then, she bowed politely to probably hide her emotions from her. "My name is Lucina Morganna, daughter of Baron Luis Morganna." She raised her head and when she looked at her again, her face was now filled with confidence. "But soon, I''ll be adopted by House Huxley."


    Okay, that surprised her.


    <em>Lucina Morganna wasn''t adopted by House Huxley in my past life.</em>


    But she did her best to remain pokerfaced.


    "Good for you," she said. "Hang in there, Lady Morganna. The high society isn''t for the faint-hearted. But seeing how you bravely approached a duchess and her husband as if we''re supposed to know you, I suppose you''ll be fine."


    <em>Trantion: "you''re too thick-skinned so I guess you can survive by sucking up to people with power."</em>


    Judging by the way Lucina Morganna''s face turned red, she assumed that she got her message loud and clear.


    "Honey?"


    Tilly smiled when she saw Kiho walking towards her. "Hi, hon."


    When Kiho saw Lucina Morganna and recognition crossed his eyes, he frowned immediately. Then, he stood by her side and kissed her on the forehead. "We cane in now, Tilly. Captain Denver will fetch us at the lobby."


    "Okay," she said, then she turned to Lucina Morganna who was looking up at Kiho. <em>The audacity</em>. "Ah, Kiho. Lady Morganna here is saying that I should know her since ording to her, you''ve already met her twice." She looked up at her husband who visibly twitched when she smiled "sweetly" at him. <em>Yep, you should be nervous, hon. I know that you have a reason for not telling me about your second meeting with her. But I''m still a little pissed</em>. "Her name is Lady Morganna. We should stop calling her ''Lu-something'' because it''s rude."


    "Okay, honey. Both meetings were irrelevant to me so I don''t understand why she put it that way," Kiho said as if Lucina Morganna wasn''t there. Then, he turned to the woman without bothering to hide his irritation. "Lady Morganna, I don''t know why you approached my wife this time. But I don''t want this to happen again so if you have something to say to me, say it now."


    Lucina Morganna suddenly looked hopeful.


    "Then, I should leave the two of you alone," Tilly said with a smile. When Kiho turned to her with a confused look, she cupped his face between her hands and tiptoed to kiss him on the lips. It was quick, but deep. Passionate enough to show Lucinna Morganna that I''m the wife now and always will be. "I''ll wait for you inside, hon."


    Kiho, although looked confused, nodded and followed what she wanted him to do. "I''ll be quick, honey."


    "I know," Tilly said, then she turned to Lucina Morganna with a smile. "Have a good day, Lady Morganna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUCINA was humiliated.


    Lady Nystrom leaving Kiho with her only meant that she didn''t see her as a threat. That meant the duchess was confident that her husband wouldn''t get swayed by another woman, no matter what happens.


    <em>That''s not thedy I saw in my dreams.</em>


    The "Lady Prescott" that she remembered was an insecuredy who would often humiliate her whenever she saw her with Kiho. And whenever "Lady Prescott" would do something to embarrass her, Kiho would look disappointed in his wife.


    That was the reaction she was hoping for.


    She thought that Lady Nystrom would make a scene. If the duchess humiliated her for being jealous, she thought she would have a chance to show Kiho that he married the wrong woman.


    <em>Were the dreams I saw just mere dreams and not premonitions?</em>


    "Lady Morganna, please don''t waste my time," Kiho said bluntly. "I hate making my wife wait for me."


    This was definitely the Kiho in her dreams.


    <em>He was nice and gentle to me in the dreams I saw</em>


    "If you have nothing to say, then I''ll leave"


    "No, wait," Lucina said with urgency in her voice. She knew that Kiho wasn''t exactly being nice to her right now. But still, she wanted to make the most of little time she was given with him. "Duke Nystrom, I''d like to properly thank you for saving our town from the rebels that wanted to invade ournd." She bowed politely to him. "My utmost gratitude, Your Grace."


    "In behalf of my troop, you''re wee."


    She waited for him to say more but he didn''t.


    When she raised her head, she was disheartened to see that the duke was looking at the direction where the duchess probably went to.


    <em>Is he always looking for the duchess?</em>


    The duke turned to her. "Do you have anything else to say, Lady Morganna?"


    She shook her head. "Nothing else at the moment, Your Grace."


    "Then, goodbye," Kiho said bluntly again. "I hope you don''t approach me or my wife again, Lady Morganna."


    After saying that, he walked away and never looked back again.


    Not even once.


    To say that she was heartbroken would be an understatement.


    "You can''t treat me this way, Duke Nystrom," Lucina whispered to herself. "You have what I need to survive without the help of Her Royal Highness."


    <em>I should kill Lady Nystrom now.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Tilly entered the tower''s lobby and saw Luna, relief flooded her system. As soon as the witch stood in front of her, she hugged her and closed her eyes tight. At first, Luna''s body stiffened. But eventually, the witch rxed. "Just give me a moment, Miss Luna," she whispered. "I need someone to literally hold me now. I''m sorry if this bothers you."


    "It''s okay, Lady Nystrom," Luna said, then she gently patted her back. "If you need someone to talk to, I''ll listen. If you don''t want to talk right now, it''s also alright."


    She just heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Miss Luna."


    Now she kind of regretted not telling Luna about her past life yet.


    She had already told Kiho that this wasn''t her first life. Telling Luna about her first one would probably be beneficial to her. But she would do thatter. Right now, she just wanted to rest her aching heart.


    <em>It hurts. Meeting Lucina Morganna hurts. And it scares me.</em>


    She may have acted like a tough cookie in front of Lucina Morganna a while ago.


    But deep inside, she was shaking in fear. Even if she was angry at the woman, it wouldn''t change the fact that in the past, she managed to steal Kiho and Winter from her.


    She knew that it wouldn''t happen in this life time because Kiho loved her now.


    Still, trauma was something hard to ovee.


    <em>You''ll be fine</em>, Tilly gently reminded herself. <em>Kiho loves you, and so does Winter. You aren''t controlled by anyone this time. You can definitely protect your loved ones. And most of all, you came back stronger.</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved that Kiho came back when she already got her sh*t together. "Hon, that was quick."


    "We have nothing to talk about," Kiho said, then he wrapped his arms around her. "Tilly, I''m sorry. I forgot to tell you about meeting Lady Morgannast time."


    To be honest, she was happy but also kind of shy now that her husband was hugging her in front of the Fire Wielders in the lobby. But she guessed it was toote to "fix" their image anyway. After all, they were now known as a clingy couple in this whole empire.


    <em>Gosh.</em>


    "I was supposed to tell you but it was too irrelevant for me to remember," he continued. "The only reason I remembered meeting her again was because Captain Sherwood told me that House Huxley adopted Lady Morganna."


    "I heard about it from her as well," she said. "Lady Morganna is a lower noble since her father is only a baron. But once House Huxley officially adopts her, her social status will improve as well. But I don''t know why House Huxley would adopter her when the count doesn''t need a sister. I find it very suspicious."


    "To be honest, I don''t want to think about anything rted to her," he confessed. "But I guess we should keep an eye on her movements."


    "Uh-huh."


    Their moment was interrupted when they heard a loud cough.


    Tilly immediately pulled away from Kiho''s hug, then turned around to face Luna. She smiled right away when she saw the witch carrying a familiar baby. "Julian," she greeted the baby while walking towards him.


    She noticed an elderly woman with a gentle face behind Luna.


    Ah, she must be Julian''s new guardian.


    When she reached the witch and the baby, Luna introduced her to Celine Julian''s guardian. After the introduction, Celine left to give them private time with Julian.


    "I missed you, Julian," Tilly said when she carried the baby in her arms. "Oh, you got heavier. That''s a good thing."


    "Yeah, the baby is healthy," Luna said but there was a hint of worry in her voice. "His Mana is unstable though. If it isn''t for the amulet that he''s wearing, his Mana as a Fire Mage would have been exposed a long time ago."


    "That''s right," Kiho agreed. "But I heard it''s normal for babies to have unstable Mana because they don''t know how to control their power yet."


    She heard what Luna and Kiho said. But she was very fixated on Julian. The baby was very pretty, and there was really something about him that seemed special. She had already felt that the first time she saw the baby. "How are you, Julian? Did you miss me?"


    Julian giggled and the sound he made was music to her ears.


    Then, the baby touched her chest with his small and plump finger. She didn''t know if it was just a co-incidence or what but the child''s index finger pointed at the exact location of her heart.


    <em>I remember he also did this to me before</em>


    And just like in the past, when Julian pointed a finger on her chest, her heart suddenly throbbed painfully.


    <em>It hurts so much!</em>


    Luna probably noticed the pained look on her face because she suddenly but carefully grabbed Julian from her.


    She was d that the witch did that because as soon as Julian was no longer in her arms, she felt herself falling to the ground. But of course, Kiho caught her right away. He carried her like a princess and hovered over her with a worried look on his face.


    "Tilly, what''s happening?" Kiho asked with a hint of panic in his voice. "Where does it hurt?"


    Tilly could only shut her eyes tight and as soon as she did, she saw an image of Flint on the ground


    drenched in his own pool of blood.


    <em>No!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 115: Voice of the Supreme

    Chapter 115: Voice of the Supreme


    LUNA knew right away that something was wrong with Lady Nystrom.


    To protect her from being exposed as a Fire Mage from people who didn''t know yet, she cast a spell that would make them "disappear" temporarily.


    They were still in the lobby of the tower. But this time, they were inside a "cube" thatpletely hid their presence from anyone outside the cube. Only people at Captain Denver''s level could see through her spell.


    "Tilly," Kiho said while trying to wake up Lady Nystrom who suddenly became unconscious. "Tilly, please wake up."


    Luna was confused.


    She was sure that no one or nothing attacked the duchess. But why did she suddenly fall unconscious? Worse, her Mana was stable.


    Her thoughts were cut-off when the baby in her arms touched her face.


    She was surprised at how warm the little guy''s hand was.


    When she turned to the baby, only then did she notice that Julian had red hair something that wasn''tmon among Fire Mages. And his dark eyes seemed like they held secrets that only him knew?


    Luna felt a shiver down her spine. <em>What are you, child?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO felt helpless.


    His beloved wife lost consciousness and he didn''t know why. Worse, he couldn''t do anything for her.


    <em>God, I feel useless.</em>


    He was still in the middle of berating himself when he noticed that Tilly''s chest area was now engulfed in a blinding red light.


    A few momentster, Sentinel suddenly came out of Tilly''s heart as if he was forcefully pushed out of it. After all, the spirit guardian fell on his behind and he had a shocked look on his face while looking at Tilly.


    "Sentinel, what happened to you?" Kiho asked with furrowed brows. "Is there something wrong with Tilly''s heart?"


    Sentinel, who suddenly went pale, nodded and pointed at Tilly. "Look."


    Kiho turned to Tilly and he was shocked when he saw a shining red diamond floating above his wife''s chest. "Is that what I think it is?"


    "Yes," Luna said in disbelief. Just like him and Sentinel, the witch was also staring at the beautiful red diamond above Tilly''s chest. "That is Duchess Nystrom''s heart."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY woke up inside an "aquarium" like "room."


    To be honest, she didn''t know exactly where she was.


    When she opened her eyes, she found herself inside a "room" filled with "red water." She panicked at first, but eventually rxed when she realized that she wasn''t drowning. She tried to swim around and look for an exit.


    But she didn''t find one.


    She was surrounded by reddish "ss wall" as if she was inside a red bottle or something.


    <em>Where the hell am I?</em>


    She hit the ss wall with all her strength but it didn''t break.


    "Damned wall," Tilly said in anger while punching the ss. Surprisingly, she didn''t feel any pain. So she punched it harder. "You''re making me lose my patience, huh?"


    "Gosh, you have a nasty temper."


    She flinched when she heard an unfamiliar voice.


    When she turned around, she was greeted by a woman who wore a red cloak


    a cloak that was engulfed in red me.


    <em>Woah, that''s so cool!</em>


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t see the woman''s face because it was covered with white bandage. But she could tell that she had ck hair.


    <em>ck hair?</em>


    "Are you the first Supreme?" Tilly asked carefully. "The owner of my heart?"


    "Our heart belongs to the Red Phoenix," the Supreme reminded her. "Our real heart has already been crushed a long time ago."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that, Supreme?"


    "That''s not important right now," she said. "We don''t have forever. You can only talk to me because the first barrier of the heart has been broken."


    "There are barriers in my heart?"


    "You didn''t know?" the Supreme asked in surprise. "Well, it''s a secret between me and the Red Phoenix. Maybe he didn''t have the time to exin everything to you."


    "Gosh. Just how many secrets does my heart hold?"


    "Enough to keep you safe," the Supreme said. "Listen carefully. There are three barriers protecting your heart from awakening. Each time a barrier is broken, a piece of my soul sealed in the heart will be freed. And that''s the reason why you can talk to me right now. But we have a limited time. I''ll lend you my strength so tell me what you want me to do."


    "Huh?"


    The Supreme''s brows furrowed in confusion. "The first barrier in your heart has been broken because you need to borrow my power. That means you have something or someone that you''re desperate to save."


    Upon hearing that, she gasped when she remembered the bloody image of Flint that she saw. "I need to save a young Fire Mage, Supreme. But I''m afraid that I might be toote. I saw a bloody image of him but I don''t know where he is."


    "Calm down," the Supreme said. "I don''t know exactly where you are but I can feel that you are surrounded by Fire Mages."


    She nodded as confirmation. "We''re in the tower of Fire Wielders. But most of them are Fire Mages."


    "Then, why don''t youmand them to look for the child you want to protect?"


    Her eyes widened. "But how can I do that?"


    The Supreme chuckled as if she found her adorable. "You still have so much to learn, little Supreme." She extended her hand to her. "Still, you''re now the Supreme. All the Fire Mages are wired to serve you. After all, the me that each of them possess came from our blood."


    "Really?" she asked in amazement, then she grabbed her hand. "We''re awesome."


    "That, we are," the Supreme agreed. "Now, ask the Fire Mages around you to do what you need them to do and they shall oblige."


    She nodded, then she took a deep breath before she spoke.


    "Fire Mages, listen to me," Tilly said in a firm andmanding voice. "Find and save Flint no matter what."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was surprised when Tilly''s heart the brilliant red diamond floating above his wife''s chest suddenly grew red wings.


    Red. F*cking. Wings.


    <em>Woah.</em>


    Then, all of a sudden, the feathers in the wings started to fall one by one. And then, the feathers flew in different directions before they disappeared.


    Kiho could only blink in surprise as everything happened so fast. <em>Just what the f*ck happened?</em>


    "Your Grace, I''ll leave the duchess in your care," Luna said while carefully handing Julian to Sentinel who looked scared of holding the baby. But the witch immediately let go of the baby as soon as she was sure that Sentinel was holding him properly. He also noticed that Luna looked like she was in a hurry. "I''ll find Captain Denver first since he probably knows what''s going on in his tower."


    ***


    MIKHAIL Denver, who was in the middle of finishing his paper work to meet up with the Duke and Duchess of Oakes, got the shock of his life when a ming red feather suddenly appeared before him.


    Just by one look, he could tell that it wasn''t an ordinary feather.


    His body suddenly had a life of its own.


    Before he knew it, he was already kneeling before the ming red feather with his head hanged low.


    <em>What the hell is happening to me?!</em>


    "<em>Fire Mages</em>," said someone in amanding voice.


    To be honest, the voice sounded familiar and yet not. And that was because two people were talking at the same time. And it looked like the voice was protected with a spell to protect the identity of those who were speaking.


    Still, he knew in his heart who the owner of the voice was.


    <em>It''s definitely the Supreme!</em>


    "Listen to me," the Supreme continued in a moremanding tone this time. "Find and save Flint no matter what."


    To say that he was shocked would be an understatement.


    <em>Flint is in danger?!</em>


    "I, Mikhail Denver, have received your first order," Mikhail Denver said politely. "I will carry out your wish, the Supreme One."


    <strong>***</strong>


    EUGENE Huxleyughed while watching themoner child cough blood.


    Flint was now kneeling on the ground while clutching his stomach hard. And yes, the child couldn''t stop coughing blood even if he wanted to.


    One of the abilities he was born with was the ability to turn his blood into poison. He always carried a small bottle with him that contained his poisonous blood. All he had to do was force the child to drink his blood.


    His poison was enough to destroy a little boy''s organs in a matter of minutes.


    "Eugene Huxley!"


    Eugene Huxley was surprised when he heard Captain Denver''s voice. When he turned around, he was shocked to see the captain in front of him. The captain was about to burn his face with his ming arm. Luckily, he was able to jump away from him in time. "How the hell did you find this room?"


    <em>Lucina Morganna, you''re useless!</em>


    That wench said that she cast a spell around the training room that would temporarily "erase" it from the tower! He believed her and so, he tried to kill themoner child without hiding his identity.


    So howe Captain Denver found him right away?!


    "How dare you," Captain Denver used him in an angry tone. "How dare you hurt one of my disciples?!"


    "It''s payback, you sc*mbag," Eugene Huxley hissed. Now that he was already exposed, there was no reason for him to hide his intention. All he had to do was kill Captain Denver along with themoner child. "You killed my fiance!"


    He was about to attack the captain but he stopped after what happened next.


    All of a sudden, he was surrounded by angry Fire Wielders. Each one of them was pointing their weapon at him.


    <em>Dammit.</em>


    He couldn''t fight all of them at once.


    "Captain Denver, Flint is still alive."


    Eugene Huxley was surprised when he heard a female''s voice behind him. When he turned around, he was once again shocked to see a woman with pink eyes attending to the child. Damn, I didn''t feel her presence!


    "Permission to use my ability on Flint," the woman with pink eyes said without tearing her gaze off the bleeding child on the ground. "The process of healing him is risky though."


    "Permission granted," Captain Denver said to thedy. "I trust you, Miss Luna."


    Eugene Huxley hissed. He tried to attack the woman but all of a sudden, Captain Denver was in front of him.


    "If you move an inch, I''ll kill you," Captain Denver warned him. "I don''t care if you''re a count. You hurt one of my own."


    "Fine, I give up," Eugene Huxley said, then he held his hands up in surrender. "But Captain Denver, you can''t kill me." He smirked before he dropped his own warning against the captain. Of course, he didn''t trust that useless Lucina Morganna 100%, so he had a back-up n before he went to the tower. "If I die here, my aid will expose to the whole empire that the Fire Wielders of this tower are actually Fire Mages."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUCINA was on the floor while hugging herself tight, her nails were already dug in her skin. But she had to do that to stop her body from moving on its own. And because she was "down" now, the spell that she created to protect Lord Huxley definitely disappeared.


    She wanted to get up and help the count.


    But the ming red feather in front of her was making it hard for her to control herself.


    <em>No</em>, Lucina said to herself firmly. <em>I''m no longer a servant of the Red Phoenix!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LITTLE SUPREME, your message has been sessfully delivered to every single Fire Mage in the tower," the Supreme told her. "Since my job here is done, it''s time for me to leave."


    "So soon?" Tilly asked in a sad voice.


    It had only been a few minutes, but she already felt super attached to the Supreme.


    "We''ll meet again once the next barrier breaks," she reminded her. "But before I go, let me ask you one thing."


    "Sure," she said eagerly. "What is it?"


    "Who fell in love first?" the Supreme asked. "Was it you or your husband?"


    She was surprised by the question. In fact, she found it weird. But she thought it was a harmless question so she answered it properly.


    "It was Kiho," Tilly said proudly. "Kiho definitely fell in love with me first. Actually, it was love at first sight for him."


    She didn''t expect what happened next.


    The white bandage that covered the Supreme''s face started to fade.


    And then, she saw fat tears roll down her face. But even though the Supreme was crying, she had a pretty smile on her lovely face.


    "He did? And it was even love at first sight?" the Supreme asked with a smile, but tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "Then, you''ll be fine now, little Supreme."


    She wanted to ask about it but suddenly, the Supreme disappeared with her mes.


    Tilly was left there wondering.


    <em>Is it just me or the Supreme and I really look alike?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 116: Bloodlust

    Chapter 116: Bloodlust


    LUCINA was finally able to breathe when the stupid ming red feather finally disappeared.


    As soon as she could, she stood up and mustered all the power remaining in her body. She knew that it was already toote to help Lord Huxley. So instead, she decided to do the thing she wanted most even if it wasn''t the right time yet.


    <em>I have to kill the duchess now that she''s in a vulnerable state.</em>


    If the heart had awakened a while ago, it only meant that Lady Nystrom was weak now.


    She also considered the fact that Kiho might be with the duchess. But she had to strike while the iron was hot.


    <em>I need to take your ce now, Lady Nystrom.</em>


    She closed her eyes and cast a spell around her that turned her invisible. But since her power was sealed, the invisibility spell would onlyst her a few minutes. That meant she had to kill the duchess as soon as possible.


    Without wasting another minute, she used an eleration spell to enter the tower in the fastest and most discreetly way possible.


    Luckily, her target remained in the tower''s lobby.


    The duchess and the duke were inside a cube that couldn''t be seen by people with low or average Mana. Fortunately, even though her real power was sealed, she was still strong enough to see them through the protective spell around them.


    Her heart thumped against her chest loudly as she pulled an ancient crystal dagger from the pocket of her dress.


    That crystal dagger was made specifically to stab the heart of the Red Phoenix.


    She stole the powerful weapon from Her Royal Highness.


    <em>Forgive me, Your Royal Highness</em>, Lucina said while slowly approaching Lady Nystrom. The duchess was being carried by the clueless Kiho. Thankfully, the brilliant red diamond which was the heart of the Red Phoenix was conveniently floating just right above Lady Nystrom''s chest. It seemed like the odds were in her favor, huh? <em>Princess Nia, I know that you need the heart of the Red Phoenix. But I need to survive, too. And that will only happen if I take Duchess Nystrom''s ce now.</em>


    She stood in front of Lady Nystrom with her fingers wrapped tightly around the crystal dagger''s crystal hilt.


    Then, she raised her hands with the dagger.


    Kiho and the spirit beside him still looked oblivious by her presence.


    <em>Goodbye, Lady Nystrom.</em>


    Lucina stabbed the heart of the Red Phoenix with all her strength


    but instead of the red diamond, the pointed tip of the dagger struck a thick cube of ice that was now protecting the heart.


    <em>Kiho?</em>


    "I can''t see you but it doesn''t mean that I can''t feel you," Kiho said in a low, warning tone. "Stay the f*ck away from my wife."


    The duke stomped his foot on the floor


    and then, several spears made of thick and very sharp ice sprouted from the ground in different directions. It looked like it was a blind attack from Kiho because the spirit beside him was almost hit. Luckily for the spirit, he managed to avoid the ice spears.


    Her? No. Unfortunately, several ice spears pierced through her body.


    And one even hit a portion of her heart.


    <em>Damn!</em>


    Parts of her body where blood started to drip from her wounds started to be visible.


    Kiho, with his sharp senses, found her right away. "There you are."


    Lucina tried to run away but she realized that aside from the ice spears literally pinning her to where she stood, the spirit guardian was now standing behind her leaving her with zero exit. <em>Ah, this is the end.</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO felt the bloodlusting their way.


    He couldn''t see where the bloodlust wasing from, but he could tell that it was directed at Tilly. Though he had to admit that he kind of doubted his senses when he saw that Sentinel didn''t feel the threat lingering in the air.


    <em>Am I just being paranoid?</em>


    He almost convinced himself that he was just being overprotective.


    But as soon as he felt a strange and somewhat "old" energy, he decided that they were indeed under attack.


    The first thing he protected was Tilly, of course. And that included enveloping her heart with the thickest and strongest ice that he could muster at the moment. Fortunately, his decision was right.


    As soon as the heart was safe inside the ice cube that he made, he heard a sharp ng as if something pointed just hit his ice.


    That meant someone he couldn''t see really tried to stab Tilly''s heart.


    <em>Unforgivable!</em>


    I can''t see you but it doesn''t mean that I can''t feel you," Kiho warned in a low voice. "Stay the f*ck away from my wife."


    After his warning, he stomped his feet on the ground.


    Several ice spears sprouted from the floor in different directions.


    He knew that Sentinel would be at risk by his sudden attack. But he also knew that the spirit guardian was strong enough to avoid his ice. And he was right. Still, he put in his mental note to apologize to Sentinelter for not giving him a warning before he made a move.


    For now, he focused on the unseen enemy before them.


    Some of his ice spears pierced through the enemy''s body. Once the blood started to leak, their body also started to be visible. Much to his surprise, it was a woman.


    But he didn''t care about the enemy''s gender.


    <em>I''ll still kill anyone who''s a danger to my Tilly.</em>


    "There you are," Kiho said in a low tone because he didn''t want to awaken Tilly. "Did you really think that you can hurt my wife in my presence?"


    This time, Sentinel could also see the enemy now. The spirit guardian stood behind the enemy.


    Unfortunately, the only visible part of the enemy''s body was her torso.


    He couldn''t see the face of the woman who tried to stab Tilly''s heart. Would it onlye out if it was drenched in blood like her torso?


    "It looks like I need to ruin your face to see what you look like," Kiho said indifferently. He knew that what he said was harsh. But there was also no gender in a war. All of them were warriors, in and simple. "Show me your face and tell me who you work for."


    And then he stomped his foot again to create ice spears to pierce through the enemy''s face.


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUCINA''s tears fell silently when she heard Kiho''s cold and harsh words.


    He was willing to do something as gruesome as ruining a woman''s face for his wife. Even though there was an ice spear literally piercing through her heart, the pain that she felt from Kiho''s hate towards her hurt more.


    <em>I''ve been stubborn</em>, she finally admitted. <em>I shouldn''t have appeared in his life when it isn''t the right time yet.</em>


    She knew that Kiho would really kill her.


    But the thing that she was afraid the most was being hated by Kiho even more once he found out that she tried to kill Lady Nystrom.


    <em>I need to go back to that dark ce again.</em>


    With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes and used the heat of her body to melt the ice spears pierced through her body. Using her me, no matter how little it was, would cause her to be pulled back from where she came from.


    As proof, her body was starting to vanish in a ck smoke.


    Lucina opened her eyes to look at Kiho onest time. For now. "I''ll be back, Kiho," she whispered. "I''ve already stolen you once from the duchess. I can do it again." Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "And I will do it again and again until you''repletely mine."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was surprised when the enemy vanished in front of him.


    The woman disappeared in a ck smoke and left nothing not even a drop of blood. She disappeared like she didn''t exist in the first ce.


    "That woman was strange," Sentinelmented. "Her Mana felt so unfamiliar. And she used magic as strong as Luna''s. But I''m pretty certain that she wasn''t a witch."


    "I think I know her," Kiho said while absorbing his ice Mana back to his body. "Her presence felt the same with the one who attacked us back at the temple."


    "The one that said she wasn''t your enemy?"


    He nodded his head. "But attempting to kill my Tilly just made her one of my top enemies."


    "I can''t believe that I didn''t feel her," Sentinel said in frustration. "If Lord Wixx was here, he would have scolded me already."


    He didn''t know how tofort the spirit so he just kept his mouth shut.


    And his attention diverted back to his wife when he noticed that the red diamond started to slowly descend.


    Then, when the heart touched Tilly''s chest, it disappeared in a blinding red light.


    Ah, the heart must have returned to his wife''s body.


    <em>Thank goodness.</em>


    A momentter, Tilly opened her eyes.


    And then, tears suddenly started to roll down her cheeks until she was sobbing like a baby.


    Of course, he panicked.


    "Tilly, what''s wrong?" Kiho asked worriedly. "Are you hurt?"


    "No, I''m not hurt," Tilly said, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his neck. "But for some reason, my heart ached when I saw your face."


    <strong>***</strong>


    HOWARD was startled when a ck smoke suddenly appeared above Princess Nia''s unconscious body.


    <em>That feels ominous.</em>


    He raised his hand and was about to drive the ck smoke away from the princess.


    But much to his shock, the ck smoke forcefully found its way through Her Royal Highness''s nose and mouth.


    "Your Royal Highness" he whispered in disbelief.


    But it wasn''t only because of what happened. Mostly because of the result of what the ck smoke did to the princess.


    Her Royal Highness just got up as if she wasn''t bedridden for many weeks.


    And then, Princess Nia slowly opened her red glowing eyes.


    Howard immediately bowed to the princess. "Wee back, Your Royal Highness."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 117: Lovely Glow

    Chapter 117: Lovely Glow


    "YOUR heart ached when you saw my face?" Kiho asked in a worried voice. "Did I do something that upset you, Tilly?"


    Tilly looked up at him and shook her head. "No. My heart just ached from happiness upon seeing you again, Kiho."


    He was relieved to hear that. The one thing he feared most in the world was being hated by the only woman he loved. He didn''t know if he could live a life without his Tilly. "I''m happy, too. Are you sure you''re not hurt anywhere?"


    "I''m fine," she assured him. "In fact, I feel better than ever."


    Still, that didn''t stop him from checking her out for any physical injury. Her Mana was stable now and it was back to its usual "weak" state. But he noticed one change about his wife. "Tilly, I think your hair has gotten a little darker than usual. It looks almost ck now."


    "Really?"


    He nodded before he exined. "Your hair has always been the richest possible brown shade that I''ve ever seen in my life. But now, the shade falls at the intersection of brown and ck color."


    "Does the new shade of my hair look good on me?"


    "You look more beautiful, Tilly."


    She smiled and pulled his nape for a kiss but stopped when they heard Sentinel''s loud "cough."


    "Control yourselves," Sentinel warned them. "We have a baby here, you know?"


    "Kiho, put me down," his wife said. "I have something I need to confirm."


    He nodded, then he gently and carefully put Tilly down. He didn''t let go of her until he was sure that his wife had the strength to stand on her own. As soon as he took his hands off her, she ran towards Sentinel who was holding the baby.


    <em>Ah, I''m d to see that she''s as energetic as usual.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he realized that Julian, Flint''s baby younger, was looking at him straight in the eye. Okay, that gave him chills. Why was the baby looking at him like he knew something that he didn''t?


    But as soon as Tilly came towards Julian, the baby tore his gaze away from him to act all cutesy to his wife. Julian giggled like an innocent baby that he was supposed to be.


    His brows furrowed. <em>That baby is</em>


    "You''re strange, Julian," Tilly said the words that he had in mind. "You can''t be a normal baby!"


    Kiho felt so proud of his wife''s perceptiveness. <em>Ah, my Tilly and I think alike.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY held Julian''s soft and tiny hands while looking straight in the baby''s eye. "You''re strange, Julian," she dered. "You can''t be a normal baby!"


    Julian, for a baby, looked offended by what she said.


    "I mean that in a good way," she said. "Being different is not a bad thing."


    The baby giggled as if he understood the meaning behind her words.


    <em>Yep, he''s not a normal baby.</em>


    "Thank you for showing me Flint''s situation," she told him sincerely.


    She was really convinced that the one who broke the first barrier of her heart was Julian. After all, she saw Flint''s bloody image when Julian put a finger on her chest. She remembered that the first time the baby did that to her, her heart almost awakened.


    "I''ll try to figure out what you areter," she said while slowly letting go of his tiny hands. "I''ll check on Flint first." When Julian just smiled at her, she turned to Sentinel. "Sentinel, babysit Julian for a little longer. We''ll be back as soon as we can."


    Sentinel bowed to her which was a little bit surprising. "As you wish, Lady Nystrom."


    <em>Why is he suddenly being so polite?</em>


    Anyway, she didn''t have time for that for now.


    Tilly turned to Kiho and extended her hand to him. "Kiho, can you find where Captain Denver is? I have a feeling that he is where Flint is."


    "I don''t know what''s going on but yes, I can trace Captain Denver''s Mana to find where he is," Kiho said, then he took her hand. "Tilly, we need to talk after this."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU going to lock me up here forever, Captain Denver?"


    Mikhail Denver wanted to punch the daylights out of Count Huxley but he refrained from doing so. Thankfully, there were prison bars between him and the count. Yes, after arresting Count Huxley for attempted murder, he threw him in the cell in the basement of the tower. He also called the royal pce to ask for royal knights to arrest the count.


    If he wasn''t protecting anyone, he would have just killed Count Huxley by his hands.


    But as a noble and the captain of Red Phoenix Knights, he couldn''t be too reckless.


    Aside from the secret that he wanted to protect, Count Huxley was also a higher-noble that he couldn''t simply kill. Especially considering the fact that House Huxley was one of Her Royal Highness''s closest aides.


    "I will request for a noble trial," Mikhail Denver said in the calmest voice he could muster. "I will make sure that you get the heaviest punishment possible for attempting to kill my disciple, Lord Huxley."


    "Do what you must, captain," Count Huxley said with a smirk. "But I can''t promise that I''d keep my mouth shut about your real identity once the trial begins." His smirk eventually turned into a hiss. "And during the trial, I will also bring up the fact that you killed Lady Alisa Hayward. Can you see it now, Captain Denver? I have the upperhand here."


    "Do you have evidence?"


    "What?"


    "Do you have evidence that I killed Lady Hayward?" he asked the count with a poker faced. "Can you also prove that we are Fire Mages?"


    The count smirked. "You''ll find it out whether I have evidence or not during the trial, captain."


    "See you at the court then," he said coldly. "Until the royal knights arrive to arrest you, you''ll stay in this cell. If you''re really confident about your im against me and my people, you better not try to escape. Not that you could."


    Count Huxley just closed his eyes and waved his hand as if he was shooing him away.


    Mikhail Denver rolled his eyes before turning his back on the captain.


    The cell the count was in was made specifically for people with strong Mana like him. As long as he was inside that cell, Count Huxley was as good as amoner who wasn''t born with Mana. But even if the count managed to escape, he would be surrounded by the Fire Wielders scattered in every part of the tower right now.


    But he''d be honest. Even if they had physically restrained Count Huxley, he was still afraid of what he could do once the trial began.


    <em>If only I could manipte Lord Huxley''s memories</em>


    He tried to do that earlier but unfortunately, Count Huxley had a strong resistance to mind maniption.


    "Captain Denver!"


    Mikhail Denver was surprised to see Duchess Nystrom and her husband as soon as he came out of the basement. "Your Grace."


    To be honest, he was really delighted to see the duchess.


    He was very sure that the ming red feather that he saw a while ago was from the Supreme. Of course, the order to find and save Flint came from her as well. As a Fire Mage and the master of the Fire Wielder Guild, he was very proud to serve her.


    And he noticed a strange glow in Duchess Nystrom now.


    He had this strong urge to bow and kneel in front of her but he controlled himself because there were other Fire Wielders around him. Aside from Flint, only House Morgan was aware of the duchess''s real identity.


    <em>But it seems like my fellow Fire Mages can now feel the strange aura around Duchess Nystrom.</em>


    He said that because he caught his people stealing curious nces at the duchess. It wasn''t like they didn''t know who Duchess Nystrom was. He swore that those gazes meant that they could feel something special from the Supreme now.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that every sing Fire Mage in the tower right now was unconsciously aware that Duchess Nystrom was the Supreme.


    <em>Her Grace is seriously glowing right now.</em>


    And was her hair darker than before?


    "Captain Denver, where''s Flint?" Lady Nystrom asked in a worried voice, then she lightly touched his arm as if it was reflex. "Please tell me that you saved him in time.


    Mikhail Denver was about to answer but then, he noticed Duke Nystrom''s icy re at his arm where the duchess''s hand was resting. He didn''t need to be a mind reader to know that the duke wanted to cut his arm off.


    <em>Your Grace, it was your wife who touched me first and it would be rude to swat her hand away. Right?</em>


    Luckily, Lady Nystrom realized that she was still touching his arm. "Oh, sorry," she said while pulling her hand away from his arm. Then, without even looking at the duke, the duchess nudged her husband''s side as if she knew that he was terrorizing him with his cold eyes. "Behave."


    Duke Nystrom returned to being pokerfaced.


    And it was a huge relief.


    <em>My arm is safe now.</em>


    "Flint is being treated by Miss Luna in one of the operation rooms in the upper floor, Duchess Nystrom," Mikhail Denver answered politely. "Count Huxley, one of Her Royal Highness''s cohorts, was behind the attack. He threatened me and said that he''d reveal that the Fire Wielders are actually Fire Mages in the noble trial."


    Anger crossed Duchess Nystrom''s eyes. "Bring me to Count Huxley," she said in amanding voice that he was very pleased to hear. "I know how to shut him up."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DON''T you dare tell His Majesty that I''m already awake," Nia warned Howard. "I want you to keep this between the two of us. Is that clear, Howard?"


    Howard hanged his head low before her. "As you wish, Your Royal Highness."


    "Leave," she said in a tired voice. "I want to be alone."


    The High Priest just bowed, then left the room quietly.


    As soon as she was alone in the chamber, she took a deep breath and clutched her chest tightly. She felt tired, as if her Mana had been depleted while she was asleep. But most of all, the memory of being burned alive by the me of the Red Phoenix still lingered in her memory.


    In her skin.


    When anger started to rise up in her chest, her heart literally leapt out of her chest. She groaned painfully, then red at the floating ck diamond in front of her face. Now she knew why she felt so exhausted aside from the fact that she had been bedridden for a long time.


    "How dare youe out without my permission?" Nia asked her heart angrily. "Just what did you do while I was asleep?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 118: New Skill Unlocked

    Chapter 118: New Skill Unlocked


    FOR SOME reason, Tilly felt very powerful today.


    Well, she had always known that she was a proud woman. She was born in nobility and had a privileged life. Most of all, she was aware that her confidence often times came across as arrogance. This may sound like an excuse but she couldn''t really help it.


    But this time, something else felt different.


    Something inside her seemed to be making her more confident than usual.


    "Captain Denver, isn''t mind maniption one of your best abilities?" Tilly asked curiously while they were walking down the stairs that would lead to the basement cell. Count Huxley was being held there until the royal knightse to arrest him. Since Lord Huxley was a higher noble, Captain Denver couldn''t touch the count so easily. That was why a noble trial was required if he wanted the count to pay for his crimes. "Did you try manipting Lord Huxley''s memory to make him forget about your real identity?"


    "I already tried it but unfortunately, it doesn''t work on Lord Huxley," Captain Denver, who was walking in front of them, said. "Apparently, he has a strong resistance to mind maniption. I guess he has the ability to control his thoughts."


    "How did Lord Huxley find out that you''re a Fire Mage in the first ce?" Kiho, who was walking beside her, asked bluntly. "House Denver has managed to protect your family and the tower all these years. What went wrong?"


    The captain stopped walking and so they were forced to do the same.


    "It was my fault," Captain Denver said in a voice filled with guilt. Then, he turned around to face them. Yep, the captain really looked guilty for some reason. "Lady Nystrom, there''s something that I need to confess to you."


    "Confess?" Kiho asked, his yellow-ish eyes glowing menacingly. "Confess what?"


    She rolled her eyes and gently nudged her husband. "Let the captain talk first, Kiho."


    "Okay, honey."


    Captain Denver looked confused but in the end, he decided to ignore Kiho''s "threat" and proceeded to exin. "Me and Flint secretly followed when you went to the temple, mydy."


    She blinked in surprise. To be honest, she was supposed to ask why the captain had to bring a child along. But she remembered her conversation with Kiho about that so she just let it slide. "You did? But why?"


    "Because before you left for the temple, a lot of strange but strong people arrived at the Royal Capital," the captain exined. "We recognized some of them as Her Royal Highness''s cohorts. We thought they came to avenge the princess. I considered the possibility that they knew that you have the heart and the fact that you were the one who burned Her Royal Highness to crisp. And so, I decided to secretly follow and protect you."


    "Why didn''t you tell us?" Kiho asked with furrowed brows. "If you knew that Tilly''s life is in danger because of Her Royal Highness''s cohorts, then you should have told me since I''m the person closest to my wife."


    "I just didn''t want the Supreme to worry about that when she had a huge task on her te," the captain reasoned. "And to be honest, we Fire Mages wanted to do this on our own."


    <em>So in the end, it was still all about duty and pride, huh?</em>


    Kiho frowned, obviously not pleased with that. "Captain Denver, you lead a squad. You should know that the safety of people you want to protect shoulde first before your personal interest."


    "I know that now, Your Grace," Captain Denver said, then he bowed. "My deepest apologies for my selfishness."


    "It''s okay, Captain Denver," she said. "Now, I want to know how Lord Huxley found out about your secret."


    The captain raised his head before he answered the question. "One of the assants who went after you was Lady Alisa Hayward."


    She gasped a little loudly. "I know her. Lady Hayward is a doctor," she said. "And one of Her Royal Highness''s closest friends."


    "That''s right," the captain confirmed. "We shed and when I found out that Lady Hayward intended to kill you, I fought and killed her. On the other hand, Flint took care of Lady Hayward''spanion and finished him off."


    She gulped.


    <em>Was that how Flint became a warrior?</em>


    "Good job, Captain Denver," Kiho said. "But did you reveal your identity to Lady Hayward while you were fighting her?"


    "That was the biggest mistake I did," Captain Denver admitted, shame written all over his face. "I had a mask on when I was fighting her. But while she was being burned alive by my me, I revealed my identity to her as a Fire Mage. I didn''t know how but she managed to share that information to Lord Huxley."


    Her brows furrowed. "How was Lady Hayward rted to Lord Huxley, Captain Denver?"


    "Apparently, they were engaged to be married."


    Ouch.


    Now she understood why Lord Huxley was angry enough to attempt to kill a Fire Mage in Captain Denver''s tower. But that didn''t mean that she was sympathizing with the count. Venting on a child warrior was still unforgivable.


    "Did Lady Hayward see Flint during that time?" Kiho asked with a hint of worry in his voice.


    That warmed her heart.


    <em>Ah, my husband really cares about Flint despite their constant bantering.</em>


    "I''m certain that Lady Hayward didn''t see Flint then," Captain Denver said. "But I''m guessing that Lord Huxley targeted Flint to get back at me. I killed his fiance so he wanted to kill my disciple in return." His jaw clenched, obviously holding back his anger. "This is my fault. I should have been more careful."


    She understood that Captain Denver made a huge mistake. Still, she didn''t want to see him beating himself over it.


    "Be more careful next time, Captain Denver," Tilly said, then she tapped his shoulder. "Thank you for protecting me. I''ll deal with this to protect you and every Fire Mage in this tower. I won''t let our identities be exposed this early so cheer up, okay?"


    Captain Denver looked shocked by her deration. Then, his face softened up. "Thank you, Lady Nystrom," he said, obviously touched. Then, he put his hand on his chest before he politely bowed to her. "Despite everything, I will never regret protecting you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO clenched his fists hard while staring hard at Captain Denver who had his head hanged low before his Tilly.


    He saw how the captain''s face softened up while looking at his wife a while ago. Well, he understood how a Fire Mage like him would feel towards the Supreme. He knew that Captain Denver was devoted to Tilly because of his blood.


    Still, he wouldn''t let his guard down.


    <em>A rival</em>, Kiho told himself. <em>Every single man who looks at my Tilly is a rival.</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    MIKHAIL DENVER knew that Duke Nystrom was ring at the back of his head but he tried to ignore it.


    <em>His Grace is probably getting jealous again.</em>


    He knew what kind of face he was making towards Lady Nystrom but he couldn''t control it. She was literally a living legend, a goddess among their kind. Even if he didn''t want the duke to misunderstand his devotion towards Lady Nystrom, he knew in himself that he also couldn''t deny the fact that he really admired the duchess as a person.


    <em>But it''s far from romantic feelings, that I know.</em>


    "Lady Nystrom, it was you, wasn''t it?" Mikhail Denver asked. "A ming red feather came to me a while ago. The voice I heard told me to find and save Flint. It seems like every Fire Mage in the tower has received the same message."


    "Yes, that was me," Lady Nystrom confirmed cheerfully. "I''ll tell you the whole storyter, Captain Denver. For now, I''ll punish Lord Huxley first."


    As expected, he chose the right person to serve.


    "I understand, Lady Nystrom," Mikhail Denver said. And then, he kept his mouth shut because he felt like Duke Nystrom had already made a hole at the back of his head. Please calm down, Duke Nystrom.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY controlled his anger when she saw Count Huxley''s arrogant face behind the bars.


    She remembered that this count wanted to adopt Lucina Morganna as his sister. That only made her hate him more.


    "Greetings, Duchess Nystrom," Count Huxley, who was sitting on a wooden stool with his legs crossed elegantly, said in a sarcastic tone. "To what do I owe this visit?"


    Only the count and their group were there so she was free to speak her mind.


    "I''m the big sister of the child that you almost killed, Lord Huxley," Tilly said with a smile. She really felt confident today. Plus, the fact that Kiho and Captain Denver were just behind her made her feel stronger. "I''m here to make sure that you''d rot in jail after what you did to Flint."


    "I heard that House Nystrom is the biggest sponsor of the Fire Wielder Guild now," the count said. "But I didn''t know that you''re that attached to the children of this tower, Lady Nystrom." He snapped his fingers. "Ah, right. You probably feel responsible because they are the same as you."


    Oh, the count knew that she was a Fire Mage, huh?


    Well, he was working for the b*tchy princess so she should have expected that.


    She felt Kiho and Captain Denver be agitated behind her. They were probably ufortable with the fact that Count Huxley knew her real identity.


    "Should I reveal your identity as well while I''m at it?" Count Huxley asked with a smirk.


    As expected, Kiho and Captain Denver both tried to charge at the count.


    But she literally held back the big boys by holding each one by the arm. They got the message and each one of them stood beside her this time. And she could also tell that they were more guarded now.


    She had a feeling that Kiho and Captain Denver would be willing to forget thew and just kill Count Huxley if the count tried to threaten her again. Luckily, she knew that she had the upperhand. As if she''d let Princess Nia''s crony bully her.


    "Go ahead, Lord Huxley," Tilly said with confidence. That earned her a questioning look from Kiho and Captain Denver. But her focused remained on Count Huxley who finally stopped smirking. "Go ahead and expose our real identity to the empire. If you do that, then I''ll also expose Her Royal Highness''s secret."


    Count Huxley''s brows furrowed in confusion. "What secret are you talking about?"


    "Oh, it''s not a big deal," she said casually with a smirk. "I just know for a fact that Her Royal Highness purposely took medicine that made her infertile now."


    The count''s shocked look on his face was a sight to behold.


    Kiho and Captain Denver also looked shocked by her revtion.


    "Do you have evidence to back up your usation?" the count hissed, standing so hastily that the chair he was sitting on fell on the ground. Then, he charged at her angrily. "How dare you use Her Royal Highness of a crime like that?!"


    Kiho and Captain Denver both stood protectively in front of her when the count grabbed the prison bars and pressed his face between the gaps. It looked like the count wanted to grab her, and thus her two "bodyguards" acted that way.


    "It''s easy to prove that Her Royal Highness is infertile," she said with augh. "A visit to the greatest doctor in the empire or the saint will do the job."


    The count didn''t have a retort for that.


    "We are ready to fight if you expose our secret," she said confidently even though she knew that they weren''t that prepared yet. Bluffing was needed at times like this, okay? "But how about Her Royal Highness? What do you think will happen if the people of the empire find out that the princess purposely destroyed her reproductive organs? I bet even His Majesty won''t be able to save his beloved from the wrath of his subjects." She took a step closer to the count and look at him straight in the eye. "If Her Royal Highness is lucky, she might just get exiled and lose her title as a princess. But of course, you cannot deny the fact that Her Royal Highnessmitted treason by making herself infertile. And a future empress who wouldn''t be able to bear an heir for the emperor is useless. Don''t you think Princess Nia deserves to be executed for that?"


    Count Huxley growled angrily and tried to grab her by the shoulders.


    But even before Kiho and Captain Denver could move to protect her, her own body and suddenly had a mind of its own to protect her.


    Her body released enough heat to burn the count''s arms even without me.


    Count Huxley definitely felt like his arms were being burned because he hissed in pain while hugging himself tight.


    "I did not give you permission to touch me, Lord Huxley," Tilly said menacingly, her Mana releasing a huge pressure enough to force Count Huxley to kneel and bow before her. It felt good to see the proud count in that position. "If you want to protect your princess, then you better keep your mouth shut."


    Tilly didn''t notice but Kiho and Captain Denver, two of the most powerful Mana users in the empire, almost had their knees buckle when she released a pressure that she wouldter know as "bloodlust."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 119: Daughter of the Sun

    Chapter 119: Daughter of the Sun


    KIHO''S knees almost gave up under Tilly''s heavy bloodlust.


    Her words, her aura, her very existence now screamed power and authority. Ordinary people would have already dropped to the ground because of the pressure oozing from her.


    Count Huxley wasn''t weak. But since Tilly''s bloodlust was directed at the count and he was just attacked by Tilly''s strange Mana, it was only natural that he wouldn''t have the power to fight against a bloodlust as heavy as that.


    If Tilly''s heartpletely awakened, he wouldn''t be surprised if she became more powerful than he was.


    <em>Hot</em>, Kiho thought while looking at Tilly with heated gaze. <em>My wife is so hot.</em>


    Literally and figuratively.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IF YOU want to protect your princess, then you better keep your mouth shut," Tilly warned Count Huxley. "And you better keep it a secret from His Majesty as well. If the emperor finds out about Her Royal Highness''s condition, then I assure you the whole empire will know the princess''s secret, too."


    "I don''t have any intention to tell His Majesty," Count Huxley said between shallow breaths, then he looked up at her with a nk look on his face. "My loyalty lies with Her Royal Highness and not with the emperor."


    She didn''t show it but she was relieved to hear that.


    <em>His Majesty can''t know Her Royal Highness''s condition yet.</em>


    "But Lady Nystrom, you should know that His Majesty already knows that the Fire Wielders are actually Fire Mages," the count said with a smirk. "Even if I keep my mouth shut about the princess''s condition, it wouldn''t change the fact that your days are numbered now."


    "His Majesty already knows who I am so nothing changes even if he knows the tower''s secret," she said calmly. "Because whether His Majesty knows about the existence of the Fire Mages or not, I still won''t let him touch any of them."


    "How arrogant of you," the count said. "What makes you think that you can fight His Majesty? I may not personally like the emperor. But between you and His Majesty, I will choose to side with the royal family." His brows furrowed in confusion. "And aren''t you a part of the Royal Faction, Lady Nystrom? Shame on you for betraying the royal family and siding with the Fire Mages." He red at her. "You''re a traitor, Lady Nystrom."


    Kiho snapped and tried to attack the count.


    Luckily, he stopped when she grabbed him by the arm.


    "My loyalty lies with the people and not with who''s sitting on the throne," she dered proudly. "An emperor who kills innocent people for his own interest doesn''t deserve my loyalty. Don''t even bother trying to justify His Majesty''s hostility towards the Fire Mages because no one in the empire knows the truth."


    The count just rolled his eyes. "I don''t give a damn about your reason for betraying the royal family. But I''m certain that you can''t win against His Majesty. After all, the emperor is the only moon in the empire."


    "We also have only one sun in the empire. His Majesty being the only moon doesn''t sound that special to me," she said bluntly. "And remember this, Lord Huxley: the sun is bigger than the moon."


    Count Huxley looked like he didn''t have anything more that he could say.


    "The royal knights wille and arrest youter," Tilly said, then she turned her back on him and started to walk away. To be honest, she was starting to feel very tired. She didn''t want Count Huxley. "Enjoy your jail time, Lord Huxley."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AS SOON as Tilly was out of the basement, she felt her body grow weak.


    She knew that Kiho would be there to literally catch her and she wasn''t disappointed. The next thing she knew, she was already leaning against her husband''s solid chest. He had his cold hands on her shoulders.


    "Do you want to rest first, honey?" Kiho asked worriedly. "We can visit Flintter. Since it''s Miss Luna, I''m sure that the operation will be a sess."


    "And the operation is still ongoing, Lady Nystrom. You can''t still see Flint," Captain Denver added. "I suggest that you take a rest first. We have plenty of guest rooms in the tower. Please allow me to prepare one for you."


    She knew that she couldn''t win against these two overprotective men. Plus, she was really tired and she might copse if she didn''t take a break. "Alright, you win."


    "Please give me a minute to prepare a room for you, Lady Nystrom," Captain Denver said, then he bowed politely to them. "Please wait at the lounge area for now. I''lle and pick you up once the room is ready, Duke and Duchess Nystrom."


    After that, the captain left.


    Kiho carried her in his arms and brought her to the sofa in the lounge area. The sofa was facing the ss wall, giving them the beautiful view of the forest at the back of the tower. Only then did she realize that the sun was already setting.


    <em>It has been a long day.</em>


    "Tilly, is something wrong?" Kiho asked her worriedly when they were seated side-by-side on the sofa. "It looks like something is on your mind."


    "I just feel bad for saying that Her Royal Highness is useless just because she''s infertile," Tilly admitted in a soft voice. Well, no one was on that floor other than her and her husband. Still, she didn''t have the energy to talk louder than that. "I mean, the princess is a b*tch and I can never forgive her for all the things that she did to ruin my life. Still, it was low of me to say that. A woman''s worth isn''t based on whether she can bear a child or not."


    In that world, a woman''s worth was definitely based on her ability to bear an heir especially since Her Royal Highness was the future empress.


    But she experienced a life in the modern world. She learned how to be a strong, independent woman in that lifetime. One of the lessons that she would never forget was that women weren''t made just to bear children.


    So saying that Her Royal Highness was useless for being infertile made her feel so awful.


    "I''m sorry, Winter," she said while gently caressing her tummy. "I''m sorry because you had to hear that from mommy."


    "Tilly, you''re too kind," Kiho said, half-proud and half-worried for her. "I don''t know how to protect your innocence once the war begins."


    "I''ll be fine," she assured him. "I know that there are things that I have to sacrifice to protect the people I love. But I''ll make sure that I won''t let the war make me jaded. I will still try to be kind when I need to."


    "I will make sure that you won''t lose that kind heart of yours," he promised her. "Let me be the viin and do all the dirty jobs for you, Tilly."


    "If you''re going to be the viin in this war, then I''m going to be the viin''s wife," she said with a smile, then she gently pinched his cheek. I''ll wear my red lipstick and go with you anywhere even to hell."


    "You don''t have to do or say anything, Tilly," he said. "You already own my everything."


    Sheughed at his cheesiness, but she rewarded her husband with a light kiss on the lips. His eyes told him that a peck wasn''t enough. But she scolded him right away. "Later. We can''t do it here."


    "Okay, I''ll wait."


    She just nudged him as a response. <em>Gosh, my husband''s libido is crazy high.</em>


    "I was shocked when I heard you say that Her Royal Highness is infertile," Kiho said to probably distract himself from getting a hard-on. "I know that you mentioned that in the past, you discovered the princess''s secret and revealed it to the public. I didn''t know that the secret was her being infertile."


    "To be honest, I didn''t want to reveal it to Count Huxley because I''m afraid that His Majesty will find out about Princess Nia''s secret."


    "But why?" he asked with furrowed brows. "Wouldn''t it be good for us if we exposed Her Royal Highness''s secret to the public?"


    "Yes, but the risk is bigger than the advantage that we''ll gain," she said while smoothing the crease on his forehead with her finger. "If we exposed the princess''s secret now, she''ll just get exiled. I''m pretty sure that the emperor won''t let Her Royal Highness get executed. Plus, I''m afraid that His Majesty might dere our son as his heir if that happens. If the emperor makes Winter his heir, he will have the right to take our child away from us."


    Anger instantly crossed his eyes. "I won''t let His Majesty take our son away from us."


    "Yes, we won''t let that happen," she agreed. "There''s one more thing that I''m afraid His Majesty might do once he finds out that Her Royal Highness is infertile."


    "What is it?"


    "Find the cure," she answered with a hint of fear in her voice. "Kiho, in my first life, His Majesty found out that Miss Luna can fix the princess''s body."


    His eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Luna can fix Her Royal Highness''s infertility?"


    She nodded as confirmation. "In that lifetime, I asked my men to kill Miss Luna because I didn''t want her to fix the princess''s body."


    He looked shocked, and then he gave her a sympathetic look. "You''re different from that Tilly, honey," he said gently, then he pulled her for a warm hug. Technically, his body was cold. But still, for her, his hugs had warmth in them. "You weren''t in your right mind then."


    His word warmed her heart.


    "I don''t want His Majesty to find out about Miss Luna''s ability to fix Princess Nia," she said while wrapping her arms around his waist. "I''m not powerful enough to protect Miss Luna yet. That''s why I don''t want to expose Her Royal Highness yet."


    "I understand, Tilly," Kiho said while gently patting her back. "Thank you for taking care of the people you love. Youre doing good."


    "Kiho?"


    Kiho pulled away from the hug to look at her in the eye. Then, he gently caressed her face with the back of his hand. "What is it, Tilly?"


    "I hate to say this but" Tilly started, then she covered her tummy with her hands. She didn''t want Winter to hear the words she was going to say next. Well, she was aware that covering her tummy with her hands wouldn''t work. Still, it gave herfort. "I think we should kill Count Huxley before the noble trial begins."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 120: Ice, Ice Baby

    Chapter 120: Ice, Ice Baby


    "I THINK WE should kill Count Huxley before the noble trial begins," Tilly said. "I don''t think he''ll stop until he kills Flint or any other Fire Mage. He might even go after our family now that he knows that I betrayed the royal family. Killing the count is a sensible thing to do."


    Kiho''s heart broke when he heard those words from Tilly''s mouth.


    Of course, he was used to hearing stuff like that because of the nature of his job as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. But hearing that from his lovely wife hurt him.


    <em>I wish Tilly stays as my wife and Winter''s mother.</em>


    But of course, that was nothing but a wishful thinking.


    Tilly was the Supreme and she was now responsible for the lives of her fellow Fire Mages. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the future of their kind was now resting on her shoulders. Of course, she would be forced to mature and act like a true leader.


    Most of all, Tilly was being targeted by the royal family. Learning how to fight would benefit her and increase her chance of survival.


    "Tilly, I''ll be there for you every step of the way," Kiho said, then he touched her face. "I agree with your decision. Even if Lord Huxley gets imprisoned, I''m sure that he won''t be treated like a criminal because he''s associated with Her Royal Highness. He''ll still have the means to get back at Captain Denver and the tower."


    She nodded in agreement. "And I don''t trust Lord Huxley. He''s definitely going to tell Her Royal Highness about the Fire Wielders'' real identities once the princess wakes up."


    "Let''s talk about it with Captain Denverter."


    She raised a brow at him. "You''re done being jealous?"


    His face turned red as if he was suddenly embarrassed. "I know that I''ve been childish a while ago. I am "sober" now."


    To be honest, he could be irrationally jealous sometimes because he loved Tilly so much. This was the first time that he wanted someone so bad and therefore, he would do everything to keep his wife by his side.


    But after seeing the brave face that she was showing him right now, he felt ashamed of his immaturity. This wasn''t the time to be jealous of men around his wife. They had a war to fight and they had so many people to protect now.


    "Thank you for being honest with your feelings, hon," Tilly said with a smile. "You know that you''re the only man for me, right?"


    "I know, honey," Kiho said gently, then he pulled Tilly for a hug. "You should take a rest for now, honey," he said gently. "It won''t be good for you and Winter if you get too stressed."


    "You''re my best stress-reliever so I''m fine," Tilly said while putting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of me and Winter, Kiho."


    He kissed the top of her head as a response.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, please take a nap first," Kiho, who was sitting beside her as she was lying on the bed, told her while pulling up the nket up to her neck. "I''ll wake you up once Flint''s operation is over. ording to Captain Denver, Miss Luna and the other Healing Mages aren''t done with the operation yet."


    Tilly nodded at what her husband said. She didn''t have the energy to be stubborn this time. Plus, she wasn''t a doctor so she couldn''t do anything for Flint but to wait.


    Anyway, right now, they were in the guest room that Captain Denver prepared for them. The captain left them alone for privacy. Aside from the amodation, Captain Denver also asked his servants to prepare tea and snacks for them.


    <em>Speaking of snacks</em>


    "Kiho?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I''m hungry."


    "Oh," he said, then he turned to the tea table. "We have tea and snacks here." He turned to her again. "What would you like to have, honey?"


    "Ice."


    Kiho''s eyes widened in surprise. "You want to eat ice?"


    She pouted and nodded. "Weird, right?" she asked nervously, then he gently ced her hands on her tummy. "Kiho, I''m craving ice and I think it''s because of our Winter."


    Now he blinked as if he didn''t know what to do. "I''m sorry, Tilly. I wish I knew what my mother did when she was pregnant with me."


    "It''s okay, hon," sheforted her husband, then she touched his face. "This is our own journey as parents. Wouldn''t it be fun to discover things about my pregnancy together?"


    He looked relieved by that. "That''s true. I want to learn a lot of things with you," he said. "Let me ask the servants for ice."


    She grabbed his arm when he tried to stand up. "Kiho, I want your ice."


    He looked confused, then he shook his head. "I don''t think it''s safe or clean to eat my ice, Tilly."


    "But that''s exactly what I''m craving for," she insisted. "I want to eat ice made of your Mana, Kiho. Winter wants your ice with your Mana."


    "Are you sure, Tilly?"


    She nodded firmly. "Let''s try it, Kiho."


    "Are you really, really sure?"


    "I''m very, very sure."


    "Alright," he said, obviously giving in to her request. "Promise me that if my ice tastes bad, you''ll spit it out."


    She raised a hand. "Promise."


    He ruffled her hair affectionately before he stood up. "I''ll prepare it right away."


    "Thanks, hon."


    "No problem."


    She watched Kiho go to the tea table, pick up a cup, and cover the opening with his hand. A few momentster, she heard continuous soft thumps. She was certain that it was the sound of ice cubes (hopefully) falling inside the cup.


    Kiho put the cup in the saucer with a teaspoon, then he went back to her side. "Here, honey," he said while holding the teaspoon with an ice cube on it. "I made the ice as soft and as thin as I could so it won''t hurt your teeth."


    "Thank you, hon," she said, then she opened her mouth.


    Her husband fed her the teaspoon of ice cube.


    She started to munch on the ice cube that broke in one bite. Like her husband promised, her teeth didn''t hurt. For some strange reason, eating the ice made her feel energized. She could feel her body absorbing Kiho''s Mana going straight to her womb.


    When she felt little flutters in her tummy, her body froze.


    "What''s wrong, honey?" Kiho asked worriedly. "If it tastes weird and it makes your tummy hurt, please spit it out."


    "No, I like the taste," she said. Then, she turned to him with a smile. "Kiho, I think Winter likes it as well. I felt his tiny heartbeats."


    He looked excited to hear that. "Really?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Your ice is the best, Kiho."


    "I didn''t know that my ice is edible but I''m d that you and our baby enjoy it," Kiho said with a big smile that showed his dimples. Ah, he was really excited about being a father. "Winter, it looks like your dominant Mana is ice," he said gently, his one hand ced carefully on her tummy. "Please be healthy inside your mommy''s womb. Don''t worry, I''ll take care both of you so all you have to do is grow steadily in there. Hang in, buddy. Your mommy and I can''t wait for you toe out."


    Tilly teared-up at the sight of Kiho gently talking to their baby who was still inside her womb. She could easily imagine how good he would be to Winter once their sones out. <em>God, thank you for giving me another chance to be with my family.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Tilly woke up, she was surprised to see Luna beside her instead of Kiho.


    After eating a cup filled with ice cubes made from her husband''s Mana, she fell asleep with Kiho resting beside her. But he wasn''t in the room now.


    "Duke Nystrom asked me to guard you while he''s out with Captain Denver," Luna exined when the witch noticed that her eyes were looking for Kiho. "Captain Sherwood has arrived to arrest Lord Huxley. His Grace didn''t want to wake you up because you were sleeping peacefully, Lady Nystrom."


    "That''s very Kiho thing to do," Tilly said with a smile, then she got up and did a light stretching. "How was Flint''s operation, Miss Luna?"


    "It was a sess," the witch said. "His vitals are now stable. But he''s in a medicine-induceda for now. Rest assured, the child will wake up soon."


    "I know that Flint is safe in your hands, Miss Luna."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you trust me so much, Lady Nystrom?"


    She smiled sadly at her question. "This isn''t the first time that we''ve met."


    "I already know that. I had a feeling that you already met me before," she said casually. "You have the heart of the Red Phoenix so being reincarnated is possible for you. But I want to know what kind of rtionship did we have in your past life, Lady Nystrom. You often look at me with sad eyes, you know?"


    "I was a bad person in my first life, Miss Luna," she confessed nervously. "I wanted my son to be the next emperor. So when His Majesty found out that you could fix Her Royal Highness''s infertility, I asked my people to kill you." Tears started to form at the corner of her eyes. "I technically killed you in my past life, Miss Luna. I''m so sorry."


    "Calm down, Lady Nystrom," the witch said while patting her shoulder. "May I know what kind of people did you hire to kill me?"


    "I asked my personal knights to do the job."


    "Are these knights as strong as Duke Nystrom or the other captains of the Four Orders? Or at least as strong as a whole squad of Holy Knights?"


    She shook her head. "As far as I remember, the knights in my previous life were all average knights."


    "Then, they definitely didn''t seed in killing me, Lady Nystrom."


    She blinked in surprise. "But how can you say that, Miss Luna?"


    "I know my strength, Lady Nystrom," Luna said with a smile as if she wanted tofort her. "The only people who can kill me are people at the captains'' level. Or at least a squad of Holy Knights. If you hired average knights to kill me, I''m 100% certain that they didn''t seed in their mission."


    Tilly blinked back her tears. Luna was right. There was no way a strong witch like her could have been easily killed by the average knights of House Prescott back in her previous life. "What could have happened to the Miss Luna in my first life if she wasn''t killed then?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 121: Bigger Family

    Chapter 121: Bigger Family


    "YOUR GRACE, are you alright?"


    Kiho remained poker faced even though Captain Sherwood was making him ufortable.


    The captain just asked him if he was alright but the tone he used and the face he was making now could be easily misunderstood by other people.


    Luckily, only Captain Denver was standing beside him.


    The other knights and Fire Wielders were heavily guarding Count Huxley as he was being transferred from the Fire Wielders'' custody to the Blue Dragon Knights'' squad. Captain Denver''s vice-captain was the person in-charge of overseeing the process.


    "I''m alright," Kiho said. "I wasn''t the target of the attack. But the young Fire Wielder that Lord Huxley tried to kill is still unconscious."


    Captain Sherwood''s facial expression hardened. "The Blue Dragon Knights are the ones in-charge of Lord Huxley''s arrest. Rest assured, I will make sure that the count won''t be able to escape, Duke Nystrom."


    He nodded. "Thank you, Captain Sherwood."


    Captain Sherwood smiled brightly as if he was really happy by what he said. "Anything for you, my lord."


    God, that made his skin crawl.


    Captain Denver cleared his throat loudly to get their attention before he spoke. "Captain Sherwood, do I need toe with you now to give my statement?"


    "Ah, yes," Captain Sherwood said as if he just remembered the real purpose of his visit at the Fire Wielders'' tower. "You muste with us, Captain Denver. If you want, you can bring as many witnesses as you need."


    "Alright," Captain Denver said. "We''ll follow behind your troop."


    Captain Sherwood nodded. "I''ll wait until you''re ready to leave, Captain Denver."


    "Then, please excuse us," Captain Denver said before he turned to her. "Duke Nystrom, can you apany me to Lady Nystrom''s doctor? She''s one of the witnesses and I would like to ask if she''d like to give her statement."


    Kiho nodded eagerly. The way Captain Sherwood looked at him was making him want to run away from him as soon as possible. "Of course, Captain Denver."


    After politely excusing themselves, they went back inside the tower.


    Only then did Kiho was able to breathefortably.


    Captain Denver chuckled when he saw his expression. "Captain Sherwood made you ufortable, didn''t he?"


    Kiho turned to him in surprise. "You knew?"


    "You''re easy to read, Your Grace."


    Okay, he was touched.


    And he felt ashamed of himself.


    He never knew he was the possessive and overprotective type until he met Tilly. Thus, he still didn''t know how to control his emotions. But thanks to his wife, he was starting to learn how to be emotionally more mature.


    "Thank you, Captain Denver," Kiho said sincerely. "Did you just say that you need Miss Luna''s cooperation to get me away from Captain Sherwood?"


    Captain Denver nodded. "Yes," he said. "Miss Luna is Lady Nystrom''s doctor. I have no intention of exposing her to the enemies. Aside from that, Miss Luna is a special witch because of her pink eyes. I don''t want the greedy higher nobles to get interested in her ability."


    "I agree," he said. "We must protect the people that protect Tilly."


    "Yes, that must be our priority."


    "Speaking of which" Kiho turned around to make sure that no one was within earshot to listen to their conversation, then he faced the captain again. "Tilly wants to kill Lord Huxley before the trial begins."


    Captain Denver looked shocked at first, then he turned serious. "Honestly speaking, that''s what I intend to do. Lord Huxley won''t stop going after the Fire Wielders even after he''s imprisoned."


    He nodded in agreement. "And the count works for Her Royal Highness. We can''t trust anyone associated with the princess."


    "Let''s make a n once Ie back," Captain Denver said. "Now that His Majesty knows our real identity, we can move more freely."


    "Uh-huh," Kiho agreed. "I hate to say this but I think we need Captain Sherwood''s help this time."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT?" Aku asked in a surprised voice after he heard Sir Gregory''s report. "Lord Huxley was arrested for attempting to kill a young Fire Wielder in the tower?"


    "That''s right, Your Majesty," Sir Gregory confirmed. "Captain Denver sent a report to the Royal Knighthood. The admin handed the case to Captain Sherwood. I heard that the Blue Dragon Knights already went to the tower to arrest Lord Huxley."


    He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.


    Thanks to that awful report, he lost the motivation to read and sign the mountain of paper works on his desk.


    "Did Captain Denver ask for a noble trial?" he asked when he opened his eyes. "Captain Denver is the son of Marquis Morgan Denver. They''re in a higher position than Lord Huxley. If he didn''t kill Lord Huxley himself, then it only meant that he was going for a noble trial."


    Sir Gregory nodded before he answered. "That''s right, Your Majesty," his knight confirmed. "The admin office is in chaos right now because this is the first in a while that two higher nobles will be on a noble trial. And Your Majesty, you''ll be the one to decide Lord Huxley''s verdict."


    "Lord Huxley will definitely lose the trial," he said. "Unless he reveals the real identity of the Fire Mages."


    "Will you allow the count to expose the Fire Mages this early, Your Majesty?"


    "No, of course not," he said while shaking his head. "Remember, we need Lady Nystrom''s child. We have to make sure that she''ll have a safe delivery. And she has to give birth in a ce where we can easily steal the child. If they get exposed now, she''ll definitely go into hiding. The Fire Mages are good at hiding so we can''t let them leave the Royal Capital."


    "Then, what should we do, Your Majesty?" Sir Gregory asked. "Do you want me to finish off Lord Huxley before the noble trial?"


    "Lord Huxley belongs to Nia. I don''t want her to wake up only to find out that some of her collections are gone now," Aku said, then he looked outside his window. "Sir Gregory, I want you to abduct Lord Huxley and hide him until the war begins."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY noticed that Luna fell silent after she exin in detail the things that she remembered from her first life.


    She was only distracted when her stomach growled lowly.


    <em>I''m craving for Kiho''s ice again.</em>


    "I''m certain that in my past life, I only pretended to have been killed to escape from His Majesty''s clutches," Luna dered after a few minutes of deep thinking. "I''m just not sure what the past me did after I faked my own death."


    Tilly let out a frustrated sigh. "I guess there''s no way of knowing about what happened after I died in my past life."


    "There''s still a way," the witch said, then she pointed at her tummy. "If you suspect that your child also has the memories of his past life, then he can help us discover the truth once hees out."


    "Oh," she said, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "That''s right."


    "Also, the baby that Sentinel is currently babysitting"


    Ah, right.


    ording to Luna, Sentinel was in the room where Flint was recovering. The spirit guardian was still babysitting Julian with the help of Celine Julian''s guardian.


    "Did you feel it, too?" she asked the witch. "Julian isn''t an ordinary baby. The first time he touched my chest with his finger, my heart almost awakened. At that time, I didn''t know what happened to me. But looking back, I''m pretty sure that he almost awakened me. He did that again a while ago."


    "Now I''m even more curious about the baby," Luna said. "I can''t read his Mana. Even though I know that he''s a Fire Mage, I still feel a special aura around him. Lady Nystrom, we need the baby to stay close to us. Is it possible to get the custody of the child from the tower?"


    "I know a way to do that," Tilly said hesitantly. "But I need to discuss it with Kiho first."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY SMILED when Kiho entered the room. "Hon, I want to eat your ice again."


    Kiho leaned down to kiss her forehead before he sat beside her. "Later," he said. "I asked Miss Luna to make a potion or something that will make my ice cleaner and more edible for you. I don''t want you and Winter to get sick from consuming my Mana that way."


    Ah, so that was the reason why Kiho volunteered to escort Luna out of the room.


    When her husband returned, the witch excused herself and said that she would help Sentinel babysit Julian. Also, Luna said she needed to check on Flint''s condition every 30 minutes.


    <em>I''ll visit Flintter.</em>


    "Okay," she agreed because she knew that Kiho only wanted the best for her and their baby. "Was Lord Huxley already arrested by the royal knights?"


    He nodded. "Captain Sherwood and the Blue Dragon Knights came to arrest the count."


    She let out a frustrated sigh. "I forgot to ask Lord Huxley about Lucina Morganna. I want to know where he found her, and the reason why he wanted to adopt her as his sister."


    "We can interrogate Lord Huxleyter," he said, then she noticed that he became serious. "Tilly, someone tried to kill you while you were unconscious earlier."


    She was shocked to hear that. "Was it the same assant that "visited" us at the temple a while ago?"


    "I think so," he said. "They have the same aura. But this time, I found out that it was a woman. Unfortunately, I didn''t get to see her face because she suddenly disappeared without leaving a trace."


    A woman, huh?


    "Aside from Her Royal Highness, I can only think of another woman who wants me dead," she said. "I bet it''s Lucina Morganna."


    He blinked in surprise. "Oh. Did she have a strong power in your past life, Tilly?"


    "I can''t remember," she said truthfully. "But if she works for the princess, she can''t be normal."


    "Fair point," he said, anger visible in his eyes. "That woman just gives me more reasons to hate her."


    "Did you injure her?"


    He nodded. "My ice spears pierced through her torso."


    "Brute," she teased him, but she instantly got serious. "If she disappeared for the following days even though she was supposed to stay by her future adoptive brother during these trying times for House Huxley, then we can safely assume that she was gone to recover. We''ll have to consider her as a threat from now on."


    He looked at her as if he was proud of her. "I like how calm you are when taking this in."


    "Nothing bad happened to me because you protected me," she said with a smile. "Plus, I''m relieved that she''s strong enough to try and kill me." She looked at her hands. "I feel powerful now, Kiho. It wouldn''t feel right to kill Lucina Morganna if she happened to be a small-fry. That would make me feel like a bully."


    Kiho let out a heartyugh. "You being arrogant is also hot, Tilly."


    She looked at him and raised a brow at him. "Kiho, you find everything about me hot."


    He nodded in agreement. "That''s true."


    It was her turn tough loudly. "Gosh, you''re making me feel sexier."


    His gaze turned heated.


    She knew what he wanted to do so she gently tapped his chest to stop him from jumping her bones. They had a serious matter that they needed to discuss first. "Kiho, I have a huge favor to ask."


    "What is it?" Kiho asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "You sound so serious, Tilly."


    "I want to keep Flint and Julian close to us," Tilly said nervously. "Can we adopt them?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 122: Unholiness

    Chapter 122: Unholiness


    "ADOPT the kids?"


    Tilly nodded at Kiho''s question. "Yes, adopt the kids. But not as our children."


    Kiho looked confused by what she said. "Not as our children?"


    "In the empire, we have a stupidw that says the first born male child automatically bes the heir of a family," she exined. "The second male child could only be the heir if the first born is dead, sick, or has been disowned by the father. Thew applies even to adopted children and son-inws. That''s why you became Father''s heir when we got married."


    He nodded his head as if he was absorbing the things she said. "So if we adopt Flint and Julian, Flint will be the heir of House Nystrom."


    "That''s right," she confirmed. "Of course, if Flint and Julian allow us to adopt them, we''ll treat them as our own. But I want Winter to be our heir apparent not because he''s our biological son. I just think that being the heir to House Nystrom would only be a shackle to Flint. I don''t want to give him the responsibility that he didn''t ask for in the first ce. After all, we''re going to adopt them to protect them." She ced her hands on our tummy. "On the other hand, bing House Nystrom''s heir will be Winter''s protection. In my past life, we relinquished Winter''s right to be our family''s heir for him to be the crown prince. Of course, I manipted you to agree with my n. If I didn''t cry day and night while begging you to let our son be the emperor''s heir, you wouldn''t have given in. That and the fact that in my first life, you had a solid rtionship with His Majesty."


    "Oh," he said in a saddened voice.


    She quickly changed the topic because she didn''t want Winter to remember their tragic married life in the past. "Anyway, if Winter bes the heir of House Nystrom as soon as he was born, His Majesty couldn''t easily touch our child. Even if he''s the emperor, he still needs to abide by thews that his predecessors made in the first ce."


    "I understand," he said. "So, how are we going to adopt Flint and Julian?"


    "Can you adopt them as your brothers?"


    He blinked several times before he nodded. "I can do that."


    "Really, hon?"


    He nodded. "Even if you asked me to adopt them as our children, I wouldn''t mind," he said. "I was an orphan all my life, Tilly. If my master didn''t adopt me, I would have probably died early. His Majesty kind of did that as well when he took me under his wing. And now, in my adult life, your father technically adopted me. Even though I''m just amoner, Father didn''t mind naming me as his heir. And you didn''t resent me for it." He touched her face. "Thanks to the people who adopted me, I have a good life now. That''s why I don''t mind doing the same for Flint and Julian."


    Oh.


    She just fell in love with him all over again.


    "Kiho, you just made me want to have more children with you," Tilly said, teasing Kiho who instantly turned bright red. Sheughed at his cute reaction and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Hon, prepare yourself as soon as we get home I''m not letting you leave our room until I''m sore and can''t walk properly."


    Well, that was always the case anyway.


    "Okay, honey," Kiho said like a good husband that he was. But despite him looking and sounding docile outside, there was a beast in him a beast that takes over in bed. The heat in his gaze promised her that they would definitely make up for lost timeter. "Maybe the stamina I''ve built all these years is meant to be used to please you."


    Sheughed heartily at his teasing.


    <em>Gosh, Kiho can make dirty jokes now!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''S chest tightened when she saw Flint lying on the bed, still unconscious.


    <em>Oh, Flint</em>


    Right now, she was in the recovering room with Kiho, Luna, and Sentinel.


    ording to Luna, Celine fetched Julian when the baby fell asleep. But to make sure that no one would attack Flint''s baby brother, Celine assured them that she asked a team of Fire Wielders to guard Julian''s room all night.


    Luna said that she also attached a protective spell on Julian. If something attacked the baby, they would know right away.


    "Flint, can you hear me?" Tilly asked softly. She was sitting on the chair beside the bed while holding the child''s warm hand. "Don''t worry, I''ll make Lord Huxley pay for this. And from now on, Kiho and I will do anything to protect you and Julian."


    She felt Kiho''s cold hands on her shoulders as a way tofort her.


    Ah, her husband must have felt the sadness in her voice.


    "Flint, I hope you wake up soon," she continued. "Once you''re awake, Kiho and I would like to know if you''ll allow us to adopt you and Julian as Kiho''s younger brothers."


    "You''re going to adopt the kids as Duke Nystrom''s brothers?" Sentinel asked in surprise.


    Luna already knew about her n so the witch remained silent while reading something from the ck and pink book that she held carefully in her hands.


    `Must be her "witchcrafts" book.


    "Yes," she answered Sentinel''s question, then she turned to him. "We can''t adopt them as our children because Winter needs to be the heir of House Nystrom for his protection. So Kiho and I decided to adopt Flint and Julian as his younger brothers instead. As long as the children carry our name, the enemies can''t easily touch them."


    "Oh, I see," Sentinel said. "Seeing as Flint seems to be a special kind, I agree with the n."


    "I''m worried about leaving Flint and Julian at this situation," she said, then she looked up at Kiho. "Hon, we''re going to Oakes with Father the day after tomorrow. But I''m having second thoughts now."


    "I understand your feelings, honey," Kiho said. "But I don''t think we can cancel our n. Father said that he''d show you something important, didn''t he?"


    Well, that was true.


    Also, she was really looking forward to visiting her mother''s grave again. Still, her heart couldn''t be at ease knowing that a dangerous enemy was after her fellow Fire Mages now.


    "I''ll stay here and help Captain Denver protect the tower."


    They all turned to Luna.


    "Miss Luna, you are my Tilly''s doctor," Kiho reminded the witch. "My wife needs you by her side all the time."


    "I have that covered, Your Grace," Luna said. "I have a proxy that knows how to take care of Lady Nystrom and her baby more than I do. If that person joins you in your short vacation, no one can touch the duchess not even the emperor himself."


    "Ah," Sentinel said, then he turned to the witch. "I think I know who you are referring to, Luna. And I agree with you."


    Okay, that got her curious even more.


    "Why do I suddenly feel nervous?" Tilly asked with furrowed brows. "Who is this "proxy" you''re talking about, Miss Luna?"


    "The saint," Luna said bluntly. "Didn''t Saint Forrester say that he needs to train you anyway?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    SAINT FORRESTER covered half of his face with his hands when he sneezed. "You''re triggering my allergy to the Moonchesters."


    As a response to his statement, Princess Nia Moonchester coughed blood. "Damn you," she said while giving him a sharp re. "How dare a mere saint do this to me?!"


    Right now, the princess was pinned against the wall with his Holy Vines.


    The thorns of the vines nailed her hands and feet on the wall, making them bleed profusely. The more blood the vines absorb, the stronger it gets. If the princess was in her top condition, she could have easily gotten out of it.


    But since Her Royal Highness just woke up from heratose state, she was still weak.


    "If my brother finds out about this, he''ll kill you," Her Royal Highness threatened him.


    "Oh, then shall we tell His Majesty that you''re already awake?" he asked with a smirk. "I thought you told Howard to keep this a secret?"


    As expected, the spoiled princess didn''t have a retort for that.


    "You''re not the one I need, Your Royal Highness," he said, then he put a hand on the top of her head. "Good night, the spoiled one."


    Princess Nia looked like she wanted to fight back but of course, she couldn''t do that in her weakened state. A few momentster, she finally fell asleep.


    <em>For someone in her state, she''s still pretty strong.</em>


    As expected, he couldn''t underestimate the Moonchesters.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Forrester stabbed the princess''s chest and literally ripped her heart out. Now, he had the warm ck diamond in his hand. Unfortunately, the ck heart was already in a deep slumber. It must have suffered an injurytely because its heartbeat was so weak.


    "After so many years, you''re still useless," he said while looking at the ck diamond. "Though I don''t think you have my Holy Scepter." He smirked bitterly. "You stole my Holy Scepter only for it to be stolen from you?"


    If the ck heart no longer has his Holy Scepter, he could only think of one person who would have wanted it for himself.


    It was definitely Aku, but that sketchy emperor couldn''t have touched his Holy Scepter. And His Majesty seemed like he really didn''t know where the Holy Scepter was. Also, if the emperor had it, he would have already used it to heal his beloved Princess Nia. But he didn''t.


    Then, this could only mean one thing.


    Aku Moonchester asked another person to steal the Holy Scepter.


    "The ck Serpent definitely hid my Holy Scepter," Forrester whispered to himself. "But his memories are still sealed so he can''t possibly remember where he hid it." He tilted his head at one side while thinking. "Should I awaken the ck Serpent a little bit, hmm?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 123: Invisible Strings

    Chapter 123: Invisible Strings


    <em><strong>[A few minutes earlier]</strong></em>


    AS SOON as Forrester stepped foot in the temple, he felt an ominous presence that could only belong to one person.


    <em>Could it be?</em>


    He ran towards the direction of the aura that he felt.


    Much to his surprise, it led him to the room where Princess Nia was supposed to be sleeping. On his way to the chamber, he crossed paths with Howard the High Priest.


    "Your Holiness, you''ve returned," Howard said in surprise. "Would you like to have tea with me?"


    "Maybe some other time," Forrester said with urgency in his voice. "I have business with Her Royal Highness."


    The High Priest looked shocked. "Her Royal Highness is still asleep, Your Holiness."


    He smiled sweetly at him. "Howard, do you seriously think that you can lie to me?"


    Howard looked helpless. In the end, he bowed his head in surrender. "I apologize, Your Holiness."


    "Don''t worry I won''t kill the princess," he assured the High Priest when he went past him. "I''m not like the Moonchesters whose only solution to a problem is to kill."


    Well, at least he was trying not to be like the Moonchesters.


    Hate towards the royal family was embedded in every fiber of his being. But he refused to blindly follow what his blood dictated. He had always known that his fate was to be the empire''s saint. Still, he wanted to control the aspects of his life that he could.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he finally reached the room at the end of the hallway.


    Without even bothering to knock, he entered the chamber.


    "Greetings, Your Holiness," Princess Nia, who was standing in front of the bed as if she was already expecting him, greeted him with a disapproving look on her pretty face. Judging by the night gown the princess was wearing, it was obvious that she really intended to pretend to be still unconscious. "I know that the temple is your home. But entering a guest''s room without even knocking is still rude."


    "I didn''t invite you in my home so I consider you as a trespasser," Forrester said bluntly. "It looks like the church has favored the royal family while I was in deep slumber, huh?"


    "Doesn''t the church exist to serve the royal family?"


    "We have a problem, Your Royal Highness," he said. "It looks like His Majesty intends to cut our ties soon. What should I do then?"


    The princess looked genuinely shocked by that. "His Majesty intends to severe our ties with the church?"


    "That seems to be the case."


    Her Royal Highnessughed softly but in a mocking way. Only the princess could sound eloquent while being rude. Her gaze was also full of contempt. "If my brother doesn''t find you useful anymore, he probably intends to kill you and rece you with another saint that he could control. What a shame, Your Holiness. You just woke up but soon, the emperor will put you in a permanent slumber."


    He chuckled at what he heard from the princess.


    The children of the moon hadn''t changed at all. All they talk about was death. Darkness doesn''t equal evilness, but the Moonchesters make it look like so.


    <em>Compared to that</em>


    "The children of the moon and the children of the sun are really opposites," hemented in amusement. "I recently met a daughter of the sun. She has a nasty temper but she didn''t talk about death. But even if she did, I''m certain that it would be for the greater good."


    "I think I know who you are referring to," the princess said coldly. "Don''tpare me to a person like that."


    He raised an eyebrow at that.


    <em>Her Royal Highness doesn''t know?</em>


    He was pretty sure that the princess and the emperor knew that Duchess Nystrom had the heart of the Red Phoenix.


    <em>But Her Royal Highness still underestimates Lady Nystrom</em>


    He didn''t know about the emperor, but it was obvious that the princess wasn''t aware of what it truly meant to be the Supreme.


    <em>Your Majesty, are you trying to protect the princess by keeping her in the dark?</em>


    He had met Her Royal Highness as a child before he fell in a slumber.


    Back then, he didn''t see or feel anything special about the princess except for the fact that she was a Moonchester.


    But now, it seemed like she literally had a change of heart.


    "Your Royal Highness, let me see your heart for a second," he asked as nicely as he could.


    Anger crossed Princess Nia''s face. She tried to attack him but it was put on vain when his Holy Vines sprouted from the ground and wrapped themselves around her body. Her Royal Highness gasped in pain when the thorns dug deep into her skin.


    He raised his hand and waved it.


    As a result, the princess was sent flying until her back hit the wall. As soon as she did, four big thorns dug themselves in Her Royal Highness''s hands and feet pinning her against the wall while profusely bleeding.


    The princess made incoherent sounds from the pain.


    He walked towards her but stopped when he was near her when his nose got itchy. Then, he covered his mouth with his hands when he sneezed. "You''re triggering my allergy to the Moonchesters."


    As a response to his statement, Princess Nia Moonchester coughed blood. "Damn you," she said while giving him a sharp re. "How dare a mere saint do this to me?! If my brother finds out about this, he''ll kill you."


    "Oh, then shall we tell His Majesty that you''re already awake?" he asked with a smirk. "I thought you told Howard to keep this a secret?"


    As expected, the spoiled princess didn''t have a retort for that.


    "You''re not the one I need, Your Royal Highness," he said, then he put a hand on the top of her head. "Good night, the spoiled one."


    Princess Nia looked like she wanted to fight back but of course, she couldn''t do that in her weakened state. A few momentster, she finally fell asleep.


    For someone in her state, she''s still pretty strong.


    As expected, he couldn''t underestimate the Moonchesters.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Forrester stabbed the princess''s chest and literally ripped her heart out. Now, he had the warm ck diamond in his hand. Unfortunately, the ck heart was already in a deep slumber. It must have suffered an injurytely because its heartbeat was so weak.


    "After so many years, you''re still useless," he said while looking at the ck diamond. "Though I don''t think you have my Holy Scepter." He smirked bitterly. "You stole my Holy Scepter only for it to be stolen from you?"


    If the ck heart no longer has his Holy Scepter, he could only think of one person who would have wanted it for himself.


    It was definitely Aku, but that sketchy emperor couldn''t have touched his Holy Scepter. And His Majesty seemed like he really didn''t know where the Holy Scepter was. Also, if the emperor had it, he would have already used it to heal his beloved Princess Nia. But he didn''t.


    <em>Then, this could only mean one thing.</em>


    Aku Moonchester asked another person to steal the Holy Scepter.


    "The ck Serpent definitely hid my Holy Scepter," Forrester whispered to himself. "But his memories are still sealed so he can''t possibly remember where he hid it." He tilted his head at one side while thinking. "Should I awaken the ck Serpent a little bit, hmm?"


    All of a sudden, Duchess Nystrom''s face entered his mind.


    His will to awaken the ck Serpent disappeared right away.


    <em>No, I can''t be that selfish</em>, he told himself. <em>I may not live up to the people''s expectations for a saint but that doesn''t mean I should stoop down to the Moonchesters'' level.</em>


    His Holy Scepter was important but it was his fault that it was stolen from him.


    <em>I shouldn''t f*ck up the duchess''s life for the mistake that I made.</em>


    Most of all, it was an unwritten rule for everyone who knew the truth that the Supreme and the ck Serpent shouldn''t awaken at the same time.


    If that happened, the empire would definitely get destroyed by either ice or fire or both.


    So even if there were at least two sides fighting right now, they would inevitably have to work together to make sure that the Supreme and the ck Supreme wouldn''t retrieve their memories simultaneously. Or else, it would be the end for everyone. What use would fighting be if they all died from the Supreme and the ck Serpent''s wrath anyway?


    <em>It won''t be easy</em>, he said to himself, then he looked at the ck diamond in his hand. <em>You''re not supposed to exist in this era.</em>


    He tried to break the ck diamond but it only got hot enough to burn even a saint like him.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have any other choice but to return the ck diamond in Princess Nia''s chest.


    After that, he turned back the time.


    His Holy Vines vanished and Princess Nia''s wounds healed immediately while she was unconscious, then her body floated and plopped gently on the bed. When the princess wakes up, she wouldn''t remember a thing.


    Then, he was out of the chamber as if he hadn''t been there.


    Of course, turning back the time consumed a huge amount of Mana. Which he shouldn''t have really done considering the fact that he just woke up from his deep slumber. And that his real power was sealed.


    Still, he had to do what he did.


    Forrester leaned against the wall for support. "I need to find my Holy Scepter soon," he whispered to himself. "I need to somehow get close to the ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE SAINT?" Tilly asked nervously, then she swallowed hard. "Does it really have to be His Holiness? I mean, I know that training under the saint is inevitable. But that doesn''t mean he should join my short vacation with my family."


    "What''s wrong, Tilly?" Kiho asked worriedly. Is the saint mean to you?"


    "Don''t worry about it, hon," she assured him. "I can deal with His Holiness. I''m just afraid that our short vacation might turn into a mess because of our banters."


    "I won''t let him bully you, honey," her husband assured her, then he turned to Luna. "But does it really have to be the saint, Miss Luna? I don''t think the saint has the freedom to leave the temple as he pleases. And he just woke up. I''m sure that he has a lot of work to do."


    "It has to be the saint," Luna said. "He''s the only person who''s capable of protecting the duchess in my ce." The witch turned to her. "Lady Nystrom, I know that it''s my responsibility to stay by your side until you safely give birth to your son. But right now, I need to stay in the Royal Capital. Aside from looking after Flint, I need to do something important."


    She was suddenly reminded that it was her who asked Luna to be her doctor even though the witch came to the Royal Capital for a different reason.


    <em>I can''t be selfish and monopolize her.</em>


    They would only be at Oakes for a few days anyway. Plus, as long as Kiho was with her, she knew that she''d be safe.


    "I understand," she said. "Would you be okay alone, Miss Luna?"


    "I won''t be alone," the witch assured her. "I''ll force Captain Denver to work with me."


    Sheughed at that.


    "Miss Luna, how will we convince the saint to join our short vacation?" Kiho asked curiously. "Should we meet up with His Holiness?"


    "I''ll take care of it," Luna said. "I''ll sneak in the templeter."


    Tilly was amazed by that. <em>I know I''ve said this before but we''re really lucky to have Miss Luna by our side.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LUNA, are you staying behind to look for the White Snake?" Sentinel confronted the witch when they were alone in the room with the unconscious Flint. The duke and duchess of Oakes already left to go home since it was alreadyte. He didn''t return to Duchess Nystrom''s heart yet because he had a feeling that he shouldn''t yet. He''d just go hometer. As long as both of them were in the Royal Capital, he could maintain his human form. "Is that why you''re not going to join the Nystroms'' short vacation?"


    "Uh-huh," Luna said while preparing for a teleportation spell by lighting a special pink candle. "I have a feeling that we should catch that White Snake as soon as possible. So while I''m here, you take care of the duchess in my ce. Also, make sure that the ck Serpent won''t awaken."


    "Leave them to me," he said. "Are you sure that you''re going to be okay?"


    "We can trust Captain Denver," she said. "And I want to keep an eye on the baby as well."


    "Yeah, the baby is really strange," he agreed. "His me and Mana are different from average Fire Mages."


    "I''ll look into the baby''s background while I''m here," Luna said, her body now starting to vanish. "See youter, Sentinel. Look after Flint while I''m gone."


    "Okay," Sentinel said while waving his hand at the witch. "Take care, Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY let out a soft gasp when Kiho''s hand slid under her dress and caressed her inner thigh. "Hon," she said in surprise. "We''re still in the carriage."


    Kiho smiled yfully at her. "Let''s do it here, Tilly."


    Her eyes widened in shock.


    Right now, they were inside the carriage on their way home.


    To be precise, she was straddling her husband as they made out when his hands started to wander on her body boldly. They had made out in the carriage several times. But this was the first time that he became that needy.


    And to hear Kiho say that he wanted to do it in the carriage?


    <em>Kinky!</em>


    She leaked a bit at that.


    "You know I''m loud," she said with a pout. "I don''t mind doing it here but I don''t want the coachman to know."


    "I''ll take care of that," he said confidently.


    Then, a few momentster, the inside of the carriage was started to be covered with thin ice. Despite that, they could still breathe properly. And since her body was naturally warm, she didn''t feel that cold.


    "Now the carriage is soundproof," Kiho said with a naughty smile. Then, his fingers started to y with the ribbon attached to her blouse. "Can I take this off, Tilly?"


    "Bad boy," Tilly yfully scolded Kiho. "You''re such a bad boy now, Kiho."


    And yes, she wanted to do it with him in the carriage.


    <strong>***</strong>


    FORRESTER could see it all.


    Currently, he was sitting on the windowsill of the tower''s attic while looking at the sunset.


    But aside from the beautiful orangey sky, he could also see several white strings that were invisible to the eye of ordinary people. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that thanks to these strings, he was the only one who had the burden of knowing the truth.


    Both the past and the present.


    We are all finally gathered in the same ce again, Forrester said to himself. The history, unfortunately, is repeating itself.


    Sadly, it seemed like he was the only one who remembered everything clearly.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he felt another presence behind him.


    "To what do I owe this visit?" Forrester asked, then he turned inside the room to find a witch with pink eyes standing before him. "Ah, pink eyes. You must be from the Colorless Coven."


    And she wasn''t an ordinary witch at that.


    He could see an invisible string attached to the woman''s wrist. That could only mean that she was also a part of the past that created the present that they have now. To simply put, this witch would also y a huge role in the future that he was trying to change.


    It looks like the whole "cast" has already assembled while I was asleep, huh?


    "I''m thest of my kind," the witch said, then she bowed politely. "My name is Luna of the Colorless Coven, Your Holiness."


    "Alright, Luna of the Colorless Coven," he said. "You may now raise your head and state your reason for seeking me out."


    The witch raised her head and looked at him straight in the eye. "Your Holiness, I''m here to confirm if what my mother told me about the saints of the Moonchester Empire is true."


    "Interesting," he said in an amused tone. "What did your mother said about the saints of the empire, Luna?"


    Luna''s eyes glistened with curiosity. "My mother used to tell me that the sky god sends his children on earth to be the empire''s saint," she said with a smile. "Your Holiness, are you a son of the sky god who was sent here to punish the Moonchesters?"


    It was a forgotten knowledge that only a few ns knew.


    He didn''t know that one of them was the Colorless Coven when the royal family wasn''t even aware of the identities of the previous saints.


    "I already like you," Forrester said with a smile. "Would you like to have some tea with me, Luna?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    NOTE: Hi. I wrote a short story in Kiho''s POV titled ''KIHO''S DILEMMA.'' It''s about the night that he met the dy with the crab mallet." You can read it on my Ko-fi ount: /s_c


    If you like my content, please consider buying me "coffee" (ko-fi).


    And if you buy me ko-fi, you can request me to write a particr scene from the novel that you want to read in Kiho or another character''s POV. Just leave a message on my Ko-fi ount. You can also read my goal on my page. Hope you check it out. Thank you. :)


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 124: Kiho Oppa

    Chapter 124: Kiho Oppa


    AFTER TILLY broke the kiss with Kiho, she looked down and saw her husband had already released his cock from his pants. He was stroking it as they kissed a while ago, huh? "You started without me," she yfully used him, then she looked up at his handsome face. Gosh, it was so hot to see and hear him breathe heavily. "Why are you touching yourself when I''m here? I''m kind of upset."


    Kiho chuckled which rarely happened, so she really savored that moment. "I''m just warming up for you, Tilly."


    "My body is already on fire for you, Kiho."


    He smiled and used his other hand to pull her by the nape and kiss her on the lips.


    She would never shut up about how Kiho''s touch always felt hot on her skin despite his literally cool body.


    And even though her top was unbuttoned, she didn''t feel cold at all despite the carriage being covered with ice. Luckily, she chose to wear a dress with a buttoned top. All Kiho had to do was pull the ribbon and rip the buttons.


    Of course, she got her "revenge" by ripping her husband''s dress shirt as well.


    So right now, both of their torsos were exposed. Still, she didn''t feel ufortable.


    Kiho assured me that thanks to his ice, we wouldn''t be seen or heard from the outside.


    Her thoughts were cut-off when Kiho put the hardened peak of her left breast in his mouth. Then, his other hand fondled her right breast. Yeah, she moaned aloud while grinding herself against his erection.


    "Kiho," she moaned. "Are you sure the carriage is soundproof now?"


    "Mmm," he answered, then he twirled his tongue around her nipple before he looked up at her. "You can be as loud as you want, honey."


    She was suddenly stunned while looking at his handsome face.


    It never failed to amaze her how his yellow-ish eyes would turn gold whenever he was turned on. His eyes were beautiful. Well, she found everything about him pretty anyway.


    "I like your face, Kiho," she said truthfully. "I think I''m obsessed with your face. I hope that doesn''t make my feelings for you sound shallow. I mean, I hope you know that I really like you as a person as my man. But physically, you''re my style."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "I''m your "style?" What does it mean?"


    "Oh. That''s a phrase famous from the second life I had," she said. "It means you''re exactly my type the kind of guy that I want to spend my life with."


    He suddenly looked excited because of the new stuff that he learned from her. "I like that phrase. Tilly, it''s amazing that you know a lot of things that aren''tmon in this world. What was your second life like, honey?"


    "I was lucky to have born in privilege during my second one."


    "Were you happy?"


    "Having afortable life made it easier for me to live back then," she admitted. "I don''t want to sound ungrateful but during my second life, despite my privileged background, I have always felt that something was missing in my life. I really wanted to have a child then."


    He gave her a sympathetic look. "Tilly, did you love your husband in your second life?"


    "No," she answered without missing a beat. "I respect him, but I never loved him. He felt the same for me. But despite our loveless marriage, I could say that we were good friends."


    He let out a deep sigh. "I wish I was also born in the same world as you in your second life," he said, then he touched her face while looking at her lovingly. "I wouldn''t have let you feel empty had we met then."


    She smiled at his sweetness. "If we had met in my second life, then you would have been my <em>oppa."</em>


    <em>"''Oppa?''"</em> he asked curiously. "What does it mean?"


    "It''s how younger girls addressed older males. That''s how girls call their older brothers. But girls can also use that to call their older partners," she exined to him. "If you were born earlier than me in my second life, I would have called you <em>oppa."</em>


    "It sounds strange but I like how that word rolls off your tongue."


    She giggled at that. "Kiho <em>oppa."</em>


    He lowly growled as if to tell her that he was turned on. Then, he gently bit her lower lip. "God, I don''t know why but hearing you call me that turns me on even more."


    Sheughed because she felt his erection got even harder. "I can tell, Kiho <em>oppa."</em>


    And so, she didn''t waste any more time.


    She slightly stood up, moved her panties to the side, and took him in. They both groaned at the delicious unison of their needing parts.


    "So good," Kiho groaned in a heavy breath as she pushed herself down further, taking him in deeper. He held her hips to guide and not control her acknowledging that she was in charge right now. "I know I''ve said this before but Tilly, I will seriously never get enough of you."


    "Same," she moaned. Then, she remembered her mental note that she would tease him by talking dirty to her husband. "I love the way you fuck me, Kiho <em>oppa."</em>


    His eyes widened by the vulgar word she used. Then, his whole face reddened. But he obviously looked pleased. "God, that was hot."


    She got wetter as the way Kiho look at her turned hotter.


    And so, she began to move on top of him.


    She didn''t want to break his cock so instead of bobbing up and down, she started to push her hips forward, grinding up, and savoring the sensation being sent up to her body. The groan he made encouraged her to grind up again. This time, she put more pressure and he seemed to like it. Of course, it felt amazing to her as well because he had filled her up in the best way.


    "Ahh," Kiho groaned. Then, his hands reached up to hold onto her breasts. Gosh, that felt really good. "Tilly, you have no idea how good you make me feel."


    "It''s because you make me feel so good, too," she said while breathing heavily. "Kiho <em>oppa,</em> I''m already close," she said while grinding hard against him. "<em>Oppa</em>"


    Kiho looked like he was already close, too.


    He didn''t change their position and he just held her in ce. Although he let her do all the work, he didn''t stay still. He touched her where he knew she wanted to be touched. Kissed, licked, and sucked her in ces that his mouth and tongue could reach. And then he nuzzled her neck, breathing in her ear as if he realized that the sound of his panting could get her off.


    And while teasing my ear by the strangely hot noises he made, while their bodies were still connected, his fingers found her clit.


    That was it.


    She came hard and panting.


    Even though Kiho assured her that the carriage was now soundproof, she still didn''t want to risk it. So she grabbed the hand that had just been on her clit, then put his sleek fingers into her mouth. Yes, she muffled her own release by tasting herself, using his body.


    "Hot damn," Kiho groaned. Then, he came while his face was buried against her neck. She could tell by the amount of his release how much he enjoyed their intimate moment. And it was a lot. "Let me clean you up, honey."


    That was another thing that she loved about her husband.


    Kiho never failed to clean her up after their love making. He would always offer to get her a wash cloth, then proceed to take care of her. Of course, she would do the same for him. But more often than not, he refused to make her do anything that he could do on his own. That was how much he didn''t want her to get tired.


    "Thank you, Kiho," Tilly said, then she buried her face in his neck when she felt sleepy. "Please wake me up once we''re home."


    "Okay, honey," Kiho said while gently patting her back. "Rest well."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLYughed softly when she saw how excited Kiho look while they were in the tub filled with ice. She had been taking a bath that way ever since Luna told her so. "Why do you look so happy, Kiho?" she asked while she was sitting between his legs. She leaned against his chest and turned to him. "Is this your first time to take a bath in a tub filled with ice, hon?"


    "Kiho <em>oppa</em>" time was over.


    She decided to call him that way only when they were in an intimate moment.


    "Yes," Kiho said with a hint of excitement in his voice. "But are you sure that you''re not getting too cold, honey?"


    She shook her head. "I got used to it," she said. "I can endure anything for our Winter.


    "Good job, honey," he said sweetly, then he kissed her forehead.


    She just giggled.


    "I''m really happy that our son''s dominant Mana is ice," Kiho said with a hint of excitement in his voice. "I can''t wait to teach Winter how to use his power."


    She smiled warmly at that. "I''m also excited to see you bond with our baby, Kiho. Spoiler alert: Winter looks like your mini copy."


    "Oh."


    "Are you disappointed?"


    "No, but I wish our son looks like you a bit more," he confessed. "I''m not that confident in how I look."


    "You look great, Kiho," she said sincerely. "I''m obsessed with your face, remember?"


    His happy glow returned right away. "Then, if we''d be blessed with a daughter after Winter is born, I wish she''d look like your mini copy. I like your face the most in the world, Tilly."


    Sheughed at that. Gosh, that was so cheesy but it made her feel very giddy. "Kiho, you love me too much."


    Kiho smiled and nodded so innocently. "I do."


    She rewarded him with a kiss on the lips.


    <em>"Who fell in love first? You or your husband?"</em>


    She gasped when she heard the first Supreme''s voice in her head.


    "What''s wrong, Tilly?" Kiho asked immediately. "Are you okay?"


    She nodded, then she gently pped both of her own cheeks. "Gosh, how can I forget to tell you that I met the Supreme while I was unconscious?"


    "You met the Supreme?" he asked, then he gently grabbed her wrists to stop her from pping her cheeks. "Did you talk to her?"


    "Yes," she said. When Kiho was sure that he wouldn''t hurt herself again, only then did he let go of her hands. Then, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "The Supreme told me that the first barrier around my heart has been broken."


    "First?" he asked with furrowed brows. "Does it mean there are still other barriers around your heart?"


    "Uh-huh," she confirmed. "Like what we already know, my heart can''t awaken until we find the Red Phoenix."


    "We must be extra careful then," he said. "We can''t afford to have the other barriers around your heart get broken. We''re lucky that the Supreme warned you about it."


    "Uh-huh."


    "What else did you talk about the Supreme?"


    "This is weird but the Supreme asked me who between us fell in love with the other first," she said. "I don''t know why the Supreme was interested in my love life."


    "How did you answer the Supreme''s question?" he asked curiously.


    She cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment before she answered. "I told the Supreme that it was you who fell in love first," she said. "I even told her that you fell in love with me at first sight."


    "You''re not wrong."


    "Hmm?"


    "I really fell in love with you at first sight," Kiho said proudly. "I was willing to give up everything and break off my engagement with "Lady Prescott" to be with the dy with the crab mallet.""


    Tillyughed heartily when she was reminded of their minor misunderstanding before they met officially. "Kiho, our love story is one for the books."


    And they will have a happy ending, especially once Winter joined their little family.


    <em>Right?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 125: The One Who Remembers It All

    Chapter 125: The One Who Remembers It All


    "SO, WHAT DO you need from me?" Forrester asked Luna while they were having tea in the attic. "I''m sure you wouldn''t be here if you have nothing important to ask of me, Luna."


    Luna sipped her tea before she spoke. "I''m here to ask you to apany Duke and Duchess Nystrom in their short vacation in Oakes, Your Holiness."


    "Oakes?" he asked, then he nodded his head. "Ah, yes. House Prescott owns thend of Oakes. I didn''t know that Lord Prescott was generous enough to give his whole territory to his son-inw."


    "He needed to," the witch said. "Giving that much wealth and power to the duke and duchess can protect them from the royal family."


    Well, that was smart.


    House Prescott was one of the oldest and the wealthiest families in the empire. Even before he fell into a deep slumber, more than half of the empire''s economy already depended on the businesses ran by the Prescotts.


    Aku Moonchester wouldn''t be that foolish to destroy House Prescott on a whim.


    "Why do you want me to apany the duke and the duchess?" he asked the witch.


    "I can''t join them so I want you to be my proxy, Your Holiness," the witch said bluntly. "I figured you''d be the recement since you need to train Duchess Nystrom anyway."


    Kids these days sure are rude, huh?


    "Alright, I''ll join them," he agreed. "Like you said, I need to keep an eye on the duchess."


    "How about your duty as the saint?" the witch asked curiously. "You just woke up. I''m sure that there are a lot of people who need to meet you, Your Holiness."


    "I''ll take care of that," he said. "Is there anything else that you need from me?"


    "Your Holiness, you didn''t answer my question about your origin."


    "Ah, I was hoping you''ve already forgotten about that."


    "I won''t force you to answer my question if you can''t," she said. "You just have to tell me to stop asking you questions about your life."


    "Are you kidding me?" he said. "This is the first time that I met a person who knows my real identity. I have to brag about being a son of the sky god."


    "So you''re not denying it?"


    "Your reaction is boring."


    "I''ve already talked to a god," the woman said. "Meeting a son of another god isn''t that shocking to me anymore."


    "You''re so brutally honest."


    She just shrugged before she sipped her tea. "I''m curious about one thing though. Were all the previous saints in the history your brothers?"


    "Yeah, they were my half-brothers," he confirmed. "The sky god is quite the womanizer, you know? He creates as many children as possible with mortal women to have more chances of making the perfect child that could end the Moonchesters for him."


    "You sound bitter."


    "All my brothers who were sent in this empire to be the saint died in vain," he deadpanned. "Sadly, they spent their whole lives trying to fulfill our father''s wish instead of living to the fullest." He sipped his tea before he continued. "I don''t want to end up like my poor brothers." <em>Again.</em>


    "Are you saying that you''re not here to punish the Moonchesters?" she asked with furrowed brows.


    "I don''t really care about my father''s resentment towards the Moonchesters," he admitted. "I mean, it was my father''s fault for letting the first Moonchester to trick him into believing that the Moon Serpent was an enemy that needed to be killed. But even though it was his fault, he still wants his children to avenge him? Hah. I''m not his puppet."


    "Then, what''s your purpose for bing the saint?"


    "I just want to live an easy life," he said casually. "But my peaceful life was cut short when my Holy Scepter was stolen from me. Worse, my divine power was even sealed. Without them, I can''t live the way I want to. That''s the only reason why I''ve decided to stand up to the Moonchesters."


    "Are the Moonchesters the ones who stole your Holy Scepter?"


    "That''s my hunch," he said. "But it seems like the emperor lost it after getting it stolen from me. And now, he wants to "help" me find the Holy Scepter to "save" his beloved princess."


    "I''m confused," the witch said. "His Majesty lost the Holy Scepter after he stole it from you?"


    "He asked another person to steal my Holy Scepter," he exined. "Since I''m the sky god''s son and the sky god is the Moonchesters'' nemesis, the emperor can''t touch my Holy Scepter."


    "When did you lose your Holy Scepter?"


    "A little after the first Supreme died, I think."


    Luna''s eye widened in shock. "That long already? I thought you lost it before you fell into a deep slumber."


    "I fell into a deep slumber because my sealed divine power got depleted after losing the Holy Scepter for this long," he exined while shaking his head. "It''s actually a miracle that I was able to wake up just after two decades of resting. If it wasn''t for the new Supreme''s me, I would have still been sleeping in the altar."


    "So, Duchess Nystrom''s me was the one that woke you up, Your Holiness?"


    "You can say that," he agreed. "The Supreme''s me filled in for my depleted divine power. After all, the Supreme''s me came from the Red Phoenix an ancient god. To simply put, the Supreme''s me is just as divine as my power."


    "Ah, I see," she said while nodding her head slowly. It looked like she was absorbing every piece of information that he was sharing with her. "To be honest, I can''t still believe what I''m hearing. I didn''t know that you were alive for that long. And if your Holy Scepter was stolen during that time, then His Majesty"


    "The Aku Moonchester that you know right now was also the previous Emperor Auro Moonchester."


    For the first time since they started to talk, the witch actually looked shocked. "So, Emperor Aku is the reincarnation of Emperor Auro?"


    He nodded as confirmation. "Just like how Kiho Nystrom is the reincarnation of Kalel Moonchester."


    "Now you have my respect, Your Holiness," Luna said with admiration in her eyes. "You know everything."


    "Not all," he denied. "But I remember everything that is important even after I was reborn."


    "You were reborn, too?"


    "I was killed in the war that the Supreme and the ck Serpent led," he said. "This is over sharing but I''m actually my father''s favorite child. He waited for my soul to recover, then he sent me back on earth. But that''s also the reason why I decided to live for myself this time. I don''t want to die again and end up permanently like my half-brothers."


    "This is shocking," the witch said. "Almost everyone around me was reincarnated."


    "The sky god won''t stop reincarnating all the people that he could use to finish off the Moonchesters," he said bitterly. "This cycle will only stop once he gets his revenge against the royal family."


    "I didn''t know that the sky god is a selfish jerk."


    "This is why I love witches," he said with a softugh. "You''re not afraid to be cursed by gods."


    "Witches do the cursing not the other way around."


    Heughed again. "Ah, I should have asked you to drink booze with me instead of tea."


    "Well, as a saint, you still have a reputation to protect."


    Forrester raised his tea cup in the witch''s direction. "Luna, let''s drink booze once we return from Oakes."


    "I can''t say ''no'' to the saint, can I?" Luna said with a smile, then she picked up her own tea cup and clinked it with his cup. "See youter, Your Holiness."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MISS LUNA didn''t go homest night?" Tilly asked in surprise, then she turned to Sentinel. "What did she say before she left the tower?"


    Luna said she''ll convince the saint to join your short vacation," Sentinel said while eating Eggs Benedict which was known as Eggs Royale in the empire.


    Ah, yes.


    Right now, they were in the dining hall while having breakfast.


    "Don''t worry too much about Miss Luna, honey," Kiho, who was sitting in the center of the long dining table, said while making edible ice cubes for her. "I''m sure she can take care of herself." He turned to her and handed her the ss full of ice cubes made from his Mana. "And we should start preparing after our breakfast. Father wille and pick us up before lunch."


    She put an ice cube in her mouth and ate it first before she spoke again. "I hope Miss Luna returns before we leave," she said worriedly. "And I wonder if she managed to convince His Holiness to join us."


    "It''s Miss Luna we''re talking about so I''m sure that she seeded," her husband said confidently. "She''s strong and dependable. We can trust her."


    Hearing those words reassured her.


    Yes, Miss Luna is someone we can all depend on especially during tough times.


    "Let''s just wait patiently for Luna," Sentinel said. "I''m sure she''s already on her way."


    "That''s right," Kiho said, then he gently patted her head. "Finish your breakfast for now, honey. We can''t have Father wait for long, can we?"


    Tilly nodded. "Okay, hon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BY THE way, why aren''t you joining the duke and duchess in their vacation?"


    Luna stopped staring at the scenery outside the carriage''s window to look at the saint who was sitting across from her.


    Once again, she was stunned by the saint''s new appearance.


    To escape the temple, His Holiness had taken the form of a child. After that, she fetched him up using a rental carriage. And now, they were on their way to the Nystrom mansion.


    "I have a young Fire Mage to tend to," Luna answered after getting over her amazement by the saint''s child appearance. He shrank but he still looked the same. "I need to stay in the tower." She snapped her fingers when she remembered something. "Ah, right. Your Holiness, there was a baby Fire Mage that I find strange. I know that he''s a Fire Mage, but for some reason, I can''t read his Mana. Do you have any idea why his Mana is like that?"


    Saint Forrester gave her an amused smile. "Ah, right. I almost forgot that for a witch, you''re still young."


    She didn''t have a retort for that.


    <em>Well, it''s true that I''m still young for a witch.</em>


    "You can''t read the baby''s Mana probably because he has more than one," the saint said that shocked her. "It just happens that fire is his dominant power."


    "That can''t be," she said in disbelief. "I''m pretty sure that his older brother said that both their parents are Fire Mages."


    "Are you sure that they are really siblings?"


    She couldn''t answer that.


    Come to think of it, Flint and Julian didn''t look alike. And most of all, the baby had red hair while his older brother had a different hair color. Well, there were siblings that had different hair or eye colors. But still, the saint''s words had already confused her.


    "I think I have an idea of who you are talking about, Luna," the saint said. "Now, let me ask you a question."


    For some reason, she suddenly felt nervous. "What is it, Your Holiness?"


    "How do you think the Nystroms n continued to grow if the first Supreme and Kalel''s child died before it was even born?"


    She gasped aloud when she realized what the saint was trying to imply. "The Supreme died before Kalel," she said. "Are you saying that Kalel had a child with another woman?"


    "I''m saying that the Supreme and Kalel had another child," he said seriously. "But another woman gave birth to that child through an ancient magic."


    Luna gulped hard. To be honest, she knew what the saint was talking about. But she couldn''t wrap her head around it yet. "Your Holiness, what does it have to do with the baby that I''m talking about?"


    "If that baby has both fire and ice Mana, then he must be that child," Saint Forrester said. "Thechild of the Supreme and the ck Serpent that came out from another woman''s womb."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 126: Suspicious Existence

    Chapter 126: Suspicious Existence


    "ARE YOU saying that Julian is the reincarnation of the "second child" that the Supreme and the ck Serpent had in the past?" Luna asked in disbelief. "Is that true?"


    "I haven''t met the baby yet so I can''t answer that question with certainty," Saint Forrester said casually. "And to be honest, it was never confirmed if the second child was really the Supreme''s son. A lot of people back then said that the ck Serpent only imed that the child''s mother was the Supreme for his son to be epted by the Fire Mages."


    "Did they ept the child?"


    "They didn''t," he said. "The Red Phoenix, Guardian of the Fire Mages, refused to ept the child. He imed that the boy wasn''t the Supreme''s son. He also said that it was impossible for the Supreme to conceive another child because her reproductive organs were destroyed when her first child was killed inside her womb. And during that time, the ck Serpent already left the Supreme as per the Moonchesters'' orders."


    "So, what''s the truth?" she asked with furrowed brows. "You were there when that happened. Who do you believe more?"


    "Well, I agree with the Red Phoenix," the saint said. "When the ck Serpent announced that his second child with the Supreme was growing inside another woman''s womb, the Supreme was already dead. Also, when the Supreme died, the Red Phoenix burned her body to ashes. I''m pretty sure that the ck Serpent was nowhere near the Supreme during her dying moments. In short, there was no way for him to get a piece of her that could help him conceive a second child with her."


    "Then, where did you think the second childe from?"


    "His affair with the other woman, of course," he said bluntly. "The ck Serpent dered his second child as the Nystrom heir. The Moonchesters epted the child and rebuilt their rtionship with the Nystroms after they stole the Supreme''s heart. If the second child had the Supreme''s blood, do you think the Moonchesters would ept the boy as the Nystrom heir?"


    "That''s so awful," she said with a frown. "The Moonchesters ordered the ck Serpent to marry the Supreme and literally steal her heart?"


    The saint shrugged. "That was what I saw as a mere spectator."


    "Lady Nystrom shouldn''t find out Julian''s possible identity," she said in frustration. "She''s not yet good at controlling her emotions. If she gets too stressed, she loses it. Not only that. Hearing the past might also trigger the ck Serpent. I hate keeping secrets from the duchess but this isn''t yet the right time for her to know about her past as the first Supreme."


    "Once we find the Red Phoenix''s physical body, we can tell them the truth," the saint said casually. "Even if the ck Serpent awakens by then, we can easily subdue him with the help of the Red Phoenix."


    That would definitely be messy.


    <em>But it''s inevitable.</em>


    "What happened to the Nystroms, Your Holiness?" she asked curiously. "The second child was able to continue their n even after the first child died. But they still disappeared."


    "I was killed after the second child was dered as the Nystrom heir so I have no idea what happened to their n," the saint said. "When I was reborn, they already vanished and the history books never talked about them. I tried to ask the sky god but my father was too busy conceiving more children to answer my prayers."


    Hearing that pissed her off.


    "Your father is ipetent as a god," she said in an irritated voice. "If he really wanted to punish the Moonchesters, then why not do it himself?"


    "If he could, he would have already eliminated the Moonchesters," the saint said. "But you know, my father made a huge mistake that he could never correct. When he gave thest moon its human form, he blessed it he blessed the first Moonchester with immunity from the gods. Meaning, no god can kill a Moonchester."


    "That''s a relief," she said. "Lady Nystrom isn''t a god."


    The saint looked at her with disbelief written all over his face. "Are you saying that you believe that Lady Nystrom is the one who''s going to end the Moonchesters?"


    "The prophecy said that the Moon Serpent is the one destined to kill His Majesty," she said. "But I want Lady Nystrom to end the royal family herself. Whether it is the past or the present, the Moonchesters are hell-bent on ruining the duchess''s life. That''s why I want Lady Nystrom to get the justice she deserves with her own hands."


    "Don''t get too attached with the duchess, Luna," he warned her lightly. "We''re just mere spectators here. People who know the truth can''t change the future."


    "I refuse to be a mere spectator," she said stubbornly. "I will support the duchess as much as I can. She already won me over and not even a warning from a holy being can stop me from serving Her Grace."


    "Loyalty. Devotion. Faith," the saint said. "Those are the three biggest things that I don''t understand."


    "Your devotees will be heartbroken if they hear you say that you don''t understand faith," Luna said with a softugh. "Anyway, are you sure that your followers won''t find out that you escaped the temple?"


    "Howard will definitely know," Saint Forrester said. "But I''m sure he''ll cover up for me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    THIS ONE is definitely a clone.


    That was the first thought that entered Howard''s mind when he saw "Saint Forrester" signing paper works in his table quietly.


    If it was the real saint, he would have been whining about working by now.


    He hated to say this but the saint, albeit having the strongest divine power in the whole empire, was a little


    Calling His Holinesszy would be rude.


    But he couldn''t think of a better word to describe him so he just gave up on that.


    <em>He wouldn''t escape the temple without a valid reason</em>, Howard said to himself.<em> I''ll keep this a secret from everyone else so please return safely, Your Holiness.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>Frequently asked question</strong>: Is Mommy Viiness going to have a happy ending?


    <strong>My answer</strong>: <strong>YES</strong>! :) I don''t even know why most of you think that this is going to end tragically. :D I''m a fighter of happy endings. I can''t even watch or read a story with a sad/tragic ending. It''s not my cup of tea. I like writing fluff (aka cute romance). I can''t imagine writing 200+ chapters only for the main couple to not end up together. The "sad arc" won''t evenst long. That''s how much I want Kiho, Tilly, Winter (and the future Nystrom babies) to have a happy ending. Just please trust me~


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>Note for the readers who are asking for mass release:</strong>


    Thank you so much for the interest you''re showing for my story. I appreciate it, really. And I feel bad that I can''t do mass release for now. :(


    To be honest, I don''t want to say this because I don''t like drama. But I want to give a proper exnation so you won''t think that I''m ignoring your request. :((


    Those who have visited my Ko-fi ount might already know that my mother is sick and she needs surgery soon. I''m working hard at my day job to save up for the uing surgery. As much as I want to give you more chapters, my physical body can''t keep up with my willpower. I hope you understand. T_T


    I''m considering having privilege chapters though so I might do that soon. Don''t worry, I won''t overprice and I will make sure that each chapter is going to be worth it. :''(


    Anyway, I''m doing my best to update daily because I love how you love MV. Thank you so much for the support. Please know that I appreciate each one of you even if I can''t reply to all thements.


    Please stay safe, everyone! <3


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 127: Golden (Stupid) Rules

    Chapter 127: Golden (Stupid) Rules


    TILLY had a soft spot for kids.


    She had a maternal instinct like no other. But having said that, she still couldn''t understand why the little boy in front of her now, probably aged seven or eight, gave her the creeps.


    Short blonde hair. Ash gray eyes. Lazy look on his face...


    Everything looked familiar.


    "I don''t like this boy," Tilly dered while looking down at the young boy who was sitting across from her. "You give off the big bully energy."


    Kiho, who sat beside her on the sofa, stifled augh.


    The little boy scoffed. "Well, aren''t you honest?"


    She gasped at the familiar tone that he used. "It can''t be" She looked at Luna who stood beside the rude child. "Miss Luna"


    Right.


    Luna returned to the mansion a few minutes after she finished dressing up. When the witch came, she immediately asked the servants to bring Luna to the tea room. When she arrived there with Kiho, she was surprised to see the witch with a little boy that was dressed like a young noble from a rich family.


    <em>But this boy looks really familiar</em>


    "What you''re thinking right now is correct, Lady Nystrom," Luna, who sat beside the boy, said. Then, she respectfully used her hands to point at the child''s direction. "This is His Holiness in his child form. He changed his appearance to conceal his identity."


    "It wasn''t just his appearance," Kihomented while picking up his tea cup from the table in front of them. "His Holiness''s divine power is also concealed. Now his holy presence is gone."


    Tilly was too shocked to react on that.


    "I don''t need my full powers to train a brat," Saint Forrester said while munching on a cookie, then he looked at her straight in the eye. "I hope you''re ready, little girl. I''m not as kind or as gentle as your husband."


    "I''m ready," Tilly said bravely. "I''m not here to joke around."


    The saint stopped munching on his food. "The look in your eyes changed."


    "I know my responsibility now as the new Supreme," she said, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "For a safer future for my son, I''m going all-out now."


    "Uh-huh," the saint said, obviously uninterested by her determination. "Good for you."


    "I''ll be here to remind you to take it easy, Tilly," Kiho said with a hint of worry in his voice. "I like your passion. But please don''t overwork yourself."


    She smiled at her husband and was about to say something when a servant came and announced Lord Prescott''s arrival.


    "Father is here," Tilly said excitedly. "Let''s go and greet him, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Kiho was shocked to see the huge grand carriage in front of their mansion would be an understatement.


    <em>It''s probably as big as His Majesty''s grand carriage.</em>


    But the thing that surprised him was the fact that the carriage was midnight blue and it also had the Nystrom''s family crest on it.


    <em>Could it be</em>


    "Father, is that a present for our family?" Tilly asked, taking the words out of his mouth. "Did you buy a carriage for us?"


    Lord Prescott looking as dashing and as dignified as ever coughed lightly to probably hide his embarrassment. "Consider it as ate wedding gift for me. The construction of the carriage took longer than usual. I made sure that the couch and pillows inside are made of the best materials. Also, the inside of the carriage is infused with several protective power stones so you don''t have to worry about being ambushed."


    Tilly looked touched by her father''s thoughtfulness. "Father, thank you!" she said emotionally, then she hugged Lord Prescott. "I love the carriage so much!"


    Lord Prescott didn''t react but his face softened up.


    Kiho smiled warmly at the scene. <em>This is my family now.</em>


    "Enough of your clinginess, Tilly," Lord Prescott scolded his daughter lightly. "Now, go inside the carriage and check if the softness of the couch is to your liking."


    Tilly pulled away from the hug and grinned at her father. "Yes, Father."


    His wife smiled at him before she entered the carriage.


    She didn''t invite him so he remained standing by Lord Prescott''s side. It seemed like Tilly also noticed that her father wanted to talk to him alone. His wife even closed the door of the carriage to probably give him privacy with his father-inw.


    "Kiho."


    "Yes, Father?"


    "Unfortunately, I didn''t get that much information regarding the Nystrom n," Lord Prescott said, then he turned to him. "But one of our vassal families discovered a territory covered in snow in the North. Apparently, a small vige with people who were used to snow once lived there. It was an emptynd now. Nobody wants it because it is not inhabitable."


    "Oh."


    "So I was able to purchase thend easily."


    He almost choked on his own saliva. "Father, you bought a territory that''s not inhabitable? Don''t you think it''s a waste?"


    "I don''t know what you mean," the lord said. "I have too much money to spare. Buying another territory won''t affect my wealth even if I don''t profit from that."


    He wished he could say that someday.


    Of course, he was confident that his current wealth could provide a luxurious life for Tilly, Winter, and their future children. Still, he couldn''t afford to invest on things that he wouldn''t gain any profit from.


    But maybe it was time for him to seriously study business.


    "Why did you buy the territory, Father?" Kiho asked to change the subject. "Does thend have any connection to the Nystroms?"


    "I believe so," his father-inw said. "After our short vacation in Oakes, I''m heading straight to the North to investigate."


    "Father, you don''t have to," he said worriedly. Going into an unknown and mysterious territory was dangerous. He had encountered so many barrennds in the past that turned out to be nest for ancient monsters. He knew that Lord Prescott was strong despite his age. Still, he couldn''t let his father-inw venture alone in a dangerous ce. "I can do that instead since it''s rted to my origin. It''s something that I should be doing."


    "Tilly is pregnant, Kiho," Lord Prescott reminded him firmly. "I don''t want you to leave my daughter alone. And I can''t have you bring her to the North either. That''s why I decided to go there instead. You don''t have to worry about me. Morgan Denver will join me."


    "Marquis Denver?"


    His father-inw nodded. "Captain Denver already told us that His Majesty already knows that they are Fire Mages. We decided that it would be best for Morgan to leave the Royal Capital for the meantime. That''s why he''sing with me to the North."


    "Will the two of you be alright, Father?"


    Of course, he was aware that Lord Prescott and Marquis Denver would bring knights along with them. But he also knew that most often than not, the lords were stronger than the knights serving their family.


    "We may be old but we''re not helpless," Lord Prescott said. "Most of all, we''re not going to fight in a war. We''re just going to inspect a territory that I recently bought. And I''m bringing an old friend who happens to be a "Fire Wielder" to make sure that I won''t freeze to death in and covered in snow."


    Ah, so that would be their excuse.


    "Then, at least let us send you off when it''s time for you to leave, Father."


    The lord scoffed at that. "I''m not a child."


    "Father"


    "Just worry about my daughter and my future grandchild," he told him. "I can take care of myself, Kiho."


    He gave up when he saw that his father-inw''s decision was final. "At least, please tell Tilly about your n, Father."


    The lord let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine.


    He gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Father," he said. "And thank you for the carriage. Just like Tilly, I like it very much."


    "It''s not for you, Kiho," Lord Prescott said, then he turned his head away from him. Toote though. He already saw the red tint in his cheeks. "The carriage is for my daughter and my grandchild."


    Kiho stifled augh at his father-inw''s reaction. <em>Father is too shy.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was in a good mood because the couch of their new carriage was soft, spacious, and veryfortable. It was almost a sofa bed. Plus, they even had pillows.


    She invited her father to ride the carriage with them but he insisted to use his own. When she remembered that Saint Forrester in his child form would join them, she didn''t insist anymore. Her brain couldn''te up with an excuse as to why they were bringing an unknown "child" in their vacation.


    <em>And so, we''ll hide His Holiness for the entire trip.</em>


    "I''m really grateful that Father gave us this carriage as a present," Kiho, who sat beside her, said with a small smile. Then, he put a hand on her tummy. "I want you and Winter to befortable the whole trip."


    "I didn''t expect from Father but I''m d," Tilly said cheerfully. "But Kiho, even if Father didn''t give us this carriage, I''m sure that I''ll be fine the entire trip. Your carriage is also spacious and veryfy. Plus, I''m at ease as long as we''re together."


    He looked pleased with that.


    Then, her husband touched her face and leaned down to kiss her


    but stopped when Saint Forrester, who sat across from them, spoke.


    "Rule #1: No flirting in my presence."


    She rolled her eyes before she turned to the saint. "Your Holiness"


    "Rule #2: Duchess Tilly Nystrom isn''t allowed to talk back at me until she masters the fire technique that I''m going to teach her or else, I''ll go home," Saint Forrester said coldly while he opened the lid of the tin can that contained drinking water.


    She acted like she was zipping her mouth.


    "Rule #3" the saint trailed off.


    Then, much to her shock, he sshed water on Kiho like a rich mother-inw bullying her poor daughter-inw in a clich Korean drama.


    She gasped in surprise. "Hey!"


    Oh, she was suddenly reminded of her husband''s fast reflex.


    Kiho was able to turn the water into ice before it even reached him. Still, he looked pissed. And rightfully so. "Your Holiness, did your mental age regress when you took the form of a child?"


    Okay, that almost made herugh.


    <em>Gosh, my Kiho can be so savage sometimes.</em>


    "How can you control ice when you can''t control water yet?" the saint asked Kiho with furrowed brows. "You should have bended the water instead of turning it into ice."


    Kiho''s furrowed brows made it obvious that he was confused. "My attribute is ice, not water."


    And who said you can only have one attribute?"


    Her husband didn''t have a retort to the saint''s snarky question. In fact, Kiho looked confused as if it was the first time he realized that he could have more than one attribute. "It was already umon for amoner like me to have a powerful Mana. I never thought that I''m allowed to have more than one attribute."


    "Regardless of your origin, there isn''t aw in the empire that forbids its citizens to have more than one attribute," the saint said. Then, he pointed a small and slender finger at Kiho. "Rule #3: Duke Kiho Nystrom should master the water attribute and until he seeds, he''s not allowed to use his ice."


    Tilly exchanged a confused look with her husband.


    "Until the two of you seeds in mastering the techniques that I''m going to teach you" Saint Forrester said, then trailed-off while looking back and forth between her and Kiho. When they both turned to the saint, he smiled sweetly at them before he continued. "You''re not allowed to sleep in the same room, my dear Duke and Duchess of Oakes."


    "What?!" Tilly and Kihoined in unison.


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>Frequently asked question:</strong> How many chapters do you have for Mommy Viiness?


    <strong>My answer:</strong> Around <strong>200-250 chapters</strong>, probably. Mommy Viiness is already finished in my outline/rough draft. I didn''t start writing MV until I was done with the "big scenes" (plot, plot twist, climax, ending).


    Mommy Viiness has two timelines--- SoleilxKalel''s era and TillyxKiho''s era. Both are already done in my draft and I don''t intend to change how the story flows. The only things that I can adjust/change are the "fillers." Fillers are those scenes that won''t directly affect the story. Like Kiho and Tilly''s endless flirting, hot (read: bed) scenes, the Nystrom family''s bonding time, and perhaps the birth of a second couple. But the main story is already set.


    In fact, I''m already half-way in Winter''s story (just the outline for now). I only stopped because I''m not sure if you''d be interested in his own story. And yeah, my day job is kind of killing me these days.


    Anyway, the revtion about Julian''s identity is pretty anticlimactic, right? Sorry about that. :D I just hate dragging the things without a valid reason. Plus, the revtion isn''t that important in my book since I know you''ll figure it out sooner orter. The thing I''m being careful about is the execution of the story behind SoleilxKalel. I''m already crying as I imagine how hard it''s going to be for me once I''m about to connect the past and the present to tell you the whole story. Please pray for my brain cells.


    +I know most of you are getting frustrated about Lucina Morganna''s real identity. I''m not dragging it, I swear. It''s just that Lucina Morganna''s story isn''t essential to the current arc yet.


    Also, rest assured. Kiho''s feelings for Tilly will never waver whatever Lucina Morganna ns to do. So let''s watch her fail miserably, everyone~


    Thank you for reading this part! <3


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 128: Eyes on the Prize

    Chapter 128: Eyes on the Prize


    <em><strong>[A few minutes before arriving at the Nystrom''s mansion]</strong></em>


    "I''M GOING to teach the ck Serpent how to use his water attribute."


    To say that Luna was surprised by the saint''s deration would be an understatement. The carriage that they were using was almost at the Nystrom''s estate now. And yet, Saint Forrester still had something shocking to say. "Your Holiness, I don''t even know that the duke has water attribute."


    "Doesn''t it only make sense for an ice user to manipte water as well?" Saint Forrester asked in a bored tone. "Why are you so surprised?"


    "Well, I''ve never seen the duke control water before," she countered. "He just freezes everything and anyone to death."


    "And that''s reckless," he said. "Solely relying on sheer power instead of technique is stupid. He would have died a long time ago if he was an ordinary person. But since the duke is a god himself, he was able to survive that long by simply using ice."


    "But mastering a new attribute takes time, doesn''t it?"


    "It''s not a new attribute," the saint denied while shaking his head. "The ck Serpent has always been a dual attribute user. But his ability to control water was sealed in the past."


    "Was it the emperor?"


    "I believe so," he said. "The ck Serpent''s dominant attribute used to be water. Having the ability to control ice was just a bonus. But the emperor deemed the ck Serpent''s ability to control water was far more dangerous than having the ability to freeze things. Do you know why?"


    "I can try guessing," she said before she shared her opinion. "All humans are made of several elements and one of those is water. If the ck Serpent can control water, then killing a person from the inside would be easy. Unless the enemy is as strong as he is though."


    "Yes, that''s right," the saint said. "In the past, I''ve only seen the ck Serpent use his water ability once. And he didn''t even use water he used the puddle of blood of both his allies and enemies to fight."


    Imagining that scene gave her shivers down her spine.


    "If Duke Nystrom can do that in this era, that would be cool," she said. "Can you unseal his water attribute in the short period that you have, Your Holiness?"


    Saint Forrester smirked haughtily. "I''ll make the duke learn to control his water attribute again whether he likes it or not the fastest way I know."


    For some reason, Luna felt nervous for the duke and duchess. <em>Good luck, Duke and Duchess of Oakes.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME to the Vermillion Tower, Miss Luna."


    "That''s the first time I heard the tower''s proper name," Lunamented on Captain Denver''s "wee speech."" "Thank you for the warm wee."


    It was literally a warm wee because the area where the tower stood was warm regardless of the season. Come to think of it, it was a miracle that the Fire Wielders managed to deceive the royal family for this long when the "Fire Wielders" fire element was this open.


    <em>Well, there are genuine Fire Wielders so the royal family might have beencent that they really sessfully banished the Fire Mages from the empire.</em>


    "People just usually refer to the Vermillion as "the tower" because they find the name too mushy," Captain Denver exined with a grin while they were walking side-by-side towards the tower''s entrance. "Anyway, did Duke and Duchess Nystrom already left for their vacation?"


    "Uh-huh," she said. "But they gave us the permission to contact them whenever I need to. So if you have a message for them, feel free to contact them."


    "I''ll remember that. Thanks for the heads-up," the captain said. "Anyway, thank you for staying behind to look after Flint. He''s still unconscious but since you''re here now, I know that he''s going to be fine."


    "Thank you for the trust, Captain Denver," she said politely. "How was the case with Lord Huxley?"


    "His Majesty is supposed to give his verdict today whether a noble trial should be opened or not," he said seriously. "I have a feeling that His Majesty is prolonging this while thinking of a way to get Lord Huxley out of this mess."


    "I''m sure that you won''t let the count escape."


    "I won''t," he said firmly. "And I can''t disappoint Duchess Nystrom. It was her order to eliminate Lord Huxley before the trial begins."


    It saddened her that Lady Nystrom had to decide to order her people to kill.


    But she knew that the duchess needed that for her growth. Now that she epted her role as the new Supreme, all the lives of the Fire Mages in the tower were in her hands.


    "If I can help you with something, please don''t hesitate to tell me, Captain Denver," she told him. "I''m not just here for Flint. I also came here to protect the tower with you."


    Captain Denver just smiled at her offer, then he snapped his fingers as if he remembered something. "Oh, what was your other request again?"


    "I''d like to see Flint''s baby brother," Luna said without hesitation. Now that she had an idea about who the child was, she wanted to see if she could take a peek in his memory. "And if possible, I want to meet Julian with just the two of us."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, should we kick the saint out of here?"


    Tillyughed heartily at Kiho''s serious question.


    They just arrived at her father''s mansion in Oakes and they were now in their room while unpacking their stuff. Well, to be precise, Kiho was the only one doing the unpacking because he wanted her to rest. So right now, she was taking off her heavy clothes to change into a lighter dress. In that part of the empire, the weather was still sunny.


    <em>They won''t call Oakes as the nd of warmth" for nothing.</em>


    Anyway, when they arrived at the mansion, Saint Forrester left to sneak in and look for a room that he could use.


    Well, there were plenty of rooms to choose from her father''s huge mansion. And she knew that the saint could take care of himself without getting caught. Heck, he could even "erase" the room he was using from everyone''s memory to hide himself.


    She would just check on the saintter after their schedule with her father today.


    "I also thought that the saint''sst "rule" is unfair," Tilly admitted while stepping out of her heavy dress. But she was still properly dressed because under that heavy clothing, she was still wearing a secondyer of clothes: a in and thin white dress. "But he said that we have to sleep in separate rooms because the training menu that he prepared required us to do so."


    "I don''t believe it," Kiho said with a scowl. "He''s just bullying us."


    Sheughed at Kiho''s adorable side but abruptly stopped when she saw herself in the full-length mirror. When she noticed the change in her body, she gasped aloud.


    All of a sudden, her husband was already standing beside her.


    "What''s wrong, Tilly?" Kiho asked worriedly, his cold hand already on the small of her back while he was looking at her from head to toe as if he was checking for any injury. "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    "No," she said, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "I just noticed that I have a baby bump now."


    Come to think of it, she was already in her fourth month of pregnancy.


    <em>Time flies so fast, huh?</em>


    "Oh," he said with a hint of relief in his voice. "Yeah, I can see a bump in your stomach now."


    When she looked up at his face to see his reaction, she smiled. "You look so proud, Kiho. Do you know that?"


    "I am," Kiho said with a proud smile while still looking at her baby bump with warm gaze. "I made that."


    Sheughed at his teasing.


    He looked up at her face with a very soft expression on his face. "I still can''t believe that we made another life, Tilly." He gently cupped her face in his hands. "And you''re carrying our baby in your womb. I know that pregnancy isn''t easy so thank you for working hard. You''re really, really amazing, honey."


    She didn''t know if it was her hormones but she suddenly got emotional.


    The first time she met Kiho, he was stoic and reserved.


    But ever since they got engaged, she had seen different emotions y on his handsome face. And he was more talkative nowpared before. That made her feel closer to him.


    "Thank you, Kiho," she said softly. "I won''t get tired of saying thank you for taking care of me and Winter."


    Kiho smiled, then the warmth in his eyes was suddenly reced with burning passion. "One day, Tilly," he promised her. "I''ll master the water technique in one day."


    Tillyughed at her husband''s determination, but she nodded in agreement. "Yes, let''s master our attributes in one day, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA carefully ced her hand on top of Julian''s head.


    Right now, she was alone with the baby in his room. To be precise, she was standing in front of the crib where the baby sat while looking at her with round, innocent eyes.


    He still can''t talk, huh?


    Well, it didn''t matter.


    All she had to do was look inside his memory to confirm if Saint Forrester was right.


    <em>"No."</em>


    She gasped and jumped backwards when Julian suddenly spoke. But the small and gentle voice didn''te out of his mouth.


    <em>He''s talking in my mind!</em>


    Julian smiled brightly before he spoke in her mind again. "<em>The Supreme is not my mother."</em>


    Luna gasped aloud. "That can''t be"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 129: Spectators

    Chapter 129: Spectators


    <em>I GUESS I''LL use this room.</em>


    Forrester chose the room in the end of the hallway in the same floor as the Nystroms. After settling in, he covered the chamber with a spell that would temporarily "erase" it from the mansion. Meaning, other people aside from the Supreme and the ck Serpent would "forget" the existence of that room. That way, he wouldn''t be worried about getting caught.


    People would only remember the room in the hallway once he left.


    "Your Holiness."


    Forrester turned around to find Sentinel, the spirit guardian, standing in front of him with a scowl. "Are you picking up a fight with me?"


    "Of course not, Your Holiness," Sentinel said. "But I''m here to demand an exnation as to why you want to unseal Duke Nystrom''s power. You know that his ability to control water is tied to his past memories. If he learns to control water again, he''ll remember his past life as the ck Serpent."


    "I know that," he said casually. "I just don''t care."


    The spirit guardian had the audacity to hiss at him.


    He waved his hand and that simple gesture was enough to send Sentinel flying until his back hit the wall. Before the spirit guardian could even make another move, he closed his fist and summoned his Holy Vines until Sentinel couldn''t move anymore.


    "Rx, Sentinel. I know what I''m doing," he said to the spirit guardian. "I''mpletely aware that we''re all going to get screwed up if the ck Serpent awakens before the Supreme finds the Red Phoenix."


    "If you know that, then why do you still want to unseal the ck Serpent''s power?" Sentinel asked in an annoyed voice.


    "I will notpletely unseal the ck Serpent''s power," he said, then he sat on the edge of the huge bed while facing the spirit guardian. "I''ll just crack it enough for him to be able to use his water attribute."


    "The duke doesn''t need his water attribute," the spirit guardian insisted. "He''s doing fine even with just his ice attribute."


    "Have you forgotten that the Nystroms waged war on the Moonchesters?" he asked while shaking his head. "Do you think they''d survive against the threat of the crazy royal twins?"


    Of course, the spirit guardian didn''t have a retort.


    "The little Supreme only managed to burn the crazy princess because of her raging wrath," he exined. "But in a normal fight, the little Supreme doesn''t stand a chance against the crazy princess the same way that the ck Serpent is no match against the crazy emperor. Not in the ck Serpent''s current state, at least."


    "I don''t know about the ck Serpent but I''m certain that the Supreme and the Moon Serpent are enough to bring down the Moonchesters," Sentinel said confidently. "Once Lady Nystrom and Lord Wixx finally reunite, the ck Serpent wouldn''t be needed anymore. After all, we only allowed the ck Serpent to be with our Supreme again for them to sessfully conceive the Moon Serpent this time."


    Heughed softly at that. "The Fire Mages haven''t forgiven the ck Serpent yet?"


    "If the ck Serpent retrieves his memories, we''re not certain if he''s going to stay with Lady Nystrom or return to the Moonchesters'' side," the spirit guardian said bitterly. "That''s why the Supreme has to find the Red Phoenix first before the ck Serpentpletely awakens. So even if the ck Serpent retrieves his memories, Lord Wixx would be there to protect Lady Nystrom and kill the duke."


    "Well, that makes sense," he agreed. "After all, I''m pretty sure that whether it''s in the past or the present, the Supreme still wouldn''t be able to kill the man that owned her heart literally and figuratively."


    The spirit guardian red at him. Obviously, Sentinel wasn''t pleased by the fact that he reminded him of what the ck Serpent did to the Supreme in the past.


    "Whatever you say, you can''t stop me from teaching the ck Serpent to use his water attribute," he said firmly. "I need the Supreme and the ck Serpent to be stronger for them to find my Holy Scepter as soon as possible."


    Actually, that was a lie.


    He just wanted to "crack" the seal to take a peek at the ck Serpent''s memories. He was hoping to get a clue as to where his Holy Scepter might have been hidden. He waspletely aware that his n was risky. But it was better thanpletely awakening the ck Serpent.


    <em>I''ll do everything to find my Holy Scepter.</em>


    "Is that really your only goal, Your Holiness?" Sentinel asked suspiciously. "During your first life, you didn''t help in the war. Even though you know that the Moon Serpent was the key that the sky god needed to end the Moonchesters, you let the child die. All because you chose to stand in the neutral side."


    "My father''s goal has nothing to do with me," he said casually. "Anyway, you shouldn''t be worrying too much about my business because as the spirit guardian of the Red Phoenix, you have something more important to worry about."


    The spirit guardian''s furrowed brows made it obvious that he didn''t know what he was talking about. "What do you mean by that, Your Holiness?"


    "I have a feeling that the Supreme and the ck Serpent''s second child had been reincarnated in this era as well."


    Sentinel''s eyes widened in shock. Then, he released a very dangerous bloodlust until his whole body was literally burning. It was enough to burn his Holy Vines into ashes. "That child ended the Supreme''s life. The Fire Mages didn''t acknowledge him then, and we never will do so no matter how many times that child gets reincarnated."


    Ah, it seemed like the Fire Mages had really deep hatred for the second child.


    "Where is that child?" the spirit guardian asked angrily, his bloodlust didn''t show any sign of wavering soon.


    <em>Someone wants to kill a baby, huh?</em>


    Well, that was none of his business.


    "I don''t know," he said. "But the witch with pink eyes said that she''ll keep an eye on the child."


    The spirit guardian looked confused. Then, when realization dawned upon him, he froze. "No, it can''t be" he said in disbelief. "The baby Fire Mage with unreadable Mana could he be the reincarnation of the second child?"


    He shrugged. "I haven''t met the baby in question yet."


    "I have to kill that child."


    "Was the second child really not the Supreme''s son with the ck Serpent?" he asked curiously. "I mean, as a mere spectator back then, I didn''t believe that the second child was the Supreme''s child with the ck Serpent."


    "It doesn''t matter to us whether the child was really the Supreme''s second child with the ck Serpent or not," Sentinel said in an empty voice. "It wouldn''t change the horrible thing that he and the woman who gave birth to him did to our Supreme. That was the reason why Lord Wixx and the entire Fire Mage n didn''t im that child."


    So, in short, the Fire Mages didn''t bother to check if the second child was truly the ck Serpent''s son with the Supreme or not?


    "What if the child was really the Supreme''s child with the ck Serpent?" he asked. "Now that the baby has been reborn, do you still intend to kill him even with a huge possibility that he was the Supreme''s second child?"


    "Like I said, it doesn''t matter to us," Sentinel said. The me in his body was starting to get extinguished but not the anger in his eyes. "I''ll kill the child without Lady Nystrom knowing that child doesn''t deserve to be acknowledged by our Supreme."


    Forrester smiled. "Interesting."


    He had a feeling that his boring days were now finally over.


    <em>Being a mere spectator is fun</em>.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR MAJESTY, Duke and Duchess Nystrom have arrived in Oakes with Lord Prescott.


    "I don''t want them to be away from the Royal Capital for too long," Aku said. He was walking in the hallway while Sir Gregory was following closely behind him. They were on the way to the throne room because he had a meeting with his advisors today. "I''ll give them a maximum of seven days for their short vacation."


    "How do you n to make them return, Your Majesty?" Sir Gregory asked. "It''s not illegal for them to spend their vacation in their territory for as long as they want."


    "I hate it when Kiho is out of my sight," he said. "And more importantly, I don''t want them to think that they can hide from me just because they are in their territory. Oakes is still a part of my empire. If you need to create a problem for the Prescotts or the Nystroms for them to be forced to return to the Royal Capital as soon as possible, then do it."


    "I understand, Your Majesty," Sir Gregory said. "Ah, what shall we do about Lord Huxley? The Fire Wielders and the Red Phoenix Knights are keeping an eye on the count. It seems like they are nning something."


    "It''s time to hide Lord Huxley," Aku said coldly. "And kill everyone and anyone who tries to get in the way."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "<em>PLEASE don''t kill me</em>"


    Luna felt a tug in her heart when she heard Julian''s soft plead while the baby was giving her the most innocent eyes that she had seen in a child.


    "<em>I may not be the Supreme''s child, but that doesn''t mean that I''m an enemy</em>," Julian continued in a gentle voice. "<em>The Supreme doesn''t need to know my existence. I just want her to be happy with my father this time. So please allow me to live and watch them from afar. That''s my only wish in this lifetime, Miss Luna</em>."


    Ah, hearing that from a child made her heart hurt.


    <em>This baby is so selfless.</em>


    "I won''t tell the Supreme about your existence. Not yet, at least," Luna promised the child. "But Julian, tell me. Who is your real mother?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 130: Lady Marianne Prescotts Gift

    Chapter 130: Lady Marianne Prescott''s Gift


    TILLY COULDN''T help but smile while staring at her baby bump in the mirror.


    Since the weather was sunny today, she opted for a light off-the-shoulder yellow dress that was kind of loose in the tummy area. Yet, her baby bump was still obvious. She didn''t know when it happened but now she couldn''t hide the bulge not that she had any intention to do so.


    She was proud of her baby bump.


    <em>Hello, Winter.</em>


    "Leni, Lani, look at my baby," Tilly said at the twins with a smile. "We''re going to meet him very soon."


    Leni and Lani both smiled and bowed before they spoke in unison. "Congrattions, Your Grace."


    <em>Ah, right.</em>


    She brought the twins along because she knew that she would be tired to move on her own once her training with the saint began. Plus, she trusted Leni and Lani the most. She knew that the twins genuinely cared for her.


    <em>And they''re no longer scared of Kiho.</em>


    "I''m going on a stroll with Kiho and Father but you don''t have to apany me," Tilly said with a smile. She didn''t want to bring her maids because she was going to have a talk to her husband and father about her mother. And her mommy was a Fire Mage. Even though she trusted the twins, she still wanted to be extra careful. "You may stroll the town in your free time. Just ask the guards to apany you. I''ll give you allowance so don''t hold back and spoil yourselves, okay?"


    Leni and Lani both looked shocked by her generosity. With teary eyes, the twins bowed and spoke at the same again. "Our utmost gratitude, Your Grace."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LADY MARIANNE Prescott''s grave was actually the beautiful garden behind the Prescott Mansion in Oakes. And in the middle of it all stood a huge tree with pretty orange and reddish leaves that fit the "sunny" feels their territory was known for.


    "Your mother''s urn is buried under her favorite tree," Lord Prescott said while looking up at the giant tree with one hand ced on its trunk. "This tree is called Fire Tree because of the color of the leaves."


    Tilly blinked several times when she heard the name of the tree. "Oh. I just remembered that we''re supposed to look for the Great Free Tree to uncover the truth behind the Fire Mages'' "betrayal" against the royal family."


    Gosh, she had a lot of things to do but she couldn''t start properly without "powering up" first. Like Saint Forrester said, she needed to master her strengths if she wanted to at least protect herself if she needed to. She figured that it makes sense so she prioritized her training before leaving the Royal Capital to look for the Great Fire Tree and the nd that worships the sun."


    "That can wait, Tilly," Kiho said to her gently. "I know that we have limited time. But still, we shouldn''t be hasty. We should be fully-prepared before we go anywhere."


    "I agree with Kiho," her father said. "But let''s talk about thatter." He turned to her. "Tilly, why don''t you introduce your husband to your mother first."


    She smiled at her father before she turned to the giant Fire Tree in front of them. Then, she respectfully curtsied and bowed at it. "Mother, how are you? Your daughter hase to visit you." After paying her respect to her mother''s grave, she turned to Kiho with a smile. "Mother, this is Duke Kiho Nystrom my kind husband."


    "I''m not as kind as you think I am, Tilly. But thank you for believing in me," Kiho said gently, then he turned to the Fire Tree and bowed respectfully. "How are you, Mother? I''m Kiho Nystrom your precious Tilly''s husband. I have blood in my hands but ever since I met your daughter, I promised myself that I will live an honest life for her. And now that we''re having a child, I swear that I will continue to atone for my sins while taking good care of them. Please look after us in heaven."


    She got emotional after hearing Kiho''s sincere words.


    <em>Gosh, he''s making me cry for a good reason.</em>


    She held her husband''s hand. When he turned to her, she just smiled and brought their hands near the trunk. He immediately got what she wanted to do.


    They both ced each of their hand on the Fire Tree''s trunk.


    <em>Oh, it''s warm</em>.


    She was just starting to enjoy the tree''s warmth when all of a sudden, she felt her heart thumped hard against her chest.


    The next thing she knew, Sentinel was already standing behind her.


    "Who are you?" Lord Prescott asked while pointing a gun at Sentinel.


    <em>Ah, Father is still nimble for his age.</em>


    Speaking of being nimble, her husband has a quick reflex as well.


    Kiho stood protectively in front of her when her father pulled the gun out of the holster in his waist. Her husband was probably worried that Lord Prescott might identally fire the gun and hit her or something. After all, Kiho never runs out of things to worry about when ites to her safety.


    "Father, he''s a friend," Tilly said. She nned to introduce Sentinel to her father but it slipped her mind. The appearance of the saint in her life really messed up all the ns she made in her head. "His name is Sentinel and he''s the spirit guardian of the Red Phoenix. He left Sentinel to me before he disappeared."


    "Ah, is that so?" her father said while putting the gun back in the holster. "Tilly, you haven''t even told me the full details of your encounter with the Red Phoenix."


    "I''m sorry, Father," she said. "I was too busy these days."


    "Our apologies, Father," Kiho added. "We n to tell you everything in this trip."


    "I''ll listen to itter. For now" Lord Prescott turned to Sentinel. "State your business, young man."


    "I''m older than you though," Sentinel said. When her father red at the spirit guardian, Sentinel cleared his throat before he answered politely. "I didn''t mean toe out," he said, then he looked at the Fire Tree. "But when Lady Nystrom touched this tree, I was suddenly pulled out of her heart. This tree is strange" He ced a hand on the trunk. Then, much to their surprise, his whole body got engulfed in an orange me. "Just as I suspected."


    "What is it, Sentinel?" she asked curiously. "And you''re literally burning. Are you okay?"


    The spirit guardian turned to her. "This is my original form, Lady Nystrom. I''m not human I was made from the me of the Red Phoenix."


    "Oh."


    "Anyway, this whole tree is covered with magic from the life force of your mother," Sentinel said. "Lady Nystrom, your mother left a long message for you."


    Okay, that was a pleasant surprise.


    "My wife left a message in that tree?" Lord Prescott asked, obviously shocked and pleased by the news. "Howe I never felt the magic in that tree?"


    "It''s an ancient magic that only old Fire Mages like me could recognize, the spirit guardian said, then he turned to her. "Lady Nystrom, try to burn the tree with your fire. The magic around the tree must be broken first before the message shows up. And the only thing that can break it is the me of the person who is supposed to read the message. In this case, it''s you."


    Actually, that made her nervous.


    At her current state, she wasn''t sure if she could burn the tree down when the only thing she could do right now was to light a candle with her finger. But of course, that didn''t mean that she would give up easily.


    "I''ll give it a shot," she said. Then, she took a deep breath before she ced her hands on the trunk. Please make it work.


    She concentrated hard enough until her hands were both covered with red me.


    But that was it.


    She couldn''t make the me grow bigger no matter how much she tried.


    <em>Dammit!</em>


    "Tilly, please don''t push yourself too hard," Kiho said while cing a cold, gentle hand on her shoulder. "We can''t be hasty, remember? Just because you can''t do it today doesn''t mean you can''t do it tomorrow."


    Her husband''s words were enough to calm her down.


    <em>Kiho is right. It''s not like I only have a day to burn the tree down. I need to train first and that''s exactly the reason why we brought the saint along.</em>


    "Thank you, Kiho," Tilly said to her husband with a smile. Then, she turned to Lord Prescott. "Father, can we go ahead first? Kiho will help me with my training." She gently tapped the trunk with her hand. "I want to read Mother''s message as soon as possible."


    "Alright. Go ahead. I''ll stay here and spend time with your mother," Lord Prescott said, then he turned to Kiho. "Don''t be too hard on my daughter, Kiho. Remember, your wife is pregnant."


    "Yes, Father," Kiho said with a polite bow. "We''ll be careful."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR HOLINESS, I''d like to begin my training as well.


    Forrester gave Kiho Nystrom a dire stare.


    Right now, the duke was in his room.


    A few minutes earlier, the ck Serpent and his wife barged into his chamber while demanding him to begin his training now. When he agreed, the little Supreme bolted out of the room and said she''d just change her clothes really quickly.


    Surprisingly, the clingy duke who never takes his eyes off of his wife decided to stay instead of escorting the little Supreme back to their room.


    "Sure," Forrester said. "But I have to say that I''m surprise that you let your wife return to your room alone."


    "Tilly isn''t alone. Sentinel has returned inside her heart," Kiho said. "My wife is very focused on her goal to master the fire technique so I want to do the same."


    "Yeah, whatever," he said, then he walked towards him and motioned him to crouch down.


    "What it is, Your Holiness?" the duke asked when he crouched down.


    As soon as Forrester could reach the ck Serpent''s chest, he poked his chest with his finger several times in just a blink of an eye.


    Like he expected, Kiho was paralyzed in a matter of seconds.


    <em>Sealingplete.</em>


    Yeah, he sealed the ck Serpent''s ability to use ice temporarily.


    "If you want to master the water technique, you have to stop relying on your ice first," he said to the paralyzed duke who couldn''t even blink right now. "You have to wake up a bit, little snake."


    All of a sudden, the thunder roared angrily in the morning sky.


    When he turned to look outside the window, he was greeted by the dark clouds that covered the sun. To ordinary people, it would look like it was about to rain. But he knew that the dark clouds and the continuous thunder weren''t because of bad weather.


    <em>The sky god is angry</em>.


    Forrester smirked and raised his middle finger as a response to his father''s rage. "Shut your trap, old man."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>Author''s Note:</strong> Everyone, I already saidst time that this is going to have a happy ending. And cheaters DON''T deserve happy endings. Get it? ;) <3


    If I have to describe Kiho (in all eras/lifetimes) in two words, it would be: CINNAMON ROLL.


    This is Urban Dictionary''s definition of a "cinnamon roll" character:


    <em>"A character that is very kind and sweet but faces more hardship and suffering than they truly deserve."</em>


    I think I have said many times (through Tilly) that Kiho is a cinnamon roll. :>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 131: Weapon of Choice

    Chapter 131: Weapon of Choice


    TILLY flinched when a loud thunder roared in the sky.


    Even Leni and Lani stopped braiding her hair in surprise.


    Then, the three of them turned to the window at the same time. She was pretty sure that the twins were just as shocked as she was to see that the sky had turned gray when it was still sunny just a few minutes ago.


    "Mydy, is it normal here in Oakes to have a sudden change in weather?" Lani asked curiously.


    "I''m surprised, mydy," Leni added. "It was just sunny a while ago"


    "I know, right?" Tilly agreed. "I also find it strange. I''ll ask Father about itter."


    "Are you still going to y outside, Your Grace?" Lani asked worriedly. "What if it suddenly rains?"


    "I''ll be fine," she assured the maid with a smile. "Anyway, let''s continue."


    The twins bowed and continued styling her hair.


    She just changed her clothes into her usual training outfit: loose linen shirt, trousers that fit her like modern-age leggings/yoga pants, and a pair offortable boots.


    Leni and Lani were giving her twin braids right now.


    Tilly didn''t want to admit this but she saw the dark clouds outside, she felt gloomy for some reason. <em>Am I under the weather?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    ONE WOULD think that Oakes was having thunderstorm right now, minus the rain.


    Forrester let out a sigh. "Geez, Father. Calm down," he said. "I know what I''m doing."


    He was met with another loud thunder.


    This time, he bowed respectfully. "I apologize for giving you the nasty finger, Father. Now please keep quiet and let me do my job." He raised his head to look up at the dark sky. "Both of us will be screwed up if I don''t find my Holy Scepter soon, right?"


    Only did then the sky calm down.


    Just a few momentster, the dark clouds started to vanish and the bright sun cleared up the sky again.


    He knew that the sky god was looking after him. They may fight a lot, but he knew that at the end of the day, his father would still "forgive" him and let him do whatever the hell he wanted. After all, he was the favored son.


    "What did you do to me, Your Holiness?"


    Forrester turned around to see the ck Serpent standing straight while doing a side-to-side head rotation exercise. Okay, he didn''t expect the duke to be able to snap out of his spell easily. Heck, he shouldn''t have been able to stand up as if nothing happened.


    <em>Based on the amount of divine power I used, he should have been knocked out for at least ten minutes.</em>


    But it had only been two or three minutes.


    <em>Gods, with or without a seal, are ridiculously strong</em>.


    At least, the ck Serpent didn''t hear him talking to the sky god.


    "I sealed your ability to control ice," Forrester said. "If you want to master the water technique, you must start from the bottom."


    "Ah, okay," Kiho said casually. "Anyway, can you give me the kind of training that will allow me to master the water technique in just a day?"


    <em>He lost his memories but arrogance still runs in his veins.</em>


    That was only proof that this little snake was a god, indeed.


    "Sure," Forrester said with a smirk. "Just don''t me me if you died."


    Just like any god with ego as vast as the sky, the duke scoffed at his warning. "A training to master a certain technique can''t kill me."


    Well, the ck Serpent had the skill to back up his arrogance.


    <em>But I still want to teach him a lesson.</em>


    "Are you sure about that, little snake?"


    The duke''s furrowed brows made it obvious that he didn''t like the pet name he gave. "Why are you calling me "snake?""


    "Your eyes look like snake eyes." Heck, your son is also a serpent.


    "They don''t."


    He just waved his hand to dismiss hisint. "Aren''t you being a little too hasty, little snake?"


    The duke paused for a while before he answered. "I told Tilly that she shouldn''t be hasty. That she should take it easy. But I can''t apply that to myself. I''m the head of the family, so I need to be stronger to protect my loved ones. And I have to do that as soon as possible."


    "If you have already decided, then let''s begin," he said. Then, he put his hand up with his palm facing the little snake''s face. "I''ll trap you in a box that will be filled with water in twenty four hours. If you want to get out before you drown, you have to master the water technique."


    "Uh, so how will I master it?" the ck Serpent asked. "Aren''t you supposed to teach me something first before you give me a test?"


    Forrester just smiled, and then he closed his hand.


    Kiho Nystrom disappeared in just the blink of an eye.


    "What can a mere half god-half mortal teach a full-blooded god like you, fool?" Forrester whispered to himself. "All you have to do is remember a little bit of your real self, ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>THAT damned saint.</em>


    Kiho was pissed when he found himself inside a tall but narrow box. He doubted if he could even stretch his long legs if he sat down. When he looked up, he realized that he waspletely locked inside. It made him wonder how he could still breathe while he was trapped there.


    <em>Now what?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when it suddenly flooded inside the box. When he looked down, he cursed under his breath when he realized that the water was already ankle-deep.


    He couldn''t see where the water wasing from but it wasing in fast.


    Kiho let out a deep sigh to calm himself down. "I better get out of here soon and hit that damned saint."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHERE''S Kiho, Your Holiness?" Tilly asked when she didn''t find her husband in the saint''s room when she went there. She knew that Kiho stayed with His Holiness to request him to start his training as well. "Did his training already start?"


    "Yes," Saint Forrester said. "I already gave the duke his test."


    To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. "How can you send someone to a test when you haven''t taught him anything yet?"


    "Kiho Nystrom is a genius."


    Okay, she didn''t have a retort to that.


    <em>My Kiho is really a genius but I won''t lose.</em>


    "Let''s begin my training, too," she said excitedly. "I don''t want to get left behind."


    "Wow, someone is fired up."


    "My mother left me a message, Your Holiness," she informed him. "ording to Sentinel, the Fire Tree in my mother''s resting ce is covered with an ancient magic. Apparently, I can also undo the magic and read my mother''s message if I burn the tree down using my own me. But I can''t produce the amount of me that I need. So I want you to teach me how to release more fire power."


    "If I do that, your heart might awaken," he said while shaking his head. "You only need to burn down the tree, right?"


    She nodded. "How can I do that if I won''t release my full power?"


    "Little Supreme, don''t underestimate yourself," the saint scolded her lightly. "You don''t need your full power just to burn down a tree even if it was covered with ancient magic. In the past, the Supreme could burn down a whole town with just a snap of her fingers.


    She gasped aloud. "That''s so cool. I want that kind of power, too."


    "Take it easy," he told her. "And one more thing, the Supreme never wasted her me even though she was a master of it. She knew how to conserve her energy and take care of her body. Just because she could produce powerful me didn''t mean she had to use it in every single battle that she was engaged in. I''m sure even your husband doesn''t use his ice all the time. That''s why he''s also a swords master, isn''t he?"


    She nodded while absorbing the things that the saint said. "Your Holiness, are you saying that the first Supreme wielded a weapon in the past?"


    "Precisely," he confirmed. "And it wasn''t just one. The Supreme in the past was a double weapon wielder."


    "Really?" she asked in excitement. "What were the Supreme''s weapons in the past?"


    "A bow and a dagger," Saint Forrester said. "Both weapons were made of me."


    "I want to master both weapons as well," she said excitedly. Gosh, the Supreme was really cool. No wonder the Moonchesters were so adamant to eliminate her. "Is it possible for me to master the Supreme''s weapons, Your Holiness?"


    "That depends on your tenacity, little Supreme."


    She still remembered the face of the first Supreme.


    Imagining her ancestor with a ming bow and dagger was easy. She could clearly see how cool did the first Supreme look when she was still alive. God, the older woman was most likely something akin to a goddess of war because of her coolness.


    <em>I want to be like her</em>.


    "Your Holiness, please teach me how to make a ming bow and a ming dagger," Tilly said politely. "The first Supreme is now my icon and I want to follow her footsteps."


    "Teaching you how to master the fire technique is the exact reason why I''m here," Saint Forrester said. "Now, let your training begin, little Supreme."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 132: When a God Awakens

    Chapter 132: When a God Awakens


    "YOUR HOLINESS, what should I do?" the little Supreme asked him. "Please teach me how to create my own me weapons the fastest way."


    Forrester was amused by the little Supreme''s enthusiasm to "learn" the fire technique that would allow her to create weapons made of her own me.


    <em>Funny. You were the one who invented the ming weapons, Supreme. You don''t have to "learn" it. All you have to do is remember it, just like what the ck Serpent needs to do in order to "master" the water technique.</em>


    Now, the situation was getting riskier.


    <em>To create a me weapon, the second barrier in the little Supreme''s heart would crack a bit.</em>


    Honestly, he didn''t know what would happen if the second barrier cracked. But he was confident that he could stop it.


    <em>I have to risk everything for the sake of my Holy Scepter.</em>


    "We''ll start with visualization," Forrester said, determined to continue with his n despite the risk. "Little Supreme, I want you to concentrate and visualize the kind of weapon that you want to use. I suggest that you start with a simple one like a dagger. I know that you want to be like the first Supreme. But we''ll take it easy."


    "Okay," the Supreme agreed. "I''m good at visualization since my imagination is wild. Plus, I also used to do yoga for meditation in the past so I have good concentration as well."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about but good for you."


    She just smiled at him.


    Then, without him needing to supervise her, the little Supreme sat on the floor in a lotus position. After that, she put her hands on herp.


    "I''m going to start meditating now, Your Holiness," the little Supreme said, then she closed her eyes. "I''ll try to design my desired weapons."


    <em>She said "weapons."</em>


    He sighed and shook his head. Even though he already told her to start by creating one weapon, it still looked like she was aiming for two.


    <em>I shouldn''t have told her that the Supreme in the past was a double weapon wielder.</em>


    His thoughts were only cut off when he noticed a thin reddish barrier around the little Supreme. It was the heat of the me within her body. It seemed like the little Supreme herself wasn''t aware of that protection that she possessed now.


    "Lady Nystrom doesn''t notice it but ever since the first barrier in her heart was broken, the heat of the me within her body had be a barrier," Sentinel, who appeared beside him, said. "The barrier appears whenever the duchess is asleep or unaware of her surroundings as if the barrier knows exactly when to protect the Supreme."


    <em>Oh, that makes sense.</em>


    Anyway, Sentinel was talking freely despite the little Supreme''s presence because it seemed like she fell into a temporary slumber. When a person like the little Supreme with sealed memories concentrated hard enough, it wasmon for them to lose consciousness.


    <em>But she''s fine.</em>


    Forrester turned to Sentinel. "Then, even the ck Serpent can''t sense the little Supreme''s new protection even if he''s always sticking to his wife like glue?"


    The spirit guardian shook his head. "I guess the duke can sense that the duchess''s body has be warmer than usual. But maybe he thought it was normal because his wife is a Fire Mage." He turned to him. "Your Holiness, speaking of Duke Nystrom where did you take him for his training? I can''t feel him anywhere the premise."


    "I sent the little snake to the ne."


    Sentinel''s eyes almost popped out of his head. "Your Holiness, that''s very risky."


    "I know," he admitted. "My father already scolded me, okay?"


    The ''ne'' was the space between the mortal world and the "heavens" where the gods and goddesses reside. That was also usually the ce where people in the brink of death were sent while waiting for their fate.


    It was risky to bring the ck Serpent in the ne because the other gods might feel his presence and vice-versa. That could trigger his awakening.


    "Your Holiness, I don''t know what you''re nning but make sure that our Supreme won''t get hurt in any way," Sentinel warned him. "I know that Lord Wixx asked me to follow your orders but only if it benefits Lady Nystrom."


    "I know," Forrester said, then he looked outside the window. The weather was clear again, but he would admit that he wasn''t sure if it would stay that way before the day ends. <em>You''ll be fine as long as you don''t force yourself to use your ice, little snake.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO already ran out of patience.


    The water inside the box where he was currently trapped in already reached his waist. He didn''t want to admit this but he was starting to panic. No matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn''t stop the water froming out.


    <em>I have no choice then.</em>


    He knew that the stupid saint sealed his ability to use ice. But all he had to do was to break the seal, right?


    I''m going to freeze the water first, Kiho said while touching the cold wall of the box he was in. After that, I''ll figure out how to control this damn water.


    That was the n


    but for some reason, he felt his heart thumped hard and painfully against his chest as if he just had a heart attack.


    And that was thest thing he remembered.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHO IS your real mother, Julian?" Luna asked the child curiously. "If the Supreme wasn''t your mother in the past, then who gave birth to you?"


    "<em>I don''t remember my real mother</em>," Julian said. "<em>And I don''t want to remember the past anymore. I just want to live quietly as Julian, Flint''s younger brother. So please no more questions, Miss Luna</em>."


    How could she continue asking when the baby pleaded her so earnestly?


    And she thought that letting Julian live quietly as Flint''s younger brother instead of being exposed as the ck Serpent''s child would be better. Lady Nystrom, under no circumstances, should know about the truth.


    "Alright," Luna said. "We''ll forget about your past for a more peaceful present."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO somehow knew that he was drowning. He couldn''t breathe, and he couldn''t even move a muscle. This was the first time that he felt this way.


    <em>No, I can''t die. I want to stay with Tilly and see our son get born. I have to survive.</em>


    He tried to breathe but it seemed like his lungs were suddenly filled with water.


    Now he was seriously scared.


    "<em>But why are you scared of the water when it''s yours to control?</em>"


    Kiho opened his eyes when he heard a stranger''s voice in his head. To his surprise, he found himself inside a cave while sitting on the ground and catching his breath.


    In front of him was a familiar man sitting on a huge rock.


    Long white hair, red eyes, pale skin


    a face that quite resembled Emperor Aku.


    The strange man''s clothes were also different. It looked like a white robe with ice daggers pattern in the hem each sleeve. Under the white robe, he wore a ck turtle neck shirt, ck trousers, and ckbat boots.


    He didn''t want to admit this but the strange man exuded a majestic andmanding aura that was even stronger than the emperor''s.


    <em>Why do I feel like bowing to this guy?</em>


    "Who are you?" Kiho asked threateningly. "And where am I?"


    "<em>We''re inside your consciousness</em>," the strange man said. "<em>And I am you</em>."


    "I don''t understand," he said with furrowed brows.


    "<em>You don''t have to understand</em>," the stranger said. "<em>You just have to remember</em>."


    Before he could even blink, the long-haired guy was already squatting in front of him with his cold hand on his head.


    "Hey," Kiho said, irritated. But for some reason, he couldn''t move to push his hand away from him. "Can you at least introduce yourself first? I don''t understand what you meant when you said you are me."


    "<em>I''m Kalel Moonchester</em>."


    "F*ck off," he said, thinking that this man was just messing up with him.


    "<em>Ah, right</em>," the other guy said. "<em>I''m also known as Kalel Nystrom</em>."


    Okay, now Kiho was interested. "You''re a Nystrom?"


    Kalel Nystrom nodded. "<em>Not that you''d remember it anyway</em>."


    <strong>***</strong>


    FORRESTER was shocked when another thunder roared in the sky again.


    When he turned to the window, his eyes widened. The clear sky was gone and worse, it suddenly rained heavily the kind of rain that could be mistaken for a storm. And the change of weather happened in less than a minute.


    <em>It''s not my father''s doing this time.</em>


    "Your Holiness, this kind of rain reminds me of a certain someone," Sentinel said nervously. "Could it be"


    Before he could even respond to the spirit guardian, lightning shed brilliantly in the dark sky followed by a loud p of thunder. This time, the ground shook as if a gigantic stone just hit the earth.


    "Sentinel, hide the Supreme," Forrester said seriously. "The ck Serpent is awake."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU shivered at the sight of the heavy rain outside.


    The lightning, the thunder, the heavy pour


    <em>This could only mean one thing.</em>


    "Kiho" Aku whispered to himself, then shook his head. "No" He clutched his tightening chest. "It''s you, Kalel."


    And the emperor wasn''t the only one who felt the ck Serpent''s return.


    Everyone who knew about the existence of celestial beings, whether they were enemies or allies, had the same thoughts at that very moment:


    <em>"A god has descended to earth."</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 133: Snowdrops

    Chapter 133: Snowdrops


    TILLY blinked several times when she found herself on top of a mountain. When she looked below, she found nothing but an empty desert.


    <em>Is this a dream or something?</em>


    "It''s hot," Tilly said while fanning her face with her hands. This was a rare urrence. Since her body temperature was naturally warm, she really couldn''t feel "hot." But the weather in that ce was draining her energy. "Why is it so hot in here?"


    As soon as she thought that she was going to faint from the heat, her body released a cool aura that seemed to "embrace" her until she felt better.


    "<em>Oh, your little one cooled you down</em>."


    She turned around to find a familiar woman sitting on a rock. It was hot but she was covered by a thick red cloak. Still, she looked very fresh.


    That long ck hair


    and the face that kind of resembled hers


    "You''re the Supreme," Tilly said excitedly. "Aren''t you?"


    "<em>My name is Soleil Rosenberg</em>," the Supreme said with a smile. "<em>You can just call me Soleil</em>."


    "I''m Tilly Nystrom," she said cheerfully. "You may also call me by my name."


    Soleil''s smile faded. "<em>Ah, Nystrom</em>."


    "Uhm, is there a problem with my name, Miss Soleil?"


    The Supreme smiled and shook her head before she changed the topic. "<em>I didn''t have the chance to say this before but let me say it now: congrattions on your pregnancy.</em>"


    She smiled and gently ced her hands on her tummy. "You can tell?"


    The Supreme nodded. "<em>Of course. I wish you all the best, Tilly</em>."


    "That feels like a blessing," she said because she felt the warmth in the Supreme''s voice. "Thank you, Soleil."


    She just smiled at that. "<em>I never thought that we''d meet again so soon, Tilly. Are you trying to awaken before you get to the Red Phoenix?</em>"


    "No," she denied. "I don''t know how I got here. I was just trying to concentrate and visualize the weapons that I want to wield."


    "<em>Oh, so you''re training</em>."


    She nodded before she asked. "Soleil, the saint told me that when you were alive, you used to wield a ming bow and a ming dagger. That''s so cool! I want to wield the same weapons as you, so I''m working very hard right now."


    The Supreme giggled. "<em>I admire your determination. Do you want me to give you a hint on how to create me weapons?</em>"


    "I guess a hint would be okay."


    Soleil smiled before she spoke again. "<em>You just have to imagine yourself surrounded by different weapons. The right weapon or weapons will choose you and not the other way around</em>."


    That kind of made her feel down. "Does it mean I can''t choose the same weapons as yours?"


    "<em>We don''t know about that yet, Tilly</em>," she consoled her with a smile. "<em>But whatever weapons you wield, I''m certain that you''ll make good use of them</em>."


    She didn''t know why but the Supreme''s wordsforted her. "Soleil, you sound so kind and so mature. No wonder the Fire Mages trusted you as their leader in the past."


    For some reason, her smiled suddenly looked sad. "<em>But I failed to protect my n</em>"


    It looked like the Supreme was about to say more but all of a sudden, she froze. Then, she looked up at the clear sky. Judging by the way she didn''t squint her eyes, she may not have been hurt by the sunlight.


    Or maybe it was because they were in a "dream" so the sun there was "fake."


    "<em>He''s awake</em>," the Supreme said softly. "<em>My gray cloud is back</em>."


    "Who?"


    Soleil looked at her with a serious look on her face. "<em>Tilly, lend me your body for a while</em>."


    Tilly blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN KALEL''s feet touched the ground, the heavy pour of the rain suddenly stopped.


    Not only that.


    A few momentster, the beautiful garden where he was and the whole estate became covered with ice. And that was because he froze the time in that area. In addition to that, the people who were affected by his presence had been literally frozen. They wouldn''t know and wouldn''t remember what happened once the time started ticking again.


    But for now, the whole estate was temporarily "erased" from the map.


    "Wee back, Lord Kalel."


    Kalel turned around to find Asher Forrester kneeling before him with his hanged low. "Rise, little one."


    Asher flinched before he raised his head to face him. "I unsealed my divine power to get rid of my childish appearance, Lord Kalel. So please don''t call me "little one,"" he said, then he stood up as if he wanted to make a point. "Look, I''m no longer a child."


    Oh, Asher already reached his ear now, huh? In their past life, Asher was only a nave and reckless seventeen year old boy before he died. But now, he looked like a proper grown-up.


    <em>Still</em>


    "You''re my godchild, Asher," Kalel reminded him. "You''ll always be a child to me."


    "Oh, please," the childined. "I''m already the saint in this era."


    "So what?" he said. "You''re just a brat with a little bit of divine power. But you have the love of the sky god to back you up so you can be arrogant even though you''re weak."


    "Thanks," the little one said sarcastically.


    "Is that the attitude you''re supposed to be giving me?" he confronted the "saint." "You''re making me want to hit you, Asher."


    <em>Kids these days are rude, huh?</em>


    "You have my Holy Scepter, my lord," Asher used him. "I''ve risked it all and unsealed the limitations in your power in hopes of taking a peek in your memory. I didn''t expect you to awaken but since you''re already here, I''ll ask you directly. Where is my Holy Scepter, Lord Kalel?"


    Ah, the Holy Scepter.


    Back in his time, Asher''s Holy Scepter had captured Auro''s interest. It was true that his foolish little brother asked him to steal it from Asher. But when he refused, he asked another person to do it for him since he couldn''t touch the Holy Scepter himself.


    "I didn''t steal your Holy Scepter," he denied. "Do you really think that I can do that to my favorite godchild?"


    "I''m your only godchild," Asherined. "I didn''t say that you stole my Holy Scepter, my lord. But I believe that you stole it from the person who stole it from me."


    "Why do you think that I stole it from the thief?" he asked. "Who stole your Holy Scepter anyway?"


    "Are you trying to fool me, Lord Kalel?"


    "I don''t have the time to mess with you," he said firmly. "I don''t know where your Holy Scepter is. But I think it''s good that it''s gone."


    "Lord Kalel"


    "That Holy Scepter of yours can kill gods," he said seriously, cutting-off the child rudely. "That''s exactly the reason why Auro wanted it. But it wasn''t only my brother, Asher. Even if it was now or then, I''m certain that people who wanted to challenge the gods would do anything to get the Holy Scepter. So maybe it would be better for everyone if it just disappeared and never show up again."


    The young boy let out a frustrated sigh. "You''re still obnoxious, Lord Kalel."


    He just ignored the insult since Asher was his favorite (and one and only) godchild in the world. "Who stole your Holy Scepter? You didn''t answer my question earlier."


    Asher turned his gaze away from him. "Your second wife."


    "Soleil Rosenberg was my only wife, Asher," he said sternly. "I know who you were referring to. But don''t call that woman my wife. She was onlymissioned by the elders to give birth to my second child with Soleil."


    "My lord, are you saying that the second child was yours and Lady Rosenberg''s?" the child asked. "I remember that people back then didn''t believe your im especially the Fire Mages."


    He scoffed. "What do you expect from Winchell? He loses logic when ites to Soleil. But considering what I did to his little sister, Winchell''s wrath is justified."


    "Oh, I can see that," the saint said. "By the way, the Red Phoenix goes by the name of ''Wixx'' now, my lord."


    "I don''t care," he said in a t voice. "That''s the nickname Soleil gave him in the past. He''s only using that because he loves his little sister too much. I''m not going to call him that even if it kills me."


    "Uh, my lord? You sound jealous."


    Once again, he scoffed. "Of course not. I''m not jealous even though Soleil never gave me a nickname in the past."


    "Yes, you''re jealous."


    "Shut up, little one."


    Asher looked like he had something to say but stopped when he felt that heavy presence.


    Of course, Kalel felt that as well.


    When he looked up, the gloomy sky was suddenly cleared by the unusual glow of the sun. The dark clouds were gone, and the ice that covered the entire premise started to melt under the sunlight that became warmer because of her presence.


    <em>A goddess has descended to earth.</em>


    To be precise, Soleil Rosenberg wasn''t an "official" goddess. But she was Winchell''s little sister and she was even stronger than her brother. In fact, she was offered to ascend to the heaven with Winchell, but she refused and chose to be reborn as a Fire Mage instead.


    ording to Soleil, she''d rather protect the human kind than "mingle" with the high and mighty gods and goddesses in the heavens.


    <em>Was that the first time that you caught my attention, Soleil</em>?


    "Soleil is here," Kalel said, his chest tightening painfully. "My sunshine is back."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME back, Lady Rosenberg."


    "You''ve grown up, Sentinel," Soleil greeted her brother''s spirit guardian who knelt and bowed before her. When she opened her eyes, she found herself inside a room protected by Sentinel''s Mana. He probably hid Tilly Nystrom as soon as he felt Kalel''s return. "Raise your head, child."


    Sentinel did as he was told to do so. But he still looked defiant. "No," he said stubbornly. "I will not let you meet the ck Serpent, mydy."


    Soleilughed softly at his "threat." That was cute. "Don''t worry. As long as the Moonchesters aren''t here, your fear won''t happen." Even before the spirit guardian could react to what she said, she already walked past him. "Leave. I''ll just talk to him for a while. You don''t have to worry because I only borrowed this body I haven''tpletely awakened yet." She looked outside the window where she saw the trees covered in ice. But the ice was starting to melt. That could only mean one thing. "Lord Kalel is about to leave anyway."


    "As you wish, Lady Rosenberg," Sentinel said even though his tone made it obvious that he was just forced to obey her wish.


    But at least, the young boy left her alone.


    <strong><em>***</em></strong>


    KALEL was confused when Asher literally blocked his way with his arms open. "What are you doing, little one?"


    "You can''t meet the Supreme," Asher said firmly. "I''ll stop you at all cost, Lord Kalel."


    "Who said I want to see Soleil?"


    "Huh?"


    "I just went back to return this body to its rightful ce," he said, then he clutched his chest. "Leaving this in the ne was dangerous. Have you lost your mind, Asher?"


    "I''m just desperate to find my Holy Scepter."


    "Stop looking for it," he warned the child. "Just live like how you did in the past. If you find your Holy Scepter again, you can no longer be a mere spectator."


    "Lord Kalel"


    "I''m going back to sleep," he said to cut him off. "There''s one more reason why I decided to borrow this body for a while.


    "What is it, my lord?"


    "I have three jobs for you," he said seriously. "First, don''t let me awaken in the presence of the Moonchesters. I know that you think that I''d go crazy if I saw the Supreme in my awakened state. So if you don''t want that to happen, make sure that they wouldn''t be the one to wake me uppletely."


    The saint''s furrowed brows showed his confusion. "Lord Kalel, are you saying that the Moonchesters can make you go crazy or something?"


    "I don''t have the time to exin," he said in a hurried voice. He could feel Soleil''s presence nearby so he needed to escape as soon as possible. "Second, kill the White Snake."


    Asher''s eyes almost popped out. "The White Snake is your spirit guardian, Lord Kalel."


    "Just do it," he said firmly. "Third, make sure that the Moon Serpent will be born in this era safely."


    "You''re asking too much, my lord," the saintined. "You know howzy I am."


    "When the Moon Serpent is born, you might get a clue as to where your Holy Scepter is."


    "So you knew," Asher used him. "You knew where my Holy Scepter is all along."


    "I have a hunch, but I still won''t give you a hint unless you fulfill my three requests," he said, his body starting to feel light. At the same time, the ice covering the whole area was starting to melt. "Now I need to fall back to sleep."


    "Are you trying to run away from me again, Lord Kalel?"


    Kalel froze when he heard the familiar voice that he couldn''t and wouldn''t forget no matter how many centuries pass. "Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN SOLEIL was alone in the room, she walked towards the door. She had no intention to see Kalel yet, but she wanted to talk to him. So instead of leaving the room, she simply ced her hands on the door.


    "Are you trying to run away from me again, Lord Kalel?" Soleil asked softly knowing that Kalel would still hear her.


    There was a short pause.


    Then, she felt it.


    Kalel was definitely standing on the other side of the door.


    "I''m not running away," Kalel said in his usual monotone voice. "I''m just doing my duty."


    Ah, just with hearing his voice, she could already imagine his stoic but handsome face. No matter how many centuries pass, she could never forget every single thing about him.


    "The you and the me of this era have sessfully conceived a child," she informed him in a soft voice. "I hope Tilly gives birth to their son safely."


    Of course, he didn''t respond to that.


    Obviously, he didn''t know what to say.


    "You''re still as awkward as ever," sheined lightly.


    "You taught me how to be human, Soleil," he said in voice that sounded like a whisper. "So when you left, I was lost. But I deserve it. After all, I didn''t choose you."


    She smiled sadly at that.


    When they were newly married, Kalel was as emotionless as a rock. There were times that he had hurt her but it was never intentional. He was just a foolish older brother who would do anything for the Moonchesters.


    But of course, she worked hard until she won him over. She "taught" him to be a "human" instead of being his brother''s puppet.


    When they had the Moon Serpent, she thought they were finally going to be a real family.


    But in the end, the Moonchesters ruined everything.


    "I didn''t choose you either," she reminded him. "What happened in the past wasn''t your entire fault, Lord Kalel."


    "I don''t deserve your kindness, Soleil," he said in a frustrated voice. "You don''t know the things that I did after you were gone. They were worse than ripping your heart out."


    "I don''t care," she said. "Only the two of us know the truth of the tragedy that ended us."


    "I know, and that''s exactly the problem," he said, his voice filled with pain. "Once we''re both fully awakened, I''m afraid that we can''t talk like this without trying to kill each other. Only the two of us know the truth, so no one else can help us especially not when I''m still tied to the Moonchesters. After all these years, I still wasn''t able to free myself from my brother."


    "Trust them, Lord Kalel," she told him. "Kiho fell in love with Tilly first."


    "He did?"


    "My curse on you worked," she teased him even though she wanted to cry so bad. "Tilly told me that Kiho fell in love with her at first sight. Maybe this time, your love for me in this era is stronger than the blood that ties you to the Moonchesters."


    "I wish we can remember this moment once we both wake uppletely."


    She could only smile sadly at that.


    Unfortunately, it wouldn''t work that way.


    She left a piece of her soul in the heart the same way Kalel left a piece of his soul in his reincarnation''s body. The pieces they left didn''t have the memories of what happened after the "tragedy that ended them.


    But once they fully awakened, they would retrieve their memories.


    And that might cause them to hate each other.


    But when she saw Tilly, she saw a glimpse of hope.


    "I believe in Tilly and Kiho of this era, Lord Kalel. I know that they can ovee the thing that we failed to do in the past," she said in a hopeful voice. But to be honest, there was now a lump in her throat. "And once their love seeds, maybe we can face each other again properly."


    Kalel didn''t respond.


    She had a hunch as to why he suddenly fell quiet, so she turned to look outside the window. And like she expected, it was snowing now.


    "Why are you crying?" she teased him.


    Yes, whenever Kalel was sad, it would snow. His literal tears were snowkes, you know?


    "I want to see you," Kalel whispered. "I want to be with you again, Soleil."


    She smiled and pressed her forehead against the door. When she closed her eyes, she felt her tears roll down her cheeks. "Why only now do you say the things that I wanted to hear from you when we were still together?"


    "Because I was a fool."


    "Let''s just ce our hopes on Tilly and Kiho now."


    She heard silence from the other side of the door.


    Then, she felt and heard Kalel press his forehead against the door just like what she was doing now. She could even feel that he ced his hands on the same spot where her hands were. Sadly, that was the closest they could get for now.


    "I''m feeling sleepy now, Soleil."


    "Me, too," she said. "Our time is up."


    "Good night, my sunshine," Kalel whispered in a soft voice.


    "Good night," Soleil whispered back. "See youter, my gray cloud."


    Before Kalel fell back into slumber, he made it snow hard until Soleil''s favorite flowers blossomed: snowdrops the symbol of purity, hope, and rebirth.


    The snowdrops were reminder of their promise to start all over again someday.


    <strong>***</strong>


    Note: Sorry for thete update. I don''t know if it''s my wifiputer or whatever but I can''t updatest night because my WN ount was acting up. Luckily, I was able to properly open my ount now. >.<


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 134: Calm Before The Storm

    Chapter 134: Calm Before The Storm


    FORRESTER could tell that his brows were furrowed while watching the Duke and Duchess of Oakes sleep on their huge bed.


    When he felt that the presence of Kalel Moonchester and Soleil Rosenberg disappeared, he went up to check on the little Supreme and the little snake. He found them unconscious while being separated by a door.


    Then, Sentinel appeared and they both put the couple to bed.


    "Shouldn''t we leave them alone so that they could rest for the meantime, Your Holiness?" Sentinel asked. "I''m sure the duke and the duchess''s Mana were depleted after what happened."


    "Yeah, we should do that," Forrester agreed, then he turned to the spirit guardian. "Sentinel, don''t you find it strange? We were all made to believe that the ck Serpent and the Supreme would kill each other when they awakened at the same time. That was the reason why no one attempted to wake them up in the past years. But after what happened today, I couldn''t help but wonder if the supposed hate that the ck Serpent and the Supreme have for each other is nothing but a myth."


    "Oh," Sentinel said as if realization just dawned upon him. "But isn''t it just because they weren''t fully awakened yet? As far as I know, the Supreme and the ck Serpent took a piece of their soul during the time that they were still happy together. The Kalel Moonchester and Soleil Rosenberg inside their hearts aren''t probably aware of how they ended up in the past."


    "I also considered that possibility," he said, then he gave the sleeping couple a suspicious look. "But I still think that there''s a secret between Lord Kalel and Lady Rosenberg a secret that only the two of them know."


    "What could it be?"


    "I have no idea," he said, a little bit frustrated. He prided himself as someone who knew a lot of secrets considering his connection to the heavens. But the mystery surrounding the Supreme and the ck Serpent confused the hell out of him. "But I have a feeling that Lord Kalel and Lady Rosenberg may not hate each other despite everything."


    "I don''t quite understand, Your Holiness."


    "I don''t get it either," he said, then he turned to the spirit guardian again. "But Sentinel, Lord Kalel gave me three requests that he wants me to do for him."


    He contemted whether he should share it with the spirit guardian or not.


    In the end, he decided to tell Sentinel because he didn''t want to work alone. No matter how many times he gets reborn, he''d probably always be azy bum. He just hated working if it didn''t benefit him, okay?"


    "What are those three requests?" Sentinel asked with furrowed brows.


    "First, Lord Kalel told me to never awaken him near the Moonchesters."


    "Well, that''s already the n," the spirit guardian said. "The Moonchesters will only get more powerful if they somehow control the ck Serpent."


    "Uh-huh," he agreed. "The third request is to make sure that the Moon Serpent wille out of this world safely."


    "That''s our n''s priority," the spirit guardian said. "Why did you skip the second request, Your Holiness?"


    "Because it''s ridiculous," he reasoned. "Lord Kalel wants us to kill the White Snake."


    Sentinel gasped aloud. "The ck Serpent wants his spirit guardian killed?"


    "Can you even die?"


    "It would be hard to kill spirit guardians, but not impossible," he said. "But I never expected that the ck Serpent would ask you to kill the White Snake not him out of all the Beast Gods, at least."


    "I just realized that I don''t know much about the spirit guardians," Forrester said. "Where did youe from?"


    "The spirit guardians weren''t born the same way like humans are," the spirit guardian said. "But there was a strange rumor about the White Snake the makes it different from us."


    "What rumor is it?"


    Sentinel paused for a few seconds before he answered the question. "It was never proven but apparently, the White Snake was the ck Serpent''s mother."


    Forrester eyes almost popped out of his head. "And the ck Serpent wants to kill his own mother?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR MAJESTY, Captain Ainsworth is here," Sir Gregory informed him politely. "He''s waiting for you in the throne room."


    Aku raised an eyebrow when he heard the forced indifference in Sir Gregory''s tone. Right now, he was sitting on the windowsill while looking outside his window. After the heavy rain and the sudden sunshine, it was now snowing. "You''re not happy that I''m returning the Golden Tiger to Captain Ainsworth''s n, are you?"


    "My feelings aren''t important, Your Majesty."


    "You''ve been by my side ever since I was little, Sir Gregory," he said, then he turned to the knight. "Feel free to speak your mind."


    "I believe that the four Ancient Beasts belong only to you, Your Majesty," the old knight said. "I know that your decision is correct because we need the Ainsworths in the uing war. But as someone who supports you, I don''t feelfortable knowing that one of your Ancients Beasts will be taken away from you."


    "I appreciate your honesty, Sir Gregory. And I know that you''re only saying that because you''re worrying about me," he said. "But you''re forgetting something."


    "What is it, Your Majesty?"


    He smiled before he answered. "I never said that I will hand over the Golden Tiger to the Ainsworths <em>permanently."</em>


    Sir Gregory blinked several times, then he let out a sigh of relief. "I was a fool to worry about something so trivial, Your Majesty."


    He just let out a softugh. "Anyway, I have a feeling that something strange has happened to Kiho and Lady Nystrom. We need to make them return to the Royal Capital now."


    "I''m certain that they will be forced to return once our n seeds."


    Aku stood up and did a side-to-side head rotation exercise. "I will ask Captain Ainsworth to abduct Lord Huxley and keep him hidden."


    Sir Gregory bowed his head politely. "And I will make sure that the news will reach Captain Denver and his tower."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY woke up when she felt something cold on her cheek. When she opened her eyes, she found Kiho caressing her face lovingly. Just seeing his face made her smile instantly. "Hey."


    "Hey," Kiho greeted back softly. "Tilly, for some reason that I can''t exin, I miss you even though we''re together."


    "I feel the same," she said, the she scooted closer to him. Then, she wrapped her arms around him. "Why does it suddenly feel colder?"


    "It''s snowing, honey," he said. "The first snow of the season."


    She gasped at that. Then, she got up right away and turned to the window. Her smile grew bigger when she saw that it was really snowing outside. "I was never a fan of any season but I''ve always thought that the snow is beautiful."


    "Hmm."


    She turned to Kiho who was looking at the snow like she was a while ago. But he didn''t look as excited as she was. "I thought winter was your favorite season. Why do you look down, Kiho?"


    "I don''t know why but I just feel so bummed out today."


    "Okay, that made her worry. "What''s wrong, hon?" She cupped his face and when she did, he turned to her. "Why do you feel bummed out? Are you hurt? Tired?"


    "I probably feel this way because I failed the saint''s trial. Thest thing I remember was being trapped in a huge container with water. If I''m here now, that only means that the saint saved me because I failed the test," he exined, then he put his hand on hers. "Thank you for worrying about me, honey."


    "I think I failed my first mission as well," she said with a pout. "The saint asked me to visualize the weapon that I want to wield. But if I woke up next to you, that only means that I somehow messed it up." She let out a sigh. "We''re flunkers, hon. I guess we can''t sleep together in the same room tonight."


    He let out a frustrated sigh. "I want to sneak out with youter"


    "But at the same time, I want to get stronger as fast as possible," she finished for him. She had a feeling that they were both bummed out because both of them werepetitive and not used to losing. They might have very high libido, but they knew when to act ordingly. After all, their family''s safety was on the line. "Let''s work hard, Kiho."


    He nodded, then he extended his hand to her. "My beautiful Tilly, will you watch the first snow of the year with me?"


    "It''s an honor to do so, my handsome Kiho," she said with a smile, then she held his hand.


    A few momentster, she stood in front of the open window. She ced her arms on the windowsill while Kiho stood behind her. He had his arms wrapped around her shoulders as they watched the snow fall outside.


    The sight of the trees, the flowers, the nts, the ground, and almost everything covered in snow looked beautiful.


    "Kiho, do you know what kind of flowers are those?" she asked, then she pointed at the beautiful white flowers beside a huge tree. "They look really pretty."


    The white flowers looked like cute bulbs hanging from a stem.


    "They are called snowdrops," he said in a soft voice. "They bloom every winter."


    She turned to her husband with a teasing smile. "Ohh so you know about flowers."


    "Just that one," he said. "I used to live in the North where it''s almost always winter. My master told me about snowdrops. ording to him, snowdrops symbolize purity, hope, and rebirth. Also, snowdrops apparently signify one''s sess over several obstacles in life. I like the meaning so I remembered it."


    "I also like the meaning," she said. "And I like snowdrops because they look so pretty."


    "You''re still prettier than any flower."


    Okay, that made her giddy.


    She couldn''t help but giggle and yfully hit her husband''s arm.


    "We can''t sneak outter but we have time now," she teased him while turning around to face him properly. Then, she held him by the waist and pulled him closer to her body. "Kiho, do you know what a quickie is?"


    He smirked as his eyes darkened. Then, he closed the window behind her and covered it with ice like the one that he used to make the carriage soundproof. "I made the ice extra thicker so they wouldn''t see us from the outside."


    "Is the door locked?"


    He snapped his fingers and vo, the door was now covered with ice.


    Someone is in heat, huh?


    She hopped up onto the edge of the windowsill, spread her legs, and pulled him toward her while he was unzipping his pants. When she looked up at him, he held her by the neck before he leaned down and crashed his lips against hers.


    "Tilly, you feel so warm," Kiho whispered in her ear while he was entering her slowly and carefully. "And very wet."


    Tilly actually blushed at his teasing because damn, his bedroom voice sounded very sexy. She buried her face against his neck when he waspletely inside her making them moan at the same time. "It seems like I can never have enough of you, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> SORRY for the sudden break. I have three reasons. 1.) my back pain is getting worse since I''ve been working extra hard in my day job, 2.) I''m taking care of my mother, and 3.) I made some changes in my <strong>PRIVILEGE SET</strong> so I had to rewrite the whole thing.


    I think I''ll be able to post my privilege chapters either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Please look forward to them~


    <strong>SET 1</strong> (this is automatically set by Webnovel): <strong>1 coin for 2 chapters.</strong>


    <strong>SET 2</strong> (this is made by me): <strong>50 coins for 5 chapters</strong>. I consulted a friend of mine who''s also a contract author. ording to her, 50 coins for 5 chapters is already cheaperpared to others considering that I write long updates.


    And you know what will happen in the next 5 chapters? :>


    A baby whose name starts with <strong>W</strong> and ends with <strong>INTER</strong> is going to be born~


    For real.


    Not clickbait.


    Finally.


    :D

 Chapter 135: Danger in the Air

    Chapter 135: Danger in the Air


    TILLY couldn''t look at Saint Forrester straight in the eye.


    After her "quick" love-making with Kiho, they took a bath together as fast as possible. After they got dressed, they met up with the saint in his room.


    <em>Please don''t ask questions, Your Holiness.</em>


    "You both failed at the task I gave you," Saint Forrester said in a calm tone. "Duke and Duchess Nystrom."


    <em>Oh.</em>


    She was surprised that the saint called them by their proper title this time.


    Not "little Supreme" or "little Snake."


    She also noticed that the saint was speaking politely to them now.


    <em>Is he sick?</em>


    "We still have time before dinner," the saint continued. "Should we start all over again?"


    Tilly and Kiho looked at each other, then they both nodded before they turned to the saint and spoke at the same time. "Yes, Your Holiness."


    Wow, look at their good rapport.


    <em>Just soulmate things.</em>


    "Lady Nystrom, just do what I told you to do until you seed," His Holiness said. When he snapped his fingers, Sentinel appeared beside him. "Sentinel will look over your progress while I give another test to the duke."


    "Okay, Your Holiness," Tilly said, then she turned to her husband. "Good luck on the test, Kiho. Fighting."


    Kiho gave him a small smile, then he put a hand on the top of her head. "You, too, honey. But don''t push yourself, okay?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Okay."


    Much to her shock, her husband "fixed" the high cor of her shirt. She deliberately chose that shirt to hide the love bites on her neck.


    <em>What are you doing, Kiho?!</em>


    The mischievous look on his face told him he was doing it on purpose.


    <em>He''s teasing me in front of other people!</em>


    "Go away," she said between giggles. "Stop teasing me, hon."


    Kiho just gave her azy, sexy smile as a response.


    But their flirting was cut abruptly when the saint cleared his throat loudly.


    "Rule number 1," Saint Forrester said with a re. "No flirting in front of me, remember?"


    Kiho let go of her cor and returned to having a poker face. "Yes, Your Holiness."


    Tilly stifled augh. "We apologize for our overflowing love for each other, Saint Forrester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was surprised when Saint Forrester brought him in the bathroom. He expected the saint to send him to the same ce where he sent him to before. "Are we not doing the same activity that you asked me to do before?"


    "That one was too dangerous," Saint Forrester said, then he turned to him. "This time, I want you to get in the tub and fill it with water. To make it clearer, I want you to produce water out of thin air just like how you produce ice."


    He didn''t like the sound of that. "Are you trying to make it easier for me because I suck?"


    "No," the saint denied. "I should have started with this activity. But I got pissed by your arrogance so I gave you the hardest task to teach you a lesson."


    "Oh."


    "We don''t much have time," His Holiness said. "I heard that Lord Prescott is staying in the annex because he doesn''t want to interrupt your time with your wife. But I''m certain that he''ll call you for dinner. So we must finish this activity before your father-inwes here."


    "Alright," he agreed. "I''ll make sure to seed this time."


    "Haste makes waste, Your Grace," Saint Forrester reminded him. "But since it''s you, I want to see what you''re really made of."


    "I won''t disappoint you this time, Your Holiness," Kiho said, then he hopped in the bath tub and sat there. He wished Tilly was there with him but right now, he had to focus on his mission. <em>Let''s get this done and over with so I can take a bath with my lovely wife again.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    MIKHAIL Denver was surprised when a blue lizard suddenly appeared on his office table. "Captain Sherwood?"


    Out of all the captains of the Four Orders, only Captain Sherwood owned a blue lizard that he also often used to send important messages. Yes, it wasn''t an ordinary reptile. But this was the first time the captain used his blue lizard tomunicate with him.


    He didn''t want to admit this but he suddenly felt nervous.


    "<em>Captain Denver</em>," said Captain Sherwood''s voice from the blue lizard. "<em>Is it safe to talk right now?</em>"


    He looked around to make sure that he had locked the door of his office. The windows were opened but the tower was protected with a powerful spell that Miss Luna created. The witch would know if someone or something was spying on them.


    <em>Ah, I just realized that I already trust Miss Luna too much.</em>


    Still, the fact that Captain Sherwood was able to break the barrier to send the blue lizard to him was praise-worthy.


    Well, he wouldn''t be a captain if he wasn''t that strong.


    "I''m alone in my office right now," Mikhail Denver said. "What is it, Captain Sherwood?"


    "<em>His Majesty is making a move before dawn breaks</em>," Captain Sherwood said. "<em>I nted a spy in Sir Gregory''s squad. ording to my servant, Sir Gregory and his squad will "abduct" Lord Huxley and make it look like that the count died to avoid the noble trial</em>."


    He hissed angrily at what he heard. "His Majesty is supporting Lord Huxley, huh?"


    "<em>Well, duh. Lord Huxley is a part of Her Royal Highness''s collection</em>," the other captain reminded him. "<em>Of course, His Majesty will protect his beloved''s loyal follower</em>."


    He already expected that Lord Huxley''s camp would make a move to save him.


    But he didn''t expect them to move this soon.


    The date for the noble trial hasn''t been decided yet because for obvious reasons, the pce was prolonging it. He wouldn''t be surprised if he found out that it was the emperor''s order to dy the verdict.


    <em>It''s not like I expected those people to respect thew and follow due-process.</em>


    "I don''t know why you''re telling me this but I guess I should thank you, Captain Sherwood," he said carefully.


    The information that the other captain gave was valuable.


    But that didn''t mean he would trust him easily.


    "<em>I''m only doing this because I heard that Duke Nystrom is attached to the child that Lord Huxley attacked</em>," Captain Sherwood said. "<em>I don''t need your gratitude, Captain Denver. But I''d appreciate it if you put in a good word for me with the duke</em>."


    Now he understood why Duke Nystrom felt awkward around Captain Sherwood.


    "I will let Duke Nystrom know that you shared a valuable piece of information with me regarding Lord Huxley''s case," he said. "Thank you, Captain Sherwood."


    The captain of the Blue Dragon Knights justughed before he cut off the line.


    Then, the blue lizard disappeared without leaving a trace.


    After that, he heard a knock on the door. When he let the person in, Miss Luna entered his office.


    "Is everything alright, Captain Denver?" Miss Luna asked, her face and voice indifferent as usual. "I felt a strong aura that broke the barrier I created. It didn''t feel hostile so I let it in. But I want to make sure that you''re okay."


    "I''m fine, Miss Luna. Thank you for worrying about me," he said, then he stood up and ushered the witch to the lounge area of his office.


    He called a servant to prepare refreshments for them.


    A few momentster, two maids came in and served tea and snacks. After that, he asked them to leave. He knew that Miss Luna wouldn''t visit his office without a reason.


    "How is Flint''s condition, Miss Luna?" he asked politely. "Is he still not conscious?"


    "Lord Huxley almost destroyed all of Flint''s vital organs," Miss Luna exined. "Since Flint is still a child, it''s taking me a long time to heal him. After all, I have to be extra careful. But fortunately, his life is no longer in danger."


    "That''s good to hear," he said, relieved. "Thank you so much for everything you''re doing for us, Miss Luna."


    "It''s nothing, Captain Denver. I just want to help the Nystroms as much as I could," she said. "Ah, right. Before Lady Nystrom left for Oakes, she wanted to talk to you about something. But she asked me to give you a heads-up."


    "What is it?"


    "The duke and the duchess are nning to adopt Flint and Julian."


    His eyes almost popped out of his head. "As their children?"


    It was unusual for high-ranking nobles to adopt children, especially if they were already having their own.


    "Not as their children," the witch denied. "They want to adopt the children as Duke Nystrom''s younger brothers."


    "Oh," he said, still surprised. "Are they doing that to protect the children?


    She nodded, then sipped her tea before she spoke again. "The duke and the duchess have gotten attached to those kids."


    "You don''t look happy with their decision," hemented when he noticed the witch''s furrowed brows.


    "I''m just thinking about something else," she said. "Anyway, you have the children''s custody, Captain Denver.Lady Nystrom wants me to tell you to please consider her request."


    "I will," he promised. "Thank you for telling me, Miss Luna."


    She just nodded before she changed the topic. "May I know what the strange aura that I felt a while ago, Captain Denver?"


    "It was Captain Sherwood''s messenger," he answered, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "The captain informed me that Sir Gregory''s squad will "abduct" Lord Huxley before dawn breaks. They will probably hide the count to avoid the noble trial."


    The witch scowled at that. "Where''s the count again?"


    "He''s under house arrest right now," he exined. "But we are supposed to meet at the emperor''s pce tomorrow to wait for the verdict regarding the noble trial that I requested. It seems like they will "abduct" the count while he''s being escorted to the pce."


    "Will you personally stop that from happening, Captain Denver?"


    "I''m the only one in the tower who can fight Sir Gregory and his squad while protecting my identity," he said. "And as the leader, it''s my duty to do this."


    "Do you need my help?"


    He shook his head. "Thank you for the offer but I don''t want you to get hurt, Miss Luna."


    The witch scoffed. "Are you looking down on me, captain? I''m not a fraildy."


    "That, I know," he said with a smile. "But you''re my guest, Miss Luna. So please let me protect you."


    She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you flirting with me?"


    "Can I?"


    "No," Miss Luna said bluntly. "You''re too young for me, Captain Denver." Before he could react to that, the witch already stood up. "Thank you for the refreshments. I''m going back to check on Flint. Just call me if you need me, sir."


    And just like that, the witch left him without even giving him the chance to talk.


    "Wow," Mikhail Denver whispered to himself, then he sipped his tea. "Did I just get rejected even before I get serious?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN TILLY opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark room while being surrounded by floating red feathers.


    <em>They''re pretty.</em>


    She tried to touch the one in front of her but much to her shock, it flew away from her.


    "Hey," Tillyined, a bit offended. "Why did you avoid me like I have an infectious disease?"


    Of course, the feather that got away didn''t answer.


    But she didn''t give up. She tried to run after the feathers that she could reach. Unfortunately, all of it avoided her. When she got tired, she rested for a while and leaned against the wall.


    And that was when she noticed a tiny glowing red feather in front of her face.


    "Oh, you like me," she said with a smile, relieved that at least one of the feathers didn''t avoid them. "Do you want to be friends?" she asked, then she extended her hand to it. "Come here, little one."


    But as soon as she held the soft feather in her hand, it changed its shape


    until she was holding a familiar stuff that she wouldn''t mistaken for anything else.


    Tilly''s eyes almost popped out from shock. "A crab mallet?!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: Hello, everyone. I''m now done with my privilege set. But because I rewrote and change some things, the arc got longer than expected and before I knew it, I already wrote 6 (actually, almost 7 chapters) instead of 5 as promised. But I don''t want my privilege set to be expensive so I decided to post an update today to keep it at 5 chapters only.


    I''ll be posting my privilege set tomorrow.


    Get ready to meet <strong>Lord</strong> <strong>Winter Nystrom</strong>.


    :>

 Chapter 136: One of a Kind Tattoo

    Chapter 136: One of a Kind Tattoo


    KIHO found himself in a familiar cave that made his head ache.


    For some reason, he felt like he was forgetting something important that happened in that cave. But his mind couldn''t remember anything significant.


    <em>This is different from the snake cave that I found in the forest</em>


    His thoughts were only cut-off when a glimmering thing caught his eyes.


    <em>What is that?</em>


    With furrowed brows, he walked toward the huge rock in the middle of the cave.


    When he got closer, he saw a glowing ice spear stuck in the rock.


    <em>Am I supposed to pull it out or something?</em>


    The ice spear looked strange. In fact, it was the first time he saw something like that. The staff was made of ice, obviously. But instead of a sharp de, a globe was attached at the end of the rod.


    <em>It''s like a staff that the mages use.</em>


    "I''m not a mage though," Kiho said, then he turned his back on the strange staff. "I''m not interested in that kind of weapon."


    He was seriously about to walk away but all of a sudden, the strange staff appeared right in front of him as if it was begging him to pick it up.


    "Sorry, Mr. Staff," he said coldly. "I''m a swordsman. If you have a brother that is a sword, you might want to introduce it to me. I destroyed my main sword so I need a new one."


    After saying that, he walked away from the staff again.


    But much to his annoyance, the staff followed him.


    "Stop," he warned the staff with a re. "Are you a sasaeng fan or what?"


    The staff didn''t have a face but for some reason, he could tell that it was sad.


    In the past, he didn''t care about the feelings of other people that weren''t connected to him. But ever since he met Tilly, he grew a heart. The days where he could easily and mercilessly kill people were long gone.


    Well, he still wouldn''t hesitate to kill if it was for his family. But he was no longer the mercenary or the "shadow beast" that he used to be.


    Ridiculous as it may sound, he even felt sympathetic toward the staff.


    Tilly, look at what you''ve done to me.


    Not that he wasining. He just wanted his wife to be proud of the person that he had be, thanks to her good influence.


    "Listen, buddy," he said calmly, then he squatted in front of the staff. "I''m sorry but I don''t really need a staff. I''m a knowledgeable about different types of weapon except for a staff since as far as I know, only mages could wield them."


    All of a sudden, the staff shook until the globe attached at one end disappeared


    only for it to be reced by a sharp de.


    "Oh, you''ve transformed into a spear," he said. "I can use a spear but I still prefer swords, buddy. And I don''t have time for this. I''m in the middle of an important training. I need to concentrate to produce water hey."


    He was surprised when the staff suddenly floated in the air, forcing him to look up and watch its next movement.


    Then, much to his amazement, it started spinning on its own.


    He was confused at first. But the staff''s strange action suddenly made sense when it began to rain inside the cave.


    "Oh," Kiho said when he finally realized why the ice staff kept following him around. "You can produce water."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LADY Nystrom, are you already awake?"


    Tilly blinked several times to make sure that she was really "awake" now. "Yeah, I am," she said to Sentinel who stood in front of him. "Am I back?"


    Sentinel nodded. "Yes" He looked at her hand. "And you brought an interesting weapon with you, Your Grace."


    She looked at the small iron crab mallet that she was holding tightly. "I don''t know how to feel. I''m d that I managed to bring back a weapon and it''s even something that brought me and Kiho together. But at the same time, I''m kind of disappointed in myself. I wanted to be as cool as the first Supreme who can wield a ming bow and dagger."


    "The Supreme didn''t wield two weapons because of her own volition," the spirit guardian exined, then he squatted in front of her for their eye level to match since she was still in a lotus position on the floor. "The Supreme was originally a close-range fighter. She used her ming fists to fight."


    She gasped at that. "That''s very different from what I imagined."


    In her head, the first Supreme was an elegant woman who fought elegantly using her ming arrow.


    <em>But she fought using her fists?</em>


    Wow, that was still cool.


    "Lord Wixx didn''t want the Supreme to get close to the enemies during a fight," Sentinel said. "So he forced the Supreme to learn how to use a bow and an arrow instead. Thus, the Supreme became a long-range fighter."


    She scowled at that. "Why did the fossil I mean, the Red Phoenix force the Supreme to be a long-range fighter?"


    "Because the lord wanted the Supreme to fight alongside him," he exined. "In the past, the Supreme would stand on the flying Red Phoenix and attack the enemies with her ming arrows. They were notorious back then as a dangerousbo."


    "Oh, I see. But the Red Phoenix was still selfish for that."


    "I can''t disagree with that, Lady Nystrom."


    "How about the dagger?" she asked curiously. "Why did the Supreme decided to wield a dagger, too?"


    "Someone close to her taught her how to use a dagger," Sentinel said in a somewhat annoyed tone. "ording to that person, a long-range fighter needs to learn how to fight when an enemy happens to close the distance between them."


    "But the Supreme was originally a close-range fighter, right? She could use her ming fists so why did that person have to teach her how to fight using a dagger?"


    "Because that person didn''t want the Supreme to touch other men even if it was a punch."


    Sheughed aloud. "Eww! That''s so cheesy!"


    "Uh, Lady Nystrom, I don''t think you have the right to say that of all people."


    Okay, that embarrassed her a bit so she just cleared her throat and changed the topic. "Anyway, was that person the Supreme''s lover?"


    "I guess you can already tell from my slip of the tongue."


    "Am I not supposed to know about her lover?"


    "No, but the Supreme''s love life has nothing to do with you, Lady Nystrom."


    "Oh, that''s right," she admitted. She was about to say something but she stopped when she heard a loud bang from the bathroom. "What was that"


    She trailed-off when Sentinel suddenly carried her in his arms without warning.


    But she didn''t feel ufortable because she knew that the spirit guardian wouldn''t do that without a proper reason. And she realized that she was right when she noticed that the room was suddenly flooded with watering out from the bathroom.


    "Oh my gosh," Tilly said, a little bit shocked when she remembered that the saint brought her husband in the bathroom for their training. "What did Kiho do?"


    "The water is filled with the duke''s Mana," Sentinel said, then he turned to the bathroom door. "Duke Nystrom has seeded."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was surprised when he woke up and found himself in the tub filled with water.


    He was still in the bathroom but the whole ce was a mess. The overflowing water in the tub made it flood in there.


    Saint Forrester was even floating in the air, probably to avoid getting his shoes wet.


    "Good job, Duke Nystrom," Saint Forrester said. "You exceeded my expectations."


    He tried to get up and that was when he noticed two strange things.


    First, despite being in the tub overflowing with water, he didn''t get wet.


    Second, the strange ice spear that he met in his subconscious when he was concentrating was now in his hand.


    "Oh," Kiho said while looking at the ice spear. "So you can summon water, buddy. I''m sorry for using you as a sasaeng fan."


    "What are you talking about, Duke Nystrom?"


    He turned to the saint and shook his head. "Nothing, Your Holiness."


    He was about to ask something about the water technique when he saw Sentinel carrying Tilly in his arms.


    The sight made him scowl instantly.


    "I just don''t want the duchess to get wet," Sentinel said defensively. "Please don''t look at me like you want to strangle me, Duke Nystrom."


    "That''s right," Tilly agreed with the spirit guardian. "Kiho, you did it," she said with a smile. "Congrattions!"


    Kiho''s mood was instantly uplifted when he saw Tilly''s bright smile.


    Also, he noticed the small iron crab mallet in her hand.


    <em>Oh, that''s cute.</em>


    But still, he didn''t want to see his wife in the arms of another man spirit or not.


    He stood up with the ice spear in his hand. To be honest, he didn''t know how or why but he just knew what to do to stop the water from flooding the mansion. Before his mind could even process what was going on, his hand already began to spin the ice spear.


    Much to his amazement, the ice spear began to absorb the water everywhere.


    When the whole ce was dried up, he was surprised when the de of the spear changed into a ss globe. Just like that, the ice spear became an ice staff.


    Wow.


    "Kiho, that''s so cool!" Tilly said while Sentinel was carefully putting her down. "Your new weapon looks amazing!"


    Kiho hopped out of the tub and walked toward his wife. "Thank you, honey," he said when he reached her. Then, he held her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. "I see that you also seeded in your task. Your new weapon is cute."


    "I know, right?" she said between giggles. "It''s a crab mallet. Although I love it since it''s meaningful to us, I wonder if I can burn down a tree with this."


    "That depends on your fire power, not the weapon itself," Saint Forrester said, his feet now touching the floor. "Having said that, I''m not certain what a crab mallet could do in a fight. This is the first time that I saw a crab mallet as a weapon. Though if it was a normal mallet, I wouldn''t be this skeptical."


    "Just because the crab mallet is small doesn''t mean it couldn''t be used as a weapon," Kiho said. "I''m also relieved that despite it being made of iron, it doesn''t seem to be heavy."


    "It''s light," his wife said. "Just like a normal crab mallet."


    "May I borrow it, honey?"


    "Sure, hon."


    Tilly handed him the iron crab mallet


    that he dropped within five seconds because it burned his palm.


    And it was f*cking heavy.


    No wonder the marble floor cracked when the iron crab mallet hit it.


    <em>The hell?</em>


    "Honey, you''re strong," Kiho said in amazement when he turned to his wife. "You were swinging that heavy, burning hot crab mallet like it was nothing."


    Tilly, who looked quite shocked, shook her head. "I don''t know what you''re talking about, hon. It wasn''t hot or heavy. The crab mallet feels normal to me."


    Now that was surprising.


    "How heavy can a tiny weapon like that be?" Saint Forrester said, then he crouched down to pick up the iron crab mallet. The saint''s veins popped out but he still wasn''t able to lift it up. In the end, he gave up and held his waist carefully. "My back almost cracked. And damn, the crab mallet is seriously hot."


    "Old people shouldn''t be lifting heavy things," Tilly scolded the saint.


    His Holiness just red at his wife.


    He smirked proud of Tilly''s sass.


    <em>That''s my baby #1.</em>


    "May I try to lift it, Lady Nystrom?" Sentinel asked politely. When Tilly smiled and nodded, the spirit guardian said thanks and crouched down to pick it up. But after a few seconds, he pulled his hand away from the iron crab mallet and fell on his butt. "The crab mallet is freaking hot, mydy."


    "Eh?" Tilly asked in surprise. "But you''re a Fire Mage like me."


    "That''s right," Kiho agreed. "I thought it was normal for me and for the saint to get burnt. But the spirit guardian of the Red Phoenix shouldn''t have been burnt by the Supreme''s weapon, right?"


    Sentinel''s face flushed in embarrassment. "I''m a failure."


    "You''re not. Don''t say that, Sentinel," Tilly said,forting the spirit guardian. Then, she crouched while being supported by Kiho to pick up the iron crab mallet. Wow, his wife easily lifted it like it was as light as a feather. "Wow. I feel like I''m Th*r and my crab mallet is his hammer. Gosh, I''m the only worthy one of this tiny weapon."


    He didn''t understand what his wife said but he still found her cute.


    "Tilly, now you''re really thedy with a crab mallet," Kiho said gently, then he touched her face. "I''m so proud of you, honey."


    "Thank you, hon," she said with the most charming smile ever. "May I try to carry your weapon?"


    "Okay," he said, then he looked at the ice staff in his hand while hoping that it could read his mind. <em>If you hurt my wife, I''ll break you into two.</em>


    The ice staff shook in his hand as if it was nodding.


    <em>Good.</em>


    Only then did he hand the ice staff to his wife.


    "It''s a little cold," Tilly said with a smile. "Your weapon really looks amazing, Kiho. It suits you."


    "Thank you, honey," he said.


    "It''s getting colder," she said, then she handed it back to him. "I guess our weapons are designed to only be wielded by their masters."


    "That makes sense," he agreed, then he looked at his ice staff. "I just wonder about where this came from. When I master the ice technique, I didn''t get a weapon from it."


    "Those weapons are made of your Mana. They''re verymon," Saint Forrester said as if he wanted to change the topic. "Anyway, you may rest for now. I know that both of you are tired. Good job, Duke and Duchess of Oakes."


    As soon as the saint said that, something strange happened next.


    Tilly''s iron crab mallet disappeared in a blinding red light. Then, the next thing they knew, a red feather "tattoo" was now marked around her right wrist.


    The same thing happened to him.


    His ice staff-sh-spear disappeared in a ck light. Then, he felt something cold attached in his right earlobe. When he touched it, he was surprised to feel an earring with the texture of a snake''s scale.


    <em>Why a scale though?</em>


    "Gosh, you look really cool, Kiho," Tilly said. It looked like she had something else to say but she covered her mouth with her hands. Then, she yawned. "Oh. I''m sleepy."


    "Let''s rest for the meantime, Tilly," Kiho said, then he carried his wife in his arms. He smiled when Tilly immediately wrapped her arms around his neck as if it was the most natural thing for her to do. "Ah, I remember." He turned to Saint Forrester with a smirk. "Your Holiness, we can sleep together, right?"


    Saint Forrester rolled his eyes. "Do what you want, lovebirds."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 137: When Dawn Breaks

    Chapter 137: When Dawn Breaks


    <em>THE SUPREME and the ck Serpent, despite their reincarnation, remain geniuses in their field</em>, Forrester pondered to himself while looking outside the window of his room.


    Since it was already evening, the sky was as dark as his father''s soul. Anyway, he was alone in the room because the duke and duchess were having dinner with Lord Prescott who also asked Sentinel to join them.


    Anyway


    <em>They really managed to summon their previous weapons in less than twenty four hours.</em>


    "Mastering" a technique for the Supreme and the ck Serpent meant summoning the previous weapons that they had in the past.


    To be honest, he was shocked that the Supreme''s weapon changed in this era. But maybe it didn''t matter as long as Lady Nystrom had a weapon that she could use to utilize her Mana. He had to acknowledge the duchess for aplishing her task without breaking her heart''s barrier.


    <em>They really did a good job.</em>


    He wanted to celebrate but there was an ominous feeling in the air.


    <em>Something big is about to happen.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a knock on the door. A few momentster, the door opened and Sentinel entered his room with a tray.


    "The duke and the duchess asked me to bring you food, Your Holiness," Sentinel said, then he put the tray down on the night table. Then, he looked at him as if he was trying to read his mind. "Can you feel it, too?"


    "Yes," Forrester said, then he let out a deep sigh. "Another Beast God is about to awaken, it seems."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FATHER, is it really okay if I burn down the tree that you cherish?" Tilly asked her father worriedly. They just finished dinner and now, they were having tea in the balcony with Kiho. Sentinel already bid them good night because she and her husband discreetly asked him to bring dinner to the saint. "That Fire Tree has been mother''s "shelter" all these years."


    "Your mother left a message for you in that tree," Lord Prescott said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "I don''t mind if you burn it down."


    "I''m sorry, Father."


    "We will nt a new tree after this, Father," Kiho promised. They already talked about that matter a while ago. "We know that it wouldn''t be the same but we still want Mother''s resting ce to have a Fire Tree as its "guardian.""


    "That''s fine with me," her father said while looking at her and her husband. "Kiho, Tilly, you''re now the Duke and Duchess of Oakes. Everything in our dukedom belongs to you and thus, you don''t need to ask for my permission."


    "That''s not true, Father," she said while shaking her head. "Even if we''re now the Duke and Duchess of Oakes, you''re still the true ruler of thisnd. You''re the one who made our territory as prosperous as it is today, Father."


    "I agree with Tilly, Father," her husband said. "We only inherited our titles for our protection. But Tilly and I know that we still have so much to learn. So, Father, we humbly ask you to share your wisdom with us so that we can be good leaders someday."


    Lord Prescott didn''t smile but his eyes glowed happily. "It''s my duty as your father to guide you, silly kids."


    Tilly and Kiho turned to each other and smiled.


    They probably had the same thoughts right now.


    <em>We will always be children in Father''s eyes.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, are you sure you''re okay?"


    Tilly smiled and nodded at Kiho''s question. "I''m fine, Kiho. I want to read Mother''s message as soon as possible."


    She understood why her husband was worried.


    It was already past midnight and yet, they were still outside. After their tea time with Lord Prescott, they just rested for a bit before she decided to burn the Fire Tree down.


    And so, she went back to the garden with Kiho, Sentinel, and Saint Forrester.


    Her father decided to stay in the mansion to "have a drink" with her mother. Lord Prescott would definitely drink by himself and reminisce his memories with Lady Marianne Prescott.


    "Lady Nystrom, are you ready?" Saint Forrester asked. "Just do what I told you to do before: focus your Mana in the iron crab mallet. Think of your weapon as an extension of your body."


    She nodded at the instruction. "I understand, Your Holiness. But how am I supposed to summon my weapon?" she asked, then she looked at the red feather tattoo around her wrist.


    "If you summon your weapon with sincerity, it will answer your call," Sentinel said. "That was what the Supreme told me before."


    "Alright," she said, then she took a deep breath. "I''ll try it."


    She closed her eyes and from the bottom of her heart, she summoned her new weapon.


    <em>My dear iron crab mallet</em>, she said in her mind. <em>Come to Mama.</em>


    She almostughed at her stupid joke.


    But it worked!


    A few secondster, she felt the warm iron crab mallet in her hand. When she opened her eyes, she smiled when she saw her tiny weapon again.


    <em>Small but terrific.</em>


    "Good job, honey," Kiho said proudly, then he kissed her forehead. "Good luck. I''m just behind you, okay?"


    "Okay, hon," she said. "Thank you."


    After that, Kiho, Sentinel, and Saint Forrester move backwards until they were standing behind her.


    <em>I can do this.</em>


    Back in her second life, she was a pro at "whack-a-mole" arcade game. Hitting a tree with a mallet was nothing to her.


    She gripped the iron crab mallet tight with both hands. Then, just like what the saint said, she focused the flow her Mana from her body to the weapon while thinking that it was an extension of her body.


    A few momentster, the iron crab mallet began to heat up until it was engulfed in red me. As soon as the weapon produced fire, she hit the trunk hard and fast as if she was hitting a mole in the arcade center.


    <em>Whew.</em>


    The part of the trunk that she hit cracked and caught the fire from her iron crab mallet.


    She thought her little me wouldn''t do anything to the huge tree. But much to her shock, the red me suddenly grew bigger until it swallowed the Fire Treepletely. Not only that. She also noticed that the tree was burning down faster than it was supposed to be.


    <em>A Fire Mage''s me is indeed special.</em>


    "You''re amazing, honey," Kiho said when he stood beside her, then he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.


    "Thank you, hon," she said, then she snaked an arm around his waist.


    She noticed that Sentinel and Saint Forrester stood on her other side. Just like her and Kiho, the two were also keenly watching the big fire in front of them.


    When the Fire Tree was almost reduced to half of its original size, she noticed that the ck smokeing from the me started to form into letters words until they were cohesive enough to be understood.


    "I can''t read it," Kiho said that shocked her so she turned to him. Her husband turned to her at the same with furrowed brows. "Can you?"


    She nodded her head. "I can."


    "I can''t read it as well," Saint Forrester said, causing them to turn to His Holiness. "I''m fluent in differentnguages. But this is the first time I''ve seen that one."


    "I can understand it a bit," Sentinel said, then the spirit guardian turned to her. "Lady Nystrom, the message is written in ancientnguage that only the Fire Mage n can understand. Unfortunately, I am not that fluent in thatnguage."


    "Don''t worry, Sentinel. I can read it just fine," she consoled the spirit guardian, then she looked at up the message formed by the ck smoke. She read it out loud for everyone. "''My precious ball of sunshine, I''m probably long gone once this message reaches you. I have so many things that I want to say but our time is limited. Allow me to go straight to the point, sweetheart. Go and find the ind that worships the sun. You''ll find the Great Fire Tree and the allies that you need there. And most specially, they''re waiting for you the Keepers of the Supreme."


    Sentinel and Saint Forrester both gasped aloud.


    She was bothered by the two men''s reaction, but she continued reading what was left of the message.


    "I left a piece of my soul to one of your Keepers, my little Tilly," she continued, her voice now cracking as it finally sank in that it was really her mother''s message for her. "See youter, my baby girl. I love you so much."


    Okay, that got her crying really hard.


    She didn''t have memories of her mother but that didn''t meant she wouldn''t yearn for her.


    <em>I love you, too, Mommy.</em>


    Tilly turned around to bury her face against Kiho''s chest as she sobbed uncontrobly.


    Kiho, being the loving and caring husband that he was, held her tight while gently patting her back as he whispered "I love you" to her again and again.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY had a wet towel pressed gently against her puffy eyes as she sat on the bed. Kiho sat beside her while Sentinel and Saint Forrester stood in front of them.


    After getting her mother''s message, they went back to the mansion.


    They still had a meeting before their "day" ended.


    "Your Holiness, Sentinel, I noticed your strange reaction when you heard the thing about the "Keepers of the Supreme,"" Tilly said, then she removed the wet towel to look at the two men. "What are they?"


    "Keepers, just like its name suggested, were the elite Fire Mages that were chosen as the Supreme''s personal guards," Sentinel exined. "But they died in the war and their bodies were never recovered."


    "I heard that they weren''t reincarnated either," Saint Forrester added. "They disappeared in thin air. That''s why we were surprised when we heard your mother message."


    Now that got her curious.


    But she knew that no one among them knew how her mother found out about the "Keepers." There was only one way to know the truth.


    "It seems like all that I need to find is in the ind that worships the sun," Tilly said, then she turned to her husband. "Kiho, you''ll go with me, right?"


    "Of course, honey," Kiho said right away, then he touched her face. "I''ve said this before and I''ll say it again: I''ll go anywhere with and for you, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>OH, F*CK.</em>


    That was the only thing that Mikhail Denver was able to say in his head when he realized that he fell into a trap.


    He followed the route that Lord Huxley and the royal knights would take to reach the pce. But when they got to the forest that one had to cross before getting to the Royal Pce, the carriage where the count was supposed to be in stopped.


    Sir Gregory and his knights also vanished in the thick forest.


    He wanted to run away when he felt the danger that was about to hit him.


    But all of a sudden, the ground shook so hard that he was sure it was an earthquake. The strange thing was he didn''t fall from the tree branch where he stood despite it. His body couldn''t move even if he wanted to.


    <em>Damn, what kind of presence is this?!</em>


    His question was answered when the door of the carriage opened. And then, a strange man stepped out.


    To say that the stranger was huge would be an understatement.


    <em>How did he even fit in the carriage in the first ce?!</em>


    The man had blondealmost golden hair tied in a low ponytail. He had tanned skin, bulging muscles, and weird clothes.


    He had a white unbuttoned vest for the top, and a pair of white trousers. He was bare-footed, and he had visible scratches all over his body. Heck, he even had a nasty scar from his left eye down to his cheek.


    And his eyes


    He took a sharp breath when he met the reddish-brown eyes of the stranger.


    His eyes look like a tiger''s eyes!


    And the man saw him even though he was sure he waspletely hidden.


    <em>Damn it!</em>


    He once again tried to move but to no avail.


    Then, it happened.


    He heard a loud growl.


    When he looked at the man again, he was surprised to see him transform into a golden tiger.


    No.


    He was <em>the</em> Golden Tiger.


    And he just leapt into him.


    <em>Damn it!</em>


    Mikhail Denver, with all the remaining strength that he could muster, raised his arms to protect himself from the attack. But even before he could summon his me, the sharp and hard fangs of the Golden Tiger already dug into his skin.


    And then, the Golden Tiger ripped his arm off.


    He hissed in pain and made his body burn in hopes of roasting the wild beast, but it was too strong for him.


    The next thing he knew, he was already being mauled by the Golden Tiger.


    "Captain Denver!"


    Mikhail Denver gasped, then turned to the owner of the voice. Much to his shock, it was Miss Luna and she was running toward him. Why did she follow him even though he told her not to?! "Go!" he shouted in panic. "Run away, Miss Luna!"


    His warning was toote though.


    The Golden Tiger left him and leapt onto Miss Luna for an attack.


    "No!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY dropped the bread knife that she was holding when she heard what Lord Prescott, her father, informed them while she, Kiho, and Sentinel were having brunch.


    She wasn''t the only one who had that kind of reaction.


    Kiho and Sentinel also looked shocked.


    "Father," Tilly said when she found her voice again. "What did you say?"


    "I received an urgent message from Morgan Denver," Lord Prescott said in a firm voice. "ording to him, Captain Denver and a woman called "Miss Luna" was mauled by the Golden Tiger before sunrise. Apparently, Captain Denver and hispany were supposed to stop Sir Gregory and his squad from "abducting" Lord Huxley. But it was a trap. Instead of Lord Huxley, they met the Golden Tiger."


    God, hearing it for the second time still gave her shivers down the spine.


    "Golden Tiger?" Kiho asked in disbelief. "Father, are you talking about the real Golden Tiger that is one of the Ancient Beasts?"


    Their father just nodded in confirmation.


    "Our hunch was correct," Sentinel said in a soft voice. When he said "our," he must be referring to himself and the saint. "A god has really awakened."


    She didn''t care about that.


    <em>Miss Luna Captain Denver please be safe.</em>


    "We need to go back," she said, then she turned to her husband. "Kiho, we need to return to the Royal Capital."


    "Calm down, honey," Kiho said, then he held her shaking hand. "We will return to the Royal Capital and go to them as soon as possible."


    "Miss Luna and Captain Denver better be safe when we get there," Tilly said, anger starting to rise in her chest. "If one of them dies, I''ll burn down the Royal Capital."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 138: Win Some, Lose Some

    Chapter 138: Win Some, Lose Some


    "YOUR MAJESTY, Duke and Duchess Nystrom have returned to the Royal Capital."


    Aku was relieved to hear Sir Gregory''s report. He just woke up and in fact, he was still in his bed. But since he was eager to hear what happened, he instructed the knight to enter his chamber and give him a full report. And so, Sir Gregory was here while he was sitting on his bed and leaning against the soft headboard. "I''m d that our n still worked."


    ording to the report that Captain Ainsworth forwarded to Sir Gregory, the Golden Tiger wasn''t able to kill Captain Denver because a witch appeared and managed to save the captain. But they assured them that the two were heavily injured.


    "Where''s Lord Huxley?" he asked his old knight.


    "The count safely arrived at the Silver Tower," Sir Gregory, who stood in front of him, asked. "He''ll stay there until the House Denver decides to push through the noble trial or not."


    The ''Silver Tower'' that Sir Gregory mentioned was the tower where higher nobles used of a crime were locked up. Until they were proven guilty, these used nobles would still be given treatment that befitted their status.


    To simply say, being locked up in the Silver Tower was no different from house arrest.


    "I''m pretty sure that House Denver got my message clear," he said in amusement. "But I wonder what Lady Nystrom will do."


    "What about Lady Nystrom, Your Majesty?"


    "I heard that the duchess is attached to the child that Lord Huxley attacked," he exined. "I wonder what she''ll do once she heard that Captain Denver was seriously injured while Lord Huxley is being treated like a king in the Silver Tower."


    "Does it matter?" the old knight asked as if he was confused by his worry. "It''s not like Lady Nystrom can do anything against you or Lord Huxley, Your Majesty."


    Heughed at that. "Sir Gregory, you shouldn''t underestimate Lady Nystrom. Remember, she managed to burn my beloved to crisp when she got angry."


    "I apologize, Your Majesty," Sir Gregory said. "I''ll never underestimate an enemy again."


    Aku just smiled at that. "I have a feeling that today is going to be a good day," he said, then he stretched his arms. "Now I''m in the mood to attend the banquet tomorrow night."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Tilly was heartbroken when she saw Captain Denver and Luna''s terrible state would be an understatement.


    Captain Denver lost an arm.


    Half of Luna''s face was disfigured because of the huge w mark on the left side of her face.


    "Tilly," Kiho said, then he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He wasn''t just hugging her forfort. Her husband was also physically restraining her because he knew that she was about to bolt out of the room and wreck havoc. "Please calm down, honey."


    Right now, she was in the room where Captain Denver and Luna were resting.


    Aside from Kiho, Sentinel and Saint Forrester (now in his normal form) were also there.


    As soon as they returned to the Royal Capital, they went straight to the tower. Lord Prescott also came with them. But her father decided to meet up with Marquis Morgan Denver (Captain Denver''s father) first.


    "Lady Nystrom, please calm down," Luna, who was lying down on the bed, told her. "We''ll be fine. I can fix my face once I recovered my Mana. I can also create an artificial arm for Captain Denver once I''m fully-healed."


    "Miss Luna is right," Captain Denver said in a weak voice. He was lying on the bed next to the witch. "I just lost an arm, Lady Nystrom. I''ll live."


    Hearing those assurance from Luna and Captain Denver helped her calm down.


    The important thing was they were both alive and they seemed to be positive despite their current state. She didn''t want to ruin that.


    "I''m d to hear that," Tilly said, then she gently tapped Kiho''s arms around her waist. "I''m okay now, hon."


    "I still want to hug you, honey," Kiho said in a sweet voice.


    Luna, Captain Denver, Sentinel, and Saint Forrester all groaned inint.


    Sheughed at their reaction.


    And she was pretty sure that Kiho said that on purpose to lighten up the mood.


    <em>Thank you, hon.</em>


    Saint Forrester cleared his throat to get their attention. But the saint focused on Luna and Captain Denver. "Are you sure that it was the Golden Tiger that attacked you both?"


    "Yes, Your Holiness," Luna and Captain Denver answered in unison.


    "I felt the Golden Tiger''s awakeningst night," the witch continued. "I had a bad feeling so I decided to follow Captain Denver."


    "I couldn''t do anything against the Golden Tiger," Captain Denver said in a voice filled with pain and regret. "The Golden Tiger wasn''t affected by my me." The captain turned to the witch. "Miss Luna, I''m really sorry for failing to protect you. Because of my weakness, your face"


    "Don''t worry about my face," the witch said. "And you don''t have to apologize again and again, Captain Denver. Even I was powerless against the Golden Tiger. We didn''t stand a chance against a god from the very beginning. Let''s just be grateful that I was still able to grab you in time and use a teleportation spell before we were both killed by the Golden Tiger."


    The captain still looked devastated.


    "We''ll get back at them, Captain Denver," Tilly dered, causing everyone in the room to look at her. Still, she was unfazed. "Your Holiness," she said, then she turned to the saint. "You told me that I need to gather the four Ancient Beasts by my side. I''m sorry but I can''t do this anymore. Once I get a hold of that Golden Tiger, I''m going to roast it like a pig."


    Everyone looked shocked by what she said.


    "Well, I understand where you''reing from," Saint Forrester said. "But I hope you know that in a war, you don''t have to like the people you''re fighting with. Sometimes, your enemy today will be your ally tomorrow. Don''t just recklessly burn bridges, Lady Nystrom."


    She knew that the saint was correct, but she was still being overpowered by her wrath. "I''ll find a way to win without the help of the Golden Tiger. Plus, Lord Huxley has to lose an arm and half of his face, too."


    "Tilly," Kiho said firmly, then he stood in front of her and held her by the shoulders. "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine, Kiho," she assured her husband. She was calm now but that didn''t mean her angerpletely vanished. "But I''ll feel better if we get back at the count. After all, he''s the cause of all of this. Are you disappointed in me?"


    "No," he said. "But I''m worried. We shouldn''t make decisions when we''re angry, honey."


    She pouted because she knew that he had a point. "I''m so upset," she said, then she hugged Kiho and buried her face against his chest. "I''m really upset that I wasn''t able to protect our people, Kiho."


    "Tilly, we can''t protect everyone all the time," Kiho reminded her gently. "Please don''t me yourself for what happened."


    "His Grace is correct, Lady Nystrom," Captain Denver said. "It was my fault for falling for the enemies'' trap."


    "And our injuries are our responsibility," Luna added. "You''re not ountable for our mistakes and miscalctions, Lady Nystrom."


    She wanted to say something but suddenly, she felt a pain in her stomach.


    "Lady Nystrom, what happened?" Sentinel asked worriedly. "Your son''s heartbeat suddenly went weak"


    "What?" Kiho asked worriedly. Then, he held her shoulders and leaned down to look at her face. "Tilly, are you okay? Is our son okay?"


    "My stomach hurts a little" she said, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "I guess this is because of stress."


    Panic crossed her husband''s face. "We should go home, honey."


    "Lady Nystrom, you should listen to your husband," Luna said strictly. "As your doctor, I forbid you from visiting us because you''ll only get worried the more you see us in this state. But don''t worry, Lady Nystrom. I''ll still look after Flint and his younger brother."


    That was a relief to hear.


    "I''m sorry but I have to ban you from entering my tower for the meantime," Captain Denver added. "We can exchange letters but we can''t meet in person until you''ve rested enough."


    "Just ept your defeat for today," Saint Forrester said. "Revenge against sc*mbags isn''t worth risking your baby''s life for, Lady Nystrom."


    Sentinel nodded. "Your health is more important than that. As long as you''re healthy, your baby will be healthy as well, mydy."


    "You''ve heard them, honey," Kiho said. "You need to rest. Please do it for you and our son."


    Tilly nodded. Despite her anger, her baby''s safety would always be her top priority. "Alright. Let''s go home, Kiho," she said. When her husband just nodded, she turned to Luna and Captain Denver. "I''ll pray for your fast recovery, Miss Luna and Captain Denver."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO let Sentinel escort Tilly to their carriage.


    He purposely stayed behind (with Saint Forrester who insisted to stay as well) because he needed to talk to Miss Luna and Captain Denver. It wasn''t like he wanted to keep his wife in the dark. He just didn''t want Tilly to get more stressed than she already was.


    But of course, he''d talk to herter about the thing that he would discuss with the witch and the captain.


    "Captain Denver, where did you get the information about Lord Huxley''s supposed transfer to the Royal Pce?" Kiho asked seriously. "I think that the enemy purposely leaked that information to get you."


    Captain Denver let out a frustrated sigh. "I got the information from Captain Sherwood. I didn''t trust himpletely, thus I decided to go alone. But still, I let my emotions take over. Because of my desire to get back at Lord Huxley, I risked my life."


    "Do you think Captain Sherwood knew that it was a trap?"


    "I don''t trust Captain Sherwood but I don''t think he knew that it was a trap," the captain said. "Apparently, he nted a spy on Sir Gregory''s squad. That was how Captain Sherwood got a hold of the information regarding Lord Huxley''s transfer."


    "We can assume that Sir Gregory already knows about Captain Sherwood''s spy, and they purposely leaked that information," Kiho said. "His Majesty knows that Captain Sherwood pledged his loyalty to me. Even though I didn''t acknowledge it, the emperor definitely knew that the captain will still ry the leaked information to my allies."


    Captain Denver nodded in agreement. "That''s also my conclusion."


    "The thing I''m worried about is the Golden Tiger''s awakening," Miss Luna said. "It was the real thing. Although I guess I shouldn''t be surprised. Ever since His Majesty was a crown prince, he has been using the Golden Tiger and the Blue Dragon as his weapons."


    "That means that the real bodies of the Golden Tiger and the Blue Dragon have always been hidden in the Royal Capital," Saint Forrester added. "Out of the four Beast Gods, the Golden Tiger and the Blue Dragon are the easiest to control for the Moonchesters. It''s a different story for the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent though."


    "I admit that this is our defeat today," Kiho said. "But this isn''t the end yet," he promised them. "I don''t care if His Majesty has gods on his side we will still get back at them soon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HON, do you still remember the baroness that spread a nasty rumor between me and Captain Denver before?" Tilly asked Kiho who sat beside her. There were only the two of them in the carriage right now because Sentinel already returned inside her heart. "What''s here name again?"


    "Baroness Alphonse," Kiho said. "She''s from the town of nca. Why do you ask, honey?"


    "Can I ask you a favor?"


    "Of course," he said right away. "As long as it is within my power, I''ll do anything and everything for you, Tilly."


    She smiled and gave her husband a peck on the cheek before she continued. "Kiho, I want to announce that we''re going to adopt Flint and Julian as your brothers. Is that okay with you?"


    He looked surprised by her decision. "That''s fine with me. But do you think it will be wise to announce it after Flint was attacked by Lord Huxley?"


    "That''s exactly the reason why I want to make it public," she said. "I want everyone in the empire to know that Lord Huxley attacked Flint because we wanted to adopt him and his brother. And we''ll make Baroness Alphonse spread that rumor."


    Kiho''s furrowed brows made it obvious that he was confused. "You want us to make Baroness Alphonse lie?"


    "A rumor," she corrected him. "A rumor is based on exaggerated truth anyway. Plus, it''s true that Lord Huxley attacked Flint. But we will alter his reasons for almost killing a child."


    "What are you nning, Tilly?"


    "We will make it look like it was a hate crime," she said. ""Lord Huxley tried to kill amoner child that the Nystroms n to adopt because he can''t ept the fact that more and moremoners are getting noble titles easily. After all, the count believes that nobility runs in the blood, and not bought by money or gained through adoption." That''s the rumor that I want everyone in the empire to hear."


    He fell silent for a few seconds as if he was thinking hard. "Tilly, are you nning to divide the vieux riche and the nouveau riche?"


    "Yes," she said firmly. "His Majesty ns to gain the favor of the upstart nobles because he can see that these new rich people are running a huge part of the economy nowpared to the past. Plus, the emperor probably feels sick of the old families who keep on questioning his authority and his devotion to Her Royal Highness. I know that he wants a new support system."


    "That''s true."


    "His Majesty will only get more powerful if he gets the favor of the nouveau riche," she continued. "I can''t let that happen. That''s why I need to make a conflict between the nouveau and vieux riche. Plus, when that happens, the emperor can no longer stand for Lord Huxley. Everyone knows that House Huxley belongs to the Royal Faction. If he doesn''t punish the count, the upstart nobles will think that His Majesty supports Lord Huxley''s hate for the nouveau riche. He''ll lose their support then."


    Kiho blinked several times, his face filled with astonishment. "Honey, you''re cunning," he said, then he clutched his chest tight. "I think I just fell in love with you harder."


    Tilly smiled, the stress she felt a while ago finally vanished. "You''re so sweet, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY couldn''t help but giggle while walking with her eyes covered by Kiho''s big and cold hand.


    For some reason, when they stepped out of the carriage, he politely asked her to close her eyes. When she kept on peeking with one eyes, he asked for her permission to cover her eyes with his hand. So right now, she was walking while being guided by her husband.


    <em>He probably prepared a surprise for me.</em>


    "Kiho, are we there yet?" Tilly asked teasingly. "Did you prepare this surprise while we were in Oakes?"


    "Uh-huh. Actually, way before that," Kiho said, then he gently asked her to stop walking. He remained standing behind her with one hand covering her eyes. "Are you ready, honey?"


    "Yes, my handsome hot captain," she said excitedly.


    Heughed softly, then he kissed the top of her head before he slowly removed his hand from her eyes. "You may now open your eyes, my beautiful sexy goddess of crabs."


    Sheughed heartily before she finally opened her eyes.


    <em>Oh, wow.</em>


    She gasped because she was genuinely surprise and amazed by his surprise.


    "Kiho" she said, her voice already cracking. Then, she turned to her husband with teary eyes. "You built a huge koi pond in your garden for me?"


    Yes, that was Kiho''s surprise for her.


    He smiled sheepishly and nodded as confirmation. "The koi fish in the pond are the same fish back at Father''s mansion. I asked his permission to bring them over for the pond that I built for you. Fortunately, Father agreed."


    Okay, her heart melted.


    I''m lucky to have a loving husband and a supportive father.


    She couldn''t help but jump and cling to Kiho while sobbing.


    "Honey, please be careful," he said while wrapping his arms around her.


    "Kiho," Tilly whispered, then she kissed his neck before she looked deeply into his beautiful golden eyes. "You''re the love of my life."


    Kiho was surprised, and then his eyes glowed even more as he smiled. "You''re also the one and only love of my life, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 139: Catalyst of Change

    Chapter 139: Catalyst of Change


    AKU crumpled the newspaper in his hands after reading the headline. "Kiho and Lady Nystrom are adopting the child that Lord Huxley attacked?"


    He just got into his office to start his paperwork when Sir Gregory handed him the newspaper that he ought to see. Well, he was just being generous. The "newspaper" that he was referring to was more of a "gossip paper." It had a bad reputation for spreading false rumors. But nobles liked to indulge in gossips, thus the "gossip paper'' industry continued to thrive.


    Anyway, ording to the news that he read, the Nystroms had already asked for Captain Denver''s permission to adopt the child and his brother before the attack happened. And now that themoner child was still unconscious, Kiho and Lady Nystrom wanted to make the adoption official to give him more protection.


    But that wasn''t what rmed him.


    The news also mentioned that Lord Huxley''s attack was considered a "hate crime" because apparently, the count couldn''t stomach the fact that a high-ranking noble wanted who used to be amoner wanted to adopt a fellowmoner.


    He could already imagine the wrath of the nouveau riche because of this news.


    "Where did the source of this newse from?" he asked, then he turned to Sir Gregory who was standing by his side.


    "Apparently, the rumor started in the town of nca," Sir Gregory said. "To be precise, it started from Baroness Alphonse."


    "The same baroness who spread the nasty rumor about Lady Nystrom and Captain Denver before?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," the knight said. "We''re ready to arrest the baroness if you give the order."


    "Forget it," he said, then he threw the crumpled newspaper on the floor. "If it was Baroness Alphonse, then I''m pretty certain that Lady Nystrom threatened her to spread that rumor."


    "Why would Lady Nystrom do that?"


    "She wanted to use the wrath of the nouveau riche to pressure me," he said with an amused smirk. Of course, he hated the feeling of being pushed to the corner. But on the other hand, he found the duchess''s cleverness entertaining. "To pressure me to punish Lord Huxley. She created a false reason for the count''s crime to turn the nouveau riche on me. Now, if I don''t punish Lord Huxley ordingly, I will be heavily criticized by the nouveau riche and the Noble Faction. I can''t afford another criticism when my advisors aren''t done forcing me to find a new bride."


    The old knight fell silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "I can''t believe that Lady Nystrom managed to bite you back in less than a day, Your Majesty. The duchess is scary."


    Heughed heartily at that. "I wouldn''t expect any less from Kiho''s wife. The duchess is making this game more entertaining."


    "I was wrong to underestimate the duchess before."


    He just smiled. "We lost this one," he said. "We can''t hide Lord Huxley anymore. If we do, we''ll get criticized. I have no choice but to directly punish the count and throw him to St. Ib without a noble trial."


    ''St. Ib'' was the worst prison in the whole empire.


    It wasn''t a ce where a noble was usually locked up. But he wanted to shut the critics so he decided to give Lord Huxley the worst punishment possible.


    "But since Lord Huxley belongs to Nia''s collection, I''ll ask the administrator of St. Ib to take good care of the count," he said. "We still need him for the uing war."


    The knight nodded in agreement. "Then, I will inform the admin of your decision, Your Majesty."


    "Alright," he said, then he snapped his fingers when he remembered something. "Any news from House Ainsworth?"


    "Thest thing I heard from Captain Ainsworth was they brought the Golden Tiger in their territory," Sir Gregory said. "Apparently, the Golden Tiger wants to stay in his temple for the meantime. It seems like he isn''t used to this era yet."


    "Let the Golden Tiger rest for now," he said. "We''ll need himter. Just deal with Lord Huxley''s case first."


    Sir Gregory bowed to him. "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    "Now don''t disturb me while I work," Aku said. "I need to finish this so that I could visit Nia at the temple."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY wasn''t really satisfied by the result of the rumor that she spread.


    ording to the newspaper that she was reading while having tea by the pond, Emperor Aku used his power to punish Lord Huxley and throw him to St. Ib without a noble trial. Well, that was the worst prison in the whole empire. But the emperor''s action was a shackle to their side.


    Now that His Majesty gave the highest punishment for a criminal, we can''t make a move to kill Lord Huxley.


    If the count died, their family would be the first suspect.


    <em>Win some, lose some.</em>


    "Honey, look at this."


    Tilly tore her gaze away from the newspaper to turn to her husband.


    The sight that greeted her instantly made her smile.


    Kiho was ying with the koi fish. He was maneuvering the water using his ice spear. This time, he created an "aquarium" that was shaped like a huge bowl. Three orange koi fish was "inside."


    "You made a portable aquarium. I mean, fish tank. I''m impressed," she said, just in case Kiho wasn''t familiar with the term "aquarium." "Kiho, you''re already so good at controling water while I haven''t made any improvement yet."


    "It''s because you''re not allowed to use your Mana yet. Miss Luna is your doctor so we should listen to her. If she says you need to rest, you have to rest," Kiho said in a gentle but strict voice. "But once Miss Luna gives us the go signal, I will help you train."


    She smiled and nodded. "Hon, can I ask a favor again?"


    "Sure," he said, then he dropped the ice spear. But instead of hitting the ground, the ice spear disappeared and returned to his ear as a tattoo that looked like a snake''s scale. Also, the water and ko fish were returned safely to the pond. "What is it, honey?" he asked as he walked toward her.


    "Can I organize a tea party here at our mansion?"


    He sat on the armrest of her chair and kissed the top of her head before he answered. "Of course, you can. What do you need for the party? Just tell me and I''ll help you organize."


    "Thank you, hon," she said, then she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I have a lot of things that I need to do now that we''re back. First, there''s theunch of my new jewelry line. Then, we have to start building the store of our new business. And finally, I have to organize tea parties often to build my own social circle. I want to get closer to the youngdies of the nouveau riche."


    "Honey, your schedule is so packed," he said worriedly. "Can''t we just start a new business after you give birth to our baby? Please?"


    Well, she wanted to get richer as soon as possible.


    <em>But as the old saying goes, "health is wealth."</em>


    "Alright," she agreed. "After theunch of my new jewelry line, I''ll take it easy."


    "Thank you, honey," he said, obviously relieved.


    She just smiled at that. "Oh, right. Father sent me a message this morning. He said that his trip to the North will be dyed because Marquis Denver can''t leave while Captain Denver isn''t fully recovered yet."


    "Understandable."


    "Father will help Miss Luna create a synthetic arm for Captain Denver," she said. "I think Father will use the rare spirit stones in our possession for that."


    "Is there any way that we can help Father?"


    "I already asked but Father said that we should just focus on taking care of our baby," she said with a pout. "Father is spoiling us too much."


    "Father loves you that much, Tilly."


    "Father loves you, too, Kiho," she said with a smile. "He treats you like his real son."


    Kiho smiled shyly. "I also see Father as my own. In fact, he''s my role model. I''ll do my best to be a good father to our baby just like how Father is so good to us."


    <em>Aww</em>


    She didn''t know if it was because she was pregnant buttely, she has be too emotional. In fact, she had turned into a crybaby.


    "You easily cry these days," Kiho teased her, but he immediately kissed her eyes. "You''re so cute, Tilly."


    That made her giggle.


    And then, all of a sudden, she felt it.


    "Honey, what''s wrong?" he asked her when she froze in her seat. "Are you hurt anywhere? Are you okay?"


    "Kiho"


    "Yes, honey?"


    "He moved," she said, her heart beating loud and fast against her chest because of excitement. Then, she ced her hands on her tummy. "Our little Winter kicked my womb."


    His eyes widened in horror. "Why is that little rascal kicking you?"


    Sheughed at his cute reaction. Gosh, Kiho was really protective through and through. "Hon, it''s normal for babies to kick inside the womb. It''s their way of letting their presence known. That just means that our little Winter is growing healthily."


    "Oh," he said, nowpletely pleased by what he learned. "I want to feel our baby''s movement, too."


    "Let''s wait," she said. "Our Winter is smart. I''m sure he can hear and understand what we''re talking about now."


    He nodded, then he got down on one knee in front of her. After that, he gently wrapped his arms around her waist and carefully pressed his ear against her tummy. "I''m waiting, Winter."


    She giggled at her husband''s cuteness.


    And to her amazement, their little "rascal" didn''t disappoint them.


    Winter kicked again.


    "Oh, he''s a strong rascal," Kiho said, his voice filled with happiness and excitement. But when he looked up at her, she saw the tears forming in the corner of his eyes. His face showed nothing but love and gratitude. "Thank you for making me this happy, Tilly. I don''t deserve you and our little Winter but I''m still grateful that you came into my life."


    "Now who''s the crybaby?" Tilly teased him even though she was already sobbing like a baby. Then, she cupped his face and gently ran her thumbs across his cheeks. "Thank you for loving us, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>[AFTER two months]</strong></em>


    "GOSH, my boobs grew bigger," Tilly said while admiring herself in the mirror. "I think I grew a cup."


    Of course, she gained weight and became rounder all around. Her baby bump was also very obvious (and heavy) now. There were times that she felt kind of sad because of the changes of her body. But it didn''tst long.


    "You''re sexy, honey."


    Everyone, he''s the reason why my pregnancy isn''t as hard as I imagined it to be.


    She turned around to find Kiho sitting on the bed while admiring her.


    The way he looked at her since day one hasn''t changed yet: it was always filled with love and respect.


    <em>And yeah, lust.</em>


    "Thank you, hon," she said, then she walked toward him and sat on hisp sideways. Of course, he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist to secure her. "Am I heavy?" she asked while wrapping her arms around his neck.


    "No," he said without missing a heartbeat.


    Of course, he deserved a long passionate kiss as reward for being a loving husband.


    The past two months had been peaceful and blessed for them.


    First of all, Flint had woken up a few weeks ago. Right now, the child was under rehabilitation to bring back his motor skills. The adoption was still on-going because they still needed Flint''s approval before it became official.


    Since she was still "banned" from the tower, she still hadn''t visited Flint.


    <em>But I n to do it soon.</em>


    ording to Luna''s previous message, her face was already fixed but the scar was still barely visible. On the other hand, Captain Denver had already started using his artificial arm made with Luna''s magic and the Prescott''s rare spirit stones.


    <em>I''m so happy for them.</em>


    Oh, she was also happy these days because her businesses were blooming. And thanks to her parties, she has be the new star of the social circle. She both had "friends" from the new rich and the old families.


    And my next move is to "infiltrate" the Noble Faction.


    <em>Which would be too hard because everyone in the empire thought that House Nystrom belonged to the Royal Faction.</em>


    "Your Grace?"


    She broke the kiss to gasp for hair, and to answer the head maid''s call.


    But Kiho distracted her by kissing her neck.


    "Lord Prescott has arrived," the head maid said.


    "We''reing out in a minute," she said. "Please bring Father to the tea room."


    "As you wish, Your Grace."


    As soon as she heard the head maid leave, Tilly continued her make out session with Kiho for a few more minutes.


    <em>Sorry, Father.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT TOOK you so long toe out and greet me?"


    Tilly gulped at her father''s question.


    <em>Father looks pissed.</em>


    "My deepest apologies, Father," Kiho, who sat beside her on the sofa, said. "It''s my fault that we werete."


    "No, it''s my fault," she said. "I''m sorry, Father."


    Lord Prescott, who sat on the sofa across from them, rolled his eyes. "You spoil each other too much."


    She could only smile at her father''s "scolding."


    At the corner of her eye, she could see Kiho trying to hold back his smile.


    <em>Gosh, Father is such a tsundere.</em>


    "I''ll be leaving with Morgan Denver the day after tomorrow," Lord Prescott said. "Now that Captain Denver has recovered, Morgan and I decided to travel to the North."


    "Father, are you sure you don''t need our knights toe with you?" Kiho asked. "We''re worried that you''ll only be bringing a smallpany."


    "Morgan and I aren''t imbeciles yet," their father said firmly. "I''ll make sure to contact you from time to time."


    "Father, you should return before I give birth to your grandson," she said with a pout. "I want you to meet our Winter as soon as hees out."


    "Of course," Lord Prescott said. "I wouldn''t miss it for the world."


    She was so touched by her father''s remark that she didn''t hold back anymore.


    So she stood up and sat beside her father who looked obviously surprised. Then, she hugged him by the arm.


    Kiho did the same. He sat on the other side of their father and hugged his other arm, too.


    She giggled at how cute the three of them were.


    "W-What are you two doing?" Lord Prescott ined," but the blush on his cheeks and the sparkle in his eyes told them that he was happy. "This is unbing of the Duke and Duchess of Oakes."


    "Right now, I''m just your beloved daughter, Father," Tilly said sweetly, then sheid her head on her father''s shoulder. "I''ll miss you, Father."


    "I''ll miss you, too, Father," Kiho said politely, but the warmth in his voice couldn''t be missed. "Please take care of your health."


    "You two are acting like spoiled children," Lord Prescott "scolded" them. "But I will probably miss you as well, Tilly, Kiho, and my grandson Winter."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 140: From One God to Another

    Chapter 140: From One God to Another


    KIHO couldn''t help but stare at the dark sky.


    He could feel in every bone in his body that it was going to rain heavily. Well, it was pretty obvious that it was going to rain judging by the clouds. But the ominous feeling that was prickling his skin was telling him something else.


    <em>I need to go home.</em>


    Right now, he just got out of the cave in the deepest area of Forest of Enryu.


    Once a month, he would visit the snakes in the cave and just hang out with them.


    He knew that it was weird but that was already a part of his routine. And it wasn''t like he was just wasting time there. Whenever he would visit the cave, he would train to master the water technique that he had learned a few months ago.


    "Now I know why it stinks here."


    Kiho turned around to find a huge guy with golden hair.


    <em>What a weird fellow.</em>


    The stranger wore nothing but a pair of white pants. But even though it was freezing cold, he looked as unbothered as him.


    <em>Normal people would be shaking by now.</em>


    "You probably smelled your own breath," Kiho said coldly.


    The weird fellowughed loudly. "Your memories were sealed but your terrible personality remained, huh?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," he said. "Enjoy your alone time."


    "Are you sure that you''re choosing the right side, ck Serpent?"


    He wasn''t sure if he heard it correctly because of the sudden loud roar of thunder followed by lightning.


    The sky seemed angry for some reason.


    <em>I really have a bad feeling.</em>


    "Hey," the golden guy said. "Let''s fight again when you "wake up," `got it?"


    "I don''t have time for you," Kiho said, then he immediately ran to his waiting horse. Tilly, please be safe.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY WAS humming happily while putting flowers in the vase.


    Right now, she was decorating the tea room because they were expecting Luna and Captain Denver to visit their home tonight.


    <em>Miss Luna wants to check on me and so, Captain Denver will escort her.</em>


    Kiho went to hang out with his snake friends and to train, but he called her a while ago and told her that he was about toe home.


    The only one missing in her life now was her father.


    Lord Prescott went to the North with Marquis Denver a month ago. Her father never failed to call her every night. She was sure that she would receive another call from himter.


    <em>I really miss you, Father.</em>


    As if on cue, the spirit stone in her ear "rang." Yes, the earring served as amunication device that was connected to her father''s device.


    "Father," Tilly greeted him cheerfully after she tapped the earring to receive his call.


    <em>"Tilly"</em>


    She froze when she heard her father''s weak voice. "Father, what''s wrong? Are you okay?"


    "<em>Listen, Tilly. I don''t have much time</em>," Lord Prescott said in an urgent but seriously weak tone. "<em>Whatever happens, don''t go to the North</em>."


    Her heart thumped against her chest painfully. She could feel it in every fiber of her being her father was in danger. And worse, she couldn''t do anything to help him. She was scared for his life. "Father, where exactly are you and what''s going on?"


    "<em>My daughter, please forgive me for breaking my promise</em>," her father said in a sad voice. "<em>It looks like I can no longer meet your son</em>"


    "No," she whispered, her tears rolling down her cheeks silently. "Father, please don''t say that. Where are you? We''lle as fast as we could."


    "<em>Once our little Winter is born, please tell him that his grandfather and his grandmother love him very much</em>," he continued, still ignoring her questions.


    "No, Father," she said between sobs. "Say that to Winter yourself"


    "<em>Tilly, thank you for being a good daughter to an awkward father like me</em>," he said, his voice softer now despite the pain that she could feel from it. "<em>I''m sorry that I''m not good at expressing myself. But please know that I love you. That I''m proud of you and I''m sure that your mother would feel the same way if she was still with us</em>." He took a deep breath before he continued. "<em>I want to be with you when you give birth to your son, Tilly. I want to see you be a good mother like Marianne. But I know that even if I''m no longer here, Kiho will take care of you and my grandson</em>."


    Her knees gave up and before she knew it, she was already on the floor while sobbing uncontrobly. "Father, why do you sound like you''re saying goodbye?"


    She knew that he was.


    But she refused to ept it.


    "<em>Please tell Kiho that I love him as well</em>," her father said. She could feel a faint smile in his voice despite his shallow breathing. "<em>Please tell him that I''m thankful and blessed for having a son like him</em>."


    "Father, please tell that to Kiho yourself"


    "<em>I would if I could</em>," Lord Prescott whispered. "<em>Tilly, remember this: you should only believe in Kiho''s love for you. No matter what kind of blood runs in his veins, don''t forget that his heart belongs to you and no one else. Don''t believe people who would say otherwise. Just love, believe, and trust Kiho with all your heart and soul</em>."


    "Father, did you find anything about Kiho''s identity?" she asked between sobs.


    His father took a sharp breath.


    "<em>There you are, old man</em>."


    She froze again when she heard an unfamiliar voice that seemed to belong to a young man.


    The next thing she heard sent shivers down her spine.


    Lord Prescott screamed as if he was in deep pain while the stranger in the backgroundughed loudly obviously enjoying her father''s torment.


    "Stop it!" she screamed angrily. "Who the f*ck are you?!"


    "<em>Language,dy</em>," the stranger said. "<em>Don''t worry. I''ll end your father''s misery now</em>."


    After that, she heard several stabbing sound in the background.


    And then, her father breathed hisst breath.


    "No!" she cried, then she held her stomach that started to hurt as if she was having contractions. It was painful but not as much as hearing her father get killed on the line. "Who are you and what did my father do for you to kill him?!"


    <em>"Me?"</em> the stranger asked yfully. "<em>I''m a descendant of the ck Serpent</em>."


    She didn''t know why but her chest tightened painfully upon hearing that.


    "<em>Why did I kill your father</em>?" the stranger asked again, his child-like voice starting to hurt her ears. "<em>No reason. I''m just bored. This is how the descendants of the ck Serpents kill time here in the North, you know</em>?"


    Hearing his stupid reason for killing her father brought an ungodly amount of rage in her heart.


    She felt her body burning literally


    and her heart starting to get cold.


    "I''ll kill you," she whispered in an eerily calm manner. "I''ll kill every single descendant of the ck Serpent and I''ll start with you. I will never forget your voice, murderer."


    The stranger fell silent for a while, then he made an inaudible sound. "<em>Woah,dy. You sound scary. This is the first time that I felt fear</em>."


    "And I''ll make sure that you won''t forget that feeling," she promised him menacingly. "My name is Tilly Prescott Nystrom, murderer. Now, I want you to spread my name to your n. I want every single one of you to remember the name of the person who will end you all."


    The line was suddenly cut off.


    And it was because themunication device in her ear was burned.


    She remained shocked for a few moments before it finally dawned upon her: Lord Prescott, her father, was now gone.


    The pain and the anger in her chest made it hard for her to breathe.


    And so she screamed at the top of her lungs or else, she might die.


    At that moment, her body also recognized the paining from her stomach.


    Then, she felt and heard a pop. It was followed by a huge rush of water came from deep inside. The next thing she knew, a gush of fluid was now all over the floor.


    <em>My water broke.</em>


    But she was only seven month pregnant!


    The anger and the pain that she was feeling were suddenly reced by fear.


    "Winter," she said. "Are youing out now?"


    "Lady Nystrom!"


    She looked up and was relieved to see Luna. The witch kneeled in front of her right away and checked her condition.


    "My water broke," Tilly informed the witch in a shaking voice. "Miss Luna, I can feel it Winter is about toe out and I can''t stop it."


    "Then don''t," Luna said, then she looked at her straight in the eye. "Lady Nystrom, you''re about to give birth now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN KIHO arrived at the mansion, the head butler informed him that Tilly was already giving birth in the tea room.


    But ording to the butler, Miss Luna didn''t allow anyone else inside. In short, the witch was helping his wife give birth alone. He was worried about Tilly because he knew that she wasn''t her due date yet, but he trusted the witch.


    "Duke Nystrom, Miss Luna is waiting for you," Captain Denver, who stood by the door, informed him. "She said she needs your Mana."


    He wasn''t in the right mind to talk yet so he just tapped the captain''s shoulder.


    Then, he opened the door and entered the room. As soon as the door behind him closed in a loud thud, he heard it.


    Winter''s first cry.


    Their baby was so small in Miss Luna''s hands. His color wasn''t good, too. He was worried about their son but his eyes looked for Tilly right away.


    <em>Tilly</em>


    His heart broke when he saw his wife lying on the floor while breathing heavily. There was so much blood around as well.


    Tilly was barely awake, and she looked so weak.


    He started to run toward his wife and then


    "Duke Nystrom!" Miss Luna yelled loudly as if she was trying to catch her attention. When he stopped and turned to her, she stood up with Winter in her arms. "I need you to create an ice cube big enough to be Winter''s incubator."


    Kiho was shocked to hear that. "You want me to freeze my son?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU looked up at the heavy pour of rain from outside of his room''s window.


    It was supposed to be cold but right now, he could feel the heat of the Red Phoenix''s me in the air.


    And then, there was also the divine presence that only a few would recognize.


    "Congrattions, Kiho. The Moon Serpent is born," Aku whispered to himself. "The God yer has finally returned to earth."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 141: The Child of Ice and Fire

    Chapter 141: The Child of Ice and Fire


    THE MOON Serpent is here.


    The heavy rain and the heat in the air told Forrester that Winter Nystrom was finally born. And that also meant that the people waiting for this moment would make their move.


    <em>Just like this one.</em>


    "Where do you think you''re going, Your Royal Highness?" Forrester asked the princess that he caught trying to sneak out of her chamber.


    Princess Nia, despite being caught, remained calm. "Your Holiness, I know that the temple is your home and I am just a mere guest. But I hope you''re not forgetting the fact that I''m still the princess and the future empress. You can''t carelessly roam around my room. Especially not at this hour."


    He smirked at that.


    Based on the ck elegant dress that Her Royal Highness wore tonight, it didn''t look like she was about to sleep anyway.


    "You should say that to the people waiting for you outside, Princess Nia," he said, purposely calling her by her name to remind her of his position. She might be the princess, but as the saint of the empire, she couldn''t easily dismiss him as a mere subject of the royal family. "I don''t ept visitors at this hour especially not if the guests in question have questionable characters. I''m afraid I have to humbly ask you to make them leave, Your Royal Highness."


    The princess scowled at him.


    Obviously, a spoiled brat like her wouldn''t be happy to not get what she wanted.


    <em>Your Majesty, look at how rotten your beloved has be because you''ve spoiled her too much.</em>


    "Your Holiness, I don''t want to fight you," Princess Nia said in a menacing voice, her dangerous Mana leaking out as a threat. "Just so you know, I''m already fully recovered. I can kill you right here, right now and I''m sure my brother will still cover up for me."


    Heughed at her childish threat. "I love how you im to be disgusted by His Majesty, only to bring him up whenever you''re in a tight spot. It makes me wonder if you really hate the emperor or you just don''t want to ept the fact that you can''t literally live without him?"


    The princess sent a dark ball of energy at him.


    He just pped it like a fly but the poor innocent wall that was hit by the energy ball cracked because of the impact.


    <em>Oh, damn.</em>


    He would definitely never hear the end of it from Howard.


    "That was just a warning, Your Holiness," Princess Nia said. "The next time I attack, I''ll make sure you''d be half-dead."


    "Scary," he said sarcastically. "Without my Holy Scepter and with my divine powers sealed, I am no match for you, Your Royal Highness."


    The princess smiled triumphantly.


    "That''s why I sent a message to His Majesty."


    As expected, the princess''s smile was gone in an instant. "What?"


    "I sent a message to His Majesty," he repeated with a big smile this time. "I said, "Your Majesty, your beloved Her Royal Highness is finally awake and the princess is looking for you.""


    Anger ruined the princess''s beautiful face. "Your Holiness!"


    "I didn''t promise that I won''t tell His Majesty that you''re already awake," he reminded her. "That was Howard, not me."


    He only kept quiet all this time because he thought he could keep an eye on Princess Nia if she stayed in the temple. But the sudden birth of the Moon Serpent changed everything.


    <em>Thank goodness I trusted my instinct.</em>


    When he felt the change in the weather, he already had a feeling that the Moon Serpent would be born earlier than expected. He also knew that Princess Nia would make a move to steal Lady Nystrom''s heart as soon as she gave birth.


    That was why he secretly sent an urgent message to the emperor.


    <em>Come and pick up your baggage, Your Majesty.</em>


    "Instead of wasting my time on me, why don''t you ask your guests to leave first, Your Royal Highness?" he said, seriously this time. "If His Majesty finds them waiting for you, I''m sure that he won''t be happy to know that you summoned your collection first instead of him."


    Princess Nia hissed at him. But in the end, she probably realized that he was right. And so, she ran back to her chamber.


    You better put your acting skills to good use and pretend that you just woke up, Princess Nia.


    Well, he didn''t care about the royal twins'' drama. He just didn''t want his temple to get destroyed if the two fought.


    <em>Thest time those two fought physically, they ttened a mountain.</em>


    Anyway, after making sure that Princess Nia and his underlings wouldn''t attack the Nystroms anymore, he left the area.


    "Your Holiness, where are you going?"


    He turned around to find Howard. The High Priest had been working for him for many decades already but still, he couldn''t fully trust him. Not that he trusted a lot of people. "His Majesty is on his way. I told him that Her Royal Highness has "just" woken up."


    The High Priest looked shocked. "But why did you do that, Your Holiness? Her Royal Highness asked us to keep it a secret."


    "Do I look like the type of person who would listen to other people?"


    "No. Definitely not," Howard said right away. "But are you heading somewhere, Your Holiness?"


    "Yes. So you take care of His Majesty," Forrester said, then he turned his back on the High Priest without giving more exnation. <em>A god''s rebirth is more important than a dumb emperor''s visit.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO''S heart was torn.


    He knew that Winter needed the improvised "incubator" that Miss Luna asked him to do. But at the same time, he couldn''t take his eyes off of Tilly who was barely conscious. He knew for a fact that they shouldn''t allow his wife to fall asleep at that moment.


    Winter also wouldn''t stop crying as if he was in pain.


    He felt so worthless because he couldn''t do anything for his wife and son.


    "Honey, hang in there," Kiho said to Tilly, his voice cracked a little. His hands were busy creating an "ice cube" big enough for Winter, but his eyes focused on Tilly. He knew that he should worry about his son that was in Miss Luna''s arms right now. But still "Please be strong for us, Tilly. You can''t leave us, okay? You can''t I can''t live without you"


    Tilly remained still, her chest barely moving to indicate that she was still breathing.


    That sight of her scared the shit out of him,


    He wasn''t religious but at that very moment, he prayed to the gods to not take his wife away from them. From him. He really wouldn''t be able to handle it if he lost Tilly.


    "Duke Nystrom, I think that''s big enough for your son," Miss Luna said. "I''ll put the baby inside now."


    With a heavy heart, he tore his gaze away from Tilly for a moment to look at the witch and his son. "How is Winter supposed to breathe in there? And wouldn''t he freeze?"


    There was a towel wrapped around his son but he knew it wouldn''t be enough.


    "Your son''s dominant Mana is ice. He''ll breathe in your Mana just fine," the witch exined. "Actually, that''s what he needs right now. And the young lord wouldn''t freeze. Don''t forget that he has Lady Nystrom''s Mana as well. That means half of his Mana is fire. Just like Lady Nystrom, he wouldn''t feel cold."


    After saying that, Miss Luna carefully put Winter inside the ice cube that floated in the air.


    Then, the witch asked him to watch over his son as she ran toward Tilly.


    He held in his breath while watching his son. If Winter showed any sign that he was ufortable, he would immediately melt the ice.


    Thankfully, and much to his relief, Winter stopped crying as soon as he was inside the cube.


    In fact, his son looked morefortable now. He also noticed that Winter''splexion suddenly looked better. It was as if his Mana was somehow "nutritious" to him.


    It was a huge relief.


    "Hang in there, Winter," he whispered to his son, his hands firmly ced on the ice. Now that he had calmed down, the urge to hold Winter in his arms finally kicked in. But he had to hold back for now because their baby needed to be incubated first. He was just d that his Mana was useful. "You''re a strong rascal, aren''t you?"


    After he was sure that Winter was going to be fine, he turned to Tilly who was now being attended by Miss Luna.


    The witch currently had her hands on Tilly''s chest.


    He could see a pink auraing out of Miss Luna''s hands and it seemed like it was being absorbed by his wife.


    "Miss Luna, how''s Tilly?" he asked worriedly. "She''s going to be fine, isn''t she?"


    "I can''t tell at her current state, Your Grace," Miss Luna said honestly without tearing her gaze away from Tilly. "Thest barrier in Lady Nystrom''s heart is starting to crack. I''m trying to seal it back but it''s not easy. For some reason, the duchess is very angry. And it''s the Supreme''s weakness. Wrath is literally bad for her heart."


    His brows furrowed in confusion.


    He was aware that Tilly had a bad temper. But he couldn''t think of a reason that could make her this angry.


    <em>What did I miss while I was gone?</em>


    "Ki ho"


    "Yes, honey?" he said right away.


    He wanted to run to his wife but his feet remained glued to his spot. After all, his son also needed him. And knowing Tilly, he knew that she would get mad at him if he left their Winter alone to get to her.


    That was how selfless his other half was.


    "It looks like Lady Nystrom has something important to tell you, Your Grace. She has calmed down when she finally noticed your presence," Miss Luna said, then she stood up and walked toward him. "I''ll watch over the young lord."


    He nodded, then he turned to Winter who was now sleeping peacefully in the ice cube. "Wait here, our little rascal. Ill just check on your mommy."


    He didn''t know if it was just his imagination or did Winter really gave him a small smile.


    "Kiho"


    Hearing Tilly call his name again made him ran toward her.


    Then, he knelt beside her and gently touched her face. Her eyes were heavily-lidded but he could tell that she was trying to focus her gaze on him.


    "I''m here, Tilly," Kiho said gently. Then, she held her hand and ced it on his cheek. He was relieved to feel her lovely warmth against his cold skin. "I''m here now."


    "Winter" Tilly said weakly. "Is he safe?"


    "Yes, honey. You gave birth early, but Winter is fine," he assured her. "You did a good job, Tilly. I''m very proud of you." He kissed the palm of her hand. "Thank you for working hard to deliver our little rascal safely in the world."


    She smiled, clearly relieved that their son was fine despite being born prematurely.


    Tilly, despite her weak state, still asked for their son first.


    For the first time in his life, for someone like him who grew up as an orphan, he finally understood what a mother''s unconditional love looked like.


    Just when he thought he couldn''t love Tilly more than he already did, he was proven wrong once again. He just fell harder and deeper in love with her. God, he didn''t know he could love someone this much until she happened in his life.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he noticed that Tilly''s smile faded, then tears started to form in the corner of her eyes.


    "Honey, what''s wrong?" he asked worriedly. "Where does it hurt?"


    She shook her head even though there was an evident pained look on her face. "Kiho, Father is gone."


    Hearing that sent a chill down his spines.


    Ironically, he froze on the spot.


    <em>Did I hear it right?</em>


    "I received a call from Father," his wife continued in a cracked voice. "He said his goodbye and then all of a sudden, I heard a voice of a stranger" This time, she began to sob uncontrobly. "I heard it that unknown man he killed Father"


    Kiho felt gutted.


    He still couldn''t wrap his head around the fact that his father-inw was already dead. And now, he found out that Lord Prescott was killed.


    <em>And Tilly heard everything.</em>


    No wonder his wife was angry.


    He felt the same way, too.


    "The killer said that he killed Father for no reason but just to kill time" his wife said, her voice filled with anger. He also noticed that her body was starting to burn up. "He introduced himself as a descendant of the ck Serpent"


    For some reason, hearing that felt like he was stabbed by a sword in the heart.


    It was painful.


    "I''ll kill them, Kiho," Tilly promised in a eerily calm manner. But the angrier she got, the calmer she became. "I will never forgive them for killing Father"


    Before he knew it, tears were already rolling down his cheeks.


    He was angry.


    But he was also hurt.


    Kiho felt like something in his chest was about to explode.


    ***


    <em>OH, GOD!</em>


    Luna considered herself as a calm person. She doesn''t usually panic because almost all the time, she knows what to do. That was probably one of the the perks of having a long life.


    But apparently, not this time.


    She was busy attending to Lord Winter Nystrom.


    But all of a sudden, the Supreme and the ck Serpent literally froze on the spot. And the reason wasn''t good, it never was for a situation like that.


    The crack in the barrier in Lady Nystrom''s heart was starting to grow bigger. The fact that Sentinel wasn''ting out only meant that he was busy trying to prevent the barrier from breaking even more.


    <em>Hang in there, Sentinel.</em>


    The problem was Kiho Nystrom.


    "Please, no," Luna whispered, her voice filled with panic. "Please don''t wake up, ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 142: Winter Nystroms Decision

    Chapter 142: Winter Nystrom''s Decision


    MIKHAIL Denver was shocked when the emblem of his father''s orange me suddenly appeared right in front of his face.


    <em>What is it doing here?</em>


    Lord Morgan Denver''s emblem was a simple glowing orange ball that resembled the sun. To be honest, this was only the third time that he saw it in person.


    The first time was when his grandfather passed away and the emblem was passed down to his father. The second time was when his father officially inherited his grandfather''s title. He brought out the emblem for everyone to see as proof that he was the new head of the family.


    If the emblem showed up right now even though his father was in the North with Lord Prescott, that could only mean one thing.


    His father was gone and he sent his emblem to him to hail him as his sessor.


    "Father" he whispered to himself in a cracked voice. "No it can''t be"


    Then, he held the emblem in his shaking hands and tried to embrace it. As expected, his body immediately absorbed the orange me making him feel warmer than usual. That meant that the emblem had epted him as its new master.


    And it was a clear confirmation that his father had really passed away.


    Mikhail Denver fell on his knees while sobbing uncontrobly. "Father"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WAKE UP, YOUR Grace!" Luna yelled desperately. "Lady Nystrom and the young lord need you!"


    Kiho flinched, an indication that he still hasn''t lost himself yet.


    <em>I need to do something</em>


    She was considering using force to knock the duke out but all of a sudden, she felt the divine presence that she couldn''t have mistaken for anyone else.


    A few momentster, Saint Forrester appeared in the room just right behind Duke Nystrom.


    Much to her shock, the saint suddenly grabbed the duke''s chin to force him to look up at him. Then, His Holiness forced Duke Nystrom''s mouth open. With his other hand, he pulled out a vial from his pocket and flipped the lid open. Then, the saint dropped the liquid in the duke''s mouth.


    "What is that, Your Holiness?" she asked curiously.


    "My father''s tears."


    "Pardon?"


    "As far as I know, humans call this as ''Heavenly Teardrops,''" Saint Forrester exined, then he closed the lid of the vial and let go of the duke''s face. Duke Nystrom looked zoned out now. "This is more effective than any soothing tea or spell because it can calm even a raging god."


    "That''s a very useful tool, Your Holiness."


    "Yeah, but I have to be wise when using it," he said, then he knelt beside Lady Nystrom. "After all, it''s very rare for my father to cry." He gently opened the duchess''s mouth a put a drop of the vial in her mouth. "It took me many, many years before I was able to fill a vial."


    Lady Nystrom still looked the same exhausted and very weak but this time, her Mana became stable.


    <em>Oh, she has calmed down.</em>


    Whew," Saint Forrester said, then he stood up and walked toward her. "I''ll look after the young lord. Please take care of Lady Nystrom first, Miss Luna. You can ask Duke Nystrom for help. He''ll be back to normal after a few seconds."


    "Thank you for the help, Your Holiness," she said, then she turned to the young lord. The baby''splexion was better than before, and just like his parents, he seemed to have calmed down already. And much to her relief, the young lord was sleeping peacefully now. "Young lord, His Holiness will watch you over now. I will take care of Lady Nystrom first."


    "Tilly?"


    She turned to Duke Nystrom and realized that the saint was right.


    His Grace seems to be back to his usual self.


    "Lady Nystrom is going to be fine, Your Grace," she assured the duke while walking toward him. "Duke Nystrom, please help me move Lady Nystrom to the bathroom. We need to cool down her temperature. She has calmed down but her body is still too hot."


    Duke Nystrom nodded, then he carefully carried the duchess in his arms. "Hang in there, Tilly. You''ll be fine," he whispered to his wife. "I''m here for you."


    The duchess simply nodded still zoned out.


    She opened the bathroom''s door the duke. Then, she helped him put the duchess in the tub. "Your Grace, can you fill the tub with your water? Lady Nystrom''s body needs to absorb your Mana. She needs it now."


    The duke nodded immediately. Then, he tapped the scale-like earring until an ice staff materialized. He started to spin it around in his hand until water filled the tub.


    Lady Nystrom shivered in cold.


    Duke Nystrom gently wrapped his arms around the duchess. "I''m sorry that I can''t keep your warm during times like this, Tilly. Please hang in there."


    Lady Nystrom nodded, then she closed her eyes.


    "It''s okay, Your Grace," she said when she saw panic crossed his eyes. "Let the duchess rest. Her life isn''t in danger anymore."


    He nodded, then he turned to her with a pained look on his face. "Miss Luna, did you hear what Tilly said about Lord Prescott?"


    She slowly nodded. Yes, she heard Lady Nystrom a while ago. But she couldn''t believe thetter part of the story. "It looks like the duchess received a call from Lord Prescott. We can confirm itter. Right now, we should focus on Lady Nystrom and the young lord''s recovery first." She looked at him straight in the eye. "Your Grace, I know that you''re being overwhelmed right now. But you''re the head of the family, aren''t you? You must be strong for your wife and your newly born son. I''m not saying that you should ignore the death of Lord Prescott. I just want you to lend your strength to Lady Nystrom first. Do you understand?"


    It seemed like her words had knocked some sense into the duke.


    "I understand, Miss Luna," Duke Nystrom said, his eyes clearer now. Then, he turned to Lady Nystrom. As soon as he did, his face softened up. "I will be strong for you and our little rascal, Tilly. So please hang in there for us, too. Okay?" He kissed the top of the duchess''s head. "I love you."


    Lady Nystrom, despite her weakened state, smiled softly.


    Luna''s heart broke while watching Duke and Duchess Nystrom disy their genuine love for each other.


    <em>I hope the thing about the "descendants" of the ck Serpent isn''t true.</em>


    Because if it was, hell would surely break loose this time.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "CONGRATULATIONS on your rebirth, Moon Serpent," Forrester said politely with his head hanged low before the Moon Serpent. "I am Asher Forrester, the favored son of the sky god. On behalf of my father, I am here to atone for the mistake that he and the other gods had done in the past."


    That mistake caused the spot of the Moon Serpent in the heavens, making him a "fallen god."


    <em>"Don''t call me that."</em>


    He felt a chill down his spines when he heard the young boy talk to him in his mind.


    When he raised his head, he saw that the baby was now awake.


    Lord Winter Nystrom''s golden eyes were staring back at him, wisdom clear in his beautiful glowing orbs.


    "<em>I don''t want to live as a Moon Serpent or a God yer</em>," Lord Winter Nystrom said firmly. "<em>I am just Winter Nystrom the only son of Kiho and Tilly Nystro</em>m."


    Saint Forrester took a deep breath before he spoke. "I''m sorry but it was never your destiny to live a "normal" life, young lord."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA stepped out of the room to take a short break, then she decided to wander around the mansion while clearing her head.


    She just finished cleaning up both Lady Nystrom and the newly born young lord.


    Right now, the duke and the duchess were finally spending time with their baby. They were being watched over by Saint Forrester.


    <em>I didn''t see thising.</em>


    She could usually see the major events that could change the empire''s fate before it happened. But this time, she didn''t see the birth of the Moon Serpent. She felt that something strange was going to happen, but she didn''t expect that it would the birth of the young lord.


    <em>As far as I remember, Lady Nystrom didn''t give birth prematurely in her first life.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she found Captain Denver sitting in the front porch of the mansion. He was hugging his knees close to his chest. And she noticed that his broad shoulders were shaking uncontrobly.


    The sight made her nervous.


    "Captain Denver?" she asked nervously. "Is everything alright?"


    Captain Denver froze for a while, then he looked up at her with tears rolling down his cheeks. "Miss Luna, my father is gone," he said in a cracked voice, then he clutched his chest tight. "He passed down his emblem to me in his final moments."


    And that was when she remembered that Lord Prescott went to the North with Lord Morgan Denver.


    <em>Oh, no</em>


    Before she knew it, she was already on her knees while hugging Captain Denver.


    "I''m so sorry for hugging you without your consent," Luna whispered, her heart breaking for the captain. "You can push me if you want, Captain Denver. But if you need this, feel free to hug me back."


    "No," Captain Denver said, then he hugged her back tight. "Thank you for this, Miss Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 143: Downpour

    Chapter 143: Downpour


    KIHO''s heart broke while watching Tilly''s exhausted face.


    After Miss Luna gave a bath to his wife, they immediately changed her into dry and warm clothes. Then, he carried Tilly to the bed and tucked her under the thick nket. She wanted to be near their now sleeping son so he put the "ice incubator" beside her. Only then did she finally fall asleep.


    <em>Rest well, honey</em>, he said in his mind, then he kissed her forehead. He sat on the edge of the bed, right beside his wife. <em>You did well.</em>


    "I found this," Saint Forrester said. "I think this is a remnant of Lady Nystrom''smunication device."


    When Kiho turned to the saint, he saw him holding a burnt piece of a spirit stone. "My wife wears pieces of jewelry with spirit stones, Your Holiness. How do we know if that''s themunication device that she wears as an earring?"


    "Spirit stones have different aura in them," the saint exined. "I can tell that this used to be amunication device."


    "But even if you were right, it''s already burnt."


    "My divine power allows me to turn back time for a few minutes," he exined without batting an eye. "I can also turn back time to "see" the "memories" of the object in my hand." He turned to him. "Duke Nystrom, you told me that Lady Nystrom received a call from Lord Prescott. If I turn back time for thismunication device, we would be able to hear their conversation. Would you like me to hear it?"


    "Only with my wife''s permission."


    "Kiho"


    He immediately turned to his wife and was surprised to see her looking up at him with barely opened eyes. It looked like Tilly''s sleep was only light. "Yes, honey?"


    "It''s okay," Tilly said in a weak voice. "I want you to hear myst conversation with Father. He left a message to you."


    He felt gutted when he heard that. <em>Father</em>


    "Father asked me to ry hisst message to you. But I think it would be better if you hear it from him," she said in a cracked voice, tears swelling up in the corner of her eyes. But thankfully, her Mana remained stable. "And I want to hear Father''s voice again."


    Ah, his heart ached for his poor wife.


    "We''ll listen to it together, honey," Kiho whispered to his wife, then he pulled her closer to his side. "Are you ready?"


    Tilly nodded weakly, then sheid her head on his chest. "Thank you, Kiho."


    "Then, let''s do it," Saint Forrester said, his hand glowing in a golden light. "I''m going to y the "memories" of thismunication device now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA immediately pushed Captain Denver when she felt hostile presence around them, then she stood up and got on high alert.


    It looked like the captain also felt it because he immediately stood up, not minding the fact that she just pushed him. Instead, he looked around while touching the arm band in his right arm. He looked ready to fight just like she was.


    "They''re here for the young lord," she whispered to the captain.


    "Go inside and protect the servants of the mansion," the captain whispered back. "I''ll deal with the enemies here. The Nystroms already have too much on their tes so let''s help them as much as we can."


    She nodded. "Are you sure you''re okay, Captain Denver?"


    The captain just lost his father.


    She knew that as a captain and as an heir, he was prepared for anything. And yet, to her, Captain Denver was still a child.


    "I''m fine, Miss Luna," Captain Denver assured her with a small smile. "In fact, I feel more powerful now because of my father''s emblem." He clutched his chest tight with his artificial arm. It wasn''t obvious because he wore a long sleeved shirt and a thick cloak. "I know that my father is watching over me."


    Of course, she wasn''t a fool to think that the captain was 100% okay.


    But it was good enough that his mind was clear and he seemed to function well.


    "I''ll be back to support youter," she said in a hurry, then she ran inside the mansion.


    She went straight to the kitchen where all the servants were gathered.


    Since she didn''t allow them to assist her when Tilly was giving birth, the head maid and the head butler decided to gather the servants to the kitchen instead. The two led a prayer for the safety of the madam and the young lord.


    When she reached the kitchen, she saw the servants on their knees with their hands sped together and eyes closed. It had already been months since she started to live in the mansion so she already knew everyone who was working there.


    <em>They''re all here.</em>


    It was a relief that they were all together because it would be easier for her to create a barrier in the room to protect them.


    "Everyone," Luna said seriously. "Stay here we are under attacke."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO felt gutted after hearing the conversation between Tilly and Father.


    He was hurt, sad, and angry. But for some reason, he was still calm even though he wanted to explode from the overwhelming feelings in his chest.


    <em>Tilly heard Father being killed on the other line</em>


    He couldn''t imagine how painful that had been for his wife.


    <em>No wonder she got so mad and gave birth to our little rascal earlier than expected.</em>


    "I''m so sorry, honey," Kiho whispered in a voice filled with sadness as he hugged her tighter. "I shouldn''t have left the house. I should have stayed with you."


    "Don''t feel bad, hon," Tilly said in a weak voice. "No one expected that to happen to Father. We should focus on getting back his remains first." She looked up at him with a pleading look on her face. "Let''s go to the North, Kiho."


    It was hard to say ''no'' to that face but he had to be tough despite the situation. "No," he said firmly even though it pained him not to give her what she wanted. "Father clearly said that you shouldn''t go to the North, Tilly. He might have discovered something important that caused him his life."


    "Do you n to go to the North by yourself?" she asked in a pained voice. "Are you going to leave me and Winter alone?"


    He couldn''t answer right away.


    Of course, he couldn''t leave his wife and his newborn son. But at the same time, he wanted to find his father-inw''s remains.


    <em>Lord Prescott was like a real father to me. I can''t let his body freeze in the North. And I want to bring Father home and bury him next to Mother. I''m sure that it''s what Tilly wants to do as well. But how can I do that without leaving my wife and son?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he felt hostile presence around their mansion.


    He wasn''t the only one who felt that because Saint Forrester (whom they almost forgot there) turned to the window, obviously alert.


    Tilly felt it as well because despite the coldness of the ice cube, she still carefully pulled it to her side and hugged it closer to her body definitely to protect their sleeping little rascal. "I bet they are people working for the princess or the emperor," she said in an annoyed tone.


    He was relieved that his brave wife wasn''t scared.


    <em>That''s thest thing I want her to feel when she''s with me.</em>


    "Kiho," she said, then she turned to him. "Father said that the enemies literally ripped mother''s heart out after she gave birth to me. Now that I just gave birth to our Baby Winter, they''re probably here to steal my heart, too."


    Hearing that made him angrier than he already was.


    "I won''t let them do that to you," he promised firmly. "I won''t even let themy a finger on you, Tilly."


    "I know that," she said with a smile. "As long as you''re here beside me, I know that nothing bad will happen to me or Winter."


    That was a huge ego booster for him.


    He was happy and proud that his wife had that much faith in him. And he wouldn''t let her down. He would prove to her every single day that he deserved her and her love.


    <em>I won''t make you regret marrying me, Tilly.</em>


    "Wait here, honey," he said to his wife. "I''ll just "greet" our uninvited guests."


    She nodded. "Make sure to give them a "cold wee," hon."


    He smirked proud that his wife''s sassiness was back.


    After kissing Tilly on the lips, he leaned forward to touch the ice incubation where Winter was sleeping peacefully.


    "Daddy will just greet some intruders, Winter," he said to his son gently. "Take care of your mommy while I''m out, little rascal."


    He didn''t know if it was just him or Winter really smiled.


    <em>Ohh the little rascal inherited his mother''s beautiful smile.</em>


    Thank goodness.


    "I''m off," he said, then he kissed Tilly on the lips again before he stood up.


    "Take care, hon," Tilly said gently. "Don''t take too long, hmm?"


    Kiho nodded, then cracked his knuckles. "I''ll make red snowmen for our little rascal."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AINSWORTH, the Golden Tiger,ughed as the rain poured heavily.


    It stopped a while ago, but all of a sudden, it was raining again. If he didn''t know any better, he''d think it was just a simple downpour. But he just met the ck Serpent a while ago. He bet something happened that made him angry.


    "Let me help you, my stinky old friend," Ainsworth said while standing in the foot of the mountain that he was supposed to climb if it didn''t rain that hard. <em>Stupid ck Serpent</em>. "I still hate you because the "bracelet" that you gave your dear brother became a shackle to the Beast Gods. But I can''t let her suffer in this lifetime again." He stomped his feet on the ground, hard. "After all, Soleil Rosenberg was and will always be the true master of the Beast Gods."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 144: End of a Long Night

    Chapter 144: End of a Long Night


    KIHO was just about to leave when the ground shook hard.


    <em>An earthquake?</em>


    He immediately turned to Tilly who was now embracing the ice incubator protectively. It seemed like she noticed him hesitating because she gave him an encouraging smile.


    "Go," Tilly told him in a calm voice. "I''ll protect our Winter. But I''m worried about our servants."


    "Leave them to us," Saint Forrester said. "I can feel Miss Luna''s aura around the house. She probably created a barrier to protect the mansion and the servants. You know how powerful the barriers that the witch makes, don''t you?"


    He and his wife both nodded as a response.


    "Then, I''m really going this time," Kiho said, then he turned to Tilly again. "I''ll be back quickly, honey."


    Tilly smiled and nodded. "Winter and I will be waiting for you, hon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME, Your Majesty."


    Aku ignored the High Priest''s greeting and walked past him.


    He didn''t need to ask where Nia was because first, he knew where her room was. Second, he could feel his beloved''s presence. He didn''t waste any time so even though running was disgraceful for an emperor like him, he still did.


    "Nia," Aku said as soon as he entered Nia''s room.


    Nia, who sat on the bed in her night gown, smiled weakly at him. "Brother."


    He immediately sat on the edge of the bed and hugged her, his face buried against her neck. "I''ve missed you, Nia. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"


    "I only need you, Brother."


    That made him smile.


    Now, he was calm.


    He looked up at Nia and touched her face. "I''ve really missed you."


    His advisors prevented him from visiting Nia in the temple for the past months because the empire had important visitors from various neighboring kingdoms.


    Remembering what happened these past few months made him feel quite annoyed.


    After all, the "visitors" that he had to entertain were princesses and higher noblewomen from their allied kingdoms. His advisors invited several high-rankingdies from all over the empire as candidates to be his Royal Noble Consorts.


    In theirw, an emperor could have up to three Royal Noble Consorts and each one would be given the title of ''Queen.''


    But of course, the empress would always have the highest authority. In fact, theirw also stated that the empress was the one in-charge of the Royal Noble Consorts. That meant that the empress had the power to strip a concubine off her title.


    Though his advisors might be crazy if they thought he would take a Royal Noble Consort when he wasn''t married to Nia yet.


    Not that he had ns to get one.


    <em>Nia is the only one for me.</em>


    "I''ve missed you, too, Brother," Nia said with a smile.


    "I''m happy to hear but please call me by my name," he said. "We''re going to get married soon, Nia."


    "I apologize, Aku," she said. Then, she touched his face. "You look tired. Did you hurry over here?"


    He nodded. "I can''t wait to get to you. I used the portal connecting my pce to the temple. But still, it felt like an eternity." He let out a sigh of relief. "I''m so d that you''re finally awake. I''ve been waiting for this news for so long."


    "I''m sorry for making you wait, Aku," she said in an apologetic tone. "But now that I''m back. I''m not going anywhere."


    "I will protect you better this time, Nia."


    She suddenly fell silent. And when she spoke again, her voice was filled with sadness. "Aku, it has already been months since I fell into aatose state, right? Do you know who burnt me to crisp?"


    He clenched his hands tight before he answered. "It was the Red Phoenix."


    "That''s not what I want to hear."


    He let out another deep sigh. "I already know that Lady Nystrom is the owner of the heart."


    "''Nystrom?''"


    "Lady Nystrom is the former Lady Prescott that you know," he exined. "''Nystrom'' is the family name that Kiho chose when he inherited Lord Prescott''s title."


    "So, you already know that it was Lady Nystrom who almost killed me."


    "Yes."


    "And what did you do to punish her?"


    "Nothing," he confessed. "I didn''t punish Lady Nystrom."


    As expected, she looked upset. "Why didn''t you punish her?"


    "Because I have no evidence that she asked the Red Phoenix to attack you," he said. "And I know what you need from her, Nia."


    She looked shocked by that.


    "I know that you need the heart but I don''t know what for," he said firmly. "But whatever it is, I cannot let you steal Lady Nystrom''s heart. At least, not now." He cupped her face in his hands. "Nia, I want you to ask your men to pull out from the mission you gave them."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "Aku"


    "I know you," he said. "While you were in aatose state, your "collection" has arrived in the Royal Capital. I have confirmed that none of them visited you in the temple. But they kept moving around. That gave me the idea that you might have given them some sort of instructions just in case something bad happened to you. Based on that, I can tell that you also asked them to steal Lady Nystrom''s heart once she gives birth to his son."


    She didn''t deny it.


    "One of your people had already messed up," he continued. "I don''t want that to happen again, Nia. Stop them now before they attack Lady Nystrom."


    Hurt crossed in her eyes and she didn''t move an inch.


    <em>Ah, so stubborn.</em>


    "Nia, I''m saying this for your own good," he told her calmly. "Kiho will just kill your people. Worse, they might capture them alive and use them against us."


    "I know that Kiho Nystrom is strong," she argued. "But so are my people."


    He shook his head. "Those people aren''t on Kiho''s level. Moreover, right now, the saint is on their side. Even without his Holy Scepter andplete divine power, you know that His Holiness is capable of eliminating your entire collection, don''t you?"


    That seemed to finally make her give up. "Alright, I will ask them to drop the mission."


    "Good girl," he praised her, then he kissed her on the forehead. "You don''t need the heart, Nia. I can give you anything and everything in the world." He looked at her straight in the eye. "Except for death and separation. We''ll always be together, remember that."


    She just nodded. "Aren''t you going to ask me why I kept it from you? That I know that Lady Nystrom is a Fire Mage. "


    "We have a lot of things to talk about, Nia," he said. "But I don''t want to ruin our reunion." He gently pinched her chin. "Why do you not look like you''re happy to see me again?"


    She pouted and gave him a puppy dog eyes. "I still want the heart, Aku."


    "Nia"


    "I know why you don''t want me toy a hand on Lady Nystrom," she said in a hurt voice. "It''s because of Kiho, isn''t it? You''ve always treasured him. Is he more important than me, Aku?"


    Heughed softly at her silly question. "Nia, do you seriously doubt your position in my life?"


    She shook her head. "But why do I feel like I''mpeting with your precious Kiho?"


    "Are you jealous?"


    She pouted, then shook her head like a child throwing tantrums. "I am not."


    "You''re the most precious person in my life, Nia," he told her softly. "I need Lady Nystrom alive for now. But once I get what I want, I''ll give her to you myself."


    "Promise?" she asked like a child, and she even raised her hand and extended her pinky to him.


    <em>She''s so cute.</em>


    That made him smile because he was the one who taught her the "pinky promise" when they were children.


    "Promise," he said, then he hooked his pinky with hers. "Just focus on your recovery for now, okay?"


    Nia nodded, then she covered her mouth when she yawned. "Are you going to spend the night here, Aku?"


    "Of course," Aku said, then he pulled her closer for another hug. "We have to make up for lost time, my beloved Nia."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AS SOON as Kiho stepped out of the mansion, the earthquake stopped, and so did the heavy downpour.


    He also realized that he had almost nothing to do when he saw the pile of dead bodies in the garden. Captain Denver was there, holding a sword in his hands. Based on the deadly injuries that he saw in some of the corpses, it was obvious that they were killed by the captain''s sword.


    At first, he was confused as to why Captain Denver needed to use a sword when he could easily fight with his fire.


    And that was when he realized that his fire might have been quenched by the rain.


    "Duke Nystrom," Captain Denver greeted him. "Something strange happened. When the earthquake began, the people with stronger Mana started to flee away fast. The only ones who were left are the people with weaker Mana that weren''t able to move during the quake. I''ve killed the ones who tried to kill me. But most of them are still alive and unable to move." He motioned for the trees around where the assants were probably hiding. "For some reason, the quake seemed to freeze them."


    "Thank you for informing me, Captain Denver," he said, thin ice already forming underneath his feet. "I''ll make a snowman out of each of the remaining assants, just like what I promised our little rascal."


    "I won''t stop you, Your Grace," Captain Denver said. "But please don''t kill all of them. We need information."


    "I''ll try," Kiho said, nonmittal. "Unfortunately, I need an outlet for my anger."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved when the quake stopped. She immediately checked on her little cinnamon roll inside the ice cube. Winter seemed to be fine, and he didn''t wake up despite the strong quake a while ago. "Are you okay, Winter? Don''t be afraid. Everything is fine. Your mommy and daddy are here to protect you."


    Much to her surprise, Winter suddenly opened his eyes.


    Then, her baby looked at her with huge and round golden orbs just like Kiho''s eyes whenever they glowed.


    God, their little cinnamon roll was so beautiful.


    "You''ve got your father''s eyes," Tilly said, her voice cracking. "I wish Father was here to see you, Winter. Your grandfather was looking forward to meeting you. I''m sure he would have been very delighted to meet his grandson."


    She didn''t know if it was her or Winter was really looking at her with sad eyes.


    <em>Does he understand what I''m saying</em>?


    She had a hunch that Winter had the memories of his past life. But Luna told her before that there was a possibility that his memories might get erased once he was born.


    <em>But the way he looks at me</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she saw Winter raised his little arm as if he wanted to touch her face.


    She automatically ced her hand against the ice cube to reach for his hand.


    But the ice wall was literally between them.


    "Do you want tofort mommy?" she asked with a smile. "Thank you, Baby Winter. My heart feels warm because of your concern."


    Winter smiled at her showing her his deep dimples on either side of his small face.


    "Right. You got your daddy''s dimples," Tilly said, delighted. "Gosh, you''ve got all our pretty genes, little "rascal.""


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong><em>In the Ind that Worships the Sun</em></strong>


    "THE MOON Serpent has been born."


    "That means the Supreme has already fulfilled her role."


    "Now, there''s no reason for her to stay with the ck Serpent anymore."


    "It''s time for us to take back our sun."


    "We will now descend and fetch the Supreme it''s time for her to finallye back home."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 145: The One and Only Sun

    Chapter 145: The One and Only Sun


    THE SUN was almost up when Kiho finished "interrogating" the people who tried to attack the mansionst night. When he was done, the basement where he imprisoned the assants was painted with blood. He hated that he had toe back to this kind of job. But he would do anything to protect his family.


    <em>I''ve said this before and I''ll say it again: I''m willing to be a bad guy for Tilly. And now, for Winter, too.</em>


    "I''ll take care of the rest, Your Grace," Captain Denver told him. "Please take a rest. You must be exhausted."


    "I''m fine, Captain Denver. Thank you for worrying about me," he said while wiping off the blood in his hand using a white handkerchief. Then, he tapped the captain''s shoulder. "I''ll leave the rest to you, Captain Denver. I''ll ask Miss Luna to assist you."


    "That would be helpful, Your Grace."


    "After I check on Tilly and Winter, I''lle back so the two of you could rest."


    The captain just nodded, then he turned serious. "Your Grace, may I know if something happened to make Lady Nystrom that angryst night? Miss Luna didn''t let me enter the room while she was giving birth to the duchess. But I could hear Lady Nystrom''s loud cry back then."


    His jaw clenched, and so did his fists when he remembered the tragedy that fell upon their family. "Tilly received a call from our Father. Lord Prescott is gone now. He was killed by an unknown man" He trailed-off when he remembered something. Then, his eyes widened in shock while looking at Captain Denver. "Lord Denver was with Father"


    Pain crossed the captain''s amber eyes. "That''s right," he confirmed. "Father passed down his emblem to mest night. That only means that he''s gone now. After all, an emblem couldn''t be passed down to an heir if his predecessor is still alive."


    His heart went out to the captain. <em>Tilly would be devastated to hear this</em>


    "If Lord Prescott was killed, then that means my father suffered the same fate," Captain Denver said in an understandably angry voice. "Duke Nystrom, did you get a clue as to who did to them from the conversation that Lady Nystrom had with Lord Prescott?"


    He nodded. "We did. But can we talk about it once all of us have rested enough? I know that it''s hard to do that at this moment. Still, I believe that we all need to rest first."


    "I understand, Your Grace," the captain said. "Just like you, I had been into several wars, too. From there, I learned how important rest is. A knight should always take a break first before he fights a new battle. After all, a broken mind and an exhausted body will only get him killed."


    "Thank you for understanding," Kiho said, then he held the captain''s shoulders tight. "Captain Denver, please remember that the Nystroms are always here for the Denvers. We''ll get through this together."


    Captain Denver nodded, and when he spoke again, his voice cracked. "Thank you, Duke Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Kiho arrived at the lobby of the mansion, he was surprised to see Tilly waiting for her.


    And it wasn''t just her.


    The ice incubator of Winter was floating beside his wife.


    He also noticed Miss Luna standing behind her, and so were the servants of the mansion who greeted him politely.


    "Wee back, hon," Tilly greeted him with a smile, then she handed him a warm towel. "Good job."


    Kiho smiled and kissed his wife on the forehead as he thanked her. Then, he gently touched the ice incubator of his son. When he saw that Winter was asleep again, he turned to Tilly. "Honey, I''m grateful for the warm wee. But shouldn''t you rest for now? You just gave birth a few hours ago."


    "Thank you for worrying about me, hon," Tilly said with a smile. "But I''m fine. I can still fulfill my duties as your wife and thedy of the manor."


    He had always known that his wife was strong and amazing.


    But to be able to stand so gracefully like she did now after just a few hours since she gave birth to their son? Damn, that was incredible.


    Tilly wasn''t just standing there. She was dressed and poised properly like a duchess that she was. He could tell from his wife''s eyes that she was just enduring the pain and the exhaustion. But he knew why she was doing that when she could have just rested.


    <em>She''s boosting the morale of our people.</em>


    Duchess Tilly Prescott Nystrom was a dignifieddy through and through.


    <em>Father, do you see Tilly now? You raised a very remarkable daughter. She shines like a sun, always has and always will.</em>


    Kiho gently pulled Tilly for a hug. Then, he buried his face against her neck. Her warmth and her sweet scent were enough for him to revitalize. When he felt better, he looked up to stare at his wife''s beautiful face. "My heart is forever yours, Tilly."


    Miss Luna groaned as a lightint.


    The witch was the only person in the mansion who could openly express her protest whenever he and Tilly would do a public disy of affection.


    "What''s gotten into you?" Tilly asked, her cheeks red with embarrassment. But her smile told him that she was happy with his sweet nothings. Still, she lightly hit his arm. "Stop it, hon. Spare our people from your cheesiness."


    His wife''s light teasing made their servantsugh "discreetly."


    <em>Ah, she seeded in uplifting everyone''s spirits.</em>


    At that moment, Kiho thought to himself: <em>Tilly is my sunshine.</em>


    He just didn''t know why he couldn''t say it aloud.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''S heart was broken when she learned that Captain Denver''s father Lord Morgan Denver also died the night his father passed away.


    <em>Lord Denver was definitely killed by the same person who killed my father.</em>


    She wanted to scream in anger but for some reason, she still felt calm. Her body temperature didn''t even change. Usually, whenever she was angry, her body would start to burn.


    It didn''t happen this time.


    <em>But it''s good that I''m calm.</em>


    Anyway, right now, she was in the tea room with Kiho and Captain Denver. They went there to have tea after breakfast. On the other hand, Luna volunteered to look after Winter with the head maid who wanted to serve the young lord. So currently, if she wasn''t mistaken, the witch was in the master''s bedroom with Louisa.


    <em>Saint Forrester already left before the sun rose up</em>.


    "I''ll go to the North to retrieve the bodies of Lord Denver and Lord Prescott," Captain Denver dered, causing everyone in the room to turn to him. The captain continued talking, his eyes focused on her. "Lady Nystrom, ording to Lord Prescott, you shouldn''t go to the North whatever happens," he said, then he turned to Kiho. "Duke Nystrom, I know you wanted to retrieve Lord Prescott''s body yourself. But I don''t think it''s wise to leave Lady Nystrom and your new born son by themselves. And I''m sure you don''t want to do that." The captain gave everyone a passing look. "That''s why I''ll do it. I''ll retrieve their bodies and while I''m at it, I will investigate their death. Since my father was a higher noble, and so was Lord Prescott, I''m sure that His Majesty would allow me to bring the Red Phoenix Knights with me."


    Tilly was relieved to know that Captain Denver nned to bring his squad with him.


    "I just have one favor, Duke and Duchess Nystrom," the captain said.


    "What is it?" Tilly and Kiho asked at the same time.


    "Please take care of my tower while I''m gone," Captain Denver said.


    "Of course," she said right away. "Leave it to us."


    "Captain Denver, just tell us if you need anything else," Kiho offered. "We will provide you with everything you''ll need to make your travelfortable."


    Captain Denver smiled and nodded. "Thank you for the generosity, Duke Nystrom."


    Kiho just nodded firmly.


    "Captain Denver," Tilly said. When the captain turned to her, she gave him a sympathizing look. "My condolences."


    The captain smiled sadly. "My condolences to you as well, Lady Nystrom."


    "We will get justice for our fathers," Tilly promised him. "We will make the descendants of the ck Serpent pay for what they did."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN NIA woke up, Aku was no longer beside her.


    <em>What a relief.</em>


    It wasn''t the first time that she slept on the same bed as her brother. But every time that would happen, she would feel very exhausted. Smiling all night at the emperor wasn''t easy.


    And now, she had to pretend that she just woke up.


    The past months had been hell for her.


    She lost Lahara and Lady Alisa Hayward two of her closest friends. And they both died trying to carry out their mission to protect her. But she couldn''t even mourn them properly.


    Then, she heard from High Priest Howard that Lord Eugene Huxley was captured and was thrown in jail after he attacked the tower of the "Fire Wielders." She felt bad for the count but at least, thanks to him, she discovered that the tower was full of Fire Mages.


    Now House Denver had caught her attention.


    "I need to make a move soon," Nia whispered to herself. "I have to steal Lady Nystrom''s heart before Aku finds out why I need it."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO, I want to go back to Oakes," Tilly said while she was staring at Winter''s sleeping face. Right now, she was sitting on the bed while watching her baby who was still in the ice incubator. When she didn''t get a response from her husband, she turned to him and found him sitting on the windowsill while looking at her with warm eyes. The way he looked at her lovingly made her smile. "Why are you looking at me like that, hon?"


    "I will never get enough of watching you and Winter together," Kiho said with a small smile. "You two are beautiful."


    Aww, that melted her heart.


    "Thank you, hon," she said with a smile. "You''re beautiful, too."


    Heughed softly, then he finally gave ament to what she said a while ago. "I would also prefer it if we leave the Royal Capital now that Winter is here with us. But it wouldn''t be easy and you know that. Now that you have given birth to our son, His Majesty would do everything to keep us here."


    "I already figured out how we can move to Oakes."


    Her husband looked surprised and amazed by what she said. "How?"


    "You said that the assants that you caughtst night were from House Huxley and House Hayward, right?"


    He nodded. "Yes. How can you use that to our advantage, Tilly?"


    "Just trust me, Kiho," she said with a smile. "I can also use that to force His Majesty to finally let our family privatize the ck Serpent Knights."


    For the past months, they filed a request for the ck Serpent Knights to be the private army of House Nystrom. His Majesty didn''t approve nor rejected it. ording to the pce''s administration secretary, the emperor was "seriously considering it" for now.


    But thanks to the attempted attack at their familyst night, she thought of a way to force Emperor Aku to give them what she wanted.


    "I want to bring the ck Serpent Knights with us to the Oakes," she continued. "And oh, I also promised Isabe before that I would make her my son''s nanny. So I''m nning to fetch herter and bring her to the Oakes, too."


    The only reason why she didn''t bring Isabe (her old maid) with her when she moved into Kiho''s mansion was because she asked the young maid to look after her father in her ce. But now that Lord Prescott was gone, it was time for her to take Isabe in her new home.


    <em>I''ll leave my father''s mansion to our old head maid and head butler.</em>


    Of course, losing her father still hurt like hell. But unfortunately, she didn''t have the luxury to grieve for a long time. After all, she believed that the best way to honor her father''s death was to show him that he raised a strong and invincible daughter. She didn''t want to make Lord Prescott worry about her.


    <em>Watch over me, Father.</em>


    "Tilly, you''re scaring me."


    Her thoughts were cut-off because of what Kiho said. When she looked at his face, she saw fear in his eyes.


    "I''m scaring you?" she asked in disbelief. "How?"


    "First of all, I want to let you know that I love how strong and independent you are," he said carefully. "Buttely, I feel like you don''t need me anymore, and that you can live without me." All of a sudden, his face turned red as if he just realized what he said, and that made him feel embarrassed. "I''m sorry if I sounded insecure, honey."


    "I didn''t sense insecurity from those words, hon," she assured him. Then, she stood up and walked towards him. As soon as she was standing in front of him, he opened his legs to amodate her. Then, she wrapped her arms around his neck as his arms snaked around her waist. "I didn''t mean to make you feel that way, Kiho. I just don''t want to burden you so I do the things that I know that I can do on my own."


    "You''ll never be a burden to me, Tilly."


    She smiled and kissed his nose. "I know that," she said. "Still, I want to help and support you as much as I can."


    "Thank you, honey."


    "I need you, Kiho," she said genuinely. "I need you as much as I need air to breathe." She kissed him on the lips this time. "I''ll die without you, hon."


    He blushed as if he was suddenly shy. But his eyes told her how happy he was at that moment. "You''re rarely vocal about your feelings for me, Tilly. But whenever you are, you never fail to make my heart skip a beat. God, you make me go crazy."


    She smiled at that. "Do you feel better now, Kiho?"


    He nodded. "Thank you for reassuring me of my position in your life, honey," he said, almost a whisper. "I don''t know why but sometimes, I feel like you''d slip away from me." He pulled her closer to him. "I''m scared of that happening."


    "It won''t happen, Kiho," Tilly assured him gently. "I''d never slip away from you."


    Kiho smiled, then he buried his face between the valley of her breasts. "Tilly, you''re like the sun," he whispered. "And I''m like a nt that can''t live without sunlight."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME BACK, Your Holiness," Aku greeted the saint when he saw him in front of the door that he knew His Holiness used as a portal.


    He had been waiting there for almost half an hour now.


    And he didn''t wait in vain. He caught Saint Forrester appear from nowhere. It looked like the saint was in a hurry because he didn''t notice him right away.


    "Ah, I''m caught," Saint Forrester deadpanned. Despite what he said, the saint obviously didn''t care about getting caught. Instead, he calmly faced him and bowed to him a little. "Greetings to the one and only moon of our Great Moonchester Empire."


    He just smiled at the saint''s "polite" greeting.


    <em>His Holiness is the only person who can greet me "politely" but still make me feel like he''s insulting me.</em>


    As soon as he thought of that, an image of Lady Nystrom''s knowing smirk entered his mind.


    <em>Ah, I stand corrected</em>, he said to himself. <em>The saint isn''t the only person who can make me feel that way.</em>


    Anyway


    "The child of the prophecy was born earlier than expected," Aku said, still smiling. The saint wasn''t in the templest night. He wasn''t a fool to not know where he went to. "Is he healthy?"


    Saint Forrester definitely knew that there was no point in lying to him, so he answered him truthfully. "I can''t say that the child is healthy. His life isn''t in danger though," he said. "But he still needs to be incubated."


    "Once he''s out of the incubator, I want you to schedule the child''s Purification."


    The ''Purification'' was a rite of passage that every born child in the empire needed to undergo to be fully epted as a member of the society, and a citizen of the Moonchester Empire.


    "With all due respect, you''re not the father of the child, Your Majesty," Saint Forrester reminded him with an overly sweet and obviously fake smile. "Only Duke and Duchess Nystrom can decide for the date of the child''s Purification."


    "The child of the prophecy belongs to the empire," Aku said with his own "sweet" smile. "And doesn''t the empire belong to me?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO suddenly felt like his body was being burned by a very hot me, causing him to gently push Tilly away from him. He was worried that her body temperature might be rising uncontrobly again. But when he looked up at her face, she looked calm.


    "Are you alright, Kiho?" Tilly asked worriedly. "You look like you''re in pain."


    He was about to tell her that he felt literally hot all of a sudden. But then, his gaze went past her when he noticed something strange happening behind his wife.


    The ice incubator that he made for Winter was melting now!


    Kiho''s eyes widened in shock. "Tilly, I think our Winter is melting the ice incubator," he informed her, then he looked up at her face again to watch her eyes go round. Of course, he understood his wife''s (cute) reaction. "It seems like our little rascal can already use the Mana that he inherited from you, honey."


    And their little rascal wanted toe out now, huh?


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 146: Ice Prince

    Chapter 146: Ice Prince


    WINTER wanted to roll his eyes while watching his parents act lovey-dovey.


    <em>Hello, Mom and Dad? I''m here. Don''t ignore me.</em>


    It was frustrating that his mother and father couldn''t hear him the way the sketchy saint could. But he couldn''t do anything about it. After all, before he was given the chance to be reborn again, he agreed to several terms.


    <em>Limitations, to be precise.</em>


    First and foremost, he couldn''t tell his parents what he discovered in his past life. If he did, the memories of his previous life would be erased. He was desperate to make it up with his mommy so even though the terms didn''t favor him, he agreed to it.


    Most of all, he did it for his mother.


    <em>I''m so sorry for being a useless son in the past, Mommy.</em>


    He extended his little hand to reach his mother. But of course, he just touched the ice wall of his incubator. To be honest, he didn''t need it anymore. He absorbed enough Mana from his father to say that he was already fully-recovered. Even though he was born prematurely, he could say that his life wasn''t in danger anymore.


    <em>I want toe out and feel my mommy''s warmth.</em>


    In his past life, he refused to use his fire because of his "hatred" for his mother. To simply put, he didn''t learn how to wield it properly. Plus, in the past, his father told him to keep his fire Mana a secret because apparently, it wasn''t normal for a person to produce fire without the help of magical weapons just like what Fire Wielders used.


    <em>Right. Back then, we never found out that Mommy was a Fire Mage.</em>


    Well, he didn''t. He wasn''t sure if his father found out his mother''s true origin.


    After all, Winter was killed just a few years after his mommy''s execution.


    The pain that he felt in his heart when he remembered the tragedy of his past life made his little body warm very warm, actually.


    Before he knew it, the ice incubator started to melt.


    <em>Oh, am I a Fire Mage genius?</em>


    It seemed like that caught his parents'' attention.


    His father saw it first. Then, he informed his mother. The two had a short conversation before they turned to him at the same time.


    They both looked shocked and amazed by what he did.


    "Oh my baby," his mommy said while walking towards him, his father following her closely behind like a puppy.


    Well, he remembered that even though thest few years of his parents'' marriage had been hell, his father had been a good husband to his mother. He was respectful and protective of her. But he was too young to know then if it was love.


    <em>This time though, it looks like their rtionship has improved so much.</em>


    "Winter," his mommy said with a smile when she finally reached him. Then, she sat on the edge of the bed and ced her hands on the ice incubator. She helped him melt the ice with her own Mana. Ah, it felt warmer than he imagined. "Do you want toe out now?"


    Winter smiled as a response hoping that his facial muscles did what he wanted to do.


    It seemed like he seeded because his mother gasped, then her beautiful smile widened. After that, she looked up at his daddy who stood behind her. "Hon, did you see that? Our Baby Winter smiled!"


    "I saw it, honey," his father said while looking at his mommy''s face. "I understand our little rascal though. Even I want to smile automatically whenever I see your beautiful face, Tilly."


    As a response, his mother giggled.


    <em>Oh, god, stop it!</em>


    Winter cringed at his parents'' flirting it almost gave him goosebumps.


    <em>I mean, I''m genuinely happy for them. But do children who want to see the "preview" of how they were "made" by their parents exist?</em>


    If there were children like that, then he would respect it.


    <em>But it''s definitely not me.</em>


    "Winter," his mother said affectionately when the ice incubator finally melted. Then, she gently and carefully carried him in her warm arms. "Gosh, your little body is as cold as your father''s."


    Yeah, he knew that already.


    In his past life, people used to call him the ''<em>Ice Prince</em>.'' That title never failed to make him cringe, but he somehow got used to it. He didn''t like it, but he didn''t hate it either.


    But this time, he wanted to get rid of that title.


    <em>I want to embrace the part of me that I got from my mommy.</em>


    "You''re so beautiful, Winter," his mother said in a cracked voice. Then, she stood up and faced his father. And yet, she didn''t take her eyes off him. She was already teary-eyed. "I can finally hold you in my arms, our little cinnamon roll."


    His mother''s beautiful and crying face pulled at his heartstrings.


    Even in his past life, his mother was also very beautiful. But her instability and fits made it unbearable for him to look at her. There was a time that he even felt scared of his own mother. But of course, it was because of the drugs that she didn''t know she had been taking for many years.


    He remembered that there were times that his mother was calm. Whenever he wasn''t throwing tantrums, she acted like a normal and loving mommy to him. There were even times that she shared quiet yet romantic moments with his father.


    <em>I believe that Mommy and Daddy really loved each other even in the past.</em>


    But somehow, the dosage of the drugs her mother took increased. That was when she hadpletely lost her sanity. She only didn''t ruin herself she also pushed them away.


    Inevitably, her marriage with his father fell apart.


    He also distanced himself from his "crazy" mother.


    That and because the people around him back then told me that it was better for him and his dad to cut her off his life.


    He regretted that.


    <em>I''m so sorry for failing to notice your cry of help, Mommy</em>, Winter said, then he raised his little arm until his tiny hand touched his mother''s warm cheek. <em>This time, I will protect you.</em>


    "Your skin is cold but your touch feels warm, Winter," her mother said. She was smiling but her pretty purple eyes still brimmed with tears. "You''re making me feel so loved, baby." She carefully lifted him and kissed him on the forehead. "I didn''t know I could still love someone else as much as I loved your father until you came into my life, my little cinnamon roll."


    Okay, that got him emotional as well.


    <em>I love you, too, Mommy.</em>


    His warm moment with her mother was interrupted when his father "coughed" loudly.


    Then, his dad wrapped his arms around her mother''s shoulders protectively. After that, he looked at his face with a somewhat calcting gaze.


    <em>God, is Daddy getting jealous because Mommy is paying attention to me?</em>


    Well, he could see the happiness and warmth in his father''s gaze. But still, he already knew that his daddy could sometimes be petty when it came to his mother.


    "Hello, little rascal," his father greeted him. "Your mommy is still tired from giving birth to you. May I hold you this time so that your mommy could take a break?"


    <em>Well, if you insist.</em>


    He raised his little arms towards his father''s direction.


    That little action of his brought a glow of happiness in his dad''s golden eyes and he got his eyes from him.


    <em>Fine. I missed you, too, Dad.</em>


    "Winter wants you to carry him," his mother said in a delighted voice, then she carefully handed him over to his father. "Be careful, hon. We practiced this a lot before."


    "Yes, honey," his father answered gently. Then, he carefully carried him in his cold arms. "Wow. You''re so tiny. And light. God, you''ll probably die if I drop you, won''t you?"


    Winter almost rolled his eyes.


    <em>Daddy didn''t change. He could still be so tactless sometimes.</em>


    "Kiho," his mother said, obviously upset. She even hit his father''s arm. "What are you saying in front of our son?"


    His father suddenly looked guilty (and afraid of his mother).


    It was amusing, really.


    Even in his past life, he could tell that his father would panic whenever his mommy was upset. Then, in his dad''s own way, he would find a way to pacify his mommy.


    Now, thinking back, he couldn''t believe that their marriage still fell apart.


    <em>I wonder what went wrong.</em>


    Well, he found out about the drugs that her mother had been taking for years without her knowledge. But something else ruined her.


    "I''m sorry, honey," his father said distracting him from his thoughts. Then, he turned to him again. "Daddy is sorry, little rascal."


    Winter raised his little hand and gently tapped his father''s cheek. <em>I forgive you, Dad.</em>


    His father, the "ice king," smiled warmly at him.


    He felt warmth in his chest upon seeing that.


    "I love seeing the two of you together," his mother said, still emotional. "We''re finallyplete again."


    Winter turned to his mother and at that moment, he remembered what exactly went wrong in the past.


    The image of the woman with jet-ck hair came into his mind.


    Ah, she wasn''t just a "woman."


    For some evil reason, thatdy became his stepmother.


    <em>Everything went downhill after that.</em>


    Remembering that part of his life also rekindled the "hate" that he had towards his father. He knew that his dad did "that" for their family.Still, upon remembering the reason his life ended in the past, fear crept into his heart.


    And because he was still a baby, he couldn''t control his emotions. And babies let their parents know what they feel through one effective method.


    Winter cried loudly much to his annoyance.


    <em>God, I''m already an adult in mind but now I''m reduced to a crybaby!</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 147: Lord Prescotts Last Will

    Chapter 147: Lord Prescott''s Last Will


    WINTER was upset after crying like a baby.


    Well, technically, he was a baby right now. Still, it hurt his pride to cry like that. He was called the ''Ice Prince'' in the past not just because of his dominant Mana.


    He got that moniker because of his cool personality, too.


    In the past, he was always calm andposed. He was aloof, mysterious, and indifferent. Definitely not a crybaby, okay?


    <em>God, this is so embarrassing.</em>


    He red at his father.


    <em>It''s your entire fault, Dad. You made me remember that I''m supposed to hate you. If you didn''t made me upset, I wouldn''t have cried!</em>


    He was sure that his father couldn''t hear his thoughts.


    So he was shocked when his dad red back at him.


    <em>Okay, that''s scary.</em>


    His mother, having noticed that his father was ring at him, scolded her husband with another hit in the arm. "Kiho, why are you ring at our son?"


    <em>Heh. Serves you right, Dad.</em>


    His father didn''t take his sharp re off him. "This little rascal is ring at me so I have to re back at him to assert my dominance."


    "You''re so immature, Kiho," his mother said. "Give me back my little cinnamon roll."


    He was surprised when he saw his father pout like a child. Then, he obediently (and carefully) handed him back to his mother.


    <em>Dad never acted this way in the past.</em>


    Back then, if he was the "Ice Prince," his father was the "Ice King." Obviously. And that was because his father rarely showed emotions.


    <em>But now, Daddy makes different funny faces</em>.


    Well, that was a good thing.


    "Winter," his mother called him affectionately. When he turned to her, he saw her eyes sparkled in happiness. "Mommy will give you a bath. I feel sorry that you had to be put in the incubator as soon as you were born. I know that Miss Luna gave you a light sponge back then. But I bet you still want a proper bath."


    <em>Yes, Mommy</em>, Winter answered in his mind. <em>Thank you.</em>


    "Can I join you?" his father asked.


    When his mother was about to answer, he "cried" in protest.


    "Oh, baby," his mommy said while gently rocking him in her arms as if to pacify him. Then, she red at his father. "I think Winter got scared of you because you red at him a while ago, Kiho. You should apologize to our son."


    "But that little rascal started it."


    "Kiho."


    "I''m sorry, Winter," his father told him. "Daddy has been childish."


    "Good boy," his mother told his father affectionately. "Thank you for apologizing to our son, hon."


    His father smiled.


    And then, his parents kissed.


    Winter pretended to yawn to have an excuse to close his eyes.


    <em>God, they''re so flirty.</em>


    "Winter, baby, don''t fall asleep yet," his mother told him gently. "Let''s take a bath first, hmm?"


    Winter opened his eyes, then he smiled at his mommy. After that, he turned to his father who caught his gaze. They had a mini "staring" contest. It was funny how his father was easier to tease in this lifetime than in the past. But he was enjoying it.


    And so, Winter smirked at his father.


    <em>See youter, Dad.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was sure that the little rascal smirked at him.


    And he also noticed that his son had an arrogant look on his little face. It was as if Winter was rubbing it in his face that Tilly was paying more attention to him.


    <em>A rival,</em> Kiho thought to himself. <em>A formidable rival has appeared.</em>


    And Winter was the only "rival" that he would allow himself to lose to.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY couldn''t help but smile while putting little Winter''s tiny clothes on him.


    A while ago, Luna helped her give a bath to her little cinnamon roll. And after that, the witch also gave her a bath that would apparently help her body recover faster. ording to Luna, she was amazed that she could stand and move just a few hours after she gave birth.


    To be honest, she still felt numb until now. She couldn''t feel physical pain. Maybe it was because the pain of losing her father was the most painful thing that happened to her in this lifetime.


    "You look so pretty, my little cinnamon roll," Tilly gushed, then she gently touched his smooth cheek while looking at her son''s little face. She would never get tired of looking at his big, round golden eyes. "Winter, please don''t be scared of your daddy. Kiho had a rough life before we came into his life. But despite that, he''s trying his best to live an honest and decent life for us. He''s not perfect but I assure you, his heart is in the right ce." She held his tiny hands and gently squeezed them. "Your father loves us, Winter."


    It seemed like Winter understood her because he smiled lovingly at her.


    "Gosh, your dimples are really pretty," she said in a happy voice, then she suddenly felt sorry for his son when she realized that his small clothes were still a little too big for him. And that was because her baby was too small. "Winter, Mommy is sorry for giving birth to you so early."


    Fortunately, Luna assured her that Winter, despite being born prematurely, was healthy thanks to the Mana that he absorbed from Kiho.


    "But don''t worry, baby," she assured her son. "Daddy and I will make sure to give everything and anything you need for you to grow healthier."


    Her son giggled, then he raised his little arms as if he wanted her to carry him again.


    Of course, she obliged. It kind of made her sad that her little cinnamon roll was too light even for a baby. But still, she was grateful that Winter was alive.


    That they survived that night.


    "Father would have been happy to meet you, Winter," she whispered in a sad voice. "Lord Prescott, your grandfather, was a great man."


    Winter''s smile faded, the he reached for her face.


    Ah, her little cinnamon roll was trying tofort her.


    She smiled at her son. "Thank you, Winter."


    A few momentster, she heard a knock on the door. Then, when the door opened, Kiho entered the room.


    Her husband looked delighted to see her and their son.


    "Hi," she greeted her husband when she stood up. "Hon, I think our Winter is no longer afraid of you."


    "Really?" Kiho asked, surprised. "Can I carry him?"


    "Of course," she said, then she turned to their son. "Baby, your daddy is going to carry you, okay? Please don''t be afraid of him."


    When Winter just smiled, she carefully handed him over to Kiho.


    "Wow. You''ve got some chic clothes, little rascal," Kiho said affectionately while looking at their son with glowing eyes. "Have you already forgiven daddy?"


    Winter raised an arm and touched his father''s face.


    "Thank you, Winter," Kiho said gently. Then, he turned to her with a somber look on his face. "Tilly, Viscount Severn is already here."


    She was expecting the viscount.


    While Kiho was in the basement a while ago, she sent an urgent message to Viscount Severn her father''s trusted secretary and the head of one of the Prescotts'' vassal families. She informed the viscount about his father''s passing.


    "Let''s go and greet Viscount Severn," Tilly told Kiho. "And let''s ask Miss Luna to look after Winter. I don''t want anyone else to see our son yet."


    Kiho nodded. "We''ll do that, honey."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MY CONDOLENCES, Duke and Duchess Nystrom."


    Tilly just nodded as an acknowledgement of Viscount Severn.


    In the corner of her eye, she saw Kiho do the same.


    The viscount was an old man in his early fifties. He had white hair and beard, blue eyes, and a good built despite his age. Of course, Viscount Severn dressed like someone of his rank.


    <em>Dashing, obviously.</em>


    Anyway, right now, they were in the tea room.


    "Lord Severn, can you schedule a meeting with the other vassal families under House Prescott in my father''s mansion?" Tilly asked politely. "I want to inform everyone of my father''s passing personally."


    "I can arrange that, Lady Nystrom," Viscount Severn said. "If there anything else that you need me to do for you, please don''t hesitate to say so."


    "Thank you, Lord Severn."


    "I still can''t believe that Lord Prescott is no longer with us," the viscount said while shaking his head.


    Kiho may have noticed that she felt saddened to be reminded of his father''s passing, so he held her hand and squeezed it gently.


    She squeezed back.


    <em>Thank you, hon.</em>


    "It seems like Lord Prescott has already expected this to happen," Viscount Severn said, then he looked back and forth between her and Kiho. "Duke and Duchess Nystrom, Lord Prescott already made hisst will before he went to the North."


    Okay, that surprised her.


    "Your father asked me to read hisst will to you once he was gone," the viscount said while opening the briefcase that he brought with him. "Do you want to hear it now?"


    She turned to Kiho and when he nodded to let her know that it was her call, she turned to the viscount and nodded. "Yes, Lord Severn. I want to hear father''sst will."


    "Very well, Your Grace," the viscount said. Then, he pulled out a piece of paper from the briefcase. The letter he held had the Prescotts'' house seal a proof that it was a legitimatest will. "Lord Prescott kept hisst will short. First" He turned to Kiho. "Lord Prescott passed down his title as a marquis to Lord Kiho Nystrom."


    Kiho looked shocked to hear that.


    But she wasn''t surprised. Women in their empire weren''t allowed to inherit their father''s title. Only male sessors were allowed.


    After all, this era was still very sexist.


    "That titlees along with a territory," Viscount Severn continued. "That means that from now on, the March of Crassus now belongs to Duke Nystrom. And now that you''re the Marquis Crassus, that also means you''re now the new head of House Prescott as well, Your Grace. All the heads of the vassal families of House Prescott will now recognize you as the new lord."


    Kiho looked like he still couldn''t believe it.


    Tilly, on the other hand, was very grateful to her father.


    <em>Thank you for making our family more powerful, Father. We will use the position that you gave us wisely.</em>


    "For Lady Nystrom" Viscount Severn said, then he turned to her. "Lord Prescott transferred rights to the Mountain of Sce to you."


    Okay, that made her gasp.


    The Mountain of Sce was the mountain also known as the home of the most unique and the rarest spirit stones in the whole empire!


    "All the businesses and charities under Lord Prescott''s name are also to be transferred to your name, Lady Nystrom," the viscount said.


    This time, she got emotional.


    <em>Father</em>


    Kiho may have felt her slowly breaking down because he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her closer.


    The viscount looked at her with sympathizing eyes. But he knew he still had a job to do so he continued. "Lastly, Lord Prescott''s subsidiary title would be inherited by his grandson Lord Winter Nystrom."


    Both Tilly and Kiho were surprised to hear that. The empire''sw allowed nobles to give their subsidiary titles to their male rtives. But still, she didn''t expect that his father would do that for her son.


    <em>Father included Winter in hisst will</em>


    It was a testimony of how much Lord Prescott already loved Winter even before her son was born. And that broke her heart even more.


    <em>I wish you could have met Winter, Father.</em>


    "Lord Prescott gave the young lord his earl title along with his earldom," Viscount Severn dered. "From now on, Lord Winter Nystrom is the Earl of Crownstein."


    With a noble title under his name, Winter just became a full-fledged higher noble.


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: Sorry for theck of update yesterday. I got busy with my job after I posted an update on my other story (Royal Secret: I''m a Princess!).


    Anyway, I had a mishap in one of my sidelines (side job) this month and I almost had a meltdown. Thankfully, I was able to finish everything this morning. And then, I quit that job.


    I decided to let go of one of my projects/jobs to focus on writing Mommy Viiness and Royal Secret: I''m a Princess. But don''t get me wrong. I DON''T earn that much here on Webnovel (that''s why I''ll probably regret quitting one of my jobster, haha) and I''m not a top author.


    But I still decided to risk it (even though I needed extra ie for surgery fees) because I want to be moremitted to what I have started here. I never leave things unfinished. It''s for my peace of mind.


    Sorry for the TMI (too much information). All I want to say is starting October, I will try my best to post daily. As long as the wifi or the electricity doesn''t get cut off, or if there''s no health or family emergency, I will post an update (or updates) everyday. Let''s just pray that my back/neck pain doesn''t worsen.


    Hoping for your continuous support.


    Thank you for everything. T_T


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 148: The War Has Finally Begun

    Chapter 148: The War Has Finally Begun


    TILLY giggled when Winter burped after she breastfed him. "Our baby is full, huh?" she said lovingly while fixing her top. She wore a dress with buttons so that it would be easier for her to undo it when she needed to feed her son. I want to breastfeed Winter until he''s big enough before I switch to form milk.


    Winter smiled, then he reached for her face and touched her cheek.


    She felt like it was his own way of thanking her for feeding him.


    "You''re wee, my little cinnamon roll," she said.


    After a few moments of ying with her son, Winter let out a big yawn. Seeing his little mouth form a big ''O'' made her giggle.


    "My precious baby is sleepy after getting full," she said between giggles. "Mommy will sing you a luby."


    She gently and carefullyid Winter on the bed, then sheid on her side. Like she promised, she sang her son a luby while lightly tapping Winter''s tummy. Just a few momentster and the "little rascal" was already sleeping peacefully.


    <em>Aww, Winter is so cute.</em>


    She became teary-eyed while watching Winter sleep beside her.


    To be honest, she couldn''t remember if she sang her son a luby or even breastfed him in her past life.


    But she was grateful that she could do those things now.


    <em>I''ll be a good mother to you this time, Winter.</em>


    "Honey?"


    She looked up to see Kiho enter their room.


    "I''ve knocked but when I didn''t get a response, I got worried and opened the door," Kiho exined while walking towards the bed. Then, he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. After that, he leaned down again to kiss Winter on the top of his head before he sat beside her. "I asked our knights to escort Viscount Severn back to his mansion."


    "Thank you, hon."


    "I also received a message from Captain Denver," he said. "He informed us that he came home safely. The captain also said that he has informed his family about his father''s passing. He''ll be dered as the new marquis soon."


    She let out a deep sigh. "I still can''t believe that we lost Father and Lord Denver at the same time. This is a huge loss to the empire."


    After all, House Prescott and House Denver were both old families.


    "This is my fault, Tilly."


    She turned to Kiho and her heart broke when she saw heavy guilt on his face. "How is this your fault, hon?"


    "If Father and Lord Denver didn''t go to the North to investigate my origin, they wouldn''t have been killed," he said in an anguished voice.


    "Hon, please don''t say that," she said, then she sat up and faced him properly. "None of this is your fault, Kiho." She gently cupped his face between her hands. "The only people we should me for the death of Father and Lord Denver are the alleged descendants of the ck Serpent."


    He still looked devastated. "I don''t know why but I still feel guilty."


    For some reason, she understood what Kiho felt. She also felt guilty and she couldn''t exin why. But she knew that she had to be strong for her family so she tried her best to shrug it off.


    "Hon, don''t me yourself," she said more firmly. "I''m sure that Father and Lord Denver wouldn''t me you as well."


    "Are you not mad at me, Tilly?" he asked in a scared voice. "Are you not secretly ming me for Father''s death?"


    "Of course not," she said without missing a beat. "Did I make you feel that I''m ming your for that?"


    He shook his head, frustration written all over his face. "I just don''t want you to hate me. That''s the only thing I''m scared of."


    "ming you for Father''s death didn''t even cross my mind, Kiho," she said gently. "I can never hate you."


    This time, he looked relieved. "Really?"


    "Really," she said, then she pulled his face closer and kissed him on the lips. "Don''t me yourself, okay?"


    Kiho nodded like an obedient child. "Okay. Thank you, Tilly."


    She just smiled at that.


    "Did you feed the little rascal?" he asked gently while tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.


    "Yes," she said excitedly. "He fell asleep after getting full. You should have seen our baby yawn. His little mouth looked so cute!"


    "Uh-huh," he said, his eyes lingering on her chest area. "Tilly, I''m getting hungry." He looked up at her with a heated gaze. "Feed me, too."


    Sheughed at what he said. "What?"


    He smirked sexily. Then, he grabbed her breast and ran his thumb over her nipple. "I want milk, too."


    She gasped, her eyes widening in shock at his lewd remark. Well, she liked it. But she couldn''t believe that Kiho just talked dirty to her! Gosh, she hadpletely corrupted her husband by now, huh? "Kiho, Winter is here."


    "He''s asleep," he yfully said, then he leaned down and put her nipple in his mouth.


    She covered her mouth when she moaned.


    Even though she was dressed, she could still feel his tongue licking her nipple through the fabric of her dress. Gosh, that was so stimting!


    She was starting to get in the mood when suddenly, she heard a knock on the door.


    Distracted, she gently pushed Kiho who instantly pulled away from her. He was always like that. Whenever she said or did something to make him stop, he would stop no matter how sexually frustrated he was.


    "Behave," she scolded him, then she ced her hand on the wet part of her dress, thanks to Kiho''s saliva. She made her temperature rise until her clothes were dry again. Yep, I can use my Mana as an instant dryer.


    "Okay, honey," Kiho said while helping her fix her clothes.


    "Thank you," she said when she looked presentable again. Then, she turned to the door. "Come in."


    A few momentster, the door opened and Luna enter their chamber.


    "Duke and Duchess Nystrom, I apologize for disturbing your free time but something urgent happened," Luna, who held a silver tray with a letter, informed them formally. "We received a letter from His Majesty."


    "Just like what we expected," Tilly said, then she looked at Winter who was sleeping beside her peacefully. "The war has begun."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY sat on the chair while reading the letter from Emperor Aku. Kiho, on the other hand, sat on the arm rest of her chair as he read the letter, too. Luna was also in the room. The witch sat on the edge of the bed while watching over the sleeping Winter.


    Right now, aside from Kiho, she could only trust her son with Luna.


    She let the servants of their house serve Winter as well, but only within their supervision. It wouldn''t hurt to be that careful. And the people of their mansion understood that.


    "His Majesty knows that we put Winter in an incubator," Tilly said after reading the letter. "But it seems like he''s not aware that our baby is already out of it."


    Which was a good thing.


    ording to the letter, His Majesty wanted Winter to have his Purification once their son was out of the incubator.


    "How dare His Majesty decide for the Purification of our son?" she said in a pissed voice.


    But to be honest, it wasn''t umon for the emperor to decide the Purification date of the children of the empire. It was a part of his authority as the emperor.


    Still, that didn''t mean she didn''t have the right to be pissed.


    "The royal family has too much power over the people of the empire," she said while crumbling the letter in her hands. "I want to put them in ce."


    "Honey, please calm down," Kiho told her gently. Then, he started to massage her shoulders. "We already expected that this would happen."


    She looked at Winter''s face and that instantly calmed her down. After that, she let out a deep sigh. "Yes, we already expected that His Majesty would want Winter to have his Purification as soon as he was born," she said. Then, she looked up at Kiho. "Let''s also make our move."


    They didn''t stay idle for the past months.


    Tilly and Kiho, along with Luna, Captain Denver, and Saint Forrester, hade up with several ns to counter the moves that they predicted from the emperor''s side.


    The only difference was it happened earlier because of Winter''s premature birth.


    Still, she was grateful that they had already made counter attacks.


    "I''ll inform Saint Forrester that we''re ready to make our first move," Kiho said, then he looked at her with a concerned look on his face. "But how about visiting Father''s mansion, Tilly?"


    "We''ll still do it," Tilly said. "In fact, we can use that opportunity to gain the public''s sympathy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR MAJESTY!"


    Aku covered his mouth when he yawned while leaning against his office chair. It was almost noon now but he was still sleepy. After getting back from the temple, he was forced to work on his paper work before it created a mountain on his table. "What are you being so loud for, Sir Gregory?"


    Sir Gregory, who stood before his table, bowed. "I apologize, Your Majesty," he said. "But we received a big news just now."


    "What is it?"


    "Lord Prescott and Lord Denver were allegedly murdered in the North."


    He yawned again. "Ah."


    "Your Majesty, did you hear what I just said?" the old knight asked in frustration. "Lord Prescott and Lord Denver, heads of two of the oldest families in our empire, had been murdered. If they were killed by people from another nation or kingdom, then this could lead to a war. The North is a part of the empire but there are rumors that a part of it has been imed by "strange people.""


    "Uh-huh."


    "You don''t sound surprised or interested, Your Majesty" Sir Gregory said, then he trailed off. After pausing for a few seconds, he gasped. "Your Majesty, do you have something to do with the death of Lord Prescott and Lord Denver?"


    Aku smiled brightly at the old night. "What do you think, Sir Gregory?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 149: Mother

    Chapter 149: Mother


    <em>JUNE 3RD</em>, Tilly said to herself while watching Winter sleep peacefully on his crib. And that crib was personally made by Kiho. They had also arranged a nursery room for their son but since Winter needed intensive care, they decided to put the crib on their room. And to be honest, she didn''t want to let her son out of her sight for so long. <em>Your birthday this time is different, Winte</em>r.


    In her first life, Winter was born on December 13th. He was born during the winter season so his name fitted it.


    But this time, he was conceived earlier and was also born prematurely.


    <em>It''s summer time now, Winter.</em>


    Come to think of it, it was almost a miracle that she was able to meet Winter again despite the huge changes in her life this time. To be honest, she wasn''t even worried about the timeline. For some reason, she just knew that she would still give birth to Winter even if they conceived him earlier than they did in the past life.


    <em>I don''t know why but I''m confident that we will meet whatever happens, Winter.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when Winter smiled in his sleep.


    She automatically smiled back at him even though her son couldn''t see him anyway.


    A few momentster, she heard a knock on the door. It was followed by Kiho''s soft voice. Then, he opened the door as quietly as he could. And when he entered the room, he didn''t even make a sound.


    <em>I almost forgot that my husband used to be an assassin.</em>


    "Our little rascal is a sleepyhead," Kihomented affectionately when he reached the crib. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and put his chin on the top of her head. "Do babies really sleep a lot, honey?"


    She sensed a hint of worry in his voice.


    "It''s normal for babies to sleep a lot, hon," she assured him. "Plus, Miss Luna said that Winter needs a lot of sleep for him to recover faster. She also said that we''re lucky that Winter only needed the incubator for a few hours." She looked up at him. "Our Winter has a strong will to live and stay with us, Kiho."


    He kissed her forehead. "And I''m grateful for that."


    She turned around to face him and fix his necktie. Her husband was always dashing but this time, he was dressed in a ck formal suit that noblemen often used in funerals.


    It wasn''t only Kiho who wore ck today.


    <em>I''m wearing a ck dress, too.</em>


    After they informed the servants that her father had passed away, they also changed into ck clothes.


    Only Winter wore white clothes right now.


    "I don''t want to send you to the Royal Pce alone but I know that you need to go," she said with a sigh. "I''m worried though."


    "I''ll be extra careful, honey," Kiho assured her, the he cupped her face between his hands. "I''lle back in one piece."


    "You better do," she said with a pout. "If you don''te home before the sun sets, I''ll go to the pce to fetch you.


    "Okay, honey," he said.


    It was obvious that he was confident that he''d be home before she stormed to the pce.


    "I don''t want to leave you and our little rascal alone," he said worriedly. "I know that I can trust Miss Luna and Sentinel with your safety. But I''m still worried. If only I could fit you and Winter in my pocket"


    She smiled and gently pinched his cheek. "I will protect our Winter."


    "Thank you, honey," he said. Then, his brows furrowed as if he remembered something important. "You look like you were in deep thought earlier. May I know what you were thinking a while ago, Tilly?"


    "Winter''s birthday has changed," she said. "In the past, he was born on December 13th."


    "We were born in the same month in the past?"


    Kiho was born on the 21st of December.


    They celebrated his birthday a few months ago in a simple way. For his birthday, they went back to Oakes and Lord Prescott introduced them to the townspeople as the new Duke and Duchess of Oakes. They didn''t have a chance to do that during their first visit because they had to go back to the Royal Capital because of what happened to Luna and Captain Denver.


    After that, they had a dinner with their father.


    And then, they had checked-in in the best hotel in Oakes for a sizzling night, of course.


    <em>Ahem.</em>


    Anyway, she gave Kiho a snowke-shaped ice locket as a gift. She put their wedding photo inside the locket. In this world, having photographs was a luxury that only the rich could afford.


    She nodded as confirmation. "Yes. But this time, Winter and I have the same birth months."


    After all, her birthday was on the 23rd of June.


    Kiho''s eyes sparkled. "Oh, that''s right. Your birthday ising soon." And then suddenly, he fell gloomy. "We nned to have a dinner with Father on your birthday"


    That made her feel sad again. "I hope Captain Denver retrieves Father''s body before my birthday. I want to give Father a proper burial."


    "I''ll follow Captain Denver to the North if I need to."


    She shook her head when he said that. For some reason, she didn''t want Kiho to go to the North. Maybe it was because she was traumatized since her father never returned after he went there. She was afraid that Kiho might note back as well. "Let''s just trust Captain Denver," she said. "I don''t want you to leave our side, Kiho. Please don''t go to the North. At least, not without me."


    Understanding crossed his eyes. He probably knew that she got traumatized because of what happened to her father. "Okay, I won''t go to the North."


    "Thank you, hon," she said, relieved by his promise. "You need to go now, don''t you?"


    "Unfortunately, yes. But I promise toe home quickly," Kiho said, then he kissed her on the forehead. After that, he turned to Winter who was still asleep in the crib. Then, he leaned down and kissed their son''s forehead. "Take care of your mommy while I''m out, little rascal. We''ll take our first family picture when I returnter." He pulled out his locket from under his shirt, then he turned to her again showing her that he was still wearing the gift she gave him for his birthday. "Honey, can we take a family pictureter?"


    "Of course," Tilly said with a wide smile, then she wrapped her arms around him. "I''d love that, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT DO you think, Sir Gregory?" Aku asked his old night yfully. "Do you think I''m the one who gave the order to kill Lord Prescott and Lord Denver?"


    Sir Gregory paused for a while before he gave an answer. "I believe that it wasn''t your direct order to kill Lord Prescott and Lord Denver, Your Majesty. But I have a feeling that you were still somehow involved in it."


    He let out a deep sigh. "If I were there, I would stop them from killing Lord Prescott and Lord Denver. They had be our enemies. But still, they were lords of two of the oldest families in the empire. Their deaths would surely cause uproar."


    "I''m afraid of how House Nystrom and House Denver would react, Your Majesty."


    "That''s something that we should really be worried about," he agreed. "But as long as they don''t suspect me as the mastermind, everything will be under control."


    "I''m sure that they will ask for your permission to send people to the North for investigation, Your Majesty," the old knight said. "You can''t deny their request because if you, you''ll receive bacsh from both the Royal Faction and the Noble Faction. You haven''t forgotten the old saying about the two factions, have you?"


    "How can the emperor forget that?" he said, then he quoted the famous saying. ""The Royal and the Noble Faction are like oil and water. But once an enemy from the outside attacks the empire, the Royal and the Noble Faction be brothers once again.""


    "Because the North is known to be an area frequently trespassed by outsiders, our people will definitely think that only foreigners will dare to kill the heads of two of the oldest families in the empire," the old knight said. "I''m certain that this incident will unite the Royal and the Noble Faction, Your Majesty. Had the situation been different, uniting the two forces to work together under the g of the empire would be ideal. But I have a feeling that Lady Nystrom could use this situation to her advantage."


    Heughed at what Sir Gregory said. "Is there a reason why you had to single out the duchess?"


    "The duchess is the brain of their side, isn''t she?"


    "That, she is," he said with a grin. "But no matter how smart Lady Nystrom is, she''ll never catch the culprit behind her father''s death."


    Sir Gregory obviously looked confused by his statement. "What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"


    "The culprit behind the death of Lord Prescott isn''t human," Aku said with a faint smile. "And it''s the very thing that Kiho could never kill."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was alone in the carriage, looking at the wedding photo in the beautiful locket that Tilly gave him while thinking deep.


    Before he met his wife, he never thought that he''d be a duke.


    But now, he wasn''t just a higher noble he was also arguably the richest nobleman in the empire. He still couldn''t believe that Lord Prescott gave him another title and territory. And his father-inw also gave his subsidiary title to Winter.


    <em>Father, thank you for everything</em>, Kiho said to himself. <em>I swear that I will use the abundant wealth that you gave me to protect my family.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when the carriage abruptly stopped. When he looked outside the window, he realized that there were already in the forest that they had to cross before they reached the Royal Pce.


    When he stepped out of the carriage to check what happened, he noticed that there was another carriage ahead. Based on the g and the crest, it was a carriage from House Hayward.


    <em>Hayward?</em>


    As far as he remembered, thedy that Captain Denver killed before came from that family.


    "Your Grace, I apologize for suddenly stopping the carriage," Bert, the coachman that got into an ident when Tilly was ambushed before, said. Now that the old man had fully recovered, they hired him again to be their coachman. "Were you hurt, my lord?"


    He was about to assure the coachman that he was okay, and that he was worried for the old man instead. But he suddenly stopped when he felt a strange presence. When he turned to the source of the strange aura, he found himself watching ady step out of the carriage ahead.


    When thedy turned around to face him, he immediately noticed three striking features of hers.


    First, she had wavy long white hair.


    Second, she had very pale skin.


    And third, she had golden eyes that looked like snake eyes.


    For some weird reason, he thought that thedy''s eyes looked like his.


    <em>But my eyes don''t look like snake eyes, okay?</em>


    Anyway, the more he looked at the woman, the harder his heart thump against his chest painfully. Not only that. He also felt frustrated before he felt like he knew thedy, but his mind couldn''t remember her and it was driving him crazy.


    <em>Have we met before?</em>


    The woman looked like he was the age of the emperor. She looked like she was in her early thirties. But her strange golden eyes seemed to say that she had lived longer. Still, if that was true, how could she stay looking that young and beautiful?


    Thedy with white hair and golden snake eyes smiled and opened her arms to him. "Come here, child."


    Kiho, much to his shock, suddenly shed tears quietly while one word kept ringing in his head: <em>"Mother."</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 150: Fake Prophecy

    Chapter 150: Fake Prophecy


    SENTINEL was forced toe out of Lady Nystrom''s heart when she summoned him.


    When he got out, he realized that he was in the duchess''s room. Lady Nystrom stood in front of him. But he was easily distracted by the young lord who was sleeping on the crib.


    Seeing the baby made him feel ufortable.


    "Sentinel, why are you looking at my child like that?" Lady Nystrom confronted him in a strict voice. When he turned to her, he saw the duchess with her arms over her chest while giving him a disapproving look. "Do you have a problem with my baby?"


    Sentinel shook his head. "I don''t, Your Grace."


    Well, it wasn''t like he could tell the duchess that he was afraid of her child.


    In his defense, it wasn''t just him. He was pretty sure that other spirits were naturally afraid of the Moon Serpent. Heck, even gods were wary of the giant snake!


    "Then, why didn''t youe out when I gave birth to Winter?" Lady Nystrom asked. "If I didn''t summon you, you wouldn''t havee out. Am I wrong?"


    "I''m just resting," he said in a defensive voice. "I was exhausted from keeping your heart protected while you were giving birth to the young lord."


    That wasn''t a lie though.


    He really worked hard to prevent the heart from awakening then. But of course, that wasn''t the entire reason why he didn''t want toe out.


    "Okay, I believe you," Lady Nystrom said even though she didn''t look convinced by his excuse. "Will you babysit Winter for a while?"


    "Why me?" heined. When the duchess raised a brow at him, he immediately backed down. "I''d love to watch over the young lord, Your Grace."


    "You better do," she said firmly. "Aside from Kiho and Miss Luna, you''re the only one I can trust Winter with, Sentinel."


    Okay, that made him feel proud of himself.


    Being useful to the Supreme was a huge honor for him and his kind.


    "I will make sure that nothing bad will happen to the young lord," he promised the duchess.


    "Thank you, Sentinel," she said. "I''ll just bake a cake while Winter is asleep and Kiho is out. Today is still Winter''s birthday so I want to celebrate it at dinnerter."


    "I understand, Your Grace."


    Lady Nystrom just smiled at him, then she held onto the railing of the crib and leaned down to kiss the young lord''s forehead. "Mommy will just bake cake for you, my little cinnamon roll," she whispered to her son. "Uncle Sentinel will babysit you. He''s a good friend of mommy and daddy so don''t be afraid of him, okay?"


    Oh, he felt something warm in his chest.


    <em>I''m an "uncle" now.</em>


    Suddenly, he thought of Lord Wixx.


    If the Red Phoenix met his nephew, he would probably cry because of happiness. Even though the Moon Serpent was a threat to gods, Lord Wixx was whipped for his little sister.


    "I''ll go now," Lady Nystrom informed him. Then, she smiled and patted his shoulder. "Please take care of our Winter, Sentinel."


    He bowed politely to her. "I will protect the young lord with my life, Your Grace."


    The duchess justughed softly, then she left the room quietly.


    He stood beside the crib and watched the young lord who was still sleeping peacefully.


    <em>Who would have thought that this tiny little human could either save or destroy the empire?</em>


    Wait, could he even call the Moon Serpent a human?


    The ck Serpent was a god. Well, the Supreme chose to be a mortal but her blood was that of a god as well. And even though ''Kiho'' and ''Lady Nystrom'' had mortal bodies when they conceived the Moon Serpent, their blood and their Mana couldn''t hide their pure lineage.


    <em>Why did the heavens allowed someone as powerful as you to be born, young lord?</em>


    It wasn''t that he was unhappy with the birth of the Moon Serpent. He came from the Supreme, and as a servant of the fire, he was wired to love everything that came from her.


    But as a spirit guardian, he was worried.


    <em>The Moon Serpent can kill gods</em>.


    That meant every side of the uing war would want to get the Moon Serpent to fight with them.


    <em>If the Supreme and ck Serpent fought against each again, I wonder who you''d side with, young lord</em>, Sentinel wondered to himself. <em>Will you choose your mother or your father?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MISS LUNA, where are you now?" Tilly asked while talking to Luna via the newmunication device in her ear. Since she burned the old one, she got a new spirit stone to use as an earringmunication device. Of course, Kiho got a new one as well to match hers. "Have you already arrived at the za?"


    "Yes, I''m already here, Your Grace," Luna, on the other side of the line, said. "I''m about to start my "drama" now."


    "Alright," she said with augh while she was busy making chocte ganache. Currently, she was alone in the kitchen. But a while ago, the whole kitchen staff was helping her. She just asked them to leave the kitchen when she called Luna. After all, the servants in the mansion didn''t know about their n. "I wish I could record your performance though."


    "We can''t do that, mydy," the witch said. "We can''t leave any trace that the enemies could use to lead this "drama" to you."


    "I understand," she said. "Miss Luna, you''re alone there. Please be extra careful."


    "I will," Luna said. "Thank you for your concern, Lady Nystrom."


    "I''ll hang up now so you could start your "performance,"" Tilly said with a smile. She trusted Luna since day one so she knew the witch wouldn''t disappoint her. And they didn''t have the luxury to fail right now. "Best of luck, Miss Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOUSE NYSTROM is looking for more knights and guards?"


    "Apparently, their mansion was attackedst night!"


    "But Duke Nystrom is one of the best knights that the empire ever produced. He can protect his family on his own, can he not?"


    "Of course, His Grace is capable of protecting his family," Luna said to the guests of the local pub where she was at.


    It was the pub that the servants (like maids, butlers, and guards) of noble families frequent in their free time. In short, it was also a ce where rumors usually start. After all, if there was one thing the servants were good at aside from serving the nobles, it was to spread gossips.


    She wasn''t a fool to expose her identity though.


    So before she arrived at the Royal Capital, she used a disguise. Using her magic, she changed her eyes from pink to brown. She also changed her burgundy hair into light brown to match her fake eye color. Toplete her disguise, she wore a normal dress thatmoners use every day. She would appear suspicious if she wore a cloak.


    At situations like that, blending in with themon folks would be more effective.


    Also, she was using a light charm spell to get everyone''s full attention. It would help her convince them to believe her story while still being able to think for their own. In that way, they wouldn''t think that they were being manipted.


    Although technically, that was the case.


    But she didn''t know if there were people there who could detect spells and charms. That was why she opted on using a light spell only.


    "But do you know that Duchess Nystrom had already given birth to the child of the prophecyst night?" Luna continued, making everyone around her gasp aloud. At that moment, all the guests in the pub were surrounding her while listening to her intently. "Yes, the child of the prophecy had already been born and that was why House Nystrom was attacked."


    Her story was rewarded by another collective gasp from her audience.


    "Who would dare to attack House Nystrom?" a woman who looked like in her early twenties asked with furrowed brows.


    "It was probably someone from the Noble Faction!" a man who was drinking in the bar counter shouted. The group of men (who looked like guards) in the table next to hers nodded in agreement. "The child of the prophecy is going to aid the emperor in the future. So of course, those nobles who want to destroy the monarchy aren''t happy with the child''s existence. They probably think if the child of the prophecy dies, the emperor''s power would weaken."


    She waited for a while before she spoke again.


    "I also thought the same at first," she said, her audience bing more hooked to her story. "That''s why I was shocked when I heard that the assants allegedly came from House Huxley and House Hayward."


    The reaction of the audience was more explosive this time.


    "That can''t be!"


    "House Huxley is from the Royal Faction!"


    "And so is House Hayward. Thedy I serve belongs to the same circle as Her Royal Highness. I''m pretty certain that thete Lady Alisa Hayward was a good friend of the princess."


    "House Prescott, the family where Lady Nystrom came from, has been in the Royal Faction ever since the empire was built. Why would another family from the Royal Faction attack House Nystrom?"


    "If you''re going to create a rumor, at least make it believable!"


    When her audience was about to believe, she smiled and spoke again.


    "The prophecy didn''t say that the son of House Nystrom would aid the emperor in the future," she dered, causing those who started to walk away to stop and turn to her again. Then, she continued. "The prophecy only said that the child''s existence would be special to the empire. It was His Majesty who assumed that the child would take his side."


    Everyone gasped again.


    But this time, it was due to horror.


    After all, what she said was equivalent to disrespecting the emperor. That was probably why most of themoners could only freeze in shock.


    <em>Now, for the finale</em>


    "Believe me or not, the prophecy that the High Priest announced was iplete," she said with confidence. "The truth is, the prophecy said that whichever side the child would take would be the one to rule the empire in the future. Of course, for now, the child is on His Majesty''s side. But what if in the future, the Noble Faction managed to sway him to abandon His Majesty and switch sides? That was what the Royal Faction fears as of this moment. And so, some of them thought that it would be better for the child of the prophecy to disappear before he gains too much power."


    Duke and Duchess Nystrom were both aware that spreading a false prophecy suggesting that the young lord wasn''t really on the emperor''s side was very dangerous for their family. But they realized that in the end, everyone would know that House Nystrom didn''t belong to the Royal Faction anymore anyway.


    And so, they decided to use that opportunity to further divide the Royal and the Noble Faction.


    "I know that you don''t believe me right now," Luna said, the she stood up and started to walk away. "But just so you know, Duke Nystrom is already in the Royal Pce right now to report the attack of House Huxley and House Hayward to His Majesty. Once the news breaks out, you''d know that I''m telling the truth." She stopped to turn to the stunned audience. "Remember this: the child of the prophecy doesn''t belong to His Majesty, or to any faction for that matter never was and never will be."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 151: Centuries of Yearning

    Chapter 151: Centuries of Yearning


    KIHO SOMEWHAT felt like his life was in danger as he watched the woman with snake eyes walk towards him.


    But for some reason, he couldn''t move.


    "Don''t cry, child," the strange woman told him. Then, she gently cupped his face between her hands and wiped his tears with her fingers. "Everything is eventually going to be back to normal, son."


    <em>""Son?""</em>


    He wanted to remove the woman''s hands in his face but still, his body wouldn''t listen to him. And those eyes that eerily resembled his


    they were pulling him in.


    "Won''t you return to your mother''s side now, my little Nystrom?"


    Kiho wanted to say ''no'' and push the woman that was giving him the creeps. But much to his frustration, he could only stand there and stare back at her golden snake eyes. <em>What the hell is happening to me?!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY almost dropped the bowl of chocte ganache when she felt a painful thump against her chest.


    Not only that.


    She also felt a burning sensation around her wrist. To be precise, the tattoo in her wrist was getting hotter and hotter by the minute. Which was strange because she shouldn''t be burnt by her own Mana.


    Of course, that made her instantly nervous.


    <em>Kiho</em>


    She didn''t know why but her husband entered her mind at that very moment.


    <em>I really have a bad feeling about this.</em>


    She immediately tapped her earring that served as amunication device once. If she had topare it to the phones back in the modern world she lived in before, she would say that tapping the earring once was simr to pressing the "speed dial 1."


    Of course, her "speed dial 1" was Kiho.


    Usually, her husband would pick up her call at the first ring. But the other line already rang three times and Kiho was yet to pick it up.


    Now her heart was beating fast and hard against her chest.


    <em>Kiho, please pick up my call</em>, Tilly said to herself while clutching her chest tight. <em>And please, please be safe.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was distracted when he felt the earring in his left lobe vibrate.


    He wore two earrings. In his right ear lobe was a scale-like earring. On the other hand, in his left ear was a in ck diamond stud that also served as a matchingmunication device with his wife.


    <em>Wait Tilly is calling.</em>


    He instantly snapped out of whatever it was that dazed him.


    When he came to his senses, he found himself standing behind the carriage while Bert, the coachman, was standing in front of him with a worried look on his face.


    He couldn''t remember what happened for Bert to give him that kind of look.


    Or why did they stop at the side of the road.


    "Your Grace, are you alright?" Bert asked worriedly. "You just suddenly went very still and no matter how many times I called you, you didn''t respond."


    Kiho blinked several times after hearing what the coachman said. "Oh, I''m fine," he said, still confused but he didn''t want that to show. "Excuse me for a moment, Bert." He tapped his earring to pick up his wife''s call. "My wife is calling."


    Bert smiled and politely bowed to him, then he returned to his position.


    As soon as the coachman disappeared from his sight, he noticed the carriage ahead moving in a moderate speed. He noticed that it had the crest of House Hayward.


    <em>"Kiho?"</em>


    Hearing his wife''s voice instantly made everything around him fade into the background.


    "Yes, honey?" he said. "Is everything alright?"


    "<em>I should be the one asking you that</em>," Tilly said. "<em>For some reason, I feel very anxious. Are you okay? Have you reached the Royal Pce?</em>"


    "We''re almost there," he said.


    He didn''t mention that they stopped at the side of the road and he couldn''t remember why. Tilly just said that she was feeling anxious. He didn''t want to give her another reason to worry about him.


    "Don''t worry too much, honey," heforted her. "Nothing bad will happen to me."


    "<em>Are you sure, hon?</em>"


    "Uh-huh," he said confidently so that her anxiousness would lessen a bit. "How about you, honey? Is everything alright there? Are you and Winter okay?"


    "<em>We''re fine</em>," she said, sounding a bit relieved now. "<em>Our baby is still asleep</em>."


    "What a sleepyhead," he ined" yfully.


    He expected Tilly to say that it was normal for babies to be sleepy, just like what she does whenever he would call Winter a sleepyhead. But his wife remained silent on the other line. That meant that she was still anxious about his safety.


    "Honey, I''ll hang up now," he said gently. "I want to finish my job as soon as possible so I could return quickly to your side. Would that be alright?"


    "<em>Of course</em>," she said, a little relieved. "<em>Come home quickly, hon</em>."


    "I will," he promised. "I love you, honey. You and the little rascal."


    Tilly finally let out a softugh. "Uh,-huh," she said. "We love you, too, Kiho."


    After saying that, she hanged up.


    Kiho was happy to hear Tilly say that she and Winter loved him. He also knew that his wife was in love with him. He could feel it in every fiber of his being.


    But he wanted to hear Tilly say the three sweet words that to him directly.


    Of course, he was aware that his wife wasn''t vocal about her feelings. But was it greedy of him to hope for her to say that she loved him straight from her mouth?


    <em>This is not the right time to think about that</em>, he scolded himself. <em>Focus, Kiho.</em>


    Instead of getting in the carriage, he decided to walk towards Bert because he wanted to know why they stopped at the side of the road.


    "Bert, why did we stop?" he asked.


    "The carriage in front of us a while ago suddenly halted, Your Grace," Bert exined as if he was surprised that he didn''t remember that. "But as soon as you stepped out to check what''s wrong, the carriage drove off."


    "Oh," he said. "Thank you."


    After thanking the coachman, he went back inside the carriage.


    Then, he remembered that everything that Bert said was true. He just didn''t understand why he just remembered it when the coachman reminded him.


    <em>I must be tired</em>, Kiho concluded. After all, he hadn''t gotten a proper sleep yet. How could he do that when his father-inw was killed and their mansion was attacked? He wasn''tining though. More like he didn''t have the right to. <em>If I''m tired, Tilly is definitely more exhausted</em>.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT did you say?" Aku asked in distress while having tea in the parlor room with an esteemed guest Madam Yumi Hayward


    Madam Hayward was the "young" wife of Viscount Hayward.


    A few months ago, after Lady Alisa Hayward died, Viscount Hayward came to his office and demanded to bepensated for the death of his only daughter. The viscount knew that Lady Alisa worked for Nia.


    The stupid old noble even had the audacity to threaten him. Apparently, he would expose Nia''s "collection" to the public. To shut his trap, he gave all the viscount''s demands: a huge amount of money, a new wing for his hospital, and a young wife.


    Viscount Hayward wanted one of the candidates to be one of his queens.


    And so, he sent Yumi to the viscount.


    <em>Let''s just say that Viscount Hayward "suddenly" fell sick after marrying his new and "young" wife. So all the wealth and the new hospital that the viscount acquired from threatening me are being thoroughly enjoyed by Yumi.</em>


    "I met my little Nystrom on the way here," Yumi said while elegantly stirring the tea with a teaspoon. "I wasn''t able to stop myself from calling him ''son.''"


    Aku''s eyes widened in surprise. "Yumi."


    "Don''t worry, Aku," she assured him even though he hadn''t really said anything yet. "I bit my little Nystrom and the coachman who saw me before I left. They won''t remember me."


    Yumi, the White Snake, had the ability to manipte the memories of the people she had bitten. Her venom could also do other things things that could help him get Kiho to return to his side soon. That was the reason why he kept the White Snake by his side.


    "Don''t manipte Kiho''s memories too much, Yumi," he lightly warned her. "We don''t want him to go crazy again."


    "I know that," she said in a soft and sad voice. "But can you me me, Aku? I''ve waited for this moment for hundreds of lonely years. I just want my little Nystrom to return to my side."


    "''Nystrom'' isn''t Kiho''s first name anymore," he reminded her. "He''s using it as his family name now."


    Before Kiho was reborn as Kalel Moonchester, he was known as the God Nystrom.


    That was why he used ''Nystrom'' as his family name when he left the Moonchesters in the past. And now, Kiho somehow ended up using it as hisst name again even though he was pretty certain that he removed it from his memory.


    <em>After all, I want Kiho to reim his birthright as a Moonchester someday.</em>


    "I can''t stomach the fact that the Daughter of the Sun is using my son''s name as hers even in this lifetime," she said bitterly. She was definitely talking about Lady Tilly Nystrom. "Aku, I lent you my strength because you promised me that my little Nystrom will return to my side if I help you. I broke the rules of the spirit guardians and risked everything left of me."


    "I haven''t forgotten our deal, Yumi," he said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "We''ll get Kiho and his son soon. Aren''t you d that you get to live this long for you to finally meet your grandson?"


    "I don''t know how to feel about the child," she said. "Of course, I will love him because half of him is from my little Nystrom. But half of the child is also from the Supreme. I can never forgive that woman for what she did to me in the past never."


    Heughed because he knew what the White Snake was talking about.


    In the past, the Supreme made a roasted snake out of Yumi in front of a shocked Kalel.


    "That''s not funny," Yumi scolded him with a re. "Get rid of that woman, Aku."


    "I will, I will," Aku promised between fits ofughter. "We will remind that Supreme that whatever she does, blood will always be thicker than water."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MISS, are you the one who''s apparently spreading rumors about the false prophecy?"


    Luna stopped walking in the dark alley when she realized that both of her exits were now blocked by knights. After two hours of wandering the area while spreading the fake prophecy, she noticed that she was tailed by people who were quite powerful Mana users.


    Only the elite knights of the empire possessed such powers, so she lead them to a dark and empty alley to avoid the civilians from getting involved in anything that might happen. But when she noticed that the knights who followed her wore the official uniform of the Golden Tiger Knights, she was slightly relieved.


    <em>Lady Nystrom is right.</em>


    She purposely spread the rumor in the area under the Golden Tiger Knights'' jurisdiction, just like the duchess''s instruction.


    ording to Lady Nystrom, Lord Dustin Ainsworth, the heir apparent of House Ainsworth and the captain of Golden Tiger Knights, was the de facto leader of the Noble Faction. The duchess was certain that once the rumor reached Captain Ainsworth, he would reach out to her.


    Lady Nystrom was hoping to bring Captain Ainsworth and the Noble Faction to their side.


    "Yes, that''s me," Luna said calmly. "If you''re here to take me to your leader, I wille with you quietly."


    "I''m sorry but we''re not going anywhere, Miss," the knight who seemed to be the leader of the squad said. Then, he suddenly pulled out his sword from the holster attached to his waist before he slightly turned to his fellow knights. "Kill the woman."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: Sorry for theck of update yesterday. I got busy with my job after I posted an update on my other story (<em>Royal Secret: I''m a Princess!</em>).


    Anyway, I had a mishap in one of my sidelines (side job) this month and I almost had a meltdown. Thankfully, I was able to finish everything this morning. And then, I quit that job.


    I decided to let go of one of my projects/jobs to focus on writing <em>Mommy Viiness</em> and <em>Royal Secret: I''m a Princess</em>. But don''t get me wrong. I <strong>DON''T</strong> earn that much here on Webnovel (that''s why I''ll probably regret quitting one of my jobster, haha) and I''m not a top author.


    But I still decided to risk it (even though I need extra ie for surgery fees) because I want to be moremitted to what I have started here. I never leave things unfinished. It''s for my peace of mind.


    Sorry for the TMI (too much information). All I want to say is starting October, I will try my best to post daily. As long as the wifi or the electricity doesn''t get cut off, or if there''s no health or family emergency, I will post an update (or updates) everyday. Let''s just pray that my back/neck pain doesn''t worsen.


    Hoping for your continuous support.


    Thank you for everything. T_T


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 152: Birthright

    Chapter 152: Birthright


    "I ALREADY know why you''re here, Duke Nystrom," Aku, who was sitting on the throne, told him. "Captain Denver was here a while ago."


    Kiho remained standing still in front of the emperor.


    <em>I''m here now, Tilly.</em>


    He was currently in the throne room and this time, they weren''t alone. Two of His Majesty''s aide were there Duke stair (gray hair and beard, dark blue eyes, medium build) and Count Dasovich (light brown hair tied in a low pony tail, chocte brown eyes, small build). Like everyone in the pce, the two older nobles were dressed fancily.


    Anyway, the presence of the advisors was exactly why the emperor called him by his title and not by his first name like he usually did.


    "First of all, I offer my condolences to House Prescott and House Nystrom," His Majesty continued in a sympathetic voice. "Lord Prescott''s passing is definitely a huge loss to the empire. Please extend my condolences to Lady Nystrom as well."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," Kiho said with a polite bow.


    But even before he could state the reason for his visit, the emperor continued speaking.


    "I already gave Captain Denver the permission to travel to the North with the Red Phoenix Knights. Aside from the retrieval of the remains of Lord Prescott and Lord Denver, I also gave them the right to stay there for as long as they need to investigate," Emperor Aku said. "We will punish whoever they are who took the lives of two of the empire''s pirs."


    He almost raised a brow at that.


    <em>The territory in the North was owned by Father. Since I inherited thend, Captain Denver asked for our permission to step foot on our new territory. But His Majesty is talking like he owns Father''snd in the North.</em>


    He had always known that the emperor was greedy. But now he realized how bad it was.


    "Duke Nystrom, I hope you''re not here to say that you''ll join Captain Denver''s troop," Emperor Aku said. "I can''t allow two of the captains of the Four Orders to leave the empire at the same time."


    He clenched his fists.


    His Majesty was obviously reminding him that the "one year vacation" that he gave him was almost over. After all, the emperor never really epted his resignation as the captain of the ck Serpent Knights. That was why until now, ke''s position in the official records remained as "temporary captain."


    "I trust Captain Denver with the retrieval of our fathers'' remains, as well as the investigation of their death, Your Majesty," Kiho said in a polite tone. "I am here for another reason."


    "Oh," the emperor said, obviously curious. "Then, state your business now, Duke Nystrom."


    "Last night, my wife Lady Nystrom gave birth to our son."


    His Majesty didn''t look surprise at all.


    <em>As expected, he already knows that Winter was bornst night.</em>


    Unlike the emperor, Duke stair looked delightedly surprised by his news. On the other hand, Count Dasovich who was known for being reserved remained passive. But he could see the delight in the count''s eyes.


    <em>Ah, Count Dasovich belongs to the Royal Faction. Of course, he''ll be happy to hear that the "child of the prophecy" was now born.</em>


    "Congrattions for being a father, Duke Nystrom," Duke stair said. "But isn''t it a little bit early than Duchess Nystrom''s due date? How is the baby?"


    He didn''t like that the duke seemed to only care about Winter. Duke stair''s tone was so dismissive of Tilly. But he did his best to stay calm andposed. "Lady Nystrom and our son Winter are both safe and healthy, thankfully," he said to Duke stair. "Thank you for asking, Duke stair."


    Before Duke stair or Count Dasovich could speak, he turned to the emperor and stated what he came there for.


    "Your Majesty, I''m here to report the treason of House Huxley and House Hayward," he dered.


    The noisy Duke stair gasped aloud.


    Even the quiet Count Dasovich let out a gasp.


    Also, this time, Emperor Aku looked shocked by his deration.


    <em>Your Majesty, you didn''t expect this. Did you? I understand. Even I was surprised by my Tilly''s borate n.</em>


    "Duke Nystrom, can you hear yourself?" His Majesty asked in disbelief. "Are you seriously using House Huxley and House Hayward for treason? If you can''t prove your im, you''ll be the one charged of treason."


    "I won''te here without solid proof, Your Majesty," he said. "Last night, our mansion was attacked by people sent by House Huxley and House Hayward. We caught some of them alive and they have proof that the order came from Lord Eugene Huxley and Viscount Hayward."


    "Lord Eugene Huxley is in prison while Viscount Hayward is very sick," His Majesty said coldly. "Are you sure about your im, Duke Nystrom?"


    "Lord Huxley is just in prison, he''s not dead," he said firmly. "I also personally heard from his people that apparently, Lord Huxley is still being treated like a noble in his prison cell. The count even has ess to amunication device connected to his family members."


    Before the emperor could refute that, he continued with his ims.


    "That''s the same case with Viscount Hayward," Kiho said, more confident this time even though he was just bluffing.


    Lying wasn''t new to him after all. Back when he was still a mercenary, he used to lie a lot. His stoic face helped him because his enemies couldn''t decipher his intention all thanks to his nk look. "Even a sick person can still give orders to his people, can''t they?"


    To be honest, he didn''t know that Viscount Hayward was sick.


    House Hayward had been quiet for the past months. And thest thing that they heard about the family was when Viscount Hayward remarried. So he thought that if he just got married, then the viscount couldn''t be that sick.


    "What would be the reason for House Huxley and House Hayward to attack House Nystrom?" Emperor Aku asked in a cold voice. "And why are you using them of treason?"


    "Because ording to the people sent by House Huxley and House Hayward, their masters wanted my son dead," he dered.


    The emperor, along with his two advisers, looked very shocked.


    He decided to break the silence.


    "Apparently, the prophecy that the High Priest announced was iplete," he said firmly. "The true prophecy, ording to the assants'' words, said that my son is going to bring power and sess to whichever side he chooses in the future. That means it''s not necessarily your side, Your Majesty."


    The emperor red at him as if he wanted to stop him from talking.


    He didn''t get fazed though.


    "House Hayward and House Huxley are known to be both very loyal to you, Your Majesty," he continued. "They probably think that my son is going to be a threat to you if your enemies manage to convince him to switch sides in the future. And so, House Hayward and House Huxley decided that my son has to die now before he bes your enemy, Your Majesty."


    "Stop," the emperor said in what seemed like a growl. "Duke Nystrom, we will bring this matter to a noble trial. I will personally investigate this case. House Huxley and House Hayward are both old families. You can''t simply use them of treason without showing us proof."


    "I understand, Your Majesty," he said. That was also a part of the n. "While you''re investigating the matter, may I request two things that will protect both Lady Nystrom and our weak newly born son?"


    It looked like His Majesty already had a bad feeling about his request, thus the hesitation on his face now.


    "Pardon my interfering, Your Majesty," Count Dasovich said in a calm and polite tone. "After hearing Duke Nystrom''s ims, I believe that we should grant House Nystrom all the protection that we could give them."


    "I agree with Count Dasovich," Duke stair said with a firm nod. "The young lord of the House Nystrom is the child of the prophecy. Whether the "new" prophecy is real or not, the child is still a special existence that the gods sent to the empire. We have to protect him at all cost."


    Kiho and Tilly didn''t want to use Winter and the prophecy this way. But they knew they had to for the sake of their family.


    <em>I''m so sorry for dragging you to politics as soon as you were born, little rascal.</em>


    "I understand," Emperor Aku gave in, then he gave him a stern look. "What can I do to ensure the safety of your family, Duke Nystrom?"


    "Your Majesty, I''m humbly asking you to grant House Nystrom the entire ck Serpent Knights as our private army," Kiho said that obviously enraged the emperor. But he wasn''t done yet. "I also request that my whole family move to Oakes while the investigation is going on."


    Of course, they had no intention ofing back to the Royal Capital after that.


    <strong>***</strong>


    YUMIughed heartily while listening to her little Nystrom''s words.


    She was alone in the parlor room, and it was quite far from the throne room. But thanks to her sharp senses, she could hear the conversation happening in that chamber.


    Of course, the throne room was protected by a strong ancient spell that would prevent outsiders from seeing or hearing what was happening inside. But since she had Aku''s permission, she was able to eavesdrop on them.


    "Show him, my little Nystrom," Yumi said, then she elegantly sipped her tea before she continued. "Remind that thief that the empire he greedily imed is originally their of the ck Serpent and that makes him nothing but a speck of dustpared to your existence."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 153: Blunder of House Ainsworth

    Chapter 153: Blunder of House Ainsworth


    "THIS IS thest time I''m going to ask you, Mr. Knight," Luna said in a calm but menacing tone, her pink eyes glowing making her look intimidating at the moment. "Why does Captain Ainsworth want me dead?"


    She was still in the dark alley but this time, the knights who blocked the exits were all dead.


    The only one she left alive was the guy who seemed to be the leader.


    And the leader in question was floating in front of her right now. He had both of his hands wrapped on his neck as if he was trying to get rid of the invisible thing that was currently choking him. But of course, it was all in vain.


    "If you want to live, you better open your damn mouth, son," she warned him. "Your foolish loyalty to your captain won''t save you."


    "C-Captain"


    She snapped her fingers when she was certain that the knight would talk now. As soon as she did, the knight plopped on the ground while catching his breath.


    "Now, talk," she said, then she squatted in front of the knight to match his eye level. She also pinched his chin and forced him to face her properly. "You trailed me because I was spreading the prophecy you im as false. Then, you tried to kill me. What would Captain Ainsworth gain by getting me killed? Wouldn''t it benefit his family if that rumor spread in the whole empire since House Ainsworth is the head of the Noble Faction"


    She trailed-off when she realized that she just answered her own question.


    If House Ainsworth was still in the Noble Faction, he would have grabbed the opportunity to use the false prophecy against the royal family. But if he ordered to kill her to stop the rumor from spreading, then it could only mean one thing.


    <em>House Ainsworth has switched sides!</em>


    "The c-child of the p-prophecy belongs to H-His Majesty," the knight said in a trembling voice. She could see the fear in his eyes. The poor guy was probably traumatized after seeing his men get killed in less than a minute. "C-Captain Ainsworth doesn''t w-want p-people to think o-otherwise"


    "Thank you for confirming my thoughts," she said with a smile, then she closed her hand tight. "Rest in peace, Mr. Knight."


    The knight''s eyes widened, then he dropped on the ground


    dead.


    Well, she said that she would let him live if she answered her question. But she answered her own question anyway, so the deal was off. But to be honest, she didn''t have the intention to show mercy to the person who tried to kill her.


    She wouldn''t have lived that long if she was a good person.


    <em>Anyway, we have a big problem.</em>


    Luna stood up and tapped her earring-shmunication device twice to contact the duchess. "Lady Nystrom, our n has failed," she reported right away. "House Ainsworth is now on His Majesty''s side."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "<em>HOUSE Ainsworth is now on His Majesty''s side</em>."


    Tilly was shocked to hear that. But since it came from Luna, she didn''t doubt it.


    In her past life, she remembered Captain Ainsworth opposing Winter''s position as His Majesty''s heir apparent. The captain even tried to stop Princess Nia''s return. Needless to say, House Ainsworth was a thorn to the emperor''s neck during her first life.


    "Are you okay, Miss Luna?" Tilly asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"


    "<em>A troop of Golden Tiger Knights tried to kill me</em>," Luna said. She was worried but the tone of the witch suggested that she was unharmed. "<em>But I''m fine, Your Grace. No scratch or whatever</em>."


    "That''s a relief, Miss Luna."


    "<em>Thank you for worrying about me, Lady Nystrom,"</em> the witch said. "<em>Anyway, the leader of the knights said that the ording to Captain Ainsworth, the child of the prophecy belongs to the emperor</em>."


    "The hell?" sheined, annoyed that some bastards were treating her son like a mere object that "belonged" to the damned emperor.


    "<em>I know, right</em>?" the witch said, obviously sharing her sentiments. "<em>The leader also said that Captain Ainsworth doesn''t want people to think otherwise. And so, they tried to kill me.</em>"


    "I don''t understand why Captain Ainsworth suddenly decided to take the emperor''s side," she said, frustrated. Then, she leaned against the sink behind her. "In my past life, House Ainsworth hated the royal family."


    "<em>Your Grace, do you know why Captain Ainsworth opposed His Majesty in your past life</em>?"


    Because of the witch''s question, she remembered a rumor that circted before about the grudge of House Ainsworth towards the royal family.


    "I think it has something to do with House Ainsworth''s "treasure" that the royal family apparently stole from them," she said to the witch. "Unfortunately, I never found out what that treasure was."


    Luna fell silent for a few seconds before she spoke again. "<em>I have a feeling that the treasure stolen from House Ainsworth was the Golden Tiger</em>."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "The Golden Tiger? Why do you think so, Miss Luna?"


    "<em>The name of the Golden Tiger is Ainsworth</em>," the witch exined. "<em>The first descendant of the Golden Tiger used his first name as their family name in honor of him. Long story short, the Ainsworths of this generation are descendants of the Golden Tiger. But many years ago, the royal family somehow got a hold of the Ancient Beasts. That could be the reason why House Ainsworth had a grudge against the royal family</em>."


    She paused for a while when she fell into a deep thinking.


    And then, it finally clicked.


    "If House Ainsworth switched to the emperor''s side, then it could only mean one thing: their grudge against the royal family is now gone," she concluded. "And if I were Captain Ainsworth, I would only forgive His Majesty if he returned the Golden Tiger to my family."


    "<em>Exactly, Your Grace</em>," Luna said. "<em>Now it makes sense as to why the Golden Tiger himself appeared the day Captain Denver and I were attacked. The previous emperors never released the Golden Tiger in his human form. Just like Lord Wixx''s physical body, the other gods were locked up in a ce that only the emperors know about. So if the current emperor released the Golden Tiger''s physical body in this era, that could only mean that His Majesty has indeed returned the god to House Ainsworth</em>."


    She scoffed. For some reason, she felt bitter after hearing that. "They''re supposed to be gods. Why do they blindly follow a mere human like His Majesty?"


    She heard the witchugh softly on the other line. "<em>I don''t know about the other gods but I assure you that at least, the Red Phoenix wouldn''t follow the emperor</em>."


    "I''ll literally roast the fossil if he obeys His Majesty."


    Lunaughed loudly this time. "<em>He''d rather kill himself than to obey the emperor, Your Grace</em>."


    She was about to say something when David, the head butler, knocked and said something urgent came up. When she let the head butler enter the kitchen, she immediately got worried when she saw the worried look on his face. "What''s wrong, David?"


    "Your Grace, a strange man who ims himself as a messenger from House Ainsworth came and asked to meet you," David said. "I don''t know why but I feel like he''s dangerous. I tried to ask him to leave but he refused. The knights couldn''t even stand in his presence."


    Okay, that made her worry.


    "<em>Your Grace</em>," Luna said, still on the other line. The witch definitely heard what the head butler said. "<em>Can you ask Mr. David to describe the man</em>?"


    "David, can you describe the guest?" she said, just like what the witch asked her to do.


    "The guest has a striking golden hair and a nasty scar on his face," the head butler said. "He has tanned skin and a huge built."


    Luna gasped from the other line. "<em>That''s the Golden Tiger, Your Grace</em>."


    "I''ll face him," she said. "Miss Luna, I''ll talk to youter. Be careful on your way home."


    Before the witch could respond, she already hanged up on her.


    "David, please tell the guest to wait in the garden," she said. "Treat him properly."


    "Are you sure, mydy?" the head butler asked worriedly. "Duke Nystrom isn''t here"


    She was quite offended.


    But she had to remind herself that in this world, people still think that women couldn''t protect themselves without their spouses. Plus, she wanted to think that David was just worried about her because she just gave birth to Winter.


    "David, I''ll be fine," she said with a smile, but firmly. "I''m the mother of House Nystrom."


    David looked surprised by her deration. But he also looked proud of her. "I understand, mydy," he said, then he bowed politely. "I will attend to the guest the best as I can."


    She just smiled, and then she went out of the kitchen to return to her chamber.


    Sentinel was still there, standing beside Winter''s crib protectively. By the look of worry on his face, it was obvious that he felt the presence of their special guest. "Lady Nystrom, do you want me to apany you?"


    "No. I''ll be fine on my own," she said. "I want you to stay with Winter and never leave his side. The guest might be after my son."


    "But Lady Nystrom"


    She just smiled at him. "Please leave the room for a moment, Sentinel," she said. "I need to change clothes before I greet the guest."


    Sentinel still looked worried but it was obvious that he couldn''t disobey her. In the end, he just bowed politely before disappearing in a red light.


    When she was alone in the room, she walked towards the crib.


    Winter, their little cinnamon roll, was still asleep.


    "Your daddy is right you''re indeed a sleepyhead," Tilly said with a soft smile. "Wait for mommy, little Winter," she whispered, then she kissed his forehead. "If we''re lucky, we''ll have a roasted tiger for dinnerter."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was satisfied that he had sessfullypleted the task that Tilly had given him.


    He was able to force His Majesty to hand over the entire ck Serpent Knights to House Nystrom. The emperor also allowed them to stay at Oakes while the investigation was still on-going. But before His Majesty agreed to his requests, he asked for one thing.


    <em>His Majesty wants to throw a banquet for Winter as soon as possible.</em>


    He knew that it was dangerous for Winter to be exposed to the public early, but he wasn''t in the position to refuse.


    Duke stair and Count Dasovich witnessed the emperor''s "generosity."


    He would have been used of being ungrateful had he refused His Majesty''s request. In the past, he had no discretion about his image. He never cared about his reputation.


    But now that he had a family, he wanted to protect his name for them.


    <em>And also, I don''t want to taint the title that Father generously passed down to me</em>.


    His thoughts were only cut-off when hismunication device vibrated. He tapped the earring twice to ept the call.


    "<em>Your Grace, pleasee home right away</em>," Miss Luna said in an urgent voice on the other line. "<em>The Golden Tiger hase to the mansion to meet Lady Nystrom!</em>"


    He suddenly felt gutted upon hearing that.


    Of course, he was very worried for his wife and son. But he reminded himself to trust Tilly. He saw how hard she trained when she was still pregnant a few months ago. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that his wife was now stronger than most knights he knew.


    Tilly could protect herself and the little rascal along with the whole mansion until he came home.


    "Do you eat tiger meat, Miss Luna?" Kiho asked. It seemed like the witch was taken aback of his question so she wasn''t able to respond. He still continued though. "I think we''ll have a roasted tiger for dinnerter."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY wasn''t happy to see the knights and other servants of their mansion on their knees when she reached the garden.


    She could feel the heavy pressure in the air caused by the Golden Tiger''s mere presence.


    A few meters away from her, she could see a huge guy with golden hair and tanned skin. He wore a white cloak that covered his whole body. But it couldn''t hide how huge his built was.


    And damn, his aura was seriously different from other people.


    Had she not trained for the past months to master her Mana, she bet she would have dropped on the ground as well.


    She had a feeling that her meeting with the Golden Tiger wouldn''t end with just a mere talk.


    That was exactly why she tied her hair in a high ponytail and changed her clothes.


    Right now, she wore a dark blue linen shirt, ck trousers, and ck boots. That was her usual attire whenever she was on training. She was d that her clothes still fit her even though she wasn''t as fit as she used to be before she got pregnant.


    "Greetings to the sun that shines brightly in the blue sky," the Golden Tiger greeted her in a deep voice,pleted with an arrogant smirk.


    Tilly''s brows furrowed in confusion at his weird greeting. The temte was simr to how a person would greet the emperor. It wasn''t usually used to greet a noble not even a higher noble like her. "Good day, Lord Ainsworth."


    The knights and servants of House Nystrom were far enough to not hear their conversation. But she still greeted the Golden Tiger properly despite her hatred for him because it was in her blood to do so. After all, every noble in the empire was brought up to be "polite."


    "Oh," the Golden Tiger said, obviously surprised that she knew his name. "So, you already know who I am."


    Yes, I know you," she smiled sweetly at him. Now, the pleasantries were over. It was time to wear her "rude pants" again. "You were the douchebag who ripped off Captain Denver''s arm and gave a dear friend of mine a nasty scar."


    The arrogant smirk on his face was instantly wiped off. But only for a few moments. Much to her surprise, he suddenlyughed heartily. "What a nasty temper you got there, Supreme."


    "State the reason for your unannounced visit, Lord Ainsworth."


    "I just want to see your face."


    She rolled her eyes at that. "Now that you''ve seen my face, you may leave now."


    He justughed again. "Ah, I know why you''re being that hot-tempered," he said, then he looked up at the mansion behind her. "I heard mothers get really overprotective of their newly-born son." He turned to her again with a frenzied look on his face this time. "`Mind if I see your son''s face for a moment, Supreme?"


    She responded by creating a huge ring of red fire around her and the Golden Tiger.


    It was a technique that she secretly learned from Captain Denver. She was d that she was able to master it before this moment.


    "You don''t deserve to even see a glimpse of my son," she said menacingly. Then, she tapped the tattoo around her wrist. A few heartbeatster, the iron crab mallet manifested in front of her. She grabbed the handle and held it tight. "If you take a single step out of this ring, I will make a roasted tiger out of you and have your meat for dinner."


    The Golden Tiger tilted his head back as heughed loudly. Then, when he turned to face her again, she saw a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. "Let''s y a game, Supreme."


    Her brows once again furrowed in confusion. "I''m serious, Lord Ainsworth."


    "And so am I," Lord Ainsworth said with a snarl. "Supreme, if you can make me kneel before you, I will dly abandon the emperor and be your ve."


    "very is illegal, duh," Tilly said, then she grasped the iron crab mallet tighter. "Come at me if you dare, you oversized cat."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 154: Beast Tamer

    Chapter 154: Beast Tamer


    "DUKE NYSTROM got you there, Your Majesty."


    "It wasn''t Kiho," Aku said in a t tone. He was still in the throne room but this time, the guests had left. Only Sir Gregory stood beside him now. "I''m pretty certain that this is all Lady Nystrom''s n. I''m not saying that Kiho isn''t capable of devising such n. I just know for a fact that it''s the duchess who wants to leave the Royal Capital."


    "Really?" Sir Gregory asked. "It seems to me that the duke also wants to stay away from you just as much, Your Majesty."


    He justughed it off.


    The old knight was allowed to be that honest and blunt because he had been by his side since he was a little boy. He knew that Sir Gregory would be loyal to him until hisst breath. Allowing him to speak his mind around him was only one of the ways to show his gratitude to the old knight.


    "I can''t let Lady Nystrom influence Kiho more than she already has," Aku said. "I will take care of the duchess on my own."


    "Are you going to kill the duchess yourself, Your Majesty?"


    "I have to," he said. "Nia is already awake. She doesn''t know that I know why she wants the heart and I won''t wait for her to find out. I need to crush the heart before she gets a hold of it. And the only way to get rid of it is to kill Lady Nystrom."


    "It''s not going to be easy, is it?"


    "If the heart has already awakened, it would be almost impossible for me to kill Lady Nystrom at my current state," he admitted. "But since she''s still weak, I can easily rip her heart out of her chest."


    "Duke Nystrom would know it''s you."


    "Once Lady Nystrom is gone, Kiho will return to my side," he said confidently. "Now that his son is born, I''m one step closer to my goal. It''s time to get rid of the hurdles."


    And of course, the number one in his list was Lady Nystrom.


    "Can I do anything to help, Your Majesty?"


    He turned to the old knight, then he shook his head. "A mere and old mortal like you would just die easily, Sir Gregory."


    Sir Gregory looked quite offended. "I can still fight, Your Majesty."


    Heughed heartily. "I know that," he said. "But the uing war isn''t meant for mere mortals like you to participate in."


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the uing war would be a battle of gods.


    After all, he considered himself a god as well.


    "Anyway, there''s one more thing that I need to do before I take care of Lady Nystrom," he said, then he stood up and stretched his arms. "I need to bring Nia back to the pce before the war begins. The safest ce for her is beside me. And to make sure that she won''t try to escape again, we should get married soon."


    "Are you going to push through the wedding now, Your Majesty?" the old knight asked. "Do you think it''s the right time to get married now even though it''s not yet time to do so?"


    "The wedding preparations have long been done," he said. Even though Nia was unconscious for the past months, he still continued with the wedding preparations. "All Nia needs is to show up."


    "Will the temple allow you to marry Her Royal Highness even though it''s a few months earlier than what the High Priest announced?" Sir Gregory asked worriedly. "And the saint just woke up a few months ago. Will it be wise to not follow them?"


    "It''s time for the royal family to weaken the church''s power over the people. Especially the saint''s influence," Aku said, then he turned to the old night with a smile. "We don''t need a "messenger" of god when real gods have already descended back to earth."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY wasn''t worried about going all-out because as soon as she released her me, the servants behind her all lost consciousness.


    But it wasn''t due to her. It was thanks to Sentinel. Before she left the mansion, the spirit guardian promised her that he would support her even though he stayed in the room. He told her that he would protect her secret from their servants.


    And that was why she confidently released fire from her body.


    "Come at me if you dare," Tilly challenged the Golden Tiger. "You oversized cat."


    Despite her provocation, the Golden Tiger remained standing while looking bored.


    "Supreme, didn''t I tell you to make me kneel?" Ainsworth asked in a bored tone. "Come on, do it."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you saying?"


    "Tell me to kneel," he said in a tone that sounded like he was ordering her. "If you can make me kneel in just saying one word, I''ll risk everything for you."


    "You are so weird," she said, still confused.


    He let out a frustrated sigh, then he started to move his head from side-to-side. "`Looks like you really want me to visit your dear son, Supreme."


    Her eyes widened when all of a sudden, the Golden Tiger went past her. If her hair didn''t dance with the sharp wind that the god created due to his fast movement, she wouldn''t have realized what happened.


    <em>He''s so fast!</em>


    She turned around and lifted her iron crab mallet. Then, she used all her strength to hit the Golden Tiger at the back of his head. But she was surprised when all of a sudden, he stopped and turned around with a huge grin.


    The Golden Tiger''s hands moved as if he was going to w her face.


    And he was so close.


    That made her panic a bit.


    Her body didn''t move the way she wanted to. It was as if she forgot how to use her iron crab mallet. But it seemed like a strange barrier around her was suddenly activated. The next thing she knew, her body was already literally on fire.


    It seemed like the Golden Tiger was burnt because he growled and jumped backwards away from her, obviously.


    But he still didn''t seem to take her seriously.


    Ainsworth stood properly and grinned again. Then, he pointed the mansion with his thumb. "Supreme, you''ve gone weak. At this rate, if His Majesty asked me to tear your son''s limb one by one, I might just do it."


    She knew that what the Golden Tiger said was just rhetorical. But knowing the emperor''s evilness, she knew that he was really capable of killing even a newborn son.


    Just the thought of her little cinnamon roll''s limbs getting tore off one by one was enough to make her blood boil. She wasn''t surprised when the red me around her grew bigger. That was how angry she was at the moment.


    "Don''t you dare threaten my son again," she warned him, her grip around the handle of the iron crab mallet getting tighter.


    "Or else what?" the Golden Tiger asked mockingly. "What can you do to protect your son when your stupid stinky husband isn''t around?"


    "My Kiho isn''t stinky, asshole," she said angrily. "For a cat, you''re very uncute. Before you insult my husband, try to look at yourself in the mirror first."


    Sassy," he said with a loudughter. "But can your sharp words protect your son?" He motioned his hands as if he was wing into something. Also, his face turned grim when he spoke again. "Do I need to maul your son in front of you before you wake up, Supreme?"


    That brought an ungodly amount of rage in her chest.


    This time, even the ring of fire that she created around them grew bigger. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that if one walked in one them, they would think that they were in hell or something.


    "I already warned you to not threaten my son again," she said in an eerily calm manner. Despite the hot me around her, the voice that she used was colder than Kiho''s ice. She was that angry. "You''re acting up because you want me to make you kneel, right? If you want to kneel that much, then do it while begging for my forgiveness."


    To be honest, she didn''t know what was happening to her that moment. It was as if something had taken over her. She would also admit that she lost it when the ugly oversized cat threatened her son twice.


    Needless to say, she wasn''t herself right now.


    But at the same time, she also felt like her real self had awakened.


    She couldn''t exin it though.


    Only one thing was clear: she wanted to break Ainsworth''s kneecaps so bad.


    Tilly raised her left hand and pointed a slender finger at the Golden Tiger. "Kneel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AINSWORTH was surprised when he felt a heavy feeling on his shoulders when the Supreme uttered the word "kneel" with conviction. The pressure he felt was forcing him to kneel down. He would admit that his knees buckle.


    But at the same time, he was disappointed.


    In the past, whenever the Supreme would utter the same word, all of the Beast Gods would be forced to kneel in front of her. That was how much power she had over them.


    And that power was enough to oppose the influence the bracelet has on us.


    "You''re still weak, Supreme," Ainsworth whispered to himself with his clenched fists. "You won''t be able to save the ck Serpent if you can''t even make the weakest of the Beast Gods kneel before you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU stopped walking and held his right arm when his shoulder suddenly felt heavy. He was forced to stop from signing a paper work. But he was d that it happened while he was alone in the office. He didn''t want his people to think that he was injured or something.


    Out of instinct, he touched the bracelet that was covered by the sleeve of his top. Well, it was only the "spirit" of the bracelet. He hid the physical version of it somewhere that he only knew.


    Anyway, if the bracelet suddenly felt this heavy on him, it could only mean one thing.


    "Lady Nystrom, are you trying to reim everything that was stolen from you?" Aku whispered to himself with a smirk. "You''re really making me want to kill you."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 155: Winter and Julian

    Chapter 155: Winter and Julian


    TILLY''S brows furrowed when she saw Ainsworth''s mouth move.


    But she wasn''t able to read his lips.


    <em>What is he saying?</em>


    She was irritated. But she was more frustrated that she couldn''t make the Golden Tiger kneel even though it was never her goal to make him do so. Was she feeling this way because of his unclear provocations?


    <em>Just why does he want me to make him kneel anyway?</em>


    Her thoughts were just cut-off when all of a sudden, the Golden Tiger leapt at her. The next thing she knew, he was already holding her shoulders tight despite the me that was now burning his arms. He winced, but he didn''t let go.


    "Are you trying to get yourself roasted?" Tilly asked in confusion. She noticed that the Golden Tiger''s grip didn''t hurt. But it was firm enough for her to be stuck where she stood. "And I didn''t give you the permission to touch me."


    "Well, you have to excuse me," Ainsworth said with a grin. But it was obvious that he was in pain. Also, his arms were starting to seriously get burnt. "Supreme, listen to me carefully. If you want to survive with your family, leave the Royal Capital while you still can."


    "What"


    "Go to Mount S," Ainsworth said seriously, looking straight into her eyes. His reddish-brown eyes were glowing as if he wanted her to believe him so bad. "You''ll find the ind where you belong."


    She was about to demand him to exin.


    But all of a sudden, sharp ice spears pierced through his shoulders forcing him to finally let go of his now burnt shoulders.


    <em>Kiho!</em>


    When the Golden Tiger jumped away from her, she turned around to face her husband.


    She was surprised to find Kiho already standing beside her. Now that her husband was here, she felt safe. It was probably the reason why the me around her "extinguished" on its own.


    Kiho checked her out quickly, probably to see if she was injured. "Are you okay, honey?" he asked worriedly, then he fixed his re at the Golden Tiger who now stood before them while effortlessly pulling the ice spears out of his body. "Did that wild cat hurt you?"


    "I''m fine, hon," she assured him. "But I''m irritated because I wasn''t able to hit him with my iron crab mallet."


    Her husband smiled and patted her head gently. "I''ll let you hit him as much as you want once I caught the wild cat for you, Tilly."


    She smiled at that.


    "Hey, stop talking as if I''m not here," Ainsworthined. It was amazing how he could still look very intimidating even though his arms were burnt. Plus, both of his shoulders were also bleeding. Damn, what a cat. "Well, now that the stinky little snake is here, it''s time for me to go."


    "Kiho isn''t stinky," she said, irritated. Plus, no part of his body is "little."


    "And I''m not a snake," Kiho added. "Why do more and more people call me "snake" these days, huh?"


    The Golden Tiger just smirked.


    "Goodbye for now," Ainsworth said while his body was disappearing in a blinding golden light. "Supreme, think about what I told you."


    Kiho tried to go after the Golden Tiger but he suddenly stopped when she suddenly copsed on the ground.


    <em>Oh?</em>


    To be honest, she only realized that her knees gave up when her husband caught her in his arms. Even her hands felt weak. She even dropped the iron crab mallet that disappeared and returned to her wrist as a tattoo.


    "Tilly, what''s wrong?" Kiho said worriedly. Then, he carried her in his arms effortlessly. "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    "No," she said in a tired voice. Oh, that was it. "But I''m exhausted. I think using my me when I''m not fully-recovered yet is taking a toll on my health."


    Guilt crossed his sad golden eyes. "I''m sorry I waste, honey," he said apologetically, then he kissed her forehead. "But thank you for protecting our family while I was away. Im very proud of you."


    She smiled at that. "Thank you, hon. Now I feel very refreshed. I think I can take down a wild beast at this rate."


    "Yes, you can. But not now," he scolded her lightly. "You have to rest first."


    "Okay." She noticed that he didn''t move. He just stood her while staring at her face. That made her giggle. "Why are you just staring at me, Kiho? We need to help the servants and the guards that lost consciousness so hurry up."


    "Let me admire your beauty for a minute," he said in a gentle voice. "This is the first time that I saw you tie your hair like that in a while. And damn, you look hot in your outfit."


    Tilly couldn''t help butugh at his praises. Gosh, he really never failed to give butterflies to her stomach. And she needed that. Although she had a lot of things to worry about, sometimes she would still feel ugly because of the changes in her body. She was lucky that the way Kiho looked at her never changed. That helped her recover her confidence. "Thank you, hon." She touched his face. "And I mean it."


    Kiho smiled, then he leaned down to kiss her on the lips.


    <em>Yes, I am loved.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IT really exists," Tilly said in disbelief while looking at the empire''s map on the bed. "Mount S is real."


    Right now, she was in their room with Kiho and Winter.


    The head maid and the head butler were taking care of the knights and the servants who were affected by the Golden Tiger''s presence a while ago. Since Luna wasn''t home yet, they called a doctor to treat the injured ones.


    She sent Sentinel to act as the host in ce of her and Kiho. The doctor understood that she and her husband couldn''t entertain him personally because they had to look after their "weak" son. Outside the people of their mansion, everyone else thought that Winter was still in the incubator. And they preferred it that way.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    "I''ve heard about Mount S once when I was dispatched to the East region before," Kiho said. "It''s in the Redsun Desert, Tilly."


    She turned to her husband to ask why he sounded worried. But she stopped when she saw how cute he was with their son.


    Kiho was leaning against the headboard with a pillow on his back. Winter was lying on his stomachfortably on top of Kiho''s chest. Her husband secured their son''s position with a protective hand on his tiny body.


    "Aww, you two look so cute together," she said. But her brows furrowed in a mix of confusion and amusement when she noticed that Winter was silent. And his eyes... it seemed like their little cinnamon roll had been listening to her conversation with Kiho. "Our baby looks so serious for some reason. What does a newly born cinnamon roll have to think of so deeply?"


    Kiho tilted his head to look at Winter''s face, then his brows furrowed in confusion as well. "You''re right, honey. Winter, what''s wrong?" he asked. Much to their surprise, Winter moved his tiny head to look up at Kiho. "Oh. Did you understand what I said, little rascal?"


    Winter seemed like he ignored Kiho when he went back to pressing his cheek against his father''s chest. Then, he closed his eyes.


    "Our baby slept on you," she said with augh.


    "He''s really a sleepyhead," he said, then he gently tapped Winter''s back.


    Now that she wasn''t distracted by their son anymore, she went back to business.


    "Kiho, why did you sound worried when you said that Mount S is in the Redsun Desert?" she asked curiously. "This is the first time that I''ve heard about that ce."


    "It''s probably because you were born ady of a high-ranking noble family."


    She pouted. "What does it have to do with my background?"


    He smiled and gently pinched her cheek. "Most nobles like you had lived their life without knowing about the Redsun Desert because it''s a ce known to be hell."


    "Why is that so?"


    "Apparently, the most hardcore criminals all over the empire are thrown in the Redsun Desert," he exined. "Those criminals were fed-off to the Crades of the desert."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "So, you mean to say, that desert is air of Crades?"


    "The most dangerous Crades of all," he corrected her. "The residents of the East region say that the Crades in the Royal Capital are considered "tame"pared to the Crades of the desert."


    "In short, it''s a dangerous ce."


    "Very dangerous," he said, then he raised a brow at her. "Tilly, I don''t like how your eyes are sparkling right now. I mean, they are beautiful. But I know what that look means."


    She blinked several times in an attempt to act innocent. "What do you mean by that, hon?"


    He gently pinched her chin as if he was "punishing" her. "No," he said. "I met the Golden Tiger at the cave before."


    "You did?" she asked in surprise.


    He nodded before he exined. "He said weird stuff that I don''t remember anymore. Except for the fact that he called me a stinky snake."


    She leaned down and buried her face against his neck. Gosh, her husband smelled heavenly. She couldn''t help but kiss his neck, then licked and sucked it a bit. When he groaned, obviously out of pleasure, she pulled away. "You smell divine, Kiho," she said with a yful smile.


    His golden eyes glowed beautifully, letting her know that he was turned on.


    He was about to lean down to catch her lips for a kiss when suddenly, Winter cried and hit his father on the chest


    for a baby who was just born, he had heavy hands.


    The smack made a loud noise, shocking both of them.


    "Did you see that, Tilly?" Kiho asked in disbelief. "The little rascal just hit me. And it stings."


    "Noble babies are born physically stronger than average humans," she reminded him, then she looked at Winter who already stopped crying. "Baby, why did you hit your daddy?"


    Winter just yawned, then he went back to sleep.


    <em>Such a cutie.</em>


    "Our little cinnamon roll was probably startled when you suddenly moved, Kiho," she said, then she gently touched his chest on the part that their son hit. "Does it hurt?"


    "If you kiss itter, maybe it won''t sting anymore."


    She giggled because she knew what exactly Kiho wantedter. "Alright. But just to make sure you''re not mad at Winter for hitting you, are you?"


    "Of course, I''m not."


    She smiled at that. "Anyway, let''s just wait for Miss Luna to arrive. We''ll discuss this matter with her. After all, she knows the Ancient Beasts more than we do."


    "Okay," he said, then he gave her an skeptical look. "You sound like you already trust the Golden Tiger though. Tilly, I know that you''re kind-hearted. But please remember that he tried to kill Miss Luna and Captain Denver. We can''t trust people working for His Majesty."


    She knew that Kiho was right.


    And it wasn''t like she had forgotten what the Golden Tiger did to Luna and Captain Denver. But their encounter a while ago seemed to change something in her.


    <em>Why do I feel like I should trust the oversized cat?</em>


    "You''re right," she said despite the strange protest in her chest. "Anyway, we should prepare. Miss Luna will arrive with Julian."


    After Luna spread the rumor about the fake prophecy, she volunteered to fetch Julian from the tower. The witch didn''t want her or Kiho to be out in the public if they didn''t need to. And so, she insisted to pick up the baby.


    And yes, Luna would only be fetching Julian. Unfortunately, Flint couldn''t leave the tower yet until his therapy was done.


    <em>But we''re positive that he could join us next week, hopefully.</em>


    Now that Captain Denver was preparing for his journey to the North, she and Kiho decided that it would be best to keep Julian and Flint by their side.


    "I''m quite excited for Winter to meet Julian," Kiho said in a gentle tone. "Our little rascal will now have a ymate."


    Tilly smiled and nodded in agreement. "I bet Winter and Julian will get along well."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER blinked several times while looking back at a baby with red hair.


    A while ago, he pretended to be asleep while his parents were flirting with each other. Unfortunately, since he was a baby, he really fell asleep. When he woke up, he found himself in the crib


    and his mother was hovering him while carrying a strange child in her arms.


    His father was standing beside his mother with a protective arm around her shoulders.


    He didn''t like how his parents and that baby looked like a family.


    <em>Who is that brat?</em>


    "Oh, our Winter is awake," his mother said excitedly.


    "Uh-huh," his father said while looking at him. "Winter, your mother and I would like you to meet Julian. From now on, he''s already a part of our family. The adoption papers aren''t finalized yet but it will be done soon."


    <em>Adoption papers?</em>


    Did it mean that the red-haired baby was going to be his adoptive brother?!


    "Winter, this is your Big Brother Julian," his mother said with a big smile. Then, she looked at the red-haired baby with a loving gaze. "Julian, he''s our little cinnamon roll. His name is Winter. Please get along well with him, okay?"


    The red-haired baby smiled at his mother, then he turned to him and waved silently.


    Winter hated it.


    In his past life, he didn''t get to spend quality time with his mother and his father. He was so looking forward to be reborn in this timeline so that they would be reunited and finally be aplete, happy family this time. And then, all of a sudden, he was going to have an adoptive "big brother?"


    <em>I don''t want to share my mommy and daddy with someone else!</em>


    Winter expressed his frustration and perhaps, anger by crying. And since he was suddenly overwhelmed by negative emotions, he wasn''t able to control the release of his Mana. The red-haired baby was the source of his displeasure


    and before he knew it, he already produced several sharp ice daggers. The daggers floated above him, then they threw themselves at his "big brother" automatically.


    "Winter, no!"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 156: Deadly Sibling Rivalry

    Chapter 156: Deadly Sibling Rivalry


    KIHO was shocked when little ice daggers suddenly materialized above Winter. But he was even more shocked when those daggers started to fly towards Tilly''s direction. He knew that the target wasn''t his wife though.


    Judging by the position of the ice daggers, it seemed like they were aiming for Julian.


    "Winter, no!" Tilly screamed, then she pulled Julian closer to her.


    Of course, he didn''t let the ice daggers hurt anyone.


    He stood up protectively in front of his wife, then he created a thickyer of ice barricade to protect Tilly and Julian from the ice daggers. When the sharp objects hit the protection he created, both suddenly melted. Thankfully, Winter didn''t somehow create another batch of ice daggers.


    "Tilly, are you okay?" Kiho asked without taking his eyes off of Winter. He was making sure that his son''s power wouldn''t suddenly go out of control again. "Is Julian startled?"


    "I''m fine, Kiho," Tilly said. "Thankfully, Julian doesn''t seem to be startled. How about our Winter?"


    He looked at Winter. His son was still crying but he seemed calmer than a while ago. Still, he was worried because of the strange emotion in the little rascal''s eyes.


    Was it anger?


    <em>But what could make a baby like him that angry?</em>


    "Winter, it''s okay," Kiho said, trying to calm him down. "Daddy will carry you. Don''t be startled." When his son stopped crying, he carefully lifted him and carried him in his arms. Like he expected, his body was very cold than normal. It was cold even for an adult like him who was used to the cold. Worried, he turned around to face his wife. "Tilly, our little rascal is very cold. Can you warm him up with your Mana?"


    "Of course," Tilly said, obviously worried. "Please hold Julian for a while."


    After that, they "exchanged" babies. He held Julian while Tilly carried their Winter in her arms. But as soon as his wife held their son, the little rascal cried again.


    "Winter, what''s wrong?" Tilly asked, more worried than before. Then, she pulled their son closer. The glowing red aura around his wife''s body told him that"Why are you so cold?"


    "I''ll call Miss Luna," he said, then he tapped his earring twice. "Miss Luna, we need you here."


    After the witch said that she''d be there in a minute, he hanged up and checked on Winter. Thankfully, Julian was quiet. Despite his son''s tantrums, the other child remained calm.


    Winter, much to their shock, lifted his arm and pointed at Julian why crying loudly.


    Kiho and Tilly exchanged confused looks. Both of them obviously didn''t know what was happening to their son. Thankfully, Miss Luna finally arrived. After hearing her knock on the door, they immediately let her in.


    "Miss Luna, Winter is acting strange," Tilly said right away while the witch was walking towards them. "His Mana just went out of control. And now, he''s very cold."


    "He also wont stop crying," he added. "And as you can see, he''s pointing at Julian. We don''t have any idea why though."


    Miss Luna looked at Winter and Julian back and forth as if she was assessing the situation. Then, she held out her arms to him. "Your Grace, may I hold Julian?"


    He was confused by he still let the witch hold Julian.


    As soon as he did that, Winter stopped crying.


    "Kiho, Winter''s body temperature ising back to normal," Tilly told him in a relieved voice. "He seems to be calm now."


    He walked closer to his wife and son. Then, he wrapped his arms around Tilly''s shoulders, pulling her closer to his body while checking on Winter carefully. "What with our little rascal?" he asked his son gently while touching his face. Winter''s body was still cool, but for someone like them, that was considered normal. "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    "Miss Luna, can you check on our baby?" her wife asked in a still worried voice. "I don''t think what happened was normal."


    "May I know what happened before the young lord acted strange?" Miss Luna asked carefully.


    "Nothing out of the ordinary," Tilly answered. "We just introduced Julian to Winter as his new big brother."


    The witch nodded as if she finally understood what happened. "Duke and Duchess Nystrom, can I be honest?"


    "Of course," they answered at the same time.


    "I think the young lord wants your full attention," Miss Luna said in a hesitant voice that was rare of her to use. "This is just my spection but I believe that the young lord felt threatened when you introduced Julian as his new big brother. He must have thought that you''d stop doting on him now that he has a brother. In short, the young lord sees Julian as a rival."


    Tilly gasped at that, then she turned to Winter. "Oh, baby"


    "Miss Luna, isn''t Winter too young to feel that way?" Kiho asked with furrowed brows. "Does he even know what a rival means?"


    The witch just smiled, then she put Julian in his arms.


    As soon as he held the other baby, Winter lifted his arm and pointed at Julian while crying.


    When Miss Luna gathered Julian in her arms, his son stopped crying.


    <em>Woah, it''s true?</em>


    "The young lord isn''t an ordinary child, Duke and Duchess Nystrom," Miss Luna said. "His mind, emotions, and even his body will develop faster than normal. He probably understands the things that are happening around him."


    It was very random but Kiho suddenly remembered when Winter suddenly hit him when he was about to kiss Tilly a while ago.


    <em>Oh.</em>


    When he turned to his wife, he noticed that her face was red. Ah, she must have realized that their son was aware of their intimate moments all this time.


    "Duke and Duchess Nystrom, I will look after Julian for the meantime," Luna said. "Please talk to the young lord and assure him that what he fears will never happen."


    Kiho and Tilly both nodded. "We will do that, Miss Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA let out a deep sigh while watching Julian.


    The child was sitting on the windowsill of her room while looking outside the window. Her chamber had the view of the pond. And right now, the Nystrom family was spending time there.


    <em>I knew this would happen.</em>


    To be honest, she didn''t want to let the duke and the duchess know that the young lord would mature faster than average kids. After all, she wanted Lord Winter to have a normal upbringing even for a while.


    <em>But I guess it''s really impossible for them to have a "normal" life.</em>


    "Julian, are you okay?" Luna asked worriedly. "Do you know why the young lord suddenly attacked you? You didn''t do or say something to anger him, did you?"


    Julian was already twenty-one months old now. He was a toddler now and yet, he still couldn''t talk. More like he didn''t want to. To be honest, the people in the tower were wondering if Julian was deaf and mute. After all, the child would usually ignore people he didn''t feel like talking to.


    "<em>I didn''t say or do anything to the young lord</em>," Julian said, speaking in her mind again. "<em>I guess it was wired in every fiber of his being to hate me</em>."


    "Do you think the young lord is aware of who and what you are?"


    "<em>I don''t think so</em>," the child said. "<em>This is the first time that we''ve met</em>."


    "Are you saying that the young lord already hates you even though this is the first time that you''ve met, huh?"


    "<em>Maybe this is our destiny</em>."


    Sheughed while shaking her head. "Now I know why you don''t talk to other people. You can''t act like a normal child, can you?"


    "<em>I decided to live quietly in this lifetime</em>," Julian said. "<em>If I have to literally seal my lips to never attract attention from other people, I''ll do it</em>."


    She was now conflicted.


    At the bottom of her heart, she knew that Julian could pose a threat to the Nystroms. If the duke and duchess didn''t decide to adopt Julian and Flint, she would have advised them to stay away from the children. But she knew that Lord and Lady Nystrom had already made a connection to the kids that she could no longer cut.


    So right now, all she could was to keep an eye on Julian. He already said that the Supreme wasn''t his mother. But she still felt uneasy.


    Although she had to admit that Julian''s tiny back looked very pitiful at the moment.


    <em>I shouldn''t get attached to this child</em>, Luna reminded herself. <em>But it''s not his fault that he was born in this world, is it?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN knew that he shouldn''t watch the Nystroms enjoy their family time.


    But he couldn''t help it.


    Lady Nystrom looked happy while Lord Winter sat on herp. The two were watching Lord Nystrom make a portable fish tank with his ability to control the water. Anyone could see how happy the three were as a family.


    A family that he could and should never be a part of.


    <em>This is enough</em>, Julian reminded himself. <em>The three of them deserve to be happy this time.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved to see that Winter was happy while watching Kiho control the water in the pond and make the koi fish "float" in front of them.


    Right now, they were having afternoon tea by the pond. She knew that they still had a lot of word to do. But taking a break with her family wouldn''t hurt. Especially now that they knew how Winter was feeling right now.


    "Hon,e and sit with us," Tilly said, then she tapped the space next to her while carrying Winter in one arm. "You look tired."


    "I''m fine, honey," Kiho assured her. Then, he carefully returned the koi fish in the pond. Then, he sat on the bench next to her. He kissed her on the cheek before he leaned down to kiss Winter on the forehead. "Did you like my performance, little rascal?"


    Winter smiled as a response.


    <em>Ah, he can really understand us.</em>


    "Winter, please listen to mommy and daddy," she started carefully. When Winter looked up at her, she smiled before she continued. "Mommy and Daddy have adopted Julian and his older brother. They are now your daddy''s younger brothers. We did that to protect them. But even if they are your daddy''s brothers in legal papers, we still wish that you''d treat him like your own siblings."


    Winter started to get teary-eyed.


    "Please don''t cry," Kiho said firmly. "Even though Julian and Flint are now a part of our family, our love for you will never change. You might not understand this yet but a parent''s love and attention don''t get divided they get multiplied."


    "Your daddy is right," she said, proud of what Kiho had said. "You are our little cinnamon roll always has been and always will be. Please don''t treat Julian and Flint as your rivals. We want you to get along well with them. And we promise that we will still dote on you."


    "Winter, you are our son," Kiho added in a gentle tone. "You are irreceable."


    "Our little cinnamon roll is smart, right?" Tilly said with a smile. "You understand what mommy and daddy are saying, don''t you?"


    Much to their relief, Winter smiled and nodded his tiny head.


    <em>Aww, our baby isn''t just smart he''s also very kind.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>I STILL don''t like this Julian guy.</em>


    Winter also hated the fact that it wasn''t only him even his older brother was adopted by his parents. He was a little relieved that they were only adopted as his father''s younger brothers. And that was only to protect them.


    So technically, Julian and that Flint were going to be his "uncles." His mother probably introduced Julian as his "big brother" because of their close age. He panicked because of that, but he was still unhappy that those two would be a part of their family.


    For some reason, his blood boils whenever he sees Julian.


    But now he knew that acting like a brat would only make his parents sad so he decided to change his behavior.


    "Winter, Big Brother Julian wants to y with you," his mother, who was now holding Julian in her arms again, said with a nervous smile.


    He was in lying on the crib so he had no choice but to look up at them.


    Anyway, he noticed that his father who stood beside his mother was on guard. It was as if his daddy was watching him to see if he was going to attack Julian.


    Not wanting to disappoint his parents again, he smiled and lifted his arms towards Julian.


    His mommy and daddy looked relieved. When they looked at each other, they smiled as if they were d that he wasn''t throwing tantrums this time.


    A few momentster, his mother put Julian on the crib next to him.


    Julian smiled and reached for his little hand.


    Because his parents were watching, he smiled and held onto Julian''s hands. He hated it but when his mommy squealed in happiness and his daddy said that he was proud of him, he endured and continued acting like a good little brother.


    <em>I''m sorry but I still don''t like you</em>, Winter said in his mind while looking coldly at Julian. Yes, his smile didn''t reach his eyes. <em>Can''t you just leave my family alone, Julian?</em>


    Julian smiled and then, much to his shock, he spoke in his mind. <em>I''m sorry but I need the duke and the duchess to protect my big brother, Lord Winter.</em>


    To say that Winter was shocked would be an understatement.


    <em>We can speak to each other in our minds?!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <em></em>

 Chapter 157: As Parents

    Chapter 157: As Parents


    "<em>DON''T WORRY, Lord Winter</em>," the Julian dude told him. "<em>I know my ce</em>."


    Winter blinked several times. And then, he calmed down. He wasn''t that arrogant to think that he was the only adult in the world that was trapped inside a baby''s body. "<em>Who are you</em>?"


    "<em>My identity isn''t important</em>," the other guy said. "<em>All you need to know is I don''t intend to take your ce. But I''m begging you, Lord Winter. Please allow me and my big brother to be a part of your family until we''re old and strong enough to protect ourselves</em>."


    "<em>Your identity isn''t important</em>?" he scoffed. "<em>Don''t make meugh, Julian. The fact that you''re an old soul like me that''s trapped in a baby''s body is suspicious. Did you get reborn, too? Have we met in our past lives?</em>"


    "<em>We haven''t, Lord Winte</em>r."


    He waited Julian to offer more exnation but he didn''t.


    "<em>Julian, you''re boring,</em>" Winter said. "<em>But I''ll keep an eye on you</em>."


    The annoying quiet child just smiled.


    "<em>How old were you when you died in your first life?</em>" Winter asked him. "<em>We need to establish hierarchy based on our mental age</em>."


    "<em>I don''t remember my exact age but my first grandson was just born when I died, Lord Winter</em>."


    He almost chocked on his saliva. "<em>God, you''re old</em>."


    Again, Julian just smiled.


    By then, he already knew that his "uncle" wasn''t the talkative type. And it seemed like he wouldn''t talk about his past. It was up to him to "crack" his shell.


    "<em>I won''t call you "big brother,"</em>" Winter said firmly. "<em>And I''ll keep an eye on you, Julian</em>."


    Julian smiled at him. "<em>As you wish, Lord Winter</em>."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved that Winter has finally calmed down around Julian. The two seemed to be getting along well now because they were smiling at each other. She didn''t know what she''d do if Winter wouldn''t ept Julian as a part of their family.


    <em>Thank goodness Winter listened to us.</em>


    After Winter and Julian''s ytime, their son fell asleep. It looked like Julian was sleepy as well so she brought her to his new room the one they prepared for Flint and asked Luna to look after the child.


    She wanted to talk to Kiho alone so she asked Sentinel to look after Winter. Then, she pulled her husband to her office. As soon as they plopped on the sofa, she hugged his waist tight and buried her face against his chest.


    "Kiho" Tilly said with a pout, then she looked up at her husband. "I feel like the most horrible mother in the world."


    Kiho''s face was instantly etched with worry. "Why do you feel that way, honey?"


    "It was my idea to adopt Flint and Julian even though we''re already expecting a son," she said in a voice filled with guilt. "It''s not like I regret doing so. I just feel bad that Winter felt that way." She let out a deep sigh. "I understand where our son ising from. If he still has the memories of his past life, then, just like me, I bet he wants to make up for lost time. He definitely wants us to devote all our love and attention to him now that we were given a second chance to build our family." She bit her lower lip in frustration. "I wonder how Winter would have felt if we adopted Flint and Julian as our children instead as your younger brothers. I should have been more careful in making such a big decision."


    "Shh, honey," heforted her while pulling her closer to him. "You didn''t make the decision alone so please don''t me yourself. We both decided to adopt the kids as my brothers because we believe that it was the best thing to do. And it still is, Tilly." He kissed the top of her head. "We can make this work."


    She nodded, hugging him tighter.


    Her husband really knew the right words to say to make her feel okay. Plus, she knew he wasn''t just saying that. After all, Kiho had been honest with her since day one.


    "Honey?"


    She looked up at Kiho and got worried when she saw the guilt on his face. "What''s wrong, hon?" she asked, then she touched his cheek. "Why do you look guilty?"


    "I think it''s my fault that Winter was acting like that."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Winter inherited my bad traits," he confessed in a voice filled with worry. "He inherited my over jealous, over protective, and over possessive side. He was born greedy because he has half of me."


    Sheughed softly at that. "Oh, Kiho."


    "It''s true," he said with a seriously worried look on his face. "Do you know that I see Winter as my rival with your affection? It also crossed my mind that we should have gotten a daughter instead of a son so I wouldn''t get jealous."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. "For real, Kiho?"


    He nodded guiltily. "Petty, right? But what can I do? That''s how much I love you, Tilly." He hugged tighter and showered her face with little kisses. "I don''t know why but I always feel like I should love you as hard as I could. Like I was making up for lost moments or something."


    She smiled because she was genuinely happy to hear that.


    But at the same time, she felt sad because she couldn''t tell him that there was a strong force that was forcing her to hold back her feelings for him. Of course, she knew in her heart that she loved Kiho. She just couldn''t express it verbally for some reason. But she was doing her best everyday to make him feel how much she loved him.


    Still, even though she didn''t want to acknowledge it, she knew there was something wrong with her.


    <em>Why do I feel like I shouldn''t love Kiho as much as he loves me?</em>


    And why couldn''t she say "I love you" to her husband directly?


    "I''m a terrible father for feeling that way towards my own son, am I not?"


    "You''re not," she said with a firm shake of her head. "Kiho, this isn''t the first time that we''ve be parents. But this is the first time that we''re really trying to be the best mommy and daddy for our Winter. Still, I know that we''re bound to make mistakes. So let''s figure out together how to be better parents, hmm?"


    Kiho smiled, then he captured her lips for a searing kiss. "Tilly, when can we do it?"


    She shook her head, her face flushed from his question. Still, they were bound to talk about it. "Miss Luna advised us to not do it for at least four weeks."


    "Okay, I can wait," he said, then he kissed her forehead. "Your recovery is more important, honey."


    Her hand wandered to his crotch area. She smiled when he gasped as soon as she touched the bulge in his pants. "Should I help you with this, hon?"


    Kiho''s face instantly turned red as if he was embarrassed, but his golden eyes glowed indicating his desire at the moment. "You don''t have to, honey."


    Tilly smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. "I want to do it, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR GRACE, did something good happen?" Miss Luna asked him with furrowed brows. "Your face is kind of glowing."


    Kiho wasn''t smiling but maybe his happiness was showing in his face.


    Right now, he was walking with Miss Luna and they were on their way to Julian''s room. Tilly was there with the maids while changing Winter and Julian''s clothes. After all, they would be receiving important guestster.


    But that wasn''t the reason why he couldn''t control the burst of happiness in his chest right now.


    God, Tilly''s mouth her fingers her tongue they were all divine.


    <em>Stop</em>, Kiho scolded himself and cleared his throat before he spoke. "I''m just excited to wee the ck Serpent Knights in our estate, Miss Luna."


    Well, it wasn''t like he was lying.


    Today was the day that the ck Serpent Knights would arrive at their estate as House Nystrom''s official private army.


    This was also the first time in a white that he would see his old squad. Ever since ke had be the "temporary" captain, His Majesty had been sending the ck Serpent Knights outside the empire for official missions. It was probably the emperor''s way of making sure that his men wouldn''t be able to lend him their strength.


    But thanks to his wife''s cunning and beautiful mind, they were able to take the ck Serpent Knights under their wing in a legal and safe way.


    <em>God, I really love her.</em>


    "Your Grace?"


    He turned to Miss Luna and he noticed that the witch looked worried about him. "Yes, Miss Luna?"


    "You have beads of sweat on your forehead, Duke Nystrom," Miss Luna said in a confused voice. "This is the first time that I''ve seen you like that. Are you feeling hot?"


    Kiho automatically touched his forehead and much to his shock, he was indeed sweating. And that rarely happened. After all, his body was colder than average humans. And now that Miss Luna mentioned it "Yes, it''s hot," he said worriedly. He wasn''t supposed to feel that way because of his Mana. "Why does the air feel hot all of a sudden?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 158: Rays of the Sun

    Chapter 158: Rays of the Sun


    NOW THAT Duke Nystrom had mentioned it, Luna noticed that the air right now was indeed strange.


    It was already summertime but the heat right now was unusual.


    Usually, when she was near the duke, she felt like she was standing next to a huge block of ice. But right now, Duke Nystrom''s body temperature didn''t feel as cool as normal. Seeing the bullets of sweat on his forehead also came as a shock to her.


    Her thoughts were cut-off when all of a sudden, they heard Duchess''s shriek from inside her chamber.


    As expected, Duke Nystrom was as fast as a lightning when he ran towards the room.


    Luna followed the duke, hoping that nothing serious had happened. <em>Please let the duke and the duchess enjoy their time with their newly born son peacefully.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY didn''t mean to scream but she was really surprised when Louisa almost dropped Julian when the head maid suddenly copsed. Thankfully, she had just put Winter in the crib when that happened so she still had the time to catch Julian.


    But she didn''t have the time to feel relieved because as soon as Louisa copsed, Leni and Lani also fell on the floor unconscious.


    <em>Oh, god. What''s happening?</em>


    She put Julian in the crib next to Winter before she walked towards her maids to check on them. Much to her shock, she noticed that they were covered in sweat. Their faces were also red and they were breathing heavily.


    "Honey!"


    She turned to Kiho who looked so worried. Ah, he definitely heard her scream a while ago. "I''m fine, hon," she assured him. "I need your Mana, Kiho. I think Louisa and the twins are suffering from heat stroke. Can you make the room colder?"


    Kiho nodded while looking at the maids with worried eyes. "I can do that," he said, then he looked at her. "Are you okay, honey?"


    She nodded, then her brows furrowed when she noticed something. "Kiho, you''re sweating," she said in disbelief. She walked towards her husband and when she touched his face and forehead, she gasped when she felt how hot his skin was. "What''s wrong? This is the first time that your body temperature increased this much, Kiho."


    "I''m fine, honey," he assured her. "We should worry more about your maids and the kids. Winter and Julian might feeling the heat, too."


    She gasped and then she quickly went to check on the kids in the crib. Then, she put each of her hand on Winter and Julian''s forehead. Julian''s body temperature was as warm as normal and he didn''t look like he was feeling hot.


    Winter, on the other hand, was now sweating heavily just like Kiho.


    <em>Oh, no.</em>


    She quickly carried Winter in her arms and turned to Julian who was just sitting in the corner with a gentle look on his face. "Julian, please wait for a while," she said, then she walked towards Kiho who had his hands on the floor while covering the floor, the walls, and the ceiling with a thinyer of ice. "Kiho, our Winter looks ufortable with the heat. Julian looks fine, though. It''s probably because of his Mana."


    Kiho immediately stood up and carefully took Winter in his arms. "Thank you for checking on the kids, honey," he said, then he turned to their son. "Don''t worry, little rascal. Daddy will keep you cold."


    When she was sure that Winter was safe in Kiho''s arms, she turned to the unconscious maids on the floor. "They might get too cold if theyy on your ice. I will call the butlers to put them on the bed."


    "Duke and Duchess Nystrom, we have a problem."


    Both of them turned to Luna who just entered the room.


    <em>Miss Luna is also covered in sweat</em>


    "All the servants in the mansion copsed and each one of them is showing signs of heat stroke," Luna informed them in a worried voice, then she turned to Kiho. "Your Grace, I''m sorry for asking but I think you should make the whole mansion cold."


    Kiho nodded even though he looked like the heat was also getting to him. "We should also prepare water for everyone they must be very thirsty right now."


    Tilly gasped when she suddenly remembered something causing Kiho and Luna to nce at her. "If it''s this hot inside the mansion, then the heat outside must be very unforgiving," she said worriedly, then she turned to the window. "I hope the ck Serpent Knights can stand the heat until they get here."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU was surprised when suddenly, the four maids preparing the refreshments for him copsed at the same time. In the blink of an eye, Sir Gregory and the other royal knights were already surrounding him to protect him from a possible unseen enemy.


    He also thought that he was under attack.


    But when he noticed that Sir Gregory and the royal knights were covered in sweat, he got suspicious. He turned to the unconscious maids on the ground and realized that just like the knights, they were also sweating heavily.


    Come to think of it, the air was way too hot even for the summer season.


    In fact, he decided to have his afternoon tea in the garden to get fresh air because the heat was also getting to him.


    Now, he realized that the heat wasn''t normal.


    "Sir Gregory," Aku said.


    Sir Gregory turned around to face him with a polite bow. "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    "We''re not under attack," he said, then he stood up. "Bring the maids and the knights inside the pce and give them water. Everyone, including you, is suffering from heat stroke." Only people with high Mana would be able to stand that kind of heat. That was why the royal knights were still standing. "I''ll go to the shrine for the meantime."


    "I''ll go with you, Your Majesty," the old knight insisted.


    "Take care of yourself first," he said firmly making Sir Gregory lower his head. "I''m entrusting you the lives of the people in the pce, Sir Gregory."


    Sir Gregory bowed again. "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    He just nodded before he walked away and went straight to the shrine of the Blue Dragon. And that shrine was in the basement of his chamber. Only him and Nia were allowed to enter the shrine. Ah, it would be more appropriate to say that only the royal family could enter that ce.


    Anyone without the Moonchester blood will literally get their breath taken away if they stepped foot in this room.


    And that was because out of all the Four Ancient Beasts, the Blue Dragon was the one that served as the Moonchesters'' Guardian.


    But he couldn''t really say that the Blue Dragon was on their side. After all, out of all the gods, it was the one that was most detached to everyone and everything. The Blue Dragon was like a wind that no one or nothing could truly grasp.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he entered the shrine.


    It was just a in white room, to be honest. The only impressive thing in the shrine was the statue of the Blue Dragon with its giant body wrapped around a white coffin.


    Yes, a coffin.


    And that was where the Blue Dragon''s human form was resting. Again, yes. It was in his pce all along.


    "Elis Ripperton, you need to lend me your strength," he said while talking to the coffin. "They have arrived to retrieve the Supreme."


    The strange heat in the empire right now could only be caused by one group.


    And they are the Supreme''s Keepers.


    "We have to kill the Supreme before the Keepers get to her," Aku said, then he walked towards the coffin. There was a ss cube on top of it. Inside that cube was a crystal bracelet with an engraved symbol of the sun on it. "You have to wake up now, Lord Ripperton."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved that the ck Serpent Knights made it to their mansion without any member copsing under the heat.


    Still, the knights were covered in sweat and were very thirsty when they arrived.


    Fortunately, most of their servants had now recovered thanks to Kiho''s ice. He made the whole mansion cold. Her husband was like a human air-conditioner.


    The maids and butlers who were okay now tended to the knighs. To make the ck Serpents morefortable, they brought them to the mansion''s ballroom where it was the coldest. Then, she asked the servants to bring cold water for everyone.


    Luna assured her that she would look after Julian, and then she urged her to check on Kiho and Winter. She left everything to the witch and went back to their chamber where Kiho and Winter were lying on the bed obviously exhausted.


    "Hon, are you and Winter okay?" Tilly asked worriedly. Then, she sat on the bed and hugged Kiho from behind. Yes, she was the big spoon this time. She put her chin on his shoulder to look at Winter who was now sleeping again. She noticed that Kiho put pillows on the other side of their son to make sure he wouldn''t fall from the bed. And she also noticed that their little cinnamon roll looked refreshed now than a while ago. Did you change Winter''s clothes?"


    "Uh-huh," Kiho said, then he turned to her and asked for a kiss. After that, he exined. "He was covered in sweat a while ago so I changed his clothes. His nappies, too."


    The nappies used in the empire were made of cloth and not the disposable diapers in the modern world.


    "Thank you, hon," she said, then she kissed him on the cheek. "I''m d that your body is as cool as usual. But you must have been exhausted. You and our baby."


    "We''re fine, honey. Don''t worry about us," he said to console her. "The strange heat was gone so I''m feeling morefortable now. Winter feels the same, I swear."


    "I''m scared, Kiho."


    He instantly turned to lie down on his back. Then, he gently pulled her closer until she was lying on top of him. "What are you scared of, honey?" he asked worriedly while snaking his arms around her body protectively.


    "The heat that you felt a while ago wasn''t normal," she said. "I''m afraid that it may have been caused by the enemies to weaken you. Even Miss Luna doesn''t know where it came from."


    As soon as she said that, she heard Sentinel''s voice in her head.


    <em>"Lady Nystrom, may Ie out?"</em>


    "Sure," she said, then she turned and whispered to Kiho who looked confused. "It''s Sentinel, hon."


    Her husband nodded. "Ah, I see."


    A few momentster, Sentinel came out of her heart. As soon as he did, he got down on one knee and bowed to them. "I apologize for not helping out a while ago," he said in a voice filled with guilt. "I was afraid that my energy would make the heat more unbearable for everyone."


    "It''s okay, Sentinel," she said, then she got up. Kiho got up as well, then he snaked a protective arm around her waist. "I understand. Please raise your head."


    The spirit guardian raised his head. "Mydy, I think I know who caused the strange heat a while ago."


    "Really?" she asked curiously.


    "Please tell me they''re not enemies," Kiho said in a tired voice. "I want one peaceful day with my family."


    She nodded in agreement.


    "They are allies, Duke and Duchess Nystrom," Sentinel said in a cheerful voice. "I think the Keepers of the Supreme have arrived."


    Tilly smiled at the good news because it meant they didn''t need to look for the Keepers or the ind that worships the sun. But for some unknown reason, she suddenly felt a strange pain in her heart. It was painful enough to make her tears fall quietly. <em>Why am I crying?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>Countryside at the very edge of Moonchester Empire</strong></em>


    "ROARKE f*cking Sinir!" Jameson Crawford yelled at the top of his f*cking lungs after the m*therf*cker pushed him in the river, making him f*cking wet all over. His f*cking clothes were now wet and he hated it! "Why the f*ck did you f*cking pushed me in the river, you m*therf*cker!"


    "Saying "f*ck" again and again as if you just learned the word makes you look dumber, Crawford," Roarke f*cking Sinir told him in his usual cold voice while looking down at him literally and definitely figuratively. "Why did you release your Mana? You could have killed people with weak Mana with just your excess energy. Even if you''re dumb, you should at least know that."


    What a f*cking a*shole.


    Roarke Sinir was a f*cking scum. Women fawned over him because of his looks. Apparently, Sinir had an angelic face. They also loved his deep purple hair and different-colored eyes: pink in the left, ice blue in the right.


    But his face was his only saving grace.


    Roarke Sinir had a trashy personality.


    "We would have f*cking died if I didn''t use my Mana to protect us when we literally fell from the sky!" he reasoned. "It was your f*cking fault, Sinir! You got the f*cking coordination wrong so wended in the wrong ce! Do you think were somewhere near the f*cking Royal Capital? We''re in the middle of f*cking nowhere, dumb*ss!"


    "Then find the right way towards the Royal Capital," Roarke f*cking Sinir said, then he turned his back on him and walked into the woods. "That''s your job, Mr. Human Map."


    "Don''t go anywhere, you Mr. Directionally-challenged M*therf*cker!" Jameson screamed but of course, Roarke f*cking Sinir didn''t listen. Out of frustration, he pulled his long, magenta hair and looked up at the sun in the sky. "Supreme, please give me more patience or else, I''ll f*cking murder the f*ck out of Sinir before we even find you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 159: The Blue Dragon

    Chapter 159: The Blue Dragon


    "HONEY, are you hurt anywhere?"


    Tilly nodded while wiping the tears off her cheeks using her hands. "I''m fine, hon," she said even though she was also confused as to why she just suddenly cried. "I think I''m just tired."


    "You should rest with Winter," Kiho told her while he was helping her wipe her tears. "I''ll take care of our guests."


    "But you just recovered, Kiho."


    "I''m fine," he assured her. Then, he held her hand and ced it on his cheek. "See? My body temperature is back to normal."


    He was telling the truth.


    His body was hot a while ago. But now, it was as cold as ice again. Plus, he was no longer sweating heavily.


    "I''m sorry, hon," she said apologetically. "I''ll join you after I take a nap."


    "It''s okay, honey. I''ll catch up with my men and I''m sure we have a lot to talk about. So you can take your time," he said, then he kissed her forehead. "Thank you for everything."


    She smiled. It felt good to feel validated even though she wasn''t asking for his validation. She was just d that he appreciated the things that she was doing for their family. "Thank you for being a good husband and a good father, too, Kiho."


    He didn''t smile but his golden eyes glowed in happiness.


    After that, Kiho tucked her in bed and made sure she and Winter werefortable in bed. Then, he stood up and faced Sentinel. "Please look after my Tilly and our little rascal, Sentinel."


    Sentinel bowed politely to him. "As you wish, Your Grace."


    Kiho leaned down and kissed her on the lips, then he kissed Winter on the forehead before he left the room.


    Tilly thenid down on her side to face Winter. She wanted to hug him but he was too small and she was afraid her arm would crush him. So she just watched her little cinnamon roll until she fell asleep


    and then, she fell into a deep sleep.


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU picked up the crystal bracelet from inside the ss cube.


    He put it around his right wrist and as soon as he did, his shoulder felt heavy. Not only that the bracelet also started to burn his skin. But he endured. It wasn''t like the bracelet was strong enough to kill him.


    <em>Many years have already passed</em>, he said while looking at the crystal bracelet. Even without looking at his reflection, he knew that his eyes were glowing red right now. <em>It''s time you ept me as your master.</em>


    Thanks to his sheer stubbornness, the crystal bracelet finally stopped burning his skin.


    <em>Finally.</em>


    He walked towards the coffin and ced his right hand on the cold marble lid. A faint, silver light started to form under his palm. At the same time, the whole casket started to turn warm. It was due to the effect of his Mana being absorbed by the Blue Dragon inside the coffin.


    "Wake up, Lord Ripperton," Aku said in a firm voice. "Don''t you want to see your beloved once again?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO felt a sharp pain in his back when the weather suddenly turned cold.


    "Lord Nystrom, what''s wrong?" ke, who was drinking beside him, asked in concern. "Did you hurt your back?"


    Kiho shook his head. "I''m fine, ke. Go on and have fun without worrying about me, will you?"


    His vice-captainughed at that. "You can''t ask me not to worry about you, Lord Nystrom. Lady Nystrom asked us to look after you. No offense but the duchess scares me more than you do. I don''t want to get beaten up by your wife if something bad happens to you, my lord."


    He bit his lower lip to stop himself from smiling.


    It wasn''t like he was trying to suppress his emotions. He wasn''t just used to letting other people see him smile. But most of all, only one person could make him smile easily.


    <em>Ah, make that two.</em>


    Only Tilly and Winter could make him smile effortlessly.


    "Yeah, you should really be scared of my wife," he said in a light tone. "My Tilly can sometimes be stronger than me."


    ke justughed, then he finished his huge ss of beer in one gulp.


    Right now, he and the twenty three top members of the ck Serpent Knights where in the ballroom of the mansion that had turned into something akin to a pub. The servants took out long tables and benches for the knights.


    Then, the kitchen staff prepared a hearty dinner for everyone. After eating their meal, the knights requested to have beer.


    <em>Ah, Tilly is yet to have dinner.</em>


    His wife''s "nap" has turned into a long and deep sleep. It seemed like she was really tired so he didn''t wake her up.


    On the other hand, Miss Luna was looking after Winter and Julian in the yroom. Thest time he checked on Tilly (just ten minutes ago), Sentinel already went back in her heart. He wasn''t that worried because as long as the spirit guardian was near Tilly, he knew that his wife would be safe.


    <em>I should check on Tilly again.</em>


    After all, his wife might be hungry. She would love the dinner that the kitchen prepared: seafood. Of course, King Crabs and lobsters were included in the menu.


    "ke, take care of the young ones," Kiho told his right-hand man. "I''ll just check on Tilly again."


    ke was just about to answer when all of a sudden, Damian appeared next to the vice-captain.


    "Lord Nystrom, may I see Lady Nystrom and your son?" Damian asked excitedly. Normally, the young knight couldn''t even look at her in the eye. But based on the redness of his face, he must already be drunk. And that was where his courage wasing from. "I want to see the young lord. I wish he takes after the duchess!"


    ke''s eyes widened in shock.


    Then, all of a sudden, the room went quiet. Everyone turned to Damian with a horrified looked on their face.


    His men must have thought that he was offended by the young knight''s careless remark.


    Kiho wasn''t offended though.


    <em>I want Winter to take after my Tilly.</em>


    He was about to tell him not to worry when all of a sudden, they heard a ground-shaking thunder followed by lighting.


    <em>Wait, the weather was clear just now.</em>


    "Lord Nystrom!" Whitton, who was in the balcony, called him. Then, he pointed a finger at the night sky. "There''s a tornado!"


    <em>A tornado?!</em>


    He ran towards the balcony to see for himself.


    Lo and behold, a tornado was indeed forming in the middle of the Royal Capital. The violent rotating column of air extended from the thunderstorm to the ground. The tornado looked like it was going to be a strong one.


    And it seemed to be forming around the Royal Pce.


    <em>Your Majesty</em>


    Kiho wanted to punch himself when he felt an ounce of worry for Emperor Aku. But he easily shook it off and faced his knights instead. "Everyone, get ready," he said, pulling everyone''s attention to him. "We''re going to protect the estate from the tornado."


    Every single ck Serpent Knight in the room bowed to him. "Yes, Lord Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU didn''t want to admit this but his knees almost buckled at the sight of Lord Elis Ripperton.


    Long silver hair with a touch of blue, light gray eyes that were almost white, pale skin with scales on his cheeks and arms ah, this was indeed the Blue Dragon. When he stepped out of the coffin, his in white robe had turned into an elegant blue cloak.


    "You better have a good reason for waking me up, Aku Moonchester," Lord Ripperton said in a deep, cold but clear voice. "If you don''t, I''ll kill you."


    "I won''t wake you up for nothing, Lord Ripperton," Aku said with a big smile. "Lady Rosenberg has finally been reborn."


    Lord Ripperton went still for a moment. He must have been searching for the Supreme using the connection that he had with her. After all, before the ck Serpent appeared, the Blue Dragon was the one who was standing beside the Supreme.


    It seemed like Lord Ripperton had already found Lady Nystrom''s location because his gray eyes glowed.


    And then, in just the blink of an eye, the Blue Dragon was gone with the wind.


    "The Golden Tiger and the Blue Dragon are both awake now. I don''t need the Red Phoenix because as long as my brother is on my side, everything will still fall into ce. I''m pretty sure that the ck Serpent will choose me once he awakens," Aku said to himself with a softugh. "The game is already over, Lady Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELIS stood in front of the sleeping Supreme.


    He noticed the baby sleeping beside her but he ignored him. Based on the Mana that he felt from the tiny human, he could tell that he was the child of the Supreme with the ck Serpent.


    "<em>Who are you</em>?"


    He turned to the baby who was now awake and speaking to him in his mind. The tiny human even had the audacity to re at him. The little one''s golden eyes reminded him of the ck Serpent''s snake eyes.


    That was enough to infuriate him.


    "Shut up before I gouge your snake eyes out," Elis warned, then he put a finger on the baby''s forehead to put him to sleep.


    But then, another hurdle came in the form of the Red Phoenix''s spirit guardian.


    "L-Lord Ripperton"


    He turned to Sentinel who was now standing next to him as if he was ready to attack but hesitated when he saw his face. "Fool," he said, then he snapped his fingers causing the spirit guardian to fall on the floor unconscious. "Don''t forget that we''re no longer on the same side."


    After that, he got down on one knee and held the Supreme''s hand.


    "I am back, Lady Rosenberg," Elis whispered, then he pressed his forehead against the back of her hand. "But I can no longer stand by your side..."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 160: A Distant Memory

    Chapter 160: A Distant Memory


    "SOLEIL, I''m sorry but we can''t let you teach the children of our vige anymore."


    Soleil was disappointed to hear what rence the head of Amos Vige said but she already expected that. When she arrived at the entrance of the vige, she already noticed that the leaders were already waiting for her. And she knew why. "I understand, Lord rence," she said with a smile. "I''d like to give my utmost gratitude for allowing me to share my knowledge with your people. It may have only been a while, but I won''t forget the time that I spent with your vige." She bowed politely to them. "Thank you. Please take care of the children. If you need my help, please don''t hesitate to call me."


    When she was met with silence, she raised her head and smiled at the vige people.


    Behind the leaders, she could see the townspeople especially the children that she used to teach. It saddened her to see the look of fear on their face. They used to look at her with admiration in their eyes, especially the kids.


    Still, she understood where the fear wasing from so she didn''t me them.


    Before leaving the vige, she smiled and waved at the children. When the parents hid the kids behind them, she took it as a sign that it was time to walk away.


    If she stayed longer, she was pretty sure the vige people would start to act violently.


    <em>I lost my students again</em>, Soleil told herself while walking away with a heavy heart. <em>Why do humans hate us so much?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    IT HAPPENED a few days ago.


    Amos Vige was attacked by Crades while Soleil was teaching the poor kids how to read and write. The Crades that attacked them during that time were pretty high-level monsters. To protect her students and the vige people, she was forced to use her Mana.


    The children definitely told their parents what they saw, and thus, the leaders forced her to leave their vige.


    She was still worried about them though. Amos Vige was in the foot of a mountain and it was surrounded by thick forest where Crades usually dwell. Those flesh-eating monsters wouldn''t pass up the chance to attack a vige filled with humans.


    <em>I should clean out the Crades around the area to make sure that Crades won''t attack them again.</em>


    "Soleil Rosenberg!"


    She stopped walking when the ground started to shake hard. Thanks to her sharp eyesight, she could see Ainsworth running at full speed towards her. She was still a few meters away from the gate of their "paradise" but the little tiger was already here to ruin her day even more.


    "Let''s fight again, Soleil Rosenberg!"


    She let out a deep sigh


    by that, she meant she literally breathed fire at Ainsworth who was about to punch her.


    As soon as the little boy was engulfed with her red me, he fell on the ground and screamed in agony.


    If Ainsworth was a normal human, he would have been burnt to ashes by now. But his divine powers made his skin thicker luckily making it resilient against her fire. Still, that didn''t mean her me wouldn''t hurt him.


    "People call you tiger because you can manifest into one," Soleil said while looking at Ainsworth rolling on the ground trying to extinguish her fire. Of course, that wouldn''t work. "I wonder what a roasted tiger tastes like."


    Ainsworth stopped rolling on the ground to look up at her with a horrified look on his face. Then, he cried aloud.


    She stifled herughter.


    <em>Ainsworth is already seventeen years old but he''s still a crybaby.</em>


    "You shouldn''t bully kids, Soleil."


    The gush of wind signaled the arrival of Elis. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the me roasting Ainsworth was extinguished. Elis''smand of the wind was that strong (and his blue robe looked as elegant as ever).


    <em>But for the record, I intentionally use weak me to roast Ainsworth.</em>


    "I''m not a kid! Ainsworth, who now sat on the ground in a lotus position, growled. It was amazing how not even a strand of his hard was burnt. "I''m old enough to have wives!"


    She rolled her eyes at that. ""Wives?" You''re lucky if you find one woman who''d be willing to marry you, kid."


    Ainsworth red at her. "You''re just a year older than me, Soleil!"


    She red back at him.


    The little tiger suddenly averted his gaze away from her. "I mean, Big Sister Soleil," he said in a soft voice.


    She smiled in satisfaction.


    "Soleil, why are you back this early?" Elis asked, his light gray eyes glowing menacingly. "Did those foolish humans try to harm you?"


    She bit her lower lip and shook her head.


    "Those puny humans can''t hurt Big Sister Soleil physically, Big Brother Elis," Ainsworth said in a mocking tone while shaking his head at her. "But I bet they said harsh words to make her go away."


    "They didn''t say anything hurtful," she said in a defensive tone. "They just told me that they can''t let me teach the kids anymore."


    "Tsk," the little tiger said. "That''s the same thing, Soleil."


    She red at him.


    "Big Sister Soleil," Ainsworth corrected himself in a tiny voice.


    "Soleil, you should seriously stop helping those ungrateful humans," Elis said in an irritated tone. "You saved their pathetic lives but in return, they turned on you just because they found out that you''re different from them. They don''t deserve you."


    She understood where Elis wasing from.


    This wasn''t the first time that humans turned on her as soon as her powers were exposed. There was even a time where some people tried to hurt her for being a "monster." Still, she could see why they feared her.


    "Crades are monsters that eat human-flesh, Elis," she exined calmly. "Some of those monsters can also use elements like we do. So you can''t me people from getting scared of me once they find out that I can use fire."


    "That''s not an excuse for them to physically or verbally assault you," Elis insisted. "They''re not on your league. Compared to your existence, they''re just a speck of dust in the world."


    "Big Brother Elis is right," Ainsworth said while nodding his head. "We are gods."


    "We are yet to ascend the heavens," she reminded them. "We''re also humans. We just happen to be stronger than normal."


    The three of them came from different tribes and ns. But they had something inmon: they possessed powers that they called "Mana." The saint that gathered them called it "divine power." Whatever it was, it was the thing that made them quite different from other humans.


    "You''re too soft-hearted," Elis scolded her. "You shouldn''t leave the temple again."


    Right now, the "favored children" waiting to ascend the heavens were all living together in the Lumira Temple the home of Saint Alec and his younger brother High Priest Asher.


    Ah, let her correct herself.


    <em>All except Nystrom, the elusive heir of the "snake n."</em>


    "You can''t tell me what to do, Elis," she said with a smile. But even though she was smiling, she was dead serious. "Don''t even try to control me."


    Elis''s light gray eyes glowed menacingly. Then, a violent gush of wind started to circte around his body.


    As a reflex to his hostile energy, her purple eyes also glowed. Then, her jet-ck hair turned red as her body started to burn literally.


    "D-Don''t fight seriously," Ainsworth warned them in a weak and scared voice. "Saint Alec will scold us!"


    "Soleil!"


    Her brother, Winchell, suddenly fell from the sky and hugged her from behind causing her me to get extinguished on its own.


    "What''s happening?" Winchell asked excitedly. "Have you finally decided to kill Elis, my dearest Soleil?"


    "Soleil can''t kill me," Elis said in his usual calm tone, the glow in his eyes already fading. Then, he turned to her. "Right?"


    "Just don''t give me a reason to kill you," Soleil said yfully, then she gave the three boys a passing nce. "Let''s go home, boys."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL escaped from the temple that night.


    She nned to patrol around Amos Vige to kill the Crades around the area. Now that the vige had been discovered by a group of wandering Crades, she was sure that another group of monsters would find it again anytime soon.


    But luck wasn''t on her side because when she arrived at the thick forest, it started to pour heavily. She didn''t have a choice but to find shelter in the cave that she found. After all, getting soak in the rain weakened her power.


    <em>I didn''t know there''s a cave here</em>.


    She created a small fire in the tip of her finger to serve as her light.


    When she got deeper in the cave, her senses started to tingle. She stopped walking and when she did, she heard hissing sound around her.


    <em>I''m surrounded by snakes.</em>


    And then, the snakes attacked her.


    As defense, she created a wall of fire around her. But much to her shock, her me was suddenly frozen by ice. Now, she looked like she was trapped inside a giant ice cube. But that wasn''t what shocked her.


    <em>I used high-level of me just now</em>


    But someone easily quenched her fire by freezing it! Her me wasn''t an ordinary me that could be quenched by water or ice. That only meant that the person who did that was on the same league as her.


    "Don''t," a deep, husky, and indifferent voice of a man warned her. "They''re my children."


    Soleil created a ball of fire on her palm to serve as light.


    As soon as she did, she finally saw the face of the man standing in front of her.


    Silver hair, golden snake eyes, pale skin


    and oh, his lean body was exactly her type.


    Soleil gasped after she fully absorbed the beautiful sight in front of her. "God, you''re so handsome."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> Hi. I received ament that made me really sad. I know that recently, I can only produce one chapter a day. I did quit one of my side jobs, but I still have a major/day job that I can''t simply neglect because my mother''s meds are expensive. Aside from my day job, I''m also writing a stockpile for my other story (please read Royal Secret: I''m a Princess! if you have time). Once that I''m done with it, I will try to post more updates.


    All I''m asking for is more patience and understanding. Please don''t forget that I have a job and life outside Webnovel. It makes me sad if I readments saying that they are tired of waiting for my once-a-day update. I also get tired but I love writing MV and RS so I''m still here. I will do my best to make it up to you soon. Thank you for your understanding. :((


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 161: A Distant Memory (2)

    Chapter 161: A Distant Memory (2)


    "GOD, YOU''RE so handsome," Soleil said in surprise. When she realized what she just said, she gently pped her mouth with her other hand. <em>What are you saying, you shameless mouth?</em>


    Thankfully, the handsome guy didn''t seem to care about what she said.


    He just looked at her with a nk look on his (very, very, very handsome) face (that shouldn''t be allowed to exist).


    <em>Come on, how can someone be that good-looking?</em>


    She was pretty confident with the way she looked. But after seeing that guy''s face, she decided to live humbly from now on.


    <em>My face pales inparison with his.</em>


    Anyway, she waited for the handsome man to speak to her again. But he just ignored her, squatted, and proceeded to count the snakes flocking around him. He never threw her a nce again. It was as if she wasn''t there.


    <em>He''s seriously counting the snakes!</em>


    She hated feeling like she had to catch his attention or something.


    In the first ce, she had a loving family. Her parents and her older brother showered her with love and praises ever since she was born. In the vige of the Fire Mages n, she was also the center of attention.


    After all, her parents were the leaders of the n while her older brother was the one who could manifest as a phoenix.


    In short, she was used to being fawned over.


    <em>And to be ignored by the first man I find attractive hurts my pride.</em>


    Soleil cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she said. When the stoic (but very, very, very handsome) man didn''t even turn to her, she continued. "Can you please melt the ice around me? I want to get out from this giant ice cube."


    She could melt the ice, of course.


    But she wanted an excuse to talk to the guy she fancied.


    He still didn''t even turn to her though. Instead, he just raised a hand and snapped his fingers. As soon as he did, the huge walls of ice around her suddenly became water


    soaking her from head to toe.


    <em>So cold!</em>


    Okay, he did get rid of the ice. But still


    "You could have warned me first," sheined while hugging herself tight. God, the water was so cold and her body was shivering. "I don''t do well in the cold, you know?"


    The handsome young man just stood and gave her a "not-my-problem" look. Then, he turned his back on her and started to walk away. The snakes making hissing sounds were following his trail. Ah, no.


    <em>They are his "children."</em>


    She wasn''t a fool to believe that. And she could tell that those snakes were just ordinary snakes. They weren''t children cursed to turn out like that. She understood why he said that though.


    <em>It''s just like how I consider my brother and Ainsworth as my "children."</em>


    "Hey, how did those snakes be your children?" she asked, ying dumb. "Are they cursed or something?"


    Her acting paid-off.


    The handsome young man stopped walking and turned to her. He was still void of emotions. But she saw a spark of interest in his golden snake eyes. Still, he didn''t say anything.


    "I''m sorry for almost hurting your "children,"" she said. It was self-defense on her part but she didn''t want to sound like she was making ame excuse.Instead, she just politely bowed her head. "Kids, this big sister is really sorry."


    The handsome young man seemed satisfied. His golden eyes glowed beautifully. But again, he didn''t say anything. He just turned his back on her and walked away again. This time, he didn''t stop or nce back at her.


    "How cold," Soleil whispered to herself. "But he''s really my type of guy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL was fuming.


    She thought her heart would explode if she didn''t let her anger out of her chest. And so she screamed. She screamed so loud that the air she breathed out became giant mes that engulfed the whole forest in her vivid red me.


    The giant Crades in the form of disfigured lizards tried to attack her. But even before the monsters could reach her, they already turned into ashes.


    Still, it wasn''t enough to pacify her.


    Amos Vige was wiped off overnight. The vige people were eaten by Crades. Every. Single. Viger.


    She couldn''t wrap her head around the fact that it happened without her knowing. Her students knew how to call her. She gave them precious stones that they could use to let her know that they were in danger.


    Did they hate her enough for them not to call her?


    Or did they not have the chance to do so?


    <em>God, the children</em>


    The harder she cried, the bigger her mes got. Before she knew it, the whole forest was already burning. Even the remnants of Amos Vige had already turned into ashes.


    "Big Sister Soleil!" Ainsworth yelled. He was standing a few meters away from her and obviously, he couldn''t get near her. This time, her high-level me would surely roast him to death. "Stop! You know that you''re burning the innocent animals that live in the forest, don''t you? If you value human lives, you should value animals, too!"


    Hearing that weakened her resolve.


    She loved animals just as much as she loved humans. But it was toote now. Even her couldn''t stop her own me from burning the forest further.


    But she was too tired and too hurt to care.


    "Soleil," Elis called her. Then, he held her arm and pulled her for a hug. His Mana extinguished the fire engulfing her body. "Calm down."


    "Hey, is my sister alright?" Winchell asked. Her brother was running around trying to absorb her me as much as he could to save the animals in the forest. "And Elis Ripperton, don''t you dare take advantage of this situation!"


    "I''m just trying to calm her down," Elis said in defense. Then, he gently patted her back. "Stop crying, Soleil. Those humans never deserved your tears."


    That made her angry again.


    She pushed Elis away from her and was about tosh out on him when all of a sudden, it rained heavily.


    Even the three men around her were surprised. And it wasn''t just because it suddenly poured. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that they were all shocked to see the heavy rain put out the giant red mes that was burning the whole forest a while ago.


    An ordinary rain could never extinguish her me.


    She opened her hands to catch the raindrops on her palms. They were warm. And they were infused by a Mana that felt very pure. She couldn''t exin it properly though.


    All Soleil knew was the raindrops that were supposed to be cold felt warm at that moment.


    It was as if the rain was trying tofort her.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BIG SISTER Soleil, it''s time to have dinner."


    "I''m not hungry," Soleil told Ainsworth who was pestering her from the other side of the door. "Leave me alone."


    "Alright," Ainsworth said in a defeated voice. "I''ll ask Big Brother Winchell and Elis toe instead."


    "Do whatever you want."


    The next thing she heard was the little tiger''s heavy footsteps walking away from her room.


    <em>Finally.</em>


    Right now, she locked herself up in her room.


    She lit up the firece and sat in front of it. Normally, a firece wouldn''t be put inside a room because it was dangerous. But since it was her room and she could control fire, Saint Alec let him have one. The saint knew that she needed the warmth of her own me whenever she felt down. Just like now.


    <em>How can a person like me who can''t even protect a vige be a god?</em>


    To be honest, she didn''t want to be one.


    But it was her parents'' will for her and her brother Winchell to ascend the heavens. Their mother and father thought they would be safer in the heavens than the earth. After all, humans who found out about their "strange" power would get violent towards them. They had been called monsters many times. Humans treated them like they were Crades.


    Sometimes, she thought that the humans were right about them.


    After all, their n as well as the n where Elis and Ainsworth belonged already existed back when the world still had seven moons in the sky. Apparently, a huge war happened back then that almost wiped out the humanity. It was a miracle how their ns managed to survive.


    She was told that when her generation was born, Saint Alec and his brother started a journey to gather the "favored children" of the Sky God. It was her, Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth. Apparently, despite being born humans, they had divine powers.


    ording to the saint, only the gods above knew the reason why they were chosen to have that kind of "blessing."


    But if humans like me are born with divine powers, what used would it be if we just ascend the heavens as gods? Aren''t we supposed to use these powers to protect the weak? To protect the human n?


    "This isn''t right," she whispered to herself. "I can''t do this."


    Feeling like the air in her room was suffocating her, she stood up and willed herself to disappear. A few momentster, her body was engulfed in a warm, red light until she literally faded. It was an ability simr to teleportation.


    Unfortunately, she hasn''t mastered it yet.


    She wanted to get as far away as possible from the temple.


    But she just found herself on the roof of the highest building in the temple.


    "I am not going to be a god!" she yelled with clenched fists. Everyone living in the temple had sharp senses so she knew they heard her. And that was exactly what she wanted. "I''m going to stay as a mortal and protect the human n!"


    After screaming at the top of her lungs, she let out a deep sigh. She was about to return to her room when all of a sudden, she heard a hissing sound. When she turned to her left side, he was surprised to see a huge ck snake with golden eyes.


    Out of instinct, she created a ball of fire in her hand.


    <em>"Don''t. They''re my children."</em>


    She stopped when she heard that voice in her head.


    Also, she noticed that the ck snake wasn''t going to attack her anyway.


    "Hello, little ck snake," she said, then she squatted to match the snake''s eye level. "Where''s your cold but hot and very handsome father with a body to drool for?"


    Much to her shock, the ck snake was suddenly engulfed in a ck light.


    And then, <em>poof!</em>


    The ck snake disappeared and it was reced by the snobbish but very handsome young man that she met in the cave. And oh, he still looked hot in his ck elegant robe with embroidery of the crest of the "snake n."


    <em>Oh.</em>


    If he was able to enter the temple, it could only mean one thing.


    "You are Lord Nystrom," she said in disbelief. Then, she covered her face with her hands because of embarrassment. <em>God, I''m so dumb</em>!


    "You."


    She removed her hands from her face and went into a kneeling position. Ever since she was a child, she was taught to respect the "snake n" because they were full-fledged gods. She hated hierarchy, but she couldn''t help it because of her strict upbringing. "Yes, my lord?"


    Nystrom tilted his head while looking at her with a glint of curiosity in his glowing golden eyes. "Are humans worth protecting?"


    "Yes," she said firmly. "Humans are worth protecting, Lord Nystrom."


    He pointed a finger at her face. "Interesting."


    She caught his finger and was surprised by his cold skin, but she didn''t let go even though he looked shocked when she touched him. She knew that it was wrong to do so, but so was pointing at people. "Lord Nystrom, pointing is rude."


    Nystrom still looked shocked but he didn''t pull his finger from her grasp. "Oh."


    His soft "oh" was followed by the reddening of his cheeks.


    "Oh," Soleil said, her own cheeks getting flushed as well. <em>"Oh."</em>


    And was it her heart beating so loud and so fast against her chest?


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 162: A Distant Memory (3)

    Chapter 162: A Distant Memory (3)


    SOLEIL immediately let go of Nystrom''s finger, moved a few inches away from him, and bowed in apology. "Please pardon my insolence, my lord," she said, hoping that he didn''t notice her flushed face. "I didn''t mean to suddenly invade your personal face. I also apologize for touching you without permission."


    "It''s okay," Nystrom said softly. "I''m sorry for pointing at your face."


    She just nodded to acknowledge his apology.


    Then, she sat on the roof and hugged her knees together maintaining a decent space between her and Lord Nystrom. When she turned to him, she saw him sitting with one knee bent, while his other (long) leg was stretched out. He also had an arm on top of his bent knee.


    <em>The way he sits is so cool.</em>


    But it looked like he was no longer interested in her.


    She was disheartened for a second, but she realized that her parents didn''t raise a quitter. To be honest, she didn''t know what was happening to her. She wasnt this assertive to other people. But for some reason, she wanted Nystrom''s attention.


    "Lord Nystrom," she called him. He didn''t turn to her but she could tell that he was listening. "Aren''t you going to ask for my name?"


    "I already know you," Nystrom said casually. "Soleil Rosenberg."


    She shouldn''t be surprised.


    Before she and Winchell got to the temple, Saint Alec already told them about the other "favored children." The saint probably did the same to Nystrom, Elis, and Ainsworth.


    <em>His Holiness also told us about the "snake n."</em>


    ording to Saint Alec, Nystrom was the son of the Moon God with the "Mother of Snakes." The "Mother of Snakes" was a fallen goddess but a goddess nheless. That was why Nystrom didn''t need to ascend to heavens to be considered a god.


    In short, Nystrom was born a god and will always be one.


    Ascending to heavens was just an option for him. That was also why the saint never forced Nystrom to attend his lessons in the temple.


    <em>Yes, we take lessons from the saint.</em>


    Saint Alec was the one who helped Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth manifest into their chosen mystical creature. After all, before they ascended heavens, they had to let go of their human bodies and be mystical creatures instead. Apparently, they would be known as the "Beast Gods" someday.


    <em>Well, I haven''t chosen a mythical creature yet.</em>


    She still had time though.


    "Lord Nystrom," she said when she got curious about his chosen mystical creature. Well, he was from the snake n and she just saw his "snake" form. Still, one couldn''t be too sure. "What is your chosen form as a god?" Well, in his case, it was just formality. Anyway, even though he still didn''t turn to her, she continued asking. "Are you going to be arge reptile?"


    He looked at her with a clear disbelief on his (very handsome) face. "A serpent is arge reptile?"


    "A serpent is just an extrarge snake, isn''t it?" she said, then she gasped and bowed. "I didn''t mean to insult you, Lord Nystrom. Please excuse my insolence."


    "Interesting."


    When she raised her head, she saw him looking up at the night sky. It was hurting her pride that he wasn''t really paying attention to her. But he looked mesmerizing while he admired the moon so she couldn''t get upset.


    <em>You''re more beautiful than the moon, Lord Nystrom.</em>


    She knew that getting attracted to a person''s physical appearance was shallow. But in her defense, it was impossible to ignore his attractiveness when he got that face. Also, his presence was really different from other people. He simply stood out even though he was just sitting there.


    <em>Is it because he''s a god?</em>


    "Soleil!"


    She gasped when she heard her brother''s loud voice.


    When she looked down, she saw Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth. The three were naturally looking up at her with worry. But she also noticed that they were ncing at Nystrom (who still looked like he didn''t care about a thing in the world).


    To capture the attention of Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth who only cared about themselves was a huge feat. They were also probably drawn to Nystrom because of his "pure" presence.


    <em>Only a god could pull in his fellow (soon-to-be) gods.</em>


    "Sister, we heard you a while ago," Winchell said in a worried voice. "Come down and let''s talk."


    She wasn''t ready to talk to her brother about her decision yet. And so, she turned to Nystrom. "My lord, please help me get away from here."


    "Soleil!" Winchell and Elis yelled at the same.


    "Don''t worry, Big Brother Winchell and Elis," Ainsworth said confidently. "I''m the fastest among us. Big Sister Soleil can''t get away from me."


    When Nystrom remained still without even looking at her, she gave up on him.


    She knew that she couldn''t outrun Ainsworth but she wouldn''t give up without a fight. And so, she stood up. She was about to run when all of a sudden, Nystrom grabbed her hand.


    His hand was cold but for some reason, she felt warmth in her chest.


    She was distracted when she heard Ainsworth growl. When she looked up, she gasped when she saw him leap at her in his tiger form. She didn''t want to shake Nystrom''s hand off of her so she just closed her eyes and braced for what would happen next.


    A few seconds passed and nothing happened to her yet.


    When she opened one eye to take a peek, she saw a frozen tiger suspended in the air.


    <em>Ainsworth!</em>


    She opened both eyes to see if she wasn''t being mistaken. When she did, she realized that Ainsworth in his tiger form was really covered with ice now. She was about to walk towards him to melt the ice but she was stopped when someone gently tugged her arm.


    When she turned to Nystrom, she realized that he was still holding her by the wrist. His grasp wasn''t tight but it wasn''t also loose. The strength was just enough to hold her without hurting her. Well, his cold skin still startled her but she had a feeling that she would get used to it.


    "Let''s go," Nystrom said. Ah, finally. He was looking at her face properly. "We need to feed the children."


    Soleil couldn''t really understand what he was saying. She didn''t know that being stared at by Nystrom would make her feel very conscious. Still, she nodded. Her brother Winchell could melt the ice around Ainsworth anyway. "I''ll go with you anywhere, Lord Nystrom."


    And just like that, their bodies were suddenly engulfed with cold, silver light that slowly swallowed them until they disappeared.


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL shut her eyes tight when Nystrom began freezing the toads with his eyes. Apparently, his "children" needed their food to be covered with ice first. She knew that it was only natural for snakes to eat toads (and other animals) but still, she couldn''t bear to watch it.


    <em>I asked him to take me away from the temple so I can''tin.</em>


    Nystrom brought her to the cave where they first met.


    As soon as they arrived, the snakes all gathered around him. Then, he uncovered the giant ice cube that contained the toads that he was feeding to his "children" right now.


    While he was busy, she sat on the huge rock and closed her eyes.


    "It''s done."


    Soleil opened her eyes to find Nystrom standing in front of her. She noticed that the snakes were gone. "Where are your "children," my lord?"


    "Sleeping," he said, then he sat on the opposite rock facing her.


    And then, he looked up at the open "ceiling" of the cave. From there, they could clearly see the full moon.


    <em>Is he drawn to the moon because his father is the Moon God?</em>


    Unfortunately, she didn''t feel the same. She was more drawn to the sun. Probably it was because of her fire Mana. She liked warm things and to her, the moon felt cold.


    <em>Just like Lord Nystrom.</em>


    "Lord Nystrom?"


    As expected, he still didn''t look at her. But now, she was confident that he was listening to her even if it looked like he wasn''t.


    Soleil took a deep breath, then she finally asked the thing that was bothering her since the first time they met. "Lord Nystrom, do you find me pretty?"


    She knew that she was being vain, okay?


    But for the first time in her life, she wanted a guy to find her pretty. Maybe it was normal for an eighteen-year-olddy to feel that way towards the man she fancied.


    Her thoughts were cut-off and she sat properly when Nystrom finally looked at her.


    It was the most unnerving moment of her life.


    Her heart was beating like crazy while anticipating his response. She prepared her heart for the disappointment that she might get. After all, she heard that the "Mother of Snakes" was a great beauty.


    If Nystrom grew up surrounded by beautiful women, he probably would just find her face "average."


    Nystrom opened his mouth and was about to answer her when all of a sudden, his golden eyes glowed menacingly. Then, he turned to the entrance of the cave. "A human child is in danger."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL bolted out of the cave as soon as Nystrom said that a human child was in danger.


    She was d that she did because she would have been toote if she didn''t move fast. When she got out of the cave, she saw a Crades in the form of a serpent with two heads that was about to eat a young boy.


    When she reached the Crades, she cracked her knuckles. And then, she lifted her hand andnded a heavy punch against the serpent''s body. As soon as her fist connected to the monster, she let out a red me that instantly burned the Crades.


    After that, the monster was sent flying. But even before the Crades hit the tree behind it, it already turned into ashes.


    <em>Small fry.</em>


    After making sure that the enemy was taken care of, she immediately turned to look for the human child. She was relieved to see that Nystrom was on his knee while checking on the kid.


    "How is the child, my lord?" Soleil asked worriedly while walking towards them. Then, she also got down on one knee to look at the human child. The young boy''s appearance surprised her. "He looks pretty."


    Pretty, but a little strange.


    The young boy had white hair and pale skin. He also looked skinny. Upon looking closer, she realized that he wasn''t that young.


    <em>He''s probably around ten or twelve years old?</em>


    And he looked so skinny.


    It looked like the kid hasn''t eaten or drank any water for days.


    Nystrom used his arm to help the young boy get up. And then, he raised his other hand. It was empty at first. But when she blinked, his palm was suddenly filled with clear water. He made the child drink it.


    "You have ice and water Mana?" she asked in surprise. "You''re amazing, Lord Nystrom."


    And you''re pretty," Nystrom said, then he turned to look at her face. He still looked stoic, but there was a tinge of pink on his cheeks. "You are very pretty, Soleil."


    The unexpected ttery instantly made her cheeks burn.


    She knew that she was the one who asked him if she was pretty. But she didn''t expect him to answer her question while they were in the middle of helping a child! She wasn''t prepared, and so she could only stare back at him with a stunned look on her face.


    <em>Lord Nystrom thinks I''m pretty!</em>


    And he said it while his golden eyes were glowing beautifully.


    To say that she was overjoyed would be an understatement.


    But her celebration was cut-short when the young boy suddenly coughed and sat up on his own. And when the human child opened his eyes, she was a little surprise at what she saw.


    <em>Red eyes?</em>


    "Child, are you okay?" she asked worriedly when she got over her shock. "What are you doing here alone?"


    "I-I got lost," the young boy said in a weak voice.


    Soleil''s heart broke for the weak child. "Who are you and where is your family?"


    "I d-don''t have a family," the young boy with white hair, red eyes, and pale skin said in a shaking voice. "M-My name is A-Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 163: The Promise

    Chapter 163: The Promise


    "LADY Soleil, are you waiting for Lord Nystrom?"


    Soleil didn''t have to turn around to know that it was Saint Alec who joined her while she was star gazing on the roof. First, she knew the saint''s voice and presence very well. Second, he was the only one in the temple who would call her "Lady Soleil" instead of "Lady Rosenberg."


    Humans called people higher in rank with their title andst name.


    But for people like them, they would just usually call their acquaintances with their title (either a dy'' or a ''lord'') and their first name. That signified their "closeness" as "people on the same level" even if they weren''t close on a personal level.


    "I''m not," Soleil denied even though she knew that the saint knew she was lying. Right now, she was sitting on the tiled roof while wrapped in thick nket. She wasn''t really cold but her brother Winchell forced her to take the nket so she wouldn''t get sick. "I''m just watching the moon. It looks extra pretty tonight."


    But it only looked pretty in her eyes because it was the night that she met Nystrom in that same roof five years ago.


    That was also the first andst time that she saw Nystrom in Lumira Temple.


    "You were never fond of the moon," Saint Alec said with a lightugh, then he sat down next to her. "You''re the Daughter of the Sun, Lady Soleil."


    She turned to the saint.


    As far as she knew, he was already a century old. But he still looked like a man in his thirties. Saint Alec had pretty light brown hair and chocte brown eyes. Okay, he looked normal. But his divine aura made him appear very gentle and nice.


    <em>I''m sorry, Your Holiness. I was surrounded by children with very conventional beauty so my standards are quite high.</em>


    By "children," she meant Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth.


    And yes, she wouldn''t deny that one of her negative traits was she could be too fixated on people''s physical appearance. She was trying her best to teach herself that everyone was beautiful and had different unique charms.


    Now that she was already ady, she didn''t have an excuse to be shallow anymore.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    "What does being the "Daughter of the Sun" mean, Your Holiness?" she asked curiously. "My father isn''t the sun."


    The saint justughed it off. "You''ll understand your origin once you reach the heavens, Lady Soleil."


    "Then, I will never find it out."


    He let out a deep sigh. "Lady Soleil, are you really sure that you want to be reincarnated instead of bing a god?"


    When the "favored children" entered the Lumira Temple, they already gave up their physical body. It was because no living person could enter the temple except for the saint and the High Priest. After all, Lumira Temple was in the middle of mortal world and the afterlife.


    But whenever they went out of the temple, they automatically acquire their "human form." It wasn''t the same as their physical body and that form could onlyst for a few hours.


    All of that was a part of their preparation before ascending to the heavens.


    <em>And yes, I am giving it up.</em>


    "My childhood memories include being hunted down by humans who are afraid of our n''s fire attribute," she said with a sad smile. "Hiding became particrly harder for our parents because my brother and I were born with "divine powers.""


    The members of their n could only produce small fire enough to light up a firece and not to use it to fight.


    But she and Winchell were different. They could create big mes that could burn anything to ashes. Her brother even manifested into a red phoenix at one point. As in Winchell grew red ming wings and flew around theirnd.


    <em>Yes, my dumb brother exposed himself to the humans around us.</em>


    Thankfully, Saint Alec came to them during that time. To protect her and Winchell, their parents decided to entrust their lives to the saint. She wanted to stay with her n but her brother made a fuss until she agreed to enter the temple with him.


    "I went here not because I want to be a god," she confessed. "I only entered the temple with my brother to lessen the burden of our n. As long as my brother and I are here, it will be easier for them to blend in with humans."


    Her family, in particr, was very wealthy they were "old money."


    She was technically a princess and her brother a prince. But since their n was known for their modesty, they tried to live as humbly as possible. Still, it didn''t change the fact that they were considered royalties.


    "The years I spent here only convinced me that this isn''t the life that I want," she continued in a firm voice. "I''m grateful for everything that you''ve done for us, Your Holiness. But despite everything, I see the temple as nothing but a big cage."


    "Do you regret giving up your physical body to enter the temple, Lady Soleil?"


    She shook her head. "I don''t," she said. "I love my life here. I like Brother Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth. We all get along well even though we banter all the time. And because we share the same experience, we can depend on each other. Still, my heart feels empty."


    "You love the human n too much, Lady Soleil," the saint said carefully.


    "I just believe that stronger people should protect the weaker ones," she said. "I don''t want to waste the power bestowed upon me by living afortable life in the heavens."


    Saint Alec smiled at her. "Alright, I won''t question your decision anymore," he said in a tone as if he already gave up convincing her to change her mind. "I know that whatever path you choose, you''ll still shine. After all, you are the Daughter of the Sun, Lady Soleil."


    Soleil smiled and looked up at the moon. "I hope I see him again before I get reincarnated."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL let out a frustrated sigh when she found herself alone in the dining hall.


    She was supposed to eat with Winchell, Elis, and Ainsworth. But obviously, they didn''t have any intent to eat with her. Again.


    <em>It''s been a week since they started to ignore me.</em>


    In fact, she hadn''t seen the three men since they decided to "rebel" against her. Not even their shadows. They were trying to guilt trip her for "abandoning" them.


    <em>They''re so childish.</em>


    She had enough of their tantrums so she stood up. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and was about to leave the dining hall to look for the brats when she heard that familiar deep, cold voice.


    "Are you not having dinner?"


    She turned to the owner of the voice


    and she was greeted by the most handsome face that she had everid eyes on.


    <em>Lord Nystrom!</em>


    She covered her mouth with her hands when she let out a small gasp.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that she suddenly got emotional. God, her eyes were suddenly blessed with the sight of that beautiful face.


    Nystrom was already very handsome five years ago. But now, he looked manlier. He was taller and leaner now. Also, his shoulders were broader. It seemed like the years did nothing but make him even more perfect.


    The elegant ck and gold robe that he wore made him look even more majestic.


    "Soleil?" Nystrom called her in that sexy voice of his. "Can I join you for dinner?"


    She immediately sat down. "Of course, Lord Nystrom."


    He nodded as thanks before he sat on the chair opposite to hers.


    In the temple, they didn''t have servants to assist them during meals. The servants would just prepare the table and take out all the food.


    "Lord Nystrom, may I know what brought you here?" she asked excitedly. "Are you staying for the night?"


    He nodded while looking at the variety of food on the table. "I''ll be staying in the temple until the Doors of Heaven opens.


    She gasped. That would be one year from now! So, that meant that she''d be spending time with him for a long time. She couldn''t help but smile at the good news. "Thank you, Lord Nystrom."


    He looked at her with a confused but amused look on his face. "Thank you for what?"


    "For blessing my eyes with your pretty face," Soleil said with a shy smile. "I''ve missed you, Lord Nystrom."


    Nystrom''s face turned pink, then he looked down on the feast as if he was too shy to meet her gaze. "I feel the same, Soleil."


    Ah, maybe she fell in love all over again.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Soleil was happy while walking with Nystrom in the rose garden would be an understatement.


    <em>Is this really happening?</em>


    Right after their dinner, she asked him to walk with him for faster digestion. But of course, that was just an excuse. She just wanted to spend more time with him.


    "Lord Nystrom, how''s Aku?" Soleil asked carefully. "Is he doing well?"


    After they saved the child who introduced himself to them as ''Aku Moonchester,'' Nystrom brought him to his estate. After all, the "snake n" wasn''t just known for creating poisons. They were also famous for creating the best medicines for almost all known diseases to man.


    That was also thest time that she saw Nystrom.


    "He disappeared," Nystrom said casually. "Aku left two years ago."


    "Oh," she said.


    But she had a feeling that Nystrom that wasn''t telling the whole truth. She felt like there was more to it than what he told her. Knowing that it was none of her business, she didn''t ask more questions.


    "Soleil," he said, then he stopped walking and turned to her. "Are you really not going to ascend the heavens to be a god?"


    She faced him properly, then she looked up at him before she nodded. "Yes, Lord Nystrom."


    "Ah."


    <em>It''s now or never.</em>


    She took a deep sigh, then she finally gathered the courage to say the thing that she always wanted to tell him. "Lord Nystrom, let''s meet again in our next lifetime."


    "How can we meet again in the next lifetime?"


    "Look for me," she demanded while her heart was beating loud and hard against her chest. She was nervous but if she didn''t make a move now, nothing would start between them. "If you find me in our next lifetime, I will make it worthwhile for you, Lord Nystrom."


    He raised a curious brow at her. "And how will you do that?"


    "I know that we''re the same, Lord Nystrom," she said bravely. "The temple feels like a big cage for me. I don''t know much about your life so I could be wrong. But for some reason, I feel that the snake n is a shackle to you. That they imprison you in a life that you didn''t choose for yourself."


    Everyone knew how precious Nystrom was to the "snake n." That was why he barely got out of their huge estate. Maybe she was getting ahead of herself. But his empty eyes told her that he wasn''t living the way he wanted to.


    Or maybe he didn''t know that there was a life outside his n.


    "Let''s live freely once we''re reborn, Lord Nystrom," she said firmly. This time, she was more confident. "You and me together. But of course, only when you want to."


    His golden eyes glowed beautifully. "You and me together. I like the sound of it."


    She was relieved to hear that. "So, it''s a promise?"


    He nodded firmly.


    Soleil smiled and then, she lifted a hand and extended her pinky finger to him. "Promise that you''ll find me in our next lives, Lord Nystrom."


    "I promise," Nystrom said, then he hooked his pinky finger with hers while looking at her warmly. "I will find you whatever happens, Soleil."


    If Soleil and Nystrom knew what would happen once they got reunited as the Supreme Fire Mage and Kalel Moonchester, maybe they wouldn''t have made that promise


    the promise that began their downfall.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 164: Face the Music

    Chapter 164: Face the Music


    TILLY woke up crying. The long dream that she had was so vivid it hurt her heart. She wanted to ponder on it for a moment.


    But as soon as she felt a strange presence in the room, she touched the tattoo around her wrist and grabbed the iron crab mallet as soon as it manifested in the air. Then, she got up and pointed it at the stranger beside her bed.


    She covered Winter''s tiny body with her other hand. Also, she noticed that Sentinel was unconscious on the floor.


    "Who are you?" Tilly asked threateningly at the silhouette in front of her. <em>Dammit, I can''t see clearly.</em>


    The room was very dark. Only the moonlighting through the open balcony served as light. And the intruder was standing against it.


    She could make out a silhouette of a man wearing a robe though. He was tall, lean, and he had long hair. Come to think of it, the stranger''s built could belong to a woman. But for some reason, she was very sure that the one in front of her was a man.


    "What is <em>that?"</em> the intruder, who sounded like a man, asked in disbelief. "What are you holding, mydy?"


    She slowly and carefully stood up to hide Winter behind her.


    "A crab mallet, duh," she answered. Then, she gripped the handle tighter until the red me from her hand engulfed the crab mallet. "This is thest time I''m going to ask. Who are you"


    Her voice trailed-off when she got to see a glimpse of the intruder''s face.


    Thanks to the light that her me created, the room lit up significantly.


    <em>Oh, god.</em>


    The intruder''s face was very gentle but his light gray eyes were cold. And familiar. She felt a tightening of her chest while looking at him.


    And then, she remembered where she saw that face.


    <em>He''s one of the "favored children" in my dream!</em>


    "That kind of weapon doesn''t suit you, mydy," the intruder said in a cold but somewhat worried voice. "You should wield a bow and arrow like you used to."


    She smirked at that. "Who gave you the right to tell me what to do? My life, my choice."


    He fell silent for a second. Then, he smiled a bit. "You haven''t changed at all. Even from the time before you were reborn as the Supreme, you''ve always had that attitude."


    In the blink of an eye, the intruder was already standing so close to her.


    She gasped in surprise and tried to hit the man with her iron crab mallet. But he just held her by the wrist to stop her attack. When it didn''t work, she made her body literally burn.


    He just smiled as if he was amused. Then, a gush of violent wind circted around them.


    She closed her eyes when the harsh wind almost hurt her eyes. And then, she felt her me disappear when the mini tornado stopped.


    <em>His wind extinguished my me?</em>


    She opened her eyes in shock, then she looked up at the intruder with horror in her eyes.


    <em>No it can''t be</em>


    She remembered her dream again. The intruder just didn''t look like the one she saw in her dream. He also had the same ability.


    <em>Does it mean that dream isn''t a mere dream?</em>


    "You''re still weak, mydy," he told her while shaking his head. "It''s time for you to wake up and reim your title as the Supreme. To do that" He put a finger on her temple. "You have to unseal your memories first."


    She raised her left hand and pped the man hard. Hard enough that his cheeks turned red. If you look closely, you might even see the mark of her hand.


    The intruder looked shocked by what she did.


    She used that chance to kick him hard between his legs. Whatever he was, he was still a man. As long as he had well, excuse her for theck of a better term balls, she could kill him by crushing them hard, right?


    It looked like she hurt him but he still didn''t let go of her hand.


    <em>Dammit! Are his balls made of steel?!</em>


    She was about to kick him in the crotch again but all of a sudden, little ice daggers suddenly pierced through his arm the one holding her wrist and that forced him to let go of her.


    <em>Winter!</em>


    She knew it was Winter because the small ice daggers looked like the ones he used to attack Julian a while ago.


    Of course, she didn''t let that chance slip. She kicked him hard and that made him stumble.


    Knowing that her iron crab mallet wouldn''t work on him, she dropped it. As soon as she did, it went back around her wrist as a tattoo. Then, she turned her back on the enemy and carefully carried Winter (who was now awake) in her arms. She tried to run but the next thing that the intruder said made her stop.


    "Mydy, stop protecting the ck Serpent!"


    She froze in her tracks. Her mind was telling her to run and secure Winter''s safety first. But her body suddenly had a mind of its own. The next thing she knew, she was already turning around to face the intruder. "I''m protecting the ck Serpent?" she asked, anger slowly rising in her chest. Just hearing the name of that goddamned "beast god" was enough to make her want to puke. "How am I protecting that f*ckingrge reptile?"


    She was aware that it was the descendants of the ck Reptile who killed her father and not the ck Serpent itself.


    But still, hearing that name reminded her of her father''s untimely death.


    The intruder looked shocked. "Supreme, when did you learn to curse?"


    "Don''t change the subject," she hissed. "I know that people treat me like I''m the Supreme of the past because I have the heart of the Red Phoenix. But this is the first time that someone associated with me with the ck Serpent," she said in a confused but angry tone. "Exin. What is my connection to that goddamned reptile?"


    The intruder fell silent as if he was contemting whether to answer her question or not.


    She wanted to press him for more answers but all of a sudden, Winter cried loudly. When she looked down to check on her baby, she was surprised to see that his tiny body was now covered with thin ice.


    That was when she realized that her body was abnormally hot now. Winter probably covered himself with ice to protect himself from getting burned.


    She instantly felt guilty.


    "I''m so sorry, my baby," she said in a panicky voice while trying to cool down her body temperature to normal. "Mommy is really, really sorry."


    "Mydy, don''t get attached to the Moon Serpent."


    She red at the intruder and was about to tell him to f*ck off.


    But all of a sudden, the doors of the room burst open. It was followed by hundreds of sharp ice spears flying towards the intruder. And then, a very angry Kiho entered the room. His face was stoic but the rapid rise of his Mana was enough to let everyone know that he was pissed.


    And his anger was directed at the long-haired man.


    Unfortunately, the intruder was able to protect himself by creating a violent air around his whole body. The wind was so harsh that Kiho''s ice spears broke into million tiny pieces even before they reached him.


    <em>The long-haired dude is really strong.</em>


    She was distracted when Kiho stood protectively in front of her.


    "Tilly, are you and Winter okay?" Kiho asked in a low and worried voice. "I''m sorry I''mte, honey."


    "It''s okay, hon," she assured him. "Winter and I are both safe."


    "That''s a relief," he said. "Wait here, honey. I''ll just take out the trash."


    And just like that, Kiho disappeared.


    The next thing she saw, her husband was alreadying at the intruder. When the two shed, they disappeared. And then, she heard a loud crash outside.


    <em>Please be safe, Kiho.</em>


    "It''s okay, baby," Tilly whispered to Winter while rocking him gently. Thankfully, his son already melted the ice around him. Winter also looked calm by now. "Your daddy and I will protect you."


    ***


    KIHO tried to grab the strange guy but much to his frustration, he was fast. The intruder was moving like a wind that no one could grasp.


    <em>Dammit!</em>


    He tried to attack the stranger with hundreds of sharp ice spears but then, his sharp wind cut each ice spear wlessly.


    Even though he didn''t have the upperhand in the fight yet, he was grateful that he asked the ck Serpent Knights to stay inside the mansion and protect his family instead of helping him take down the intruder. Of course, his family included all the servants in the mansion.


    Tilly taught him to treat people living with them as family.


    "Pathetic," the intruder said while floating in the air and looking down at him. "Your current form is seriously pathetic."


    Kiho''s brows furrowed in confusion. "My "current form?""


    The stranger smirked mockingly, then he opened his mouth to answer his question


    but all of a sudden, another floating individual appeared behind the intruder and kicked him at the back of his head.


    It seemed like the stranger didn''t expect the attack and so, he fell on the ground.


    "Duke Nystrom!" Captain Sherwood, who was still floating in the air, called him cheerfully. "Did you miss me?"


    Kiho, unimpressed, just let out a deep sigh. <em>The sasaeng fan is back.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY gently and carefully put Winter, who was now asleep again, on the bed. Then, she sat beside her baby before she looked at Luna who was carefully putting Julian, who was also asleep, next to her son.


    After Kiho left the room to fight the intruder, the witch came with Julian. Luna was followed by the ck Serpent Knights but she asked them to stay outside her room. Also, she asked some of them to guard the servants of the mansion.


    Sentinel, on the other hand, returned to her heart to recuperate.


    "I''m sorry it took us a while to notice the intruder''s presence, Lady Nystrom," Luna said softly, probably to not awaken the babies. "When we did, we had a hard time cracking the barrier around the room. Thankfully, Duke Nystrom was able to blow it up in time."


    "Really?" Tilly asked in surprise. "I didn''t hear anything outside."


    "It was because of the barrier," the witch exined. "Are you really okay, mydy?"


    She nodded. "Do you know the intruder, Miss Luna?"


    "I believe that he''s the Blue Dragon, Lady Nystrom."


    Her whole body felt cold all of a sudden. It was as if cold water was suddenly poured over her. Moreover, for the first time in her life, she felt like she was finally awake.


    "Elis Ripperton," she said, repeating the name that she remembered from her dream.


    She didn''t call the intruder that name a while ago because she was still in-denial. But now, after some thought, she finally epted the fact that she didn''t have a long dream.


    What she saw was a piece of memory.


    "Did the Blue Dragon tell you his name, mydy?"


    She shook her head. "I met him in a dream."


    The witch looked confused by what she said.


    "Miss Luna, I''m not a descendant of the Supreme, am I?" she asked with a weak smile. "I am her. I was reincarnated after refusing to enter the heavens as a god."


    Panic crossed Miss Luna''s eyes. This was the first time that she saw that look on the witch ever since the day that she met her. But as expected, she regained herposure right away. Then, she tried to put a hand on her head.


    She grabbed the witch by the wrist. She had a feeling that Luna was about to put her to sleep or mess with her memory. Of course, she wouldn''t let her do that especially not when she still had some important questions to ask.


    "What was the Supreme''s connection with the ck Serpent?" Tilly asked in a sad voice. Of course, she''d be sad. To be honest, she didn''t have to ask Luna what the Supreme''s rtionship with the ck Serpent was. She saw it in her "dream." Not really waiting for the witch''s confirmation, she then asked the question that somewhat crushed her heart. "Is Kiho the reincarnation of the ck Serpent?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong>Hi. I was in Discord a while ago and I just found out that the winners of WIN-WIN event would get features. I haven''t reached 500 privilege readers yet so I might now make the cute. Still, if you can spare a coin, please, please please purchase my priv chapters. You can unlock two chapters in advance for a coin, and 50 coins for 5 chapters. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 165: Wide Awake

    Chapter 165: Wide Awake


    ELIS realized that he hasn''t regained his full-strength when he fell down on the ground after a surprise attack.


    Thankfully, he was able tond on his feet. As soon as he did, he created a whip of wind that wrapped itself around his assants'' legs. Then, he made a pulled the whip hard until the "guest" fell on the ground face first.


    While he was distracted, the ck Serpent used that chance to attack. This time, Nystrom was holding a sword.


    <em>Not his stupid ice staff-spear?</em>


    Times had really changed, huh?


    He tried to increase his Mana but he suddenly felt a painful throb against his chest. It was a clear indication that his body hasn''t properly recovered yet. Leaving his shrine after he just woke up was indeed a huge risk.


    But it was worth it because he met Lady Rosenberg again after such a long time.


    It was a sad reunion but he didn''t care.


    Thanks to his distraction, Nystrom was able tond a decent hit on him. He actually managed to stab his chest with the de of his sword. But unfortunately for the ck Serpent, he couldn''t pierce it through his heart.


    In fact, the de of his sword broke into two leaving Nystrom in shock.


    Elis''s body was already covered by blue scales by then. Of course, his dragon scales were harder than steel. There was no way an ordinary sword could pierce through his "skin." "Why are you shocked that you can''t win against me the Blue Dragon the strongest Beast God?" he asked Nystrom while his body was starting to fade. "Have you realized the gap between our abilities now, Nystrom?"


    "For an extrarge snake, you''re too arrogant," Nystrom deadpanned. "The next time we meet, I will break your stupid scales like how I crack the shells of King Crabs before I devour them, Blue Dragon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FOR SOMEONE who lost to my ancestor, you''re too arrogant, Duke Nystrom."


    Kiho turned to re at Captain Sherwood who just stood up while wiping his bloody nose with a handkerchief. "I didn''t lose," he insisted. "It was a tie."


    "Sure," Captain Sherwood said, obviously not convinced with what he said. The captain even changed the subject right away. "Anyway, I''m d that I finished my long mission just in time to be of help to you, Your Grace. Now that I''m back, I won''t leave your side anymore."


    He just gave the captain a nk stare. "Now I know why I feel irritated whenever I see you. You''re the extrarge snake''s descendant."


    For some reason, he already developed a bad blood with that stupid Blue Dragon.


    <em>He summons an ungodly amount of rage in my chest.</em>


    "Don''t be mean, Duke Nystrom," the captainined. "I''m not a direct descendant anyway."


    He just rolled his eyes. "Go home."


    "Duke Nystrom, the Blue Dragon is awake now," the captain reminded him. "I heard that House Ainsworth has already switched sides to acquire the Golden Tiger."


    He wouldn''t say that he was surprised to know that Captain Sherwood knew what was happening even though he was away for a mission. After all, House Sherwood was the "Bookkeepers" of the empire. They had their ways of gathering information.


    "Duke Nystrom, House Sherwood is on your side. To serve you properly, I swear on my life that I will protect Lady Nystrom and your newly born son forever," Captain Sherwood said seriously. Then, he got down on one knee, put a hand on his chest, and bowed to him. "Please ept my pledge of loyalty, my lord."


    He was in a tight spot.


    As a husband and a father, he didn''t want Captain Sherwood near Tilly and Winter because he still didn''t trust the captain fully.


    But as a knight, he knew that they needed all the support that they could get. House Sherwood was sketchy, yes. But on the other hand, House Sherwood was an old family with more than enough wealth and power to be a useful ally.


    <em>We shouldpromise.</em>


    "I will only ept you on our side if you pledge your loyalty to Tilly and Winter," Kiho said firmly, his golden eyes glowing menacingly. "Moreover, I want the kind of pledge that will instantly kill you if you break your promise."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY didn''t have to wait for Luna''s verbal response.


    The witch''s eyes clearly confirmed her thoughts.


    <em>Kiho is indeed the reincarnation of the ck Serpent.</em>


    If she was the Supreme that she saw in her "dream," she could only think of one person who could be the ck Serpent that she loved.


    She knew in her heart that it could only be Kiho.


    <em>Now I know why the prophecy chose us to be the parents of the Moon Serpent.</em>


    "How dare you keep this a secret to us?" Tilly asked her bitterly, tears of anger forming at the corner of her eyes. She was so mad that she wanted to scream. But she reminded herself that Winter and Julian were sleeping peacefully on the bed. She couldn''t lose herself and hurt the innocent children. "Miss Luna, my father went to the North to dig my husband''s past. If you told us who Kiho is from the start, my father and Lord Denver wouldn''t have gone to the North. They wouldn''t have died."


    Luna, with an emotional look on her face that she hadn''t seen before, stood up and walked towards her. Then, she kneeled and bowed her head low until her forehead almost hit the floor. "Please forgive me, Lady Nystrom."


    She was about to say something but all of a sudden, she felt a tug in her heart.


    The next thing she knew, Sentinel already came out. As soon as he did, he kneeled and bowed his head the same way the witch did.


    "I beg your forgiveness, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said in a voice filled with regret. "We failed to protect the people around you."


    She took a deep breath to calm herself. "Give me one solid reason why I should forgive you."


    The two fell silent for a few moments.


    "You and Duke Nystrom can''t retrieve your memories at the same time, mydy," Sentinel said without raising his head. "If you fully awakened as the Supreme and Duke Nystrom finally remembered that he''s the ck Serpent, both of you will try to kill each other."


    She gasped when she heard that. "Kiho and I will kill each other if we remember our past lives?"


    "Yes, mydy," Luna and Sentinel said at the same time.


    "We were working hard to make sure that your memories remain sealed," the witch said. "But the Blue Dragon''s "visit" tonight was unexpected. I have a feeling that he was the one who made you dream of the past, Lady Nystrom."


    She needed time to absorb that.


    <em>Kiho and I will have to kill each other?</em>


    "In my dream, the Supreme and the ck Serpent promised each other that they will meet again," she said in a confused voice. "What happened when they got reunited? What happened to the Supreme and the ck Serpent before Kiho and I were reincarnated as Tilly Prescott and Captain Kiho?"


    "We cannot speak of that, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said firmly. "But all I can say is it ended tragically."


    She felt a squeeze in her heart when she heard that. "Did the Supreme and the ck Serpent love each other?"


    "The Supreme loved the ck Serpent with all her heart," Sentinel said. "She loved him enough to marry him despite everything."


    Oh, they were married. But that wasn''t the answer that she wanted to hear. "How about the ck Serpent then? They were married, yes. But did he love her?"


    Luna and Sentinel fell silent.


    She clutched her chest tight. The two''s silence was deafening and heartbreaking. But to be honest, she didn''t know if she could handle it if they gave her a verbal response.


    <em>He didn''t love her.</em>


    At that moment, she suddenly remembered her conversation with the Supreme before.


    <em>"Who fell in love first? Was it you or your husband?"</em>


    Tears fell down her cheeks now that she fully understood why the Supreme had to ask that.


    She wanted to ask more questions but she refrained from doing so. If she sought more answers, she might suddenly remember her past.


    "It''s going to be fine as long as we don''t remember our past lives, right?" she asked hopefully.


    Luna and Sentinel raised their head and gave her a confused look.


    "I''d like to think that the Supreme and the ck Serpent werepletely different people from us," she said in desperation. She knew that she was still in-denial. But what could she do? She couldn''t lose Kiho now. And she didn''t want their present to be ruined just because of the past. "I don''t want to know what happened between them. I want to continue living as Tilly and I want Kiho to remain as Kiho."


    Luna and Sentinel both gave her a look of pity.


    "Please look after Winter and Julian for a while," she said, then she stood up and bolted out of the room.


    To be honest, she still had questions about the "descendants" of the ck Serpent.


    If Kiho was the ck Serpent, then that only meant that it was his descendants who killed her father and Lord Denver. But if they were really his descendants, then that meant they were her descendants as well. The Supreme and the ck Serpent were married then, right?


    Did her father discover that? Was that why her father asked her to believe in Kiho only? Then, if that was the case, she would trust her father.


    No matter how trustworthy Luna and Sentinel were, she would only believe in Kiho.


    God, she felt like she was going crazy.


    <em>There''s a storm in my head.</em>


    "Tilly?"


    She was on the top of the staircase when Kiho called her. When she saw him on the bottom of the staircase, she jumped and yelled. "Catch me, Kiho!"


    Kiho''s eye widened when she jumped from the staircase. But of course, he moved fast to catch her. When he did, he hugged her tight while scolding her. "Honey, that was dangerous."


    "I know that you will catch me no matter what," she reasoned while clinging to his neck like a monkey. Then, she wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her face against his neck. "Kiho, do you love me?"


    "I do," he answered softly, not missing a beat. Then, he hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Tilly."


    She was happy to hear him say that he loved her. But she burst out crying out of frustration. Why couldn''t she find her voice to tell him that she loved him, too?


    "Honey, what''s wrong?" he asked worriedly. "Are you crying?"


    "Don''t leave me, Kiho," she begged him. "Don''t hate me. Don''t forget that you love me no matter what happens."


    "I will never leave you, Tilly," Kiho promised her gently without even asking why she was acting that way. "I will never hate you. And I will never forget that I love you no matter what happens."


    His wordsced with sincerity calmed her down.


    She also loved how he would always ask her if she was alright, but wouldn''t force her to share what was on her mind unless she was ready to do so. He always let her set the pace of their rtionship. And despite everything, he never looked tired of waiting for her to open up to him.


    Kiho was just always there by her side. He was very supportive, thoughtful, and kind to her. He was the husband that she prayed for.


    She didn''t know what happened between the Supreme and the ck Serpent, and she didn''t have any intention to know if it meant losing what she had with Kiho now. One thing was for certain though: she wouldn''t let history repeat itself.


    This time, they would make it work.


    Tilly closed her eyes and kissed the side of his neck, and then she whispered: "Let''s figure this out together, Kiho."


    ***


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: Hi. Have you seen the "new" cover? It''s the same image but the texts are different. I''m thinking about changing the story''s title from MOMMY VILLAINESS to <strong>MOMMY VILLAINESS: THE LADY WITH THE CRAB MALLET.</strong>


    I already talked to my editor and she said I can still change the book title.


    What do you think? I have considered ''<em>The Beast Priestess</em>'' and ''<em>The Heart of the Red Phoenix</em>,'' but I thought the crab mallet thingy fits the story more. And I think it''s kind of unique? I think most of us have a soft spot for Tilly''s crab mallet. Hehe!


    I don''t want to get rid of the ''Mommy Viiness'' since I think it''s what captured the attention of some of you. Also, Tilly as a "mommy viiness" will be relevant again in the uing arc.


    Anyway, I didn''t expect that the story will turn out this way. When I started writing <em>Mommy Viiness</em>, I just wanted a heroine with a past as a "viiness" that will eventually be the best mommy ever. And thus, the simple title. Joke''s on me, the story suddenly becameplex. Haha! :D


    Anyway, pleasement down and let me know what you think. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 166: Obsession

    Chapter 166: Obsession


    "WELCOME back, Lord Ripperton."


    Elis was back at the shrine. Much to his annoyance, he found Aku Moonchester sitting on his coffin while having tea. He may have agreed to be the Guardian of the Moonchesters but that didn''t mean that he had to like the "royal" family. "You''re still here," he said while tying his hair up with the belt of his robe that he used as a ponytail.


    Then, he summoned his sharp wind to cut his hair off.


    Aku whistled as if he was amused by what he did. "Have you cracked the seal in Lady Nystrom''s memory?"


    "The seal in her memory is very strong. I was only able to crack a portion of it," he said, then his brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait, "Lady Nystrom?""


    "Kiho chose ''Nystrom'' as his family name this time," the emperor exined. "I sealed the memories of his past life but for some reason, he was still able to remember that name."


    "After all these years, you can''t still do anything right," he mocked him while brushing his now short hair with his fingers.


    "I see that your tongue is as sharp as ever, Lord Ripperton," the emperor said with a smile, but he could see a glint of anger in his red eyes. "But don''t forget that right now, I''m the emperor of Moonchester Empire."


    He scoffed. "You just stole everything from the crown to thend where your "empire" is built, Aku."


    Aku was obviously insulted because he let out a killing aura.


    Of course, he didn''t let a mere human threaten him. He released a bloodlust much stronger than the emperor''s. "You''re just a child who failed to be a god, Aku Moonchester," he said menacingly. "Know your ce."


    The emperor, now calm, justughed it off. "We''re not enemies, Lord Ripperton," he said. "I apologize for crossing the line."


    He just rolled his eyes. "Aku Moonchester, you haven''t forgotten about our deal, have you?"


    That deal was the only reason why he agreed to be the Moonchesters'' Guardian.


    "Of course I haven''t," the emperor assured him. "As soon as I crushed Lady Nystrom''s heart, she''s all yours."


    "It''s not Soleil''s heart," he corrected him. "The heart inside her right now is Winchell''s."


    When Winchell gave his heart to Soleil, that jerk was already a Beast God. Winchell''s heart as the Red Phoenix was special. It doesn''t matter even if the heart was iplete. As long as the huge part of it was inside Soleil''s body, she''d live. That was one of the strange but useful abilities of the Red Phoenix.


    <em>As soon as Soleil remembers her past, the pieces of Winchell''s heart scattered all over the world will return toplete the heart.</em>


    And once that happened, Soleil''s Mana would return to its original state.


    "Right. It''s Lord Winchell Rosenberg''s heart," Aku said while nodding. "Like what we talked about before, I will leave a portion of the heart in Lady Nystrom so that she wouldn''t die right away. But how will you rece her heart? A tiny piece of Lord Rosenberg''s heart won''t keep her alive for so long even if she''s the Supreme."


    "I''ll take care of it," he said. "All I need is for you to make it look like that you killed Soleil so that Nystrom won''t look for her anymore."


    He also needed Aku to crush Winchell''s heart so that the Red Phoenix''s connection to Soleil would finally get cut off.


    Unfortunately, only the emperor could crush Winchell''s heart and keep her alive after that.


    That crucial moment was what he was after. He needed Aku''s ability to "revive" a person in the brink of dead. Once that moment was over, he could finally have Soleil to himself.


    For that reason, he gave up a lot of things as a god.


    "I will help you get Lady Nystrom in this lifetime, Lord Ripperton," Aku promised him, then he stood up with his cup of tea in his hand. "I''ll prepare a room for you, my lord."


    Elis just nodded, then he snapped his fingers when he remembered something. "Where''s the little tiger?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I WILL not go to Aku''s pce just to meet that freaking Blue Dragon!" Ainsworth yelled while flipping the table in front of him. Of course, he saved the bottle of beer in his hand. "Don''t make me repeat myself, Dustin!"


    Right now, he was in the shrine that House Ainsworth built in his honor.


    He was in the middle of his midnight drinking session when Dustin, the current head of House Ainsworth, went to his home to ry the emperor''s urgent message.


    "My lord, please refrain from calling His Majesty by his name," Dustin, who was kneeling before him with his head hanged low, said in a worried voice. "The order came directly from His Majesty. We cannot simply ignore his summon."


    "I can and I will," he growled. "Dustin Ainsworth, you and your goddamn n are carrying my name. If I am the god that you truly want to serve, then don''t you dare serve that kid emperor. We are not on his side."


    He didn''t care if Aku Moonchester was now an emperor.


    That little monster was only a kid when he met him before he ascended the heaven as the Golden Tiger. Then, when he descended back to earth, he met him as Prince Auro Moonchester. He would never recognize that kid as someone higher than his Big Sister Soleil.


    Wait he didn''t say "big sister," okay?


    <em>I mean, Soleil Rosenberg.</em>


    Dustin raised his head to look at him with a confused look on his face. "Lord Ainsworth, what do you mean by we''re not on His Majesty''s side?"


    "I only obeyed Aku''s first order as a way to repay him for waking up my human form," he said. "But that doesn''t mean I will obey him again."


    To be honest, he was practically bluffing at this point.


    He knew that if Aku used the bracelet, he could make him obey his every order despite his will. The only one who could break the bracelet''s effect on them was Soleil. But unfortunately, her memories and her real Mana were both sealed.


    "Lord Ainsworth, are you saying that we''re going to betray His Majesty?" Dustin asked in a serious tone. "House Ainsworth pledged our alliance with the emperor in exchange of your freedom. Disobeying His Majesty''s order is the same as treason."


    "You can''t betray someone you never really served in the first ce," he growled, then he drank the bottle of beer in one gulp. "Now, leave me alone," he said. "Just tell the kid emperor that you can''t find me."


    Dustin bowed his head, obviously giving up on convincing him to go to the pce to meet the Blue Dragon. "As you wish, Lord Ainsworth."


    Finally, his descendant left him alone in his home.


    Ainsworth lied down on the floor on his back and stared at the ceiling. Of course, he felt it when Elis awakened. That was exactly why he hid in his shrine.


    <em>Wait, saying that I hid made it sound like a coward.</em>


    In the end, Ainsworth couldn''t deny it to himself. No matter how many years had passed, Elis Ripperton would always make him feel scared. One of the things that traumatized him when he was still human was still vivid in his mind


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong><em>[Before the Beast Gods ascended to heaven]</em></strong>


    "B-BIG BROTHER Elis, w-what did you do?" Ainsworth asked in a trembling voice even though he already knew what Elis did.


    He was busy training in the woods near the falls when Elis came. If Soleil "scared" him because she was always scolding (and roasting) him, Elis scared him because he knew that Elis was capable of killing him (or anyone who wasn''t Soleil) mercilessly.


    Elis was covered in Crades blood. His eyes were colder than usual and when he spoke, his voice sounded very creepy. "What do you think, little tiger?"


    He sniffed in the strange scent in the air. Aside from the blood of high-level Crades, his nose also caught something familiar. When he realized what it was, he took a step backwards. "B-Big Brother Elis, w-why do I smell h-human blood"


    His voice trailed-off when Elis gave him a creepy smile.


    Ainsworth carefully looked at Elis from head to toe while searching for clues to make everything make sense. And he found it in the ne with a tear-shaped ruby stone dangling on Elis''s neck. "B-Big Brother!" he screamed in terror. When he looked up at Elis''s face, he got goosebumps when he saw at how nk his expression was. "T-That''s themunication stone that Big Sister Soleil gave to the children of Amos Vige"


    He stopped dead on his tracks when he realized what probably happened.


    Elis looked like he knew that he already figured it out but he didn''t care.


    "You killed high-level Crades and use their blood to lure stronger Crades," Ainsworth said in a whisper. "You led them to Amos Vige and you made sure that the vigers wouldn''t be able to ask for Big Sister Soleil''s help"


    "Oh," Elis said in a somewhat surprised tone. "You aren''t as dumb as I thought you were."


    His fear was then reced by anger. He marched towards Elis and grabbed him the cor. "Why did you do that, Big Brother Elis?! Big Sister Soleil treasured that vige and its people!"


    "And what did they do to repay her kindness?" Elis asked in a bitter tone, then he pped his hands until he let go of him. "They feared Soleil. I bet they even called her monster just because she''s different from them. Do you think I''d let those people live after they hurt Soleil?"


    "Mass killing them is still wrong!" he yelled in fear. "Big Sister Soleil will hate you if she finds out what you did to the viges!"


    "She''ll only find out if you open your big mouth," Elis said, his light gray eyes glowing menacingly. "Ainsworth, you care about your three future brides, don''t you?"


    That gave him goosebumps.


    The leaders of their tribe were allowed to have three wives to produce more heirs. Since he was the Tribe Leader''s heir and was the pride of his people, his tribe chose three young women as his future wives. He would marry them before he ascended to heaven. His tribe decided to give him three wives to make sure that he''d leave an heir that would have his blood.


    Even though it was his tribe who chose his wives, he still cared about them. After all, his fiances were also his dear childhood friends.


    "Are you threatening me, Big Brother Elis?" he asked with clenched hands.


    Elis smirked at his question. "Are you threatened, little tiger?"


    He was and Elis knew that.


    <em>Shit.</em>


    "If you keep quiet, I won''t touch them," Elis said, then he walked past him while removing his robe. Ah, he went there to take a bath at the falls. After all, he couldn''t return to Lumira Temple while covered with blood. "Those vigers who hurt Soleil deserve it, Ainsworth. Don''t risk the lives of your future brides for them." He turned to him, his light gray eyes still glowing menacingly. "Humans who hurt my Soleil don''t deserve the mercy of a god."


    Ainsworth, so young back then, didn''t have the courage to oppose Elis.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SHIT," Ainsworth covered his eyes after remembering a scary part of his past. "I was such a coward back then"


    He still regretted the fact that he didn''t say anything back then even though he witnessed how devastated Soleil because of what happened.


    Moreover, it wasn''t thest time that the humans she cared about were killed.


    Whenever Elis got jealous of the humans that Soleil wanted to protect, he would kill them behind her back. Soleil eventually discovered Elis''s evil doings. But it was toote because the humans that she got attached to were already killed by that devious Blue Dragon.


    <em>Elis could have been stopped early had I told Soleil what that bastard did to Amos Vige.</em>


    "I''m sorry, Soleil," Ainsworth whispered to himself. "This time, I swear I will protect you from that bastard''s obsession."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 167: Precious Moment

    Chapter 167: Precious Moment


    TILLY was baby-talking to Winter while they were lying on the bed facing each other when Kiho entered the room. She gasped when she saw that her husband brought the cake that she baked. Damn, what a long night it had been.


    "I heard from Miss Luna that you baked this cake yourself, honey," Kiho said when he sat down next to her and put the tray on the night table. "It''s a pretty cake."


    She made a strawberry short cake to celebrate Winter''s birth. Well, she wanted to make cinnamon rolls but she was afraid she''d fail so she stuck with herfort zone instead.


    Back in her second life, she used to bake as a hobby. Thankfully, cooking and baking in this world wasn''t as hard as she thought it would be. After all, the technology from her second life was equal to high-level magic or spirit stones in the empire.


    "I hope it tastes good," Tilly said, then she turned to Winter who was looking at her with big, round eyes. "Oh, my little cinnamon roll. You can''t still eat cake so mommy and daddy will finish your birthday cake for you, okay? When you''re big enough to eat solid food, I will make cinnamon rolls for you and your daddy."


    Winter giggled as a response.


    "Gosh, you''re so cute," she squealed happily, then she showered Winter with kisses.


    Her baby smelled like a baby.


    Gosh, she wished they could be like any other normal family and spend their days and nights idly like this.


    Kiho cleared his throat and when she turned to him, she saw him pouting. "I feel out of ce," heined lightly. "You already took a bath together without me. Now, you''re ignoring me again. I want attention, too."


    Sheughed at that.


    Kiho really went from a stoic knight who hated socializing to a pouty, clingy husband who wanted attention from his family.


    <em>And I love that.</em>


    "Come here," she said with open arms. "Winter, close your eyes."


    Kiho smiled at what she said, then he leaned forward to kiss her on the lips.


    It was a quick but deep kiss, and she was hoping Winter listened to her and closed his eyes. She knew that they had to be decent around their son. But after everything that she found about her connection to Kiho, she wanted to treasure every moment she had with him.


    "Thank you," Kiho said after the kiss. When he went back to his seat, he already looked satisfied. Then, he turned to Winter with a haughty smile. "You may open your eyes now, little rascal."


    She turned to Winter and was surprised to see that her baby really closed his eyes. "Gosh, our little cinnamon roll can really understand us. Ourbined genes are amazing, Kiho."


    "Winter got his brains from you, Tilly."


    She justughed it off. "It''s from both of us, hon."


    He smiled at her charmingly. Then, he let out a small gasp as if he remembered something. "I have a gift for our little rascal as well. I''m d that it was done before he was born."


    "I didn''t know that you prepared a gift for our Winter," she said in surprise.


    "I''m sorry but I kept it a secret from you, honey," he said apologetically. "It''s because I also prepared a gift for you. You carried our little rascal in your womb for many months, then you worked hard to safely give birth to our son. You deserve a gift, Tilly."


    Okay, that instantly made Tilly emotional. "Oh, Kiho"


    Kiho smiled, then he stood up and kissed her on the forehead. Then, he leaned down to give Winter a kiss on the forehead, too. "Wait here, my babies," he said. "I''ll just get the presents."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN couldn''t sleep.


    But he didn''t want Luna to worry about him so he pretended to be asleep so she would take a rest, too.


    The witch was the one that Lady Nystrom and his father well, he meant Lord Nystrom, assigned to take care of him. Luna had been doing a splendid job of taking care of him. She was also worried about her emotional well-being.


    Lady Nystrom, you found a good friend in Miss Luna.


    When he was sure that the witch had fallen asleep already, he opened his eyes and turned to her. Luna was lying down on her side while facing him. Her chest was heaving evenly a clear sign that she was deep asleep now.


    Good night, Miss Luna. Thank you for looking after me.


    He had a soft spot for people who took care of other people''s children properly.


    In his past life, his nanny practically raised him.


    He didn''t know what happened but after his mother gave birth to him, his father exiled her from their kingdom.


    But the absence of his mother didn''t give him a chance to be closer to his father.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that his father didn''t care about him. He entrusted his life to his servants. It didn''t seem like he was even remotely interested in him. He felt like his father only had him because he needed an heir to continue the Nystrom lineage.


    The way he treats Winter now is very different from the way he treated me in the past.


    Julian couldn''t help but remember the past


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>[From the distant past...]</strong></em>


    JULIAN was happy because for his seventh birthday, his father sent him the key of the pce''s treasury room. ording to the letter that came with the golden key, he was allowed to take anything from the room and it would be his birthday gift.


    So, he was in the treasury room now.


    Out of all the luxurious things that he saw in the room, only one thing caught his attention.


    "This is so beautiful," he said while holding a practice sword made of ice. It looked simple, but very elegant. The sword was also filled with a strong Mana that would also serve as protection for the sword wielder. "This is the gift that I want."


    "Don''t touch it!"


    Julian flinched when he heard his father''s angry voice. When he turned to him, he saw his father marching angrily at his direction. He rarely saw his father so he should be happy. But the sight of his frown scared him instead. "F-Father"


    His father snatched the ice sword from him. "Who told you that you can enter this room?"


    "I-I received the golden key from your pce, Father," he exined while looking at the floor. He was too scared to look at his father, much more to meet his eyes. <em>Why is Father so angry?</em>


    "My aide gave you the wrong key," his father said. "This treasury room and everything in here belongs to my son."


    Because of shock, he was able to gather the courage to raise his head. "B-But I''m your son, Father."


    "Leave," his father said coldly, his face void of emotions. There wasn''t even an ounce of warmth in his eyes. His father looked at him as if he was a stranger. "You don''t belong here."


    Julian, hurt by his father''s callousness, bolted out of the room in tears.


    <em>Am I not Father''s son?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLYughed merrily when he saw Kiho''s gift for their little cinnamon roll. "Oh, hon. It looks so pretty!"


    Kiho smiled proudly. "Isn''t it?"


    The little box that Kiho held contained a very cute small iron crab mallet that would fit Winter''s tiny hands. What made it pretty was the fact that it was made of ice. She was pretty certain that Kiho made it himself.


    "Since Winter is our son, I''m sure he''s bound to love seafood as well. King Crabs, in particr," her husband said with a hint of excitement in his voice. Then, he turned to Winter with warm gaze. "Little rascal, the crab mallet is made of my ice. It will never hurt you. And since it''s infused with my Mana, it will protect you if it needs to." He gently caressed his son''s small face. "Thank you for being our son, Winter."


    Winter didn''t "troll" his father this time. Much to her pleasant surprise, their little cinnamon roll actually smiled and put his tiny hand on top of his father''s hand.


    She almost burst out crying at the beautiful sight.


    <em>I love our family.</em>


    Kiho smiled back at Winter, then he kissed his forehead before he turned to her. "And now, for my lovely wife''s present"


    She giggled excitedly. "I wonder what my dashing husband got for me."


    He smiled as if he was nervous and excited for her reaction. Then, he stood up only to sit behind her. A few momentster, he caressed her neck lovingly.


    <em>Oh, it''s a ne?</em>


    Her thoughts were confirmed when she felt a cold sensation on her chest. She touched the pendant and when she looked at it, she gasped in surprise. "Oh my gosh," she squealed excitedly. "This is very pretty, Kiho."


    Just like Winter''s present, the pendant in the ne that Kiho gave her was also made from his ice.


    And the pendant was shaped like her new favorite flower.


    "It''s a snowdrop," she said in amazement.


    "I remember that you said you think snowdrops are beautiful," he said, then he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Did you like my present, honey?"


    "I love it!" she said, then she turned to her husband that she wanted to devour. "Winter, please close your eyes again."


    "Little rascal, it will be better if you sleep now," Kiho said yfully. "Your mommy and I will be very busy soon."


    Tilly, feeling the butterflies in her stomach, giggled and lightly hit her husband on the chest. "Kiho, you''re so naughty!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: Hi! I am quite disheartened by my low subs. I guess it''s time to give up the chance for the banner feature. I can''t even have 500 subs. I feel like a failure. T_T


    But I still should be grateful to everyone reading my story. All kinds of support matter. Comments, reviews, gifts, power stones are all appreciated. Thank you so much.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 168: Not This Time

    Chapter 168: Not This Time


    "HONEY, what are you doing so early in the morning?"


    Tilly smiled when Kiho sat on the armrest of her chair, then he kissed her shoulder as a greeting. Since it was already summer, she started to wear light clothes. For today, she wore an off-the-shoulder ck dress.


    They were still mourning so everyone in the mansion still wore ck or dark clothes.


    <em>It has only been a week since Winter was born but it already felt like years.</em>


    Thankfully, after the unexpected visit of the Blue Dragon, they hadn''t been attacked again. The security around their estate also tightened now that the ck Serpent Knights were living with them.


    On the downside, they decided that she shouldn''t leave the mansion yet. So instead of going to her father''s mansion to visit the servants, she just called them using amunication device simr to the modern world''s video call.


    She told everyone that she and her husband would take care of them now that her father was gone. Then, she asked Isabelle to be Winter''s nanny.


    Damian already went to the Prescott Mansion to fetch Isabelle.


    While ke, the vice-captain of the ck Serpent Knights, went to the tower to fetch Flint and bring the child to the mansion.


    <em>We''re gathering our forces.</em>


    "I''m trying to design a CCTV using our spirit stones," Tilly told Kiho. "It''s a video surveince used for security purposes back in the world where I came from."


    After their breakfast, she went straight to work.


    Since she didn''t want to take her eyes off of Winter, she turned the lounge area of their room into her office. She put their son''s crib beside her. Sentinel was inside her heart while Luna while staying in the next room with Julian. Winter fell asleep after she breastfed him but once he woke up, she might ask Luna to watch her son y with Julian.


    "When I was in the modern world, I had several CCTV around my house," she told him. "It scares intruders. In most cases, CCTVs can be used as proof of evidence if a crime was caught in the camera. I want to create something simr to that, then install them in our estate."


    Kiho looked at her face with sparkling eyes. "If the cameras caught the enemies attacking us in our mansion, we can use the video was evidence."


    "Exactly," she said while nodding her head. "We need stealth surveince cameras that the enemies won''t see or feel. That''s what I''m worried about though. The spirit stones that we use asmunication devices contain strong Mana. It will be hard to keep their presence hidden. That''s why I''m thinking to make CCTVs with strong protection. To make that happen, I need to study different spirit stones first."


    "I know a jewelry maker with excellent skills. He''s not famous among nobles, but I believe that his craftsmanship is the best in the empire. He''s also knowledgeable about gems and spirit stones," he said. "I think he can help you with what you want to create, honey."


    "Really?"


    He nodded. "His name is Amilo. He was also the one I asked to make your engagement ring."


    Her ears perked up when she heard that. "Oh. I love my engagement ring. Can you introduce Mr. Amilo to me, hon?"


    "Of course," he said. "I''ll bring him to our estateter."


    "Can you ask him if he wants to go with us to Oakes?"


    He looked surprised by her request.


    "Hon, when we leave for Oakes, we''re not going back here anymore," she reminded him. "Let''s bring all the people and things that we need with us."


    Understanding crossed his eyes. Then, he nodded and kissed her on the forehead. "I will ask Amilo toe with us to Oakes, honey."


    "Thank you, hon," she said, then her brows furrowed. "Kiho, aren''t you going to bete if you don''t leave now?"


    He let out a sigh and hugged her tight. "I don''t want to leave you and Winter here."


    She chuckled at his clinginess.


    Well, she also didn''t want Kiho to leave the mansion. But he needed to go to the Royal Pce to present the assants to Emperor Aku. They needed to do that to begin the noble trial against House Huxley and House Hayward.


    Before Captain Denver left, he already manipted the mind of the assants under their custody. Those people will testify to Kiho''s usation against House Huxley and House Hayward. And yes, they were faking evidence. What about it?


    It wasn''t like Emperor Aku and his cohorts were ying fair, so why would she?


    Back in her second life, people would always tell the victims to not stoop down to their tormentor''s level. She used to think that way before. But after all the things that her enemies did to her and her family, she became jaded.


    "I won''t be the bigger person anymore, Kiho," Tilly said in a cold voice. "From now on, I will bite back."


    "Hot," Kiho said, his golden eyes glowing beautifully. "Bite me, too, honey."


    That made herugh out loud.


    He really knows how to put me to good mood again.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "<em>SO WE MEET again, Julian</em>," Winter told the other guy who was sitting beside him. As usual, he was lying down on his crib again. His body couldn''t move the way he wanted to yet. Worse, he couldn''t control his sleepiness. Every time he was full, he would fall asleep easily. "<em>I decided that I won''t call you ''uncle'' or ''big brother.'' Is that okay with you?</em>"


    Julian smiled and nodded. "<em>You can call me anything you want, Lord Winter</em>."


    "<em>Why are you calling me ''lord?</em>''" he asked curiously. "<em>You''re not my servant</em>."


    "<em>You''re the son of our benefactors</em>," he said. "<em>Of course, it''s only right to refer to you that way. Does it make you feel ufortable, Lord Winter</em>?"


    Well, he wasn''t sure.


    He was the emperor''s heir in his past life so he was used to being referred to as either "lord" or "Your Royal Highness." But for some reason, he felt awkward when Julian called him that way even though they weren''t close anyway.


    "<em>It''s weird</em>," Winter admitted in the end. "<em>Just call me by my name normally</em>."


    "<em>I thought you hate me</em>?"


    "<em>I did at first</em>," he said bluntly. "<em>But as long as you know your ce, I''ll tolerate you</em>."


    Heughed softly. "<em>As you wish, Winter</em>."


    Julian''sugh caught the attention of Louisa, the head maid, and the young maids who were looking after them.


    His mother asked the maids to look after him and Julian because apparently, she had something important to talk about with Miss Luna. His Mommy knew that he could understand them. That only meant she didn''t want him to know what was happening.


    <em>I know we''re in danger but I''m confident that Mommy and Daddy will win against the royal family this time.</em>


    Because this time, they were a whole family.


    Anyway, when he noticed that Louisa was looking at him with a worried look on her face, he smiled at the maid.


    "Oh, the young lord is smiling," Louisa squealed. "Look at how pretty our young master is."


    When the young maids hovered over to take a look at him, he giggled for them.


    As expected, the maids squealed in delight.


    "The young lord is so cute."


    "Indeed. He''ll probably break so many hearts in the future."


    "Just thinking about our young lord getting married in the future is already making me emotional."


    "<em>That won''t happen</em>," Winter said firmly. "<em>I won''t get married early. I''m going to live with mommy and daddy for a very, very, very long time</em>."


    "<em>Winter, you seem to like your parents so much</em>," Julianmented.


    "<em>I do</em>," he said without missing a beat. "<em>I almost killed you, didn''t I? I want Mommy and Daddy all to myself</em>."


    <em>Duke and Duchess Nystrom love each other so much</em>," the other guy said. "<em>What if you get a younger sibling soon? Are you going to attack them the way you attacked me</em>?"


    "<em>If it''s a younger sister, then I''d love tha</em>t," he answered seriously. "<em>But I don''t need a brother. I''m the only son that Mommy and Daddy need</em>." He blinked when he remembered something. "<em>You have an older brother, right?</em>"


    Julian nodded. "<em>But my older brother isn''t just a brother to me. He was practically my father and I''m very thankful to him. That''s why I can''t understand why you hate the idea of having a brother but a sister is fine to you</em>."


    "<em>I don''t know why I don''t like the idea of having a brother as well</em>," he admitted. "<em>But if my parents would be blessed with another son, I hope it happens when I''m already an adult. Maybe if I was already mature by then, I wouldn''t be this selfish</em>."


    Mentally, he was no longer a toddler.


    But he didn''t have a normal childhood in the past. He was brought up strictly because he was the emperor''s heir. So this time, he wanted to act like a child.


    "<em>Winter, you''re a weird one</em>," Julian said with a smile. "<em>I''m sorry to say this but I''ve seen how your parents act around each other. At this rate, you''ll definitely have younger siblings soon enough</em>."


    He was pissed even though he knew that Julian was just tantly teasing him. Still, he knew that the other guy was just stating a fact. "<em>I wish Dad to have more self-control</em>."


    Julianughed softly at his wish. "<em>You seem to be in a good mood, Winter</em>."


    He nodded his tiny head. "<em>Last night, Mommy baked a cake to celebrate my birthday. Then, father gave me a unique present</em>."


    The other guy''s smile seemed to fade. "<em>Your father gave you a present</em>?"


    <em>"Yes,"</em> he said and even in his own ears, he sounded excited. "<em>Dad made an ice crab mallet for me</em>."


    In his past life, it was her father who loved seafood especially King Crabs.


    He was d to know that in this lifetime, his mommy enjoyed eating seafood as well.


    "<em>You''re lucky, Winter</em>," Julian said with a faint, sad smile. "<em>I never received a present from Father</em>."


    He was surprised with how Julian said it.


    <em>Why is he talking like we have the same father?</em>


    "<em>My parents died when I was newly born</em>," Julian exined with a smile. "<em>That''s why I never experienced receiving presents from my parents. Please treasure the things that you got from your mother and father, Winter</em>."


    <em>And now he''s talking like an older brother.</em>


    "<em>I know that</em>," Winter said with a pout. "<em>I know how to treasure the gifts I got from my parents. You didn''t have to remind me.</em>"


    Julian just smiled again, then he gently patted his tummy while humming a luby song.


    Winter suddenly felt sleepy.


    <em>Damn this baby body of mine.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY elegantly put the tea cup on the coaster, then she looked back and forth between Luna and Sentinel. "Can''t we at least tell Kiho that he''s the ck Serpent?"


    Right now, she was having tea with Luna and Sentinel in the balcony of her room.


    Winter and Julian were just in the next room while being watched over by the maids. Luna put a barrier in the room so they''d know if an intruder suddenly appeared. Also, the whole mansion was being patrolled by different groups of ck Serpent Knights.


    "We can''t, mydy," Sentinel said firmly. "We don''t know what will happen if Duke Nystrom realized his real identity."


    "But I was fine even though I found out that I''m the real Supreme."


    "Exactly, mydy," Luna said. "You figured it out because of what the Blue Dragon did to your memory. You''re only fine because you haven''t retrieved your memories yet."


    Well, the witch had a point.


    "The ck Serpent is different from you, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said seriously. "He lost his mind in the past. If he remembers that he''s the ck Serpent, he might go insane again. And if he did, he''d forget his life as Kiho Nystrom. He will forget about you and your son."


    Okay, that made her chest tighten.


    But she knew it wasn''t the time to be depressed about something that was yet to happen. Heck, she was overworking her brain cells to prevent that from happening. Moping in advance wouldn''t help at all.


    "Why did Kiho go crazy in the past?" she asked curiously. "Something or someone must have deliberately made him lose his mind."


    The two fell silent.


    She bit her lower lip, then took a deep breath before she asked again. "In my dream, I saw a child. He called himself ''Aku Moonchester.''"


    Luna and Sentinel looked surprised by her revtion.


    "Kiho and I saved him back then," she continued. "If I knew he was going to f*ck us up now, I would have yeeted him back to where he came from."


    The witch and the spirit guardian looked confused by the modern word that he used.


    "Nevermind," she said. "In my dream, the ck Serpent''s n took care of Aku Moonchester for a few years before the ungrateful brat left without a trace. Now, this is what I want to know: is the current emperor the reincarnation of that Aku brat?"


    Again, the two remained silent.


    But their silence this time screamed a loud "yes."


    "So, His Majesty has been ruining my life since the beginning," she said, anger slowly rising in her chest. But when she reminded that Winter was just next door, she instantly calmed down. Getting angry wouldn''t also help at her current situation. "He''s my nemesis all along, huh?"


    But she didn''t want to be fixated on the past too much.


    Even if she got angry at what happened back then, it wouldn''t change anything. She should focus on the present and protect her family at all cost.


    <em>Speaking of family</em>


    "The ck Serpent''s descendants are my descendants as well, right?" she asked. But then again, Luna and Sentinel didn''t respond. Still, she continued. "I said I''ll kill every single one of them for killing my father. But I will only do that once I get a solid proof that they really did it."


    Descendants or not, she wouldn''t forgive them.


    "Now that my head is clear, I believe I''ve been too hasty then to believe them easily," she said, ashamed of her mistake.


    "You were going through a lot that night, Lady Nystrom," Lunaforted her. "We understand if you couldn''t think straight then."


    She smiled gratefully at the witch. "I trust the two of you," she said to the witch and the spirit guardian. "I won''t retrieve my past memories and I will protect Kiho''s identity. That''s why I decided to go to Mount S."


    Luna and Sentinel both gasped at her deration.


    "I feel like I can trust the Golden Tiger," she said before the two could even oppose her decision. "Plus, Lord Ainsworth said that I will find the ind where I belong in Mount S."


    The witch''s eyes widened. "Was the Golden Tiger talking about the "ind that worships the sun," mydy?"


    "I believe so," she confirmed. "We need to find the ind anyway to find the Great Fire Tree. My father told me that it holds the answer to the real history between the Fire Mages and the Moonchesters. When I find that tree, maybe I can ask it if it''s possible to return Kiho''s past memories without him going crazy."


    "Lady Nystrom, why do you want the duke to retrieve his memories?" Sentinel asked in a frustrated tone. "He might kill you if he remembers his life as the ck Serpent."


    "We can''t keep a secret forever," she reasoned. "Plus, Kiho and I promised each other that we wouldn''t keep secrets from one another."


    "Lady Nystrom," Luna said in a scolding tone. "You don''t know what kind of person the ck Serpent was. He''s very different from the Kiho Nystrom that you know."


    Sentinel nodded firmly as an agreement.


    "Soleil wouldn''t have loved the ck Serpent if he was an awful man," she said, then she clutched her chest. "I trust Soleil''s heart."


    "The ck Serpent was the Supreme''s downfall," Sentinel said in an emotional tone. It looked like he was about to cry from too much anger. "The Supreme, in the end, was just a foolish girl who fell in love with the wrong person."


    "Only Soleil and the ck Serpent knew the truth about their rtionship," she said firmly. "If Soleil, my past self, truly hated the ck Serpent, then I would have felt her anger when I met Kiho in this lifetime."


    "The Supreme hated the ck Serpent," Luna insisted. "That''s why the Red Phoenix sealed her memories, mydy."


    "Only I can decide if I hate the ck Serpent or not once I retrieve my memories," Tilly said. "But until then, I will continue believing in Soleil." She held the ice snowdrop pendant dangling in her ne. "This is mine and Kiho''s era our story won''t end tragically like how it ended for Soleil and the ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 169: A Message From the Sky God

    Chapter 169: A Message From the Sky God


    "YOUR MAJESTY, I have brought the witnesses that I mentioned during ourst meeting."


    Aku, sitting in his thronefortably, raised a brow at Kiho.


    He was amused.


    They both knew that the "evidence" that Kiho brought up during theirst meeting was just fabricated. House Huxley and House Hayward definitely didn''t send the assassins to House Nystrom to kill Kiho''s son.


    The assassins were there due to Nia''s order to bring Lady Nystrom to her.


    Still, he decided to humor Kiho. The assassins that he brought to the Royal Pce were properly ced in prison. He also decided to open a noble trial.


    "I know that House Huxley and House Hayward are both loyal followers to His Majesty," Kiho, who stood in front of him with a nk look on his face, continued with his bluff. "But I trust that His Majesty is going to be fair during the noble trial."


    This time, Aku couldn''t help butugh. "Why are you so talking formally, Kiho?" he asked, then he opened his arms to motion to the empty throne room. Only the two of them were there. Sir Gregory wanted to stay and guard him but he insisted that he wanted to talk to his brother alone. "Duke stair and Count Dasovich aren''t here."


    He knew that during theirst meeting, Kiho intentionally brought up the attack to his family in the presence of Duke stair and Count Dasovich. His advisors might be loyal to him, but they were also very upright people.


    And that was exactly why he couldn''t turn down Kiho''s requestst time.


    So this time, he made sure no one else would join his audience.


    "You can talk casually to me, Kiho," he encouraged his brother with a smile. "You know, like in the old times."


    Kiho just remained silent.


    <em>Ah, so he''s keeping his distance between us.</em>


    He wasn''t going to lie that hurt him. After all, he was so used to Kiho following his orders without questions. In the past, it was easier to control him.


    But for some reason, Lady Nystrom had changed his brotherpletely.


    "Kiho, are we really doing this?" he asked his brother seriously. "I''m giving you the chance to change your mind."


    His brother remained silent.


    "I will wee you back to my side anytime, Kiho," he persisted. "I''m telling you now staying with Lady Nystrom will be your end."


    After all, the Fire Mages would never ept Kiho as the Supreme''s husband.


    <em>I worked hard to make sure that the Fire Mages will hate the ck Serpent forever.</em>


    "Why would staying with my wife be my end, Your Majesty?" Kiho finally asked. "And why do you sound so sure about it?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Your words sounded like a threat, Your Majesty," he deadpanned. "You make it sound like I''m going to regret staying with Tilly."


    "You know what I''m talking about, Kiho," he reminded him foolish brother. "The empire only needs you and your son. Lady Nystrom is a Fire Mage and her n betrayed the royal family. For that reason, she has to be exiled once her lineage is exposed. Your son can be an exception, though. After all, he is the child of the prophecy."


    "Was it ever proven that the Fire Mages betrayed the royal family, Your Majesty?" Kiho asked with a slightly raised brow as if he was challenging him. "If it was, then can you tell me and everyone in the empire what kind of crime did the Fire Mages allegedlymitted for them to be considered traitors?"


    He clenched his fists at his brother''s probing questions. "The crime that the Fire Mages hadmitted against the royal family is unspeakable, Kiho."


    "Or fabricated," Kiho said. "If you can''t tell us the reason for their "crime," then it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the betrayal of the Fire Mages is nothing but a myth."


    "Kiho, don''t make me angry," he warned his brother. "If the royal family deems an issue unspeakable, then it is unspeakable."


    "I didn''t know that you''re a tyrant now, Your Majesty."


    "Duke Kiho Nystrom."


    "I''ll be taking my leave now, Your Majesty," Kiho said slyly while maintaining a pokerfaced. Then, he bowed to him. "My utmost gratitude for your precious time."


    The sarcasm wasn''t missed.


    Aku could only smirk at his brother''s tant disrespect.


    <em>This is all Lady Nystrom''s fault.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO could finally be able to breathe once he was out of the emperor''s pce.


    But of course, he didn''t let his guard down. Especially not when thepel of his jacket had small cameras hidden in it.


    Yes, cameras made of spirit stones.


    Miss Luna, an expert in creating barriers, created a protection around the two cameras so that not even His Majesty would feel the spirit stones. It looked like His Majesty didn''t notice them.


    ording to Tilly, they had to "document" the "silent war" between them and the emperor.


    <em>I still don''t see the whole picture but I trust my wife.</em>


    "Duke Nystrom!"


    Kiho wasn''t surprised to see Captain Sherwood waiting for him at his carriage. After all, he was the one who asked him to meet. "I apologize for calling you in a short notice, Captain Sherwood."


    "No need to apologize, my lord," Captain Sherwood said brightly. "Are you finally bringing me to your family so I could pledge my loyalty to Lady Nystrom and Lord Winter."


    He nodded as confirmation.


    To be honest, it was still Tilly''s idea.


    <em>"We need Captain Sherwood this time, hon," Tilly told him before he left the mansion a while ago. "Captain Sherwood is still a duke. Moreover, he belongs to the House of Lords. We need his position for our next move, Kiho."</em>


    And that was the only reason why he finally decided to ept Captain Sherwood as their ally.


    <em>What Tilly wants, I''ll give it to her.</em>


    "We will ept you on our side, Captain Sherwood," Kiho said, his golden eyes glowing menacingly. "But if you try to betray my family, I will kill you."


    Captain Sherwood obviously felt his bloodlust because he took a step backwards with an awkward look on his face. But in the end, he managed to regain hisposure. Then, he gave him his usual cheeky smile. "I won''t betray my god''s family, Duke Nystrom."


    <em>""My god?""</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SIR GREGORY," Aku called his knight when he stood from his throne. "Kill the "witnesses" that Kiho brought to the Royal Pce."


    Sir Gregory looked surprised by his order. "How about the noble trial, Your Majesty?"


    "There won''t be a noble trial anymore," he said coldly. "Kiho made me angry so I changed my mind. I will no longer humor my rude brother.


    After saying that, he pulled a pair of ck leather gloves from his pocket.


    The old knight''s eyes widened in shock. After all, he knew what those ck leather gloves of his meant. "Your Majesty, you don''t have to do it yourself," he said in a voice hinted with worry. Then, he bowed his head. "Please allow me to kill whoever it is that you want gone, Your Majesty."


    Yes, he only took out his ck gloves when he was about to kill a prey.


    "I appreciate your concern but the prey this time isn''t someone you can kill, Sir Gregory," he said while putting on the gloves. "In fact, I think I''m the only person capable of killing him."


    Sir Gregory raised his head to give him a confused look. "Who are you going to finish off, Your Majesty?"


    Aku smirked before he answered the old knight''s question. "His Holiness needs to be gone before my fight with Lady Nystrom begins."


    <strong>***</strong>


    FORRESTER couldn''t help but smirk after he received his father''s message.


    Right now, he was alone in the prayer room dedicated to the Sky God. He stood in front of a giant cauldron with a huge golden me in it. Since his father was an old-fashioned man who didn''t know how to use spirit stones asmunication device, he still insisted on sending his messages to him using the Golden me.


    "It has been ages since you sent a direct message to me and this is all I got from you?" he asked in a sarcastic tone. "You''re telling me that I''m going to die at the dumb emperor''s hands?"


    The Golden me remained still and it was an indication of his father''s silence.


    It was amazing how his father never changed all these years. Even though it was the Sky God''s fault why the Moonchesters were so arrogant, he still wouldn''t take ountability of it. Instead, he would simply pass down the responsibility of destroying the "royal family" to other people.


    <em>What an irresponsible god.</em>


    No wonder the Supreme and the ck Serpent never really respected the gods in the heavens.


    "So much for being your favorite son," heined. "I don''t mind dying since I''ve already lived enough to know that the human n isn''t worth fighting for. But to die at the hands of that dumb emperor? You must be kidding, Father."


    The Golden me flickered angrily.


    "I''m not going to die a shameless death, Father," Forrester said with a growl. If his father was angry, then so was he. "Don''t you know how embarrassing would it be for the son of the Sky God to die by the hands of the Moon God''s fake son?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY felt uneasy.


    She was standing by the window of her room while looking outside. Thankfully, Winter was asleep in the yroom with Julian. Luna was looking after the children.


    <em>If Winter was awake, he would surely feel my anxiety.</em>


    And that was why she was d that her little cinnamon roll was a sleepyhead, just like what his husband imed.


    Anyway, Kiho called her a while ago and said that he wasing home with Captain Sherwood. She wanted to wait for her husband''s return. Every time Kiho would leave the mansion, she would always feel nervous while waiting for him.


    <em>If only I can help my husband to protect our family</em>


    After she saw a piece of her past as Soleil Rosenberg, she couldn''t help but feel frustrated at how weak she was nowpared to her past self.


    <em>I can''t stay this way.</em>


    She wanted to protect Kiho and Winter with her own power.


    "Lady Nystrom, what are you thinking?" Sentinel, who came out of her heart, asked. "I can sense your anxiousness."


    "I want my power back," Tilly dered, then he turned around to face the spirit guardian. "Sentinel, is there a way to retrieve my memories without losing myself in the process?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 170: Unending Chase

    Chapter 170: Unending Chase


    "LADY Nystrom, the young lord is so adorable!"


    Tilly smiled proudly. "I know, right?" she agreed with Isabelle. "My son is blessed with oozing charm."


    "He''s cute but" Flint trailed-off while looking at Winter with wide eyes. Then, he turned to her with a horrified look on his face. "Baby Winter looks so much like your husband, Big Sister."


    Sheughed at Flint''sment. "And that''s supposed to be a good thing, Flint."


    Right now, they were in the yroom.


    Winter and Julian were in the crib while Isabelle and Flint were gushing about her son. On the other hand, she was having tea in the tea table ce beside the window.


    <em>I''m so d Isabelle and Flint arrived safely.</em>


    "Mydy, can I carry the young lord?" Isabelle asked with huge, sparkling eyes. "I promise to be really careful."


    "Of course," she said with a smile. "I trust you, Isabelle."


    The young maid smiled and bowed to her. Then, she carefully and gently put Winter in her arms. Thankfully, Winter didn''t cry. "My lord, my name is Isabelle," she said gently. "I swear to protect you my life."


    As a response, Winter smiled and touched Isabelle''s face.


    She was relieved to know that her son felt safe andfortable with Isabelle.


    <em>It''s a good idea that I brought Isabelle here.</em>


    Before she did, she talked to Louisa, Leni, and Lani first. The three were the closest maids to her and she didn''t want them to think that she didn''t trust them enough. She exined that she already promised Isabelle the position of being Winter''s nanny. Thankfully, they understood.


    And it wasn''t like the mansion''s maids wouldn''t be allowed to touch Winter anymore.


    "Big Sister?"


    Her thoughts were cut-off when Flint joined her table. Aside from tea, there were also snacks on the table that would suit a child''s taste.


    "How are you, Flint?" she asked while pouring tea in the child''s cup. "I''m sorry if we weren''t able to visit you in the tower when you woke up."


    "It''s okay, Big Sister. I understand that you were pregnant then and it would have been dangerous for you if you went out carelessly," Flint said with a smile, then he turned serious. "Big Sister, thank you for adopting me and Julian to keep us safe. I know that it''s not easy to share your name withmoners like us. But you still did and I''m grateful. I never dreamt of a luxurious life. I just want my brother to be safe andfortable."


    She smiled at how selfless Flint was. "Spoken like a true older brother"


    ""Brother?""


    She trailed-off when she realized an important matter from her memories as the Supreme that she recently retrieved.


    <em>The Red Phoenix is my older brother?!</em>


    Gosh, she called him "fossil!"


    "Big Sister?"


    She smiled so Flint wouldn''t worry too much. "We''re very happy that you and Julian are now a part of our family, Flint," she assured him. "Kiho and I will do our best to provide you a safe and happy life with us."


    Flint gave her a big smile. "Thank you, Big Sister."


    "Make sure to thank Kiho, too," she gently told him. "After all, he''s the one who epted you and Julian as his brothers."


    The child blushed.


    Sheughed at his reaction.


    Their moment was disrupted when they heard a knock on the door. Then, much to her surprise, Kiho entered the room.


    "Hon. Wee home," she said, then she stood up to walk towards her husband. "Why didn''t Dave inform me that you''ve arrived?"


    Usually, when Kiho entered their estate, David would be informed by the knights guarding the main gate. Then, the head butler would inform her of her husband''s arrival. That was a practice that every noble household in the empire followed. After all, it was customary for a wife to wee her husband along with the servants.


    "Please don''t scold Dave and the knights," Kiho said, then he kissed her on the forehead. "I asked them to not announce my arrival." He cupped her face between his hands. "I don''t want you to go all the way to the mansion''s lobby just to wee me. I just want you to stay with Winterfortable in the room."


    She pouted. "But I want you to wee you."


    "You can do that once you''re fully-recovered, honey" he told her while tucking her hair behind her ear. "How''s your day?"


    "I''m happy because Isabelle and Flint are here now," she said with a smile. "How about you, hon?"


    "I''m happy toe home safely because of you and the little rascal," he said in a gentle voice. "And I have good news. His Majesty already gave his permission for us to leave the Royal Capital. ording to him, he will just summon us once the noble trial begins."


    She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your hard work, hon."


    "No, thank you," he said, then he leaned down to her ear and whispered. "Your brain is as sexy as you, honey."


    She giggled at that.


    He was about to kiss her but she covered his mouth with her hands.


    It wasn''t like she didn''t want to kiss him. She just didn''t want to "traumatize" the people with them.


    Instead, she just held Kiho''s hand and pulled him to Flint.


    Flint instantly stood up and bowed to Kiho. "Wee back, Your Grace."


    Kiho raised a brow at Flint. Then, when the child raised his head, her husband flicked Flint''s forehead. "Why are you addressing your big brother like that?"


    She almost cried at that moment.


    Flint''s face turned red from embarrassment, but the child looked just as touched as she was. "I won''t call you ''Big Brother,''" he dered. "I will call you ''Brother Rival'' instead."


    Sheughed, relieved and amused at Flint''s deration.


    "I like the sound of it," Kiho said, then he ruffled Flint''s hair. "Wee to our family, my little brother."


    The child''s face turned redder but his eyes were sparkling with joy. "Hmp!"


    Her husband just smirked at that, then he turned to Winter.


    Isabelle, who carried Winter in her arms, bowed politely. "Wee home, Duke Nystrom."


    "Thank you, Isabelle," Kiho said. "Wee to House Nystrom. We entrust our little Winter to you from now on."


    "I will take care of the young lord with the utmost care, my lord," Isabelle promised.


    Kiho just nodded. Then, he opened his arms while looking at Winter. Isabelle immediately understood and carefully put the little cinnamon roll in Kiho''s arms.


    "Hello, our little rascal," Kiho greeted their son while rocking him in his arms. "Are you being good to your uncles?"


    Winter giggled as a response.


    "Aww, our baby is so cute," Tilly gushed, then she kissed Winter''s cheek. "Our little cinnamon roll is really a good boy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>A rival</em>, Winter thought to himself. <em>Uncle Flint is a rival.</em>


    Uncle Flint was in his ''okay-list.'' But when he saw how close his father was to Uncle Flint, he kind of felt jealous.


    So right now, he was acting cute to solidify his position in his father''s heart.


    <em>Call me selfish but I want my mommy and daddy''s undivided love</em>, Winter said to himself. <em>I''ve waited for so long for our family to beplete.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "F*CK YOU, you useless Sky God!" Jameson screamed at the top of his lungs while looking up at the sky. "Stop messing with us!"


    It had been a week since he and Roarke f*cking Sinir literally fell from the sky.


    When they descended, something had messed up with his Mana making them fall earlier than expected. They found themselves in a forest at the farthest border of the empire from the Royal Capital. And until know, they couldn''t find their way out.


    He was 100% certain that the Sky God was the one who dropped them from the sky and locked them up in that forest.


    "Yelling dumb things only makes you look dumber, Crawford," Roarke deadpanned while looking at him as if he just judged his whole life. "It''s not like the Sky God would let us out if you screamed at him."


    He red at thezy cat-eyed dude. "Alright, f*cking genius," he said sarcastically. "What should we f*cking do then? The Sky God is f*cking messing with my Mana."


    One of his abilities was to trace the Supreme even if her power was sealed.


    But right now, because of the many things messing with his "reception," he couldn''t even find their way out of the forest.


    "And do I have to f*cking remind you that you''re directionally-challenged?" he continued. "God, why did they f*cking send us together in this mission?"


    "Let''s burn down the forest."


    He almost chocked at Roarke''s "suggestion." "The f*ck are you on?"


    "Under the Sky God''s order, the spirits in the forest are messing up with your Mana," Roarke deadpanned. "The Supreme taught us to respect and cherish the lives of other beings, and so we tried to ignore their tant attack on us for the past week. But we can''t stay here forever. My patience is running out."


    Well, this was one of the few times that he could actually agree with thezy cat.


    "If I stay one more week with you, I''m going to either die or kill you," Roarke continued with a nk look on his face. "I am so tired of you and your loud voice, Crawford."


    He shut his eyes tight to calm himself.


    Supreme, you were wrong I will never get along with Roarke f*cking Sinir.


    "Let''s f*cking burn down the forest," Jameson agreed, then he opened his eyes to re at Roarke. "Let''s just kill everything in this forest before we go after each other''s throat."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME to my humble abode, Your Majesty."


    Aku smiled when he found Forrester alone in the prayer room dedicated to the Sky God.


    The shrine of the Sky God was separated from the temple. Also, the High Priest and the Holy Knights weren''t allowed to step foot in there. That meant no one could interrupt them.


    "Your eyes tell me that you already know why I''m here, Your Holiness," Aku said with a smile, his body being engulfed in a mix of silver and gold light. "Did your father know that I''ming for your life?"


    Forrester let out a frustrated sigh. "Let''s keep this short, Your Majesty, he said, then giant vines started to sprout from the floor. "I don''t want to waste too much energy on a fake like you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    NOTE: Hi. Have you seen the "new" cover? It''s the same image but the texts are different. I''m thinking about changing the story''s title from MOMMY VILLAINESS to <strong>MOMMY VILLAINESS: THE LADY WITH THE CRAB MALLET. </strong>


    I already talked to my editor and she said I can still change the book title.


    What do you think? I have considered ''<em>The Beast Priestess</em>'' and ''<em>The Heart of the Red Phoenix</em>,'' but I thought the crab mallet thingy fits the story more. And I think it''s kind of unique? I think most of us have a soft spot for Tilly''s crab mallet. Hehe!


    I don''t want to get rid of the ''Mommy Viiness'' since I think it''s what captured the attention of some of you. Also, Tilly as a "mommy viiness" will be relevant again in the uing arc.


    Anyway, I didn''t expect that the story will turn out this way. When I started writing <em>Mommy Viiness</em>, I just wanted a heroine with a past as a "viiness" that will eventually be the best mommy ever. And thus, the simple title. Joke''s on me, the story suddenly becameplex. Haha! :D


    Anyway, pleasement down and let me know what you think. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 171: Tillys Orchestra

    Chapter 171: Tilly''s Orchestra


    FORRESTER didn''t want to die when he just woke up. Of course, he would fight for his life. But it wouldn''t hurt to be prepared for his end.


    He waszy, yes. But that didn''t mean he didn''t have a goal.


    <em>I can''t die without finding my Holy Scepter first.</em>


    "Luna, can you hear me?" Forrester asked after he forcefully created a link between their minds. To be honest, it wasn''t easy doing it. After all, the witch could make really strong barriers. "This is Forrester."


    "<em>Yes, Your Holiness</em>," Luna said, her voiceced with surprise. "<em>Is everything alright</em>?"


    As expected, the witch was sharp. She knew that he wouldn''t call her without a reason. He was d that he could go straight to the point.


    "I might die tonight."


    There was a short pause before the witch spoke again in a calm voice. "<em>I can only think of two people capable of killing you, Your Holiness. It''s either His Majesty or the Blue Dragon</em>."


    He nodded even though she couldn''t see him. "It''s the dumb emperor," he said. "He''s probably on his way to kill me. ording to my father''s message, there''s a huge possibility that I wouldn''t make it tonight. Since he thinks I''m going to die anyway, he wanted me to return to the heavens."


    "<em>You''re not going back, are you</em>?"


    "No, I''m not," he confirmed. "I guess you can me my pride for my death this time."


    "<em>We''ll help you, Your Holiness</em>."


    "Thank you, but I didn''t call to ask for your help," he said in a polite tone. "Luna, I need you to tell the Nystroms to leave the Royal Capital now. But don''t go to Oakes. I have a feeling that the dumb emperor has already set up a trap to capture Duke Nystrom and his son."


    The witch gasped. "<em>Are you sure about that, Your Holiness</em>?"


    To be honest, he couldn''t say it with certainty.


    His stupid father gave the dumb emperor the Divine Protection that didn''t only protect him from the Ancient Beasts it also protected him from his ''visions.''


    That meant he couldn''t see the future of the dumb emperor.


    Fortunately, he could see snippets of the future of the people around him. For the past few days, he saw the chaotic events that would soon take ce. He also knew that the Supreme''s Keepers had already arrived.


    <em>And the Keepers can change the impending dark future of the Nystroms.</em>


    "My instincts are telling me so," he told the witch. "Avoid the way to the Oakes at all cost."


    He kept quiet all this time because the future he was seeing kept on changing every day. If he told the Nystroms his visions right away, the he would have to retract his words several times.


    "<em>Then, where should we go</em>?" Luna asked. "<em>Oakes is the only safe ce for the duke and the duchess right now</em>."


    "Anywhere but Oakes," he said. "Tell Lady Nystrom that wherever she goes, the Keepers will find her."


    "<em>I will, Your Holiness</em>," the witch said. "<em>But how about you</em>?"


    "Don''t worry about me," he said. "I can take care of myself. You need to protect the Supreme, Luna. The dumb emperor will never hurt Duke Nystrom and the child. But he would definitely crush Lady Nystrom''s heart as soon as he gets a hold of her. You know that it will be over for all of us if the Supreme died again, right?"


    "<em>Yes, Your Holiness</em>," Luna said with conviction in her voice. "<em>I will protect Lady Nystrom at all cost</em>."


    "Thank you, Luna," Forrester said. He still had more things he wanted to say but he decided against it. After all, he needed to prepare himself before the emperor arrived. Unsealing the remaining divine power inside him would take a while so he needed to start getting ready now. "Tell the Nystroms that I said goodbye."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY couldn''t believe what she just heard from Luna.


    Right now, she was in the tea room with Kiho and the witch. On the other hand, she asked Sentinel and ke to look after Winter and Julian in the yroom. She hated being apart with her son but she didn''t want him to know what was going on. Even though there was a huge possibility that Winter had the memories of his past life, she still didn''t want him to be a part of that war.


    She didn''t want her son to feel the hardship that the adults were going through right now.


    <em>Saint Forrester will die?</em>


    Ah, it would be more appropriate to say that the saint was going to be murdered by Emperor Aku.


    <em>That despicable emperor!</em>


    "Honey?" Kiho said worriedly, then he held her hand and gently squeezed it. "Your body temperature is increasing."


    Tilly let out a deep sigh to calm herself. "I can''t let the saint die. I don''t want His Majesty to take another life from our side."


    "It sounded like His Holiness is certain that he can''t make it out alive tonight," Luna said worriedly. "Well, to be honest, his chance of surviving is very low. After all, His Majesty has the capability to kill the saint."


    She knew that the witch was right.


    But she refused to ept that.


    "Lady Nystrom, you should leave the Royal Capital now," Luna said in a voiceced with urgency. "His Holiness said that you shouldn''t go to Oakes. If that''s the case, then we should just do your suggestion before: let''s go to Mount S instead. The saint said that wherever you go, your Keepers will find you."


    "They''re toote," she hissed. "It has already been a week since we felt their arrival but they are yet to find me. I don''t want to depend on tardy people like them."


    Kiho nodded in agreement.


    "We have to save Saint Forrester," she said firmly. "Even though he''s only on our side because of the deal we made with him regarding his Holy Scepter, I still consider him as an ally."


    "Should I go to the temple and help His Holiness?" Kiho asked.


    "No. You have to stay with me and Winter," she said firmly to her husband, then she turned to Luna. "Miss Luna, can you break into the temple and create an escape route for you and His Holiness?"


    Kiho let out a small gasp. "Honey"


    She gently squeezed her husband''s hand to let him know that she knew what she was saying.


    Luna turned serious as she answered her question. "If there''s a way to distract the emperor from killing the saint, I can quickly grab the saint and escape with him."


    "I know how to distract His Majesty," she said. To be honest, she wasn''t confident with the n she came up but it was better than doing nothing. Although of course, she had to get Luna''s permission first. After all, she''d be the key to the sess of her n. "It has to be you, Miss Luna. But this mission is going to be very dangerous. If my n fails, you might lose your life. So I''ll understand if you refuse to do it."


    Luna fell silent for a while before she took a deep breath, then said: "I''ll do it," she dered in a clear voice. "I will follow your order, Lady Nystrom."


    "Thank you, Miss Luna," she said with a sad smile.


    Having to send Luna to a mission that might take the witch''s life was really hard for her. After all, she considered Luna as her best friend. But they had to take the risks if they wanted to win that war.


    It seems like Kiho felt her anxiousness because he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, then he gently pulled her closer to his body before he kissed her on the top of her head.


    Tilly turned to her husband and smiled at him. "I''m okay, hon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO knew that Tilly wasn''t okay.


    She just sent Miss Luna, her closest friend, to a dangerous mission. Even though his wife was putting on a brave face right now, he knew that she was very close to breaking down already.


    "Miss Luna wille back," Kiho said when it was only him and his wife in the tea room. They were still sitting side-by-side on the sofa. After Luna left, Tilly remained still while her face told him that she was in deep thought. "I''m not saying this just to console you. I''m saying this because I trust Miss Luna and your brilliant mind."


    Tilly finally moved. Then, she turned to him with a faint smile. Still, her face looked pale. She was obviously very worried about Miss Luna. "You''re right, hon. Miss Luna wille back," she repeated his words a while ago. "She will."


    He nodded, then he gently flicked her forehead with his fingers. "Your voice sounds very weak, Tilly. Are you going to mock His Majesty with that voice?"


    Tilly told them her n a while ago.


    He was very proud of his wife for being so smart and cunning.


    She blinked several times while touching the part of her forehead that he just flicked. Then, sheughed heartily. "You''re right, honey," she said. "I won''t fail Miss Luna. I have to distract His Majesty for her and the saint to escape safely."


    He nodded, d that the life in her eyes were back. "That''s the spirit, honey."


    She smiled and ced a warm hand on his cheek. "Hon, can you gather our most trusted servants in the meeting room? Before we prepare for our departure, we need to talk to them first."


    The things that they needed to bring to Oakes had already been prepared sincest week. In short, they were ready to leave anytime. The only thing that changed now was their destination.


    Thankfully, they knew where to go aside from Oakes.


    <em>We have to survive this night so we can safely travel to Mount S.</em>


    "Will you be okay here alone, honey?" Kiho asked worriedly. "Should I call Sentinel to apany you? I''ll bring Winter with me. Then, I will ask the maids to help Flint pack his things and look after Julian."


    "Yes, please," Tilly said while nodding her head. "We need to move fast and efficiently."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU smirked while looking at Saint Forrester''s pathetic state right now.


    The poor saint was suspended in the air while a giant vine had pierced through his chest. Yes, the very weapon that he used against him a while ago was the very thing that he used to stab his heart.


    Maybe the Moonchesters had a thing for literally breaking the hearts of their enemies.


    "You''re still alive," Aku said in amusement. Blood was dripping from the saint''s chest like a faucet. But miraculously, His Holiness was still alive. "I shouldn''t have underestimated the favored son of the Sky God."


    "You were insulted, weren''t you?" Saint Forrester asked with a smirk. Even though he was in pain, he still looked very arrogant. "You were pissed when I called you ''fake.'' If you were in your sane mind, your attack wouldn''t have been this messy."


    He just let out a bitter smile, then he started to walk towards the saint to finally end his life this time. "You really have a death wish, Your Holiness."


    Again, the saint just smirked at him as if he was mocking him.


    He was about to attack again when all of a sudden, he felt another presence in the room.


    The next thing he knew, he was already facing a woman with burgundy hair and pink eyes. A witch from the Colorless Coven, huh?


    "A survivor of the Colorless Coven," Aku said in amusement. "I acknowledge that your n can create the strongest barriers. But you can''t protect the saint from me, little witch. So if you don''t want to die, get out of my way."


    The witch just smiled at him.


    "<em>You can''t kill Miss Luna, Your Majesty</em>."


    He was surprised to hear Lady Nystrom''s voice. The duchess wasn''t in the room. Her voice came from the earring that the witch wore.


    <em>Amunication device, I see.</em>


    "I can''t kill your little witch friend?" he asked the duchess in a mocking tone. "Are you underestimating me, Lady Nystrom?"


    "<em>No, Your Majesty</em>," the duchess said in an arrogant, clear voice. "<em>I''m just saying that you can''t kill the only person that can fix Princess Nia''s body</em>."


    "Fix what?" Aku asked with furrowed brows. "Nothing is wrong with Nia''s body."


    "<em>Oh, Your Majesty doesn''t know</em>?" Lady Nystrom asked in a mocking tone apanied by a mockingugh. "<em>You don''t know that Princess Nia is infertile because she destroyed own reproductive system?"</em>


    <em>What?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 172: Nasty Royal Twins

    Chapter 172: Nasty Royal Twins


    "YOU DON''T know that Princess Nia is infertile because of the medicine that she has been taking to destroy her reproductive system?" Tilly asked Emperor Aku in a mocking tone. Right now, she was alone in the tea room while holding themunication device in her ear tight. She was d that despite her nervousness, she still sounded convincing enough to rile the emperor. "I guess you''re not even aware that you disgust your beloved princess, are you?"


    Emperor Aku remained silent on the other line.


    <em>He must be fuming right now.</em>


    And the emperor''s silence was giving her more confidence.


    <em>My n is working.</em>


    She just needed a little more push.


    "Your Majesty, I''ll tell you a little secret of mine," she continued, her voice sounding more and more mocking as the minute passed by. "I was once reborn in a modern world much different than our own. And you know what? I learned an interesting term during my time there. Marrying a rtive is called inc*st. And it''s not only illegal it''s also frowned upon."


    Again, she didn''t hear a word from the emperor.


    Strangely enough, despite His Majesty''s silence, she could feel his anger despite being physicall far from him.


    "Your incestuous rtionship with your twin sister is seriously nasty," she said in a tone filled with disgusting. "You and Her Royal Highness are disgusting. If we were in the modern world, the baby that Princess Nia would have with you would definitely have birth defect. It''s a sign that siblings much more twins aren''t supposed to have a child together. Your "love" for the princess is insanity."


    "<em>Lady Nystrom</em>," Emperor Aku called her in a threatening cold voice. "<em>Stop</em>."


    Finally, a reaction.


    She responded to that byughing scornfully. "If I were Princess Nia, I''d do the same. No sane woman would want to have her twin brother''s child, you fool."


    "<em>You don''t have to provoke me, Lady Nystrom</em>," the emperor said in a low tone that sounded like he was controlling his anger. "<em>I will really kill you right after I''m done with His Holiness</em>."


    She wasn''t gonna lie that threat sent chills down her spine.


    Still, she held our ground. This time, she didn''t have to pretend to be confident. Remembering the fact that she once saved a child named Aku Moonchester was enough to make her angry angry at herself for saving a monster back then.


    "We''ve met before. Haven''t we, Aku Moonchester?" she asked coldly,pletely dropping the formalities.


    "<em>What part of your memory as Soleil Rosenberg have you retrieved so far?</em>"


    "The most regretting part, unfortunately," she deadpanned. "If I could turn back time, I wouldn''t save your ungrateful ass back then, Aku Moonchester."


    Heughed bitterly. "<em>How do you feel now that the child you saved back then is your executioner this time?</em>"


    "Don''t be too arrogant, Aku Moonchester," she told him with a scoff. "I will end your lineage soon. It wouldn''t be too hard to aplish that since Princess Nia is infertile anyway."


    Being reminded of his beloved''s infertility seemed to break him this time.


    Aku Moonchester let out an angry and agonizing scream.


    "Miss Luna," Tilly whispered to the witch. "Run."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Aku was mad would be an understatement.


    Before he lost himself to his anger, he shut his eyes tight.


    He wanted to destroy everything and everyone around him. But when he was just about to do so, he felt the burst of energy in the room. When he turned to the spot where he left the saint and the witch, they were already gone.


    That was when he realized that Lady Nystrom''s call was a distraction.


    <em>And I fell right into her trap.</em>


    Damn it.


    He contemted whether he would chase them or not. Still, the urge to confront Nia outweighed his need to kill the saint. He left the prayer room to go to his beloved''s room. It was a quick trip since the princess was also in the temple, just in a different building.


    When he appeared in Nia''s chamber, he found her standing in the middle of the room as if she was already expecting him.


    She must have felt his presence when he let out an angry burst of Mana a while ago.


    "Aku," Nia greeted her with a somber look on her face. "What brings you here?"


    "Is it true, Nia?" Aku asked with clenched fists. "Is it true that you took medicine to destroy your reproductive organs?"


    She looked shocked by his usation. "A-Aku"


    That was enough to confirm Lady Nystrom''s revtion.


    "So you''re really infertile now?" he asked in disbelief. "How could you do this to me, Nia?"


    She just averted her gaze away from him.


    "Answer me, Nia!" he said angrily, then he marched towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders. He shook her petite body until she was forced to face him properly. "Why did you do that?! Why didn''t you want to have a child with me?! Is that the reason why you kept on dying our marriage?!"


    "Yes!" Nia, who seemed like in pain because of how tight his grasp was, snapped at him. "I don''t to marry you, Aku. I don''t want your child either."


    The shock and the pain that he felt was enough for him to loosen his grip on her shoulders. "Why?" he asked in a weak voice. "I thought you loved me, Nia?"


    "I did. But not anymore," she said without missing a beat. "I stopped loving you the moment we were born as twins in this lifetime, Aku."


    Hearing that made himpletely let go of her shoulders, then he took a step backwards.


    Nia''s eyes were clear, and her voice was indifferent. Gone was the sweet and gentle girl that he had loved in all lifetimes that he had with her. This was Nia''s real feelings now she really had stopped loving him when they were born as siblings.


    "Is that why you want the heart?" he asked, still in shocked. "You want to summon the Red Phoenix and make it burn the string that connects our souls together?"


    She looked surprise to find out that he knew why she wanted the heart. "If you my intention from the very start, then why did you keep quiet all this time?"


    "Because I want to keep you by my side," he said. "I was hoping to change your mind without having this kind of conversation."


    "It''s toote for us now, Aku," Nia said with a sad smile on her face. "The Supreme''s curse was for us to be reborn as siblings again and again. You made her and the ck Serpent hate each other until they became star-crossed lovers. So as retaliation, she bound our souls in an awful way."


    He shut his eyes when he heard that. "I''ll kill her this time," he promised her. "I''ll kill her and free us from her curse."


    "Aku, let''s just stop."


    He opened his eyes and red at her. "No. I will never let you escape from me, Nia. We will still get married in this lifetime."


    Nia let out a frustrated sigh, then she averted her gaze away from him. "An infertile princess can''t be the empress, Aku," she reminded him. "You can''t lose the throne, can you?"


    "We will fix that body of yours," Aku said firmly, then he turned his back on her while exiting the room. He tapped the bracelet''s tattoo around his wrist. Aside from being a "controller," it also served as amunication device connected to the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger. "Elis, Ainsworth, find and capture the witch with pink eyes alive."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SENTINEL, you didn''t answer my question before," Tilly said while she leaned against the windowsill. After her call with Emperor Aku, she summoned the spirit guardian in the tea room. "Can I wake up as the Supreme without losing myself?"


    She had to repeat that question because when she tried to ask that to Sentinel before, they were interrupted by Kiho''s arrival.


    "I cannot answer that, mydy," Sentinel said. "After all, you''ve never awoken ever since you fell into a deep slumber many years ago. The heart of the Red Phoenix had been transferred several times to keep the me of the Fire Mages alive. But this is the first time that you''ve been reincarnated in this world."


    She nodded because that made sense. "Then, if I haven''t awoken yet, why are you so certain that I will kill the ck Serpent once I retrieved my memories?"


    He looked taken aback by her question. "I''m not sure, mydy," he admitted. "I''m only following Lord Wixx''s order. He told every Fire Mage in the past to never let you and the ck Serpent awaken at the same time."


    "Why does it seem that everyone has a say in my rtionship with the ck Serpent?" she said while shaking her head. "Anyway, I have more questions."


    "What is it, Lady Nystrom?"


    "Between me and Kiho, who''d be more dangerous when awakened?"


    "The ck Serpent, of course," the spirit guardian said without missing a beat. "He''s dangerous when he awakens because he''s not on our side."


    Hearing that was painful but she set aside her personal feelings for now.


    "Between me and Kiho, who has the higher chance of killing His Majesty?"


    "It''s you, mydy," he said without hesitation. "In terms of strength, the ck Serpent might be a little stronger than you. But I don''t think he can kill the emperor because of their bond."


    <em>Ouch.</em>


    "So between you and the ck Serpent, only you can kill the emperor, mydy," he continued.


    "Between me and Kiho, who''s more in danger when awakened?"


    "I think it''s the ck Serpent," he said, obviously confused by her questions now. "Once the ck Serpent awakens, His Majesty will do anything to get him to return to his side even if it''s against his will. We''ll also be in danger if that happens, mydy. I''m not underestimating you but you can''t fight the emperor and the ck Serpent at the same time."


    She let out a deep sigh before she spoke again. "It''s settled then."


    Sentinel blinked in surprise. "What do you mean by that, Lady Nystrom?"


    "I''m the one who''s going to awaken to kill Emperor Aku," Tilly said in a soft voice, her heart hurting so bad because of the decision she made. But she had to be strong for her family. After all, she promised that she was going to be the one to protect them this time. "Kiho and Winter shall go ahead without me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 173: Planted Seeds of Today

    Chapter 173: nted Seeds of Today


    "I UNDERSTAND if you want to sacrifice yourself for the young lord, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said with a scowl. "But I can''t allow you to sacrifice for the ck Serpent."


    "I''m not asking for your permission, Sentinel," Tilly said with augh. "Also, I''d appreciate it if you stopparing Kiho with the ck Serpent. Even though they''re the same person, I''d still like to believe that my Kiho is different from the Supreme''s Nystrom."


    "Mydy"


    "Don''t worry too much, Sentinel," she assured him. "I have no intention of dying."


    "Facing the emperor alone is equal to suicide, mydy."


    "The emperor won''t stop chasing me anyway," she reasoned. "I''d rather face him in my awakened state than face him in my current weak state. Don''t you agree, Sentinel?"


    The spirit guardian didn''t answer but she could see it in his eyes that he agreed with her.


    "Do you know how I can awaken on my own?" she asked. "Being angry works but it kind of makes me lose myself. This time, I want to awaken because of my own will and not because of wrath."


    "Only Lord Wixx could unseal your memories safely, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said. "But as far as I know, you can undo the seal on your own by uttering the secret code that you came up with, mydy. I don''t think you remember the code though."


    <em>A code, huh?</em>


    "I''ll figure it out," Tilly said. "Sentinel, how can I make Kiho sleepter?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WINTER, your mommy is really working hard right now."


    "<em>I know, Dad</em>," Winter said while shaking his tiny head. To be honest, he was trying his best not to fall asleep. But his father was standing beside the window of their room while rocking him in his arms. They were waiting for someone but at this rate, he might fall asleep even before their guest arrived. "<em>And I don''t even know what''s going on</em>."


    He just knew that they were in danger.


    But there was nothing new with that. Even in his first life, they had been hunted down by different forces who wanted their family''s power. Too bad they fell into the trap before.


    <em>It won''t happen this time, I swear.</em>


    "I love your mommy''s bravery and wits. Still, I''m worried about her. Sometimes, she can be reckless. I can''t stop her though," his father continued. Then, in a whisper, he added: "Your mom is so sexy when she''s scheming on something."


    Winter raised his tiny hand and lightly pped his father''s cheek. <em>Stop being a cringe, Dad.</em>


    Well, maybe it was rude of him to "p" his dad. But his father''s thoughts were inappropriate! He already knew that his dad was crazy in love with his mom. That was a good thing, but his dad didn''t have to show his affection to his mom every freaking minute.


    "Sorry, little rascal," his father said, his cheeks red from embarrassment. "That was too much, wasn''t it?"


    He eagerly nodded his tiny head.


    "I love your mommy very much," his dad continued, then he rubbed his nose against his tiny one. "I love her too much that I even consider you a rival."


    He just rolled his eyes at that.


    "We''ll be moving to a far awaynd, Winter," his father said in a serious tone this time. "If we have a choice, I wouldn''t want to raise you in a different ce. I can''t say this to your mommy but I have a weird attachment to the Royal Capital even though I wasn''t born here."


    He suddenly felt sympathetic towards his father.


    To be honest, he didn''t find out anything about his dad''s origin in his past life. Unfortunately, after he discovered the truth about his mother, he was killed. The only thing that he found strange back then was the fact that His Majesty was fond of his father. And that his dad was oddly loyal to the emperor despite everything.


    "<em>I''m sorry, Dad</em>," Winter said, then he gently patted his father''s cheek. "<em>I will take care of you this time</em>."


    His father smiled, then he got serious when he turned to the window. He also noticed that his dad pulled him closer to his body. If he was being that overprotective, that only meant that their guest had arrived. "Winter, I''ll introduce you to Captain Sherwood," he said, then he looked at him. "He''ll be our ally for now but don''t trust himpletely, okay?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA clicked her tongue when she found herself still inside the premise of the temple.


    She managed to escape the prayer room with Saint Forrester but unfortunately, someone put a strong barrier around the temple. Breaking the barrier in the prayer room and forcing their way out had already consumed half of her energy.


    The barrier around the temple didn''t seem like something she could break easily.


    How can we escape from here?


    Luckily, they seemed to be far from the prayer room.


    Right now, they were in a garden with a pavilion in the middle. She wasn''t sure where exactly they were. All she knew was it wouldn''t be easy to get out of there because there were two of them. If she was alone, she just needed to crack the barrier a bit and she''d be able to escape. But of course, she couldn''t leave the temple alone.


    She turned to Saint Forrester who was now in his "child" form. This time, he didn''t change his appearance on purpose. He reverted to his child form because his Mana was almost depleted. But thanks to that, she was able to carry him easier.


    "Your Holiness, please hang in there," Luna whispered. "I''ll find a way out."


    "You''re not going anywhere, witch."


    She looked up to see the Golden Tiger standing on the pavilion''s roof.


    "Go," Saint Forrester said. Then, much to her shock, he leapt from her arms and stood protectively in front of her. "They can''t catch you, Luna. Now that the dumb emperor knows your value, he will do anything to capture you."


    "I can''t leave you alone, Your Holiness," she insisted. "I came here to save you!"


    "And I appreciate it," he said, then he turned to her with a weak smile. "I''ll die without regrets as long as my life won''t end at the hands of the dumb emperor."


    "But Your Holiness"


    She stopped midway when they heard the loud growl of the Golden Tiger.


    The next thing she knew, the Beast God was alreadying at them.


    "Go!" Saint Forrester said, then he turned his back on her while his body was starting to return to its adult size. She could tell that the saint was using the remaining divine power in him. "Take care of the Nystroms for me, Luna," he said softly. "Don''t let the history between the Supreme and the ck Serpent to repeat itself."


    She epted the fact that only one of them could escape the temple alive with a heavy heart. Her gaze became blurry as her body started to fade in a pinkish light and it was the light that was currently trying to crack the barrier for her to escape.


    When the Golden Tiger transformed into its beast form, she saw the "air of death" around Saint Forrester.


    The saint''s life ends here.


    As soon as Luna broke the barrier, she closed her eyes tight. "I''m so sorry, Your Holiness," she whispered while her body was starting to disappear. "I will protect the Nystroms no matter what happens."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TODAY, Tilly nted the seeds that she hoped would help them in the future.


    In her office, she gathered Louisa (the head maid), David (the head butler), Amilo (Kiho''s trusted jeweler), Isabelle, ke, and even Captain Sherwood.


    She discussed to everyone in the room the n that she already decided with Kiho a while ago. Her husband couldn''t join the meeting because he was looking after Winter who fell asleep in his arms while Captain Sherwood was pledging his loyalty to them.


    Yep, she and Winter already epted the captain''s pledge.


    "If something unfortunate befalls on me and Kiho, I want you to continue the task that I entrusted you with," Tilly said as she wrapped up their meeting. She didn''t have the time to exin further because her family needed to leave now. "Document every single thing that will happen as soon as we leave."


    For safety purposes, the only people that they would bring with them to Mount S were Isabelle and Luna.


    Amilo would stay in the Royal Capital and she put him in-charge of making sure that the cameras and videos that she left with her allies would work. Also, she gave the jeweler the blueprint of the "CCTV" that she wanted him to develop in secret.


    On the other hand, the ck Serpent Knights, led by ke, would leave the Royal Capital and secretly follow Captain Denver to the North. It wasn''t wise to travel with a huge group but they had to do that for now. She also didn''t want to leave the servants of House Prescott and House Nystrom, but she had no choice.


    To make sure that the emperor wouldn''t kill them, she left a little "curse" that His Majesty would find out once he tried to hurt her servants.


    Now, they were ready to leave.


    "We will continue protecting House Prescott and House Nystrom even if we were far-away," she promised. "Do you trust me?"


    "We trust you, mydy," everyone said with a bow.


    She smiled sadly. "I trust you all as well," she said. "Everyone may leave now except for Captain Sherwood."


    Louisa, David, Amilo, Isabelle, and ke all bowed to her before they left the room.


    As soon as the doors closed, she faced the captain.


    "Captain Sherwood, I''m leaving Kiho and Winter in your capable hands."


    Captain Sherwood looked shocked by her deration. "What do you mean by that, Lady Nystrom?"


    "I have to stay behind and kill His Majesty," Tilly said seriously. "I want you to bring Kiho and Winter to Mount S whatever happens, Captain Sherwood."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 174: Three Little Words

    Chapter 174: Three Little Words


    "MISS LUNA!" Tilly called the witch in a panic when she just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of her office. As soon as she saw that Luna was alone, she already knew that her in failed. <em>His Holiness</em>


    "My deepest apologies, Lady Nystrom," Luna said in a shaking voice. Then, she kneeled and bowed to her until her forehead almost hit the floor. "I was able to bring the saint out of the prayer room. But it seemed like the emperor put up a stronger barrier around the temple. Then, the Golden Tiger came." Her shoulders started to shake as her voice cracked. "His Holiness asked me to leave. He stayed behind to stop the Golden Tiger from attacking me."


    Her heart broke for the witch.


    This was the first time that Luna broke down in tears ever since the first day that she met her.


    "I''m sorry, Miss Luna," she said in a weak voice. Then, she kneeled in front of the witch and put a hand on her shoulder. "This is my fault. I shouldn''t have sent you to the temple alone."


    The witch raised her head to look at her. Then, she shook her head. "It''s not your fault, Lady Nystrom," she said while wiping off the tears on her face with her hands. "I failed to save the saint because I''m stillcking as a witch."


    "You''re notcking, Miss Luna. You did good," she said with a smile. To be honest, she wanted to cry with Luna. A life was lost because she was still weak. But unfortunately, she didn''t have the luxury to break down. "Miss Luna, I''m sorry to ask you this but you''re the only person I can trust now. Please take care of Kiho and Winter. Make sure they''ll reach Mount S safely."


    Luna looked confused but it was understandable. "What do you mean by that, Lady Nystrom?"


    Tilly smiled again even though she was starting to get scared of her own decision. "Miss Luna, I''m going to awaken the heart and retrieve my memories as Soleil Rosenberg."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO hugged Winter tighter when he felt Miss Luna''s presence.


    The witch was back but she was alone.


    <em>We failed to save Saint Forrester.</em>


    He was angry very angry but he had to hold back. Two Beast Gods were already under His Majesty''s control. While he knew that he could beat them, he wouldn''t risk his family''s safety. Running away for now was the best option for their survival.


    "Brother Rival, you''re crushing the baby," Flint, who sat on the sofa across him, said worriedly.


    Kiho''s thoughts were cut-off as soon as he heard what Flint said. He immediately looked down at Winter in his arms. His son was pouting and was on the verge of crying. He immediately loosened up his hold on their baby. "I''m sorry, little rascal," he said while rocking him. "Are you hurt?"


    Winter shook his tiny head, but he still looked upset.


    "I''m sorry, little rascal," he said, then he kissed his son''s forehead. "Daddy didn''t mean to hurt you."


    It seemed like his baby had forgiven him already because he stopped pouting.


    <em>So cute.</em>


    He kissed Winter''s cheek before he turned to Flint.


    Right now, he was in the child''s room because he needed to talk to him. Aside from Julian in the crib, nobody else was there. He wanted to talk to Flint alone so he asked the servants and the knights to give them privacy.


    He couldn''tfort Tilly right now because he still had a job to do.


    "Flint, you know that you''re a Nystrom now, don''t you?" Kiho asked. "You and Julian."


    Flint nodded seriously. "Yes, Brother Rival."


    "While my family will travel to Mount S, you and Julian wille with the ck Serpent Knights to the North," he said. He already exined to Flint that he would be joining his knights. But this time, he''d exin why he couldn''t bring them to Mount S. "You will meet up with Captain Denver and the Red Phoenix Knights in the North. I already left a letter to ke that he''s supposed to give to the captain. You already know that, right?"


    The child nodded. "Sir ke also informed me a while ago that we will be travelling with the troop."


    "Do you know why we have to go separate ways?"


    "Because me and Julian will be a burden to you?" he asked nervously.


    "Of course not," he denied right away. "Flint, we need to go separate ways because you''re the heir of House Nystrom now."


    The child''s eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean by that, Brother Rival?"


    "Winter and I might nevere back to the Royal Capital again," he exined. "If that happens, I asked Captain Denver to help you seed everything that Tilly and I will leave here. Of course, it might take years before it happens. That''s why until the war is over, Captain Denver will hide and protect you. If we win, you and Julian wille back to the Royal Capital and im everything that we left there."


    "But how about Baby Winter?" Flint asked worriedly. "He''s the rightful heir to your wealth."


    "We don''t need that much wealth," Kiho said with a smile. Then, he looked at Winter and kissed his son''s forehead. "Our family just needs to be together and we''ll be fine."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DOES the flesh of a divine human being taste good, Ainsworth?"


    Ainsworth flinched when Elis suddenly appeared beside him. He tried to stand up and run away but his cold voice stopped him.


    "If you leave, I''ll kill you," Elis warned him. "You know that I can do that, don''t you?"


    He satpletely still.


    It wasn''t because he was afraid of Elis, okay?


    <em>I should have left the temple after I finished off the saint.</em>


    But since he got full, he decided to stay in the pavilion''s roof and take a nap first. If he knew Elis would find him there, he would have left right away.


    "What do you want?" Ainsworth asked. And yes, he couldn''t even turn to look at the damned Blue Dragon. "I thought we agreed to never speak to each other again."


    "Don''t be childish," the Blue Dragon said. "Aku Moonchester is summoning us. We have to work together."


    Of course, he knew that.


    "That kid emperor can''t crush Soleil''s heart alone," Elis continued. "He needs us."


    He clenched his jaw before he turned to the Blue Dragon. "Do you hear yourself, Elis? Are we really letting Aku Moonchester hurt our Supreme?"


    "It''s for the best," the Blue Dragon said. "I won''t let the kid emperor kill Soleil. But I need him to crush her heart. Once that happens, she wille back to our side."


    He just turned his gaze away from Elis. "Your obsession with Soleil is the reason why she turned her back on us, you fool."


    "That will change in this lifetime," Elis said confidently. "You don''t have to help me, Ainsworth," he threatened him. "But don''t get in my wayter."


    "Do what you want," Ainsworth said, then he red at Elis. "Just make sure that the Supreme won''t die again."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BLAKE, take care of the troop," Kiho told ke. Right now, half of the ck Serpent Knights already left the estate on their horses. ke and the rest of the team would escort Flint and Julian. The two kids were already inside the carriage. "I don''t usually pray but this time, I will. I will pray for your safe journey."


    ke smiled and nodded. "Don''t worry too much about us, Duke Nystrom. I will bring the children and the whole squad to the North safely."


    He nodded, praying from the bottom of his heart that his men reached their destination without casualty. "Let''s meet again someday, ke," he said, then he extended his hand to him. "We have to."


    The temporary captain nodded firmly, then he epted his handshake. "We will definitely meet again, Duke Nystrom."


    After saying his goodbye to ke, he went to Damian and Whitton who were standing guard in front of the mansion''s main entrance. He decided to leave the mansion to Damian and Whitton, along with a small squad that would protect the servants.


    "Damian, Whitton, I entrust our home to you," Kiho said. "Let''s meet again when everything is over."


    Damian and Whitton, two of the youngest members of the ck Serpent Knights, immediately got emotional. But the two did a good job holding back their tears. "We will wait for your return, Duke Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO checked on Flint and Julian, who were already inside the carriage, onest time. "Hey," he greeted Flint who was sitting on the couch while Julian was on hisp. "Be careful. Remember to call us if you need our help. We''lle to you whatever happens."


    Flint nodded, then his eyes became sharp. "Brother Rival, take care of Big Sister Tilly. If she gets hurt in any way, I will steal her from you when I grow up."


    Usually, he would take the threat seriously.


    Well, hispetitive and jealous sides were still threatening toe out, but he held back. It wasn''t the time to entertain a rival. And after Flint almost died, he decided to be extra nice to him even if he was a "love rival."


    He flicked the child''s forehead. "Just take care of your brother."


    And then, his gazended on Julian.


    He didn''t know if it was just his imagination or not. But he thought the toddler was looking at him with longing in his eyes. He suddenly felt awkward.


    "Take care," Kiho said, then, he gently put a hand on Julian''s head. "See youter, Julian."


    Julian, for a baby, was very expressive. At first, he looked surprised when he put his hand on his head. Then, his face turned red. Before he could ask if the toddler was okay, he suddenly smiled widely at him and waved.


    <em>"Farewell, Father."</em>


    Kiho blinked in surprised. Did he hear it right? Did the tiny voicee from Julian? But all this thoughts were cut-off when he heard Winter''s loud cry from the carriage that his family would be using. <em>My little rascal.</em>


    ***


    JULIAN felt happy that his father paid attention to him even if it was just for a while.


    But it also saddened him that he immediately got distracted when he heard Winter cry. Well, he knew that his father would always prioritize his son with the Supreme. He was already used to it. Still, it didn''t mean it hurt any less.


    <em>I hope you the next time we meet, you learn to love me as well, Father.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WINTER?"


    Winter, who wasfortable in his mommy''s arms while they were inside the carriage, looked up at her with sleepy eyes. It was already close to midnight and his stupid baby body was pulling him to sleep. "<em>Yes, Mommy?</em>"


    "Please take care of yourself and your daddy until we meet again," his mommy said with a sad smile on her face. Even though she wasn''t crying, he could see in her eyes the pain that he also felt in her voice. "I will miss you both of you. Wait for mommy to return, okay?"


    He blinked several times before he understood what his mother was saying.


    Is she going to stay behind and fight the emperor on her own?


    He couldn''t understand his mommy''s decision. But even though he wanted to ask so many questions, he knew that his mother couldn''t understand him anyway. He could only think of one way to stop her from doing something so reckless.


    Winter cried as loud as he could to get his father''s attention.


    <em>Daddy, don''t let Mommy leave us!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY almost broke down into tears when Winter cried loudly.


    She got scared when she noticed that her baby''s face got very red from crying too much. And even though his body was usually cool just like his father''s, his body temperature suddenly increased.


    It was proof that he also inherited her Mana, but he might be too young to understand how it worked because Winter was more used to using ice instead of fire.


    She stepped out of the carriage to ask Kiho to cool down their baby''s temperature. Thankfully, her husband was already there when she came out. She immediately put Winter in his arms.


    "Please cool him down, hon," Tilly said worriedly. "Our baby''s temperature suddenly increased when he started crying."


    Kiho nodded, and he looked worried while rocking Winter in his arms. "Honey, what happened? Why did Winter cry?"


    She felt a painful thump in her chest.


    To be honest, if Luna and Captain Sherwood didn''t arrive after Kiho asked her what was wrong with Winter, she would have just stayed still and cried with her son. But seeing the witch and the captain reminded her that she didn''t have time to waste.


    "Kiho, let''s talk," she said seriously. Then, she turned to Luna. "Miss Luna, please help Winter calm down."


    Luna nodded. When she turned to Kiho, he silently put Winter (who was still crying very loudly) in her arms. "I''ll stay in the carriage with the young lord."


    "I''ll guard them," Captain Sherwood offered.


    When the two left, she grabbed Kiho''s hand and pulled him until they reached the pond in the middle of the garden.


    "Tilly, you''re scaring me."


    Tilly stopped walking, then she turned around to face Kiho. She held his hands and looked up at him with tearful eyes. "Kiho, I''m going to make one mistake," she said. She wasn''t sure if leaving her family was the right thing to do even if she had no other choice. She might regret itter, and so she would consider it a mistake as early as now. "This one time, please forgive me."


    "You don''t have to beg for my forgiveness, honey," Kiho said even though he looked very confused by her actions. "I''m not capable of hating you, Tilly."


    That was a relief to hear.


    "Kiho, promise me that you''ll only believe my words," she said. "That no matter what happens, you will always trust me and the love that I have for you."


    "Tilly"


    "Promise me that you will always be faithful to me because I will never betray you," she said seriously. "No matter what I remember, I will only believe you and your love for me."


    "I promise, Tilly," he said. "I will always be faithful, loyal, and devoted to you."


    Sheughed weakly at that. "They quite mean the same thing."


    "You finally smiled," Kiho gently said while giving her a warm look. "Will you tell me what this is all about, Tilly?"


    Tilly smiled, and then her tears silently rolled down her face. "Kiho, I love you."


    Those three little words were powerful enough to forcefully put them both to slumber.


    When "Tilly" woke up, she wasn''t the same person anymore


    now, she remembered herself as Soleil Rosenberg the first Supreme Fire Mage.


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU wasn''t surprised when he saw Lord Ripperton and Lord Ainsworth when he stepped out of the temple.


    He summoned them to ambush the Nystroms.


    <em>I won''t let them leave the Royal Capital.</em>


    He was just about to give instructions to the two Beast Gods when all of a sudden, the air around them became unbearably hot. It wasn''t the same "heat" the Keepers released when they arrived. The heat this time was as pure as the Mana of a full god.


    <em>This can only mean one thing</em>


    Before he could even answer his own questions, it suddenly rained of ming arrows. The beautiful red me lit up the dark sky.


    <em>Soleil Rosenberg!</em>


    The ming arrows hit the ground and formed a circle that trapped him with Lord Ripperton and Lord Ainsworth. Then, they all looked up to see the Supreme in all her glory.


    Soleil Rosenberg was floating in the air with her red Phoenix wings


    while holding her beautiful golden bow...


    her jet-ck hair dancing with the wind


    "Kill her," Aku whispered. "Kill the Supreme!"


    Soleil Rosenberg just smiled. "Kneel."


    And just like that, Lord Ripperton and Lord Ainsworth were already on their knees.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 175: Midnight Sun

    Chapter 175: Midnight Sun


    "YOU''RE still very, very handsome," Tillymented while looking at Kiho''s sleeping face. He was lying on the ground while she was squatting beside him. They were still in the pond where they both copsed after she uttered the "secret code" she used as a seal. Thankfully, she woke up first. "Your hair color this time looks pretty nd. But your face pulled it off."


    Kiho, who was unconscious, didn''t respond he couldn''t, obviously.


    She lifted her hand and gently poked his cheek. "Your skin is still as cold as I remember. And even in this lifetime, you still rarely smile," she said with a smile. "You''re my little dark gray cloud through and through."


    It was a pity that she had to awaken this way.


    That she had to leave her husband after she retrieved her memories.


    "L-Lady Nystrom?"


    She turned around to find a witch with pink eyes. Of course, she noticed the little baby boy in her arms. Yet, she still couldn''t take her eyes off of the woman.


    "Luna," she said with a smile when she remembered her name, then she stood up. "I''m d that we''ve met in this lifetime again."


    Luna looked surprised.


    Ah, right. As Tilly Nystrom, she never called the witch by her name. It was always ''Miss Luna.'' But in the past, they dropped the formalities and called each other by their first name.


    She just woke up so her memories as Soleil and her memories as Tilly were still ovepping.


    "You have awakened, Supreme," Luna said carefully while looking at her now jet-ck hair. Then, she looked at her face with curious eyes. "Have we met in the past?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Yes. You are my brother''s" she trailed-off when she remembered that her Brother Wixx didn''t like people talking about his rtionship behind his back.


    "What was my rtionship with Lord Wixx in the past, Supreme?" the witch asked curiously. And she seemed very interested in the topic. "He didn''t mention anything when we met in this lifetime."


    Of course, her brother wouldn''t.


    But she was pretty sure that Luna meeting Wixx in this lifetime wasn''t a co-incidence. The two met because her brother definitely lured the witch without her knowing.


    <em>Still a coward, I see.</em>


    "We''ll talk about itter," she told the witch. Then, she turned to the baby boy. "My son," she said with a smile. "You were finally born in this lifetime."


    When she looked at Luna, the witch immediately put the baby in her arms.


    "Your body is as cold as your father''s," Tilly said while rocking the baby in her arms. "Winter, isn''t it?" Upon looking at his face closely, she realized that her son''s eyes were puffy. It was obvious that he just cried his eyes out. "You probably know what I''m about to do, right?"


    Winter looked like he was on the verge of crying again as he extended his little arms to her as if he wanted to cling to her. To stop her from leaving. Of course, that squeezed her heart so bad.


    "I promise I will return for you and your father, my little cinnamon roll," she said while keeping Winter closer to her. Now that her memories were settling, her memories as Tilly Prescott-Nystrom were also getting clearer. "Mommy will be back quick, I promise."


    Her little cinnamon roll pouted while big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks.


    "I trust you, Winter," she said with a smile even though her heart was heavy. "Please take care of your father. Help me protect our family this time, hmm?"


    Winter seemed to understand her words. He stopped crying, and the sadness in his eyes was reced by determination. Then, he reached for her face. "I''ll protect Daddy," he said in her mind, surprising her. "So please return to us safely, Mommy."


    She had so many questions for her son but she knew that she didn''t have the time for it.


    "I will return safely," she promised, then she kissed Winter''s forehead. It wasn''t just a kiss. What she left on her son was an invisible mark that would let every single Fire Mage that he was hers. And if his life was put on danger, that mark would send a signal to the nearest Fire Mages around him. In short, it was a protection. "I love you, my little cinnamon roll."


    Winter smiled even though he looked scared for her. "I love you, too, Mommy."


    She smiled, then she put Winter back in Luna''s arms. "Luna, you must go now. You have to take Kiho as far away from the Royal Capital as possible," she said seriously. "Now that I''m awake, Kiho might also awaken anytime. It''s fine as long as he isn''t near the Moonchesters. Also, if you see a White Snake around him, kill it."


    Luna looked like she had a lot of questions but in the end, she didn''t ask anything. Instead, she just nodded. "As you wish, Supreme."


    "I have to go now," she said, then she summoned her me.


    A few heartbeatster, her whole body was engulfed in red me. Then, the me gathered on her back until they became a pair of red, ming phoenix wings. They weren''t real wings though. Only her brother could grow real phoenix wings on his back.


    Still, her ming wings could make her fly.


    "See youter, Luna," Tilly said with a smile, then she turned to Winter. "Wait for me mommy, my little cinnamon roll." And finally, she turned around to look at Kiho onest time before she left. She wanted to kiss him but she was afraid that her me might make him up. This kind of farewell would do for now. "Sleep well, my gray cloud."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was happy that he was able to talk to his mother.


    He didn''t know how it happened. Was it because his mommy''s Mana was so powerful now that she was able to hear him this time? Well, it didn''t matter.


    <em>I''m just d that my memories weren''t wiped off.</em>


    Maybe it was because he didn''t say anything about his past life. Bidding his mommy goodbye didn''t reveal what he found out in the past anyway, so the "curse" didn''t take effect.


    <em>And that''s a relief.</em>


    He looked at his father who was still unconscious. Right now, they were in a carriage that was moving a little too fast than normal. Of course, he was in Miss Luna''s arms.


    On the other hand, his father was on sitting across from them. He was leaning against the window, still unconscious. Captain Sherwood was sitting beside his daddy. He remembered that his father told him not to trust the captain. And so, he was keeping an eye on him.


    Winter would protect his daddy while waiting for his mommy.


    <em>Nobody can touch my daddy under my watch.</em>


    And right after that thought crossed his mind, their carriage suddenly stopped.


    <strong>***</strong>


    ALL TILLY had to do was track the presence of Aku Moonchester.


    As soon as she knew where to go, her red ming wings wrapped themselves around her body. Then, she closed her eyes and imagined the exact locations. She felt her body became light a sign that her wings were already taking her where she wanted to go.


    When she opened her eyes the same time her wings did, she found herself floating in the air


    and below her, she saw Aku Moonchestere out of the temple.


    It wasn''t only him.


    Elis and the little tiger were also there.


    <em>Good. I don''t need to look for the brats.</em>


    She opened both of her hands and when she did, the little feather tattoos in the middle of her palms appeared. Those marks were her weapons.


    The first one to manifest was her golden bow. As soon as it appeared above her left palm, she grabbed it. Then, a ming arrow appeared above her right palm. She grabbed it, then she put the arrow in the bow and pointed it to Aku Moonchester.


    Without hesitation, she let go of the arrow.


    The amazing thing about her chosen weapon was it could multiply depending on her will and Mana. So even though she only used one arrow, when it flew towards the emperor''s direction, it got divided into several more arrows. The number was enough to create a ring of fire around Aku Moonchester, Elis, and the little tiger.


    Now that she had announced her arrival, the three men looked up at her.


    Her me was shining brightly in the dark, midnight sky. She probably looked like the sun to them, and it only befitted how one should see the Supreme Fire Mage.


    Anyway, each one had a funny look on his face.


    Elis had a frenzied look on his eyes, the little tiger looked like a kid caught stealing from the cookie jar, and Aku Moonchester


    Ah, the emperor looked scared at first.


    But then, he easily regained hisposure.


    "Kill her," Aku Moonchester whispered in his breath. "Kill the Supreme!"


    Tilly smiled at the "cute" order of the emperor. "Kneel."


    Just like she expected, Elis and the little tiger suddenly fell on their knees.


    Aku Moonchester staggered, but it seemed like his sheer stubbornness and pride were what kept him standing.


    <em>Aww, cute resistance.</em>


    "Stand up," Aku Moonchester hissed at the Beast Gods, the bracelet around his right wrist glowing. The way the emperor held his right shoulder told her that he couldn''t bear the weight of the bracelet. "Don''t let the Supreme overpower you"


    The emperor stopped talking midway because he was probably surprised when she suddenly appeared before him.


    He definitely didn''t expect her toe near him without making a sound.


    Even Elis and the little tiger that were now both standing looked too shocked to move and help their emperor.


    "This is too heavy for you, little Aku," she said while holding Aku Moonchester''s right arm. Then, using her other hand, she held the bracelet and melted it. "You shouldn''t take things that don''t belong to you."


    Anger crossed the emperor''s eyes. He tried to pull his right hand from her grasp. In return, she broke his arm.


    Aku Moonchester, who was probably wasnt used to getting hurt, screamed in pain.


    "Your Divine Protection doesn''t work on me," she reminded him. "Don''t ever forget that."


    The emperor, now heavily sweating, red at her.


    She was a little distracted when the me of the arrows around them was put out by a strong gust of wind.


    Knowing Elis''s sneaky attacks helped. She knew that he wouldn''t hesitate to literally stab her on the back. And so, she summoned her red ming wings and pped the Blue Dragon hard. It sent him flying until he hit the post of the temple across them.


    The slight distraction that Elis caused was used by Aku Moonchester to slip from his grasp. Then, he jumped away from her.


    "Soleil"


    She raised her brow when she found the little tiger kneeling in front of her with his head hanged low.


    Ainsworth was the weakest among the Beast Gods. She didn''t have to ask to know that the bracelet managed to tie him with the kid emperor all these years. And she also didnt forget what he did under Aku Moonchester''s order after he awakened.


    ""Soleil?"" she asked. "Did I hear it right, little tiger?"


    Ainsworth fell silent for a while before he spoke again. "B-Big Sister Soleil."


    "Good," she said with a satisfied smile. "Just because you''re free from little Aku''s control doesn''t mean I''ve already forgiven you, little tiger. You ripped off Captain Denver''s arm and you almost ruined Luna''s face. And His Holiness"


    "He''s alive," the little tiger said, then he looked up at her with eyes begging for forgiveness. "I know that the saint is still pretty useful to you. I made it out like I''ve killed him but I didn''t. My spirit guardian is tending to the saint right now."


    Little tiger''s spirit guardian had always been aloof.


    She almost forgot about its existence because she had never seen it in this lifetime yet.


    "That''s still not enough," she told him coldly. "Little tiger, follow the ck Serpent Knights and bring them to the North safely. Once you meet Captain Denver there, I want you to beg for his forgiveness. If you failed this mission, don''t ever show your face to me again."


    "I won''t fail, Big Sister Soleil," Ainsworth promised. Then, he stood up and bowed to her. "See youter, Supreme."


    And after saying his goodbye, the little tiger disappeared.


    She didn''t waste her time.


    With her eyes locked on Aku Moonchester, she leapt for an attack. But Elis literally blocked her way. This time, his blue scales were covering his body.


    "Isn''t it unfair that you paid attention to Ainsworth while you ignored me, Soleil?" Elis asked bitterly. "I''m the one who''s loyal to you!"


    "I don''t know you," she said ndly even though she clearly remembered who Elis was. That was her punishment for him: to never acknowledge her past connection with him. "I''m not acquainted to a god who kills innocent humans for his own greed."


    Her words obviously cut deep in the Blue Dragon''s feelings.


    Not that she cared.


    She closed her fingers tight, made her fist me, and then punched the hell out of Elis''s hard stomach. His blue scales might be impossible to break for other people. But to her, his scales were just as soft as egg shells.


    Her punch didn''t send Elis flying but it was enough to make him fall on his knees again while clutching his stomach. She also saw him cough blood.


    "For a god, you look pathetic," she told him mockingly, then she walked past him.


    Aku Moonchester didn''t wait for her doing nothing.


    While she was dealing with Elis and the little tiger, he had sessfully gathered his Mana. And now, he was holding the Celestial Sword.


    It was also known as the emperor''s strongest weapon.


    The de and the holder of the Celestial Sword werepletely silver, save for the red diamonds embedded in the holder. Those red gems resembled the eyes of the Moonchesters.


    "Aku Moonchester, I already told you to stop using things that don''t belong to you," she said while shaking her head. "I guess I need to teach you a lesson."


    Aku Moonchester just smirked at him.


    This time, he was the one who attacked first. He swung the sword, creating a strong burst of white ball of energy directed at it. It was strong enough to hurt the Beast Gods.


    But not enough to scratch her.


    She just literally pped the ball of energy making it hit the wall on her left side. It just didn''t break the wall. The ball of energy also destroyed the forest where it went through after the wall copsed.


    Aku Moonchester looked surprised by her strength.


    She used his distraction to attack him. Her fast and swift movement allowed her to once again appear before the emperor without him knowing. Before he could even react, she grabbed the de of the Celestial Sword with her bare hand.


    Of course, she was cut.


    But it didn''t matter before her blood turned into a huge red me that was hot enough to make Aku Moonchester drop the sword.


    His hand was burned as well, making him hiss in pain,


    She wasn''t done yet.


    This time, she summoned the ancient dagger that she used along with her bow and arrow. Without wasting a single moment, she stabbed the dagger in Aku Moonchester''s chest and pierced it hard enough to push him until his back hit the wall of the temple.


    Aku Moonchester could only scream in agony.


    "Die," she said in a cold voice. "After I''m done with you, I''ll kill Nia Moonchester next"


    Her voice trailed-off when she felt a cold hand grab the hand that she was using to pierce the dagger through Aku Moonchester''s heart.


    She didn''t need to turn to her side to know who owned the hand that stopped her.


    <em>No</em>


    "Stop."


    <em>That voice</em>


    She slowly turned to her side and she was greeted by the face that she hated to see at that moment.


    It was Kiho, but also not.


    Silver hair.


    Red eyes.


    Skin as pale as the moon.


    Tilly''s tears fell down silently. "Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 176: When the Shadows Move

    Chapter 176: When the Shadows Move


    LUNA was surprised when the carriage suddenly stopped. Obviously, something bad happened for the coachman to halt the carriage without warning. But she was worried because she didn''t feel any other presence around them.


    <em>This is bad</em>


    "Stay here, Miss Luna," Captain Sherwood whispered. "I''ll check what happened outside."


    She just nodded, then pulled Lord Winter to her body closer.


    The captain looked at the unconscious Duke Nystrom a look full of concern before he quietly and swiftly stepped out of the carriage.


    When Captain Sherwood was gone, she created a barrier inside the carriage.


    "Don''t worry, young lord," she whispered to the child. "We will protect you."


    Winter''s huge round eyes focused on her face. Then, he put a hand on her cheek gently. His skin was cold, but the young lord''s gestured warmed her heart.


    <em>He''sforting me.</em>


    She smiled at the toddler. "Thank you, Lord Winter"


    Her voice trailed-off when all of a sudden, a woman wearing an elegant off-the-shoulder robe appeared beside Duke Nystrom.


    <em>How did she break in my barrier?</em>


    The stranger also had long white hair, golden eyes that resembled the duke''s


    and white snake scales?


    <em>"Also, if you see a White Snake around him, kill it."</em>


    When she remembered the Supreme''s instructions before she left a while ago, she felt goosebumps all over her body.


    <em>This woman is the white snake!</em>


    She immediately tried to envelope Duke Nystrom with a protective spell.


    But she was already toote.


    When the strange woman the White Snake bit the duke in the neck, their bodies started to fade in a very cold white smoke.


    Lord Winter started to cry loudly as if he was trying to wake up Duke Nystrom.


    But to no avail.


    "No!" she yelled while trying to increase the range of her protective spell.


    But again, she waste.


    She tried to stand up and run after the duke by tracing his Mana. But all of a sudden, she felt a sharp pain in her ankle followed by dizziness. When she plopped back on the sofa, she looked down and was shocked to see that a small white snake was wrapped around her right ankle. Based on the bite marks in her skin, it was obvious that she had been bitten.


    Her body instantly felt weak and numb.


    She knew that her arms would be rendered useless soon so before she identally dropped the young lord, she immediately put him in a "safe bubble." It was literally a breathable bubble made with her life force and Mana. That meant that as long as she was alive, the bubble wouldn''t and couldn''t be burst unless she died.


    The venom in her body was the kind of venom that would take hours before itpletely killed her. For now, she forcefully put her sleep to slow down the spread of venom in her body.


    <em>I failed, mydy</em>, Luna said to herself miserably. T<em>he ck Serpent was taken away</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN KALEL opened his eyes, he was greeted by his mother''s relieved face.


    After looking around, he realized that he was lying on his mother''sp while they were in the middle of a forest or something.


    "My little Nystrom," his mother said with tears in her eyes. "You''re finally awake."


    If he had awakened, that only meant one thing.


    "Soleil," Kalel whispered to himself, then he stood up and looked up at the dark sky. He could tell that it was midnight now, but the dark sky was being lit up by the familiar bright me that he wouldn''t mistaken for anyone else. "Soleil is awake, too."


    "Soleil this, Soleil that," his motherined. "We''ve just been reunited after so long and the first thing you said was that woman''s name?"


    He ignored his mother was trying to find the exact location of Soleil.


    "Are you listening to me, Nystrom?"


    "''Nystrom'' is just my family name now," he coldly reminded his mother while giving her a nk look. "Also, you don''t own me. Not after what you did before I got reborn as Kalel Moonchester, "Mother.""


    Shame and guilt crossed his mother''s eyes.


    He didn''t really care about that, especially not when he already found Soleil''s exact location


    and she wasn''t alone.


    She''s with Aku.


    "I need to go," Kalel said while his body was being enveloped in a cold, silver-ish light that resembled the color of his hair. And even without seeing his reflection, he knew that his eyes had turned red because his full Mana had already returned to him. "Don''t follow me, Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER cried as loud as he could.


    It was a cry for help.


    Right now, he was inside the floating bubble that Miss Luna created to protect him. He couldn''t feel any dangerous aura outside, but he could smell the blood in the air. It was an ability that he possessed even in his first life.


    <em>Captain Sherwood and the coachman must have been badly hurt.</em>


    Miss Luna was also in danger. He saw her getting bitten by a small white snake. When the witch copsed unconscious, the white snake also disappeared.


    He was the only one left unharmed.


    <em>But they took my father away!</em>


    Remembering what happened to his father made him cry harder.


    <em>I''m so sorry, Mommy</em>


    "F*ck!"


    Winter stopped crying when he heard someone cussed outside. The man''s voice was so loud and so clear that his ears almost fell off.


    <em>How vulgar!</em>


    He was surprised when the door of the carriage suddenly opened. Well, it was more appropriate to say that the stranger with long magenta hair ripped the door off the frame.


    "Roarke f*cking Sinir!" the vulgar man yelled without taking his eyes off of him. "The young master is here!"


    <em>They know me?</em>


    The vulgar guy moved his finger as if he was motioning for him toe near him.


    Much to his surprise, the bubble where he was in floated towards the vulgar man. As soon as the stranger touched the bubble, it burst easily.


    It wasn''t because Miss Luna''s barrier was weak.


    <em>The stranger was very strong!</em>


    "Don''t worry, Young Master," the stranger said with a grin when he was finally in his arms. "You''re f*cking safe now."


    <em>He''s so warm.</em>


    He also noticed that the guy''s Mana was kind of simr to his mommy''s. And after he called him "Young Master," he already figured out that he was one of the Keepers that his mother was waiting for. He felt at ease with the stranger so he knew right away that he wasn''t an enemy.


    <em>They''rete but at least, they can help us find my daddy.</em>


    When Winter realized that the vulgar man would leave without even a nce at Miss Luna, he cried loudly and pointed a finger at the witch''s direction. He hated that the only way he couldmunicate with stranger was through crying but he had no choice.


    "F*ck," the vulgar man cursed again. His eyes were wide open while looking at Miss Luna with disbelief on his face. "Sinir, Lady Luna is here"


    ""Lady Luna?"" another man''s voice asked from outside. "You mean, Lord Winchell''s"


    "Yes!" the vulgar man cut-off the other man in an excited tone. But he became serious when he realized what must have happened to the witch. "Sinir, Lady Luna is in danger."


    A few momentster, a man with deep purple hair and different-colored eyes appeared beside the vulgar man.


    <em>He must be ''Sinir.''</em>


    It was Winter''s first time to see a person with different-colored eyes. Sinir''s left eye was pink while the right eye was light blue. Both were pretty colors that matched his angelic face.


    "It''s really Lady Luna," Sinir said, then he turned to the vulgar man. "Crawford, leave Lady Luna and the young master to me. Go and save the Supreme."


    "Okay," ''Crawford'' agreed, then he handed Winter over Sinir. "How about that descendant of the f*cking Blue Dragon bleeding on the ground?"


    "I already stopped his bleeding. I think he''d live. Not that I care about a descendant of that sc*mbag," Sinir said. "I''ll start creating a portal back to our ind. You have one hour to save the Supreme, Crawford. After that, we''ll leave this hellhole."


    Crawford nodded. "`Got it."


    Winter panicked when he heard the two''s n. <em>Wait, how about my daddy?!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "GO BACK to the Royal Capital," Nia said while using her mind control to the ck Serpent Knights standing in front of her. Based on the dazed look on their face, she knew she had seeded in controlling their mind. "Go back and don''t ever think about leaving again."


    Right now, she was in the border of the empire that the squad had to cross to leave the Royal Capital and travel to Oakes.


    If she had a choice, she''d rather go after Lady Nystrom instead of dealing with small-fries.


    But Aku ordered her to make sure that the ck Serpent Knights wouldn''t be able to leave the Royal Capital. Worse, the emperor also asked her to not hurt the knights. ording to him, he didn''t want to earn Kiho''s wrath.


    <em>He''s very confident that Kiho will return to his side.</em>


    "I''m tired," Nia whispered to herself. Even though it had already been months since she woke up, she was yet to recover her power. And it wasn''t easy to use mind control on strong people like the ck Serpent Knights. "Lucina,e out and make sure that the ck Serpent Knights will return to the Royal Capital."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN LUCINA opened her eyes, she was greeted by a squad of dazed ck Serpent Knights. The knights were already moving to return to the Royal Capital. As expected, Princess Nia''s mind control ability was still strong.


    To make sure that the temporary captain of the squad was really under Her Royal Highness''s control, she went to the carriage where she could feel the captain''s Mana.


    When she opened the door, she found a dazed ke and two children inside.


    But only one of the children seemed to be under the princess''s mind control. The toddler was looking at her with round, clear eyes.


    <em>Your Royal Highness, you missed one.</em>


    Was it because children rarely get affected by mind control?


    She clicked her tongue, then she raised her hand to touch the toddler''s head. After all, it was her job to finish Princess Nia''s mission.


    "<em>Stop</em>," the toddler said while speaking in her mind. "<em>Stop it, Mother</em>."


    To say that Lucina was shocked would be an understatement.


    <em>Did he call me "Mother?"</em>


    While looking at the toddler''s strange eyes, she felt a sharp pain in her head.


    And all of a sudden, memories of the past started to sh before her eyes.


    "Julian, Lucina whispered to herself while watching the memories y in her head like a theatrical performance. "My child"


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL smiled bitterly while looking at Kalel.


    Just like her, he was already awakened. And just like before, he was still the reason why he couldn''t kill Aku Moonchester. She hated that after so many years, their situation hadn''t changed.


    "Don''t," Kalel warned her while shaking his head. "Soleil, you can''t kill Aku."


    Soleil smirked even though her chest was tightening in pain. But her smirk disappeared right away when she noticed that Kalel''s chest was bleeding in the same spot that she stabbed Aku. She couldn''t believe what her mind came up with as an exnation for that. "Lord Kalel don''t tell me"


    Kalel only gave her a sad smile.


    <em>No!</em>


    That slight distraction of hers was a big mistake.


    All of a sudden, she felt a sharp pain in her chest area. She didn''t have to look down to know that a sword was just pierced through her chest, barely missing her heart.


    "Fool," Aku Moonchester said behind her. "You''re still a fool for Kalel, Soleil Rosenberg."


    Soleil couldn''t deny that. Instead, she smiled and looked at Kalel with tearful eyes. "Lord Kalel, I''m afraid I have to ask you to choose again."


    And Kalel could only close his eyes.


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>IMPORTANT NOTE:</strong>Hi! Volume 1 already ended at. I''m sorry, I can''t do mass release right now. Volume 2 needs a lot of world-building again so I need to focus on that. Sorry. I hope you understand. :(


    My <strong>privilege chapters</strong> are always avable though. You''ll get to read <strong>2 advance chapters for 1 coin</strong>, and <strong>5 advance chapters for 50 coins</strong>. Please consider buying my priv chapters if you can. Thank you. :)


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 177: Moon Priestess

    Chapter 177: Moon Priestess


    <strong><em>AS KALEL closed his eyes, an important memory of the past yed in his head like it was happening to him again</em></strong>


    "The child in the Supreme''s womb is lifeless, my lord."


    "I know," Kalel said. "Soleil and I just found out that the Moon Serpent doesn''t have a heart. And as long as he doesn''t have a heart, he will never be born alive."


    He secretly met up with the Moon Priestess in the Moon God''s shrine to talk about that.


    They weren''t talking face-to-face though. The Moon Priestess was inside the prayer room while he was outside. A thin wall separated them. Still, they could hear each other just fine.


    "When Aku Moonchester killed the Moon Serpent after the war among the moons, he ripped out the Moon Serpent''s heart to prevent it from being reborn," the Moon Priestess said. "He knew that the sky god would eventually find out that he lied to him. And so, to make sure that the only being capable of killing him wouldnt be revived, he crushed its heart."


    Unfortunately, they only discovered that fact after he and Soleil had conceived a lifeless child.


    <em>Our baby is nothing but a shell.</em>


    It was probably the reason why Aku Moonchester now King Auro allowed him to marry the Supreme Fire Mages. He knew that they wouldn''t be able to conceive the Moon Serpent.


    "Without the Moon Serpent, we can''t kill that despicable king," the Moon Priestess said. "My lord, can you really not kill him?"


    "I can," he admitted. "But if I kill Aku, Soleil will die with him."


    When he and Soleil were reborn after they refused to ascend to the heavens, they weren''t reincarnated at the same time.


    His reincarnation was done earlier than scheduled.


    Soleil was then left in the ne the world between the heaven and earth where souls await to be reborn. She was left there with Aku Moonchester''s soul.


    He didn''t know how, but that was when Aku tied his soul with Soleil''s.


    Just like how the moon gets its light from the sun, Aku needs Soleil''s soul for him to be reincarnated with the same amount of Mana that she has.


    "Have you told Lady Rosenberg that her soul is tied with the king in that way?" the Moon Priestess asked.


    To Soleil''s followers, she would always be ''Lady Rosenberg'' even though she was already married to him.


    <em>I don''t mind though.</em>


    "No," he answered the Moon Priestess''s question. "And I have no intention of telling her."


    "But my lord"


    "Soleil will kill herself if she finds out that aside from the Moon Serpent, only her death can kill Aku," he said firmly. "But it doesn''t end there. If she dies with Aku, she will never be reborn again." He clenched his fists tight. "I can''t have that. I want to meet her in every lifetime that I will reborn into."


    The Moon Priestess let out a frustrated sigh. "Is there a way to unbind Lady Rosenberg''s soul with the king''s?"


    "Aku said he''d relinquish the bind if I give him Soleil''s heart," he said. "ording to him, he doesn''t need to depend on Soleil''s soul anymore because he has finally umted enough Mana to live on his own."


    "And you believed him?"


    "Of course not," he said. "I went to Asher''s temple and forced him to connect me to the Sky God. ording to that useless god, Soleil''s heart doesn''t have anything to do with the bind."


    "So, the king lied to you just to force you to give him Soleil''s heart?"


    "Yes. But I don''t know what he needs Soleil''s heart for."


    "How will you save Lady Rosenberg then?"


    "Aku thinks I''m still under his control," he said. "I have to rip out Soleil''s heart to get closer to him."


    "Lord Kalel!"


    "I need to get close to him to cut the thing that binds his soul to Soleil''s," he said firmly. "The Sky God taught me a way to free Soleil from Aku''s grasp."


    "How, my lord?"


    He fell silent for a few seconds before he answered. "I''ll use my soul as a recement."


    The Moon Priestess gasped. "Does it mean you''ll be the one to die if Aku dies?"


    "I don''t mind dying as long as Soleil lives," he said. "But I have to sacrifice her heart first."


    "My lord, the king will surely use Lady Rosenberg''s for his evil schemes."


    "I know," he said. "I have a n and I need your help for that."


    "Tell me what I have to do," the Moon Priestess said eagerly. "I will do anything for the Supreme."


    This was the reason why he sought the Moon Priestess. Her affinity was with the moon but she was attached to the sun instead. Perhaps, it was a testament of Soleil''s charisma. People would just naturally get drawn to her.


    "Once I ripped Soleil''s heart out of her, I will protect it to make sure that we can return it to her," he said. "Then, steal it from me before I hand it to Aku."


    "My lord, you''re overestimating my ability."


    "You can do it," he said confidently. "You can easily do it if you have Asher''s Holy Scepter. If you have the Holy Scepter, Aku can''t get the heart back from you."


    "That brat won''t lend us his Holy Scepter," the Moon Priestess said. "Are you telling me to steal it, my lord?"


    "Yes."


    Silence ensued for a few moments.


    "I''ll do it for Lady Rosenberg," the Moon Priestess said finally. "My lord, can''t we tell the Supreme about this n?"


    "We can''t," Kalel said firmly. Of course, he didn''t want to lie to Soleil and keep her in the dark. But too many eyes were watching him. If he told her the truth, it would definitely reach Aku. "If I need to be an evil person in the eyes of Soleil and her n, so be it," he said while his heart was thumping against his chest painfully. "I just want Soleil to live and be reborn again with a better life."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL WAS in shock.


    Aku and his mother hit him at his weakest point. He couldn''t believe that they were able to control him again. As soon as he snapped out of it, he went to the cave that he used as his hide-out. Only people he trusted knew about that ce.


    "Soleil," Kalel whispered to himself while looking at his bloody hands. He remembered ripping her heart out, and his wife dying in his arms. It was a part of his n, yes. But he failed to hide Soleil''s body to return her heart to her. He didn''t expect the Red Phoenix to appear and snatch his wife''s body from him. "No"


    "Lord Kalel."


    He turned around to see the Moon Priestess. She wore a red cloak with a hood that obscured her face. She probably did that so no one would recognize her. "How''s Soleil?"


    "Lady Rosenberg survived," the Moon Priestess said. "Lord Winchell gave his heart to her. Since Lord Winchell doesn''t need a physical body, he''ll live even without a heart."


    He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. "I wasn''t able to protect Soleil''s heart," he said, then he opened his eyes. "Our n failed."


    "I managed to steal Lady Rosenberg''s heart, my lord."


    To say that he was surprised to hear that would be an understatement. "What do you mean by that?"


    "For some reason, Aku gave Soleil''s heart to Lord Ripperton."


    "The Blue Dragon?" he asked in surprise.


    The Moon Priestess nodded. "I stole it from the Blue Dragon using the Holy Scepter. Right now, the heart and the Holy Scepter are in the shrine. But we need to find a better ce to hide them, my lord."


    "Will the heart be alright?"


    "I protected it with my spell, my lord," she said. She fell silent for a few seconds before she spoke again in a hesitant tone. "Now that Lady Soleil has a new heart, I think we can give her heart to the Moon Serpent."


    His eyes widened he didn''t think about that.


    "But we don''t know when you''ll be able to conceive the Moon Serpent again," she said in a worried tone. "My lord, I think we need a vessel for Lady Rosenberg''s heart. My spell can''t protect it forever."


    "It sounds like you already have a n."


    "A second child," the Moon Priestess said. "You and Lady Soleil need a second child to be the heart''s vessel, my lord."


    That sounded cruel but it wasn''t like they had other options.


    <em>And we will still take care of our second child.</em>


    "I need to talk to Soleil and confess everything to her first," Kalel said, then he let out a deep sigh. "Winchell and their n will definitely stop me from getting near her though."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong><em>AS SOON as Kalel opened his eyes, he walked towards Soleil and hugged her tight allowing the de piercing through her chest to pierce through him as well.</em></strong>


    "Kalel!" Soleil screamed in horror. "No!"


    "Our son has already been born so you don''t need me anymore, Soleil," Kalel whispered to her. "I know that you can protect the little rascal even without me."


    "Kalel Moonchester!" Aku, who was now on the ground while clutching his bleeding chest, yelled angrily. "Do you seriously want to die now?!"


    "Of course, I don''t," he said honestly. "But if my death will bring you to your end, so be it." He looked at his "brother." "See you in hell, Aku."


    "Kalel!" Soleil yelled while crying. She was trying to push him away but he didn''t budge. "There has to be another way to kill Aku without you dying with him!"


    "You''re really pretty, Soleil," Kalel said while staring at her face. And then, he gently cupped her face between his hands. When her sobs got louder, he smiled faintly to console her. "Can I kiss you onest time?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUNG Master, I''m sorry but I have to put you to sleep," Roarke Sinir whispered to the young lord who wouldn''t stop crying. He had the ability to understand the emotions of people that he touched. Right now, he could tell that the young lord wanted him to find his father. "And I''m sorry because I can''t follow your order. We can''t bring the ck Serpent to the ind."


    The young lord cried louder.


    This time, he was angry.


    He didn''t have to use his ability to understand the young lord''s wrath. He felt it when little ice daggers appeared above his tiny hands. Then, he threw the sharp objects at him. The ice daggers dug into his chest area. But before they could even seriously injure him, they melted him with his me.


    <em>Impressive, Young Master.</em>


    He bled a little but it didn''t hurt that much.


    "You got your nasty temper from the Supreme," he said softly, then he gently covered the young lord''s eyes with his hand. "Good night, Young Master."


    A few momentster, the young lord''s breathing became even a clear sign that he had already fallen asleep.


    <em>Please forgive me, Young Master.</em>


    Then, he carefully put the young lord beside Lady Luna.


    After Crawford left, he carried thedy out of the carriage. He set up a warm nket on the ground andid her down. Fortunately, the poison in her body hadn''t spread yet. He was able to take it out of her system. She was still sleeping deeply but her life was out of danger now. He was so d that they found them before something bad happened.


    <em>It''s thanks to Supreme''s protection.</em>


    The Supreme had put a protective spell in the young lord that would send a signal to the Fire Mages near him if he was in danger. It was activated a while ago and that was how he and Crawford found them. They were actually on their way to the temple where the Supreme was when they felt the signal. But of course, the young lord''s life was very important, too.


    And he was d that they just didn''t find the Supreme''s son.


    "I''m d to meet you again, Lady Luna," Roarke whispered while looking at thedy''s sleeping face. "Wee back, our Moon Priestess."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 178: Blood Moon

    Chapter 178: Blood Moon


    "YOU ALWAYS sprout the most random things in the most inappropriate time," Tilly scolded Kalel while smiling faintly. "We''ll do <em>more</em> once we killed Aku so don''t you dare sacrifice your life like this, you fool."


    Kalel''s face turned red. "More?"


    "More," she promised. Then, she cupped his face between her hands. "You can''t die yet, Lord Kalel. Our son has already been born in this lifetime."


    He looked pleasantly surprised to hear that. "Really?"


    "Don''t you have your memories as Kiho?"


    "My memories are still hazy," he confessed. "My mother forcefully awakened me."


    She let out a frustrated sigh. "I should have roasted that old wench" She bit her lower lip when she realized she was being rude to her mother-inw. "Sorry."


    "It''s okay," he said. "I understand."


    She didn''t want to talk about the White Snake so she changed the topic.


    "Our son is already here so we can''t die yet," she told him. "So please don''t sacrifice your life, Lord Kalel. There has to be a way to kill Aku Moonchester without you dying."


    "What if there''s none?"


    "Then, I''ll <em>make</em> a way to kill him while keeping you alive," she said determinedly. "I won''t let them steal you away from me again."


    "This is why they call you a fool, Soleil," he said with a heartbroken look on his face. "I don''t deserve you."


    "Yes, you don''t," she said with a sad smile. "That''s why you need to spend your lifetime proving to me that I didn''t make the wrong choice by choosing you." She pinched his cheeks gently. "And that''s my punishment for you, Lord Kalel. So you have to live, okay?"


    His red eyes turned gold as he nodded.


    To be honest, she liked his gold eyes better. They only became red because he was reborn as a Moonchester. But whenever he would use his power as Kalel, his eyes would turn gold again.


    <em>I hope his eyes stay gold forever.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when the sword was suddenly pulled out from their bodies.


    It hurt like hell, but they didn''t have the time to dwell on the pain.


    Fortunately, both she and Kalel had fast regeneration for wounds that weren''t that deep. As long as their vital organs weren''t hit, they would heal. That was how hard it was to kill them, and so it was for Aku Moonchester.


    As soon as the sword impaling them was gone, she and Kalel literally turned their backs on each other.


    She kicked Aku Moonchester in the face hard enough to send him flying.


    Even without turning around to look, she knew that Kalel was dealing with Elis who attacked him as soon as the sword was pulled out.


    "Lord Kalel," she said while summoning her me. She didn''t want to take her eyes off of Aku Moonchester so she didn''t turn to her husband even though she wanted to. Instead, she just believed in her heart that they would have all the time in the world to spend togetherter. "Don''t die on me."


    "I won''t not after your sweet promise," Kalel promised, making her giggle like a lovesick fool that she was. "Let''s figure it out together this time, Soleil."


    "This time," Soleil whispered to herself with a smile. "We really learned a lot of good stuff in this lifetime as Tilly and Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AINSWORTH was shocked when he finally caught up with the ck Serpent Knights.


    <em>Shit, what happened?</em>


    Most of the knights looked like they just woke up with a terrible headache.


    He didn''t know what exactly happened but he can guess based on the awful smell in the air. And he could still feel the trace of a strong Mana released around the area.


    The smell of Moonflowers and the remains of the Mana unique to Aku''s sister


    He growled lowly.


    <em>That kid emperor is still as cunning as ever.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a loud cry from a child. He turned around to see a knightforting a young boy. And then, he noticed that the knight wore the badge of a captain.


    "You," Ainsworth said to the captain when he reached them. Much to his surprise, the captain and the knights around him drew their sword and pointed their weapons at him. He didn''t want to start a fight so he raised his arms in surrender. "I''m here under the Supreme''s order."


    "Supreme?" the captain asked with furrowed brows. "Who''s that?"


    Instead of exining, he just put a hand on top of the captain''s head.


    Before the knights could even move to attack him because of his sudden movement, he growled loud enough to knock everyone out. The only people who remained awake and standing were the captain and the child hugging the captain''s leg.


    The knights need to sleep anyway topletely get rid of the Moonflowers'' effect.


    Anyway, the captain looked like he was in a daze right now. And that was because she was showing him the memories of when the Supreme gave him the order to support the squad.


    <em>Well, I just revealed the Supreme''s identity but if the squad is an ally, then it''s alright.</em>


    "You," he said to the young boy who stopped crying. He liked that he didn''t look afraid of him. There was fire in his eyes, and Mana warm enough to tell him that the child was a Fire Mage. "Why are you crying?"


    The young boy let go of the captain''s leg before he spoke. "When I came back to my senses, my younger brother was already gone."


    <em>The princess kept the knights alive and only took a child with her?</em>


    That only meant that the child must be special.


    "Sir, you''re an ally, aren''t you?" the young boy asked.


    He raised a brow at him. "And how did you know that?"


    "Because I know who the Supreme is," the child answered. "If she sent you here to help us, then it means she trusts you."


    Hearing from a Fire Mage that the Supreme trusted him made him feel so proud of himself. "That''s right," he confirmed with a grin. "The Supreme trusts me."


    "Then, can you help me?" the young boy pleaded. "I need to find my brother."


    His smile disappeared when he heard that. "I can''t do that," he said while shaking his head. "We need to get away from here, boy."


    "But my brother"


    "The princess took your brother," he said even though he didn''t see it himself. But he had to say something to shut the boy. "I can fight the princess, but that wasn''t the Supreme''s order. My top priority is to bring everyone to the North."


    The child looked confused. "But why would the princess take my brother?"


    "Who knows what goes in a lunatic''s mind?" he said with a shrug. "Anyway, I''m pretty sure that your brother is still alive. If the princess took him instead of killing him, that means she needs your brother."


    "I don''t care. I still need to find my brother," the child insisted. "If I have to do it alone, I will."


    "The Supreme told me to bring everyone to the North," he snarled to intimidate the child. "Since I arrived when your brother isn''t here anymore, I won''t add him to the lives I need to protect." He pointed a finger at the feisty young Fire Mage. "However, you''re here when I arrived so you''re not going anywhere."


    The young Fire Mage just smirked at him. Then, he ran away.


    Heughed at his cute attempt at escaping him.


    <em>That''s right a Fire Mage should be as feisty as the Supreme!</em>


    However, he couldn''t allow the boy to chaste after the princess. If he did, the young Fire Mage would only die. The Supreme would be more disappointed in him if that happened.


    "I''m sorry, young Fire Mage," Ainsworth said when he caught the resisting child. Of course, no one could outrun him onnd. When the Fire Mage tried to heat up his body in an attempt to burn him, he growled loud enough to put out his fire. Then, he covered the child''s eyes with his hand. "I have to bring you all safely to the North."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY breathed fire at Aku Moonchester causing his whole body to be engulfed in red me as he dropped to the ground.


    His agonizing scream was music to her ears.


    To stop the dumb emperor from rolling to the ground as if doing so would put out her fire, she stepped on his bleeding chest.


    He red at her.


    She just smirked while looking down at him.


    To be honest, she wasn''t satisfied yet. Her me wasn''t strong enough to inflict much damage in his body. Yes, he was writhing in pain because of the heat. Still, her me couldn''t burn his skin as much as she wanted to.


    <em>His Divine Protection is still strong.</em>


    She could inflict pain in his physical body, but her me wasn''t enough to burn him alive.


    <em>F*ck you, stupid Sky God.</em>


    She raised her hand to summon her dagger but much to her shock, the weapon that manifested instead was an iron crab mallet?


    <em>What am I supposed to do with this?</em>


    She looked at the weird weapon and then, she remembered where it came from.


    <em>Right, I summoned this when I haven''t retrieved my memories yet.</em>


    Her life was Tilly Prescott-Nystrom was very different from her previous life as Soleil Rosenberg. Because of the gap in their personalities, she couldn''t help but feel like they were two different people.


    Maybe it was because she just woke up.


    <em>I''ll get used to this feeling soon.</em>


    "What are you doing, Soleil Rosenberg?" Aku Moonchester snarled. "If you kill me, your beloved Kalel Nystrom will die as well."


    "I know," she said with a smirk. "I won''t kill you. I will just chop off your limbs one by one until you can no longer hurt anyone. Don''t worry I will keep you alive until we find a way to cut off the bind that you put in Kalel''s soul."


    He looked shocked by her deration.


    And then, the emperorughed like a lunatic.


    <em>Did he finally go insane?</em>


    "Soleil Rosenberg, my foolish brother was ready to kill himself so I''d die with him," Aku Moonchester said. "If he was ready to die to get rid of me, why do you think he stopped you when you were about to kill me?"


    Okay, that made her think.


    Kalel was seriously ready to die with Aku. But he stopped her when she was about to stab the emperor''s heart.


    <em>Now, that''s really strange.</em>


    "After Kalel tied his soul to mine in order to free yours, he killed himself once he was certain that you and the Moon Serpent will get reincarnated," the emperor said with a frenzied look on his face. "That was how I died as Auro Moonchester. But do you know how I was able to reincarnate as Aku Moonchester of this lifetime?"


    "I hate to entertain you but you are correct," she said. "I''ve always wondered how you became so powerful when you are nothing but a child who failed to be a god."


    He just smirked at that. "Soleil Rosenberg, you and my foolish brother connived in the past in order to ensure the Moon Serpent''s reincarnation. Your heart is inside your son right now, isn''t it?"


    She chose not to respond because she knew that the emperor had more to say.


    "To be where I am right now, I had to steal an important organ of a fallen god," Aku Moonchester said with a smirk. "Soleil Rosenberg, where do you think the real heart of the Moon Serpent is?"


    She couldn''t control the gasp that got out of her mouth. "I thought you crushed it when you killed the Moon Serpent in the past"


    "How can a mere human like me crush the heart of the Moon Serpent back then?" he asked in a mocking tone. "To prevent the Moon Serpent from being reborn as your son, all I had to do was steal its heart. No one said that it had to be crushed."


    Her body wasn''t supposed to feel cold but at that moment, the emperor''s confessions were making her break into cold sweats.


    "You fulfilled the condition for the Moon Serpent''s reincarnation by giving your own heart to him," the emperor continued. "Since you are a being as divine as the Moon Serpent, his body epted your heart without a problem. Thanks to that, you never bothered to look for the real heart of your son. You''ve be toocent, haven''t you?"


    She stepped on his chest harder, making him scowl in pain. "Get to the point, Aku Moonchester."


    "My heart right now doesn''t really belong to me," Aku Moonchester said with a smirk. "It belongs to the Moon Serpent and Kalel knows that. So if you crush my heart, you''ll lose your son forever."


    She gripped the iron handle of the crab mallet harder. Kalel didn''t tell me that!


    "Ah, I know that look," the crazy emperor said in an amused tone. "Don''t be mad at Kalel. To be fair, he only found out about it before he died. Since he just woke up, he didn''t have the time to tell you about your beloved son''s heart."


    Her whole body burned literally because of the anger rising up in her chest.


    The most frustrating part was she couldn''t hurt Aku Moonchester now.


    "Give my son''s heart back to him," she said, lifting the iron crab mallet as a preparation for her next attack. "It will be fine as long as I ripped the heart out of you without crushing it, right?"


    The emperor''s arrogant smirked disappeared. "Stop!"


    As if she''d stop.


    But when the iron crab mallet was just about to hit Aku Moonchester''s chest, a big white snake suddenly crawled around her arm and gripped it until she was forced to drop her weapon.


    When the snake hissed and acted like it was about to bite her, she made her body burn.


    After all, she knew that it was the White Snake and not just an ordinary snake. Her intuition was confirmed when the snake turned into a beautiful woman with white hair and golden eyes.


    "Greetings, my dear mother-inw," she said in a cold voice, then she grabbed Yumi by the hair and lit it up until her me spread in her whole body.


    "You wench!" Yumi screamed while trying to put out the fire by creating a small ball of energy that poured water in her body. But of course, her weak-ass water Mana couldn''t do anything to her me. "I will never ept you as my daughter-inw!"


    "I married Lord Kalel and not you," she snapped back, then she increased the me to burn the wench for good. "I will also never ept you as my husband''s mother. You don''t have the right to im him as your son after what you did to him."


    The wench only screamed angrily at her.


    She turned her back on her mother-inw when she was sure that she''d eventually be burnt into ashes.


    Catching Aku Moonchester was her top priority.


    "Darling!" Yumi screamed in an agonizing and desperate voice. "Help me!"


    Lord Kalel is no longer under your control, Mother, she said to herself while locking her gaze on Aku who was still lying helplessly on the ground. He won''t help you this time.


    But as soon as she took another step forward, it suddenly poured.


    Her eyes widened in shock because it wasn''t an ordinary heavy rain. The raindrops weren''t simply made of water each drop was infused with the ck Serpent''s unique aura.


    <em>No</em>


    She turned around to see Yumi lying on the ground. Her skin was a little burned but she''d live. Especially now that her me was put out by the strange rain.


    <em>Only Lord Kalel''s "rain" could extinguish my fire.</em>


    She looked up at the dark sky hoping that she was wrong.


    But no she was right again.


    Kalel had turned into his god form. And now, the giant ck Serpent had its huge and long body wrapped around the highest building in the temple. It was hissing angrily while looking down at him with its red eyes.


    She didn''t know if it was just her imagination or the full moon behind the ck Serpent turned as red as its eyes.


    <em>Wait red eyes?</em>


    When Kalel changed into his god form on his will before, the ck Serpent''s eyes were gold!


    <em>Don''t tell me</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when all of a sudden, the ck Serpent''s tail snaked around her body tight. Then, it lifted her up until she was high enough to reach its eye level.


    That was when she realized that Kalel was probably not himself again.


    "Hey, snap out of it," she snarled in a weak voice. The grip of the ck Serpent''s tail around her body was getting tighter. To be honest, it was getting harder to breathe. She tried to burn the tail but her fire couldn''t even scratch the snake''s scales. Damn, the rain was making her me weak. "Wake up, Lord Kalel!"


    The ck Serpent only hissed at her. Worse, the giant reptile even gripped her harder as if it wanted to crush her. Like it didn''t even recognize her.


    "You''re not my Kalel, are you?" Tilly confronted the angry ck Serpent. "I''ve spent my past lifetime watching Lord Kalel so I can tell now if he''s himself or not. And at this very moment, you''re not my husband." She summoned her ming arrows. They manifested above her head while pointing the sharp peak at the ck Serpent. "Leave my Kalel alone, you beast!"


    "Mydy, shouldn''t you be more worried about yourself?"


    Tilly gasped when she heard Elis''s voice behind her. No!


    "It''s time," Elis said. Then, he stabbed her in the back until his hand reached her heart. "It''s time that youe back to me, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 179: Star-crossed Lovers

    Chapter 179: Star-crossed Lovers


    "YOU''RE STILL alive, huh?" Kalel asked Elis Ripperton, the Blue Dragon, as he blocked his kick with his arm. "I should have frozen you to death back then."


    "As if you could," Elis snarled, then he summoned his infamous tornado to attack him. "Will you please die now for me, Kalel Moonchester?"


    "It''s Nystrom," he said. "I''m not rted to the Moonchesters in any way."


    When he was caught inside the tornado, he released his water Mana. Then, he created a giant rectangr box made of his ice Mana that trapped the tornado inside. He filled the coffin-like ice-box with water until the tornado turned into a brinicle instead.


    As soon as the tornado had be nothing but an ice stctite, he broke the "ice coffin" that he created.


    Then, he used the water inside it to attack Elis.


    But the Blue Dragon just waved his hand and the direction of his water attack drifted away from him.


    "I guess there''s a reason why you were chosen as a god," he said, slightly impressed at how Elis could fight at par with him. Maybe it was time to get serious now. "I should show my respect to you as a fellow Beast God." He opened his right hand and summoned Kei his ice staff. "Let''s get this done and over with, Elis."


    It looked like Elis got serious as well because he summoned his two white fans. Those weapons of his could create the nastiest tornadoes. "Come at me, ck Serpent."


    He wasn''t one to turn down a challenge.


    But he didn''t attack first just because of the Blue Dragon''s challenge. He just really wanted to end it once and for all.


    He swung his staff and it hit Elis''s fan that was as hard as steel.


    <em>Geh.</em>


    He was about to jump backwards to prepare for another attack. But much to his surprise, the Blue Dragon suddenly grabbed him by the wrist.


    It surprised him because Elis never touched him during a fight before.


    <em>He''s a long-range fighter after all.</em>


    "Kalel Nystrom, I want to believe that I am the strongest Beast God," Elis said seriously. "But I know that for Winchell and Ainsworth, you will always be the strongest."


    "They aren''t wrong so don''t get mad at them," he said bluntly. "I really am the strongest Beast God."


    The Blue Dragon smirked bitterly. "That''s the reason why I swallowed my pride and asked for his help."


    He had a bad feeling about that so he pulled his hand from his grasp.


    It was toote though.


    He saw a familiar mark in his arm a mark that almost made his knees buckle.


    "You look terrified, Kalel Nystrom," Elis said with a smirk. "Do you recognize the mark in your arm?"


    How can he not recognize the mark of his own father?


    As soon as he figured out what just happened, the sky started to be darker than it already was. And then, came the cold breeze caused by what was about toe.


    <em>Father</em>


    "No," Kalel whispered when he felt his father''s life force entering his system. "Go away!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "S-STAY AWAY from the young lord and Miss Luna!"


    Roarke let out a deep sigh when a woman wearing amoner''s clothes appeared. Her whole body was shaking but she looked determined while pointing a branch of tree at him. He also noticed that she had cuts all over her body.


    <em>Right, we saw a broken carriage a few meters behind the carriage where we found the Young Master and the Moon Priestess.</em>


    They didn''t bother to check on the people inside the carriage because their only priority was to save the young lord.


    "Are you a servant of the Nystroms?" Roarke asked the woman. "If you are, then you shouldn''t worry. I''m a follower of Lady Nystrom and I''m here to protect the young lord. If I have intentions to harm the Young Master and Lady Luna, I wouldn''t look after them. Would I?"


    The woman fell silent as if she was contemting whether to believe him or not. In the end, she let out a relieved sigh. "Are the Young Master and Miss Luna alright?"


    He nodded, then he motioned for the young lord and the Moon Priestess. "You can check on them. I won''t hurt you."


    She finally broke into tears as she ran towards the two. "Lord Winter Miss Luna"


    "Lord Winter?"


    So, that was the young lord''s name, huh?


    <em>Supreme, you''re really a lovesick fool. You named your son after the ck Serpent''s favorite season? Howe you still love him that much even with your memories sealed?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when it suddenly rained heavily


    and it wasn''t an ordinary rain either.


    "No," Roarke whispered to himself, then he looked up at the dark sky with fear in his different-colored eyes. "The ck Serpent"


    <em>Where the f*ck is Crawford?!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY coughed blood when she felt Elis squeezed her heart painfully.


    <em>This bastard is trying to rip my heart out!</em>


    She didn''t want to use her full power because she just awakened. But she had no choice now. She made her body burn and used the hottest me that she could muster.


    And that kind of me could onlye out from her heart.


    Elis screamed in pain and pulled his hand out of her chest.


    Thankfully, he didn''t manage to rip her heart out.


    <em>"Supreme, please let me out now," </em>Sentinel, who was still inside her heart, begged her<em>. "I just can''t stay here and watch them hurt you any further!"</em>


    <em>"No you have to stay there," </em>Tilly told Sentinel in her mind<em>. "Their target is my heart. It originally belonged to Brother Wixx so you have to guard it. If something bad happens to me, you have to take away the heart and hide it no matter what."</em>


    After that, she cut off their connection.


    She made her body burn even more until the ck Serpent hissed as if it was in pain. The heat of her body made the giant snake loosen its grip around her.


    <em>Just a little more</em>


    "What the f*ck are you doing to our Supreme?!"


    She gasped, then she looked up at the sky to see Jameson Crawford lighting up the darkness with his bright, orange me. "Jameson"


    Jameson screamed at the top of his lungs while the me around his body grew bigger.


    Then, several huge rocks engulfed in his orange me appeared. When he waved his hand, the ming rocks flew towards the head of the ck Serpent. Some flew at Elis.


    <em>Ah, yes. He calls that attack as ''ming Comets,'' if I remember it right.</em>


    The ck Serpent hissed and itpletely dropped her this time.


    Of course, she used her me to break her fall. She was able tond gracefully but she didn''t have the time to even take a minute of rest. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Elis came at her with his fans.


    <em>God, he is so annoying.</em>


    She summoned her golden bow but instead of her ming arrow, she used the golden one instead. Elis looked surprised by her action. She didn''t give him a chance to think and let go of the golden arrow at his direction.


    Elis snarled at her, but then he jumped so high as if he wanted to escape from her weapon.


    He couldn''t though.


    The golden arrow followed Elis and it wouldn''t stop until it hit him. The only way to stop the golden arrow was to destroy it. But the Blue Dragon better do it quickly. After all, if the golden arrow was still "alive" after five minutes, it willbust and create a huge, huge me.


    <em>Good luck, Elis.</em>


    She looked up at Jameson and scowled when she saw him fighting the hissing ck Serpent. Well, she knew that he was just doing his job. But it still hurt her to see her Kalel being attacked by her Keeper.


    <em>Hang in there, Lord Kalel</em>, she said to herself. <em>I''ll think of a way to help you.</em>


    "Ah, I forgot to ask you something, Soleil Rosenberg."


    She turned around to see Aku Moonchester being tended by Yumi now. Her dear mother-inw was ring at her while the emperor was giving her a snide smirk.


    "Do you remember your second child?" Aku Moonchester asked with augh. "Or did you forget about him on purpose?"


    Her brows furrowed in confusion.


    <em>I have a second child?</em>


    She felt a sharp pain in her temple as an unfamiliar memory started to y in her mind


    <em>"Lord Kalel, it''s gone!" Soleil cried while clutching her now empty stomach. She was already on her sixth month of pregnancy. But when she woke up, the baby in her womb was gone. "Our baby is gone!"</em>


    <em>Kalel looked shocked by what she said. "What do you mean the baby is gone?"</em>


    <em>She didn''t know how it happened either.</em>


    <em>The two of them ran away in secret after making both their families believe that they had ended up hating each other. The Fire Mage n believed that she was in her family''s temple to prepare for war. On the other hand, the Moonchesters thought that Kalel went to the North to train and summon another powerful weapon for the uing war, too.</em>


    <em>But the truth was they were in the shrine of the Moon Priestess.</em>


    <em>They conceived their second child in secret. Aside from Luna, no one else knew that she was pregnant. There was no way the Moon Priestess would betray them!</em>


    <em>"I don''t know but I think our baby was stolen," Soleil said between sobs. Then, she held Kalel''s hands in her trembling hands. "Lord Kalel, what do we do now? I feel like I''m about to go crazy!"</em>


    <em>She hadn''t moved on from the loss of their first child yet.</em>


    <em>It sounded cruel to conceive a second child and use the baby as a vessel for her heart that they would give to the Moon Serpentter. But still, that didn''t mean that they would love their second child any less.</em>


    <em>The child that came from her and Kalel would be precious to them, of course.</em>


    <em>But now, the baby was gone.</em>


    <em>She lost another child.</em>


    <em>"It could only be the Moonchesters, Lord Kalel," Soleil said, anger rising up in her chest rapidly. "They are the only people capable of doing something this evil"</em>


    <em>"We''ll find our baby, Soleil," Kalel promised her. Just like her, he looked very angry. But it seemed like he was holding back her anger for her sake. "For now, please take a rest," he begged her with worry in his voice. Then, he pulled her for a tight hug. "We will make them pay for everything that they have done to us."</em>


    Tilly''s tears rolled down her face as she clutched her stomach.


    Yes, now she remembered. She had a second child with Kalel. But the baby was stolen. And then one day


    a pregnant woman iming that her baby was Kalel''s son.


    "They stole my second child," Tilly said, then she screamed at the top of her lungs. If she wouldn''t do that, she''d go crazy. "Give me back my child!"


    And then, the ground shook hard.


    After all, all the volcanoes in the whole empire just erupted because of the Supreme Fire Mage''s wrath.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DISTRACTION," Aku said with a smirk while watching Lady Nystrom go insane with anger. "You taught me that, Lady Nystrom," he said, then he turned to Yumi. "Do it now. This is the only chance that we have."


    Yumi nodded, then she transformed into her form as the White Snake.


    He was a bit startled by the hard shaking of the ground due to Lady Nystrom''s anger.


    But it was exactly the distraction that they needed.


    <em>Aside from my brother, your nasty temper is still your weakness, Supreme.</em>


    "It was nice meeting you again, Soleil Rosenberg," Aku whispered to himself when he saw the White Snake coil around the Supreme''s leg. "Now, have a deep slumber and forget everything."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>F*CK!</em>


    Jameson stopped attacking the ck Serpent when he heard the Supreme''s loud cry. When he looked down at where she was, his eyes widened when he saw her standing still while the White Snake was wrapped around her leg.


    And that f*cking snake bit the Supreme!


    He flew down and caught Lady Rosenberg before she hit the ground.


    <em>Shit, I need to bring her to Sinir!</em>


    "Leaving now, aren''t you?"


    Jameson red at the kid emperor who was smirking at them right now. If only Lady Rosenberg wasn''t in danger, he would love to stay and roast the f*ck out of him. "We will f*cking return, you f*cking fake emperor," he told Aku Moonchester in a cold voice. "And once wee back, we will f*cking burn your f*cking empire to f*cking ashes."


    Aku Moonchesterughed like a maniac that he was. "F*ck off, Keeper."


    Jameson gave the emperor a nasty middle finger before he shot up the sky with the unconscious Supreme in his arms. Before he disappeared, he gave a "farewell gift" in the form of hundreds of his ming Comets that he dropped from the sky.


    <em>We f*cking lost this time.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    ROARKE was instantly devastated when he saw Crawford arrive with an unconscious Lady Rosenberg in his arms.


    The rain had already stopped, but it seemed like they still lost the battle this time.


    It didn''t matter though.


    <em>As long as we have the Supreme and the young lord, we can always bounce back.</em>


    "Sinir, hurry," Crawford told him. "The Supreme was bitten by the White Snake!"


    "What?" Roarke asked with furrowed brows. "I sent you to the Supreme so nothing like that would happen!"


    "I''m sorry, okay? I got distracted by the ck Serpent!" he said with frustration. "Scold meter. For now, we need to make sure that the Supreme is alright."


    He red at Crawford. "Lay her down," he said.


    Crawford looked surprised when he saw that the nket that heid on the ground had barely enough space for the Supreme.


    <em>Ah, right.</em>


    The female servant kept crying a while ago so he made her sleep.


    "Don''t be rude," Sinir scolded Crawford. "The woman is a loyal servant of the Supreme. She said that the Supreme assigned her as the young lord''s nanny. We have to respect Lady Rosenberg''s decision and bring the woman with us."


    "As long as she''s not a f*cking enemy, I''m fine with it," Crawford said, then he carefully put the Supreme next to the Moon Priestess.


    He knelt beside the Supreme and held her wrist, then he closed his eyes.


    Aside from being a Fire Mage, he was also a Healing Mage. He could detect what kind of illness his patients had by simply touching them. It was a very useful ability for them.


    "How''s the Supreme?" Crawford asked impatiently. "She''s going to live, isn''t she?"


    "Lady Rosenberg wasn''t poisoned," Roarke said, then he opened his eyes while looking at the Supreme''s face with furrowed brows. "Her memories seem to be missing though."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU looked down at the unconscious Kalel lying helplessly on the ground while the White Snake was biting his leg. "Fool," he said. "I already told you that you can''t win against me."


    After Yumi was done with her job, she transformed back into her human form. Then, she cradled Kalel in her arms. "My poor child," she said. "Don''t worry, my little Nystrom. Once you wake up, everything will be back to normal. You''ll finally forget about that wench."


    The "venom" that he created for Lady Nystrom and Kalel better work.


    After all, he spent more than half of his Mana to create the venom that could erase their memories. He was in that weak, pathetic state because of that.


    <em>I became the Supreme''s punching bag so the venom better be effective this time.</em>


    "Why did you let Soleil be taken away by her Keepers?!"


    He turned around to see a fuming Elis.


    The Blue Dragon just came back after dealing with the golden arrow. He returned a little toote though. Lady Nystrom was just taken away by her Keeper with a dirty mouth.


    "We have to let go of the Supreme for now," Aku said, then he tapped Elis''s shoulder. "We will get her and the Moon Serpent next time."


    He lost a lot tonight.


    But the important thing was he sessfully tore Kalel and Lady Rosenberg apart.


    <em>The star-crossed lovers must never be together again.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 180: History Repeating Itself

    Chapter 180: History Repeating Itself


    "A FLOATING ind," Luna said to herself in disbelief. "It''s really an ind but I didn''t expect it to be up in the sky."


    She was talking about the "ind that worships the sun" the one that they were supposed to find if they went to Mount S.


    Who would have thought that "Mount S" was actually a floating ship?


    <em>I still can''t believe all of this</em>


    When she woke up, she was already travelling with two of the Supreme''s Keepers. Thankfully, the Keepers managed to save Lady Nystrom, Lord Winter, and even Isabelle.


    Thankfully, before they left the Royal Capital, Lady Nystrom already revealed herself to Isabelle, Louisa, and David as a Fire Mage. It was part of the "seeds" that she nted. She risked revealing her identity to see if her servants were really loyal to them.


    <em>The duchess is really smart.</em>


    And well-loved, if she must say.


    After all, the servants remained loyal to her despite the risk that they had to take since they decided to continue serving the Nystroms.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    She had been travelling with the Keepers for a few days now.


    First, they went to the Redsun Desert using Roarke Sinir''s ability to open portals. When they arrived there, they were greeted by giant sand Crades that the Keepers easily dealt with. Then, they reached Mount S and climbed it by feet.


    When they arrived at the peak of the mountain, it suddenly transformed into a giant ship that could only be activated by a certain amount of fire. Of course, it had toe from a Fire Mage. The two Keepers used a huge amount of their Mana to make the giant ship float and be invisible for a safer flight.


    To say that she was shocked would be an understatement.


    <em>The amount of Mana the Keepers have is insane!</em>


    She nted her hands on the ss window. From where she stood, all she saw was white clouds. ording to the Keepers, it will take a few more days before they reached the ind.


    <em>So this is why the Moonchesters couldn''t find the Fire Mages until now.</em>


    Who would have thought that they were living in a floating ind?


    "Miss Luna."


    Luna turned around to see Isabelle carrying the sleeping Winter in her arms. "Have you changed Lady Nystrom''s clothes, Isabelle?"


    "Yes, Miss Luna," Isabelle said with a smile. Even though she already had her hands full with taking care of Winter alone, the maid still never failed to look after Lady Nystrom as well. "We can film her now."


    She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Isabelle."


    Ever since the first day that they left the Royal Capital with the Keepers, they had been filming the condition of Lady Nystrom and Winter. They were using the "CCTV" made of spirit stones that Mr. Amilo created in such a short notice before.


    The documenting part was also one of the seeds that the duchess nted.


    <em>So, Lady Nystrom, please weak up now.</em>


    "Lady Luna, Miss Isabelle?"


    They turned around to see Roarke Sinir. He bowed to them as a greeting. Thank goodness one of the Keepers had manners. The other one had a nasty temper and a dirty mouth.


    But she had to admit that the vulgar one was very loyal to the duchess.


    <em>Jameson Crawford only leaves the Supreme''s side if she needs a bath or a change of clothes.</em>


    "The ingredients that you requested have been prepared. Thankfully, Crawford has a sweet tooth so we always pack ingredients for making pastries," Roarke Sinir informed them politely. "May I know what the cake you n to bake is for?"


    Isabelle got emotional right away while rocking Winter in her arms. "It''s for Lady Nystrom, Sir Sinir," she said in a cracked voice. "Tomorrow is Lady Nystrom''s birthday."


    Roarke looked surprised.


    <em>Well, Lady Nystrom''s birthday in this lifetime is different from her birthday when she was born as the Supreme Fire Mage.</em>


    "Isabelle, please start preparing," Luna said while gently patting the maid''s back. "I''ll look after Winter for the meantime."


    Isabelle nodded, then she carefully ced Winter in her arms. Then, she bowed to them politely before she went to the kitchen.


    "Lady Luna, the young lord seems to be sleeping a lot ever since we left the empire," Roarke Sinir said worriedly. "Is Lord Winter alright?"


    "Lord Winter is naturally a sleepyhead," she assured him. "But I think he''s sleeping a lot these days because he''s trying to enter Lady Nystrom''s mind. The young lord is probably finding ways to wake her up, which is very understandable. His father was already taken away from him. He''s definitely scared of losing his mother this time."


    "We won''t let that happen," Roarke Sinir said firmly. "We won''t lose the Supreme again."


    She just nodded in agreement.


    "Lady Luna, in behalf of all the Keepers and the Fire Mages, can I ask a favor?"


    "It depends on the favor, Sir Sinir."


    "Now that we know that the kid emperor erased the Supreme''s memories, can you please not tell her anything about the ck Serpent when she wakes up?" Roarke Sinir asked. "We want to keep the Supreme and the young lord in the ind for her safety."


    "I''m sorry but I can''t do that," Luna said firmly. "If you dare topletely erase the ck Serpent from Lady Nystrom''s memories, you will have to fight me and the young lord."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU SCREAMED in anger after he heard the news.


    He literally flipped the tea table causing everything on it to break after hitting the floor.


    "What did you say?" Aku asked while ring at Sir Gregory who delivered the news to him. "Repeat what you just reported to me, Sir Gregory."


    Sir Gregory looked nervous as he repeated the words that he just said a while ago. "After Her Royal Highness Princess Nia used her mind maniption on the servants of House Nystrom, a strange bright light erupted from them. And then, when we were on our way back to the Royal Pce, we heard amotion in the za. I went out to investigate what was going on and then" He paused to gulp before he continued. "I saw thousands of flyers scattered on the ground. Most of the people in the za had already picked up the flyers and had read the content both the nobles and themoners present there. Apparently, those flyers were found all over the empire."


    He let out another howl.


    The flyer that Sir Gregory mentioned was an announcement that revealed Nia''s infertility and almost everyone in the empire had read it already.


    ording to the mage that the old knight consulted a while ago, it seemed like the flyers came from a strong spell that was activated after Nia touched the servants of House Nystrom. After hearing that, he realized that the revtion of his beloved''s condition was a "gift" from Lady Nystrom.


    <em>She knew that I wouldn''t leave her servants alone so she prepared that spell as revenge.</em>


    There wasn''t anyone in the duchess''s side who could execute her wicked ns except for the witch with pink eyes.


    <em>The witch that can fix Nia''s body.</em>


    "Your Majesty, your advisors, the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and the elders of the White Tower are here to see you," Sir Gregory said after he took a call a while ago.


    "The news about Her Royal Highness''s condition had probably reached them," he added in a hesitant voice. "Should I ask them to leave?"


    "No, I can''t run away from this," he said while trying to calm down. "If I don''t fix this issue soon, the people might rebel against the royal family."


    <em>Curse you, Lady Nystrom.</em>


    The old knight nodded in agreement. "Your Majesty, how about Lord Nystrom? Will you really let him stay in House Nystrom?"


    "Yumi erased his memories and Nia already brainwashed the servants of House Nystrom," he said. "It would be better for him to stay with the servants that will remind him every day that his wife didn''t only "betray" him but she also took their son away from him. I want him to live in a ce surrounded by people who now hate Lady Nystrom."


    "I understand," Sir Gregory said, then he bowed to her. "I will bring the guests to the meeting hall, Your Majesty."


    "Yes, do that," Aku said while walking away. "I need to talk to Nia first."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LOUISA, the head maid of House Nystrom, could finally breathe after Her Royal Highness Princess Nia and her people finally left the estate.


    Just like what Lady Nystrom expected, the royal family really came.


    Technically, brainwashing the servants of House Nystrom didn''t physically harm them. Still, mind controlling them to make them think that Lady Nystrom betrayed Lord Nystrom and ran away with their son was still an attack.


    <em>The royal family is really despicable.</em>


    To be honest, she was shocked when Lady Nystrom revealed that the emperor was after her life because she was the Supreme Fire Mage.


    But she was even more shocked when the duchess told them that they weren''t obligated to obey her orders. That she would understand if they chose to leave because of how dangerous the situation was. She even assured them that she would protect and financially support them if they chose to live a normal life instead.


    At that very moment, she knew that the duchess was worth serving.


    Thankfully, David felt the same.


    <em>We will live and die for the Nystroms.</em>


    "Louisa, I already threw away the Moonflowers that Her Royal Highness left," David, the head butler, whispered. Right now, the two of them were having a secret meeting inside the treasury room of the mansion. It was the safest ce for them to talk because only the two of them had the key to the treasury room. And Lady Nystrom gave them the keys for that very reason. Her Royal Highness''s mind maniption is really strong. The other servants seem to be harboring ill-feelings towards Lady Nystrom now."


    "Lady Nystrom said that the royal family will definitely attack us," she said worriedly. "But she probably didn''t expect that Her Royal Highness will brainwash the servants of the mansion." She touched the gem in the ribbon of her uniform. "Thankfully, Miss Luna still gave us a charm that will protect us from any kind of spell or magic."


    The butler nodded, then he touched the same gem embedded in his bowtie. "We have to wear this all the time."


    "I feel bad that only the two of us weren''t affected by the brainwashing," she said. "But we still have to do our job. The duchess trusts us and we can''t disappoint her."


    "We have to stay strong until Lady Nystrom and Lord Winter return," David said determinedly. "We will protect Duke Nystrom until then."


    "We have to do our job well," Louisa said with the same resolve as David. Then, she fixed the hairpin in her hair. It had a very small gem that also worked as a "CCTV." "We will record and document every single thing that will happen in House Nystrom from now on."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR POSITION as the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights was taken away from you," Noel Sherwood''s mother scolded him. "What do you n to do now?"


    Noel Sherwood groaned inint. He had just finished dressing up when his angry mother barged in his room. "Mother, I''m already the duke of our family," he reminded her while fixing the cufflinks of his shirt. "Why are you still scolding me?"


    It had been almost a week since the night they lost.


    He was attacked by a giant white snake but thankfully, her mother''s people found him and saved him from dying from venom. Since he was stronger than normal Mana users, he recovered fast and now, he was back to his usual state of health.


    Unfortunately, two days ago, Sir Gregory came into his estate to inform him that he had been "released" from his position for failing his duties. He didn''t state what kind of duty he failed though. But he didn''t question the decision because he already expected that.


    <em>I bet His Majesty will appoint my ancestor as the new captain of the Blue Dragon Knights.</em>


    He didn''t care about that. As long as he wasn''t separated from his dear Duke Nystrom, he would ept any kind of "punishment." And the emperor definitely knew that.


    <em>That''s exactly why he hasn''t killed me yet.</em>


    "You just recovered, Noel," his mother said in her usual strict voice. "Where do you think you''re going?"


    "Mother, I may no longer be the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. But I''m still a duke and a member of the House of Lords," Noel Sherwood reminded his mother with a sweet smile. "I still have a job to do."


    <em>Lady Nystrom, I will follow your orders for now.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "NIA, do you know how the people are reacting at the news of your infertility?"


    Nia calmly sipped her tea. She was having a peaceful moment in her room when her brother barged in angrily. "I know," she said, then she elegantly put the teacup down on the coaster. Then, she looked up at Aku. "They probably want me to step down as the future empress." She snapped her dainty fingers just to annoy her brother. "Ah, that will be too light of a punishment. Maybe your people want me exiled or worse" She did a shing motion in her neck using her hand. "Perhaps they want to see a royal princess beheaded."


    "Nia," Aku called her name coldly. "I''m serious."


    "You''re not going to choose me over the throne, are you?" she asked him with a smirk.


    He let out a frustrated sigh. "I''m headed for a meeting after this," he said, changing the topic. "The advisors, the House of Lords and House of Common, and the elders of the White Tower are here. They will definitely demand that I remove you as my betrothed. And you''re right, that won''t be enough for them. However, I will not allow you to be executed."


    "I will be exiled then," she said, then she sipped her tea again.


    "You really can''t wait to get away from me, huh?" he asked bitterly. When she didn''t respond, he continued. "I will still keep an eye on you, Nia. And don''t worry I won''t let anyone else steal your position. You will still be the future empress of this empire."


    "What will you do?" she askedzily. "Change thew so that an infertile empress will be allowed to rule the empire with you?"


    "I found somebody who can fix your infertility."


    She dropped the teacup on the table.


    Thankfully, it was already empty so she wasn''t burned or anything.


    <em>No</em>


    "I''ll do everything to find that witch and fix your body," Aku said firmly. "You''re the only woman worthy to be my empress, Nia."


    She looked up at him with a re. "Do you think your people will wait for you to find that witch? We''re not getting younger, Aku. Those people are desperate for you to have an heir."


    "You don''t have to worry about that," he said coldly. "You found the second child of Lady Rosenberg and Kalel, didn''t you? He can be the "child of the prophecy" now that Winter Nystrom is gone."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Are you crazy? The second child is older than Winter Nystrom. And I already brainwashed the servants of House Nystrom that the duchess took her son with her. How will you exin that?"


    "We just have to say that we managed to get him back," he said casually. "And we don''t have to show the second child to other people yet. Once he grows up a little, no one can tell that he''s a few months older than he should be. If my people want proof that he''s really the son of Kiho, they can do that. After all, the second child belongs to Lady Rosenberg and Kalel anyway."


    "Are you nning to make the second child your heir?"


    He nodded. "They can''t refuse the "child of the prophecy" as my heir. And now that Saint Forrester is gone, we can easily control the church," he said. "But don''t worry, Nia. As soon as your body gets fixed, we''ll make our own child."


    "Aku!"


    "I will appoint the second child as my heir to shut the critics," Aku said firmly. "But I will never officially name him as the crown prince." He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "That position only belongs to our future son, my beloved Nia."


    Nia could only close her eyes to hold back her tears. <em>Damn you, Aku.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 181: Summer Solstice

    Chapter 181: Summer Solstice


    WHEN SHE woke up, the people around her called her by two different names.


    The guy with a different-colored eyes and his loud-mouthed partner called her "Lady Soleil Rosenberg, the "Supreme Fire Mage."


    However, the two caringdies (a witch and a nanny) called her "Duchess Tilly Nystrom."


    And the baby in her arms simply called her "mommy."


    <em>I have a son</em>


    She was still confused but for some reason, she easily trusted these people.


    So right now, instead of panicking, she simply sat on the bed while the witch sat on right side. The nanny was on her left side while picking up the tray from the night table.


    On the other hand, the two men that often visited her was guarding outside.


    She didn''t know where exactly she was but the room she was in was big and luxurious.


    "Lady Nystrom, happy birthday," the nanny called ''Isabelle'' said with teary-eyes. The young woman was holding a tray with a round vani cake on it. "Thank you for surviving."


    The baby in her arms smiled and touched her face. "Happy birthday, Mommy."


    She should be surprised that her alleged son could talk to her in her mind. But she just epted it calmly.


    "Thank you," she said to the nanny and the baby. Then, before she knew it, she was already showering the baby with little kisses on his face. She did it as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world. "Oh. I guess you''re really my baby."


    Her son giggled happily.


    "If I have a son, does it mean I have a husband, too?" she asked curiously. But when the nanny and the witch suddenly fell silent, she became anxious. "Am I a single mother?"


    "No, mydy," the witch, called ''Luna'' if she remembered it correctly, said hesitantly. Then, she handed over a locket with a picture inside. "I don''t know if you''ll believe me but the man in the photo is your husband. His name is Duke Kiho Nystrom."


    She took one look at the photo and when she saw her "husband," her heart skipped a beat.


    <em>If my husband is Duke Kiho Nystrom, then I must be "Duchess Tilly Nystrom."</em>


    To be honest, she was confused at first if she''d identify herself as "Lady Soleil Rosenberg" or "Duchess Tilly Nystrom." But now, she had a made a decision.


    "I believe you, Luna," Tilly said while her gaze was still locked on the handsome man in the photo. "That face is exactly my type so he''s definitely my husband."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DUKE NYSTROM, today is a special day," David, the head butler, informed him. "Let me leave the present that we prepared for you here."


    Kiho just raised a brow at the old man. He wanted to ask what the "special asion" was but he gotzy to speak or to move from the bed where he was sitting on. After all, he just woke up without remembering anything about himself except for the fact that he was "Duke Kiho Nystrom."


    And apparently, his wife left him with their son.


    <em>The servants kept talking about it.</em>


    "Have a nice day, my lord," David said, then he bowed politely before he left the room.


    When he was alone, he got up and walked towards the tea table where David left a round strawberry cake and a snowke-shaped ice locket. He didn''t like sweet things that much so he just grabbed the locket and opened it.


    In the left side of the locket, a photo of him and a beautiful woman with purple eyes was attached. It looked like a wedding picture.


    <em>Ah, she must be my wife.</em>


    In the right side of the locket was another photo of them. But this time, his wife had a tiny baby in her arms. The toddler had golden eyes just like him.


    <em>Our son.</em>


    It was weird but he didn''t feel any pain or anger considering that his wife allegedly left him and took their son with her.


    <em>Is it because I don''t have my memories?</em>


    That could be it.


    He was about to close the locket when all of a sudden, she heard a voiceing from his wife''s image.


    "<em>Kiho Nystrom, if you have awakened, then you have probably forgotten about me</em>."


    His brows furrowed. <em>What a strong spell</em>


    "<em>Listen to me carefully, Kiho</em>," the lovely voice of his wife said. "<em>You have to believe everything I say because I''m your wife and I''m pretty. You should never doubt your pretty wife, understood?</em>"


    Before he knew it, he was already smiling.


    "My wife is feisty," Kiho whispered to himself. "And really pretty."


    <strong>[END OF VOLUME 1]</strong>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>[VOLUME 2 SNEAK PEEK]</strong>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>AUTHOR''S NOTE:</strong>


    Hi! This is s_c. I just have a few things to say before I share the previews with you.


    First of all, the scenes that I wrote below aren''t canon (legit) yet. I just picked some of my favorite scenes from my rough drafts for season 2. Rough drafts can still be changed anytime. I''m sharing it with you so you''ll know what to look forward to. Happy reading! J


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, Lord Winter escaped and he stole the ship to descend to the Royal Capital!"


    "I know," Tilly told Luna while she was packing her things. "And as Winter''s mommy, it''s my obligation to follow my son, right?"


    Luna''s eyes widened in shock. "You and Winter nned this," she said in disbelief. "You''re going to look for Duke Nystrom, aren''t you?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LOUISA, do you have a problem with me?"


    Louisa held her head high. "I don''t have a problem with you, Lady Morganna."


    "Then, why aren''t you following my order?" Lady Morganna asked with a "sweet" smile. "Didn''t I tell you to remove all the portraits of the former Duchess Nystrom in the mansion?"


    "First of all, Lady Tilly Nystrom is still the duchess, Lady Morganna," Louisa said firmly. "Second, you do not have the authority to order me around. You''re nothing but Lord Julian''s nanny I mean, teacher."


    That earned the head maid a p from thedy.


    "How dare a mere maid speak to me that way?" Lady Morganna asked, fuming. "I will be the new duchess of House Nystrom soon."


    Louisa smiled mockingly. "How can you marry a man who doesn''t even spare you a nce, Lady Morganna?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID you live well for the past five years, you thief?" Winter asked Julian with a smirk. "How can you livefortable after stealing my ce?"


    "Winter, it''s not like that," Julian said desperately. "I was only forced to take your ce because His Majesty needs an heir. He made me pretend as"


    "That''s not what I saw a while ago, Julian," he said coldly. "You and that wench seemed to be enjoying the ce that belongs to me and my mommy."


    "Winter, you can say anything to me but please spare Lady Morganna."


    He smirked bitterly at that. "You''ve been with my father for the past five years. Tell me, Julian. Did he love you like you''re his own son?"


    Julian''s face turned red in embarrassment.


    "Do you want to know who my dad will choose between you and me?" he challenged the "fake son." "I will help you."


    "Winter no!"


    It was toote for him to stop him.


    Winter stomped his right foot on the ground. Then, arge ice spear appeared and flew towards Julian''s direction.


    Julian melted the huge ice spear with her bright red me.


    He ran towards the me until his body was engulfed in it.


    Julian gasped in shock. "Winter, what are you"


    "Dad!" Winter cried and this time, he wasn''t really acting. Even though his dominant Mana was ice, he still had affinity with fire. That was why he was wondering why Julian''s me was burning him. Wow, this is what Mommy calls as "instant karma."


    Winter!"


    He was relieved when his daddy came and hugged him tight until the fire burning his body was put out.


    "Winter, are you okay?" his father, Duke Nystrom, asked worriedly. He held his shoulders and checked on him from head to toe. He looked heartbroken when he saw burnt marks all over his body. Then, the worried look on his face was reced with anger when he turned to Julian. "Why did you attack Winter, Julian? He''s younger than you!"


    Julian flinched and lowered his head in a mix of shame and fear. "I''m sorry, Father."


    "We will talkter, Julian," the duke said, then he turned to him again. The worried look on his face was back. "I''ll call a doctor for you, Winter."


    Winter just nodded, then he raised his arms.


    His dad smiled and carried him. When he wrapped his arms around his father''s neck, he pulled him closer to his body as if he was savoring the moment. "Little rascal, you''re heavy now."


    Winter just smiled, then he turned to Julian to give the fake a smirk. Then, he mouthed to Julian: "This is my ce."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY gasped when she hit the cold wall behind her.


    Then, the handsome duke in front of her nted his hands on the wall on either side of her head. Gosh, his body was as cold as the wall.


    But his gaze was so intense she felt her whole body burn.


    <em>Not literally, of course.</em>


    "Who are you?" Tilly asked even though she already knew the answer. "Do I know you?"


    "You should," the duke said in his sexy, husky voice that made her feel things. "I''m your husband, mydy."


    "Oh, alright."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "I''m thankful that you believe me but you''re scaring me. You don''t believe all the men who im to be your husband, do you?"


    "You''re the only man who imed to be my husband, duh."


    "And you easily believed me?"


    "Your face" Tilly said, then she cupped his immactely handsome face between her hands. "Gosh, I think I''m obsessed with your face."


    "Good," Duke Nystrom said. "Now, can I kiss you?"


    <strong>[END OF PREVIEW]</strong>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>AUTHOR''S NOTE (2):</strong>


    Hi! It''s s_c again. Thank you for reading the preview for Volume 2. The scenes that I put here aren''t canon, okay? They can still change. After all, drafts are just guide. J


    Are you satisfied with Volume 1?


    To be honest, I have a few regrets:


    1.Nia and Lucina''s characters are still very raw. I wasn''t able to showcase their roles properly because their stories are tied to one another. I can''t reveal Nia''s story without revealing Lucina''s so I''m painfully aware that their characters weren''t really fleshed out. I''m sad about that because I don''t want you to think that Nia and Lucina are just another b*tchy viinesses.


    But don''t worry. On the second volume, I will take my time to reintroduce Nia and Lucina to you. They aren''t viinesses just because the story needs some b*tches. We will dive into their characters soon. Their back story is actually one of my faves.


    2.In my draft, there''s a short arc revolving around Lord Maverick Prescott and Lady Marianne Prescott (Tilly''s parents). I had to cut it out because I thought the mini-arc wasn''t really important during the Oakes Arc. But you''ll meet them again. After all, Lady Marianne Prescott was involved with the Keepers and I will show you how it happened. In volume 2, we will slowly unravel Tilly/Soleil''s origin.


    3.Isabelle and ke''s romance disappeared. Haha. I really like their dynamics in my drafts. Sadly, the ck Serpent Knights didn''t get much role because of the continuous problems that Tilly and Kiho faced. I guess it''s my style as a writer. I rarely write fillers because I want to keep the story going. I hope the pace isn''t too fast for you though.


    <strong>***</strong>


    Anyway, I''m excited for Volume 2 because:


    1.Winter is a ~child~ now and not a baby. I swear Winter is more of a viin than Julian (not that Julian is a bad character).


    2.You''ll get to meet the rest of the Keepers, and the people of S Ind (I''m an ind now, hehe).


    3.I can''t stress this enough but <strong>TILLY AND KIHO''S ROMANCE VERSION 2.0!!!</strong>


    <strong>***</strong>


    In Volume 1, Tilly and Kiho easily fell in love with each other.


    This time, we''ll see them chasing each other not because of misunderstandings, but because of their "flirting game." And, uh, their interactions wouldn''t be as wholesome as before. Since Tilly and Kiho are really adults now, I think we will have more ~hot~ scenes. ;)


    But on a serious note, we will also see Tilly and Kiho act like parents. As you can already tell, Winter and Julian aren''t getting along well. It''s one of the major conflicts that they have to ovee. I think it''s normal for any family to have issues so don''t worry too much.


    That''s all. Please continue supporting me. Thank you~


    Are you excited for Volume 2?


    <strong>[PS: Did you notice this?]</strong>


    Pride- Kalel Nystrom


    Greed- Emperor Aku


    Wrath- Soleil Rosenberg


    Envy- Princess Nia


    Lust- Lucina Morganna


    Gluttony- Ainsworth


    Sloth- Saint Forrester


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> Please buy my privilege chapters if you can. 1 coin= 2 chapters. 50 coins= 5 chapters. I hope you find my story worth your coins. :''(


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 182: A New Beginning

    Chapter 182: A New Beginning


    <em>I''M an adult now.</em>


    No, he wasn''t.


    But Winter was five years old now. He could talk, walk, and move properly on his own. Gone were the days that he needed to be taken care of by his mother and his nanny.


    <em>It''s my turn to take care of Mommy now.</em>


    "Young Master, are you done changing your clothes?" Isabelle, his nanny, asked from outside his room. "Should I help you?"


    "Isabelle, I''m no longer a child," Winter said with a pout. When he realized that he was pouting like a kid, he gently pped his lips. "I''m done changing."


    He went out of the room because he didn''t want Isabelle to get worried.


    As soon as he did, he was surprised when he was greeted by a familiar sh of light making him close his eyes.


    <em>There she goes again.</em>


    Right now, Isabelle was taking his pictures using the ''Ice Tablet'' that he and his mommy developed when he was three years old.


    It was a very thin tablet made from his ice and it would only melt once he died. The tablet was embedded with spirit stones that captured photos and videos. The ck screen, on the other hand, was made from the dust of ck diamond and other gems that were used to preserve memories. His mother liked to call the ck screen as the "memory hub."


    He opened his eyes to see Isabelle still fawning over him. "That''s enough pictures for today, Isabelle," he said.


    "Let''s take a video next," Isabelle said with sparkling eyes. "Duke Nystrom will need a whole month to look at all the pictures and videos of you that I took for the past five years." As usual, she got emotional. "I can''t wait for you and Lady Nystrom to be reunited with His Grace."


    Well, he couldn''t wait for his family to be reunited as well.


    Unfortunately, for the past five years, he couldn''t connect to his father''s mind no matter how much he tried to do so. Eventually, he gave up. He realized that as long as there was a strong protection around the floating ind, he could never create a connection with his daddy.


    "I''ll make sure that we will reunite with my father soon," he dered bravely. "Anyway, is Mommy not yet home?"


    Isabelle shook her head. Even though he already told her to stop, it was obvious that she was still taking a video of him "discreetly." "Lady Nystrom and Miss Luna are still in a meeting. She told us not to wait for them and have lunch together."


    "Okay," he said. He was used to how busy his mother was ever since they arrived at the ind. And he wasn''t mad. He understood that they needed to work hard so that they could return to his father''s side soon. "Isabelle, I want to y outside before we have lunch."


    She smiled and nodded. "I''ll apany you, Young Master."


    "But you need to prepare our lunch, don''t you?"


    In their house, he and his mother lived with Aunt Luna and Isabelle. They helped whenever they could but overall, Isabelle was in-charge of the house chores.


    They lived a simple life in Srium the floating ind.


    There wasn''t monarchy and nobility there. The ruler of the ind was called the Fire Archmage and the six other Keepers served as his advisors. ''Other'' because the Fire Archmage was also one of the Keepers, making them seven in total.


    Officially, the Fire Archmage and the Keepers were the rulers of Srium.


    <em>But of course, they are servants of my Mommy.</em>


    The Sols, people of the Srium, called his mother the ''Daughter of the Sun'' and treated her like a goddess.


    "Are you sure you''ll be okay alone, Young Master?" Isabelle asked worriedly. "I don''t want you to be bulled again."


    He understood where Isabelle''s worry wasing from.


    The Sols seem to be awkward around me.


    And he actually felt out of ce.


    <em>I''m the only one in the ind who can use ice, after all.</em>


    He could use his fire Mana but he was still morefortable in using his ice. Thus, the kids around his age would always pick on him. Some ill-mannered brats would even question if he was truly the Supreme''s son.


    Of course, as an adult, it was his duty to be patient with the kids.


    So to make them shut up, he challenged the strongest kid in the indst week. He knocked out the eleven-year old brat instantly making him the new "big boss" of their stupid little gang. Ever since then, no one dared to bully him again.


    "I''ll be fine, Isabelle," Winter assured Isabelle with a big smile. "The streets are under my jurisdiction now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SUPREME, are you sure about your n?"


    Tilly smiled and nodded to answer Sris''s question. "We can''t wait any longer, Sris," she told the Fire Archmage. "Luna had already finished the medicine to cure Princess Nia''s infertility. Now is the perfect time to return to the Moonchester Empire."


    Right now, she was in the meeting hall with Sris, Luna, and three of the six Keepers namely: Jameson Crawford, Roarke Sinir, and Kelsi (the only woman among the Keepers).


    The other three Keepers were still on an away mission.


    "It has already been five years since the princess was exiled from the empire," she continued. "I''m pretty sure that the emperor is desperate now to fix his beloved''s body. He could no longer dy his marriage with his new betrothed."


    She got all that information from the Keepers who would take turns in descending down the empire to spy on their enemies.


    Her Keepers gathered all the useful information that they could


    except information about Duke Kiho Nystrom.


    <em>Those brats</em>


    She scolded herself right away so she could focus on her agenda today: to convince the Fire Archmage to allow her to return to the Moonchester Empire.


    "I understand that we need to act now, Supreme," Sris, a young looking man with long red hair and pretty peach eyes, said worriedly. He may look young but he was actually one hundred and fifty years old now. He was able to live that long while maintaining his youth because of his blood. After all, he was the direct descendant of Wixx, the Red Phoenix. The Fire Archmage was basically her nephew. "But what I can''t approve of is your second n. I''ll get straight to the point, Supreme. I don''t want you to make a binding vow with Princess Nia."


    She exchanged knowing nces with Luna.


    <em>Yep, we already expected this.</em>


    "I agree with Lord Sris," Roarke said. "Making a binding vow with Princess Nia is dangerous."


    "Hell yeah, it is," Jameson added. "You can''t f*cking trust any Moonchester. They''re all f*cking sly and in evil."


    "Did you read the Supreme''s proposal?" Kelsi asked while giving Roarke and Jameson a disapproving look. Kelsi, with her ash gray shoulder-length hair and jasper eyes, always looked like she was judging people with a simple nce. She looked that intimidating. "Because if you have read the proposal, then you''d know that the Supreme''s n is wless." She turned to her with sparkling eyes. "Supreme, men have no rights. Let us proceed with your n."


    Roarke and Jameson (with his dirty mouth) started toin.


    Sris and Luna both stifled augh but when the two met each other''s gaze, they instantly avoided eye contact.


    <em>Gosh, they''re still so awkward around each other.</em>


    Not that she could me Sris and Luna for acting that way.


    Anyway, the chaos in the meeting hall already told her that she couldn''t go home early today.


    <em>Mommy is sorry, my little cinnamon roll</em>, Tilly said to herself while thinking of ways to convince Sris, Roarke, Jameson, and the other absent Keepers to approve her n. <em>I still have a lot of work to do.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO, why don''t you get married again?" Emperor Aku asked him with a bright smile. "It has been five years since your wife left you. With my power, I can ask the church to void your marriage with Lady Nystrom."


    Kiho sipped his tea before he responded to the emperor. "No, it''s too bothersome."


    It looked like the emperor was still waiting for him to say more. But when he didn''t, he groaned inint.


    <em>I want to go home.</em>


    Right now, he was in the emperor''s pce while having tea in the tea room that was supposedly only for the members of the royal family. He didn''t know why he was allowed there. But if he knew that the emperor would only convince him to get married again, then he would have refused his invitation.


    "Why are you still hanging onto your marriage with Lady Nystrom, Kiho?" the emperor asked curiously. "She won''t being back to you. And even if she did, I''ll just have her arrested. A Fire Mage isn''t weed to our empire."


    He put his tea cup down on the coaster. "Why do you want me to get married again, Your Majesty?"


    <em>It''s none of your business, you know?</em>


    "I just thought that someone else deserves you more, Kiho," Emperor Aku said with a yful smile. "What do you think of Lady Lucina Morganna? Ah, she''s now a Huxley. Isn''t that better? She''s a good woman and now, she belongs to a good family. She also gets along well with Julian. She''s perfect for you!"


    Kiho knew that he wouldn''t get out of there if he didn''t give a satisfactory answer. So even though he didn''t want to, he uttered the words that he never meant: "I''ll think about it, Your Majesty."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 183: Solarium

    Chapter 183: Srium


    WINTER had already spent five years in the Srium but he was still amazed at how beautiful it was.


    Aside from the fact that the ind was floating, it was just as normal as any prosperous kingdom. ording to Aunt Luna, the Srium was as big as their family''s dukedom.


    <em>Unfortunately, I didn''t get the chance to see Oakes when we were still in the Royal Capital.</em>


    Anyway


    As soon as he got out of the house, he looked up to look at the blue sky.


    Ordinary people wouldn''t see it but he was different. He could clearly see a very thin but very powerful barrier around the whole ind. He loved his Aunt Luna but the barrier that she could create was nothingpared to the barrier surrounding Srium.


    If the barrier of the ind was weak, then it would have crashed down a long time ago.


    <em>It''s amazing how the air up here is still normal.</em>


    And it was definitely because of the barrier.


    The houses in the ind were like the houses of average inds. Even their house was just a little bigger than the rest. The life there was simple and the poverty rate was very low. It was probably thanks to the low poption pared to the empire below) and the good leadership skills of the Fire Archmage.


    <em>Almost everyone here knows each other.</em>


    The Srium wasposed of five floating inds.


    Of course, the center ind was called the Main Capital. That was where they lived.


    <em>The Fire Archmage''s temple is also here.</em>


    The four other inds connecting to the Main Capital were simply called North Ind, East Ind, West Ind, and South Ind. Each ind was being supervised by the Keepers.


    <em>And they are called Lords (and Lady for Kelsi, the only female Keeper).</em>


    The surprising thing that he found out about the ind was the fact that not only Fire Mages lived up there.


    ording to the stories that he heard from the adults, when the Fire Mages escaped from the empire to avoid execution, they also brought most of their followers with them. So right now, the citizens of the Srium could be ssified into five "categories."


    1.The Rosenbergs the direct descendants of Winchell, the Red Phoenix.


    2.The Keepers he was yet to know the story behind the Keepers of the Supreme.


    3.The Fire Mages the n where the Rosenbergs originated.


    4.The Sun Priestesses the women serving the Red Phoenix and the sun.


    5.The Followers ordinary humans who devoted themselves to the Fire Mages.


    "Boss Winter!"


    Winter smirked when he was greeted by his underlings when he arrived at their little hide-out. He called it hide-out but it was just an abandoned school building. It was yet to be renovated so the street children were using it as a "hide-out."


    "Hey, kids," Winter greeted the children older than him. But of course, mentally, he was still older than these brats. "Did you finish your homework?"


    "Yes, boss!" the three ten year old boys named Axel, Brent, and rence answered simultaneously.


    rence was a skinny, nerdy kid with round eyesses. He looked like a pushover but he was the brain of the trio.


    Brent was the pretty-looking rich boy. He was the group''s "financier." (AKA the one who would always buy snacks for them).


    Axel was the tall, chubby, and very strong "muscle" of the trio. The musclehead used to be a bully but after he knocked him out with one hitst week, he promised to change and "follow" him forever.


    <em>They''re my underlings now.</em>


    But to be honest, he looked really out of ce.


    After all, he was the only person in Srium who would wear suits. The climate in the ind was always hot even at night. It was probably because of the fire Mana that almost everyone in the ind possessed. But the heat was tolerable, especially in the nighttime.


    But since his body was naturally cool, he couldn''t really feel the heat in the ind. That was why he always wore suits and thick clothes.


    Kids around him used to bully him for it. After all, the children wore light clothes.


    Most of the people in the ind also had pretty Sunkissed or bronze skin.


    He, his mommy, his Aunt Luna, and some of the Keepers stood out like sore thumb because of their pale skin.


    "I already know when Mount S will return to the Main Capital," rence reported while holding his trusted leather notebook. He even adjusted his eyesses before he continued. "ording to my research, the floating ship is about to return in a week."


    Ah, so he only had to wait for a week. "Good job, rence."


    rence looked so proud of himself. "Thank you, Boss Winter!"


    Brent cleared his throat and when he turned to him, the flower boy started his report. "I have already acquired the tools that we need to be able to escape the Main Capital''s security without being caught."


    "But even if we''re caught, I''ll protect you, Boss Winter," Axel said proudly while flexing his arm muscles. "You trust me, don''t you?"


    "Sure," Winter said casually. I''ll probably do all the saving anyway.


    He really didn''t want to escape the Main Capital without permission from his mommy but he couldn''t wait any longer.


    <em>Uncle Fire Archmage and the overprotective Keepers don''t want Mommy and I to leave the ind.</em>


    Of course, he would always be thankful for their protection.


    <em>But my daddy needs us!</em>


    Also, he couldn''t sit still knowing that Julian that traitor had taken his ce and was pretending as the "child of the prophecy." In short, Julian was acting like his father''s son!


    His mommy didn''t want him to find it out but he had his ways of digging up the information that the Keepers had been gathering all these years. He didn''t really care about the stuff with the emperor because he knew his mommy could handle him. He witnessed how his mother worked hard to be that powerful today.


    But the issue about the fake son of his father, only him could resolve that.


    <em>I won''t allow you to steal my father from me, Julian.</em>


    "Are you seriously going to hi-jack Mount S once the ship returns?"


    Winter red at the owner of the mocking, high-pitched voice. "Princess Solenn."


    Solenn was the Fire Archmage''s only daughter.


    She was the same age as his physical body (five years old) but like him, she spoke and acted like an adult.


    "Greetings, Princess Solenn!" the trio greeted the princess with sparkling eyes.


    He rolled his eyes at that.


    Apparently, Solenn was the prettiest girl in the whole ind.


    The princess had ck hair (but not as ck as his mother''s), deep peach eyes, and fair skin. Despite her status, she liked wearing simple clothes like she wore now: a loose ck dress and a pair of boots.


    "Are you going to tell the adults?" Winter confronted the princess. "If ever, it wouldn''t be the first time."


    "I won''t snitch on you this time," Solenn said with an evil smile. "But only if you bring me with you, Winter."


    "No," he rejected her bluntly. "I don''t have time to babysit, "princess.""


    The princess pouted a clear indication that she was still really a child. She was just acting mature because of the expectations that she had to carry on her tiny shoulders as the only heir of the Fire Archmage. "I''m not a child and I don''t need you to babysit me," she said firmly. "I want to see the world outside the ind, too, Winter."


    "The world outside this little bubble of yours is dangerous, princess."


    "I''m strong," she insisted, and then she stood up straight with her head held high. "I''m even stronger than you."


    "Excuse me?"


    "You''re the son of the Supreme but you can''t use fire properly," she said with a smirk. "Are you really a Fire Mage, "Lord Winter?""


    Okay, he was insulted.


    To be honest, he could be patient with other kids because he was an adult inside.


    <em>But this little brat princess always manages to get on my nerves!</em>


    His jaw clenched in annoyance as he snap at the princess. "I''m. A. Fire. Mage."


    Axel, Brent, and rence knew that he and Solenn would sh again. They didn''t need to tell the trio to run away so that they wouldn''t get caught up in the fight. The three boys already ran as far away from them as possible.


    "If you''re really a Fire Mage, then prove it," Solenn challenged him with an arrogant smirk. Then, she posed like a boxer with her little fists already engulfed in red mes. "If you beat me with fire, I won''t insist on joining you to your little adventure. But if you lose to my fire, I''m going to snitch on you." She looked at him up and down, obviously sizing him up and mocking him at the same time. When her deep peach eyesnded on his face, she let out an insultingugh. "Should I give you a handicap, Lord Winter?"


    "There''s no need for that, Princess Solenn," he said, offended. "You may attack first."


    He didn''t want to be used of picking a fight with a girl.


    However, if the princess attacked first, then he could say that he fought back as self-defense.


    "Alright," the princess said, then she smiled "sweetly" at him. "Uncle Wong is arriving at the Main Capital the same time Mount S would return here."


    His eyes widened in shock. "What?!"


    Uncle Wong was the most dangerous Keepers of all.


    Unlike the others, Uncle Wong was the only one hostile to his mommy. And that grumpy man was especially strict with him. Whenever he was in the Main Capital, he would always keep an (angry) eye on him as if he was waiting for him to make a mistake.


    <em>If Uncle Wong is here, then it will be hard for me to run away!</em>


    "Lord Winter, you''re distracted."


    He gasped when all of a sudden, the princess was already in front of him.


    <em>Damn!</em>


    He tried to jump backwards to avoid her but it was toote.


    Solenn''s ming fist already hit him on the face sending him flying until his tiny body hit (and destroyed) the wall a few meters away from where the princess stood. "Loser!"


    Winter red at the princess who was already doing a victory dance. The back of his head was bleeding and he also had cuts and bruises from the impact. His whole body hurt, but his pride was even more hurt. "God, I hate that little brat princess."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 184: Wandering Hearts

    Chapter 184: Wandering Hearts


    "WONG said they have found a clue as to where the body of the Red Phoenix has been locked up all this time, Supreme."


    Tilly sipped her tea while listening to Sris.


    Right now, only the two of them were in the tea room. After their meeting with the others, the Fire Archmage asked her to have some tea with him.


    "Wong sounds so sure that the information they got this time would really lead us to where Lord Winchell is," Sris continued. "Supreme, instead of going to the Royal Capital, wouldn''t it be more beneficial to us to save the Red Phoenix first?"


    She put her teacup down on the coaster.


    Of course, the Fire Archmage was right. For the past five years, they didn''t stop looking for the Red Phoenix. The Keepers used a piece of her heart to look all over the world to find her brother. When she said a "piece" of her heart, she meant Sentinel.


    The spirit guardian had been travelling with Wong while searching for the Red Phoenix.


    "It''s true that we will gain an advantage if we found my brother before I return to the empire," Tilly said carefully. "But I believe that the loss will be bigger. If I have the Red Phoenix by then, Aku Moonchester wouldn''t put his guard down. We can''t also forget that Nia Moonchester wants my heart to summon the sky beast. If my brother descended down with me, the nasty twins will hunt him down right away. If that happens, our n to convince the princess to make a binding vow with me would be ruined."


    The Fire Archmage slowly nodded his head in agreement. "You have a point, Supreme." But then, he threw her a dubious look. "I apologize if this sounds rude but you''re not eager to return to the empire just to see the ck Serpent again are you?"


    "Of course not," she denied even though the thought of meeting the ck Serpent again just made her heart skip a beat. But she reminded herself to remain focused. "And I''m not saying that we shouldn''t rescue the Red Phoenix just because I''m returning to the empire. We can do both at the same time, Sris."


    "Oh," he said. "You''re right, Supreme."


    "I''m thinking of sending a party led by Wong to free the Red Phoenix," she said. "My presence in the empire will distract the Moonchesters. As long as I''m in the Royal Capital, their attention will be focused on me. Let''s hope that Wong''s team can move a little more freely if I serve as a distraction."


    "Let''s talk about this again once Wong returns," he said. "We''ll have to discuss the information that they collected first."


    She nodded in agreement. "Is this the only reason why you want to talk to me in private?"


    He shook his head, then he turned more serious. "Supreme, about Lady Luna"


    She sipped her tea to hide her smile.


    <em>I knew it had something to do with Luna.</em>


    "How is she?" Sris asked awkwardly. "Did she sessfully retrieve all her memories as the Moon Priestess?"


    For the past five years, both her and Luna worked hard to retrieve their memories.


    To be honest, she didn''t really understand what was happening during the first years of her arrival at the floating ind. But slowly, thanks to Sris'' hard work, she managed to retrieve pieces of her memories of her life as an-almost goddess, and as the Supreme Fire Mage.


    She hadn''t retrieved everything yet, but she remembered some major events in her past lives that helped her understood their n''s goal clearly.


    Unfortunately, her memories as ''Duchess Tilly Nystrom'' were still blurry.


    The only things that helped her understood her current life was the pictures and videos that she had with her.


    <em>I also understand that my husband, Duke Kiho Nystrom, is the ck Serpent.</em>


    Sris and her Keepers firmly believed that the ck Serpent was our nemesis. That they only allowed me to marry him because I needed to give birth to Winter the Moon Serpent, also known as the ''God yer.'' Apparently, his son was also the one destined to kill the evil Aku Moonchester.


    <em>Whatever they say, my heart still believes in Kiho Nystrom.</em>


    Anyway, Luna went through the same experience as her.


    At first, the witch was very surprised to know that she was the Moon Priestess. Apparently, she was the only one who knew where Saint Asher Forrester''s Holy Scepter was. But unfortunately, until now, Luna still couldn''t remember the part of her past life where she hid the Holy Scepter.


    "Luna is yet to retrieve all the memories of her past life as the Moon Priestess," she said. "I think she was still a little shock from what she rememberedst time. Maybe that''s what prevents her from remembering the rest of her memories."


    "Oh," Sris said, still looking as awkward as ever. "I hope Lady Luna feels better soon."


    "We just need to give Luna more time," Tilly assured the Fire Archmage. "We can trust her, Sris."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LORD NYSTROM will be having a dinner party with the members of House of Lords next week."


    Julian let out a sigh of frustration when he heard his mother Lucina talk to Louisa the head maid. He was about to go down the grand staircase because his father was about to arrive any minute. But he stopped in his tracks when he found Lucina and Louisa in an argument while standing in front of the staircase wall.


    To be precise, they were in a heated debate because of the portrait of his father and Duchess Nystrom hanging on the wall.


    "I already told you to throw away all the portraits of Duchess Nystrom here in the mansion, didn''t I?" Lady Lucina Morganna (now Huxley, but he still preferred his mother''s old family name) said with a forced smile on her face. His mother already won the hearts of the servants of House Nystrom except for the head maid and the head butler. "The guests will feel ufortable if they saw the former duchess''s portrait."


    "Lady Tilly Nystrom is still the Duchess of Oakes, Lady Huxley," Louisa said in a calm but firm voice. "Most of all, Lady Nystrom is still is the mother of House Nystrom. And I will only obey the master of the house."


    Julian knew that his mother would explode and hurt Louisa.


    He was about to stop the two when all of a sudden, his father''s cold and indifferent voice echoed in the mansion.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Louisa and his mother immediately bowed and greeted his father.


    Julian walked towards his father and bowed to him. "Wee back, Father."


    As usual, he only heard a soft hum from his father as an acknowledgement for his greeting.


    When he raised his head, he saw his father give Louisa and his mother an annoyed look. Clearly, he heard the two''s argument.


    "I asked what''s going on here," his father said even though he probably knew the answer. "Is no one going to answer me?"


    Louisa bowed her head before she spoke. "My lord, Lady Huxley is asking me to remove all the portraits of Duchess Nystrom in the mansion."


    Julian took a peek at his mother and he saw her ring holes at the head maid''s head.


    <em>Mother, please calm down.</em>


    "Put them away," the duke dered that shocked them all.


    "M-My lord?" Louisa asked, obviously devastated.


    "Don''t make me repeat myself, Louisa," his father said coldly, then he turned his back on them. "Julian, follow me."


    "Yes, Father," Julian answered right away. But before he left, he looked at his mother and saw her smirking at Louisa. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head before he followed his father. <em>Mother, you''re making the same mistakes you did in the past.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN TILLY arrived at her bedroom, she sat in front of the mirror and stared at herself.


    She was currently alone at home because Isabelle went out to look for Winter, while Luna was still on a meeting with Jameson, Roarke, and Kelsi.


    <em>They work hard.</em>


    Of course, she did, too.


    <em>Anyway, I think I need a haircut soon.</em>


    She cut her long jet-ck hair when she began training to master her fire Mana again. But now, her hair was already as long as before she cut it off.


    While looking at her face in the mirror, she realized that she looked more mature now than she did five years ago. But the biggest change that she noticed was theck of sparkle in her eyes even though she could say that she was happy in the ind.


    She got along well with her Keepers (except Wong) and the citizens of Srium.


    Most of all, Winter, Luna, and Isabelle were with her.


    But a huge chunk of her heart seemed to be missing. Sometimes, even though she was surrounded by people she loved and loved her back, she still felt sad. She kept on yearning for something


    or someone.


    "Kiho Nystrom," Tilly whispered to herself while touching the snowdrop pendant of her ne. ording to Luna, that ne was a birthday gift from her husband. "I wonder if you still remember me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was aware that he was on thin ice.


    Recently, he could feel that Emperor Aku was getting suspicious of him because of his continuous "rebellion." It wasn''t like he wanted to ruin the n. He just really couldn''t agree with him whenever he would force him to "remarry."


    "Louisa," Kiho called the head maid who looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. He brought Julian to the training ground to see his improvement in swordsmanship. But after he heard that Lady Morganna (or was it Huxley?) already left the estate, he went back to the mansion. Luckily, he saw Louisa right away as soon as he entered the house. "Bring everything to my room."


    Louisa looked confused by his order. "I apologize but I don''t understand, my lord."


    "Bring all the portraits of the duchess in my bedroom in secret. Ask David to help you," he whispered. The only people that he could trust in the mansion were Louisa and David. "Be careful."


    He only told Louisa to get rid of the portraits because he knew that Lady Morganna was working with the emperor. He had no solid proof, but the fact that it was His Majesty who assigned the woman to be Julian''s teacher was already suspicious to him. He didn''t want her to report to the emperor that he still had feelings for the duchess.


    Well, thedy wasn''t wrong but he didn''t want Emperor Aku to use it against him.


    Also, his skin crawled each time Lady Morganna would look at him. She never failed to make him feel ufortable for some reason.


    "As you wish, my lord," Louisa said. She was obviously pleased to know that his heart remained the same. "I''ll take my leave then."


    He just nodded, then he went out of the mansion when he saw a group of servants walking towards their direction.


    <em>This is tiring.</em>


    To have a little peace of mind, he went to his oasis the pond in front of the mansion. He sat on the bench and watched the colorful koi fish in the pond. After a while, when he was sure that no one was keeping an eye on him, he took the locket pendant of the ne he wore.


    He opened it, revealing the old photo of his family.


    To be honest, he still didn''t have the memories of his past. He was only following the instructions left by his wife in several video messages that she left for him. Those messages were secretly handed to him by Louisa and David.


    Sometimes, he thought he was crazy.


    He didn''t even know whatpelled him to believe andpletely trust the woman in the videos that he watched. For some reason, he just knew that he had to follow her. So when she said that the Moonchesters were the enemies that separated them, his heart didn''t question it.


    "I miss you," Kiho whispered to himself while touching the face of his son in the picture with his finger. Then, he gently caressed the beautiful face of his wife on the photo. Until now, he didn''t know how he survived the lonely five years of his life without his family. It was actually funny because he didn''t even have his memories. And yet, he was longing for them. Especially for the duchess that seemed to own his heartpletely. "Is it possible to fall in love with you even though I only remember you through the videos that you left, my lovely wife?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> Hi! I''m always grateful to all the readers but this time, I''d like to specifically thank my 347 privilege readers (as of writing this).


    I am super touched by your support. That''s why I feel a little bad knowing that the WIN-WIN event is already ending andI wasn''t able to reach at least 500 privilege readers. Thus, I won''t be getting a banner feature.


    I feel like I''ve wasted your efforts. I wanted the banner feature not just for exposure but to also make you feel proud. I wanted to show you how high Mommy Viiness can fly with your support.


    I''m so sorry, everyone. :(


    I will work harder to make the story better. Please continue supporting me. And you can look forward to more things that Mommy Viiness can offer. Thank you. :)


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 185: The Two Sons

    Chapter 185: The Two Sons


    WINTER was pissed.


    He didn''t want to use his ice but the little brat princess was pushing him to get serious. When Solenn punched him again with her ming fist, he grabbed her wrist and used his Mana to freeze her.


    <em>Now let''s see if you can melt my ice!</em>


    Solenn looked surprised by his "cheating." She red at him, then she tried to make her body literally burn.


    <em>She''s trying to melt my ice.</em>


    He smirked at her futile attempt, then he let go of her wrist.


    <em>You can''t melt my ice when I use my full Mana, little brat princess.</em>


    He watched as his ice started to spread from Solenn''s arm to all over her torso down to her lower body until the only "un-frozen" part of her was her head and neck.


    <em>Heh.</em>


    "Cheater," Solenn snarled at him. "I said we should fight using our fire Mana! You used your ice so this fight is void!"


    "I don''t remember agreeing to that rule," he said with a smirk. "You should have made a written contract before we started our fight, Princess Solenn."


    The princess screamed in annoyance.


    He was d that Solenn didn''t breathe fire unlike his mommy. If the princess had the same ability as his mother, Solenn would have probably roasted him by now.


    <em>Let''s scare her a little.</em>


    He raised his hand andmanded his ice to spread up to her little neck.


    Solenn, known as a tough cookie, was on the verge of crying now.


    Okay, that made him feel guilty. Maybe his prank went a little too far. Seeing her tears reminded him that he was an adult inside so he shouldn''t be bullying children.


    <em>Shame on you, Winter Nystrom.</em>


    He closed his hand and as soon as he did, the ice covering Solenn from neck to toe started to melt fast.


    The little brat princess stopped crying then.


    "I admit I went overboard," he said when the ice covering Solenn finally melted. He could feel the sudden increase of the heat emitting from the princess''s little body. She was probably using her Mana to dry herself. "Let''s not fight over this again, okay?"


    When the princess didn''t respond, he extended his hand to her.


    <em>Well, I''m the adult here so I should be the bigger person.</em>


    Solenn finally gave in and reached for his hand.


    But when he thought she would shake his hand, her posture suddenly changed. The next thing he knew, he was already on the ground while facing the blue sky.


    His nose was bleeding.


    Yes, the little brat princess freaking punched him on the face again! She didn''t use her me this time but still, she broke his nose!


    Solenn''s arrogant face came into view when she hovered over him. "I will never shake hands with a cheater like you."


    He snarled, stood up, and was about to freeze the princess again when all of a sudden, a camera sh blinded them. He and Solenn both turned around and were surprised to find Maddox and Braxton Atkinson the twin Keepers.


    The twins had (fake) tinum blonde hair, bronze skin, and dark eyes.


    <em>It''s really hard to tell them apart when they aren''t talking.</em>


    Fortunately, the twins didn''t wear clothes with the same color.


    Maddox would always wear gray, while Braxton would always wear yellow. Also, Maddox was the quiet twin while Braxton was as loud as Jameson.


    "Look what we have here," Braxton said in his usual bright and loud voice. He was holding an Ice Tablet that he definitely used to take a picture of him and Solenn a while ago. "The Supreme''s son and the Fire Archmage''s daughter in a brawl. I wonder how the Lady Rosenberg and Lord Sris will react once they find out that their children fought again."


    "They will be disappointed, for sure," Maddox said in his usual bored tone.


    Winter flinched.


    From the corner of his eyes, he saw Solenn flinch as well.


    "I can''t believe the future of the Fire Mages is on the shoulders of two hot-tempered little brats," Braxton teased them whileughing. "Mad, we''re doomed."


    Maddox silently nodded in agreement.


    "Why did you two fight again?" Braxton confronted them with a raised brow. "Who started it?"


    "I did. And I finished it with a bang," Solenn answered proudly. "I won."


    "No, you didn''t," Winterined. "The fight was interrupted."


    "I won the moment you cheated," the princess insisted while ring at him. "But even if we fight again, I''m sure I''ll win again assuming that you won''t use your ice to cheat."


    He was about to give a retort when all of a sudden, Maddox and Braxton stood straight.


    When he turned around, he saw his mother with the ever-worried Isabelle.


    In the blink of an eye, Maddox, Braxton, and Solenn were already on their knees with their heads hanged low as they greeted his mommy.


    "Greetings to the sun that shines brightly in the blue sky," Solenn, Maddox, and Braxton greeted his mother politely.


    His mother just smile and when she turned to him, his mommy''s smile even got "sweeter."


    Winter turned his gaze away from his mother. <em>I''m dead.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY let out a deep sigh when she saw Winter''s head wrapped in bandage.


    Isabelle just finished treating the wounds that her son got from "ying" with Solenn the only daughter of Sris. For some reason, Winter "liked" picking a fight with the princess.


    "Isabelle, you may leave now," Tilly said in a strict voice. "I need to talk to the young man right here."


    Isabelle looked nervous. "Lady Nystrom, please don''t scold the young lord too much."


    She just smiled at the young maid.


    Isabelle took it as a sign and bowed her head, then she quietly left her room.


    <em>Now, for his punishment</em>


    Tilly sat on the sofa and asked Winter to stand in front of her. Her son did while his hands were behind his back. He looked somehow apologetic, but only because he made them worry. She would bet her entire fortune that the little rascal didn''t regret picking a fight with Solenn.


    <em>Why do they always fight anyway?</em>


    "Winter, do you know what you did wrong?" she asked carefully.


    Winter nodded before he answered. "I let my guard down and let the little brat princess hit me."


    She bit her lower lip to stop herself fromughing.


    <em>Winter is really stubborn.</em>


    But as a mother, she had to discipline her son.


    "Winter, Solenn is the princess of the ind," she calmly reminded him. "And she''s not a "brat." Her physical body is the same age as you. But her soul is older. You have to show her respect, okay?"


    "A brat is just a brat, Mommy."


    "Okay, little rascal," she said while shaking her head. "You''re not allowed to get out of the house for a week."


    He gasped while his eyes widened in shock. "Mommy!"


    "I will only lift it when you apologize to Solenn."


    He gulped before he shook his head. "I like staying at home."


    She let out a smallugh, then she opened her arms. "Come here, baby."


    "I''m not a baby anymore, Mommy," he said, but he sat on herp and let her hug him tight while showering him with little kisses.


    <em>He''s still a baby.</em>


    "Winter, why did you fight Solenn this time?" she asked seriously.


    Her baby let out a deep sigh before he answered. "The little brat princess questioned if I''m really a Fire Mage because my fire Mana is weak."


    "And you proved to her that you''re a Fire Mage by freezing her?"


    His face turned red in embarrassment.


    She wouldn''t say that Winter was being childish. After all, he was still five years old. It was normal for kids his age to act selfishly.


    "Winter, you are my son," she gently told him. "Your fire Mana isn''t weak. It just happens that your dominant Mana is ice. And it was a gift from your dad." She put a finger on Winter''s chest in the part where his heart was beating loudly. "You have half of me and half of your father. You don''t have to prove to anyone that you''re a Fire Mage. Isn''t it enough that my Mana and your father''s Mana exist inside you?"


    "I know that, Mommy," he said with a pout. "But I don''t like it when Solenn picks on me for having a little bit stronger fire Mana than me."


    "Winter," she said strictly. "You''re not underestimating Solenn just because she''s a girl, are you?"


    "The little princess brat is not a girl she''s a gori," he said firmly. "She can kill an average grown man with a single punch, Mommy." He pointed at the bandage wrapped around his head. "If she can do this to me, she can definitely break a skull of a Mana-less person."


    "I''m d that you recognize Solenn''s strength, Winter," she said while stifling aughter. "But please don''t call her a gori. Insulting a girl just because you lost to her is petty, son."


    He pouted. "I hate losing to Solenn because I''m the Supreme''s son. Mommy, you are the goddess of the Fire Mages. I can''t lose to your follower''s daughter."


    "Winter," she said seriously. Her heart felt heavy when she saw her son flinch, but she needed to discipline him. "It''s true that the Fire Mages see me as their goddess. But I''m not here to be worshipped. I''m helping Sris lead the n because I want us to reim the freedom that was stolen from us. That doesn''t make us special or more important than the rest, Winter." She gently ruffled his hair. "The moment you think that you are above other people is the moment you lose the right to be a leader. Do you understand what I''m saying, son?"


    Winter fell silent at first. Then, he nodded. "I understand, Mommy," he said. "I''m sorry being arrogant."


    "Apology only works when you don''tmit the same mistake again," she said carefully. "You know that, don''t you?"


    Her son nodded.


    "Good boy," she said, the she kissed his forehead. "What do you want for dinner?"


    "Seafood," Winter said with sparkling eyes. "I want King Crabs, Mommy!"


    Tillyughed heartily. "I know, my little cinnamon roll."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FATHER, are you having seafood for dinner?"


    Kiho nodded at Julian''s random question. The child went to his office because he needed help with his homework. After they were done with his assignment, he suddenly asked that strange question. "Yes. What about it?"


    "Can I have seafood for dinner, too?" Julian asked bashfully. "I want to try eating seafood since it looks fun. Especially when you use a crab mallet to break the shells, Father."


    "I want you to experience the joy of eating seafood as well," he said. "But Julian, you''re allergic to seafood. Thest time you ate crab meat, you got sick."


    "That was two years ago, Father," the child reasoned. "I think I can eat seafood now, thanks to the medicine that Teacher Morganna gave me to cure my allergy."


    "Are you sure that the medicine worked?"


    "That''s what I want to find out, Father."


    Well, the child had a point.


    "Alright," Kiho said. "Let''s have seafood for dinner."


    Julian''s face instantly lit up. "Thank you, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    OF COURSE, Julian got sick after their dinner.


    Kiho felt bad for the child. He loved seafood and he wanted Julian to enjoy it, too. After all, he was pretending to be his son.


    But the child couldn''t help it if he had severe allergy to seafood.


    "Don''t be too sad, Julian," Kiho tried to console the child. Right now, he was in the child''s room. He sat on the chair beside the bed where Julian was resting. "I''ll look for a doctor that specializes in curing allergies."


    Julian looked surprised what he said. "Really, Father?"


    He nodded. "Really."


    "Thank you, Father," the child said. "I''m sad that I can''t enjoy the food that you like. After all, I''m your son."


    Kiho knew that Julian wasn''t his son.


    ording to the videos that his wife left for him, their son''s name was Winter. Louisa and Alphen assured him that his child was safe with the duchess.


    Louisa and Alphen also said that he adopted Julian as his brother per his wife''s request before. Julian was a Fire Mage and because the duchess wanted to protect the child, they decided to adopt him.


    The head maid and the head butler said that they were surprised when one day, the emperor brought Julian to the mansion and the princess brainwashed everyone to believe that the toddler was his son.


    <em>Maybe Julian doesn''t remember that anymore since he was just a baby when that happened. I think he really believes that I am his father.</em>


    That made him pity the child.


    "We have something inmon, Julian," he reminded him. "We can both use ice."


    Surprisingly, Julian had two Manas fire and ice. His dominant Mana was fire, but he could also use ice if he practiced enough.


    At first, he was surprised when he discovered that Julian had two Manas. But he eventually thought that the child''s ice Mana was fake. Perhaps, Emperor Aku used a spell that would allow the toddler to use ice so he''d be his perfect pretend son.


    "But I''m not good at using ice, Father."


    Okay, hearing that made him feel guilty.


    He had been too busy with a lot of things to make sure that he''d meet his wife and son the soonest that he almost didn''t pay attention to Julian.


    "Well, I can teach you how to use your ice Mana," he offered.


    Again, the child''s face brightened up. "Really, Father?"


    He nodded.


    Then, much to his shock, the child got up and jumped towards him for a hug. He instinctively caught Julian and as soon as he did, he wrapped his arms around his neck.


    <em>Oh, he''s warm.</em>


    He realized how bad of a father he was to Julian for only noticing that now.


    The child was being used by the emperor so he detached himself from him. But he realized that it was unfair to Julian. After all, he was just a child caught in the middle of the mess created by the emperor.


    "Thank you, Father," Julian said as his hug tightened. "I can''t wait to spend time with you."


    He felt awkward. But he reminded himself that he had to make it up to Julian for ignoring him for the past years. His wife was close enough to the child for her to decide that they should adopt him. He should be nice to the people that the duchess trusted.


    Also, he should treat the child nicely because he wanted the people around his son to treat him as well.


    <em>Winter, wherever you are, I hope you and your mother are surrounded by good people.</em>


    "Okay," Kiho said, then he awkwardly patted Julian''s back. "I''ll train you starting tomorrow, Julian."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 186: Keeper of the Keepers

    Chapter 186: Keeper of the Keepers


    "TILLY, I think Lord Winter is going crazy from boredom."


    Tillyughed at what Luna said. "What is my son doing now?"


    "I saw him practicing an apology speech," Luna said, then she sat on the sofa across her. "I think he wants to apologize to Solenn but his prides keeps him from doing so." She sighed and shook her head. "Lord Winter''s pride is bigger than his little body."


    Sheughed again. "He''s been locked up in the house for almost a week now. I told him he can onlye out when he''s ready to apologize to Solenn."


    It was the witch''s turn tough. "Ah, I see. No wonder the young lord looked like he wanted to punch himself while practicing his apology speech."


    Right now, they were in her office in their house.


    Their next meeting with Sris and the Keepers would take ce once Wong and Sentinel returned. They were free until then. But that didn''t mean they had nothing else to do.


    After all, she and Luna never stopped working since day one.


    "How are you, Luna?" she asked while pouring tea in her teacup. "Have you retrieved new memories recently?"


    Luna shook her head. "No matter how hard I try, I still can''t remember where I hid the Holy Scepter in my previous life. Lord Sris told me that I shouldn''t be too hasty. He said I could lose my mind if I force myself to remember everything."


    "You should listen to Sris," she said, then she sipped tea before she continued. "We don''t need the Holy Scepter for now so take it easy, Luna."


    The witch sipped tea first before she talked. "I know that, Tilly. But I want to be of help in any way I can."


    "Thank you, Luna," she said sincerely. "Your past self also did a good job. You sealed your memory of the Holy Scepter very well."


    She let out a frustrated sigh. "I sealed it so well that even I can''t crack it now."


    "True," she said with augh. "But to be honest, if memories were easy to retrieve, we would never be in this situation. In fact, I heard from Sris that humans are forbidden to remember their past lives. Only a handful like us are stubborn enough to break thew of nature."


    The witch nodded in agreement. "That''s why I''m very amazed by your idea, Tilly. Thanks to the videos that you recorded before we left the Royal Capital five years ago, it became easy for me to exin what was going on when you lost your memory. But the most useful video that we have was the video of your fight with the emperor. I''m d the recorded video was clear."


    Apparently, she put a hidden camera in herself when she fought Aku Moonchester.


    When they yed the video, they discovered a lot of important things because of the emperor''s big mouth during the fight.


    Also, she noticed several other stuff because she yed the video every single day.


    "Thanks to those videos, we were able to create a cohesive n," Tilly said. "But the clues that Wong and Sentinel found about my brother''s location is an unexpected variable. Sris told me that Wong might push for Wixx''s rescue first before I return to the empire."


    The mention of her brother''s name made Luna blush. But she immediately caught herself and becameposed again. "Of course, it''s very important for us to rescue the Red Phoenix. Still, I''m on your side, Tilly. If you descend back to earth with Lord Wixx, the emperor and the b*tchy princess will focus on your brother. If that happens, I doubt it if they''ll even consider the deal that we n to offer to them."


    "I know, right?" she said while shaking her head. "But you know how stubborn Wong is. And the Keepers listen to him even Sris. After all, he''s the de facto leader."


    "If the n gets dyed, I bet Lord Winter will be disappointed again," Luna said worriedly. "The young lord is really looking forward to be reunited with his father."


    "I also want him to reunite with his daddy the soonest. But I can''t be selfish," Tilly said with a smile. "This is one of the burdens that I need to carry as the Supreme Fire Mage."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOMMY, when will we prepare to leave the ind?"


    Tilly felt her chest tightened because of Winter''s question.


    She just tucked him into bed and was about to leave his room when he asked her about their departure. For a few seconds, she just sat still on the edge of the bed while thinking of an excuse. But she realized that her son was smart so lying to him wouldn''t work.


    "Winter, our departure might get dyed," Tilly said to her son honestly. "Something came up."


    "It''s the Keepers, isn''t it?" Winter asked with a frown. "I''ve always known that the Fire Archmage and the Keepers don''t want you to leave the ind, Mommy. They won''t stop making excuses because they don''t want to lose you again."


    "Winter, don''t say that," she scolded her son. "Wong and Sentinel found clues as to where your Uncle Wixx may have been locked up. They want to prioritize rescuing the Red Phoenix first before we descend back to the empire."


    "But what if it takes years before you rescue Uncle Wixx?" heined. "Can''t you just send another group to save my uncle?"


    "I already suggested that," she said. "But we haven''t reached a conclusion because we''re still waiting for Wong and Sentinel."


    "Uncle Wong will definitely convince the Keepers to rescue Uncle Wixx first," he said with another frown. "Mommy, Uncle Wong hates us. He definitely doesn''t want us to leave the ind because he wants to torment us."


    "Winter, I know that Wong is mean to us. But he''s not petty," she said, then she changed the topic. To be honest, Wong was very hostile to her so she didn''t have that much conviction to defend him from her son. "Don''t be hasty, son. I know that you can''t wait to reunite with your daddy. But we still have to be very careful."


    Winter let out a frustrated sigh. "Mommy, for the past five years, another child has stayed with my dad and pretended to be me. What if Dad gets attached to Julian and he forgets about me?"


    "How did you know that?"


    He bit his lower lip while looking so guilty.


    "It was Jameson, wasn''t it?" she asked while shaking her head. "That big mouth"


    Out of all the Keepers, Jameson was the closest to her son.


    Knowing that Jameson was a simple-minded guy, she wouldn''t be surprised if her son was able to manipte the Keeper to tell him the information that he needed.


    "Winter, you''re so crafty," sheined. "I wonder where you got that from."


    Her son smiled cheekily. "I got it from you, Mommy."


    "I''ll take that as apliment," she said with augh. But she got serious right away. "Winter, we have a hunch that your father, just like me, has lost his memories. However, I still believe that he hasn''t forgotten about us. That''s why I know that when we see him again, he wille back to us."


    "Yes, but I still don''t like the fact that Julian is closer to my dad now."


    Tilly felt a painful thump in her chest.


    She remembered that in the video with her fight with Aku Moonchester, the emperor revealed that she had a second child with the ck Serpent.


    After they watched the video, Luna confessed that she knew about the second child. ording to the witch, her second son was Julian one of the young Fire Mages that they adopted as Kiho Nystrom''s brothers.


    Luna apologized to her and said that they didn''t tell her about the second child in fear that she might lose her mind.


    <em>And it really happened.</em>


    "Mommy, are you okay?" Winter asked worriedly. "You suddenly fell quiet."


    Now she was nervous.


    To be honest, she hadn''t told Winter about Julian yet because she thought he was too young to understand. But now that she knew how smart her son was, maybe it was time for him to know the truth.


    <em>I also don''t want him to keep on getting jealous of his own brother.</em>


    "Winter?"


    "Yes, Mommy?"


    "You don''t have to be jealous of Julian," Tilly said, then she held his hands tight. "Winter, Julian is your real brother."


    To say that Winter was shocked by her revtion would be an understatement.


    All hell broke loose then.


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER screamed angrily in the void.


    Right now, he was on the rooftop of the abandoned building that served as his little gang''s "hide-out." Since it was far from the residential areas, he was free to scream at the top of his lungs even though it was already midnight.


    The more he shouted, the wider the spread of his ice reached. So right now, the floor and the walls around him were already covered by his ice.


    <em>Howe I have a brother?!</em>


    His mommy exined everything to him.


    Apparently, Julian was the reincarnation of the second child of Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom. Aunt Luna also said that Julian had the memories of his past life to confirm it.


    <em>No I hate it.</em>


    He also didn''t know why an ungodly amount of rage rose up in his chest when he found out that Julian was his brother. He just knew that he couldn''t ept it.


    "He can''t be my brother," Winter whispered to himself while panting. "My mommy didn''t give birth to him in this lifetime." He clenched his teeth when he remembered something. "I heard that I wasn''t born in the past. Isn''t it unfair that Julian was born then when I wasn''t? And now, he wants my parents'' love and attention again?"


    Once again, he screamed at the top of his lungs.


    "Shut. Up."


    He froze when he heard the familiar cold voice. When he turned around, his thoughts were confirmed.


    <em>Uncle Wong</em>


    "Shut up and go home," Uncle Wong said in a menacing voice while his moss green eyes were glowing. In the dark, his dark green curly, short hair appeared ck. Also, his all-ck ensemble made him look more intimidating. "What are you doing here at this hour?"


    He wouldn''t lie Uncle Wong scared him.


    But he was too angry right now to care.


    "If you think I''m noisy, then leave," Winter snapped at the Keeper, his golden eyes glowing menacingly now.


    "F*ck those golden eyes," Uncle Wong said, his hand moving as if he was reaching for his eyes. "They remind me so much of the ck Serpent that I want to gouge them out."


    The Keeper wasn''t giving an empty threat.


    Uncle Wong released his bloodlust in the form of a very heavy presence that made him freeze from where he stood.


    Then, his body started to shake uncontrobly from fear.


    He wanted to at least close his eyes because he had a feeling that Uncle Wong would really gouge his golden orbs. But he couldn''t even do that.


    <em>Uncle Wong is really the strongest Keeper even stronger than the Fire Archmage!</em>


    "If you touch my son, I''ll burn you alive."


    Winter was relieved to hear his mother''s voice. But because of the heavy pressureing from Uncle Wong''s bloodlust, he couldn''t even turn to her mommy.


    But at least, Uncle Wong''s hand stopped reaching for his eyes.


    "I don''t care if you disrespect me, Wong," his mother said in an eerily calm manner which was scarier than her screaming. "But if youy a finger on Winter, I won''t stay still."


    That wasn''t an empty threat.


    This time, it was her mother who released her bloodlust. In just the blink of an eye, her mommy''s aura overwhelmed the air around them. He could tell by the strange heat that was making him sweat now.


    <em>And I almost never sweat</em>


    Uncle Wong''s bloodlust disappeared and now, he was free to move again.


    When Winter turned to his mother who stood only a few meters away from them, he felt shivers down his spine.


    His mommy''s face looked so cold and her purple eyes were glowing menacingly.


    <em>Mommy looks very intimidating</em>


    Out of instinct, he took his gaze away from his mother. When he did, his eyes caught Uncle Wong. He then realized that he wasn''t the only one affected by his mommy''s bloodlust.


    <em>Uncle Wong is shaking uncontrobly.</em>


    Well, his mother''s bloodlust was directed at Uncle Wong so it was an expected reaction.


    But the defiance in the Keeper''s face told him that his sheer stubbornness was the only reason why he remained standing.


    "Greetings, Supreme," Uncle Wong greeted his mommy with a curt bow.


    His mommy smirked, and then she took a step forward.


    And that was all it took for Uncle Wong''s knees to finally give in. Then, his head hanged low as he panted.


    He was shocked to see the strongest Keeper kneel and bow before his mommy.


    "I apologize, Supreme," Uncle Wong said while catching his breath. "I have no intention of hurting Lord Winter. I only wanted to scare the young lord so he would go home."


    His mother''s bloodlust suddenly disappeared.


    "I see," his mommy said even though it was obvious by his tone that she didn''t believe Uncle Wong''s excuse. But it seemed like his mother decided to shrug it off. When she turned to him, he realized that his mommy ignored Uncle Wong''s attempt to hurt him because she was worried of him. "Come here, my little cinnamon roll."


    To be honest, Winter was still angry but he was too scared of her mother now to throw a tantrum. Before he knew it, he was already walking towards his mommy.


    That was when he realized that his mother wasn''t alone.


    Uncle Roarke, Uncle Jameson, Aunt Kelsi, Uncle Maddox, and Uncle Braxton were around them


    and each Keeper had their weapon pointed at Uncle Wong.


    <em>Ah, the other Keepers are here to keep mommy and I safe.</em>


    Winter realized that even though Uncle Wong was the leader of the Keepers, at the end of the day, his mommy was still their top priority. And he could feel that they were only "serving" him because they knew how much his mother loved him.


    <em>My mommy is really treasured by her Keepers.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 187: Julians Reward

    Chapter 187: Julian''s Reward


    TILLY let Winter "run away" from home because she knew that her little cinnamon roll needed time to absorb the things that she just told him.


    But of course, she followed her son secretly.


    Even though she knew that Srium was a safe ce for them, she still wouldn''t risk her son''s safety.


    <em>And I''m d that I followed my son.</em>


    She didn''t know that Wong was already back. And even though it pained her to say this, she had to admit that he was the only Keeper that she couldn''t trust fully.


    "Mommy, are you mad at me?"


    Her thoughts were cut-off because of Winter''s question. She looked down to see her baby snuggled up beside her. She didn''t want to take her eyes off of him so she decided to sleep in his room for tonight.


    "I''m not mad at you, my little cinnamon roll," Tilly assured him with a smile. "I''m just d that nothing bad happened to you."


    "I''m sorry, Mommy," Winter said with tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "I''m sorry for making you worry."


    "Thank you for apologizing, baby," she said softly. "Please apologize to Luna and Isabelle, too. They were also very worried about you."


    He nodded. "I will apologize to them tomorrow, Mommy."


    "You meanter," she said with a softugh. "It''s already past midnight, baby."


    Heughed with her but she could see in his eyes that he was still sad.


    "Winter, may I know why you''re upset to find out that Julian is your brother?" she asked carefully. "Are you jealous of him because he''s with your father now?"


    "I don''t understand how he became my brother, Mommy," Winter said in a frustrated voice. "You didn''t give birth to him in this lifetime, so he can''t be your son. He can''t be my brother." His gaze lowered. "I don''t want a brother, Mommy."


    It pained her to see and hear Winter say cruel things about his brother.


    But it wasn''t like she didn''t know where he wasing from. So of course, just like what most parents would do in that situation, she tried to be more patient and more understanding.


    "When I found out that Julian was my son in my previous life, I asked Sris and Luna if I should consider him as my son too in this lifetime," she said carefully. "Luna told me that Julian still has the memories of his previous life. But that''s not the only strange thing about him. Apparently, no one can''t read Julian''s Mana even though he''s a Fire Mage."


    Her son looked confused. "What does it mean, Mommy?"


    "ording to Sris, it means Julian wasn''t born the natural way in this lifetime," she said seriously. "Sris said that when Julian died in his previous life, he was directly reincarnated in this lifetime."


    "How did that happen, Mommy?" he asked in disbelief. "Can a baby be born without a mommy and daddy?"


    "Apparently, it was Julian''s reward."


    "Reward?"


    "ording to Sris, in the past, Julian was my heart vessel," she exined. "To be a vessel, his own heart had to be crushed."


    Winter looked shocked when he heard that. "Julian''s heart was crushed?"


    She nodded sadly. "A baby''s body couldn''t handle two hearts. Especially if one the hearts was as powerful as mine."


    "Oh."


    "Sris said that my brother felt bad for Julian," she continued. "So Wixx cast a spell on him. After Julian dies, he''ll be reincarnated straight away to the lifetime where Kalel and I were reincarnated as well." She gently caressed her son''s face. "And that''s why I consider Julian as our son, Winter. I hope you find it in your heart to ept him as your brother. He went through a lot without us, baby. That''s why this time, I want him to be a part of our family."


    "Please give me more time to think, Mommy," Winter said, then he hugged her tight and buried his face against her neck. "This is too much to absorb."


    "I understand, baby," Tilly said, then she hugged her son and kissed the top of his head. "I''m always here to support you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WAS IT you, Your Majesty?"


    Aku raised a brow at Lucina''s question. "What do you mean by that, Lady Huxley?"


    Right now, the two of them were having tea in his office.


    Lucina, after Nia was exiled, returned to the Royal Capital. She was officially adopted by Eugene Huxley after the count was released from prison.


    Well, Captain Denver disappeared so the case against Lord Huxley was dismissed.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    After Lucina became "Lady Huxley," he hired her as Julian Nystrom''s etiquette teacher. The woman learned etiquette "with" Nia, so he believed that she was capable of teaching the child the appropriate manner that a royal heir should learn.


    <em>I''ve seen Julian a few times. He''s a quiet child. But there''s an air of dignity around him.</em>


    And he liked Julian because he never looked at him like he was an enemy.


    He could tell that the "second child" had the memories of his previous life. But he didn''t erase it because the memories that Julian had were something that he could take advantage of.


    <em>The poor child doesn''t know that the Supreme is his real mother.</em>


    Instead of making another enemy in Julian, he decided to just coax him. If he was able to control Kalel in different lifetimes, he could do that to a child. Especially now that the biggest thorn in his throat was already gone.


    <em>Wherever you are, just stay there forever, Lady Nystrom.</em>


    "There''s a rumor spreading in the Royal Capital for the past few days," Lucina said with a smile. "A rumor that says Duke Nystrom and I will get engaged soon."


    "Ah, that must have been my "fault,"" Aku said with a smirk. "When I was at a banquet a few nights ago, somedies asked if Kiho is thinking of getting married again. I may have said that the duke already has his eyes on thedy closest to him. When they saw you arrive with Kiho, they immediately thought that I was talking about you."


    The woman smiled, obviously pleased by his exnation.


    Well, he knew that Kiho and Lucina didn''t go to that banquet together. The woman probably waited for Kiho and just entered the ballroom with him for other people to misunderstand.


    <em>Lucina is a Huxley now and that makes her eligible to be the next Duchess Nystrom.</em>


    "But Lady Huxley, don''t you find anything strange with Kiho?" he asked, then he put the teacup down on the coaster. "Sometimes, I feel like he''s looking at me with calcting eyes."


    The memories that he erased from Kiho were his memories of Kalel and theter part of his life as Captain Kiho. To be precise, the only thing Kiho remembered now was his life before he met Lady Tilly Prescott.


    He couldn''t risk letting Kiho remember his life as Kalel. After all, his brother abandoned him in the past for Soleil Rosenberg.


    "Captain Kiho," on the other hand, was easier to control. He just had to erase his memories of his wife and son. Also, as long as Kiho didn''t know that he was the ck Serpent, he would always be more powerful than him.


    Of course, there were a lot of people keeping an eye on Kiho right now.


    <em>And I''m also keeping Duke Sherwood under my watch. As long as he knows that I have my eyes on him, he wouldn''t dare reveal Kiho''s real identity.</em>


    Right now, House Sherwood was quiet.


    Thest major move that Duke Sherwood did was when he passed aw about installing surveince cameras in the empire to lower the crime rate. It was approved by both the House of Lords and House of Commons.


    He was skeptical as to why Duke Sherwood suddenly decided to make aw that would utilize the use of cameras that only higher nobles could afford. Until now, he was wary of the duke. He didn''t retaliate even though he removed him as the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. But that didn''t mean he''d go easy on the duke.


    <em>Still, for now, Duke Sherwood looks satisfied to stand beside Kiho.</em>


    "I believe it''s just your imagination, Your Majesty," Lucina said confidently, cutting off his thoughts. "A few days ago, I had an argument with the head maid. She refused to throw all the portraits of Lady Nystrom so I got mad. Luckily, Duke Nystrom took my side."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "The head maid refused to throw Lady Nystrom''s portraits?"


    She nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Why?"


    "Before Nia was exiled, she used her mind control ability to brainwash the servants of House Nystrom," he said. "They''re supposed to hate the duchess."


    Nia''s mind maniption was wless especially if it was used on non-Mana users. There was no way a simple head maid could resist his beloved''s brainwashing.


    <em>Unless the head maid has a protection.</em>


    Lucina gasped when she probably got what he meant. Your Majesty, you mean to say"


    "Not everyone in House Nystrom has been brainwashed," Aku snarled, then he closed his eyes to calm himself down. If the head maid really had a protection that prevented her from being brainwashed, he could only think of one person who could have anticipated his n.<em> Lady Nystrom, you wench!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER took a deep breath.


    <em>I can do this.</em>


    Right now, he stood in the balcony of Solenn''s room in the temple. Well, he could always go to her room in a normal way. You know, using the door instead of climbing in the balcony. But he didn''t want to be seen by her servants.


    <em>I don''t want Mommy to be disappointed in me so I have to apologize to the little princess brat.</em>


    He raised his hand to knock on the sliding door when all of a sudden, the door opened.


    "How long are you going to stand there like an idiot?" Solenn said in her usual grumpy demeanor. "Come inside. The dumb twins are talking about something interesting."


    After insulting him and the twin Keepers, the little brat princess turned her back on him.


    <em>What a nasty temper.</em>


    He entered Solenn''s room and found her sitting on the floor while watching something in the Ice Tablet ced on the low table in front of her. Curious, he sat beside her. He was surprised to see Maddox and Braxton in the training ground while having a sparring.


    The twins were fighting using their curved daggers.


    And as usual, Maddox was very noisy.


    "Solenn, why are you spying on Uncle Maddox and Uncle Braxton?" he asked curiously. "And where did you get the spy camera that you''re using?"


    Based on the angle of the camera, it looked like it was ced on top of a high tree.


    "Aunt Tilly developed a flying spy camera with Aunt Luna and Aunt Kelsi," Solenn exined. "I stole one of the defective cameras."


    He red at her. "You stole from my Mommy?"


    "You''ll be thankful to meter," she said, then she pushed the button on the Ice Tablet to increase the volume of the video being yed.


    <em>"Are we really not going to tell the Supreme about the rumor that we heard when we were in the Royal Capital?" Braxton asked his twin when the two took a break from sparring.</em>


    <em>Maddox just shrugged.</em>


    "To be honest, it has nothing to do with our mission," Braxton continued. "But I feel like the Supreme should know that Duke Nystrom is rumored to be married soon."


    Winter''s eyes widened in shock. "What?!"


    "See?" Solenn asked, then she clicked her tongue. "I told you you''d be thankful that I decided to test the defective camera on the twins."


    He ignored the little brat princess because he was still in shock.


    <em>Daddy is getting married again?</em>


    <em>"What''s the woman''s name again?" Braxton asked his twin. "I tend to forget irrelevant people easily."</em>


    <em>"It''s "Lady Huxley,"" Maddox said. "Formerly known as Lucina Morganna."</em>


    "No," Winter whispered to himself, his voice filled with fear as the memories of his previous life flooded his mind. "She''s back."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 188: From the Love of the Red Phoenix

    Chapter 188: From the Love of the Red Phoenix


    "SUPREME, I heard what happenedst night," Sris said in an apologetic tone. "I am terribly sorry about how Wong behaved towards you and the young lord." He bowed his head to her. "In behalf of the Keepers, please ept my deepest apologies."


    Tilly was a little overwhelmed to see Sris, the ruler of Srium, bow his head to her. "Please raise your head, Sris."


    Thank goodness there were only the two of them in the shrine of the Red Phoenix right now. Well, only people with the Rosenberg blood were allowed in the shrine. There was a separate prayer room for the Red Phoenix where everyone could enter.


    "It''s alright," she said when Sris raised his head. "I''m not mad at Wong. But I hope that if he has a problem with me, he doesn''tsh out on Winter again. I''ll understand if he''s angry at me for the mistakes I did when I was still Soleil Rosenberg. But I will never forgive him if he hurts my son because of his hatred for me. Please let Wong know that, Sris."


    She wanted to say those things to Wong herself but the guy had been avoiding her since theirst encounter.


    "Supreme, Wong doesn''t hate you," Sris said carefully as they faced the me in the cauldron. It was ced in front of the statue of the Red Phoenix. "None of the Keepers is capable of hating you."


    She pouted at that. "Maybe Wong is the exception."


    The Fire Archmageughed softly, then he turned to her. "Supreme, do you remember what I told you about the origin of the Keepers?"


    A few years ago, she asked Sris where the Keepers came from.


    "You told me that the Keepers, except for you, were born out of Wixx''s love for me," she said.


    Sris was an exception because he was a direct descendant of Wixx. To be precise, his great grandfather was the first born son of the Red Phoenix. The direct descendants of the Red Phoenix had long lives after all.


    "That''s right," Sris said. "Keepers aren''t humans or spirits. They were born from the me of the Red Phoenix. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that their only purpose is to serve you, Supreme. They love you as much as Lord Wixx does." He turned to her with a gentle smile. "We all do, Lady Rosenberg."


    Okay, she blushed at that.


    Even though Sris was her brother''s grandson, she still saw the man as her nephew. It was kind of awkward to have this kind of interaction with him. But she was grateful for the love that he had showed her and Winter for the past years.


    "Wong isn''t an exception," Sris continued in his gentle voice. "It just happens that Wong is the representation of Lord Wixx''s anger for the ck Serpent. For that reason, he''s naturally hostile to Lord Winter who resembles his father so much."


    Hearing that her little cinnamon roll resembled her estranged husband made her happy.


    <em>I can''t wait to meet Duke Nystrom.</em>


    "I know that it''s not an excuse, but please be more patient with Wong, Supreme," Sris asked him with a smile. "I will talk to him sternly so that he''ll never try toy a hand on the young lord again."


    Tilly smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Sris."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HEY, DO you f*cking want the Supreme to f*cking hate us?"


    Wong gave a cold nce at Jameson who was hiding behind Roarke.


    He went to the Light Tower that oversees the main gate of the Main Capital to avoid identally meeting the Supreme and his fellow Keepers. But he forgot that his colleagues could find him because all the Keepers were connected to one another.


    "If you''re just going to scold me, leave," Wong said to his colleagues coldly. "I''m already reflecting on my mistake."


    "Shouldn''t you apologize to the Supreme and the young lord first?" Roarke asked with a raised brow. "I''m pretty sure that Lord Sris is bowing his head to Lady Rosenberg now to apologize in behalf of us. Aren''t you ashamed?


    Of course, he was.


    It had already been five years since Lady Rosenberg and the young lord arrived at Srium. He could control his anger with Lord Winter when he was still a helpless baby. But when the young lord started to grow up, he realized that he only didn''t resemble the ck Serpent.


    <em>Lord Winter also inherited that f*cker''s ice Mana.</em>


    Every time he looked at the child''s golden eyes, he was reminded of the ck Serpent. And that never failed to make him lose his cool.


    But still, he knew that it wasn''t an excuse to hurt a child.


    Nothing could justify that kind of cruelty.


    Wong let out a deep sigh. "I will apologize to Lady Rosenberg, Lord Winter, and Lord Srister."


    "That''s f*cking right," Jameson said, still hiding behind Roarke. "If you want to be f*cking hated by the Supreme, don''t f*cking drag us with you."


    When he red at Jameson, he ducked to hide behind Roarke even more.


    "Why do you hate Lord Winter anyway?" Roarke asked curiously. "I mean, I know that he resembles the ck Serpent especially with his golden eyes. But the child is innocent, Wong."


    "And Lord Winter is f*cking strong," Jameson added proudly. "I wish his dominant Mana is fire, but I have to f*cking recognize that the young lord has a f*cking good control of his power. Also, he''s f*cking cute. And how can you f*cking hate someone that has half of our Supreme?"


    Wong didn''t hate the young lord.


    <em>It''s just that</em>


    "Wong is jealous."


    Wong turned to where the voice came from.


    Much to his annoyance, he found Kelsi sitting on the railing of the tower. Damn the woman and her stealthy movements. He bet even Jameson and Roarke didn''t notice her presence until she spoke.


    "Jealous?" Jameson and Roarke asked Kelsi at the same time.


    Kelsi nodded. And she looked proud of herself. "You may not believe this but Wong is the one who actually loves the Supreme the most. He''s practically Lord Wixx''s clone, you know?"


    "What gibberish are you sprouting, Kelsi?" Wong snapped at the woman.


    "You don''t hate the young lord," Kelsi said, then she looked at him straight in the eye. "You''re just jealous because even though the Supreme has returned to us, she''s still paying more attention to the tiny human who resembles the ck Serpent than us."


    "Ohh," Jameson and Roarke said while nodding their heads.


    Wong red at the woman. "Stop."


    "I''m not yet done," Kelsi said in an annoying yful tone. "Do you know why you act hostile towards the Supreme even if you love her just like the rest of us?"


    "I''m not hostile towards the Supreme," Wong insisted. "I just don''t spoil her like the rest of you do. I''m actually jealous of how easily you''ve forgotten that the Supreme abandoned us in the past for the ck Serpent."


    Kelsi clicked her tongue while shaking her head. "This is why Lord Wixx created a woman among the Keepers." She put her hands over her chest in a dramatic way. "I''m the only one among us who understands the heart of the Supreme."


    "Shut up," Wong snarled. He was about to snap at the three when all of a sudden, the ground shook. They all turned to the direction of the temple where they felt the Supreme''s exploding Mana. She was angry and the whole ind could feel it. "Lady Rosenberg"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DUKE Nystrom, shall we drink tonight?"


    "No," Kiho rejected Duke Sherwood bluntly, then he walked past him. But of course, his fellow duke just walked beside him. "What are you doing here, Duke Sherwood?"


    Duke Sherwood was already waiting for him at the entrance of his mansion when he arrived.


    <em>He always shows up unannounced.</em>


    Duke Sherwood had been working with him for the past five years. But of course, they worked together in secret. But even though his fellow duke had showed him videos that proved he was an ally, he still couldn''t trust himpletely.


    But since they had a beneficial partnership, he endured his "clinginess."


    His thoughts were only cut-off when he realized something.


    <em>Strange the servants aren''t here.</em>


    Whenever he woulde home, the servants led by Louisa and David would always stand in the entrance to greet him.


    <em>Even Julian isn''t here.</em>


    "Duke Nystrom, I''m d that you''re back."


    Kiho raised a brow when he saw Lady Huxley running down the staircase. As far as he knew, Julian didn''t have an etiquette ss today. He personally lessened the child''s sses per day so he''d have time to train him.


    <em>I should remind Lady Huxley that she can''t freely visit my house without a valid reason.</em>


    "My lord, something terrible happened during your absence," Lady Huxley said after she bowed to him as a greeting. When she looked up at his face, he saw that the woman was on the verge of crying. "Julian was poisoned!"


    His eyes widened in shock. "Poisoned? What''s his condition now?"


    "Julian is fine now. Thankfully, I arrived just in time to see him wriggling in pain," Lady Huxley said. "I gave Julian first-aid while waiting for the doctor. I also called the guards to arrest the culprits."


    "Culprits?" he asked with furrowed brows. "Who poisoned Julian?"


    "Louisa and David."


    Okay, that shocked him even more.


    There was no way Louisa and David would do that to Julian. Even though the two knew that the child wasn''t his real son, they still treated Julian with care.


    "Why did you have them arrested without asking me?" he asked Lady Huxley in a cold voice that made her flinch. "How dare you give orders in my ce, Lady Huxley? Who do you think you are to do so?"


    Lady Huxley looked surprised by his anger. "I-I just want to help, Lord Nystrom."


    "Lady Huxley, just because you''re Julian''s etiquette teacher doesn''t give you the right to act like you''re the madam of House Nystrom," he snapped at her. He knew that he was being rude but he couldn''t calm down knowing that his people were in danger. "Know your ce."


    "M-My lord"


    "Where are they?" he snarled. "Where did the guards bring Louisa and David?"


    Lady Huxley flinched again and this time, she couldn''t even say anything.


    "Duke Nystrom, calm down," Duke Sherwood said, then he put a hand on his shoulder. His grip was hard, so Kiho was forced to turn to him. He saw the warning look that Duke Sherwood gave him. "I know that it''s annoying when our servants act like they''re the master of the house. I understand that. But Lady Huxley may have been just worried because Julian was harmed. Let the guards handle the case about your head maid and head butler." He squeezed his shoulder tight before he let go of it. "We should check on Julian first, Duke Nystrom."


    He understood what Duke Sherwood did.


    The other duke was reminding him that he shouldn''t let Lady Huxley notice that he was working with Louisa and David.


    <em>That means His Majesty has somehow found out that the two weren''t brainwashed.</em>


    "Just don''t do it again, Lady Huxley," Kiho said, then he walked past her to go up the staircase.


    "You did well saving Julian, Lady Huxley," Duke Sherwood said to the woman before he caught up with him.


    When they reached the second floor where Lady Huxley couldn''t see or hear them, he turned around to face Duke Sherwood. The hallway was empty. It looked like the rest of the servants had also gone missing.


    "I need to save Louisa and David," Kiho told the other duke. "The emperor will surely kill them if he hasn''t already."


    "I''m pretty certain that Louisa and David are still alive," Captain Sherwood said casually. "I think His Majesty is using them as bait. If you look for them with the intention of saving them, they will realize that you haven''t really returned to their side."


    "But if I don''t go, they will die!"


    "Don''t waste the five years that you endured, Duke Nystrom," he said firmly. "If His Majesty realized that you snapped out of his control a long time ago, he might do something more drastic to make sure that you''ll never remember Lady Nystrom this time. Do you want that to happen?"


    He shook his head. "But my people"


    Now he felt guilty.


    He should have been more careful. His constant "rejection" of His Majesty''s requests probably gave him the idea that some of his servants were helping him retrieve his old memories.


    He shouldn''t have beencent and left them unprotected.


    If only he had more people he could trust.


    <em>No, that''s just an excuse</em>, Kiho scolded himself. <em>You should try harder to protect your people if you want to reunite with your family the soonest</em>.


    "Duke Nystrom, do you trust me?"


    "No."


    Duke Sherwoodughed. "Shame," he said yfully, then he tapped his shoulder. "If I bring back Louisa and David safely to you, will you finally have a drink with me?"


    "Sure," Kiho said without missing a beat. "But if you don''t, you''re banned from entering my estate again."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOMMY!"


    TILLY was surprised when Winter (followed by Solenn) entered the shrine without knocking. The two kids were even running.


    "Winter, Solenn, please don''t run here," Tilly scolded the children lightly. "That''s rude."


    Her son didn''t listen to her. Instead, he ran faster and when he reached her, he hugged her tight by the waist.


    "Mommy, bad news!" Winter said and when he looked up at her, she was surprised to see the fear in his eyes. He also looked like he was on the verge of crying. Plus, she didn''t miss the panic on his face. "I heard from Uncle Braxton and Uncle Maddox that Daddy is getting married soon!"


    Okay, that shocked her.


    "Solenn," Sris called his daughter in a stern voice. "Did the twins really say that to Lord Winter? Or perhaps, you spied on your uncles again?"


    "Well, I was just trying to see why Lady Rosenberg''s new invention was considered a failure so I used one of her flying spy cameras," Solenn said with a pout. "The spy camera just happened to catch the twins talking about that"


    So it was true.


    <em>Kiho Nystrom is really getting married soon?</em>


    "Mommy, there''s even worse news than that!" Winter, now crying out of frustration, said. "I heard Daddy is going to marry a woman named Lucina Morganna!"


    Tilly flinched when she felt a painful thump against her chest upon hearing that name.


    <em>"Lucina Morganna"</em>


    Hearing the woman''s name ringing in her mind seemed like to crack a portion of her memory that had been sealed away.


    After all, unfamiliar memories started ying in her head.


    All the images that she saw had a woman with an almost-ck hair in it.


    She clutched her head tight when the memories of her past life slowly and painfully returned to her without warning. It was overwhelming and she felt like her skull was breaking into two. Before she knew it, she was already on her knees while screaming in agony.


    <em>It hurts it hurts so much!</em>


    She could barely hear the people around her calling her name with concern.


    Plus, she noticed that the ground was shaking hard as her Mana exploded in the room. It was something out of her control. Whenever she felt like her life was in danger, her Mana would have a mind of its own to protect her.


    So right now, her whole body was surrounded by a "bubble" that would burn anyone that touched it to ashes. That was why no one coulde near her at the moment.


    Yes, not even her son.


    <em>Please end this</em>


    It looked like someone heard her prayer.


    But the final image that she sawpletely broke her.


    It was the painful memory of Lucina Morgannaughing at her after she was beheaded in her first life.


    <em>In my first life?</em>


    Ah, yes.


    Now she remembered who she was in this lifetime without the help of the pictures and the videos that she used to watch every single night.


    "Lucina Morganna," Tilly whispered to herself, tears rolling down her eyes. But it wasn''t because of pain or fear. She was crying because of frustration. How could she call herself powerful when she couldn''t even kill one b*tch? "For once, you''re pretty useful."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 189: Wongs Punishment

    Chapter 189: Wong''s Punishment


    "LORD SOLARIS, please stop punishing Princess Solenn and Lord Winter."


    Sris remained unfazed even though Kelsi, Jameson, Roarke, Maddox, and Braxton were kneeling before him.


    His eyes remained focused on Winter and Solenn who were in the ss room that he''d like to call as the "Punishment Chamber." He and the other Keepers were in the "observation room" with the clear view of the ss room.


    <em>Whoever gets inside the room will experience the pain that their Mana does to other people.</em>


    So right now, Winter was shivering in cold while Solenn was being literally roasted while they knelt in the center of the room. They couldn''t move even if they wanted to because each of them was locked up inside a transparent cube.


    Of course, it pained him to punish the two most important children of their n. But they had to be punished for putting the Supreme''s life in danger.


    Solenn''s mistake was gathering information that she shouldn''t get her hands on.


    On the other hand, Winter was being punished for telling the Supreme something as important as the duke getting married without thinking of the consequence. They knew better than making Lady Rosenberg angry.


    <em>Our Supreme isn''t perfect. Her major w is her uncontroble anger. No matter how many years passed, it seems like her wrath will always be something to be feared of.</em>


    After Lady Rosenberg''s outburst of temper, she fainted.


    Right now, the Supreme was being taken care of Lady Luna and Wong in Lady Rosenberg''s home.


    "My lord, it''s my fault," Braxton said with his head still hanged low. "It was me and my big mouth. Lord Winter and Lady Solenn wouldn''t have heard about the information I got if I didn''t talk about it. Please punish me instead."


    "Please punish us and spare the young rulers," the other Keepers said.


    "Our punishment willeter," Sris said. Of course, the adults who were supposed to look after the young rulers must be punished as well. <em>And yes, that includes myself.</em>


    "Lord Sris."


    Sris turned to Lady Luna who just entered the observation room. "How is the Supreme, Lady Luna?"


    "Tilly is conscious now and she has calmed down," Lady Luna assured him. "She''s currently talking to Wong."


    He let out a sigh of relief, then he turned to the Keepers. "The young rulers'' punishment is over."


    It was the Keepers'' turn to let out a sigh of relief.


    Then, they bowed to him before they all moved to get the young rulers out of the Punishment Chamber.


    Kelsi and Maddox immediately rushed towards Solenn and wrapped the little girl in a towel.


    Jameson, Roarke, and Braxton ran towards Winter to wrap the young lord in a thick nket.


    Despite the Keepers'' concern, Sris could tell that both Winter and Solenn were just fine. Even though both the young rulers had the body of a five year old child, the soul inside their bodies weren''t young souls.


    It pained him to rush the maturity of Solenn and Winter when they hadn''t really experienced how it was like to be a child. But unfortunately, the son of the Supreme Fire Mage and the daughter of the Fire Archmage didn''t have that kind of luxury.


    <em>Someday, they will lead the Fire Mage n together.</em>


    "Lord Sris."


    Sris turned to Lady Luna and he noticed that she was serious. "What can I do for you, Lady Luna?"


    "Can we talk, Lord Sris?" Luna asked. Even though she looked shy and nervous, she still looked determined. "I''m ready to hear your side of story now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY almost choked on her saliva when Wong suddenly knelt and bowed to her.


    She just got out of her room and was about to fetch Winter in the temple when all of a sudden, the de facto leader of the Keepers showed up and kneeled. They never got along so seeing Wong do this in front of her almost gave her a heart attack.


    <em>Is this a new form of bullying</em>?


    "Lady Rosenberg, I apologize for the shameful behavior that I''ve shown during ourst interaction," Wong said in a slightly more polite tone than usual. "I will properly apologize to Lord Winter and Lord Sris, too."


    "Rise, Wong," Tilly told him. "This feels more awkward than usual."


    Wong just silently stood up and faced her properly. "I''ll ept any punishment that you''ll bestow, Supreme."


    Oh, that was a tempting offer.


    "Do you mean that, Wong?" she asked with a raised brow. "What if I ask for a ridiculous request as punishment for your attempt of hurting my son?"


    "That''s a tricky question," he said, his face as nk as ever. "You know that even though I''m rude to you, there''s no way I can turn you down. But that doesn''t mean I won''tin."


    "I know," she agreed while nodding. The memory of her five years in Srium was still crystal clear in her mind. A huge part of it was her almost every day banter with Wong. "Let me ask you questions then."


    He just nodded as a response.


    "Between saving my Brother Wixx and making a binding vow with Princess Nia to force her to work with me which do you think should I do first?" she asked seriously.


    "Saving the Red Phoenix, of course," Wong said without missing a beat. "While your n to force Princess Nia to work with you is a brilliant idea, I still believe that saving Lord Wixx must be your top priority. And most of all, I believe the Red Phoenix will prefer it if he gets saved by his precious little sister."


    She nodded while absorbing the Keeper''s answer. Well, she already expected that from Wong so she was neither disappointed nor surprised. "If the majority agrees that I should save my brother instead of descending down to the empire, what would you do if I still choose to return to the Royal Capital?"


    He groaned inint. Obviously, he already got what she meant by her questions. "Supreme, no."


    "Supreme, yes," she said yfully. "I know that saving my brother is also important. But if you think he''d be happy if I were the one to save him, then that means you really don''t know Brother Wixx."


    His brows furrowed in confusion.


    "My brother will definitely feel ashamed if I went and saved him," she exined. "I know that he wants me to find where he is. He even lured Luna to his temple to give me a clue. But that doesn''t mean that he wants me to personally save him."


    "You''re not just saying that to convince me that you shouldn''t go, are you?"


    "Have I ever lied to you?" she asked. "Did I lie to you in the past as Soleil Rosenberg?"


    "No," he said bitterly. "The night you left us to save the ck Serpent, you didn''t even give an excuse. When we asked you why you were abandoning us for a man who couldn''t even protect you, do you remember what you said?"


    "I love him," she said that seemed to surprise Wong. "No, I haven''t retrieved my memories yet as Soleil Rosenberg." She did for a while, but then Aku Moonchester took them away from her again. "I just know that I will always follow my heart no matter how many times I am to be reborn."


    "You''re still the same fool that I remember."


    "I don''t really care about what happened between Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom in the past," she said. "The memories that I have right now are the memories of my life as Tilly Prescott-Nystrom." Both the previous one, and the current one. "I''d like to think that Kiho and I were different from them."


    "Does it make a difference?"


    "Of course," she insisted. "My Kiho has never betrayed me in this lifetime. When he found out that I''m a Fire Mage, he didn''t hesitate to betray the emperor for me. Not even once did Kiho make me feel that I''m second to anyone I was always his top priority. I will never forget Kiho''s love just because of the mistakes that Kalel did in the past."


    The Keeper smiled bitterly. "Are you saying that you''re choosing to live as ''Tilly Nystrom'' and not as ''Soleil Rosenberg,'' Supreme?"


    "I am Tilly Nystrom, the Supreme Fire Mage," she said clearly and firmly. "I will not neglect my duties just to rebuild my family, and I won''t let my family suffer just because I''m leading a n. I don''t deserve this position if I can''t protect both." She put her hands on Wong''s shoulders. To be honest, she wanted to ruffle his curly hair but he was too tall for her. "Wong, you don''t have enough faith in me, do you?"


    Wong''s face turned red in embarrassment. "It''s not like that, Supreme"


    "You ought to have more faith in me, Wong," Tilly said with a smile. After she retrieved her memories as Tilly Prescott-Nystrom, her mind hadn''t stopped working toe up with many ways to take back what was hers- both her position as Duchess Nystrom and Kiho''s wife. It wasn''t just for her. She was doing this for Winter, first and foremost. After all, she wanted to give him a happy family in this lifetime. "Now, shall I bestow you your rightful punishment?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA was nervous but she was hoping it didn''t show.


    Right now, she was in the tea room with Sris. They were sitting across from each other with a round table between them. But even though they were literally that close to one another, they still couldn''t look at each other''s eyes properly.


    <em>If Tilly was here, she would have alreadyughed at us for being so awkward.</em>


    Sris cleared his throat to get her attention. When she finally looked at him, he smiled and put his teacup down on the coaster. Then, he broke the silence first. "Lady Luna, what is it that you want to talk to me about?"


    She sipped her tea to calm her nerves.


    After finishing it in one gulp, she took her time putting the teacup down on the table.


    <em>Yes, I know I''m being clumsy but I can''t help that I''m nervous.</em>


    "Please take a deep breath, Lady Luna," Sris said gently. Her clumsiness was probably making him worry about her. After all, she didn''t usually act like this. "And don''t force yourself if you aren''t ready yet."


    "I''m ready," Luna insisted, then she took a deep breath before she finally opened up the topic that she had been avoiding for quite some time now. "Sris, was I really Lord Wixx''s lover in the past?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 190: Hello, Mother

    Chapter 190: Hello, Mother


    "LADY NYSTROM, do you want some tea?"


    Tilly smiled when she saw Isabelle.


    She just sent Wong to get her carriage because she wanted to go somewhere. When she returned to the house, Isabelle who just came out of the kitchen greeted her.


    Now that her memories as Tilly were back, she appreciated the young maid even more. But she couldn''t understand one thing though. "Isabelle, I thought I asked you to go with the ck Serpents Knights five years ago?"


    Isabelle gasped, then she suddenly became emotional. "Lady Nystrom, are your memories back?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Yes, I remember everything about my life in this era."


    The young maid wiped her tears using her hands as she exined what happened in the past. "The carriage I was during that night was at the back of the line. Just before we reached the border, a messenger from the ck Serpent Knights squad came and told me to follow Miss Luna''s group instead. He said they needed back-up. Apparently, Captain ke noticed that there was a trap waiting for us at the border. The captain also said that since I was riding an ordinary carriage without a ck Serpent Knight escort, the enemies wouldn''t suspect me of being a part of the troupe. So they sent me instead to call for help."


    <em>That''s so Captain ke.</em>


    "I asked Bert, the coachman of my ride that night, to follow Miss Luna''s group," Isabelle continued in a cracked voice. "When we were close to their carriage, we were suddenly attacked by knights from House Hayward."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "House Hayward?"


    Wasn''t that the family that Lady Alisa belonged to?


    "I am sure that it was knights from House Hayward, mydy," the young maid said firmly, anger crossing her eyes. She definitely remembered that events of that tragic knight. "I saw the carriage that went past us. It has the crest of House Hayward."


    She kind of remembered Luna telling her how Isabelle survived before. But since she didn''t have her memories yet, she didn''t really understand the importance of that detail.


    Things were different now.


    <em>ording to Luna, the White Snake attacked them and abducted Kiho that time. If House Hayward was there, it only means that the two are rted.</em>


    Why were b*tches hard to kill?


    "Bert protected me," Isabelle continued between sobs. "I was able to run away because he fought the knights to buy me time. Luckily, I stumbled upon Lord Roarke then. He took care of the knights who went after me."


    "Do you know what happened to Bert?"


    Bert was the coachman who fell into aa after she was attacked during the Hunt where she found out that she was a Fire Mage. They took care of his family after that. She remembered that he volunteered to help them the night that they tried to escape the Royal Capital.


    "Lord Roarke and I tried to look for Bert," the young maid said while shaking her head. "We didn''t find his body. The only things left were the broken carriage and a pool of blood."


    She was d that Isabelle survived but her heart felt heavy.


    <em>Bert, it looks like we owe your family again.</em>


    "I''m so sorry, Lady Nystrom," Isabelle said while crying hard. "If only I found Lord Roarke earlier"


    "Shh. It''s okay, Isabelle," Tilly said. "I''m d that you survived. We''ll make it up to Bert and his family by winning this war." She gently tapped the young maid''s back. "Thank you for being a part of our family despite everything, Isabelle."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOMMY, I''M home."


    Tilly''s heart was broken when she saw Winter''s terrible state when he returned to their home. He was escorted by Jameson, Braxton, and Roarke. The three looked guilty. She knew her Keepers well so they probably felt bad that Winter was punished by Sris.


    Well, she felt the same.


    <em>It''s hard for me to let other people punish my son but he has to learn his lesson.</em>


    Spying on the Keepers to get confidential information was very wrong.


    "Isabelle, give Winter a bath," Tilly told the young maid standing behind her. "Make sure that he won''t leave the house."


    "Y-Yes, mydy," Isabelle answered and the young maid sounded nervous.


    <em>Well, Isabelle can tell when I''m angry.</em>


    "M-Mommy, are you angry?" Winter asked, fear evident on his face.


    "No, I''m not angry. But I''m disappointed in you, Winter," she said indifferently. "Winter, my memories are back now. I know that you have the memories of your past life."


    His son looked shocked.


    When she discussed the possibility of Winter having his past memories with Luna, they concluded that there must be a reason why Winter couldn''t talk about it with them openly.


    <em>I mean, before Winter was born, he saved me several times. And during those moments, he spoke to me as if he knew everything that has happened in the past after I died. But if he''s keeping his mouth shut right now, then he must have his reasons.</em>


    "You don''t have to confirm or deny it," she continued. "But I want you to know that if you''re really an adult inside, then why are you being so immature?"


    It hurt her heart to scold her baby but she didn''t want him to grow up selfish.


    "Of course, I want you to have a normal childhood that I failed to give you in the past," she said, her voice calmer now. "But you can''t act this way, Winter. Please think of the consequences of your actions."


    Winter, in his past life, became a ruthless murderer because of his split personality.


    That split of personality was caused by his cruel upbringing. He relieved the pressure of being the crown prince and the loneliness he must have felt for having a viinous mother like her by hurting other people.


    She couldn''t really me Winter for turning out that way in the past.


    But right, her son didn''t have a reason to be cruel.


    She was aware that Winter was being impatient because he didn''t want Kiho and Lucina Morganna to end up together again. She also knew that her son was only protecting their family. But his means of doing so were wrong.


    By spying on the Keepers, he put them in a tight spot.


    <em>I can''t let Winter grow up selfish.</em>


    "I''m sorry, Mommy," Winter said in a very sad voice. "I''m so sorry for disappointing you."


    This time, Isabelle and the three Keepers looked like they wanted to cry with Winter. But it also seemed like they were too scared of her to talk.


    <em>Now I feel like a viiness.</em>


    Tilly tore her gaze away from Winter. "We''ll talkter, Winter."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY left the house with a heavy heart.


    She wanted to make it up to Winter as soon as possible but she wanted to give him time to reflect on his actions. Plus, when she retrieved her memories, there was one ce that her heart really wanted to visit.


    So here she was now, in the shrine dedicated to the people that the Fire Mage consider as "heroes." The portraits of these heroes were disyed in a spacious and elegant museum-like room with minimal furniture.


    One of the portraits that were hanged on the walls was her mother''s portrait Lady Marianne Prescott.


    <em>I have returned to greet you properly, Mother.</em>


    Kelsi, one of the Keepers, had already brought her in that shrine. But back then, she didn''t have her memories yet so she kind of felt detached to her mother''s portrait. Now that she remembered who she was, the story of how her mommy protected her tugged at his heartstrings.


    "Thank you, Mother," Tilly whispered to herself as tears fell down her cheeks quietly. "Thank you for sacrificing your life for me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>MANY years ago</strong></em>


    "WELCOME BACK, my lord," Marianne greeted Maverick Prescott, her husband, when he entered their room.


    Maverick looked shocked while looking at her.


    And she knew why.


    After all, she was kneeling in front of him with a huge luggage behind her. It looked like her husband didn''t know what to ask so she exined. If she waited for Maverick to talk, she''d have to spend the whole day kneeling.


    <em>I love my husband but sometimes, he''s too quiet for his own good.</em>


    Sometimes, being married to a "man of few words" could be exhausting and frustrating. Still, her love for him never wavered.


    <em>But just because you love a person doesn''t mean you''re not allowed to dislike a part of them.</em>


    Anyway


    "We both know now that I''m a Fire Mage," Marianne said carefully, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "That means our baby is also a Fire Mages."


    Maverick slowly nodded. "I know."


    She waited for him to talk more but he didn''t.


    <em>See? How frustrating!</em>


    "My lord, if the royal family finds out that our baby and I are Fire Mages, House Prescott will bebeled as traitors," Marianne said seriously. "I''m sorry but I have to make you choose now. Is it us or the royal"


    "You," Maverick said without missing a heartbeat. "You and our baby."


    Her dear husband said it without hesitation even though she just reminded him of what would happen to him if he chose them.


    And he didn''t even offer an exnation!


    He just answered her question in the most simple way.


    <em>Simple but sincere.</em>


    Marianne couldn''t help but chuckle and cry at the same time. Yes, it was sometimes frustrating that her husband was too quiet. But most of the time, it was rewarding. "My lord, I love how simple you are."


    And Maverick blushed at herpliment.


    <em>Aww, my husband is so adorable</em>.


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 191: House Prescott (1)

    Chapter 191: House Prescott (1)


    MARIANNE knew that Lady Charlotte Denver, the wife of Marquis Morgan Denver, was a woman of dignity. Lady Denver was known among thedies to be a very upright person. No one could ever doubt her character.


    So when she was approached by Lady Denver one evening at a banquet held in the Denvers''s estate, she came with her and listened to every word that she said. Thedy of House Denver was that charismatic.


    "Lady Prescott, you''re a Fire Mage," Lady Denver told her while they were in the private tea room of their mansion. Then, when she opened her right hand, a ball of fire appeared and danced on her palm. "Just like us."


    She almost dropped the teacup in her hand.


    To be honest, she didn''t know how to react. The first thing that she felt was fear. But it wasn''t because she was afraid of Lady Denver.


    In fact, she was afraid <em>for</em> her.


    <em>The Fire Mages are considered traitors in the empire</em>


    "Lady Denver, pardon me but I can''t easily believe what you''re telling me," Marianne said when she found her voice. "It''s not that I think you''re lying. But all my life, I have never summoned fire like you do. The only strange thing I find about my Mana is how it makes my body literally hot. My skin always feels feverish even though I''m fine."


    "Your unusual body temperature is a sign that you''re a Fire Mage, Lady Prescott," Lady Denver said. When she closed her fingers, the me on her palm disappeared. "Most of the Fire Mages who aren''t aware of what they are lose their ability to control fire. Since you have no clue of what you are and no one told you about it before, you Mana turned weak until you lost the ability as a Fire Mage."


    That made sense.


    After all, she was an orphan. She didn''t have parents who could tell her what she was.


    "We decided to approach you because we noticed a special aura around you when you got pregnant," Lady Denver continued. "Lady Prescott, your daughter is the reincarnation of the Supreme Fire Mage."


    "Daughter?" she asked in surprise, then she clutched her stomach. "You already know the gender of our child?"


    Lady Denver nodded. "Our family has been waiting for the rebirth of the Supreme. We have a device that could detect her special Mana. That device pointed us to you, Lady Prescott. To be honest, we tried to conceal your Mana as a Fire Mage to protect you. But the baby in your womb is too special so we failed to hide your identity."


    Hearing that made her anxious.


    "If you''re trying to protect me and my baby, does it mean someone is after my baby and I?" she asked, her voice filled with fear. This time, she hugged her stomach in an attempt to protect her child. "And if you failed to conceal us, does it mean that person already found out about me and my baby?"


    Thedy of House Denver slowly nodded. This time, she was looking at her with pity in her eyes. "Don''t worry, Lady Prescott. House Denver is here to protect you and your baby," she assured her. "Our n is loyal followers of the Supreme. The founder of our n was a Fire Mage who survived the purge in the past. He found a way to conceal our Mana as Fire Mages. That''s how House Denver managed to survive for a long time."


    She knew that the things Lady Denver was saying were very important.


    But to be honest, right now, she couldn''t care less. She was more worried about her baby. And of course, she was scared of how her husband would react.


    "Lord Prescott," Marianne said. Maverick Prescott was her husband but whenever she would refer to him in front of other people, she would call him by his proper title. And to be honest, until now, she was still used to calling him "my lord" even after being married for three years now. "Lord Prescott needs to know this."


    Lady Denver sipped her tea before she spoke. "Lady Prescott, right now, Lord Prescott is with my husband. By now, Morgan has probably revealed to your husband that you and the baby in your womb are Fire Mages."


    "What?!" she asked in disbelief. She grew up as an orphan but that didn''t mean that she was ill-mannered. When she had her bridal lessons before her wedding with Maverick, her etiquette teacher used topliment her for her proper manners. But this time, she couldn''t help raising her voice at Lady Denver. Technically, she was higher in rank because she was the wife of the duke while the otherdy was the wife of a marquis. Still, she felt bad for shouting so she immediately calmed herself down by taking a deep breath. "Lady Denver, I apologize for raising my voice. But why didn''t you give me the chance to tell my husband myself about my real identity? You shouldn''t have taken that chance away from me."


    "I humbly apologize, Lady Prescott," Lady Denver said with a slight bow. "I know this will sound like an excuse but we have to protect you and your baby. We have to know first if Lord Prescott can ept you."


    She swallowed before she asked. "What if my husband turns his back on us after he finds out the truth?"


    "Then, we''ll finish him off."


    She already expected that response so she didn''t really get surprise.


    And most of all, she had faith in her husband.


    Maverick almost gave up hisfortable life to be with her. If he was the type of person who cared so much about her past, then he should have given up on her a long time ago. But of course, the case now was different.


    <em>Fire Mages are the enemies of the royal family. To be honest, I will understand if my husband chooses the throne over his family. After all, House Prescott has been a part of the Royal Faction ever since the empire was built.</em>


    But despite everything, she still decided to trust her husband.


    "I can see that you believe in Lord Prescott," Lady Denver said with a faint smile. "I really pray and hope that he doesn''t turn his back on you, Lady Prescott."


    "He won''t," Marianne said, then she changed the topic when she remembered to ask something very important. Well, to be honest, she already knew the answer to her question. Still, she wanted confirmation. "Lady Denver, who is after me and my baby?"


    Lady Denver smiled sadly before she answered. "Her Royal Highness Princess Nia Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WELCOME BACK, my lord," Marianne greeted Maverick Prescott, her husband, when he entered their room.


    Maverick looked shocked while looking at her.


    And she knew why.


    After all, she was kneeling in front of him with a huge luggage behind her. It looked like her husband didn''t know what to ask so she exined. If she waited for Maverick to talk, she''d have to spend the whole day kneeling.


    <em>I love my husband but sometimes, he''s too quiet for his own good.</em>


    Sometimes, being married to a "man of few words" could be exhausting and frustrating. Still, her love for him never wavered.


    <em>But just because you love a person doesn''t mean you''re not allowed to dislike a part of them.</em>


    Anyway


    "We both know now that I''m a Fire Mage," Marianne said carefully, then she ced her hands on her tummy. "That means our baby is also a Fire Mages."


    Maverick slowly nodded. "I know."


    She waited for him to talk more but he didn''t.


    <em>See? How frustrating!</em>


    "My lord, if the royal family finds out that our baby and I are Fire Mages, House Prescott will bebeled as traitors," Marianne said seriously. "I''m sorry but I have to make you choose now. Is it us or the royal"


    "You," Maverick said without missing a heartbeat. "You and our baby."


    Her dear husband said it without hesitation even though she just reminded him of what would happen to him if he chose them.


    And he didn''t even offer an exnation!


    He just answered her question in the most simple way.


    <em>Simple but sincere.</em>


    Marianne couldn''t help but chuckle and cry at the same time. Yes, it was sometimes frustrating that her husband was too quiet. But most of the time, it was rewarding. "My lord, I love how simple you are."


    And Maverick blushed at herpliment.


    <em>Aww, my husband is so adorable.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when Maverick quietly helped her get up from her kneeling position. "Did you doubt me, Marianne?"


    "Just a little bit," she admitted with a pout. "I know that you love us. But I also know that House Prescott is loyal to the throne. To be honest, I''ll understand if you choose the royal family over your own."


    He looked hurt by her words. "Why would I choose the royal family who wants to kill my wife and my daughter?"


    "They also told you that?" she asked, a little upset that Lord Denver also revealed their child''s gender to her husband. But aside from that, she was also a little bewildered as to why her husband still looked calm despite everything. "Maverick, are you not afraid? The Denvers said that the one after me and our baby is Her Royal Highness."


    "I''m afraid," he confessed in a soft voice. "I was raised as a noble that pledged his loyalty to the throne. But the fear I feel with the thought of fighting against the family that I vowed to protect is nothingpared to the fear I have with the simple thought of losing you." He gently ced a hand on her stomach. "Now that we''re having a child, I''m even more determined to protect you and our family, Marianne."


    Her husband rarely talked that much.


    She got emotional knowing that Maverick expressed his feelings that way because he wanted to assure her. He wanted her to trust him. She really didn''t deserve her husband.


    "I''m so sorry, Maverick," she said while blinking her tears away. But her cracked voice failed her. "If I wasn''t a Fire Mage, you won''t be forced to turn your back on the Royal Family. If I wasn''t a Fire Mage, our baby wouldn''t be in danger." She failed holding back her tears and right now, she was already cryingplete with ugly sobs. "Had I known I was a Fire Mage earlier, I wouldn''t have married you."


    Pain immediately crossed his eyes. "Marianne, do you really mean that?"


    Her conscience kicked her right away.


    "Of course not," she said while shaking her head. "I just thought your life would have been easier if you married a normaldy instead."


    "I don''t want a life without you, Marianne."


    Okay, she cried even harder now. "Me too."


    "Marianne, let''s run away from the Royal Capital," Maverick said while wiping her tears off her face with his hands. "Let''s live in Oakes. We''ll be safer in our territory."


    Marianne nodded. Now that she was pregnant, she''d do everything to keep their baby safe. If leaving the Royal Capital to leave in Oakes was one way to do that, then she''d do it. And most of all "I''ll go anywhere if it''s with you, Maverick."


    <strong>***</strong>


    MARIANNE swallowed hard while looking at the letter in her hands--- the letter that had Princess Nia''s crest.


    She had already read the content again and again but she still couldn''t believe it.


    "Marianne," Maverick called her as soon as he entered her office. She was in-charge of House Prescott''s finance so she had her own office in her husband''s grand mansion. "I heard from the head butler that you received a letter from the Royal Pce."


    Her husband had beads of sweat on his forehead and he was panting. She could clearly tell that he ran to her office as soon as he heard the news. And of course, he looked very concerned.


    "Maverick, it looks like we can no longer escape the Royal Capital," Marianne said with a sad smile. "Her Royal Highness requested me to be her dance teacher."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, do you think Lady Prescott will ept your invitation?"


    "Of course," Nia answered Lahara''s question. Then, she sipped her tea before she continued. Right now, the two of them could talk freely because they were alone in her room. "She can''t turn down an offer from a royal family member. And House Prescott is a part of the Royal Faction. They''d lose face if members of the high society find out that they rejected my invitation."


    Lahara picked up a cookie from the cake stand before she spoke again. "What if Lady Prescott used her pregnancy to turn down your offer?"


    She scoffed at that. "Thest time I saw Lady Prescott, just before we detected a Fire Mage aura in her, she looks clueless as to what she really is. If she doesn''t know that she''s a Fire Mage, she won''t have a reason to turn down my offer. And if she did" She picked up the teacup again. "Then, that only means she''s hiding something from me."


    "What''s your n, Your Royal Highness?" Lahara asked curiously. "Are you going to rip Lady Prescott''s heart out right away just like what you did to the other Fire Mages that we found?"


    "No, not this time," Nia said. "I feel something special in the child that Lady Prescott is carrying in her womb."


    ***


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> I''m a little bummed out these days, and thus the 1 update only per day situation that we have the past weeks. Recently, whenever I visit the Webnovel app, my heart sinks whenever I see the huge numbers of privilege readers that my fellow writers achieved. It made me feel inadequate/small as a writer. I hope to get over this feeling soon. After all, I should be grateful with all the support that I receive--- through power stones,ments, reviews, rmendations. It all matters. :)


    Anyway, this mini-arc tells the story of Marianne Prescott, Tilly''s mother. You''ll find out why Tilly didn''t meet her Keepers during her first life, why she wasn''t named Soleil Rosenberg, and the connection between Marianne and Princess Nia.


    If you find that boring, feel free to skip the arc (just don''t ask me questions if you find the next arc confusing).It will end on Chapter 195.<strong> Or maybe buy my privilege chapters so you''ll get to the main plot again?</strong> You always have that choice. :3


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 192: House Prescott (2)

    Chapter 192: House Prescott (2)


    "SHOULD WE turn down Her Royal Highness''s request?"


    Marianne shook her head. "If we turn down the royal princess''s request, she''d only be suspicious of us."


    Right now, they were in their room while having tea.


    She made tea for her husband who looked very anxious at the moment. Of course, she felt the same way. But she knew that panicking wouldn''t bring them anywhere.


    "Can''t we use your pregnancy as an excuse?" Maverick asked. "I don''t really think that epting the royal princess''s offer is the wisest choice."


    "I don''t want to be anywhere near the royal princess, too," she said. "But if I avoid her, she''ll definitely realize that I already know what I am. We can''t underestimate her even though she''s just a child."


    "Marianne, the royal princess might kill you right away."


    "She won''t," she assured her husband. "If Her Royal Highness wants to kill me right away, then she would have done it as soon as she found out that I''m a Fire Mage. But if she wants to get closer to me, it means she needs something from me."


    "Marianne" He let out a frustrated sigh. "I called Morgan a while ago. He told me that running to Oakes will put us in more danger."


    She nodded in agreement. "Lord Morgan is right. This isn''t the right time to run away."


    Her husband didn''t respond this time but she could see in his face how worried he was.


    "I will find out what Her Royal Highness wants with me and our baby," Marianne said, then she put her hand on top of her husband''s hand. "Maverick, please trust me."


    "I will talk to Morgan again to understand Fire Mages better," Maverick said, then he held her hand and brought it close to his lips. "I will protect you with all that I have, Marianne." He kissed the back of her hand. "You and our baby."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "NIA."


    Nia stopped admiring the Moonflowers in her garden when Aku arrived. She turned around to face him, then she smiled and bowed to him. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness."


    "Why are you being so formal?" Akuined. "You can talk to me casually, Nia."


    "You''re the crown prince of the empire, Your Royal Highness," she reminded him with a smile. As the royal princess, she was raised perfectly as a beautiful doll who was supposed to only smile at the crown prince. "I can''t speak casually to you."


    He scowled at that. Then, he turned to all the servants and knights around them. "Leave us alone," he said sternly. "I need to speak with the royal princess in private."


    The servants and the knights looked hesitant to leave.


    But as soon as Aku red at them, they all bowed their heads and scrammed.


    <em>A tyrant in the making, I see.</em>


    "Nia, why do I feel like you''re being distant to me?" Aku said while they were walking around the luxurious garden to admire the Moonflowers. "Did I do or say something to make you upset?"


    She shook her head. "I think you''re just feeling that way because we hadn''t seen each other for a while."


    Her brother had been away for almost a year.


    As far as she knew, Aku went to the North for his "training." But she knew her brother went there for a different reason.


    "I''m sorry for leaving you for that long, Nia," Aku said, then he gently patted the top of her head. "Don''t worry. That will be thest time that I will make you feel alone."


    She just smiled at his promise that she really didn''t care about. "How was your trip to the North, Brother?"


    "It was fun," Aku said with an unusual bright smile. "I found a really cute baby there."


    "A baby?"


    He nodded. "I wanted to bring him home and make him my younger brother."


    "Then, why did youe back alone?"


    "His guardian was stubborn," he said in a frustrated voice. "He hid the baby from me."


    "It''s unlike you to just let them go, Brother," she said. "I''m sure you could have easily found them if you chased them."


    "That''s true," he said while nodding his head. "But I decided to wait until he''s strong enough to serve me."


    "You seem to have been enamored by this "baby," Brother."


    "What are you saying, Nia?" he said with a softugh. "You''re still the cutest for me."


    She just chuckled at that creepy statement.


    "By the way, I heard that you hired Lady Prescott as your new dance teacher," Aku said. "Is there a particr reason why you chose her, Nia?"


    "I heard that Lady Prescott is the best dancer among the nobledies," she said. "Is there a problem with my choice, Brother?"


    He shook his head. "House Prescott has always been a part of the Royal Faction. They''re also arguably the richest family in the empire. It would be nice if you deepen our rtionship with House Prescott. They can help me seed the throne in the future."


    "Yes, Brother."


    She was actually relieved that Aku didn''t seem to know that Lady Prescott and her baby were Fire Mages.


    It was as if his brother truly believed that the Fire Mages had been wiped out. Well, one of his ws was his arrogance. He believed in himself too much. But this time, his too much faith in himself yed to her advantage.


    As long as Brother Aku is confident that the Fire Mages have been wiped out a long time ago, then I can move freely.


    "Nia?"


    "Yes, Brother?"


    "Now that I''ve been announced as the crown prince, you know what''s next, don''t you?"


    She clenched her fists. But she smiled and nodded anyway. "Yes, Brother. I''m preparing to be a suitable wife for you."


    "Excellent," Aku said with a satisfied smile. "I can''t wait to be married to you, Nia."


    Nia wanted to vomit but she smiled anyway. "I feel the same, Brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE WHITE Tower isn''t happy that I''m frequently visiting your pce, Princess Nia."


    Nia continued to arrange the Moonflowers in the vase without looking up at Lahara who sat from across her.


    Right now, the two of them were in her room. The female doctor in-charge of her physical health just finished checking up on her. The female doctor was delighted to know that she just had her first period.


    The damned doctor was happy to know that she was now capable of getting pregnant. To think about that towards a child


    <em>How disgusting.</em>


    "Are you alright, Princess Nia?" Lahara asked while pouring some tea in her teacup. "You seem upset."


    "There''s going to be a banquet tonight," Nia said. "We will celebrate the fact that I just got my first period."


    The mageughed bitterly. "Everyone in this pce is crazy. You and the crown prince are still little kids and yet, they''re already looking forward to your future heir."


    This was why she liked Lahara.


    If only she had enough power, she would like to take the mage out of the White Tower and make Lahara her personal knight. But since she was just a royal princess whose job was to bear a royal heir for the crown prince, she didn''t have the power to choose her own people yet.


    And for that reason, she had to suck up to Aku.


    "Lahara, will you believe me if I tell you that before I was born as Nia Moonchester, I lived in a world where marrying your brother is against thew?" she asked the mage, then she looked at the mage to watch her reaction. "In that world, marrying your rtive is called inc*st. Also, the babies born out of an incestuous rtionship usually have birth defects."


    Too bad it didn''t work that way in their world.


    In this world, aside from genes, babies were created from the Mana of their parents. That was why the Moonchester babies were still born healthily. Heck, they were even born with a beautiful appearance and strong Mana.


    "I believe you, Princess Nia," Lahara said seriously. "I am not that narrow-minded to think that in this vast universe, only our world exists."


    She smiled at that. Of course, she already expected that answer from Lahara. She wouldn''t have been close to the mage if she didn''t get her. "I''m d that you think the same, Lahara."


    "Your Royal Highness, there are quite a few mages that apparently travelled into different worlds," the mage said. "Do you want me to look for them and bring them to you?"


    She shook her head. "I don''t need to know more about the world that they''ve seen, Lahara. What I desire is to return to the world I came from before being reincarnated as Princess Nia." She looked at the Moonflowers with a sad smile. "But as long as my soul is tied to Aku, I will never be able to return to that world again."


    Aku had followed her into that world before.


    He hated it because it was a world where kings couldn''t lead a country alone. He hated thews that limited a king''s power, and he hated the fact that marriage between siblings was illegal and frowned upon.


    Also, Manas don''t exist in that world. He knew that even if we conceive a child, there''s a high possibility that the baby will have birth defect.


    <em>Aku, who valued perfection, couldn''t stomach that possibility.</em>


    And so, he forcefully brought her back in this world.


    To make Aku believe that he had finally "tamed" her, she pretended that she didn''t remember their past life in the modern world.


    "Your Royal Highness"


    "Don''t pity me, Lahara," she scolded the mage. "I have a n."


    "I''ll help you in any way I can, Princess Nia."


    She was waiting for the mage to say that.


    "Then, will you help me find a medicine that can destroy my reproductive organ?" she asked the mage. "I''d rather die than carry my brother''s child in my womb."


    "I support your decision, Your Royal Highness. But I''m afraid for you," Lahara said worriedly. "If His Royal Highness and His Majesty find out that you''re trying to make yourself infertile, they will be very angry at you. And since you''re the future empress, you can get executed for failing to give the future emperor a future heir."


    "I''ll make sure that I''d be freed from Aku before they find out that I''m trying to destroy my reproductive organs," Nia said coldly. "And for my n to seed, I need the heart of the Supreme Fire Mage."


    <strong>***</strong>


    MARIANNE was impressed.


    Princess Nia''s moved like flowing water. Her movements were graceful, and her beautiful face was very captivating. The royal princess was more feminine and elegant than most nobledies she had met.


    "How was it, Lady Prescott?" Princess Nia asked her after her dance performance. She just finished dancing but she didn''t look tired. Heck, the royal princess wasn''t even sweating. "Did I make you proud, Teacher?"


    "Of course, Your Royal Highness," Marianne said with a smile. She knew that the royal princess was targeting her and her baby. But for some reason, she couldn''t see a child as an enemy. "You''re already a very elegant dancer. I''m sure you don''t need me as a teacher anymore.


    The royal princess smiled and nodded. "That''s true, Lady Prescott."


    That hurt her pride a bit.


    "Oh, I apologize for being rude," the royal princess said with a bright smile. "But Teacher Prescott, we both know that I didn''t request you to be here just to teach me how to dance when I''m already a brilliant dancer."


    Okay, that sent shivers down her spine.


    <em>How did she know that I already know what I am?</em>


    "The look in your eyes has changed," Princess Nia said with a smile. It was as if she could read her thoughts at that moment. "Lady Prescott, you already know that you''re a Fire Mage that I''m currently targeting, don''t you?"


    She panicked a bit and thought about lying.


    But the look in the royal princess''s eyes told her that she couldn''t escape that situation by lying. Also, she hated running away from confrontations.


    Maverick hated the stubborn side of her and she knew he''d get upset with her decision to face Princess Nia.


    And so, she held her ground despite the risks.


    Marianne took a deep breath. Then, she finally asked the question that had been bothering her since she found out about her real identity. "Princess Nia, why are you hunting down the Fire Mages who survived the purge?" She instinctively clutched her stomach protectively. "What do you need from me and my baby?"


    "Your heart," Princess Nia said seriously. "I need your heart to summon the sky beast, Lady Prescott." Then, the royal princess looked down at her stomach. "If your heart doesn''t work, then I might need your baby''s heart, Teacher."


    Sheughed at what the royal princess said.


    But it was aughed caused by disbelief. Did the little princess really say that she needed her heart and if it didn''t work, she''d get her baby''s heart instead?


    "Princess Nia, you''re right. I don''t need to teach you how to dance," Marianne said with a "sweet" smile. "How about I teach you how to be a decent human being instead?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 193: House Prescott (3)

    Chapter 193: House Prescott (3)


    MARIANNE wasn''t going to lie the royal princess scared her.


    She couldn''t believe that she would hear a child like her say scary things such as killing other people. Especially killing a baby!


    <em>It must be true when people said the royal children aren''t normal.</em>


    Still, she put up a brave face and confronted Princess Nia.


    So right now, she was in the royal princess''s tea room. She didn''t dare to pick up her cup because her body was still shaking a little.


    <em>And you''re not supposed to drink first before the person with a higher rank.</em>


    "Don''t be scared, Lady Prescott," Princess Nia said, then she sipped her tea before she talked. "I didn''t poison your drink."


    "I''m not thinking that you poisoned my drink, Your Royal Highness," Marianne said. "I''m just trying to hide my shaking hands from you."


    The royal princess looked shocked by that, then sheughed softly. "You''re too honest for your own good, Lady Prescott."


    She let out a sigh. "My husband says that a lot about me, too."


    "I think I can trust you," the royal princess suddenly dered. "If you promise to help me summon the sky beast for my wish, I will spare you and your child."


    She swallowed hard.


    To be honest, she tended to trust people easily. But this time, she had to be really careful. Her baby''s life was on the line.


    "I only need a heart that can summon the sky beast," Princess Nia said. "If you or your child can summon it, then I don''t need to kill you anymore."


    Okay, that made sense.


    Maybe she could work with the princess. If that was the only way that she could protect her child, she''d do it.


    "You don''t have to give me an answer now, Lady Prescott," the royal princess said. "But I''m curious. How did you find out that you''re a Fire Mage? Did somebody tell you?"


    She was a bad liar but if she had to lie to protect other people, she could do it properly.


    "I found out that I''m a Fire Mage when I identally created a small fire at my fingertip," she lied with a straight face. Okay, that lie wasme but that was all she coulde up with at the moment. "I haven''t told anyone about it, not even my husband. After all, I know that Fire Mages are banned in the empire. I don''t want House Prescott to fall just because of me." She clutched her stomach. "And I want to protect my baby."


    "Understandable," the royal princess said. "Don''t worry, Lady Prescott. Your secret is safe with me."


    "Your Royal Highness, if we summoned the sky beast and you got your wish from it, will you let me and my child live a peaceful life after that?" she asked bravely. "Will you leave us alone once you get what you want?"


    Princess Nia smiled and nodded. "Yes, Lady Prescott," she said. "If I get what I want from the sky beast, I don''t care about anything else anymore."


    The sparkle in the royal princess''s eyes told her that she was being honest.


    "Let''s work together, Your Royal Highness," Marianne dered seriously. "I will do my best to summon the sky beast and help you get your wish."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU SEEM to be fond of Lady Prescott, Princess Nia."


    "Lady Prescott seems like an honest person," Nia said whilebing her hair. She sat in front of the mirror in her room while Lahara was preparing tea in the tea table set in the lounge area. "I like her."


    "That''s rare to hear from you," Laharamented. "You mercilessly ripped the heart of the other Fire Mages that we found before."


    "They don''t feel special," she said with a shrug. "But Lady Prescott and her baby feel different. I can tell that one of them has the Supreme''s heart."


    "And you''re not going to crush it."


    "I decided to work with Lady Prescott instead," she said firmly. "I want people like her to be by my side. It will be a shame to kill her."


    "Well, I like your idea," the mage said. "If Lady Prescott or her child really has the Supreme''s heart, it will be advantageous for you to keep them by your side. If you have to, you can fight His Majesty with them."


    She nodded in agreement. "Exactly."


    Lahara snapped her fingers as if she remembered something. "Princess Nia, have you heard of the Colorless Coven?"


    "It was the coven of the witches with pink eyes," she said. "I heard that their pink eyes were precious because apparently, they can create strong protections and barriers. And for that reason, their coven was hunted down."


    "Uh-huh," the mage said while nodding her head. "But I heard that they are survivors from that coven."


    "Are they going to be useful?"


    "I won''t bring them up if they won''t be useful to you, Princess Nia," Lahara said with augh. "Apparently, the two daughters of the coven''s leader survived the purge. ording to my research, the two children specialize in pregnancy and anything rted to a woman''s body."


    She gasped when she realized what the mage was trying to say. "You think they can create a strong medicine to make me infertile?"


    She tried finding different medicines to make a woman infertile.


    But it was hard for her to move freely when the doctors and healers all over the empire had their eyes on her. Even Lahara''s movement was being restricted. Even Aku didn''t like the mage that much.


    <em>But if Lahara brings other people in to help me, then I might find what I''m looking for.</em>


    "Yes, Your Royal Highness," Lahara said seriously. "I believe that they are capable of making that kind of medicine."


    "Fine the witches and bring them to me," Nia ordered the mage. "They need to make me infertile as soon as possible."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHENEVER Marianne was anxious, she would always go to the temple to pray.


    Usually, she would just use themon room where devotees like her would offer their prayer to the gods and guardians of the empire. But this time, after knowing that she was a Fire Mage, she particrly looked for the prayer room of the four Ancient Beasts.


    Fortunately, her position as a duchess was high enough for her to be allowed in that prayer room. Nobles with a lower rank weren''t allowed to do so.


    She hated the hierarchy but this time, she was a little grateful.


    After all, she had the prayer room all to herself right now.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    "Red Phoenix, the sky beast, please hear me out," Marianne prayed hard with her eyes closed and her hands sped together. She stood in front of the statue of the Red Phoenix and prayed that it could hear her. "Apparently, I''m one of your descendants. Can you help me protect my child? Can you tell me how I can summon you?"


    She heard about people that could hear god''s voice.


    Unfortunately, she wasn''t one of those people. Still, she believed in her luck. And she prayed really hard for that luck to help her again this time.


    "Help me just this once," she pleaded. "I swear I will devote myself to you from now on."


    She didn''t know how long she waited but when she got tired, she let out a deep sigh.


    <em>I think my luck has run out when I married Maverick and have a lovely child with him.</em>


    She opened her eyes, ready to leave the prayer room, when all of a sudden, the chamber started to spin. To prevent falling down, she held onto the statue really hard.


    <em>Am I just dizzy or what?</em>


    She closed her eyes, thinking that she just got dizzy because she was tired.


    "You''re the one who called me, aren''t you?"


    She gasped when she heard an unfamiliar voice.


    When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a handsome man with red hair.


    She never met a god in her life once. But the "pure" aura around the stranger was making her want to kneel and bow before him. That was enough to tell her that the strange man in front of her was a real god.


    And she was hoping he was the Red Phoenix.


    <em>Well, he has red hair and the phoenix has red feathers so</em>


    "A-Are you a god?" she asked nervously, then she swallowed hard. Out of instinct, she put her arms protectively around her stomach. It was her own way of protecting the little one in her tummy. "Please tell me I''m right."


    "No."


    Okay, that made her heart sink.


    The strange man pointed at her stomach. "I''m just the big brother of that foolish little child."


    "My baby isn''t foolish," she snarled.


    She was usually calm but she would never let a stranger insult her daughter. Even if it was her big brother!


    <em>Wait my baby''s what?!</em>


    "B-Big Brother?" she asked in disbelief. "How did you be my baby''s big brother?"


    "It''s a long story," the stranger said. "Ah, to make it clear, I''m a god to other people. My name is Wixx and I''m the Red Phoenix."


    That was a huge relief.


    Thank goodness she met the right god.


    "Lord Wixx, I''m begging you," she pleaded. "Please help me protect my daughter."


    "Let me ask you a question first."


    She nodded eagerly. "What is it, my lord?"


    Wixx smiled but his eyes turned cold. "Will you give up your life if it means giving birth to the reincarnation of the Supreme Fire Mage?"


    Hearing that made her freeze.


    Her baby wasn''t an ordinary Fire Mage?


    Marianne, scared for her daughter''s future, clutched her stomach tight. "My daughter is the reincarnation of the Supreme?"


    And she had to die for her baby to be born?


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 194: House Prescott (4)

    Chapter 194: House Prescott (4)


    "MY DAUGHTER is the reincarnation of the Supreme?" Marianne asked in disbelief. "How did that happen?"


    "It''s a long story," the Red Phoenix said. "But I''ll tell you that you were able to conceive the reincarnation of the Supreme because of your blood."


    "My blood?"


    He nodded. "I can tell that you came from the bloodline of a powerful Sun Priestess. People like you are also Fire Mages. But you don''t have strong Manas. The purpose of Sun Priestesses is usually to give birth to powerful Fire Mages."


    "I don''t like how it sounds."


    "That''s how it was in the past," the god said. "Anyway, now that you know what kind of Fire Mage your baby is, I want you to be careful"


    "Marianne!"


    She looked up when she heard Maverick''s voice above them.


    Only then did she realize that the prayer room she was in had changed. As far as she remembered, she was in a room with the statues of the Four Ancient Beasts. But right now, she was in a prayer room with only the statue of the Red Phoenix.


    "It seems like it''s time for you to go for now," Lord Wixx said. When she turned to him, she saw him snap his fingers. "See youter, Sun Priestess."


    Before Marianne could evenin, she suddenly felt sleepy


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MARIANNE, what happened?"


    Actually, Marianne didn''t know what happened to her too.


    When she woke up, she was already lying on the bed of their chamber. Apparently, Maverick found her unconscious in the prayer room dedicated to the Four Ancient Beasts.


    That was definitely not the room where I met the Red Phoenix.


    Anyway, it was a good thing that her husband decided to pick her up at the temple. She was d that he found her right away. She didn''t want anything bad to happen to their baby.


    "Maverick?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I met the Red Phoenix in the temple."


    As expected, her husband looked shocked. "Did you purposely go to the prayer room of the Four Ancient Beasts to "talk" to the Red Phoenix?"


    She was d that her husband was sharp.


    They never failed to visit the temple once a week. But instead of the prayer room for the Four Ancient Beasts, they would just pray at the "general" praying room. She was certain that Maverick found it strange that she was in the special praying room instead.


    "I talked to the royal princess," she said. "She told me that all she needs is to summon the sky beast. So we agreed to work with each other."


    Maverick looked surprised by that. "Marianne, was that the best choice that you have?"


    She nodded. "I know that House Prescott is a strong family. But we also both know that we can''t win against the royal family yet. If the royal princess announce that me and our baby are Fire Mages, it''s over for us."


    "I''m sorry," he said in a voice filled with guilt. "I''m sorry that my family isn''t strong and powerful enough to protect you and our baby."


    She shook her head, then she cupped his face. "That''s not true, Maverick," she consoled him. "Everyone is powerless against the royal family."


    "You''re too kind to me, Marianne."


    She justughed it off. "Maverick, our best course of action right now is to work with the royal princess. But please act like you don''t know that I''m a Fire Mage. I also didn''t mention to Her Royal Highness that House Denver is the leader of the surviving Fire Mages."


    "You made the royal princess believe that no one else knows your real identity?"


    She nodded. "I don''t want anyone else to get involved in this."


    So that if Princess Nia happened to betray her in the end, no one else would fall with her.


    But of course, that was the worst case scenario. She would do everything to prevent that from happening.


    "Marianne, it breaks my heart that you''re the one doing the most to protect our child," Maverick said in a sad voice. I will do my best to keep with you."


    "Protecting our child isn''t apetition to see who does more "work,"" Marianne reminded her husband, then she gave him a kiss on the cheek that made his whole face red. She giggled because how could Maverick still blush from a peck? Heck, they already conceived a baby! "You''re so adorable, Maverick."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THERE''S a way to clear the Fire Mages from the usation of the royal family against them, Lady Prescott."


    Marianne surprised with what the royal princess said. "Really, Your Royal Highness?"


    Today was thest day of their dancing lessons thatsted a month.


    She had to quit as the royal princess''s dancing teacher because she had nothing else to teach her. And she''d be leaving the Royal Capital with her husband for a long vacation.


    Princess Nia nodded, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "I read all the books in the royal library. There wasn''t anything written about the Fire Mages''s apparent betrayal. But I found a book that talked about the tree of truth and it''s called the Great Fire Tree."


    "That''s the first time I''ve heard of that tree."


    "I read that all the knowledge in the world is stored in that tree," the royal princess continued. "The tree can allegedly show the events in the past. If you find the Great Fire Tree, you can discover the truth about the "betrayal" of the Fire Mages. And if you find out that your n didn''t betray the royal family, then you and your child don''t have to hide your identity anymore. You can live in peace without worrying about your safety."


    That was a huge relief.


    <em>We still have hope.</em>


    "Unfortunately, I didn''t find anything about the location of the Great Fire Tree," the royal princess said. "But I can assure you that it really exists, Lady Prescott."


    "Thank you, Princess Nia," she said genuinely. "Once we summon the sky beast, I''ll ask him about the Great Fire Tree."


    She couldn''t tell the royal princess yet that she managed to meet the Red Phoenix.


    That was because she thought telling Princess Nia about it was useless since the only thing that she got from the god was about her bloodline. She''d tell the royal princess about the Red Phoenix once she got the chance to ask him if he could grant a wish from Her Royal Highness. In that way, she wouldn''t identally give Princess Nia some false hopes.


    "I''m d to be working with you, Lady Prescott."


    "Same here, Princess Nia," she said. "Ah. I just remember that next week, my husband and I are leaving for Oakes. Do you know about that, Your Royal Highness?"


    "Yes. Everyone in the empire knows that Duke Prescott spends half of the year in Oakes. And that''s the reason why your territory keeps on flourishing," the royal princess said. "Will you be returning before you give birth to your child?"


    She nodded, then she sipped her tea before she answered. "The doctors and the priests that my husband trusts are all here in the Royal Capital. And he also wants me to give birth to the temple where all the children of House Prescott were born."


    "See you before you give birth then, Lady Prescott," Princess Nia said with a smile. "Have a safe trip."


    Marianne smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."


    <strong>***</strong>


    BEFORE MARIANNE leaves the Royal Capital, she decided to visit the temple in hopes of meeting the Red Phoenix again.


    She did what she had done before pray in the room dedicated to the Four Ancient Beasts, then call for the Red Phoenix. And just like what happened the first time she talked to the god, she was once again sent to the mysterious prayer room.


    "So we meet again."


    "Greetings, Lord Wixx," Marianne greeted the Red Phoenix politely. "Thank you for answering my call again."


    "I didn''t ask this the first time we met because we had a limited time then," Lord Wixx said instead. "Tell me, Sun Priestess. Why did you summon me?"


    "I need your help," she said in an urgent tone. "Princess Nia Moonchester asked me to help her summon the sky beast"


    "Moonchester?!" he snarled. "You''re working with a Moonchester?"


    She stepped back in fear. "I-Is there something wrong with that, Lord Wixx?"


    "The Moonchesters killed my little sister in the past," he said angrily. "And I''m certain that even until now, they''re still after her. If the Moonchesters find out that your daughter is the reincarnation of the Supreme, they will kill her without hesitation."


    She clutched her stomach protectively. Just the thought of her daughter being targeted by the Moonchesters already scared her. And that also raised questions in her mind. "You''re the Red Phoenix, aren''t you? Can''t you do something to protect my daughter?"


    "I can," he said in a serious tone. "But to protect her, I will need your life force."


    She swallowed hard. "My life?"


    "As you can see, my consciousness is locked up in this prayer room," the god said. "My physical body is locked up in a ce that I don''t even know where. Because of it, I can''t protect my foolish little sister. However, I know people who can protect her."


    "And who are those people?"


    "The Supreme''s Keepers," he said. "But they are currently sleeping in the ind that worships the sun. They were put to sleep in the past and three things must be done first before they wake up." He raised his index finger. "First, the Supreme must be reborn again." Then, he raised his middle finger. "Second, we have to meet in this lifetime." He raised his ring finger this time. "Andstly, the soul of a Sun Priestess must be locked up in the ind so that the Keepers could leave the ce ande to the Supreme''s rescue."


    "D-Does it mean in order to free my daughter''s protectors, I have to give up my life?"


    "Yes," he said firmly. "That''s why I asked you if you''d be willing to give up your life for your daughter."


    Of course she would give up her life if it meant protecting her daughter.


    But a part of her wanted to refuse. She didn''t want to leave Maverick. And she also wanted to see her daughter grow up.


    Still, as a mother, she already knew what she''d choose.


    "Is there no other way?" she asked in a weak voice. "The royal princess said that if we find the Great Fire Tree, we might prove the innocence of the Fire Mages."


    He scoffed at that. "The Great Fire Tree is supposed to exist in the ind where the Keepers reside. But until now, we haven''t seen it yet. Don''t believe everything that a Moonchesters says."


    "I believe in Princess Nia," she said firmly. "I saw how genuine she looked when she told me about the Great Fire Tree. And I want that tree to exist." She ced her hands on her tummy. "I want my daughter to live in a world where Fire Mages aren''t executed."


    "It''s not important right now," the god said in an urgent tone. "If you agree to give up your life to awaken the Keepers, I will cast a spell on your soul. Once you die, the strongest of the Keepers will awaken first, then he will descend on earth to fetch your soul. After that, the other Keepers will wake up one by one. And when the time is right, they wille and get the Supreme."


    The fact that the Red Phoenix talked like her life didn''t matter was offensive. But she let that slide because her attention was caught by something else.


    "Why can''t theye and get my daughter as soon as they wake up?" she asked with furrowed brows. "Can''t they protect her and my husband right away?"


    "My foolish little sister has a duty that she has to aplish first," Lord Wixx said in a bitter tone. "She has to meet a despicable reptile and fulfill their jobs for the greater good."


    "I don''t understand, Lord Wixx"


    "You don''t have to," he said while shaking his head. Then, he changed the topic. "My remaining power can''t make this room''s presence disappear for too long. You have to make a decision now, Sun Priestess."


    She suddenly became emotional.


    Of course, choosing to give up her life for her daughter was easy. But the hard part was leaving Maverick to protect their baby alone. And the thought of leaving her husband a little too early was breaking her heart because she knew that he''d be devastated.


    "I''ll give up my life for my daughter," Marianne said with a sad smile. "In return, I want you to help me leave a message for her, Lord Wixx."


    "That, I can do," Lord Wixx said. Then, his face softened up. And much to her shock, he bowed lowly to her. "My utmost gratitude for your sacrifice to protect my foolish little sister, Lady Marianne Prescott."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BROTHER, are you here?" Nia asked when she entered Aku''s chamber. There weren''t royal guards outside Aku''s room when she arrived at his residence. But it wasn''t that strange. After all, only Sir Gregory was allowed to stay near his room. Sometimes, the knight and her brother would have tea in his chamber so she invited herself in. "I want to ask something about the banquet"


    She trailed-off when she saw a beautiful white-haired woman lyingzily on her brother''s bed. The woman''s skin was paler than hers, and she had gorgeous golden eyes. But even though she looked young, she could tell that thedy was much, much older than her appearance suggested.


    Her eyes tell me so.


    "Don''t worry, little princess," the woman said with a smile. "I''m not your brother''s lover."


    "I know," she said bluntly. "My brother is too obsessed with me to take a lover. Especially not at his current age."


    The woman justughed softly. "Aku chooses to ignore your recent actions but I know what you''re up to, little princess."


    "What do you mean by that, woman?"


    "I know that you''re working with the Sun Priestess," the woman said with a smirk. "I''m sorry but since your conversation with her was always interesting, I couldn''t help but eavesdrop."


    "How dare you!"


    "You want to summon the sky beast with the help of the woman who''s going to give birth to your biggest nemesis?" the woman asked, then sheughed mockingly. "Little princess, it seems like you already forgot who the Supreme is. I can''t me you though. You fell in love with your previous life in the modern world that your mind erased the memories of your other miserable past lives."


    "Stop stalking like you know me," she snarled at the white-haired woman. "And are you telling me that Lady Prescott''s child is the Supreme?"


    "Well, I''m not certain. I just know that the baby in her womb is a strong Fire Mage," the woman said yfully. "Little princess, shall I help you remember why you should hate the Supreme Fire Mage?" Much to her surprise, in just the blink of an eye, the woman was already standing in front of her. And she even had the audacity to cup her face! "Nia Moonchester, you can never be friends with the Supreme you have to kill her."


    Before she could even push the strange woman, she suddenly disappeared


    and then, a white snake coiled around her ankle and bit her.


    Nia gasped and was about to call for help when all of a sudden, a strange image entered her mind.


    It was an image of a beautiful woman with jet-ck hair and glowing purple eyes.


    <em>"I curse you,dy who owns Aku Moonchester''s heart," the woman with the jet-ck hair said angrily. "For all eternity, you would be reborn again and again as his twin sister and your souls would be bind forever." She smirked at her. "And only the me of the Red Phoenix can burn down your tie with Aku Moonchester- not that my brother would do that for you."</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong>Hi! This is (hopefully) thest time that I''ll ask. But please, please, please help me reach 500 privilege readers. I want the banner feature so bad. You can have 2 advance chapters for 1 coin, and 5 advance chapters for 50 coins. I''m working hard to achieve my goal. T_T


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 195: Goodbye, Mother

    Chapter 195: Goodbye, Mother


    "MARIANNE, where have you been?"


    Marianne smiled and sat beside Maverick on the sofa in their room. Then, she hugged his arm andid her head on the shoulder. "I just visited the Fire Tree in the garden. It looks so beautiful to me."


    To be honest, she went to the fire tree to leave her message to her daughter. She was able to do that using the magic spell that Lord Wixx taught her. She had to memorize the incantation that he told her again and again until she finally got it right. Thenguage that she used was very foreign to her so she was praying that she didn''t fail.


    Anyway, she chose that fire tree because that was the resting ce that she decided on. When she dies, she wanted to be buried here in Oakes instead of the Royal Capital.


    "Maverick?"


    "Hmm?"


    "When I die, I want to be buried under the Fire Tree in your garden."


    "Marianne, you know that I don''t like talking about things like that."


    "I''m just saying it," she said with a pout. "All humans will die anyway. I just want to be prepared once that happens."


    "I don''t want to imagine the day where I''d lose you," Maverick said while shaking his head. Then, he turned to her. "But you''re right we will all die in the end so it''s better if we prepare as early as now. Especially now that we have a child."


    She nodded in agreement. "Like I said, I want to be buried under the oldest Fire Tree in the garden here. How about you?"


    "Well, House Prescott has a private burial ground for all the heads of the family," he said, then he paused for a second before he continued. "But if you want to be buried here, then I''d like to be buried next to you."


    That got her instantly emotional. "You''ll break your family tradition for me?"


    "Always."


    That was true.


    Marrying her, a "fake" noblewoman, was already very unlikely for the head of House Prescott. And now, he was hiding her identity as a Fire Mage even though it was considered treason for a pro-royal family household like theirs.


    <em>But maybe House Prescott has already stopped being a part of the Royal Faction now.</em>


    "When I''m gone, I''ll divide all my wealth and properties to you and our daughter," Maverick continued. "I''ll work harder to make sure that you and our daughter will have a luxurious life even when I''m no longer around."


    "You''re already that wealthy, Maverick," Marianne said with a softugh. Then, she realized that they were yet to name their baby. "What should we call our daughter?"


    To be honest, the Red Phoenix had a "suggestion"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>"CALL HER Soleil Rosenberg," Lord Wixx told her before they parted ways thest time they met. "That was the name of the Supreme in her previous lives. Since her soul is special, she''s going to be reborn as a Supreme again and again."</em>


    <em>"How did the Supreme''s life end during those two lifetimes?"</em>


    <em>The Red Phoenix didn''t have to answer her question. The bitterness and anger that she saw in his eyes were enough to tell her that during those two lifetimes, the Supreme suffered and perhaps, her life ended tragically twice.</em>


    <em>"I won''t name my baby Soleil Rosenberg," she dered.</em>


    <em>The god obviously didn''t like her decision because he red at her. "You insolent child"</em>


    <em>"I don''t care about my baby''s past lives," she said firmly, then she put her hands on her stomach carefully. "Our baby is our baby she''s not your "foolish little sister" anymore. Her blood might say that she''s the Supreme Fire Mage, but I''d still like to think that she''s different from your precious Soleil Rosenberg." She gave the Red Phoenix an apologetic smile because the next things she was about to say would definitely sound insensitive. "I don''t want my daughter to be miserable like your sister, my lord. And I don''t want her to live the way the Supreme lived in the past. That would be unfair to my daughter. She is her own person and I don''t want her to be defined by the past that she might not even remember. Is it wrong for me to give my daughter the chance to live as if it''s her first life?"</em>


    <em>"To live as if it''s her first life" Lord Wixx whispered to himself. "I never considered that before but I like the way it sounds," he said while nodding. "Do what you want then."</em>


    <em>Marianne bowed to him. "Thank you, Lord Wixx."</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MATILDA," Marianne muttered to herself while hugging her favorite children''s book close to her chest. "Maverick, what do you think about naming our daughter ''Matilda?''"


    Every night, she would read the story ''<em>Matilda''s Temperament</em>'' to her baby.


    It was an old story about a little girl that would always get in trouble because of her nasty temper. Although the story was funny, it had an underlying message that she didn''t miss: it was okay for girls to be angry without being called "crazy" or "hysterical." In their society where women were expected to be always "calm" and "mature," the book was a breath of fresh air.


    She hoped that her daughter would get to live her life freely like Matilda in the story.


    Break all the rules that you deem unnecessary, my daughter.


    "I like it," Maverick, who sat beside her on the bed, said. "I like the main character of that book, too."


    She smiled and nodded in agreement. "Let''s call her ''Tilly'' as a pet name. I heard that children these days don''t like names that sound too old for them. ''Tilly'' sounds adorable, isn''t it?"


    "You can make anything sound adorable, Marianne," he said. "Your voice is always music to my ears."


    She giggled at that.


    But hearing those sweet words also made her sad.


    To be honest, she wanted to tell Maverick that she had already given up her own life to protect their daughter. But she couldn''t gather the courage to confess to her husband. That was why she was just trying to make the most of their remaining time together.


    <em>Maverick, please forgive me.</em>


    She prayed and hoped that unlike her, her daughter would grow up as a very honest person. That if one day their little Tilly gets married, she''d always have the courage to open up to her husband. For that to happen, she wished that their baby would find a decent man to marry.


    <em>Please don''t be a coward like me, my beautiful Tilly.</em>


    "Maverick, take care of our Tilly, okay?"


    Her husband gave her a confused look. "We will take care of our Tilly, Marianne."


    She smiled and nodded, then she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Of course."


    "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "You seem down."


    "I''m just tired."


    "Do you want me to make some milk for you?"


    She smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Maverick, I love you."


    As expected, her dear husband blushed. "What has gotten into you?"


    "Come on, say that you love me."


    "You already know that I do."


    "But I want to hear it again," sheined lightly. "The first andst time that you said you love me was when you proposed to me."


    Maverick wasn''t really vocal about his feelings.


    But she never doubted his love for her because as they say, "actions speak louder than words." Still, she wanted words of affirmation from time to time. Especially now that their time together was already limited.


    <em>Tilly, please don''t inherit this from your father I hope you be expressive to your future significant other like me instead.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when all of a sudden, her husband kissed her on the lips.


    Then, Maverickid down and hid under the thick nket. "Good night, my love."


    That was probably the closest thing to ''I love you that she would get from her shy husband.


    Marianneughed softly, then sheid beside Maverick and hugged her husband from behind. "I love you, Maverick," she said again. Much to her delight, Maverick turned around and hugged her. Then, he kissed her forehead. She smiled and closed her eyes. "I will love you and our little Tilly forever."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHY didn''t Mother want to show me thest moments of her life?" Tilly asked softly. Even without turning around, she could tell that Wong was standing quietly behind her. "Isn''t that the most crucial part?"


    Whenever she would visit her mother''s resting ce in Srium, some of the memories of her mommy''s life would y in her mind.


    Sris told her that it was her mother''s gift for her.


    "You already know what happened then," Wong said. "When House Denver decided toe forward to openly support your mother, Lady Marianne Prescott discovered that the evil princess ns to betray them in the end. And so, before her final moments, she told Morgan Denver to not reveal their identities. Then, the marquis erased your father''s memories to protect him."


    "I already heard that from my father," she said, then she turned to the Keeper. "But before that, what happened when my mother gave birth to me? I heard that Nia Moonchester has some pieces of my heart. Is that true?"


    He scoffed at that. "What the foolish princess thinks she has are only pieces of the "shell" of your heart. Breaking them can only give you a little chest pain," he said, then he exined further. "When a Sun Priestess gives birth to a powerful Fire Mage, she bes weak because her Mana automatically bes the protective shell of her child''s heart. The shell that I''m talking about is the gem-like protection around your heart that also seals your Mana. That''s why in the past, people think that your Mana is very weak."


    "My mother did a lot of things for me," she said with a sad smile. "I heard that it was you who took my mother''s soul and brought it here in Srium, Wong."


    He nodded before telling her the story. Well, she already heard the full story but she wanted to hear it again now that her memories as Tilly Prescott-Nystrom had returned. "When the evil princess ripped out Lady Marianne Prescott''s heart, the spell that Lord Wixx cast on her soul activated. I woke up, and I was immediately sent by that spell to where your mother was. Thanks to her sacrifice, the other Keepers were able to wake up too." He paused for a moment before he continued. "Supreme, Lady Marianne Prescott left a piece of her soul to me. You can talk to her soul for a few moments. If you wish, I''ll bring it to you."


    She smiled and shook her head. "I can''t face my mother yet," she said. "I will not talk to her soul until I bury my father''s remains next to hers."


    Wong just nodded as a response.


    Tilly then turned around to face her mother''s portrait again. "Mother, it''s time for me to go," she said softly. "The next time Ie here, I will bring my husband and my son with me." She fondly touched the frame of the portrait. "Goodbye for now, Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WONG, do you know that this isn''t actually my first time living as Tilly Prescott-Nystrom?" Tilly asked the Keeper while they were in the carriage. After visiting her mother''s resting ce in Srium, she decided to go home. After all, she had a job for her little cinnamon roll. "I was reborn into this lifetime."


    Wong nodded before he answered. "Lady Luna told us about it before."


    "In my first life as Tilly Prescott, I didn''t meet my brother," she said. "And because of that, I didn''t get to meet you in that timeline."


    He nodded as confirmation. "It''s a shame that even though Lady Marianne Prescott was a Sun Priestess, she didn''t have anyone to tell her how important her existence was to the Fire Mages. If only she was guided ordingly, you would have met us earlier both in your past and current lifetime."


    "It doesn''t matter to me, to be honest," she said bluntly. "Like I told you before, I''d like to separate myself from Soleil Rosenberg."


    The Keeper didn''t say anything but protest was evident in his eyes.


    "I won''t end up like Soleil Rosenberg," she said firmly. "I''m Tilly Prescott-Nystrom the most selfish person you''ll ever meet. Unlike Soleil Rosenberg, I won''t choose between love and duty." She raised her hands. "I have two hands to hold both."


    "I can see that you''re really different from Lady Rosenberg."


    "No offense to my past self but she was really passive. I can''t believe I was that submissive in my past life," she said while shaking her head. But in Soleil Rosenberg''s defense, it must be because of how the society treated women in the past. She was lucky that she got to experience living in a modern world. Thanks to that experience, she was able to improve her mindset. And she preferred her current personality. "Anyway, my point is you failed to save me in the past. I know that you weren''t able to do anything back then because I failed to meet my brother. But still, don''t you think you need to make it up to me? Plus, let''s not forget that you almost hurt my son." She clutched her chest in an exaggerated manner. "I was really hurt, Wong."


    Wong obviously didn''t like where the topic was heading to. "Get to the point, Supreme."


    "Convince Sris and the rest of the Keepers to send you to rescue my brother instead of me," Tilly said with a "business smile." "I want you to leave with your team as soon as possible, Wong."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY cleared her throat after she knocked on Winter''s room.


    He told her toe in a very "pouty" voice, if there was such a thing. When she entered his room, she found her son sulking in the bed.


    "You''re upset, aren''t you?" Tilly asked, then she sat beside her little cinnamon roll. "Did I hurt you, Winter?"


    Winter nodded with a pout. "Mommy, I feel like I''ve been punished wrongly. It wasn''t my fault that Solenn was eavesdropping. And what''s wrong with telling you that daddy might be getting married soon? You deserve to know that."


    "I know, right?"


    "Hmm?"


    She smiled while patting her son''s head. "I had to be illogically mad at you in front of the Keepers to put up a show."


    His eyes widened in shock. "Mommy, are you nning something?"


    "Of course," she said. "I''m strict, you know that. But this time, I''m pretty aware that you did nothing wrong."


    "Then, why did you scold me, Mommy?"


    "Because you need a "reason" to run away, Winter."


    He still looked confused.


    "My cute little cinnamon roll, I want you to "run away" from home," Tilly said with a bright smile. "And after you run away, you know where to go, right?"


    Winter finally got what she was trying to say. He smiled and nodded. "I''m going to "run away" and go to Daddy," he said cheerfully, then heughed as if he was relieved that she didn''t scold him just because she thought he did something wrong. When he finally realized her n, her baby''s "sly smile" mirrored hers. "Bye-bye, Mommy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 196: The Great Escape

    Chapter 196: The Great Escape


    "SUPREME, I am here to apologize for dragging Lord Winter into the mess I started," Solenn, who sat on the sofa from across her, said with her head hanged low. "Please forgive me. I''ll be careful from now on."


    Tilly was happy that Solenn came to her house to apologize.


    She was also d that the Keeper who escorted the little princess was Jameson. Out of all the Keepers, Jameson was the most gullible.


    <em>Er, I mean, easily convinced.</em>


    Anyway


    Right now, they were in the tea room of her house. On the other hand, Winter was in his room while discreetly packing his things. She just hoped that Isabelle wouldn''t get her son busted. After all, the young maid had the eyes of a hawk when ites to Winter''s business.


    <em>Thank goodness Luna isn''t home yet.</em>


    "Raise your head, Solenn," Tilly said. When the little princess met her gaze, she smiled at him. "Princess, do you still want to leave Srium and go to the Royal Capital?"


    The little princess looked surprised by her question.


    Even Jameson suddenly looked anxious. "Supreme, what kind of question is that?"


    She had noticed this a while ago but it really amazed her how Jameson could change the way he spoke when he was talking to her.


    <em>He doesn''t curse when he''s talking to me.</em>


    "Jameson Crawford, I have a job for you," she said seriously while looking at the Keeper. "This job will require you to disobey Sris and the trust of your fellow Keepers. But I assure you that this isn''t for naught. I decided to proceed with this because this is the only way to show Sris and the Keepers that we don''t have time to waste deciding whether I''m right or not."


    She didn''t want to by-pass or disrespect Sris in any way. But she knew that if she waited for his decision, it would be toote. She had been more than prepared to return to the Royal Capital, so she wanted to strike while the iron was hot.


    <em>I believe that you don''t wait for the perfect timing you create it.</em>


    "You''re free to decline the job that I''ll offer," she continued while looking at Jameson straight in the eye. "You''re also free to snitch. I won''t get mad at you."


    Jameson gulped hard before he asked: "May I know the job description, Supreme?"


    "I want you to bring Winter and Solenn safely to the Royal Capital," she said firmly that made Solenn and Jameson gasp in surprise. After talking to the Keeper, she turned to the little princess. "But only if you still want to go to the Royal Capital even if it means disobeying your father, Solenn."


    "I''ll go, Supreme," Solenn said excitedly. "I want to show my father that he can''t lock me up here in Srium forever."


    She smiled and nodded. "But that''s not the only reason why I want you to go to the Royal Capital, Solenn. The truth is I have a job for you. I tried to convince Sris before that I need to bring you with me but he refused."


    She''d admit that she felt bad because she felt like she was betraying Sris.


    But Solenn wasn''t a child anymore. And that was why she wanted the princess to decide for herself.


    "I know that you''re physically a child, Solenn," she continued. "But your soul isn''t. So I thought you can decide for yourself now. That''s why I''m asking you now, Princess. Do you want to work with me despite the risks? Even if Sris ends up hating both of us?"


    Solenn suddenly got emotional. For a feisty kid to be that vulnerable in front of her was a little overwhelming. "Supreme, you''re the first person in my long life to ask for my permission as an adult," she said in a cracked voice. "My soul is tied in Srium so no matter how many times I die, I just get reborn as Solenn Rosenberg again and again. "Still, Father and everyone around me continue to treat me like a weak child."


    "It''s because you''re precious to your father, Solenn," she said gently. "To be honest, as a parent, I sympathize with Sris. I know that I''m wrong to send another parent''s child to a war. But right now, I''m talking to you as the Supreme. I decided to send you and Winter to the Royal Capital because I believe that the two of you will be a strong support to me."


    Of course, she wanted Winter to reunite with his father as soon as possible.


    But she wouldn''t risk their carefullyid n just for that selfish reason.


    She decided to send Winter and Solenn to the Royal Capital because as the future leaders of the Fire Mages, they needed to see what kind of enemies were they facing right now.


    "Kiho, my husband, used to tell me before that there are no children in a war," she continued. "While I believe that he is right, I also think that that kind of practice has to stop. I don''t want to create more "children warriors." That''s why we have to end this war now. I''m hoping that you and Winter will be thest children warriors of our kind."


    Technically, Solenn and Winter weren''t really children.


    But that didn''t mean they had good childhood. She didn''t want more children to be forced to be mature because of a war.


    <em>That''s why I can''t wait any longer, Sris.</em>


    "I understand, Supreme," Solenn said with a bow. "I will follow your order."


    "Thank you, Princess," she said, then she turned to Jameson. "What''s your decision, Jameson Crawford? Are you going to take the job or not?"


    "The Keepers don''t have the ability to refuse you, Supreme. And I personally agree with your n. I''ve seen how much you worked hard for the past five years so I know that you''re more than prepared to face the Moonchesters now," Jameson said, then he took a deep breath. "When and how shall we escape, Supreme?"


    "You''ll use Mount S, the ship," Tilly said with a bright smile. "And you''ll be leaving the ind tonight."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA let out a deep sigh.


    After a few hours of talking to Sris about her rtionship with Wixx, only now she could finally breathe normally again.


    <em>Wow.</em>


    Since she needed time to calm down, she decided to stay in the tea room even after Sris left for work.


    Although she was alone now, her mind kepting back to their conversation


    <em>"You were supposed to marry Lord Wixx but in the end, he decided to call off your wedding for your protection," Sris told her a while ago. "When the war between the Children of the Sun and the Children of the Moon began, he thought that marrying a Moon Priestess like you wouldn''t do you any good. To be honest, Lord Wixx asked our n to protect you. But we failed to do so. While we''re d that you were reborn again, we are too ashamed to face you."</em>


    <em>"You didn''t have to be ashamed, Lord Sris," Luna said. "I mean, you''re the real family of Lord Wixx. It''s not your obligation to protect your ancestor''s lover.</em>


    <em>"Before Lord Wixx ascended the heaven as the Red Phoenix, he was forced to leave an heir just like the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger," the Fire Archmage exined. "The Rosenbergs chose a Sun Priestess for our lord because only Sun Priestesses can give birth to powerful Fire Mages. Lady Cyra Amelia was chosen to be the mother of Fire Mages. But she wasn''t married to Lord Wixx. They just conceived a child for the Rosenbergs'' n to continue."</em>


    <em>She already knew about that since that was the only way for the Beast Gods to have descendants.</em>


    <em>But now that she knew she was involved with the Red Phoenix, she didn''t know what to feel.</em>


    <em>"You met Lord Wixx when he descended back to earth after Lady Soleil Rosenberg was crowned as the Supreme Fire Mage," Sris continued. "I don''t know what exactly happened but before the war began, I heard that Lord Wixx almost gave up his divinity for you. After all, once a god decides to marry a human, he will lose his divine power."</em>


    Luna didn''t need to remember her past life to know why Lord Wixx decided to call off their wedding. She was pretty certain it wasn''t just to protect her. If that happened before the war that was led by Lady Soleil Rosenberg and Lord Kalel Nystrom, she could tell why the Red Phoenix chose not to marry her.


    If he lost his divine power, he wouldn''t have been able to protect Lady Rosenberg then.


    But she wasn''t mad. She knew that it was hard for Lord Wixx, too. And as a god, he had people to protect.


    She genuinely understood that.


    "Good job, Luna," she whispered to herself. "Thank you for not hating Lord Wixx and Lady Rosenberg back then."


    Her thoughts were cut-off when the ground suddenly shook hard.


    She immediately stood up and ran to the balcony to see what was happening. Much to her shock, she saw the ring light of Mount S the flying ship. She could see it from that distance because the ship was too big and it was kept on top of the tallest mountain in the ind.


    <em>But I''m pretty sure no one is scheduled to use Mount S tonight.</em>


    Luna gasped when she felt that the me used to fuel the giant flying ship seemed to being from Solenn. And if her hunch was right, the princess might be with Winter. "Lord Winter is running away!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER wouldn''t say this aloud but he was amazed when Solenn used her me to fuel Mount S.


    The reason why only the Keepers could use the flying ship was because of the required amount of Mana needed to fly it. Ordinary Fire Mages wouldn''t be able to make it float. The fact that Solenn managed to make Mount S fly effortlessly was a statement of how pure and how powerful her Mana was.


    Even Jameson Crawford looked surprised.


    "Lady Solenn, that''s f*cking epic," Jameson said with a grin. "I don''t even f*cking need to add my fire to make sure that our flight will be f*cking stable. Yours is f*cking enough already."


    Solenn just smirked arrogantly, then she turned to him. "Aren''t you d that the Supreme asked me to apany you, Winter?"


    Winter just rolled his eyes at her. "If you annoy me, I''ll kick you out of this ship," he warned her. But his voice didn''t sound threatening because he was in a good mood. Instead of letting Solenn ruin his mood, he just walked away from her and looked at the dark sky from the ss window. <em>Dad, I''ming to save you from that wench.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AH, THEY escaped," Tilly said in a monotonous voice while looking up at the dark sky where Mount S already disappeared. She went to the ship''s dock on the top of Mount Lumina to "chase after" the children with Wong, Sris, and several guards. "We''rete."


    Wong red at her.


    She just smirked at him.


    "Lady Rosenberg, you let the children escape, didn''t you?" Sris asked strictly. "Jameson Crawford won''t apany Solenn and Lord Winter without your direct order."


    "It''s not important right now," she said vaguely,pletely avoiding the subject. "Now that Mount S is gone, there are only two flying ships that we can use. Unfortunately, both ships are only two-seaters. That means we can''t send a big party to save my brother."


    And the Keepers couldn''t leave the ind all at once. At least two must remain to keep it literally afloat. After all, the Keepers'' me was the reason why Srium was floating.


    Anyway


    She turned to Wong. "Am I wrong, Wong?"


    <em>Now, do your job.</em>


    Wong let out a frustrated sigh before he turned to Sris. "Lord Sris, I think it will be wiser if you send me to save Lord Wixx instead of the Supreme."


    <em>Good boy.</em>


    "The Supreme needs to follow Lord Winter and Lady Solenn as soon as possible. While saving Lord Wixx is important, I believe that protecting the future leaders of our n should be prioritized as well," Wong continued in a robotic tone. Well, it was probably because she prepared that "script" for him. "I''m enough to rescue the Red Phoenix. But to put you at ease, I can bring Kelsi with me. After all, she''s a good healer and a master of making portals. Roarke and the twin shall stay in the ind for your protection."


    Gosh, that sounded so convincing even though she was the one who wrote that "script."


    <em>I''m such a genius.</em>


    "It looks like I can''t say ''no'' at this point," Sris said while shaking his head. Then, he turned to her. "May I speak with you in private, Lady Rosenberg."


    "''Lady Nystrom,''" Tilly corrected the Fire Archmage with a smile. "I''d like to be addressed as ''Lady Tilly Nystrom'' from now on, Sris."


    <em>Goodbye, Soleil Rosenberg.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE AUDACITY of that fanboy to order us around."


    Mikhail Denverughed at little Flint''sint.


    <em>Ah, he''s not so little anymore.</em>


    Flint was already fifteen years old now. Yes, he was still young. Butpared to what he looked like five years ago, one could say that he was really a grown-up now.


    "Under Lady Nystrom''s order, we are required to work with Duke Sherwood," Mikhail Denver reminded the child. "And it''s not like we''re saving his ass. We''re here to save the loyal servants of House Nystrom."


    The first few years of living in the North with the Golden Tiger, the saint, and the ck Serpent Knights were hard.


    But thanks to the instructions left by Lady Nystrom to each one of them, they were able to get back on their feet eventually. When his group finally settled in a safe ce in the North, theyter created amunication link with Duke Sherwood.


    He didn''t want to trust the duke at first. But he remembered that he made a vow with Lady Nystrom. And so far, Duke Sherwood had never disappointed them.


    A few days ago, he received a message from the duke. ording to that letter, it seemed like His Majesty was already doubting whether Duke Kiho Nystrom had retrieved his memories or not. To act as Duke Nystrom''s backup in case he was busted, Duke Sherwood asked them to secretly return to the Royal Capital.


    And he was d that he followed his order.


    A while ago, he received another message from Duke Sherwood. This time, the duke said that the head maid and head butler of House Nystrom were arrested. Fortunately, Duke Sherwood''s spies managed to locate where the loyal servants were brought to.


    So now, he and Flint was in the back of a carriage on the way to an infamous forest.


    "Miss Louisa and Mr. David took good care of me and Julian during our short stay in House Nystrom before," Flint said in a soft voice. "I really want to save them. I''m just pissed that Duke Sherwood seems to be bossing us around."


    Heughed at the child''s sentiment. "Don''t think about the duke," he said. "Just remember that we''re not only here to follow his orders."


    The child''s eyes sparkled after hearing that. "You''re right, Brother Mikhail," he said while nodding his head. "We''re here to save Brother Rival and my brother Julian."


    Thanks to Duke Sherwood''s information, they found out that His Majesty used Julian as a recement for Winter. To be honest, they still didn''t know if that was the reason why Julian was abducted five years ago. But they didn''t care about their reason anymore.


    <em>We will take back everything that was taken away from us five years ago.</em>


    He also couldn''t wait to be reunited with Lady Nystrom and Miss Luna. After all, he had a lot of things that he needed to report to the duchess.


    Starting with his father and Lord Prescott''s death, of course.


    "I''m thankful that you brought me with you, Brother Mikhail," Flint said seriously. "I can''t wait to "pay" Lord Huxley back for what he did to me five years ago."


    "I''m also d that I decided to bring you instead of thezy saint, too," he said with a smirk. "Who would have thought that the one the emperor asked to take care of Louisa and David is Lord Eugene Huxley?"


    "Brother Mikhail, please let me deal with the count alone," Flint said seriously. "I''m confident that I can take him on this time."


    If Flint asked him that five years ago, he would have rejected his request.


    But the child worked hard for the past years. Well, actually, all of them (except thezy saint) worked really hard under the Golden Tiger''s harsh training. It was hellish but the result of their training under a Beast God was worth it.


    <em>I can''t wait to show you how much we got stronger, Supreme.</em>


    "Alright," Mikhail Denver said. "Lord Huxley is all yours, Flint."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 197: Ignition

    Chapter 197: Ignition


    "LADY NYSTROM, you nned all of this, didn''t you?"


    "We''ve done nothing but talk for the past five years," Tilly said firmly. "I thought it was the time to finally make a move."


    Right now, she and Sris were in the prayer room of her brother Wixx.


    They stood opposite each other while a cauldron with a giant red me stood between them.


    "Sris, I''d like to apologize for by-passing your authority as the Fire Archmage," she said, then she bowed to him. "I will take responsibility for everything."


    "Supreme, please don''t bow to me."


    When she raised her head to look at him, she didn''t see an ounce of anger or bitterness on his face. "Aren''t you going to scold me?"


    "I wanted to scold you at first," he admitted. "But on our way here, I remembered how hard you trained and prepared for the past five years. Even with your memories erased, you still believed in us and followed every single thing that we told you to do. And you never disappointed us." He smiled as if he was reminiscing the fond memories that they had for the past five years. Then, suddenly, his smile turned sad. "But now that I''m looking back, I think we got along well because you were tamed."


    "In short, you''re used to have me under your control," she said yfully. "And now that my memories are back, you don''t know how to handle me anymore."


    His face turned red in embarrassment. But he nodded to admit that she was right. "I was born here in Srium and I''ve been protecting the ind and the n since then. I don''t know the life outside and to be honest, I''m not enthusiastic to know. I believe that we''re already safe here. That''s why if I could, I would have locked you up here with us forever."


    "Just like how you locked up Solenn here?" she asked carefully.


    "Yes, Lady Nystrom," he admitted. "I don''t want you to get involved with the Moonchesters again."


    "But we''ve prepared so much for the past five years, Sris," she reminded him. "Do you doubt our n?"


    "No," he said. "But I don''t trust your heart, Supreme. You''ve always been weak against the ck Serpent."


    Ouch.


    But she couldn''tin because ording to the story that she heard about Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom, everything that Sris said was true.


    She already resolved that though.


    "I am not Soleil Rosenberg so please trust me, Sris," she said seriously. "And we''ve already established the fact that Kalel Nystrom could be controlled by another stronger being at any time."


    Based on the video that they found attached to her in the past, they saw and heard her say that someone else was controlling the ck Serpent when he attacked her.


    That also made her think that the ck Serpent that the entire Fire Mage n hated wasn''t really Kalel Nystrom. She still didn''t know who might have taken over Kiho''s body that night. But that was the reason why she wanted to return to the Royal Capital as soon as possible.


    "That what makes him more dangerous, Supreme," Sris instead. "What if it''s another god, Supreme?"


    "You don''t have to fear the gods, Sris," she told him. "For once, the Sky God is useless."


    He looked like he almost choked by her sphemy.


    "Trust me, Sris," Tilly said firmly. "But even if you don''t, I will still escape and follow Winter and Solenn to the Royal Capital."


    Sris let out a frustrated sigh while shaking his head. "Do what you want, Lady Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    FLINT licked his lips when he saw Count Huxley go out of the cabin in the middle of the thick and dangerous forest they were in.


    Right now, he was standing on a branch of a huge tree just beside the cabin. Brother Mikhail, on the other hand, was currently infiltrating the cabin to save Louisa and David. They were pretty sure that the two were being tortured for information.


    <em>I will never forgive you, Count Huxley.</em>


    He quietly pulled out his treasured slingshot from his bag. Then, using his ming marbles, he attacked the five knights that surrounded the count. As soon as the marbles touched the knights, they were instantly burned alive.


    As expected, Count Huxley became alerted right away.


    "Come out!" Count Huxley snarled. "Don''t be a coward!"


    Flint epted the challenge. He jumped from the tree and faced the count. It didn''t seem like he remembered him though. "You''re hurting my feelings, Lord Huxley," he said sarcastically. "Do you not remember me?"


    The count just smirked at him.


    Then, all of a sudden, just like what he did five years ago, he moved so fast that he almost didn''t catch his movement.


    When the count stood in front of him, his hand was already deep inside his stomach.


    <em>The way he fights still hasn''t changed.</em>


    "I''m sorry but I don''t remember every kill that I make," Count Huxley said while he was twisting his organs with his hand. "Are you that special for me to remember?"


    He wanted tough at him.


    When he was a child, that attack of his almost killed him. But after the training that he went through under the Golden Tiger''s strict supervision, Count Huxley''s ability only seemed like a child''s y now.


    The Golden Tiger always threatened us that he''d eat our flesh if we fail.


    Flint just smirked at the memory. Then, he made his whole body burn. The count looked shocked and he even tried to jump away from him. But he grabbed him by the wrist and made his me hotter making the count scream in agony. "Shall I remind you who I am, Eugene Huxley?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO, HOUSE Nystrom is now officially the richest household in the whole empire."


    "Ah," Kiho said, uninterested in what Emperor Aku just said.


    Right now, he was in the emperor''s office to ask for permission to leave the Royal Capital for a weekend trip.


    He was going to the port town called Atlenta with Amilo, the most famous jewelry maker in the empire right now. They were going to his pearl farm to harvest cultured pearls. They were going to use those to make fancy and less expensive pared to pure pearls) pieces of pear jewelry.


    This time, his jewelry shop''s target market was the new money nobles who couldn''t really afford pure pearls without breaking the bank.


    "When thew that allows the instation of surveince cameras in one''s household was approved, the spy cameras that you invented became a huge hit," Emperor Aku said, impressed. "And now, you''re providing collections of jewelry for the nouveau riche who can''t afford what the higher nobles pay for their jewelry. You''re now a certified business tycoon."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty," he said simply.


    To be honest, he felt ufortable being praised for something that wasn''t his idea.


    He just followed the instructions that his wife left for him. The businesses that she nned before leaving the Royal Capital were already on its final stage. All he had to do was follow her ns that she carefully put in a thick logbook.


    <em>The true business tycoon is my wife.</em>


    Even the idea of keeping thousands of pearl-producing oysters came from the duchess.


    "Am I boring you?" the emperor asked with augh. "You barely talked recently."


    That was because he was pissed at everything and everyone.


    Duke Sherwood promised him that he would bring Louisa and David back to him. But until now, he hadn''t heard from the duke yet.


    "Are you still upset because of my "unnecessary" meddling to your business?" the emperor asked. "What''s so bad about having an audition to find the perfect "advertising model" for you new collection of jewelry?"


    Argh, there was that, too.


    One of Tilly''s idea was to get "advertising models" for their most expensive jewelry collection. But he couldn''t find the right model for it.


    <em>Everydy looks averagepared to my wife.</em>


    "I will not cancel it even if you re at me," the emperor said. "The royal family will sponsor the event so don''t worry about it too much, Kiho. All you have to do is attend the audition as a judge. But of course, I''ll be the main judge of the event."


    "Okay," he said. He just wanted to leave the Royal Capital and take a quick break away from the emperor. "Can I leave now, Your Majesty?"


    "Sure," Emperor Aku said. "Come back as soon as possible, okay?"


    Kiho nodded, relieved that he was finally dismissed. "I will return as soon as I''m done with my work, Your Majesty."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER smiled while standing on the deck of the ship going to Atlenta Town.


    ording to Jameson''s "navigation skills," his father was on his way to that port town. And so, they travelled there after theynded on the Red Dessert. He didn''t know that leaving the ind to find his father would be that easy.


    But of course, facing his dad would be the hard part.


    <em>Daddy, I wonder if you will recognize me even if your memories were erased. I hope you do</em>, Winter wondered to himself while holding the pendant of his ne. It was a small ice crab mallet that his father gave him when he was still a baby. <em>I can''t wait to see you again.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 198: The Town Where Everything Began

    Chapter 198: The Town Where Everything Began


    "TILLY, I heard that Winter ran away!"


    Tilly stopped folding her clothes when Luna entered her room. "Oh, you''rete," she told the witch. "Winter, Solenn, and Jameson are probably about tond on Red Dessert by now."


    Luna gave her a scrutinizing look. "You nned this with Winter, didn''t you?"


    She let out an exaggerated sigh. "What should I do, Luna? My son has run away and he even brought the princess with him. They''re being apanied by Jameson, but we all know that he''s the most childish Keeper of all so we can''t really trust him with the children. As Winter''s mother, I should take responsibility and follow them, right?"


    The witch let out a frustrated sigh while shaking her head. "Please say that you''ve already talked to Sris about this," she pleaded. "You know that I will always take your side. But I''ll feel bad if you disrespect the Fire Archmage''s position as the leader. I mean, I know that you outrank him since you''re the Supreme. Still, he took care of your n when you disappeared."


    "I know that," she said. "That''s why I want to repay Sris and everyone who protected the Fire Mages by iming our rightful ce which is the empire. While Srium is a safe and peaceful ind for our n, I still think that it''s too small for us. We deserve to live freely."


    "Is that what they want?"


    "They wouldn''t have waited for me all this time if they were already contented in the life that they have now," she said with a sad smile. "And after living here in Srium for five years, I''ve seen the eagerness of most Fire Mages to see the world outside the ind. Most of all, they want to clear our name and make the Moonchesters pay for everything that they did to us."


    Luna fell silent for a while before she nodded. "You''re right, Tilly," she said. "It''s not right for your n to live in hiding when you''ve just been falsely used by the Moonchesters."


    "I know, right?"


    "So, are we finally returning to the Royal Capital?"


    "Uh-huh," she said. "And I want to return with a bang."


    Luna suddenly looked nervous by her statement. "What do you have in mind, Tilly?"


    "Nothing much," Tilly lied with a big smile. "I''m just thinking of a grand entrance that will give Aku Moonchester a heart attack."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WE HAVE a good harvest this year, Your Grace," Amilo said proudly while looking at the pearls inside the biggest oyster that they just farmed a while ago. "We even managed to produce ck pearls this time."


    "It''s all thanks to my wife," Kiho said while removing a ck pearl from the oyster using a knife. "She taught us how to create a pearl farm from the water level that we have to use to the irritant that we need to insert inside the oysters."


    Amilo, the jewel maker, was one of the few people his wife told him that he could trust.


    The two of them could talk freely like that because right now, they were alone in the ship that he bought when he started the pearl farm.


    He hated staying in the inns becausedies who recognized him would always approach him despite knowing that he was already married. He also didn''t like being around too many people because most often than not, a few of them would turn out to be Emperor Aku''s spies.


    And so, he preferred staying in the ship whenever he was at Atlenta.


    <em>It''s also a good time to fish fresh seafood.</em>


    Amilo nodded in agreement. "The duchess is amazing foring up with this kind of business. Not only are cultured pearls actually real pearls, but they are also abundant. Since we can produce plenty of them, we can make them affordable than natural pearls."


    "Uh-huh, my wife is really amazing," he said proudly.


    "The problem lies in marketing," Amilo said. "The higher nobles are looking down on cultured pearls. They even call our pearls "fake.""


    "Don''t mind them. They''re not our target market this time," he said. "My wife said in her notes that we should sell the cultured pearls to the nouveau riche instead of the vieux riche." He looked up at the jewel maker. "She also told us to create fashionable nes that will show-off a woman''s neck. Before she disappeared, she''s been nning to change the current fashion style of thedies in the empire."


    "Are you going to enter the fashion industry this time, my lord?"


    He nodded. "My wife loved the light dresses from Pis Inds."


    His wife told him to check out the clothes in her wardrobe and contact the designer for a possible coboration. It took him a while to do because he waited for their pearl farm to be a sess first. And it wasn''t like the cultured pearls were created overnight. They were nurtured for almost four years.


    But he didn''t stop working while waiting for the cultured pearls to be made.


    Like the emperor mentioned before, their surveince camera business had been a huge sess over the years. He worked with Amilo to develop and upgrade the cameras that they produced using the spirit stones found in Mount Sce the mountain owned by the Prescotts.


    Legally, his wife still owned every property under her name. But since she was dered "missing," all the rights to use her properties were transferred to him.


    <em>My wife really prepared everything as if she already predicted our separation.</em>


    He was even able to enter the food industry through his wife''s help.


    The duchess also owned a piece ofnd across the famouske in the Royal Capital. When he read the book full of her well-thought n, he found a note that said that she wanted to build a caf that sells cold drinks. It seemed like his wife didn''t have the time to finish that n.


    And so, he took it upon himself to research and study until he was able to build the caf that his wife wanted.


    <em>I hope I make her feel proud of me someday.</em>


    "Your Grace?" Amilo called him worriedly when he suddenly fell silent.


    "I''ve already reached out to Miss Charlotte Hamilton the ind''s top dress maker," Kiho continued to not make Amilo worry. "We''ll be coborating soon. I''m thinking ofunching our new jewelry line featuring the cultured pearls with Miss Hamilton''s new collection of summer clothes."


    Amilo nodded in agreement. "`Sounds like a good n to me, Your Grace."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I FOUND the f*cking ck Serpent."


    Winter was relieved to hear that. "Really?"


    Jameson''s eyes stopped glowing. Then, he turned to him and nodded. "My eyes are f*cking correct. The f*cking ck Serpent is indeed in the sea of Anta."


    One of Jameson''s abilities was his "navigator eyes."


    Apparently, he could see the unique "warmth" of each individual that he had personally seen, touched, and talked to from miles away. Well, it was more like he could "feel" them. But once the individual was within his vision''s radar, then he could clearly see them by then.


    <em>And that''s exactly what happened.</em>


    After theynded on the Red Dessert, they discreetly travelled to the Royal Capital and got as close to the mansion of House Nystrom as possible. Then, from then, Jameson followed the traces of warmth that his father left.


    That was how they ended up at the port town called Atlenta.


    Jameson rented a small ship and now, they were in the middle of sea while surrounded by other ships and fisher boats.


    "Where?" Winter asked curiously. "Which among the ships and boats around us have my father?"


    "The one furthest from us," Jameson said. "How do you f*cking n to meet the ck Serpent, Lord Winter?"


    "My mommy taught me to always stand out and make a grand entrance," he said. "She told me a story about a superhero found in a frozen aircraft on the ocean floor. I want to reenact that and instead of an aircraft, I will freeze myself inside a fishing boat."


    The Keeper looked surprised by that.


    "That''s so unnecessary," Solennined. "Why don''t you just approach your father the normal way?"


    "Didn''t you hear what I said?" he snapped at the little brat princess. "My mommy taught me to never undermine myself. She calls it "being extra.""


    The little brat princess just rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever," she said. "Anyway, once we''re sure that the ck Serpent won''t hurt you, we will leave right away. The Supreme gave me a mission and I don''t want to disappoint her."


    "Okay," he said. "But where are you going?"


    "To the North," Solenn said. "The Supreme asked me to meet and guide her allies that are currently hiding in the North. Also, she gave me the important task of retrieving her father''s remains and bringing it back to the Royal Capital."


    "Are you fine with it?" he asked the little brat princess. "I thought you wanted to explore the Royal Capital."


    She nodded. "Once the Supreme proves our innocence, then we''d have the right to live in the empire again. And when that happens, I can have all the time in the world to explore the Royal Capital. But for now, my duty as the Fire Archmage''s daughteres first."


    He didn''t want to say it aloud but that was kind of admirable.


    <em>Her title as the "princess" isn''t for show.</em>


    "Lord Winter, are you f*cking ready?" Jameson asked him. "I''ll prepare the f*cking fishing boat that you can f*cking use. If you think you''re in f*cking danger, send us a f*cking re from your fire Mana and we''lle and f*cking save you. But if you think you''re f*cking safe with the ck Serpent, use your f*cking ice to assure us that we can f*cking leave without you."


    <em>That''s a lot of "f*ck."</em>


    "I understand," Winter said, then he grabbed the ice crab mallet pendant in his ne. "But I''m sure that my father will recognize me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was "fishing" in the deck alone.


    Amilo already locked himself up in his "work room" in the ship. Apparently, the cultured ck pearls that they had harvested had inspired him to make new designs for their next line of jewelry. He let the man retire for the night instead of asking him to join him in fishing.


    <em>Artists like him work best when they are uninterrupted during their momentum.</em>


    Anyway, he was practically alone in the sea as well.


    The other ships and fishing boats around him a while ago already went back to the dock. He nned to return as well but he wanted to catch some King Crabs and lobsters first.


    He raised his right hand tomand the water to move ording to his will. That was his way of catching seafood. But much to his surprise, the thing that he caught was far too heavy to be crabs or lobsters. He had to use both of his hands to bring "it" up.


    Lo and behold, he "fished" a frozen boat.


    He carefullyid the boat on the deck.


    <em>What is it?</em>


    He didn''t know why but his heart suddenly thumped against his chest as if he was excited for some reason.


    When he kneeled down beside the boat to check if something or someone was frozen inside, his eyes widened in shock when he saw a frozen little boy lying on the boat. He immediately touched the ice covering the boat to absorb it until it disappeared.


    Then, he carefully carried the child in his arms. He got worried when he felt how cold his little body was so he immediately went inside the ship. To warm the kid, he went straight to the kitchen and lit up the hearth that they used for cooking.


    He sat close to it while rocking the little boy in his arms.


    <em>Please be okay</em>


    After a few moments, the little boy slowly opened his eyes.


    And he got shocked by what he saw.


    <em>We have the same golden eyes</em>


    "Dad," the little boy said in a cracked voice. Then, he smiled at him as his little hand touched his face. "Do you recognize me?"


    <em>Did he just call me "dad?"</em>


    If it was another child, he would have probably thought that he was hallucinating or something.


    <em>But this boy is different.</em>


    Not only did this little boy have his eyes. He also looked like his mini version. And he wanted to believe that the warmth in his chest was his heart''s way of telling him that yes, this child was really his.


    The cherry on top was the ne that the boy wore. It had an ice crab mallet pendant. He could feel that the ice used to create the pendant came from his ice Mana.


    This boy was really his and every fibre of his being can tell.


    "Winter," Kiho whispered, a smile forming on his lips. "You''re our little rascal."


    He didn''t know where it came from, honestly. But maybe the words "little rascal" was embedded in the deepest part of his memories. It might have been so special to him that it wasn''t entirely deleted from his mind.


    "Yes, Dad," Winter said in a cracked voice. Then, he hugged him tight. "I missed you!"


    Kiho hugged his son tight. Even though both their bodies were both cold, he still felt warm in his chest. He was happy to be reunited with his child. But of course, he had to ask: "Winter, where is your mommy?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 199: Nightmare Dressed in Red

    Chapter 199: Nightmare Dressed in Red


    JAMESON was relieved when an ice ball (with a smiley face) appeared before him and Lady Solenn. "Lord Winter is f*cking safe. The f*cking ck Serpent recognized him," he said, then he turned to the little princess. "What should we f*cking do now, Lady Solenn?"


    "We must head to the North right away," Solenn said. "Lady Nystrom is going to descend down anytime so I want to gather all her allies as soon as possible."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''M NOT going to say goodbye to the Fire Mages," Tilly dered while tying the ribbon of her cloak around her waist. She wore a in red cloak over a very viiness-ish type of dress. She had prepared that much to meet her nemesis. In short, she was dressed to kill literally. "That''s why I''m sneaking out tonight."


    Right now, she stood in the center of a circr tform that would literally drop her offter while being surrounded by Sris, Luna, and the remaining Keepers.


    That tform was in the prayer room dedicated to the Supreme Fire Mage. Yep, she had her own prayer room. But she rarely visited it because it made her feel ufortable. After all, she was still alive and she wasn''t that arrogant to think that she was a god.


    <em>I''m not as delusional as Aku Moonchester.</em>


    "Our people will be sad if they find out that you leave when they were sleeping, Supreme," Sris said with a sad smile. "But I understand why you''re doing this."


    "Please be safe, Supreme," Kelsi said with sparkling eyes (because of tears). "I will take care of Wong while we''re on our way to rescue Lord Wixx."


    Wong red at Kelsi. "Who''s taking care of whom?"


    "Supreme, pleasee back safely," Maddox and Braxton both said in a cracked voice. "We will protect Srium until you return."


    "Lady Luna and I will follow you soon," Roarke said. He and Luna would be using the two-seater ship to descend down. Luckily, she didn''t need that. "Please take care until then."


    "Tilly, please, please, please don''t do anything reckless," Luna begged her. "Just stick to the n, okay? Remember that we nned everything for the past five years very carefully. You don''t want to ruin that, do you?"


    "Of course, I won''t mess this up for us," she assured the witch. "Leave it to me, everyone."


    They nodded at her words.


    Even though she was a little troublemaker sometimes, she could feel the faith of everyone on her. For that reason, she knew she couldn''t fail this mission.


    "I''m ready now," Tilly dered seriously. When she moved her shoulders, her ming red wings appeared on her back. This time, her wings were bigger, stronger, and "hotter" than ever. "Everyone, let''s rock Aku Moonchester''s world."


    Literally, of course.


    Sris, Wong, Kelsi, Maddox, Braxton, and Roarke all raised their hands with their palms facing her.


    On the other hand, Luna stepped backwards.


    And the witch did that because a few momentster, strong and powerful mes came out of the Keepers'' palms. Those mes were absorbed by her mes. It would serve as "additional fuel" and protection so that her descent would be faster than normal without hurting her.


    When she had absorbed enough mes, the tform that she stood on opened without warning, dropping her off instantly.


    She wasn''t scared because right then, her giant red ming wings spread wide open.


    <em>Aku Moonchester, I hope you''re still awake</em>, Tilly said to herself. <em>Well, I''m sure you''ll wake up anyway once your nightmare begins.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU immediately got up when he was awakened by a strong earthquake.


    He stood up and was about to leave his room to check on Nia when his eyes caught a glimpse of the strange sky.


    <em>What is that?</em>


    He walked towards his balcony and when he opened the doors, he was surprised to see a straight burning red line in the dark sky. He couldn''t believe it but he could feel a very strong Manaing from it.


    <em>No this Mana</em>


    "Hello, Aku Moonchester."


    His eyes widened when he heard the familiar voice. When he turned around, he was greeted by the greatest "thorn" in his throat.


    It was Tilly Nystrom dressed in a little red dress and ck over the knee boots.


    Her hair was jet-ck hair now, and her lips were as red as blood.


    And so were the ming wings on her back.


    Aku smirked even though he''d admit that his knees almost buckled at the heavy presence of the Supreme Fire Mage. "Lady Nystrom, does Kiho know that you visit other men at this hour behind his back?"


    "You''re not a man, Aku Moonchester. You''re just a roach," Lady Nystrom said with a mockingugh. "When will you stop pretending to be someone or something that you''re not?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER smiled when his father wrapped him in a warm and thick nket. "Dad, I don''t get cold. My dominant Mana is ice."


    "I know that people like us don''t get cold," his father said worriedly. "But that doesn''t mean you won''t catch a cold just because your dominant Mana is ice."


    Well, that was true.


    <em>That''s what Mom always tells me as well.</em>


    Anyway, he just took a bath and changed into his pajamas. Thankfully, his giant backpack didn''t get wet even if he literally froze the boat he was in a while ago.


    After that, his father brought him to his room to wrap him in a nket.


    "Have you eaten?" his father asked when he sat beside him. "What do you want to eat?"


    "King Crabs," he said right away. "And lobsters, prawns, and tuna! Basically, anything seafood."


    He didn''t miss the faint smile on his father''s almost-stoic face. "Do you like seafood, Winter?"


    "I <em>love</em> it, Dad."


    His father looked at him as if he was proud of him. "I''ll cook a seafood tter for you, little rascal," he said while ruffling his hair. "But first, can you tell me where your mom is?"


    He shook his head. His mother told him to never reveal the location of the Fire Mages even to his father. His mommy said that even though she wanted to trust his dad 100%, she couldn''t do that knowing that someone else could take over his father''s body anytime.


    While it hurt him that his mommy couldn''t trust his fatherpletely yet, he understood where his mommy wasing from.


    <em>And Mommy promised me that she''ll kick out whoever it is inside Daddy''s body soon.</em>


    "I''m sorry but I can''t tell you, Dad," Winter said with a heavy heart. "And I ran away from home."


    His eyes widened in shock. "You ran away from home? But why? Winter, while I''m happy to be with you, I don''t like that you''re making your mommy worry."


    "It''s your fault, Dad."


    He blinked in confusion. "How is it my fault, you little rascal?"


    "I heard that you''re marrying another woman, Dad," he said coldly. "A woman named Lucina Morganna. Or Huxley." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever her name is."


    "That''s not true," he said without missing a heartbeat. Winter also liked the fact that his father looked disgusted upon hearing the rumor. "I don''t know where you heard that from but I have no intention of marrying another woman when I already have your mom."


    "Dad, that''s so cheesy," heined even though he was happy to hear that his father remained faithful to his mother all these years. And that made him wonder. "Dad, I thought your memories were erased. Howe you seem like you didn''t forget about my mommy?"


    "I''ve seen the videos and pictures that she secretly left for me," his father said softly. "I''ve also read the notes where she instructed me on how to act while we were apart. Thanks to the reminders that she left, I became more aware of my surroundings. Based on my investigation, I found out that the things that your mother said about our enemies are correct."


    "What do you mean by that, Dad?"


    "His Majesty would send me Moonflowers monthly," he said. "I found out that the Moonflowers by the royal family were used to mind manipte people. Because I was aware that I was being brainwashed, the Moonflowers eventually lost its effect on me. I''m forever in debt with Louisa and David for protecting me all these years."


    He nodded and believed his father''s words.


    <em>Mommy told me that she gave protection to Louisa and David so that House Nystrom won''tpletely fall into the hands of the Moonchesters.</em>


    "Do you still not trust me, Winter?" his father asked carefully. "You were testing me, weren''t you?"


    He nodded because it seemed like he couldn''t lie to his father at that point. "Yes, Dad. I''m sorry but even if I trust you more now, I still can''t tell you where Mommy is. We don''t know when you''ll be controlled by someone else. I have to protect my mother."


    Instead of getting upset, it looked his father was impressed with him.


    "Good job, son," he said proudly, then he ruffled his hair again. "Thank you for protecting your mommy. I won''t ask about her whereabouts from now on. But I hope you answer this one: Is your mother doing well?"


    "Mommy is as feisty as ever," he assured his father. "She told me to kick your butt if it was true that you''re getting married with another woman."


    His father chuckled,pletely breaking the "stoic" look on his face. "That sounds like your mom," he said as his face softened up. "Even though I don''t remember our memories together, the videos she left me were enough to tell me how feisty she is."


    He saw the longing in his father''s eyes.


    <em>The five years must have been really hard for you, Dad</em>.


    The past years were also hard for his mother. But at least, she had him by her side. On the other hand, his father was stuck with a fake son and had to act like a puppet.


    "Dad, I''m here now," Winter said to his father while patting his back gently. "You''ve work hard alone. But don''t worry, Dad. You''ll never have to be alone again."


    His father suddenly became emotional. Then, he leaned down to hug him tight. "Thank you foring back to me, Winter," he whispered in a cracked voice. "I can''t wait to reunite with your mommy soon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I SEE that your tongue is still as sharp as usual, Lady Nystrom."


    "My tongue isn''t the only sharp thing that I have, Aku Moonchester," Tilly said with a smirk, then she pped her ming red wings. "Be careful, Sir Gregory," she said without even looking back. No matter how quiet the old knight thought he was when he entered the room, her sharp senses immediately recognized him. After all, for the past five years, she thoroughly studied the people around Aku Moonchester. "My wings can kill you."


    "Wow, I don''t know whom I''m facing now," Aku Moonchester said with an arrogant smirk. "Should I address you as ''Lady Nystrom'' or as ''Lady Rosenberg?''"


    "Neither," she said. Part of their n was to act like she hadn''t retrieved her memories yet. "To be honest, I don''t know who I am either. They told me that I was the Supreme. For the past five years, I just followed their orders. That includes studying about the royal family and the people around you." She snapped her fingers and acted as nonchntly as she could. "Ah, they also told me about Kiho Nystrom my "husband.""


    <em>Thank you for the many years of acting lessons, Kelsi.</em>


    It seemed like the emperor believed that she still didn''t have her memories back. "So you''re nothing but the Fire Mages'' pretty doll now?"


    "It takes one to know one, huh?" she said mockingly. "After all, you''re also just a puppet of some god. Aren''t you, Aku Moonchester?"


    "How dare you disrespect the emperor, you insolent Fire Mage!" Sir Gregory snarled.


    Aku Moonchester''s eyes widened. "Sir Gregory, no!"


    It was toote though.


    When Sir Gregory tried to stab her back with his sword, her wings automatically protected her from the attack.


    After the de of the sword touched the ming feathers of her wings, her red me turned into very hotva. It crawled on the de and melted the sword so fast that the old knight didn''t have time to let go of it.


    As a result, Sir Gregory screamed in pain while his whole body was getting covered byva in an rming pace. And in just the blink of an eye, the old knight melted until only a puddle ofva was left on the floor. Not even his bones remained.


    Aku Moonchester could only scream in anger and agony as he watched his closest aide melt into nothingness in front of him.


    <em>Yes, you should feel that helpless, Aku Moonchester.</em>


    "I told you to be careful of my wings," Tilly said coldly without even turning to where Sir Gregory had melted. Before herva melted the floor, her wings absorbed it back. "RIP, Sir Gregory--- as in rot in hell."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 200: Mommy Villainess V2.0

    Chapter 200: Mommy Viiness V2.0


    KIHO felt proud while watching Winter crack the shell of a giant King Crab with his own crab mallet. He could clearly see that his son was used to eating seafood. It warmed his heart to know that they had the same taste in food. "Little rascal, did your mommy give that crab mallet to you?"


    Winter smiled and nodded. "Yes, Daddy," he said. "I still have the crab mallet that you gave me when I was a baby."


    <em>You''re still a baby.</em>


    "But I already outgrew it so I kept it in my room as a disy," his son continued.


    "I gave you a crab mallet?"


    "Yes, Dad."


    The fact that he forgot that made him feel down.


    "It''s okay if you don''t remember it, Dad," Winter consoled him. "We only had a few weeks together before we got separated. But now that we''re reunited, we can make new memories. Especially once Mom returns."


    "How can you be so understanding at that age?" he asked, amused.


    "Mommy always tells me that I shouldn''t me you for what happened, Dad," his son said. "ording to Mommy, the only people to me for our separation are the "nasty royal twins."" He paused for a while. "And the "useless gods" up in the sky."


    He bit his lower lip to stop himself fromughing. "Your mom is a wonderful woman, isn''t she?"


    "She is," Winter said with full admiration. "If it''s not for Mommy''s quick thinking, I bet we wouldn''t have gotten back on our feet right away."


    He nodded in agreement. To be honest, sometimes he still couldn''t believe how his wife managed to prepare everything in such a short period of time. And considering how loyal her people were, he could only conclude that the duchess was indeed amazing. "On the other hand, I''ve done nothing to protect our family," he said while shaking his head. "All I did for the past five years was to follow your mommy''s instructions."


    "Dad, it''s not apetition of who contributes more to the family," his son scolded him. "The important thing is all of us are doing something to keep our family together. If you didn''t trust mommy, you wouldn''t have followed her instructions. And if you had let yourself be a puppet for the royal family, then Mommy''s n wouldn''t have worked. Do you get what I''m saying, Dad? Everything worked out properly because we all did our job well."


    "Your mother raised you well," he said proudly, then he wiped off the melted butter at the corner of his mouth with his hand. "Thank you for growing up like that, Winter. Even though we only got reunited, I''m already very proud of you."


    His son smiled, his cheeks red from embarrassment. But his golden eyes were glowing. Since they had the same eyes, he could tell that the little rascal was happy.


    So was he.


    "Dad?"


    "Hmm?"


    "What''s going to happen to me now?" Winter asked seriously with a hint of fear in his voice. "I heard that Julian is pretending to be your son. Do I still have a ce in your life?"


    Hearing that from his son made his chest tighten painfully.


    "Winter, you''re my son," he said gently. "You are irreceable in my life."


    "But you''ll get in trouble if they find out that I''m with you, right?"


    He opened his arms. "Come here, little rascal."


    His son got off the chair and walked towards him. Then, he picked him up and put the little rascal on hisp.


    "Winter, I won''t let you get separated from me again," he assured his son. "I will bring you back to your rightful ce. And you don''t have to worry about anything." He ruffled his son''s hair. "Daddy will protect you."


    Winter got teary-eyed. Then, he wrapped his tiny arms around his neck. "Thank you, Daddy," he whispered in a cracked voice. "I love you."


    He felt a lump in his throat. Then, he hugged his son tight, afraid that this might all be a dream again.


    For the past years, he could no longer count how many days and nights had he dreamt of being reunited with his wife and son again. Every time that he would wake up from that dream, his heart would sink once the reality that he was still alone kicked in.


    But now, despite Winter''s cold body just like his, he felt warm because of his lovely words.


    "I love you, Winter," Kiho said while hugging his son tighter. Then, he kissed the top of Winter''s head. "You and your mommy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU couldn''t believe that Sir Gregory was killed in front of him in just a few seconds.


    He tried to help his loyal knight but then, he realized that his entire chamber was controlled by Lady Nystrom''s Mana. That meant he couldn''t use his own Mana because her power was overwhelming his.


    <em>Sir Gregory, I''m sorry.</em>


    He was devastated. Sir Gregory was the most loyal and trusted knight that he ever had. He was irreceable and yet, he couldn''t save him. Heck, he couldn''t even grieve for the poor old knight because he knew that he couldn''t let his guard down around Lady Nystrom.


    <em>How did she get this strong?</em>


    He could also feel the room getting unusually hot. It was as if his chamber was suddenly put on top of boilingva. He also had a feeling that Lady Nystrom''s Mana had "hidden" his room. In short, no one woulde to rescue him because no one even knew that his chamber had been infiltrated.


    Even Soleil Rosenberg''s Mana didn''t feel this overpowering.


    "It looks like you really work hard to be that powerful, Lady Nystrom," Aku said with a smirk. Of course, he could fight the Supreme if he needed to. But he liked using her weakness against her. After all, no matter how many times she got reborn, she would always have a hard time controlling her emotions. "Can you really kill me this time even though you already know that my heart is the Moon Serpent''s original heart?"


    Lady Nystrom smirked


    and in just the blink of an eye, she was already in front of him. Not only that. She had also stabbed him in the chest with her bare hand. And now, she was holding his still beating heart in that bare and warm hand of hers.


    He coughed blood in shock.


    <em>How</em>


    "I told you I don''t remember anything about my past," Lady Nystrom said in a cold voice. "So what if you have the Moon Serpent''s heart? My son is alive now and that''s all that matters to me."


    Death.


    That was the first thing that entered his mind as chills went down his spine. For the first time in that era, he felt like he was really going to die for real.


    <em>This isn''t the Lady Rosenberg or Lady Nystrom that I know.</em>


    Just when he thought that she would really kill him, she pulled her hand out of his chest andughed merrily.


    "Your life is no longer worth taking, Aku Moonchester," Lady Nystrom said. "Plus, I know that if I killed you right now, you''re beloved twin sister or your allies will somehow find a way to me your death on the Fire Mages. I can''t let you tarnish our reputation again."


    "So, that''s your goal, huh?" Aku said with a smirk. He covered the hole in his chest with his hand while trying to stop the bleeding and close the wound. Fortunately, the Supreme didn''t damage his heart. It seemed like she just stabbed him as a warning. "Are you here to clear the allegations against the Fire Mages, Lady Nystrom?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU here to clear the allegations against the Fire Mages, Lady Nystrom?"


    Tilly knew that Aku Moonchester would get her intention right away.


    <em>If he wasn''t at least that smart, he wouldn''t have lived this long.</em>


    Instead of answering the evil emperor''s question, she turned to the balcony where she felt a presence join them. Ordinary knights wouldn''t be able to crack the barrier that she made using her Mana not even Nia Moonchester. Only one person in the pce could do that.


    "Join us, Elis Ripperton," Tilly said in a yful tone. "I didn''t bring an aide so you''ll do."


    A gentle breeze brought Elis Ripperton beside her.


    She noticed that unlike the memory of him that she had, his hair was cut short now. Plus, instead of an elegant robe, he was wearing the uniform of the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. It was like an upgraded version of Captain Sherwood''s previous uniform.


    <em>Gosh, Captain Sherwood was fired. He probably prioritized his fanboying over his captain duties. He''s on the same level as Saint Forrester.</em>


    "I didn''t expect to see you as soon as I returned from my mission, Lady Rosenberg," Elis Ripperton said, then he handed over a blue handkerchief to her. "Wee back, Supreme."


    "Thanks," she said, then she grabbed the hankie he offered and used it to wipe Aku Moonchester''s disgusting blood off her hand. "Don''t even think about stabbing me in the back again, Elis Ripperton. Just so you know, I''m not the weak version of myself that you met five years ago."


    "I can tell that," the Blue Dragon said. "Your Mana feels very different now, Supreme."


    And she had to thank Sris''s "Spartan training" for that.


    ording to the Fire Archmage, her brother Wixx''s "favorite mode of killing" was melting his enemies with hisva. Sris inherited the Red Phoenix''sva, and he trained her hard until she was able to use the same technique that not even Soleil Rosenberg had used in the past.


    "If you''re wondering how I became this strong, it''s simple: "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,"" Tilly said, then she looked at Elis Ripperton as she dropped the handkerchief on the floor. "Elis Ripperton, make some tea for us," she said, then she turned to Aku Moonchester whose wound had finally closed. "Let''s talk over a cup of tea, Your Ma-jes-ty."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN smiled after he finished the painting that he had been secretly working in for the past weeks.


    Since his father didn''t like taking pictures and he was too shy to ask for one, he decided to paint himself with his father instead. He was a painter in his past life but since he was still a little boy in this lifetime, his technique was still inadequate. He needed more practice if he wanted to be as good as he was before.


    <em>But I hope Father likes this one.</em>


    He smiled with the thought of his father praising him.


    <em>I want to hear Father say that he''s proud of me.</em>


    "Julian, you''re here."


    Julian''s smile faded when he heard his mother''s voice. When he turned to her, he found her standing beside the art room''s door. "What are you doing here at this hour, Lady Huxley?"


    "You can call me "mother" when there''s only the two of us here," his mother said, then she walked towards him. "You should still be resting since you just recovered from getting poisoned." She let out a frustrated sigh while shaking her head. "I can''t believe your father still left for work after that."


    "I was the one who told Father that he can leave since I''m already well," he said. And it was true. If he didn''t force his father to go to Atlenta to harvest cultured pearls, he would have stayed with him. "Lady Huxley, please leave. Father will just get angry at you again if he found out that you''re here."


    "I can''t leave my son alone when his father isn''t at home," his mother insisted. "And don''t worry. Kiho won''t get mad at me. The rats are already gone."


    His chest tightened when he remembered that Louisa and David were already gone.


    <em>I''m so sorry I wasn''t able to help you</em>


    "Do you really have to poison me for that?" he asked his mother. "And don''t you feel guilty for doing that to people who served father all these years?"


    His mother smiled and touched his face. "Son, don''t pretend that you care for them when you didn''t do anything to save them in the first ce. You can always tell your father what you know but you didn''t. And I know why."


    His heart thumped against his chest painfully because of guilt.


    "You don''t want to lose your ce as your father''s only son, do you?" his mother asked tauntingly, then she turned to his painting. "Aww, this is a nice painting. But it would have been nicer if you painted me as well." She turned to him with a sweet smile. "Julian, do you want us to be aplete family this time, right?" Once again, she cupped his face. "If you don''t want Winter to take your father away from you again, you better listen to me. We will make Kiho love you until his other son has no ce to return to anymore. Do you hear me?"


    "Winter is my brother"


    "He doesn''t think of you as one," she said coldly. "Winter never did think of you as an equal because I was the one who gave birth to you."


    He turned his gaze away from his mother.


    To be honest, he wanted to think that he could get along well with Winter. But the way he treated him when they were still both babies said otherwise.


    "Don''t lose to Winter," his mother said, then she hugged him. "I will make sure that Winter and the former duchess can never return to House Nystrom ever again."


    Julian closed his eyes tight.


    <em>I don''t want to think anymore.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY felt satisfied when Elis Ripperton poured some tea in her tea cup.


    To be honest, she was a little relieved that the Blue Dragon didn''t seem like he wanted to fight. It wasn''t like she wasn''t confident that she couldn''t take him down. But she promised her people that she would stick to the n.


    <em>And fighting Aku Moonchester plus his minions isn''t a part of it.</em>


    Not yet, at least.


    Anyway, like Elis Ripperton, it seemed like the emperor also realized that she didn''te there to fight.


    In fact, things were going smoothly.


    While the Blue Dragon was preparing some tea for them, Aku Moonchester changed his (bloody) clothes in his walk-in room. From his sleeping attire, he now wore his usual outfit as the emperor.


    And now, they were having tea in the lounge of his chamber.


    "So, what exactly do you want?" Aku Moonchester asked, then he sipped his tea. "If your goal isn''t to kill me, then you''re probably here to negotiate with me."


    Tilly picked up her tea cup and smelled the aroma. It didn''t have poison or other chemicals added to it. After she was sure that the tea was clean, only then did she sip it. "I''m here to prove to the whole empire that the Fire Mages are innocent. To do that, I''m demanding for your cooperation."


    She and her Keepers decided that it was their main goal this time.


    Simply killing the Moonchesters wouldn''t make their name clean. They had to prove their innocence first, then expose that royal family''s sins one by one. That was the only way they could overthrow the Moonchesters and gain the people''s trust at the same time.


    If they started a war without the people knowing what was really going on, it would only look like that the Fire Mages were indeed traitors. So even if they won, she was pretty sure that the people would just rebel against them to avenge the Moonchesters.


    <em>I don''t want Aku Moonchester to die a hero in the eyes of his people.</em>


    Elis Ripperton, who stood behind the emperor after he served her tea, raised a brow. "Interesting. You never cared about your n before because your top priority back then was the ck Serpent, Supreme."


    Ouch.


    She wanted to give a retort but she realized that the Blue Dragon was right.


    <em>Gosh, Soleil. You give our title a bad name.</em>


    Aku Moonchester nodded in agreement. "What made you think that I will let you do that, Lady Nsytrom?"


    "I can fix Nia Moonchester''s body."


    She could also ckmail the emperor with all the videos that they had that would expose his evil doings to his citizens. But without context, it would only look like House Nystrom had betrayed the royal family.


    Plus, if she told Aku Moonchester about the pieces of evidence that she had, he would just make a move to destroy them.


    So for now, she''d save it forter.


    "Tempting," the emperor said in a cold voice. "But do you think that''s enough"


    "Let''s y a game," she cut him off with a bright smile. "Aku Moonchester, I know what exactly you want besides Nia Moonchester."


    Well, the information didn''te from her.


    What she knew about Aku Moonchester''s real goal was something that she had learned from Sris.


    <em>Thank you, my grand-great nephew or whatever.</em>


    "Do you know what I want?" Aku Moonchester asked with a smirk. "What is it then?"


    "Thest key that you seek," Tilly said with a smile. "Thest key for you to open the gates of heaven to be a god."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 201: Key to the Heavens

    Chapter 201: Key to the Heavens


    "AMILO, MY son has found me," Kiho told the jewel maker when he interrupted him in his workroom. "Don''t ask questions."


    Well, to be honest, he really didn''t know how Winter found him.


    "Dad, please don''t ask questions."


    That was Winter''s request.


    He decided to respect that. Also, he knew that his son was doing that to protect his mother. And to be honest, he didn''t care about that anymore.


    <em>The important thing is I''m with my son now.</em>


    "Congrattions on being reunited with Lord Winter, Your Grace," Amilo said in a gentle voice. He didn''t smile but his usually strict face softened up. "The young lord was only a baby when Ist saw him. He must be a big boy now."


    He smiled proudly. "Yes, but he''ll always be a baby to me."


    "Understandable," the jewel maker said. "Would you like to have some tea, Your Grace?"


    He nodded. It looked like Amilo already knew that he had something important to talk to him about. He wouldn''t interrupt him at work for nothing.


    While Amilo was preparing tea, he sat on the sofa in the lounge area of the workroom.


    He intended to keep his conversation with jewel maker short because he didn''t want Winter to disappear from his sight for a long time. Even though his son was just sleeping next door, he still felt anxious to be separated from him.


    "My lord, what is it that you need to talk with me?" Amilo said when they were sitting across from each other while having tea. "I''m certain that it has something to do with Lord Winter."


    Kiho nodded, then sipped his tea before he spoke. "I''ll bring Winter with us back to the Royal Capital. But he can''t stay with me at the main mansion yet. Now that Louisa and David are still missing, I can''t trust anyone in my own home anymore."


    He tried reaching out to Duke Sherwood to ask him about Louisa and David. But for some reason, he couldn''t contact the duke.


    <em>I hope he was able to save Louisa and David.</em>


    "Lord Nystrom, do you want me to look after the young lord for the meantime?" Amilo asked. "I promise to take good care of him."


    "That''s not the only thing that I want to ask from you," he said. "Amilo, I actually want you to move to the annex building of my mansion. I will limit the servants'' ess to the annex. They will only be allowed to enter the building if it''s time to bring food. As an excuse, I will tell them that they can''t disturb you while you''re working on our new collection."


    "Wouldn''t it be better if wepletely ban them from entering the annex, my lord?" the jewel maker asked. "As long as I have supply of ingredients, I can make food for me and Lord Winter. I can also do other chores to serve the young lord better. I just think that it will be much better if we don''t risk Lord Winter being seen by anyone."


    He shook his head. "They will only get suspicious if Ipletely shut down the entire annex. Winter is smart so he''ll understand if I say that he needs to hide for the meantime."


    It hurt him that he would need to ask his son to hide in their own mansion.


    But until the servants of House Nystrom were still under the control of the emperor, he couldn''t bring Winter to the main mansion for his safety.


    <em>Dad will sort this out as soon as possible, our little rascal.</em>


    "I understand, Lord Nystrom," Amilo said while nodding his head. "I will protect Lord Winter at all cost."


    Kiho was relieved to hear that. "Thank you, Amilo."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I KNOW that you''re trying to ascend the heavens to be a god," Tilly said, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "I''ll give you a chance to fulfill your lifelong wish."


    It was a huge risk, she''d admit that.


    She knew that they should hide the things that Aku Moonchester needed instead of offering them to him. But she heard that even though Soleil Rosenberg did exactly that many years ago, she still failed to defeat the Moonchesters.


    But she wasn''t doing things differently to spite her past self.


    As Tilly Prescott-Nystrom, she was using her knowledge from her second life to her advantage. To be honest, the things that she learned from the modern world had been very handy in her fight against an old monarch.


    Also, she would like to thank all the anime, Kdrama, and N*tflix shows she had seen in her second life that taught her how to be a "protagonist" in this lifetime.


    <em>My life is a fantasy romance series.</em>


    "Good story," Aku Moonchester said with a smirk. "I love your confidence now, Lady Nystrom. You talk as if you really know my "lifelong wish.""


    "Good acting," Tilly said with a smirk of her own. "I love watching you sprout b*llshit, Aku Moonchester. You talk like a patheticir that you are."


    The emperor clearly looked unimpressed by her sarcasm.


    Elis Ripperton, on the other hand, stifled aughter.


    "The Moon Serpent''s heart and the soul of your beloved," she continued with a big smile. "Those are two of the things that you need." She raised a finger and yfully waved it at him. "You also need the branch of the Great Fire Tree to create the key that you want, don''t you?"


    Aku Moonchester turned serious. "How did you know"


    "I''ll give you seven days to think about my offer," she said, cutting him off because she didn''t have any intention of answering his question. Then, she put the tea cup down on her table. "Once you decide to cooperate with me, I''ll give you the full details of our game." She snapped her fingers when she remembered something important. "By that time, I need Nia Moonchester to be included in our talk."


    "Nia was exiled because of you," he snarled.


    Sheughed when she remembered that it was her who exposed the royal princess''s secret just like what she did in her first life. But this time, she exposed it as retaliation instead of her greed. "Ah, right. Exposing Nia Moonchester''s secret to the whole empire was my farewell gift to you back then, Aku Moonchester. Did you like it?"


    He just red at her a response.


    "Come on, don''t be upset," she teased him. "I know that you''ve been taking good care of your beloved sister. Her official "punishment" was getting exiled but we both know that it''s nothing more than a long vacation in the side country for the princess. I''m sure that you have plenty of ways to contact her. So make sure that she''d be able to attend our meeting after seven days or else, I''m taking back my offer."


    "Fine," the emperor said begrudgingly. "How will I contact you after seven days?"


    "I''lle to you just like how I did tonight," she said. "If you ask your people to follow or look for me for the next days, our deal will be automatically cancelled."


    "And then what?" he asked mockingly. "What will you do then?"


    "You wouldn''t want to know what I can do, Aku Moonchester," she said with a sweet smile. When he didn''t have a retort, she stood up and picked up her cloak that she hanged on the back of her chair. "Anyway, it''s time for my beauty sleep so I''ll be going ahead."


    "Have a good night, Lady Nystrom," Aku Moonchester said in a sarcastic tone. "See you after seven days."


    "Let me at least walk you to the balcony, Supreme," Elis Ripperton said. "If you don''t allow me to do that much, I''ll chase you."


    Tilly raised a brow but she didn''t turn his offer down. After all, she still needed to somehow manipte the Blue Dragon. "Alright, I''ll let you apany me as a thanks to the wonderful tea that you prepared, Elis Ripperton."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was a little startled when a gust of wind closed the door of the balcony behind them.


    It was kind of weird to stay in that balcony while Aku Moonchester was still in his room. But she figured that was Elis Ripperton''s way of assuring the emperor that he wouldn''t betray him for her. After all, the Blue Dragon willingly followed Aku Moonchester.


    "Aren''t you going to throw up?" Elis Ripperton asked. He was leaning against the railing of the balcony with his arms crossed over his chest. "You used to throw up after you killed people even if they were enemies who tried to hurt you."


    "The old Supreme can''te to the phone right now," Tilly said that obviously confused the Blue Dragon. But she didn''t care if he didn''t get her pop culture reference. "Oh, `cause she''s dead."


    "You''re really hard to understand now," the Blue Dragon said while shaking his head.


    "It''s only hard for you to understand me because you''re not the right person for me," she said bluntly. "The right one will get me despite what I say or do."


    "Are you referring to the ck Serpent?"


    "I don''t really remember him," she lied with a shrug, then she changed the topic. "I don''t have time to waste with you, Elis Ripperton. Tell me what you need."


    In just the blink of an eye, Elis Ripperton was already in front of her while cupping her face. "Nothing," he whispered. "I''m just d that you''re still alive, Soleil."


    "I''m Tilly Prescott-Nystrom now," Tilly said with a roll of her eyes. And then, she made her body literally hot enough to make Elis Ripperton let go of her face. Good because she didn''t like being touched without consent. When the Blue Dragon took a step backwards, she moved her shoulders until her wings sprouted in her back. "And Elis Ripperton, if you''re in love with Soleil Rosenberg or something, forget it," she said, then she gave him double thumbs down. "You were never my type and never will be."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO felt pissed for some reason.


    He didn''t know why but he suddenly felt the urge to punch someone in the face.


    <em>God, why do I suddenly feel agitated?</em>


    To calm himself down, he just turned to Winter''s peaceful sleeping face. Right now, he was sitting beside his son while watching him sleep. He wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t disappear when he woke up next morning.


    <em>My son is really here with me now.</em>


    Looking at Winter was effective in soothing him.


    He was about to pull the nket over his son''s neck when she noticed the earring in his left ear light up. Since he had been working with spirit stones embedded in jewelry, he recognized that it was amunication device and not a simple earring.


    His heart suddenly beat erratically at the thought of who might be calling his son at that hour.


    <em>Could it be</em>


    He knew that it was wrong to touch his son''s belongings. But he couldn''t stop himself from quickly yet carefully snatching the earring from Winter''s ear. Then, without hesitation, he put the earring in his own ear and tapped it to receive the call.


    "Winter, my little cinnamon roll," said a lovely voice of a woman on the other end of the line. "How''s my baby?"


    "I''m fine," Kiho automatically answered even though he knew that she was referring to Winter when she said "baby." Maybe it was because he was excited to finally hear the voice of his wife again. He had been ying the videos of her every night but hearing her voice right in his ear made him ecstatic. God, he missed her like crazy even though he had his memories of her erased. "How about you, my lovely Tilly?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 202: Voice of the Heart

    Chapter 202: Voice of the Heart


    "WINTER, my little cinnamon roll," Tilly said when Winter finally picked up her call. "How''s my baby?"


    Right now, she secretly went to her old room in House Prescott to spend the night there.


    Unlike House Nystrom, the security in her father''s old mansion wasx. Fortunately, despite her absence for so long, the mansion was still very kept-well. She had a feeling that Kiho took good care of her father''s house as well.


    She wasn''t worried that she''d get caught because she overwhelmed the entire room with her own Mana. That meant ordinary people would temporarily forget about the existence of her chamber as long as she was there.


    It was a technique that Wong taught her.


    "I''m fine."


    She was d that she was already sitting on the edge of the bed when she heard the familiar husky (and sexy) voice from the other end of the line. If she had been standing, her knees would have buckled already.


    <em>Kiho</em>


    "How about you, my lovely wife?"


    She felt a lump in her throat when she confirmed that it was indeed her Kiho.


    Of course, she was relieved to know that Winter had found his father. Still, she had to put her guard up around her husband. Although she trusted Kiho, she couldn''t say the same for the being that could take over Kiho''s body anytime.


    "Greetings, Lord Nystrom," Tilly greeted her baby-honey in the most formal and distant voice that she could muster at the moment. She hated to treat her husband this way, but as the Supreme Fire Mage, she couldn''t mess up this time. Never again would she make the same mistake that Soleil Rosenbergmitted in the past. "This is Winter''s mother. May I know where my son is?"


    <em>I''m so sorry, hon.</em>


    Her husband fell silent.


    He must have been shocked.


    Well, she was shocked as well. As far as she knew, Kiho''s memories were erased. She wasn''t sure if he had followed her instructions or he was just doing his job as a duke. But either way, she was d that he still considered her as his wife.


    "Winter is sleeping peacefully beside me," Kiho said in his usual monotone voice. He must have been matching her pace. Maybe he realized that acting so familiarly with her from the get-go had made her feel ufortable. "He''s safe and sound."


    "That''s a relief," she said. If Winter was with Kiho now, then Jameson and Solenn may have already gone to the North. "Are you in the Royal Capital?"


    "We''re in the sea of Atlenta."


    <em>Ah, Atlenta.</em>


    It was the port town where she and Kiho met for the first time in that current timeline. She felt nostalgic to hear that.


    <em>I''m happy that Winter reunited with Kiho in the same where we first met.</em>


    "Our little rascal doesn''t want me to ask questions so I don''t know how he found me," her husband continued. "Still, I want to assure you that I will protect our son."


    "Are you going to bring him back to the Royal Capital with you?"


    "Of course. I don''t want to be separated from our son again," he said. "But to make sure that no one else will see him, I''ve asked Amilo to stay in our mansion for the time being. They''ll be using the annex building and I''ll limit the servants'' ess to it."


    "That sounds sensible," she said in approval while nodding her head.


    Also, she was relieved to hear that Kiho was being that careful.


    That meant that even though his memories were erased, he still believed in her. It sounded like he followed her instructions after all.


    "Lord Nystrom, I haven''t retrieved my memories yet but I learned everything I need to know from the people who took care of Winter and I for the past five years," she lied. It hurt her to lie to her husband but she had to. She wouldn''t risk ruining their carefully crafted n for her personal feelings. "I heard that the head maid and head butler of House Nystrom are trust-worthy. Can you let them look after Winter while my son is in your care?"


    She had faith in Louisa and David. She knew that they would take care of Winter. To be honest, she kind of felt bad that she didn''t include the Leni and Lani in her n. But she thought too much "spies" in the mansion would have been too risky.


    "Forgive me, Duchess Nystrom," Kiho said in a voice filled with guilt.


    Yes, she noticed that he called her formally but she knew he did that because she addressed him by his title a while ago. He had always been good at following her pace and she loved that about him. But that wasn''t important right now.


    "Why are you apologizing, Lord Nystrom?" she asked nervously. "What happened to Louisa and David?"


    "His Majesty suspected that they weren''t brainwashed so he had them arrested," he said in a devastated voice.


    She took a deep breath to control her anger. "Are they dead?"


    "No," her husband answered right away. "Duke Sherwood promised me that he will save them. I haven''t gotten a word from the duke yet but I decided to trust him."


    Okay, that was a huge relief. "Duke Sherwood will betray everyone but you so I''m certain that he''d keep his promise. He''s your sasaeng fan #1 after all."


    "Pardon?"


    "It means an obsessive fan," she exined briefly, then she changed the topic. "How did Aku Moonchester find out that Louisa and David weren''t brainwashed?"


    "Louisa had an argument with Lady Huxley."


    <em>Ah, that Lucina Morganna b*tch, huh?</em>


    "Lady Huxley wanted to throw away your portraits in the mansion and Louisa wasn''t able to control her emotions. She stubbornly disobeyed Lady Huxley," he exined. "I believe that''s when His Majesty realized that they weren''t brainwashed."


    She heard everything but only one thing stuck to her. "So, why are you letting that b*tch act like she''s the new duchess of House Nystrom?"


    He heard Kiho cough on the other line.


    <em>Gosh, it''s not like it''s the first time he heard me cuss at someone.</em>


    "Lady Huxley is Julian''s etiquette teacher, Duchess Nystrom," Kiho said, emphasizing her title as if he was saying that she was still the madam of House Nystrom and not that b*tch. "I think she''s the one His Majesty asked to keep an eye on me. If I suddenly push her away, His Majesty will realize that I''m not under his control."


    And that would be disadvantageous for them.


    If Aku Moonchester realized that Kiho was working with her despite their memories being erased, the emperor would definitely do something to control her husband in a much dangerous way. So in short, they had to pretend that Kiho was still his puppet.


    "I understand," she said, then she asked: "You''re not going to marry"


    "No, never," Kiho denied right away even though she hadn''t finished her question yet. "Mydy, you are and will always be my wife."


    She bit her lower lip to stop herself from giggling. "Gosh, that gave me butterflies in my stomach?"


    "Butterflies in your stomach?" he asked worriedly. "Mydy, I don''t think eating butterflies is healthy"


    The familiar scenario almost made her cry.


    With memories or not, her Kiho will always be the oblivious Kiho that she knew and loved.


    <em>I should end it here now.</em>


    "I''m fine, Lord Nystrom," she said formally. "Please take care of Winter for now. I wille for him soon."


    "When will I see you again, mydy?"


    "I''m not sure," she said vaguely. "My lord, I have to hang up now. Please make sure that Winter won''t get hurt in any way, okay?"


    "I promise," he said firmly.


    "Thank you," she said, then she paused. She had always been curious about one thing and she thought it was the right time to ask. "Lord Nystrom, I know that aside from Louisa and David, I also left videos, pictures, and documents that serve as proof about the fight that we had with the Moonchesters. But may I know why you chose to believe in me even without your memories?"


    "You''re pretty, mydy," he said without missing a beat. "Your beauty is the only beauty in the world that I will allow to have me conned."


    She almost choked after she heard that.


    Gosh, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered violently that she had to plop on the bed. Then, she rolled around while kicking her legs in the air. And finally, she buried her face in the pillow. She screamed as silently as she could while covering the earring so Kiho wouldn''t hear her squeal.


    "That, and because I like how clear your eyes were," Kiho continued. "Of course, I had to go over all the videos, pictures, and documents that you left as well. I didn''t think they were fabricated since I didn''t find any hole. Also, I don''t think Louisa and David will risk their lives just to trick me."


    She rolled again until she was lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. "Good call," she said. "If you didn''t believe me, our n would have failed a long time ago."


    "It''s because you prepared everything perfectly, mydy," he said. "Thank you. You''re a genius."


    She smiled at thepliment. Of course, it felt good to be praised for the things that she had worked hard for. And it was nice to hear that from Kiho of all people.


    "Mydy, can I ask you a question?"


    "Go ahead."


    "I know that I called you "my wife,"" he started carefully. "But I know that you''re not the type of person to trust others easily. So how did you know that I wasn''t just pretending to be your husband?"


    "Your voice is very sexy," she said bluntly. "It sounds like the voice of someone I''d marry in a heartbeat."


    Her husband had a "coughing fit" on the other line.


    When she realized what she said, her cheeks burned from embarrassment. Did she regret it? Absolutely not.


    <em>I want to see Kiho''s face right now.</em>


    She could easily imagine her husband''s cute blushing face.


    Then, she realized that Kiho must have been more handsome and sexier now after five years. Gosh, she so wanted to see how he looked now.


    Her Keepers refused to show her Kiho''s recent pictures.


    <em>Gosh, I should have punished those brats for refusing to bless my eyes with Kiho''s beauty.</em>


    "I''m relieved that we feel the same way, mydy," Kiho said in a bashful tone. "Although looking for Winter was already a dead giveaway, I still knew that it was you right away because of your voice. It also sounds like the voice of someone I''d marry again and again in all lifetimes."


    Gosh, this was too much for her heart.


    So much for pretending that she didn''t remember him!


    <em>Wake up, girl.</em>


    "I''m d that we recognized each other right away. Anyway, please take care of our Winter," Tilly said in a sad voice because she knew she had to hang-up now. "Good night, my lord."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>THEY are so flirting!</em>


    Winter was already awake but he woke up in the middle of his parents'' flirting over the phone. So he had no choice but to pretend to be asleep. But that didn''t mean his poor ears would be spared from listening to his mommy and daddy.


    It didn''t sound like his parents had forgotten about each other despite their memories being erased. Was it possible for two people to stay in love with each other that way? God, was love that mysterious?


    But most of all,,,


    <em>Argh, Mommy and Daddy are still so cringey even after five years!</em><em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 203: The Chase Begins

    Chapter 203: The Chase Begins


    KIHO was surprised when all of a sudden, themunication device in his ear burned itself into ashes. But surprisingly, he didn''t get burned by the spark. The me was just warm, but not too hot to hurt the wearer of the earring.


    <em>Sh*t, I burned Winter''smunication device.</em>


    "Dad?" Winter, who got up while rubbing his eyes with his hand, called him. "Is everything alright?"


    His conscience kicked him in the gut.


    "Winter, I''m sorry but I used yourmunication device and I somehow destroyed it in the end," Kiho said, his voice filled with guilt. "When I noticed that yourmunication device was rming, I had a feeling that it was your mother calling so I picked it up without asking for your permission. Please forgive Dad. I will buy you a new one."


    "It''s okay, Dad," his son assured him. "That was a disposablemunication device that can only be used once. It was only connected to Mommy''s device and after the call from hers ended, the earring will automatically self-destruct. Mom designed it that way so that people won''t be able to record our conversation or track her using the device."


    "Wow," he said. "That''s so innovative."


    "Well, Mommy is a genius," his son said proudly. "So, Dad. How was it talking to Mommy after five years?"


    "Wonderful," he said right away. "But I was reminded that just like me, your mother''s memories were erased. When you said that your mommy reminded you to not hate me, I somehow ended up hoping that she remembers me already."


    "Mommy remembers you the way you remember her, Dad through the videos, pictures, and documents that she left to you," Winter exined. "She has copies of those. And we also have allies who personally know the two of you. They were the ones who told Mommy what kind of rtionship the two of you had in the past."


    Ah, that made sense.


    Still, his heart sank knowing that both he and his wife were deprived of their beautiful memories together.


    His thoughts were cut-off when Winter yawned widely.


    Kiho smiled at how adorable his son was. "Sleep, little rascal," he said, then he gently flickered his forehead. His sonughed and plopped himself on the bed. He joined him and hugged him to secure that he would still be beside him next morning. "Good night, Winter."


    Winter smiled and hugged him back. "Good night, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOW was your mission, Lord Ripperton?" Aku asked Elis Ripperton. He was still having tea in the lounge area of his room when the Blue Dragon returned from being rejected by Lady Nystrom again. Well, the two talked in his balcony so even if he didn''t want to, he was able to hear their conversation. "Did Lord Huxley manage to get valuable information from the servants of House Nystrom?"


    When he didn''t receive a report from Lord Huxley that he sent to apprehend Louisa and David, he ordered the Blue Dragon to check on the count.


    "Eugene Huxley and his men were burned to ashes. As far as I can tell, the fire used to burn them down was from a strong Fire Mage," Elis Ripperton said casually. "The servants that you spoke of were no longer there. They must have been rescued already by the Supreme''s allies."


    He closed his eyes tight. "Lady Nystrom"


    If the Supreme had the audacity to show up in his room, it only meant that she had a concrete n before appearing before him.


    He wouldn''t be surprised if Lady Nystrom had already gathered her allies that had somehow managed to hide under his radar for the past five years. Even though he sent Elis Ripperton to the North, the Blue Dragon returned with nothing. It was as if the Golden Tiger, the ck Serpent Knights, and Saint Forrester disappeared into thin air.


    "Is this what it''s like to fight against the child favored by the gods?" he asked bitterly when he opened his eyes. "No matter how many times Lady Nystrom dies, she gets reborn again and again. Not only that. It also seems like she''s getting stronger and wiser each time she gets reincarnated."


    It was true that he won the previous wars against her.


    But he wouldn''t say that all of that wasplete victory. He wouldn''t say this aloud but to be honest, he barely won during those times. The only thing that he could truly be proud of was the fact that he managed to exile the Fire Mages from the empire.


    "What else did you find?" he asked the Blue Dragon. "Don''t tell me you just went home after you found Lord Huxley''s ashes?"


    Elis Ripperton gave him a dire stare. "You just asked me to check on Eugene Huxley and the captured servants. Investigating the scene or chasing after the enemies aren''t part of my job."


    "Lord Ripperton."


    "Aku Moonchester," he warned, matching his threatening tone. "I''m not your servant," he reminded him coldly. "I did follow you on my own volition. But I wouldn''t have done that if <em>he</em> didn''t order me to. Know your ce."


    <em>"He</em> still gave me the power to order you around," Aku said with a smirk. "You have no choice but to follow me if you don''t want to be put into slumber again, Lord Ripperton."


    Elis Ripperton justughed at his warning. "You don''t have the charisma to control the Beast Gods, Aku Moonchester. You''re not the Beast Priestess that we worship," he reminded him. "Unfortunately for you, we are only drawn to the sun don''t ever forget that."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER almost messed upst night.


    Because of his excitement upon reuniting with his father, he almost forgot that his mother was pretending that she hadn''t retrieved her memories yet. Thankfully, he was able toe up with a usible excuse.


    <em>I must have inherited Mommy''s intelligence.</em>


    And perhaps, her cunningness as well.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a knock on the door. A few momentster, his daddy entered the room with a tray filled with food.


    "Good morning, little rascal," his father greeted him brightly. "I made pancakes and a ss of milk for you. I also brought some fresh fruits. But if you have anything else that you want to eat for breakfast, don''t hesitate to tell me."


    "I love pancakes and milk, Dad," Winter said and he was being genuine. "And I like milk because Mommy tells me that I need to drink it if I want to grow taller."


    Well, he knew that he would grow tall since he was just like that in his first life.


    And to be honest, he was already pretty tall for a five year old child. In fact, he could easily pass as a seven to nine year old boy instead of five. He shouldn''t be surprised by that though. After all, his father was over six feet tall.


    <em>Thank you for the good genes, Dad.</em>


    "I''m d to know that that you''re not a picky eater," his father said, then he set up the breakfast table in front of him. After that, he sat on the chair beside the bed. "I''d also appreciate it if you tell what food you are allergic to so we can avoid them."


    "I''m not allergic to any food as far as I know, Dad," he said. "Thank you for the breakfast."


    He smiled warmly at him. "You''re wee, son."


    Just when he was about to start eating his breakfast, the newmunication device in his ear suddenly lit up. He could tell that it lit up even without seeing it because it turned warm.


    His father noticed that because his face instantly lit up. "It''s your mother, isn''t it? You told mest night that yourmunication device is only connected to your mommy''s."


    Winter didn''t know if he wouldugh or shake his head.


    His father, previously known as the "shadow beast," a merciless mercenary, and the cold-blooded ex-captain of the ck Serpent Knights, looked like a puppy right now. He could easily imagine his daddy having dog ears and dog tail wagging excitedly.


    <em>Is he really the ck Serpent himself?</em>


    "It''s Mommy," he said with an awkward smile.


    Much to his surprise, his father suddenly (and quietly, just like an assassin) sat beside him and tilted his head to get his ear closer to hismunication device.


    <em>Daddy is so whipped.</em>


    Winter tapped hismunication device to pick up his mommy''s call. "Good morning, Mom."


    "Good morning, baby," his mother said brightly.


    "Good morning, mydy," his father said in a shy tone. "Did you have a pleasant sleepst night?"


    <em>God, are they going to flirt this early?!</em>


    But much to Winter''s relieved, his mother suddenly hanged up on him causing themunication device in his ear to burn itself.


    <em>Thank goodness.</em>


    Although he was spared from his parents'' flirting, he felt bad for his father who looked like he was suddenly kicked by his owner.


    <em>I have to cheer him up.</em>


    "Dad?"


    His father blinked several times before he was able to focus on him. "Yes, son?"


    Winter gave his father the best puppy dog eyes that he could muster at the moment. He hated acting cute but he had to. And yes, he learned that trick from his mother. "I only brought a few clothes with me," he said. "Can we go shopping? Mom gave me some spending money to use."


    His father''s face instantly lit up.


    He was relieved that it worked. Although he cringed every time his mom and dad would flirt in front of him, he still didn''t want to see his father dejected. His dad had that kind of charm, you know? Or maybe he just loved his father a little too much.


    His mother felt that way too and he was sure of it.


    <em>I''m certain that Mommy hanged up on us because she was embarrassed of how she flirted with Dadst night.</em>


    "Keep the allowance that you got from your mommy," his father said while ruffling his hair. "Let me spoil you this time, little rascal."


    Winter smiled and nodded, then he teased his father. "Don''t me me when I make you bankrupt, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DIDN''T you hear the news?"


    "Lord Nystrom will marry Lady Huxley?"


    "They will look so good together!"


    "Lord Nystrom is very handsome while Lady Huxley is arguably the loveliest woman in the empire now."


    "And her ck-hair suggests that she''s the truedy of the prophecy!"


    Tilly smirked at the ridiculous things that she heard from themoners talking in the diner she was in. "Excuse me," she said loud enough for everyone around her table to turn to her. "Who''s going to marry who, huh?"


    Let her teach these nosy people a lesson they would never forget.


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: Hey, guys. My 1st privilege tier is only 1 coin. :(( I might not join the next WIN-WIN event, and that means I don''t have to update daily anymore. But I don''t want to stop my daily updates because I''ve been doing this since day one (I''ve only missed a few times). So please help me reach 500 priv readers to get a reward (more features) from Webnovel. I''m working extra hard, a little help won''t hurt. I''m sorry if I''m already being annoying. I promise this is thest time that I will beg you of this. I will not participate on the next WIN-WIN event (if there''s any) again. :((


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 204: Rumor Has It

    Chapter 204: Rumor Has It


    TO SAY that Kiho was excited to go shopping with his son would be an understatement.


    To be honest, he didn''t have interest in shopping. For the past five years, whenever a catalog from a famous men''s clothing shop would arrive at the mansion, he would just ask Louisa and David to pick clothes for him and Julian.


    Under His Majesty''s orders, Julian wasn''t allowed toe out until it was "time." That meant he wasn''t allowed outside until people could no longer notice that he was older than the real "child of the prophecy" since Julian was pretending to be his son.


    The emperor would just often send expensive gifts and toys to Julian aspensation.


    "Dad, I''m ready."


    He turned around to see his son walking out of his room.


    <em>God, he''s so adorable.</em>


    Winter insisted that he could take a bath and change clothes on his own so he let him do so.


    Now, his son wore a little loose ck cloak with a hood that covered his face. He could see that he wore ordinary clothes under the cloak but the air of wealth around Winter didn''t disappear. He still looked like a noble.


    His heart really swelled every time he would look at Winter.


    To be honest, he was sulking because his wife hanged up on them a while ago. He was worried that something bad had happened. But when Winter called her again and asked him to remain silent, only then did his wife talk to his son.


    He got the message: the duchess didn''t want to talk to him.


    That hurt, of course.


    But he decided to set aside his personal feelings first to spend quality time with Winter.


    "Good job," he said proudly as he squatted to meet his son''s eye level. "I just wish you don''t have to cover your face, Winter."


    "It''s okay, Dad," Winter assured him. "Mommy told me that I should protect myself by hiding my identity until it''s time to introduce myself to everyone."


    Even though his son looked fine, he still felt bad for him.


    <em>I''m so proud of him and I want the whole world to know.</em>


    But of course, Winter''s safetyes first.


    "Thank you for being understanding, Winter," Kiho said whilebing his son''s hair with his fingers. "Daddy is very proud of you."


    Winter smiled, then he wrapped his arms around his neck. "Thank you for being proud of me, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    THAT was the most awkward 24-hour "flight" that Luna had in her life.


    It was also her first time to ride a flying two-seater "ship" that Tilly liked calling "submarine." Apparently, it was a type of underwater boat in the modern world. The two-seater ship was actually big enough to be called a small ship. It had a room with two beds, a bathroom, and a small tea room.


    But it was called "two-seater" because the ship could only carry two people. Apparently, it absorbed Mana as its fuel. So if more than two Keepers (or other people with strong Mana) rode the ship, it wouldbust from too much energy that it could absorb.


    Anyway, it was awkward because Roarke Sinir was herpany.


    <em>I don''t hate him but</em>


    "It''s awkward, isn''t it?" Roarke said after they got off the ship. They were now on top of the (real) Mount S in the Redsun Dessert. The Keeper was preparing to fight the Crades that awaited them at the foot of the mountain. "After all, you just found out that out of all the Keepers, I''m the one born out of Lord Wixx''s love for you. So I''m practically your son, Lady Luna."


    Luna almost choked on how blunt Roarke was. "Can you not be so blunt?"


    "Well, I can''t really do that. Not when I''ve been waiting to meet you for hundreds of years now," he said gently. "I mean, I''ve also been waiting for the Supreme, of course. After all, even though I was born out of the Red Phoenixx''s love for you, I was also the product of his love for his dear sister. It''s only my own volition to meet my "mother." After all, myst name ''Sinir'' was apparently your family name in the past."


    Okay, that made her cheeks burn in embarrassment. But yeah. ording to some of the memories that she retrieved during her life as the Moon Priestess, she was called ''Lady Luna Sinir'' back then. "Is that why your left eye is pink and your right eye is ice blue?"


    He nodded because he exined. "I got my left eye from his memories of you, Lady Luna. And my right eye is the same eye color as Lord Wixx. Out of all the Keepers, I''m the only one who has the same eye color as him."


    Well, that was true. Lord Wixx''s eye color was ice blue. It was like the "pastel version" of Tilly''s purple eyes.


    "Lord Sris once told me that my different-colored eyes are the proof that I''m the "son" of Lord Wixx and the Moon Priestess," Roarke said, then he looked at her with sparkling eyes. "Lady Luna, now that you know who you are in Lord Wixx''s life, can I call you "Mother" from now on?"


    Luna stepped backwards while shaking her head. "I''m not ready to be a "mother" yet, Roarke Sinir."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AFTER TILLY spent the night in House Prescott''s mansion (without getting caught, of course), she took a long bath and dressed herself in one of the few clothes that she brought with her. Because she didn''t want to stand out, she just wore a simple dress and a maroon cloak over it. The cloak had a wide hood that she used to hide her hair.


    She could always change her jet-ck hair into a deep shade of brown just like before she awakened. But that would beat her goal to introduce herself to the empire as the "woman of the prophecy." It was also a reminder to Lucina Morganna that she could never take her ce.


    Once she was done preparing, she sneaked out of the house. Since it was already morning, she couldn''t freely fly around.


    <em>Plus, there are surveince cameras around.</em>


    She was d that Duke Sherwood was able to pass thew about the use of surveince cameras all around the empire. Ah, she also heard that the demand for the CCTVs made House Nystrom that richest household officially.


    <em>I''m proud of you, Kiho.</em>


    Yes, it was her idea. But if her husband didn''t execute it properly, then it would have just gone to waste. Not everyone could be a good businessman just because of some vague notes somebody left for them to follow. She wasn''t with Kiho when he had to make big decisions regarding their businesses. So of course, she had to give credit where credit is due.


    <em>As they say, teamwork makes the dream work.</em>


    Anyway, she strolled around the Royal Capital until she reached Komono the part of the Royal Capital ran by the nouveau riche. She had only been gone for five years but it already turned into a new business district in the empire.


    She hated Aku Moonchester with passion but she had to admit that the empire had flourished tremendously under his reign.


    <em>Well, he also has to thank my businesses and the tax that House Nystrom pays for it.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she finally arrived at Dine&Dream an inn-sh-diner famous for tourists and visiting merchants. That was also the usual inn where her Keepers would stay each time they visited the Royal Capital to spy on the enemies. After all, the usual guests of the inn weremoners who loved to gossip.


    That was one of the reasons why she chose that ce to meet Luna and Roarketer.


    <em>I hope they don''t act too awkward around each other.</em>


    While waiting for the two, she decided to have breakfast first. She ordered pancakes since she didn''t want to eat something heavy. She didn''t really have the appetite to eat because she was worried about Winter even though his son was with Kiho.


    <em>Ah, my original cinnamon roll.</em>


    She bit her lower when she remembered that she had to hang up on Kiho a while ago. Hearing his sexy voice in the morning was too much for her heart.


    "Didn''t you hear the news?"


    "Lord Nystrom will marry Lady Huxley?"


    Tilly raised a brow at what she heard what people in the table next to her were talking about. When she discreetly turned to her, she noticed that they were young women who were probably working as maids for noble families. She came up with that conclusion because a while ago, they were talking about the lords anddies they were working for.


    <em>And now, they''re gossiping about my husband''s "love life."</em>


    Gosh, look at these people.


    In the past, they trembled before Kiho and they wouldn''t even look at him in the eye. Themon folks couldn''t show him proper respect as the captain of the ck Serpents back then, while the nobles looked down on him for being an ex-mercenary and the emperor''s "shadow beast."


    But now that Kiho was a duke and the richest man in the empire, they fawned over him as if he was a piece of hot steak.


    <em>Well, Kiho is a piece of hot steak but only I am allowed to eat him.</em>


    "They will look so good together!"


    "Lord Nystrom is very handsome while Lady Huxley is arguably the loveliest woman in the empire now."


    She rolled her eyes at the gushing young women.


    <em>They look like they''re only fifteen to seventeen years old, just like Leni and Lani''s age when they served me before.</em>


    She suddenly missed the twins.


    That made her wonder if Leni and Lani hated her now after they were brainwashed.


    <em>Probably.</em>


    Anyway, the girls on the next table were only kids five years ago. They may or may not remember "Duchess Nystro," and so they thought Lucina Morganna was "lovely."


    <em>Well, beauty is subjective so even though I hate that b*tch, I won''tment on her appearance.</em>


    "And her ck-hair suggests that she''s the truedy of the prophecy!"


    <em>Hah, I can''t listen to this b*llshit anymore.</em>


    Tilly smirked at the ridiculous things that she heard from themoners talking in the diner she was in. "Excuse me, everyone," she said loud enough for everyone around her table to turn to her. "Who''s going to marry who, huh?"


    "Lady Huxley and Lord Nystrom," the girl with light-brown hair and cute freckles answered her. "It''s the current talk of the town, Miss."


    "That won''t happen," Tilly said bluntly. "Lord Nystrom is still married to the Duchess of Oakes."


    "But there are rumors that the Duchess of Oakes apparently ran away with Captain Denver," the girl with brown curly hair said. "That''s allegedly the reason why the duchess and House Denver disappeared at the same time."


    She clenched her fists at Aku Moonchester''s pitiful attempt to ruin her and Captain Denver''s reputation. Fortunately, her Keepers had already told her about that nasty rumor. If she heard it for the first time today, she must have gone batsh*t crazy right on the spot.


    <em>And thankfully, my Kiho believes in me.</em>


    "Why would you believe a rumor that has no evidence?" she asked with a smirk. "Only idiots spread baseless and stupid rumors. Are you all idiots?"


    Obviously, the girls were insulted.


    Well, she''d admit that it wasn''t the best approach that she could have done. But her nasty temper had gotten the best of her once again.


    <em>Cr*p.</em>


    "Why are you getting mad?" the girl with a blonde hair and nasty re snapped at her. Then, she smirked. "Don''t tell me you''re one of the delusional girls who want Duke Nystrom, too?"


    She shrugged. Since she already acted like a b*tch, might as well continue that behavior and unleash the inner viiness in her. "Maybe I have the highest chance to capture the duke''s attention."


    The girlsughed mockingly at her.


    The blonde girl that seemed like the ring leader even stood up and pulled her hood.


    "Let''s see what kind of face you have for you to be that confident" the blonde gasped when her long and lush jet-ck hair fell on her shoulders. And now that her hood was pulled down, her pretty face was revealed to the public. "How beautiful"


    Tilly smiled brightly. "Thanks, I know."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 205: The Woman of the Prophecy

    Chapter 205: The Woman of the Prophecy


    TILLY didn''t expect that her face would make the whole diner quiet.


    She noticed that everyone as in literally everyone in the room was looking at her face and hair with awe. Well, it was strange for them to see hair as ck as hers. But it wasn''t illegal so it was fine with her if they marveled over it.


    The hostility the girls had towards her a while ago was now reced with admiration.


    <em>Okay, it''s time to switch gears.</em>


    "Girls, we shouldn''t fight over the duke when we should all know that he belongs to the duchess," Tilly said with a smile. Most citizens in the empire were weak against good-looking people so she was confident that she could charm her way out of that little trouble that her nasty temper gave her. "I apologize for my rudeness,dies," she said with a vow. "As a fan of the Duchess of Oakes, I was hurt by your baseless usations against her so I became hostile. I only said that I was after the duke to mess with you. I''m sorry about that." She gestured the vacant chairs (of the table for four that she upied). "As an apology, will you join me and let me treat you to breakfast?"


    The three girls that she was just "fighting" immediately took the seats around her.


    She could clearly see that they hadn''t recognized her as the Duchess of Oakes. Was it because of her different hair color? Were they too young to remember her face when she was still in the Royal Capital? Or was it because she had been gone for too long that no one would expect that she would suddenly appear in a cheap diner?


    <em>Well, I''m just d that they haven''t recognized me yet.</em>


    "Sister, you''re so beautiful," the girl with curly brown hair said. "Can I call you ''sister?''"


    "Sure," Tilly said with a smile. "You can all call me "sister.""


    "This is the first time that I''ve seen you in this area, sister," the blonde girl, nowpletely smitten by her beauty, said. "Are you a tourist? A foreigner? A visiting merchant?"


    She shook her head. "None of the above."


    The girl with light-brown hair with freckles gasped and pped her hands. "Ah! I know," she said excitedly. "Sister, you''re here to audition for House Nystrom''s search for their first ever advertising model, aren''t you?"


    Her ears perked up at that.


    She vaguely remembered that she felt a note for Kiho in case their new business didn''t go well: to find a suitable person to promote their products.


    <em>Kiho, you''re working hard.</em>


    "House Nystrom is going tounch a new collection of jewelry," the light-brown haired girl continued. "They''re going to hold an audition to look for their first "advertising model." Since it''s the first time in the empire that a business will hire an "endorser," even the higher nobles are going crazy about it. I heard that even high-ranking noblewomen will audition."


    That audition sounded like a good stage for her "debut," huh?


    "Yes, that''s exactly the reason why I''m here," Tilly lied with a big smile. "Since I''m a fan of the Duchess of Oakes, I''d like to have a chance to promote House Nystrom''s products."


    The girls looked excited for her.


    <em>They remind me of Leni and Lani.</em>


    "Sister, will you be alright though?" the blonde girl asked worriedly. "I heard Lady Huxley will join the audition, too. A lot of people are saying that she''s the one who''s going to get picked by the sponsors."


    "Well, those people haven''t seen me yet, have they?" she asked with a smile.


    The girls giggled.


    "Wait, wait, wait," the blonde said as if she just realized something. "Lady Huxley became the talk of the town because of the prophecy. ording to that prophecy, Duke Nystrom was supposed to marry a woman with jet-ck hair. From what I heard, the Duchess of Oakes had the darkest hair among the noblewomen in the past so she was chosen to be the duke''s bride."


    "The prophecy also said that the ck-haireddy shall give birth to the child that will someday be a special existence to the empire," the curly-haired girl said. "But if the duchess isn''t the woman of the prophecy, then does it mean Lord Julian isn''t the child"


    "Shh," the other two girls hushed their friend.


    "Most of us think the same," the blonde said in a hushed voice. "But everyone knows that His Majesty is fond of Lord Julian. So don''t say something like that in public again."


    Tilly clenched her fists tight.


    That damned Aku Moonchester used Winter as his heir in her first life. And now, he was doing that to Julian her second child in the past.


    <em>Aku Moonchester, my children are not your puppets.</em>


    "Is it just me or it suddenly got literally hot in here?" one of the customers in front of them said while fanning her face.


    <em>Oh.</em>


    That was when she realized that even the three girls on her table were sweating profusely now.


    And eventually, everyone in the diner as well.


    <em>Sorry, folks.</em>


    Tilly took a deep breath to calm herself down. Only then did the temperature in the diner return to normal. When the three girls asked why she suddenly fell silent, she smiled at them. "Shall we go to a caf and talk about why I''m a fan of the Duchess of Oakes?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was happy and satisfied to buy stuff for Winter.


    He didn''t know shopping could be this fun until his son returned into his life. If he could, he would give Winter the world.


    Of course, he wanted to give everything to his wife, too.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    He hated that Winter had to wear a cloak to hide his identity. So to join his son, he also wore a cloak with a hood that covered his face as well. He was kind of known in Atlenta Town because of his pearl farm. But he was still hoping that people didn''t recognize him as the duke.


    "Dad, aren''t you buying me too much clothes?" Winter asked after he bought the newest collection of the dress shop (for kids) they were in for his son. Right now, they were in the tea room of the dress shop while waiting for his son''s clothes to be packed. He didn''t want to have it delivered to his ship because people would know that it was really him. "They''re all nice but the pieces of clothes you bought will be enough tost me a year."


    Kiho shook his head. "To be honest, the clothes sold in the Royal Capital are better. But don''t worry, son. Once we arrive at the capital, I will request the catalog for the best dress shop for kids and buy their entire collection for you." He squatted to match his son''s eye level, then he put his hands on his shoulders. "What else do you want, Winter? How about toys?"


    He shook his head. "I don''t y toys, Dad."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "How do you spend your time then?"


    For some reason, his son smirked smugly. "I run a little gang, Dad."


    Okay, that made himugh.


    It was his first time tough in the past five years.


    "I''m serious, Dad," Winter insisted with a pout. "My underlings even call me "boss.""


    "Okay," he said while trying to hold back hisughter. Then, he ruffled his son''s hair. "You live up to your "little rascal" moniker, huh?"


    He smiled and nod. "Yes, Dad. I have to add that my gang is the biggest gang there. So I''m not just a boss I''m actually the "big boss.""


    This time, he had to bite his lower lip to stop himself fromughing again. "So, what does my little gangster do?"


    "I protect Mommy," he answered proudly, then he pouted. "Although I''m not the only who does that. Uncle Wong is the true leader of her protection squad" his son trailed-off when he realized that he said too much. "Dad, I''m hungry."


    "We''ll have lunchter, son," he said with a "smile." "Tell me more about this "Uncle Wong first. How old is he? How does he look? Is he single? Did he make a move on your mommy?" He paused for a few seconds before he continued. "I want names, Winter Nystrom."


    His son suddenly looked like he was nervous. "What names, Dad?"


    "Names of every single young and good-looking bachelor near your mommy for the past five years."


    "It''s not that many, Dad," Winter said with a smile. "There are only six men who are close to mommy." His son''s smile turned brighter. "They all love Mommy very much!"


    "Six," Kiho whispered to himself in a cold voice. "It''s not that hard to kill six men."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was having a hard time holding back hisughter.


    The truth was he knew that his daddy was getting jealous of the men around his mother for the past five years. He knew that it was wrong to y with his father''s feelings but he was having a good time.


    It was fun to watch different emotions appear on his daddy''s usually stoic face.


    "So, this "Uncle Wong" that you mentioned," his father started while they were in a caf. They both had ice tea. It had be a trend in the empire ever since House Nystrom built a caf that sold cold drinks. "How does he look?"


    Winter sipped his sweet ice tea before he answered his dad''s question "innocently." "I can''t describe him in detail because I wasn''t supposed to mention them to you, Dad. But I''ll tell you one thing about him: he''s very good-looking."


    Well, all Keepers were good-looking since Lord Wixx created them.


    "What do you mean when you said "they" love your mother?" his dad asked while his golden eyes were glowing threateningly. "Is it romantic love?"


    He blinked to appear more innocent. "What are the different types of love, Dad?"


    "Oh," he said, his eyes going back to normal. "You''re too young to know that."


    He just smiled at his father. "Dad, can I use the bathroom for a minute?"


    "Do you want to walk you to the bathroom?"


    "I''m not a baby, Dad," he said, then he got off the chair. "I''m a gang leader. I don''t need my father to walk me to the bathroom."


    His dad smirked and ruffled his hair. "Make it quick, little rascal. I''ll get worried if you don''t return fast."


    He just nodded before he walked towards the bathroom.


    But he didn''t go there to do his business. When he got there, he locked the door and called his mother. He wanted to know what she was up to.


    "Winter?" his mother asked carefully.


    "Yes, it''s me and not Dad, Mommy," he assured his mother. "Where are you, Mom? Have you met up with Aunt Luna and Uncle Roarke?"


    "Not yet," his mom said. "Your mommy is busy leaving my traces here and there."


    "Mommy, you should wait for Aunt Luna and Uncle Roarke first," he scolded his mother.


    Sheughed at him. "Baby, I can protect myself."


    "I know, Mom," he said with a sigh. "I''m more worried about the civilians around you, considering that you have a very nasty temper. You need Aunt Luna and Uncle Roarke to stop you from going crazy."


    His mommy "coughed" loudly, then smartly changed the topic. "What are you doing now? Are you with your daddy?"


    "Yes, Mom. We''re shopping right now," he informed her. "But don''t worry. We''re being very careful."


    "I''m not worried about that. I know that Kiho will take good care of you."


    "Do you want to talk to Dad, Mommy?"


    "No," his mommy said. "If I hear your Dad''s voice next to my ear again, I might fly wherever he is and give you a new sibling right away. Do you want a little sister, Winter?"


    "Mommy!" he scolded her, his cheeks burning from embarrassment.


    "What? Deep inside, you''re not a baby," his mother said between giggles.


    Yeah, it was so obvious that she was messing with him.


    <em>Is it the job of every mother in the world to embarrass their kids?</em>


    "I''m just messing with you, my little cinnamon roll," his mother said. Then, she turned serious. "Winter?"


    "Yeah, Mommy?"


    "Look after Julian, please?"


    "You didn''t have to say ''please'' to me, Mommy," he said. "Well, I admit it''s still a little hard for me to ept that he is my brother. But I have to remind myself that it wasn''t Julian''s fault that he was born. And I actually feel bad knowing that his purpose back then was to be a vessel."


    "Even if he was a vessel, it wouldn''t change the fact that he''s a part of our family," his mother reminded him. "Julian is our son and he''s your brother, Winter."


    "I know, Mommy," he said even though his heart was aching. But for his parents, he decided to set aside his personal feelings. After all, Julian was his real brother anyway. "Mom, I have to hang up now. I don''t want to make Dad worry. He''s as paranoid as you."


    "As he should. I''ll never forgive him if you get hurt under his watch," his mother said firmly. Then, her changed turned gentler when she continued. "Take care, my little cinnamon roll. Mommy misses you so much."


    "I miss you too, Mommy," he said softly. "See youter."


    After talking to his mother, he went out of the bathroom and noticed that a trail of his father''s Mana followed him. He probably did that to make sure that he woulde back to their table safely. His mother often did that, too.


    Anyway, he noticed that his father was looking at the store across the caf when he returned.


    "Wee back, my little gangster," his dad said gently as soon as he sat on his chair. "How''s your mom?"


    His eyes widened in shock. "You know that I talked to Mom, Dad?"


    "Of course," he said. "If I were you, I''d do that too."


    <em>Paternal instinct is quite scary too, huh?</em>


    "Mom is fine," he said, then he changed the topic. "What were you looking at a while ago, Dad?"


    "I found an art supply store," his father said hesitantly. "I''m thinking about buying Julian some art materials since he''s into painting recently."


    That hurt, for real.


    His father took a deep breath before he exined. "Winter, I want you to know that I have an adoptive son and his name is Julian. His Majesty is using him as your recement. So everyone in the mansion, and perhaps the whole empire, thinks that Julian is the child of the prophecy. The emperor hasn''t introduced him to the public yet but still, everyone already knows his name."


    He listened to his daddy even though it hurt because his mother told him to pretend that he didn''t know that Julian was his real brother.


    "It''s okay, Dad," he assured his father. "I understand your situation."


    "I''m sorry, Winter," his father said. "Please wait a little longer," he begged him softly. "Soon, I will give you back your birth right."


    Winter smiled even though his heart was being squeezed at the moment. "I trust you, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SISTER, thank you for the treat!"


    Tilly smiled at Laura (the light-brown haired girl with freckles), Caroline (the blonde girl), and Mei (the curly-haired girl) whom she brought to a caf. "No problem, girls."


    "We will help you find justice for the Duchess of Oakes," Caroline, the toughest among the three girls, promised her. "I can''t believe that we judged the duchess without evidence." She held the Ice Tablet that she generously gave her. "But with all the pieces of evidence that you have, we will help the duchess clear her name."


    The evidence that Caroline was talking about was the pictures of "Duchess Tilly Nystrom" while she was bleeding on the ground.


    Yep, it''s a "screenshot" of myself when I was almost killed five years ago taken from the body videocam that I had then.


    Not only that. She also showed the girls the blurry pictures of the carriage of House Hayward that night. ording to Luna and Isabelle, it was following their carriage back then. And the person inside it was Yumi her evil mother-inw.


    Thank you for being dumb enough to use the carriage of House Hayward, Mother.


    "I heard that the new madam of House Hayward is a sly, young woman," Laura whispered because there were other customers near their table. "But after I found out that she was involved in the disappearance of the Duchess of Oakes, then I wholeheartedly believe the rumors now."


    "Sister, is it really okay if we anonymously spread these pieces of evidence with the story behind it?" Mei asked worriedly. "Won''t you get in trouble?"


    "The Royal Court didn''t listen to me when I presented the evidence to them because I''m a foreigner," she lied smoothly. And yes, she had to thank Kelsi again for teaching her how to act. Gosh, if she was in the modern world, she would have won an acting award by now. "I have no choice but to resort to gaining the public sympathy instead. If more people talk about what really happened to the duchess, then maybe the Royal Court will finally reopen the case and investigate the reason of her disappearance properly."


    She paused for a while, then she let out a deep sigh.


    "I want this case to be solved as soon as possible because I feel bad for Duke Nystrom," she continued in a sad voice. "I heard that he lost his memories because he was attacked when he was trying to save the duchess back then. And ording to the people that are working with His Grace right now, the duke is still trying to remember his past with the duchess."


    "So, the rumor between Duke Nystrom and Lady Huxley isn''t true?" Caroline asked curiously.


    "That can''t be true," she said firmly. "I''m sure that Duke Nystrom is still in love with the Duchess of Oakes."


    "Aww," the three girls said sadly.


    <em>Yep, that''s exactly the reaction that I want.</em>


    Although she picked Laura, Caroline, and Mei randomly, it was really her goal to choose youngmoners to spread the rumor that she wanted the whole empire to hear.


    Also, the working ss was bigger in number than the ruling ss.


    <em>This is how you utilize the power of themon folks, Aku Moonchester.</em>


    "We will help you, sister," the three girls promised her.


    "Thank you,dies," Tilly said with a bright smile. "Since I was really close to the Duchess of Oakes in the past, I will make sure that she will reward you generously once she''s found."


    Laura, Caroline, and Mei looked more determined and excited now.


    And being a damned capitalist was the reason why Tilly had be a viiness once again.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 206: Present from the White Tower

    Chapter 206: Present from the White Tower


    "THAT''S THE 10th time since we arrived here."


    Tilly nodded at Luna''s sleepyment. Right now, they were having tea in the balcony of their room in Dine&Dream. Although their room had a balcony, the view they had was the wall of the building next to it.


    And right now, in the dark and sketchy alley, Roarke was busy beating the three men who tried to enter her room to a pulp.


    "Don''t burn them to ashes, Roarke," Tilly reminded the Keeper. "We don''t want you to waste your energy on small fries."


    Roarke looked up at her, then he bowed politely. "As you wish, Lady Nystrom."


    Since they were in the Royal Capital, the Keeper couldn''t call her ''Supreme.''


    "I still believe that your idea of spreading the sketchy disappearance of the Duchess of Oakes is a brilliant one," Luna continued. "But since you showed your jet-ck hair for everyone to see, you attracted scumbags. I''m pretty sure that those men who tried to enter our room are here to abduct and sell you since your hair color is pretty rare in the empire."


    "The more I attract people, the faster the news about the "woman with the jet-ck hair" will spread," she said. "I''m not only doing this for my eback." I also want the news about my return to reach our allies. I''m sure that Captain Denver and the rest wouldn''t stay in the North for too long. I have a feeling that they have also visited the Royal Capital from time to time."


    The witch nodded in agreement. "Lord Sris was strict when ites to creating a connection to people outside the ind. He made it clear that he doesn''t want us to contact the "outsiders" when we were in Srium."


    "And that''s understandable," she said. "He protected the ind for so long because of that strictness."


    "You''re right, Tilly."


    She sipped her tea before she spoke again. "So, how was your trip with your "son?""


    Luna red at her, and she even lightly kicked her leg under the table that made herugh. "You really find my situation amusing, don''t you? You also often tease me about being Lord Sris''s "stepmother.""


    Sheughed at her lightin. "Well, I''d like to think that our "past selves" are no different from our ancestors. Just like how I treat Soleil Rosenberg as a different person from me. I don''t have the memories of the Moon Priestess so I don''t see her in you. That''s why I can tease you like this. But if you think I''m crossing the line, you can call me out anytime."


    "Well, you never teased me about it in front of Lord Sris or Roarke so I''m fine with it," the witch said, then she changed the topic. "Anyway, what''s our agenda today?"


    "I''m d you asked," she said excitedly, then she put her teacup down on the table. "Let''s go shopping, Luna. I have a fashion show to own."


    ""Fashion show?"" Luna asked with furrowed brows. "What are you talking about this time, Tilly?"


    "My debut stage," Tilly said with augh. "I have to wow my Kiho during our long-awaited reunion!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''M SO sorry, Winter," Kiho said to his son while he was carefully putting him inside a huge box.


    Right now, they were inside the carriage. He knelt in front of the box where he put Winter. To make sure he wouldn''t get hurt, he put a soft nket inside it.


    It pained him to do that but that was the only way he could sneak his son in the mansion without getting caught. After all, it would be too suspicious if he went straight to the annex building instead of the main mansion.


    "Please bear it for a while," he pleaded his son.


    "It''s okay, Dad," Winter assured him again. "A gang leader won''t be hurt by this."


    Heughed softly at his son''s joke.


    <em>Winter is trying to console me.</em>


    "Thank you, son," he said while ruffling his hair. Then, he looked up at Amilo who sat on the couch across from him. "Amilo, take care of Winter."


    Amilo bowed politely. "As you wish, my lord."


    "Don''t worry too much, Daddy," Winter assured him once again. Then, he cupped his face between his cold, tiny hands. "But I have a request. Can you have at least one meal with me every day, Dad?"


    He felt like he was punch in the chest when he heard his son''s earnest request when he didn''t have to.


    "Of course, my little rascal. I''ll do that even if you didn''t wish for it," Kiho said, then he closed his eyes and gently bumped his son''s forehead with his. "I will work hard so we can have meals together all the time."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HAVE you heard about the alleged attack on the Duchess of Oakes five years ago?"


    "Yes. I heard from our maids that apparently, the duchess was abducted by a high-ranking household in the past."


    "There are also pieces of evidence going around backing it up."


    "Ah, I also heard that Duke Nystrom has lost his memories because he was attacked when he was trying to save the duchess back then."


    "We didn''t notice because His Graces has always been quiet and stoic."


    "What will happen to Lady Huxley now?"


    "Well, I just found out that her engagement with Lord Nystrom was just a misunderstanding that Lady Huxley apparently didn''t clear on purpose"


    Lucina covered her ears with her hands as she shut her eyes tight.


    She was seething inside but she couldn''t move from her spot.


    Right now, she was standing in front of the team room in Countess Cornwell.


    She was invited to her tea party and since she was one of the most sessful businesswomen in the empire, she happily attended the party. She had waited a long time to have a chance to enter the circle of high-ranking noblewomen. It wasn''t easy to do that even though she was already adopted by House Huxley.


    She thought she could finally be a part of the high society now.


    But she didn''t expect to hear thedies talk behind her back that way.


    <em>They''re talking about Lady Nystrom, aren''t they?</em> Lucina thought to herself while marching away from the tea room. <em>That wench is back!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN was excited to finally see his father again after two days.


    Right now, he was waiting for him in front of the main entrance of the mansion along with the servants.


    <em>I can''t wait to have a meal with Father again.</em>


    As a duke and a businessman, his father was always busy. The most quality time that he could spend with him was during meal times. That was why he was always looking forward to it even though their taste in food was quite different from each other.


    <em>Father loves seafood while I love steak.</em>


    But that wasn''t important anymore.


    "Father," Julian whispered to himself when his father''s carriage finally arrived. A few momentster, his father stepped out of the carriage. "Wee back"


    He trailed off when his father turned his back on them to carefully pick-up a giant box from inside the carriage. After that, Amilo (the family''s jewel maker) stepped out and his father handed over the big box to him. In a span of a minute, he heard his father tell Amilo to be careful with the box <em>five times</em>.


    <em>That''s strange.</em>


    He concentrated hard enough until he felt a strange energy from inside the box. To be honest, he could tell that the energy was sealed properly. If he wasn''t a skilled Mana-user, he wouldn''t have felt it. But since he was blessed with strong powers, he could easily tell what was inside that giant box.


    It was Mana.


    An ice Mana, at that.


    Julian''s body froze in fear when realization hit him. <em>It''s Lord Winter''s Mana!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LORD Huxley is already dead," Aku informed Lady Lucina Huxley bluntly. To be honest, he was tired so he really didn''t have the time to deal with her. "But since the empire''sw forbids women from inheriting a noble title, you can''t be named as Countess Huxley. You either have to sell your properties or find a husband who could inherit Lord Huxley''s title."


    "You promised me that you''d help me with Kiho, Your Majesty," Lady Huxley reminded him in tears. "I''ve done all the things that you ask of me for the past five years!"


    "Not everything yet, Lady Huxley," he reminded her coldly. "You haven''t done the most important thing that I need from you."


    She didn''t have a retort to that.


    He was about to remind her of her real mission when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. After that, Elis Ripperton entered his office.


    Since Sir Gregory was already gone, the Blue Dragon served as his closest aide.


    "Aku Moonchester, you have guests from the White Tower," Lord Ripperton announced, addressing him in the rudest and most casual way possible. "I already told them toe inside since your current guest isn''t that important anyway."


    Lady Huxley''s face turned red from embarrassment, then she red at the Blue Dragon.


    "Lord Ripperton, please escort Lady Huxley outside," he said before the two go after each other''s throat. "Then, tell everyone that they can''t disturb me until the mages from the White Tower leave."


    Elis Ripperton just turned his back on him without even ncing at Lady Huxley.


    The woman once again red at the Blue Dragon before she followed him outside.


    Aku let out a frustrated sigh while shaking his head. <em>It''s really funny to see two people who betrayed the Supreme in the past act that way around each other</em>.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IS IT fun humiliating me every chance you get, Elis?"


    "Yes. It brings me absolute joy to put you in ce every chance I get," Elis answered Lucina Morganna''s question without missing a beat. He didn''t even turn to look at the woman following him behind closely. "And do I have to remind you that a lowly traitor like you don''t have the right to address me casually?"


    "I don''t want to hear that from another traitor," Lua Morganna said mockingly. "We''re just the same, aren''t we?"


    He stopped walking to turn around to face the woman. "Don''t lump me with you, wench," he said coldly. "You betrayed the Supreme during her weakest moment just when she needed you the most. I was forced to use my position as the Blue Dragon to save her even if it meant betraying her and the entire Fire Mage n."


    But of course, during that time, he had already reached the point of no return.


    He was a big hypocrite to hate the people who had betrayed the Supreme in the past even though he betrayed her himself. Still, he couldn''t help but hate Lucina Morganna with every fiber of his being.


    "It has always been like this, hasn''t it?" Lucina Morganna asked with a bitter smile. "No one understood my struggle and no one will ever do so."


    "There was one person kind enough to understand a low-life like you. But guess what? You stabbed her in the back," Elis snarled at her. "Don''t you dare me the Supreme for your misfortune not when you let your envy end the life of the only person who reached out to you, ungrateful wench."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU raised a brow when he noticed the sly smile on the face of Royal Archmage Rosalia.


    On the other hand, her apprentices Michelle and Rachelle Atkinson stood behind her. The twin mages had a pokerfaced look on their pretty faces.


    <em>Hmm.</em>


    But even though the three looked like they were only in their thirties, everyone knew that they had already lived for more than a century.


    <em>It has been decades since the Royal Archmage left the White Tower.</em>


    That was enough reason to brace himself for that meeting.


    "Your Majesty, first of all, I''d like to apologize foring unannounced," Royal Archmage Rosalia said, then she bowed to him. As soon as she did, Michelle and Rachelle Atkinson also bowed. "I just wanted to inform you of the good news as soon as possible."


    "Rise," Aku told the three mages. When they did, he continued. "It seems like you''re really excited to share that good news with me," he said sarcastically. "Let''s not beat around the bush, shall we?"


    The Royal Archmage smiled before she spoke. "Your Majesty, we have sessfully created the woman outside your bloodline who can carry a Moonchester in her womb."


    Okay, that sounded creepy.


    "You "created" a woman that can give birth to my child?" he asked with a raised brow. "I''m not certain if I want to meet that kind ofdy, Lady Rosalia."


    "You''ve already met her, Your Majesty."


    He raised a brow at that. "I meet several women every single day, Lady Rosalia."


    And that was because of his advisors who wanted him to choose another empress.


    "I''m not talking about the women that your advisors send to seduce you, Your Majesty," Lady Rosalia said. "Do you remember the two little girls that Lahara brought to the White Tower before?"


    Aku nodded, now being more cautious because he had a feeling that he wouldn''t like where this conversation was heading to. "I heard from Nia that one of the girls ran away from the White Tower while the other died from a mission or something."


    "She didn''t die, Your Majesty. In fact, she has perfected a medicine mixed with an ancient spell that will allow her to give birth to your royal heir," Royal Archmage Rosalia said with a proud smile. "Your Majesty, Ste of the Colorless Coven is more than qualified to be the next empress of Moonchester Empire."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> Okay, story time. Yep, I finally changed the book cover after five months. It''s pretty, isn''t it?


    Anyway...


    I have a real life friend top author here in WN. She was the one who encouraged me to join Spirity Awards (that I will obviously not win at all, lol). When I was new here, she used to scold me because the book cover I used didn''t suit the setting of the story. She sent me several artworks that may fit MV more. I rejected all of it because for me, the images didn''t fit the main characters. Haha! We''ve been friends for almost a decade now so I''m sure she didn''t mind. LOL.


    I''m kind of stubborn when ites to stuff like that. The previous cover I used inspired me to create Tilly, Kiho, and Winter so I was really adamant about changing it--- even though I''m painfully aware that it didn''t give the right vibe to the setting of the story.


    What made me change my mind?


    Well, while I was browsing images in P*nterest for the new novel I''m drafting, I came across the new cover. I''ve seen plenty of images with the same setting, but only that one tugged at my heartstrings. The guy in the (current) cover looks so whipped for thedy in the image. That''s exactly how I imagine Kiho whenever he looks at Tilly. And of course, the mature charm of thedy fits Tilly''s character so much. The eye colors don''t match the characters, but their hair color (before Tilly awakened) kind of did so I still thought it was the perfect book cover for MV.


    And so, here we are now.


    I had a mini heart attack when the current cover was used by the featured story yesterday. That''s why I''m still determined to save up and hire an artist to make an original cover for MV. So please continue supporting me. Hehe. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 207: Broken Relationships

    Chapter 207: Broken Rtionships


    "JULIAN, I bought you some art materials as souvenir."


    Julian''s ears perked up at what his father said.


    Right now, he was in his father''s room because he wanted to invite him for lunch. Then, he intended to show him his painting once they had tea after their meal. But he was surprised when he suddenly gave him a gift.


    It was rare for his father to give him a present without an asion.


    "Thank you, Father," Julian said happily while hugging the box of paints and brushes close to his chest. More than the gift itself, he was happy that his father noticed his loved for painting. "I love it."


    His father just ruffled his hair.


    That surprised him even more because he almost never got affectionate to him for the past five years.


    <em>Father is in a good mood.</em>


    Maybe it was the best time to show him his painting.


    But when he was just about to open his mouth, his father suddenly talked.


    "Julian, I''m sorry but I can''t join you for lunchter," his father said, then he got down on one knee to match his eye level. "Since Amilo and I are busy working with our new collection, I''ll be spending more time in the annex building. Is that okay with you?"


    He hugged the box tighter as he tried to hard his flinch.


    To be honest, he didn''t want to believe his hunch. He was praying hard that he was wrong about Lord Winter''s presence that he felt a while ago. But now that his father was acting this way, he couldn''t help but confirm his fears.


    <em>Father''s memories are back</em>, Julian said to himself. <em>And he already found Lord Winter.</em>


    Was his father going to abandon him in this lifetime, too?


    Although his heart was crippled by fear, he had to smile and hide his feelings. If he didn''t act like how his father expected him to, he was afraid that he might abandon him right away.


    "I understand, Father," Julian said in a forced cheerful voice. "I can take care of myself so please don''t worry about me as you do your job."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU was in a difficult position.


    The "present" from the White Tower was like a bomb to him. He never expected them to make a bold move like this.


    "The White Tower had been quiet for a long time," Aku said as he sat on the sofa of his office, enjoying his tea alone. Sir Gregory used to apany him during his free time. But the old knight was gone now. He had no choice but to (forcefully) invite Elis Ripperton instead. "But now I know why they locked down the tower for so long. They used Lahara''s betrayal as an excuse to close the tower''s doors."


    Lahara betrayed the White Tower when she left it to join the Blue Dragon Knights before.


    Thest time the mages of White Tower went to his pce was when they demanded Nia to be stripped off of her title, and for her to be exiled for being infertile.


    Now, after five years, they went back to drop a bomb on him.


    "The mages aren''t interested in power," Elis Ripperton said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "They just want to show-off the result of their experiment. You said that their empress candidate is a witch who was supposed to be dead already. If she''s alive now and can even give birth to your child, then they must have experimented on her."


    He nodded in agreement. "That''s what I thought, too."


    "But have you considered that Nia Moonchester must have been the one who asked the mages of the White Tower to do that kind of experiment?"


    He raised a brow at that. "And what''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Nia Moonchester never wanted to have a child with you," the Blue Dragon said bluntly. "She destroyed her reproductive system, didn''t she? But she wasn''t a fool to think that no one could fix it. And so, to avoid that from happening, she must have devised a n for you to have a royal heir with another woman before you find the cure to her infertility. Once you already have an heir, it''s no use even if you find a cure for her. After all, the Moonchesterw states that the emperor''s first born son is automatically hailed as the heir apparent regardless of his mother."


    He hated to admit how Elis Ripperton might be correct.


    If there was a way to make Nia infertile, then there was obviously a way to fix it. Like the Blue Dragon said, his beloved was smart enough to realize that.


    But if he suddenly had a royal heir before he found a cure for her infertility, then she would have no use for the empire anymore. His advisors and the different factions of huge households might not allow her to return even as a queen.


    Worst of all, once a woman who wasn''t a Moonchester bes an empress, then people will soon think that it''s alright for the Moonchesters to not marry within themselves anymore.


    He couldn''t allow that to happen.


    <em>Our bloodline must remain pure at all cost.</em>


    "I have to cure Nia''s infertility before they force me to take another empress," Aku said, then he gave Elis Ripperton a serious look. "Lord Ripperton, find the Supreme and tell her that I will ept her offer. So she better bring me the cure for Nia''s infertility on our next meeting."


    Elis Ripperton, who looked like he was waiting for him to say that, smiled contentedly. "That''s the only kind of order that I will take from you, Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DAD, what''s the asion?" Winter asked when he saw the feast on the long table. Then, he looked at his father who was of course, sat in the center of the table. He was seated on his dad''s right side while Amilo was in the left. "Why did you prepare so many food for lunch?"


    "Every day I spend with you is worth celebrating, little rascal," his father said gently. "I don''t know yet what kind of food you look aside from seafood so I asked the chef to prepare a lot of good dishes."


    He wanted to scold his father and say that he just made himself look suspicious to his servants. But when he saw the expectant look on his dad''s face, he just smiled and expressed his gratitude. Well, he was really thankful at that moment. "Thank you, Dad. You''re the best."


    His father''s face lit up. "You''re wee, Winter," he said, then he asked: "What do you n to do today?"


    "I asked Uncle Amilo to take me as his apprentice," he said. "Thankfully, he agreed."


    Even though he didn''t want to sound excited, he couldn''t help it. He had been helping his mother create and develop gadgets using the unique spirit stones in Srium ever since he was three. When he heard that Amilo was a jewel maker for his father, he immediately asked him to make him his apprentice because he liked doing new things.


    "Thank you, Amilo," his father said to the jewel maker.


    "It''s nothing, my lord," Amilo said with a bow. "I have never taken an apprentice before. But when Lord Winter talked about his experience in making gadgets, I was impressed."


    His father looked amused by that. "Experience? My son is only five, Amilo."


    The jewel maker''s face lit up. "Exactly, my lord," he said, then he turned to him. "Lord Winter was born for this."


    His dad smiled proudly.


    <em>Dad smiles more often now unlike in my past life.</em>


    "Is that true, Winter?" his father asked when he turned to him. "You know how to make jewelry and stuff?"


    "I''m more experienced in creating gadgets, that''s why I''m excited to learn how to make jewelry properly this time," he said proudly. "I want to make jewelry for Mommy."


    He was surprised when his father suddenly became serious. "I haven''t thought of doing that," he said while giving him a yful re. "As expected, Winter. You''re still my most formidable rival when ites to your mother''s love and attention."


    <em>Ah, so that''s it.</em>


    Ever since he was born, his dad already considered him a rival. But it was harmless so it was fine with it. Thankfully, his father had never crossed the line with his (over)jealousy. He knew that his father knew that if he went overboard with his possessiveness, his mother would dump him in a heartbeat.


    <em>Even though Mommy loves Daddy so much, she knows how toxic (over)possessive men and she doesn''t have time to tolerate such behavior.</em>


    His mommy often told him that she''d disown him if he turned "yandere" in the future.


    "I want to stay with you and make jewelry for you and your mommy," his father said. "Based on the videos that your mother left for me to watch, I know that I''ve made nes for the two of you in the past. But I want to make some jewelry for you again."


    "You can''t stay here for a long time, Dad," he reminded him strictly. Of course, he wanted to spend more time with his father. But unfortunately, they didn''t have the freedom to enjoy each other''spany yet. He had to hide well to protect his mommy as well. "I thought we don''t want people to be suspicious of you?"


    His father''s face turned gloomy. God, he looked like a kicked puppy again. "I don''t want to be separated from you, son."


    Amilo looked shocked at how clingy his father was.


    But since he was reborn in that lifetime, he had already witnessed the huge change in his dad''s personality.


    <em>Dad used to be stoic in my past life. But I remember that he still secretly craved for mother''s love and attention back then. Unfortunately, Mommy was already too brainwashed then to notice how my Dad cared for her.</em>


    That made him more determined to protect his precious family this time.


    "I won''t go anywhere, Dad," he assured his father, then he forced to smile at him even though the next things he said squeezed his heart painfully. "You just came back from a weekend business trip. I''m sure Brother Julian missed you." He didn''t want to call Julian "brother" before but that changed when he found out the truth from his mother. "You should spend time with him as well."


    Setting his personal feelings wasn''t easy. After his tragic first life, he wanted his parents'' love and attention all to himself.


    But when he heard Julian''s story from his mother, he decided to be more understanding. Just like him, Julian grew up longing for their parents'' love. Admittedly, he was selfish and unapologetic of it. But this time, he wanted to be mature and act his age.


    Technically speaking, he was older than Julian since he was the Moon Serpent. It just so happened that in this lifetime, Julian was reborn first.


    "I wish you act more like a child, Winter," his father said in a sad voice. "You can be selfish and greedy, and I will never hate you for it."


    "I don''t want to be selfish when ites to our family," Winter said with a smile tofort his father. "And Brother Julian is a part of our family now, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOW LONG are you going to follow me, you oversized snake?" Tilly asked, then she turned around to face Elis Ripperton. Yes, it was the Blue Dragon. But her husband used to say that a dragon was just an "oversized snake." Frankly, she agreed. "Gosh, I know that you''re obsessed with Soleil Rosenberg. But stalking me is very, very low of a Beast God, you know?" She looked up at the now orange-y sky and yelled. "Is the bar for being a Beast God in freaking hell, you divine fossils?"


    She could act like that without inhibitions because after spending the whole day being stalked by Elis Ripperton, she finally decided to confront him. So she went up to the rooftop of the inn her group was staying at. In case of a fight, she could freely use her wings up there.


    Of course, Luna and Roarke were just behind her.


    "Your brother is a part of the Beast Gods you''re insulting, Supreme," Elis Ripperton said, then he took off the hood to reveal his handsome face. Well, he was handsome but not as handsome as Kiho, of course. Anyway, he wore simple noble clothes under his navy blue cloak. That meant he was trying to hide his identity as the new captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. "And Kalel Nystrom was practically our leader back then."


    "So what?" she snapped back. "As a human oppressed by your little group, I have the right to criticize you."


    "Fair enough," the Blue Dragon said. "But Supreme, can you refrain from speaking so crudely? It''s unbing of someone of your stature."


    "I''ll f*cking speak the way I want to, thank you very much."


    "Crawford''s vocabry is rubbing off on you, Supreme," Roarkemented in an amused voice.


    On the other hand, she heard Luna stifled augh behind her.


    For some reason, Elis Ripperton to the witch with an amused look on his face. "Pink eyes," he said. "They''re not as unique as I thought, huh?"


    "Who cares about your opinion?" Luna snapped back. "My eyes aren''t meant for your entertainment, Blue Dragon."


    It was her turn to stifle augh. "Careful, Elis Ripperton. Luna might look mature. But in reality, she''s just as short-tempered as I am. Especially when ites to nasty people like you."


    "I guess it''s time for me to ept that you''re not Soleil," Elis Ripperton said when he turned to her again, then he smiled overly sweet at her. "Then, should I call you ''Tilly?'' You seemed to be fond of that name."


    "No," she said bluntly. "I''d rather you call me Soleil than my current name."


    "Okay, Tilly," the Blue Dragon said with a smirk.


    She clenched her teeth in annoyance. "Brat."


    "Should I burn him to ashes, Supreme?" Roarke asked politely as if he wasn''t asking to kill another person.


    "Later," she said. "Elis Ripperton, state your business before my Keeper burn you to death."


    "He can''t even if he wants to," Elis Ripperton said before he continued. "I''m here to inform you of Aku Moonchester''s decision."


    She nodded. Of course, she already predicted that. And that was the only reason why she allowed the Blue Dragon to stalk her all day.


    "The kid emperor epts your offer, Tilly," the Blue Dragon continued so casually that she had to roll her eyes at him. "He wants you to bring the cure in your next meeting. He also wants me to assure you that you''d be able to talk to Nia Moonchester by then."


    "What happened?" she asked with a raised brow. "Aku Moonchester wouldn''t have sent you here if nothing terrible happened to him."


    Thest time she saw the emperor, he was adamant about working with her. Even though she knew that he needed the cure to fix Nia Moonchester''s body, he still held his ground because of his ego.


    But for that egotistical man to send the Blue Dragon just to inform her that he''d like to ept her offer?


    "I can feel his urgency and desperation," she said with a smirk. "Spill the tea, Elis Ripperton." When the Blue Dragon gave her a funny look, she exined. "I mean, tell me what happened for Aku Moonchester to change his mind."


    "Tilly, we''re not standing on the same side anymore so I can''t tell you that," he reminded her while shaking his head. "Even though I hate working with Aku Moonchester, I still chose to stay beside him because we have the same goal: to bring you down all over again."


    Roarke snarled and was about to attack the Blue Dragon when she stopped the Keeper by simply calling his name.


    "I know why you chose Aku Moonchester''s side, Elis Ripperton," she said seriously. "But I''d rather kill myself than to be owned by you. In short, you made a stupid choice."


    "Only I can say if my choice was stupid or not. And frankly, I don''t regret it," Elis Ripperton said, then he smiled as he changed the topic. "Tilly, I think the red dress from thest dress shop that you visited suit you the best."


    Tilly rolled her eyes at that. Gosh, what a creepy stalker this Blue Dragon was. "Roarke, burn the red dress to ashes."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN sessfully sneaked out of the main mansion without getting caught.


    Since the annex building wasn''t heavily guarded just like his father''s order, he was able to sneak in without trouble. He followed the trace of Winter''s Mana until he reached the biggest room in the annex building.


    <em>Father is really taking good care of Lord Winter, as expected.</em>


    He opened the door as quietly as possible. When he entered the dark room sneakily, he prayed for it to be empty. He wanted him to be wrong about his hunch.


    But when he felt the hostile energy towards him, he smiled bitterly.


    <em>He''s really here.</em>


    He pulled the dagger from the holster attached to his hip. Then, he made the de burn when it hit another de


    the de of an ice dagger, he must add.


    Of course, the ice de didn''t melt even if his de was burning hot.


    And the owner of that ice dagger was whom he expected it to be.


    Dark hair, golden eyes, pale skin


    "Lord Winter," Julian greeted him politely as he pulled away his dagger from him. "Wee back."


    "Oh, it''s you," Winter said, pulling back his ice dagger as well. "How are you, Brother Julian?"


    <em>"Brother?"</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 208: Boy Talk

    Chapter 208: Boy Talk


    "BROTHER Mikhail, have you heard the rumors going around the Royal Capital before we left?" Flint asked the captain while they were at the back of the carriage that would bring them to the nearest border of the empire. "A woman with the jet-ck hair has appeared."


    "It''s probably Lady Nystrom," Brother Mikhail said with a smile. "She''s finally back."


    "But why did we leave without leaving a secret message for her?"


    "We can''t be too careless, Flint," he said while shaking his head. "Lady Nystrom wasn''t trying to hide. That means she knows that His Majesty is still keeping an eye on her. But there''s a reason why she''s doing that."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What''s her other reason then?"


    "This is just my hunch but I believe that Lady Nystrom is openly using herself as bait," the captain exined. "She''s blinding the enemies with her brightness so that we can safely do our jobs in her shadow."


    He didnt really get it but it sounded like what his Big Sister Tilly would do.


    <em>She''s still the selfless big sister that I know.</em>


    "I guess this isn''t the time to reunite with her yet," he said in a sad voice.


    "We can do thatter, Flint," Brother Mikhail said, then he gently patted his back in an attempt tofort him. "For now, we have to head back to the North and report to the Golden Tiger."


    Flint smirked when he thought of something as a little payback for the Golden Tiger''s years of "bullying" them through his harsh training. "I wonder if Lord Ainsworth would cry when I tell him that Big Sister Tilly is back."


    <strong>***</strong>


    RED HAIR, deep purple eyes, pale skin.


    Winter almost didn''t recognize Julian. But thanks to the light of his ming dagger, he managed to sessfully make out his features. And he also noticed something.


    <em>He''s taller than me!</em>


    Well, Julian was almost two years older than him but still, it was annoying because he couldn''t wait to be taller than his current height.


    "Oh, it''s you," Winter said. He only pulled back his dagger when Julian did first. Brother or not, he wouldn''t let his guard down when ites to fighting. "How are you, Brother Julian?"


    His brother looked shocked by what he called him.


    <em>Which reminds me</em>


    "Why are you calling me ''Lord Winter?''" he asked when he remembered the way he greeted him a while ago. "You can just call me by my name, you know?"


    Much to his surprise, tears silently rolled down Julian''s cheeks.


    "H-Hey, why are you crying?" Winter asked in panic. "Are you hurt or something?"


    Julian smiled while wiping off the tears on his face with his hand. "I''m just happy to see you again, Winter."


    <em>God, he''s a crybaby.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was surprised when Amilo stopped him from going upstairs where he felt Julian and Winter''s release their respective Mana. "Why are you stopping me, Amilo?" he asked the jewel maker who literally blocked his way. "The kids are fighting."


    "My lord, please pardon me but I think we should let the boys talk by themselves first," Amilo said. "I noticed Lord Julian''s presence as soon as he entered the annex. But I decided to pretend that I didn''t because I don''t think he''s here to hurt Lord Winter. I also felt their Mana. But they''re not releasing bloodlust, which means they''re not going to kill each other."


    Before Kiho left the annex, he left some little ice cubes near his room. Once somebody who didn''t have permission step foot near his son''s chamber, the ice cubes would melt and then send a signal to him.


    As soon as he felt the signal, he rushed to the annex building.


    He only calmed down when he realized it was Julian when he felt him use his Mana. But he got worried again when he felt Winter use his power. He could vaguely tell that the two were entangled in a fight.


    <em>Julian probably noticed that I was hiding something in the annex so he went here to investigate.</em>


    "I''m still worried, Amilo," he admitted. "What if Julian identally hurts Winter?"


    "Are you only worried about Lord Winter, Your Grace?"


    Okay, that had to hurt.


    His conscience kicked in but it was already toote. He was already hit by the realization that he refused to acknowledge before.


    "I care more about Winter than Julian because Winter is my real son. He''s the fruit of my and Tilly''s love for each other," he admitted with a bitter smile. "I''m an awful father, am I not?"


    "That doesn''t necessarily equate to being a bad father, my lord," Amilo said. "Would you like to have a drink with me?"


    He nodded because it was better than doing nothing while waiting for Julian and Winter to finish talking.


    A few momentster, he was now sitting on the sofa across from Amilo. They went to the tea room in the first floor. But instead of tea, they had alcoholic drinks, of course. For the past five years, he often drank alone almost every night to cope up with loneliness so that wasn''t new to him.


    <em>But now that Winter is here, I''ll stop drinking since I''m not lonely anymore.</em>


    He froze when he realized that he was thinking about Winter''s sake only.


    <em>I didn''t stop drinking every night for the past five years even though Julian was my side.</em>


    Now he felt awful about himself even more.


    "I had two sons in the past, Your Grace," Amilo started in a sad voiceter. "When my wife and I weren''t still blessed with a child after five years of being married, we decided to adopt a five year old boy from the orphanage. But just after two years, a miracle happened and my wife finally got pregnant."


    Okay, that got him hooked instantly. <em>Amilo had it rough, huh?</em>


    "My wife and I showered our second child with so much love that we began to neglect our first child," the jewel maker said in a voice filled with regret. "I only noticed how cruel we were to him when he ran away from our home. My first son was only ten then."


    He gulped because that was exactly what he was doing to Julian now.


    In an attempt to lessen the heaviness in his chest, he took his ss of whisky in one gulp.


    "I looked everywhere for our first son, determined to make it up to him. But no matter how hard I searched for him, I didn''t even find a trace of him anywhere," the jewel maker continued. "Several yearster, while I was on my way home to celebrate my second child''s 15th birthday, I came across my first son. Behind him was our burning house."


    He let out a soft gasp. <em>Oh, no</em>


    "My first son burned our house down while my wife and my second child were still inside," Amilo continued in a cracked voice. "I was devastated, of course. When I asked him why he did that, he only said one thing: <em>"Father, if only you and Mother gave me half of the love you have showered your real son, I wouldn''t have done this."</em>" This time, the jewel maker was already crying silently. "After saying that, he killed himself in front of me."


    He turned his gaze away from Amilo because he was afraid he might break down and cry with him, too.<em> God, he went through hell.</em>


    And of course, as a father himself, he sympathized with Amilo. Especially since he was kind of in the same position as him right now.


    "I apologize for breaking down in your presence, my lord."


    "No, don''t apologize for that," he said when he turned to the jewel maker. "Amilo, I''m sorry to hear that."


    He just smiled and nodded. "My lord, I know that I''m not the best person that could give you an advice on how to be a better father. But may I still give you one?"


    "Of course," he said. "I badly need an advice right now, Amilo."


    "My lord, as a father, I believe you shouldn''t divide your love and attention between your two sons. Instead, you must multiply it even if one of them isn''t your real son," Amilo said with a sad smile. "Please don''t make the same mistake I did, Your Grace."


    Kiho, taking Amilo''s heartfelt advice seriously, nodded. "Thank you, Amilo."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I CAN''T believe we''re talking normally now," Winter said while munching on a chocte bar. Before his daddy left, he put a stash of snacks on his bedside table. He shared them with Julian so right now, they were having midnight snack on his bed as they sat in lotus position opposite each other. "We used to talk telepathically when we were babies."


    Julian stifled augh before he turned to her. "Winter, you''re still a baby."


    "I am not," he insisted. "And you''re one to talk. You''re not even two years older than me."


    He just smiled at that. "You''re not going to answer my questions even if I ask about where you have been for the past five years, are you?"


    "My lips are sealed," he said with a nod. "But I''m not being mean to you. I haven''t told Dad anything that might jeopardize my mommy''s safety."


    "Understandable," his brother said, then he paused for a while before he continued. "Winter, why did you call me ''brother'' a while ago? I remember you telling me that you''ll never call me brother in the past."


    "Well, that was when I didn''t know that we were real brothers."


    Julian looked shocked to hear that.


    "Why do you look surprised?" he asked with a raised brow. "I remember you telling me about your past life. That means you already know that we''re brothers."


    "How did you know that, Winter?"


    "Mommy told me. Aunt Luna told us that you already know who you are," he said. He figured that his mother wouldn''t mind letting Julian know that they already knew about him. Aku Moonchester seemed to be aware of it already. Why else would the Moonchesters abduct Julian that tragic night five years ago if they didn''t know his real identity? "Why didn''t you tell Dad that you''re his real son?"


    He didn''t know if it was his imagination or guilt really crossed Julian''s eyes before he spoke. "Father lost his memories," he said. "Everyone in the mansion is keeping an eye on him closely. I don''t want them to realize that both Father and I were aware of what His Majesty did to us."


    Okay, that made sense.


    That also meant that Julian lived as their father''s "pretend" son even though he was really his son. It must have been really hard for his brother to hide his real identity to protect their dad.


    "You worked hard, Brother Julian," he said while patting his back. "But you don''t have to endure anymore. Do you want me to help you tell Dad the truth about your real identity?"


    Much to his disbelief, his brother shook his head.


    "We can''t do that, Winter," Julian said while shaking his head. "Father doesn''t know yet that he''s the ck Serpent. If we tell him that I''m his son from his previous life as Kalel Nystrom, he''ll probably get very confused. It might trigger his memories and he might lose himself again."


    "Oh," he said when he realized that his brother was right. "Brother Julian, you know a lot of things about our parents'' past, don''t you?"


    "We''re the same, Winter," he said seriously. "You know a lot of things that you can''t speak of even if you want to, don''t you?"


    "Touch," he agreed while nodding his head. "But even if that''s the case, you''re here to protect our parents this time, aren''t you?"


    "Of course."


    "Then, that''s all that matters," he said, then he covered his mouth with his hands when he yawned. "Let''s protect our parents until we can tell them everything we know."


    "It''s bed time for you, Winter," his brother said with a smile. "But brush your teeth before you go to sleep."


    "Hey, I''m only calling you "Brother" because you were reborn first," heined. "But technically speaking, I''m older than you. So don''t treat me like a child, okay?"


    "Sure," Julian said with a yful smile on his face. "Should I bring you a ss of milk, Winter?"


    Winter grabbed a pillow and threw it at Julian who justughed merrily.


    <em>Okay, maybe having a brother isn''t that bad.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, you can''t sleep?"


    "Yeah," Tilly said without turning to look at Luna. Right now, she sat on the windowsill of their room while moon gazing. "I''m worried about Julian."


    "Why?" Luna asked in a sleepy voice. "Are you worried that Lord Winter and Julian might not get along?"


    She turned to the witch and found her lying down on her bed -Cleopatra. The room that they were sharing was spacious and had two beds. Roarke was staying in the room next door. Their rooms had adjacent door so he could get to them faster if he needed to.


    <em>Well, I''m sure he could get to us fast even without one.</em>


    "You told me before that Julian thinks he''s not my real son," she said. "He probably thinks that way because he doesn''t know that he was stolen from me. He didn''t know that Soleil Rosenberg was his mother because another woman gave birth to him."


    "Is that the reason why you didn''t tell Lord Winter that another woman gave birth to Julian?"


    She nodded. "Winter inherited my nasty temper. I don''t know how he''ll react to that. I also don''t want him to identally tell Kiho about what he knows. And we can''t have Kiho lose himself again."


    "I think it will be fine since Julian is there," Luna said. "Lord Winter inherited your feisty personality, Tilly. But Julian definitely inherited Duke Nystrom''s calm nature."


    Hearing that made Tilly smile. "I can''t wait to meet Julian again so I can tell him personally that I''m his real mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN smiled as he tucked Winter in bed.


    He didn''t leave him alone until he brushed his teeth and feel asleep.


    <em>You''ve matured quite a bit, Winter.</em>


    When they were babies, his brother really hated the idea of having a brother. But right now, it seemed like he had be more understanding and less selfish.


    He was happy about that, but fear still crippled his heart.


    <em>You''ll probably hate me once you find out that we don''t have the same mother.</em>


    But until then, he would savor the moments he would spend with him and their father.


    <em>Good night, my little brother.</em>


    After saying goodnight to Winter, he quietly left his room.


    He wouldn''t say that he was surprised to see his father standing in front of his brother''s chamber when he got out. After all, he felt their father''s presence a while ago.


    "I''m sorry, Father," Julian said with fear in his voice. He was ready to be scolded because he knew it was wrong of him to sneak out of the main mansion to go to the annex building. "I was just curious because I thought I felt Winter''s Mana. I wanted to confirm if I was right so I sneaked in at this hour"


    "I''m not mad, Julian," his father said gently, then he got down on one knee to match his eye level. Much to his shock, his father suddenly pulled him for a tight hug. "I''m sorry for neglecting you for so long," he whispered to him. "I''ll make it up to you as well, son."


    <em>"Son."</em>


    His father called him "son" for the first time.


    Both in his previous life and in the current one.


    Of course, Julian couldn''t help but cry and hug his father tight. "Thank you, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLENN smirked at how strong the barrier around that area was.


    The area that she was referring to was the "empty" dessert covered in thick snow. Heck, that was the only part of the North that was currently having a strong snowstorm. If she and Jameson were ordinary people, then they would have died already because of the unnatural storm.


    "Jameson Crawford, what do I have to do if I want ants to get out of their hill?"


    Jamesonughed like a lunatic. "You f*cking burn down the f*cking colony, Lady Solenn."


    "Excellent," Solenn said with a smirk. "Go wild and make theme out, Jameson," she ordered him. "The Supreme asked me to kick thezy saint''s behind so you better do your job right."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 209: D-Day

    Chapter 209: D-Day


    KIHO couldn''t help but smile while looking at Winter and Julian who were both busy drawing a design for the jewelry they n to make. His sons looked adorable while lying down on their stomach on the floor and chatting endlessly.


    He had to leave the mansion and attend the audition that he spearheaded to look for the first advertising model of Fancy Us the name of their shop that sells cultured pearls and other less expensive but still ssy jewelry.


    At first, he was hesitating to leave Winter alone. But now that Julian was here to apany his brother, his worry was suddenly washed over.


    "I''ll look after the children, Your Grace," Amilo promised him. "You may work without worrying too much about the young lords."


    "I trust you, Amilo," Kiho told the jewel maker, then he patted his shoulder. After talking to him, he walked towards his sons. "Gentlemen, your father has to go now."


    Winter and Julian both looked up at him at the same time.


    Bye-bye, Dad," Winter said brightly. "Finish your job as soon as possible so you cane home early, `kay?"


    "Work hard without worrying about us too much, Father," Julian said politely. "I will look after Winter in your ce."


    "Hey," Winterined. "You''re only two years older than me. Why are you acting like I''m baby when we''re almost the same age anyway?"


    "Well, you still throw tantrums," Julian said yfully. "That makes me think that you''re still baby."


    And just like that, the two children started a friendly bicker.


    It warmed his heart to see his two boys interact this way.


    To be honest, he was afraid that they would start getting jealous of each other. He often heard stuff like sibling rivalry from people around him. He hoped and prayed that Winter and Julian wouldn''t go through that phase.


    <em>Please let them always get along this way.</em>


    Kiho smiled widely at his sons, then he ruffled Winter and Julian''s hair with his hands. "I''lle home as early as possible, my precious boys."


    Winter and Julian both turned to him, then they answered in unison (except for the way they addressed him): "We''ll be waiting for you, Dad/Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE BLUE Dragon sent red roses to you, Supreme," Roarke informed her when he entered their room. "I found the bouquet with a note outside your door."


    "Burn it down," Tilly said without even turning to Roarke. She was too busy admiring herself in the mirror as she sat down in front of the vanity. Luna stood behind her while curling her hair with a magical wand. Today was the day of the audition so they were already up at dawn to prepare. "I''m allergic to flowers if they aren''t from Kiho so get rid of those."


    "As you wish, mydy," Roarke said, then he burned the bouquet of red roses into ashes. "The note congratted you, Supreme. ording to the Blue Dragon, he knew you''d get picked in the audition because you''re the fairestdy in the whole empire."


    "Oh, god," sheined. "I feel like throwing up. That''s so creepy."


    But she wasn''t surprised that Elis Ripperton knew where she was staying, or the fact that she was going to the audition today. He wouldn''t stalk her for nothing.


    Still, she had a feeling that he didn''t tell it to the emperor.


    "I know, right?" Luna agreed with her. "It''s strange because even though I used to say that watching you and Duke Nystrom flirt makes me want to vomit, I don''t really feel disgusted. But when it''s the Blue Dragon, I seriously want to throw up. So freaking creepy."


    "That''s the difference between flirting with consent and forcing yourself on someone," she said while shaking her head. "Take note, Roarke. If you''re going to court a lover someday, make sure that you will respect their personal space and always ask for their consent."


    "Thank you for the advice, Supreme," Roarke said, then he bowed to her. "But the Keepers aren''t interested in finding a lover. After all, we all pledged to devote our lives to you."


    "You''re still allowed to love somebody else aside from me."


    The Keeper looked confused as if they weren''t physically capable of loving someone aside from her.


    <em>Gosh, that''s so sad.</em>


    "I think we''re capable of loving the people that you love, mydy," Roarke said after a while. "Except for the ck Serpent."


    She sighed and shook her head again. <em>Kalel Nystrom, just what the hell did you do in the past to make my Keepers hate you this much?</em>


    "Forget what I said," she told Roarke, then she looked up Luna to change the subject. "Girl, I want to wear my dress now."


    She designed the dress she was going to wear in the audition herself.


    After she asked Roarke to burn down the red dress that Elis Ripperton praised, she decided to just design her own outfit. So she bought all the best materials that she could find. With the help of Luna and her literally magical hands, they were able to create the perfect dress.


    "I can''t wait to see you wear the dress, Tilly," Luna said excitedly. "I''m sure you''d look divine in it now that your makeup and hair are fully-done. And of course" The witch''s smile turned wicked. "I''m excited to see you wear the essory that you invented that this world hasn''t seen yet."


    "I know, right?" Tilly said with a satisfied smile. She was so d that magic existed in this world and Luna was a powerful witch. If not, they wouldn''t have created that piece in just the span of five days. "I can''t wait to blow everyone away during myeback stage."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO would have fallen asleep if Emperor Aku didn''t nudge him discreetly.


    Right now, they sat behind a long table position in front of the stage they built in one of the ballrooms of His Majesty''s pce. Behind him and the emperor sat his advisors, and the head of the Royal Faction that served as judges along them.


    So far, elevendies already auditioned to be his brand''s advertising model.


    All thedies had to do was to wear their unreleased collection of jewelry (alldies received the same pieces). Then, they had to sit on the throne that he asked Amilo to design for that event. Thedies just had to pose while wearing theplete set of jewelry.


    As of this moment, no one caught his eye yet.


    <em>And nody will ever do unless she''s Duchess Tilly Nystrom.</em>


    "Lady Huxley is next," Emperor Aku whispered to him. "You better not fall asleep since all eyes are on you now."


    As a response, Kiho just covered his mouth with his hands and yawned.


    The emperor let out a frustrated sigh. "I shouldn''t have made this audition open to public viewing."


    Members of the high society were present.


    The higher nobles were scattered around the ballroom while watching the audition. At first, their attention was on the stage. But now that Lady Huxley was about to take the stage, everyone had their eyes on him to watch his reaction.


    <em>It''s probably because of the stupid rumor between me and Lady Huxley</em>.


    "Did you drunkst night?" Emperor Aku confronted him in a low voice. "You seem to have hang-over. Who told you to drink when today is a big day for your business?"


    "Stop scolding me, Your Majesty," heined lightly. He didn''t really get drunkst night. It was theck of sleep that was making him feel tired. After staying up to watch Winter sleep, he had to wake up early to join his son for breakfast. Of course, he brought Julian with him. "My head is already killing me."


    The emperor was about toin but thankfully, the spotlights highlighting the stage opened once again.


    Everyone fell silent as Lady Huxley started to walk on the stage toward the throne.


    As a judge, he had no choice but to watch thedy objectively.


    First, he would admit that Lady Huxley looked pretty (but not as much as Tilly) and her hair was tied in an elegant bun suit her outfit.


    After all, she wore a ir long sleeves red dress that had an all high neck style with a low back. It was very ssy and conservative. But he thought that the dress was too fabulous that it had overshadowed the pieces of jewelry that she was supposed to present to the audience.


    <em>And I''m not being biased.</em>


    He studied fashion a while ago because he intended to enter the industry. And for that matter, he invited Miss Charlotte Hamilton, the dressmaker from Pis Inds, today. The famous designer sat in the front seat with other VIP guests.


    <em>Anyway, back to the current contender</em>


    Lady Huxley now sat on the throne with a million-dor smile.


    Thedy wore theplete set of the pearl jewelry that the other contestants wore as well. But just like the otherdies, Lady Huxley failed to showcase theyered pearl ne that was supposed to be the star of that event.


    <em>It''s the dress</em>, he said to himself. <em>They all wore the kind of dress that overwhelmed the ne.</em>


    "Isn''t Lady Huxley the loveliest among thedies who auditioned so far?" Emperor Aku told him with a smile. "Doesn''t she look like a painting?"


    "Yes," Kiho agreed. "She looks stiff and lifeless like a painting."


    The emperor let out a frustrated sigh. "Kiho"


    His Majesty stopped midway of his scolding when the lights suddenly turned off.


    Kiho thought he heard Lady Huxley''s muffled scream. For a second, he thought they were under attack. He was about to stand up when all of a sudden, the lights returned.


    <em>Oh.</em>


    The people who panicked for a minute all fell silent as soon as they realized, just like him, had taken over the stage.


    Of course, his heart recognized her right away.


    <em>Duchess Tilly Nystrom.</em>


    Thedy on the stage now had long curly jet-ck hair adorned with a flower hair pin. She wore a light beige dress that he didn''t think was capable of being that attractive, considering that the color was pretty nd.


    But she carried it well.


    The beige dress''s had an upper chest cut with the sleeves hanging loosely around her frail arms, a beautiful cape, and sexy slit.


    <em>Wait what?</em>


    He froze when he realized that her creamy, shapely legs were getting exposed in each step she took because of the slit in her dress. But he couldn''tin because her legs looked divine, and the shoes with a pair of metallic gold pumps suited her outfit very well.


    <em>But what is that eyewear?</em>


    She wore a pair of oversized sses with dark tint. It was the first time that he saw eyesses with ck frame and oversized lenses.


    <em>Still, it suits her small face.</em>


    God, even the way she walked was so graceful that he couldn''t take his eyes off of her.


    Everyone in the room, even Emperor Aku, looked very stunned.


    He loved that his wife was getting the attention and reaction that her grand entrance deserved. But at the same time, he wanted to keep her all to himself.


    <em>Stop</em>, he condemned himself. <em>This isn''t the right time to be selfish.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when his wife sat on the throne, then she removed her eyewear as she crossed her legs.


    He almost had a heart attack when she exposed her leg like that.


    <em>God, she''s so f*cking hot.</em>


    And it wasn''t just because of her body.


    Her confidence was what made her sexy.


    <em>Is she the goddess of pearl or something?</em>


    Finally, someone managed to make theyered pearl ne shine.


    <em>Again, I''m not being biased.</em>


    His wife''s beautiful face and elegant dress were attractive, of course. But they didn''t hog all the attention. In fact, the pieces of pearl jewelry that she wore stood out thanks to her dress.


    <em>And damn, my wife is so beautiful.</em>


    He could confidently say that he wasn''t the only one who thought so.


    For a few seconds, he took his eyes off of his wife to turn around and watch the reaction of everyone around him. All thedies and the gentlemen in the room were obviously charmed by the duchess''s blinding beauty.


    Even Aku Moonchester was rendered speechless by his wife''s beauty.


    Kiho knew that he was supposed to pretend that he didn''t care about his wife anymore.


    But when his eyes met Tilly''s, his body moved on its own. Before he knew it, he was already walking toward his wife who looked surprised by his action. That seemed to snap everyone out of their daze because all of a sudden, he was hearing a loud buzz behind him.


    Everyone was whispering behind his back, literally.


    He didn''t give a f*ck though.


    Kiho got down on one knee while asking for consent from Tilly with his eyes. When she offered her hand to her, giving him the permission that he asked for, he gently took it. He almost cried when he finally held her warm, small, and soft hand in his. "Wee back, my duchess," he whispered in a volume that only her would hear him, then he kissed the back of his wife''s hand before he looked up at her with warm gaze. "Thank you for returning safely, Tilly."


    Tilly smiled sweetly at him, but the look in her beautiful purple eyes seemed distant. "Are you, perhaps, the famed Duke Kiho Nystrom?"


    <em>Ah.</em>


    The reminder that his wife hadn''t remembered him the way he remembered her crushed his poor heart cruelly.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 210: Together Again

    Chapter 210: Together Again


    OF COURSE, Tilly officially registered in the audition as soon as she heard about it.


    She simply used the name ''Tilly'' since most people in the empire weren''t familiar with her nickname anyway. To them, she was ''Lady/Duchess Nystrom.'' In short, the organizers of the event didn''t recognize her when she registered as an auditionee.


    Thanks to that, she was able to enter the ballroom without a problem.


    Since she believed she was the star of the event, she came in fashionablyte.


    As luck would have it, Lucina Morganna was the one on the stage when she arrived. She watched from the backstage as Luna stand behind her while putting the pearl ne around her neck.


    And she wouldn''t lie she didn''t like what she saw at the stage.


    So, like a petty viiness in a movie, she made a bitchy move.


    "Luna, turn off the lights at my signal," Tilly whispered to Luna who was standing beside her. Then, she turned to Roarke. "Take that b*tch off the stage as soon as the lights are off, Roarke."


    Roarke bowed to her. "As you wish, Supreme."


    Luna and Roarke were able to enter the ballroom as her aides. Each auditionee were allowed to bring a team of hair and makeup stylists.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    She turned to the witch and gave her a firm nod.


    Luna, knowing that it was her signal, nodded and snapped her fingers.


    The lights in the entire hall were suddenly dimmed.


    She felt Roarke disappear from her side. And just a few secondster, she heard Lucina Morganna''s muffled scream. Before the emperor''s knights took action and ruin the whole audition, she asked Luna to bring back the lights.


    When the lights returned, she wore her oversized sunsses and started to walk in the runway like a supermodel.


    Thanks to her sunsses, she was able to watch everyone''s reaction without being too obvious. But to be honest, she didn''t really care about other people. Her eyes immediately searched for the only man that mattered to her.


    <em>There you are, my Kiho.</em>


    Even without his memories, it seemed like Kiho immediately recognized her.


    Well, he instantly recognized my voice, too. He probably watched the videos I left to him again and again until every inch of me was buried in his mind.


    Anyway, she loved how Kiho''s golden eyes glowed as they followed her every moment.


    Knowing that her husband aka the most handsome man in the empire (no, she doesn''t take criticism regarding Kiho''s hotness) was watching her boosted her confidence.


    When she sat on the throne and crossed her legs, she knew she already won the audition.


    She took her time taking off her sunsses to absorb Kiho''s beauty discreetly.


    <em>Gosh, the five past years have done nothing but make him look better.</em>


    Kiho, when he was twenty-two five years ago, was already very handsome back then. But now, twenty-seven year old Kiho was manlier and hotter. He was just sitting there but his sex appeal was oozing.


    <em>He screams of power and sex.</em>


    Yes, Kiho suddenly looked like the god of sex to her.


    Her ovaries were screaming at her to make more babies with him.


    <em>I know my thoughts are so dirty at the moment but I miss my husband, okay? In a wholesome and lewd sense, if I may add.</em>


    To stop herself from fantasizing about her husband in broad daylight, she finally took off the sunsses to show everyone her face.


    The audience was stunned a while ago because of the sudden appearance of a beautiful stranger. But now that she had showed her face for everyone to see, the reason for their shock had changed. Most of the familiar higher nobles in the front row recognized her now.


    They started to talk among themselves a little too loudly.


    <em>Okay, myeback stage is lit.</em>


    She was about to stand up and leave the stage when Kiho did the unexpected: he walked towards her!


    Oh, that made her panic.


    Wasn''t his memories erased? He should know better than making Aku Moonchester realize that he somehow remembered her now!


    To be honest, she was contemting whether she''d stay or run away.


    But when Kiho got down on one knee while his eyes were asking for permission to touch her, she calmed down and fully understood why he had to do that despite the risks.


    She understood because she missed him just as much.


    When tears started to form at the corner of his eye, her chest tightened painfully. She was hurt for him. She couldn''t imagine the loneliness that he had felt all these years. Yes, he had Julian by his side. But he didn''t know that the child was their son.


    On the other hand, she was lucky that she had Winter with her all these years. Plus, she was surrounded by people who loved her and people that she trusted with her life.


    Kiho wasn''t that lucky.


    <em>My poor baby has to act like a lifeless puppet.</em>


    Before she knew it, she already extended her hand to him.


    Kiho gently and carefully took her hand in his. His beautiful golden eyes turned glossy as he put her hand closer to his mouth. "Wee back, my duchess," he whispered in a voice filled with longing before he nted a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. Then, he looked up at her with warm eyes. "Thank you for returning safely, Tilly."


    She almost broke down in tears.


    To hear Kiho call her by her name again almost made her vulnerable.


    But even though it was painful for her, she had to control herself from reciprocating the love that he was showing her.


    <em>Not now, not in front of Aku Moonchester.</em>


    Tilly smiled sweetly at Kiho, and acted like she was looking at a stranger. It was hard, but her duty as the Supreme Fire Mage motivated her to act ording to their n. "Are you, perhaps, the famed Duke Kiho Nystrom?"


    The devastated look on Kiho''s face broke her heart into tiny pieces.


    <em>I''m so sorry, my original little cinnamon roll.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUCINA was surprised when she found herself outside the ballroom.


    Everything happened so fast that she vaguely remembered being dragged away from the stage by a pair of strong and warm arms. She just blinked for a few seconds while trying to gather enough Mana to fight. But when she opened her eyes, she was already alone in the garden just across the ballroom.


    <em>It''s her</em>, Lucina said to herself in frustration. <em>Only the Supreme can do this to me.</em>


    "What are you doing here?"


    Lucina flinched when she heard an angry voice from behind her. When she turned around, she found a man with deep purple hair and different-colored eyes (pink and light blue). She didn''t know who it was but strangely enough, he looked familiar. But she didn''t understand why he looked aghast seeing her as if she wasn''t supposed to exist there. "Who are you?"


    "I didn''t pay attention to you a while ago but now that I''m looking closely" the stranger said while looking at her with a mix of disgust and detest. "You are that "Lucina Morganna?""


    "What do you mean by that?" she asked curiously. "Do you know me?"


    "This can''t be" the stranger said in disbelief while shaking his head. When she tried to walk towards him, he stepped back and literally burned his body. But she could tell that he was trying to hurt himself. It was a technique simr to teleportation. "You shouldn''t be here, you despicable traitor."


    And just like that, the stranger disappeared without a trace.


    <em>He''s definitely one of the Supreme''s people</em>, Lucina said to herself. If he called her a traitor, then he must be a Fire Mage and not a Fire Wielder. But as far as she remembered, the one she betrayed was the Red Phoenix and not the Supreme. <em>Have we met somewhere else?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT a spectacle," Elismented while looking at the stage where Tilly and the ck Serpent were finally reunited. Right now, he was in the balcony of the hall while quietly enjoying the show. But he wasn''t alone. "The ck Serpent doesn''t seem to have retrieved his memories yet. But it''s obvious that he''s smitten by the Supreme once again." He turned to hispany. "What should we do?"


    Yumi''s face was very stiff. Obviously, she wasn''t happy with what was going on. If her re could kill, Tilly must have been dead by now.


    <em>Not that I''d let her kill my Tilly.</em>


    "It seems like it''s no use to simply erase my little Nystrom''s memories anymore," Yumi said in a cold voice, then she turned to him. "I guess it''s time to put my baby to sleep and let my darling take over for the meantime."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN the lights turned off, Tilly immediately got up from the throne and ran away.


    But of course, Kiho ran after her and he was fast. He mumbled an apology before she grabbed her by the wrist, then he pulled her with him until they entered an empty parlor room. As soon as the door behind them closed, she found herself in a difficult position.


    She was now trapped between the wall and Kiho''s cold body. He had his hands on either side of her head, and his intense gaze was making her knees buckle.


    <em>Gosh, why am I so whipped for his face?!</em>


    "Tilly, my mind hasn''t remembered our memories yet but my heart does," Kiho said in a cracked voice. "Do you really not recognize me as your husband? Don''t you feel anything while looking at me now?"


    <em>I feel everything, dummy!</em>


    It wasn''t just love or yearning. Every inch of her body was also longing for him. If she could, she would jump his bones right then and there.


    "I don''t remember you the way that you want me to," Tilly lied with a heavy heart. "Does it matter, Your Grace?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 211: Moment of Weakness

    Chapter 211: Moment of Weakness


    IT TOOK Tilly all the self-control that she had to stop herself from grabbing Kiho by the neck to kiss him.


    His face, his body, even the way he dressed he was so her style!


    Of course, she loved him in the deepest and most romantic way.


    But she also couldn''t deny her strong attraction to his physical body. Gosh, she wanted to run her hands all over his body. She wanted to kiss every inch of him. Goddammit, if she could, she would beg him to take her right there, right now.


    She wouldn''t mind doing it with him while she was against the wall.


    <em>Gosh, that would be so hot.</em>


    "Mydy, are you sure that you don''t remember me that way that I want you to?" Kiho said with a raised brow. "If that''s the case, then why are you looking at me like you want to do something lewd to me?"


    His bluntness made her eyes widened in shock.


    <em>Once again, #RIP to my innocent Kiho.</em>


    "Gosh, Your Grace," Tillyined. Before she knew it, she was already lightly hitting his chest with her hands. "How dare you use ady of something so vulgar"


    She trailed-off when she realized how sturdy and broad Kiho''s chest was.


    Well, she was aware that he had a good body. She had thoroughly enjoyed it in all her lifetimes, it seemed.


    But she had been separated from him for five freaking years. Touching her husband''s body for the first time after a long while fell both familiar and foreign to her. Still, overall, it was a very pleasant feeling.


    Before she knew it, her palms were already pressed nicely against his hard chest.


    <em>Big tiddies.</em>


    Kiho, who obviously enjoyed her touch, closed his eyes tight and groaned lowly. "More," he whispered with desperation in his sexy, low voice. "Do more to me, Tilly."


    <em>Oh, god.</em>


    Her hands almost slid down to his crotch area.


    <em>Wake up, girl</em>, she scolded herself. <em>It''s not the right time to be horny!</em>


    With a heavy heart, she had to pull her hands away from Kiho''s sinful body (and big tiddies). Then, she hid her naughty hands behind her back.


    She cleared her throat before she spoke. "Your Grace, we can''t do this," she said even though it was hard for her to resist her husband''s seduction. "I know that you''re my husband. But I don''t really remember our past."


    Kiho opened his eyes, his golden orbs glowing with lust. "I also don''t remember our past but that doesn''t mean that I have forgotten my feelings for you, Tilly," he said softly. But the way he looked at her remained intense and sultry. "May I suggest a way to help you confirm whether you don''t really feel anything for me anymore?"


    She''d admit that she already had an idea on what he''d suggest. Kiho would always be easy to read for her. But she wanted to hear it from his lips so she pretended to be clueless. "What is it, Your Grace?"


    "Please allow me to kiss you, mydy," he said, then his gaze went down to her lips. "Let my lips help you remember what you feel for me."


    That was so f*cking hot.


    How could he ask that while still sounding so polite?


    <em>F*ck, I want him to devour my mouth.</em>


    Kiho''s body was naturally cold so he didn''t really emit warmth. But despite that, he could still make her feel so hot. It didn''t help that she was trapped between the wall and his sexy body. Her knees were seriously on the verge of copsing.


    And yes, at that moment, her resolve was weakening.


    If she could, she would drop everything to make him hers officially again.


    Kiho''s glowing gold eyes met her purple ones. This time, it wasn''t just lust that she could see in his gaze. The yearning was very evident in his lonely eyes now. "I miss you, Tilly."


    She almost broke down in tears.


    Tilly was ready to throw away everything.


    But thankfully, during her weakest moment, Aku Moonchester finally did something right for her: the kid emperor released a bloodlust strong enough to wake her and Kiho at the same time.


    It was a reminder for both of them that it wasn''t the time to act that way.


    "F*ck," Kiho whispered in annoyance, then he turned to the door adjacent to the next room. The bloodlust wasing from that chamber, which meant Aku Moonchester was there. "His Majesty is summoning us."


    "He is, Your Grace," Tilly agreed. While she was frustrated that her intimate moment Kiho was interrupted by the monster, she was still d that Aku Moonchester made his presence known. It helped her clear her head. "We shouldn''t make the emperor wait or else, he might throw a tantrum."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Luna brought back the lights in the ballroom, she wasn''t surprised when the "main characters" of the show were already gone.


    Tilly and Duke Nystrom were nowhere to be found, the same with Aku Moonchester.


    The only people left in the ballroom were the confused nobles who didn''t have any idea of what exactly was going on. She heard most of them talk about the return of the duchess, while some of them looked for the Nystroms and His Majesty.


    <em>I need to go.</em>


    But when she was about to leave, she felt something prickled her skin. She would only feel that way whenever there was someone observing her in secret.


    <em>I hate this feeling.</em>


    She started to mingle with the crowd while discreetly looking for the direction where the gaze that was making her ufortable wasing from. When she was near the exit of the ballroom, she finally realized where the "stalker" must have been hiding.


    <em>`Got you.</em>


    She abruptly stopped walking and turned around to look up at the balcony.


    To be honest, she was fully expecting someone from Aku Moonchester''s side. Perhaps, the Blue Dragon. She felt the Beast God''s presence in there, but she hadn''t seen him yet. And that was how she came up with the conclusion that it was Elis Ripperton who was watching her movements from afar.


    But she was wrong.


    Instead of the Blue Dragon''s cold gaze, she was greeted by a pair of pink eyes


    pink eyes that could only belong to the witches of the Colorless Coven.


    Her body froze in shock.


    To be honest, she couldn''t really see the face of the owner of those pink eyes because that person wore a white cloak with a hood that covered her head. She wasn''t sure but the silhouette of that person made it seemed like it was a woman.


    For some reason, that person''s built reminded her of Ste.


    But her sister was gone a long time ago.


    <em>It can''t be. Only Ste and I survived the purge. But my sister is already gone</em>


    Her thoughts trailed-off when she remembered that she didn''t see her sister''s dead body. When she returned to the White Tower back then, the Royal Archmage just told her that Ste was already killed by Lahara. Of course, she used a spell to determine whether her sister was really dead or not.


    The spell that she used told her that Ste was already gone.


    <em>Could it be that some other witches survived aside from me and Ste?</em>


    She knew that there was only one way to find out: she used a teleportation spell to get to the balcony in the blink of an eye.


    <em>Let''s see who you are.</em>


    The person with the same pink eyes as her seemed to be surprised when she suddenly appeared before them.


    Without wasting time, Luna immediately reached out to the other pink-eyed person and pulled their hood down. And then, that person''s long burgundy hair was suddenly freed.


    That hair color was just a few shades darker than hers.


    <em>No, no, no...</em>


    Now that the witch''s hood was pulled down, she had a clear view of her face.


    Looking at it made her heart thumped against her chest painfully.


    "Ste," Luna whispered in disbelief. "You''re alive?"


    Ste, her sister who was supposed to be dead a long time, just smirked at her


    and then, her body started to turn translucent.


    That meant she just used a teleportation spell.


    <em>Dammit!</em>


    "No, don''t run away!" she warned her sister. She tried to grab her and stop Ste from disappearing. But she was toote. She just went through her body. When she turned around, Ste was still there but she knew she''d be gone in just a few seconds. "Ste, what the hell happened to you?!"


    Ste smiled at her, then she tilted her head at one side just like what she used to do whenever she would y a prank on her in the past. "See youter, sister."


    And just like that, her sister was gone.


    Luna couldn''t help but let out a frustrated scream. Of course, she was happy that Ste was still alive. But the fact that she hid it from her only meant that her sister was doing something that she would never approve of. "Just what are you up to this time, Ste?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Winter got bored in the annex building, he decided to venture into the main mansion.


    Amilo was too engrossed in his new design that he didn''t want to disturb him. On the other hand, Julian returned to the main mansion to have lunch. His brother didn''t want the servants to go to the annex just to look for him, so he decided to return on his own.


    He just had his lunch and now, he was bored.


    To see where Julian was, he just had to follow his Mana until he reached the tea room in the first floor of the main mansion. He was outside the mansion but the huge window in front of him would help him enter the room without a problem.


    But as soon as he realized that Julian wasn''t alone, he immediately ducked down to hide himself.


    "What are you doing here, Lady Huxley?" Julian asked coldly. "My father isn''t here."


    <em>"Lady Huxley?"</em>


    Wasn''t that Lucina Morganna''s new name?


    "I had a bad day so let me spend time with you," Lucina Morganna told Julian. "Why don''t you cheer me up, son?"


    He froze when he heard that.


    "Please," Julian begged the woman. "Don''t call me that."


    Lucina Morgannaughed. "Julian, whether you like it or not, I''m your mother and not the Supreme."


    To say that Winter was shocked to hear that would be an understatement. <em>Julian isn''t Mommy''s son?!</em>


    Did his daddy cheat on his mommy?!


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 212: The Land that Drinks Blood

    Chapter 212: The Land that Drinks Blood


    "I DIDN''T know that you''re interested in being a model, Lady Nystrom."


    "It''s not that I''m interested in modeling," Tilly said, then she sipped her tea. "I just wanted to have a grand entrance that would give you a heart attack. Unfortunately, I forgot that you''re a heartless person."


    Kiho, who sat beside her, stifled augh.


    Of course, Aku Moonchester didn''t look impressed.


    <em>Heh.</em>


    Right now, they were in the tea room next to the parlor room where she almost gave in to Kiho''s seduction.


    <em>Argh, I want to relive that moment.</em>


    Anyway, when they entered the tea room, Aku Moonchester was already waiting with some tea and a variety of snacks.


    "Interesting," Akumented when he put his tea cup on the table. "You have a sharper tongue now than you did in the past as Soleil Rosenberg, Lady Nystrom."


    "I''d like to think that we''re two different persons, thank you very much," she said sarcastically, then she dropped the subject. "Elis Ripperton stalked me the other day."


    "What?" Kiho asked with furrowed brows. When she turned to her husband, she noticed that he looked pissed. "Elis Ripperton is the new captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. Did he do something inappropriate to you, Tilly?"


    For a moment, she thought Kiho''s memories came back. But she realized that it was just his jealous side showing up again.


    <em>With or without memories, Kiho is still my Kiho.</em>


    "No, he didn''t. And he can''t anyway," she assured Kiho, then she gently tapped his cheek. "Thank you for worrying about me, Your Grace."


    Kiho, obviously pleased by the physical contact that she initiated, smiled shyly.


    "Duke Nystrom?"


    "Just call me by my name, Tilly."


    She just smiled at his request. "Can you leave the room for a moment? I need to talk to Aku Moonchester in private."


    Protest was evident on his face as he slightly pouted. "Can''t I stay? Or do you still not trust me enough?"


    "Please?" she asked instead of answering his questions. She wanted to assure Kiho that he still owned everything of her. But not in front of the puppet. "There''s something that I need to settle with Aku Moonchester. It''s something between us only."


    Her husband scowled and didn''t move an inch from his seat.


    She gave him the best puppy dog eyes that she could muster at the moment.


    Of course, Kiho gave in easily. "Fine," he said. Then, he looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please don''t leave without saying goodbye to me, Tilly. I''ll wait for you outside."


    She smiled and nodded. "I''lle to you once I''m done here."


    Kiho looked relieved by that. Only then did he politely excuse himself to her and Aku Moonchester. After that, he quietly left the tea room.


    "It seems like Kiho doesn''t need his memories back," Aku Moonchestermented. "With or without them, he''s still a fool for you.


    She just sipped her tea.


    "On the other hand, it seems like your feelings for him disappeared when you lost your memories," the emperor continued. "It looks like you''re ying with Kiho''s feelings so that you can have him in the palm of your hand. Honey trapping, is it?"


    "Impressive," she said in a sarcastic tone. "It amazes me how you were able to tell that I''m using honey trap to wrap Kiho around my fancy finger. But you let Nia Moonchester make a fool of you for many lifetimes."


    He red at her.


    She smiled sweetly in return. "As I was saying a while ago" she started to change the topic. "Elis Ripperton told me that you''re willing to work with me now."


    The emperor nodded. "Tell me your deal, Lady Nystrom. I want to listen to it first before I bring Nia into this conversation."


    Well, she didn''t mind.


    After all, Nia Moonchester wasn''t needed in that conversation yet. The princess was nothing more than coteral anyway.


    "First of all, I want to reim my position as the Duchess of Oakes," she dered. "I won''t let you acquire the wealth and the properties that House Prescott cultivated all these years through manipting House Nystrom. I know that you can''t afford to announce that I''m a Fire Mage anyway."


    "What made you think so?"


    "If revealing my identity to the public will benefit you, then you should have done that when I disappeared five years ago," she said casually. "But you didn''t. It''s because you know that once your people find out that Fire Mages have survived, there will be chaos."


    "Interesting theory," he said, then he sipped his tea.


    "Am I wrong though?" she asked with a raised brow. "I heard that instead of exposing House Denver and the Vermillion Tower as Fire Mages, you made it look like you sent Captain Denver to a mission that he wasn''t able toplete. Apparently, out of shame, House Denver and the Fire Wielders went into hiding. You know what''s more interesting? I also heard that there are idiots who think I ran away with the captain."


    "What are you getting mad for?" he asked with a raised brow, too. "As soon as you returned to the Royal Capital, you already cleared that rumor. I know that it was you who spread the rumor about the Duchess of Oakes being "abducted." You even spread pictures to back it up."


    "I just spilled the truth," she said. "Anyway, I want you to release an official statement and confirm that I was really abducted. I want House Huxley to take on the me."


    The emperor smirked bitterly. "Lord Eugene Huxley was already dead. He was burned into ashes. I''m sure you''re the one behind that."


    Well, she wasn''t.


    But she could easilye up with the conclusion that Captain Denver and the rest might have been the ones who ended House Huxley.


    <em>Very good, boys.</em>


    "Perfect, isn''t it?" she said, acting like she was really the one who ordered for the count to be burned into ashes. "A dead person can''t defend himself." She sipped her tea again before she continued. "Or do you want me to drag House Hayward instead of House Huxley?"


    This time, he looked surprised.


    "I have evidence that House Hayward was there the night Kiho was attacked," she continued, then she smiled sweetly at him. "Aku Moonchester, how''s my mother-inw?"


    The look on his face told her that he was starting to get pissed. "If you have evidence to prove it, then why are you still keeping it?"


    "Because we still both need the power and authority of the Moonchesters," she said seriously. "Aku Moonchester, what I need and what you seek are both in the same ce and it''s in thend that needs to drink the blood of the current Moonchester emperor, the current saint that has the blood of the Forresters, and surprisingly, the blood of the Supreme Fire Mage and the ck Serpent that are tied by marriage."


    "That''s so precise," he said with a raised brow.


    Of course, thest part was a b*llshit that she made up.


    Thend that she was talking about didn''t require that the Supreme and the ck Serpent had to be married. She just made that up to ensure that Aku Moonchester wouldn''t try to ruin her marriage with her husband.


    "Do I look like I''m here to just mess with you?" she asked with a smirk. "I''m forcing myself to face you right now even though I want to throw up just to make a deal with you. If you want to cancel this, just say so."


    "And what will you next if I really cancelled this deal?"


    "I hope you''re prepared for war, Aku Moonchester," Tilly said seriously. This time, she wasn''t sprouting b*llshit. She didn''t spend five years in Srium just nning out a strategy. Those five years were also spent in physical training of every Fire Mage warrior. "You only have two choices: you either ept my terms, or we start a war right here, right now."


    Because with just a snap of her fingers, Srium would literally fall from the sky and the Fire Mages wouldn''t hesitate to attack the empire.


    Of course, as soon as I get what I want from Aku Moonchester, we will attack right away.


    It seemed like Aku Moonchester realized that she wasn''t bluffing. "Let''s continue this talk in the Eclis Church," he said. "Nia could only be reached through the portal in the church connecting to the temple where she''s currently locked up."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was waiting for Tilly patiently.


    He had waited for her for five years. Waiting for another five minutes or so was easy. The important thing was she was here now.


    <em>I hope her meeting with His Majesty ends soon.</em>


    He knew that he couldn''t trust Aku Moonchester so he was worried about Tilly. Although he knew that she was capable of taking care of herself, he still didn''t want to becent. He didn''t have memories of his past yet but he believed that one of the reasons they lost to the emperor before was the fact that they had been too confident about themselves.


    <em>We can''t make the same mistakes.</em>


    "You''re here, my little Nystrom."


    He turned around and was surprised to see a woman who seemed to be illuminating from head to toe.


    Her hair was white, her skin was porcin, and her dress was also white.


    He saw a glimpse of her here and there whenever he was summoned in the Royal Pce for the past five years. If he remembered it correctly, this woman was the madam of House Hayward. He remembered because she often used the carriage with the House Hayward''s crest during her visits in the Royal Pce before.


    The emperor never properly introduced Lady Hayward to him, so the fact that she was looking at him with familiarity was making him ufortable.


    <em>And did she just call me "Little Nystrom?"</em>


    Argh, that sounded awful.


    "We need to talk," Lady Hayward said with a smile, then she casually walked towards with him while her hands reached out to touch his face.


    He took a step backwards because only Tilly and Winter were allowed to touch him without permission. When he was about to tell Lady Hayward off, he was surprised when all of a sudden, he found himself in the middle of a ring of fire.


    The me was hot, but not enough to burn him.


    But it looked like Lady Hayward''s hands were caught up in the me because she screamed while holding her hands close to her chest.


    "Hello, Lady Hayward," Tilly, who emerged from behind him, greeted the madam with an evil (but sexy) smile on her beautiful face. "Who told you that you can touch my husband, huh?"


    Kiho couldn''t help but smile sheepishly. <em>Tilly called me her "husband."</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 213: Toxic Family Members

    Chapter 213: Toxic Family Members


    "WHY are you acting distant with me now, Julian?" Lady Huxley, his mother, asked in a hurt tone. "When you kept quiet about my n to kick Louisa and David out of the mansion, I thought you were on my side."


    Julian''s eyes widened and it wasn''t because of his mother''s usation.


    <em>Winter!</em>


    It didn''t seem like his mother sensed his brother''s Mana.


    But since he was blessed with sharper senses, even among strong Mana users, he felt Winter''s Mana. If he sensed it right, then his brother must be outside while listening to his conversation with his mother.


    <em>He knows the truth now.</em>


    A few momentster, Winter''s Mana disappeared.


    "Julian?" Lady Huxley said. "Are you listening?"


    "Please leave, Lady Huxley," Julian told his mother in an urgent tone. "If you don''t, I will tell Father that you''re stilling here despite his warning."


    That seemed to scare his mother.


    Now that he was confident that Lady Huxley would leave the mansion, he bolted out of the room to chase after Winter.


    It seemed like his brother knew that he would run after him. After all, he found him waiting for him in his room in the annex building. The angry look on Winter''s face confirmed his fear: he really heard his conversation with his mother.


    "Winter, I know that you heard my conversation with Lady Huxley," Julian said while catching his breath. Literally running after his brother was exhausting since the mansion was huge. The annex building was really far from the main mansion. He wasn''t that familiar in using teleportation spell yet so he had to run. But judging by how fast Winter got back to the annex, it seemed like his brother was already familiar with teleportation. "I will answer your questions truthfully."


    "As you should," Winter said with his arms crossed over his chest. "How did Lucina Morganna be your mother while Mommy thinks that you''re his son?"


    "As far as I know, in the past, Father imed that I was the Supreme''s son to get support from the Red Phoenix and the Fire Mages," he exined. "But the truth was it was Lucina Morganna who gave birth to me."


    "So, you''re saying that Lucina Morganna came from the same timeline as Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom?"


    He nodded. "Yes. But it seems like my mother wasn''t born with the memories of the past. She just recently reacquired it when we got reunited."


    Winter didn''t show his reaction with his im. "Louisa and David were the people that Mommy entrusted the mansion to. Why did you let your "mother" kick them out?"


    "I don''t have a choice, Winter," he said in frustration. "I can''t tell Father what I know because I don''t want them to know that he isn''tpletely controlled by the emperor."


    "And so, you let innocent people suffer by keeping your silence."


    He didn''t have a retort for that because his brother was right.


    <em>I should have done something to help them.</em>


    "I have onest question for you," Winter said in a distant tone. "Between Mommy and Lucina Morganna, whom do you believe more?"


    "Winter, it''s not like I don''t trust the Supreme," he argued. "But I lived in the past and you didn''t. The Supreme isn''t my mother."


    If he was really the Supreme''s son, they why did the Red Phoenix and the rest of the Fire Mage n treated him like he wasn''t even human? During those times, only Lucina Morganna genuinely loved him.


    But despite what he experienced in his previous life, he still never med the Supreme for what her brother and her n did to him.


    <em>It''s not like my mother ispletely innocent either.</em>


    "Then, I can''t trust you," Winter dered. "I will never trust people who don''t have faith in my mother."


    "That''s unfair, Winter."


    "I don''t want to hear that from someone who got to stay by Dad''s side for five years but still chose not to protect him properly," his brother said coldly. "I don''t care if you believe that Lucina Morganna is your mother. I simply detest the fact that you weed her into your life even though you''re fully aware that she''s capable of hurting innocent people just to get what she wants. If you can tolerate that kind of behavior just because that woman is your "mother," then I don''t want to be rted to you anymore."


    He clenched his fists but he couldn''t refute that.


    Winter was right. All this time, he chose to remain silent because he thought he was protecting his father that way. But deep inside, he probably chose to turn the other way because he had becent of his position.


    He should know by now that when people chose to keep quiet when there was injustice, they already sided with the oppressors.


    "Mommy told me to never believe a word from the Moonchesters and their cohorts, and that includes your "mother,"" Winter saidter. "We''ll wait for Mom and let her exin how you ended up thinking that that Lucina Morganna is your mother. But unfortunately, I can''t fully trust you right now."


    "I understand, Winter," Julian said in a weak voice. "Are you going to tell Father about this?"


    "You know that I can''t. But remember this, Julian," Winter said bitterly. Ah, he just stopped calling him ''brother'' and it hurt. "I will keep an eye on you and if I see that your devotion to Lucina Morganna is a threat to our family, I will take matters into my own hands."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HELLO, Lady Hayward," Tilly greeted her evil mother-inw brightly. She was happy to see the White Snake. After all, she couldn''t wait to "grill" her. Killing a spirit guardian was next to impossible. But that didn''t mean she couldn''t make Yumi miserable for the rest of her pathetic life. "Who told you that you can touch my husband, huh?"


    "You crazy b*tch," Yumi snarled at her with a re, then she turned to Kiho as if she was asking for his sympathy. "My little Nystrom, did you see what your wife did to me?"


    "I did," Kiho said proudly. "Lady Hayward, if you''re going to the hospital to treat your burned hands, you can send the medical bill to my house. I''ll pay for it aspensation."


    The White Snake looked shocked by her son''s retort.


    On the other hand, she had to stifle herughter. Well, she had stopped being the bigger person a long time ago. She didn''t want to apply her manners to people who didn''t deserve it.


    <em>And I guess it''s the same for Kiho.</em>


    She truly enjoyed seeing her husband "roast" his own mother.


    Even though she lost her memories as Soleil Rosenberg again, she still knew who Yumi was and what she did to her in the past. After all, during the past five years, Sris made sure that she would know who her enemies were.


    "I know why you''re here, Yumi," Tilly said that gained her another re from her evil mother-inw. She just smiled and closed her hands, making the ring of fire around her husband disappear. "If you try to touch my husband again, I''ll make you regret it for all eternities."


    Yumi seemed desperate because she tried toe at her.


    But all of a sudden, Elis Ripperton appeared behind the White Snake and held the woman by the shoulders.


    "Stop," Elis Ripperton warned Yumi. "We''re leaving."


    And just like that, the two disappeared.


    "Tsk," Kihoined under his breath. "I should have frozen that oversized snake."


    She stifled herugher.


    <em>He still thinks that a dragon is just a big snake.</em>


    Well, hard same.


    "Tilly?"


    She turned to her husband. "Hmm?"


    "Will youe home with me now?"


    "No," she said with a sad smile. "My meeting with Aku Moonchester isn''t done yet. We''re going to the templeter."


    "Then, can Ie with you?"


    She shook her head. Then, she extended her hand to him. "Walk me to my carriage?"


    "Of course," he said right away. He looked happy when he epted her hand. Then, he put it in his arm as they walked to the exit of the ballroom. It was empty now, but she could hear themotion outside. "Tilly, may I know who you''re staying with right now?"


    "I''m with Luna," she said. "She''s my best friend and personal doctor. I also have a personal "knight" with me."


    She didn''t tell him about who Roarke was because she couldn''t trust Kiho 100% yet.


    If there was a person inside her husband who could take over his body anytime, giving him too much information would be a bad idea.


    "I won''t ask anything else," Kiho said in a somewhat sad tone. "I know that you can''t trust me yet given my current position. And it''s understandable."


    Okay, that gave her heart a squeeze.


    She was about tofort him but when they stepped out of the ballroom, she was surprised when she saw that a lot of young nobledies were standing outside the door.


    Judging by the excited look on their face when they saw Kiho, it was obvious that they were waiting for her husband. It was hrious to see how disappointed they were to see her in Kiho''s arm. Some were even giving her a side-eye.


    <em>Well, I can''t me them for wanting a Kiho is irresistible. But of course, that doesn''t give them the right to covet a married man. Especially now that I''m back.</em>


    As the legal wife, it was her job to put them in ce.


    "Kiho, don''t you find it funny?" Tilly said in a loud, amused tone enough for everyone around them to hear. "Back when you were still the captain of the ck Serpent Knights and we weren''t married yet, the nobledies in the empire look down on you. They didn''t care about your amazing personality just because you didn''te from nobility and you didn''t have a title then. But look at them now." She smirked at thedies who couldn''t look at her in the eye anymore. "Just because you''re now a duke and the richest man in the empire, they throw themselves at you."


    Thedies gasped at her insult.


    On the other hand, her husband looked at her with sparkling eyes.


    "It''s okay, Tilly," Kiho said while looking at her with so much love and warmth in his gaze. "I''m d that you''re the woman who saw me real worth," he said softly. "Thank you for epting me for who I am even without a noble title."


    Tilly just smiled at her husband, then she turned to thedies around them with a cold look. "Now, I want you all to scram and tell everyone you know about me," she said. "Tell the whole empire that Lady Tilly Nystrom, Duchess of Oakes, has returned."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT did the Supreme want from you?"


    "She wants to go to thend that drinks blood," Aku said while putting his teacup down on the coaster. Elis Ripperton joined them after he dropped Yumi off to god knows where. "Thend that''s almost as elusive as the Fire Mages."


    "You mean thend where the Great Fire Tree is said to be hidden?" Elis Ripperton asked with a raised brow. "Interesting. I thought the Fire Mages don''t believe in its existence."


    "Well, it seems like they already do. But apparently, they couldn''t enter it without the blood of the people who hid it in the first ce," he exined. "One of the requirements is to have a drop of blood of the current Moonchester emperor."


    The Blue Dragon smirked. "So, that''s the only reason why she keeps you alive."


    "Shut up."


    Elis Ripperton sipped his tea before he continued. "Why does it seem like you don''t know much about thatnd? I thought it was something that only the Moonchesters know."


    "That''s a misconception that I never bothered to correct," he said. "In fact, the Great Fire Tree has a life of its own and it despises the Moonchesters. But among us, there''s someone the Great Fire Tree can''t keep secrets from."


    "Nia Moonchester, right?"


    He raised a brow at the Beast God. "You already know?"


    "It''s just a hunch," Elis Ripperton said. "Before Nia Moonchester was born as your sister, she was someone else someone that you needed for your goal."


    "Well, I didn''t make Nia a Moonchester because of who she was in the past," Aku said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "But I guess Nia being the previous Guardian of the Great Fire Treees in handy now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO, please go home and don''t let the children out of your sight," Tilly told her husband seriously when she got in the carriage that Luna and Roarke rented a while ago. Thankfully, the carriage was parked far from the carriages of other nobles. In fact, it was hidden from sight. "Now that Aku Moonchester knows that you''re not under his control anymore, I''m sure he will do anything and everything to make you follow him again."


    Kiho, who stood by the open door of the carriage, nodded. "I will protect them, Tilly."


    "Thank you," she said, then she opened her palm where a piece of red feather appeared when she summoned it. She carefully put the red feather inside the pocket of Kiho''s suit. "That red feather will not get detached on you from now on. If you''re under attack, it will burn and summon me." She gently patted his check. "I wille and save you when that happens, Kiho."


    He looked touched by that. "When will I see you again?"


    "Tonight," she said firmly. "After my meeting with Aku Moonchester, I will return to our mansion. It''s time to make everything right again."


    By that, she meant revealing the truth to Kiho.


    She knew that Aku Moonchester and his underlings would let that "force" inside Kiho to take over very soon. Before that happened, she would tell her husband that he was the ck Serpent. He would lose himself either way anyway, and she''d rather lose himself because she remembered the past and not because his body had been taken over once again.


    She couldn''t say it now because she needed Yumi for her n. But that damned Elis Ripperton took the White Snake away.


    That was exactly why she asked Luna and Roarke to find Yumi and bring the wench to herter.


    <em>Be prepared, Elis Ripperton you''re next.</em>


    Kiho''s golden eyes glowed in excitement. "Tilly, I will wait for you."


    Tilly smiled and nodded. "This time, I wille home for real, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID YOU have a fight with Lord Julian?"


    Winter nodded at Amilo''s question. "But I don''t want to talk about it, Uncle Amilo."


    After Julian left the annex, he joined Amilo back in his workshop room to continue working on the jewel he was trying to make for his mother.


    But to be honest, he couldn''t concentrate.


    "Alright," Amilo said in his usual patient tone. "But if you need someone to talk to, I''m here, Lord Winter."


    He just smiled and nodded and then, he felt that strong and hostile energying at them.


    When he was just about to tell Amilo to duck, the windows around the room started to break into tiny pieces.


    And then, a dark ball of energy hit them.


    Winter barely managed to create an ice cube to protect themselves from the ambush attack. When he turned to Amilo to check on him, he got worried when he realized that the jewel maker had lost consciousness and his head was bleeding.


    <em>Uncle Amilo must have been hit by something hard before I was able to create a barrier.</em>


    He wanted to at least give Amilo first-aid but when the thick and dark smoke in the room subsided, the enemy who attacked them finally showed up.


    "I knew that Julian was acting strange so I followed him here," Lucina Morganna snarled at him. "So you''re here, Winter Nystrom."


    Okay, he''d admit that the woman still scared him a little.


    But now that he was more confident with his power and the love of his parents, he no longer cowered before her.


    He stood up and stepped out of the ice cube. As soon as he did, he made the ice cube stronger and thicker to protect Uncle Amilo. But to make sure that the jewel maker wouldn''t freeze to death, he made the floor warm with his fire Mana.


    "Your mother sent you here, didn''t she?" Lucina Morganna asked with a bitter smirk. "But I''m d that she did. I want to see her face when I send your lifeless body to her!"


    Aside from being reunited with his mommy and daddy, there was a reason why he was desperate to turn back time and correct the mistakes that he did in the past.


    "Julian thinks that you are his real mother," Winter said while gathering all the ice Mana that he had in his hands. "I feel bad for him but you have to disappear now."


    "You got your mother''s arrogance," she snarled at him.


    "I did," he said proudly. Then, he created an ice sword from his Mana. That was the weapon that he used to wield in the past. He knew that it wasn''t as strong as it was before, but he was hoping for it tost until he killed the wench. "Stop talking ande at me, Lucina Morganna."


    The wench, despite her arrogance, didn''t seem like she underestimated him.


    After all, Lucina Morganna summoned her real Mana the divine power that didn''t originally belong to her and gathered them in the palms of her hands.


    It was the power that scared him to death in the past.


    <em>And it''s none other than the ck me.</em>


    In his previous life as Winter Nystrom, he discovered that Soleil Rosenberg''s real Mana was transferred into her first child. But it disappeared when the child in her womb was killed.


    Ah, he found out about it during the time that he was uncovering the truth behind his mother''s unusual behavior before her death, so he identally discovered that his mommy was the reincarnation of the Supreme Fire Mage.


    Unfortunately, he found out about her mother''s real identity back then toote.


    And during that time, Lucina Morganna was already using the ck me to torment him and his father.


    "Give it back," Winter snarled angrily, the bitter memories of his first life as Winter Nystrom flooding his mind almost making him drown from it. "Give back the Mana that you stole from me and my mother!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 214: Brothers Feud

    Chapter 214: Brothers'' Feud


    "DID YOU find my evil mother-inw?" Tilly asked Luna and Roarke who appeared in the couch across from her. The two returned when the carriage she was in just left the ballroom. Now, they were in their way to the temple where her meeting with the emperor would carry on. This time, Nia would be joining them. "Where is she hiding?"


    "Luckily, Elis Ripperton just dropped her off in House Hayward''s mansion," Luna said. "It seems like she doesn''t have any intention to hide."


    "Still, we can''t underestimate her," she said. "If she''s not hiding, that only means she''s capable of protecting herself."


    "Spirit guardians like her don''t usually die as long as their masters are still alive," Roarke reminded them. "If you want to kill a spirit guardian, the most effective way is to kill their master."


    "Kiho is Yumi''s "master" so I''ll find another way to make that b*tch suffer," Tilly said firmly. "Also, I want to prove that my hypothesis is right so you better bring the White Snake to meter."


    Luna and Roarke bowed to her at the same time. "As you wish, Supreme."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER knew that his little body couldn''t handle the amount of Mana that he summoned.


    Even though he knew how to use his ice, he was still trapped in a child''s body. But he ignored the limitations of his physical body because he wanted to kill Lucina Morganna. And most of all, if he wanted to survive from her ck me, he needed to go all-out.


    And so, he used his most powerful technique in the past: Winter Blizzard.


    <em>Yes, I named it after myself.</em>


    Anyway, the Winter Blizzard was a technique that was effective to use in a closed space like the room they were in. He covered every entrance and exit with a thin but strongyer of ice, then he summoned a tremendous ice storm. But instead of snow, it poured ice daggers in there.


    Of course, he wouldn''t get hurt while Amilo was safe inside the ice cube that he made a while ago.


    In short, only Lucina Morganna would get attacked by the ice daggers.


    "Curse you and your ice Mana," Lucina Morganna said while trying to melt the ice daggersing at her mercilessly.


    To be honest, he was kind of surprised to see her using the ck me clumsily.


    If Lucina Morganna knew how to use it properly, she could have burned down the whole annex building with just a simple fire st. In the past, a mere ball of ck me was enough to stop his ice storm.


    Well, he didn''t know why it seemed like she didn''t know how to use her (stolen) power, but he wouldn''t hesitate to take advantage of that.


    He stomped his foot on the floor hard. Then, a thinyer of ice started to cover the floor. When it touched Lucina Morganna''s feet, the ice immediately started to freeze the woman. She panicked so instead of melting the ice daggers falling on her, she used the ck me to melt the ice around her waist.


    <em>What a waste of such strong me.</em>


    Well, good for him.


    He raised his hand, effectively stopping all the ice daggers in the room from pouring. Then, he gathered all of it in his hand until it became an ice sword.


    Without wasting a minute, he immediately attacked Lucina Morganna and stabbed her in the stomach. He wanted to pierce the de through her heart but she threw a ball of ck me at him. He had to duck it, and so he was only able to stab her stomach. But to make it more painful and to make sure that it would hit her vital organs, he twisted the sword inside her.


    Lucina Morgana screamed in pain.


    He wasn''t done yet though. This time, he covered the sword with ice so that the insides of Lucina Morganna would freeze too.


    <em>Goodbye, my former ex-stepmother.</em>


    Just when he was sure that Lucina Morganna would die by his hands, a st from his side distracted him. Since the ice covering the whole room had melted, the Winter Blizzard also stopped. But that didnt end there.


    Julian, who was holding a ming sword, came at him.


    He had no choice but to pull out his ice sword from Lucina Morganna''s stomach to hit Julian''s de with his own.


    "Traitor," Winter hissed at him. "I shouldn''t have trusted you."


    "I''m sorry, Winter," Julian said in a voice filled with pain. Then, he turned to Lucina Morganna. "Go."


    Lucina Morganna, who was stopping the bleeding of her stomach with her hands, nodded at Julian and began to vanish in a thick, ck smoke.


    <em>No!</em>


    He threw ice daggers at the woman before shepletely disappeared, but Julian melted the daggers with his me.


    "Are you freaking kidding me right now, Julian?" he snarled at his "brother." Sadly, even if it was true that they had different mothers, it wouldn''t change the fact that this traitor was still his sibling. But he didn''t want to ept that. Not after he let Lucina Morganna go when he almost had her dead! "You saved that wench!"


    "Please understand, Winter," Julian begged him in a voice filled with pain. "Lucina Morganna is still my mother."


    "Even if your im is true, she still tried to kill me," he insisted with clenched jaws. "You saved the person who wanted your own brother dead!"


    "I know but I wouldn''t have let her kill you," he said while shaking his head. "Instead of killing my mother, can''t you just arrest her? I''d rather see her in jail than see her die by my own brother''s hands."


    He shut his eyes tight.


    <em>Julian is beyond saving. I don''t care if Lucina Morganna is his real mother or not. At this point, it doesn''t matter to him anymore because he''s obviously attached to that wench already.</em>


    To be honest, that realization hurt.


    He tried to be open-minded because his mother told him to be kind and understanding to Julian. Also, he even thought that having a brother wasn''t that bad. But now that Julian betrayed him, he didn''t want to be mature about the situation anymore.


    <em>I''m sorry, Mommy. But at this point, I don''t think Julian sees us as his family. To him, only Lucina Morganna matters.</em>


    Winter opened his eyes as he summoned a stronger wave of his ice Mana.


    This time, he felt his insides being squeezed in a painful way. Every muscle of his tiny body also started to hurt. That was a clear indication that he was reaching his limit.


    Still, that didn''t stop him from creating another Winter Blizzard.


    He seeded, but he coughed blood.


    "Winter, stop it," Julian said in a worried voice. "You''re hurting yourself!"


    "Shut up," Winter said coldly. "If you don''t want to freeze to death, summon your strongest me and fight me."


    Obviously, his brother didn''t know what to do.


    It seemed like both of them had been too focused on one another that they didn''t notice that someone else had entered the room.


    "What the hell is going on here?!"


    His father''s angry voice and heavy aura was enough to dispel his Winter Blizzard and Julian''s ming sword.


    Yes, his dad managed to nullify their powers with just his aura.


    <em>Scary.</em>


    And Julian really looked scared of their father right now. "F-Father, let me exin"


    Winter wanted to snarl at his brother but he suddenly coughed blood once again. He felt so weak that he was sure he was going to hit the floor. But it didn''t happen because his dad immediately caught him and carried him in his arms.


    When he looked up at his father, he fully expected him to look angry. But much to his relief, his daddy looked worried instead.


    "Winter, what happened to you?" his dad asked worriedly. He could even see panic in his father''s eyes. "Why are you coughing blood? Who hurt you?" His gaze went past him to look at Amilo. When his dad turned to him again, the angry look on his face was back. But he could tell that he wasn''t angry at him. "Who attacked the mansion?"


    Winter knew that being a snitch was petty and low of him, especially if he was going to tell on his own brother. But a traitor brother didn''t deserve his mercy, right? "It was Julian, Dad," he said. Amilo lost consciousness even before Lucina Morganna showed up so he was sure the jewel maker couldn''t tell the truth to his dad. "Julian wants me to leave the mansion."


    His dad looked shocked by his revtion.


    <em>I''m sorry for lying, Dad.</em>


    He secretly turned to Julian to see his reaction.


    As expected, his brother looked shocked by his tant lie. But in the end, it seemed like he epted it because he knew that he deserved it.


    "I''m s-sorry, Father," Julian said in a shaking voice. "I-It''s all my fault"


    <em>Yes, take ountability. That serves you right for taking Lucina Morganna''s side.</em>


    "Winter, Julian," his dad said in a cold, and angry voice. It seemed like this time, his anger was directed at both him and his brother. Worse, the room was immediately covered by his father''s stronger ice Mana. "Why are the two of you lying to your father?"


    Winter gulped in fear and when he turned to Julian again, he saw that his brother was just as afraid as he was.


    <em>We made Dad angry.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    ***


    SOLENN smirked when she saw thezy saint''s back.


    She got separated from Jameson when the "ants" started to attack them. Of course, she left the small-fries to the Keepers and went where the "barrier-maker" was hiding from. She was a little relieved that it wasn''t the Golden Tiger. Although she was confident with her Mana, she knew that fighting a Beast God wouldn''t be easy.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    The thick smoke around the area was enough to deceive strong Mana users. But of course, as the daughter of the Fire Archmage, that kind of trick wouldn''t work on her.


    Without so much ado, she sneaked up on him and kicked his behind literally.


    And she kicked the saint with a ming foot.


    "Ouch!" Saint Forresterined, then he turned to her with a re. "What the"


    The saint trailed-off when he recognized her.


    "Hello, Your Holiness," Solenn greeted the saint with a bright smile. "The Supreme told me to beat you to a pulp so" Her cheerful faade slipped of when she cracked her knuckles. "Please pardon my rudeness."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> I am considering not to update daily next month because of the low numbers of my privilege readers. Since I don''t reach the target numbers of priv readers anyway, I will just not join WIN-WIN next time. Which means I can take a break. Hehe.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 215: Final Bloody Game

    Chapter 215: Final Bloody Game


    "WELCOME BACK, Lady Nystrom."


    Tilly smiled "sweetly" at High Priest Howard. "Ah, you''re still alive, Your Eminence. I see you that you haven''t been promoted to a saint yet despite Saint Forrester''s disappearance."


    "It doesn''t work that way, Your Grace," High Priest Howard said. "A High Priest can''t simply be "promoted" as a saint without the blessing of the heavens."


    "I know that," she said. "I just thought that Aku Moonchester may have given his blessing to you since he thinks he''s a god anyway."


    She heard Luna and Roarke stifle theirughter behind her.


    The High Priest just smiled, obviously amused by her. "I''m d to see that you haven''t changed at all, Lady Nystrom."


    "I think I''ve gotten prettier though," she said. "But don''t think aboutplimenting me now. I only want to hear those words from Kiho."


    High Priest Howard justughed while shaking his head. "Please follow me, Your Grace," he said. "His Majesty is waiting in the prayer room. He has already reached out to Her Royal Highness."


    "I thought Nia Moonchester was already stripped-off of her title," she said while following the High Priest to the prayer room.


    "His Majesty doesn''t like it when we don''t refer to Her Royal Highness with her princess title."


    She rolled her eyes at that petty reason.


    But she shouldn''t have been surprised that he followed the kid emperor. The High Priest, despite saying that he had been waiting for the Moon Serpent all his life, was a ve to the Moonchesters through and through.


    Though I admit that out of all the cohorts of the Moonchesters, High Priest Howard is the one who has the vaguest goal of all. There was a time that he almost pledged a genuine vow to me and Winter. But then, he never acted like he was on our side.


    Well, it wasn''t like she could trust the High Priest anyway.


    "Wee, Lady Nystrom and your dear friends," Aku Moonchester, who sat on the sofa facing the cauldron with ming orange me, greeted them. Of course, he was having tea as expected. Prayer rooms didn''t usually have tea tables. It was definitely prepared just to amodate the emperor. "It feels surreal to have to face you for the entire day."


    High Priest Howard quietly stood behind the cauldron, facing them.


    "I know, right?" Tilly said, then she sat on the sofa beside the sofa where the emperor was. Luna and Roarke stood behind her. Even back in Srium, whenever she was in an official meeting, Luna and the Keepers would stand behind her instead of joining her on the table. At first, she felt awkward to have her friends act like her bodyguards. But she eventually understood that despite being friends, they were also "colleagues." She had learned their respect their professionalism even more. "Since I don''t want to see your face any longer than I already have, let''s get straight to the point."


    The emperor put his teacup down on the coaster. "Agreed."


    "As I said before, we have the medicine that can cure Nia Moonchester''s infertility," she said seriously. "In exchange of that, I want a bottle of your blood, the permission to travel outside the Royal Capital, and to bring Kiho with me."


    "You''re asking for too much."


    "No, I''m just asking for the same worth as what you will gain from our deal," she insisted. "You''ll get to fix Nia Moonchester''s body and the key to your goal."


    "That''s too good to be true," he said with a smirk. "How can I trust you, Lady Nystrom?"


    "I''m d you asked," she said. "I don''t trust you as well, Aku Moonchester. I know that you''re going to betray me because that''s your forte."


    He scowled as a response to her insult.


    She just smiled at his reaction. "That''s why I want us to do a binding vow."


    He red at her. "I won''t do a binding vow with you."


    She couldn''t help butugh at that. "Of course you won''t. After all, a binding vow favors the person with the purer bloodline. Since I''m a Rosenberg and you''re just a Moonchester, I have the advantage. Even if I use my husband''s name, I will stille out as superior to your bloodline since Kiho is a god." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "Now I understand why you''re so envious of me."


    "Shut up," the emperor snarled at her.


    "You shut up because I''m not yet done," she snapped back at him. "Let Nia Moonchester do the binding vow with me."


    Aku Moonchester looked shocked with what she said.


    "Nia Moonchester, before I cursed her, was a Guardian a status that can be considered equal to a minor god," she continued. Of course, she only learned that from Sris since she lost Soleil Rosenberg''s memories the same night she retrieved it. But looking back, she felt more at ease without her past self''s memories. Anyway "That will make the binding vow between me and Nia Moonchester fair. Also, I intend to make the terms as fair as possible. Unlike you, I have values. I won''t give up my humanity just to bring down a scum like you, Aku Moonchester. You''re not worth it."


    "Do you think I will let you make a binding vow with Nia?" he hissed at her. "You didn''t mention the binding vow when you first offered the deal to me, Lady Nystrom."


    "Well, what can I do? I''m a woman full of surprises," she said with a shrug. "Plus, it''s part of my "give-Aku-Moonchester-a-heart-attack-even-though-he-doesn''t-have-a-heart agenda."


    Luna and Roarker, once again, stifled theirughter behind her.


    This time, even High Priest Howard had to bite his lower lip to probably stop himself fromughing.


    <em>Wow, did I get funnier over thest five years or something?</em>


    "The binding vow will ensure that we can''t betray each other while we head to the same goal," she exined to the kid emperor who was about to throw tantrums again. But as soon as we get what we want from thend that drinks blood, the vow will be over. We''re free to kill each other by then."


    The emperor remained quiet. He was probably contemting the pros and cons of her offer. She used that chance to convince him to fall into her trap.


    <em>Yes, trap.</em>


    She still had so much in store for the Moonchesters.


    "I know that you''re hesitant to agree with this deal because you don''t want the Fire Mages to be cleared of the sin that you used us of many years ago," she continued sternly. "But think about it, Aku Moonchester. If you''re confident that you can kill me, then all you have to do is stop me from returning to the Royal Capital after I get the truth from the Great Fire Tree. If I die, I won''t get to reveal the truth to the people of the empire. But if you turn down my offer, you will never get thest key that you need. Think about it, Aku Moonchester."


    Aku Moonchester fell silent for a couple of seconds before he talked again. "The binding vow won''t take effect if one party is coerced from taking it," he said. "Nia hates you more than I do. Do you think you can convince her to do with a binding vow with you when she doesn''t want her body fixed?"


    "Who do you think you''re talking to, Aku Moonchester?" Tilly asked with a softugh. "Just connect me to Nia Moonchester and watch me do my magic."


    <strong>***</strong>


    IT WAS hard for Kiho to watch Winter and Julian, two little kids, kneel before him with their heads hanged low.


    He didn''t ask his children to do that.


    After he made sure that Winter was already okay, he left them in the room to reflect on their actions. Then, he brought Amilo to a clean room and gave him first-aid. Since the jewel maker''s injuries weren''t serious, he didn''t call a doctor.


    When Amilo woke up, he asked him what happened. Unfortunately, the jewel maker said that he lost consciousness as soon as the loud st went off the room. Apparently, he was hit by a solid thing in the end, knocking him out instantly.


    After being assured by Amilo that he could take care of himself, he returned to the room where he left the children.


    And as soon as he entered the room, Winter and Julian were already both kneeling.


    "Why are you kneeling?" Winter asked the kids in a cold tone while his arms were crossed over his chest. He had to be that strict or else, the children wouldn''t take him seriously. And he was really pissed. Aside from the fact that he was worried about Winter and Julian, Amilo was also hurt. Worse, even though it was obvious that a huge attack urred in the annex, Winter and Julian looked like they didn''t want to talk about it. "Did I ask you to do that?"


    "We''re s-sorry, Father," Julian said in a scared voice. He couldn''t even lift his head to meet his eyes. "I-I''m taking responsibility"


    He felt gutted while listening to Julian''s trembling voice but he knew that he shouldn''t give in easily.


    <em>Tilly, I wish you were here.</em>


    "Yes, you should," Winter said to Julian in an unapologetic voice. "I apologize that I wasn''t able to protect Uncle Amilo, Dad. But everything is Julian''s fault."


    He had to close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose.


    Winter didn''t call Julian "brother" this time. That told him that the fight between the two children was quite serious. The fact that they used their Mana to fight was also very worrying. Still, the kids wouldn''t tell him the reason they fought.


    <em>God, Winter. You really live up to your "little rascal" moniker. And you inherited your mommy''s stubbornness.</em>


    "Winter, I know that you''re still a baby," Kiho said, trying to sound patient as much as possible. "But if you want to grow up a decent adult, you should learn how to take responsibility of your actions."


    "And that''s why I apologized for not being able to protect Uncle Amilo, Dad," Winter insisted, then he raised his head to meet his gaze. His son''s golden eyes that resembled his were very clear. Although they had the same eye color, Winter''s gaze still reminded him of Tilly''s fearless look. "I''m the victim here, Dad, so why do I have to be the bigger person?" He red at Julian. "I deserve an apology from him instead."


    "I''m sorry, Winter," Julian said, then he turned to his little brother. "But shouldn''t you apologize to me for lying to Father just to get me in trouble?"


    As expected, Winter red at Julian.


    "Are you two seriously fighting in front of me now?"


    Winter and Julian avoided each other''s gaze, then they bowed and apologized to him again.


    He let out a frustrated sigh before he talked again. "Winter, go to your room and don''te out unless I call for you," he said. "Julian, return to the main mansion and lock yourself up in the room. You''re also not allowed toe out unless I summon you."


    "Yes, Dad.


    "Yes, Father."


    "We''ll talk again once your motheres hometer," he added gently, making Winter and Julian raised their heads in shock. "Yes, your mommy will finally return to us. Be careful, boys. Your mother is a lot scarier than me especially when she''s angry. If you lie to her face, you''re dead and I won''t save you."


    Winter smiled brightly as if he wasn''t scolded a while ago. "Mommy wille home? Finally!"


    Kiho''s heart was full by simply watching Winter''s happy face. But he noticed that Julian''s reaction was opposite to Winter''s. Was it because he was thinking that he wasn''t a part of their family?


    <em>Tilly, I need you here to raise our two boys.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''LL make it clear for us, Aku Moonchester," Tilly said. "If you ept my offer, we will work together until we reach thend that drinks blood. I will ask the Great Fire Tree about the truth behind the Fire Mages'' "betrayal." In short, I will get a solid piece of evidence that will prove to the people of the empire that my n is innocent."


    Aku Moonchester raised a brow at that. "You''re going that far just to prove your n''s innocent?"


    Okay, he was sharp. She''d give him that.


    Of course, that wasn''t her only goal. Thankfully, she already expected that the kid emperor would question that. So, she already prepared a cover-up story.


    "I''m seeking the Great Fire Tree to find out why I''m called the ''Daughter of the Sun,''" she said. That wasn''t technically a lie since she was really curious about that. Sris couldn''t give her an answer, so might as well ask the Great Fire Tree. "Anyway, if I make the binding vow with Nia Moonchester, then that means I have to travel with her. You can ask your best chess pieces to apany her to make sure that you''ll get what you want."


    She knew that Aku Moonchester wouldn''t leave the empire just to travel to thend that drinks blood.


    "Don''t talk as if everything has already been decided," the emperor said, then he turned to the High Priest. "Have you connected to Nia?"


    High Priest Howard bowed his head. "I can open themunication portal anytime you ask, Your Majesty."


    "Do it," Aku Moonchester said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "Open themunication portal with Nia."


    The High Priest just bowed, then he sprinkled some golden dust in the orange me.


    A few momentster, the me disappeared and it was reced by a transparent crystal-like "monitor."


    The screen clearly showed Nia Moonchester''s calm and beautiful face as she sipped her tea. Even though her dress was a lot simpler than the ones she used to wear in the pce, her royal glow and elegance still shined brightly.


    "I don''t like seeing your faces so let''s keep this short," Nia Moonchester said, her b*tchy attitude remained despite being stripped-off of her princess title. "What do you want with me?"


    Tilly smiled, then she snapped her fingers making time stop in the prayer room.


    Yep, that was one thing that she also learned from Sris''s Spartan training. She went through all the blood, sweat, and tears involved in mastering Soleil Rosenberg''s techniques. Ah, right. She couldn''t get over the fact that Soleil Rosenberg was so OP in the past but still let her husband be her downfall.


    <em>Tsk, tsk, I''m still disappointed in my previous self.</em>


    Anyway


    "Hello, Nia Moonchester," Tilly greeted her with a sweet smile. "I have an offer that you can''t and shouldn''t resist."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 216: Homecoming

    Chapter 216: Homing


    TILLY watched as Nia Moonchester''s face turn from calm into confused.


    "Why aren''t the people around you moving?" Nia Moonchester asked in confusion. "Did you stop the time or something?"


    "I did," Tilly said proudly. "But it won''tst long so let''s make this quick."


    Sadly, she could only stop time in a room for five minutes.


    That was one of the things that never failed to make her feel frustrated.


    ording to Sris, Soleil Rosenberg (in her peak) was 100x better and stronger than her. God, and she really let Aku Moonchester take everything away from her. Now, she the inferior "version" of her former glorious self had to clean up Soleil Rosenberg''s mess.


    Nia Moonchester sipped her tea before she asked. "What do you want with me?"


    It kind of irked her that the princess didn''t look shock seeing her after five years. Plus, she hated that Nia Moonchester actually looked like she found peace after leaving the pce. Like she was already contented being separated from Aku Moonchester.


    <em>Is this the reason why she got herself exiled in the past? For peace of mind?</em>


    She found it hard to believe until she realized what kind of a psycho Aku Moonchester was.


    <em>I''d probably give up everything too just to get away from him.</em>


    "Make a binding vow with me," Tilly said when she forced herself to focus on her current mission instead of pondering about Nia Moonchester''s "peaceful" look. "I''m making a deal with your beloved twin brother-sh-lover."


    As expected, the princess scowled in disgust.


    "In exchange of working with me to get to thend that drinks blood, I offered him the cure to fix your infertility."


    Nia Moonchester red at her. "Are you crazy? Do you think I will let you fix my infertility after I went through a lot just to destroy my reproductive system?"


    "I will free your soul if you let us fix your body."


    That immediately calmed the princess down. But she still looked skeptical. "You were the one who cursed me in the past. But only the Red Phoenix''s me can burn down the string that you tied me and Aku with. And as far as I know, the Red Phoenix is missing. I''m sure that not even my brother knows where exactly your brother is."


    "My people have already found my brother," she informed her. "I assure you I can make the Red Phoenix free you from the curse that I cast on you many years ago. Once your soul is freed, you can get rid of your physical body without dying since you were originally a spirit. Don''t you want to be a free Guardian again?"


    She wasn''t really sure if that was Nia Moonchester''s goal all along.


    But she was certain that for her, bing a Guardian might be better than getting tied with Aku Moonchester''s soul for all eternities.


    <em>My fault, but they deserved it.</em>


    Anyway, her thoughts were cut-off when she saw Nia Moonchester''s reaction.


    The princess gulped, obviously tempted by her offer.


    "I need to make a binding vow with you to make sure that we won''t stab each other in the back while working together," Tilly continued. "I will make you the coteral by making the medicine work only after the binding vow ispleted."


    Nia Moonchester''s brows furrowed in confusion. "You made the medicine work that way?"


    "I''m lucky to have an excellent witch by my side," she said proudly. "Anyway, think about my offer carefully, Nia Moonchester. I will not tell Aku Moonchester that I will free your soul once the binding vow is over. That will give you the chance to run away from him. So even if your body is fixed, you can finally return to where you want to be."


    "Do you think you can fool Aku?" she asked with furrowed brows. "If he knows that you will free my soul, he''ll never let us do a binding vow."


    "It will be our little nasty secret," she said confidently. "You don''t have to trust me, Nia Moonchester. You just have to trust my hunger to bring down Aku Moonchester. Plus, your goal doesn''t align with his." She pointed at herself. "Your goal is aligned with mine. If you didn''t hate my past self so much, you could have worked properly with my mother before. Am I wrong?"


    Nia Moonchester avoided her gaze. "Let me think about it, Lady Nystrom."


    "Of course, Princess Nia," Tilly said, saying her title sarcastically. "I''ll be waiting for your positive response."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>LADY NYSTROM definitely did something.</em>


    Aku wasn''t sure what it was but he felt strange ever since Nia showed up at the screen. Every fiber of his being was screaming that something was wrong. He just couldn''t pinpoint what exactly it was.


    "The medicine will only work once the binding vow is over and we get what we need in thend that drinks blood," Lady Nystrom exined to Nia, then she turned to him once again. "You know how binding vow works, don''t you? If the medicine is fake, the vow will kill me right away. It''s an ancient magic that even gods don''t mess around with."


    "I know that," Aku said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "And I also know that you won''t show up with a fake medicine. You''re not that kind of person."


    "Good," the Supreme said, then she turned to his beloved again. "If Aku Moonchester breaks the terms of the binding vow, you will die. But you don''t have to worry about that, right? After all, you of all people know that Aku won''t let you die."


    He knew that it was the purpose of the binding vow.


    Still, something was making him feel ufortable.


    "I have no reason to help you, Lady Nystrom," Nia said in her usual arrogant tone. "But getting locked up in this temple for so long is starting to get boring. Maybe going out for a while wouldn''t be so bad," she said, then she put her teacup down on the table. "Let me think about your offer."


    Now, that was suspicious.


    <em>Why does Nia sound like she has already epted the deal?</em>


    "Nia, I''ll give you until tomorrow night to decide," Aku said to his beloved sternly, then he turned to Lady Nystrom. "If ever Nia decides to make a binding vow with you, you better believe that I will oversee it, Lady Nystrom."


    "Of course," Tilly said with a confident smile. "You do you, Aku Moonchester."


    <em>I hate that triumphant smile.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AKU MOONCHESTER is suspicious of me," Tilly said while she was in the carriage with Luna and Roarke. "It can''t be helped. He knows Nia Moonchester so well that he finds it strange that the princess is even considering my offer."


    "We already expected that, didn''t we?" Luna asked. "That''s why we''re making a move before you make the binding vow with Nia Moonchester in front of Aku Moonchester."


    "Yeah," she said while nodding her head. "I guess I shouldn''t have been surprised at how sharp and smart Aku Moonchester is. No matter how much I hate him, I will never underestimate his slyness. He would have never lived this long if he was easy to kill." She let out a frustrated sigh. "And you know, a person''s survival skills don''t depend on strength or Mana alone. You also have to be cunning and smart. Look at what happened to Soleil Rosenberg. She was overpowered but she still lost to Aku Moonchester."


    "It''s because you were too soft-hearted in the past, Supreme," Roarke said. "But I don''t have to worry about that anymore. Your cunning side will give Lord Wixx a heart attack once he returns."


    "I already gave him a glimpse of the new me in the past," she said, then her brows furrowed. "Wait. I thought the two of you have something important to report to me?"


    Luna and Roarke turned to each other first before they faced her again.


    "It is important but your reunion with your family is more important, Tilly," Luna said with a smile. "We can wait."


    "And we still have a mission. After we dropped you off at the mansion, we have to get the White Snake and bring her to you," Roarke added. "We will give you our report by then."


    "Okay, if you say so," Tilly said, then she looked at the two back and forth. "You know, you two have good rapport as mother-and-son duo."


    Luna''s face turned red immediately. "Tilly!"


    On the other hand, Roarke blushed too and hanged his head low from embarrassment.


    Tilly justughed at their reaction.


    <em>It''s so fun to tease them.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>I''M SORRY, Father and Winter</em>, Julian said as he looked at the huge mansion onest time. He left the mansion wearing a cloak. Since he had to move fast, he only brought a bag. Inside it were some clothes and bags of coins that he would need to survive. <em>Now that the Supreme is back, I have no ce in your family anymore.</em>


    He didn''t have the courage to face the Supreme while he fully knew what his mother did to her in the past. And it didn''t end there.


    Even in this lifetime, his mother was still tormenting the Supreme and her family.


    This was embarrassing to admit but he didn''t have the heart to stop his mother. The memories of his past life made him see her as a pitiful person. He was afraid that he might let his mother use him to hurt the Nystroms if he stayed with them.


    To protect them, he had to disappear.


    "Goodbye," Julian whispered in a cracked voice. "Please be happy now that I''m gone."


    "How can we be happy if you''re not with us, Julian?"


    He gasped and turned around.


    <em>Wow.</em>


    He was stunned at the Supreme''s beautiful face. Not only that, her red ming wings also looked divine. But most of all, he was amazed at how she was able to sneak up on him without him noticing her presence until she spoke.


    <em>I thought I have sharp senses, but I guess they are useless against powerful beings.</em>


    "Greetings, Supreme," Julian greeted her politely with a bow. "I''m happy that you have returned. Lord Winter and Lord Nystrom will be very delighted to wee you home."


    "Why are you referring to your family that way, Julian?"


    "I''m honored that you see me as family, Supreme," he said, his voice cracking once again. "But I don''t deserve to be a part of House Nystrom. After all, my mother is"


    "Me," the Supreme said. When he looked up at her, she smiled warmly. "I''m your mother, Julian."


    He was happy to hear that, but his conscience kicked in. "It was a lie that my mother spread in the past, Supreme," he confessed. "She told me that she lied about being a recement mother. The truth was I was conceived when she seduced my father"


    "That''s b*llshit, Julian."


    Okay, he was surprised to hear the Supreme cuss.


    "Kiho Kalel, rather, might have been a little too attached to his "brother duties." But he was not the type of man who''d cheat on his wife. Plus, Lucina Morganna then or now doesn''t have the charm to seduce my husband." She patted her chest confidently. "Only I can do that, Julian."


    He didn''t know why he was impressed by the Supreme even though she just insulted his mother.


    "Julian, you were stolen from my womb when you were still a fetus," the Supreme exined gently, then she squatted in front of him to match his eye level. Then, she carefully put her warm hands on his shoulders. Right at that moment, her beautiful ming red wings disappear in a faint, red light. "Why do you still believe that Lucina Morganna is your mother even though I heard from Winter that he told you that you two are real brothers?"


    "Because it''s hard for me to believe that," he said between sobs. He couldn''t control his emotions, especially now that they were talking about the past. "Father never loved me in the past. Only Lucina Morganna cared about me. Even the Red Phoenix and the Fire Mages n treated me like I was an enemy." He took a deep breath before he continued. "Will you believe me if I say that the people who first hunted down the Nystroms were the Fire Mages led by your brother, Supreme?"


    The Supreme looked shocked by his revtion.


    And then, tears rolled down her face.


    Seeing the Supreme cry made him cry harder.


    "It''s hard but I believe you, Julian. Just because I lead the Fire Mages n doesn''t mean that I will always side with them," she said in a cracked voice. Her hands slid down his arms until she reached his hands. "But we don''t know what exactly happened in the past. We can''t ignore the possibility that someone or something deliberately made the Fire Mages and the Nystroms kill each other. And that''s the reason why I''m seeking the Great Fire Tree. But even though I don''t know the truth yet, I will never invalidate your im." She let go of his hands to cup his face gently. "So, shall we figure out the truth together, son?"


    Hearing the Supreme call her "son" in a clear, warm voice instantly erased all the doubts in his heart.


    A few people had already told him that he was the real son of the Supreme, but his heart never believed any of them. But now that the Supreme herself was telling him and making him feel that he was her real son, he couldn''t doubt it anymore.


    And if he would be honest, he''d say that even back in his past life, no matter how good Lucina Morganna was to him, he still secretly wished that he was the Supreme''s real son.


    That wish finally came true.


    "A-Are you really my mother, Supreme?"


    "100%, Julian," she said with a softugh. "Where do you think you got your pretty genes from? Only Kiho and I can create masterpieces like you and Winter."


    He had always known that the Supreme was vain and a little arrogant.


    But at that moment, her yful tone told him that she was only making a joke to lighten up his mood. And it worked.


    He smiled, the heaviness in his chest finally disappeared. "C-Can I call you ''Mother?''"


    "Of course, baby," his mother said in a warm voice, then she pulled him for a tight hug that felt like home. "I''m your mother so you have all the right to call me that."


    "M-Mother," Julian whispered as he wrapped his arms around his mother. Yes, his real mother. When he called her again, his voice was clearer and more confident now. <em>"Mother."</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 217: House Nystrom

    Chapter 217: House Nystrom


    "DAD, are you mad at me?"


    "I''m not mad at you, little rascal," Kiho said while fixing Winter''s tie. His son sat on the edge of his bed while he was down on one knee. "I''m just a little disappointed that you''re keeping a big secret from me."


    Since Tilly wasing home tonight, he asked Winter to wear the best suit from the collection of clothes that they bought the other day.


    He also told Julian to pick the best suit that he had.


    But since Winter was the younger one between the two, he chose to help Winter dress up first. Which he realized that he didn''t need to do because his little rascal was already capable of taking care of himself. His son even had a good eye in picking the best tie to match his suit.


    He felt sad about it.


    <em>I miss the chance of taking care of my son when he was still a baby.</em>


    "Dad, I love you," Winter said seriously. "But if you cheated on Mommy in the past, I will choose Mommy over you."


    That statement shocked him.


    <em>Where did thate from?</em>


    When he calmed down, he gently flicked his son''s forehead. He knew that it didn''t hurt but Winter still gave him a big pout.


    "I don''t think I''m capable of seeing another woman the way I see your Mommy," he told his son. "If I could, I would let you hear my thoughts for a whole day. Just don''t me if you get a picture of how you were made."


    "Dad!" Winterined, his cheeks red from embarrassment. "I didn''t need to hear that."


    "Then, never doubt my love and faithfulness to your mom ever again."


    His son pouted while scratching his forehead. "I''m sorry."


    He just patted his shoulder before he stood up. "Let''s go and check on Julian. I hope you get along before your mother arrives."


    "Does it mean I''m allowed to enter the main mansion now, Dad?"


    Okay, that question hurt him.


    He gently carried Winter in his arms to match his eye level. "I apologize if I had to hide you here in the annex, Winter. I swear it won''t happen again. From now on, you and your mom will reim your rightful ce."


    Winter smiled, then he wrapped his tiny arms around his neck. "Thank you, Dad."


    He hugged his not-so-little rascal tight.


    <em>Please stop growing up so fast, our baby Winter.</em>


    He was savoring that warm moment with his son when all of a sudden, a knock on the door interrupted them. Since it was Amilo, he let him in right away. After all, he asked the jewel maker to check on Julian.


    "Your Grace, we have a problem," Amilo said between heavy breaths. It seemed like he ran all the way there and it made him worry. "Lord Julian isn''t in his room. I also noticed that some of his belongings and clothes were gone as well," he informed in a hurried tone. "It looks like Lord Julian has run away from home."


    Winter gasped in surprise.


    Guilt immediately crippled his heart, making him freeze from where he stood.


    <em>Julian</em>


    "Dad, Julian ran away," Winter said while gently patting his cheeks as if he was trying to "wake" him up. "We should look for him."


    Kiho, now fully awake thanks to his son, nodded firmly. "Yes, and we won''t stop until we find your brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was still a little shocked after she found out that it was initially the Fire Mages who hunted down the Nystroms.


    Obviously, she was long gone when it happened because Soleil Rosenberg didn''t have the chance to meet Julian in the past. What bothered her was the fact that no one told her about that fact. It was understandable if Luna didn''t know about it since she heard from Sris that the Moon Priestess died a little after Soleil Rosenberg was killed.


    But how about Sris? And her Keepers? They should know, right?


    <em>Did they keep it a secret from me or they just didn''t bother to tell me because they think so little of my Julian?</em>


    "Mother?


    Tilly turned to Julian and smiled. "Hmm?"


    Julian, who was secured on herp, put a gentle and warm hand on her cheek. "Your temperature is abnormally hot. Are you upset?"


    She smiled and savored her son''s touch.


    To be honest, it was a little strange to feel a warm touch after getting used to Kiho and Winter''s cold body. But it was strange in a good way.


    "I''m not upset," she said with a smile. "I''m just thinking."


    Julian didn''t look convinced by her excuse, but he smiled and changed the topic anyway. Aww, her baby was so thoughtful and mature. "Mommy, I''m notining. But what are we doing here?"


    By "here," Julian meant the bench by the pond.


    After their heartfelt reunion, she brought her son to the pond where her koi fish lived. She was happy that their "children" were still alive, and that the bench where she and Kiho used to rest in wasn''t removed.


    "Your father and I used to date here a lot in the past. This is my most favorite spot in the whole estate," she said with a smile. "Let''s summon your dad and brother here."


    Julian smiled and nodded. "Okay, Mother."


    Tilly ruffled her son''s hair, then she released enough of her Mana to let Kiho and Winter know where she was. <em>We''re here, my other two little cinnamon rolls.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO couldn''t help but smile a little while watching Winter run to the pond where he could see Tilly sitting on the bench. He was relieved to see that his wife had found Julian.


    <em>Tilly, thank you for returning at the perfect time.</em>


    When he saw that Winter was only a few meters away from his mother, he felt a little childish andpetitive. He knew that it was petty, but he still moved so fast and so swift that he managed to outrun Winter in just a few steps making him reach Tilly faster.


    "Dad!" Winterined behind him. "That''s cheating!"


    Kiho just smirked at Winter before he faced Tilly who raised her pretty brow at him. He cleared his throat, then he got down on one knee before he asked for her hand. When she gave him her hand, he brought it close to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Wee home, mydy."


    "Mommy!" Winter greeted his mother cheerfully. "I''ve missed you."


    Then, the little rascal "bumped" into him hard enough for him to tumble on the ground when he hugged his mother''s waist.


    <em>Insolent child!</em>


    He red at his son, but Winter just smirked at him before he buried his face against Tilly''s tummy.


    Okay, that instantly made him jealous.


    Julian, on the other hand, was sitting on his wife''sp.


    <em>I''d kill to be in their position right now.</em>


    "I''ve missed you, too, Winter," Tilly said to their son sweetly while she was ruffling his hair. "But tell me"


    She turned to him, making Kiho kneel properly in front of her.


    To be honest, he didn''t know why he did that. He just felt like he had to when he met his wife''s glowing purple eyes. Even though her smile looked serene, he could clearly see in her eyes that she was pissed.


    That made him gulp in fear.


    <em>I''m in trouble, am I not?</em>


    "Kiho, what made Julian run away from home?" Tilly asked strictly. "What happened?"


    He froze in fear.


    It wasn''t only him though. Both Winter and Julian visibly froze in fear as well.


    <em>Boys, we''re dead.</em>


    A momentter, Winter and Julian slowly and carefully detached themselves from Tilly. Then, the two boys knelt beside him. Winter was on his right, Julian on his left. Their children looked gloomy while their heads were hanged low.


    "We''re sorry, Mommy."


    "We''re sorry, Mother."


    Kiho and Winter both looked at Julian at the same time in surprise.


    <em>Julian called Tilly ''Mother.''</em>


    That warmed his heart.


    "Tell me what you''re sorry for, boys," Tilly demanded, making the three of them turn to her at the same time. When she got their attention again, she crossed her legs in a very intimidating manner. "If you lie to me, you''ll all regret it."


    Kiho, once again, gulped in fear. "Tilly, I''m sorry I wasn''t able to discipline our children well," he said. "Please don''t be too harsh on the boys."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY, despite trying to look and sound strict to make Winter and Julian confess, realized that the little boys refused to talk because Kiho was there.


    Then, it means the cause of their fight was something Kiho wasn''t supposed to know yet.


    She decided to handle the problem using a different tactic.


    Plus, she didn''t enjoy seeing Kiho and their children kneel before her as if she was superior to them. She didn''t want an hierarchy in their family.


    "Winter, Julian," Tilly called her sons in a gentle tone but they still flinched before they raised their heads to look at her. To make the boys feel at ease, she smiled at them. "Do you want to sleep together tonight?"


    That was when their faces finally lit up.


    "Of course, Mommy!"


    "I''d love to, Mother."


    She smiled at how adorable her kids were. "Let''s have a slumber party then."


    Of course, she wanted to spend time with her children. But one of the reasons why she decided to have a "slumber party" was for her and her sons to be able to talk freely. It wouldn''t ruin her n tonight to listen to her kids first.


    Plus, she had to wait for Luna and Roarke to bring Yumi to her before she could start making Kiho remember his past without having him lose control over himself.


    <em>I should prioritize my children first.</em>


    "How about me, Tilly?"


    She turned to Kiho and her heart almost broke when she saw how sad he looked. He was probably feeling left out at the moment.


    "Can''t I join the slumber party with you?" Kiho asked in a very soft and very vulnerable tone. "Are you upset with me because I didn''t do a good job looking after our kids?"


    Aww, her original little cinnamon roll was making her heart melt.


    Just endure it for a little while, Kiho. Once you retrieve your memories and we kick out whoever it is inside you, we can finally return to normal. But for now


    "Come here," she said while patting the space next to her.


    Her husband''s face lit up a bit, then he stood up and sat beside her while dusting off the knee areas of his pants. She noticed that he still left a decent space between us so they wouldn''t identally touch each other in any part of their bodies. He was probably being careful not to startle her because he thought that she hadn''t retrieved her memories yet.


    <em>My hon is still as gentleman as ever.</em>


    "Kiho, I want to spend time with our children first," she said gently while giving him the puppy dog eyes that she knew he could never resist. "I promise that I will talk to you in privateter. Will that be alright with you?"


    As expected, her husband instantly gave in to her pleading.


    "Alright," he said without a hint of sulking. "I''m happy that you''re here and I''m also d that the children have their mother back, too."


    "Thank you, Kiho," Tilly said gently, then she put a warm hand on his cheek. He looked surprised, but he didn''t move his face away from her touch. Instead, he smiled at her as if he was giving her the permission to touch him any way she wanted. That gave her the confidence to gently run her thumb over his a little cold but soft lips. At that moment, his golden eyes glowed in excitement. "Kids, close your eyes."


    Winter and Julian both gasped aloud, and from the corner of her eye, she saw the kids cover their eyes with their hands


    while leaving the gaps between their fingers wide enough for them to still take a peek.


    <em>How cute.</em>


    She was tempted to kiss Kiho on the lips a while ago. Well, she still wanted to. But she decided to hold back since the children were watching.


    And she doubted that she and Kiho would stop at just a kiss so she better avoid that for now.


    To spare her children from the "trauma" of watching their parents make out, she just gave Kiho a peck on the cheek.


    Thankfully, her husband already looked happy and grateful by that light kiss.


    Happy, but not fully satisfied. She could clearly see in his glowing golden eyes that he wanted something more than a kiss on the cheek. But like her, he was holding back.


    "Wee home, Tilly," Kiho said with a smile. "I''ve missed you."


    "I think I''ve missed you, too," Tilly said teasingly. "Thank you for taking care of our children while I''m away, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 218: Collecting the Pawns

    Chapter 218: Collecting the Pawns


    LUNA was expecting that Yumi, the White Snake, would put up a fight.


    But when she and Roarke arrived at House Hayward''s mansion, they found the White Snake having tea in the balcony of her room. It was as if she was waiting for them.


    "You''rete," Yumi said, then she put the teacup on the table before she faced them. "My dear daughter-inw asked you to take me to her, didn''t she?"


    "That, the Supreme did," Luna said in a cold tone that was reserved only for enemies. "I guess it''s safe to say that you''reing with us without a fuss."


    "I will visit House Nystrom using House Hayward''s carriage," the White Snake said with a smirk. "So in case that I never make it back alive, people will suspect House Nystrom of killing off the new madam of House Hayward." Sheughed softly. "That''s how the Supreme work these days. She loves setting-up people with fabricated evidence."


    "The Supreme doesn''t have to fabricate evidence if a crime wasn''tmitted in the first ce," she reasoned. "And even though we worship her, we are fully aware that she isn''t a perfect person. She''s not even trying to be."


    "I can see that," the White Snake with a scowl. "The current Supreme is very different from Soleil Rosenberg. I never liked my daughter-inw back then but at least, she had moral ascendency unlike now."


    "The current Supreme still has moral ascendency," Roarke said in a firm voice. "But fortunately, she learned how not to apply it to people who don''t deserve her mercy. And to be honest, even if the Supreme abandons her morals, we will still follow her even if it means going to hell."


    "How dramatic," Yumi said sarcastically, then she stood up. "Now leave," she said. "I know my way to my son''s house."


    Luna and Roarke exchanged nces.


    Well, Yumi didn''t seem like she was lying. In fact, it sounded like she was looking for an excuse to go to House Nystrom. It seemed like Tilly was right when she suspected that the White Snake would make another move to take Duke Nystrom away from the Supreme.


    <em>As always, we can just leave this to Tilly.</em>


    "We''ll escort you, Lady Hayward," Luna said formally. Since it was Yumi''s n to make her visit to House Nystrom officially, they should act like fetching her was an official order from their masters. And so, they had to be "courteous" of the White Snake. "You can''t expect us to trust youpletely, right?"


    Roarke nodded in agreement. "Unlike Lady Soleil Rosenberg, Lady Tilly Nystrom isn''t interested in seeing the "good" in her enemies. And oh, the Supreme specifically told us that we can literally roast her "evil mother-inw" if we need to. In short, don''t do anything funny, Lady White Snake."


    "Insolent children," Yumi snarled at them. "It looks like my dear daughter-inw raised a bunch of insolent children, huh?"


    That, the Supreme did.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY almostughed when Kiho, Winter, and Julian offered their hands to her all at the same time as soon as she got up from the bench.


    Then, Kiho (yfully) red at their kids.


    Winter red back at his father, but Julian''s facial expression remained calm. Protest was evident in Julian''s eyes though.


    <em>Our Julian is too polite to pete" with Kiho.</em>


    On the other hand, their Winter


    <em>Well, Winter is our little rascal through and through.</em>


    When Tilly cleared her throat, her boys all turned to her at the same time. She smiled at them, then she offered her hands to her sons whose face both lit up instantly. "Will you escort me to the mansion, gentlemen?"


    "Of course, Mommy!"


    "Yes, Mother."


    Winter instantly grabbed her right hand while Julian shyly held her left hand.


    Kiho, on the other hand, pouted.


    <em>Gosh, he looks like a puppy kicked by his owner!</em>


    Well, she hated seeing her husband down so she knew she had to make it up to him somehow.


    "Shall we go inside, hon?" she asked with a sweet smile.


    Kiho suddenly looked confused but intrigued. "I''m sorry but I''m afraid I quite didn''t get what you just called me, Tilly."


    "I was told that we used to call each other ''honey,''" she lied to hide the fact that she had already retrieved her memories. "Apparently, I used to call you ''hon'' a variation of our endearment. Do you mind if I call you that way again?"


    "I don''t mind," Kiho said right away. She could clearly see that he didn''t feel dejected anymore. In fact, her husband was back in his high spirits. "Can I call you ''honey'' again, Tilly?"


    "Sure," Tilly said with a smile. "Shall we go inside the mansion now?"


    Kiho nodded eagerly. "Sure, honey."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELIS let out a deep sigh when he noticed that someone else had gotten in the temple earlier than he did.


    The temple he was referring to was the one hidden in the basement of the Eclis Church. Surprisingly, even though only a few people knew about it, the ce was still well-maintained. Aku Moonchester probably made sure that the sacred ce would remain clean.


    Although he had to say that it was practically empty now.


    The only important thing left in the temple was the statue of a full moon floating in the center of the cold room.


    "Come out," Elis said. "I know you''re here."


    Like he expected, his descendant came out from hiding behind a post.


    "Greetings, my dear ancestor," Noel Sherwood greeted him cheerfully. "Are you going to kill me?"


    His descendant was lucky that he wouldn''t kill a person inside that temple.


    But to be honest, he didn''t have the motivation to kill the child. After all, he knew that the Sherwoods were the ''Bookkeepers'' of the empire''s history. They never took sides in a war. Their n would just always go where an interesting story that no one had ever heard of before. In short, his descendant wasn''t a threat.


    Aku Moonchester knew that, so he let the boy live. After all, people who could document history as urate as the Sherwoods were people whose lives were worth sparing. It would be a shame to kill such precious tools.


    <em>The only thing I don''t like about the Sherwoods is their weird obsession with the ck Serpent.</em>


    "Don''t be too arrogant, child," he told the young man. "Your life isn''t worth sullying this sacred temple."


    "That''s a relief," his descendant said. But to be honest, it didn''t look like that he was scared of his life for a moment. He knew for a fact that the Sherwoods wouldn''t hesitate to risk their lives just to record an important piece of history. "Do you mind if I stay, Lord Ripperton?"


    "I won''t kill you," he said. "But let me ask you this: why didn''t you tell Kiho Nystrom what you discovered in this ce?"


    The fact that his descendant was there made it pretty obvious that he discovered the secret of that hidden temple. He just didn''t know how long the young Sherwood had known about that sacred ce. But he was certain of one thing: he didn''t tell Kiho Nystrom about what he knew.


    "I pledged my loyalty with Kiho Nystrom," Noel Sherwood said proudly. "I know that it''s unprecedented for a Sherwood to pledge his loyalty because as a Bookkeeper, I was raised as a free man. My n taught me to only side with the truth. But I guess it only applied to the previous generations before me who have never met the real ck Serpent.


    He had to roll his eyes at that. <em>The Sherwoods are indeed obsessed with the ck Serpent even now.</em>


    "After the unfortunate defeat of Duke and Duchess Nystrom to His Majesty five years ago, I began to notice a strange energying from here," his descendant started to exin. "It was a very faint energy that most Mana users would simply dismiss. But since Sherwoods are naturally curious beings, I went here to investigate. That was when I found out that a god descended on earth in secret."


    "And yet, you remained silent."


    "If I told Duke Nystrom who lost his memories about what I discovered, it would have only brought harm to him," Noel Sherwood continued. "I didn''t want to trigger his memories not when the duchess wasn''t by his side back then. After all, I know for a fact that once the ck Serpent loses himself, you''ll take advantage of it. I don''t want him to end up like how he did when he was still Kalel Nystrom."


    "How touching," he said sarcastically. "Had I known my descendants would have turned out like you, I would have just ascended the heavens without leaving an heir."


    To be honest, he really didn''t want an heir.


    But he followed what his n begged him to do just to spite Soleil in the past, thinking that she would get jealous if he got together with another woman. But s, she didn''t care. Soleil even congratted him when the woman got pregnant with twins a boy and a girl before he ascended to the heavens.


    "Well, you abandoned your descendants as soon as you became a Beast God," Noel Sherwood said with a shrug. "I heard that when the Rippertons were attacked by the Moonchesters, you didn''t heed their prayers. You didn''t help your descendants. Only the Sherwoods, the n that your daughter built when she married the first Bookkeeper in the empire, survived that war."


    He didn''tment on that because it was true he really abandoned his descendants.


    When he became a god, he spent his time looking for ways to make Soleil his. He hasn''t given up on her, and he never will.


    "And guess what?" his insolent descendant asked with a smirk. "It was the ck Serpent who protected the Sherwoods. He tried to help the Rippertons but it was toote for them. That''s why you shouldn''t be surprised if the Sherwoods are more attached to the ck Serpent than we are to you."


    "I really don''t care about that," he said, then he changed the topic. "Now, answer this: if I let you witness a moment of history that I''m about to make, are you going to warn Kiho Nystrom about it?"


    "No."


    His descendant only said one word but he instantly believed him.


    It had nothing to do with their "connection." He just had faith in Bookkeepers. They wouldn''t miss a chance to witness history in the making for their personal feelings.


    "First, you''ll kill me if I do that and I don''t want to die without witnessing a momentous night," Noel Sherwood said brightly. "But more importantly, I don''t have to protect Duke Nystrom anymore. I can finally do my job as a Bookkeeper again because the Duchess of Oakes is back." His smile grew wider and this time, he was sure that his descendant was trying to annoy him. "Now that Lady Nystrom is here, we all know that your ns are about to get f*cked up."


    "You just made me regret leaving an heir, Noel Sherwood," he said, then he walked past the young Sherwood.


    It wasn''t the right time to let his descendant provoke him.


    And like he said a while ago, that temple was too sacred for him to sully it with blood and violence.


    Most of all, he had an important job to do tonight.


    "I am back, my lord," Elis greeted his master politely, then he put a hand on his chest as he bowed. "Pardon my insolence but it''s time for you to awaken, Master."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY felt the hostility of the servants.


    It broke her heart to see Leni and Lani looking at her with animosity. Thankfully, she learned how to help people snap out of their trance. It was a simple trick that Sris taught her.


    The Fire Archmage figured that Nia Moonchester wouldn''t use high-level mind maniption to control non-Mana users. ording to him, the royal princess was known for her great use of the Moonflowers. As long as the smell of those magical flowers was embedded on a person''s brain, the fake memories installed in their mind would remain.


    <em>So to counter that</em>


    Tilly let go of Winter and Julian''s hands. "Boys, kindly stay away from me and stick to your father like glue."


    Thankfully, her kids didn''t question her.


    In just a blink of the eye, Winter was already hugging Kiho''s right leg. On the other hand, Julian shyly held his father''s left hand.


    <em>Aww my boys are so cute.</em>


    "Kiho, make your body as cool as possible to protect our kids," she said. "Please?"


    Kiho nodded. "I will protect our children, honey."


    Someone got attached to our old endearment again, huh?


    After ensuring that their children would be safe, she faced their servants who all looked confused of what was happening.


    "I''m sorry, everyone," she said seriously. "This might hurt a little."


    And then, she stomped her foot on the floor.


    As soon as she did, a ring of fire entrapped the servants making them scream and huddle together. The me she used was hot enough to even make Julian, a Fire Mage himself, look ufortable. Kiho and Winter, whose dominant Mana was ice, started to sweat.


    A few momentster, the lobby of the mansion started to smell like burned charcoal. That particr smell would eventually erase the fake memories that Nia Moonchester nted in their minds. After that, everyone would finally return back to normal.


    As a side-effect, the servants started to drop on the floor one by one.


    To make sure that they wouldn''t get hurt, she closed her right hand and extinguished the ring of fire that she created. The important thing was the smell that she made and not the me itself.


    <em>Good night, everyone</em>, Tilly said to herself. <em>You''ll retrieve your old memories tomorrow.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HONEY, if you need anything, I''m just next door," Kiho told her gently. "Amilo and I have already brought the servants to their chambers so you don''t have to worry about them."


    Tilly smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Kiho," she said. Right now, she stood in front of the door of the room where she would be resting with their children. Winter and Julian were already inside. She was just saying ''good night'' to Kiho even though she knew the night wasn''t over yet. "Thank you for everything."


    To be honest, she felt tired. Ever since shended back on earth, she had been using her wings and Mana non-stop. Of course, it was bound to take a toll on her body. And right now, her temperature was unnaturally hot even for a Fire Mage.


    "Tilly?"


    "Hmm?"


    "May I touch you?"


    Her husband''s face was etched with worry and his voice sounded innocent. And yet, she couldn''t help but tease him. "Don''t you think you''re going too fast, my lord? The children are just behind the door."


    As expected, Kiho''s face instantly turned red. "I-I don''t mean it that way.


    She raised her brow, intending to tease him more. Recently, it was rare for them to have an interrupted moment like this. She wanted to make the most out of it. "You don''t want to?"


    "Of course, I want to touch you in ways a man is allowed to touch his lover," he confessed, his earns and neck were as red as his cheeks now. "But I have to hold back for now. I''m worried about you, honey. You seem tired."


    <em>Ah, he noticed.</em>


    That made her smile, of course. "You may touch me, Kiho."


    "Thank you," he said, then he carefully ced a hand on her forehead. He flinched when he felt how hot her skin was. "You''re hot, Tilly."


    The familiar line made herugh softly. "I know, Kiho. Thanks."


    His face turned redder, if it was possible. "Well, you''re really hot. But I''m afraid I mean it literally right now. But I guess you already know that."


    The fact that he knew that she was just teasing him made her smile grow wider.


    He cleared his throat as if he was really trying hard not to flirt with him. And it worked because she could clearly see that he was seriously worried about her. "Do you want me to help you cool down?"


    In the past, Kiho would help her cool down by taking a bath with her.


    But of course, they couldn''t do that now.


    <em>Not yet.</em>


    She nodded, not teasing him this time because she was afraid that it would be her who''d find it difficult to hold backter. Plus, she could see in Kiho''s eyes that he was having a hard time resisting her flirting. She shouldn''t make their lives difficult as it already was. "Yes, please."


    He just nodded, then the hand on her forehead started to turn very cold.


    "This is quite not what I expected you to do to help me cool down," she said in a light protest. "I thought you were going to hug me, Kiho."


    His golden eyes glowed in excitement. "Can I do that?"


    As a response, she just opened her arms wide.


    Kiho smiled and then, he hugged her carefully. It seemed like he didn''t know how tight he should wrap his arms around her at first. But eventually, it was as if his body remembered how her body should mold with his. "This feels nice," he whispered against her neck as he hugged her not too tight, but also not too loose. It was the kind offortable and cold (yet warm) embrace that she remembered from five years ago. "I wonder how I survived without this for many lonely years."


    "You don''t have to worry about that anymore," Tilly said as she wrapped her arms around his body. "You''ll never be alone again, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I BET my snacks that Mommy and Daddy are flirting outside."


    "We shouldn''t bet on something so obvious," Julian said while shaking his head. "I bet my food stash that Mother and Father will flirt for about 10 minutes."


    "10 minutes will never be enough for them," Winter said with a smirk. "I''m betting my allowance that Mommy and Daddy will flirt for at least 30 minutes."


    Julian let out a softugh.


    And then, Winter suddenly realized that they were acting like they didn''t have a life-threatening fight a while ago.


    <em>Oh.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 219: Evil In-Laws

    Chapter 219: Evil In-Laws


    "SO, why did you two fight?" Tilly asked her children while they were in the tea table. She was having tea, while the two boys were having hot chocte. The tea and the hot chocte were both made by Amilo because the servants were all knocked out. "What is it that you can''t tell me in front of Kiho?"


    Winter and Julian looked at each other, then they exchanged nods.


    Then, Julian faced her and began exining. "Mother, Lady Lucina Morganna was here a while ago. She tried to kill Winter."


    Okay, she almost broke the teacup when she heard that.


    <em>That b*tch!</em>


    "She escaped because I protected her from Winter," Julian continued in a cracked voice. He even hanged his head low as if he was ashamed of what he did. "I''m so sorry, Mother. I know that this will sound like ame excuse but Lady Lucina Morganna had been very kind to me in my past life. And I really thought that she was my real mother."


    Her heart broke for Julian.


    After she heard what he went through in his previous life, she couldn''t me him if he got attached to the wrong woman.


    <em>My poor baby</em>


    "I got angry at Julian because of that," Winter said in an apologetic voice. "I didn''t try to understand Julian, Mommy. And thus, the big fight."


    "No, you''re not obliged to do that after I helped the woman who tried to kill you escape," Julian said when he turned to his brother. "I''m really sorry about that, Winter."


    "I was also wrong for trying topete with you for Dad''s attention. That might have contributed in making you feel that you don''t belong to our family," Winter said in a voice filled with guilt. "I shouldn''t have done that when I know that whether we have the same mother or not, we''re still brothers."


    "The two of you are real brothers," Tilly said to her kids gently. When Winter and Julian turned to her, she smiled at them. "Both of you are my children. Never doubt that again, hmm?


    Winter and Julian both nodded.


    "Yes, Mommy."


    "Yes, Mother."


    She smiled at them. "Thank you, boys. I will not force to make up right away. Apologies only work when the two parties involved are sincere. Take all the time you need to truly understand each other. I trust both of you, Winter and Julian."


    Her children both nodded and thanked her.


    "Boys, I''m going to make your father remember all of his missing memories," she told them seriously. "He might lose himself in the process but no matter what happens, I want you to stay in this room and protect each other. I will send Luna hereter to join you. She will make a barrier for you and the servants. Again, no matter what happens, don''t even think about leaving this room to help me, okay?"


    Both of her kids looked worried.


    "Mother, we can fight," Julian said carefully. "If Father loses himself, we can protect you."


    "Julian is right, Mommy," Winter said while nodding. "Mommy, we''re not really kids."


    "No matter how old your souls are, to us, you will always be our babies," Tilly said firmly, and then, she felt the arrival of her esteemed "guest." "It''s time for me to work," she said, then she stood up and walked towards her children. She kissed both Julian and Winter''s forehead. "Stay here, my little cinnamon rolls."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was surprised when he saw a carriage from House Hayward arrive in the main gate of their estate. It was followed by the carriage that Tilly''s friends used. He remembered his wife telling him about the witch called Miss Luna.


    But the young man with different colored-eyes


    <em>Is he a rival?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a knock on his door. It was followed by Tilly''s sweet voice, making his heart beat erratically because of excitement.


    <em>I hope the children are asleep now.</em>


    Not wanting to make his wife wait long, he immediately opened the door.


    He thought that he would find Tilly in her sleeping gown. But he got worried when he saw her wearing an outfit simr to the uniforms that female knights wore.


    "Tilly, you look like you''re going to a war," Kihomented nervously. "You''re not going to leave, are you?"


    "I''m not going to leave, Kiho," Tilly assured him. "May Ie in?"


    He opened the door widely for her. "Of course."


    "Thank you," his wife said as he entered his room.


    If he didn''t see how serious Tilly looked, he would have been excited to have her alone in his room. Well, he was still happy to have this moment with her. But of course, he couldn''t dismiss the possibility that their unwanted visitor had something to do with his wife''s current mood.


    <em>This is nerve-wracking.</em>


    "Kiho," Tilly said seriously when she turned around to face him. "Listen to me carefully."


    He was surprised when she suddenly walked towards him so his instinct was to lean against the door that he just closed. Even though he towered over her and she had to look up at him, she still looked intimidating.


    And sexy, if he must add.


    <em>Hot damn.</em>


    "Kiho."


    "Yes, honey?"


    Tilly took a deep breath before she spoke again. "You are the ck Serpent."


    He knew that the ck Serpent was one of the Ancient Beasts that the empire worshipped. Heck, he was even the captain of the ck Serpent Knights in the past.


    To be honest, he didn''t really understand what his wife meant by that. But he couldn''t find it in his heart to doubt her. He knew for a fact that no matter what she said, he''d believe her. Still, that didn''t mean he wasn''t allowed to ask questions.


    "What do you mean by that, Tilly?" Kiho asked in confusion. "I don''t understand."


    "I''m sorry but I have to be brutally honest to you from here on," Tilly said, her purple eyes glowing. "Kiho, you were born a god in your first life. After you refused ascending to heavens, you were reborn as Kalel Moonchester."


    His eyes widened in shock. "Moonchester?"


    "Yes, you were the older brother of Auro Moonchester, and he turns out to be the Aku Moonchester that we know today," his wife continued, making him confused even more. "During that time, I was the Supreme Fire Mage called Soleil Rosenberg. You married me and apparently, you only did that because your brother asked you to. When we conceived our first son, he was killed by the Moonchesters while still in my womb."


    Hearing that made his heart thump against his chest painfully.


    At that moment, he didn''t know what to say anymore.


    "You ripped my heart out during that time, too."


    He clutched his head tight when he suddenly felt a sharp pain that seemed to break his skull into two.


    This time, both his heart and his mind hurt so bad.


    "Our second child was stolen from me by the woman who imed to be your second wife," Tilly continued in a cold voice as if she was trying not to breakdown while she was breaking him. "And then, you killed me."


    "Please stop," Kiho begged his wife in a weak voice when the pain became unbearable. Before he knew it, he was already kneeling on the floor with his forehead hitting the ground. He felt like his head and his heart were about to burst any moment. He didn''t even realize he was already crying from pain until he saw the puddle of tears on the floor. "Tilly, it hurts"


    <strong>***</strong>


    IT WAS hard for Tilly to see Kiho hurting because she put too much painful memories in his head.


    Her husband was overwhelmed, and that was exactly the point.


    But when he fell on his knees while clutching his head while crying, her strong faade started to slip away fast. She knelt beside him and hugged him tight. "I''m sorry, Kiho. I''m so sorry," she whispered, then she kissed the top of his head.


    Kiho suddenly stopped shaking, and then he dropped on the floor unconscious.


    <em>His awakening has begun</em>


    "What the hell did you do to my son?!"


    Tilly immediately stood up and faced her evil-mother-inw. Judging by the open balcony, it was obvious how Yumi got in that room fast. "Have you forgotten how to use a door, Mother?"


    Of course, she said ''Mother'' in the most sarcastic tone ever.


    "Shut up," Yumi snarled and marched towards her angrily.


    "Hold her," she said.


    All of a sudden, Luna and Roarke appeared on each side of the White Snake. The witch grabbed Yumi''s left arm, and the Keeper grabbed the right arm.


    The White Snake tried to shake them off but to no avail.


    When Yumi''s body started to turn translucent, she knew right away that her evil mother-inw was trying to turn into her snake form.


    Of course, she wouldn''t let that happen.


    In just a blink of the eye, Tilly already had her hand inside Yumi''s stomach. The White Snake only realized it when she started to cough blood. She looked so shocked that she was able to stab her like that when the White Snake''s body was supposed to be as hard as steel.


    That was a testament of how hot her hand was at the moment.


    Tilly twitched the insides of Yumi here and there, making her cough more blood. Until finally, her hand found what she was looking for. "Ah, here it is," she said as she pulled her now bloody hand and forearm from her evil mother-inw''s stomach. Then, she looked at the pure white marble the size of a ping pong ball. "Kiho''s memories from all lifetimes."


    Yumi stole Kiho''s memories and used her "venom" to make him remember only the parts of the past that she wanted him to retrieve. But those memories could be twisted. And that was why she decided to steal the marble of memories from the White Snake.


    "I''m Kiho''s wife and from now on, I''m in-charge of my husband''s memories," Tilly said coldly while looking down at Yumi. The White Snake dropped on the floor while clutching her bleeding stomach when Luna and Roarke let go of her. "Kiho doesn''t need a mother like you, Yumi, the White Snake."


    "Curse you," Yumi hissed even in a weakened voice. Then, she closed her eyes tight as she cried. "Darling, I need you"


    She just rolled her eyes and turned her back on his mother-inw.


    Then, she walked fast towards Kiho and knelt beside him. She carefully pushed him until she was lying on his back. Then, she gently opened his mouth to put the marble inside when all of a sudden, he grabbed her by the wrist hard.


    At the same time, the sky suddenly roared loud enough for the ground to shake. Then, it was followed by a heavy downpour. Ah, it would probably be more appropriate to say that they were now hit by a strong storm.


    <em>And this isn''t an ordinary rainstorm, of course.</em>


    When Kiho woke up, his red eyes immediately met her gaze.


    Tilly immediately closed her hand, "melting" the marble until her body absorbed it. "You''re not my husband," she said coldly at the being looking back at her. "Who are you?"


    "Kiho" got up, his hand still grabbing her wrist tightly. "No matter how much you hate your poor mother-inw, you shouldn''t have stabbed her mercilessly," he told her in a voice that sounded like Kiho, but also different. It was hard to exin but she could easily tell that this wasn''t her husband talking. "My wife has feelings, too, my dear daughter-inw."


    The White Snake had only one husband in her long life.


    Of course, it was none other than her father-inw.


    "The Moon God," Tilly whispered in disbelief. "So it was you all along, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WONG took a deep breath while looking at the boilingva below him as he floated on top of the crater of the volcano. It was too dangerous so he left Kelsi at the foot of the volcano to deal with the small-fries instead.


    By small-fries, he meant the spirit guardians of the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger that was sent by Aku Moonchester to make sure that Lord Wixx couldn''t leave the volcano.


    To be honest, he didn''t know if any other being aside from Lord Wixx could even touch the strangeva.


    Even though he came from the Red Phoenix''s me, theva was still making his skin feel burned. He had a feeling that his physical body up to every single bone in his body would melt once he fell in the pit.


    <em>And Lord Wixx has been "buried" under thatva for many years?</em>


    "I''ll go. Thatva isn''t something a Keeper like you can handle," Sentinel, who floated beside him, dered. "I''m a spirit guardian so I won''t die as long as Lord Wixx is alive."


    "Spirit guardians aren''t immortal, Sentinel," Wong reminded him firmly. "If you receive too much damage, you''ll disappear and return to Lord Wixx as his life force. That''s equivalent to dying."


    "It doesn''t matter," the spirit guardian said. "With or without a physical body of my own, as long as I''m with Lord Wixx, it''s the same as living for me."


    He wanted to call him a fool but he couldn''t.


    <em>Like how devoted Sentinel is to Lord Wixx, I will also sacrifice my life for the Supreme in a heartbeat.</em>


    "If Lord Wixx survived that boilingva for many years, I guess there''s a possibility for his spirit guardian to survive it as well," he said seriously. He didn''t have the luxury to stall. After all, he couldn''t leave Kelsi alone to fight two strong spirit guardians on her own. Yes, she was a skilled fighter. But she was more of a doctor than a fighter. "Be careful. If you don''te out in thirty minutes, I will follow you. I don''t care how dangerous thatva is."


    "No. You can''t die for Lord Wixx. The purpose of your life is to protect the Supreme," Sentinel told him firmly, then he looked at the boilingva below them. "Wong, if I don''t make it alive, please tell the Supreme that I miss her.


    Wong turned his gaze away from the spirit guardian and clenched his fists. "Come back and tell that to the Supreme yourself, Sentinel."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 220: The Moon God

    Chapter 220: The Moon God


    KELSI didn''t expect that the spirit guardians of the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger would be at Klemente a small ind in the South where active volcanoes ''lived.'' Since the volcanoes in the ind often erupt, it was practically inhabitable. And thus, the royal family abandoned it.


    But who would have thought that Lord Wixx would hide in theva of Alev the most dangerous volcano known to man?


    "Should Ipliment Aku Moonchester?" Kelsi asked with a smile. Yes, she was stalling time because unlike Wong and the rest, she actually needed time to gather her me for attack. Unfortunately, she wasn''t the best fighter among the Keepers. After all, Lord Wixx ''created'' her to serve as the Supreme''s healer and ''emotional support.'' In short, she wasn''t meant to fight. "Is he smart enough to realize that Lord Wixx is here? I thought no one knew where our Red Phoenix hides himself until today. But surprisingly, you were already here when we arrived, Faline and Drake."


    Faline was the Golden Tiger''s spirit guardian. She was a petite woman with light blonde hair and green eyes. She wore a redtex suit that allowed her to move as flexible as possible. Yes, just like a cat.


    On the other hand, Drake was the Blue Dragon''s spirit guardian. He had omber hair the roots of his hair was dark blue and the strands were silver-ish. He had ocean blue eyes thatcked emotion. And just like Elis Ripperton, he wore an elegant ck and blue robe.


    "Aku Moonchester doesn''t know exactly where Lord Wixx is," Faline said cheerfully. She kind of ''inherited'' the Golden Tiger''s childish personality. "He just told us that the Red Phoenix wasst seen here at Klemente so he sent us here. We''ve searched every corner of the ind and when we didn''t find him, we figured he must be hiding somewhere in the volcanoes. Unfortunately, thevas here are strange. So we have no choice but to just wait until Lord Wixx decides toe out." She pped her hands while jumping happily. "But thankfully, you arrived! I thought I was going to die out of boredom after being stuck with Drake for so long."


    "Shut up, stupid cat," Drake scolded Faline. "The Keeper is just stalling."


    And after saying that, the male spirit guardian moved his hands as if he was drawing a huge circle in the air. Then, he sent it to her direction by pushing the air using his palms.


    Kelsi knew that she would receive serious injury if she didn''t defend herself. So even if her Mana was only in its 80% capacity, she already summoned her me and created a wall of fire to counter Drake''s violent wave of air.


    When the wave hit her fire wall, it created a huge explosion enough to send her flying.


    As if that wasn''t bad enough, she had to deal with Faline while she was mid-air. The cat-like woman literally jumped on her and pinned her on the ground. Of course, she could have just made her body burn to roast Faline. But she wasn''t an enemy anymore.


    Kelsi grabbed both of Faline''s wrist when she was about to scratch her face. Then, she created ming handcuffs to stop her movement. When it looked like the cat-like woman would stand up and use her legs to attack, she summoned her Mana once again.


    This time, two whips of me sprouted from the dry ground and wrapped themselves around her ankles.


    When she saw Drake hover over her and was about to stab her with a sword, she created a cube of fire entrapping her and Faline inside. The de of the male spirit guardian''s sword hit the me, but it didn''t go through. His scowl reminded her of Elis Ripperton.


    "It''s hot, it''s hot, it''s hot!" Faline cried like a child. "I don''t want to be a roasted cat!"


    "Faline, we''re not enemies anymore," Kelsi told her in a serious tone. "Lord Ainsworth already returned to the Supreme''s side."


    The cat-like woman stopped crying and looked at her with calcting gaze.


    "I know it''s hard to believe," she said to the female spirit guardian. "But if you were still an enemy, I wouldn''t hesitate to roast you."


    "No, I believe you."


    She blinked several times. "Really?"


    That easy?


    <em>Not that I''mining.</em>


    "The Supreme''s Keepers will never use the Supreme''s name to lie," Faline said seriously, all the child-like traits that she had shown a while ago suddenly disappeared. "Give me orders, Keeper," she told him. "I''ll properly act as Lord Ainsworth''s representative and follow the Supreme''s will."


    "Drake will be hard to kill but not impossible to contain," Kelsi said in an urgent tone because Drake''s violent wind was starting to extinguish her cube of me. "Assist me as I try to send Drake to another ce."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I WON," Winter said while he was staring at the ceiling. Right now, he was already lying on the huge bed while Julian was lying on the other end of the mattress. He knew that his brother wasn''t asleep yet even though his eyes were closed. "Mom and Dad flirted for forty minutes."


    "Uh-huh, I lost," Julian said, then he opened his eyes and turned to him. "Winter, I''m sorry. I really mean it."


    "I know," he said as he met his brother''s gaze. "I''m sorry for trying to kick you out of our family, Julian."


    His brother shook his head. "No, Winter. You have all the right to do that after I chose to save Lady Huxley even though she tried to kill you."


    "Let''s just forget about it, Julian," he said. "I mean, Brother Julian."


    Julian smiled, but he still looked sad. "Winter, I am very happy and thankful that it turns out that we have the same mother. I really love Mother, but I know that I can''t easily detach myself from Lady Huxley. Before I found out the truth, she was the only mother that I ever know." He paused, then he shook his head. "Scratch that. Lady Huxley was the only parent that I had because Father ignored and neglected me in my past life."


    To be honest, Winter couldn''t imagine their dad as an emotionless parent.


    In his past life, even though his dad was stoic, he never ignored or neglected him the way Kalel Nystrom emotionally abused Julian. Still, he didn''t have the right to invalidate Julian''s suffering just to defend their father. After all, he didn''t meet Kalel Nystrom.


    <em>Mommy is right Brother Julian is pitiful.</em>


    Now he felt more guilty for hating on his brother.


    "Winter?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I have a favor to ask."


    "What is it?"


    Julian got up and he noticed that his brother looked so dead serious at the moment. "If my attachment to Lady Huxley puts our family at risk in the future, please don''t hesitate to kill me," he said in a firm voice that shocked Winter. "I''d rather die by your hands than betray our parents so if the timees that my heart wavers, please end my life."


    "No!" Winter said, then he got up to face his brother properly. "Don''t say that, Brother"


    He stopped talking midway when all of a sudden, it rained heavily.


    At the same time, both he and his brother felt that strange, pure, and very strong aura that couldn''t belong to a human.


    "A god," Winter and Julian said at the same time in disbelief. "A god has descended."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SO IT was you all along, Father," Tilly said with a bitter smile. "Why does Kiho have shitty parents?"


    "Language, my dear daughter-inw," the Moon God scolded her in Kiho''s voice. "The Daughter of the Sun shouldn''t be using foulnguage."


    "Sure, f*ck you," she said, then she opened her other hand and summoned her iron crab mallet. Without hesitating, she made her tiny but strong weapon me before he hit "Kiho" in the face. Sorry, hon!


    The ming iron crab mallet hit "Kiho" but his physical body disappeared all of a sudden.


    Now free from her evil father-inw''s grasp, she stood up and looked for him. He found him kneeling on the ground while Yumi was lying on hisp now.


    She knew that it wasn''t Kiho''s will but she still found the scene awful to look at.


    But that wasn''t the time to think about it because she saw Luna and Roarke both kneeling on the floor. It seemed like the two weren''t able to stand properly because of the ancient god''s presence. Average Mana users would have been knocked out in the presence of the Moon God.


    Her father-inw was different from the Beast Gods who were humans in the past before they ascended the heavens. After all, the Moon God was born a god in the heavens.


    <em>Good job for staying conscious, Luna and Roarke.</em>


    "Luna, go and protect the children," Tilly ordered the witch. "Roarke, I feel Elis Ripperton''s presence nearby. Go and ''greet'' the Blue Dragon."


    Luna and Roarke, who still both looked weak at the moment, stood up and bowed to her. "As you wish, Lady Nystrom."


    And just like that, the witch and the Keeper disappeared.


    "I see that you''re still loved by your people like before."


    She turned to the Moon God and scowled when she noticed that Yumi was already asleep. Her wound was already closed, and thus, the White Snake was sleeping to recover properly. Obviously, the Moon God healed her.


    That fast.


    <em>F*ck these ancient gods for being so corrupt.</em>


    "Get out of my husband''s body," Tilly threatened, then she grasped her ming iron crab mallet hard. "Or else, I''ll kick you out and I''ll make sure it will hurt."


    "What an insolent daughter-inw," the Moon God said, smiling at her using Kiho''s face. God, she wanted to punch the living daylights out of her father-inw. "But first, I should repay you for what you did to my precious wife."


    In a blink of the eye, the Moon God was already standing in front of her with his hand Kiho''s hand pierced through her stomach. He even grabbed her insides and twisted them in the most painful way.


    She coughed blood, of course.


    The Moon God, still inside Kiho, smiled at her ''gently.'' "How does it feel to have your guts twisted like that, my dear daughter-inw?"


    Tilly smirked, and then she used her free hand to stab Kiho''s stomach and twisted his insides. Of course, it pained her to do that to her husband. But if she died now, her family would be in danger even more. "You tell me how it feels, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 221: Kyro

    Chapter 221: Kyro


    LUNA was d when she arrived at the young lords'' room when she did.


    As soon as she saw Lord Winter and Lord Julian about to leave the room, she used her magic to shut all the doors and the windows in the room. Then, she created a powerful barrier around the chamber to make sure that no one could enter and leave the ce.


    "Aunt Luna!" Winterined. "Please let us out."


    Julian nodded in agreement. "A god must be too much for Mother to handle on her own."


    "Even if that''s the case, I still won''t allow you to leave the room, young masters," Luna said firmly. "The Supreme clearly ordered me to protect you, Lord Winter and Lord Julian."


    The two young lords obviously didn''t like what she said.


    But it seemed like they understood that they needed to follow their mother''s order.


    "What happened to dad, Aunt Luna?" Winter asked nervously. "I can barely feel Dad''s presence."


    "And it''s corrupted," Julian added. "Father''s presence is being corrupted by something else, Miss Luna. Just what is happening to our father?"


    "Duke Nystrom is currently being overpowered by his father," Luna informed the children the truth about their father''s condition. The young lords weren''t really kids and they deserved to know what was going on. They would only get worried even more if she tried to keep them in the dark. "Lord Winter, Lord Julian, let''s just hope that your mother can kick the Moon God out of your father''s physical body."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AS SOON as Roarke spotted Elis Ripperton flying towards his direction, he prepared a transportation spell. He went to the rooftop after the Supreme ordered him to ''wee'' the Blue Dragon. He knew that the Beast God would came flying like he used to do in the past.


    It was still raining outside, and the rain brought by the Moon God would weaken the me of the Fire Mages. Thankfully, he was ''created'' after his mother the Moon Priestess. That meant out of all the Keepers, he was the one who could use spells well.


    <em>If I can''t kill the Blue Dragon, I should at least send him to somewhere far.</em>


    He didn''t want to waste too much time on Elis Ripperton when the Supreme was alone with the White Snake and the Moon God.


    "Ah, the Keeper with the weird eyes," Elis Ripperton said while looking down at him as he floated above him. "As far as I remember, you''re the youngest one, thest Keeper that Winchell created before he left his n." The Blue Dragon smirked as if he remembered something funny to him. "I heard you were Winchell''s ''son'' or something."


    "Shut up," Roake said, then he got down on one knee and nted his palms on the wet roof. The puddle from the Moon God''s rain prickled his skin but he ignored it. "Nobody told me that the Blue Dragon is this talkative."


    "Only to people I want on my side," Elis Ripperton said. Obviously, he knew that he was about to attack because he started his defense. And the Blue Dragon''s infamous defense was his ability to turn his skin into blue scales that were as hard as steel. "Roarke, do you want to y a game with me?" he asked, his light gray eyes glowing menacingly. "If you lose to me, you''ll help me win Tilly over."


    "I hate to do this but I guess I need to borrow Crawford''s words," Roarke said, his palms getting warmer by the second. That meant his transportation spell was finallyplete. "F*ck off, f*cking Blue Dragon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AH, I should seriously stop calling you ''Father'' because you don''t deserve the title," Tilly said, trying to find the Moon God''s soul or any trace inside Kiho''s body. That was the reason why she stabbed her husband''s physical body. "I''d call you by your name, but unfortunately, I lost Soleil Rosenberg''s memories again."


    She just knew that the presence inside Kiho now was her father-inw because Yumi once again called for her ''darling.'' Second and the most obvious reason was when the presence called her ''daughter-inw.''


    Of course, she didn''t have to be a genius to figure that out.


    "I am Kyro," the Moon God said as he pulled his hand out of her bleeding stomach. "Only people who are close to me are allowed to call me by my name. But since you''re my precious son''s wife, I should give you that honor, shouldn''t I?"


    "How generous of you, Kyro," she said sarcastically when she pulled her hand out of Kiho''s stomach. She wouldn''t kill Kiho just to drive away the Moon God inside him. That wouldn''t kill Kyro anyway. "I''m sure you''re not only here to help Yumi."


    "I wonder about that," Kyro said, then he put his hand on top of Kiho''s stomach.


    In just a few seconds, it stopped bleeding and the wound closed on its own.


    She was relieved that the injury she caused Kiho''s physical body was easily healed. Of course, it was disadvantageous for her to know that he could heal right away.


    <em>Don''t worry about me, Kiho.</em>


    She assured her husband because she knew that he would get worried once he came back to his senses.


    <em>I''m fine.</em>


    It took a few seconds longer than the Moon God''s regeneration ability. But the ming red feathers that covered the wound on her stomach was enough to heal her. Unfortunately, her healing ability only worked for light wounds. Since Kyro didn''t damage her vital organs, she was able to heal it easily.


    "You''ve changed a lot, daughter-inw," Kyro said in amusement. "In the past, you couldn''t even scratch Kalel. But now, you didn''t even blink when you stabbed my son''s body. You know that even if you killed him, I still won''t disappear. Don''t you?"


    "Well, I know that. But I don''t want to die and I''m sure Kiho wouldn''t want to end my life by his hands either," she said. "I won''t hesitate to beat the daylights out of my husband''s body to bring him back to his senses though."


    Heughed softly, his red eyes glowing in amusement. "Harsh."


    "Kiho is partly at fault for this so he deserves the beating," she said while summoning her ming red wings. "If he''s too weak to be taken over by his father just like that, then how can he protect our family?"


    "Hey, cut my son some ck," he said in an amused tone. "In his defense, how can he protect himself from a god?"


    "God, my foot," she said. "Gods are supposed to watch over humans and other weak beings. But in this life, the only thing I''ve seen the likes of you do is corruption." She moved her shoulders and her ming red wings appeared. When she opened her left hand, the ancient dagger appeared. She grasped it as soon as it manifested. And then, when she opened her right hand, her beloved ming iron crab mallet appeared. Of course, she also grabbed it tight. She knew that her fight with the Moon God would be a closebat one so she didn''t choose her ming bow and arrow this time. "I think it''s better if we talk like this, right?"


    Kyroughed and it was annoying that he was using her Kiho''s voice to act like a lunatic. "Red me? You must be kidding yourself if you think you can kill me with that puny red me, my dear daughter-inw," he said while shaking his head. "Where''s your ck me, Daughter of the Sun?"


    She knew that she shouldn''t trust anything an enemy say during a fight. But she couldn''t help but get confused by the Moon God''s words. That was the first time she heard about the ''ck me.''


    <em>Nobody mentioned the ck me to me before, not even Sris.</em>


    "The children of the Rosenbergs have hair colors that match the color of their me. Winchell''s me is red, and so is his hair color," the Moon God continued. "You have jet-ck hair, my dear daughter-inw. Why do you think so?"


    He let out an exaggerated sigh. "The Rosenbergs have sheltered you too much."


    Okay, that piqued her curiosity.


    But she didn''t want to get distracted so she made the first attack instead.


    It wasn''t her goal to kill the Moon God because she wasn''t that arrogant to think that she could kill a god that easily. Plus, her priority was to kick Kyro out of her husband''s body. And she just hade up with a n to do so.


    <em>I hope it works.</em>


    As soon as she reached Kyro, she put her dagger on his chest on the very part where Kiho''s heart was. Then, faster than lightning, she used her ming iron crab mallet to hit the tip of the dagger''s handle.


    But s.


    The dagger didn''t pierce through Kiho''s body because it turned into water.


    <em>So, Kyro''s dominant Mana is water, huh?</em>


    When she felt Kyro''s presence behind her, she used her wings to hit him. But much to her shock, he felt him grab her wings instead.


    <em>No!</em>


    She made the mes of her red wings grow bigger and hotter but it didn''t work.


    When Kyro grasped her wings tighter, she felt his cold hands turn into water sessfully extinguishing her me so easily.


    "Why are you imitating Winchell''s puny red wings?" Kyro asked in a disappointed voice. "You have your own ck wings, Daughter of the Sun."


    Then, without further ado, Kyro clipped her wings as if he was just breaking a twig into two.


    Tilly screamed in pain.


    The me of her red wings were like a tree''s roots and her body was its soil. So getting her red wings clipped so mercilessly like that hurt like hell. No wonder she fell on the floor in a weakened state.


    She wanted to catch her breath and quickly get up. But all of a sudden, she found herself locked inside a giant water sphere. It was filled with water with the suffocating energy of the Moon God. In short, in just a few seconds of being trapped inside the water sphere, she was already drowning.


    Worse, she couldn''t even summon her mes.


    <em>Kiho</em>, Tilly called out to her husband while looking at his physical body. She knew that Kyro was still the one in control because of the red eyes that were staring back at her. But at that moment, she knew that she just had to have faith that her voice would reach Kiho''s heart. <em>Wake up or I''m getting a divorce once I survived this.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA was surprised when all of a sudden, Winter and Julian both dropped on the floor while clutching their throats as if they couldn''t breathe.


    "Lord Winter, Lord Julian," Luna said in a panic once she knelt between the two young lords. She put one hand on each of the boys'' shoulders. Julian''s body was unnaturally cold while Winter''s body was colder than usual. That made her nervous. "What''s happening, young masters?"


    "M-Mommy," Winter said in a weak voice. "She''s in a critical state"


    "Please help her, Miss Luna," Julian begged her in a weak voice like Winter''s. It seemed like the young lords really couldn''t breathe. "Mother''s me is dying"


    <strong>***</strong>


    ROARKE was watching the ck hole he created swallow up Elis Ripperton''s lower body when all of a sudden, his breath was literally knocked out of him.


    He dropped on the roof while trying to catch her breath. But it was to no avail. Worse, he felt his me slowly leave his body that instantly turned cold. For the first time in a while, he remembered what fear felt like.


    But he wasn''t scared for himself.


    <em>The Supreme''s me is dying</em>, Roarke said to himself while trying to get up to save her. But his body refused to listen to him. <em>Move! The Supreme needs me!</em>


    "Keeper, what''s happening?" Elis Ripperton, now free from the ck hole, hovered above him. His furrowed brows told him that he was confused of what was happening. Until realization dawned on his face. "If you''re suffering like that" The Blue Dragon''s eyes widened in shock. "Tilly!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    FORRESTER, ready to prostrate in front of Solenn Rosenberg, was surprised when all of a sudden, the little princess dropped on the snow-covered ground while clutching her throat. But it wasn''t only Solenn.


    Jameson Crawford, the Keeper with a dirty mouth, stopped cursing at him as he dropped on the ground the same way as the little princess.


    And then, all the Fire Mages around him started to drop one by one.


    "The Supreme''s life is in danger," Ainsworth, the Golden Tiger, snarled beside him. His teeth was clenched so hard that he thought they would break. "If the me of the Supreme died, all the Fire Mages in the world will be powerless."


    "Only one being could extinguish the Supreme''s fire like this," Forrester said in a worried voice. "The Supreme must have fought the Moon God."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLARIS felt like someone kicked him on the chest.


    It seemed like Maddox and Braxton felt it too because they dropped on the floor while clutching their chests tight. If he didn''t manage to grab on the table, he would have dropped on the floor as well.


    Thankfully, only the three of them were in the conference room right now. He didn''t want their people to worry about them.


    "The Supreme''s me is dying," Maddox said in a cracked voice. "Our Supreme''s life is in danger"


    "F*ck the ck Serpent," Braxton snarled. "I knew we couldn''t trust him to protect the Supreme!"


    "The ck Serpent isn''t important right now, twins," Sris said while trying to catch his breath. "We can''t fall here," he said firmly. "If the three of us lose our me, the Srium will literally fall from the sky!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    KELSI dropped on the dry and hot ground when her breath was suddenly stolen from her by a strong force. She wanted to help Faline fight Drake but she couldn''t even move a muscle. But she wasn''t worried about herself.


    If she was suddenly rendered that weak, it only meant that the Supreme''s me was dying.


    "Lady Nystrom our beloved Supreme" Kelsi whispered to herself. "Please don''t die on us again"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WONG was angry.


    He fell on the crater''s hot ground a while ago when his strength escaped him.


    The fact that he couldn''t breathe and move right now only meant that their Supreme''s life was in danger. Her me was dying, so she must be suffering right now. He knew he shouldn''t have let her leave the ind without him.


    <em>Damn you, ck Serpent! What the hell are you doing?! Did you let your cursed family hurt our Supreme again?!</em>


    Fueled by anger, he managed to stand up straight even though his whole body hurt. He looked down at the boilingva below. Sentinel hadn''te up from there for a while now. It seemed like it was hard for the spirit guardian to rescue Lord Wixx alone.


    <em>I have to help them.</em>


    He was ready to jump in the boilingva when all of a sudden, a bright and huge ball of fire came out and shot up to the sky. The presence that the ''meteor'' emitted was so pure and so heavy that he found himself kneeling on the ground while looking up at it.


    "Lord Wixx," Wong whispered to himself with a faint smile. "Wee back."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KYRO had no intention to kill his daughter-inw.


    He needed her alive because of the deal that Aku Moonchester made with Elis Ripperton. The Blue Dragon was a loyal disciple of his so he wanted him to get what he wanted. Even if it was stealing his only son''s wife.


    <em>I''m sorry, son</em>, he said to the sleeping Kiho inside him. <em>Just give up on the Daughter of the Sun and let Elis have her, hmm?</em>


    When he noticed that the Supreme already lost consciousness inside the water sphere, he raised his hand to free her. As soon as he did, the water didn''t make a mess on the floor because it returned to him as his Mana. Only the Supreme hit the floor with a loud bang.


    He was about to walk towards his daughter-inw to rip out her heart when all of a sudden, he stopped moving.


    And a thin but powerfulyer of ice literally froze his legs up to his waist.


    "Kiho!" Kyro snarled at his son. "How did you wake up?!"


    "<em>Get out</em>," Kiho snarled back at him in his mind. "<em>I will never divorce my wife so you better get out of my body now, old man</em>."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 222: Rise of the Phoenix

    Chapter 222: Rise of the Phoenix


    KIHO blinked several times while looking at the face that resembled his a bit.


    Only the man in front of him had long silver hair tied in a low ponytail, a pair of glowing red eyes, and skin as pale as the moon.


    <em>He looks like a Moonchester.</em>


    Aside from that, he also noticed that they were in a cold cave that was a little too dark for his liking.


    <em>But this ce feels very familiar to me.</em>


    "Once again, we owe our lives to her," said the strange man. "You probably don''t remember me so let me introduce myself again." He extended his hand to him. "I''m Kalel Nystrom."


    <em>Nystrom?</em>


    Hearing that familiar name gave a sharp pang in his head.


    And then, he remembered the things that Tilly told her before he lost consciousness. His wife said he was born a god called Nystrom then he was reborn as Kalel Moonchester and they got marriedter their first child was killed the second was stolen andstly


    <em>I killed Tilly in our previous life</em>


    Goddammit.


    "Do you finally remember who I am?" Kalel Nystrom asked, taking back his hand. "It''s about time."


    "Tilly told me in a rush the important things that happened between us in all our previous lifetimes," he said in a confused tone. "I still don''t understand everything but I believe her."


    "I like the faith that you and your wife have in each other," the other man said approvingly. "It was toote for my wife and I when we realized how importantmunication is between couples. But looking at you and your wife now, I''m relieved."


    "Why did you kill her?"


    To be honest, it felt awkward to face his previous self like this.


    But he''d like to think that he was a different person from Kalel Nystrom. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to be associated with him because of the things that Kalel Nystrom did in the past. He just simply wanted to stay who he was without being affected of his past.


    <em>But I guess that''s wishful thinking.</em>


    "You''ll get the answer once you remember everything," Kalel Nystrom said. "You better remember the past after your wife took a huge risk to send me here, Kiho Nystrom."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "When your wife attacked the Moon God with her dagger and crab mallet, she had no intention of killing him," the strange guy exined. "A while ago, she melted the marble containing your memories and turned it into ava-like liquid that she hid in her cute iron crab mallet. When she stabbed your body with the dagger, she hit the handle with her crab mallet. At the same time, she poured theva-like liquid containing your memories into the de of her dagger. And thus, I was able to enter your consciousness without the Moon God noticing."


    "I don''t understand a thing but that sounds like something that Tilly woulde up with," he said proudly. "My wife is amazing."


    Yes, he was genuinely proud and amazed of her wife.


    But at that moment, he suddenly felt insignificantpared to hers.


    "How long are you going to rely on your wife?"


    That question made him flinch. He was just thinking about how useless he was so hearing another person agree with his thoughts hurt.


    "In the past, I left my wife''s side because I thought I was protecting her that way," Kalel Nystrom said in a solemn voice. "When I returned to her, she was already gone."


    That made his heart thump against his chest painfully.


    "I overestimated my wife''s strength," the other man said in a voice filled with regret. "It never crossed my mind that she''d falter and fall because of me. So don''t make the same mistake as I did, Kiho Nystrom."


    He clenched his fists tight. "I won''t leave Tilly. Never," he said firmly. "I can''t. I will die if I get separated from her and our children."


    Kalel Nystrom blinked in surprise. "You have children?"


    "Two boys," he answered proudly. "They''re called Winter and Julian."


    "Julian," he whispered in a sad voice. "Kiho Nystrom, be good to Julian, okay?"


    "You don''t have to remind me of my responsibility as a father."


    Kalel Nystrom smiled at him. "I''m d that you''re so different from me."


    He was about to say something but then, he hear his wife''s loud and clear voice echoing in that strange cave.


    <em>"Kiho,"</em> Tilly said in an impatient tone. "<em>Wake up or I''m divorcing you once I survived this</em>."


    Hearing that made him freeze on the spot.


    <em>Divorce?</em>


    "`Looks like you''re in trouble, Kiho Nystrom," the other man said. "If you don''t want to lose your wife, you better remember every single memory from all the lifetimes that you had. And you better not lose yourself in the process."


    He clenched his fists tight. "I won''t. I''d rather die than divorce my Tilly.


    Honestly, he knew that his wife didn''t give him an empty threat. Knowing Tilly, he was certain that she would divorce him even though he knew that she loved him. He was fully aware that his wife was a very strong and independent person.


    And if Tilly actually chose herself over him, he would understand why.


    But of course, he would do everything to change her mind and convince her to choose him again.


    "I like the resolve in your eyes," Kalel Nystrom said, then he opened his hand. Just a few momentster, the staff that he rarely used appeared in his hand. "Your memories wille in the form of water and they will literally flood this cave, Kiho Nystrom. Try not to die while retrieving them."


    "I don''t have any intention of dying especially when my wife needs me," Kiho said determinedly. "Bring on the flood, Kalel Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY felt so weak.


    It didn''t help that when she opened her eyes, she found herself in the middle of a hot dessert with ck sand. The sky was orange, but its missing its sun. Still, the weather remained humid.


    Worse, her whole body was soaked.


    Since the rain that she got wet from came from the Moon God itself, it currently felt like a demon melting because of holy water.


    <em>Wait, why am I the demon?</em>


    Gosh, why did that evil father-inw of hers had to have water for his dominant Mana?


    "Hey, wake up."


    Tilly immediately opened her eyes when she heard the voice of a little girl. When she got up, she was surprised to see a girl probably aged five squatting beside her. The child had jet-ck hair that reached the sand, purple eyes


    and little ck wings.


    "You look like me," Tillymented in surprise. "Do Kiho and I have a secret daughter in the past?"


    The little girl just smiled at her. "I''m Soleil Rosenberg."


    "Oh."


    "You''re the future me, aren''t you?"


    "Huh?" she asked in confusion, then she nodded when she realized what the little girl meant. "Yeah. I was the reincarnation of Soleil Rosenberg."


    "You''re so weak."


    She flinched not because of the child''s insult. Something about the little girl''s big, round eyes made her feel ufortable.


    <em>Why do I feel like I''m a prey being targeted by a predator?</em>


    "Your me is so weak and your techniques are just imitation of Winchell''s signature moves," little Soleil continued, then she put a finger on her forehead. She was shocked but she couldn''t move away from the child. "And you can''t even dry yourself from the Moon God''s unholy blessing."


    Was the "unholy blessing" she mentioned referring to the rainstorm that the Moon God created?


    She was just about to ask question when all of a sudden, the child''s finger released a shot of very warm energy that went through her whole body. In just a blink of the eye, she and her clothes were already dry. Plus, it seemed like she regained her energy.


    "I have bad news and good news for you, my future self," little Soleil said, not giving her a chance to talk or even ask questions. "Which one do you want me to hear first?"


    "The bad news," she said.


    "Your red me has almost run out," the child said while shaking her head. "You''d get in trouble if the me in your heartpletely extinguished. You are the life of the Keepers and the ind that floats in the sky."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "How did you know all of that?"


    "I''m always with you," the child said in an amused tone. "I''ve watched you and the big Soleil Rosenberg grow up all these years. Both of you have never noticed me until this moment because I was locked up in the deepest, and darkest pit of your soul known as the ''Abyss.''" She paused for a while, then she snapped her little fingers. "Ah, right. I made my presence known to you when you almost awakened in the temple a few years ago. Unfortunately for me, Winchell was there and he locked me up again as soon as he felt my presence."


    That was too much to take in.


    But thankfully, she was already used to absorbing "bombs" of shocking revtions ever since she found out that she was the Supreme Fire Mage.


    Still, the information she received this time confused her.


    "Who are you?" she asked the child suspiciously. "Wixx loves his little sister a little too much. You said you''re Soleil Rosenberg. I assume that you''re a part of young Soleil''s memory that Wixx didn''t want her to remember. But if he didn''t need you anymore, he wouldn''t leave a trace of you in Soleil''s soul."


    The child''s face lit up. "Brilliant. How did you figure that out?"


    "A part of Soleil Rosenberg''s memory was also embedded inside my soul to help me recover my me in the past," she exined. "I figured it''s the same case for you."


    "I like you."


    "Thanks," she said, her guard nowpletely up. "But I can''t trust you. Wixx wouldn''t have locked you up if you were good for Soleil Rosenberg."


    The child just giggled. "Do you want to hear the good news now?"


    "I''m not sure."


    Again, the little girlughed. "The good news is you have your own me," she said anyway. "A huge part of it was stolen. But a decent amount is left and it''s enough to fuel the me in your heart. You need to strengthen it for your Keepers. Even though they were born out of Winchell''s me, their life forces are now connected to your me. Do you want to save them?"


    "Of course," she said, still cautious. "But like I said, I don''t want to trust you."


    "Both of your sons have your me, too," the little girl said seriously. "If you heart "dies" because your red me is extinguished, their lives will be put in danger as well."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "What?"


    "That''s the reason why powerful Fire Mages transfers a part of their me to their offspring," the child exined. "So in case they died, their children will still live. But the me that you transferred to the Moon Serpent when you were still Soleil Rosenberg was stolen. And you didn''t have the chance to give a part of your me to your second child because you didn''t physically give birth to him. In short, your sons are currently relying on the weak me in your heart now. If it dies, they might die with you."


    "No," she said in a desperate voice. "I can''t let my children die with me!"


    "Then trust me," the little girl said seriously. "I can onlye out of this Abyss if you ept me the childhood memory of yours that Winchell doesn''t want you to remember."


    "But why doesn''t Wixx want me to remember you?"


    "I can tell you why," she said with a shrug. "But do you have the luxury to waste time?"


    Dammit.


    "Then, I guess I just have to have faith in myself that whatever happens, my mind will remain clear," Tilly said firmly. "Little Soleil,e back and light up my heart with my "real me" that you''re talking about."


    "As you wish, Supreme," little Soleil said with a strange, bright smile. "Let me say this in advance: wee back, ck Phoenix."


    <em>ck Phoenix?!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KYRO was on his knees, trying hard to fight back his son who was getting in control of his body again.


    He didn''t expect that Kiho would "wake up" so soon. This had never happened in the past before. He was used to having full control of his son''s body so now that Kiho was fighting back,


    "Not yet, Kiho," Kyro snarled at his son. "Be a good son and listen to your father."


    <em>"''Father?''"</em> Kiho asked in a mocking tone. "<em>It''s funny how you can call yourself my father when you have done nothing but take everything away from me in all lifetimes that I had</em>."


    In all lifetimes?"


    He hissed when he realized what that meant. "Did you retrieve all your memories, son?"


    "If it means remembering all the crimes youmitted against me and the heavens, and then yes," his son said coldly. "Let me say the thing that I should have said a long time ago, "Father." I am disowning you and Mother so leave me the f*ck alone."


    Heughed bitterly at that. "Make me, Kiho Nystrom."


    "Then, watch me kick you out, Kyro."


    He would admit that he was underestimating his son because in the past, he had never sessfully took back his body from his control.


    But much to Kyro''s shock, he felt his presence a part of his soul that he was using to take over his son''s body started to feel very cold. And in just the span of a few seconds, he felt his entire presence freeze. His son was using his ice Mana against him and it was working.


    <em>Kiho, when did you get this strong?</em>


    He was proud of his son, but also worried for himself.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard his wife''s agonizing scream.


    <em>Yumi!</em>


    When he turned to his precious wife, he was shocked to see her floating in the air while her whole body was engulfed in ck me.


    <em>The ck me</em>


    He was even more shocked to see the Supreme standing right behind his wife with a wide smile on her face. She was obviously having fun watching Yumi burn to a crisp. Thankfully, his wife had hard as steel scales to protect herself.


    But he knew that her scales wouldn''tst long from the ck me.


    "Stop it!" Kyro snarled at the Supreme angrily. He couldn''t move because his son was already seeding in taking back his body. To save his wife, he had no choice but to leave Kiho''s body that he couldn''t control anymore. "I guess I should apologize to Elis Ripperton."


    Even though he was only in his "spirit form," he knew that the Supreme could see him.


    His daughter-inw looked at him straight in the eye with a smile.


    "Father, thank you for helping me awaken my real me," the Supreme told him. When she moved her shoulders, her ming ck wings appeared. They weren''t as big as the red wings that she had a while ago. But he could tell that her ck wing were stronger. "As a token of gratitude, let me serve you a roasted White Snake."


    "Insolent child!" Kyro snarled,pletely losing his cool now. "Let me show you why you shouldn''t anger an ancient god, my dear daughter-inw."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 223: Mistake of the Gods

    Chapter 223: Mistake of the Gods


    KYRO, now in his spirit form, was about to attack the Daughter of the Sun.


    But he was shocked when all of a sudden, Yumi''s bodybusted and his wife was reduced to nothing but ck ashes.


    "No!" Kyro screamed, then he fell on his knees trying to gather Yumi''s ashes. He tried to bring her back using his divine powers. But it was useless because his ability to bring back the dead only worked if first, the person had just died for a few minutes. And second, there had to a physical body. Unfortunately, he couldn''t bring back Yumi because only her ashes were left. "Yumi"


    "If you have given Kiho half of the love and care that you give Yumi, maybe you could have been a decent father to him before."


    He red at the Supreme while clutching his wife''s ashes in his hands. "You don''t know anything about my family," he hissed. "I love my son."


    "You don''t have a son anymore," she said coldly. "I heard Kiho''s voice a while ago. He just disowned you and Yumi. Don''t ever call my husband your son again, Kyro."


    He ignored and tried to gather Yumi''s ashes instead.


    <em>I''ll find a way to bring you back, darling.</em>


    Even though he didn''t want to admit this, the Supreme was indeed fearsome to be able to kill Yumi. His wife might just be a minor god. But Yumi was still an ancient god with a powerful protection, thus her long life. And yet, it was rendered useless in front of the ck me.


    "You don''t have to collect Yumi''s ashes," the Supreme told him. "Rise, White Snake."


    He was surprised with what the Supreme said.


    But he was even more surprised when all of a sudden, Yumi''s ashes turned into a huge ck me. Then, his wife came back to life her skin didn''t even have a single burn mark. The Mana and the life force that he felt from her were unmistakingly Yumi''s so he was certain it wasn''t fake. But of course, he couldn''tpletely trust the Supreme.


    "Killing Yumi is too light of a punishment," the Supreme said, then she snapped her fingers.


    All of a sudden, Yumi woke up.


    But at the same time, his wife was once again burned alive. She screamed in agony, and in just a few seconds, she was already burned to ashes.


    Kyro was shocked to realize that it all happened before he could even blink.


    <em>The Supreme burned Yumi faster this time!</em>


    "It''s a cycle, Kyro," the Supreme said with a smile. "Yumi won''t die. Instead, every time she wakes up, she''ll be burned by my me until she turns into ashes. And then, she''ll be back only to be roasted again. It will never end even if I die. As long as the ck me is alive, Yumi''s punishment will continue forever."


    That was a punishment heavier than death.


    "Rise, White Snake," the Supreme said.


    Like what happened earlier, Yumi came back to life again.


    This time, he put his wife into an ice "coffin" and forced her to sleep. The Supreme said that Yumi would be burnt to ashes if she awakened, didn''t she?


    "It''s no use," the Supreme said. "I canmand my me to wake her up whenever I want. And I''m sure you already know that my ck me can melt your puny ice."


    "Then, I guess I shall steal your ck me," he said, then he stood up and came at her.


    Since he was only in his spirit form, he didn''t have his full power yet.


    He knew that what he had right now wasn''t enough to kill the Supreme now that her ck me was ignited. But if his only goal was to steal the ck me, then he could do that.


    "Stop."


    Kyro was frozen from where he stood when he felt a fearsome aura behind him.


    All of a sudden, he felt like several coils were thrown at his neck, squeezing it like a constricting snake. He couldn''t move, and he couldn''t breathe. Only one person could do that to his spirit form.


    "Never again will I let any of you hurt my wife," Kiho hissed behind him. "Drop dead, Kyro."


    Ah, his son''s memories had truly returned to him.


    He tried to get away from the invisible coils that his son wrapped around his neck but to no avail.


    Worse, the Supreme disappeared and when he saw her again, she was already standing in front of him. Then, she put her hand on his shoulder. He was sure that she would burn his spirit to death when all of a sudden, another presence joined them.


    "If the Moon God disappears, you children will die."


    Both the Supreme and his son didn''t move an inch.


    Kyro smiled when he saw his "savior." <em>I don''t regret taking you in as my disciple, Elis Ripperton.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Tilly was angry when she saw Winter and Julian floating in the air while being suffocated by Elis Ripperton''s violent air would be an understatement.


    If her children were taken, it only meant that Luna and Roarke were both in danger.


    Despite everything, the Blue Dragon was still a Beast God. It shouldn''t surprise her if he was able to defeat Luna and Roarke. After all, she had a feeling that the Keeper lost to Elis Ripperton because of what happened to her a while ago.


    "You have a deal with Aku Moonchester," Elis Ripperton, who was floating in the balcony of that room, reminded her strictly. "If you touch the Moon God, I will cancel the deal in his ce, Tilly."


    ""Tilly?"" Kiho snarled at the Blue Dragon. "Who gave you the right to call my wife that casually, you freaking reptile?!"


    <em>Coming from you, Kiho?</em> <em>You''re an oversized snake, hon.</em>


    Anyway, Kiho threw ice daggers at Elis Ripperton who simply enveloped himself inside a tornado.


    But she realized that the ice daggers were only meant as distraction. Kiho''s real goal was to save their children. As soon as the Blue Dragon defended himself, her husband jumped to grab their sons.


    Tilly didn''t stay idle. She was also not afraid to turn her back on Elis Ripperton because she knew that Kiho got her back. She also had faith in her husband that he would protect their children while fighting the Blue Dragon.


    She faced the Moon God again and summoned her dagger and iron crab mallet. Without missing a beat, she hit the hilt of the dagger to send a ball of ck me in Kyro''s soul.


    Kyro growled angrily. "That will not be enough to kill me."


    "I know," she said coldly. "But that me is enough to hurt you every time you try to possess Kiho''s body. That me will also give me a signal once you''re near my husband. In short, you can never hide your presence from me anymore. You can never take over Kiho''s body again not under my watch, Kyro."


    "I admit my loss for tonight," Kyro said with a bitter smile. "But just so you wait, my dear daughter-inw. The day I retrieve my body back is the day you''ll die."


    "Sure, "Father,"" she said sarcastically. "You should worry about your darling wife for now. Should I teach you a way to save her?"


    "Insolent"


    "Yes, I''m an insolent person to people who don''t deserve my respect or kindness," she said, cutting the Moon God off. "If you want to save the White Snake from the cycle I cursed her with, then you better find her a new host. Spirit guardians like her are tied to their masters'' life force. Once a spirit guardian disown their own masters, they will be free. But to live, they need to find a powerful host." She dug the dagger in his spirit further. "If you truly cherish your wife, you know what to do."


    Of course, she liked the idea of Yumi suffering forever.


    But as long as the White Snake was connected to Kiho, she would never find peace. She''d rather burn Yumi''s tie to her husband for now than punish her gravely. She wanted Kiho to be free from his sh*tty parents.


    Plus, she could always redo the curse anyway.


    Anyway


    <em>I''m still bothered by the sudden information in my head about the spirit guardians. Is it because I have all of my memories now including little Soleil''s?</em>


    Kyroughed in a bitter way, obviously holding back his anger. "You''re a mistake, Daughter of the Sun," he said while shaking his head. "You''re a mistake made by the gods. We should have killed you after you swallowed the sun."


    <em>I swallowed what?!</em>


    That was something she never heard before but she refused to let her shock show on his face.


    <em>First rule of fighting with words: don''t show the enemies your emotions.</em>


    "I knew from the start that the ck Phoenix is a threat to the gods," Kyro continued snarling at her. "If only the Sky God didn''t meddle then" He caught himself and stopped talking midway. "See youter, my dear daughter-inw."


    The Moon God started to disappear and she let him.


    <em>My job for now is done anyway.</em>


    When she turned to where Yumi was, she wasn''t surprised when she didn''t see the White Snake there anymore. Kyros definitely took his wife with him.


    "Come back here, you flying reptile!"


    She turned to see Kiho shouting in the balcony.


    <em>Oh, Elis Ripperton ran away, too.</em>


    She didn''t care about that because her priority right now was her unconscious children. As soon as the enemies were gone, she ran towards Winter and Julian who were both lying on the floor. She knelt between the kids, then she put one hand on each of their chest.


    <em>They''re breathing normally.</em>


    Both the kids'' temperature was also normal for them.


    "I''m sorry, my little cinnamon rolls," she whispered in a cracked voice. "You were hurt because Mommy failed to protect you."


    "It''s not your fault, Tilly," Kiho said, then he knelt in front of her while checking on their children. "I''m the one who''s been ipetent since time immemorial."


    "You''re not ipetent, Kiho," she consoled him, then she looked at his face. Her heart broke when she saw the pain in his eyes. "If the Kalel in your heart still feels guilty for the way he treated Soleil in the past, tell him that he still has a lifetime to make it up to her."


    He looked surprised with what he said, then he nodded. "I will ry that message to the Kalel in my heart."


    She smiled at her husband, but that smile disappeared as soon as she felt a strange burning in her chest. "It hurts," she said in clenched teeth while clutching at her chest tight. "Kiho, my heart feels like it''s burning."


    Kiho looked so concerned. In just a blink of the eye, he moved her until she found herself between his legs. He let her lean against his chest while he was making his body colder than usual. "I will cool you down with my Mana," he said, then he kissed the top of her head. "But tell me if it bes too cold, honey."


    Tilly nodded, then she closed her eyes andid her head on his chest. The burning in her heart was still painful. But thanks to her husband''s cold Mana, it had be bearable. "Thank you, hon."


    But why did it still feel like her heart wouldbust any moment?


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY''S ck me has escaped from the Abyss," Wixx said coldly while putting on a robe. He was talking to Wong and Kelsi who where kneeling before him. But he was looking up at the sky while talking. "The ck Phoenix has awaken."


    "It''s time for the Supreme to wake up and reim her power as the ck Phoenix, Lord Wixx," Wong said. Of course, the Keepers knew what Soleil was from the beginning. He just didn''t allow them to tell it to his precious little sister. "She''s no longer a child, my lord."


    "I agree with Wong, Lord Wixx," Kelsi added. "The Supreme is level-headed now. She won''t be controlled by the ck me anymore."


    "You don''t understand."


    Wong and Kelsi looked confused by what he said, and thus, he exined.


    "When Soleil was a child, I locked up the ck me in the Abyss because she wasn''t able to control it," he told the Keepers. "But when she got pregnant with the Moon Serpent in the past, I had to free the ck me so that she could transfer it to her son. That moment, she awakened as the ck Phoenix in secret." He paused for a while, and then he let out a frustrated sigh when he remembered his mistake back then. "Soleil is a Beast God like me even though she refused to ascend the heavens. And do you know what all Beast Gods have inmon?"


    "A spirit guardian," Wong and Kelsi, the wisest Keepers next to Sris, answered in unison.


    "Yes, a spirit guardian," Wixx said, then he looked down at Wong and Kelsi. "Soleil''s spirit guardian betrayed her and that''s the reason why her ck me was stolen in the past."


    Worse, that spirit guardian with the stolen ck me could "awaken" too and kill his precious little sister.


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUCINA couldn''t breathe.


    She felt like her whole being was being burned at the moment. Was it because she used the ck me? But that wasn''t the worst part of her current torment.


    Memories.


    Her mind was being flooded by unfamiliar memories. It was giving her headache. And more pain. She thought the only past life that she had was the one Julian "returned" to her five years ago. But she was wrong.


    "Spirit guardian," Lucina whispered in agony. "I''m the spirit guardian of the ck Phoenix?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 224: Make up for Lost Time

    Chapter 224: Make up for Lost Time


    "INTERESTING," Noel Sherwood said to himself while watching Elis Ripperton leave the Nystrom estate in the form of a tornado. The ancient divine power that he felt a while ago also disappeared. That meant the Moon God and the White Snake also left the mansion. "My lord and the madam won the fight tonight."


    He was also very happy to discover that Lady Nystrom was actually the ck Phoenix.


    <em>My family will be very proud of me because of this discovery.</em>


    There was a record of the appearance of the ck Phoenix in their family''s extensive but hidden library. The first ever Sherwood to have be a Bookkeeper apparently witnessed the birth of the ck Phoenix in the Rosenberg n. But he didn''t have any evidence to prove his im. And thus, it was brushed-off as a mere spection.


    <em>But the ck Phoenix is real!</em>


    And it was none other than the Supreme Fire Mage herself.


    "Interesting," he whispered to himself. "This is really interesting."


    "Who are you?"


    Noel Sherwood turned around to see the Keeper who just woke up. "Oh, you''re up," he said cheerfully, then he bowed politely to him. "I''m Noel Sherwood, the current head of House Sherwood. I''m pleased to meet you, Keeper of the Supreme."


    "Ah, the n of nosy Bookkeepers," the Keeper with different-colored eyes said, then he turned to the unconscious witch beside him. "Did you treat Lady Luna''s wounds?"


    When he arrived at the Nystrom estate, he found the Keeper on the roof in a terrible condition. He wanted to help him but he knew that the Keepers would regenerate as long as the Supreme was still alive.


    And so, he went to check on Winter Nystrom instead.


    Unfortunately, his ancestor already took the children with him. The only one he found in the room was the unconscious, bleeding witch on the floor. He remembered that Luna was Lady Nystrom''s closest aide. And so, he tended to her wounds.


    Luckily, Luna only got a stomach wound but it didn''t hit her vital organs. The scratches and bruises all over her body didn''t seem life-threatening so he just left them. After he gave first-aid to the witch, the Keeper arrived to warn him not to touch her. And then, he copsed.


    So, in the end, he just put the Keeper beside Luna on the bed.


    "I did," he answered the Keeper''s question a while ago. "Miss Luna is fine. Maybe she just needs some rest."


    The Keeper fell silent for a while as if he was trying to feel what was going on in the estate. "They are safe."


    "They are," he agreed while nodding his head. "My ancestor and the Moon God left a while ago."


    The Keeper ignored him, then he stood up. "Leave," he told him while giving him a cold re. "You already witnessed a momentous night. Give them the privacy that they need."


    "I want to see the Supreme," he insisted. "I mean, the ck Phoenix."


    The Keeper turned to him and released the kind of bloodlust that made him feel like he experienced a quick death.


    I''ll die if I pursue what I want.


    "Alright, I''m leaving," Noel Sherwood said with a smile, and he even raised his hands in surrenders. "Please give my regards to my masters."


    The Keeper just turned his back on him. "Just leave before I kill you, Bookkeeper."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY FELT a lot better now after being enveloped in Kiho''s cold embrace for almost half an hour.


    Her body temperature returned to normal, and the burning in her chest already disappeared. She was so d that her husband''s Mana could help her stabilize the side effect of her using too much me. Was it the reason why the Fire Mage n allowed him to marry the ck Serpent despite their hate for him?


    <em>Well, whatever. I believe Kiho and I are simply meant to be. Period.</em>


    "Kiho, I''m fine now," Tilly assured her husband when she looked up at him. "Let''s bring the kids to their room first."


    Kiho still looked very worried of her. "Are you sure you''re okay now, honey?"


    She nodded and gently patted his cheek. "I''m really okay now, Kiho." She gave him a kiss on the jaw. Well, she wanted to kiss him on the cheek but she was still kind of sluggish, so she just kissed him where her lips could reach a part of his handsome face. "Thank you for everything, hon."


    "I should be the one saying that, Tilly," he whispered, then he paused for a while as if he just berated himself internally. She understood why. That wasn''t the time for self-pity since their children were still unconscious and Roarke and Luna might both be in danger. "Rest here for the meantime. I''ll check on the kids."


    She just nodded. "Okay."


    Kiho carried her and gently put her on the sofa before he went to check on their kids. While her husband was waking the boys up, Roarke arrived at the room.


    "I''m d that you''re safe, Lady Nystrom," Roarke said, then he got down on one knee and hanged his head low. "I know that you have a lot of questions. I will answer all of them, Supreme. You just have to ask me to."


    Ah, Roarke probably felt it when she awakened as the ck Phoenix.


    <em>And if he didn''t mention Luna, that means she''s safe. Roarke wouldn''t leave his "mother" ande here if Luna''s life is in danger.</em>


    Anyway


    To be honest, she didn''t have that much questions since she already retrieved all the memories that had been locked up in her mind. As per why everyone kept the fact that she was the ck Phoenix from her, she could pretty much tell that it was their own way of "protecting" her. She understood, but she was still pissed.


    And she knew who exactly was the person to me for that.


    "My questions can only be answered by my brother," Tilly told the Keeper. "But I have one for you, Roarke."


    "What is it, mydy?"


    "My spirit guardian," she said and she saw Roarke flinch. "You know that Lucina Morganna is my spirit guardian, don''t you?"


    The Keeper fell silent as if he was contemting on how to answer her question.


    But that kind of silence already screamed ''yes.''


    On the other hand, from the corner of her eye, she saw Kiho turn to her. He didn''t look surprise anymore. It seemed like he had truly retrieved all his memories.


    "I have retrieved Soleil''s memories a few years ago," she said with furrowed brows. "Why didn''t I remember that Lucina Morganna was my spirit guardian then?"


    "Every memory of yours that has something to do with your ck me or the fact that you''re the ck Phoenix was sealed by Lord Wixx, Supreme," Roarke exined, and it made sense. "I apologize but that''s all I can tell you. Even I was shocked when I saw Lucina Morganna in this lifetime." He paused for a while before he continued. "This may sound like ame excuse but I was thest Keeper to be created by Lord Wixx. My knowledge of the past isnt as extensive as the others. My deepest apologies, mydy."


    "It''s fine, Roarke," she said. "You already answered my question. The rest can only be answered by my brother."


    Roarke bowed his head even more. "Thank you for being generous, Lady Nystrom."


    She just smiled at the Keeper. "Is Luna okay?"


    The Keeper raised his head to look up at her. "Yes, mydy," he said in a relieved tone. "Lady Luna is fortunately treated by a Bookkeeper. He''s called Noel Sherwood. I don''t know why he helped us though."


    "Duke Sherwood is Kiho''s <em>sasaeng</em> fan #1," she exined. "He''s sketchy so even if he helps us, don''t trust him too much."


    Roarke nodded firmly. "As you wish, Lady Nystrom."


    "Mommy!"


    She looked up to see her little boys running to her, making Roarke stand up to let the children reach her without problem.


    <em>If my babies can run like that, then that means they''re really fine.</em>


    She opened her arms and hugged her babies. Then, she let them sit on herp Winter on the right, Julian on the left. "Winter, Julian, are you both okay?"


    Winter and Julian both nodded.


    "We''re okay, Mommy."


    "We''re fine, Mother."


    Her brows furrowed when she noticed that her babies looked gloomy. "What''s wrong, my little cinnamon rolls?"


    "We were arrogant, Mom," Winter said in a sad voice. "A while ago, we insisted that we can help you fight the Moon God. But when the Blue Dragon entered the room and attacked Aunt Luna, we couldn''t do anything to save her."


    "We were even kidnapped," Julian said in a voice as sad as Winter''s. "The Blue Dragon tried to use us against you. We''re sorry for being weak, Mother."


    "That''s not something that you should apologize for, silly babies," she told them gently. "It''s our duty as your parents to protect you. But of course, we''re not invalidating your abilities to fight. If you can help us, then it''d be great. If not, then it''s still okay." She kissed Winter and Julian on the top of their heads. "Thank you for being thoughtful, though."


    Winter and Julian lookedforted by her words.


    Then, they hugged her again and buried their faces on each side of her necks.


    <em>They''re still babies.</em>


    But her original baby was still her husband, of course.


    Kiho obviously looked jealous of his own sons when he sat on the arm rest of the sofa next to hers. "Can I hug you, too, honey?"


    She smiled and instead of answering him verbally, she justid her head on his body.


    He took it as a ''yes'' and he wrapped his arms around her gently.


    "God, Dad is so petty," Winter "whispered" to Julian. "We better watch out, Brother Julian. I''m sure he''s going topete with us for Mom''s love and attention."


    "I thought Father is mature," Julian "whispered" back to Winter. "I guess his "stoic" reputation is just a delusion of people who don''t know him personally."


    Winter nodded eagerly as agreement with his brother.


    She had to bite her lower lip to stop herself fromughing.


    Kiho, on the other hand, cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Boys, it''s already way past your bedtime," he said strictly. "Scram, will you?"


    "No," Winter and Julian said in unison, then they hugged her tighter.


    Tilly knew that Kiho was only "threatening" the kids by that, but she still slightly nudged his side. "Stop being petty, hon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE the kids asleep, hon?"


    Tilly nodded as she gently close the door behind her. "The little cinnamon rolls fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed after washing up," she said. "They must be really tired."


    After the kids fell asleep, she left the room and let Luna and Roarke guard them.


    Then, she went to Kiho''s office where she found him having a drink. It was rare for him to have alcoholic drinks and she must say, he looked sexy doing that.


    "Honey, would you like to join me?" Kiho asked when he stood up and walked towards her. "There''s a rum that I always have after a long, tiring day. I just want to calm my nerves. Would you like to have a drink as well?"


    "Thank you for the offer but I''d like to offer something that we might enjoy even more."


    Her husband stood in front of her, then tilted his head at one side. He looked confused and very adorable at the moment. "What is it, hon?"


    Tilly wouldn''t admit this but her heart was beating fast and loud against her chest. But still, she clenched her fists and looked up at Kiho with her glowing purple eyes. God, she hoped he couldn''t tell how hot she felt at the moment. And it was the kind of "heat" that only Kiho could awaken inside her. "Kiho, would you like to join me for a bath?"


    Kiho looked shocked by her bold offer. But he immediately and eagerly nodded his head. "Of course," he said, then he gulped hard. This time, his beautiful golden eyes also glowed in the dark. Just like her, he was obviously aroused as well. "I''d love to join you, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 225: The Start of a Sizzling Night

    Chapter 225: The Start of a Sizzling Night


    IT WAS a medicated bath.


    Kiho wouldn''t deny that he was a little disappointed when he found out that Tilly invited him for a bath for that reason only.


    But he wasn''tining.


    After all, he got to see Tilly wear a thin, white dress that fell above her knees. God, her body was gorgeous and her skin was wless. He was longing to touch her, but he held back. Even though they both retrieved their memories, it didn''t mean that they were already back to their normal rtionship.


    <em>Howe I still miss you even though we''re already together, Tilly?</em>


    "The healing flowers that we brought from the ind are limited so we have to share a bath," Tilly exined while she was scattering the petals in the water while she was in the middle of the outdoor pool. "I gave the children a medicated bath a while ago so this is all that is left."


    "That''s fine with me," Kiho said. He wanted to help his wife but she told him she could manage. So right now, he just sat on the edge of the pool in his white robe. "Thank you for inviting me to join you for a bath, Tilly."


    "You''re wee," she said with a smile, then she turned to him. "Kiho, thank you forpleting this inner pool even though you didn''t have your memories for the past five years."


    The outdoor pool was in the rooftop of the annex building.


    When he woke up five years ago, he found out that an outdoor pool was being built in the rooftop of the annex building. Apparently, it was inspired by the luxurious bathroom in the emperor''s castle back in Lunar Ind.


    Tilly didn''t leave him an instruction about the pool. Nevertheless, he followed his gut and decided to have it done.


    "I just know that you wille back," he said gently. "And I want you to have all the best things that I can offer once your return to me. That''s all I can do while waiting for you."


    "Thank you for working hard, Kiho."


    "I should be the one saying that," he told her. "Even if it''s now or then, you''re the backbone of our family."


    She started to walk towards his direction


    and he had to look up at the night sky above them.


    "What''s wrong, Kiho?" Tilly asked curiously. "What are you looking at?"


    "The moon?"


    "Is it prettier than me?"


    "Of course not," he said right away, then he forced himself to look at her face and only her face. He really tried his best not to look at past below his wife''s slender neck. "You''re the most beautiful woman to me, Tilly."


    "I know," she said with a softugh. "So why can''t you look at me in the eye, Kiho?"


    "Your dress is s-soaked" he said, then he swallowed hard. "You''re not wearing anything under your dress."


    "Oh," she said, then she put her hands on his knees and spread his legs apart. Of course, he didn''tin. Especially not when she wrapped her arms around his waist while looking at his stomach peeking from his open robe. "I miss your abs, Kiho. Thank you for maintaining your gorgeous body all these years."


    His cheeks turned red


    and he felt something else, too.


    "Oh," his wife said with a teasing smile. "Something hard is poking my hip, hon. I wonder what it is."


    He yfully growled as a response to her teasing. Then, he cupped her face between his big and cold hands. "May I kiss you" He paused, then he shook his head. "May I do naughty things to you, Tilly?"


    Sheughed at his request. Then, her beautiful purple eyes literally beamed. "Well, it depends on what you want to do to me. Can you give me an example?"


    "I want to kiss you," he answered in almost a whisper. His temperature was naturally cold no matter what the season was. But apparently, every time he was with Tilly, he would always feel warm. And once she began teasing him that way, it would never fail to make him feel like his body was on fire. "I want to run my mouth all over your body taste every part, every inch of you touch you everywhere and of course" He closed her eyes and leaned down to gently press his forehead against hers. Ah, he was d to know that he wasn''t the only one who felt so hot and bothered at the moment. "I want to be inside you again, Tilly. Can I do all of that?"


    "Do it," Tilly said in urgent voice. "I want you to do all of that to me, Kiho."


    Kiho opened his eyes. When he saw the need and the desire in Tilly''s eyes, he let go of all the inhibitions in him. He knew it was going to be a long, sizzling night. And he began it by devouring Tilly''s mouth.


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY moaned in Kiho''s mouth.


    He tasted divine. His tongue did wonders to her tongue. The way he devoured her mouth was better than the dreams she had every time she missed him while they were apart.


    <em>More. I want more, Kiho.</em>


    Without breaking the kiss, she literally climbed her husband until she was straddling his hips. She heard him chuckled when they broke the kiss for air. But then, he immediately pulled her closer to him as he plunged his tongue deep in her mouth once again.


    She moaned and grind herself against hisp as a hot response.


    His responded to that by gently fondling her breasts.


    <em>Ah, that feels so good.</em>


    And he made her feel even better when one of his hand found its way to her moist and needing center. Her moan got a little louder when his thumb rubbed her clit while his two fingers thrust inside her.


    <em>Someone knows how to multitask, huh?</em>


    "Kiho," she moaned his name. Afraid that she might scream at how good his fingers were making her feel, she covered her mouth with her hands. I can''t be too loud.


    The annex building was empty and the main mansion was far.


    But still, it was an open area. She couldn''t believe she was doing this with Kiho under the night sky. She could only hope that no one could hear them right now.


    "Why are you covering your mouth, Tilly?" Kiho asked, his fingers still thrusting in and out of her center. His other hand stopped ying with her breasts to gently pinch her chin. "I want to hear your voice, honey. I want to hear you scream my name."


    She shook her head. "They have sharp hearing."


    By that, she meant their children, Luna, and Roarke.


    But it seemed like Kiho wasn''t as worried as she was.


    "Honey, don''t you know?" her husband asked her tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "In the past, every time we''re alone together in a room, Miss Luna would use a spell that would spare them from listening to us."


    "Huh?"


    "It seems like our friends are really scarred from our uh, intimacy."


    Her face felt hot from embarrassment.


    Heughed at her reaction. "You''re so cute when you blush, honey," he said. "But please don''t be embarrassed. It''s normal for couples to be intimate anyway."


    "But I still don''t want them to hear my scream."


    "I''m sure Miss Luna already took care of that," he said. "But if you''re really worried about that, I can make the whole rooftop a soundproof room."


    "Please do that."


    "As you wish, honey," he said, then he gently patted his hand on the floor.


    As expected, a thinyer of ice covered the entire floor but it didn''t end there. Before she knew it, there was now a curved roof made of ice above them. But thanks to the warmth of the water in the pool, it didn''t feel that cold.


    "Nobody can hear us now," he said, his golden eyes glowing from being so turned on. "Tilly, can I hear you scream my name again?"


    She pulled her hands away from her mouth. "Make me, Kiho."


    Heughed softly, and then he immediately went back to "action."


    Her husband took her hardened nipple between his thumb and index finger, then he rolled it around and gave it light pinches. It stung a bit but the pleasure she felt was greater than the minor pain. And her little orgasms agreed.


    <em>Oh, he epted my challenge with enthusiasm.</em>


    As apetitive person herself, she bit her lower lip to stop herself from screaming his name. But damn, she gave in when his fingers hit the right spot inside her.


    "Kiho," she moaned a little loudly while grinding herself against his fingers even more. "Kiho!"


    "So loud," Kiho teased her as he buried his face against her neck. He made a trail of open-mouth kisses on her neck and shoulders. Then, he lightly nibbled at her corbone. "And I love how loud you get every time I touch you, Tilly."


    She just yfully growled as a response. Then, she leaned a bit forward to reach and gently bite his earlobe. "I love the way you touch me, Kiho."


    It was his turn to groan lowly. She used to think that men who groan at the sexy movies she had seen in her second life sounded like they were being strangled. But Kiho''s groans and every little noise he made during sex sounded sexy to her.


    "You''re getting tighter around my fingers, Tilly," he said as his fingers thrust her faster and deeper inside. "Are you close?"


    She let her powerful orgasm respond to him.


    "Oh," Kiho said with a softugh. He slowed down with this thrusting when she leaned against his chest while catching her breath. "Tilly, I hope you''re not yet tired," he teased her. "We''ve only started, honey."


    "I know," Tilly growled yfully, then she gently bit his shoulder. "I''m ready now, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 226: For All Eternity

    Chapter 226: For All Eternity


    [<strong>WARNING</strong>: Mature scenes ahead. If you''re notfortable with love scenes, please skip this chapter. Or go straight to thest and only wholesome scene here.]


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHOughed softly while listening to Tilly moan his name again and again.


    <em>She really likes this position.</em>


    Tilly was straddling him, her arms around his body while her nails were dug deep into his skin. It stung a little, but the pleasure he felt as she rode him fast was greater than the pain.


    Most of all, he loved the feel of her soft and smooth skin on his palms as he held her hips tight to secure her as his hips meet her downward slides. He was careful not to dig his nails on her skin, of course.


    "Kiho, you never fail to make me feel good," Tilly said between heavy breaths. Then, she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "I''ve missed you so much."


    "I still miss you even if we''re together like this again," Kiho confessed, then he kissed her on the corner of her mouth. "I love making you feel good."


    And to make her feel even better, he kneaded her breasts. Then, he sucked the peak of her breasts until she cried in ecstasy. He wanted nothing in the world than to give back the same happiness that Tilly never failed to give him.


    In all lifetimes.


    "Kiho," Tilly whispered sweetly in his ear, tickling his skin as he continued thrusting inside her fast and deep.


    Just like him, she was breathless.


    Everything about that moment sent both of them to blinding bliss. A few bounces and pumpster, his lovely wife was screaming with orgasm a powerful one.


    Then, she copsed on him satisfied.


    "Tilly, I''m close," he whispered in a shallow breath. "Can I?"


    "Yes," she said, then she kissed her shoulder. "You cane inside me, Kiho." She raised her head to look up at him. "It''s safe."


    He touched her face and kissed her on the lips, deep and long.


    A few thrustster, he shot his load, too his release taking longer than usual. He had a lot of pent-up desires inside after five long years of yearning for his wife. But of course, that moment was worth the wait.


    Tilly let out a dreamy sigh, then she hugged him tight. "I didn''t know how I survived five years without this."


    Kihoughed, his cheeks turning hot. He was a little shy, but he was very happy to hear those words from his wife. "Me too. I''ve dreamt about doing this with you every night," he confessed bashfully, then he kissed the top of her head. "I''m d that it has turned into a reality now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''s arms were pressed against the tiled floor of the pool while Kiho pounded her from behind. Ah, his thrust were fast and deep just like how she wanted it. Well, she also liked it when they do it nice and slow.


    But this time, she wanted to be taken a little roughly than usual.


    Kiho was a beast and in the sheet but he was always asking for consent. He also never failed to make her feel safe with him. She loved that about him.


    But she also had to admit that the Kiho who had let go of his inhibitions and was now following his carnal desire was also hot. And that was because despite his crazy high libido right now, he still didn''t forget to ask for consent.


    <em>Consent is sexy.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when he took her nipple between his thumb and index finger, rolling it around and giving it light pinches. It hurt a little, but the pain was gone as soon as it appeared. In fact, it might have added to her pleasure.


    <em>Kiho''s fingers mouth tongue he put them all to good use.</em>


    And yes, there was no way that she would forget how good his considerable length was. He was so big that a little movement from him would already hit all the best spots inside her. But her husband always, always go all-out when ites to making love with her.


    <em>He never fails to make me feel so, so good.</em>


    She got distracted when Kiho suddenly pulled out. Just when she was about toin, he pounded in again deeper this time. Then, he pummeled in and out of her as if it was theirst. She understood the desperation though.


    It has been five years since we got an intimate moment like this.


    "I''m close, Kiho," she said in a voice that almost sounded like a moan. "Really close."


    She was d that their reunion happened on her "safe day."


    Since she had regr period, she knew when she was "safe" or not. It wasn''t like she didn''t want to have another child with him. She''d love a daughter, to be honest. But she just thought that it wasn''t the right time to get pregnant again. There was an uing battle after all.


    Kiho ced hot kisses down her back, holding her hips tighter.


    She came, fast. Judging by the amount of juice flowing out of her, it was safe to assume that she probably released all the pent-up desire that she had for the past five years of missing Kiho.


    <em>I really missed doing this with him.</em>


    Obviously, she wasn''t the only one who felt that way.


    Kiho, with one final thrust, deeply plunged into her. Then, he came with a loud groan before hepletely copsed on top of her. She didn''t mind because to her, his weight was wonderful for her taste.


    But of course, Kiho was still Kiho.


    He was probably afraid that he must have crushed her because he carefully pulled out from her while getting up.


    "I''m sorry for identally crushing you under my weight, honey," Kiho said, then he gently wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her get up. "Are you okay?"


    "I feel great," Tilly said, then she turned around to face her husband. Suddenly feeling tired after doing it with him twice in a row, she pressed her forehead against his chest. "Hon, I''m hungry."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HONEY, are you not going to eat anything?" Tilly asked Kiho while she was eating an egg sd sandwich that they made together. Right now, she and her husband were in the kitchen and both of them had their white robes on. She was the only one sitting on a chair though. "Are you not hungry?"


    Kiho, who was slightly leaning the table, was watching her eat with glowing golden eyes. "I''m already full by watching you eat with so much gusto," he said, then he wiped the sauce on the corner of her mouth with his thumb. Then, much to her surprise, he licked the sauce off of his finger without breaking eye contact. Damn, that was hot. "But I think I''m getting hungry now."


    She drank her tea first before she responded. "Then, why don''t you eat?" She pointed at the te on the table. "There''s still a sandwich left."


    "I''m craving for something else, honey."


    Much to her shock, Kiho suddenly got down on one knee. Then, without tearing his gaze away from her, he touched her knees as if he was asking for permission.


    Her throat suddenly went dry but she nodded shyly.


    <em>Why am I getting shy now after all the things that we have already done?</em>


    Anyway, her thoughts were cut-off when Kiho positioned himself between her legs.


    She wasn''t wearing anything under her robe so she knew that her husband had a clear view of all of her now. It was uncharacteristically of her but she was really embarrassed when she realized that she was very exposed to his waiting mouth.


    But all those silly thoughts disappeared when Kiho buried his face between her legs.


    <em>Hot damn.</em>


    She closed her eyes tight when his skillful tongue started to thrust in and out of her warm and moist center, pressing hard against her clit. Then, he flicked his tongue up and down until she was squirming in her seat. She had to grab his hair for support.


    <em>So good</em>


    It was so good that she felt her orgasm building up fast. By that point, she was already grinding herself against his mouth, hard. Another thrust from Kiho''s tongue made her release another powerful orgasm with a loud scream.


    Please don''t let other people hear me.


    She had to catch her breath while Kiho''s tonguepped up her juices until she was dry.


    "Thank you for the delicious meal," Kiho said, then he raised his head and met her gaze while he was licking his lips sexily. "You taste so good, Tilly."


    Tilly had to cover her face with her hands from embarrassment. This time, her heart was beating like crazy. She had lived in the modern world during her second life so she thought she was a little more aggressive than the conservativedies of the empire. But for some reason, Kiho could still make her feel like a love struck and conscious teenager that she used to be. "You''re bad for my heart, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY, as the "small spoon," wondered why Kiho, the "big spoon," was ying with her fingers right now.


    After his "midnight snack" in the kitchen an hour ago, they went for "round three." And then, they had "round four" when they reached the bedroom. She fell asleep after thest "round." It looked like Kiho thought that she was still asleep.


    "You''re awake?" Kiho asked, proving herst thought wrong. Then, he kissed the top of her head. "How are you feeling, honey?"


    "Sore," Tilly said honestly. "The good kind of sore."


    He just chuckled at her response.


    Since she was still tired, she closed her eyes. But she didn''t sleep. She could feel that Kiho was gathering up his courage to say something important to her.


    "Tilly?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Will you marry me again?"


    Okay, it was a pleasant surprise.


    To be honest, when she was younger, she liked grand gestures.


    But now, after going through a lot, she preferred peace and quiet. She appreciated the small things that she used to take for granted in the past. To simply put, Kiho''s proposal this time was simple and straightforward, but it sounded more heartfelt and real.


    "Yes, I will marry you again, Kiho," she answered his proposal as calm and as genuine as the way he asked. Was this maturity in their rtionship? She loved that for them. "I think I would still want to marry you in the next lifetime."


    "Thank you, Tilly," he said as he hugged her tighter. "To be honest, the memories of my past lives haven''t settled properly yet. There are still blurry ones, especially the memories of what happened to me after Soleil Rosenberg was gone."


    "Don''t be too hard on yourself, Kiho," she said while gently patting his hands on her stomach. "I don''t really care about the rtionship between Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nuystrom in the past. We both know that it ended tragically because theycked propermunication, and both of them were forced to not choose each other. Whatever happened back then, it has nothing to do with our current rtionship. The only things that we should bring from the past are the lessons that we have learned the hard way." She turned to him. "Is that okay with you, hon?"


    "If you''re okay with me despite my cowardice as Nystrom and Kalel Nystrom in the past, then I''m willing to let go of the past," he said carefully. "But Tilly, I want you to know that both the parts of Nystrom and Kalel that are left within me are still very regretful for hurting Soleil Rosenberg."


    "Soleil Rosenberg has already forgiven them a long time ago," she said softly. "She was that soft-hearted for her husband."


    "Just like you," he said. "You still epted me even though I''ve been nothing but a burden to you all this time. Thank you for giving me another chance, Tilly."


    She turned around to face him properly. Then, she gently pinched his cheeks. "This is thest chance I''m giving you, Kiho," she said seriously. "Please let our rtionship work until the end this time. If you mess up badly again, I can no longer choose you over myself and our children. Now that we have Winter and Julian, I will prioritize them and their safety over our marriage." She smiled sadly at him. "Am I being too harsh?"


    He shook his head firmly. "You''re just being logical, Tilly," he said. "In the previous lives that you had, you chose me and that led to your demise. If choosing yourself and our children will give you the quiet and peaceful life that you deserve, I will dly disappear from your life this time."


    "Shh," she gently scolded him as she cupped his face between her hands. "We will figure it out together this time, Kiho."


    He kissed the palm of her hand. "I''d love that."


    "We should really get married again," she said with a smile. "The wedding that we had in the past was organized by Nia Moonchester. And to be honest, my only goal back then was to get pregnant with Winter."


    "So, you only wanted my body back then?" he teased her. "I''m a little hurt."


    Sheughed softly because she knew that he was just teasing her to lighten up the mood. "Let''s get married in Oakes. Mother and Father were married in the church there."


    The reminder of her father brought sadness in his eyes. "Tilly, have your people found Father''s body?"


    "I''m yet to hear from people I sent to the North," she said. "But it''s about time that we meet them again."


    He nodded, then he gently caressed her face. "Once we retrieved Father''s body, let''s bury him next to Mother. I''m sure he''d love that."


    "That''s a great idea, Kiho," she said. "We should hurry up and finish this. I can''t wait to n our wedding. This time, with our children."


    He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "I can''t wait to marry you again, Tilly."


    "Me too. But before we n our wedding, we should n our next movement first," she said urgently when she realized that she hadn''t told Kiho about her n yet. Now that she had gotten rid of Yumi and Kyro (in a way that they couldn''t get near her husband anymore), she could trust Kiho again 100%. "Kiho, have you also remembered that I''m actually the ck Phoenix?"


    "Yes, honey," he said, then he got serious. "I also remember who your spirit guardian is."


    "We have a lot of things we should discuss," Tilly said firmly. "Kiho, do you still have the energy to talk?"


    "Of course," Kiho said, then he smiled while gently pinching her cheek. It was as if he realized something interesting. There was a spark in her golden eyes after all. "I should call you ''Madam General'' from now on, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 227: Nia Moonchesters Collection

    Chapter 227: Nia Moonchester''s Collection


    NIA HAD 7 real "collection" of warriors that she hid from Aku.


    All this time, her brother thought that she had a private army with more than a hundred of men. Well, that was true. She also had a collection of weak warriors that she only considered as "minions." In short, paws that she could discard anytime.


    Some of them were Lord Eugene Huxley and Lady Alisa Hayward. She only needed the count for his money, while she needed Alisa for her healing abilities.


    Come to think of it, the only real followers of her that her brother had already met were Lahara and the Royal Archmage. Yes, the White Tower and the royal mages were under her control.


    <em>Always has been.</em>


    "Your Royal Highness, is it really wise to make a deal with the Supreme Fire Mage?" Rosalia, the Royal Archmage, asked. Right now, she was talking to the Royal Archmage using the golden me in the cauldron in the temple''s prayer room. It was a room that Aku had no knowledge of. "The experiment that we performed on Ste is a sess. We just need to add more pressure to His Majesty until he gives in and take Ste as his new empress."


    Of course she was involved in that experiment.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that she practically transferred her reproductive organs to Ste. The witch wouldn''t be able to carry a Moonchester in her womb without her help.


    "Based on Aku''s reaction to your proposal, I have a strong feeling that he will never ept Ste as his new empress," Nia told the archmage. "Yes, the council and the people of the empire can pressure him to take her as his wife. He could even conceive a child with her to appease his advisors and the Royal Faction. But I think in the end, he will just kill Ste and the child that he would have with her."


    Despite knowing that, she still proceeded with the n.


    Her goal wasn''t just to escape her brother by doing that. The real goal for "creating" a female that could conceive a child with the emperor was to show the whole world that it was possible. That a Moonchester princess no longer had to marry her own brother just to keep their blood "pure."


    To simply say, she wanted to end their disgusting tradition.


    "I can''t let Aku kill Ste, not after we spent so many years of hard work in ''creating'' her," she continued. "I need to return to the Royal Capital to divert his attention. And travelling with the Supreme for amon goal doesn''t sound so bad. As long as we have a binding vow, she can''t kill me anyway."


    "We can''t be toocent, Your Royal Highness," Rosalia said worriedly. "At the end of the day, the Supreme Fire Mage is still your nemesis."


    "I know that, Rosalia," Nia said firmly, then she looked at the cut in her palm. "That''s why I decided to summon my real guardians."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "GOOD morning, my babies," Tilly greeted Winter and Julian who both ran towards her as soon as she entered the dining hall. She chuckled when her sons hugged her waist tight. "I''ve missed you."


    To be honest, her body was still sore all over. She could barely walk because of uhm, Kiho''s "love" for her all night. Both of them also barely slept because they talked about their strategies for their new battle with the Moonchesters.


    Still, the thought of seeing their babies gave her strength.


    "I miss you, too, Mommy," Winter said cheerfully. "Let''s sleep together tonight! Brother Julian and I have a lot of things we want to talk to you with."


    Julian nodded shyly in agreement.


    She was about to open her mouth to speak when all of a sudden, Kiho cleared his throat from behind her a little too loud.


    "No can do, children," Kiho said yfully when he stood beside her and gently wrapped an arm around her waist. "Your mother and I have a very important meeting tonight."


    Her blushed at that because she was very aware of what was going on in Kiho''s mind. So as a response, she nudged his side a little too hard making him gasp in surprise. "Winter, Julian, I''m sorry but your Dad and I might not be home tonight," she said, then she squatted to meet her children''s eyes. "We''ll be having a meeting with Aku Moonchesterter."


    Her children obviously looked worried.


    "We will be fine," she assured her kids, and then she turned serious. "Winter, Julian, can I trust you with a mission?"


    Winter and Julian both looked surprised by her question.


    And then, they stood in front of her and put their hands behind their backs in a formal way. They looked like soldiers waiting for theirmander''s request.


    She stood properly and faced her husband.


    He gave her an encouraging nod.


    To be honest, she didn''t want their children to be involved in the uing battle. But she knew it was impossible to avoid it.


    <em>And I want them far from the Royal Capital tonight.</em>


    That was the reason why she decided to give them a mission.


    "Winter, Julian, I want the two of you to meet up with Solenn and the rest of our allies in the North. Both of you will be my representative, and you will ry my instructions to them," Tilly said seriously. "Luna and Jameson will apany you in this mission."


    Winter and Julian both nodded firmly.


    "Yes, Mommy."


    "Yes, Mother."


    "Before that" Kiho said, then he squatted in front of Julian and put his hands on their son''s shoulders. "Can I talk to you in private, Julian?"


    Julian looked surprised, but then, he nodded gently. "Of course, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN was nervous.


    While his father was making tea, he sat quietly on the sofa while fidgeting with his fingers.


    <em>Calm down, Julian</em>, he told himself. <em>Father isn''t the same father that you know.</em>


    In the past, whenever his father would summon him, he would either scold him or give him an order that would send him far away from home. In short, he didn''t have good memories with his father.


    "Julian, I already recovered all the memories that I lost," his father began when he sat on the sofa across from him. He just served the tea for them even though he volunteered to do it instead. But since his father insisted, he just let him do that. "I know that I''ve been a terrible father to you in the past. Still, I can''t remember exactly all the awful things that I have done to you. The memories of my past after Soleil Rosenberg died are blurry for some reason. But I know that that''s not an excuse." Much to his shock, his father bowed his head to him. "I''m so sorry for being a terrible and abusive father to you in the past, Julian. Please forgive me too for neglecting you for the past five years. I will make it up to you, I swear."


    Hearing those words from his father made him teary-eyed right away.


    To be honest, he had already forgiven his father even though he never asked for it in the past. He loved him too much for him to hate him. Even in this lifetime, when he thought that he wasn''t the Supreme''s real son, he longed for his father to acknowledge him the way he acknowledged Winter.


    When his mother returned and told him that he was his real son, he thought he''d be contented to be a part of their family.


    He didn''t expect that his father would apologize and bow his head to him.


    "Father, please don''t bow to me," Julian said in a cracked voice. Then, he stood up and went to his father. He stood in front of him, and he cupped his face. "You don''t have to apologize to me, Father."


    When his father raised his head to face him properly, he noticed that his golden eyes were ssy. Just like him, his father was also in an emotional state. "Julian, you deserve an apology from me."


    He smiled as tears began to fall from his eyes. Ah, his father was really different from before. "Thank you, Father," he said between sobs. "And yes, I forgive you. I can never hate you because my love for you and our family is bigger than my pain."


    His father also began to cry silently. "I don''t deserve you," he said in a cracked voice. "But you''re just like your mother, Julian. Your heart is too big to ept and forgive a person like me."


    That remark made him smile. "That was the first time you told me that I''m like my mother. I''m happy to hear that, Father. Thank you."


    His father cupped his face and wiped his tears with his fingers. "Can I huge you, Julian?"


    "You didn''t have to ask, Father," Julian said with a softugh, then he jumped to wrap his arms around his father''s neck. "Thank you for finally epting me as your son."


    "You don''t have to thank me again and again, Julian," his father said, then he hugged him tight. "Wee home, son."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: I AM SORRY. I knew I shouldn''t have announced my n to release more this weekend. I jinxed it again. I was busy with the hospital stuff regarding my mother''s surgery (we finally got an appointment after months of reaching out to the hospital). But now that I''m home again, I''ll post the mass releaseter. For real. Sorry again for the unexpected emergency. :(


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 228: Divine Civil War

    Chapter 228: Divine Civil War


    AKU clicked his tongue while watching Yumi scream in agony as she was being roasted to death by the ck me.


    Then, just like a while ago, shebusted and burned into ashes.


    <em>That''s already the fifth time that it happened since I arrived here.</em>


    By "here," he meant the praying room for Kyro in his pce. He brought Yumi there only to watch his darling wife die again and again in front of him. The frustration and the anger on the god''s face couldn''t be hidden.


    "Why don''t you just break Yumi''s connection to Kiho?" Aku asked the Moon God in his spirit form, then he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yumi already betrayed her son. And I heard from Lord Ripperton that she has been disowned by Kiho. A spirit guardian disowned by their master could no longer return to their side. That also means that Yumi''s connection to Kiho is at its weakest now. She could cut it off herself, to be honest."


    He knew that much about the bound between a Beast God and a spirit guardian because she witnessed the broken rtionship between the Supreme Fire Mage and Lucina Morganna.


    The oue of the separation of the two wasn''t pretty.


    When Lucina Morganna sessfully separated herself from the Supreme after she betrayed her master, she created a human body for herself. But it was weak, so Lucina Morganna looked for a suitable host. A host was something akin to their master. It had to be someone who had a soul that could resonate with the spirit guardian''s essence.


    "Since Yumi is still a god albeit being a minor one, she could create a human body stronger than what Lucina Morganna managed to create," he continued. "Of course, she would still need a host to contain her power."


    Since a banished spirit guardian''s physical body was weak, it couldn''t contain their power. To avoid breaking that body, they needed a host where they could ''rest'' and ''store'' their essence into. That was why Lucina Morganna begged Nia in the past to be her new host.


    To be honest, he didn''t like Lucina Morganna so he made her take a deep slumber inside Nia''s heart for a long time.


    But when his beloved became stronger, she managed to awaken Lucina Morganna. He figured the spirit guardian could be of use so he let her stay awake. And when Nia was exiled, he used the woman as a messenger for him and his beloved.


    "Knowing your wife, I bet she would rather die than bepletely separated from Kiho," Aku continued convincing Kyro to separate Yumi from Kiho. He had a n after all. "So you should do it yourself, Lord Kyro."


    "That''s what I intend to do," Kyro said while putting Yumi in an ice coffin again after the White Snake returned to life a while ago. The Moon God put his wife to sleep so she wouldn''tbust in mes again. But that trick wouldn''t work for long. Every hour, the ck me would force Yumi to wake up, burn her to ashes, and bring her to life only to kill her again. It was a cruel cycle that he didn''t know Lady Nystrom was capable of punishing someone with. "I just need to find a suitable host for Yumi. She needs a person with a strong soul to contain her divine powers."


    "I can rmend a strong host for Yumi."


    The Moon God turned to him. "And who might that be?"


    "The Royal Archmage introduced theirtest test subject on me a while ago," he said with a smile. "The White Tower was able to create a female that could apparently conceive a child with me even if she''s not a Moonchester."


    "Interesting," he said. "I thought my daughter-inw cursed the Moonchesters to not be able to conceive a child outside your family in hopes of ending your lineage."


    "Well, we can''t underestimate the mages of the White Tower," he said. "Some of them fought alongside gods in the previous wars."


    "That''s true," the Moon God appeared. "What do you wish to gain by making that witch as Yumi''s host, Aku Moonchester?"


    Ah, of course Lord Kyro knew that he had a hidden agenda.


    "I want to get rid of the witch. I can''t allow anybody else to give birth to my child other than Nia," he confessed. "But if I kill her, I will earn the wrath of the White Tower."


    "Afraid of those old folks, are we?"


    "I''m not afraid of them," he denied firmly. "But they''d be useful in the uing battle. Now that the memories of Kiho and Lady Nystrom have returned, I''m pretty sure they''ll be summoning all their allies next. I should start gathering our army, too. After Nia leaves the Royal Capital with the Nystroms, I shall head to the North myself."


    He owned a huge part of the North and that was where their allies were sleeping.


    It was a shame but the territory that Lord Prescott managed to buy was the very area that he couldn''t totally control. Although his men managed to kill Lord Prescott and Lord Denver there five years ago, the area "disappeared" after that.


    He had a feeling that Lord Ainsworth and the rest managed to control that territory. That could only be the reason why he failed to find and catch them for the past five years.


    "Ah, yes," Kyro said while nodding. "We don''t need human allies in the uing battle against my son and the Supreme. The next war is a divine civil war among gods."


    He liked the sound of it because it made him feel like he was also a god now.


    "That''s true. This time, the war is a divine civil war among gods," he agreed, feeling superior now because of the Moon God by his side. "I''m d that the Supreme offered that deal. The war will start in thend that drinks blood. It''s far from the Royal Capital so my people don''t have to die in a battle where humans don''t belong to."


    "We''ve been prepared for so long anyway," the Moon God said. "If only we can take Kiho back to our side"


    "We''ll get him back," he promised him. "I know why you need Kiho."


    Kyro just smiled at that. "And I know why you need the Moon Serpent."


    Heughed at that. "That what makes us great allies, Lord Kyro. If only the Supreme wasn''t so hard to kill."


    "The Supreme has managed to ignite the little ck me left in her," the Moon God said. "Make sure that she won''t be able to take back the me that her spirit guardian stole from her, Aku Moonchester. At least, not until I gain a physical body."


    "I understand, Lord Kyro," he said, then he stopped talking when the ice coffin started to crack. It meant Yumi was about to wake up again only to burn into ashes. The frustration on the Moon God''s face was very clear. "Shall I send the witch to you?"


    Kyro fell silent for a while, then he nodded firmly. "Yes, send the witch to me," he said in a soft voice. "I can''t let Yumi suffer for eternity."


    Aku bowed to the Moon God. "As you wish, my lord."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY knew that her day would be good.


    First, she and Kiho spent another intimate moment before they went to the main mansion.


    Second, she had a touching reunion with their servants. After their memories were returned, they apologized to her for being rude to her. Still, she couldn''t tell them the truth about her identity as a Fire Mage. She simply told them that starting today, House Nystrom was no longer a part of the Royal Faction.


    Third, Kiho was talking to their children. He first talked to Julian, and then he summoned Winter.


    "I''m d that you and Duke Nystrom have retrieved your memories, Tilly," Luna said. "Most of all, I''m relieved that the White Snake and the Moon God can no longer control the duke."


    "I wish I could have killed either one of them," Tilly said while shaking her head. "But I figured separating Yumi from Kiho must be prioritized. Plus, even though I felt a surge of power because of the ck me, I have a feeling that it wasn''t enough to kill Kyro."


    Right now, she was having some tea with Luna.


    Roarke, on the other hand, was outside the mansion. She asked the Keeper to contact Jameson and set-up a meeting ce for them. It was time that they gathered in the Royal Capital. He also asked Roarke to try and contact Wong to get an update regarding Wixx.


    "I think you made the right choice, Tilly," Luna assured her. "It''s almost impossible to kill a spirit guardian as long as their master is alive. Also, killing the Moon God wouldn''t have been possible anyway. Not when he was in his spirit form. Cutting-off their connection with Duke Nystrom was already a huge feat."


    She smiled and nodded. "Oh," she said when she remembered something. "Luna, you have something important to tell me, right?"


    The witch suddenly went serious. "I recently found out that my sister is alive."


    She gasped in surprise. "The one who made the medicine that sessfully made Nia Moonchester infertile?"


    "Yes, that''s her," Luna said while nodding slowly. "During your "audition," I saw her in the ballroom. I confronted her so I know that it''s really my sister."


    "That means the White Tower has hidden her for the past years," she said, then she sipped her tea. "Didn''t you say that the White Tower is practically owned by Nia Moonchester?"


    "Yes," the witch said. "I wouldn''t be surprised if she''s the one behind it. But I wonder why your sister didn''t tell you that she''s alive all these years."


    She nodded in agreement.


    <em>That''s suspicious, indeed.</em>


    Their conversation was interrupted when someone knocked on the door. When she let Leni and Lani enter the room, she was surprised when she saw the spark in the twins'' eyes.


    "Mydy, you have a guest," Leni said in her usual calm tone. "Duke Sherwood came unannounced."


    "The duke isn''t alone," Lani added in a somewhat excited voice. "His Grace has brought Miss Louisa and Mr. David home."


    Tilly gasped in surprise, and then she became teary-eyed. Finally, it has begun. The people whom she trusted most wereing home one by one. "Tell our esteemed guests that I will join them in a bit."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WIXX, who sat on top of a huge rock, yawned while watching Kelsi imprison the Blue Dragon''s spirit guardian in a box made of her me.


    Out of all the Keepers that he created, Kelsi was the one who could create the strongest barriers. But her ability wasn''t limited to creating protection alone. She could use that to entrap her enemies as if they were prisoners.


    <em>Kelsi is my precious Soleil''s shield.</em>


    "Lord Red Phoenix!"


    Wixx looked down at Faline, the Golden Tiger''s spirit guardian, who stood in front of him with an excited look on her face. "Can you bring me along with you? I heard that Lord Ainsworth has already returned to the Supreme''s side."


    "Well, you can be useful to Soleil so I don''t mind," he saidzily. He just woke up, and he still felt a little sluggish. He was yet to recover his full strength. After all, it almost drained his Mana and all his power from protecting himself from theva for so long. "But you should pretend that you don''t exist while travelling with Wong. If you piss him off, he''ll kick you out. I won''t be with you since the ship they brought isn''t enough for all of us."


    "Don''t worry, my lord," the cat-like woman said cheerfully. And then, in just a snap of her fingers, she turned into an orange cat. "Nobody can resist me in this form!"


    "No one except Wong."


    Faline just giggled, then she ran towards Kelsi''s direction.


    "My lord," Sentinel said when he appeared beside him. His spirit guardian had to rest inside his soul to recuperate. He almost died freeing him from the shackles that locked him up under the harshva. "Do you intend to use your wings to get to the Royal Capital fast?"


    His wings weren''t just used for flying.


    It also served as a magical portal. He could go everywhere he wanted as long as his Mana was strong enough to take him there. But flying around to faraway ces usually drained his strength so as much as possible, he avoided doing that.


    Still, this was the kind of situation that he had no choice but to use his wings to fly to his little sister as fast as he could.


    "I want to reach Soleil the fastest way so I have to," he said to his spirit guardian. "But don''t worry about me, Sentinel. I have enough Mana to use my wings even though I just awakened."


    "My lord."


    "What?"


    "Absorb me back to your soul."


    He flinched at Sentinel''s suggestion, then he turned to him with a cold re. "Why are you trying to make me kill you? If I absorb you back, your consciousness will disappear. That''s equivalent to dying, silly child."


    "But that''s the quickest way for you to recover your full divine powers," Sentinel insisted. "It''s not like I want to die, my lord. Im just being logical because the uing war is a divine civil war among gods like you. You can''t be weak once the battle starts."


    "I''ll be fully recovered by then."


    "My lord"


    "Enough," he said firm enough to make the ground shake, the same time the volcanoes around them began emitting gas and initial steam.


    Yes, his anger could literally make volcanoes erupt so he quickly tried to calm down.


    His Keepers and even the Ainsworth''s spirit guardian noticed the sudden change in his mood because they all turned to him with a concerned look on their face.


    "Sentinel, go to sleep or else, I will get angry for real," he warned the spirit guardian. "I don''t want to hear that from you ever again. Do you hear me?"


    Sentinel bowed to him. "I understand, my lord."


    And just like that, his spirit guardian disappeared and returned inside his soul. The warmth in his chest was a clear sign that Sentinel was now resting inside him.


    "Why did you scold Sentinel, my lord?" Wong asked when he stood in front of him. "You rarely do that."


    "That child wants me to absorb him back to serve as "fuel" for my dormant me."


    "It makes sense, my lord."


    "Wong," he warned the Keeper and this time, the ground only didn''t shake the volcanoes also vented ashes as theva dome began to buildup. If he got angrier than that, the magmatic explosions would begin until the volcanoes finally erupt. "I just woke up. I don''t want to hear about death for now."


    Wong bowed his head. "I apologize, my lord."


    He just waved his hand in dismissal. "What did Roarke tell you?"


    Out of all the Keepers, Roarke was the only one that he created for himself. Of course, Roarke was also born out of his love for Soleil. But he was also created with a "mother" wired in his system.


    In short, Roarke was like a son to him.


    "Roarke confirmed our thoughts: the remaining ck me inside the Supreme has been awakened," Wong reported to him. "It seems like the childhood memory that you lock up inside her has been freed from the Abyss."


    It couldn''t be helped because the red me that he used to fuel her heart in exchange of sealing her ck me was extinguished by Kyro''s Mana. If the ck me didn''t awaken, his precious little sister and everyone connected to her me would have died.


    "ording to Roarke, the Supreme wants us to return to the Royal Capital as soon as possible," Wong said, then he gave him a look of pity. "My lord, the Supreme told you to brace yourself for her "questions.""


    Wixx wouldn''t admit this aloud but he shuddered at his little sister''s threat. "She''ll definitely kill me," he said while shaking his head. Thankfully, the memory of his encounter with "Lady Nystrom" in the temple a while ago didn''t disappear. He could still remember how feisty the reincarnation of his sister was. Well, Soleil had a bad temper. But it seemed like "Lady Nystrom" was more hot-headed than the sister he remembered in the past. "Prepare for my funeral, Wong."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO looked at Winter and Julian seriously.


    Right now, all of them were in his office. And also, they were kneeling on the floor because he wanted to talk to them that way. He was facing his sons, and both looked as serious as he was. They probably felt how solemn his mood was.


    "Winter, Julian," Kiho began seriously. "Now that my memories have returned, I can finally teach you the role that you must take in the uing divine civil war."


    Winter and Julian both gulped hard in anticipation of what he was about to say.


    To be honest, he consulted Tilly about the thing that he wanted to talk about their children. It took him a while to convince his wife to agree with his n. But in the end, they both decided that it would be better for their kids to have a role in the uing war instead of being kept in the dark.


    "I will teach you how to kill a god," Kiho said seriously, making his sons'' eyes widened in shock. "To be precise, I will teach you how to kill me the ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 229: How to Slay a God

    Chapter 229: How to y a God


    TILLY was relieved to finally see with her own eyes that Louisa and David were both safe.


    She couldn''t help but run to them to give them a big, tight hug. Louisa and David immediately broke down into tears, just like the other servants around them. Although she wanted to cry with them, she had to hold back. It wasn''t like she thought crying was a weakness. She just simply couldn''t breakdown when there were still a lot of things to do.


    "Thank you foring home safely, Louisa and David," Tilly whispered to them, then she took a step backwards to properly face them. It was a relief that she didn''t see any sign of resentment from the two. In fact, they looked relieved to be back home. "I''m sorry for making you go through so much in my absence."


    Louisa and David both shook their head in denial, then they bowed to her.


    "You don''t have apologize, Your Grace," Louisa said in her usual formal but warm voice. "We''re here to serve the Nystroms."


    And it''s our own volition to follow your orders, mydy," David added. "It''s an honor for us to serve you."


    Ah, that was right.


    Maybe instead of apologizing, she should express her gratitude again and again. That would probably make them feel better instead of an apology.


    "Louisa, David, please take a rest for now," she said with a smile. "I will introduce you to my childrenter."


    Louisa and David looked pleasantly surprised to hear that. Then, they smiled and bowed their heads before they excused themselves.


    <em>And now</em>


    She turned serious when she faced Duke Sherwood who had been quiet all this time.


    "Greetings, Lady Nystrom," Duke Sherwood said politely with a light bow. "I know it''ste but wee home, mydy."


    Tilly smiled at the duke politely. "Would you like to have some tea, Your Grace?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DAD!" Winterined after hearing his request. "If you''re going to teach us how to kill a god, then why don''t you tell us how to y the Moon God instead?"


    "Winter is right, Father," Julian added. His usually calm son looked visibly agitated right now, just like his younger brother. "Teaching us how to kill you is like saying that you know you''ll be taken over by the Moon God again. Are you telling us that despite your memories being retrieved, you still can''t win against your father?"


    <em>Ouch.</em>


    Kiho had to say that although Julian wasposed and eloquent most of the time, he still inherited Tilly''s bad temper and sharp tongue.


    <em>Julian is just good at hiding it.</em>


    "Dad, is Mommy aware that you''re going to teach us how to kill you?" Winter asked in a voice that sounded like he was panicking. "She''s not, is she?"


    "Insolent child," Kiho scolded his son, making him sit upright. After all, it was the first time that he used that tone on Winter. He couldn''t help it this time. "Do you think I will do this without consulting your mother first?"


    Well, Kalel Nystrom probably would.


    But he was a different person now.


    "I''m sorry, Dad," Winter said in a soft voice. "I''m just upset."


    "I feel the same, Father," Julian said. "So please don''t scold us. We have the right to feel this way. It''s not normal for parents to ask their own children to kill them. Do you really want us tomit such crime, Father?"


    He let out a deep sigh. "Alright," he gave in. "First of all, I apologize for losing my temper."


    His two sons bowed to him.


    "We also apologize for being rude, Father."


    "We''re also sorry, Dad."


    He smiled at them. It seemed like despite being hisck of adequacy as a father, his children still grew up well.


    It''s probably because of Tilly''s positive influence on them.


    "Winter, Julian, let me exin properly," he said seriously. When he was certain that his children were paying proper attention this time, he continued. "It''s not that I don''t have the confidence to defeat my father, the Moon God. But you have to understand that you can''t go to war without several backup ns. You have to consider different scenarios, and create a solution for each one of them. Of course, the most important thing is to imagine the worst-case scenario. In the uing battle, the worst-case scenario would be the instance that the Moon God takes over me and turn into a ck Serpent. Do you know why?"


    Winter, who probably didn''t have the memories of his life as the Moon Serpent, shook his head.


    Julian, on the other hand, spoke solemnly. "The ck Serpent is the only Beast God who''s capable of killing our mother, the Supreme Fire Mage."


    Winter looked shocked by that.


    "That''s right," he confirmed with a strong nod. "I have the ability to kill your mother."


    He hated that he could kill Tilly. But it was inevitable for him to inherit his father''s "blessed rain." It was the divine water that could extinguish his wife''s me.


    In the past, when Kalel Nystrom discovered that his water Mana could kill the Supreme Fire Mage, he practically sealed-off that part of him. He started to focus on using his ice Mana instead of his water Mana. That was probably the reason why as Kiho, he was born morefortable in using his ability to control ice over his ability to control water.


    "Your mother and I will do our best to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening," he continued. "But since gods are involved in this divine civil war, we can''t really tell how this war is going to end." He paused for a while before he continued. "Winter, Julian, I apologize for giving you a cruel task."


    His children fell silent for a while until the oldest one spoke.


    "We understand, Father," Julian said in a firm voice, breaking the silence. "We will learn what you will teach us. But we have faith in you and Mother."


    "Brother Julian is right, Dad," Winter said. "Please don''t make us kill you."


    "Of course, that''s not the n. This is just for precautionary measure," he assured his children. He knew how cruel that n was. Even Tilly was skeptical. But in the end, they decided that if they wanted to win the war this time, they had to work together with their children. "Now, do you know what my weakness is?"


    "Mommy."


    "Mother."


    Heughed at his children''s answer. Well, they weren''t really wrong. But even though Tilly was his weakness, he would never ever see his wife as a burden. It was actually the other way around he was the burden to Tilly even in their previous lives.


    <em>I hope to change that this time.</em>


    "Brats," he said yfully to his sons. "I asked "what," not "who.""


    "Can I be honest, Dad?"


    "Of course, Winter."


    "Then, please excuse me for what I''m about to say," Winter said. "Dad, I think your weakness in the past is your pride."


    Okay, that kind of surprised him. "My pride?"


    "I think because you''re a god, you thought you can protect everyone on your own," Winter said bluntly. "You didn''tmunicate with Mommy properly."


    Well, he couldn''t deny that.


    "You''re right about that, Winter. I''m working on it this time," he admitted. "I''m sorry, I should have been more precise. By weakness, I actually meant physical weakness."


    "Oh," Winter said. "Is it your heart, Dad?"


    "It''s not, son."


    "I think it''s your eyes, Father," Julian answered hesitantlyter. When he nodded encouragingly, his son continued confidently. "I remember that in my past life, when Father''s dead body was found, your eyes were missing."


    Ah, right.


    Tilly mentioned to her that after Julian death in his first life, he was reincarnated straight to that lifetime.


    To be honest, he wanted to ask Julian what happened after Soleil Rosenberg died because his memories were hazy. But he and Tilly decided to wait for Wixx before they talk about that. Apparently, the Red Phoenix had a lot to exin to them.


    "Julian is right. If the Supreme''s weakness is her heart, then mine is my eyes.," he said. "When I turn into a ck Serpent, you should gouge my eyes out. Once you do, my eyeballs would turn into hard stones. It won''t be easy but smash them."


    Of course, gouging out his eyes once he turned into a ck Serpent would be very difficult, much more to smash his eyes once it turned into stones.


    But he and Tilly remembered that the Moon Serpent was also known as the ''God yer.'' That meant it would be possible for Winter to kill him if he needed to. And now that Julian was with them, he knew that he would be a good support to his brother.


    "Winter, you are the Moon Serpent," he said to his youngest child. "You swallowed the moons in the past, and you have the ability to kill gods. I believe in you." He turned to Julian. "And Julian, please support your brother. Whatever happens, I hope the two of you will work together for our family. And our family doesn''t just include the four of us. It includes all the people working with and for us. You know that, don''t you?"


    His sons nodded with understanding in their eyes.


    "Of course, Dad."


    "Yes, Father."


    "Thank you, boys," he said with a satisfied smile. "Anyway, I will begin training the two of youter. This time, we will focus on how you can beat me as the ck Serpent. It won''t be easy to gouge my eyes but it''s not impossible even at your current age. You just have to know all my weaknesses."


    Both his children nodded firmly.


    "We understand, Father."


    "Sure, Dad."


    He was d that his kids understood why he had to do that.


    "But who killed Dad in the past?" Winter asked curiously while looking at him and Julian back and forth. "Who could kill the ck Serpent?"


    It was Auro," Kiho answered. That part of his memory as Kalel Nystrom was clear. "Back then, the bracelet that controlled the Beast Gods was a powerful tool. He was able to bind us to do his bidding. And also, as far as I remember, I lost my mind when Soleil Rosenberg died. He took advantage of that and killed me when I was at my weakest."


    "But why would he kill you when Mommy was already gone during that time?" Winter asked, obviously confused. "I thought he wanted you by his side, Dad."


    "Not after he met the Moon God," he said. "Kyro offered Auro a deal that he wasn''t able to turn down and that is to be a god in his own right."


    "Oh," Winter said. "Obviously, he didn''t seed back then."


    "I don''t know how his life back then ended because I passed away before he did," Julian said. "But I know for a fact that Auro Moonchester was so mad at the Red Phoenix then because Lord Wixx burned Father''s body to ashes."


    "Huh?" Winter asked curiously. "If Auro Moonchester didn''t care about Dad, why did he get angry for what Uncle Wixx did?"


    Julian gave him a knowing look. "Father, is the Moon God trying to own your physical body because he doesn''t have one?"


    "Oh," Winter said while nodding his head. "That makes sense."


    "Yes, that''s the Moon God''s goal," Kiho confirmed, then he let out a deep sigh. "It''s hard to believe but Kyro actually wants to be a human."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I KNOW that you won''t answer my questions so I won''t ask, Lady Nystrom," Duke Sherwood said as he elegantly put his teacup down on the table between them. Right now, they were in the tea room in the main mansion reserved for esteemed guests. "Just please confirm this one: does the ind that worships the sun really exist in the empire?"


    "If you''re really interested in that, then let me make you choose first," Tilly said, then she sipped her tea before she continued. She was d that the duke brought that up. Now it would be easier for her to get rid of her husband''s sasaeng fan #1. "Duke Sherwood, I want you to choose between Kiho and your duty as a Bookkeeper."


    <em>Now, let''s start "firing" people that we don''t need in the uing divine war.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 230: Abandoned Spirit Guardian

    Chapter 230: Abandoned Spirit Guardian


    "YOUR ROYAL Highness, I''m here to escort you back to the Royal Capital."


    Nia was amused when she saw Captain Dustin Ainsworth outside her room.


    She didn''t expect that Aku would let House Ainsworth live after the Golden Tiger betrayed him for the Supreme.


    <em>Maybe Aku thought he couldn''t lose any more people after he already lost Duke Nystrom.</em>


    "I''m no longer a princess, Captain Ainsworth," Nia reminded the captain. "You can just call me ''Lady Moonchester.''"


    "I apologize but I can''t do that, Your Royal Highness," Captain Ainsworth said, then he bowed to her. "His Majesty still considers you as his consort."


    "That''s a pity," she said, then changed the topic. "Captain, do you mind waiting for a little bit? I need to prepare before we leave the temple."


    "Of course, Your Royal Highness," the captain said. "I will wait for you at the entrance of the temple."


    "Thank you, Captain."


    Captain Ainsworth just bowed and waited for her to return to her room before he left.


    "Lucina, how long are you going toy down there?" Nia asked the woman who was still lying on the bed. "We need to go back to the Royal Capital. I can''t leave until you return inside my heart."


    She met Lucina when she was in a pathetic state after the Supreme cut her off in her life. Since Lucina was a good "shield" because of her me, she agreed to be her new host.


    To be honest, she didn''t remember much from her previous lives, except the one that she had in a modern world. But unlike Lady Nystrom and the others, it was her choice to forget the awful memories that she didn''t want to remember.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    She treated Lucina as a secret weapon that she would only summon if needed. Most of the time, the abandoned spirit guardian only stayed inside her heart. She didn''t mind because that made it easy for her to control her.


    It also helped that when she was reborn as Nia Moonchester, Lucina had lost her memories as a spirit guardian of the Supreme. Lucina thought that she was just a mere Fire Mage who betrayed the Red Phoenix by serving a Moonchester.


    "Nia, my memories have returned."


    Ah, what a shame. The thought of Lucina losing her past memories just crossed her mind. And now, the spirit guardian was saying that she had retrieved her memories.


    "I''m actually the spirit guardian of the Supreme," Lucina said, then she got up and faced her when she sat on the edge of the bed. "She abandoned me after I chased what I couldn''t have."


    "I don''t want to hear your story," she said bluntly. "I purposely erased the memories of my earlier life to preserve the memories of my life in the modern world. I only kept what I think is important for me to survive in this world."


    She wasn''t born a powerful god like the Supreme or the ck Serpent.


    Unlike them who could keep the memories of all their previous lives, she had to choose what memories she could store. After all, as a previous Guardian of the "tree of truth," there were some ancient secrets buried in her that upied a huge portion of her mind.


    "So even if you ask me about your past, I can''t answer it," she continued. "The only thing I know is you''ve been yed by Aku and the Red Phoenix in the past."


    Anger crossed the spirit guardian''s eyes. "Yes, that they did."


    "If you want to have your revenge, then return inside my heart," Nia told the woman. "You need to conserve your energy, Lucina."


    "I know," Lucina said in a whisper. "I need to live and take back my son from the Supreme."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "CHOOSE between Duke Nystrom and my duty as a Bookkeeper?"


    "Yes," Tilly said. "Duke Sherwood, don''t you think that there''s conflict of interest in your stand as Kiho''s servants and your role as a Sherwood? Even Aku Moonchester recognizes your importance as a Bookkeeper. If it wasn''t for that, he would have killed you a long time ago."


    Duke Sherwood smiled brightly at her. It looked so fake though, just like his personality. "Are you trying to get rid of me, Lady Nystrom? Have you forgotten that I made a pledge to you and your son when I devoted myself to Duke Nystrom?"


    "My memories as the Supreme have returned," she announced coldly. "Now I remember that a Bookkeper''s "pledge of loyalty" can never be valid."


    The duke''s fake smile finally vanished.


    "Now I understood why it was so easy for you to pledge your loyalty," she said while shaking her head. "You know that it won''t kill you because the spell doesn''t recognize a pledge from a Bookkeeper. After all, you are humans who don''t have the freedom to choose sides. The only "side" that you can ever stand on is the truth."


    Aku Moonchester probably knew that, too.


    After all, the emperor still let Duke Sherwood live even after the duke "pledged" his loyalty to Kiho.


    "Ah, my secret is busted," Duke Sherwood said with an unapologetic smile. "I didn''t mean to trick His Grace, mydy. Our whole n has always been fascinated with the ck Serpent. I just wanted a chance to be of use to him."


    Well, she was d that Duke Sherwood helped Kiho for the past five years. He was sketchy, yes. But she was grateful that he also saved Louisa and David. His obsession with Kiho had be a good fortune for their side.


    "You have served your purpose, Duke Sherwood," she told him. "You protected Kiho and our household. Most of all, you created thew that I asked you to. As a token of gratitude, I will make you the most sessful Bookkeeper among the Sherwoods."


    He gave her another fake smile. "Are you getting rid of me, mydy?"


    "Yes," she said, then she sipped her tea.


    "You''ve be more cold-hearted," the dukeined. "I''m a little hurt."


    "Duke Sherwood, do you know what a divine civil war is?"


    The duke''s ears seemed to perk up upon hearing it. "Of course," he said, not bothering to mask his excitement. "The first Sherwood to be recognized as a Bookkeeper had witnessed the divine civil war led by the Supreme Fire Mage and the ck Serpent against the Moonchesters. But it wasn''t recorded in the official history of the empire because it was a war that only gods were involved. My ancestor died recording that moment."


    <em>Ah, yes.</em>


    Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom led that divine civil war. But because of the Moonchesters'' maniption, they were able to control Kalel Nystrom and turn him on her.


    That was when she lost her life back then.


    <em>History won''t repeat itself this time.</em>


    "There''s another divine civil waring up," she told the duke. "It''s going to happen outside the Royal Capital. And humans won''t be involved except for Aku Moonchester."


    The duke stifled hisugh. "So, you don''t consider His Majesty a god?"


    "Well, he thinks he''s a god but technically, he''s just a mere human favored by the Moon God," she said bluntly. "To be honest, he''s as rotten as the gods I know. But since it''s his life''s goal to be a god, I will do everything to take that dream away from him. Although I will never understand why he''s desperate to be one. Gods ain''t shit."


    "Mydy, you and your husband are technically gods, too."


    "Yes, and it''s a shame. No offense to any religion but after meeting some messed up gods, the way I see them has changed," she confessed. "To me, they''re nothing but rotten humans with divine powers. The name that they hold as ''god'' is nothing but a fancy job title." She paused for a while but she continued. "I believe my family and I owe it to the human race to get rid of the gods who don''t deserve their title."


    The dukeughed, his eyes beaming with excitement. "Are you saying that you''ll give me the once in a lifetime chance of witnessing the next divine civil war?"


    "I''ll give a front row seat."


    "This is so interesting," he said with a frenzied look on his face. Argh, the duke''s obsession with history was reeking. "I can''t believe gods really fight among themselves."


    "Humans and weaker beings can''t oppress gods, duh," she said, rolling her eyes at the duke. "Of course, only gods can oppress other gods. Thus, a divine civil war urs."


    Duke Sherwoodughed, then nodded in his head agreement. "What do you want in return, Lady Nystrom?" he asked with a raised brow. "You won''t offer me a "front row seat" in the uing divine civil war for free, will you? I know that you''re really grateful to me. But I''m also aware that you won''t offer this opportunity without gaining anything in return."


    "I will not ask for something grand in exchange of the opportunity I extended to you," Tilly said seriously. "I just want you to do your job right as a Bookkeeper, Duke Sherwood," she said, then she pointed a finger at his heart. "After the divine civil war, I want you to expose every single detail of the event to the people of the empire or else, my ck me will burn you to ashes."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOTHER, I heard you''ve called for me."


    Tilly smiled when Julian entered her room. "Yes, Julian. I need to talk to you," she said, then she patted the space next to her. "Come here."


    A while ago, she and Kiho finally introduce Julian and Winter to their servants officially.


    Since Julian was older now, he officially became the oldest son of House Nystrom. Winter, of course, was the youngest. She made it clear that Julian wasn''t adopted. The servants looked confused but thankfully, they didn''t ask questions.


    The thing about the heir apparent of House Nystrom would be discussedter.


    "Is everything alright, Mother?" Julian asked worriedly when he sat next to her. "You look quite sad."


    You''re as thoughtful as your father, Julian," she said, touched with her son''s concern. She also liked that he could tell right away that she was quite down at the moment. Just like how Kiho would notice if something was wrong with her even though she was trying hard not to show it. "Thank you for worrying about me."


    He just smiled bashfully at her.


    <em>He''s quiet andposed, too.</em>


    "Julian?"


    "Yes, Mother?"


    "I will kill Lucina Morganna soon."


    She wasn''t asking for her son''s permission it was a deration.


    It wasn''t like she didn''t care about Julian''s feelings. She did. And that was exactly why they were having that conversation now.


    Julian didn''t seem surprise. It was like he already expected that. "I understand, Mother," he said in a calm tone. And yet, sadness was evident in his eyes. "After all the things that Lucina Morganna has done to you, you''d be a fool if you hesitate to kill her just because of me."


    Ah, he really had an old soul.


    But still, she knew that deep inside, Julian was still a child. She couldn''t me him if he still felt attached to Lucina Morganna. That bitch was her worst enemy, but she wouldn''t deny the fact that she took care of her son when Kalel Nystrom didn''t.


    "I''m sorry, Julian," she said softly, then she cupped his little face between her hands. "Regardless of what Lucina Morganna''s ulterior motive was, I won''t deny the fact that she had been a good mother to you. I know that her death would hurt you. I just want you to know that it''s okay if you mourn for her. We won''t judge you."


    He became emotional right away.


    "Lucina Morganna was my spirit guardian back when I still had the ck me of the ck Phoenix," she exined to her son gently. "But the ck me is a forbidden me that no one is supposed to wield. It has a life of its own, and it lives off the negative feelings of its owner."


    Her son looked confused. "But you''re the owner of the ck me, Mother."


    "Exactly," she said with a sad smile. "Lucina Morganna was born out of all the hate, pain, and all the negative feelings in my heart. The more I was subjected to suffering, the more Lucina Morganna became real. In short, the ck me breathed life into her. That was why she was special among the spirit guardians. She was the first to separate herself from her master. And thus, she was able to betray me without dying."


    "May I know why she betrayed you, Mother?"


    "She was tempted by the ck me," she said. "Like I said before, the ck me has a life of its own. My brother sealed it off because he thought it was too dangerous for me to use it. I only remembered the ck me when I got pregnant with the Moon Serpent. After all, all powerful female Fire Mages are required to transfer their Mana to their children. During that time, the ck me used that opportunity to control Lucina Morganna."


    She just managed to remember that when the small portion of the ck me left in her was ignited a while ago. Just like what Roarke said, Wixx sealed-off every single memory of her that had something to do with the ck me.


    <em>Brother, you have a lot to exinter.</em>


    "Did the ck me want to control you back then, Mother?"


    "Yes. After all, my wrath fuels the ck me," she exined. "It got angry when Wixx sealed it off, and so it wanted to break free using Lucina Morganna. When I found out about it, I immediately cut off my connection to my spirit guardian. As ast show of mercy, I abandoned her instead of directly killing her." She let out a frustrated sigh and shook her head at Soleil Rosenberg''s decision back then. "Unfortunately, Lucina Morganna managed to crawl to the Moonchesters'' side."


    She decided not to tell Julian the awful things that Lucina Morganna did to her. Plus, she knew that he was aware of it anyway. Still, she wanted to protect her son''s feelings.


    "Now that the me Wixx gave me has been extinguished, I need my ck me back," she said seriously. "I can only take it back by killing Lucina Morganna. I cannot absorb the ck me with her soul in it because her right to be my spirit guardian has already ceased a long time ago."


    His son''s face softened up. He still looked sad. But when he smiled, his eyes did too. "Mother, you''re too kind."


    "Am I now?"


    He nodded. "Thank you for being considerate of my feelings," he said, then he put a little, warm hand on her cheek. "But it''s okay if you put yourself first this time, Mother. I will support our family my real family."


    She smiled and put her hand on top of his. "Julian, I know that you have bad memories of Wixx. But would it be okay if we talk to him? If you''re scared, feel free to say so. I will not force you to meet him if you''re not yet ready."


    "It''s okay, Mother," Julian said with a brave smile. "I''m not afraid anymore because this time, I have you, Father, and Winter by my side."


    Tilly smiled and hugged her son. "Thank you, son," she whispered. "I am proud of you and your kindness."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>JULIAN is also a formidable rival just like Winter. He''s quiet, but he seems sneaky</em>, Kiho thought to himself while staring at the door where Tilly and Julian were. It had been half an hour since his oldest son monopolized his wife''s attention. He already missed his wife. <em>Yes, I''m being petty again.</em>


    "Dad, you''re being petty again, aren''t you?"


    Kiho yfully red at his youngest son who just came back from god knows where. This little rascal do whatever he wanted without worrying about the consequences. They had spoiled him a little too much. "Where did you go, little rascal?"


    "Oh, I just talked to Uncle Jameson," Winter said brightly. "He just informed me and Uncle Roarke that we can meet up with themter."


    That hurt his head.


    Now that his memories had returned, he remembered who these "uncles" that Winter kept mentioning were. He could tolerate Tilly''s Keepers except for one.


    "How''s Wong?" Kiho asked with a bitter smirk. "Is that sc*m still alive, huh?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 231: Water Memory

    Chapter 231: Water Memory


    "MOTHER, are you alright?"


    Tilly blinked several times before her attention diverted back to Julian.


    Right now, they were still in her room. They already dropped the subject about Lucina Morganna and was now talking about Julian''s control over his fire Mana. She wanted to know what else she could teach his son about his power.


    But all of a sudden, her conversation with Duke Sherwood a while ago yed in her mind again


    <em>"Lady Nystrom, as a token of gratitude for allowing me to witness a history in the making, let me share a very valuable piece of information to you," Duke Sherwood said with a smile. "There''s a rumor going around among the higher nobles in the empire. Apparently, ady with a pair of pink eyes is being backed up by the White Tower to be the future empress."</em>


    <em>Tilly thought nothing else would shock her.</em>


    <em>But after hearing the pieces of information that the duke generously ryed to her, it still blew her mind.</em>


    <em>Aside from Luna, there was only other survivor from the Colorless Coven. And that was Ste, the witch''s sister. Apparently, Ste was killed by Lahara after she made the medicine that made Nia Moonchester infertile.</em>


    <em>But a few days ago, Luna found out that her sister was alive.</em>


    <em>Obviously, the White Tower kept Ste alive all these years.</em>


    <em>"The White Tower''s empress candidate might possess the ability that we thought only Nia Moonchester has," she said carefully. "Thisdy you''re talking about she can carry Aku Moonchester''s child in her womb, can''t she?"</em>


    <em>Duke Sherwood just smiled before he sipped his tea.</em>


    <em>Ah, that was a smile that meant "yes."</em>


    <em>Luna will be very angry once she hears about this</em>, Tilly thought to herself. <em>I wonder why would Ste want to give birth to a Moonchester</em>


    "Mother?"


    She smiled at his son. "I''m alright, Julian. Im sorry for spacing out."


    Julian shook his head. "It''s okay, Mother. I know that you have a lot on your mind right now. I''m just grateful that you still have time to spend with me."


    Her oldest was so mature.


    It couldn''t be helped because he was reincarnated with the memories of his past life. But she was hoping that Julian would loosen up someday. She wanted to give his son the childhood that he probably didn''t enjoy in the past.


    "Julian, I know that your father will soon train you and Winter on how to kill him," she said seriously. Her heart was heavy because of the decision that she and Kiho ended up with. But they both knew that they should prepare for all the possible oues of the uing divine civil war. Of course, that included the worst-case scenario where they would lose. "But can I have a portion of your time, too? You have a strong fire Mana. I want to personally help you control your power. I''ll teach you the things I taught Winter for the past years."


    Julian smiled and nodded. "I''d love that, Mother. I want to spend more time with you."


    She couldn''t help but hug her oldest. "Aww, you''re so sweet, baby."


    His son blushed but he seemed happy with the attention he was receiving from her. And she was d that she could make her son feel at home in her arms.


    Anyway, their bonding moment was interrupted when she felt Kiho''s strong bloodlust.


    "There aren''t enemies though," Tilly said, making Julian nod in agreement. "What''s making Kiho this angry?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOW''S WONG?" Kiho asked Winter. "Is that sc*m still alive, huh?"


    Winter nodded. "Of course, Uncle Wong is still alive, Dad."


    "Ah, what a shame."


    "Shh," his son scolded him. He even put a finger on his nose. That was so adorable. "Dad, Mom will get mad at you again if you don''t stop your petty jealousy. You should know that Mommy''s Keepers will never have romantic feelings for her."


    "You''ll understand me once you fall in love with someone in the future, little rascal," he said while gently patting his son''s head. "Anyway, back in the day, Wong hated me so much. There was even a time where he tried to gouge my eyes out because he knew it was my weakness"


    He trailed-off when he noticed that Winter flinched.


    "What''s wrong, son?" he asked worriedly.


    Winter shook his head, then he gave him an awkward smile. "Nothing, Dad."


    He raised a brow at that. His son was lying to him. "What happened, Winter? You flinched a while ago. I even saw fear cross your eyes."


    He had a habit of closely watching his loved ones when he was around them. And that was how he noticed the change in his son''s mood earlier.


    "It''s really nothing, Dad," his son said, then he tried to change the topic. "Should we check on Mom and Brother Julian."


    "Stay where you stand, Winter Nystrom."


    Winter literally froze in the spot because of the strict tone that he used.


    He then summoned his staff, then he pointed the crystal ball at the end of the shaft at his son''s direction. Now that his memories had returned, he also remembered the techniques that he mastered in the past. "I hate using this but it looks like I can''t convince you to be honest with me," he said. "Winter, this water technique is called Water Memory Retriever. Watch carefully."


    When he spun the staff in his hand, the aura of Winter''s ice and water Mana was released from his body. The aura of his son was a beautiful shade of blue, just like his. A few momentster, it was absorbed by the crystal ball in his weapon.


    "This technique allows me to take a peek at the memory of other people," he exined to his son. "It works when there''s a precise memory that I want to see. Right now, I asked the water particles in your body to show me the memories that you have with Wong. And right now, those images are showing up in the crystal ball."


    The Water Memory Retriever was a convenient technique.


    But of course, it wouldn''t work on strong people who could protect their memories. It only worked on Winter now because his son didn''t know how to protect his mind from being invaded yet. Soon, he had a feeling that he wouldn''t be able to see that technique on Winter.


    His thoughts were cut-off when a particr piece of his son''s memory showed up in the crystal ball.


    He felt anger in every fiber of his being when he saw Wong try to gouge out Winter''s eyes.


    "Is he crazy?" Kiho snarled, then he turned to Winter who flinched when he saw how angry he was. He didn''t mean to scare his son, but he couldn''t control his anger. His golden eyes were probably glowing menacingly at the moment. "Winter, do I understand it correctly? That Wong tried to gouge your eyes out?"


    "Uncle Wong already apologized, Dad," Winter said, panic evident in his voice. "And Mom also punished him"


    "But I am yet to punish that bastard," he hissed. "I know that he''s angry at me, and I don''t mind if hee at me like he always did in the past. But tosh out on my son is unforgivable!"


    God, he wanted to kill Wong at this very moment.


    "Kiho?"


    He turned and saw Tilly and Juliane out of the room.


    Ah, the two must have felt his bloodlust. They also looked worried. He tried to calm down for his family but he really couldn''t forgive Wong for what he tried to do to Winter.


    "Hon, what''s wrong?" Tilly asked worriedly as she walked towards him. "Why are you so angry?"


    "Wong," he said in a low growl. His anger wasn''t directed to his wife and he knew that she was aware of that. "He tried to gouge out Winter''s eyes."


    His wife suddenly looked guilty.


    "I apologize, Kiho," she said in a guilty and formal tone. His wife really sounded regretful and it broke his heart a little. It wasn''t her fault so her apology wasn''t really necessary. "Wong is one of my Keepers but I failed to discipline him. I promise that it won''t happen again."


    That was enough to quench his anger.


    <em>For now.</em>


    He dropped the staff but before it hit the floor, it turned into liquid and was absorbed by his body again.


    "It''s not your fault, Tilly. Please don''t apologize," Kiho said, then he gently pulled his wife for a hug. "I''m not mad at you. I''m mad at myself for realizing that I wasn''t with you and our son during the times that you needed me most."


    "It''s not your fault that you were separated from us, Kiho. You''ve apologized enough for that," Tilly said as she hugged him back. Then, she kissed his jaw. "I will scold Wong againter."


    "Okay," he said, then he carried his wife in his arms.


    "Hey," she yfullyined, then she lightly hit his chest. "What are you doing in front of the kids?"


    "They''ve monopolized you enough for today. It''s my time to monopolize you. And we need to get ready anyway."


    They barely had time left, to be honest.


    Even though the Moonchesters were enemies, they still wouldn''t make them wait. Both he and his wife had respect for time.


    "Well, you''re right," Tilly gave in, then she wrapped her arms around his neck before she turned to Winter and Julian. "Boys, please y with Luna and Roarke first. Your father and I need to get ready since we have a meeting with the Moonchesterster."


    Winter and Julian both nodded.


    "We understand, Mother."


    "Okay, Mommy."


    When their sons turned to him with a pout, he smirked at them.


    "Later, brats," Kiho said smugly. "Your mother is mine."


    Tilly rolled her eyes at him, then she yfully hit his chest. "You''re so petty, Kiho."


    He justughed at his wife''s scolding.


    Yes, he was in a good mood now that Tilly and their children surrounded him. But deep inside, he was still seething.


    <em>Wong, brace yourself</em>, Kiho said to himself. <em>You''ll pay for trying to hurt my son.</em>


    ***


    WONG suddenly felt a shiver down his spine.


    "What''s wrong, Wong?" Kelsi asked while they were boarding the ship. "You suddenly went pale."


    "I suddenly feel cold," Wong said, then he scratched his chin. "And for some reason, I feel like my life is in danger."


    "I heard that the ck Serpent has already retrieved his memories. I remember that back in the past, you were always after each other''s throat," Kelsi said yfully, then sheughed while lightly hitting his arm. Although if she hit an average Mana-user with that kind of strength, she''d probably get them killed. "Maybe the ck Serpent is already plotting for your death?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''s legs were still wobbly, and she confirmed it when her knees buckled when she stepped out of the grand carriage.


    Thankfully, her husband was behind her to catch her.


    "Careful, honey," Kiho whispered seductively in her ear. "Do you want me to carry you?"


    Tilly''s whole face turned red when she remembered that in a span of fifteen minutes, Kiho managed to make her knees this shaky. "Shut up," she whispered, then she nudged him lightly at his ribs. "We''re in the temple so have self-control, okay?"


    He just smiled yfully, and then he suddenly turned serious.


    She understood why.


    Another carriage arrive at the "secret" parking lot of the temple.


    Much to their shock, the carriage''s door opened right away. Then, a frantic Lucina Morganna came out and charged angrily at her.


    "Give him back!" Lucina Morganna screamed at her. "Give my Julian back to me!"


    <em>"My Julian," huh?</em>


    That pissed her off.


    When Kiho stood protectively in front of her, she gently pushed her husband aside so that she''d be the one to face the bitch.


    Of course, it had to be her.


    <em>You really have the audacity to im my son as yours, huh?</em>


    Lucina Morganna opened her right hand, creating small balls of ck me. But before she could even threw those pathetic, weak fire balls at her, she was already in front of the bitch.


    She grabbed Lucina Morganna''s wrist and without blinking, she literally bitch-pped her. She didn''t use her Mana but her physical strength was enough to send the bitch flying. In fact, she hit the carriage. That was how strong the impact of her p was.


    Lucina Morganna looked shocked by what happened. She remained sprawled on the floor while her hand was ced on the cheek that was just pped. Plus, she looked like she couldn''t believe that it only took her one p to end up that way.


    Of course, burning the bitch was the best option.


    But this time, she wanted to hurt Lucina Morganna with her bare hand. But if the bitch attacked her again, she''d definitely roast her to death. She just held back because she didn''t want to jeopardize the deal that she offered to Nia Moonchester.


    "Julian is my son, Lucina Morganna," Tilly snarled at Lucina Morganna. "And from now on, I will reim every single thing that you stole from me, bitch."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 232: A Fire Mage is Still a Mage

    Chapter 232: A Fire Mage is Still a Mage


    LUNA let out a deep sigh while staring at the sky.


    Right now, she was sitting on the windowsill of her room while waiting for Roarke, Winter, and Julian to get ready. The Keeper was helping the young lords in packing the stuff they needed to bring while travelling.


    Roarke volunteered to do the job so that Tilly and Duke Nystrom could leave the mansion early.


    Before Tilly left, she told her a piece of information that Duke Sherwood ryed on her.


    "Ste, you fool," Luna whispered to herself. "Why would you want to give birth to a Moonchester?"


    She was aware that Ste looked up to Nia Moonchester when they were still in the White Tower. But she didn''t know that her sister was that obsessed with the royal family for her to connive with them.


    Still, she couldn''t think of enough reason for Ste to want to be the empress. Her sister had never shared that kind of dream with her before.


    "Lady Luna?"


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she heard a knock on the door. When they let them in, Roarke and the young lords entered the room.


    The three gentlemen looked ready to leave.


    "Lady Luna, the young lords are ready," Roarke said. "Should we depart now?"


    "Yes," Luna said, then she stood up. "We should hurry and bring back our allies from the North as soon as possible."


    <strong>***</strong>


    NIA ACCEPTED the hand that Captain Ainsworth when she stepped out of the carriage.


    She wasn''t surprised when she saw Lucina sprawled on the ground. After all, she heard themotion a while ago. To be honest, she didn''t expect Lucina toe at the Supreme as soon as they arrived at the temple.


    <em>What a shameful behavior.</em>


    "Return," Nia ordered Lucina while looking down at her. Well, she was also looking down on her for showing her such disgrace. "You will note out without my permission again."


    Lucina seemed like she didn''t have to choice but to obey.


    After all, the Supreme''s bloodlust told them that she was ready to kill her former spirit guardian right then and there.


    A few momentster, Lucina''s whole body slowly turned into a thick, ck smoke. Then, it became a ball of ck smoke that hit her chest without warning. It didn''t hurt and her body simply absorbed it.


    She figured that she couldn''t hide the fact that Lucina was dwelling in her heart after Lady Nystrom regained her memories, so there was no reason for her to pretend that she wasn''t connected to Lucina. And so, she allowed the spirit guardian to return inside her heart in front of the enemies.


    When she faced Lady Nystrom, she didn''t look shocked by what happened.


    "Greetings, Nia Moonchester," Lady Nystrom greeted her with that signature smug smile of hers. "It''s been a while."


    Nia smirked at the Supreme. "Yes, it''s been a while. I should thank you for retrieving your memories, Lady Nystrom. You know why, don''t you?"


    "Of course," the Supreme said. "The Moonchesters'' memories of the past will only be clear whenever I retrieve mine."


    It was a spell that the Supreme cast before she died.


    A Fire Mage was a mage who just happened to have the ability to control fire. But at the end of the day, they were still mages who could perform powerful spells. And of course, the most powerful of them was Lady Nystrom, thus she became the Supreme Fire Mage.


    Before she died as the Supreme, she put a spell that would protect her reincarnation from her past enemies. It was the type of spell that would make the Moonchesters forget who she looked, and how her Mana felt. They would only remember her as the Supreme once she remembered who she really was.


    And that was the reason why in the past, she didn''t recognize "Lady Tilly Prescott" as the Supreme right away. She only realized that she was the heart that she was looking for when Lady Nystrom finally awakened as the Supreme. That was the same for Aku.


    "That''s true," Nia said. "But you were harsher to me than anyone else in the Moonchester family, Lady Nystrom. After all, you made it sure that the amount of memories I will retrieve is only equivalent to the amount of memories that you will remember. I lived all this time with gaps in my memories because you''re so slow in remembering your past. Thanks to you, Aku is always one step ahead of me in this lifetime."


    The Supreme fell silent for a few seconds. But the mirth in her eyes was unmistaken. No wonder she sounded so condescending when she spoke again. "There was a time that you don''t remember, Nia Moonchester," she said. "A lifetime simr to this, but you seeded in your earlier n and got me killed without Aku Moonchester realizing who I really was."


    That intrigued her.


    The Supreme was detestable but she wasn''t a liar. And the confidence on her face told her that she was being serious.


    <em>A lifetime that I don''t remember?</em>


    <em>"Are you curious, Nia Moonchester?"</em>


    She flinched when she heard Lady Nystrom''s voice in her head. Only people in her caliber could enter her mind without permission. "<em>Get out</em>," she snarled at her in her mind. "<em>Don''t annoy me more than you already have, Lady Nystrom</em>."


    "<em>I will tell you about the life that I mentioned a while ago once the binding vow is done, Nia Moonchester</em>," Lady Nystrom said. Ah, so that was the reason why she suddenly entered her mind. She probably didn''t want Aku to hear about their secret deal. "<em>I''m being generous to you, am I not?</em>"


    "<em>Shut up</em>," Nia said, then she cut-off the link in their mind. Then, she looked straight in the Supreme''s eye. "You''re really annoying in every lifetime, Lady Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID YOU bully Nia Moonchester a while ago?" Kiho asked Tilly while they were in a waiting room. High Priest Howard ushered them there a while ago, then he brought Nia Moonchester and Captain Ainsworth to the next chamber. Apparently, Aku Moonchester was yet toe. "The royal princess looked so pissed at you."


    "I told her about the life where she seeded in her n," Tilly told him, then she turned to her with a "bright" smile that gave him the creeps. "The one where you divorced me and married Lucina Morganna, hon. The one where I was used of treason and was beheaded in public. The one where a traitorous spirit guardian was able tough at her master''s demise after she stole her husband and son. The one where you broke my heart into million pieces, Kiho."


    He didn''t have an excuse for the terrible thing that he had done to his wife in that lifetime. The reminder was painful but he had to ept it because he really wanted to atone for it. "I don''t have memories of that lifetime but if you leave me for it, I won''t me you, Tilly," he said sincerely. He would probably die if she left him. But to be honest, he deserved it. "Just please know that I regret it with all my heart."


    "Forget it," she said, then she gently patted his cheek. "Winter remembers that lifetime but he doesn''t hate you. That means you didn''t marry Lucina Morganna out of your free will. It seems like our son can''t tell us what really happened in that lifetime. But the fact that he still wants us to be together is proof that he understands your reason for abandoning me back then."


    "I really don''t deserve you and our children," he said with a sigh, then he kissed the palm of her hand. When she just smiled at that, he changed the topic. He knew that his wife wasn''t particrly fond of dwelling on their past mistakes. "Honey, is it really okay to tell Nia Moonchester about that lifetime?"


    "Yes," she said with a firm nod. "When Nia Moonchester was exiled, it seems like she isn''t as motivated as before to bring down Aku Moonchester. I need to give her hope hope that she could beat her tormentor in this lifetime. Plus, the uing battle will be more interesting if Nia Moonchester goes all-out as well."


    "Honey, you can be ruthless sometimes," Kiho said in amusement. "I love it."


    Tillyughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You love everything about me, silly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FASHIONABLYte, aren''t we?" Tilly said to Aku Moonchester as she sipped her tea. "Shall I remind His Majesty that enemies or not, you should respect other people''s time?"


    Aku Moonchester raised a brow at her.


    A while ago, High Priest Howard fetched them from the waiting room and brought them to the tearoom where Nia Moonchester was. The High Priest left with Captain Ainsworth. Then, the emperor finally arrived.


    Obviously, only the four of them were allowed in that chamber for the execution of the binding vow.


    "You don''t have to be sarcastic, Lady Nystrom," Aku Moonchester said, then he sat beside Nia Moonchester who sat quietly on the sofa from across them. "I apologize for beingte. I had to run an errand before I went here."


    "Only one person can ask you to make errands for them," she said, then she put the teacup down on the table. "It seems like my father-inw is up to no good again, huh?" She turned to Kiho who sat beside her. "Hon, your ex-father is probably going senile because of his old age."


    Kiho bit his lower lip to stop himself fromughing. "Yes, my "ex-father" is definitely going senile already."


    "It''s good to see that the two of you are disgustingly sweet to each other again," Aku Moonchester said sarcastically, then he turned to Nia Moonchester. "Shall we get this over and done with, Nia? We have to make up for lost time."


    Nia ignored Aku and just sipped her tea elegantly.


    "Ah, I have to congratte you, Aku Moonchester," she said with a smile. "I heard you found a new potential empress that can give birth to your child."


    Nia stifled herughter.


    She was fully prepared for Aku Moonchester''s wrath. But instead, he just smiled at her as if he already predicted that she would say that.


    "News really travel fast," Aku Moonchester said. "That woman you''re talking about the witch with pink eyes, to be precise" He paused dramatically and sipped his tea first before he continued. "I hope Lord Kyro takes good care of her."


    That made her serious. "What did you do to Ste?"


    "Ah, so you know the witch," the emperor said with a smirk. "If I remember correctly, the witch who created the cure to Nia''s infertility has pink eyes, too. Are they rted?"


    She felt angry for Luna but when Kiho touched her hand with his cold hand, she immediately calmed down. It wasn''t the right time and ce to lose her cool. Plus, even though she was worried about Luna''s sister, she hade to ept that she couldn''t save everyone.


    <em>I''m sorry, Luna</em>, she said to herself. <em>But we must proceed to our n first.</em>


    "Let''s get back to business, Aku Moonchester," Tilly said with a smile. "Shall we begin the binding vow?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WINTER, what are you doing?" Julian asked curiously when he saw his brother create a shield made of ice. "Are we expecting an enemy?"


    "I am," Winter said as he put the ice shield in his left arm. He held an ice sword in his right hand. "Solenn, the little brat princess, will surely attack me as soon as wee out of the portal."


    Miss Luna and Roarke who are creating the portal, both stifled theirughter.


    He was left clueless but since his brother seemed to be having fun, he didn''t ask anymore.


    Right now, they were in the border of the empire that would lead to the North. But instead of travelling the normal way, Luna and Roarke were creating a portal connected to another Keeper called Jameson Crawford.


    Apparently, Keepers had the ability to connect and create a portal no matter how far two Keepers were apart from one another. Since the North was quite far from the border, Miss Luna volunteered to assist Roarke.


    "Young lords, the portal is ready," Miss Luna said. "After you."


    "Good luck, Lord Winter," Roarke said to his brother. "I''m rooting for you."


    "Hmp. I will win this time," Winter said as he began walking towards the portal. "Let''s go, Brother Julian."


    Julian just nodded and followed Winter.


    The portal was a huge ring of fire where the center was the entrance. He didn''t know if it was because they had fire Mana in them, but the me of the portal wasn''t hot.


    And as soon as they went through the ring of fire, his feet touched a snow-coverednd.


    <em>Amazing,</em> he thought to himself. <em>We''re already in the North</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when all of a sudden, a strong ball of fire flew towards Winter''s direction.


    It wasn''t like he was underestimating his brother''s ability to defend himself. But when he saw that Winter was being attacked, his body moved on its own. Before he knew it, he already stood protectively in front of his brother.


    Then, he created a shield made of his own me to deflect the fire ball.


    Just when he thought he sessfully avoided the ambush, a little leather boot suddenly went through his fire shield and hit his face. Before he knew it, he was already lying down on the snow while a little girl straddled his hips.


    "Oh, you''re not Winter," the little girl said in a disappointed voice. "No wonder the me that you used was stronger than that little gangster''s puny me."


    "Hey! My me isn''t puny!" Winter, from behind him,ined. "Take it back, Solenn!"


    Ah, so this was the Solenn that Winter mentioned a while ago.


    "Pretty," Julian whispered to himself. He didn''t know why but he could see the soul of the little girl. That meant he could also see her in her dy form" aside from appearance as a child. It seemed that like him, Solenn also had an old soul literally. "You''re beautiful, Lady Solenn."


    "I know," Solenn said bluntly when she turned to him. "And who might you be, little Casanova?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 233: The Binding Vow

    Chapter 233: The Binding Vow


    "THIS IS the cure that I bet you''re dying to get your hands on, Aku Moonchester," Tilly said seriously, then she opened her palm where a vial of red liquid appeared. "There are 31 vials of this. Nia Moonchester has to take one for the whole month before the medicine fully worked."


    Aku Moonchester smirked. "You really bought time for yourself, huh?"


    "It''s not the only reason why the medicine has to be taken that way," she said seriously. "Nia has been taking harmful medicine to destroy her reproductive organ since she was a child. Do you think the damage will be reversed with just one medicine. Taking one vial will heal her organs slowly but surely."


    The emperor didn''tment but he red at Nia.


    <em>He''s probably pissed to hear that his beloved princess has been destroying her body since childhood.</em>


    On the other hand, Nia just sipped her tea elegantly.


    "This is the "raw" version of the medicine," she continued, making Aku Moonchester turn to her again. "The medicine needs to be heated with my me. Then, once it''s "cooked," Luna will transform this into a tablet. That''s the correct way of taking this medicine."


    Aku Moonchester smirked bitterly at her. "Is that your way of saying that I can''t touch you or that witch for the next 31 days?"


    "It''s not that I''m afraid of you," she said to avoid misunderstandings, then she smiled brightly at him. "I just need to keep you alive because I want you to see me seed."


    Well, that was the "shorter" version of her n.


    She needed Aku Moonchester alive because death was too light of a punishment for him. Before the emperor died, she wanted him to lose everything that he had worked hard for. She wanted him to experience the hell of losing it one by one.


    "You''ve be more arrogant, Lady Nystrom."


    "Well, I have the ability to back it up," she said with a shrug. "And just so you know, I''m no longer the Supreme that you know."


    "I can see that clearly," Aku Moonchester said with a smirk, then he turned to Kiho with a big smile. "You''ve also changed, Kiho. In the past, it was so easy for me to make you abandon your family. You even killed the Supreme for me back then. Thank you for that, brother."


    Nia Moonchester let out a softugh.


    Kiho, on the other hand, released a bloodlust enough for average Mana-users to pass out because of suffocation. Her husband tried to attack Aku Moonchester but she stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.


    "It''s true, Kiho," she reminded him. She knew that it was harsh but they couldn''t lose their cool for something that they really did in the past. "It wasn''t just you. Soleil Rosenberg was also fool enough to choose you over her n. We can''t deny that fact. But it''s exactly the reason why we are who we are today." She smiled at him. "We won''t make the same mistake, hon."


    That seemed to calm him down. "Thank you, honey."


    "What a shame," Aku Moonchester said in a disappointed voice. "It used to work in the past."


    "It will never happen again," Kiho told the emperor. "You can never control me like you did in the past, Aku Moonchester."


    The emperor just smirked at that.


    "Let''s stop talking now," the princess said in an impatient tone as she put the teacup down on the table. Then, the princess turned to her. "Let''s begin the binding vow, Lady Nystrom."


    "Yep," Tilly said, then she extended her hand to Nia. "I''m ready."


    Nia Moonchester put her hand on top of hers. "Aku, do it."


    "Do it right," Kiho warned the emperor. "If you do something funny, I''ll kill you."


    "You should know by now that I won''t do anything stupid that would put Nia to danger," Aku Moonchester said, then he pulled out a dagger from the inside pocket of his suit. Without blinking, he callously pierced the dagger through her and Nia''s hands as if it was a skewer. None of them flinched since the pain was already expected. "Now, say your vows,dies."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THAT''S my Brother Julian," Winter said as he threw a snowball at Solenn. But as expected, the little brat princess managed to avoid it easily. At least, she finally got off Julian. "Tsk," heined. "You''re still as fast as usual."


    "I''m not that fast," Solenn said in her usual mocking tone. "You''re just a slowpoke, Winter."


    He just rolled her eyes at her, then he offered his hand to Julian. "Are you okay, Big Brother?"


    "I''m okay," Julian said with a smile, then he epted his hand and let him pull him up. "Thank you for your help, Winter."


    "Nah, I should be sorry that the feral princess attacked you in my stead."


    "Excuse me?" Solennined as expected. "Who''s feral, huh?"


    "Wee to the f*cking North, Lord Winter," Jameson, who appeared behind the little princess, greeted them. The Keeper hadyers of clothes on but he was still shivering in cold. Well, it couldn''t be helped. "I''m f*cking d that you made it here safely."


    "Watch yournguage, Crawford," Roarke snarled at Jameson. "There are kids with us."


    "F*cking where, Sinir?" Jameson snarled back. "They are just f*cking trapped in children''s bodies, but their souls are f*cking old."


    Well, that was true.


    "Stop fighting," Luna scolded the Keepers who both shut their mouth right away. "Lady Solenn, I know that I shouldn''t ask the obvious but I still have to confirm it. Have you found our allies here in the North?"


    "Of course," Solenn said haughtily, then she whistled using her fingers. "Come out, everyone."


    A thick, white, and cold smoke enveloped then for a few seconds.


    And then, Winter felt a collective warmth of different people around them. Most of them were Fire Mages. But the strongest Mana he felt didn''t belong to their n.


    "Wee, Lord Winter," a huge man with golden hair knelt and bowed to him. Based on his aura, he could tell that he was the Golden Tiger. He knew that the Golden Tiger was loyal to his mother, but he didn''t expect him to bow down to him. "I am Ainsworth, the Golden Tiger and a loyal follower of the Supreme Fire Mage."


    When Winter blinked, three more men kneeled before him.


    "I''m Asher Forrester, the former saint," he saidzily. "I''m honored to meet the Moon Serpent in this lifetime."


    <em>Ah, right.</em>


    He almost forgot that he was the Moon Serpent. It couldn''t be helped because he didn''t have the memories of his life as a "god." Maybe it was because he wasn''t a human back then.


    "It''s an honor to meet our lord''s son," the one wearing the old uniform of the ck Serpent Knights said. "I''m ke, Lord Winter. I''m Lord Nystrom''s right-hand man."


    Yes, he remembered him.


    "Lord Winter, I''m Mikhail Denver," the other man with an orangey hair said. He remembered him as the former captain of the Red Phoenix Knights. They met when he was still a baby. "I''m the master of the Fire Mages of the tower."


    "Thank you for all the greetings but I just want to make one thing clear: I''m not the only son of my parents," Winter said, then he put an arm around Julian''s shoulders and pulled him closer to him. His brother looked at him with a surprise look. He just smirked before he faced everyone. "This is Julian, my older brother," he dered. "He''s the oldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Oakes so you better give your proper greetings to him, too."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY started to discreetly release her Mana when Aku started to pull out the dagger from being pierced through her and Nia''s hands. If the dagger was pulled out, the binding vow would automatically be finished.


    But they were far from over yet.


    Before the emperor noticed what she was doing, she finally released enough Mana to stop time in the room.


    Kiho and Aku Moonchester immediately froze on the spot.


    "So this is the trick that you used before," Nia said in an amused tone. "I''m surprised that you can stop time, Lady Nystrom."


    "Rather than stopping time, I think it would be more appropriate to say that the heating from my Mana made time go slow in this room," she exined, then she changed the topic. She didn''t have the intention of revealing her secret to an enemy. "Anyway, I can usually use this technique for five minutes. But since Aku Moonchester and Kiho are both strong, I can''tst that long. So we better make this quick, Nia Moonchester."


    They exchanged the vows that they agreed to in front of Aku Moonchester. And that vow was to have a ceasefire until they get to the Great Fire Tree.


    But she promised Nia another term, and it was the sole reason why the princess agreed to have a binding vow with her in the first ce. They both knew that Aku Moonchester wouldn''t allow that to happen so they decided to do the final vow behind the emperor''s back.


    "I, the Supreme Fire Mage who cursed Nia Moonchester in the past, swear that I will burn her connection to Aku Moonchester using the Red Phoenix''s me," she said seriously.


    "I, Nia Moonchester, swear that I will not betray the Supreme Fire Mage," Nia said with the same seriousness as she was.


    She was satisfied with that.


    "Aren''t you going to make fun of me?" the princess asked her. "You''re good at that."


    "Make fun of you for what?"


    "For my petty wish," she said bitterly. "Don''t you find it funny that I allowed myself to fall from grace just to return to the world that I fell in love with? I''m sure thatpared to your noble duty to your n, mine will appear trivial."


    She fell silent for a while.


    To be honest, she didn''t want to give pep talk to an enemy. But since Nia Moonchester made her job easier by agreeing to do a binding vow with her, she decided to talk to her without her usual sarcasm.


    "The things people find important is different from one another," Tilly began in a solemn tone. "Your desire to go back to the world that you loved might not seem worth it to me. But if it''s important to you, then I don''t have the right to criticize you. And do you want me to be honest about how I see you?"


    "Go ahead."


    "I think you''re like a psychopath," she said bluntly. "Psychopaths don''t have conscience. The violent ones even kill people just for the heck of it. Nia Moonchester, you don''t have any moral qualms. You''re just pretending to have one because you know that you can''t function properly in the modern world if people find out that you''re crazy."


    Nia Moonchester looked shocked by her words. And then, sheughed a little too loudly. It was different from her usual mockingugh. "You''re right," she agreed while shaking her head. "I think I''m really a psychopath."


    She was about to say something when all of a sudden, the spell that she put in the room was broken. That meant the time finally started to move properly again. Just like she expected, her spell didn''tst five minutes.


    <em>I''m not as good as Brother Wixx when ites to stopping time.</em>


    Anyway, her thoughts were cut-off when Aku Moonchester finally pulled the dagger out from being pierced through her and Nia''s hands.


    The blood dripping from the de created a puddle. And then, thanks to the magic of the binding vow, the puddle of blood began to take the form of a rose. A few more secondster, it was crystallized beautifully.


    It was the sign that the binding vow as a sess. If one of the parties involved in that would break the oath, the crystallized rose would be shattered into pieces along with the betrayer. The stronger the people who took the vow were, the stronger the spell was.


    "Something is wrong," Aku Moonchester said while ring at her. "What did you do, Lady Nystrom?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Tilly lied while giving her bleeding hand to her husband.


    Kiho gently took her bleeding hand. Then, when he put his hand on top of hers, he washed the blood using his water Mana. But that wasn''t the only thing that his water did for her. His Mana actually healed her wound.


    "Amazing," she said, ignoring the emperor''s wrath. "Thank you, Kiho."


    Her husband just smiled and kissed the back of her now fully-healed hand.


    To be honest, a wound like that could easily be healed by her regeneration ability. But it was still so sweet of Kiho to use the power that he detested just for her.


    "Don''t ignore me," Aku Moonchester snarled. "You did something, didn''t you?"


    Nia Moonchester, who was busy wiping the blood off her hand, ignored her brother, too.


    That seemed to irritate the emperor even more. He released his bloodlust that was directed at Tilly. His anger also seemed to shake the ground.


    She knew that Aku Moonchester wouldn''t and couldn''t kill her. But she didn''t like being threatened this way. She was supposed to release her bloodlust that would nullify the emperor''s. But all of a sudden, the room turned hot. As in really hot.


    "Honey, is this your doing?" Kiho asked while wiping the beads of sweat on his forehead. "I feel like the ice Mana inside my body would melt."


    Yes, that was how hot the room was.


    Even the Moonchester twins were suddenly covered in sweat.


    "I didn''t do this," she said. "But this Mana"


    "Yes, it''s mine."


    Her eyes widened in shock not just because she heard her brother''s voice.


    And it wasn''t just her. Even Kiho and Nia Moonchester looked so shocked.


    <em>Don''t ask me about Aku Moonchester.</em>


    "So, my precious little sister," Wixx, the Red Phoenix himself, asked her in a cheerful voice. "When will you divorce that little ck Serpent?"


    Kiho, who would usually get snarky about suchments, didn''t seem affected. In fact, he had to cover his mouth and pretend to cough just to hide hisughter. But of course, her husband failed to hide how amused he was.


    Tilly, on the other hand, had to bite her lower lip to stop herself fromughing.


    Well, the sight of Wixx standing on top of Aku Moonchester''s head (with his huge ming red wings and all), was really funny. Especially if one saw how humiliated Aku Moonchester looked. Nia Moonchester couldn''t even look at him properly.


    <em>That''s how you make a grand entrance, I suppose.</em><em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 234: Wixx, the Red Phoenix

    Chapter 234: Wixx, the Red Phoenix


    <em>MY BROTHER is so immature.</em>


    Although Tilly was amused by Wixx''s "grand entrance," she still couldn''t help but feel like he was just ying around.


    <em>The bar in choosing a Beast God is really in hell.</em>


    "My dear Soleil, why are you looking at me like that?" Wixx asked in a voice that almost sounded like a whimper. And then, he jumped off of Aku Moonchester''s head to stand in front of her. "Are you mad at me?"


    "Yes," Tilly said bluntly. "You''ll have a lot of thing to exin, Brother Wixx. But for now, I want you to stay put. I still have business with the Moonchesters."


    Her brother looked disappointed but thank god he stepped aside quietly.


    She didn''t miss it when Wixx red at Kiho who just ignored him.


    Ah, right. The Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent never got along in the past because of her. And it seems true even now.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    The humiliation that she saw in Aku Moonchester''s face wasughable. Nia Moonchester couldn''t even turn to her own brother out of shame. She could tell that the emperor was only holding back because of their temporary ceasefire.


    "Aku Moonchester, just so you know, I will bring all the gods by my side," she informed him. "Once your side is ready, just send us a message. We''re ready to leave the Royal Capital anytime."


    "Leave," Aku Moonchester said in a cold voice. Ah, as expected, he was really angry. "We will send you a message soon."


    Tilly smiled "brightly" at the emperor to annoy him even more. "I''ll be waiting for that," she said. "And if you wantpensation for your, uh, damage in hair or scalp, don''t hesitate to tell me, Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HONEY, please go ahead."


    Tilly was surprised when Kiho said that when she got in the carriage. No wonder her husband remained standing outside instead of following her inside. "Where are you going, Kiho?"


    "I just need to talk to Wong," Kiho said seriously. "I''ll make it quick."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion.


    She knew that Wong and Kelsi arrived with Wixx because she felt the two Keepers'' presence outside the temple. But when they got out, she didn''t see Wong. Not even Kelsi.


    Bute to think of it, even in the past, Kiho and Wong would always get into fights behind her back. She had no idea how the two could talk in secret. Were their minds linked to each other with the sole purpose of picking a fight?


    "I have an idea what this is all about but please hold back, Kiho," she said while shaking her head. "We need all our allies in good condition."


    Wixx, who sat across from her after he invited himself inside the carriage, scoffed. "I should be the one saying that to Wong, my dear Soleil," he said smugly. "Wong is the strongest Keeper that I ever created. I''m sure that he''s on the level of the Beast Gods."


    "I can tell," she deadpanned, then she turned to her brother with a cold look on his face. "Wong almost gouged out Winter''s eyes in the past." She had forgiven Wong for that, but she hadn''t forgotten a single thing about it. "I''m sure that''s something a Beast God is capable of doing to a child."


    Her brother''s smug smile disappeared. It seemed like he was shocked to hear that. But in the end, it was obvious that he recognized that it was his fault why Wong tried to hurt Winter.


    After all, Wong was created out of Wixx''s hatred for the ck Serpent.


    "You should also hold back from roasting your brother, Tilly," Kiho teased her. She knew that her husband did that to lighten her mood. And yes, it was effective. When she turned to him again, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "I will be back, honey."


    She nodded and kissed him on the jaw. "Take care, hon."


    Kiho nodded, then he walked backwards until he disappeared. The only thing that was left on the spot where he stood a while ago was some pieces of tiny ice daggers.


    He must be using his full Mana to go where he agreed to meet Wong.


    <em>Wherever that is.</em>


    "I can feel your hostility towards me," Wixx said in a hurt tone when the carriage left the temple. "I know why you''re angry at me, my dear Soleil."


    "Please call me by my current name," she said in a distant voice. "I''d like to think that I''m no longer the Soleil Rosenberg that you know."


    "If that''s the case, then you can''t im Julian as your son."


    "Excuse me?"


    "You didn''t give birth to Julian in this lifetime," he reminded her, using the same cold distant tone that he used on her a while ago. "If you want to use the logic that you aren''t Soleil, then don''t im things that belonged to her."


    "I didn''t say that I''m denying Soleil Rosenberg''s existence. I just don''t want you to think that I''m the same foolish sister that you had in the past," she snapped at her brother. "And most importantly, my son isn''t a thing so don''t talk about him as if he''s a possession." She knew that she shouldn''t easily jump to conclusions. But when she remembered what Julian told her about his past life, she couldn''t help but feel angry. "Brother Wixx, is true that you hunted down Julian''s family in the past?"


    To be honest, she wanted to talk about that once they were reunited with Julian. But she decided that she needed to listen to her brother''s "excuse" first to avoid hurting her son''s feelings. Plus, she wanted to know Wixx''s reason for hunting down Julian''s family back then.


    She really thought that it was the Moonchesters who hunted down the Nystroms. Well, the Moonchesters ended up finishing the Fire Mages'' n''s lead. And that was the thing that she couldn''t really believe.


    "I had to, Tilly," her brother said, calling her casually by her nickname. "Julian shouldn''t have existed in the past."


    "Brother!" she scolded him in a hurt tone. "I know that you hate my husband in the past and I understand why. But Julian didn''t wish to be born back then. It wasn''t his fault that he was stolen from me and my spirit guardian gave birth to him."


    He let out a deep sigh. "Do you think that''s the only reason why I had to hunt him down?"


    "Then, what else could be the reason, Brother?"


    Wixx fell silent for a while as if he was contemting whether to answer her question or not. In the end, he let out a deep sigh and ruffled his long, red hair in frustration before he spoke again. "Tilly, do you think the Holy Scepter has the form of a mere tool?"


    Tilly was confused at first as to why Wixx suddenly brought up the Holy Scepter in the middle of the conversation. Then, it clicked to her. She covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped. "No way"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I CAN''T believe this cave still exists."


    Kiho looked at Wong who stood by the entrance of his cave. And his cave was the one that he ''discovered'' in the deepest part of the Forest of Enryu. When he hadn''t retrieved his memories yet, he thought he only found the cave by ident.


    But now that he had most of his memories back, he realized that his feet brought him there out of familiarity.


    <em>Anyway...</em>


    As soon as he felt Wong''s presence a while ago, he sent him a message by releasing a bloodlust directed at the Keeper. That was how he picked up a fight with him in the past. He was d that Wong still remembered that.


    "Greetings, ck Serpent," Kelsi, the only female among the Keepers, greeted him cheerfully. She sat on top of a huge rock while eating an apple. "Lord Wixx asked me to follow Wong to make sure that you won''t kill each other. I hope you don''t mind my presence here. I promise I won''t interfere."


    "I don''t mind," Kiho said coldly. "I promised Tilly I''d make it quick anyway."


    The female Keeper seemed confused.


    He didnt have the time to exin anymore since he already disappeared on her.


    Wong seemed to be surprised when he suddenly appeared before him. The male Keeper tried to literally burn himself the same time that he used his sharp teeth to cut his finger. As soon as his dropped in the ground, the battle was over.


    "No" Wong said with a dazed look on his face. He looked like he was in pain. And in just a span of a few seconds, the male Keeper was already on his knees while holding his closed eyes. "Stop stop it!"


    When his blood dropped in the ground a while ago, it immediately created a transparent sphere surrounded by red lights. It was his technique called Blood Illusion. He could control his blood as recement for water.


    And his blood was the one causing the strong illusion that Wong was in.


    The illusion he created for the male Keeper was simple: he made him imagine how it feels like to have his eyes gouged out while he was alive. Yes, it was only an illusion. But it was his strong Mana that was making it feel so real at the moment.


    "That''s how it feels to have your eyes gouged out, Wong. You almost subjected my son to that kind of torture," Kiho said coldly while looking down at the male Keeper. Wong was still screaming in agony while scratching his eyes in irritation. "Don''t you dare try to hurt Winter again or else, I''ll seriously gouge your eyes out."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WINTER, thank you," Julian said to his brother while they were in front of a firece inside a house. It was in a vige that suddenly appeared out of nowhere because of the magic that Saint Forrester and the Golden Tiger created. The adults made them stay in the firece and gave them hot chocte before they left to talk to Aunt Luna and Roarke. "Thank you for introducing me to everyone as your brother."


    "It''s not something that you should thank me for, Brother Julian," Winter said, then he sipped his hot chocte. Unlike him, his brother wasn''t bothered by the cold. But he seemed to be very fond of hot chocte. "You''re a part of our family, aren''t you?"


    He just smiled at that.


    Of course, he already felt at home because his family was very weing of him. He felt loved by his mother, father, and brother. But for some reason, he couldn''t help but feel like they were all disappear one day.


    That he would drift apart from them.


    <em>No, I belong here</em>, Julian reminded himself. <em>My family is my home</em>.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 235: Secret of the North

    Chapter 235: Secret of the North


    "LORD JULIAN is the f*cking second child, isn''t he?"


    "Watch your mouth, Jameson," Luna scolded the Keeper. Thank goodness she, Jameson, and Roarke were alone in the tearoom. Saint Forrester and the Golden Tiger were using their Mana to hide the vige. Mikhail Denver was entertaining Winter and Julian in the next room. On the other hand, ke, the ck Serpent Knights, and the Red Phoenix Knights/Fire Mages of the tower were patrolling the area. Ah, Flint had already returned but for some reason, he was hiding from Julian. "Lord Julian is the real son of the Supreme and the ck Serpent."


    "I understand how you feel, Crawford," Roarke said. "I was hesitant to ept the second child, too. But I''ve seen how the Supreme and the ck Serpent love Lord Julian. If you show hostility towards the young lord, they will not like it."


    Jameson groaned inint. "Argh. I f*cking know that. But Sinir, you were barely a f*cking child back then so we''re different from you. After all, you didn''t participate when we f*cking hunted down Lord Julian and his f*cking n in the past."


    She blinked several times when she heard that.


    Well, she already knew that the Red Phoenix hunted down Julian and his n back then because Tilly told her. She was a little taken aback that the Keepers were able to hide it from the Supreme for the past five years. Bute to think of it, despite their extreme love for Tilly, they were still born from Wixx''s me.


    The Keepers also "inherited" the Red Phoenix''s over protectiveness. That was probably the reason why they were able to keep the secret about Julian for that long.


    "Why though?" Luna asked, making Roarke and Jameson turn to her. "Why did you hunt down Lord Julian and his n back then? Tilly didn''t ask because she thought your hatred for the second child came from the conflict between the Red Phoenix and the ck Serpent. Bute to think of it, I don''t think that alone would push Lord Wixx to hunt down his nephew."


    Roarke''s face lit up for some reason. "Lady Luna, as expected. You really know Lord Wixx so well."


    She blushed at that. "Shut up. Just answer my question."


    "Lord Wixx never f*cking specified to us why he f*cking hunted down the second child," Jameson said, then he snapped his fingers. "Although I can f*cking remember that he said something about destroying a f*cking weapon."


    She was about to ask what Jameson meant by that when she heard a knock on the door.


    Then, a few momentster, Lord Mikhail Denver entered the room with a mug of hot chocte in his hand. And a bright smile on his face, if she may add.


    "Sorry to interrupt your conversation," Lord Denver said, then he turned to her. "I brought hot chocte for you, Miss Luna."


    "Thank you, Lord Denver," she said, then she epted the mug. "What are the young lords doing?"


    "They''re ying with Damian and Whitton. The two young knights miss Duke Nystrom so much that they''re asking the young lords about how the duke is doing these days. Ah, Lady Solenn also joined the boys," he exined. "I just dropped by to give you a mug of hot chocte while it''s still, well, hot."


    "Where''s our f*cking hot chocte?" Jamesonined. "You know that we''re also here, Denver."


    Lord Denver just smiled at the Keeper. "You can get your own drink, Crawford. Why don''t you go to the kitchen and have some while it''s still hot?"


    "He''s kicking us out," Roarke said, then he turned to Jameson. "Well, it''s fine with me. We need to contact Wong anyway. I think Lord Wixx has already met the Supreme. Let''s contact them and inform the Supreme that we''ve met up as well."


    "Alright. I f*cking miss the Supreme anyway," Jameson said as the two Keepers started to leave the room. "Let''s f*cking go."


    And so, she was alone with Mikhail Denver now.


    "Do you have something to say to me, Lord Denver?" Luna asked, then she sat down on the sofa and asked the lord to join her in the lounging area.


    "Am I still a "lord?"" Mikhail Denver asked when he sat on the sofa from across her. "I left the Royal Capital with my best knights and the top Fire Mages of my tower. My family insisted to stay and face the consequence of our choice. May I know what happened to them?"


    "Aku Moonchester couldn''t punish them for being Fire Mages since he didn''t reveal about your real identity," she exined to him. "But he locked them up for your "sin." Leaving your position and "stealing" the Red Phoenix Knights were considered treason. Your family was locked up for being your aplice. While all your wealth and properties were seized by the royal family. Your tower is nothing more than a huge decoration now."


    He fell silent for a while before he spoke again. "I''m d that my family is still alive. I will help them get out soon."


    "That''s the n," she consoled him. "Tilly intends to free them as soon as she can."


    He smiled and nodded. "I know that I can trust the Supreme. My whole family does. That''s the reason why decided to stay. They wanted to let His Majesty know that there are still people waiting for the Supreme."


    She just smiled and sipped her hot chocte carefully.


    Tilly had a lot of loyal followers that would dly give up their life for her. The Supreme was really a sunshine loved by many people.


    "Miss Luna?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I''m thirty years old now. Do you still think I''m too young for a human?" he asked with a bright smile. "To be precise, do you still see me as a child?"


    She almost choked on her drink. Too bad she wasn''t dense not to know what those questions meant. God, she almost forgot about his "confession" a few years ago.


    "I just want you to know that my feelings didn''t waver for the past five years, Miss Luna," Mikhail Denver said with a smile. Even though he still looked as carefree as he did before, she could see the seriousness in his eyes. "To meet you again is one of the reasons why I was motivated to survive during the past years." He bowed respectfully to her. "Thank you for returning safely, Miss Luna."


    Luna, as old as she was, still blushed at Mikhail Denver''s sincere confession.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "OH, YOU''RE still alive."


    Wong woke up with a headache. It didn''t help that the first thing that he saw when he opened his eyes was Kelsi''s face. And the woman was smirking at her. Worse, he realized that he was knocked out because he was still lying on the ground. "Where''s the ck Serpent?" he asked as he got up. Then, he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That damned reptile"


    "You lost, fair and square," Kelsi, who was squatting beside him, said bluntly. "All the ck Serpent had to use was a drop of his blood."


    He didn''tment on that because what else could he say?


    Well, he had never won against the ck Serpent in the past. This hurt his pride to admit but he was aware that Kalel Nystrom had never fought him for real before because of the Supreme. And yet, he still didn''t manage to win even one fight.


    He also had to say that this time, the ck Serpent used a cruel technique on him.


    "The ck Serpent''s illusion has gotten stronger," Wong admitted in a low voice. "I really thought that he gouged my eyes out. It was terrifying."


    "And that was what you tried to do on Lord Winter before."


    The reminded hurt him but there was no way to deny it. "I am ashamed that I''ve tried to hurt Lord Winter that way before. I mean, I''ve regretted that thoughtless and calloused act long before. But this was the first time that I truly felt the heaviness of what I tried to do to a child," he said. "I deserved that punishment from the ck Serpent."


    "I never hated the ck Serpent, you know?" she said randomly. "I was the one created to be the Supreme''s emotional support. And even though the Red Phoenix wouldn''t admit it, I know that I was also created from the part of him that actually cared for the ck Serpent."


    "And your point is?"


    "You should stop hating the ck Serpent now, Wong," Kelsi said with a smile. "He''s different from Kalel Nystrom. I believe that this time, he will choose the Supreme over anyone or anything else in this world."


    Wong averted his gaze from Kelsi. "I don''t know about that, Kelsi."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SHOULD I beat him up?" Tilly asked while looking at Wixx who just slept on her after he dropped a "bomb." Yes, her annoying brother suddenly passed out a while ago. She got worried for a second but after she heard him snore, she realized that he was just sleeping. Although she knew that the Red Phoenix might have been exhausted from flying to get where she was, she still wanted to beat the daylights out of him. You should have told me about Julian and the Holy Scepter first, stupid brother."


    She was quite confused about what Wixx implied a while ago.


    Was the Holy Scepter inside Julian''s body?


    Or was Julian the Holy Scepter himself?


    But if it was thetter, how did it happen? Julian was conceived naturally. The only unusual thing about her son was the fact that he was stolen from her, then another woman gave birth to him. She couldn''te up with a conclusion as to how Julian could have been rted to the Holy Scepter.


    "Madam Nystrom, we have arrived at the estate."


    Her thoughts were cut-off when she heard the coachman''s voice. She gave up on waking up Wixx so she just opened the door. But she was surprised when Kiho greeted him.


    "Oh," she said, surprised. "You''re back."


    "I told you I''ll be quick," Kiho said, then he helped her get off the carriage by offering a hand to her. Then, he dismissed the coachman before he turned to her and asked: "Winchell fell asleep?"


    "In the middle of an important conversation," she said in frustration. Then, she closed the door of the carriage. "Let him sleep there. That''s his punishment for sleeping on me."


    Her husband chuckled. Then, he wiped the knot on her forehead with his finger. "Why is my honey upset?"


    "Hon, my brother said something rming about our Julian."


    He instantly turned visibly concerned. "What about our oldest?"


    "My brother implied that Julian is somehow rted to the Holy Scepter," she said seriously. "I don''t know if he meant the Holy Scepter is inside our son, or if Julian is the Holy Scepter himself."


    "Julian can''t be the Holy Scepter himself," he said with furrowed brows. "I asked Miss Luna, the Moon Priestess back then, to steal the Holy Scepter in the past. I had a glimpse of it then. It looked like an ordinary scepter. But since it was created by the gods, we can''t tell for sure if it was f*cked up or what."


    Sheughed because Kiho seldom used the f-word. But it sounded so hoting from his mouth. "Kiho, we also know that Luna had the Holy Scepter in the past. But she can''t remember where she hid it as if her memory of it was sealed. Do you have any idea where she might have hidden the Holy Scepter?"


    He shook his head. "I''m sorry, honey. I don''t know where Miss Luna hid the Holy Scepter."


    "It''s okay, hon," she assured him. "We can just ask my brother once he wakes up."


    Kiho nodded. "It''s time for our friends in the North to return," he said. "I''m also worried about our children."


    "I''ll give them a call," Tilly said. "As long as we have Keepers on both sides, they could easily create portal so that they coulde home faster." She clenched her fists tight. "I really can''t wait to see thezy saint again."


    <strong>***</strong>


    FORRESTER covered his mouth with his hands when he sneezed.


    On the other hand, the children (Winter, Julian, and Solenn) stepped away from him.


    "I''m not sick," Forrester said in a defensive tone. "I just couldn''t get used to the cold even after being stuck here in the North for five years."


    When he came back in their house after hiding the vige with the Golden Tiger, he went straight to where the children were resting. He asked Damian and Whitton to give them privacy because he wanted to talk to the kids without the ck Serpent Knights.


    Of course, he trusted Damian and Whitton. But there were things that the knights didn''t need to know.


    "Anyway, you''re Julian, aren''t you?" he asked the second child. Well, in this lifetime, he became the oldest child of the Nystroms. "I''m Asher Forrester, the former saint."


    He was pretty sure that he was already kicked out by the temple when he disappeared.


    "Greetings, Lord Forrester," Julian greeted him politely. "It''s an honor to meet you."


    "Finally, I met a polite kid," he said, then he gave Winter and Solenn a side-eye.


    Solenn beat him to a pulp during their first meeting.


    On the other hand, Winter called him zy saint" when he whispered to Julian a while ago.


    "I don''t know why but I feelfortable with you," he said to Julian. "Is it because you''re the only kid who has shown me respect so far?"


    Julian just smiled politely at him.


    But Forrester wasn''t just saying that out of nowhere. When Julian was a baby, his Mana was really hard to read even if they knew that he was a Fire Mage. But right now, he felt something warm and pure in him.


    It was something akin to a divine aura.


    "Hey, Lord Forrester," Winter called him, cutting-off his thoughts. God, even though the young lord called him ''lord,'' his tone was still a little rude. "Why are you hiding the vige? Is it necessary? I mean, I know that you should hide from the enemies that are hunting you down. But I find it excessive that you literally make the whole vige disappear."


    "Oh, you''ll be surprised," Solenn said with a smug smile. Well, the little brat princess asked the same question a few days ago. No wonder she looked proud that she knew the answer to Winter''s question. "I''m sure you''d be surprised, Winter."


    Winter just red at Solenn.


    "Please don''t fight," Julian said gently while literally mediating between Winter and Solenn. "Let''s hear the saint''s exnation quietly, shall we?"


    And the two brats listened to Julian.


    <em>He''s an angel.</em>


    "There''s a formidable enemy that has been hunting us down for the past five years," he started to exin. "He''s called the North King, and his army had already taken several lives from our side since we arrived here."


    Winter looked shocked by that. "But you are strong, Lord Forrester. And you have the Golden Tiger. Not to mention that the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix Knights are capable fighters. You also have Fire Mages by your side."


    "The North King''s strength is equivalent to a Beast God''s," he said seriously. "His army is far stronger than the ones we have built."


    "I don''t think it''s just strength alone, Lord Forrester, If it''s just about strength, I''m sure you''d be able to fight them equally," Julian said. Ah, his experience from his past life must have helped him notice the issue right away. "May we know what they have as a weapon that''s making it almost impossible for you to annihte them?"


    "They don''t die," Forrester said, revealing the secret of the North that they discovered a few years ago. "Our enemies are undead they are walking corpses that get revive by the North King no matter how many times we kill them." Winter and Julian looked shocked, by he wasn''t even done yet. "Apparently, the North King and the undead are descendants of Kalel" He looked straight in Julian''s eye. To be honest, he didn''t know if he should say this without the Supreme and the ck Serpent. But he figured that Julian was old enough inside to hear the truth first before his parents. "Julian, the North King ims that he is your grandson in the past."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 236: Sibling Fight

    Chapter 236: Sibling Fight


    "TILLY, do you hate me this much?" Wixxined while carefully moving his head from side to side. He had a stiff neck because he fell asleep in an awkward position inside the carriage for god knows how long. If Wong and Kelsi didn''t wake him up, he would have stayed there overnight. "How can you leave your poor brother in that small carriage? Ah, I''m hurt. Your Mana is warm but your heart is cold."


    Tilly just looked at him with a nk on her face, then she sipped her tea. "Brother, until you tell me everything that you know about Julian, I will be this cold to you."


    He let out a deep sigh.


    Right now, they were in the tearoom.


    Actually, he just invited himself there. It looked like his precious little sister was indeed angry at him. In the past, she never treated him like this even though she was mad. Ah, she had really changed a lot in this lifetime.


    <em>At least she let me have some tea.</em>


    He had a "human form" but his physical body was just like a vessel of his spirit. In short, he didn''t need to eat, drink, or sleep to survive. He could do that for fun though.


    "I will tell you everything I know about Julian once your child returns," he said. "He''ll return with Luna, won''t he? I heard from Wong that you sent Roarke with his mother to fetch your children in the North."


    She stifled aughter. Ah, finally. It seemed like that his precious sister''s cold heart melted a little. "Did you really create Roarke as your son with Luna?"


    He nodded. "Roarke is the proof of my love for Luna" He cleared his throat when he suddenly felt embarrassed about the topic. It wasn''t that he was ashamed to talk about his feelings for Luna. He just felt awkward to share it with his precious sister. "Anyway, I need to unseal Luna''s memories about the Holy Scepter. You''d understand it easier if you look at her memories since I don''t know much about it, too."


    "You sealed her memories about the Holy Scepted?" she asked in surprise. "No wonder Luna can''t remember it despite Sris''s assistance."


    "I needed to," he said. "Aku Moonchester was also interested in the Holy Scepter back then."


    "This is all Saint Forrester''s fault," she said in an obviously annoyed tone. Then, she put her teacup down on the table. "Brother, I''m sorry but before I ept you here in our home, I want to ask you something first."


    He just raised a brow at her. Well, he already had an idea about his sister''s question. And he had a strong feeling that this conversation wouldn''t end well.


    "Brother, were you the one who killed Julian in the past?"


    "No."


    "Did you kill his family members?"


    "Yes."


    As expected, Tilly''s Mana rose up. She was angry. Her Mana said so.


    He didn''t want to admit this but he got a little intimidated by his precious sister''s outburst of power. But at the same time, he was impressed at how she managed to turn the room''s temperature that hot in just a span of a few seconds.


    She''s not called the Supreme Fire Mage for nothing.


    No wonder Kiho arrived at the room right away. He sat on the armrest of the sofa and wrapped his arms around Tilly''s shoulders. "Honey, calm down," he said, then he kissed the top of her head. "We''re going to talk to the kidster. Remember?"


    "I know, hon. But I need to release the pent-up anger in my chest or else, I''llbust," Tilly said in a cold manner, her purple eyes now glowing with rage. "Brother, let''s take this outside."


    Wixx let out a deep sigh. "Alright."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE NORTH King is my grandson in the past?" Julian asked in disbelief. "But he''s still alive" He trailed-off when he realized something. "Oh. If he''s leading an undead army, does it mean he also cheated death?"


    "Yes. I''m d that you inherited Lady Nystrom''s wit," Lord Forrester, the former saint, said in amusement. "I don''t know what kind of spell or curse did he use but he looks like he''s only in his thirties. Unlike his undead army, he looks warm and alive." He snapped his fingers as if he remembered something important. "Ah, his name is"


    "Ga," he cut-off the former saint, then he smiled apologetically at him for being rude. "I''m sorry for cutting you off, Lord Forrester. I just got a little nostalgic because in the past, I was the one who gave him that name."


    The saint nodded thoughtfully. "You are right, Lord Julian. The North King calls himself Ga Nystrom. Although he is your grandson, his dominant Mana is different from yours. Just like Lord Winter, his ice Mana is more powerful than his me."


    "I see," he said while nodding.


    To be honest, he felt torn.


    Since he was directly reincarnated in that lifetime after he died from the previous one he had, he was still attached to his past. But as the oldest son of the Supreme and the ck Serpent, he knew that he had the responsibility to protect their family. Like what his parents taught him, their family wasn''t only the four of them.


    Their family included their allies and friends.


    "In the past, I died when Ga was only a few days old," Julian said, his toneced with nostalgia. "I don''t know how he ended up that way. If only I could stop him"


    "Brother Julian, don''t feel guilty," Winter told him seriously. "It wasn''t your fault that your grandson ended up like that."


    "Oho," Solenn said in an amused tone. "Winter, acting mature doesn''t suit you."


    "Shut up, little brat princess."


    He smiled at the two children''s friendly banter. "Please don''t fight," he said even though he was aware that Winter and Solenn weren''t fighting seriously. When the two children behaved, he faced the former saint again. "Lord Forrester, our parents sent us here because they want us to personally fetch our grandfather''s remains. Have you found Lord Prescott''s body?"


    "We did," Lord Forrester said. "Do you mind if I"


    The former saint was interrupted when all of a sudden, they heard a loud thud.


    When they turned to the door, they saw Lord Denver on the floor while whining in pain. But he wasn''t alone.


    "Brother Flint!" Julian said excitedly when he saw his brother. Then, he stood up and ran towards him. "I''ve been looking for you since we arrived here."


    Although his soul was older than Flint, he still considered him as his "older brother" because he took good care of him when he was still a defenseless baby.


    His thoughts were cut-off when Flint suddenly stood up and ran away.


    He was left confused and speechless.


    "Chase him, Lord Julian," Lord Denver said when he stood up. "Flint is embarrassed to face you because he thinks he doesn''t deserve you now that you''re a full-fledged noble."


    "Foolish brother," Julian said with a frown, then he bowed at the former captain. "Thank you for the advice, Lord Denver." When Lord Denver just smiled at him, he turned around to face Saint Forrester, Solenn, and Winter again. Then, he bowed to them. "Please excuse me for a while, everyone."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY hated that she couldn''t hit Wixx with her me.


    Her brother was too fast and too agile for her. She realized right then and right there that her ck ming wings were just a poor imitation of his red ming wings.


    Well, he wouldn''t be the Red Phoenix for nothing.


    "I''d love to let you hit me but the me you''re using now is highly dangerous," Wixx, who was floating in front of her, said while looking down at her. "Sentinel is resting inside me so I can''t let my body get damaged."


    She just red at him.


    Ah, right now, they were fighting in the man-made forest behind their estate. Kiho was patrolling the area to make sure that no one would see her and Wixx flying around. And of course, her husband was there to "control damage."


    ying with fire was very dangerous especially since they were surrounded by trees. If they identally burned up the forest, it would attract attention from the servants.


    "The fact that you''re avoiding me is proof that you really don''t regret hunting down Julian''s family in the past," Tilly snarled at her brother. "I know that you have a reason for doing so. But it breaks my heart every time I remember how scared my baby was during that time. He was neglected by his father, and his uncle wanted him dead. No wonder it was hard for him to believe that I am his real mother."


    Her brother''s expression turned hard. "You shouldn''t have conceived that child, Tilly."


    Anger rose up in her chest once again. "Brother!"


    The red me in Wixx''s wings grew bigger.


    Whether she would like to admit it or not, she was a bit frozen on her spot. Looking at the very serious expression of her brother was a little scary.


    "Come at me, my precious little sister," Wixx challenged her. "Attack me with all you''ve got."


    "You don''t have to remind me of that, Brother. I intend to get serious from the start," Tilly said, then she opened her right hand and summoned her ming iron crab mallet. This time, the me of her weapon was ck instead of red. "I will knock some sense into your head, Brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN found Flint in the ''Frozen Woods.''


    It was where the young knights Damian and Whitton pointed at. ording to them, Flint would go there every time he wanted to be alone.


    The ''Frozen Woods'' wasn''t like an ordinary woods. But just like its name, it was covered with snow. And the leaves were made of beautiful thin ice. If his father was there, he would love that ce. Winter, too.


    <em>I''ll bring Winter hereter.</em>


    "Brother Flint," Julian called out to his brother while going deeper in the woods. "Please let me talk to you. I''ve missed you."


    He was answered by silence.


    But for some reason, he suddenly felt uneasy. And thus, he stopped walking and listened carefully to his surroundings.


    He was ufortable with the ice because his main attribute was fire. But he had a feeling that it wasn''t the only reason why he was having goosebumps right now. Eventually, he realized that the warm barrier around the vige had disappeared.


    <em>No,</em> he thought to himself. <em>The barrier has been broken?!</em>


    As if on cue, he suddenly heard Flint''s loud scream.


    "Brother!" he yelled as he ran towards the direction where he heard his brother''s agonizing voice. Please be safe, Brother Flint.


    He was d when he found his brother right away.


    But he wasn''t happy to see Flint on the ground while a huge man wearing a ck cloak was straddling him. The assant was stabbing his brother in the chest with an ice dagger with a wooden hilt.


    Flint was trying to burn the enemy but for some reason, his me kept on getting extinguished.


    "Get away from my brother!" Julian screamed, then he kicked the assant''s head.


    He was a little shock when the head of the enemy was sent flying while his body remained attacking Flint. Yes, the enemy was decapitated but his body was still alive.


    "Julian, it''s no use," Flint said in a voice filled with pain. "They don''t die easily"


    He heard his brother but he was already distracted while looking at the head of the enemy that he just decapitated with a kick.


    That old man looked familiar.


    And it was because he had seen it many times at his parents'' mansion.


    "No" Julian said in a cracked voice, his gaze still fixed on the head of the enemy who was trying to kill his brother. And yet, he couldn''t move. "What did they do to you, Lord Prescott?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 237: Attack of the Undead Army

    Chapter 237: Attack of the Undead Army


    TILLY knew that she wouldn''t be able to hit Wixx if she didn''t seriously hit him.


    So, she summoned her ming iron crab mallet and gathered all the me that she could inside her tiny but powerful weapon.


    "What kind of weapon is that, my precious sister?" Wixx, who was still floating above her, asked with a scowl. "Where are your original weapons?"


    "I only need this little baby to deal with you, Brother," Tilly said confidently. When she felt that the iron crab mallet had enough me in it, she threw it at her brother''s direction without a warning. "I apologize in advance if I hurt you."


    Her brother just smirked. It was obvious that he underestimated her iron crab mallet. Instead of avoiding it, he caught it in his hand.


    <em>`Got you, Brother.</em>


    Wixx''s just smirked when the iron crab mallet released the ck me that she put in it a while ago. Of course, her ck me didn''t hurt him. But that was just a distraction.


    The smug look on his face vanished when he realized that after the iron crab mallet released its me, it was now forcefully sucking his red me. Her brother tried to drop the tiny weapon but of course, it wasn''t that easy. It had attached itself to his hand and it wouldn''t detach itself until it absorbed enough me.


    And it didn''t end her.


    She smiled in satisfaction when Wixx was literally pulled down by the weight of the iron crab mallet. Yes, her tiny weapons bes as heavy as the me it absorbed. And since the Red Phoenix''s me was "pure" and powerful, it was no wonder that he instantly dropped to the ground with a loud bang.


    <em>It''s over, Brother.</em>


    She jumped off the roof and then straddled her brother. Then, without blinking, she gave Wixx a solid punch in the face. Even though his physical body wasn''t a real human body, it still functioned as one. In short, she managed to break Wixx''s nose.


    Of course, she didn''t use her me. It was never her intention to kill him after all. A punch was enough to show him that she was serious about protecting her oldest son.


    <em>Julian, your uncle won''t hurt you anymore.</em>


    "You better give me and Julian a proper exnationter, Brother," Tilly warned her brother seriously. "And apologize to my son."


    Wixx looked shocked at first, and then, he chuckled. "You''ve grown up, my precious little sister."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN forced himself to move.


    Then, he turned around and kicked the body that was still busy stabbing his brother Flint. The body was sent flying to where the head that he kicked a while ago was.


    <em>I''m so sorry, Grandfather.</em>


    "Brother, are you okay?" Julian asked as he helped Flint get up. He checked his wounds right away and was relieved when he saw that they weren''t that deep. It seemed like his vital organs weren''t hit. "I''m d that your wounds are only shallow."


    "I made my body burn so that the ice dagger would melt," Flint exined. "Luckily, the tip of the de melted a little so it didn''t give me serious injuries."


    "Why didn''t you fight back, Brother?" he asked curiously. "Is it because you recognized the assant too?"


    Pain crossed his brother''s eyes as he nodded. "Yes," he said. "The day that we found Lord Denver''s remains and didn''t find Lord Prescott''s, we had an encounter with the undead army. After we were able to escape from them, Lord Forrester had a hunch and thought that the reason why we couldn''t find Lord Prescott body might be because he was turned into an undead by the North King." He turned to the direction of the now-undead Lord Prescott. "Lord Forrester wants to share his hunch with Big Sister Tillyter. But his "hunch" turned out to be a fact."


    With a heavy heart, he turned to his grandfather''s direction.


    Since he already knew that he was turned into an undead, it didn''t surprise him to see Lord Prescott re-attached his head to his neck as if it was the most natural thing in the world. His grandfather didn''t have any sort of emotion on his face. Even his eyes were as empty as a shell.


    <em>Mother, I don''t think we can bring Grandfather back to you in this state</em>


    Lord Prescott''s skin was a little bluish now, a clear sign that he was no longer a living human. He had cuts all over his body but instead of skin, thin pieces of ice had been shaved off from them.


    It seemed like the bodies of the undead were preserved with ice.


    To simply put, his grandfather was nothing more than a moving ice statue now.


    He clenched his fists tight. Just the thought of his mother finding out that Lord Prescott had turned into an enemy already broke his heart. He knew that his mother would get angry and devastated if she knew how the North King disrespected Lord Prescott''s body.


    <em>I can''t forgive you for this, Ga Nystrom</em>, he thought to himself.<em> Even if you are my grandson, disrespecting a dead person like this is unforgivable.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when Lord Prescott suddenly moved to attack him.


    "Brother!"


    Julian was surprised when Winter came out of nowhere. His brother saw that an enemy was about to attack him and so, he did what Julian would also do in that situation: fight the assant. "Winter"


    Winter froze Lord Prescott with his ice Manaing out of his open hands. But when his brother probably recognized his grandfather''s face, he suddenly closed his fists and took a step backwards. "No that face" he said in disbelief, then he dropped his arms to his sides as if strength suddenly left his body. The ice that Winter used froze Lord Prescott from his waist down. Thanks to that, their grandfather couldn''t move now. "Brother Julian, please tell me that it''s not our grandpa."


    "I wish you were right, Winter," Julian said in a voice filled with sadness. "That is Lord Prescott, our grandfather. They didn''t find his body because as we can see, the North King has turned him into an undead soldier."


    Winter''s Mana rose up, an indication that he was angry.


    "Lord Winter, Lord Julian!"


    He and his brother both turned to Jameson and Roarke who stood a few meters away from them. The two Keepers were creating a ming portal that would probably lead them back to the Royal Capital.


    On the other hand, Miss Luna appeared beside Flint and checked on his wounds right away.


    He could hear people fighting near them. And he could also feel the warmth of the Fire Mages. Solenn''s Mana, for one, felt very different from the others. He could tell just from that feeling that the little princess was one of the leading people leading the fight.


    Also, the ground shaking at that moment indicated that the Golden Tiger was also fighting.


    <em>We''re under attack by the undead army.</em>


    "Lord Winter, Lord Julian, we can''t make a huge portal at the moment so we can''t send everyone back to the Royal Capital," Roarke said in an urgent tone. "Please leave first. We''ll deal with the North King here."


    "Roarke is right," Miss Luna said, then she gently pushed Flint to their direction. "Bring Flint as well. The children should leave first."


    "How about Solenn?" Winter asked worriedly. "She''s also a child."


    "Lady Solenn insisted to stay," Miss Luna said. "We need her me to create arge portal to send everyone back to the Royal Capitalter. Roarke and Jameson''s me won''t be enough since their Mana are currently sealed."


    "We don''t f*cking have time for chitchat!" Jameson yelled. "Young lords, please f*cking use the portal now! We''ll f*cking follow youter!"


    "But Grandfather" Julian said while Winter was nodding beside him. "We promised mother that we will bring grandfather back home"


    "Please tell the Supreme about Lord Prescott''s case," Roarke said seriously. If he didn''t get surprise by Lord Prescott''s state, that only meant that Lord Forrester already told them what they thought happened to their grandfather. "And young lords, please do everything that you can to stop your mother from losing herself."


    He was still contemting whether to leave or not when all of a sudden, Winter grabbed his and Julian''s wrist. When he turned to his brother, he saw the pain on his face. But the determination in his eyes was very evident.


    "It''s their job to protect us," Winter said seriously. "We should go back to Mom and Dad and safely so that they can fulfill their duty."


    Flint beamed. "You''ve matured, Winter."


    Julian smiled and nodded, Winter''s maturity made him proud as a brother. "Let''s go home, brothers."


    Without wasting any minute to not waste the Keepers'' me, the three of them ran towards the portal. But all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a strange ball of energy entered the portal with them.


    Julian''s brows furrowed in confusion. "What is that?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was excited while waiting for Winter and Julian''s return.


    Right now, she was in the rooftop of their mansion with Wong, Kelsi, and Kiho. They were waiting for the return of Winter and Julian. Wixx, on the other hand, was sleeping in his room because he was exhausted from their fight a while ago.


    "Ah, they''re here," Kiho said in an excited voice when the portal grewrger. "I can feel their presence..."


    Her husband trailed-off.


    And she knew why. Even her was rmed when she felt a strange presenceing from the portal. She was relieved when she Winter, Julian, and Flint (she was surprised that Flint was already this big, but his face remained almost the same) came out of the portal.


    But her relief was instantly turned into anger when she realized that an enemy managed to sneak in and use the portal with her children.


    "Greetings, my dear ancestors," the ball of what seemed like a blue me said. "I am Ga Nystrom, the grandson of Julian Nystrom.


    Tilly raised a brow at that. "You''re our great grandson?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 238: King Garnet Nystrom of the North

    Chapter 238: King Ga Nystrom of the North


    AKU was surprised to be met with silence when he entered Kyro''s shrine.


    Yumi''s agonizing screams have finally ended.


    And that was definitely because of the unconscious Ste on the floor. Kyro''s physical body was nowhere to be seen in the shrine. But he could feel his divine presence in the coffin.


    He must be resting now after using his power to put Yumi''s spirit inside Ste.


    "Lord Kyro, should Ie back at another time?" Aku asked. "I''ll leave and bring Ste to her room if you''re already done with your job."


    "Just leave the woman here," Kyro said in amanding voice. "Yumi is still unconscious since her spirit hasn''t resonated with her new host''s body yet. I''m certain that my poor wife will be angry once she realized that I forcibly cut off her connection to our soon. I have to be near her to calm her down."


    "Ah, I see," he said. "Do you think Ste''s body can contain Yumi''s spirit?"


    "The body of a witch from the Colorless Coven is strong," the Moon God said. "Also, I found a gem inside her heart that has Nia Moonchester''s Mana in it."


    "Nia''s Mana?"


    "It seems like the reason why that witch is capable of conceiving a child with you," Kyro said. "Needless to say, your beloved princess is definitely involved with the White Tower. That''s why I warned you before to never trust the Rosalia. The Royal Archmage hates men with power. I wouldn''t be surprised if that''s her only reason for choosing Nia Moonchester over you."


    He clenched his fists tight.


    To be honest, he had already expected that Nia was somehow involved with the White Tower. But it didn''t hurt any less to know that she went this far just to avoid giving him an heir.


    "Can you ask Yumi to destroy the witch''s reproductive organs while she''s inside her body?" he asked the Moon God. "I want Nia''s hard work to go to waste."


    The Moon Godughed softly. "That won''t be hard," he assured him, then he changed the topic. "Have you talked to the North King?"


    "I did," Aku said, and the conversation that he had with Ga Nystrom lifted his mood a little. "Ga will proceed with our n to make sure that the Red Phoenix wouldn''t be able to apany the Supreme to thend that drinks blood."


    "I''m worried about that n," Kyro said bluntly. "The Supreme is no longer the soft-hearted Soleil Rosenberg that we know, Aku."


    ***


    TILLY was relieved when Kiho moved fast to take Winter, Julian, and Flint away from their "great grandson." Before she could even blink, her husband and the children were already beside her. Winter and Julian both wrapped their arms around her waist, while Flint stood beside Kiho.


    On the other hand, Wong and Kelsi stood protectively in front of her after they closed the portal that they opened a while ago.


    "I am your great grandson," the spirit in the form of a ball of blue me said. "My grandfather Julian can confirm that. Am I right, Grandfather?"


    Tilly turned to her oldest son. "Can you confirm his identity, Julian?"


    Julian looked up at her and shook his head. "I named my grandson ''Ga'' in my past life, Mother. But I died a few days after he was born. I don''t know how he looks like when he grew up. And most of all, I''ve already learned a great lesson from you, Mother. Now I know that I shouldn''t trust what the enemies say at face value."


    She smiled proudly at him. "That''s my boy."


    His oldest son smiled back at her shyly.


    "Mother, even if he''s Brother Julian''s grandson, we shouldn''t trust him," Winter said in a cracked voice. "He''s a bad person."


    She looked at Winter worriedly. "What did he do to you, son?"


    Their youngest son bit his lower lip.


    "Winter?" Kiho, who was now kneeling in front of Winter, put his hands on their child''s shoulders. "What happened in the North?"


    "I can''t exin it with words, Dad," Winter said while shaking his head. "Can you use your Water Memory on me instead?"


    "I agree with Winter, Father," Julian said. "You can also use that technique on me."


    She felt that their children hugged her tightly as if they were scared. With just that, she could already tell that something bad happened in the North. And so, she turned to her husband who was looking at her as if he was asking for her permission. "Do it, Kiho," she said with a nod.


    Kiho nodded, then he offered his hands to their children. "Boys, I will use my Water Memory technique on both of you at the same time. Do I have your permission to show your memories to everyone here?"


    "Sure, Dad."


    "Yes, Father."


    Then, Winter grabbed Kiho''s right hand while Julian held his father''s left hand.


    "I can just tell you what happened," Ga offered. "Do we really have to do this?"


    "Shut up if you don''t want me to make you disappear," she warned her "descendant" coldly. "I will never trust a word from an enemy like you, even if you im that you''re a Nystrom."


    Fortunately, he kept his mouth shut.


    She tore her gaze away from the enemy because she knew that he couldn''t attack them anyway. Plus, Wong and Kelsi were there to keep their eyes on him. And so, she turned to Kiho who had his eyes closed at the moment.


    A few secondster, a water sphere floated about her husband''s head. And then, it was split into two. After that, the memories of his sons started to y inside each sphere. The sphere on the right showed Winter''s memories, while Julian''s memories yed on the left sphere.


    Tilly''s anger rose up when she realized what her children saw that made them scared scared of her reaction and not of the enemies.


    Her bloodlust took the form of "heat wave." It was the kind of technique that was natural to her. She could make any enclosed space feel like a giant oven. But even though they were in an open space right now, her heat wave didn''t weaken.


    It was still hot enough to vaporize Kiho''s water spheres.


    "How dare you?" Tilly asked in a low, angry tone. She knew even without seeing her reflection that her purple eyes were now glowing menacingly. "How dare you turn my father into an undead puppet? And you even made my father attack his grandchildren!"


    There was also one person who was angry as her.


    When Kiho stood up and faced their "descendant," he didn''t utter a word. He just raised his hand and when he closed his fingers, the ball of blue me had already turned into an ice sphere. "I can and I will break you into pieces so you better not do anything funny," he warned coldly. "Are you the one who killed Father a few years ago?"


    "It was my son," Ga admitted. "I take full responsibility for my son''s actions. And that''s why I kept Lord Maverick Prescott alive when I found out that he was the Supreme''s father in this lifetime."


    "Kept him alive?" she snarled angrily. "You disrespected my father''s dead body when you turned him into a ything!"


    "Calm down, Supreme," the North King said. "I came here to negotiate with you. In exchange of Lord Prescott''s body, I would like you to surrender Lord Wixx, the Red Phoenix, to the people of the North."


    "And why would we do that?"


    "Lord Wixx is responsible to the death of our n," Ga Nystrom snarled at her. "I understand if my grandfather Julian Nystrom can''t prove my identity. But I''m certain that he can''t and won''t deny that the Red Phoenix hunted us down in the past. It continued even after you were dead, Grandfather Julian."


    "It''s true that Lord Wixx hunted us down in the past," Julian said in a calm but clear voice. "But Ga Nystrom, does it give you the right to kill other people?"


    The King was rendered speechless.


    "You killed my grandfather, Lord Denver, and their people," Julian continued and this time, his voice started to crack. He was obviously mad, but he was trying to hold it back. Ah, it would take so much maturity to keep one''s poise despite the anger building up in their chest. "They weren''t the one who hunted down our n. But you still killed them. Does that make you any different from the Red Phoenix?"


    Tilly''s anger was washed over by Julian''s finesse.


    It was amazing to see how calm he handled the situation. To be honest, she felt ashamed of how she almost lost herself to anger a while ago. She should take notes from her oldest.


    "And one more thing," Julian continued, still calm andposed. "During the past five years that I stayed with Father while his memories were still sealed, I heard from Lady Lucina Morganna that His Mjaesty has travelled to the North quite a few times. So tell me, my dear grandson" His Mana started to turn into bloodlust. "Are you working for Aku Moonchester now?"


    "Answer my son," Kiho snarled at Ga when he didn''t answer right away. "Are you working for Aku Moonchester? Is he the one who asked you to kill Lord Prescott and Lord Denver a few years ago?"


    "I did it for the glory of the Nystrom n!" Ga insisted in an angry tone. "Supreme, ck Serpent, you are the founder of the Nystroms. We are a part of your n!" The ice that Kiho entrapped the ball of blue me started to melt. "Are you going to kill off your own descendants?"


    "Yes," Tilly said without missing a beat. "We brought you into this world, so we can also eradicate every single one of you here." She summoned a ball of ck me in her hand. "Ga Nystrom, King of the North, this is war between us now."


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 239: Cold War (1)

    Chapter 239: Cold War (1)


    TILLY was about to tell of the North King when all of a sudden, Wixx appeared behind the ball of blue me.


    Then, without hesitation, her brother grabbed the ball and squeezed it as if it was a stress ball.


    "You look tasty," Wixx said bluntly, then he licked his lower lip as if he was starving. "I wonder how a ball of me and ice would taste like."


    <em>Oh, god.</em>


    Her children obviously shuddered at what their uncle said.


    "M-Mom, does Uncle eat mes and spirits?" Winter asked in a shocked tone. "That sounds gross."


    Julian just nodded in agreement.


    On the other hand, Kiho stifled hisughter as if he found Wixx amusing.


    She wasn''t amused though.


    "Brother, what do you think you''re doing?" Tilly snarled at her brother. "This isn''t the right time for games."


    "I''m not ying around," Wixx said coldly without even turning to her. "This isn''t a spirit. This is just a mere lump of Mana with amunication device inside. Once the caller on the other end of the line hang up on you, this will self-destruct. Judging by the amount of Mana infused in this device, I''m pretty sure that this is strong enough to blow up your mansion. Obviously, we''ll survive from a petty attack like this. But I don''t think we''d have the time to save your servants."


    She was shocked to hear that.


    Even Kiho went rigid and like her, he definitely didn''t feel what Wixx had felt inside the ball of blue me.


    "As expected of the Red Phoenix," Ga Nystrom, who fell silent as soon as Wixx appeared, finally broke his silence. "How did you know what is inside this ball? I thought I hid themunication device that also serves as a bomb well."


    "I''m very sensitive," the Red Phoenix said. "I''m very sensitive when ites to my precious little sister. So no matter how well you hide your ill-intention towards her, I will feel it. No one is allowed to have malice towards her, you hear me?"


    Her face turned red from embarrassment. "Brother, stop it."


    "Brother Julian, Brother Flint, Dad is ring at Uncle Wixx," Winter "whispered" to Julian. "He''s probably seething with jealousy."


    Julian nodded in agreement. "Yes."


    Flint, on the other hand, scoffed. "Brother Rival hasn''t changed at all."


    She just let out a frustrated sigh while shaking her head.


    "I didn''t intend to hurt the Supreme," the North King denied. "I know that she''d survive my puny attack. It was supposed to be a greeting for you, Lord Winchell. Had my n seeded, I would have turned the victims into my ice puppets and give them to you as a gift."


    The Red Phoenix smirked. "Let me guess. You were supposed to im that you attacked the mansion to spite me."


    "You''re a murderer!"


    "And so are you," her brother snapped back. "Now, stop making me talk to a stupid lump of me."


    Then, without warning, Wixx swallowed and gulped the ball of blue me without warning.


    Wong and Kelsi could only shake their heads.


    <em>Crazy</em>, Tilly thought to herself. <em>My brother is crazy.</em>


    She was distracted when she heard a loud bang inside Wixx''s stomach. Of course, she got worried. But when she saw that her brother didn''t even blink, she realized that the explosion didn''t hurt him in any way.


    <em>Well, he''s not using a real human body</em>


    The Red Phoenix went rigid for a while, and then, he burped a little too loudly. "It tastes nd," he said, then he turned to her. "Let''s go, Tilly."


    Tilly''s brows furrowed in confusion. "Where?"


    "To the North," Wixx said bluntly. "You dered a war to the North King, didn''t you?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA ran as fast as she could despite the difficulty in doing so because of the snow-covered ground just to chase after Lord Prescott.


    She had to. After all, she promised Tilly that she would bring back Lord Prescott''s body to her. Even though the former duke had already turned into an "ice puppet," she knew that it was still her duty to bring him home to his daughter.


    <em>Tilly, I know that you''ll be hurt to see your father in this state. But I also know that you''d rather let him rest in peace than to see him continue suffer as an ice puppet.</em>


    "Is that a new face I see?"


    She was surprised when all of a sudden, she found herself unable to move. When she looked down at her legs, she saw several "snowballs" attached to them. Of course, they couldn''t be ordinary snowballs because they suddenly felt heavy.


    Heavy enough to literally pull her down until the snow-covered ground literally swallowed her up to her hips. She tried to get up but she couldn''t move.


    "I have been chasing the intruders of ournd for the past five years," said the stranger who squatted in front of him. "But this is the first time that I saw a witch in their group."


    She raised her head and got a little surprise at the face that greeted her.


    Silver hair tied in a man bun, red eyes glowing menacingly, and skin as pale as the snow.


    <em>A Moonchester ah, no. Kalel had those traits too so they must be Duke Nystrom''s descendant.</em>


    "Pink eyes!" the stranger said in delight. "Wow. This is the first time I saw pink eyes," he said with a smirk, then he pinched her chin. "I like them. Can I have your eyes?"


    She raised her hand and pped the rude guy on the face.


    But of course, she didn''t use bare strength. She infused a spell to her hand to make it twenty times stronger than an average Mana user. But despite that, the rude Nystrom didn''t receive any damage beside a lip cut.


    <em>Dammit!</em>


    She tried to summon more of her powers but nothing came out. And that was when she realized why the snowballs that were attached to her legs a while ago suddenly got heavy.


    <em>They absorbed my powers!</em>


    "Bitch," the stranger said while wiping off the blood from the corner of his mouth with his hand. Then, without blinking, he pped her hard on the face. "How dare you hit the Prince of the North, huh?"


    "Prince?" she asked, then she smirked despite the blood in her mouth. "I thought you were a barbarian."


    He tried to p her again but this time, his hand didn''t even touch her face. Instead, he hit the barrier the she created around her body.


    She wouldn''t be an expert in defense if she couldn''t protect herself in that situation. Although her powers were suddenly drained, she had enough stored energy to protect herself in case of an emergency like that.


    "I like you," the "prince" said with a smile. "What''s your name?"


    She just spit on him and thankfully, it reached his knee.


    He looked shocked by what she did, but he justughed it off since he couldn''t hurt her this time. "I''m Thaddeus Nystrom, the only son of King Ga Nystrom." He opened his palm and instead of ice, he summoned a ball of blue me this time. "I''m taking you to our castle as one of our spoils of war."


    She smirked at his arrogance. "The "war" that you''re talking about hasn''t even started. I''ll be taking your headter as a gift to the Supreme Fire Mage."


    He paused, and then heughed maniacally.


    This time, heughed long enough for her to realize that hisugh sounded familiar. How could she forget it? It was the sameugh that almost drove Tilly crazy five years ago!


    <em>He was the one who killed Lord Prescott!</em>


    "You''re talking about my great grandmother, aren''t you?" Thaddeus Nystrom asked. "I''d love to meet her. After all, I owe her an apology after I killed her poor father."


    That confirmed her hunch.


    "How dare you," she snarled at him. "How dare you kill Lord Prescott when you know that he was the Supreme''s father!"


    He shrugged casually. "I was just following orders," he reasoned. "But my father and I felt bad about it. And to make it up to the Supreme Fire Mage, we decided to turn Lord Maverick Prescott into an ice puppet. Shouldn''t she be grateful to us for our generosity?"


    She screamed in anger while summoning all the remaining strength in her body. I''ll kill this little bitch!


    Thaddeus, on the other hand, just smirked and raised his hand as if he was about to throw the ball of blue me towards her direction. Obviously, he intended to break the barrier that she created. But all of a sudden, his whole right arm was engulfed in a red me.


    In just a span of a few seconds, his whole arm were burnt into ashes.


    It all happened before the arrogant prince could even blink.


    No wonder he screamed in shock when he realized what had happened to his arm. And probably, from agony.


    "My arm, my arm!" Thaddeus cried like a child. "Father, heal my arm"


    The prince stopped whining when all of a sudden, he received a kick in the face that sent him flying until he hit a tree with ice leaves.


    She couldn''t care less about Thaddeus.


    After all, her gaze was fixed on the tall red-headed man with ming red wings standing in front of her right now.


    The loud and erratic beat of her heart was enough for her to confirm who it was.


    "Puny human puppet," Wixx whispered to himself in an annoyed tone, then he turned to her. The anger on his face was suddenly reced with worry. "Are you okay, Luna?"


    "No," Luna said honestly. "I didn''t want you to see me in this pathetic state, Lord Wixx."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLYnded on the snow-coverednd when she finally locked her gaze on the person that she was looking for as soon as she arrived at the North. She and Wixx arrived first because they used their wings to teleport. It was faster than using the portal.


    Her heart broke as soon as she saw Lord Prescott, her father.


    It was obvious that her father was nothing more than an ice puppet now. As he walked towards her while limping, there wasn''t even an ounce of emotion on his rigid face. She could also tell that he couldn''t recognize her.


    "Father" Tilly whispered to herself while walking towards her lifeless father. "Father, your daughter is back," she said, then she hugged her father despite of what he was now. "I''m so sorry it took me this long to find you."


    Instead of a warm hug, she felt her father stab her with a dagger on her back.


    She didn''t feel the pain. And she didn''t even try to detach herself from him despite the attack that she was receiving from his father. Instead, she just hugged him tighter.


    "I''m so sorry, Father," she whispered in a cracked voice. "I''m so sorry this happened to you. I''m so sorry that I failed to bring you back home. I''m so sorry that I wasn''t able toy you next to Mother. I''m so sorry"


    His father still responded by continuously stabbing her in the back.


    It hurt, but the fact that her father was reduced to a mindless ice puppet hurt even more. Before she knew it, she was already sobbing in his cold arms. It was the first time that she cried this hard after a long while.


    "I''ve missed you, Father," she whispered to him. "Kiho does, too. Also, we are finally reunited. You have two grandchildren now, Father. I wish you could meet them when you were still alive."


    Again, she just received another batch of stab in the back.


    "Father, you''re tired, aren''t you?" Tilly asked between sobs. Then, she started to literally burn herself with the intention of burning her father''s body. It hurt her to do this, but she had to. Even though his father couldn''t feel any physical pain now, she still used the coldest me that she could muster so it wouldn''t hurt him. After all, she didn''t want his father to suffer more than he already did. "Let me help you rest in peace now, Father."


    She just hoped that Kiho, Winter, and Julian would arrive in time to say goodbye to her father


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> Hi! Would you like to read some extra/filler/light chapters for the uing Christmas as a breather (since the recent chapters were a little sad/dark)? I''d like to hear your thoughts because I don''t want you to feel like you''ve wasted your coins/passes on filler chapters. Thank you. ^_^


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 240: Cold War (2)

    Chapter 240: Cold War (2)


    KIHO finally arrived at the North with Winter and Julian using the portal that Wong and Kelsi made for them.


    The two Keepers had to stay in their estate because they had to be there to connect to the Keepers in the North. That was the only way that they could create a portal that would allow them to travel that fast. Since Flint was injured, they left him in Wong and Kelsi''s care.


    "Wee back, Lord Winter and Lord Julian," Roarke, one of Tilly''s Keepers, greeted the children while only giving a curt nod at his direction.


    He heard Jameson curse under his breath but he ignored it.


    As soon as they arrived there, they already witnessed a heated war. Their allies were fighting off the ice puppet that the "North King" created.


    He saw ke and the Golden Tiger leading the fight so he wasn''t that worried.


    <em>First, I need to find Tilly.</em>


    He closed his eyes and tried to locate his wife''s location. It wasn''t easy to do because her Mana closely resembled the Golden Tiger''s. But of course, he had been with Tilly for many lifetimes already. He couldn''t possibly mistaken her Mana with someone else.


    "Roarke, Jameson, where''s our mother?" Winter asked worriedly. "Uncle Wixx''s overwhelming Mana is messing with my senses."


    Julian nodded in agreement. "I also can''t sense Mother''s Mana because of it."


    "We can''t f*cking locate the Supreme too because of Lord Wixx''s f*cking Mana," Jameson said in a frustrated voice. "We can''t f*cking follow her because of our boss"


    "I found Tilly," Kiho dered, making his sons and the Keepers turn to him with questioning eyes. He shrugged as an initial response. "What can I do? We''re soul mates."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU okay, Luna?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Luna answered Wixx''s question while sitting on the ground. When the Red Phoenix arrived, the snow in the huge part of the area had melted. Even the trees with ice leaves around them started to melt just because of his Mana. "I need to rest for a while to gather my energy." She turned to Thaddeus Nystrom who just stood up while rotating his head left and right. The prince looked pissed, and it was definitely because Wixx kicked him in the face a while ago. "Lord Wixx, can you deal with that bastard."


    "Oho," Wixx said in an amused tone. "You rarely cuss, Luna. You must really be angry" He trailed-off when he saw her face and realized that the corner of her mouth was bleeding. Yeah, he could be this slow despite his overwhelming divine power. After all, his "instinct" was only sensitive when ites to Tilly. "Did that bastard hit you in the face?"


    She just nodded as a response.


    The Red Phoenix''s deep blue eyes turned into the shade of deep blood. "Can I kill him?"


    "No," she said. "He was the one who killed Lord Prescott, Tilly''s father in this lifetime."


    This time, the Beast God looked angrier.


    "You can burn down a few more of his limbs," Luna said with a shrug. "Just make sure to bring him to Tilly alive."


    Wixx smirked at that. "I will try."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was devastated when he found Tilly embracing her father


    while she was literally burning him alive.


    He knew that it was the right to do. Their father had already suffered for too long. But he also knew how his wife must be suffering right now for having to kill her own parent.


    <em>Tilly</em>


    She must have been using the coldest and the weakest me that she could muster because if she used her ck me, his father would have already burnt to ashes by now.


    To be honest, he thought that burning Father the fastest way would be less cruel. But he realized that it would hurt more even if it would only take a few seconds. And Tilly probably wanted to savor thest moments that she had with her father.


    If he was hurt, he was pretty sure that the pain Tilly was feeling at the moment was immeasurable. So even if it pained him to see his wife being stabbed by his father-inw, he held back. It wasn''t his ce to ruin that moment between Tilly and Lord Prescott.


    "Julian, Winter," Kiho said to his sons. Winter stood on his right side while Julian stood on the left. "Let''s give our greetings to your grandfather."


    "Yes, Dad."


    "Yes, Father."


    Kiho kneeled and bowed to until his forehead hit the snow-covered ground. His children did the same thing. "Father, I''m back," he said in a cracked voice. When he closed his eyes, he wasn''t able to stop himself from crying. "We brought our children with us. I''d like to introduce your grandchildren. You already know our Winter. And now, we also have our oldest. He''s called Julian." He paused for a while to swallow the lump in his throat. "Children, introduce yourselves to your grandfather."


    "Greetings, Grandpa," Winter said in a cracked voice. "I was still a fetus inside Mommy''s belly when we "met" before. I was able toe out of the world safely, Grandpa. Thank you for protecting our family."


    "Greetings, Grandfather," Julian said politely after Winter stopped talking because of his uncontroble sobs. Julian sounded calmer than Winter. But nevertheless, his oldest still sounded devastated. "I''m Julian, the oldest son of Mother and Father. Thank you for being kind and generous to our parents. You''ve influenced them to be better parents themselves."


    Hearing that from his oldest son was both touching and sad to hear.


    It was true that his father-inw inspired him to be a better father. Lord Prescott''s strictness, kindness, and selflessness taught him how to be a proper parent. Of course, he still had a lot to learn before he could be half as good as his father-inw.


    "I''m sorry I''mte, Father," Kiho said, his voice still cracked from sobbing. "I''m sorry that you had to suffer for so long because of my ipetence. I''m really sorry for being an inadequate son-inw"


    He trailed-off when it became hard for him to speak because of his sobs.


    By that time, even Winter and Julian were crying. Winter was sobbing hard just like him, while Julian was crying silently like Tilly.


    <em>Oh, Tilly</em>


    "How long are you going to apologize to me?"


    He was surprised when he heard his father-inw''s voice.


    When he raised his head, he was greeted by the soul of Lord Prescott.


    The me that was currently burning his physical body took a form of his spirit. He didn''t know why or how it came to life but he was grateful for that miracle.


    "Father," Kiho greeted Lord Prescott, then he stood up. The tears that he was able to suppress a while ago rolled down his cheeks once again. "Father, we''re home."


    Because home was where their family was.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOW LONG are you going to apologize to me?"


    To say that Tilly was surprised when she heard her father''s voice would be an understatement. When she stepped away from the burning body of his father, she saw Wixx standing on the top of a tall frozen tree. Based on the zing red me in his hand, she could tell that it was his brother who summoned her father''s soul and infused it with her me.


    She didn''t know how her brother did that, but it was probably because of his power as a god. She wouldn''t lie she was still upset at Wixx. But at that moment, she was grateful to him. But before she could even mouth ''thank you'' to her brother, he already disappeared.


    <em>Thank you, Brother.</em>


    "Father," Tilly greeted him with a sad smile while wiping her tears with her hands. "We''re sorry we''rete."


    Lord Prescott''s soul was made from her me that had an orangey shade. Despite that, she could still clearly see his strict and yet gentle face. Even his voice sounded as what she remembered.


    Whatever form her father takes, she would ept him with open arms.


    "Wee home, daughter," her father said gently, then his gaze went past her. "I see that you''re no longer fighting alone."


    That statement alone made her cry again.


    She knew that her father wasn''t only talking about Kiho and their children. Even without looking around, she could tell that they were surrounded by their allies. She could feel the Mana of her Keepers, the Golden Tiger, thezy saint, and Luna.


    All of them were standing far away enough to give her family privacy with her father.


    "Yes, Father," she said, her voice cracking because of the lump in her throat. "I have allies now. And more importantly, my family is finallyplete."


    At that moment, she felt Kiho behind her as he put his hands on her shoulders gently.


    Winter then held her right hand, while Julian held the left one.


    That made her smile despite the tears flowing nonstop from her eyes. Of course, there was still a void in her heart that would never be filled. It was the space that were reserved for her mother and father.


    "Father, I''d like to introduce your grandchildren to you," Tilly said in a clearer voice this time. "These are Winter and Julian."


    Her father, despite only being aware of Winter, didn''t question her about Julian.


    Instead, Lord Prescott looked at both of her children gently.


    "Grandpa, I''m Winter," Winter introduced himself to his grandfather in his usual cheerful voice. Even though he spoke casually, his voice was stillced with respect. "I''m a big boy now."


    Her father chuckled at that.


    "Grandfather, my name is Julian," Julian said in a shy voice. "It''s an honor to meet you."


    "The honor is mine," her father said. "Winter, Julian, I''m d that I was given the chance to meet you before I leave the earth for good. Thank you foring into my precious daughter''s life. Please help Kiho protect your mother from now on, hmm?"


    "Of course, Grandpa."


    "Yes, Grandfather."


    She bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying again.


    "It''s a huge regret that I wouldn''t be able to watch you grow, gentlemen," her father said. "But I''m not worried. I know that Kiho is a good father and he will guide you ordingly. I''ll leave this world in peace because I believe that Tilly and Kiho will raise you well."


    She felt Kiho gently squeeze her shoulders. Ah, her husband was definitely was emotional as she was. She put a hand on top of his hand for support.


    "Grandpa, please watch over us," Winter said in a clear voice, the hope in his voice overwhelming the sadness that he had a while ago. "We will make you proud," he promised his grandfather. "So please rest in peace with Grandma."


    "Please send our regards to Grandmother," Julian said in his usual gentle voice. "And please reassure her that we will take good care of our parents, Grandfather."


    Tilly smiled at her boys'' heartfelt words. She turned to Kiho and was a little surprised to see him looking at her already. Just like her, her husband looked very proud of their children. They grew up so well, hon.


    Kiho seemed like he understood what she wanted to say because he nodded, then he kissed her forehead as a response.


    "Thank you for the assurance, my little gentlemen," Lord Prescott said in a gentle voice. "I will make sure to send your regards to your grandmother. And of course, we will always be watching over you. Just promise me one thing: don''t follow us too soon, hmm?"


    Winter and Julian both shook their head respectfully.


    "We''re going to live past 100 years old, Grandpa."


    "I apologize but it seems like we''re going to make you and Grandmother wait for us for a long time, Grandfather."


    "Good boys," her father said, then he looked at her. "Tilly, I don''t much have time left."


    She sobbed right away. "Father"


    "You''ll be fine, daughter," her father said softly. "You are surrounded by good people."


    She could only nod as a response.


    "I''m d that you''re still with Kiho, daughter."


    "I listened to you, Father," she said, her voice cracked again. "I chose to believe Kiho and Kiho alone."


    "Thank you for listening to me," Lord Prescott said, then he turned to Kiho. "Son, you''re looking well."


    "It''s thanks to your daughter, Father," Kiho said in a cracked voice. "She''s my savior."


    Her father smiled at that, then, he turned serious. "Kiho, before I died, I discovered that the one pulling up the strings for all the tragedies in your life is Kyro, the Moon God himself."


    "Yes, Father," Tilly said while nodding. "We recently confirmed that Aku Moonchester''s master is none other than Kyro."


    "His secret lies in the North," her father said, then he turned to her husband. "Kiho?"


    "Yes, Father?" Kiho responded right away. "I''m listening."


    "I discovered your father''s real body in this ce," Lord Prescott said in a very solemn voice. "Kiho, I believe the Moon God needs your blood and flesh to revive his own body."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 241: Cold War (3)

    Chapter 241: Cold War (3)


    "KIHO, I believe the Moon God needs your blood and flesh to revive his own body."


    To say that Kiho was shocked to hear that would be an understatement. "He doesn''t only want to take over me?" he asked, his heart beating loud and hard against his chest. "But he actually wants to use my blood and flesh to revive his own body?"


    He was distracted when he felt Tilly''s bloodlust ooze.


    Thankfully, Winter and Julian both hugged their mother. His wife instantly calmed down as she ruffled their sons'' hair.


    "I found an old coffin made of ice when I got lost in the Frozen Woods five years ago," Lord Prescott said. "When I opened it, I found bones that seem to belong to a human. I found an old piece of paper inside and when I touched it, I saw some images that made me realize who owns the bones. It was the Moon God." He paused for a while before he continued. "The other memories that I saw were too hard to understand. The only thing I remember is that the Moon God needs your flesh and blood for him to gain a human body, Kiho. In the past, he took over your body after Soleil Rosenberg died. But he failed to do so because of the Red Phoenix."


    "My brother?" Tilly asked in surprise. "What did my brother do?"


    "I''m sorry but I don''t know the exact details, daughter," Lord Prescott said. "That''s all I remember. Before I could dive further in his memories, I was stabbed from behind."


    He felt his wife flinch.


    Lord Prescott smiled apologetically at his daughter. "That''s the reason why I told you to trust Kiho whatever happens, Tilly. Thanks to the Moon God''s memories, I realized that your husband is the reincarnation of the ck Serpent. I heard from the Denvers before that they hate the ck Serpent, and that he doesn''t deserve the Supreme. But my instinct told me that there''s a deeper story between the Fire Mages n and the ck Serpent." He looked at him and Tilly back and forth. "Whatever it is, I''m d that the two of you decided to follow your heart."


    Tilly nodded. "Of course, Father. We want to have a happy married life like what you and Mother had."


    "Father, I''m sorry," Kiho said in a sad voice, making Tilly turned to him with a worried look on her face. "You died because of me. I was also the reason why you had to go to the North, Father."


    "That''s not true, Kiho," Lord Prescott said while shaking his head. "Don''t me yourself for that."


    "Father"


    "If you want to make it up to me, then promise me that you won''t let your father seed," his father-inw said. "Promise me that you will protect your family."


    Kiho nodded eagerly. "I promise, Father," he said with determination. "I promise that we will end this war and live happily in the end."


    "That''s all I want to hear," Lord Prescott said, then he turned to his daughter. "Tilly, my precious daughter, father is sleepy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY almost cried when she heard her father say that he was already sleepy.


    She knew it meant that he was ready to go now. Her father was able to meet her children, tell them about what he discovered in the North, and say goodbye to them. She knew that it was time for her father to finally rest in peace.


    And yet, it still hurt to let him go.


    "Father, have a safe trip," Tilly said, then she smiled at her father. Even though her heart was breaking, she didn''t want to send her father off with tears. "Please hug Mother for me."


    "Of course," her father said. "Thank you for finding me, my precious daughter.


    She swallowed the lump in her throat to stop herself from apologizing. After all, she knew that it wasn''t the words that her father wanted to hear from her. "Thank you for waiting for us, Father," she said. "We will live happily so please don''t worry about us. Just make it up to Mother in the heaven, okay?"


    Her fatherughed softly. "See youter, my precious Tilly."


    Tilly nodded, then she did the thing that would show everyone how much she respected her father she knelt before Lord Prescott and bowed until her forehead hit the ground.


    Even without looking around, she knew that all the people who served and followed her also knelt and bowed to her father. In the past, whenever she would kneel, her people would follow suit since they wouldn''t allow their master to do that alone.


    Of course, Kiho, Winter, and Julian also did the same.


    "Live long, my precious children and grandsons," Lord Prescott said before the me that burned his physical body disappeared. But instead of turning into ashes, a red stone was left on the ground. It was her father''s Mana. "I will pray for your sess."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID THE North King''s n fail?"


    Aku rolled his eyes at Kyro''s question. He was drinking alone in his room after a long day of work when the Moon God joined him despite being uninvited.


    <em>Ah, gods could really be rude, too.</em>


    Right now, Kyro was using Elis Ripperton''s body. After all, he couldn''t stay as a spirit for a long time or else, the Sky God would get a chance to forcefully bring him back to the heavens. But since Kyro''s spirit was strong, he also needed a strong body as a host.


    Although the Blue Dragon''s physical form wasn''t a real human body, it was still better than having none.


    "Ga tried to make a deal with Lady Nystrom," Aku said while pouring whisky in Kyro''s ss. "In exchange of the Red Phoenix, he offered her Lord Prescott''s frozen corpse."


    Kyroughed softly while shaking his head. "It''s quite dumb."


    "Well, Ga''s actual n is to guilt trip the Supreme," he said, then he took a sip of his drink before he continued. "He wanted her to hate the Red Phoenix for the downfall of the Nystroms. He thought Lady Nystrom would forgive him for the death of Lord Prescott easily."


    "If the Supreme is still the same Soleil Rosenberg that we know, his n may have worked," the Moon God said. "But unfortunately, my precious daughter-inw has lost her moralpass in this lifetime."


    "The ck me of Soleil Rosenberg and the cruelty of Lady Nystrom are a badbination," he said while shaking his head. "In the past, we were able to use the Supreme''s kindness against her. But this time, it seems like she doesn''t have a weakness."


    "That can''t be true," Kyro said. "My daughter-inw is still in love with my son, isn''t she? She''ll do anything and everything for him, just like how Soleil Rosenberg lost her everything for our little Nystrom."


    "I''m not too sure about that, Lord Kyro," he said with a deep sigh. "The Supreme right now seems like she would abandon Kiho if she needs to."


    The Moon God fell silent for a while before he spoke again. "Then, let''s use ourst ace."


    He straightened up in his seat. "This early?"


    "My dear daughter-inw is scaring me," he said with a softugh. But then, he instantly turned serious. "And don''t forget about the Moon Serpent, Aku Moonchester. My grandson is prophecied to kill you. But you''re not the only whom he can kill. The Moon Serpent isn''t called the ''God yer'' for nothing. Once my grandson''s real power awakens, he''ll be able to finish the job that he failed to do in the past." He smirked and took a sip before he pointed a finger at him. "The Moon Serpent might swallow thest moon this time, Aku Moonchester."


    "No," he snarled lowly. "I was able to kill him thest time we met. I can do it again."


    "You had the Holy Scepter back then, Aku Moonchester," Kyro reminded him. "The Sky God allowed you to borrow the Holy Scepter back then because you were able to trick him. But unfortunately, we don''t even know where the Holy Scepter is hidden. The Sky God has managed to keep it from us this long. A sweet revenge, if I may say."


    He let out a deep sigh. "Then, I guess we really have no choice but to use our trump card," he said while shaking his head. "Do you think Yumi''s poison will still work on the second child even though she put it in his body back in his first life?"


    "Of course," the Moon God said confidently. "My wife''s poison doesn''t only work on a person''s physical body. The thing that she actually poisons is the soul."


    "Ah, I feel bad," Aku said, then he sipped his whisky. "I''m actually quite fond of Julian."


    "He was only born to serve as the Supreme''s heart vessel," Kyro said casually. "And we only let him live because we can use him against the Moon Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY picked up the red stone that served as her father''s remains. Then, she stood up and put the stone close to her heart before she closed her eyes. "Kiho," she said, then she opened her eyes before she turned to her husband. "Please protect the children with your ice."


    The adults around them could protect themselves.


    She was worried about Winter and Julian because despite their strong powers, they still couldn''t use them properly.


    "I will," Kiho promised her. "But don''t push yourself too much, honey."


    She just smiled and nodded. "Thank you, hon."


    "Be careful, Mommy," Winter said. "We''re here if you need us."


    Julian nodded in agreement. "Good luck, Mother."


    "Thank you, boys," Tilly said to her sons. Then, she faced forward and closed her eyes while summoning her ck me. She knew that the ck me inside her was only big enough to fuel her Mana to keep her alive. But she was willing to risk it all for that "war" to end as soon as possible. "It''s time for the long winter in North to finally end."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 242: Cold War (4)

    Chapter 242: Cold War (4)


    "LOOK AT how beautiful your mother''s me is," Kiho said to his children as they watched Tilly melt the Winter in the whole vige by simply summoning his wide, ming ck wings. The snow-covered ground melted in a span of a few minutes. "Her ck me is definitely special."


    "It''s warm," Winter, who was holding his right hand tight,mented. "I feel like I''d melt too because of Mommy''s heat wave."


    "I feel like I''d melt too even though my dominant Mana is fire," Julian said, his voice sounded as uneasy as he looked. "It''s so hot."


    Upon hearing his children''sments, he increased theyer of ice barrier that he created for them. The air inside the barrier turned cooler, making Winter and Julian let out a relieved sigh at the same time.


    Luckily, his ice was strong enough to withstand Tilly''s ck me. He just didn''t know for how long though.


    Tilly, I can feel your anger, Kiho thought to himself while watching his wife''s back. The blood in the cloak that she wore was already dried. He was also also certain that her light wounds were already healed. And yet, he knew that the pain in Tilly''s heart for losing her father again was still aching. <em>If you have decided to end the n that came from our bloodline, then I will follow you unquestioningly.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU''RE still so freaking weak, little tiger," Wixx told Ainsworth whom he found resting on a tree branch like a panther that he wasn''t. Since the battle for today was practically over, he sat beside his fellow Beast God and watch the scene unfolding before them. "It took you five years and yet, you weren''t still able to defeat the undead army. But my precious little sister only needed five minutes."


    But of course, if he aided Tilly, it would only take them fifteen seconds to melt all the snow and ice in the North.


    Yes, the whole vige was melting fast. That also meant that the ice puppets, or the undead army, were melting one by one. Thanks to the Supreme''s me, her followers and allies didn''t need to fight anymore. They were now taking a rest while watching the ice puppets turn into water after they melted.


    But the battle was far from over. After all, a huge number of ice puppets managed to retreat when the snow-coverednd started to melt.


    <em>Luckily, I caught the ice prince.</em>


    He surrended Thaddeus Nystrom to Luna and their son Roarke when he went to find Tilly a while ago.


    "I have always known that I''m the weakest Beast God out of the four of us," Ainsworth admitted with a frown. "I have long epted that I''m just a recement for Soleil"


    ""Soleil?""


    "Big Sister Soleil," he corrected himself begrudgingly. "If she didn''t refuse to enter the heavens back then, I wouldn''t have been considered to be a Beast God."


    And that was the reason why Ainsworth kept challenging Soleil to petty duels in the past. The little tiger wanted to prove that he also deserved the spot, that he wasn''t just a mere recement. But in the end, he realized that Soleil was indeed special.


    Thus, Ainsworth ended up being tamed by his precious sister.


    "What did you do for the past five years?" he asked the little tiger. "You''re still a Beast God, Ainsworth. And you''re with Asher Forrester."


    "I know that this will sound as an excuse but the spell in the North limited the use of our divine power," Ainsworth exined. "The unending winter in this ce is actually a spell that seals any Mana-user''s power. It won''t be an exaggeration to say that all of our fighting forcebined was reduced to half. Even the Fire Mages with us find it hard to melt several ice puppets."


    "Is it a miracle that you survived for the past five years?"


    "Shut up," he snarled at his mocking tone. "I used my ability to control the earth to move the vige that we found whenever the undead army would find us. Asher Forrester discovered that the vige is enclosed in an ancient magic that hides it from being discovered by the enemies. Thanks to my ability to move earth and the ancient magic that Asher Forrester reactivated, we were able to avoid the undead army every time we needed to." He paused, then he turned to him with a serious look on his face. "Are you going to say that we''re cowards for hiding instead of facing the enemies head-on?"


    "If you were fighting alone, I would," he said bluntly. "But I know that you were protecting the people that chose to serve Tilly. You made the right decision, little tiger." He ruffled his hair despite hisint. "You''ve matured. Tilly will be proud of you."


    His face turned red from embarrassment. "Tsk."


    "We found Faline."


    The Golden Tiger''s eyes widened in surprise. "Where is she? Is she safe?"


    "Of course, she''s safe," he assured the little tiger. "We found your spirit guardian in the volcano where I hid myself for many years. She was with Drake and apparently, Aku Moonchester ordered them to find me."


    He growled lowly. "I knew that he sent my spirit guardian away while I was asleep"


    "Faline is safe now," he said. "I asked her to guard Drake for the meantime in a safe ce. I will bring you to her once the cold war here is over."


    "Is it going to end soon?" Ainsworth asked in a worried voice. "Is the Supreme going to end her own n?"


    "That''s what I think Tilly would do," Wixx said, then he looked ahead. Now that the snow and the ice trees had melted, he could safely say that the long winter in the North had finally ended. And now, the sun was shining brightly in thatnd again. "Most of all, she has no choice but to end the lives of her descendants that should have been gone a long time ago."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY felt her knees buckle as soon as she was certain that she finally put an end to the long winter of the North.


    Thankfully, Kiho stood behind her and "caught" her discreetly by allowing her to lean against his chest. But he didn''t touch or assisted her in any other way. If he did, the people around them would realize that she couldn''t stand on her own.


    She knew that her husband was very worried about her. But as a fellow leader, Kiho knew that she couldn''t afford to show her people her vulnerable side. Especially not when they were in a war.


    "Greetings, Lady Nystrom."


    Tilly immediately stood straight when Lord Forrester and Solenn appeared before her. They received their greetings, hoping that their other allies didn''t notice her weakened state at the moment. "I''m d to finally see you again, Lord Forrester," she said, knowing for a fact that he no longer imed himself to be a saint. "You know that you have a lot of things that you have to exin to me, don''t you?"


    Lord Forrester bowed to her. "I will escort you to our humble home, Lady Nystrom."


    "Don''t worry, Supreme," Solenn assured her with a smile and a thumbs up. "I taught the ex-saint a lesson that he wouldn''t forget. He won''t dare to keep things from you this time."


    Tillyughed softly at what Solenn said. "Thank you for a job magnificently done, Princess Solenn," she praised the little princess that made her smile wider. After smiling back at Solenn, she seriously turned to Lord Forrester. "Now, let''s also summon my Brother Wixx for a meeting that we should have had a long time ago."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHY ARE you here, little brat princess?" Winterined at Solenn. "I want to talk to my brother alone."


    Right now, he, Julian, and Solenn were sitting in front of the firece in the biggest house in the vige. It was the same house that received them a while ago. Since the "adults" were talking upstairs, they were left in the living room while being guarded by several knights led by the one called Lord Denver.


    The captain was respectful enough to give them privacy. He and his men were out of ear-shot, but close enough to get to them if they needed to.


    Anyway, it was still cold in the North even though the cruel winter had already ended.


    "I want to be involved in this conversation," Solenn, seated between he and Julian, insisted. Then, she blew the top of the mug of her hot chocte. "Most of all, I think I have more information than the two of you. Remember, I was here earlier. I already heard what the saint is currently reporting to the Supreme."


    Winter couldn''t refute that so he just clicked his tongue at her.


    "Uhm, Princess Solenn" Julian said in a shy voice.


    Winterughed at how his brother called Solenn. "Brother Julian, you can just casually call her name. It''s not like she''s a real princess or something ouch!"


    The little brat princess had the audacity to elbow him in the ribs!


    "Being called ''princess'' by a gentleman like Julian sounds nice," Solenn said, then she turned to his brother with a smile. "Carry on, Julian. Oh, can I call you by your first name?"


    "Of course, Princess Solenn," Julian said with a shy smile, then he continued with what he was about to say a while ago. "Uhm, may I know if they have personally met the North King in the past five years?"


    "Unfortunately, not yet," Solenn said while shaking her head. "But apparently, the North King built an ice pce where he''s keeping the real body of the Moon God Kyro."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT DID you say, Brother?" Tilly asked in disbelief after she heard what Wixx just said. It wasn''t only her. Even Kiho, Luna, Ainsworth, and Asher Forrester looked shocked. "I dare you to repeat it."


    "Julian has been poisoned by the White Snake along with the whole n that he founded," Wixx said in a cold voice. "For that reason, we have to kill him even in this lifetime"


    "Winchell!" Kiho snarled angrily, his burst of bloodlust freezing the floor and the walls of the entire room with ice. "How dare you say that?"


    "We have to do it, ck Serpent," Wixx snarled at her husband. "The Holy Scepter has merged with Julian and once Aku Moonchester discovers it, he will use the second child to kill the Moon Serpent!"


    Tilly had heard enough. This time, her mind, heart, and body couldn''t take it any longer. Just when she thought she was going to lose herself in anger, everything suddenly went nk.


    "Tilly!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 243: Deadly Family Feud

    Chapter 243: Deadly Family Feud


    "NOW THAT Brother Wixx and Luna are here, I want to know the real deal about the Holy Scepter and Julian. And no more lies and secrets, please," Tilly dered to her allies right away. Her body felt heavy and she knew she would reach her limit soon. But before that, she wanted to know the truth about her oldest son. "Brother, please exin."


    Right now, she was in a room that served like a conference hall.


    She was in the center of the long table while Wixx was at the other end. Kiho was on her right side, Luna on the left. Lord Forrester sat beside her husband, and Ainsworth sat beside Luna.


    Jameson and Roarke were roaming around to make sure that the undead army wouldn''t return. ke and the ck Serpent Knights were guarding the basement cell were Thaddeus Nystrom, the North King''s son, was currently locked up.


    Lord Denever and the Fire Mages were left to guard Winter, Julian, and Solenn.


    "I don''t understand," Lord Forrester, the former saint who insisted to not be called by his previous title, said with furrowed brows. "Are you implying that my Holy Scepter is inside Lord Julian''s body, Lady Nystrom?"


    "That''s what I want to know, too," Tilly said, then she turned to Luna. "Apparently, in the past, the Moon Priestess was asked by Kalel Nystrom to steal the Holy Scepter."


    "What?" the former saint said, then he looked at Luna with usation in his eyes. He was smart enough to read between the lines so she wasn''t surprised if he got her message loud and clear. "You were the Moon Priestess in the past? And you were the one who stole my Holy Scepter? Wow, I''m pissed."


    "It wasn''t my fault that you let me steal your Holy Scepter in the past," Luna snapped at the former saint. "Maybe if you weren''t sozy then, your precious tool would have not been stolen. And shouldn''t you be grateful that it was me who stole it and not the Moonchesters?"


    Tilly''s stress was lessened because of Luna''s retort.


    <em>You go, girl.</em>


    Wixx seemed amused too because heughed loudly. "Luna is right, Asher. You''rezy ever since you were a child."


    Ainsworth nodded in agreement. "Every time I see you back then, you were either sleeping or getting scolded by the sky god for not fulfilling your temple duties."


    "That''s right," Kiho agreed. "There was even a time that the sky god got so drunk and begged us to take you as a disciple. He said we were free to make a ve out of you."


    The Red Phoenixughed again. "I remember that," he said. "But no one was insane enough to ept thezy boy as a disciple. The sky god cried all night."


    "Shut up," Lord Forrester said, his face red from embarrassment. "We''re not here to talk about my past."


    "That''s right," Tilly said, making everyone in the room serious once again. "Brother, do you mind unsealing Luna''s memories? I want to know how she hid the Holy Scepter in Julian''s body."


    "If that''s what you want, my precious sister," Wixx said, then he opened his right hand.


    A piece of red feather appeared above her brother''s palm.


    Then, the feather flew towards Luna and fell gently on top of her head. As soon as it did, the feather burned on its own. She knew that it wouldn''t her the witch though.


    <em>As if my brother would hurt her.</em>


    Anyway, her thoughts were cut-off when the me from the red feather started to show images. To be more precise, they were pieces of Luna''s past memories.


    <em>"Please forgive me, Young Master," Luna said while carrying a new born baby in her arms. She was in a dark ce and the only light shining on them was a torch attached on the wall. "What I''m about to do is something akin to sphemy."</em>


    Tilly''s heart broke when she heard Julian''s loud cry so she turned her gaze away from the memory. After all, it was the part where Luna ripped out her baby''s heart. She was able to stop herself from breaking down because Kiho touched her hand.


    She smiled weakly at her husband who gently squeezed her hand in return.


    Then, she was distracted when silence ensued.


    <em>"Lord Winchell asked me to crush your heart but I have to do something else with it, my lord," Luna, as the Moon Priestess back then, said in a voice filled with pain. Julian''s tiny heart was in her bloody left hand. On the other hand, the unconscious baby was now lying on the white nket on the ground. "I found out that Aku Moonchester used the Holy Scepter to kill the Moon Serpent in the past. If he gets a hold of it again, then his ability to reincarnate again and again wouldn''t be stopped. "I put Lady Rosenberg''s heart in your body, Young Master. But we still have a use for your heart."</em>


    <em>The Moon Priestess opened her right hand and then a few momentster, the Holy Scepter appeared. The staff was made of gold and on the end of it sat a huge red diamond that kind of resembled the gem for of her heart.</em>


    <em>"My lord, please forgive me but I have to do this for everyone," Luna said in a cracked voice. Then, she grabbed the Holy Scepter tight until it was reduced to a small red gem the sized of a pebble. After that, she put the red gem inside Julian''s heart. "The spell that I''m about to use will use my remaining life force. Which I won''t regret because I intend to bring this secret to my grave." She smiled sadly at Julian. "Please allow me to apologize to you in my next life, Young Master."</em>


    And right after that, the red feather burned into ashes.


    The memories ying above Luna''s head also disappeared.


    Everyone was too shocked by what they saw to react.


    Tilly, for once, felt overwhelmed.


    <em>Luna sacrificed her life to hide the Holy Scepter</em>


    "I was the one who helped Luna steal the second child from the traitorous spirit guardian named Lucina Morganna after that wench gave birth to Julian. Then, Luna told me about her n to hide the Holy Scepter in the second child''s heart,"Wixx said, breaking the silence in the room. "When I found her in the cave where she did the spell that took her life, Julian was already taken away by Elis Ripperton who followed Luna in search of your heart, Tilly. Fortunately, he didn''t witness the spell that Luna created to hide the Holy Scepter in the second child''s second heart." He paused for a while, and then he nodded. "Yes, Julian has currently two hearts inside him right now. But the second heart was small and it was protected by Luna''s spell so that it wouldn''t get detected easily."


    She clenched her fists tight as she felt a painful squeeze in her heart. <em>My Julian has gone through so much the moment he was born</em>


    "But why didn''t you just return the Holy Scepter to me?" Lord Forrester asked in confusion. "I know that I wasn''t the most active person then. But I''m still the owner of the scepter."


    "It happened after you died in that era," the Red Phoenix exined. "And we couldn''t entrust the Holy Scepter to you. Luna was able to steal it from you. What made you think that you can protect it from the Moon God himself?"


    The former saint wasn''t able to talk back at her brother.


    "Can''t we take it out?" Tilly asked, making everyone in the room turn to her. "Can''t we pull the Holy Scepter out of Julian''s second heart?"


    "I guess it''s possible," Luna said in an hesitant voice. "But to be honest, I don''t remember most of the spells that I mastered when I was a Moon Priestess. The spells in my mind are the spells that I learned from the Colorless Coven. But don''t worry, Tilly. I will do everything to relearn the technique that I used back then."


    She smiled at the witch. "Thank you, Luna."


    "It won''t work," Wixx dered, making everyone turn to him. "The Holy Scepter could no longer be separated from Julian''s body."


    "I don''t trust you. I can''t," Kiho told the Red Phoenix coldly, then he turned to the former saint. "Lord Forrester, what can you say about this matter?"


    "The sky god, my father, used to tell me that the Holy Scepter isn''t a mere tool. ording to him, it''s a living weapon," Lord Forrester said in a confused tone. "Based on the memories of Miss Luna that we saw, she destroyed the Holy Scepter''s physical "body"" His eyes widened, then he turned to the Red Phoenix. "Does it mean Lord Julian is now the Holy Scepter himself?"


    "Yes," Wixx confirmed with a nod. "I tried to separate the Holy Scepter from the second child in the past. But I realized that the second heart, where the red stone was hidden, has already merged with Julian''s soul. That happened because the Holy Scepter had to eat Julian''s Mana and life force to survive. So no matter how many times Julian gets reborn, he will remain as the Holy Scepter''s new host."


    "That''s true," Lord Forrester said while nodding. "I know that you perceive me aszy and I won''t deny that. But I have to let you know that I was always sleeping in the past because the Holy Scepter used to eat my Mana and life force. It needs divine power to "survive." Since Julian was the second child of the ck Serpent and the Supreme Fire Mage, it was only natural that he was born with divine power, too."


    Tilly let out a deep sigh to calm herself. But the sudden heat inside the room was proof that she was very angry at the moment. "Are you telling me that Julian has be the very weapon that could kill his own brother?"


    She felt everyone''s nervousness.


    "It''s my fault," Luna said in a voice filled with guilt. "I was the one who put the Holy Scepter inside Lord Julian''s body"


    "Luna, it''s not your fault. I understand why you had to do that," she told the witch, then she turned to her brother coldly. "Brother, I know that it happened after I died. But you were still alive then. Why didn''t you help Julian? You know that I was his real mother."


    "During that time, Julian was under the wing of the ck Serpent who returned to the Moonchesters'' side after you died," the Red Phoenix said, making Kiho flinch in the process. "If we acknowledged him as your son back then, they would kill him instead of letting the Fire Mage n im him. And most of all, we couldn''t trust the ck Serpent who was not himself during that time."


    She let out another deep sigh to calm herself. "Then, tell me, Brother. Why did you hunt down Julian''s n? Is it because he''s the Holy Scepter and you didn''t want the Moonchesters to use him as a tool?"


    "Yes."


    "But it wouldn''t happen if you just acknowledged my son as one of our family members!" she snarled at her brother, making the whole room hotter than a sauna. "Plus, I heard from Sris that you brought Julian in this world as some sort of reward. Why did you need to send him here and let us meet our child if you still intend to kill?"


    The Red Phoenix scoffed at that. "That was only Sris''s interpretation because he doesn''t know the truth," he denied. "I didn''t send Julian here because I pity him. I only sent him to be reincarnated again because I didn''t want Kyro to use his corpse as an ice puppet. That was my only option back then because I couldn''t burn his body with my ashes."


    "Winchell!" Kiho said angrily. "Are you confirming that you were the one who killed Julian in the past?!"


    "I did kill him," Wixx snarled at Kiho. "I had to because I found out that Yumi had poisoned Julian."


    Kiho was rendered silence because of shock.


    "What kind of poison was it?" Tilly asked, her heart beating hard and fast against her chest. "What kind of poison did Yumi create for you to kill my son, Brother?"


    "It was the kind of poison that would force Julian and everyone who has his blood to be unable to betray the Moonchesters until their death," her brother revealed. "It was also the reason why Ga Nystrom and the rest of his n had be ice puppets. They couldn''t escape the Moonchesters even after their death. I hunted down the Nystroms and burned them to death for that reason. But I wasn''t able to finish what I started because Aku Moonchester managed to control the Beast Gods, thanks to the bracelet that he stole from you, Tilly."


    Now it was Tilly''s turn to be rendered speechless.


    Her heart broke even more for her poor Julian.


    "It''s not over yet, Tilly," Wixx insisted firmly. "We have to kill Julian now."


    "What did you say, Brother?" Tilly asked in disbelief after she heard what her brother just said. It wasn''t only her. Even Kiho, Luna, Ainsworth, and Asher Forrester looked shocked. "I dare you to repeat it."


    "Julian has been poisoned by the White Snake along with the whole n that he founded," Wixx said in a cold voice. "For that reason, we have to kill him even in this lifetime"


    "Winchell!" Kiho snarled angrily, his burst of bloodlust freezing the floor and the walls of the entire room with ice. "How dare you say that?"


    "We have to do it, ck Serpent," Wixx snarled at her husband. "The Holy Scepter has merged with Julian and once Aku Moonchester discovers it, he will use the second child to kill the Moon Serpent!"


    Tilly had heard enough. This time, her mind, heart, and body couldn''t take it any longer. Just when she thought she was going to lose herself in anger, everything suddenly went nk.


    "Tilly!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN flinched when he heard a loud explosion from above.


    It wasn''t only him. Winter and Solenn also looked up to see what was happening. Much to their shock, instead of the ceiling, they were greeted by the orangey sky


    and two Beast Gods fighting to death.


    "I-Is that Dad?" Winter asked, his eyes focused on the huge ck Serpent coiled around the ming Red Phoenix. "And U-Ucle Wixx?"


    "Yes," Solenn confirmed, her voice a mixture of confusion and awe. "The ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix are trying to kill each other."


    Lord Denver and the other knights in the living room also began to talk in panic.


    "Is this war between the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix?"


    "Lord Denver, which side do we take?"


    "We''re Fire Mages so we definitely have to side with the Red Phoenix. Am I right, Lord Denver?"


    "Silence," Lord Denver said firmly, making his men silent. "There''s no war between the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix. Most of all, we should worry about the Supreme. If she''s not there to stop the two, then something might have happened to her."


    Julian''s eyes widened, then he turned to Winter and Solenn who obviously heard what Lord Denver said as well. "Let''s go and check on Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU not going to stop Lord Wixx and Duke Nystrom?" Luna snapped at Lord Forrester and Ainsworth who were just watching the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix fight. She was on the floor while trying to wake up Tilly who lost consciousness because of fatigue. "The ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix will really kill each other!"


    "Miss Luna, this is a fight that we don''t have the power to stop," Lord Forrester said while shaking his head. "We will die if we interfere."


    "I agree," Ainsworth said with a nod. "Even in the past, only the Supreme could stop the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix from killing each other."


    "God or human, men could really be so useless!" she snapped at the two. "The ck Serpent would never forgive the Red Phoenix for wanting to kill Julian so we better stop"


    "Uncle Wixx wants to kill Julian?"


    Luna gasped when she heard Winter''s voice. It wasn''t only him. Julian and Solenn were also there. "My lord"


    Winter''s golden eyes glowed menacingly. "Why does the Red Phoenix want to kill my brother?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 244: Black Serpent Vs. Red Phoenix

    Chapter 244: ck Serpent Vs. Red Phoenix


    JULIAN couldn''t keep his eyes off his father.


    Even though his neck hurt from looking up from time to time while going up the stairs, he didn''t care.


    Right now, his father had turned into his Beast God form. As the ck Serpent, he was using his snake body to throttle Lord Winchell who was in his Red Phoenix form. It looked like his uncle was trying to burn his father. But it was currently "raining" and that rain came from the ck Serpent''s water Mana. Amazingly, the rain wasn''t falling on them as if there was an invisible ceiling that protected them from it.


    It seemed like the Red Phoenix was having a hard time vaporizing the "blessed rain," if he remembered it right.


    <em>Father is really angry.</em>


    When they reached the top floor, he stopped and let Winter and Solenn enter the room first. He was worried about his father and his uncle so he wanted to keep an eye on them.


    <em>Please don''t kill each other.</em>


    He got worried when the Red Phoenix finally got out of the ck Serpent''s coil by burning his body. It seemed like his red me hurt his father''s scales. After all, the Red Phoenix was still a Beast God just like him.


    <em>But why are they fighting?</em>


    He could also feel the angering out from the two Beast Gods.


    This time, the Red Phoenix breathed fire at the ck Serpent. The heating from the glorious red me was enough to literally stop the blessed rain. Fortunately, his father was able to deflect the attack by freezing Lord Winchell''s me.


    The beauty of the frozen me suspended in the air took his breath away.


    When two majestic beings fight, they could identally create a beautiful mess.


    Not that he was condoning his father and uncle''s dispute when they shouldn''t be fighting among themselves.


    "Uncle Wixx wants to kill Julian?"


    Julian was forced to stop watching the ck Serpent freeze the Red Phoenix''s "bullet me" when he heard Winter''s question. And Solenn also pulled him inside the room where he found Luna attending to his unconscious mother on the floor.


    Lord Forrester and Lord Ainsworth were also in the room, looking up at the sky while watching the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix fight.


    On the other hand, Miss Luna looked aghast when they saw them. But she looked particrly scared of Winter''s question. "My lord"


    Winter''s golden eyes glowed menacingly. "Why does the Red Phoenix want to kill my brother?"


    To be honest, Julian wanted to say that he was surprised upon hearing that.


    But he wasn''t.


    Lord Winchell hunted him down in his past life. It wouldn''t be a surprise if he still intended to kill him even in this lifetime. That would also exin why his father was very angry at the Red Phoenix.


    "Winter, calm down," he told his brother, then he put a hand on his shoulder. "We know that Lord Winchell wanted to kill me in the past. He might have a reason for wanting to kill me even in this lifetime. I''m certain that he has a valid reason for wanting to do so."


    Winter''s eyes stopped glowing but when he turned to him, he saw the pained look on his brother''s face. "Brother, I hate that you''re so calm right now as if you have long epted that you don''t deserve to have a good life. Don''t you want to be with us for a long time?"


    "I want nothing else in the world but to spend a long time with our family," he assured his brother. "But our mother is unconscious, Winter. We should prioritize her well-being first. And most of all" He pointed to the sky. "We should stop Father and Lord Winchell from killing each other. Aside from the fact that Mother would hate it if she wakes up and find them fighting, our allies are also starting to wonder if an inner war has broken out within our force. We couldn''t be divided, especially not when we still have an army to defeat."


    For some reason, everyone was rendered silent after his long speech.


    Julian, not used to being the center of attraction, easily blushed from embarrassment.


    "Julian, you''re so cool," Solenn praised him. "I think I just fell in love with you."


    He wanted to say something but then


    "Julian?"


    He immediately turned to his mother who just awakened. "Mother," he said as he walked towards her. Miss Luna helped her mother get up and when he knelt beside her, she immediately hugged her tight while crying. Of course, he got worried. He knew why his mother was crying like that. "Mother, it''s okay. I''m not ming anyone, not even Lord Winchell. I understand."


    "You''re not obliged to understand, silly boy," his mother scolded him while sobbing hard and hugging him tighter. "You can me us for failing to protect you, Julian."


    "I can''t do that even if I want to, Mother," Julian said softly while patting his mother''s back gently. "I love our family."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was angry.


    His father was busy fighting with his uncle while his mother and older brother were suffering. The others didn''t know what to do while their leaders were fighting among themselves. He hated everything that was happening around him right now.


    <em>I want to swallow everything up.</em>


    Wait, did he say "swallow?"


    "Winter!"


    Winter blinked several times when Solenn yelled his name even though she was just standing right in front of him. "What?"


    "Scales" Solenn said in disbelief, then she pointed at his face. "Your face and your arms are starting to be covered with silver scales And your hair" She looked at the top of his head, her face now colorless. "Your hair is as pale as the moon."


    <em>Huh?</em>


    He automatically looked down at his arms. To say that he was shocked to see that his arms were covered with silver scales would be an understatement. This thing had never happened to him in his first life.


    <em>Am I turning into my Moon Serpent form?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when all of a sudden, he felt a painful thump in his chest. He clutched his chest tight while trying to keep his bnce. But in the end, he still fell on the floor while writhing in pain.


    Aside from the feeling of his heart getting squeezed tightly, he also felt a burning sensation in his chest.


    "Winter!"


    "Brother!"


    "Lord Winter!"


    He had his eyes tight shut but he could tell that aside from Solenn, he was now surrounded by everyone in the room. He could particrly feel his mother''s warm touch. Still, the pain in his chest didn''t disappear.


    "Mommy" Winter cried softly. "It hurts"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOMMY, it hurts"


    Tilly''s heart thumped hard against her chest when she heard her baby''s cry. Her fatigue vanished and the anger that rose up in her chest fueled her energy back. Winter''s face and arms were almost covered by silver scales now. His form as the Moon Serpent had shown up, but it seemed like his body wasn''t ready for his transformation yet. And thus, the pain.


    <em>Oh, Winter</em>


    Their failure as adults led to the suffering of Winter and Julian now. Although the two had old souls inside their tiny bodies, they would always be her little cinnamon rolls. And she wouldn''t let her babies suffer because of their ipetence as grown-ups.


    "Luna, Lord Forrester, do whatever you can to ease Winter''s pain," Tilly said in amanding voice that made everyone around her sit properly. Without waiting for anyone''sment, she stood up and looked up. "These guys"


    Kiho, in his form as the ck Serpent, just pped Wixx, in his Red Phoenix form, with his long and steel-hard tail. His brother was sent flying but he was able to stop before he hit a huge, tall tree behind him.


    "Why are they wasting their divine powers like that?" she snarled, then she red at Ainsworth who stood beside her. "And why didn''t you stop your fellow Beast Gods?"


    "You''re asking too much from me," Ainsworthined. "Even in the past, only you could stop the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix from fighting."


    She just huffed in frustration.


    Then, she looked up at the sky where the two Beast Gods were still fighting aimlessly.


    That made her mad. Of course, the argument that they had with Red Phoenix wasn''t a small matter. But it wasn''t big enough for Kiho and Wixx to kill each other.


    <em>And we wouldn''t get anywhere if those two idiots don''t calm down.</em>


    "You feral beasts," Tilly growled in an angry voice. "Kneel!"


    And just like that, the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix both froze in the air.


    A few momentster, the two fell down from the sky while transforming back to their human forms. When they were finally back as the normal Kiho and Wixx that they knew, the two knelt in front of her, along with Ainsworth.


    The three Beast Gods even had their hanged low from shame, perhaps.


    <em>Yes, we should all be ashamed of ourselves.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU was surprised when all of a sudden, Elis Ripperton was brought down to his knees.


    The Blue Dragon was in the middle of standing in front of the wine cer while choosing a bottle when that happened.


    "What happened to you?" Aku asked with a softugh while browsing his collection of the best alcoholic drinks in the empire. Kyro requested to have one, and so they went to the cer to choose the best drink that would suit the Moon God''s taste. And Elis Ripperton apanied him because Kyro would take over his bodyter. Thus, he wanted to choose the drink himself even though he''d be unconscious once the Moon God entered him anyway. "Is it of old age?"


    "The Supreme," Elis Ripperton said. It looked like he couldn''t stand even if he was trying hard to do so. "I feel her heavy presence. Wherever she is, she''s definitely angry at the Beast Gods. And she''s this angry" He looked up at him with a nk look on his face. "My hunch is right. The Red Phoenix has been freed."


    The Blue Dragon told him a while ago that the Red Phoenix might have been freed because he could no longer reach out to Drake, his spirit guardian.


    He also couldn''t contact the Golden Tiger''s spirit guardian called Faline.


    "Well, Ga Nystrom also told us that the one he saw was the real Red Phoenix and not his spirit guardian who often cloned him," he said. In the past, Sentinel would always trick them by pretending to be Winchell Rosenberg. But now, they were certain that the Red Phoenix that the North King saw was the real deal. "We should wait whether the North King''s n would benefit us or not before we make a move."


    Elis Ripperton, who finally broke free from the Supreme''s influence, stood up while fixing his elegant robe. "All the Beast Gods have finally descended the earth now," he said. "It''s time for the Sky God to make a move soon."


    "We already did everything we could to make the "immovable" Sky God move," Aku said, then he picked up a bottle from the shelf. "It''s time for him to show us where he hid the remains of the Sun God."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was shocked to see Winter covered in silver scales after he came to be.


    He was still kneeling before Tilly along with Winchell and Ainsworth, but he was distracted when he heard Winter''s soft whimpers. Based on the bluish lighting from Lady Luna and Asher''s hands, he could tell that they were trying to ease the pain of his youngest.


    But it was clearly not working.


    "It hurts" Winter whimpered softly. "My chest is burning"


    "Kiho," Tilly called him in a pleading voice. It looked like she calmed down after hearing their son''s cry. "Can you help our Winter?"


    "Of course," Kiho said, then he stood up and immediately walked towards Winter. "You didn''t have to ask, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 245: Winters Savior

    Chapter 245: Winter''s Savior


    KIHO was frustrated.


    Winter''s body was burning hot and he could sense that the heat wasing from his heart. But no matter how much of his ice Mana he used, his son''s body temperature wasn''t going down. And poor Winter was still whimpering in pain.


    His son said that he felt like his heart was being roasted by a hot me.


    "I will freeze Winter like how I did when he was born," Kiho dered, then he turned to who was kneeling beside him while wiping off the beads of sweat on their son''s forehead. "It will stabilize his temperature and hopefully, freeze the burning sensation in his chest."


    To be honest, that technique was dangerous.


    But since Winter''s dominant Mana was ice, he was hoping that it would work the way that it didst time. Now that his memories were back, he was more confident with his abilities. Still, he wanted to be careful because this was the first time that Winter had begun his transformation as the Moon Serpent.


    <em>My son''s little body couldn''t handle it yet.</em>


    Tilly turned to him and nodded. "Please do what you think is best for our son, Kiho. I trust you."


    "Thank you, hon," he said, then he gently put both of his hands on top of Winter''s chest. "Everyone, please move away from my son."


    Everyone, excluding Tilly, stood up and moved away from them.


    "Kiho, take care of Winter," Tilly said, then she kissed their son''s forehead. "Winter, your Dad will save you." Then, she turned to him with a serious look on her face. "Hon, I will just talk to Brother Wixx and Lord Forrester."


    Kiho nodded, then he kissed his wife on the lips. "Leave Winter to me, honey."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY gave Kiho and Winter onest look before she faced the people in front of her. "Brother, Lord Forrester, I need to talk to you. Please go to the next room."


    Wixx and Lord Forrester both nodded, then they left the room quietly.


    <em>Brother Wixx is acting strange.</em>


    But she set aside that thought to turn to Julian who looked worried about Winter. She smiled at his son and squatted in front of him.


    "Julian, don''t worry. Your father won''t let anything bad happen to Winter," she assured her son, then she put her hands on his shoulders. "Can you do me a favor, son?"


    "Of course, Mother," Julian said right away. His eyes told her that he was still worried about his brother. But she could also tell from his gaze that he was ready for whatever favor she would ask of him. "What can I do for you?"


    "Come down and assure our allies that everything is alright."


    He looked surprised by her order. "Mother, do I have the right to represent you and Father?"


    "Of course," she said firmly, then she gently touched her face. "Julian, you are our oldest son. If your father and I aren''t avable, you have all the right to be our representative. Why do you think that you do not have the right to do so?"


    "Because I''m not the heir apparent," he said hesitantly. "I know that thew in the empire dictates that the first born son should be the heir apparent. You can''t exin to everyone where Ie from. So more likely than not, all of them will think that I''m an adopted son. And the adopted children do not have the right to be the heir apparent unless the only biological child of a lord is a female." He bit his lip before he continued. "I don''t want the people who are unaware of the truth to think that you and father are being unfair to Winter. I don''t want them to misjudge you, Mother."


    Her heart broke for Julian once again.


    When would this child learn to think about himself first? Of course, she was happy to know that Julian thought of their family this way. But being too selfless was being cruel to yourself.


    "Don''t worry, Julian," Solenn, who was standing behind Julian and beside Luna, said confidently. "I will beat up everyone and anyone who''d have the audacity to speak ill about you and your family."


    His son''s face turned red but he smiled at the little princess''s words anyway.


    "Please do that, Princess Solenn," she told the little girl with a smile. "Speaking of which, can I ask you to apany my Julian?" she asked the princess, then she looked up at the witch. "You, too, Luna. Please check on our allies and see if somebody was harmed because of Brother and Kiho''s dispute a while ago."


    "Leave it to me, Tilly," Luna said with a nod. "Do what you have to do."


    "We''ll protect Julian, Supreme," Solenn assured her. "We will support our young lord and make sure that everyone acknowledges him."


    Sheughed softly at that. "Thank you, Princess Solenn," she said, then she turned to Julian. "Can I leave this matter to your hands, Lord Julian Rosenberg Nystrom?"


    In the empire, once ady was married, she just naturally loses her right to use her maiden''s name.


    But she wanted to remind Julian that he came from two powerful ns albeit the sufferings that he went through in the past. She knew that her own family hurt him back then, but still, she wanted him to have his faith back on the blood flowing through his veins.


    And it seemed to work.


    The look of determination on her son''s face said so.


    "You can leave it to me, Mother," Julian said in a confident voice. "I will not bring shame to our family."


    "Hey, no pressure, my precious little cinnamon roll," Tilly said, then she kissed Julian''s forehead. "Just do whatever you think is right and we will always support you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN didn''t expect that once he returned downstairs, he would be greeted by the fighting ck Serpent Knights and Red Phoenix Knights.


    Even Lady Solenn and Lady Luna looked upset with the sight that greeted them.


    "Lord Denver," Lady Luna called out to the former captain of the Red Phoenix Knights who looked frustrated while trying to tell the knights to calm down. But no one was listening to him. "What is happening here?"


    Lord Denver walked towards their direction while exining. "We saw the fight between the ck Serpent and the Red Phoenix a while ago," he said, then he stood in front of them with his arms crossed over his chest. "Since the Red Phoenix Knights are all Fire Mages like me, we are all naturally drawn to the Red Phoenix. My men started to cheer for Lord Wixx. And then, some of the ck Serpent Knights returned and heard themotion. Since the ck Serpent Knights are people who have worked with Duke Nystrom back when he was still the captain of his squad, his men started to cheer for him. Before I knew it, my men and the ck Serpent Knights are already fighting each other. They don''t listen to me."


    "Men and their ego," Lady Solenn said in a disappointed voice while shaking her head. "And you call yourselves grown-ups? Argh, even Winter could be more mature than your men, Lord Denver."


    Lady Luna nodded in agreement. "You took the words out of my mouth, Princess Solenn."


    Lord Denver''s face turned red from embarrassment. "I am really sorry for my ipetence."


    "Don''t be," Julian told Lord Denver in a calm manner. This was the man who took care of Flint ever since he took them under his wings. He knew that Lord Denver was a capable man. "The fact that the Fire Mages aren''t using their me to attack the ck Serpent Knights is a testament that you taught them well, Lord Denver."


    The Red Phoenix Knights (aka the Fire Mages of Lord Denver''s tower) and the ck Serpent Knights were fighting with their swords instead. But both sides were currently shouting strings of profanity at each other.


    <em>They all talk like Lord Jameson Crawford now.</em>


    Lord Denver looked touched by his words. "Lord Julian"


    "It''s my father and uncle''s fault that this happened," he assured him. "It is my family''s responsibility to clean up this mess."


    "Spoken like a true Nystrom," Lady Luna said proudly.


    Solenn nodded in agreement. "Julian, I think I''m seriously falling for you."


    Julian could only blush at that. "Uhm, please excuse me for a while," he said, then he turned his back on Lady Solenn, Lady Luna, and Lord Denver to face the fighting Red Phoenix and ck Serpent Knights.


    He knew that he couldn''t get their attention by simply talking. So he just released enough Mana to make the room hot despite the cold weather. That was when the knights stopped fighting, then they all turned to him silently.


    To be honest, he was used to leading people because he was the head of the Nystrom n in the past. He was just hesitating to act as a leader in this lifetime because he knew that it was Winter''s ce now.


    <em>But I don''t want to disappoint Mother.</em>


    "Thank you for finally paying attention," Julian said, then he smiled at the knights. "Can everyone stop fighting and listen to me first?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY watched Wixx and Lord Forrester''s reaction very carefully after she told them that this wasn''t the first time that she was born as Lady Matilda ''Tilly'' Prescott.


    They both looked shocked.


    Yes, even her brother.


    <em>Then, does it mean Brother Wixx has nothing to do with my reincarnation?</em>


    "I''m not the only one who came back," Tilly dered. Since only the three of them were in the room, she was free to talk about it. "Winter was also sent here. His remembers the memories of that life. But for some reason, he can''t talk about it."


    Both her brother and the former saint looked even shocked.


    "Brother, it wasn''t you?" she asked suspiciously. "I''ve always thought that it was you who brought me and Winter in this lifetime."


    "We didn''t meet in the lifetime that you just told me about so it''s impossible for me to do that," Wixx said in a serious tone. "But you''re the ck Phoenix, Tilly. You also have the ability to reincarnate on your own."


    Well, that made sense. "How about Winter then?"


    "Only one person other than the Red Phoenix could do that," Lord Forrester said, earning a re from her brother. But the former saint just ignored Wixx. "Tilly, I think I know who helped Winter to get back in the same lifetime as you."


    "Please don''t tell me it''s the Sky God."


    "Of course it''s not my father," the former saint said bluntly. "But it was definitely the work of another god."


    She turned to her brother who seemed to be keeping more secrets. "Brother, I can tell that you''re still hiding something from me," she said, her purple eyes glowing threateningly. "If you don''t want us to fight again, then you better spill what you know."


    Wixx looked at her for a solid minute without speaking before he let out a deep sigh. "I don''t want to bring him up but I guess it can''t be helped," he said, then he turned to her with a serious look on his face. "I believe it was the Sun God that brought Winter here, Tilly."


    "The Sun God?" Tilly asked in disbelief, the glow in her eyes fading slowly. "But the Moon God said I swallowed up the sun?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN WINTER opened his eyes, he found himself inside a dark room.


    The only thing lighting up the whole ce was a ball of gold-ish me floating in front of him. He wasn''t surprised because it wasn''t the first time that he saw that golden ball of fire. He couldn''t mistake the warmth and the pure auraing from it for something else.


    "It''s you," Winter said with a smile. "The god who helped me reincarnate."


    The golden ball of fire bounced a little as if it was nodding. "We meet again, my precious grandson."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 246: The Sun God

    Chapter 246: The Sun God


    "YOU''RE STILL calling me ''grandson,''" Winterined at the golden ball of fire. "You told me before that you were a god. But you didn''t properly introduce yourself to me."


    "We didn''t have enough time in the past," the golden ball of fire said. "Come to think of it, I wasn''t able to give you my name back then."


    "Oh, that''s right.


    "My name is Sulien and I am the Sun God," he said. "But you can just call me ''Grandpa,'' Winter."


    "Are you telling me to call you ''Grandpa'' as a respectful way to call you or are you really my grandfather?"


    That was his concern because the fact that Sulien was the Sun God didn''t surprise him anymore. He always had the hunch about his identity. It wasn''t that hard to figure it out because of his grandfather''s pure Mana.


    "What do you think, Winter?"


    "Your me feels as warm as my mommy''s me," he said hesitantly. "I think you are the father of Soleil Rosenberg."


    "You talk as if Soleil is a different person from your mother."


    "It''s my parents'' decisions to separate themselves from their past selves and to live in the present," he exined. "Most of all, I think for my Mommy, Lord Prescott will be the only father in her heart. I''m sorry if I offended you, Grandpa Sulien."


    He decided to still call the Sun God ''grandpa'' because he wanted to be respectful to him. After all, he was the one who gave him another chance to correct the mistakes of his past life in this lifetime.


    "I''m not offended. Ipletely understand, Winter," his grandfather said, then he changed the topic. "Do you remember when I told you to not tell anyone about your past life?"


    He nodded. "I kept my promise, Grandpa."


    "I know, grandson," he said. "I told you to keep it a secret because I didn''t want the enemies who haven''t retrieved their memories yet to take advantage of what you know. But now that everyone who is involved in the past war have retrieved their memories, I''m giving you the right to tell your parents what happened back then."


    His eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I can do that now?"


    "You discovered something in the past that your mother didn''t," his grandpa said seriously. "Winter, you have an older brother in this lifetime, don''t you?"


    "Yes," he said with a proud smile. "He''s called ''Julian,'' Grandpa."


    "What if I tell you that he has the ability to kill you?" Grandpa Sulien asked. "Would you still consider him as a brother instead of an enemy?"


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "Brother Julian can kill me?"


    "The Holy Scepter has merged with that boy," he exined. "And the Holy Scepter is the only weapon in this world that could kill you, Winter. If the enemies hear about this, I''m certain that they will do everything to have your brother and use him to kill you. That''s why the most logical thing to do now is to kill him before he turns into an enemy."


    "Grandpa," he said in a warning tone, his fists clenched tight. Ah, now he understood why his father and uncle fought a while ago. This must be the reason. "I respect you and I owe you one for bringing me back to my family. But if you talk about killing my brother again, then I''ll never forgive you."


    "Didn''t you hear me, grandson?" he asked strictly. "That brother of yours is a dangerous weapon."


    "He''s not a weapon," he snarled angrily. "I don''t care if Brother Julian is the Holy Scepter or what. I know that he will never kill me. We will protect him and we won''t let the enemiesy a hand on him."


    "Are you confident that you can do that?"


    "Of course," he said smugly. "We are the sons of the ck Serpent and the Supreme Fire Mage. We can figure it out together."


    "Then, is that your final decision?" Grandpa Sulien asked. "Do you still intend to wee the Holy Scepter as a part of your family?"


    "Brother Julian isn''t the Holy Scepter," he said firmly. "He is my brother, and he is the oldest son of House Nystrom."


    "Very well," the Sun God said in a satisfied voice. "Now, I''ll share your previous memories with your family so that you could figure out how to save Julian."


    His ears perked up at that. "Really, Grandpa? Were you just testing me and my feelings for my family?"


    "You can say that," he admitted. "That boy Julian''s existence is very dangerous. But because you insisted that he''s a part of your family despite the danger that he pose, then I shall ept him as my oldest grandson too."


    "Can we really save him, Grandpa?"


    "I can only give you a hint through the important memories of your past life," he said. "It''s up to you if you can make it work."


    He nodded firmly. "We will make it work," he promised, then his brows furrowed in confusion. "But Grandpa, where were you all this time?


    "The Sky God and I are in a ce that nobody could reach," the Sun God said in a somewhat lonely voice. "But don''t worry, grandson. Soon, we will make our move to assist you. For now, you need to go back to your family and tell them my message."


    "Sure, Grandpa," Winter said while nodding his head. "We''ll see each other again, won''t we?"


    "That is up to you, my precious grandson," Grandpa Sulien said. "I will pray for your sess for the chance of us to meet properly next time."


    And just like that, the whole room was suddenly engulfed in a blinding bright light.


    <em>Oh, he''s really the Sun God, huh?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO WAS surprised when all of a sudden, the ice coffin that he enclosed Winter with started to melt fast.


    He was startled because the Mana that he felt didn''t feel like it came from Winter. After all, his youngest son''s fire Mana was weak unlike his ice Mana. But this time, he felt an enormous amount of me inside his son.


    It almost feels like Tilly''s ck me


    His thoughts were cut-off when Winter woke up and stood in front of him while rubbing his eyes with his hand.


    When he saw his son''s appearance, he was shocked.


    "Good morning, Dad," Winter greeted him in azy voice. When he couldn''te up with a reply, he opened both of his eyes and looked at him with a worried look on his face. "What''s wrong, Dad? Is there something on my face?"


    "Yes," Kiho said when he found his voice again. "Winter, your hair and eye color have changed."


    "Huh?"


    "It''s ck on the top and silverish on the bottom now," he exined to his son. "Your eyes were a deep shade of purple when you woke up but now, they have returned to being gold."


    But the most prominent change in his son was his Mana


    ah, it would be more appropriate to say that his aura was now something akin to the pure energy that gods emit.


    <em>It''s like Winter''s power as the Moon Serpent has been half-awakened.</em>


    "Winter, do you feel alright?" Kiho asked his son who was trying to look at his appearance in the window. When Winter turned to him, he got down on one knee and put his hands on his shoulders. His youngest son''s body still felt as cold as usual. Yet, he knew that something inside him had been literally ignited. "Your scales are gone. Are you not in pain anymore?"


    "I feel alright now, Dad," Winter said, then he wrapped his tiny arms around his neck. "But I feel sleepy"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved when Winter finally opened his eyes.


    A while ago, they all felt a strange presence in the house. When she ran to the room where she left Kiho and Winter, she was so surprised to see the huge change in her son. Her husband said it happened after their youngest awakened.


    <em>It''s not only his appearance his Mana now feels very different.</em>


    "Mommy" Winter said, then he smiled at her before he turned to his father and brother. "Dad, Brother Julian"


    Right now, she was sitting on the edge of the bed beside Winter.


    Kiho and Julian were standing behind her. Since she didn''t want their youngest to be overwhelmed once he woke up, she asked their friends and allies to give their family privacy.


    She offered Wixx to stay with them. But her brother said that he felt a hostile energy not far from their location. So the Red Phoenix went outside to patrol. Ainsworth insisted toe so the Golden Tiger followed her brother.


    "Mommy, I met Grandpa Sulien," Winter said when he got up with the help of Kiho. "He said he''s the Sun God."


    She almost choked on her saliva because of what she heard. "The Sun God"


    "The Sun God is your father, honey?" Kiho asked him in a confused tone. "But as far as I remember, you and Winchell are the children of House Rosenberg."


    She nodded in agreement. "That''s what I know too, hon."


    "But Mother, don''t other people call you ''Daughter of the Sun?''" Julian asked politely. "Do you think that it means you''re the daughter of the Sun God?"


    She didn''t want to admit this but Julian was right.


    But it wasn''t like it was the first time that she thought of that. For some reason, her mind kept denying it.


    Plus, Kyro said that I "swallowed" the sun.


    But then again, she shouldn''t trust an enemy''s words so easily.


    "Mommy, Daddy. Brother, I have something more important to tell you," Winter said. Then, much to their shock, his usually golden eyes had turned into a deep shade of purple. It was almost ck, but it was glowing with a gold-ish light that reminded her of the "pixie dust" that she had seen in a movie in her second life. "Grandpa Sulien said that you''re allowed to see the memories of my previous life now."


    Tilly was just about to ask how but all of a sudden, the room that they were in was engulfed in a blinding light.


    <em>Okay, what now?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WIXX, who was flying up in the sky with his ming red wings open wide, could see from afar the army of "ice puppets."


    From his estimations, he could tell that there were a thousand of undead soldiers marching towards them. It wasn''t a lotpared to the enemies that he had to fight in the past. But it wasn''t going to be an easy battle because not everyone''s strength was up to his standards.


    Judging by their normal speed, they would reach their location in a few hours. Yes, they were still that far. But he was using his heightened senses at the moment.


    "Little tiger," Wixx said, then he looked down at Ainsworth who was running on the ground below him. "Go back and tell everyone to prepare for battle."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WINTER."


    Winter rolled his eyes before he turned around to face his father. He was in the middle of wiping off the blood in his dagger''s de when his father entered his room. So he had no choice but to put his hands behind his back to hide the bloody weapon. "Wee back, Father."


    Duke Kiho Prescott, his father, was the infamous captain of the ck Serpent Knights. He was also dubbed as the emperor''s "shadow beast." People were really scared of his father, and he understood why.


    Father always has a cold look on his face.


    "Have you met visited your mother recently?" his father asked. "It has been a while since you spent time with her."


    His crazy mother had left the mansion a few weeks ago after a big fight with his father.


    But of course, his father who was already tired of his mother''s tantrums didn''t bother to ask her to return. Ever since then, his mother would just call for him and he would be forced to visit her in the Prescott''s mansion where she currently resided.


    "I was with Mother the other day, Father," he answered formally. "We went shopping."


    ''Shopping'' would be an understatement.


    After all, his mother was known in the whole empire as a big spender. But nobody would dare to call her out, not even his father. It wasn''t like she was only spending his father''s money. Everyone knew that his mother received a huge amount of inheritance from histe grandfather.


    "Winter."


    "Yes, Father?"


    "If your mother and I divorced, would you choose toe with your mother or stay with me in this mansion?"


    His eyes widened in shock. Well, he knew that his parents had a hellish marriage. But he didn''t expect his father to be the kind of man who would break his promise. After all, before his grandfather died, he swore that he would protect his mother. "Father, are you going to divorce Mother?"


    His father just gave him a firm nod as a response.


    Now, that was surprising.


    Despite his father''s stoic personality, he knew that he genuinely cared for his mother. He didn''t get tired of her and her awful behavior for the past years. What could have changed his father''s mind?


    <em>Could it be</em>


    Winter grasped the hilt of the dagger in his hands tight. "Father, why did you suddenly decide to divorce Mother?"


    "I met a woman called Lucina Morganna," his father said coldly. "I''m going to marry her."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 247: Horrible Past Life (1)

    Chapter 247: Horrible Past Life (1)


    "YOUNG MASTER, is everything alright?"


    Winter swung his sword with a little more force than usual. As expected, it created a strong wave that created a long and deep crack in the ground. The crack only stopped when it hit and sliced several trees in the forest surrounding his training area.


    After that, he returned his sword in the sheath before he turned around to face Vice-Captain ke, his swords master.


    "Yeah, everything is fine," Winter said in his usual cold voice and nk face that he inherited from his stoic father. "Father finally decided to divorce my mother."


    ke looked shocked by his revtion.


    "And Father met another woman that he said he wants to marry," he added, making his poor instructor turn pale. ke was a loyal follower of his father, and divorce among higher nobles were frowned upon. The Vice-Captain was probably worried about his father since his ce in the higher society might be affected by the divorce. "Don''t worry, ke. Father will be fine even if he divorced Mother. Although my father''s wealth is rtively smallpared to the wealth that Mother inherited from my grandfather, we''ll be fine. Father has already established his position as the empire''s pir. The stuck-up higher nobles can''t bully him anymore."


    After all, his father was the most trusted knight of the emperor.


    And he, the son of Duke Kiho Prescott, was the heir apparent of Emperor Aku who refused to take another empress after Princess Nia was exiled.


    <em>The princess was exiled because of my mother.</em>


    "I know that His Grace can take care of himself even after the divorced," ke said, then he gave him a look filled of worry. "I''m worried about you, Young Master."


    Oh, that was a surprise.


    He thought that ke and the ck Serpent Knights only cared about him because he was his father''s only son. But it seemed like the Vice-Captain genuinely cared about him.


    "I''m fine," Winter said casually, then he turned his back on ck and walked back to his residence. "My parents'' problem is none of my business anyway."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''M GLAD to see that you look fine, Winter."


    "Of course, Your Majesty," Winter said, then he sipped his tea. Right now, he was in the presence of Emperor Aku because he invited him for an afternoon tea in his garden. Every time he would spend time with the emperor, he would ask his guards to leave the two of them alone. "Please don''t be worried about me. I''ve always known that my parents would divorce someday, judging by how awful their married life had been so far."


    Well, that wasn''t necessarily true.


    He had vague, happy memories with his parents when he was still a toddler. His mother hadn''t always been that crazy, and his father used to show affection to his mother. Despite everything, he knew that he was loved by his parents.


    And that was why he kept wondering what went wrong with his family.


    "You don''t have to worry about your parents'' divorce," Emperor Aku said, then he elegantly put his teacup down on the table. "Kiho''s status as a higher noble won''t be taken away from him since he already proved himself to be worthy of his title even without Lady Prescott. On the other hand, your mother has too much wealth that she won''t be cast aside by the society even if she divorced your father. That''s why your position as my heir wouldn''t get affected."


    He nodded in agreement. "I know that, Your Majesty. It''s not like people couldin about my family background because even though my parents will be officially divorced soon, they''re still a lot better than any of them. My mother is arguably the richest noblewoman in the empire. On the other hand, my father is a duke and the captain of the ck Serpent Knights.


    The emperorughed softly. "Confident, aren''t we?"


    He just sipped his tea.


    "Well, your blood as a Prescott won''t matter anymore once you start attending your official royal duties," His Majesty said. "By then, people will start to refer to you as ''His Royal Highness.'' That means you''ll officially be a part of the royal family."


    <em>In short, I won''t be a Prescott by then.</em>


    Winter was already the heir apparent to the throne because His Majesty didn''t have a son.


    But he wasn''t officially dered as the crown prince yet. Unlike other empires or countries, the Moonchester Empire heavily relied on the High Priest''s visions when ites to deciding the perfect date for certain big asions such as his coronation.


    ording to the High Priest, he shall be hailed as the crown prince during his fifteenth birthday. And that was still three years away from now.


    "Winter, that''s the reason why I summoned you here," Emperor Aku continued. "I have a request."


    "What is it, Your Majesty?"


    "Stop your killing spree."


    He froze on his spot when he heard that.


    The emperor smiled at him. "I''m sorry but I had to ask my people to keep an eye on you since you''re my sessor. I''ve known for quite sometime now that you''re killing people who wronged you instead of going through a proper trial."


    He flinched, but he couldn''t deny it.


    "At first, I didn''t mind because I know that those people deserved to die after they offended you," His Majesty continued. "But recently, I heard that you''ve begun going out at night to seek your next victims. I heard that you''re targetting the scums of the society. Although it could be considered as a public service, it will still stain your reputation as the future crown prince if people find out that you''re killing our citizens even if they were trash."


    He bit his lower lip before he continued. "Your Majesty, are you not going to tell Father about what you found out about me?"


    "Do you want me to?"


    He shook his head. "Father will hate me if he finds out."


    The emperor paused, and then heughed merrily. "You''re still scared of Kiho."


    He didn''t respond to that.


    It wasn''t like he was afraid of his father. It was more like he was craving for his attention but he didn''t want to disappoint him. Yes, his feelings wereplicated.


    Just how he loved his mother but there were times that he wanted to be mad at her.


    "Winter, you are higher in rank than your father," His Majesty reminded him carefully. "I''m the only person above you so don''t be afraid of Kiho. Most of all, he would never hurt you. Remember that, okay?"


    Winter nodded politely. "I will, Your Majesty."


    Emperor Aku smiled at him. "Good," he said. "You and Kiho should just always listen to me and in return, I will protect the two of you at all cost."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>MOTHER is strange today.</em>


    Winter visited his mother who was still staying at the mansion of House Prescott.


    To be precise, he was currently in her room. He heard from his father that he already sent the divorce papers to his mother. And that was the reason for his visit.


    He expected his mother to be enraged. But instead, he was greeted by his mother who was calmly preparing tea for him. He also noticed that she didn''t look angry or hurt. In fact, for some reason, she looked refreshed.


    "I''m d that you visited me today, Winter," his mother said with a smile after she poured tea in his teacup. Then, she sat on the chair opposite from him. "I was feeling lonely after I read the divorce papers that your father sent me a while ago. But seeing your face now" She paused to look at his face as if she was memorizing it, then she smiled warmly at him. He could tell right away that it was a genuine smile. "Your presence gives me strength, son."


    Ah, this was the mother in his earliest memories.


    "Mother, are you alright?" Winter asked worriedly. Whenever his mother was acting like a lunatic, he would feel embarrassed and upset. But of course, deep in his heart, he still loved her. And the love that he had for his mother would be stronger every time she would act like how he remembered her back when he was a toddler. "You must be upset because Father sent you the divorce papers instead of talking to you in person."


    One of the biggest ws that he noticed in his parents'' marriage life was his mother and father''sck ofmunication.


    Once his mother was angry, his father would just turnpletely silent.


    And once his mother was full of his father''s nonchnce, she would walk away from him and leave the mansion until she calmed down.


    Instead of properly fixing the problem, they would just simply ignore it and pretend that everything was fine. Then, once it happened again, the cycle would just get repeated. And thus, there were times that his mother would explode from anger and dig all the problems that they never bothered to fix.


    "Your father made the right decision," his mother said in a patient voice. But although she was trying to put a brave face on, pain was still visible in her eyes. "It''s best to end our marriage this way."


    His mother''s pitiful look squeezed his heart painfully. "Mother"


    "I don''t deserve Kiho," his mother said with a sad smile on her face. "I just wish that the woman that he fell in love with would treat you well, Winter." She put a hand on top of his and squeezed it gently. "Winter, I hope she''d be a better mother to you than I was to you." When she spoke again, her voice cracked a little. "Just don''t forget that I''m your mother, Winter."


    Winter just kept his silence then.


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was surprised when he saw Princess Nia and her knight-mage called Lahara when he went out of his mother''s chamber.


    She noticed that Lahara was holding a huge bouquet of Moonflowers.


    <em>Her Royal Highness always brings that flower to my mother.</em>


    "Greetings, Princess Nia," Winter greeted the royal princess in a short yet polite way. Princess Nia insisted that he greeted her "casually" since they were family. "Thank you for taking care of my mother."


    Princess Nia smiled at him warmly. "It''s nothing, Winter," she said in her gentle voice. "After all, your mother and I are very good friends."


    He thought he heard Lahara stifle herughter.


    But when he turned to her, he saw that her face was as nk as usual.


    Winter''s brows furrowed in confusion. <em>Did she justugh?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 248: Horrible Past Life (2)

    Chapter 248: Horrible Past Life (2)


    "GREETINGS, Young Master."


    Winter just nodded at Captain Sherwood, captain of the Blue Dragon Knights. The knight was standing in front of the simple carriage that Princess Nia used. Every time Her Royal Highness would visit her mother, they would do it discreetly. The servants of her mother all had their lips sealed by bribe. "Captain Sherwood, is it really safe for Her Royal Highness to visit my mother monthly?"


    Last year, he was shocked to see Princess Nia in his mother''s mansion. When he asked His Majesty about it, he said he allowed Her Royal Highness to return to the Royal Capital once a month. Of course, it was a "royal secret" that only a few knew about.


    Since the royal princess''s sin of failing to give the emperor a child because of her infertility, it would be hard for her to return and reim her title. Not even His Majesty could pardon her from that sin because if he did that, he would be subjected to the ire of his own people.


    And so, Emperor Aku settled in giving the royal princess some sort of freedom.


    <em>Since His Majesty holds the temple by its neck, he was able to "convince" them to let Princess Nia leave her confinement once every month.</em>


    "Don''t worry about it, Young Master. We''re being careful," Captain Sherwood assured him. "After Her Royal Highness had tea with Lady Prescott, I will escort her back to the temple. Nobody else will know that the royal princess has been here."


    "Ah, I see," he said, not really convinced with that. How could not people realize that it was suspicious for the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights himself to escort an "ordinary"dy? Were people around them dumb or the emperor was just confident that nobody in their right mind would question the captain? "Anyway, I didn''t know that my mother is this close to Her Royal Highness."


    The captain let out a softugh that somehow sounded mocking. Or was it just his imagination? "Yes, Young Master. Lady Nystrom and Her Royal Highness have been good friends way before you were born. In fact, if it wasn''t for the royal princess, your mother and your father wouldn''t have been together in the first ce."


    He could easily detect sarcasm but when ites to Captain Sherwood, he found it hard to decipher if he was being genuine or not. But in the end, he just dropped it since his mother''s friendship with the royal princess had nothing to do with him anyway.


    "I guess Her Royal Highness will be disappointed once she hears that the people she brought together are now separated," Winter said, then he turned his back on the captain to walk towards his own carriage where ke and his attendants were waiting. "See you around, Captain Sherwood."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was woken up by her mother''s loud shriek.


    He got up and stayed still for a while before he realized that the sound wasing from his parents'' room.


    <em>Mother is here?</em>


    He visited his mother just the other day and she didn''t tell him that she would visit.


    Curious as to why his parents were fighting again, he went out of his room. The head maid and the head butler were already at his door.


    "Young Master, we humbly ask you to return to your room," Louisa said with her head hung low.


    "The madam is here and she''s not in a good condition," David added with a low bow. "Please let the master handle this."


    "No," Winter said bluntly. He knew that the head maid and the head butler were just being protective of him. But this time, he wanted to know what was going on with his parents. Especially with his mother who was just calm when he visited her a while ago. "I want to see my mother so get out of my way."


    The head maid and the head butler were aware of his mood swings. And so, they politely bowed and got of his way before he snapped at them.


    He also asked them to not follow him.


    After that, he walked alone towards his parents'' room. Whenever the two would fight, their servants wouldn''t dare to get near the chamber. It was perfect for him since he didn''t have to deal with any of them like how he dealt with Louisa and David.


    "How dare you!" his mother yelled angrily. Her voice was so loud that he was able to hear her even though he was standing outside the room. "How dare you abandon me for another woman, Kiho!"


    "Tilly," his father said firmly. "I thought you already agreed to the divorce?"


    "No!" his mother cried. "How about Winter? I can''t let another woman raise my son! I will never allow another woman to be acknowledged as the birth mother of the empire''s future emperor! That should be me!"


    Ah, so that was why his mother was angry.


    His mother didn''t really care that his father fell in love with another woman. She didn''t care that he would have a stepmother soon. His mother was just afraid to have another woman "harvest" the result of her hard work. And that "hard work" was him.


    <em>Mother has be too greedy for power.</em>


    It hurt to know that but at the same time, he couldn''t help but wonder what was wrong with his mother.


    <em>She was just calm the other day</em>


    His mother looked genuine then. Was she acting? He couldn''t tell.


    Well, I guess my having a split personality is a trait that I inherited from Mother.


    "Then, how about we do this?" his father said in his usual cold voice. "If you sign the divorce papers, I swear on my honor that I won''t let you get cast aside by the society. You''re the only mother that Winter will recognize. You will still be the only mother of the future emperor even if I remarry. Of course, I will still support you even after our divorce."


    "I''m richer than you, Kiho."


    Winter raised a brow. <em>Mother suddenly sounds gentle.</em>


    "Your wealth won''tst long judging by how much you splurge on shopping every single day."


    "It''s my noble duty to keep the economy afloat by spending money," her mother said bluntly. "You wouldn''t know because you weren''t born a noble. But you know, rich people should spend their money even on useless things."


    "That''s why I''m telling you that you''d easily go bankrupt if all you do is spend," his father scolded his mother. "If you don''t want my money, then allow me to manage your father''s businesses in your ce. All the profits will go to you. I won''t touch your money, not even a single coin. Would that be alright?"


    Now Winter was confused. <em>Why does Father sound like he still wants to take care of Mother even though he''s the one who asked for divorce?</em>


    "If you insist, then I will allow you to take care of me and my businesses," his mother said in her usual haughty tone. "I will sign the divorce papers once I get home. You better keep your promise to me, Kiho."


    "Have I ever broken a promise I made to you?"


    "Yes, just now," his mother said coldly. "Our marriage was a promise of staying together forever, wasn''t it? But you broke it when you chose another woman over me."


    "Tilly"


    "I will let you go as long as I stay as Winter''s mother," his mother said. "But I just have onest question for you, Kiho."


    "What is it?"


    "Who''s prettier between me and that homewrecker?"


    Winter flinched at his mother''s words because he knew that it would hurt his father.


    <em>Unfortunately, no matter how hellish their marriage was, Mother is right: Father''s new woman is still a homewrecker.</em>


    "You''re prettier, Tilly," his father said softly. "I didn''t lie when I told you before that you''re the most beautiful to me."


    Winter was surprised to hear that from his father.


    <em>If that''s the case, then why did you fall in love with another woman?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FATHER, you called me?" Winter said when he entered his father''s office. Then, he stood in front of his desk with his hands behind his back. "Do you have something to say to me?"


    "Your mother was here a while ago," his father, who sat behind the desk, informed him. "But I guess you already know that."


    He just nodded as a response.


    Well, it wasn''t like he could tell his father that he overheard the conversation between his parents. And he didn''t get to hear everthing anyway. As soon as his father said that his mother was beautiful, he got goosebumps.


    <em>Hearing your parents flirt is gross.</em>


    And for him, very confusing. Why did his parents act that way when they just agreed to divorce each other? It made him feel very awkward.


    "Your mother already agreed to divorce me as long as you recognize her as your mother," his father said. "Can I ask you a favor? I want you to stay on good terms with your mother and let the whole high society know. I''m sorry for asking you to do this."


    "It''s okay, Father," he said. "She''s still my mother after all."


    His father gave him a faint smile that disappeared quickly. "Winter, do you want to meet Lucina?"


    Winter shrugged because he already expected that. "I don''t mind, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>AH, THERE she is.</em>


    Winter, along with the servants of his father''s mansion, await by the main hall for his father and his new uh, lover?


    <em>Anyway</em>


    As soon as his father entered the hall with a beautiful woman attached to his arm, everyone behind him let out a soft gasp. And he understood why.


    <em>She has ck hair</em>


    "Everyone, I''d like you to meet Lucina Morganna," his father said firmly. "From now on, she''s the new madam of this mansion."


    The servants bowed and greeted the woman.


    Winter, on the other hand, just gave her a nk look. "Greetings, Lady Morganna."


    Lucina Morganna smiled warmly at her. "I''ve always wanted to meet you, Winter," she said, then she squatted in front of him even though nobledies weren''t supposed to that. "Please feel free to treat me like your own mother, hmm?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 249: Horrible Past Life (3)

    Chapter 249: Horrible Past Life (3)


    <em>IT HAS already been three months since Father married Lucina Morganna.</em>


    Winter would admit that his stepmother was more caring than his birth mother. He thought that her presence in the mansion would change his father''s coldness. But much to his surprise, the duke remained stoic.


    Most of all, his father was still rarely at home due to his work as a captain and as a duke.


    <em>Ah, right. Father has been busier than ever because he''s the one managing all the businesses that my grandfather left to my mother.</em>


    "Good morning, Winter."


    Winter was greeted by his stepmother when he entered the dining hall for breakfast. "Good morning, Mother," he said. Well, his father insisted that he called his new wife ''Mother'' and as a dutiful son, he had to follow him. "Did you sleep well?"


    His stepmother just smiled and nodded. Then, while holding freshly cut Moonflowers in her arms, she squatted in front of him. "Do you have swordsmanship training this afternoon?"


    He nodded. "Captain Sherwood will bring me to his squadter. Why did you ask, Mother?"


    "Your father will finally being home after a week of staying in the pce for work," she said with a sad smile on her face. She must have missed his father a lot. His father was probably the only husband in the empire who would leave his new wife in the mansion alone for so long. "We''re nning to eat out for dinner. Does having seafood sound good to you?"


    <em>Seafood?</em>


    All of a sudden, a vague image of him as a toddler entered his mind. In that particr memory, he saw himself in a seafood restaurant with his father and mother. From the looks of it, they seemed to be having a good time because the three of them were smiling. But he wasn''t sure if it was a real memory or just a dream.


    "I used to be a lower noble before I married your father so I''m not sure if higher nobles enjoy seafood," his stepmother said with a shy smile. "Your father enjoys it since like me, he wasn''t born with the same status that you enjoy now, Winter. So I''m wondering if you''ll enjoy the things that higher nobles don''t usually indulge."


    "It''s okay, Mother," he assured her. "Even my birth mother loves seafood. I remember that we used to go to a seafood restaurant when I was a toddler."


    "That''s not true, Winter."


    He flinched because for some reason, his stepmother''s smile and voice turned creepy?


    "I heard from your father that your birth mother has never enjoyed seafood or anything that is considered cheap by higher nobles like her," his stepmother said.


    Then, she put a hand on his cheek that gave him goosebumps. And yet, his feet seemed to be glued to the floor because he couldn''t move from his spot.


    <em>What is this numbing feeling?</em>


    "Sadly, your birth mother is a vain, selfish, and greedy woman who loves money, power, and other superficial things," his stepmother continued. "Poor Winter. Your birth mother never really loved you. She only cares about your position as His Majesty''s heir."


    Well, he knew that his mother hasn''t been mentally stable these past years. He was also aware of her greed for power. But despite everything, he knew that she loved him dearly. She just couldn''t fulfill her duties to him because of her poor mental health.


    Father also often tells me that whatever happens, my birth mother is still my mother.


    "My birth mother might be insane to most people," Winter said firmly. "But she loves me and I feel the same."


    "Poor Winter. You believed your mother''s lies," his stepmother said. And before he could protest, she hugged him tight. When the Moonflowers between them were pressed against his chest, the fragranceing from the flowers became stronger. For some reason, the smell made him dizzy. "Only I can truly love you and Kiho, son."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU alright, Young Master?"


    Winter slightly shook his head at Captain Sherwood''s question while pinching the bridge of his nose. "I often have headache these days," he said, then he looked at the bouquet of Moonflowers that the captain had in his hand. "Are you nning to give those flowers to my birth mother?"


    Since he had two mothers now, he had to refer one as "birth mother" and the other as "stepmother" to avoid confusion.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Right now, he was in the carriage with Captain Sherwood. Since he was done training with the ck Serpent Knights, it was the Blue Dragon Knights'' turn to teach him their ways. Yes, as the future heir of the emperor, he was required to train under the Four Orders.


    "I can''t visit Lady Prescott empty-handed, can I?" Captain Sherwood said with a softugh. "And now that she''s divorced, I don''t think Captain Kiho will kill me for giving her flowers. Gone were the days where your father would threaten me with his eyes for merely looking at your mother''s direction."


    He let out a sigh while shaking his head. Then, he looked at the Moonflowers and blinked several times when he realized something. "Are Moonflowers popr? I know that it''s Princess Nia''s favorite flowers. But these days, even our mansion is filled with Moonflowers because of my stepmother''s sudden interest in them."


    "Moonflowers are popr among thedies, Young Master."


    "They''re not," he said bluntly. Since he was chased bydies left and right, he inevitably knew things that he didn''t really care about. Just like what kind of flowers were popr among thedies of the empire. "As far as I know, roses are still the most popr flowers among thedies and not Moonflowers. To be honest, aside from Her Royal Highness, I''ve only seen my stepmother adore them."


    "I don''t really know much about flowers," the captain said, as carefree as ever. "I only brought Moonflowers because they are Princess Nia''s favorite."


    He didn''tment on that because they already arrived at his mother''s estate.


    And he d that he came at the right time.


    As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, he saw his birth mother straddling his stepmother who was crying while trying to protect herself from his birth mother. On the other hand, his birth mother was screaming while punching, pping, and scratching his stepmother.


    The servants behind couldn''t do anything but watch. Based on the fear on their face, his birth mother probably warned them not to interfere.


    <em>What is my stepmother doing here?</em>


    "Mother, please stop," Winter calmly said. Then, he wrapped his arms around his birth mother''s waist and pulled her away from his stepmother. Yes, he was identally hit by his birth mother in the face several times. It didn''t hurt but his patience already ran out. "Mother!"


    His mother stopped from her hysteria as if she was awakened by his yelling.


    He didn''t mean to raise his voice at his birth mother but he couldn''t help it.


    "W-Winter, please don''t yell at Lady Prescott," his stepmother, who just stood up with the help of Captain Sherwood, begged him in a weak voice. "She''s still your mother. And this is all my fault. I was worried when I heard that Lady Prescott hasn''t beening out of her room these days so I paid her a visit. But I may have stepped over my boundaries." Her voice started to crack and when she spoke again, tears started to silently roll down her cheeks. "I shouldn''t have gone here. Lady Prescott has the right to be angry so please don''t get mad at her, Winter."


    The servants then gave his stepmother a pitiful gaze.


    Ah, he should fire his mother''s current servants right away. Now that their sympathy was on his stepmother, they would probably harbor negative feelings towards his mother. And servants who lost their loyalty towards their master could be dangerous.


    <em>My mother isn''t in her right mind so I have to take care of her and the people around her.</em>


    "Snake," his birth mother said in a weak voice. Then, she fell to the floor. When he knelt beside her, she suddenly hugged him tight. He thought she was just leaning on him for support. But much to his shock, his mother whispered to him. This time, she was calm. "Winter, get rid of the Moonflowers in your mansion," she said in a voice that only him could hear. "Get those flowers away from you and Kiho."


    "Mother, what are you saying?" Winter asked, his heart breaking for his mother. But when he noticed that his stepmother and Captain Sherwood were looking at him intently, he put on the usual nk look on his face. "Let me bring you to your room, Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>WHAT the hell am I doing?</em>


    After Winter brought his birth mother to her room, he asked her about the Moonflowers that she told him to get rid of. But all of a sudden, his birth mother went on a hysteria again. It looked like she couldn''t even recognize him then. When her doctors arrived, they advised him to leave his birth mother to their hands.


    Since his stepmother and Captain Sherwood were waiting for him, he had no choice but to leave with them.


    <em>Still, I can''t take it off of my mind.</em>


    So, here he was in his parents'' chamber.


    "Their room is filled with Moonflowers," Wintermented to himself while looking around the chamber. All the vases in the room had Moonflowers. And then, he realized something. "My room is also filled with Moonflowers"


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard footsteps outside.


    He didn''t have the time to leave the room because he''d be caught. Instead, he just quietly ran to the balcony and his there. He hid his presence as much as he could so that his father wouldn''t notice him.


    <em>Please don''t let Father feel my presence.</em>


    "Kiho, isn''t it time that we share the same room?"


    Winter raised a brow at what he heard. <em>It''s my stepmother</em>


    "Why do we need to share a room?" his father asked coldly. "We''re only married in papers, Lucina."


    He had to cover his mouth with his hands to refrain himself from letting out a gasp.


    "But Kiho, I''m your wife now," his stepmother said in a sad voice. "Can''t you learn to love me since we''re now married anyway?"


    "I didn''t marry you because I needed a new wife," his father said sternly. "I only married you because of our deal, Lucina."


    Winter''s brows furrowed in confusion.


    <em>What deal are they talking about?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 250: Horrible Past Life (4)

    Chapter 250: Horrible Past Life (4)


    WINTER was supposed to confront his father that morning but much to his disappointment, his father went out during dawn. ording to the servants, his father was summoned by His Majesty that early.


    And then, during lunch time, a terrible incident happened.


    His father arrived at the mansion with his stepmother in his arms. He noticed right away that his stepmother was heavily injured. Thus, themotion from the servants who greeted his parents in the main entrance of the mansion.


    "What happened, Father?" Winter asked worriedly while cheking if his father was hurt too. Thankfully, he looked fine to him. "Were you attacked?"


    "I wasn''t hurt," his father said, then he turned to his stepmother. "Lucina was on her way to my office to bring me lunch when her carriage was attacked."


    He heard a collective gasp from the servants.


    "Who would do such thing to Mother?" he asked curiously. Even after his birth mother divorced his father, his father still remained as Duke Kiho Prescott. Most of all, everyone in the empire knew that the emperor cherished their family as if it was his own. "Is it someone from the rebel group? Or the Noble Faction, perhaps?"


    His father didn''t respond.


    "The assants were caught, Winter," his stepmother said with a sad smile. "They said they were ordered by Lady Prescott to kill me."


    Again, the servants all gasped in surprise.


    On the other hand, he turned to his father for confirmation.


    "The assants pointed Tilly as the mastermind," his father confirmed. "But we''re still investigating the case."


    "How''s Mother?" Winter asked worriedly. "Father, can I visit Mother?"


    Just before his father could open his mouth, his stepmother beat him to it.


    "Winter, I''m sorry but I don''t think you should visit Lady Prescott now," his stepmother said while giving him an apologetic smile. "It''s not right for the future crown prince to be involved in this mess so please stay here for the meantime, hmm?"


    "Your mother is right, Winter," his father said sternly. "And thus, I forbid you from visiting Tilly for now."


    Winter clenched his fists but he didn''t dare to oppose his father in front of their servants. "I understand, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUNG MASTER, are you alright?"


    Winter didn''t mean to but he gave Captain Sherwood a cold nce when he turned to him. "I''m fine," he snarled at him. "Why are you asking such a useless question?"


    Since Captain Sherwood was naturally a carefree person, it seemed like he didn''t mind that heshed out on him. Instead, he smiled and ruffled his hair. "I will ask the servants to prepare tea for us. We should take a break first, Young Master."


    After saying that, the captain left him in the training ground to call the servants.


    This time, they were just in the spacious courtyard of Captain Sherwood''s estate. Since their training session always ended up getting too brutal, he forbade his servants to stand-by or watch for them to avoid getting identally hurt.


    <em>My head hurts.</em>


    Since nobody was watching him anyway, heid on the ground to look at the orange-y sky due to sunset.


    <em>I want to freeze the sky.</em>


    He seemed to be eternally pissed for the past few months.


    After all, the attack against his stepmother had never stopped ever since the first one. Worse, every single assant had pointed out that his birth mother was the mastermind. He didn''t know if it was fortunate or not but his birth mother managed to avoid getting punished because ofck of evidence.


    But Mother''s reputation has been severely damaged. She has also be theughingstock of the high society.


    He heard that his birth mother hadn''t gone out of her room for the whole month. Unfortunately, his father still didn''t want him to visit the Prescott mansion. He also couldn''t discreetly go anywhere else aside from his scheduled appointments because Captain Sherwood was keeping an eye on him like a hawk.


    <em>Mother</em>


    "Young Master."


    He got up when he heard an unfamiliar voice. When he looked up, he was greeted by a man with a haircolor the same as the orange-y sky above them. Also, he looked grumpier than him. "Captain Denver, you''re here?"


    "I made an appointment with you through Captain Sherwoord but apparently, that idiot forgot to ry my message to you," Captain Denver said bluntly. He was probably the only man aside from his father who could call Captain Sherwood an "idiot" without batting an eye. "Thus, I forced him to give a portion of your time today. But of course, only if you allow me, Young Master."


    "I didn''t know that you talk this much, Captain Denver," he said, then he stood up. "What do you need from me?"


    "Your training session with the Blue Dragon Knights will be ending in two weeks," the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights said. "The Golden Tiger Knights were supposed to take you in next. But I asked Captain Ainsworth if we could switch schedules. He said he''d only agree if I have your permission to change the schedule."


    "So, you want to take me in after my training session ends with the Blue Dragon Knights?"


    "Precisely, Young Master."


    He raised a brow at that. "Why though?"


    "Because your original schedule with us happens to be on the start of winter," Captain Denver said in a firm, cold voice. "We, the Fire Wielders, hate winter."


    For some reason, he flinched at the captain''s words.


    <em>Why did it sound like he''s saying that they hate me instead of the season?</em>


    "Alright, let''s do that," he said coldly. "I want to know why the Fire Wielders hate winter."


    "Very well, young master," the captain said. "Now, I shall take my leave."


    He was about to say something when all of a sudden, he felt a throb in his head. He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose as a result.


    "Young Master, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine. It''s just headache," he said curtly. "You may leave now, Captain Denver."


    "Young Master"


    "What?"


    "Get rid of the Moonflowers in your mansion."


    He turned to the captain suspiciously. "What do you mean by that? And how did you know that there are Moonflowers in our estate?"


    "Your stepmother often visits the royal princess''s pce even though Her Royal Highness isn''t there," the captain exined. "During the times I saw her leave the pce, I notice that she''d always have Moonflowers in her arms. I guess His Majesty gave her permission to get those flowers from the royal princess''s garden."


    "And so?"


    "Your source of headaches muste from the Moonflowers," Captain Denver said. "Young Master, be careful." Before he could even demand him to exin, the captain already bowed to him. "Thank you for the time, Young Master."


    And just like that, the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights already left.


    "Captain Denver already left?"


    He turned around to face Captain Sherwood who just returned. There was a line of servants following behind him. "Uh-huh."


    "What a shame. I asked the servants to bring extra teacup for him," Captain Sherwood said with a smile. But for some reason, his eyes looked sharp at the moment. "Young Master, what did Captain Denver say to you?"


    "He wants to take me in as a student earlier than scheduled," Winter said. He felt like he didn''t have to tell Captain Sherwood about the Moonflowers that Captain Denver warned him about so he didn''t. Most of all, he didn''t like that Captain Sherwood sounded like he was interrogating a criminal. "That''s all that I talked about with Captain Denver."


    <strong>***</strong>


    THAT NIGHT, Winter froze all the Moonflowers in his room.


    He thought that simply throwing them away would be too obvious. So instead of doing that, he simply covered the Moonflowers with an unnoticeable thinyer of ice. It was enough to also "freeze" the fragranceing from the flowers.


    <em>Let''s see if it makes a difference regarding my constant headache. If it doesn''t change a thing, I''ll kill Captain Denver.</em>


    But if his headaches disappear


    <em>I should talk to Father about this soon.</em>


    He couldn''t find the right timing to talk to his Father in secret. His father was often in the emperor''s pce for work. And whenever he was at home, his stepmother would always cling to his father like an ornament.


    Worst of all, he too was a very busy gentleman despite his young age.


    "Winter?"


    He put up his guard when his stepmother entered his chamber.


    It wasn''t anything strange by that time anymore. Ever since his father married her many months ago, his stepmother would visit his room every night to ask about his day.


    <em>Come to think of it, I don''t remember what we talked about during those times</em>


    "I heard Captain Denver visited you during your training session with Captain Sherwood," his stepmother said with a smile, then she sat on the chair beside his bed. That chair had never left its spot ever since his stepmother began paying him a visit every night. "May I know what Captain Denver talked to you about?"


    To be honest, he felt pissed because he felt like a criminal under probation. Captain Sherwood also asked the same question. He suddenly felt like they were keeping an eye on him instead of looking out for him.


    But he remembered that he never felt this way before.


    "Captain Denver just asked me if it was alright with me to be taken by his squad earlier than scheduled," Winter said to avoid suspicions. "I told him that I don''t mind."


    "Is that really all that he talked to you about, Winter?"


    Well, he was lying but he made sure that it wouldn''t show in his eyes. Thankfully, he could imitate his father''s stoic face if he wanted to. "Yes, Mother."


    His stepmother remained silent while looking at him intently for a while before she smiled. "I understand. I believe in you, Winter," she said. "However, I''d like it if you keep your distance from Captain Denver."


    Now that made him feel more suspicious.


    Captain Denver wasn''t just the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights. He was also the heir apparent of Marquis Denver. Most of all, he was the master of all the Fire Wielders in the empire. Although House Denver was in a neutral stance when ites to politics, most people knew that their family was full of dignity.


    "Why do I have to do that, Mother?" he asked in his usual uninterested voice even though he was really curious about that matter. "Is Captain Denver an enemy? Or is it because he didn''t choose between the Royal and Noble Faction?"


    "Let''s just say that the poor captain has been seduced by Lady Prescott."


    He clenched his fists hard. "Seduced by my birth mother?"


    "Lady Prescott is under surveince for her numerous attempt to kill me," his stepmother said. "To collect evidence against her, His Majesty sent his people to keep an eye on Lady Prescott. Apparently, Captain Denver was caught secretly visiting your birth mother several times. We believe that the captain is conniving with Lady Prescott to bring me down."


    He wanted to argue that his birth mother wasn''t that kind of person.


    But for some reason, his instinct told him to keep quiet. And so, he endured it and just wished that his face remained as nk as possible.


    "That''s why I have a request for you, my dear Winter."


    He swallowed the lump in his throat before he answered. "Anything, Mother."


    "Disown your birth mother, son," his stepmother said with a smile, then she cupped his face between her hands. "Disown Lady Prescott so she''dpletely lose her social ranking."


    Winter wanted to snarl at his stepmother for saying such thing. But when the fragrance of Moonflowersing from her hands hit his nose, he felt the will to fight against her. "I will follow your order, Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    FOR THE first time in a while, Winter woke up with a clear head.


    <em>My headache is gone.</em>


    He got up and turned to the Moonflowers in the vase on top of his bedside table. Even though it was already morning, the thinyer of ice that he covered the flowers with didn''t melt. He was knocked out by the fragrance of the Moonflowersing from his stepmother''s handsst night though.


    But since the Moonflowers in his room were frozen, it didn''t affect him that much in his sleep.


    "My stepmother has been using those flowers to brainwash me all this time" Winter said under his breath while clutching the bedsheets in his hands tight. "Now I understand why my birth mother told me before to get rid of the Moonflowers in the mansion."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE</strong>: *kneels down in apology* Hi! First of all, I''d like to apologize. I said before that MV will end around 200-250 chapters. But here''s the 250th chapter and the final arc hasn''t begun yet.


    This may sound like an excuse but my calction failed me because I changed the word count for each chapter that I post. I don''t know if you noticed but in the earlier part of the story, I write super long chapters. Each one is around 2,500-3,000 words (and thus, they were expensive). But my friend advised me to shorten it and make it less expensive for the readers.


    Thus, I began writing chapters that are only around 1,600-2,000 words. Sometimes, a chapter will reach 2,500 words.


    Since the chapters got shorter than before, the story got "longer" than expected.


    I''m sorry. But thank you for still sticking to MV. Now I don''t want to give an estimation on how long MV willst. There are only a few mini-arcs left before the final arc begins though. Thank you for being patient! <3


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 251: Horrible Past Life (5)

    Chapter 251: Horrible Past Life (5)


    OF COURSE, Winter didn''t report it to his father yet because he hadn''t gathered enough evidence to say that they were being brainwashed by his stepmother using Moonflowers.


    So he installed a spying device on his room that he covered with his ice to hide its presence. One of his birth mother''s major businesses was to create device from unique spirit stones that could only be found in Mount Sce the mountain owned by the Prescotts.


    The kind of device that he used was the spirit stone that could record voices. That was the most advanced spying device that their family possessed.


    And so, he recorded his stepmother''s voice for the past two weeks.


    That was when he realized that his stepmother talked about nothing else but how awful his birth mother was.


    "She wants me to hate my birth Mother," Winter said after he listened to all the recordings that the spirit stone had collected for the past two weeks. Of course, he was alone in his study room when he yed the recordings. To make sure that no one else would hear it, he put a protective spell inside the room. He used another spirit stone for that. "Did she also made Father fall in love with her using this horrible trick?"


    That made his heart feel heavy.


    He was aware that his birth mother wasn''t perfect. But despite that, he knew that she genuinely loved him. And he loved her too even though he couldn''t show it freely. Now, he understood where his hesitation to stand up for his birth mother came from.


    <em>I was controlled all this time.</em>


    "My stepmother wants me to disown my own mother during the uing banquet for His Majesty''s birthday," he whispered to himself. "I have to tell Father what I know before I was forced to do that horrible thing to Mommy."


    Yes, he decided to call his birth mother ''Mommy'' to differentiate her from his awful stepmother.


    It was casual and it wasn''t traditionally used by noble children to address their mother. But he felt like he would get closer to his mother if he began to call her ''Mommy.'' It was a small step towards closing the gap between them, it was still a step away from where he stood now.


    "I''m sorry, Mommy," he said in a cracked voice. "I''m sorry for abandoning you for failing to protect you"


    If he was mind controlled, it was highly possible that his stepmother was the one who worsened his mommy''s mental health condition.


    He also remembered that Her Royal Highness and Captain Sherwood would also bring Moonflowers to his mother''s mansion. After he realized the effect of those cursed flowers, he couldn''t shrug it off as a co-incidence now.


    The royal princess and the captain were definitely connected to his stepmother.


    <em>I have to find out what their connection is.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a strange hiss. When he turned to the window, he thought he saw a tail of a white snake. But there was no way a snake would enter their estate without getting caught by the patrolling knights.


    It must just be exhaustion taking a toll on his health.


    "I have to rest," Winter said to himself. It was weird to talk to himself but it wasn''t like he could trust anyone else now aside from his father. Wait, he suddenly realized that maybe he could trust the people that his stepmother was wary about. And only person entered his mind then. "Captain Denver."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUNG MASTER, are you mad at me?" Captain Denver asked him with a grumpy look on his face. "If I offended you in any way, please allow me to apologize to you instead of punishing me this way. I will kneel down in front of you if I need to."


    "What are you saying, Captain Denver?" Winter asked the captain "innocently." "I just asked you to burn my internal organs. I asked you because I heard that you''re the best Fire Wielder in the empire. What made you conclude that I''m punishing you?"


    The captain let out a deep sigh before he spoke again. "Young Master, do you want me to die? If I burned your internal organs, I''d either die by the ws of His Majesty''s Ancient Beasts or get murdered by your lunatic I mean overprotective father."


    They were free to talk that way because he made an official visit to the tower that Captain Denver owned. To be precise, they were currently in his private training room. At his request, no servants were around the area.


    Anyway, he figured that setting an official appointment with Captain Denver would be less suspicious than meeting him in secret. After all, he heard from his stepmother that the captain was also under surveince for "conniving" with his mommy.


    "Captain Denver, this is a safe ce, isn''t it?" he asked even though he already knew the answer. Before he opened his mouth, he already checked the premise three times to make sure that it was safe to talk in that room. "I heard that you''re currently under surveince."


    The captain turned serious. "They cannot enter the tower unless they force their entry," he said, probably referring to the people who were keeping an eye on his movements recently. Ah, as expected, the captain was already aware of it. "This room is safe, Young Master. I''d know if they put spying devices in here. Which they can''t."


    "I like your confidence, Captain Denver."


    "Thank you," he said stiffly. "Young Master, are you here to confront me about the malicious rumor going around about me and Lady Prescott?"


    Ah, yes.


    There was a stupid rumor going around about the alleged romantic rtionship between his mommy and the captain of the Red Phoenix Knights. Worse, the rumors implied that the rtionship had been going on for a while. In short, people were saying that his mommy cheated on her father. And thus, the duke divorced her.


    <em>Technically speaking, it was Father who "cheated" on my mommy.</em>


    "I don''t believe in that stupid rumor, Captain Denver, he said firmly, his golden eyes glowing threateningly. "Are you looking down on me?"


    "Of course not, Young Master," the captain denied bluntly. "I just can''t think of another reason why you came to me on your own volition. I don''t believe that you''re only here to see what I can teach you if you came to my squad early."


    "I can''t tell you because I can''tpletely trust you yet," he said firmly. "But if you do what I tell you to do right now, I want you to know that it''s going to be a huge help. If you trust me, please don''t ask questions, Captain Denver."


    "Alright."


    "Huh?"


    "I trust you, Young Master," Captain Denver said without even blinking. Despite how grumpy he looked, his face softened up when he said that he trusted him. "I trust you because I trust Lady Prescott. And she told me to protect you. If doing what you ordered me to do so will help you, then I shall do it despite the risk."


    "Argh," heined. "But you didn''t want to do it a while ago."


    "Ah, I thought it was because your father''s new wife ordered you to do it," he said. "I apologize for that, Young Master."


    "Captain Denver."


    "Yes, Young Master?"


    "Do you know about the Moonflowers?" he asked. But when the captain was about to answer, he raised his hand to stop him. "My house isn''t safe. I''m afraid that I might be controlled and be forced to say what I know so please don''t say anything to me yet."


    "I understand, Young Master. That''s also the reason why we couldn''t help you yet," the captain said, then he changed the topic. "I will not burn your internal organs but I can give you an injury that will be enough for Captain Kiho toe running here."


    "You know that I''m doing this to summon my father without being suspected of knowing anything?"


    "I heard from Lady Prescott before that whenever you feel a burning sensation in your chest when you were a toddler, only Captain Kiho''s ice Mana could take away the pain."


    Ah,e to think of it, that really happened.


    <em>But what is that burning sensation?</em>


    "Are you ready, Young Master?" Captain Denver asked, distracting him from his thoughts. "My me will hurt you. Is that okay?"


    Winter nodded firmly. "Please do it, Captain Denver."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER DIDN''T want to regret it but it really hurt.


    He didn''t know what Captain Denver poked his chest with his warm finger, he felt a painful burning sensation in his chest. He dropped to the floor while clutching his chest tight. Worse, he couldn''t tell how long he had been in that position.


    All he knew was it hurt so much he thought he was going to die anytime soon.


    <em>Mommy Father</em>


    "Winter!"


    Winter opened his eyes and when he did, he was greeted by his father''s worried face. "Father, it hurts," he said in a weak voice. "My chest feels hot."


    I''ll kill Captain Denverter," his father said under his breath. Then, he put a cold hand on his chest. "I will cool you down, Winter. But tell me if it bes too cold."


    He could only nod his head as a response.


    Thankfully, after a few moments, the burning sensation in his chest began to disappear. He let out a sigh of relief when it was over.


    "I feel better now, Father," he said, then he got up. But since his body still felt heavy, he had to lean against his father''s chest. "Thank you."


    "Captain Denver called my office and said that he identally hit you with his me during your sparring," his father said. "But it wasn''t true, was it? I know that even a captain like him wouldn''t easily hurt you, Winter."


    He bit his lip, then he decided to tell his father the truth. "Father, I overheard you and Mother talking a while ago. You said that you only married her because of a deal."


    His father''s golden eyes widened in shock. "Winter"


    "Mother is a bad person, Father," he said firmly. "She''s using Moonflowers to brainwash us. Don''t you know that?"


    "I freeze the Moonflowers every night so it won''t affect you that much," his father said with a pained look on his face. "I''m sorry, Winter. That''s the only thing I can do while I''m trying to save Tilly. But how did you know about the Moonflowers?"


    "It doesn''t matter, Father. I can protect myself now," he said because he knew that they couldn''t talk for long. "But I want to know the deal between you and my stepmother. I also want to protect Mommy."


    "''Mommy?''"


    He blushed when his father repeated that word. "I-I don''t want to call Mommy the same way I call your new wife."


    His father''s face softened up. "Then, you should change the way you call me too. It sounds too stiff."


    His blush deepened even more. "If you insist, Dad."


    For the first time in a while, he saw his father smile. It was a faint one, barely noticeable. But he didn''t miss it."


    "You''ve matured, Winter," his father said. "I can rely on you now. I''m sorry if I neglected you all this time."


    He shook his head. "It''s for Mommy, I understand."


    His father ruffled his hair, then his hand rested on top of his head. "Winter, I will share my memories with you so you''ll understand our situation better."


    Winter firmly nodded. "Please, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>[KIHO''S MEMORY]</strong></em>


    "If I don''t cure Lady Prescott''s poor state of mind, what will you do to me?"


    Instead of answering verbally, Kiho just raised his hand at Princess Nia''s direction.


    Despite his oozing bloodlust, the royal princess remained calm while drinking her tea on the sofa. She didn''t even flinch even when the lower part of her body was frozen by his ice Mana.


    "Kill my brother, Captain Kiho."


    He was so shocked by Princess Nia''s order that he identally closed his fist. Thus, his ice stopped freezing her. Unfortunately, theyer of ice covering the royal princess only reached her waist. Still, average people would already panic by then.


    <em>Princess Nia is still a Moonchester after all.</em>


    "If you kill my brother, the emperor, I will help Lady Prescott get better," Princess Nia said, then she carefully put the teacup down on the table. That was when she finally looked up at him properly. "Will you kill His Majesty for your beloved wife?"


    "I wouldn''t have painstakingly pay you a visit tonight if I''m not ready to risk everything for Tilly," he said as he dropped his arm to his side. "I will kill anyone and everyone if it means saving my wife."


    Sheughed softly at his remark. "My brother will get heartbroken once he finds out that his beloved "little brother" would betray him for a woman."


    "I stopped seeing His Majesty as a "brother" the moment I found out that he tried to kill my wife. He betrayed me first," he snarled at the royal princess. "Even if you didn''t ask him, I intend to kill him anyway."


    After all, if he killed Princess Nia tonight, the emperor would hunt him down anyway.


    "Then, let''s make a deal," the royal princess said. "I need coteral to make sure that you wouldn''t betray me the way you betrayed my brother."


    His brows furrowed in confusion.


    "Captain Kiho, I want you to divorce Lady Prescott and marry my trusted ally."


    "You''ve gone mad if you think I will marry another woman aside from Tilly."


    The royal princess just smiled at him. "Lucina Morganna,e out."


    He was startled when a woman stepped out of the dark, then she stood behind Princess Nia.


    ''Lucina Morganna'' was a woman with a hair darker than Tilly''s. But other than that, none of her features stood out to him.


    "I will only work with you if you ept my terms, Captain Kiho," Princess Nia said firmly. "Lucina Morganna has a strange circumstance. She needs a physical bind to stay "outside" longer. That physical bind has to be a contract of some sort. In order to fulfill that condition for her to stay here without me, she needs to be bind with you through a marriage contract." She smiled "sweetly" at him. "Captain Kiho, I''m not asking you to marry Lucina Morganna for real. You just need to bind her with you through a marriage contract." She sipped her tea first before she continued. "You said you''ll do anything to save Lady Prescott, didn''t you?"


    He clenched his fists but he couldn''t refute what the royal princess said.


    If hurting Tilly for a while would save her life, then he''d do it even though it would also cause him great pain.


    "Don''t worry, Captain Kiho," the ck-haired woman whose name he had already forgotten said with a sickeningly smile. "I will only act as your wife in front of an audience."


    "You better know your ce," Kiho said, his heart heavy with his decision. He clenched his fists so tight that his nails dug in the palm of his hands. God, if he could hurt himself more, he would. "I will only marry you to save my one and only wife,dy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 252: The Downfall of the Prescotts

    Chapter 252: The Downfall of the Prescotts


    "DAD, ARE you crazy?" Winter asked his father after he saw the piece of memory that he shared with him. "You''re going to kill His Majesty?"


    His father, as calm as usual, nodded his head. "I made a deal with the royal princess."


    "But Dad, it''s possible that it''s Princess Nia who made Mommy like that," he argued. "The Moonflowers can cause mind maniption. Your new wife got them from the royal princess''s pce. There''s no way that Princess Nia isn''t aware of the flowers'' effect on people."


    "I know that," his dad said, his face as stoic as usual despite the gravity of their conversation. "But even though I know that the royal princess is also a threat to your mother, I still made a deal with her because she can cure your mother''s illness. That doesn''t mean I''ll forgive her for what she did to Tilly though."


    "What do you mean by that, Dad?"


    "I''ll also kill Princess Nia after she heals your mother," his father dered coldly. "I will end the Moonchester lineage with my very own hands. That''s the price they have to pay for hurting my Tilly."


    "Dad."


    "What?"


    "You love Mommy."


    "I do," his father said bluntly, then he tilted his head at one side with a confused look on his face. "Isn''t it obvious?"


    "No, not at all," he said while shaking his head.


    Having said that, he remembered how patient and caring his father was towards his mother despite their constant fights.


    <em>But still</em>


    "Why did you say that you fell in love with your new wife, Dad?"


    "It was one of Princess Nia''s terms," his father said, then he paused. "I also wanted to see your mother''s reaction. I wanted to know if she was going to be jealous." His father smiled, but it was a bitter one. "She didn''t get jelous though."


    "Mommy did."


    "Hmm?"


    "Mommy believed that you really fell in love with another woman," he said to his father. "She believed that you deserved another wife and so, she let you go. Dad, did you ept Princess Nia''s deal because you thought Mommy didn''t love you the way you loved her?"


    The remorse in his father''s face was enough answer.


    "Silly Dad," he said, then he gently patted his father''s cheek. "Finish your job and makeup with Mommy soon, okay?" When he spoke again, his voice cracked. "I miss Mommy."


    His father nodded, then he hugged him. It was probably the first time in a while since his dad did so. "Stay here, Winter," his father whispered to him. "If your mother trusts Captain Denver, then maybe we could really trust him."


    He looked up at his father. To be honest, he was feeling a little shy but his curiosity got the better of him. "Dad, have you heard about the stupid rumors regarding Mommy and Captain Denver?"


    His father nodded. "I already silenced the people who began that malicious rumor so don''t worry about it."


    He gulped hard. By "silenced," he was pretty sure his father meant he already killed those people. The way his dad said it so casually gave him goosebumps. But he set his fear aside because he knew that his father would never hurt them. "Dad, you don''t believe the rumors, do you?"


    "I don''t," his father said firmly, then his cheeks turned red. "I mean, even though I''m not confident, I feel like your mother has some kind of feelings for me too."


    Winterughed at his dad''s adorable shy expression. "Dad, please bring Mommy home safely."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LOOK AT you, Lady Prescott."


    Tilly looked up to see Princess Nia standing before her. She was confused when she realized that she was sitting on the floor while catching her breath. When she looked around to search for an exit, she was devastated to see that her chamber was now decorated by countless Moonflowers.


    <em>Ah, no wonder my memories are blurry again.</em>


    As far as she knew, she already got rid of all the Moonflowers in the mansion. That was why her mind was clear for the past weeks. But if Princess Nia was here, it wasn''t hard toprehend that Princess Nia forced her entry.


    The royal princess also brought Captain Sherwood with her. No matter how many knights she stationed around her estate, they were still no match against the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights.


    "What do you need, Princess Nia?" Tilly asked. She refused to "kneel" before the evil princess so she stood up despite her shaking knees. The voice in her head that never failed to make her literally go insane was also getting louder and louder. Still, she clung to her remaining sanity. She couldn''t lose herself now, not when she just found her allies in Captain Denver and his people. "What else do you want to take away from me?"


    "Ah, you''ve regained your sanity," the royal princess said in a disappointed voice. "It was fun toying with you when you were still oblivious. But now that you know what''s happening, you have be dangerous. It''s time to end this game, Lady Prescott."


    She prepared herself because she had a feeling that the royal princess would kill her now.


    <em>What did Captain Denver teach me as self-defense again?</em>


    "Captain Sherwood, take care of Lady Prescott," Princess Nia ordered the captain. "Bring her to the templeter. I''d let Captain Kiho and Winter say goodbye to her."


    Hearing her husband and her son''s name ignited a fire in her heart.


    When anger rose up in her chest, she felt her temperature rise as well. But this time, she just didn''t "feel" hot. Her body literally burned up. To her shock and amazement, she wasn''t burned or hurt by the me that she somehow managed to summon.


    Princess Nia and Captain Sherwood both looked surprised by the me that engulfed her body, a solid proof that it wasn''t a product of her imagination.


    <em>Captain Denver wasn''t lying</em>, she thought to herself. <em>I''m really a Fire Mage.</em>


    "Princess Nia, you were right," Captain Sherwood said with a frenzied look on his face. "Lady Prescott is really the heart that you''re searching for."


    <em>Heart?</em>


    "Yes," the evil royal princess said to the captain. "It''s a shame that because of a curse, I won''t remember the face of the Supreme until she retrieves the memories of her past life. The same goes for Brother Aku. But this is enough proof that she might really be the heart that I''ve been looking for all this time."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"


    "You don''t need to know that," Princess Nia said, then she changed the topic. "So, you''ve been in contact with other Fire Mages," she said in a cold voice, her face suddenly turning grim. "Tell me who and where your fellow Fire Mages are, Lady Prescott."


    "No," Tilly snarled at the royal princess even though she felt like losing herself again to her mind control. To shake the "dizziness" that she was feeling from the effect of the Moonflowers, she made her body burn even more. "Let''s burn to hell together, Princess Nia."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO, in the past, wouldn''t have imagined that the day that he''d have to kill Emperor Aku woulde.


    But here he was now, in the emperor''s chamber, with the intention to end his life.


    <em>I will do anything and everything for Tilly and Winter.</em>


    "Kiho, I''d like to apologize in advance."


    Kiho wasn''t surprised to find Emperor Aku sitting on the windowsill of his room while obviously waiting for him. He was aware that the emperor knew that he was there as soon as he stepped foot in his pce. Even though he hid his presence, he just simply knew that His Majesty would know. "Shouldn''t I be the one saying that?"


    "No, it should be me," Emperor Aku said with a sad smile. "I need to apologize because I can''t let you do your job." He smiled at him despite their current situation. "Kiho, I won''t let you kill me. Rather, you can''t. You''re not the one destined to kill me after all."


    "I don''t care about that," he said coldly, then he gathered all the Mana in his hands. He wasn''t worried about using his full strength because he had already taken care of the knights in the emperor''s pce. Yes, including Sir Gregory. "Your Majesty, you won''t let me kill you easily, will you?"


    "Of course not. I n to live as long as possible to spend more time with my beloved Nia," the emperor said with a creepy smile on his face. "But I''m not the one who''s going to fight you, Kiho. After all, he will never let me hurt the physical body that he needs."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. He knew that Emperor Aku was good at confusing his enemies with mere words, so he didn''t put his guard down.


    "Aw, you''re not even going to ask what I meant by that?" the emperor asked in an exaggerated disappointed voice. "You''re really immovable, Kiho."


    Instead of giving a verbal response, he just attacked His Majesty with his ice daggers.


    Emperor Aku didn''t move but his ice daggers instantly melted before they even hit him. Then, he felt a strange presence in the room.


    <em>What is that?</em>


    The presence made his body feel so heavy that the next thing he knew, he was already on his knees while clutching his chest tight. All because suddenly, he couldn''t breathe.


    "Kiho, my dear brother, it was nice meeting you in this lifetime," Emperor Aku, who now stood in front of him, said with a sad smile while looking down at him. "I''m sorry but this time, I need your father more than I need you."


    Kiho looked up at Emperor Aku with questioning eyes. But instead of His Majesty, he was greeted by a spirit with the same golden eyes that he had. He felt chills down his spine. For some reason, the spirit scared him to death despite not knowing who or what it was.


    Kiho, my dear son," the spirit with golden eyes said. "It''s time for you to lend me your physical body forever."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was awakened by the loud noise outside.


    He got up immediately and realized that he was still in Captain Denver''s tower. Afraid that something bad might have happened while he was asleep, he stood up and ran towards the door. But it was locked.


    <em>Who would lock me up in here?</em>


    He was about to smash the door when all of a sudden, he heard a voice from behind.


    "Winter, you can''t go outside."


    Winter turned around and scowled when he was greeted by his stepmother. He didn''t like how he didn''t feel her presence until she spoke. "What are you doing here, Lady Morganna?"


    He couldn''t stomach calling the woman "Mother" anymore.


    Only his birth mother deserved that title.


    "Ah, you''re hurting my feelings," Lady Morganna said with a fake side smile on her face. He also noticed that there was a white snake coiled around her shouldersfortably. "I really wanted to treat you like my own son, Winter."


    He snickered at that. "I already know the truth, Lady Morganna. You don''t have to lie to my face anymore."


    "It makes me sad that you''re treating me this way after I saved you," she said while shaking her head. "Do you know that Captain Denver and the rest of the "Fire Wielders" are actually Fire Mages?"


    He was too shocked to react upon hearing that.


    <em>Fire Mages are banned in the empire</em>


    "Surprised?" she asked, then sheughed. "Then, I wonder how you''ll react once you find out that your birth mother is actually the Supreme Fire Mage."


    His eyes widened in shock. "My mother is a Fire Mage? Then"


    "Yes, you''re a Fire Mage, too," his evil "stepmother" said. "Right now, the Golden Tiger and Blue Dragon Knights are apprehending Captain Denver and his squad. They will all be executed soon.


    He clenched his fists tight.


    So, that was the cause of the ruckus that he heard a while ago, huh?


    But to be honest, he couldn''t care much about other people right now because his mind was already upied by something else.


    <em>Mommy is a Fire Mage. That exins why Captain Denver is working with her. But if the captain is arrested, then my mommy will also be arrested and executed. I don''t have the time to waste with my fake stepmother. I need to protect my mommy while Dad is taking care of His Majesty.</em>


    "Do you know what this means, Winter?" Lady Morganna asked with a "sweet" smile. "It''s over for Lady Prescott."


    "Shut up, ugly," Winter said coldly while he was freezing the whole room with his ice Mana. "No wonder you failed to seduce my father. You look average and you''re rotten inside. To simply put, you''re very ugly. My mommy looks one hundred times better than you even in her hysteric moments."


    His fake stepmother looked offended by her words.


    He used that chance to attack him with his ice daggers that he learned from his father. But much to his shock, the ice daggers that he created were melted by a strange ck me that came out of his stepmother''s hands.


    "ck me?" he asked, confused. "You''re also a Fire Mage?"


    The wicked woman snickered at him. "You do not have the luxury to question me, Winter," she told him in a "yful" tone. "Watch out for yourself."


    He heard a loud hissing sound.


    That was when he realized that the white snake that he saw a while ago disappeared.


    <em>Where is it</em>


    He flinched when he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. When he looked down, he was surprised to see the white snake coiled around his leg. He didn''t feel it until it bit him.


    <em>No</em>


    Before he knew it, he was already on the floor while feeling very feverish. Every muscle in his body hurt. Most of all, he felt like his head was breaking into two.


    "His Majesty told me that I should bring you alive," Lady Morganna said, then she stretched out her arms with her palms facing his direction. "But he didn''t tell me that I couldn''t discipline an ill-mannered brat like you, Winter Prescott."


    After saying that, ck me came out of her palms and literally burned him alive.


    Winter could only scream in pain as his whole body got burned by the strange me.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUNG MASTER, are you finally awake?"


    When Winter opened his eyes, he was greeted by two people. One was Captain Denver, and the other was a strange woman with pink eyes.


    It took him a while to remember what happened to him.


    "Mommy," Winter said, then he got up. He realized that he was in a dark ce that looked like a cave. Unfortunately, he couldn''t remember how he got there. But if Captain Denver was there, that meant the Fire Mages somehow managed to escape from getting executed. That also meant that his mother might have escaped with them. "Captain Denver, where''s my mother?"


    Captain Denver looked surprised by his question. "Young Master, don''t you remember what happened to Lady Prescott?"


    He felt a shivers down his spine when he heard the solemnity in the captain''s voice.


    <em>No, no, no</em>


    "Lady Prescott was publicly executed for being a Fire Mage," the strange woman with pink eyes said bluntly. And despite his shock and Captain Denver''s protest, the woman didn''t take her eyes off of him as she continued. "Your mother has been dead for more than two years now, Winter Prescott."


    He was even more shocked to hear that.


    And then, all of a sudden, the blurred memories of thest two years of his life flooded his head. Most of those images was him getting literally burned by the ck me again and again until the memories of his real self was forgotten.


    In short, whenever he would snap out of whatever mind control that Lucina Morganna had put him into, his wicked stepmother would burn him with her ck me as torture. Then, Lucina Morganna would bring the High Priest over to fix his burnt body and return it to normal. But the cycle didn''t end.


    "No," Winter whispered, then he hugged his shaking body. He couldn''t help the fear that he felt when he remembered the times he was burned alive by his evil stepmother''s ck me. It hurt, and his body unfortunately remembered the unbearable pain that he had gone through for the past two years. "Where''s my father now?"


    "That''s not important right now, boy," the woman with pink eyes said. "The duke is still alive, and that''s the only thing about your father that you need to know for now."


    As a high-ranking noble who was used to being pampered, being treated with hostility didn''t sit well with him."Excuse me?"


    "Forgive her rudeness, Young Master," Captain Denver said as if he was embarrassed for the woman. "Thedy here is called Miss Luna. She''s a powerful witch. She was the one who helped me "wake" you up from being controlled by the emperor."


    Okay, now he was even more confused. "I don''t understand..."


    "That''s why I need you to listen to me carefully, "Young Master,"" Miss Luna said. Why was this witch so hostile towards him? "This awful lifetime is your mother''s punishment for the sin that shemitted in her first life and you''re the only one who can stop this."


    Winter clenched his fists tight. Of course, he was still a little lightheaded. But after he heard what the witch said, he felt like his mind suddenly cleared up. "Why was my mother punished in the first ce, Miss Luna?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 253: The Rise of the Prescotts

    Chapter 253: The Rise of the Prescotts


    WINTER''S heart broke when Captain Denver handed him a nd ck urn where his mother''s ashes were apparently kept.


    Miss Luna, the witch, didn''t answer his question about his mother''s punishment because apparently, she still couldn''t trust him yet. He understood her decision. Since he might be controlled again, it would be better not to learn too much information for now.


    "Miss Luna retrieved Lady Prescott''s body before they throw it in the River of Sin. Then, she cremated the Supreme''s body and kept the ashes in this urn," Captain Denver said in a voice filled with pain. The River of Sin was the river in front of St. Ib the prison for the most dangerous criminals of the empire. The bodies of the executed hard criminals were usually thrown in that river. "To think that they tried to throw the Supreme''s body in the River of Sin is something that never fails to make me angry."


    "Save that anger, Captain Denver," Winter said, his eyes glowing from anger. Still, despite the anger rising up in his chest, he craddled the urn in his arms as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. "We will make them pay for disrespecting my mother''s remains."


    He still hasn''t moved on from the fact that her mother was publicly executed for something that she didn''t do.


    ording to Captain Denver, to avoid panic among the people and to protect his position as the emperor''s heir, His Majesty kept his mother''s real identity as the Supreme Fire Mage. Only a few higher nobles knew the truth. And they all agreed to keep it a secret to protect the throne.


    Instead, his poor mother was used of attempting to kill Lucina Morganna several times. They fabricated evidence to make his mommy guilty of the charges against her.


    "We failed to protect Mommy," he said in a cracked voice. "Me and Dad."


    "Duke Nystrom is still controlled by His Majesty," the captain exined in a frustrated voice. "We tried to take him away too but we failed. Captain Sherwood never leaves your father''s side so we''re having a hard time trying to reach out to him."


    "Then, how did you able to bring me here and snap me out of whatever mind control that they used against me?" he asked curiously. "Thest thing I remember is being sent by His Majesty to the North. He asked me to meet the North King and retrive an item from him. But before I reached the border, my squad was attacked. Were you the one who ambushed us?"


    "No," Captain Denver said with a firm shake of his head. "The people who attacked you were assassins sent by the Noble Faction to kill you since you''re His Majesty''s heir. Miss Luna and I used that opportunity to take you away and bring you here."


    By "here," the captain meant the small and old house in a poor vige that they brought him to after he woke up in the cave. When they arrived in that almost abandoned ce, Miss Luna excused herself to apparently treat some sick vigers.


    "Can we really trust Miss Luna?" he asked with furrowed brows. "How did you meet him, Captain Denver?"


    "Oh, I''m no longer a captain so please feel free to call me by my name, Young Master."


    "You''re no longer a captain?" he asked, and then he nodded when he remembered what happened before he was brainwashed. "Ah, right. The Fire Mages were captured then. How did you escape, Lord Denver?"


    "Lady Prescott helped me escape by letting herself get executed first," the captain said in a cracked voice. "When I escaped the za before it was my turn to get executed, Miss Luna appeared before me and helped me escape. Apparently, she could hear the voice of a god called Wixx, the Red Phoenix. This certain god asked her to rescue me."


    "Why does she seem to hate me then?"


    "I heard from Miss Luna that your mother once tried to kill her," he said while scratching his cheek. "Apparently, Lady Prescott found out that Miss Luna could fix Princess Nia''s infertility. Miss Luna pretended to die by the hands of the assassin that your mother sent to kill her. After that, she hid herself until she found the hidden temple of the Moon Priestess. ording to her, that was where she met the spirit of the Red Phoenix."


    He fell silent for a while.


    The information that he heard after he woke up from his long "slumber" made his head hurt. But he was certain of one thing.


    "I need to go back to the Royal Capital and pretend that I''m still under their control," Winter said as calmly as he could. Of course, deep inside, he was seething in anger. But he knew by now that he had to be careful. He already lost his mother, so he didn''t want to lose his father this time. "I will find a way to snap Dad out of his trance."


    "We will support you, Young Master," Captain Denver said. "Actually, Miss Luna already came up with a n."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ABANDON Duke Prescott."


    Winter''s brows furrowed when he heard what Miss Luna just said. "Excuse me?"


    As per Lord Denver''s request, he went to the small house that the witch turned into a "hospital." Thankfully, there were no more patients when he arrived. But Miss Luna was busy making medicine from some herbs. She was currently mixing different nts in a small pot filled with other ingredients that he didn''t recognize.


    "If you want to avenge your mother, you must forget about your father," Miss Luna said, then she turned to him with cold pink eyes. "The duke isn''t himself anymore. I tried to "wake" him up the way I did to you. But I didn''t seed. I have a feeling that somebody else has taken over your father''s body."


    To say that he was shocked to know that would be an understatement. "Who could steal father''s body like that? He''s the strongest knight in the empire. I''m certain that he''s even stronger than His Majesty."


    "You''re too nave, child," the witch said with a mockingugh. "Even if Duke Prescott is the strongest knight in the empire, he''s still nothingpared to a smart emperor who could use people at his disposal properly. So even if Duke Prescott is strong, it''s useless if he can''t defend himself from people who know all his weakness."


    He couldn''t refute that. "Fine, I will not try to save my father for now," he said. It wasn''t like he was giving up on his dad forever. He just decided to prioritize his revenge. "Lord Denver told me that you have a n, Miss Luna. May I know what it is?"


    "It''s not really a n. Lord Denver is just giving me too much credit," she said while shaking her head. "But before that, do you know that your soul, along with your consciousness, has been sealed by the harsh ck me that your stepmother could use for some reason?"


    Just hearing about the ck me made his skin crawl.


    And even though he didn''t want to admit this, the fear that his system had been familiar with made his body shiver.


    <em>Dammit.</em>


    "Ah, so you know about the ck me," the witch said. "Did your stepmother burn you with that unforgiving me?"


    "Countless times," he admitted. "This isn''t the first time that I woke up from their mind control, but this is the longest time that I''ve been conscious. In the past, whenever I would regain my consciousness, Lucina Morganna would burn me with her ck me until I lose consciousness again. I suspect that they take advantage of my vulnerable state to control me."


    She fell silent for a while before she spoke again. "I suspect that your father has also gone through the same torture." She gentle tapped her nose with a delicate finger. "When I approached your father some time ago, I smelled the ck me all over his body. But the difference is it isn''t his physical body that has been burned to death. I have a feeling that the thing that your stepmother has burnt was the duke''s soul."


    Once again, he was shocked. "How did you know that, Miss Luna?"


    "I''m a witch from the Colorless Coven," she said with pride in her voice. "Our pink eyes aren''t just pretty. When they are gouge out, they be strong barriers. But as long as a witch from the Colorless Coven is alive, her pinks eyes allow her to see things that ordinary people can''t." At that moment, her pink eyes glowed prettily. "In my case, these pretty eyes of mine showed me that the duke''s body right now is nothing but a vessel for another being."


    "Then, what happened to my father''s soul?"


    "Well, it''s your job to find out," the witch said, then she flickered his forehead that surprised him. Nobody dared to hurt him in the past. But it didn''t feel that bad to be "scolded." "My eyes don''t exin the things I see."


    "I understand," he said while clenching his fists. "Then, can you tell me what I can do for now?"


    "We''ll head back to the Royal Capital Then, I will help you to infiltrate the High Priest''s temple," the witch said seriously. "Once you''re there, I want you to find the secret prayer room that will lead you to where the Red Phoenix is."


    Winter''s eyes widened in shock. "You want me to meet the Red Phoenix?"


    "You won''t just meet the Red Phoenix," Miss Luna said. "I want you to bring your mother''s ashes to that human bird."


    Wait, did she just badmouth an Ancient Beast?


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 254: The First Meeting With the "Uncle"

    Chapter 254: The First Meeting With the "Uncle"


    WINTER was alone in the carriage. Lord Denver was the one acting as the coachman, while Miss Luna sat beside him while performing a protective spell that would make them unrecognizable by the enemies.


    But the carriage that they were using was different from the ones that he was used to. In fact, that carriage didn''t have seats so he was lying down of the floor while hugging his mother''s urn.


    It was ufortable, but it wasn''t the reason why he couldn''t sleep.


    "Mommy, I''m sorry," Winter whispered in a cracked voice. "I''m sorry I failed to protect you. And now, I can''t even go and save Dad."


    It was too much to take in all of the information that he got after "waking up."


    But to be honest, he was a bit d that he wasn''t in his right mind when his mother was publicly executed. He wouldn''t have handled it if he was himself when that happened. The same goes for his father.


    "Mommy, I will avenge you," Winter promised himself while wiping the tears off of his face. "And then, I will save Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "REMEMBER this, Winter Prescott," Miss Luna said seriously. "You only have two hours. That''s how long my protection spell will work. If you don''te out thirty minutes before it expires, I will send Mikhail Denver to retrieve you."


    Winter nodded firmly. "I understand, Miss Luna."


    Right now, they were in the rooftop of the abandoned mansion next to the temple.


    Miss Luna covered his whole body in a spell that would teleport him in to where he needed to be. Since the teleportation spell wasn''t an easy one to create, he was the only one the witch could send.


    "If you''re caught by the High Priest, kill him," the witch said. "I don''t like that guy."


    "Miss Luna, don''t say that," Lord Denver scolded the witch. "Killing the High Priest isn''t a part of our goal tonight."


    The witch just clicked her tongue.


    "Young Master," Lord Denver said,pletely ignoring the witch''sint. Then, he held his shoulders and met his eye level. "Please don''t get caught. We don''t want His Majesty and his people to know that you have returned alive. Right now, I''m pretty sure that they are looking for you. And if they get a hold of you again, they will surely brainwash you again."


    "I won''t let that happen," he said determinedly. "I will find the Red Phoenix and ask him to help me avenge my mother."


    "Then, we should work now," Miss Luna said, then she put a hand on top of his head. "Please close your eyes, Young Master."


    Winter nodded, then he closed his eyes.


    <em>Red Phoenix, I hope I find you as soon as possible.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Winter opened his eyes, he was already inside the temple.


    He was d he was sent to the secluded area. Well, it was just an empty hallway. He had been to the temple to pray before but he was always in the main hall. To be precise, he sat beside His Majesty in the balcony overlooking the entire hall where people prayed.


    In short, he had no idea where to go.


    <em>"Winter, remember to trust your instinct if you find yourself in a tight spot."</em>


    He flinched when he heard his father''s voice in his head. Ah, right. That was the advice that his dad gave him a long time ago.


    <em>Thank you, Dad.</em>


    He calmed down and poured his concentration to his surroundings. His senses sharpened and he was able to feel different kinds of auraing from each room. Then, he put the hood in his head to conceal his face before he walked quietly.


    Of course, he held the bag hanging by his shoulder carefully. That was where his mother''s urn was kept.


    "As I thought, there''s really an intruder here."


    He froze on his spot when he heard the familiar voice behind him.


    <em>It''s High Priest Howard!</em>


    He clicked his tongue and began to run fast. As expected, the High Priest followed him and even alerted the Holy Knights to capture the "intruder."


    <em>Well, I guess I''m still lucky that he didn''t recognize me</em>.


    He was about to turn into a corner when all of a sudden, the ground shook really hard. And before he could evenprehend what was happening, his whole body was suddenly engulfed in me.


    The trauma he had made him close his eyes tight.


    <em>I hate me</em>


    "How could the only son of the Supreme Fire Mage hate me?"


    He gasped when he heard an unfamiliar voice. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a strange man with red hair and dark purple eyes. His aura was different and he felt a pure kind of Manaing from him. "The Red Phoenix?"


    That was what his instinct told him.


    "Yes, I''m the Red Phoenix," the strange man said with a scowl. "And you''re definitely that despicable man''s son. My condolences for having the same gold eyes as that bastard."


    Winter stood up and stood away from the Red Phoenix. His aura was so hot that his skin felt burnt just for standing near him. "I like that my eyes have the same color as Dad''s."


    The Red Phoenix scoffed. "Your mother''s purple eyes are prettier."


    "They are," he admitted. "But I also like my father''s eyes. If I could choose my eye-color, I''d choose to have both."


    The Ancient Beastughed. "We think alike, Winter. That''s the reason why I gave my son different-colored eyes. One is from me, and the other is from my wife."


    "You have a son?" he asked curiously. Well, it was possible for an Ancient Beast to have children for them to have descendants. Just like the case with House Ainsworth. He was just unsure if the Ancient Beasts had the power to choose their children''s appearance. "And you were the one who "gave" him his eye-color?"


    The smile that the Red Phoenix gave him told him that he had no intention to answer his questions. And so, he changed the topic.


    "How did you know my name, Red Phoenix?"


    "Luna told me all about your family," he said. "And don''t call me by my title. My name is Winchell but you can just call me ''Wixx.''"


    "Alright, Lord Wixx."


    "Don''t add honorific to my name."


    "I can''t call you by your name, Lord Wixx," he argued. "You''re an Ancient Beast and therefore, calling you so casually will make me feel ufortable."


    "Then, why don''t you just call me ''uncle?''"


    "That''s a little too familiar."


    "Ah, you don''t know yet," the Red Phoenix said which confused him. "I''m your real uncle, Winter."


    "Huh?"


    "Your mother is my sister," Lord Wixx said bluntly. "To be precise, she''s the reincarnation of the sister that I had in the past."


    To say that he was shocked to hear that would be an understatement.


    "You''re my mother''s brother?"


    The Red Phoenix smirked haughtily. "Yes, so you should be proud of your bloodline."


    "Are you kidding me?" he snapped at his "uncle." "If you were my mother''s brother, then why did you let her die?! You''re the Red Phoenix you''re supposed to be powerful! But why couldn''t you even leave this damned temple to save Mommy?!"


    If it was revealed to him in a different circumstance, he would have been thrilled that he had the lineage of a god. But he already lost his mother. What was the use of his supposedly powerful blood if he couldn''t protect the most important person in his life?


    The fact that his mother''s brother was a being worthy to be called a god just made it worse.


    <em>It doesn''t make me happy at all.</em>


    On the other hand, the Ancient Beast was unfazed by his hurtful remarks.


    To other people, it may seem like the Red Phoenix didn''t care about his usations. But he had seen that expression before.


    <em>Ah, that''s the face that Dad made when he took all the me for Mommy''s misery.</em>


    "You are right. I''m pretty useless for a god," Lord Wixx said with a bitter smile. "My title as a Beast God is nothing but a fancy name."


    After seeing how remorseful his uncle was, he didn''t have the energy to get mad at him anymore. And it wasn''t like he had the right to me the Red Phoenix. He was by his mother''s side all this time but he also failed to save her. "Uncle?"


    He still felt awkward but to be honest, now that his mother was gone and he couldn''t see his father yet, he was longing for the warmth of his family.


    Although he was still lucky that he had Lord Denver and Miss Luna by his side.


    Anyway, the Red Phoenix''s face lit up when he called him "uncle." "What is it, Winter?"


    "Miss Luna sent me here," he said seriously. One of the reasons why they didn''t have time to point fingers at each other was that they had a mission to aplish. "I want to avenge my mother''s death."


    "I understand your feelings but there''s something more important that you must do before you seek revenge," Lord Wixx said. Then, in just a blink of the eye, he was already standing in front of him. Then, he poked his forehead with a finger. "You must see why your mother was punished during this lifetime first."


    Winter blinked when he remembered that Miss Luna said the same thing.


    <em>Just what did Mommy do in her past life?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 255: The Supremes Punishment

    Chapter 255: The Supreme''s Punishment


    <strong><em>[SOLEIL ROSENBERG''S MEMORY]</em></strong>


    "Soleil Rosenberg, Daughter of the Sun, the Supreme Fire Mage, and now the Beast Priestess," the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree said to her in a voice that sounded like a male''s. "You are a special existence that stands above even among gods. Can''t you show my poor daughter some mercy? I am willing to make amends with you."


    "The only atonement that I will receive from the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree is the life of your shameless "daughter,"" Soleil said coldly, her purple eyes glowing threateningly. The "daughter" of the Spirit was the Guardian that had been protecting it for many years. "Hand over that woman called Nia to me, Spirit of the Great Fire Tree."


    She couldn''t see Nia but she could feel her presence behind the giant Great Fire Tree. Hah, the Guardian was literally hiding behind her "father." If she could, she would burn that woman along the Spirit.


    But the Great Fire Tree was something that must be kept alive in order to protect the human race from the greedy gods who wanted to take over it.


    "My daughter is innocent, Soleil Rosenberg," the Spirit tried to convince her. "She was simply seduced by the cunning Aku Moonchester. The only sin that Niamitted was falling in love with such a dangerous man."


    "Your daughter shared the secrets of the gods to a mere human!" she snarled at the holy tree. "Because of her, Aku Moonchester gained the knowledge that gave him the power to toy with our lives!"


    The Great Fire Tree was the "tree of truth." That meant the holy tree held the secrets of the world, even the weaknesses of each god.


    Nia stole those secrets, allowing Aku Moonchester to gain the upperhand in the war. That sted "moon" was able to learn the weaknesses that she and Lord Kalel had kept to protect themselves. Even the weakness of their unborn child the Moon Serpent.


    Who knows what else Aku Moonchester gained from what Nia gave him?


    "You saved the life of that young man in your past life, Soleil Rosenberg. He was reincarnated as Auro Moonchester because you didn''t kill him back then," the Spirit reminded her in an using tone. "It was your responsibility to end his life but you failed to do so. Had you killed him before he met my daughter, none of this would have happened."


    Sheughed bitterly at what the stupid tree just said. "You have the audacity to me me for this, huh? Spirit of the Great Fire Tree, have you gotten tired of your long life that you''re practically asking me to burn you to death right now?"


    "I''m not afraid of your me anymore, Soleil Rosenberg," the tree said boldly. "Your ck me has been stolen. Most of all, you''re dying. Ah, I shouldn''t have mentioned that. After all, you''re dying because of Kalel Nystrom, aren''t you?"


    She was pissed by the reminder but she didn''t deny it.


    To provide a safe ce for the Fire Mages once she was gone, she used most of her Mana in creating an ind that would float in the sky with the me of her Keepers. Since the war was over and they lost to the Moonchesters, she knew that it was only a matter of time before they get to her.


    But she decided to choose her death.


    And so, she created a haven for her n. It was iplete because her Mana could no longer sustain the amount of me the ind needed. And so, she left her to her brother.


    <em>I had to put my Keepers into slumber or else, they''ll never let me die alone.</em>


    "Don''t get mistaken, Spirit of the Great Fire Tree," she said in a cold voice that made the holy tree''s branches shake in fear. The fact that the orange leaves fell into the ground when it shook was proof that her wrath was felt by the earth where Great Fire Tree stood. "I''m not dying because of what Kalel Nystrom did to me. I chose my own death. I wouldn''t let myself die by the hands of my dear husband."


    "You chose your own death?"


    "You''re known as the tree of truth but you can''t store a piece of history that is yet to happen. That''s why you don''t know how I will die, do you?" she asked and when he didn''t give a response, she smirked haughtily. "Spirit of the Greet Fire Tree, you know that Fire Mages are still mages, right? It just so happens that we could produce fire within our body. But that doesn''t mean that we''re not good at creating spells. I guess it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that our magical ability is close to what the witches of the Colorless Coven have."


    "I am aware of that," the Spirit said. "But using spells will weaken your body. And thus, the Fire Mages chose to use their me instead."


    "I chose to use my remaining Mana on creating three different powerful spells," she said. "First, to create a safe ce for my n. Second, to create a spell that will protect my reincarnated spell from the Moonchesters. It was the kind of spell that will prevent the Moonchesters and all of my enemies in this lifetime to forget my face and my presence until my reincarnated self retrieved my memories as Soleil Rosenberg."


    "That''s foolish, Soleil Rosenberg," the Spirit said. "You can get reincarnated whenever you die because aside from the heart of the Red Phoenix, you are also the ck Phoenix yourself. What''s more amazing is the fact that you won''t lose the memories of your previous life when you get reincarnated. Gods and beings like you have that kind of privilege, you see."


    "I know that," she said with a bitter smile. "But I''m also aware that I will lose that privilege once I performed a forbidden spell. Thus, I had to create a spell that would protect me in my next lifetime until I retrieved my past memories."


    "A forbidden spell?" the Spirit asked, then it made the ground shake by screaming. "Don''t you dare touch my daughter, Soleil Rosenberg!"


    Soleil justughed, then she summoned her ming dagger. As soon as she grabbed the hilt of her weapon, she came at the holy tree and struck the de into its body. Of course, the Great Fire Tree was soon engulfed in her red me. "Don''t worry, I will not kill you because you still have a use in the future," she said, then she stepped away from it and let it burn while screaming curses at her. She justughed it off. "Watch me curse your daughter, Spirit of the Great Fire Tree."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL grabbed Nia and threw her on the ground.


    Before the Guardian could even move, she straddled her and pinned her to the ground by wrapping her arms around her delicate neck. She did that in front of the burning Great Fire Tree that was still screaming profanities at her.


    "If you move, I''ll kill you," Soleil warned Nia coldly. "I don''t want you to die easily."


    Nia started to sob right away. "What did Nia do wrong?


    She rolled her eyes at the way Nia spoke.


    Yes, she talked like a child even though she was probably as old as her.


    <em>Aku Moonchester, you have terrible taste in women.</em>


    "Nia just loved a man," the Guardian continued between sobs. "Nia just wanted to help Aku seed. Why do you even hate a good man like Nia''s Aku?"


    Her ears hurt listening to her awful way of speaking.


    But despite the Guardian''s childlike behavior, she didn''t let her guard down. After all, Nia wouldn''t be entrusted with the protection of the Great Fire Tree if she didn''t have the ability to do so. And Aku knew that very well.


    "Nia, do you love Aku Moonchester?" she asked with a smile. "Do you want to spend eternity with him?"


    Her face lit up. "Of course, Supreme. Nia would love to spend her life with Aku Moonchester!"


    "You nave little girl," she said, then she touched Nia''s face with her other hand. "Aku seduced you to leave thisnd. But did you know what he did before he brought you to his kingdom?"


    "Nia doesn''t understand what you''re saying."


    "Aku Moonchester is known as Auro Moonchester in this lifetime," she began exining to her. "He was born in this lifetime as Kalel''s younger brother. But did you know that the two of them had a youngest sister? She was called ine Moonchester."


    She noticed that the Guardian bit her lower lip.


    "Aku killed ine Moonchester the moment he decided to bring you to the kingdom," she continued coldly. "Then, he gave his dead sister''s identity to you. He did that so that his people would ept you as his bride. Because had he introduced you as the Guardian of the Great Fire Tree, they would have never epted you. Isn''t it strange that the citizens would rather ept Aku Moonchester''s sister as his bride to keep the Moonchesters'' blood "pure" instead of letting a non-human like you be the empress?"


    "W-Why are you bringing that up?" Nia asked in tears. "Aku sacrificed ine for Nia. Nia doesn''t me him. Nia knows that he killed his sister because he loves Nia!"


    Sheughed softly at her childish reasoning. But then, she turned serious. The hand that was lightly choking Nia became warm as she began the spell that she''d cast on the Guardian. "Nia, Guardian of the Great Fire Tree who stole ine Moonchester''s identity I curse you," she said, making Nia scream "no" loudly. "I curse you to be born as Aku Moonchester''s birth sister for all eternity."


    "No!" Nia screamed while trying to get away from her but as soon as she strangled her neck hard, she choked. "Supreme, Nia begs for your mercy"


    "I have none to give," Soleil said coldly. "Your soul will be forever tied with Aku Moonchester as his little sister and only the me of the Red Phoenix could burn it." Sheughed when she remembered how much her brother hated the Moonchesters. "Not that my brother would help you escape your curse, Nia Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SOLEIL ROSENBERG, a being like you is forbidden to curse a human," the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree reminded her in a cold voice. "When Nia left thend to take ine Moonchester''s ce, she has already be a human."


    Soleil turned to the holy tree, then she stood up and left the unconscious Nia on the ground. Now that her Mana was almost depleted, the fire that was burning it a while ago also vanished. The Great Fire Tree, despite losing its leaves that were burnt into ashes, remained standing. "I know that and I''m prepared for the consequence."


    "As a being older and higher in position than you, I have the authority to punish you for cursing a human, Soleil Rosenberg."


    She just smiled bitterly because like she said, she was prepared for that. Everyone knew that the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree was fond of its Guardian. Thus, she already expected that he would punish her for cursing his "daughter."


    "As your punishment, I curse you to have a miserable life once you''re reincarnated," the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree said. "I curse you to die alone and betrayed by your loved ones." When he spoke again, his voice made the ground shake. "I curse that Nia and Aku Moonchester get everything they want from you during your next lifetime."


    "I don''t mind suffering for one lifetime if it means Nia will spend every single lifetime stuck with Aku Moonchester as his real blood sister," Soleil said with augh, then she red at the Great Fire Tree. "The next time we meet, I''ll burn you to ashes, Spirit of the Great Fire Tree."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 256: The Cursed Lifetime

    Chapter 256: The Cursed Lifetime


    WINTER took a deep breath after seeing a piece of his mother''s memory during her previous life.


    It was a lot to take in, so he fell silent while thinking.


    <em>I didn''t expect that Mother had been fighting the Moonchesters since her previous life. But what kind of a "spirit" gives that kind of punishment? It was so unfair! Because of that curse, my mommy lived and died miserably!</em>


    "Are you alright?" Lord Wixx asked him. "Did you see your mother''s previous memories?"


    "I did, Uncle Wixx," Winter said with clenched teeth. "My mother was cursed to have a miserable life after her reincarnation. She also lost her memories, that''s why she was easily controlled by the Moonchesters."


    His uncle could only smile bitterly.


    "Was the "Lord Kalel" that Mommy mentioned the identity of my dad in his past life?" he asked curiously. "I just have a feeling that my parents are meant to be in all lifetimes."


    The Red Phoenix scowled. Ah, right. Your father was also an important person in his past life. Actually, he still is."


    "What is my father''s identity?" he asked. "I thought father was amoner before he married my mother."


    "I''m only telling you this because you have to know the truth if you want to save your father," Uncle Wixx said seriously. "Winter, your father is the ck Serpent himself."


    He was too shocked to react to that revtion.


    Bute to think of it, it made sense. His mother, in her previous life, had so many awesome titles. Only someone as amazing as she was had the right to marry her.


    <em>Being the ck Serpent makes Dad a god, too.</em>


    "My mother and father were both powerful beings and yet, this happened to them because of a curse?" he asked with his fists clenched. "Worst of all, I inherited both of their bloods but I''m nothing but a useless child"


    "You''re not useless, Winter," his uncle said. "You''re just as special as your parents."


    "How so, Uncle?"


    "The reason why I asked Luna to send you here isn''t just for your mother''s ashes," he said seriously, then he put his hands on his shoulders. "Winter, you are the Moon Serpent. In your past life, you were a fallen god that was also known as a God yer. But most of all, in this lifetime, you are the one destined to kill Aku Moonchester."


    He was shocked again but this time, he was able to absorb the information that he heard faster. "Uncle, I have many titles just like Mommy."


    His uncle looked confused because his remark had nothing to do with his revtion. Then, heughed. "That''s true. Your mother had so many aplishments in her previous life. Thus, she gained a lot of different titles. And so did you, Winter."


    He clenched his fists tight. "Can I really kill the emperor, Uncle? I am not that strong enough."


    "I hate to say this but I believe you still need your father''s help to do that," his uncle exined. "Winter, there''s still something else that you need to know about the ck Serpent: he''s actually the son of the Moon God."


    His eyes widened in shock. "What?"


    "The Moon God tried to steal the ck Serpent''s body in the past," his uncle continued. "I burned the ck Serpent''s body so they wouldn''t seed. But now that I''m locked up here, you have to do the job."


    He was horrified to hear that. "Uncle, are you asking me to kill my own father?"


    "He''s no longer your father, Winter," the Red Phoenix said firmly. "If he wakes up while his physical body is being burned, then it''s alright to keep him alive. But if he doesn''t wake up, it would be better to burn him to ashes so the Moon God would fail." He paused, then he shook his head. "Actually, you really have no choice but to kill your father."


    "I can''t do that to my own father," he said while shaking his head hard. "And I have never summoned me in my life, Uncle."


    "And that''s the reason why I asked Luna to send you here with your mother''s ashes."


    "I don''t understand, Uncle."


    "Open the urn and you''ll see what I''m talking about."


    He did as he was asked even though he was confused.


    And instead of answers, he only got more questions when he opened the urn. His mother''s ashes weren''t there. A red diamond as big as his fist was ced inside. It was the most beautiful gem that he had seen in his life.


    "Your mother''s ck me was stolen from her," his uncle said. "But she had my heart and therefore, she still had the ability to reincarnate. The fact that her ashes have already turned into the physical form of my heart means she''s ready to be reborn in the same lifetime as this."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "I don''t understand, Uncle. How is that possible?"


    "I don''t know exactly how but apparently, the ck Serpent is the reason why the curse bestowed upon your mother could be lifted," the Red Phoenix exined. "All I know is that to "reset" this lifetime, your father has to die. It was an instruction that I received from him in his past life as Kalel Nystrom."


    He felt gutted. "But why would father sacrifice his life?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?" his uncle asked. "It''s definitely for your mother''s sake."


    He gulped hard. Even though it was for his mother''s sake, he still didn''t know if he could kill his own father. "Uncle"


    "I know it''s tough but we don''t have a choice," Lord Wixx said. "Winter, I will put my heart inside your body to ignite the fire Mana in you."


    He let out a loud gasp.


    "If I do that, your me will be strong enough to burn your father''s body," his uncle continued seriously. "I don''t know if your body can handle it but you have to do your best. Winter, now that your mother is gone and your father isn''t himself, you''re the only hope that we have to ensure that your mother will have another chance to live a happy life." Once again, he held his shoulders tight. "It''s not only your mother''s life that will change if we seed, Winter. If she gets to fix her life next time, then she''d get to stay with and your father again."


    A chance to "reset" and restart?


    To have that kind of future, then he shouldn''t be surprised that a huge sacrifice was needed at the present.


    "I''ll do my best, Uncle," Winter said with clenched fists. "For my family."


    "I''m sorry, my dear nephew," Uncle Wixx said with a sad smile on his face. "I''m sorry that I have to make you do this."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong><em>[AFTER 6 MONTHS]</em></strong>


    "Young Master, I have nothing else to teach you."


    Winter smiled amd bowed to Lord Denver. "Thank you for teaching me the fire technique, Lord Denver."


    After his Uncle Wixx put his heart inside him, he once again escaped the Royal Capital with Lord Denver and Miss Luna.


    Surprisingly, they brought him to a ce very familiar to him the Oakes territory, the dukedom owned by House Prescott. ording to the two, it would be better for them to "hide in in sight" instead of hiding far from where his father was.


    Miss Luna chose a house in the foot of a mountain in Oakes that served as air for the Crades. Since it was a monster-infested area, the vigers and even the knights patrolling had never gone to that area during the whole time they were there.


    Of course, Lord Denver cleared the area and Miss Luna put a strong barrier to ensure their safety from the monsters. Since they were surrounded by the forest, getting food supply was easy. And Miss Luna, in a disguise, would often visit the town to buy other supplies they needed.


    That was how they lived for the past six months.


    "Your father will arrive at the Prescott Manor at night," Miss Luna said. By "Prescott Manor," she meant the huge mansion owned by his family. That was the house they used whenever they went to Oakes in the past. "As far as what I gathered from the vigers, the duke will arrive with the ck Serpent Knights. Apparently, it was for the celebration of the founding of Oakes. His Majesty and his people will arrive tomorrow so we have to take care of your father tonight."


    Lord Denver nodded in agreement. "The ck Serpent Knights are tenacious but Miss Luna and I will deal with them so just focus on your mission." His master gave him a look filled with sympathy. "Young Master, are you sure that you want to finish your father on your own?"


    "I''d rather kill my dad than let His Majesty use his physical body to do evil stuff," Winter said with a sad smile. Of course, it still hurt so damn much that he had to kill his own father. But his uncle was right. They weren''t sure if his father was still alive. And if his dad was, he knew that he''d rather die than hurt the people he loved while under the influence of other people. "I guess for tonight, I have to forget that I''m Winter Prescott," he said, then he clenched his fists and set aside his personal feelings. "I am just the Moon Serpent whose job is to kill evil gods as punishment."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was able to smoothly enter the Prescott Manor with the help of Lord Denver and Miss Luna.


    Just like the two promised, they really took care of the ck Serpent Knights swiftly.


    <em>Now, it''s time to look for Dad.</em>


    Since his father''s Mana was unique, he just had to follow where it wasing from. He knocked out the servants that he met on the way to his dad''s chamber. When he finally arrived, he quietly entered the room.


    To be honest, he didn''t put that much effort in sneaking in because he knew that his father was already aware of his presence. His dad didn''t even hide his Mana as if he was inviting him toe to where he was.


    "I never believed that you died from that ambush attack," his father, who sat on sofa while having a ss of red wine, said when he entered the room. "Wee back, son."


    Winter raised his brows. "For a father who lost his son for six months, you look pretty calm."


    "Do you want me to cry for you?" he asked with a softugh, then he turned to her. His father''s golden eyes were already glowing. "Who turned you into a Fire Mage while you were away?"


    Okay, he was a little surprised to hear that. To be honest, he didn''t hide his presence but he made sure that his ice Mana would dominate his growing fire Mana. But it seemed like he failed to do so.


    "Of course, I would know," his father said with a smile. "The heart of the Red Phoenix isn''t something that you can hide easily, son" He sipped his red wine before he spoke again. "Ah, should I say ''grandson'' since it seems like you already know that your father is gone."


    Now that confirmed his thoughts.


    "What did you do to my dad?!" he snarled at the man who stole his father''s body. If he was his "grandfather," then he must be the Moon God. "And how could you do that to your own son, huh?!"


    He went there with hesitation about killing his own father.


    But if his dad was truly gone and this kind of person had taken over his body, maybe it was really his job as a son to end his poor father''s suffering. Like what Lord Denver told him before, his dad would only be more miserable if he hurt the people he treasured with his own hands even though he was only being controlled.


    <em>I will save your soul, Dad.</em>


    "A child like you wouldn''t understand our goal," the Moon God said, then he put down the ss on the table before he stood up and faced him. "I had fun toying with your mother''s feelings after I took over your father''s body. It was so fun to watch the Supreme''s face when I tested against her in the noble trial to "protect" my "beloved" new wife. But do you know what was the funniest part?" When he didn''tment, the cruel god continued. "I made a happy face when your mother was beheaded. I wanted her to think that my foolish son was relieved that she was finally gone." He snapped his fingers. "Ah, you were there, too. You weren''t yourself because of Nia Moonchester''s mind control so you probably don''t remember. But I think the princess made you wear the same expression that I had back then." This time, heughed loudly while pping his hands. "I also heard Lucina Morgannaugh after the poor Supreme was beheaded. I can''t imagine how she felt by then."


    To say that Winter was devastated to hear what had urred during his mother''s final moments would be an understatement.


    He was gutted.


    Heartbroken.


    <em>Mother left this world thinking that Dad and I didn''t love her</em>


    When anger rose up his chest, the red me that Uncle Wixx lent him came out of his body and engulfed him. The angrier he got, the bigger the me grew.


    "I''ll burn you alive," Winter threatened the Moon God. Right now, he decided toplete that he was Winter Prescott. He finally embraced the fact that he was the Moon Serpent the "God yer" that had the responsibility to kill evil gods. "You have no right to exist in this world, Moon God."


    "I''m sorry, my dear grandson," the Moon God said with an "apologetic" smile. "Someone else has business with you."


    As soon as the Moon God said that, a cold and sharp staff pierced through his chest.


    For some reason, the staff that stabbed him seemed to absorb his mes. They disappeared just like that. Or would it be more appropriate to say that his Mana was nullified?


    "I finally caught you, Winter Prescott," the voice behind him said. He would never mistake Emperor Aku''s voice to someone else. Ah, so His Majesty somehow knew that he woulde at his father tonight, huh? "Now, it''s time you give me the heart of the Red Phoenix."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 257: The End of Winter

    Chapter 257: The End of Winter


    WINTER snarled when the staff was pulled out from his chest.


    Then, he immediately jumped away from the emperor standing behind him. Since the wound in his chest was only shallow, he just used his ice to cover it and stop the bleeding. He was already used to doing that.


    "Just so you know, I purposely missed your heart," Emperor Aku said. Unlike his usual attire, he wore ck clothing from head to toe right now. His outfit even came with his infamous ck gloves. Infamous because everyone in the empire knew that His Majesty would only wear ck gloves when he was about to join a war, or kill someone. "What took you so long toe back, my dear heir?"


    He just red at the emperor.


    "Don''t be surprised that we know that you''ve already snapped out of Nia''s mind control," His Majesty said while wiping the blood off the staff with a white handkerchief. Now that he was calm, he noticed that instead of a sword, the emperor was actually wielding a scepter. It was a beautiful scepter that gave off a divine aura that was hard to exin. "The High Priest saw you infiltrate the temple months ago. ording to him, you disappeared. He had a feeling that you went and met the spirit of the Red Phoenix in his mystery praying room."


    "That sounds like Winchell," the Moon God said. He was now sitting on the sofa again while pouring himself another ss of red wine. "Even in the past, he put a spell on his chamber. Only people with his permission could find and enter his room."


    "If you had already met up with the Red Phoenix, I figured he would have already told you about the past," His Majesty said. "And it seems like I''m correct."


    He remained quiet while he was assessing the situation.


    Even though he trained hard under Lord Denver, he still wasn''t confident that he could take down both the emperor and the Moon God. But he had no choice but to do his best.


    "I apologize but you can''t rely on Lord Denver and the witch that you came with," the emperor said with a fake sympathetic smile on his face. "Nia and Lahara are already taking care of your allies."


    "I''m not worried about them. I know that Lord Denver and Miss Luna can take care of themselves," Winter said. Now that he was calm, he managed to gather his me once again. "You should worry about yourself, Your Majesty."


    "Why?" His Majesty said, then he tilted his head at one side and gave him an "innocent" look. "The fight is already over, Winter."


    He was supposed to ask if the emperor had gone crazy.


    But all of a sudden, his heart thumped loud and fast against his chest. Then, just like what happened a while ago, his me vanished as if they were suddenly nullified. But this time, it seemed like even his life force was being taken away.


    <em>What''s happening to me?</em>


    Before he knew it, he was already on the floor while catching his breath. Every inch of his body hurt. And he felt seriously weak that he couldn''t even move an inch.


    "Winter, do you know that there''s a child who appeared six months ago and imed that he was your father''s son?"


    <em>What?</em>


    He didn''t have to look up at the emperor because His Majesty already squatted down beside him while watching his reaction. The strange scepter was still in the emperor''s hand.


    "I took him in," Emperor Aku said. "You know why? Because the High Priest saw something incredible inside that child." He gently touched the staff of the scepter. "With the help of Nia, we were able to give this thing a new "host" by using the body of a special tree. Do you know what kind of scepter is this?"


    His brows furrowed in confusion.


    And then, he remembered that the emperor once mentioned that the sleeping saint''s scepter could be a useful item to him.


    His Majesty, who seemed to have read his facial expression, smiled. "Yes, Winter. What you''re thinking is correct. This Holy Scepter was hidden inside your sibling."


    "I don''t have a sibling," he snarled even though it talking back already took a lot of his remaining energy.


    "You should confront Kiho about it," His Majesty said with augh. "Not that you could talk to him anymore."


    He took in a deep breath before he asked. "Where is the child that you''re talking about?"


    To be honest, he had to stall time so he decided to entertain the emperor for the meantime.


    It was a shame that he wasn''t able to use the fire techniques that he had painstakingly learned from Lord Denver for the past half a year.


    But it wasn''t like he had lost all hope. After all, there was still the thing that Uncle Wixx taught him. ording to his uncle, there was still a small amount of ck me inside his own heart. And if he used the ck me to ignite the heart of the Red Phoenix


    "Lady Morganna seems to be obsessed with the child for some reason," His Majesty said casually. "Well, I don''t think the child will survive since he has been in a vegetative state ever since the Holy Scepter was taken out of his body. Why are you asking though?" He snapped his fingers andughed aloud. "Ah, I know. You''re stalling time."


    Ah, this bastard emperor was really sharp.


    "Let''s stop talking. I need to destroy the heart of the Red Phoenix before Nia gets here," the emperor said. "Anyst words, my dear ex-heir?"


    "Dad," Winter said, then he turned to the Moon God who was looking at him while siping his red wine. He knew that there was a little chance that his father was still alive inside. But since it was his final moment, he still wanted to say goodbye to his father. "Dad, goodbye," he said with a smile. He just hoped that his smile didn''t look sad. "And before I go, I just want you to know that none of this is your fault."


    The Moon God justughed softly while shaking his head.


    "What a touching farewell message," Emperor Aku said in a sarcastic voice. And then, he stabbed his chest with the Holy Scepter again without even blinking. This time, the sharp edge of the staff hit his heart. As soon as it did, the Holy Scepter began to mercilessly both of his Mana and life force. "Goodbye, Winter Prescott."


    "You should say your goodbye, too, Aku Moonchester," Winter said with a smile, his preparation nowplete. When the emperor''s smile disappeared, Winter grabbed His Majesty''s arm tight. "We''ll go to hell together, Your Majesty."


    After saying that, Winter finally ignited the heart of the Red Phoenix with his ck me.


    The result was an explosion that burned down the whole Prescott estate in just a span of a few minutes. After all, the ck me''s power was iparable when used by the rightful owner of the me that could even turn gods into ashes.


    Yes, it was really Winter Prescott who was destined to kill Aku Moonchester.


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER didn''t expect that he''d get to open his eyes again but he did.


    He was a little startled when he woke up in a dark room while his body (or was it soul) floated in front of a golden ball of fire. For some reason, he could tell right away that the me had divine aura in it.


    "You''re awake?" the golden me asked, surprising him. "Ah, I apologize for startling you, Winter Prescott."


    Winter, still numb from thest memory in his head, blinked. "Did I die?"


    "The short answer is yes," the golden me said. "But unfortunately, we don''t have time for a long conversation."


    Ah, he really could hear the urgency in his voice.


    "When you used your own life to summon the ck me in your body, the heart of the Red Phoenix protected your soul," the golden me continued. "The heart did that to ensure that you''ll be reincarnated in the same time that the Supreme has been reborn into."


    He smiled as a response. "Mother has been reborn safely?"


    "You were able to kill Aku and Nia Moonchester when you used the ck me to fuel the heart of the Red Phoenix," the golden me said. "Because Nia Moonchester''s life ended, the curse that your mother was punished with was halted. That gave me the chance to "reset" this lifetime."


    "You''re going to "reset" this lifetime?"


    It sounded ridiculous but for some reason, he could feel it in every fiber of his being that he could trust this golden me.


    And his father used to tell him to trust his instinct.


    "Yes," it said firmly. "I owe it to you because you were the reason why I was able to leave the Abyss. But like I said, I don''t have the time to exin. I''m here to make a deal with you, Winter Prescott."


    "What kind of deal?"


    "I will send you to where your mother is but you have to promise me one thing," the golden me said. "You will retain your memories because you''re a god. But you can''t tell your mother or anyone else about what you know. At least, not until the Supreme regained her memories. You can''t alert the enemies. I will erase their memories of this lifetime after the rest." It paused for a while before he continued. "I will seal some of your memories to make sure that you will not break our promise. But if you still do, your own memories will get erased. Do you ept the deal?"


    "Yes. I promise I will keep my lips sealed," Winter said without hesitation. He would grab any hand that he could just to meet his mother again. And this time, he would make sure that he would protect their family, especially his mommy. "So please send me back to my Mommy."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 258: Pieces of a Broken Picture

    Chapter 258: Pieces of a Broken Picture


    "YOU POOR child."


    Tilly was hugging her legs tight while her face nuzzled her knees when she heard the voice that was a little simr to hers. When she looked up, she was surprised to see a person who kind of resembled her. The only difference was the other woman''s hair was jet-ck


    and the other "her" had ming ck wings.


    "I don''t want to hear that from someone who looks like me," Tilly said in a cracked voice. Ever since she found herself in that hot desert with ck sand, all she did was sit under a dead tree with dry leaves. The weather was always humid and yet, she didn''t dare to take off the ck coat that came with the dress that she wore when she "woke up" in that ce. She knew she was already gone because she never felt hunger or sleepiness. "If you pity me, you should also pity yourself."


    "Don''t be like that. It took me so long before I finally found you. Abyss isn''t a small ce, you know?" the strange woman with ck wings said, then she sat on the boulder in front of her. "My name is Soleil Rosenberg."


    She blinked in surprise. "Captain Denver said that I was Soleil Rosenberg in my past life."


    "I am you, you are me," Soleil said between giggles. "It just so happened that we lived in different times. Do you want to hear my story?"


    "No," she said coldly, her purple eyes zing with anger. "I want to return to my old life and have my revenge against the people who ruined my family."


    "Even if you get reborn in the same lifetime that you came from, you still won''t retrieve the memories of your life as Soleil Rosenberg since it was your punishment," her other self said. "Moreover, even if you remember your previous life as Lady Prescott, you will still forget every single thing that you learned from your life as me. To be precise, all of your memories where you learned that you''re the Supreme will be erased. I believe that if that happens, the part of your memory where you found out who the enemies were will also be sealed."


    "That''s unfair," sheined. "Why am I being punished anyway?"


    "I can''t tell you that," her other self said. "Moreover, I think it will be best for you not to remember your life as Soleil Rosenberg yet. It wasn''t just the punishment that sealed your memories, Lady Prescott. The Red Phoenix also locked them up."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I don''t understand"


    "And it''s better if you don''t," her other self said, then she changed the topic right away."Don''t you think it will be useless if you get reincarnated right away?"


    She was about toin when she realized what her other self implied. And yes, the woman seeded to take her mind off their previous topic. What a cunningdy Soleil Rosenberg was. "Then, what should I do if I don''t get reincarnated "right away?""


    "The flow of time here is different than the one in the living world," the other woman said. "Why don''t you try to be reborn into another world?"


    "What?"


    "Soleil Rosenberg is nave and too kind," the other woman said as if she wasn''t talking about her own self. "While Lady Prescott is a proud but oblivious noblewoman. We need to change, and we can''t achieve that if we stay in the same world again and again."


    "Is there another world aside from this world?"


    "Yes, of course," she said in a joyous voice. She even opened her arms wide. "Our world is just one of the many parallel universes out there, Lady Prescott. But I guess it will be hard for you toprehend it since your world view is limited."


    "You talk as if you''ve been to the "parallel universes" that you''re talking about."


    "I have been there," she said with a smile. "Well, in my dreams, at least. I''ve seen other worlds much different than what we have here."


    "Do you think that a detour will benefit me before I return to my real destination?"


    "It''s really up to you," her other self said with a shrug. "But if you ask me, I believe that it''s necessary for your growth. There''s a drawback though."


    She rolled her eyes when she heard that. "Is there more disadvantage aside from the fact that I will lose all my memories rted to the fact that I was Soleil Rosenberg in the past?"


    The other woman nodded and smiled sadly at her. "You''ll be alone. Only your soul can get reincarnated on your own will because you''re the ck Phoenix. That means Kiho and Winter can''t follow you."


    To be honest, she wanted a life where she could make it up to her husband and son.


    But she knew it would be impossible if she got reincarnated as the same proud but nave noblewoman. Her other self was right: she had to change and learn other useful things in the world that she was raving about.


    "What should I do?" she asked determinedly. "What do I have to do to be reincarnated to the world you''re talking about? Can I even do that even if I''m already dead."


    "After you died, they tried to take your heart," her other self said. "But your will burned your whole body and exhausted all the me in you until the heart of the Red Phoenix turned into a cold stone. Nia Moonchester, that dumb wench, thought you were already useless. Thank god Miss Luna was smart enough to steal your body. Thanks to her, the heart safely came back into life. Isn''t the heart of the Red Phoenix amazing?"


    "I could care less about that," she said bluntly. "My me nor the heart of the Red Phoenix neither helped me in this lifetime. Both were useless."


    "Because that was your punishment," the other woman said. "The Red Phoenix will be sad if he heard you say that."


    "I don''t care. From now on, I will live for myself and stand on my own feet. I will never put my life on someone else''s hands again," she said, then she stood up when a warm feeling started to envelop her chest. "Ah, I think I already know how to use my ability to reincarnate."


    "Really?" her other self, Soleil Rosenberg, asked in disbelief. "What do you think is the way for you to activate your ability to reincarnate?"


    "Wrath," Tilly said in a cold voice, her "body" temperature increasing as her anger rose up in her chest. "I have the strong will to live again and burn the Moonchesters to death."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MY LORD, the Young Master"


    "I know, Sentinel," Wixx said without turning to his spirit guardian. He just sat on the floor while leaning against the stupid statue of his other form, the Red Phoenix. "I also felt it." By that, he meant the explosion of the ck me. "Winter used the ck me and to make it powerful, he used his life force to fuel it."


    "Just like how you taught the Young Master, my lord."


    He red at Sentinel (who sat beside him) but he couldn''t refute his remark.


    It was true that he was the one who taught Winter how to use the ck me in a way that would kill Aku Moonchester.


    "I taught Winter how to use his life force as a fuel for the ck me as ast resort," he admitted remorsefully. "I honestly believed that my heart and his awakened Red me would be enough for Winter to drive away the Moon God from the ck Serpent''s body."


    "If the young master was forced to use the ck me, that only means their n failed," Sentinel said in his usual monotonous voice. "But in the end, the young master''s death served its purpose because he was able to bring Aku and Nia Moonchester with him."


    That was true.


    After they felt the explosion of the ck me, they felt Winter''s life force vanish. It was followed by the disappearance of Aku and Nia Moonchester''s presence as well.


    "Now that the emperor and his "heir" are dead, the empire will soon be thrown in chaos," his spirit guardian said. "The Moon God will take advantage of this, won''t he?"


    "Yes, he will definitely take over the empire now that the Moonchesters were gone," he agreed while nodding his head. "It''s up to the ck Serpent now to stop his father."


    "Do you still believe that the ck Serpent is alive after the Moon God took over his body?"


    "The Moon God can''t easily kill the ck Serpent''s soul," he exined. "I hope he saw his own son explode in front of him even though he was supposed to be asleep."


    "My lord, that''s too cruel to say even if you hate the ck Serpent."


    "No, the ck Serpent has to wake up now," he said firmly. "If the death of his son doesn''t affect him, then he''ll just prove to me once again that he''s really trash." His jaw clenched when he remembered what he had to do to his poor little sister in that lifetime. "I had to burn Soleil''s body because he failed to protect my foolish little sister, you know?"


    He still remembered the day Luna brought Soleil''s cold body to that secret prayer room.


    His sister burned his heart when she died so it became a cold stone that Nia Moonchester thought it was already useless. Howe that wench didn''t know that he was the Red Phoenix? Therefore, his heart would "heal" and be "alive" again even if his sister was already gone.


    But he didn''t want the enemies to realize their mistake. And so, he burned Soleil''s body to ashes and asked Luna and herpanion to put it in an urn. The only thing they could do back then was to wait for his heart to "revive."


    "My lord, please stop crying," Sentinel said, then he put a hand on his shoulder. "You just did what you had to do to protect the Supreme."


    "Shut up. I''m not crying," Wixx said even though his voice cracked. Even though he was a Beast God, he still wasn''t able to save his little sister and nephew. Maybe hiding his physical body was a wrong choice. "If I knew this would happen, I wouldn''t have made a deal with the stupid Sky God."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DON''T FIGHT, Kiho," his father told him. "The Moonchesters are gone. I''m the only one who can rule this empire so you better keep on sleeping, son. Just a little bit more and Yumi wouldpletely fix my original body"


    "Shut. Up," Kiho said, each word was emphasized by the ungodly amount of rage in his chest. Even though he was locked up in the "cave" that was buried deep in his consciousness, he still could see his father standing in the middle of the ground where the mansion was supposed to be. But the ck me burned everything in the estate to ashes. Not even the bones of the people who were killed remained. But of course, the stench of blood and burnt flesh lingered in the cold air. "My son blew up in front of me, you bastard!"


    Even though his father had taken control of his body, he was still conscious inside.


    But most of the time, he couldn''t do anything to take back what was his. And whenever he would seed, his mother would bite his soul and put him into slumber again.


    Yet, a while ago, when Winter released the ck me inside him that he didn''t know he possessed, he waspletely awakened. It was toote though. His son''s body blew up as soon as he released the ck me that instantly killed everyone in the estate.


    Only "he" survived because his father was able to protect his body with his ice.


    "Why are you so adamant on living, son?" Kyro, who was now having difficulty in breathing, asked in clenched teeth. "Your wife and son are already gone. Even your enemies are dead! You have no reason to be alive, do you?"


    "You and mother are still alive," he snarled at his father. "The two of you, along with the spirit guardian who betrayed Soleil I''ll kill you all before I follow my wife and son to the afterlife!"


    "Stop fighting back, Kiho!" Kyro yelled while using his soul to make him sleep. "I won''t give this body back to you!"


    "Then, I''ll turn this body into something that you could no longer use," Kiho said coldly, then he turned his anger to ice. Yes, he began to freeze his physical body. If he turned into an ice sculpture, then his father would have no choice but to leave it. Of course, it wasn''t easy to that. He spent all his time gathering all the Mana in his body without his father noticing. It just pained him that he only seeded when his wife and son were already gone. "Father, see you in hell."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IT''S over," the Sun God, now reduced to a ball of golden me locked up in the darkest part of the Abyss, whispered to himself when he felt Kalel Nystrom''s life force disappear. After the ck Serpent managed to kick his father out of his body, he managed to kill a few people before his physical body got broken. After he froze it, it never went back to normal. "Unfortunately, the Moon God and Yumi are still alive."


    It was okay though, they already expected the two to remain the longest.


    Moreover, the Moon God and the White Snake didn''t need to die in this lifetime. After all, he would use his "cards" to reset everything.


    Of course, it wouldn''t be easy to do that. But Kalel Nystrom, right before he followed Soleil Rosenberg who was reborn as Lady Matilda ''Tilly'' Prescott, had alreadyid the n that he made with him and the Sky God. If it wasn''t for the ck Serpent, the Supreme wouldn''t even have the chance to lift the curse that the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree had bestowed upon her.


    <em>That Spirit really let his Guardian poison his roots.</em>


    "Rise, ck Phoenix," the Sun God said. "It''s time to gobble up everything once again."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 259: A Crack in the Relationship

    Chapter 259: A Crack in the Rtionship


    WINTER was shocked.


    The ball of golden me just didn''t show his family the memories of his past life. The Sun God also showed them the pieces of memories of other people involved in that tragedy. No wonder his parents and brother looked as shocked as he was.


    But he had to say that his father had it worst.


    <em>Dad looks so pale.</em>


    "It was me, wasn''t it?" Julian asked in a cracked voice, finally breaking the silence that ensued after the memories of the past were shown to them like a y. "The child who came to Lady Morganna the child where the emperor got the Holy Scepter from" He clutched his chest tight, pain evident in his eyes. "I was the reason why you were killed by His Majesty in the past, Winter."


    "It''s not your fault, Brother," Winter said while shaking his head. "You were just used by Aku Moonchester in the past." He clicked his tongue, then he looked up at the ceiling. "Grandpa, why didn''t you show Julian''s memories?"


    "''Grandpa?''"


    He turned to his mother and nodded before he exined. "Mommy, the Sun God told me to call him ''Grandpa.''"


    His mommy''s face didn''t change. For some reason, her calmness was scaring him. It was as if she was bottling up her feelings, and she would explode anytime "It''s a shame that we don''t have the luxury to dwell on that fact," she said without emotions, then she changed the topic. "Anyway, the fact that Aku Moonchester was able to draw the Holy Scepter from the "child" that he mentioned is a hint that we can also take out the scepter inside Julian without killing him. The emperor also mentioned that he was able to create a new host for it using the Great Fire Tree." She turned to Julian and her face softened up a bit. "Isn''t that great, Julian? We''re headed to the Great Fire Tree. We can figure out how to save you then."


    "Mother, I''m confused," Julian said, his face and voice both filled with pain. "I don''t remember the life that I saw. After I was killed in my past life, the one where I was the second child, the next thing I know is I was already in the care of Brother Flint''s parents."


    "Calm down, son," their mother said, then she caressed Julian''s face. "It doesn''t matter whether you remember it or not. It''s all in the past anyway. The important thing is now we know that there''s a way to separate the Holy Scepter from your body."


    "Mother"


    "Mommy is right, Brother," Winter said, causing Julian to turn to him. "Please don''t feel guilty. You weren''t the one who stabbed me with the Holy Scepter"


    He trailed-off when he noticed that Julian suddenly went pale.


    Ah, his brother probably remembered the scene of his death.


    "Sorry, Brother," he said guiltily. "I shouldn''t have said that."


    "Don''t apologize, Winter," Julian said. "You''re the victim here."


    He was about to say something when he heard a loud thump. When he turned to the source of noise, he saw that the chair fell on the floor when his father stood up.


    His Dad looked at him with pain and guilt in his eyes. "I''m sorry," his father said while looking at him, his brother, and his mother. "I really am."


    Before anyone could console him, he bolted out of the room.


    "Father"


    "Dad!"


    "Let him be," their mother said, then she stood up. "Kids, stay here. I will send Roarke and Jameson here to guard you."


    "Mother"


    "Mommy"


    Their mother finally smiled. It wasn''t her usual bright smile, but it was enough tofort them. "Winter, Julian, I''m okay. I really am. My past life helped me be the person that I am now, so I don''t really mind even if that one ended tragically. But most importantly" She put her left hand on Julian''s head and the right one on Winter''s. "None of it was your fault, my precious little cinnamon rolls."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO threw up.


    This was the first time that he threw up after so long. He had killed many people and gods in all the lifetimes that he had. But the image of his own son blowing up in front of him


    He threw up again.


    Thank goodness he was able to bolt out of the room before his stomach acted up. To make sure that his wife and children wouldn''t hear him vomit, he went to the bathroom at the end of the hallway in the first floor.


    "Do you have an upset stomach?"


    Kiho flinched when he heard Tilly''s voice. When he looked at the mirror, he saw his wife leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest. Ah, she was one of the few people who could sneak up on him like that. "I''m fine," he said. He was relieved that Tilly came when he just finished the mess he made in the sink. "Tilly, can you please give me a moment?"


    Without waiting for her response, he began to wash his face. The water was cold but of course, it didn''t bother him. He was used to that.


    "No," Tilly said firmly. "We need to talk now."


    Instead of answering, he just finished washing his face first. Then, he grabbed the face towel hanging on the wall before he turned around to face his wife.


    "You''re feeling guilty, aren''t you?" Tilly asked with a raised brow. "You feel bad that you weren''t able to protect our family in the past."


    His jaw clenched, but he still remained quiet.


    "Why though?" she asked. "I already told you how my first life as ''Lady Prescott'' has ended, Kiho."


    "You didn''t tell me that Winter blew up in front of me," he said in an angry tone. But he wasn''t angry at Tilly. He was angry at himself and he knew that his wife was aware of it. "Tilly, I let our son get killed. At such a young age, he sacrificed himself to take down the Moonchesters because I was useless."


    "Well, that''s true."


    Okay, he was gutted.


    Tilly wasn''t wrong, but even though he didn''t have the right to, he still got hurt that she agreed with him so easily.


    She can be brutally honest sometimes.


    "But I''m not one to talk," Tilly said with a bitter smile on her face. "I wasn''t even able to stop Nia from toying with me even though we both lost our memories. The spirit guardian who betrayed me in the past even stole my husband and son from me. Worst of all, I was killed thinking that I wasn''t loved."


    He bit his lower lip hard until he tasted his own blood.


    <em>Dammit, the tragedy of the past was caused by my sted parents. I should get my shit together in this lifetime, then kill Kyro and Yumi before they hurt my family.</em>


    "Don''t let it get to you, Kiho," his wife said. "We can''t change the past even if we sulk. We should be grateful that we were given a chance to make things right in this lifetime. Pull yourself together and focus on the current problem. We can breathe a little now that we know there''s a way to draw the Holy Scepter from Julian without killing our son. The next thing we should do is to finish the war here and return to the Royal Capital. The faster we get to the Great Fire Tree, the faster we could end the divine war."


    He didn''t want to feel this but he suddenly felt envious of his wife.


    Tilly had always been this kind of person: brave, smart, and upright. She always got things right. Even back when she was Soleil Rosenberg, she rarely made mistakes. And even if she did, she could clean up after her mess without asking for somebody''s help.


    On the other hand, he brought her nothing but tragedy.


    That realization made him feel sick to the stomach again.


    "Tilly."


    "Hmm?"


    "Winchell is back and I believe that he''s more capable of protecting you and the children than me," he said with clenched fists. Of course, saying those things hurt him. But he had to set aside his personal feelings. "I think Winchell and your Keepers should apany you and the kids to the Great Fire Tree instead of me."


    His wife scowled, then she raised a brow at him. "And what will you do if I agree to that?"


    "I will head to Kyro and Yumi," he said with clenched teeth. "I will kill them."


    "You can''t do that."


    Wow, that hurting from his wife. "Tilly, I know that I have failed you so many times already. But do you not trust me anymore?"


    "It''s not that I don''t trust you," she argued. "But if Kyro and Yumi were that easy for you to kill, then why couldn''t you have done it when you were still Kalel Nystrom?"


    He couldn''t give a retort to that.


    "Kiho, calm down and think things through," his wife said in a patient voice. "We''ll figure this out together, remember?"


    "That''s what I thought too before," Kiho said with a sad smile on his face. "But Tilly, I think I''m just a burden to you and our children. I still believe that it would be better for me to head to Kyro and Yumi while you head to the Great Fire Tree with Winchell."


    "Do you really mean that, Kiho Nystrom?" Tilly asked in a very cold voice that gave him chills. "I will only give you one chance to give me an answer, ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN didn''t know what to say to Winter now that he was alone with his brother in the room.


    <em>This is awkward.</em>


    "What are you thinking, Brother Julian?"


    "Oh, nothing," Julian said with an awkward smile on his face. "I''m just thinking that I shouldn''t have been born in this era."


    "Brother," Winter scolded him firmly. "We are all happy that you''re here with us."


    He was about to say something when all of a sudden, they heard a loud explosion from below.


    Both him and his brother immediately stood up and ran to the windows. Much to their shock, they saw their father on the snow-covered ground while coughing blood. They thought they were under attack when all of a sudden, their mother appeared.


    Their mother had her ming ck wings open, and the bloodlusting from her was directed at their father.


    "Oh, god," Winter said loudly. "Are Mom and Dad fighting?"


    Julian gulped, then he nodded. "And it looks like Mother wants to kill Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 260: Deep-seated Feelings

    Chapter 260: Deep-seated Feelings


    "I WILL only give you one chance to give me an answer, ck Serpent," Tilly warned Kiho in a cold voice that she rarely used on him. But this time, she wasn''t really happy with what her husband said. Even though she was trying hard not to show it, seeing Winter died a gruesome death caused her too much pain and resentment towards her old self. It was too stressful for her. Thest thing she needed was Kiho giving up on himself. "Kiho, you''re not the only one who''s suffering after we saw what happened to Winter in the past."


    "But we''re different from each other, Tilly," Kiho said in a bitter voice. "You''ve done nothing wrong. You and our children were hurt in the past because of my ipetence."


    It wasn''t the first time that Kiho felt down because of his "ipetence."


    In the past, her first instinct was tofort him. But this time, since her emotions weren''t particrly stable after reliving her horrible past life, she didn''t have the energy to "baby" her husband. After all, no matter how strong she was, she could also get tired.


    And her patience was running low at that point.


    "Like I said, you weren''t the only one who was ipetent back then," she told him in an impatient tone voice. She hated using that tone on her husband but she wanted to set him straight. "Plus, this happened because I cursed Nia Moonchester. If it wasn''t for the Sun God, I wouldn''t even remember that the damned Great Fire Tree punished me."


    "You had to curse Nia Moonchester because she aided Aku Moonchester then to get the upperhand in the war," he reasoned. "The Great Fire Tree was wrong to punish you for cursing the Guardian who caused the fall of the gods during the previous divine war."


    "If you can forgive me for that, why can''t you forgive yourself for the things that you have no control over?"


    "Like I said, we are different," he said firmly. "My parents are the reason why this is happening to our family. I have to end it with my own hands."


    "Alone?"


    Pain crossed his eyes. "Tilly, I''m their son. I''m the one who should do this. If I don''t do something to protect our family, I feel like I''m going to go crazy."


    "And you think it''s better for you to work alone?"


    "I don''t want to be a burden to you anymore, Tilly."


    She let out a frustrated sigh.


    The things that Kiho was saying hurt like hell. She hated that he considered himself as a burden to her. But it hurt even more that he was seriously considering leaving their family just when they needed to be together the most.


    "Kiho, my brother used to say that I have two ws," she said, then she stood straight and faced her husband properly. "First, he said I''m too soft and kind to the people that I love. Second" She moved her shoulders and summoned her ming ck wings. To be honest, using her ck me wasn''t easy for her. But she had no other choice since she couldn''t summon the Red me that her brother lent her after Kyro clipped her red wings. "Second, my brother said that when I''m angry, I lose myself. Wrath, ording to him, fuels my me though. Can you tell how angry I am right now, my dear husband?"


    Kiho smiled bitterly. The sudden gust of cold wind around him wasn''t ordinary wind. She could tell that it was meant to be his protection from her me. "Yes, I can feel your bloodlust directed at me," he said. "My Mana is creating a barrier on its own even if I didn''t summon it."


    "Good," she said in a voice colder than Kiho''s ice. "Now, let''s fight."


    "Excuse me?"


    "It seems like words won''t work on your current state of mind," she said while cracking her knuckles. "Let''s y a game, Kiho. If I manage to knock you down, you''ll stay with us and stick with our n. But if you knock me down instead, I''ll let you leave and do whatever you want to do to your parents."


    "Tilly, don''t do this," he said firmly. "You know that I can never hurt you, don''t you? I will not fight you."


    "Then, you''ll die," she died. Of course, threatening her husband hurt more than she''d like to admit. She was also aware that violence should be herst resort. But she felt like this was the best way for them to release the pent-up frustrations that they had been bottling up inside ever since Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom''s time. "If you don''t fight me seriously, my me will burn you alive."


    "Tilly"


    "Kiho, brace yourself," she said, then she pped her wings.


    The heat wave that her wings caused by simply pping was enough to push Kiho. The wave was strong enough to break her husband''s barrier and hit him on the chest. The impact sent him flying. And when his back hit the wall, it broke down and Kiho was once again sent flying. This time, he got violently pushed through outside until he fell on the snow-covered ground.


    It created a huge hole in the wall, allowing her to see that her husband was now coughing blood. Ah, it was probably caused by the heat wave that hit his chest a while ago.


    <em>I''m sorry, Kiho</em>, she said while walking towards her husband. She decided to walk instead of flying like her initial n. She was hoping that she had calmed down by the time she stepped foot outside. <em>I don''t want to hurt you but I need to knock some sense into you.</em>


    When she reached the yard were her poor husband was sent flying, she stopped herself from walking near him. Instead, she stood a few meters away from Kiho. Sadly, she couldn''t tone down her bloodlust yet.


    "I told you that you''d die if you don''t take this fight seriously, Kiho," she told her husband coldly. "Are you awake or do I need to beat you to a pulp before youe back to your senses?"


    Kiho wiped the blood of the side of his mouth before he stood up. "Tilly, you have to learn that you can''t be right all the time," he scolded her while looking at her with a nk look on his face. His words, no matter how careful he said them, still hurt. But his cold expression scared her the most. It made her feel like there was now a huge distance between them. "I know that your ns have always worked in the past, Tilly. You''re both a fighter and a strategiest. But this time, I want to do what I can to protect our family with my own power. You can''t kill the enemies because you have a binding vow with Nia Moonchester. But I can. And I want to end my parents while you''re headed to the Great Fire Tree."


    She would admit that Kiho had a point.


    But she didn''t like the tone that he used, or the hidden motive that she could sense from his n. She knew what he was feeling behind his words because she had spent many lifetimes with him. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that she knew him like the back of her hands.


    "Kiho, are youpeting with me?" she asked with clenched hands. Her nails dug deep into the skin of her palms. But the one aching the most was her heart. "Do you feel inferior to me?"


    He flinched, and he didn''t give her a verbal response.


    But his silence already sounded like a painful ''yes'' to her.


    "I can''t believe you, Kiho," she said in a hurt tone. "We should be fighting together instead of having this petty argument!"


    She didn''t mean to attack but when she yelled angrily, her wrath manifested into an eagle-sized ck phoenix that came at Kiho at an rming speed. Even she was surprised by the form that her ck me took, especially when she didn''t meant to attack her husband that seriously.


    But when she was about to warn Kiho to dodge her me, she was surprised when he countered her attack with his ice.


    To be precise, he created a serpent out of his ice with the same size as her ck phoenix.


    <em>Ah, he defended himself for real this time.</em>


    She could tell that her ck phoenix was trying to melt the ice serpent, and the ice serpent was trying to freeze her ck me. But since the two "elemental beasts" almost had the same power, the one couldn''t overpower the other.


    Much to her shock, she heard the ck phoenix let out a soft cry the same time the ice serpent hissed.


    Now that was a surprise.


    <em>It''s as if our feelings breathed life into our elemental beasts.</em>


    Her eyes followed the ck phoenix and the ice serpent when the two flew to the sky where they continued the fight. Her ming bird kept shooting ball of mes at the ice serpent, while the frozen giant snake used its tail to deflect the ball of mes causing each one to fly to different directions.


    She wasn''t worried that it might identally hit the people that she should protect. After all, she could feel Luna and her barrier behind her.


    As expected, Luna is quick to decide on how to support me the best way.


    "Tilly, let''s do the game you proposed to a while ago," Kiho said seriously, causing her to turn to him. "But instead of us, the ck phoenix that you created and the ice serpent that I made will fight for us."


    Okay, she was gutted.


    But as the mother of House Nystrom, she refused to back down just because she was hurt by her husband''s words. If the husband was acting up, wasn''t it the wife''s job to set him straight?


    "I won''t hold back, Kiho," Tilly said, loud and clear. As soon as she decided to bring down her husband, the eagle-sized ck phoenix that she identally created grew in size. It wasn''t as big as the Red Phoenix, but it looked as intimidating as hell. "Don''t regret pissing off your wife, ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER wanted to run to his parents to stop them from fighting.


    But Jameson and Roarke arrived in time to physically restrain him and his Brother Julian from leaving the room.Jameson held his brother in the shoulders tight the same way Roarke held him down.


    "Let us go!" Winter yelled. He could tell that the fight between his parents were getting serious when a ck phoenix and an ice serpent appeared. They shouldn''t be fighting when they were still in the territory of the enemy! "Mom and Dad might hurt each other!"


    Well, he saw Miss Luna behind his mother. He also saw the witch create a barrier around the house to make sure that nobody would get hurt identally by his parents. Still, that fight had to be stopped at all cost!


    He knew that aside from his Uncle Wixx, only him and his Brother Julian could stop the fight between their parents.


    "Winter is correct," Julian said in a calm and firm tone. "Mother and Father should be stopped. Only us can do that because we''re certain that no matter what the situation is, they won''t won''t hurt us."


    He nodded eagerly in agreement.


    "We apologize, young masters," Roarke said firmly. "As the Supreme''s Keepers, it''s our job to support Lady Nystrom in every battle that she decides to take. We can tell that the Supreme is serious about fighting the ck Serpent. Thus, we will prevent anyone and everyone who intends to interrupt the fight."


    For the first time in his life, he wanted to cuss so badly.


    Even his calm brother was starting to look pissed at the situation.


    "And to be f*cking honest, it''s about time for the Supreme to f*cking beat the shit out of the ck Serpent," Jameson said haughtily. "I wish the Supreme f*cking beats his ass this time for real"


    The foul-mouthed Keeper wasn''t able to finish his sentence because in a swift movement, Julian turned around and pped Jameson with the back of his hand.


    Jameson looked shocked by what happened.


    Roarke must have been shocked as well because his grip on his shoulders loosened up.


    Well, Winter was just as shocked as the two Keepers.


    <em>Did my calm and gentle brother just pped Jameson Crawford?</em>


    God, Jameson''s lips were bleeding from the p!


    "Watch your mouth, Jameson Crawford," Julian said coldly. His Mana was warm just like their mother''s. But it seemed like his brother also inherited their father''s cold attitude (towards enemies and people he disliked). "Don''t you dare disrespect our father again or else, I''ll f*cking cut your tongue."


    To say that Winter was suddenly scared of his brother would be an understatement.


    <em>Big brothers can really be scary, huh?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 261: When Ice and Flame Collide

    Chapter 261: When Ice and me Collide


    WINTER was surprised when all of a sudden, water that came out of nowhere was suddenly poured on Jameson.


    He also noticed that the blood and the wound in the corner of the Keeper''s face were gone.


    Wait could it possibly be


    <em>An illusion?</em>


    It made sense, actually. How could Julian p Jameson when his brother didn''t even reach the Keeper''s waist? But he and Roarke definitely saw a hand that pped Jameson, which made him think that what they saw was an illusion created by Julian''s water technique.


    <em>Right. Dad has both ice and water Mana. I heard that one of my father''s water techniques have something to do with creating powerful illusions.</em>


    "I don''t want to raise my hand against somebody who follows my mother so please don''t make me do that, Jameson Crawford," Julian said, his voice was still cold but he looked calmer now than a while ago. "The next time I hear you insult my father, the hand that would p you would no longer be an illusion."


    Ah, so it was really an illusion meant to threaten the foul-mouthed Keeper.


    <em>I knew it. My brother isn''t the violent type. He''s still scary though.</em>


    Winter''s thoughts were suddenly cut-off when in the blink of an eye, Roarke and Jameson were now kneeling in front of Julian.


    He was too distracted to watch the two''s movements. But he could tell that Roarke just forced Jameson to kneel. After all, Roarke had his on top of Jameson''s head while forcing the foul-mouthed Keeper to bow in front of his brother.


    "We crossed the line, Lord Julian," Roarke said in an apologetic tone while bowing his head low (and pushing Jameson''s head down even more). "We apologize for our rudeness. I will also discipline Crawford so this kind of thing won''t happen again." He turned to Jameson, his different-colored eyes glowing menacingly. "Crawford, don''t you have something to say to Lord Julian?"


    Jameson kept silent for a while before he decided to open his mouth. "My deepest apologies, Lord Julian," he said, not uttering a single curse this time. "This won''t happen again."


    "Thank you for understanding," Julian said in his usual gentle voice. Oh, his brother was back to normal. "You''re dismissed, Jameson and Roarke. Rest assured, Winter and I won''t interfere with our parents'' fight."


    Roarke and Jameson both nodded respectfully.


    Then, Roarke practically dragged Jameson out of the room.


    "So, Jameson can talk without cursing," Winter said in amusement, breaking the silence between him and his brother. "It seems like you disciplined him well, Brother."


    To be honest, he also noticed that his brother referred to the Keepers without adding ''Lord'' to their names, unlike before when he was very formal with them.


    Julian turned to him with an awkward smile on his face. "Did I scare you, Winter?"


    "Just a little," he admitted. "But I was more surprised to know that you can create illusions. Did Dad teach you that in your previous life?"


    His brother scratched his cheek as if he was shy. "Father never taught me anything in the past."


    Oh.


    "But I used to watch him use his water technique to punish his people without physically hurting them," his brother continued. "Father creates this amazing bubble that he calls ''Water Sphere.'' Anyone entrapped in that sphere would experience Father''s powerful illusions. I just kind of copied his technique."


    "You didn''t use a Water Sphere though."


    He didn''t even see or feel his brother''s water Mana.


    "I can''t control ice and water Mana properly because my main one is the fire that I inherited from Mother," Julian exined. "So instead of making a Water Sphere, I just summoned a little amount of water and swiftly gathered them up our heads." He pointed at the ceiling and when he looked up, he noticed that it was wet. "To be more precise, instead of a sphere, I created some sort of "ceiling." That''s why you and Roarke were also able to see the illusion that I made."


    He looked at his brother and pped appreciatively. "Brother, you''re good."


    "You can do it, too, Winter," his brother said, then he yfully ruffled his hair. "Your dominant Mana is ice. Using water would be easier for you than it was for me. And I''m sure that Father will teach you the water techniques that he mastered if you asked him to."


    "Let''s learn together from Dadter," he said. "Brother, are you okay? You seem out of it."


    "Ah," he said, then he paused for a while before he spoke again. "Winter, are you not bothered by the memories that we saw? Even if we didn''t personally meet in that lifetime, I was still the cause of your death back then."


    "Brother, would youugh at me if I say that I don''t consider that lifetime as a real one?" he asked seriously. "I want to consider that as nothing but a cruel nightmare. Although it ended tragically, I''m still grateful that the Sun God showed us the things that we don''t remember. At least now, we know that there''s a way to safely draw the Holy Scepter inside you, Brother."


    "That''s right," his brother agreed. "If we look at it that way, then there''s no more reason to dwell on the past. Lessons have been learned, and the same mistakes won''t be repeated. Hopefully."


    "And that''s why I don''t understand why Mom and Dad are fighting," he said, then he turned to the window where they could clearly see the ck phoenix and the ice serpent fighting in the sky. "Well, I can see why Dad feels guilty for what happened to our family in the past. But I thought Mom will be more forgiving and patient towards our father. I don''t understand why Mom has to be angry when Dad is already feeling down. She also doesn''t need to be violent."


    Based on what they saw a while ago, it was obvious that it was their mother who attacked first. And he knew in his heart that in this lifetime, his father would never hurt their mother.


    "Why does Mother have to suppress her anger for Father?"


    He turned to Julian. "Huh?"


    "You just asked why Mother has to be angry when Dad is feeling down," his brother said sternly. "Is Father a child throwing tantrum that Mother has to pacify? I understand where Father ising from. But how about our Mother''s feelings?"


    He clenched his fists because he didn''t know how to respond to that. "Brother, why are you scolding me?"


    "I''m not scolding you, Winter," he denied calmly. "I just want to know why it seems natural for everyone to expect Mother to be the one to suppress her feelings for Father''s sake. You also said that Mother shouldn''t have used violence."


    He gulped and for some reason, his brother''s words made him feel guilty even though he knew that Julian was only stating facts.


    "In the past, as Kalel Nystrom, Father practically killed Mother," Julian continued in a sad voice. "In the previous life that the Sun God showed us, Father caused Mother great pain even if he just tried to save her. But when Mother hit Father a while ago, you already called it violence?"


    Okay, that made him feel really bad about himself.


    "I''m not saying that violence is right. It isn''t, and it''s never the solution to a problem," his brother cleared. "All I''m saying is we need to be lenient to Mother. We all know that Mother is strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. Because of that, we almost never bother to check on her. We keep on relying on her and expect her to always be on her best condition. But once she made a mistake once by hurting Father during an argument, we already think that she''s on the wrong. You know why? It''s because we overestimate her. We tend to forget that despite her lineage, she''s still a human who has limits."


    Now he felt ashamed of himself.


    Everything that Julian said was right. He didn''t even notice it.


    "Mother was wrong for attacking Father but let''s not crucify her," Julian said with a soothing smile. "Mother is kind and patient to us. Once she realized her mistake, I''m certain that she will never do it again. Even though Mother has a bad temper and she says mean things when she''s angry, she''s not a violent person. She wouldn''t hurt or kill people unnecessarily."


    "You''re right, Brother," Winter agreed, then she scratched his cheek. "Thank you for helping me understand our parents'' situation better."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AREN''T you going to stop them?"


    "No," Luna said as a response to Lord Denver''s question. Both of them were standing in front of the house while watching Tilly and Duke Nystrom fight. "It''s about time that Tilly lets off some steam. She has a bad temper, but she has a ridiculously long patience for her husband. It''s unhealthy to always prioritize the duke''s feelings over her own."


    Of course, fighting among themselves during that critical time wasn''t wise.


    But as Tilly''s friend, she knew that the Supreme had to vent her feelings instead of bottling it up to protect her husband''s feelings. Soleil Rosenberg set aside her feelings and prioritized Kalel Nystrom in the past. They all knew it didn''t end well for the two.


    <em>There are no lovers in this world who don''t fight.</em>


    She wouldn''t justify Tilly''s action when she hurt Duke Nystrom. But she understood where her friend wasing from.


    "Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s downfall was apparently caused by her love for Kalel Nystrom," he said. "But it''s definitely not the case in this lifetime. Lady Nystrom is no longer the woman who will give up everything for love."


    "That''s true," she agreed with a firm nod. "But of course, I''m still hoping that the two of them makes up in the end."


    "If it''s Lady Nystrom and the duke, I''m sure they can fix their problem right away."


    She once again nodded as agreement. "By the way, is it okay for you to leave Thaddeus Nystrom in the basement?"


    Thaddeus Nystrom was the North King''s son that they took captive after the battle.


    "The others are standing guard. And I don''t intend to stay here for long," Lord Denver said, then he turned to her with a serious look on his face. "I just wanted to check on you after I heard themotion outside."


    "I''m fine, Lord Denver," Luna assured him. Well, she appreciated his care for her. But she didn''t want to focus on their personal rtionship. "Please return to the basement and keep an eye on Thaddeus Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''M GETTING tired of this," Tilly said, then she snapped her fingers. To be honest, using the ck me was already taking a toll on her body. She needed to find something to stabilize her Mana if she was using the ck me soon. The Red me that she used to wield didn''t eat her Mana because of her brother''s heart. She had to look for something akin to that for her ck me. For now, she needed to minimize her use of it. "Melt the ice serpent, my little ck phoenix."


    Even without looking up, the cry of the ck phoenix was enough for her to know that her ck phoenix already melted the ice serpent effortlessly.


    But just when she thought that she won, Kiho summoned his staff.


    Her husband quietly span the staff in his hands expertly. She recognized that move as his way of summoning the rain. Of course, it wasn''t an ordinary one.


    The ''Blessed Rain'' poured from the sky, sessfully killing the me of her ck phoenix. Her poor elemental beast cried until the ck me that gave life into ito was put out by the Blessed Rain.


    "I lost," Tilly said with a bitter smile. "I thought you hate using the Blessed Rain. Are you that desperate to win against me?"


    "No," Kiho said. When the staff disappeared in his hands, the Blessed Rain stopped pouring. "I didn''t use the Blessed Rain to defeat you, Tilly. I use it because the ck me is eating your Mana, isn''t it? I had to put it out the fastest way."


    Ah, so he noticed.


    "Stop acting like you care about me," she said with clenched hands. Thanks to her Mana, she easily dried herself from the rain. "You won so you may do whatever you want now. If you want to leave and hunt down your parents, you may do so. I will take care of the North and the Great Fire Tree."


    After saying her piece, she turned his back on him and began to walk away.


    Of course, she did that with a heavy heart. She could see where Kiho wasing from. She knew why her husband was feeling pessimistic. She tried to console him but he refused it. And she was too tired to reach out to the person who was pushing her away.


    Was it wrong for her to choose herself this time?


    "Tilly."


    She stopped walking when all of a sudden, Kiho stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders tight. Like she always said, even though her husband''s body was cold, his touch never failed to make her feel warm. Especially during tough times like this one.


    And the Blessed Rain didn''t "touch" him a while ago so he''s still dry.


    "I''m sorry, Tilly," Kiho said, then he buried his face against her neck. "I lost my cool for a moment."


    She was relieved to hear the calmness in her husband''s voice. "Have youe to your senses now?"


    "Your physical attack worked he said, hugging her tighter. "But to be honest, it only hit me when you turned your back on me and started to walk away. Before I knew it, I''m already chasing you. It only goes to show that I''m being stupid. That I can''t leave you. And most of all, you will always be more important than my pride."


    "Did I really hurt your ego, Kiho?"


    "I realized that my ego has been fragile from the beginning, so it wasn''t your fault that I was hurt," he admitted. "When my memories as Nystrom and Kalel returned to me, the customs that I was taught as a god and as a royalty confused me. I''m the only son of the Moon God himself, and I was brought up as a royalty as well. I guess you can already tell how I was raised."


    She nodded slowly. "Yes. This is a patriarchal society and men are taught that are superior to women. To be honest, that''s still the case in the world where I came from. But you probably already know that I lived in a world where I learned my value as a woman."


    "Yes, I know."


    "Kiho, we''re a team," she said gently. "Protecting our family isn''t apetition."


    "Yes, I realize it now," he said in a remorseful voice. "I really am sorry, Tilly. This is thest time that I will me myself for the things I can no longer change. I will stop feeling sorry for myself from now on."


    "I''m d to hear that," she said, relieved that Kiho was back to normal now. "But you still hurt my feelings so I''m not sleeping with you for the meantime."


    "Huh?"


    "I''ll sleep in our children''s room," Tilly said teasingly. "Both of us need to reflect on our shameful actions anyway."


    "It sucks but you''re right," Kiho said, then he paused for a while before he asked. "May I kiss you, Tilly?"


    <em>The answer is always ''yes.''</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    AINSWORTH''s message was very important but even so, he couldn''t gather the courage to interrupt the Supreme and the ck Serpent.


    <em>Why are they even making out in the middle of the yard anyway?</em>


    Still, he knew better than interrupting the two''s moment.


    <em>Should I just roar or something?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 262: The Cursed Descendants (1)

    Chapter 262: The Cursed Descendants (1)


    "SO, THE North King and his ice puppets are on their way here?" Tilly asked Ainsworth for confirmation. Right now, they (she, Kiho, Luna, and the little tiger) were standing in front of the house while listening to the Golden Tiger''s report. "Why didn''t you tell us right away instead of waiting outside? You''re not a dog, little tiger."


    After she and Kiho literally kissed and made up, they made their way back to the house. That was where they found Ainsworth waiting by the door. Miss Luna was there too because the witch created a protectice barrier while she and her husband while fighting a while ago.


    "I didn''t want to face your wrath if I interrupted you then," Ainsworth snapped at her. But when she red at him, he suddenly turned into the little tiger that she raised. "Sister Soleil"


    "Call me ''Tilly'' from now on," she told him. "Anyway, what''s the situation there? How long will it take them to reach us?"


    "Winchell said he''ll dy the enemies'' arrival," Ainsworth said. "He also told me that he will not touch the ice puppets. Instead, he will await for your instructions on how to deal with your descendants."


    She raised a brow at that.


    <em>That''s strange. I thought Brother decided to greet the enemies to finish them off. Why would he hate for my instructions this time?</em>


    "Tilly, I think the king is headed here to save his son," Luna informed her. "Thaddeus Nystrom, the son of the North King, was captured by Lord Winchell a while ago. The prince is currently locked up in the basement. I enchanced the protection by creating a barrier that an ice puppet like him couldn''t touch."


    "Ah, yes," she said while nodding. "I heard it from Lord Denver''s report a while ago."


    "Tilly, I have something else to report to you," the witch said seriously. "Thaddeus Nystrom is the one who killed Lord Prescott and the rest of hispany a few years ago."


    She was instantly swallowed up by her anger that the snow that covered the ground they stood on suddenly melted and turned intova.


    Luna and Ainsworth both jumped away from her to avoid theva.


    "Honey, please calm down," Kiho said gently, then he stomped on theva. He didn''t get hurt because theva instantly froze. Thanks to her husband''s quick action, it didn''t spread and identally hurt anyone. "I think you should rest first," he said, then he gently caressed her face with the back of his hand. "Winchell is there to give us time to prepare. Resting for a bit won''t hurt."


    "His Grace is correct, Tilly," Luna, still standing a few meters away from her, said with a firm nod. "You and the rest of your family needs to rest. It''s time for the other Beast Gods to work anyway." She paused, then her brows furrowed. "Where are Lord Forrester and Lady Solenn? I should look for them."


    "I will gather our men and assign them their stations for our defense," Ainsworth said, then he looked at her. "Leave this to us and rest, Tilly."


    She raised a brow at him.


    The little tiger avoided her gaze and whispered: "Sister Tilly."


    "I will get some rest and quickly join youter," Tilly said. As long as Winchell was in the frontline, she knew that the enemies wouldn''t be able to reach them. If her brother wanted to, he could melt their descendants. "I''ll send a message to my brother to dy the army''s arrival."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BROTHER, give me two hours," Tilly said while sitting on the bed and "talking" to a ming ck feather in front of her face. "Dy the enemies for two hours. Don''t do anything to them unless I say so."


    After giving her message, the ck feather burned itself to ashes.


    <em>I''m tired.</em>


    Now that she already sent her message to Wixx, she allowed herself to plop on the bed. Then, she closed her eyes. She had a good, warm bath a while ago so she felt rxed now.


    Not entirely rxed though.


    After all, she just found out that her father''s killer was in the vicinity. Yet, she knew that she couldn''t simply kill him because of the binding vow. And honestly? She didn''t know if killing her descendants was actually the best way to get her revenge.


    Or if revenge was necessary at that moment.


    <em>But I still need to punish them for all their wrongdoings while proudly tarnishing the name Nystrom...</em>


    She didn''t know how long she was "napping"(while thinking) when she felt her children enter the room quietly. She didn''t have the energy to open her eyes and greet them, which made her very sad. But when her sons started to move, she realized that they weren''t expecting her to wake up for them.


    Even without opening her eyes, she knew that it was Winter who gently lifted her head to put a pillow under. And it was Julian who carefully put a nket over her body. She could tell by simply following her children''s Mana.


    After all, Julian had the same Mana as her while Winter inherited his father''s.


    "You''ve worked hard, Mommy," Winter said, then he gently kissed her on the cheek. "Rest well."


    "Thank you for working hard, Mother," Julian whispered, then he gently kissed her on the other cheek. "We will protect our territory so please rest well for now."


    Tilly couldn''t help but smile at her children''s thoughtfulness.


    <em>Thank you, my little cinnamon rolls.</em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DAD, why are you resting here?"


    Kiho stopped drying his hair with the towel when Winter and Julian entered the room that he was currently using. He just finished taking a cold bath when his children paid him a visit. "Well, I made your mommy upset so as punishment, I''m not allowed to sleep in the same room as her until she says so," he exined, then he sat on the edge of the bed while his sons stood in front of him. Tilly''s room was just next door, and her Keepers were guarding her so it was okay with him to rest in another room. "Did you tuck your mother in sleep?"


    It sucks that he was forbidden by Tilly to share a room with him.


    After their fight a while ago, he wanted to some intimate time with her. But he knew that he f*cked up so he deserved the punishment. He was lucky that Tilly forgave him.


    <em>My wife is really kind but it''s about time that I stop abusing her kindness.</em>


    "Yes, Dad."


    "Yes, Father."


    "You should rest with Tilly," he told his sons. "There''s going to be a huge battleter. We need to sleep to have the energy to fight."


    "Are you not going to rest, Father?" Julian asked. "You just took a bath but instead of wearing sleepwear, you changed into your normal clothes. It makes me think that you don''t have any intention to sleep."


    "I can''t sleep when Tilly is taking a rest, not when the enemies are approaching," he exined. "But don''t worry. I took a ten-minute nap while I was in the tub a while ago. That''s enough for me."


    Julian and Winter turned to each other while exchanging knowing looks.


    "What is it?" he asked curiously. "I know that the two of you are talking in your heard, brats."


    Both his children turned to him with gleaming eyes.


    "Dad, if you''re not going to rest, do you mind spending time with me and Brother Julian?" Winter asked in an excited voice. "We want to learn how to use illusions with water."


    He was surprised to hear that. To be honest, he barely used his water technique so he didn''t expect his sons to be interested in it. "I can do that," he said. He hated using the water technique because it was his father''s signature move. But who was he to deprive his children the chance to enhance the abilities that they were born with? "Why the sudden interest though?"


    "Brother Julian was able to use illusion with his own water technique, Dad," his youngest said excitedly, surprising him because he didn''t know that Julian could use water technique since his dominant Mana was fire. "It was so cool!"


    "I''m impressed, Julian," he said proudly, then he ruffled his oldest son''s hair affectionately. "Your dominant Mana is fire so the fact that you were able to create illusions using water is a feat. You make me proud, son."


    Julian''s face turned red, then he smiled shyly. "I just copied what you used to do in the past, Father," he said in a shy voice. "My technique can''t bepared to yours though."


    "It''s still amazing, Brother," Winter insisted, then he gave his older brother a gentle pat on the back. "I can''t create illusions even though my dominant Mana is ice, and ice is made of water."


    "Both of you can master the water technique because you two are my sons," Kiho said while patting both of his children''s head. "Shall I teach you now while your mother is resting?"


    "Yes, Dad!"


    "Thank you, Father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU done yet?" Solenn asked Lord Forrester who was sitting on the floor in a meditating position. "If the Sky God isn''t answering your call, that only means he''s avoiding you. He probably doesn''t want to exin about the Holy Scepter in Julian''s body."


    After that shocking revtion, the former saint locked himself up in the room. Ever since then, he had been trying tomunicate with the Sky God.


    "Shut up. I can''t hear my father if your voice is too loud," Lord Forrester, who had his hands sped together, scolded her. "Why are you here anyway?"


    "You need a guard since whenever you concentrate too much, you tend to lose yourself," she exined.


    "I''m fine," he said. "My concentration has been broken a while ago. It seems like my father doesn''t really want to talk to me." He opened his eyes and turned to him. "I heard you were talking to the Keepers in the Royal Capital. What''s happening there?"


    "Trouble just keepsing our way," Solenn said while shaking her head. While Lord Forrester while trying to contact his father, she talked to Wong and Kelsi who were left in the Royal Capital with Julian''s adoptive brother in this lifetime. "I need to report to Lady Nystrom that Aku Moonchester has apparently left the Royal Capital with his beloved royal princess."


    "They''re probably on their way here," Lord Forrester said seriously. "It seems like the North King asked for Aku Moonchester''s help."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 263: The Cursed Descendants (2)

    Chapter 263: The Cursed Descendants (2)


    ROARKE really didn''t want to but he knew he had tofort Jameson Crawford.


    This wasn''t the first time that Crawford was scolded, but this was the first time that he gotpletely quiet.


    <em>He''s more annoying when he''s quiet than when he''s sprouting profanities left and right.</em>


    "It was your fault," Roarke said in an attempt to console Crawford. He was aware that it might not be the best way to cheer him up. But that was the kind of rtionship that the two of them had. He''d rather get disowned by his "parents" than use sappy words to make Crawford feel better. "The Supreme and the ck Serpent are used to your usual spiel. But the young masters aren''t. Of course, they''d get hurt if they hear you badmouth their parents. Your stupid dirty mouth doesn''t help either."


    "It was scary," Crawford, who was sitting beside him on the floor as they guard the Supreme''s room, said in a quiet voice. And for once, he didn''t curse. "I know that the illusion you saw was that of Lord Julian pping my face. But what I saw and felt was different."


    "How is it different?"


    He gulped and touched his neck before he responded. "I really thought that the young master beheaded me. His bloodlust was so intense that his illusion felt real."


    The ck Serpent was also good at creating illusions but he barely used it. After all, he hated using water techniques that the Moon God often used.


    Still, both Lord Winter and Lord Julian inherited the duke''s two Manas. Although Lord Julian''s dominant Mana was fire, he still could use water and ice. They also shouldn''t be surprised by the oldest''s abilities since he had the memories of his past life.


    <em>And the Holy Scepter is also inside Lord Julian.</em>


    "Why did you suddenly go silent?" Crawfordined after a while. "You''re so bad atforting other people, Sinir."


    "Shut up," he said although he was quite relieved to hear Crawford''s usual whining. He was starting to go back to his usual loud and annoying persona. "Crawford, did you notice? You can speak normally. I haven''t heard a single profanity from you ever since Lord Julian scolded you."


    "I want to curse so bad but my trauma won''t let me."


    He smirked at that. It wasn''t like he was dismissing Crawford''s trauma. He just figured that annoying each other was their best form ofmunication. "Just consider it as a good thing. Most people hate your foul mouth anyway. Especially me."


    "Thanks," Crawford said sarcastically, then he fell silent again before he spoke in a soft voice. "We were born the way Lord Wixx imagined us to be. He left a strong characteristic within us that we couldn''t easily ovee. It''s my foul mouth for me, while you were born from his desire to have a child with the Moon Priestess."


    "That''s true."


    "What will happen if I start to change?" he asked, fear evident in his voice. "I feel like I''m going to disappear if I suddenly get rid of the strongest characteristic that Lord Wixx has given me. I''m afraid of that, Sinir. I don''t want to change even if people only see me for my foul mouth."


    He fell silent because that thought scared him, too.


    Lord Wixx considers me as his son with the Moon Priestess. But the current Lady Luna doesn''t act like our master''s lover anymore. Am I going to disappear if the Moon Priestess "disowns" me?


    "What''s wrong with change?"


    Roarke was surprise when the Supreme, who was now standing in front of them, asked. Even Crawford was surprised. After all, they didn''t feel or hear her until she decided to let her presence known by talking.


    <em>Now that''s scary.</em>


    When they got over their shock, Roarke and Crawford knelt properly in front of the Supreme and greeted her formally.


    "Sorry, but I eavesdropped on your conversation when I heard Julian''s name," Lady Nystrom said, then she squatted ddown in front of them. As if that wasn''t enough to startle them, their precious Supreme had to ruffle their hair affectionately making he and Roarke blush. The Supreme wasn''t this close to them before when she was still Soleil Rosenberg. "Tell me more about what happened, Roarke and Jameson."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO was supposed to show his son how to make a Water Sphere.


    But for some reason, he suddenly felt annoyed and that ruined his concentration. Because of that, the Water Sphere that he was trying to make became a huge frozen globe.


    <em>Why am I suddenly pissed?</em>


    "Dad, that''s not a Water Sphere," Winterined, stating the obvious. He brought the children in the Frozen woods for their "secret training." Despite the cold, his youngest still wore light clothes. "Even I can make an ice globe like that."


    "Is there something wrong, Father?" Julian, his perceptive child, asked worriedly. Unlike Winter, his oldest was wrapped in thickyer of clothes. Surprisingly, despite his unsuitable clothes for fighting, Julian was still agile. "You suddenly look murderous?"


    "Let''s take a quick break, little brats," Kiho said, then he sat on the huge rock covered with snow. "Sorry. I just need to clear my head for a moment."


    Winter and Julian sat on the bench-like stone covered in snow in front of him.


    "What''s wrong, Dad?" Winter asked. "Are you still sulking because Mommy kick you out of your room?"


    He flinched at his youngest''s usation. It wasn''t the reason why he was suddenly distracted. But he couldn''t refute Winter''s im because it was true.


    "Winter, that would be least of Father''s worries especially now that we could be attacked by the enemies anytime," Julian scolded his brother, making him feel guilty. He just hoped that he regained his pokerfaced when his oldest turned to him with a worried look on his face. "Father, are you worried about what to do with the North King and his army?"


    Ah, his oldest son''s seriousness forced him to get his head back on the job.


    "Yeah, I''m worried about that," he said. "Your mother and Nia Moonchester made a binding vow. If the North King is one of the people that the royal princess considered as ally, then we couldn''t touch him." He clenched his fists when he remembered that the "ice prince" was the person who killed Lord Prescott, his dear father-inw. "I can''t imagine what Tilly feels now that she can''t do anything to the person who killed her father. Worst of all, they are our descendants."


    "Father, may I speak my mind freely?"


    "Of course, Julian."


    "I don''t think that death is an appropriate punishment for the North King and his ice puppets," Julian said firmly. "I''m not saying that they shouldn''t be punished. But they already lost their lives once. They have been living in the North since then. Even if they were reduced from being human beings to turning into ice puppets, I believe that they already lost the value of their lives. That''s why I have a feeling that even if we kill them, they won''t still understand the pain of losing a dear one. And as long as they don''t experience that, I doubt if they''ll ever feel remorse towards the people they killed. I even think that they don''t understand that killing others is wrong."


    "But they were once humans, Brother," Winter said with a confused look on his face. "Have they already lost their emotions when they became ice puppets?"


    "That''s possible," his oldest said to his youngest. "They have been living for so long in istion. The only thing that remains in their heart is their hatred for our uncle, the Red Phoenix. I bet they already forgot how it is to live as a normal human."


    He suddenly sat straight, causing his children to give him a simr look of confusion.


    What Julian said a while ago gave him an idea about a suitable punishment for the North King and the ice puppets. It was the kind of punishment that wouldn''t take their "lives," but one that was appropriate for the crimes that they hadmitted.


    "Julian, thank you. Winter, good job asking the right questions," Kiho said, and he felt proud of both of his sons. "I''m sorry but I have to dy our "secret training,"" he said, then he stood up and turned to the direction of the mansion. "I need to consult something to your mother so let''s return to the mansion first."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU not going to kill us?"


    Wixx, who was lying on her side while floating in the air, yawned before he answered Ga Nystrom''s question. "I''d love to and it would be easy for me to melt a bunch of ice puppets," he said. "But I can never handle my little sister''s wrath."


    He received Tilly''s message a while ago.


    His precious little sister wanted him to dy the arrival of the North King and his ice puppets. She strictly told him to wait for her next instruction before he moved. He just hoped that Ga Nystrom wouldn''t be stupid enough to make him angry or else


    <em>Tilly, you have to remember that I also have a bad temper just like you.</em>


    "Ah, how generous of you, Lord Winchell," Ga Nystrom, now looking up at him with his army of ice puppets behind him, said. The king still looked the same as he remembered. "I wonder why you didn''t give us the same generosity in the past? If you didn''t mercilessly hunt us down back then, maybe we wouldn''t have ended up this way."


    He knew that he was being provoked so he held himself back from responding to that.


    "Bute to think of it, we should also me the Supreme and the ck Serpent," the North King continued in a taunting voice. "If they protected us properly, the Moonchesters wouldn''t have been able to curse the Nystrom n. And if we weren''t cursed, I wouldn''t have been forced to choose this kind of life for my people." Anger crossed his eyes, making him realize that they were still capable of feelings emotions. "The Supreme has to take responsibility and deal with us in this lifetime. This is all her fault"


    He tried to hold back but when ites to his little sister, he couldn''t just keep quiet.


    "You were the one who let the Moonchesters trick you," Wixx said coldly. He had been keeping the truth to protect the Fire Mages and the Nystrom n. But maybe it was already time for both parties to know the truth behind the "betrayal." "Your memories of what happened in the past is very different from what really happened."


    "I wasn''t born yesterday, Red Phoenix," Ga Nystrom said with a smirk. "Do you think I''m a child who would easily believe your words?"


    Ah, could he hit this stubborn descendant of his little sister and knock some sense into him?


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 264: The Cursed Descendants (3)

    Chapter 264: The Cursed Descendants (3)


    "AH, SO something like that happened while Kiho and I were wasting our time fighting," Tilly said while sitting between Roarke and Jameson on the floor. "Gosh, it seems like Julian also inherited my bad temper."


    "Mydy, aren''t you going to scold me?" Jameson asked, his head hanged low. His voice wasn''t as loud as before, too. Most of all, hepleted a sentence without cursing. "Lord Julian has the right to get mad because I really crossed the line this time."


    "It seems like my son''s scolding worked because you''re feeling sorry now," she said, then she gently patted Jameson''s head. "I can see that you''re already reflecting so I don''t need to scold you."


    The foul-mouthed Keeper''s face turned red, then he avoided her gaze out of embarrassment.


    <em>They are ancient beings, but since theyck proper life experience, I can''t help but see them as children.</em>


    "Changing isn''t a bad thing," she said when she remembered thest part of the two Keepers'' conversation. "Jameson, you were born with a foul mouth because you represent the suppressed rebellious part of my brother. Before he was chosen to be a Beast God, he was the heir of House Rosenberg. He was brought up like a royalty. Naturally, he wasn''t allowed to say vulgar words. For other nobles, it wasn''t hard to speak eloquently. But my brother has a bad temper." She gently pinched Jameson''s cheek which obviously surprised him. Well, she had been neglecting them ever since she regained her memories. She wanted to pay attention to them this time so they wouldn''t feel lost by the changes in the current world. "Jameson, my brother isn''t a rebellious youth anymore. Well, he still has a bad temper and his personality is as awful as before. But the point is, he no longer needs to suppress himself because he''s free from the shackles of our family''s strict tradition. That means you''re allowed to change, too."


    It looked Jameson was about to cry now. "But I really like to swear, Lady Nystrom."


    Sheughed softly. "You can, but you can do it in moderation," she said gently. "Especially in front of the kids. No matter how old my sons'' souls are, they will always be my babies to me. So please be gentle around them."


    "I understand," the Keeper said. "I will be careful of my behavior around the young masters, Supreme."


    She just smiled and nodded at him, then she turned to Roarke. "You will always be my nephew," she said which made Roarke blush. "Roarke, that fact won''t change even if you try to build a life away from Brother Wixx and Luna. So if there''s something else that you want to be aside from being their son and being my Keeper, you''re free to do so. That also goes to the other Keepers. After all, I want you to experience living for yourselves."


    Roarke looked touched by her words. "Thank you, Supreme," he said softly. "We appreciate your advice." He scratched his cheek as if he was suddenly shy. "To be honest, we never really considered acting beyond our duties. We are honored to follow and serve you. But sometimes, we also wonder what it feels like to live like normal humans. The others wouldn''t admit this aloud, especially Wong, but the truth is we often feel like we''re missing out on a lot of things."


    She felt sad when she heard that and was about tofort her "nephew" when all of a sudden, an idea struck her.


    <em>I know what punishment is appropriate for the North King and his ice puppets now.</em>


    Ah, she was so grateful that she had a chance to talk to her Keepers this way.


    "Jameson, Roarke, thank you," Tilly said, then she ruffled the two Keepers'' hair again. "Now, it''s time for me to work."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ALRIGHT, we''ll know the truth once we reach the Great Fire Tree anyway," Wixx saidzily. "You''re still not allowed to move from your spot though."


    After saying that, he waved his hand and literally made a huge Ring of Fire big enough to entrap the North King and his ice puppets inside. Afraid of melting, the frozen corpsespressed together to get away from his fire.


    Of course, his me was hot enough to instantly melt the snow-coverednd.


    "Do you think you can stop us just because you entrapped us inside your Ring of Fire?" Ga Nystrom snarled at him. "Lord Winchell, don''t forget that the Nystroms are the masters of ice and water."


    "Put out my fire if you can," Wixx said, then he yawned before he continued. "I''m still not going to let you pass until my little sister says so."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO!" Tilly called her husband excitedly when she saw him returning to the house with their little cinnamon rolls. She was told by Jameson and Roarke that her family went to the Frozen Woods. But now that they had returned, she didn''t have to go and find them. "Did you have a secret training with our kids?"


    Kiho didn''t smile but his eyes sparkled, then he nodded. "Our sons inherited your wit and intelligence, Tilly. I''m relieved."


    She justughed it off. Then, she turned to Winter and Julian. "Did you learn a lot from your father, my precious little cinnamon rolls?"


    "Yes, Mother," Julian said with a smile more confident than before. "Father began teaching us his water techniques."


    That was a surprise.


    Kiho hated using the water techniques that the Moon God himself created. But knowing her husband, he probably didn''t want to hinder their children''s growth.


    "But our not-so-secret training was cut short because Dad was distracted," Winter said casually. "It seems like Dad hase up with an awesome n to counter the enemies'' attack."


    "Thank you for reporting to me, my precious boys," she said, then she ruffled her sons'' hair before she turned to her husband. "Kiho, what a co-incidence. I also thought of an appropriate punishment for our cursed descendants."


    To be honest, she wasn''t so sure about sharing that with Kiho when he also came up with a n. She knew that getting over insecurity or inferiorityplex wasn''t an easy feat. But she also knew that holding back for her husband wouldn''t do them any good.


    "That''s good. Two heads are better than one," her husband said. There wasn''t an ounce of insecurity in his voice this time. "Should we bring along the kids?"


    She turned to their children. Winter and Julian were both brilliant kids. Plus, Julian was the North King''s grandfather in the past. Their oldest had all the right to be included in the n. "Winter, Julian, you''re free to join us. We won''t hold you back from getting involved because the enemies this time are from the Nystrom n. But we won''t force you either."


    "Your mother is right," Kiho added. "We know that both of you have old souls inside your young bodies. But for your mother and I, the two of you will always be our precious children. Having said, we still intend to raise you as the next leaders of our family, of course. But at the same time, we will protect your childhood as much as we can. That''s why we will give you a choice whether you want to be involved or not in the uing battles that our family will face."


    She nodded in agreement with her husband.


    Winter and Julian looked at each other.


    "Brother, the North King is your grandson. I''ll understand if you want to get involved in the n," Winter said to his older brother. "I will follow your decision."


    "Thank you for letting me decide for us, Winter," Julian said, then he ruffled his younger brother''s hair before he turned to them. "Mother, Father, Winter and I will entrust this battle to you."


    Okay, she was surprised by their oldest''s choice.


    To be honest, she thought that Julian would be interested to join their n. But if it was their oldest, she could trust his decision 100%.


    She turned to Kiho the same time he did. Then, they exchanged knowing nods before she turned to their children again. "We respect your decision, children," she said, then she gently patted each of her son''s head. "Thank you for being honest with us."


    "Father, Mother, may Winter and I talk to Lord Forrester while the two of you are nning for the next attack?" their oldest asked politely. "We will report to youter."


    "I will take care of Brother," Winter said, then he gave them a thumbs up. "Mom, Dad, I''ll make sure that my brother won''te up with a n with the saint to sacrifice himself or something simr to that."


    "Hey, it''s not like that," Julian denied, his cheek red with embarrassment. "I want to live my life to the fullest this time."


    She smiled, relieved that Julian thought that way now.


    <em>I''m worried because unlike the carefree Winter, our Julian could be pessimistic sometimes. He definitely got it from Kiho. I wouldn''t have called Kalel Nystrom as my ''gray cloud'' if he wasn''t so gloomy back then.</em>


    "That''s good to hear," Kiho said to Julian softly. Then, he squatted down and held their oldest child''s shoulders gently. "Julian, I hope you don''t be a gray cloud like I was in the past."


    Oh, that was surprising.


    <em>We''re thinking of the same thing.</em>


    "It''s okay to feel down from time to time because it''s okay not to feel okay," her husband continued. "But please don''t stay in the darkness for too long, son. If you need us, we''re always here for you."


    "I know that now, Father," Julian said. Then, much to their shock, he shyly wrapped around his arms around Kiho''s neck. "Thank you."


    Their oldest was very shy around them but it seemed like he wasing out of his shell now, huh? She felt so touched that she almost broke down in tears.


    "I want a hug, too," Tilly said, then she got down on her knees to hug Kiho and Julian who both turned red. Ah, how cute.


    "Me too!" Winter said, then he joined their family''s big hug. "This is so cheesy but I love this moment."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BROTHER, do you not want to be involved with punishing the North King because he''s your grandson?" Winter asked curiously while he and Julian were waiting in the tea room for Lord Forrester and Solenn who went to talk to their parents first. Actually, they didn''t invite Solenn but that little brat princess was in the former saint''s room and insisted to be included in ther meeting. And his brother couldn''t say no to Solenn. "Do you feel bad for them?"


    "Of course, I feel bad for them," Julian said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "But they have to pay the price of losing their humanity."


    "Why did you leave the punishment to Mom and Dad?"


    "Well, they are the ancestors of the Nystrom n. It''s only right that they get to decide how to punish their descendants," his brother said. "We should just watch and learn from our parents, Winter. Especially you."


    "Huh? Why especially me?"


    "Because you''re the heir of House Nystrom."


    "How did I be the heir?" he asked, confused. "You''re the firstborn, Brother."


    "I wasn''t born normally," his brother reasoned. "You''re the only son that other people will recognize in this world."


    "You know that Mom and Dad don''t care about other people''s opinion, don''t you?" he asked with a softugh. "They will probably let us decide who between us wants to be the next head of the family."


    His brother fell silent. Then, for some reason, his face turned red. "Aren''t you engaged to Lady Solenn?"


    He almost choked on the tea that he just drank.


    "Are you okay?" Julian asked worriedly while handing a handkerchief to him. "You''re overreacting, Winter."


    "I am not overreacting," he said firmly. "Brother, Solenn is the daughter of Lord Sris the son of Uncle Wixx. She''s our cousin."


    "And?" his brother asked. "It''s normal for nobles and royalties to marry their cousins. The past emperors of the empire even married their own sisters."


    "I don''t see Solenn that way," he said while shaking his head firmly. "I don''t think our parents will arrange our marriage for us. Knowing them, they will surely encourage us to marry the people that we love."


    "That''s true," his brother agreed after a while. "I apologize. My marriage from my previous life was arrange by the emperor back then."


    "Ah, right," he said. "You were married in the past. Brother, do you think your wife back then was also reincarnated in this lifetime?"


    "I guess it''s possible."


    "What will you do if you meet your wife again?" he asked, curious about his brother''s love life. He didn''t have a chance to have one in his previous life so he was kind of interested to talk about stuff like that with his brother. "Do you think you''ll fall in love with her too in this lifetime?"


    "We didn''t love each other so I doubt it if we''ll fall in love even if we meet in this lifetime," his brother said bluntly. "After my wife gave birth to our only son, she returned to the temple. Ah, she was born with weak body so she often stayed in the temple to heal. Sadly, she died a few years after our son got married."


    He couldn''t say anything because he felt bad for his brother.


    <em>Brother Julian really had a difficult life</em>


    "Don''t feel bad for me, Winter," his brother said with a softugh. "I intend to make the most of my life this time. That includes living long and building a loving family of my own."


    <em>Ah, brother is slowly changing.</em>


    Julian had the tendency to talk and act like he would sacrifice himself for other people. While it was noble, he believed that a "child" like his brother didn''t have to go through that again. Both of them were already adults inside, but they also didn''t have normal childhood.


    And thus, he wanted his brother to have a good life this time.


    "I will support you, Brother," Winter dered with a smile. "That''s why we must safely pull out the Holy Scepter inside you at all cost."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AS I thought, a rat is lurking around the Royal Pce."


    Wong didn''t even flinch when Elis Ripperton, the Blue Dragon himself, sat beside him on the branch of the tree where he was "lurking."


    A man-made forest surrounded the Royal Pce. Standing on the highest tree out in the forest could give one a full-view of the pce, just like what he did. An ordinary knight wouldn''t notice his presence because he was good at concealing it.


    But of course, a Beast God like Elis Ripperton would notice.


    "Aku Moonchester just left the pce," Elis Ripperton said. "Have you reported it to Tilly."


    "Yes, I already reported it," Wong said. Well, he reported it to Solenn a while ago since he couldn''t contact the Supreme. But the Blue Dragon didn''t have to know that. "Could you not address the Supreme so casually?"


    "No can do," the Blue Dragon said, then he changed the topic. "What are you doing here? I didn''t expect that you of all people would leave the Supreme''s side."


    It wasn''t really his choice to stay in the Royal Capital.


    But he and Kelsi had to stay behind so it would be easier for Jameson and Roarke to open a portal from the North back to the Royal Capitalter. And he also received a special mission from the Supreme a while ago.


    "There''s something that I need to find for the Supreme," Wong said, then he gave the Blue Dragon a knowing look. "It''s the thing that caused thete Lord Prescott''s demise, but suddenly disappeared in the North."


    Yes, he was talking about the real body of Kyro, the Moon God.


    <em>I''m bluffing though.</em>


    The Supreme and the rest wasn''t certain if the Moon God''s body was already moved. That was why he was carefully watching Elis Ripperton''s reaction.


    But unfortunately, the bastard remained pokerfaced.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," the Blue Dragon said, his voice as nk as his face. "But I didn''te here to talk to you about irrelevant things. I am here to offer you a deal, Wong."


    Wong rolled his eyes. Keepers didn''t have much personality aside from being loyal to the Supreme. But that didn''t mean they were stupid enough to be tempted by an enemy. "My answer is no but if you have time to waste, then carry on."


    "I know how much you hate the ck Serpent, and you can''t really do anything about it since Winchell created you with that nature," Elis Ripperton said seriously. "Wong, work with me to bring down the ck Serpent."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 265: The Cursed Descendants (4)

    Chapter 265: The Cursed Descendants (4)


    "IF AKU Moonchester left the Royal Capital, it only means that he''s already on his way here," Tilly said after she heard Solenn''s report. Apparently, Wong ryed the report to the little princess because he couldn''t contact her a while ago. "He will probably interfere with our fight with the North King."


    "I''m not worried about that since I know that you can take care of it, Lady Nystrom," Solenn said confidently. Right now, they were having tea in the lounge area of the room. Kiho and Lord Forrester were in the balcony while having their own meeting. "It''s also a good thing that you made Wong and Kelsi stay at the Royal Capital. I''m pretty sure that Aku Moonchester wouldn''t leave his pce without a proper guard."


    "Yeah. I bet Elis Ripperton is in-charge of the pce now," she said while nodding her head. "The Moon God can''t be a threat for now after the huge blow that he receivedst time. If it''s only the Blue Dragon, Wong can keep him at bay since Wong is the strongest Keeper. And Kelsi is also there to stop him if ever he gets too crazy."


    She heard from Solenn that ording to Kelsi, Flint was already far from danger. Right now, Kelsi and Flint were guarding their mansion in the Royal Capital.


    "I just hope that Wong gets a whiff regarding the whereabouts of Kyro''s real body," she said, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "We have to wrap up our journey here in North to move on to thend that drinks blood next."


    The little princess nodded thoughtfully. "We also need to return to the Srium Ind as soon as possible," the princess reminded her gently. "The floating ind wouldn''tst long if only my father and the twins feed the me that keeps it afloat, Lady Nystrom."


    "I haven''t forgotten, Solenn," Tilly assured the little girl with a smile. "I will never abandon the Fire Mage n again."


    Solenn smiled at her. "We know that, mydy."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AH, SO that happened in the past."


    Kiho nodded as a response to the former saint. Using his water technique, he made a copy of his memories (the ones that the Sun God showed his family) and shared it with Asher Forrester. "You didn''t wake up in that lifetime because you never met Tilly back then," he said. "Anyway, Aku Moonchester found Julian in that lifetime and he was able to pull out the Holy Scepter from my son. But unfortunately, Julian doesn''t remember that lifetime. When the Sun God "reset" the flow of time here, everyone lost their memories. Except for Winter who made a deal with him."


    "I''m relieved to know that there''s a way to separate the Holy Scepter from your son," Asher said. "My father isn''t responding to my call so I was lost for a moment."


    He scoffed at that. "Don''t rely on the Sky God. He was the one who made a mistake when he made Aku Moonchester a human. But he suddenly disappeared and forced us to clean up after his mess."


    "I want to defend my father but I can''t refute your ims."


    "That''s why you have to work hard in his stead. Of all the things that you may inherit from the Sky God, it just has to be his irresponsibility," he scolded the former saint. "As your godfather, if my duty to discipline you now that your father is missing in action."


    "That only applies if your godchild is still a little kid, my lord."


    He smirked at his weak argument. "You''re still a young child to me, Asher. Your immaturity andziness only make you look younger in my eyes."


    "I am trying to be a responsible adult now, my lord," Asher said seriously. "I will do whatever it takes to get my Holy Scepter back."


    "You only move when it concerns your Holy Scepter," Kiho said, then his golden eyes glowed menacingly as he warned the former saint. "But Asher, remember that the Holy Scepter is inside my son''s body now. Don''t be impatient and so something reckless just to get your weapon back." He held his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "Stay in line, my dear godchild."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WONG, work with me to bring down the ck Serpent."


    "Are you insulting me?" Wong snarled at the Blue Dragon. "My love and loyalty for the Supreme is greater than my hate for the ck Serpent."


    "Your hate for the ck Serpent is innate because Winchell created you that way," Elis Ripperton taunted him. "Why do you hate me so much when it was the ck Serpent who hurt the Supreme the most and not me?"


    "Well, I hate you both," he said. "Does it matter whom I hate more?"


    "I want to know why you''d rather have the ck Serpent stay beside Tilly instead of me," the Blue Dragon insisted. "If you ask me, I think I deserve the Supreme more than the stupid ck Serpent."


    "The Supreme loves the ck Serpent. Unfortunately, the ck Serpent hurt the Supreme because of the bad decisions that he made in the past but he made those decision genuinely believing that he''d be able to protect her," he said bluntly. "On the other hand, the Supreme doesn''t love you and yet, you''ve been forcing your toxic love for her for many years now. Your "love" for her was greedy and obsessive. In my opinion, that''s more detestable than the ck Serpent''s foolishness. Do you see the difference now between you and the ck Serpent?"


    "Ah, it''s a shame that you can''t see how pure my love for Tilly is," the Blue Dragon said while giving him a side-eye. "I guess I don''t need you now."


    He blocked the strong and sharp energy wave that the Blue Dragon threw at him by surrounding himself with a wall of fire.


    The next thing he knew, Elis Ripperton was already floating in the air in front of him. Based on the violent wind around the Blue Dragon and the bloodlust directed at him, he could clearly tell that he wanted him dead.


    "You know that it won''t be easy even for you to kill me, don''t you?" he asked the Blue Dragon, then he stood up and used his heat wave to make him float in the air. "I hope you''re not underestimating me just because I fell in a slumber for a long time, Elis Ripperton."


    "Don''t worry, Wong. I will underestimate the ck Serpent but not you," his enemy assured him with a firm nod. "You''re not dubbed as the "strongest Keeper" for nothing."


    He hated that title.


    It was useless because he wasn''t able to protect Soleil Rosenberg in the past. He still remembered how he and the other Keepers cried while begging the Supreme to bring them to the war with her. But in the end, she still put them into a deep slumber because she wanted them to conserve their me and use it to make the Srium float in the sky.


    The thought of history repeating itself scared him to death.


    "Elis Ripperton, I''m touched that you think highly of me," he said sarcastically. "But unfortunately, killing you isn''t the order that I received from our Supreme."


    He didn''t give the Blue Dragon the chance to breathe.


    Without holding back, he threw a marble-sized ball of orange me. It went past the Blue Dragon, leaving a bleeding cut in the Beast God''s cheek. But it wasn''t the small cut that shocked Elis Ripperton.


    The marble-sized ball of orange me that he threw became a huge ming orb big enough to burn down the Royal Pce once he decided to drop it on the ground. But he suspended it in the air because he had a hidden agenda for creating that ball of fire.


    Ah, he also noticed that the heating from his orange me was enough to make the Blue Dragon sweat.


    "Are you crazy, Wong?" Elis Ripperton snarled at him, the veins in his temple threatening to pop. The Blue Dragon probably realized that he would throw the giant ball of fire at the Royal Pce without hesitation. "Do you think the Supreme would be happy if you kill innocent people?!"


    He raised a brow at the Blue Dragon''s reaction.


    "You''re not one care to about human lives, Elis Ripperton," he said with a smirk. "Don''t tell me the Supreme''s hunch is right?" His gaze went past the Blue Dragon to look at the Royal Pce behind him. "Kyro''s real body is hidden in the emperor''s pce."


    To be honest, he wasn''t convinced that Kyro''s body was only in the Royal Pce. Would Aku Moonchester leave if the Moon God''s body was hidden in in sight?


    But Elis Ripperton''s reaction was unusual.


    "Your reaction is funny," Wong said, then he closed his hand making the giant ball of orange me to drop without warning. "Let''s see what you''re hiding in the pce, Elis Ripperton."


    Elis Ripperton hissed, his face and the visible parts of his body now covered with hard scales. "You''ll regret this, Wong."


    And in just the blink of an eye, Elis Ripperton had transformed into his Blue Dragon form.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IN THE past hour, I finally managed to pull out some of Thaddeus Nystrom''s earliest memories."


    "What did you see, Lord Denver?" Tilly asked while they were going down the stairs that led to the basement cell. She was with Lord Denver and Kiho who walked behind her. "Did you see anything rted to Kyro''s real body?"


    "Unfortunately, I didn''t," Lord Denver said. "All I saw was the prince''s childhood memories. Apparently, he was only in histe teens when he was turned into an ice puppet. Ever since then, he has been living here in the North with the rest of his n. I doubt if he even remembers the life that he had when he was still a living person. It''s been a really long time."


    And that was definitely the case for everyone.


    She wasn''t going to lie her heart felt heavy that such pitiful people had been used by Aku Moonchester. It even felt worse because the n that they were about to punish had her and Kiho''s blood.


    "Tilly, are you okay?" Kiho asked worriedly. "Can you really do it now?"


    "Yes," she said firmly. "I don''t want to change my mindter."


    "Jet-ck hair!"


    She stopped in front of the cell where a young man, an ice puppet, was acting like a rowdy child. "Thaddeus Nystrom."


    Thaddeus, who had one hand wrapped around the bar (she noticed that his other arm was missing), looked at her with sparkling eyes. "You''re the Supreme!" His eyes went past her. "Golden eyes! You''re the ck Serpent!"


    Ah, the ice prince recognized her husband.


    He was already in histe teens when he was turned into an ice puppet but he still acts like a misbehaved child.


    "You''re my great grandparents!" Thaddeus eximed excitedly. "But why do you look unhappy to see me?" He gasped, then he nodded his head. "You must be mad because I killed some old men a few years ago. I heard one of them was your father, Supreme." Heughed like a lunatic. "I''m sorry about that. Are you still mad?"


    She felt both Kiho and Lord Denver''s bloodlust directed at the ice prince.


    Before the two men lose their control, she began the n that she made with Kiho a while ago.


    "You pitiful child," she said, the she grabbed two bars in her very hot hands. When the door of the cer began to melt under her touch, Thaddeus immediately jumped away until his back hit the wall. "Don''t be afraid. I can''t physically hurt you anyway."


    After the door melted, she entered the prison and slowly approached Thaddeus who froze on the spot because of fear.


    And that was the reason why she melted the door instead of simply asking Lord Denver for the key. She wanted to show Thaddeus how powerful she was. The prince was made of ice so it was inevitable for him to be scared of her me.


    After all, she just demonstrated that her me was hot enough to melt hard stuff.


    "Don''t," Thaddeus warned him. But because his voice was shaking in fear, he didn''t sound convincing. "My father won''t forgive you if you melt me!"


    "I won''t," she assured him. Then, without warning, she hugged his cold and hard body tight. She wasn''t afraid to get that close to an enemy because she knew that she was capable of protecting herself from him. Plus, Kiho and Lord Denver were only behind her. "Can you feel the warmth of my body, my poor grandchild?"


    "What are you doing?" her descendant snarled at him. But he didn''t push her away. He didn''t even move an inch. "Are you trying to melt me with your Mana?"


    "It''s not my Mana," she denied while shaking her head. "This is my normal body heat. You can''t tell because you haven''t touched a living human for so long, have you?"


    He didn''t respond.


    "You''re a pitiful child, Thaddeus Nystrom," she said in a voice full of empathy. "Let Kiho help you remember the life that you had when you were still a warm and living human."


    She felt Kiho''s presence behind her.


    "Sleep," Kiho said in a cold voice. Then, he covered Thaddeus Nystrom''s eyes with his hand. "Sleep and remember your previous life through a dream that will feel so real to you."


    "I''ll put a spell on you, my pitiful grandchild," Tilly said, then she closed her eyes. Her heart was heavy. But she had a duty to fulfill as a daughter whose father was killed, and as a n leader who failed to lead her family to the right path. "Once you recover your human emotions, may you genuinely regret your despicable actions. And when that happens" Her body began to literally get warmer because of the spell that she started reciting in her head. "The ice that froze your heart, soul, and body will melt ording to your will."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 266: The Cursed Descendants (5)

    Chapter 266: The Cursed Descendants (5)


    <em><strong>A WHILE ago</strong></em>


    "TILLY, what is it that you want to tell me?" Kiho asked while pouring tea in her tea cup. Since there were no servants in that house, he volunteered to make to for his wife. "Does it have to do with the punishment of our descendants?"


    "Yes," Tilly said, then she smiled at him. "Thank you for making tea, Kiho."


    He nodded, d to have served his wife even in just a simple way. Then, he sat on the sofa from across her. "Tilly, actually, I also thought of a way to punish our descendants without killing them."


    She sipped her tea before she asked. "Interesting. Let''s hear your idea first."


    "Alright," he said, then he exined. "But honey, let me ask you first: do you still think that we, as their ancestors, should end their lives for the crimes that they hadmitted?"


    He remembered that Tilly promised herself to kill the people who killed Lord Prescott.


    When they met Ga Nystrom for the first time, she also threatened the North King that she would take their lives by her very own hands. But he was also aware of the fact that when Tilly was angry, she sometimes spat words that she didn''t mean.


    And of course, she was allowed to change her mind.


    "I''m ashamed, but my temper got the best of me when I said that we have the right to end their lives since we are the reason why they existed in the first ce," Tilly admitted with a sigh. "But still, they should be punished. Even though they suffered when they were still alive, it''s not an eptable excuse to kill innocent people."


    "I agree with you," he said with a firm nod. "Since they are our descendants, we must stop them from being evil." He paused, then he continued in a soft voice. "We must put them to rest. Cheating death itself is already a grave sin."


    "I feel like we''d fail if we put them to rest without us making them regret the crimes that they havemitted," she said. "I want them to understand what they did wrong. I don''t want them to leave this world without feeling remorseful." She let out a frustrated sigh. "But it seems like they have already lost their emotions. The only thing that they probably feel now is anger towards us."


    "Tilly, we really are soul mates."


    She looked surprised by what he said, then sheughed softly. "That''s so random, Kiho."


    "Not really," he said gently while shaking his head. "I was talking to Julian and Winter a while ago. Our children reminded me that Ga Nystrom and the rest of his ice puppet army were all humans before. But their grudge and the long life that they lived seemed to erase the human emotions that they had before. I believe that''s the reason why they''re no longer capable of differentiating right from wrong."


    She nodded in agreement. "That''s true."


    "And so, I came up with a n to bring their humanity back," he said. "Using my Water Memory technique, I n to make them remember their lives when they were still humans. I want to remind them that they weren''t born that way."


    She blinked several times as if she was surprised, then sheughed softly. "We really are soul mates, Kiho."


    That instantly put him in a good mood.


    "I''m thinking of creating a spell that would melt the ice puppets on their own will," his wife said after a while.


    "Tilly, creating a spell that powerful might put you in danger," he said worriedly. "Fire Mages get weak when they make spells that don''t involve summoning me, don''t you? And thest time that you created a spell, you were punished."


    "Don''t worry. I''m better at making spells now," she assured him. "I think."


    "Tilly"


    He wanted to stop her but he knew that once she made up her mind, it wouldn''t be possible even for him to change it. All he could do was to worry about her, and stand behind her to make sure that she wouldn''t get hurt again.


    After all, despite how much he worried about her, he knew in his heart that Tilly shined the brightest whenever she did her best to protect her people.


    "The spell that I want to create will give the choice to the ice puppets whether to stay like that, or return as human beings to die as one," she exined carefully. "Don''t you think it matched your n, Kiho? After you show them the memories of their lives when they were still humans, I will cast the spell on them. If they want to die as human beings after being reminded of the lives that they lost when they became ice puppets, my me will melt them. Then, my spell will temporarily give them back their human bodies before they die."


    "That sounds usible," he said while nodding his head. "My Water Memory technique will work well with the spell that you will create."


    "Let''s try it on Thaddeus Nystrom," she said. "We need to know how much energy it will take for us to do our n to one person. So that we will have an idea on how much more energy do we need for the rest of the ice puppet army."


    "I agree," Kiho said with a firm nod, then he extended his hand to his wife. "It''s an honor to work with you again, Supreme Fire Mage with many other titles."


    His wifeughed softly and no matter how clich and sappy it would sound, he''d still say that herughter was music to his ears.


    "The pleasure is mine, ck Serpent," Tilly said when she took his hand in hers. "Now, it''s time to work for real."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO, after reminiscing the conversation he had with Tilly a while ago, was now standing in front of Thaddeus Nystrom''s cer.


    Inside the prison, he could see the "ice prince." His descendant was kneeling on the floor while looking up at the ceiling with a nk look on his face. Thaddeus Nystrom was probably "watching" his memories when he was still a human being.


    "Do you think it will work, Kiho?" Tilly, who stood beside him, asked. "Do you think Thaddeus Nystrom will regret his actions once he remembered that he was once a human, too?"


    "I''d like to say yes but as your gray cloud, my heart is uncertain," he said truthfully. "You know that there are people who are naturally evil, don''t you? One example that I could give you is Elis Ripperton."


    His wife stifled aughter.


    "It''s true though," he said. "Even before Elis Ripperton was chosen to be one of the Beast Gods, he''s already a lunatic with the mindset of a killer."


    "I can''t deny that," she said while shaking her head. "I still remember the days where he killed the humans that I grew fond of."


    "Yes, I remember that, too," he said. "There was even a time that I saw you lose control. You almost burned down the forest that served as air for Crades back then. Even Winchell had a hard time putting out your me during that time."


    She looked up at him with a confused look on her face. "I remember that but I don''t remember seeing you there."


    <em>Oh.</em>


    He could only bit his lip as a response.


    "You weren''t there but I remember that it rained that day," she said, her eyes widening as realization dawned upon her face. "And that rain instantly extinguished my me. So, it was you!"


    He averted his gaze from Tilly.


    "It was really you, Why didn''t I think of that back then?" she asked in bewilderment. "But Kiho, that happened before the Beast Gods entered the heavens. You were still the aloof Nystrom back then." She cupped his face between her hands and gently moved his head so that he''d be facing her properly. The naughty smile on her face made him feel nervous. "Kiho, do you already like me back then?"


    "No?"


    Sheughed loudly. "You''re lying! Gosh, I knew you already like me then."


    It wasn''t like he didn''t want to admit it. He was just shy to admit it now after all the things that Nystrom did in the past. And he didn''t have a chance to do so when they heard a strange sounding from the cer.


    Both he and Tilly turned to Thaddeus Nystrom.


    Tilly let out a soft gasp when he saw what was happening to the ice prince. "He''s melting."


    "He is," Kiho confirmed while nodding his head. "Your spell is working, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WONG coughed blood after releasing a huge ball of fire that failed to damage the Royal Pce.


    After all, Elis Ripperton had turned into a Blue Dragon and used his invincible scales to block the attack. Although his skin turned ck from the burn, he still survived. And the Royal Pce remained unscathed.


    <em>Ah, there''s really a reason why he was chosen as one of the Beast Gods.</em>


    He didn''t have the time to rest because he felt a familiar presence behind him. And that presence shocked him.


    <em>A Moonchester''s aura?</em>


    When he turned around, he was fully expecting to be greeted by Aku or Nia Moonchester. But much to his shock, he was greeted by a pair of pink eyes that didn''t belong to the Moon Priestess. There was another witch who survived from the Colorless Coven?


    "Who are you?" Wong asked in disbelief. "Why do you have the aura of a Moonchester?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 267: The Cursed Descendants (6)

    Chapter 267: The Cursed Descendants (6)


    "LORD FORRESTER, is there something on my face?" Julian asked the former saint politely. The saint sat on the sofa from across him. "You''ve been staring at me for a while now."


    "That''s right," his younger brother Winder, who sat beside him on the sofa, said. "Don''t stare at my brother without saying a word. It''s creepy."


    "Yeah, don''t stare at Julian," Lady Solenn said, who sat beside Lord Forrester and across from Winter, added. "He''s mine."


    Julian''s face felt warm for some reason.


    <em>Lady Solenn can really be so... straightforward.</em>


    He wouldn''t lie: the youngdy could make her feel nervous even though he was already a grown up inside. But that was the thing. The princess''s soul was that of a grown woman.


    "Since when did my brother be yours, little brat princess?"


    "Starting today, duh," the youngdy said, then she turned to him with beaming eyes. "Isn''t that correct, Julian?"


    He knew that his cheeks turned red, and he was too embarrassed to respond.


    Yes, he was feeling shy around Lady Solenn because of her bold advances. Moreover, he knew that just like him and Winter, the youngdy''s soul was also old. And there were times that he would see Lady Solenn in her adult form instead of her child appearance right now.


    "Brother, don''t get seduced," Winter said while patting his back. "I don''t want a bully to be my sister-inw."


    "Winter, please stop," he pleaded his brother. You''re only making me feel more shy.


    "Yeah, you should stop talking about that kind of thing," Lord Forrester said, finally breaking his silence. "I can''t believe that the Holy Scepter that I''ve been looking for so long is inside your body, Lord Julian. I didn''t feel it in you when we met in the past." He paused for a while. "Although I have to admit that the fact that I wasn''t able to read your Mana should have been my first clue. I thought your Mana was unreadable because your soul is different."


    "I didn''t know that the Holy Scepter is inside me," he said. "I didn''t feel anything strange all this time."


    "The Holy Scepter is dormant," the former saint exined. "But if it already fused with your body by now, we can only conclude that the scepter has been eating your divine power quietly. It''s hard to exin but it is the kind of weapon that can be considered "alive." It was able to hide its presence while absorbing your energy. That''s probably the reason why your Mana has be unreadable."


    Julian fell silent for a while. "Lord Forrester, does it mean that I will die if the Holy Scepter inside me is taken away because it has already absorbed my divine power?"


    Winter and Solenn both looked at him with a sad look on their face.


    "Brother, don''t worry about that," Winter said gently. "Based on the memories that our grandpa showed us, Aku Moonchester was able to take away the Holy Scepter without killing you. Well, we really don''t know what happened to you in that life. But the emperor said that Lucina Morganna took care of you. Which means you survived."


    He smiled and nodded at his brother.


    But deep inside, he doubted if his lifested long back then


    "Julian, I can see a gloomy around you even if you''re smiling," Lady Solenn said while giving him a disapproving look. "Don''t worry too much. I won''t let you die."


    He smiled shyly at the youngdy. "Thank you, Lady Solenn."


    The princess just smiled and gave him a thumbs up that she probably learned from his mother.


    <em>Lady Solenn is really cool.</em>


    "Lord Julian and Lady Solenn are right," Lord Forrester said. "I have an idea on how to pull out the Holy Scepter from your body without killing you, Lord Julian. But it could be dangerous."


    "I''m willing to take the risk," Julian said, determined to set his negativity for once. "Lord Forrester, please help me live and stay with my family for a long time."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHO ARE you?" Wong snarled at the witch with a pair of pink eyes. "Why do you have the aura of a Moonchester?"


    "I''m Ste of the Colorless Coven," the witch, who stood on a branch of the tree across from him, said proudly. "I''m the future empress so you better bow down to me, Keeper."


    "I will only bow and kneel to one person, witch," he said with augh. "It doesn''t matter even if you think you''re the next empress of the Moonchester Empire. The Supreme will burn down the royal family anyway."


    Ste of the Colorless Coven, much to his shock, smiled at him. And that smile of hers looked genuine for some reason. "I will dly thank the Supreme if she ends the nasty twins for me."


    Now that confused him. "You just imed that you''ll be the next empress. But now, you''re saying that you''ll be d if Aku and Nia Moonchester disappear?"


    "Can''t I be an empress without Aku Moonchester?" she asked back with a smirk. "For that reason, I won''t allow you to destroy this empire. You better tell this to your master as well: leave Moonchester Empire alone."


    "I''m not your dog," he snarled at her. "If you have a message for the Supreme, say it to her yourself. Not that I''d allow a lowly being like you to meet her."


    The witch smirked, but all of a sudden, her face twitched in pain. Then, much to his shock, she fell from the tree as if she was unconscious.


    <em>Well, not that I care.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he felt a sense of danger. And then, he realized that the witch who was supposed to have fallen on the ground disappeared.


    He suddenly felt a chill down his spine.


    When he turned around, he was shocked to be greeted by Ste. But this time, his shock came from the fact that her pink eyes had turned golden snake eyes that reminded him of the ck Serpent.


    "Just the sight of a person who serves my ungrateful daughter-inw already makes me furious," the witch who seemed to have been possessed by the White Snake snarled at him. "Let me take a bite topensate for the amount of rage your master brings me."


    He was ready to fight the White Snake but all of a sudden, Elis Ripperton returned to his human form. The Blue Dragon stood in front of the White Snake (in the witch''s body) to stop her from attacking him.


    "Wong, we both know that we can''t kill each other because of the binding vow that Tilly and Nia Moonchester made," Elis Ripperton said in a threatening voice. "I don''t care what you came here for but I want you to leave now."


    "And don''te back," ''Ste'' snarled at him. "I can''t kill you but I can torment you until you beg me to take your life, Keeper."


    "If you''re Yumi the White Snake and you''re that angry that I tried to destroy the Royal Pce, then my visit here wasn''t for naught," Wong said with a smirk while his body was engulfed in his orange me. It was his teleportation spell that would bring him back safely to the Nystrom estate where Kelsi and the child Flint were waiting for him. "I have confirmed that the Moon God''s real body is indeed somewhere in the Royal Pce."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''S heart broke when she saw Thaddeus Nystrom return to his original body after the ice that froze his corpse finally melted.


    Of course, she hadn''t forgotten that he was the one that killed her father.


    But as the Supreme, he couldn''t me the entire thing to one individual only. If Aku Moonchester didn''t curse her descendants, and if her brother Wixx found a way to break the curse instead of hunting down the Nystrom n, none of this would have happened.


    "Kiho, it hurts that I have the duty to see the bigger picture," Tilly said with clenched hands. "As Lord Maverick Prescott''s daughter, I want to be angry and me my pain on Thaddeus Nystrom. But as the Supreme, I have to acknowledge the fact that we''re also at fault here. We messed up in all the previous lives that we had before this one."


    If she didn''t retrieve the memories of her past life, she would have lost herself to her wrath and punished Thaddeus Nystrom without the recognizing the root of the problem.


    "We have to take responsibility this time," Kiho said, then he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let''s be stronger together, Tilly."


    "I''m sorry."


    She and her husband were both surprised when Thaddeus Nystrom said those words.


    "I really don''t understand why I did the things that I did when I became an ice puppet," Thaddeus Nystrom said in a cracked voice, his face full of remorse. "I''m sorry for hurting our family. I''m sorry for killing those people."


    As the daughter of Lord Maverick Prescott, she knew that an apology wasn''t enough because it wouldn''t bring back her father.


    But deep in her heart, she was aware that a part of her had already let go of her anger.


    "My father lived a good and honest life with the people he loved and loved him back," she said softly. Remembering her father would always, always make her feel vulnerable and strong at the same time. "I had the chance to introduce my family to him before we bid each other goodbye. Although the pain of losing my father will never heal, I am still grateful that he left this world surrounded by his family." She opened the door of the prison and went inside, her husband silently following her. "On the other hand, you lived a pitiful life in a cold isted ce like this. I can''t me you for losing your sanity and humanity." She knelt in front of her poor descendant, then hugged him while patting his back. "If you get the chance in the afterlife to meet my father and Lord Morgan Denver, and the people you have tormented during your long life, beg for their forgiveness. And if you were given the chance to get reincarnated, I want you to live an honest life. I pray that you get reborn in a warm home with a loving family next time. Then, atone for your past sins for all eternity."


    Thaddeus Nystrom could only sob as a response.


    Tilly closed her eyes, the warmth of her body began to turn into the me that would burn her pitiful descendants to ashes.


    Yes, that would also be the case for Ga Nystrom and the rest of the ice puppetster.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I''M SORRY, Lord Denver," Kiho said softly to the former captain of the Red Phoenix Knights. When he stepped out of the prison to give Tilly some privacy as she mourned the ashes of their poor descendant, he found Lord Denver leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He couldn''t read his thoughts because his face was unfathomable, but he knew that they had to have that conversation now. "Thaddeus Nystrom also killed your father. We should have consulted you before we bestowed our punishment to him."


    Tilly felt the same.


    But he knew that his wife had too many things on her mind already, so he decided to talk to Lord Denver.


    "No, I understand, Duke Nystrom," Lord Denver said quietly. "And I trust the Supreme''s decision. I''m relieved to see that my father''s murderer genuinely regret what he did. It wouldn''t bring my father back, but at least, I knew that he felt sorry for taking the lives of other people."


    "Thank you for understanding, Lord Denver," Kiho said, then he put a hand on his shoulder. "And I''m sorry that it took us this long to get the justice that our fathers deserve."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU crazy?" Elis Ripperton snarled at Ste as soon as they returned to the chamber that she was using in the emperor''s pce. "Why did you have to say those things to Wong? He''s smart he''ll definitely realize who you really are!"


    "I''m not trying to hide my identity," Ste, who sat on the armrest of the sofa, said proudly. "And if the Supreme finds out who I really am, don''t you think she''d want to have me by her side?"


    "It''s too early to reveal your identity."


    "Think about it, Elis Ripperton," the "witch" said, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "If I get close to the Supreme, don''t you think you''ll have the chance to get close to her as well?"


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you nning, Ste?"


    "Don''t call me that when the other person inside me is sleeping anyway," Ste scolded him. "Call my name, Elis Ripperton. I want to hear my real name from time to time."


    "You''re a lunatic but I understand where you''reing from," Elis Ripperton said while shaking his head. "Just what are you nning now, ine Moonchester?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 268: The Next Generation

    Chapter 268: The Next Generation


    "LORD FORRESTER, is there a way for me to remember the life that I had before the reset?" Julian asked the former saint while he was walking him back to his room. Well, it wasn''t like he needed to do that. He just wanted to talk to Lord Forrester without Winter. His brother was a worrywart and he didn''t want him to unnecessarily worry about him. "The memories that the Sun God showed us didn''t include mine."


    "I don''t want to say this but" Lord Forrester stopped when they reached his room. Then, he faced him and pointed at himself. "Lord Julian, I''m pretty useless without my Holy Scepter. A few years ago, I was a little more useful because back then, I could still use my divine power. But after my deadly match with Aku Moonchester and the Golden Tiger, the remaining divine power in me had been drained."


    "But you''re the son of the Sky God," he said, confused. "You''re supposed to be overflowing with divine powers. How did yours get drained?"


    "I know, right?" he agreed with a firm nod. Then, he raised one finger. "But Lord Julian, don''t you remember what kind of weapon the Holy Scepter is?"


    "A living weapon that feeds on its owner''s divine power" He trailed-off when he realized that it was the answer to his question a while ago. "Oh."


    "Yes, the Holy Scepter fed on my divine power a long time ago," the former saint said. "When I said my divine power was sealed, I mean it was sealed inside the scepter. I can only freely use it if the Holy Scepter is in my hands."


    "Ah, I see."


    The former saint fell silent for a while before he spoke again. "You''re practically a god because of who your parents are, Lord Julian. Having your memories intact despite how many times you get reborn is supposed to be the privilege of someone like you. But because of your mother''s punishment, you practically lost that privilege. Even your mother and father had their memories erased. That''s probably the price they had to pay to get what they wanted in the past."


    "I understand why Mother lost her memories," he said. "But what about Father? What did he do to lose that privilege?"


    Lord Forrester let out a deep sigh. "Lord Julian, your father used to be a very difficult person in the past. He didn''t know how tomunicate properly and he did things on his own without even consulting your mother. To simply put, he pulled some strings in the past to have your family safely reborn into this lifetime. But it seems like even the ck Serpent has forgotten the things that he had to sacrifice for it to happen. For a god, losing their memories is like suicide."


    Yeah, that was the cause of all their problems: missing memories.


    "Lord Forrester, when humans are reborn into a new lifetime, the memories of their past lives are wiped off," he said carefully. "Where do those memories go? Do they just disappear? Or is there a ce where they are kept?"


    "There''s this ce called ''ne'' where some gods usually reside to watch over their favorite humans," the former saint exined. "The ne is also the world between the living and the dead. The souls or the spirits of those who have died stay there while they await for their reincarnation. There are ''officers'' in the ne that collect the memories of the humans who are about to get reborn."


    "Have you been there?"


    "Yes, since I already died a few times," he said. "Humans forget about their time in the ne when they get reborn. But since I''m a son of the Sky God, my memories of it stay with me. Although I''m not supposed to talk about it to other people."


    "But you just did."


    The former saintughed it off. "It''s fine since you have divine blood in you."


    <em>He is so easy-going.</em>


    "Lord Forrester, is there a way for a living person like me to enter the ne?"


    "Why would you want to enter the ne, Lord Julian?"


    <em>Sharp.</em>


    "I don''t believe that the only reason that our family has been reborn without our full memories is because our parents were punished," he exined. "I have a feeling that someone is purposely messing with us someone who can manipte memories without being caught by my mother and father. The only time I can think where they could steal the memories of the Supreme and the ck Serpent is during their reincarnation."


    "That''s a valid point."


    "Then, please help me."


    "Like I said, I''m useless without my Holy Scepter. As long as I don''t have the value that I gain when I have my weapon, the gods won''t listen to my prayers," the former saint said. "But I know someone who has a strong connection with the ne."


    His ears perked up. "Can you introduce me to them?"


    "You already know her though."


    "I do?"


    "There''s only one person I know who can get reincarnated as the same person again and again," Lord Forrester said. "She''s dubbed as the ''Fire Princess'' but she rarely uses that title these days." He paused before he snapped his fingers. "Your brother often calls her ''little brat princess'' though."


    Julian''s eyes widened in surprise. "Are you talking about Lady Solenn?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WINTER, go and make hot chocte for me."


    Winter red at Solenn. He was sitting on the floor while creating little snowmen (as part of his training to control his ice Mana) when the little brat princess bossed him around. Only the two of them were left in the tea room after Lord Forrester and his brother Julian left together. "Why should I? If you want to drink hot chocte, then make one for yourself. I''m not your servant."


    "It''s your fault why this room is extra cold," Solenn, who now sat on the sofa while wrapped in a thick nket,ined. "Why the heck are you making snowmen in this room? If you want to y, y outside."


    "I''m not ying," he snapped at the little brat princess. "I do this to practice my Mana control. If these little snowmen melt easily, that means I''m still weak."


    "I don''t care. Go to another room."


    "Why are you cold anyway?" heined. "Your dominant Mana is fire, and you''re the daughter of the freaking Fire Archmage. Can''t you warm yourself or something? Mommy never gets bothered by the cold, you know?"


    "You''re a child so you wouldn''t understand even if I exin to you why my body is weak against the cold."


    He was about to give a retort when they heard a knock on the door.


    And then, Julian entered the room with a mug of hot chocte in his hand.


    "Julian, please tell me that hot chocte is for me," Solenn said while giving his older brother a creepy puppy dog eyes. "I''m so cold."


    "Of course, it''s for you, Lady Solenn," Julian said politely, then he handed the mug to the little brat princess. "Do you want me to apany you to the living room?"


    "The knights are gathered in front of the firece," the little brat princess said while holding the mug in her hands. No matter how hot the hot chocte was, it wouldn''t burn a Fire Mage like her. "If wee out, they will excuse themselves. Even if we tell them that they can stay with us, they wouldn''t listen since their duty to serve us is very strong."


    He raised a brow at that.


    <em>The little brat princess bullies me a lot but she''s considerate to other people.</em>


    "You''re kind, Lady Solenn."


    "I''m not. I was just raised by my father to be a good leader," Solenn said. "Do you need anything from me, Julian?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I know that you''re a natural gentleman unlike your unsophisticated younger brother"


    "Shut it," Winter snarled at her. "I''m a gentleman just like my father."


    She turned to him with a dired look. "The ck Serpent is only gentle to the Supreme."


    Dammit, he couldn''t refute that.


    "Anyway, as I was saying" the little brat princess continued, then she turned to his older brother again. "Julian, I can see in your eyes that you want to talk to me alone."


    Julian''s face turned red, then he scratched his cheeks as if he was suddenly shy. "Lady Solenn, would you like to have a walk with me?"


    Solennughed softly. "Only if it''s a date."


    His brother''s whole face turned tomato red.


    "Gross," Winterined. God, he got goosebumps while watching and listening to Solenn and Julian''s exchange. But he also had to admit that he felt a painful thump in his chest while watching Solenn and Julian get closer that he''d like. He just dismissed it as an annoying feeling that one would feel when their sibling was being taken away by an outsider. "Please don''t copy Mom and Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was irritated.


    Solenn really went out for a walk with Julian.


    So right now, he was standing in front of the tea room''s window while gently patting his chest. For some reason, his heart was hurting.


    <em>Why can''t I see them? Where did they go?</em>


    "Winter, what are you doing there?"


    He flinched in surprise when he heard his mother''s voice.


    Winter turned around and was greeted by his parents. "Mom, Dad, why didn''t you knock?" he asked while walking towards them, then he hugged her mother''s waist. "You surprised me."


    "We knocked several times," his mother said while gently ruffling his hair. "What got your attention for you not to hear or feel using?"


    "Brother Julian is taken away by Solenn, Mom," he snitched. "My poor brother was seduced by the little brat princess. They''re on a date now."


    His momughed. ""Seduced?" I know that you have an old soul. But hearing that from a five year old boy sounds so funny."


    "Are you not worried, Mom?"


    "Solenn teases Julian a lot but I don''t think they''d want to have a romantic rtionship with each other," her mother said seriously. "Plus, Julian and Solenn are second cousins."


    "Is that a problem?" he asked, confused. "Cousins can get married to each other."


    Her mother flinched at what he said. "Julian is my son and Solenn is the daughter of my cousin. Don''t forget that Sris is my brother''s son."


    He didn''t really understand what the problem was.


    "Little rascal, your mother lived in a world where being married to your sibling is illegal," his father exined. "Even cousins marrying each other is frowned upon."


    "It''s called i/ncest," his mother added carefully. "There are still cultures that allow first or second cousins to be married to each other in that worled. But it makes me ufortable if I imagine Julian and Solenn having a romantic rtionship."


    He gasped at that. "Does it mean you''re going to get in their way, Mom?"


    His mother looked horrified by that as if she suddenly realized the possibility of her bing a viiness to his brother''s love life.


    "Winter, don''t jump to conclusions," his father told him strictly. "Your brother wouldn''t go on a date while there''s an impending battle. I''m sure he has a reason for talking to Solenn in private."


    "Oh, that''s true," he agreed, then he looked up at his mother who looked calm now. "I''m sorry for saying something carelessly, Mom."


    "It''s fine, baby," his mother said with a smile. "Anyway, I want you to get ready. Once your brother returns, we''re leaving."


    Winter''s brows furrowed in confusion. "Where are we going?"


    "To where your Uncle Winchell is," his father said. "We''re going to end the frozen Nystrom n right here."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I HEARD from Lord Forrester that you have a connection with the ne," Julian said. Thank god he didn''t stutter even though he felt so embarrassed at the moment. After all, Lady Solenn linked her arms with his while they were walking to the Frozen Woods. He wasn''tfortable with skinship but he couldn''t say no to the youngdy. He was the one who asked her to have a walk with him in the cold after all. "I''ll get straight to the point, Lady Solenn," he said, then he turned to her. "Is there a way for a living person like me to enter the ne?"


    "I knew you wouldn''t ask me to walk with you without a proper reason," Lady Solenn said while clicking her tongue. Then, she turned to him with a serious look on her face. "The living doesn''t belong to the ne, Julian. If you want to enter it, you have to die first."


    "I know that," he said gently. "But I don''t want to die early in this lifetime. Still, I''m determined to enter the ne. I have a feeling that I could find the answers that I''m looking for in that ce. But I want to get there without dying."


    "What are you worried for, Julian?" she asked, then she tilted her head to one side as if she was confused. "You''re the son of the Supreme. You''re a Rosenberg like me. It means we can reincarnate even after we die."


    "Are you suggesting that I kill myself?"


    "No. You can''t hurt yourself that way," Lady Solenn said, then she smiled at him. "I can burn you to ashes though."


    Julian gulped hard. For some reason, despite Lady Solenn''s angelic face, he could see a glint of wickedness in her glowing eyes. But he wasn''t scared of her. He actually liked the look on her face right now. "Lady Solenn, you''re bad for my heart."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 269: Elaine Moonchester

    Chapter 269: ine Moonchester


    "BROTHER, am I finally going to enter the society on my uing 15th birthday?" ine asked Auro Moonchester, her older brother and the new ruler of their kingdom. Her brother ascended the throne when their father died. "I want to be free from this tower."


    Even though she was a princess, only a few had seen her face yet.


    Her brother was too protective of her that he didn''t allow her to leave the tower. Still, he took good care of her. All her servants were capable and good to her, even her teachers. She learned the proper etiquette of a royal princess like her.


    Yet, she felt sad that she couldn''t show it to their people.


    "I know that I''m born with a weak body, Brother," she said with a pout. "But attending social banquets won''t kill me."


    Auro, who stood in front of her as she sat on the edge of her bed, smiled at her. Then, he got down on one knee and held her hands. "ine, you are precious to me."


    She smiled and nodded. "I know that, Brother."


    "There''s a reason why I''ve kept you hidden in this tower for so long," he said with a sad smile on his face. Then, he gently caressed her cheek. "I''m sorry, ine."


    "You don''t have to apologize, Brother," she said while shaking her head. Then, she put her hand on top of his. "I know that you''re only doing this to protect me."


    "No, I''m sorry because in my heart, there''s only one sibling that I acknowledge," his brother said, confusing her. "ine, do you remember our older brother? The one who used to be locked up in this tower before I set him free. You weren''t born yet when he left the family. But I used to talk about him in the past, didn''t I?"


    Even though she was confused, she still responded to her brother. After all, she trusted him with all her life. He was the only person in the pce that she felt safe with the most. "Yes, Brother," she said. "If I remember it correctly, our oldest brother is called Kalel Moonchester."


    "He goes by the name of Kalel Nystrom now."


    "Have you found him, Brother?"


    "We never lost contact, ine," he said. "But right now, your big brothers are having a huge fight."


    "Why are you fighting with our oldest brother?"


    "It doesn''t matter, my poor little sister," her brother said while caressing her cheek. "You don''t need to know."


    "You''re saying strange things, Brother."


    He smiled at her the kind of smile that gave her a bad feeling. "ine, do you love me?"


    "I do, Brother."


    "Then, will you die for me?"


    She was surprised by that question. And to be frank, her brother''s tone also scared her. He was serious, and she knew that he wasn''t really waiting for an answer.


    After all, her Brother Auro just stabber her chest with his hand.


    Not only did he stab her. He also ripped her heart out, his face cold and unapologetic. This was the first time her brother looked at her with such disdain.


    <em>He used to smile warmly at me</em>


    "You''re still alive?" Auro asked in a disappointed voice. Then, he stood up and looked at her with empty eyes. "I suppose it''s the Moonchester blood in you."


    "Why?" she asked in disbelief. For some reason, she couldn''t feel the physical pain that her brother inflicted on her. The only pain that she could feel was the one she got from getting betrayed by the person she trusted the most. "Why are you doing this to me, Brother?"


    "I found someone who deserves your position more," he said coldly, her heart still literally in his hand. "You have to die so I could bring her to my side."


    Was it because she was nave or her brother just didn''t really make sense?


    She couldn''t understand why she had to die for him to bring a woman to the pce. Ah, he did say something about his woman taking her ce as a princess. She had a lot of questions but judging by her fading life force, she knew that she wouldn''t have enough time to listen to her brother''s response.


    Not that she was certain that he would give her the answers that she needed.


    "Are you just going to silently ept your fate?" her brother asked her mockingly. "This is why you bore me to death, ine."


    "Brother, I''m angry," she admitted with clenched hands. "But I know that being angry now wouldn''t keep me alive."


    "Good," he said, then he squeezed her heart in his hand until it became nothing but a pool of blood. "Just die quietly like how you lived in this tower for fifteen years."


    "Brother, let me ask you one question before I die: what is it that you desire that you have to kill your own sister for it?"


    "I want to rule an empire," he said without missing a beat. "And open the gates to the heavens to be a god. If I have to summarize it for you, then I''d say I want to be worshipped both by humans and the gods themselves." He pulled out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood off his hands. "I didn''t expect you to ask that instead of why I had to keep you alive for this long."


    "I have to know what you desire so that I''d be able to steal it from you once we meet again, Brother."


    Heughed at her. "You? Steal my dream from me? You don''t even know if you''re going to get reborn into the same lifetime as me, my foolish sister."


    "You don''t know why my physical body is weak, do you?"


    Finally, the arrogant look on Auro''s face vanished. "What do you mean by that?"


    "You must have underestimated me a lot because you didn''t even bother to know what my Mana is," ine said with a bitter smile. Then, her body finally gave in. Before she knew it, she was already lying on her back while staring at the ceiling. She was d that even until that moment, she still couldn''t feel any physical pain. Most of all, she was proud of herself for being able to hold back her tears. All she felt was exhaustion, so she closed her eyes and whispered her final words. "See youter, Brother Auro."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELAINE, after a long time, was finally reborn as Ste a witch from hthe Colorless Coven.


    She lived her life without the memories of her past life though.


    As Ste, she felt drawn to Aku and Nia Moonchester that when she and her sister Luna was taken in by Lahara, she followed the knight-mage. To be precise, she became a loyal follower to Nia Moonchester. When the royal princess asked her to create a medicine that would make her infertile, she sessfully made one.


    But instead of owing her a favor, the ungrateful royal princess asked Lahara to kill her.


    She was caught off-guard by the mage and she managed to hit her heart severely. Lahara left her in the hands of the Royal Archmage Rosalia when she was half-dead. She heard that the Royal Archmage was interested in her pink eyes.


    When she was in the brink of death, that was when the memories of her previous life as ine Moonchester.


    "How dare you?" ine snarled at Rosalia who looked surprised when she suddenly got revived. Then, she got up from the table where the Royal Archmage ced her body for dissection. "How dare you try to touch a Moonchester''s body?"


    Rosalia looked surprised by her words. "Have you gone mad, Ste? I heard from Lahara that you seem to be obsessed with His Majesty. But to think that you''d go delusional and make yourself believe that you''re a Moonchester"


    The Royal Archmage trailed-off when her physical appearance began to turn back into what it was in the past.


    That meant her burgundy hair turned silver and her pink eyes turned glowing red.


    Those were the traits unique to the Moonchesters traits that couldn''t be copied even by the strongest mage of all.


    "How did this happen?" Rosalia asked in disbelief. "How could there be another princess aside from Princess Nia?"


    "That one is a fake," she said coldly. "Rosalia, I will overthrow that fake princess soon. You better choose which side to take wisely."


    The Royal Archmage smirked at her. "I don''t understand what''s going on but aren''t you being too arrogant? Let''s say that you''re a real Moonchester. But so what? You don''t have the power that Princess Nia possess. After all, she''s the one who is loved by His Majesty."


    "Would it matter if the royal princess couldn''t bear a child for the emperor?"


    The mage looked shocked by her revtion.


    "Nia Moonchester is infertile," she said coldly. "Once the people find out about her infertility, she''d be ousted. Not even the emperor could protect the royal princess if he wants to stay in power."


    The Royal Archmage paled. "That''s true."


    "I can give birth to the emperor''s child, Rosalia," she said in a confident voice. "If you help me be the empress, I will give you want you want."


    "Do you know what I desire the most in the world?"


    "I''ve been in the tower long enough to know what your goal is," she said with a smirk. "You want to experiment on the Fire Mages, don''t you?"


    The Royal Archmage''s eyes sparkled in delight.


    "The Supreme Fire Mage happens to be my sister-inw," ine said with a sweet smile. "Would you like to work with me now, Royal Archmage Rosalia? Technically, you wouldn''t betray the royal family because I am a Moonchester and I am the one who could give an heir to His Majesty."


    Rosalia, after a few moments of silence, bowed down to her. "I am here to serve you, Your Royal Highness."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JUST when ine thought she''d seeded when Rosalia finally introduced him to Aku Moonchester, she found herself in another dilemma.


    Her bastard of a brother brought her to the Moon God. And then, the stupid god forced her to be the new host of Yumi, the White Snake. Apparently, Yumi was the spirit guardian of Kalel, now Kiho Nystrom, who happened to be her oldest brother.


    When she woke up, she found herself in an empty shrine where Elis Ripperton, the new captain of the Blue Dragon Knights, was guarding her.


    "You''re finally awake," Elis Ripperton, who was literally looking down at her, said while watching her with amusement in his eyes. "I was told that you are a witch named Ste. But when I thought you were going to die a while ago, your appearance change. You aura, too." He tilted his head at one side. "You''re a Moonchester, aren''t you? If I remember it correctly, Aku Moonchester killed her sister in the past when he was still King Auro. Are you that princess?"


    She wasn''t surprised by that.


    Every time she was in the brink of death, her aura and power as a Moonchester would awaken to protect her. She was d that it didn''t manifest when she was with Luna in the past. Her sister in that lifetime was quick to catch on. That was why she was relieved that she didn''t retrieve the memories of her life as a princess when they were still together.


    "If you know who I am, then pay some respect," ine said, then she stood up and clutched her chest. Like before, she still couldn''t feel physical pain. But she was ufortable now that a sleeping spirit was residing in her body. "You''re the Blue Dragon, aren''t you?"


    "If you know who I am, then you better pay me some respect."


    Sheughed softly at how he threw her words back at her. "Would you like to work with me, Elis Ripperton?"


    He crossed his arms over his chest. "And why would I cooperate with a puny human like you? Working with one Moonchester is enough."


    "The Supreme is my sister-inw," she said with a smile. "You''re in love with her, aren''t you?"


    "For someone who''s supposed to be dead a long time ago, you quite know a lot."


    "It''s my cursed power," ine said solemnly. "I learn things even if I don''t want to."


    "Interesting," Elis Ripperton said. "Tell me more about it, ine Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 270: What If

    Chapter 270: What If


    "TILLY?"


    Tilly turned to Kiho when he called her.


    Right now, they were outside the house while waiting for her brother to return. She sent a message to Wixx telling him to retreat and let the ice puppetse to them. Of course, their n was already set in motion.


    For that reason, nobody else aside from their family were allowed to stay outside. They didn''t want to identally hit their allies with the curse that they both came up with. Winter and Julian woulde out once Wixx arrived. For now, Luna was taking care of the children.


    Tilly smiled at Kiho. "Did I make you worry?"


    Kiho nodded, his face still filled with worry. "Are you still bothered by what Winter said a while ago? The thing about Julian and Solenn getting together in the future."


    "I''d lie if I say that I''m not bothered," she admitted. "When I lived in the modern world, I learned about i/ncest. Now it bothers me how people in this world don''t even bat an eye regarding Aku and Nia Moonchester''s rtionship. They aren''t just siblings they are twins. Even though I only cursed them to be born that way, it doesn''t change the fact that in this lifetime, they have the same mother and father."


    "I never find it odd before you brought it up," her husband confessed while scratching his cheek as if he was ashamed of himself. "To be honest, even now, I don''t really think that marrying a second cousin is odd, considering that our empire allows the marriage between twin siblings. I''m sorry, Tilly."


    Sheughed softly and gently pinched his cheek. "You don''t have to apologize, Kiho. It''s not your fault that thew in this world and the modern world when ites to marriage is different. Plus, it''s too early for us to worry about Julian''s marriage. Even if he''s an adult inside, he''s still a baby in this lifetime."


    "That''s true," he agreed while nodding his head. Then, when she pulled her hand away from his face, he gently grabbed it and held it tight. It had been a long time since they held hands. She missed it. "Tilly, which world do you prefer? This one or the modern world?"


    "This one," she said without missing a beat. "Because this is the world where you exist, Kiho."


    Judging by his blush, he was obviously pleasantly surprised by her answer.


    <em>He still blushes easily.</em>


    "The children, too, of course," she added. "I was living peacefully andfortably in that other world. But I was alone. That''s why despite the danger of living in this world as the Supreme, I''d still choose this life again and again."


    He smiled shyly and squeezed her hand. "But if we would be given a chance to choose what world to live in, what would you choose for our family?"


    "To be honest, I''ll be fine anywhere as long as I have you and the kids," she said truthfully. "But if I could choose, I would pick the modern world over this one."


    "May I know why?"


    "I''m saying this in a position of privilege because back then, I was born rich," she said carefully. "And since I have afortable life, I didn''t encounter much hardships. I just had to deal and endure the loneliness."


    "Tilly"


    "It''s okay now, Kiho," she assured him with a smile. "Anyway, there a lot of things that I enjoyed in that world. The technology there is more advanced, the society is more progressive than the one we have here, and wars don''t often happen as it does in this world." She snapped her fingers when she remembered something. "We don''t have Mana back there. Everyone is non-Mana users. That''s why family members who conceive children together often have birth defects. The only reason why the Moonchesters don''t experience that is because of Mana exists here. And in this world, the amount of power a person is born with depends on their blood."


    Her husband nodded in agreement. "The purer your blood is, the more powerful your Mana bes. Most noble families also have unique Mana and abilities that they don''t want to lose or share with another family. That''s why marriages between cousins are allowed by ourw."


    "I didn''t have to worry about stuff like that in the modern world," she said. "But like I said, I was born with a privileged life. If I would be given a chance to bring you and the kids to the modern world, I would do that. I want you to experience the life that I had back there."


    "If Mana and power don''t exist in that world, can I be a good provider to you and the little brats?" Kiho asked worriedly. "I made fortune in this world as a knight. I wonder what skills I have would be useful in a modern world."


    "Your face," she said teasingly. "In the modern world, there''s this thing called "good-looking people privilege." Being born with a conventionally pretty face, I can attest that people back there treated me more kindly because I pass the society''s standard for "beautiful." I don''t like it, but denying that that kind of privilege exists would be ignorant of me."


    "And I would have shared that kind of privilege had I been born in that world as well?"


    "Yes," she said. "But I was just teasing you. I know that you''re more than a pretty face."


    "I know that. You''re not the kind of person who measures a person''s worth by their face," he said gently. Then, he teased her. "You could be so vain most of the time though."


    She rolled her eyes at him while trying not tough. "You love that about me, Kiho."


    "I do," he said, then he gently bumped his forehead into hers. "I think I can make a living through crab farming. Thanks to you, I also became knowledgeable in oyster farming and pearl jewel making. Would those skills be useful in the modern world?"


    "Of course. Modern people also like jewelry and seafood," she said confidently. "King Crabs, lobsters, and other types of seafood are expensive even in the world where I came from, Kiho. Investing in crab farming would definitely pay-off." She paused for a while, then sheid her head on his shoulder. "If you make a crab farm, then I''d like to build a seafood restaurant. The kids can do a mukbang to promote our ce. Eating giant King Crabs is a hit back in my second life."


    "What''s a "mukbang?""


    "The short answer is "eating broadcast,"" she said. "Mukbangers film themselves while eating. If it''s a live broadcast, they''ll interact with their viewers. If it''s recorded, they would usually talk about things that their viewers would like to know about them."


    "Will our children do well if they do "mukbang?""


    "Of course," she said proudly. "Their face alone would attract a lot of viewers. I think our children have what it takes to be celebrities or famous people."


    "I don''t really understand but as long as our family can live peacefully together, I''ll be happy," her husband said. "Now I''m suddenly interested to live in the modern world with you and our children."


    Hearing that from Kiho warmed her heart.


    And then, a thought came into her mind.


    "I wonder if it''s possible for us to go to the modern world after the divine war is over," she said, then she turned to her husband. "What if we were really given a chance to be transported into the modern world, Kiho?"


    "I''d take that opportunity," he said while looking deep into her eyes. "I''ll go anywhere as long as I''m with you, Tilly."


    Tilly let out a dreamy sigh. "I think I just fell in love with you all over again, Kiho." She paused when she realized something. "If you harvest the seafood yourself, getting exposed to the sun would be inevitable," she said, then she gave him that "look" while licking her lips. "I can already imagine how sexier you''d be with tanned skin, hon."


    Kiho chuckled, then he gently kissed the tip of her nose. "I love you, too, honey."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>THEY''RE flirting</em>, Wixx thought to himself while watching Tilly and Kiho below him. He hid his presence like he always did. But he had a feeling that the two hadn''t noticed him yet because they were busy with each other. <em>Damn, they''re too lovey-dovey in this lifetime</em>.


    Not wanting to see his little sister make out with her husband, he decided to fly past them quietly.


    He also did that because he saw Winter, Julian, and Solenn on the rooftop. To be honest, he hadn''t been properly introduced to Sris''s daughter yet. But he could tell right away that the little girl was his son''s daughter.


    <em>I don''t want to call myself a grandfather so she''ll always be "Sris''s daughter" to me.</em>


    "Uncle Wixx, we know how you feel," Winter said to him when he silentlynded in front of them. "We can''t also announce our presence since Mom and Dad seem to be flirting."


    "Just let them be," Solenn said firmly, then, she bowed to him. "Greetings, Grandpa."


    He felt gutted when he heard that.


    "Don''t call me "grandpa,"" he said. "Just call me ''Lord Wixx'' or something."


    "That''s too distant," his granddaughterined. "I''ll call you ''grandpa'' even if you don''t like it because I''m polite, Grandpa."


    "A politedy wouldn''t say that to her elder."


    Solenn smiled "sweetly" at him. "I think I inherited Aunt Tilly''s stubbornness, Grandpa."


    "You only call Mom that way when it''s convenient to you," Winterined. "You''re such a user, little brat princess."


    "Stop fighting," Wixx scolded the two. "We have more important things to do."


    "Yes, I agree with you, Lord Winchell," Julian said with a somewhat dangerous smile on his face. "Now, will you kindly tell me if it''s you who killed me during my first life?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 271: Cycle of Hate

    Chapter 271: Cycle of Hate


    "WONG, who told you to attack the Royal Pce?"


    Wong red at Kelsi but he couldn''t really get mad at her.


    After all, he knew he was at 100% fault for the injuries that he received. So instead ofining, he just remained silent while sitting in the center of the ming cube that she created to heal him.


    Just like what its name suggested, it was a transparent cube engulfed with Kelsi''s me. An ordinary person would literally get toasted inside the cube. But for a Keeper like him, Kelsi''s me actually refilled the amount of Mana that he lost when he created a giant mass of me a while ago.


    "You better have gotten something useful from your useless attack," Kelsi, who sat on the sofa of the Nystrom Mansion''s tea room, said. Then, she sipped her tea before she continued. "Have you confirmed that Kyro''s body is hidden in the Royal Pce?"


    "I don''t have a solid proof but I have a reason to believe so," he said. "Yumi, the White Snake, came out and attacked me."


    She raised a brow at that. "The White Snake has escaped from the Supreme''s curse?"


    "No. Kyro cut the White Snake''s link to the ck Serpent as his spirit guardian," he exined. "Then, he found a new host for Yumi."


    "A new host?" she asked in disbelief. "Yumi is a minor god. An ordinary human, even if they turn out to be excellent Mana-user, can''t contain her soul."


    "That''s the strange thing I discovered, Kelsi," he said seriously. "The White Snake''s new host is a witch with pink eyes just like Lady Luna. She called herself ''Ste.'' And if I remember it correctly"


    "That''s the name of Lady Luna''s sister in this lifetime," she said, cutting him off. "I remember because back in Srium, Lady Luna and I used to talk a lot about her personal life." She bit her lower lip, and she does that whenever she was nervous. "She''s supposed to be dead."


    "She''s alive and she''s real," he confirmed. "She''s not a puppet. It doesn''t seem like she''s being controlled, too. But since she''s sharing her body with Yumi now, it''s inevitable that her consciousness could be snatched by the White Snake from time to time."


    "That''s how it will be if you don''t assert your dominance over a spirit guardian," she said. "But the fact that Ste is able to contain the soul of a minor god is already a huge feat. I guess the witches from the Colorless Covern are really special."


    "No, that''s not the only reason why she was able to contain Yumi''s soul."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I felt the aura of a Moonchestering from her, Kelsi."


    Like he expected, she let out a loud gasp. "Impossible," she said. "Only Aku and Nia are the remaining Moonchesters of this era."


    "Aku Moonchester has had three lifetimes just like the Supreme. Obviously, the third one is the Aku Moonchester of this era," he exined. "His first life was when he was turned into a human, the one where the Supreme and the ck Serpent saved him. And the second one"


    "The second one was when he lived as King Auro," Kelsi said, cutting him off again. "Back then, he became the ck Serpent''s younger brother."


    "They weren''t the only children of the royal family back then, Kelsi."


    She fell silent, then she gasped. Again. "Ah. Before Auro died back then, it was revealed that he killed his real sister to bring Nia to the royal family. Are you thinking that"


    "Ste might be ine Moonchester''s reincarnation," he said, cutting her off this time. "The Moonchesters special ability is linked to their souls. If Aku Moonchester was able to choose when to be reincarnated in what kind of body, it''s not impossible for ine Moonchester to have the same ability."


    "But if that''s the case, why did she reveal herself as a Moonchester now?" Kelsi asked, confused. "She could have done that earlier."


    "There could be a slight difference between the ability of Aku and ine Moonchester," he said. "Since Aku Moonchester was blessed by the stupid Sky God, he has the privilege of remembering her past life, save for the part where the Supreme put a spell that would make Aku and Nia Moonchester forget her face until she retrieves her memories."


    "Oh, that''s true."


    "Since ine Moonchester isn''t a god, her memories of her previous life must have been erased when she was reincarnated as Ste," he continued. "But since she''s also a Moonchester, she must have an ability that allowed her to retrieve her memories. A trigger may have caused it, but I have no idea what it could be."


    "It doesn''t matter, does it?" Kelsi asked, now more serious than a while ago. "Even if we don''t have solid proof, we have to let the Supreme now about what you discovered. But we have to be careful."


    "I know. The nasty twins are on their way to the North," Wong said while nodding carefully. "Aku and Nia Moonchester may not be aware of the possible reincarnation of ine Moonchester and we have to keep it that way."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU''RE asking me if I was the one who killed you in the past?" Wixx asked Julian with a raised brow. "Do you really not remember how you died back then, my dear nephew?"


    Julian flinched, then he bit his lower lip.


    "The answer is yes and no," he said. "You understand what I mean, don''t you?"


    His oldest nephew didn''t avert his gaze from him but he could tell that he already intimidated the poor child with just one question.


    And that seemed to irritate his youngest nephew.


    "Uncle Wixx, what''s your problem?" Winter asked coldly, then he stood protectively in front of his brother. "Why are you bullying my Brother Julian?"


    He didn''t like what he was seeing.


    Although he was feeling sorry for Julian, he didn''t want to take the risk of letting him stay longer with Winter.


    <em>The Holy Scepter is inside Julian and it''s the only thing that could kill the Moon Serpent.</em>


    Seeing Winter protect Julian, the weapon that could kill him, was ridiculous. Even though there was a way to pull out the Holy Scepter from his oldest nephew, keeping him was still risky.


    "Grandpa, my father told me how protective you are when ites to the Supreme. He used to say it in a way that makes me think if I''m supposed to admire you for that," Solenn said, then she stood beside Winter as if she intended to protect Julian from him as well. "Although being protective of your little sister is a good thing, being overprotective is not it''s actually toxic. The Supreme isn''t a child, and you don''t have the right to meddle with her family''s business."


    "I won''t kill Julian," he told the kids. "Why are you treating me like a viin?"


    "Because you''re acting like a bad uncle," Winter said firmly. "Even if you don''t want to ept Brother Julian as your nephew, then at least give him the basic respect that he deserves."


    Solenn nodded in agreement. "Grandpa, please don''t be mean to Julian."


    He smirked at how these children were treating him. "I''m not being "mean" because of my personal feelings," he said slowly, his Mana increasing with each word that he had to emphasize. "I make decisions as a god and not as a brother, a grandfather, or an uncle. Do you even know why gods are worshipped?"


    The children flinched.


    He didn''t mean to but his oozing Mana seemed to have scared them. The kids, at that moment, remembered that he was a god.


    "Gods are worshipped because of our destructive power," he reminded the children. "But of course, we could only use that power to protect the weak."


    "As your fellow Beast God, I beg to differ."


    He rolled his eyes when he heard the ck Serpent''s voice behind him. When he turned around, he saw Tilly and Kiho who were both looking at him with cold eyes.


    "Gods are worshipped because we made humans believe that we will protect them," Kiho said in a voice filled with disgust. "But in reality, most of the gods only care about their pleasure and displeasure. You should know, Winchell. You''ve ascended the heavens in the time."


    "I know what you''re talking about, ck Serpent," he said. "But have you forgotten why those gods chose us and turned us into Beast Gods?"


    "I haven''t," the ck Serpent said. "Our superiors made a huge mess and they want us to clean it up for them. And that mess is Aku Moonchester."


    Of course, that would be the ck Serpent''s interpretation of their major job as Beast Gods.


    But he couldn''t say that he was wrong, not in front of Tilly. After all, his precious little sister was one of the biggest "mistakes" of their "superiors."


    Kiho didn''t know that because he refused to ascend to the heavens back then.


    <em>The little tiger only yed while we were in heaven so he probably has forgotten our main job. The only one aside from me who knows about Tilly as the gods'' "mistake" is Elis Ripperton. But that Blue Dragon ended up being a traitor.</em>


    "Brother, I thought I already warned you to not touch my children?" Tilly asked him threateningly. "Are you trying to make me angry?"


    "I didn''ty a finger on any of your children," Wixx denied firmly. Ever since he returned, he had done nothing but fight with his sister. He hated it, but he knew it was inevitable. "I know that there''s no point in fighting among ourselves now. Plus" He turned to the direction where he felt the enemies'' arrival. "The ice puppets are here."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOTHER, I am sorry."


    Tilly, who stood in the frontline with her immediate family, turned to Julian with a smile. "Why are you apologizing, son?"


    "I was the one who acted hostile towards Lord Winchell first," Julian said in a voice filled with guilt. "It was my fault why he got agitated. I''ll apologize to himter."


    "If you believe you are at fault, then you may apologize to your uncle if you really want to," she said carefully. "But Julian, please remember that the tension a while ago wasn''t your entire fault. Brother Wixx is a lot older than you, and he''s a god for Pete''s sake. He should have been more patient with you."


    Julian just smiled, then he held her hand and squeezed it gently. "Thank you, Mother."


    "I think I should apologize to Uncle Wixx as well," Winter, who stood on the other side of Julian, said. "I''ve been rude to uncle."


    "Then, go with your brotherter, little rascal," Kiho, who stood on the other side of Winter, said while ruffling their youngest child''s hair. "I''m proud that the two of you know how to acknowledge your mistakes, and take ounability as well."


    She nodded in agreement. "Very good, children."


    Julian and Winter both smiled as if they were happy to be praised.


    <em>Gosh, they''re so cute.</em>


    Her thoughts were cut-off when their guests finally arrived.


    She and Kiho instinctively stood protectively in front of their children at the same time. In the corner of her eye, she saw her husband extend his hand to her. She quietly grabbed it.


    Then, finally, she faced Ga Nystrom.


    His army of ice puppets stood behind him. Each of the ice puppet now wore a dark blue cloak with a hood. She recognized the material used to create those cloaks.


    "Kiho, aren''t those cloaks the same one that you used to wear as Kalel Nystrom?" she asked her husband. "It''s the ''Anti-Soleil'' cloak."


    Kiho turned to her with a horrified look on his face. "Honey, I didn''t make that cloak specifically to fight you."


    Sheughed softly. "I''m just kidding, hon. But it''s true that the cloak is made of material that is fire resistant, isn''t it?"


    He nodded. "Since my dominant Mana is ice, my biggest weakness is fire. I created a cloth that will protect me from it."


    "It looks like our dear descendants found out a way to mass produce it," she said, then she faced the North King. "You came prepared, Ga Nystrom."


    Ga Nystrom had bluish and definitely cold skin just like his father had after being turned into an ice puppet. And just like his father, the North King also retained some of his prominent features when he was still alive.


    Dark burgundy hair, deep blue eyes almost the same hair and eye color that Julian had.


    <em>Brother Wixx, too.</em>


    "I know that you wouldn''t hesitate to burn us alive, Supreme," Ga Nystrom said. "I wouldn''t let you melt my family with your me easily."


    "I''ll admit that when I found out that you''re the reason behind my father''s death, I made a promise to myself that I will kill every single one of you," she confessed. "But when I discovered that the people of the North are actually our cursed descendants who were supposed to be long gone, I realized that killing you wouldn''t be the right punishment."


    "You say that but you already killed my son," the North King snarled at her. "Are you happy now that we''re even?"


    "Of course not," she said without missing a beat and confusing Ga Nystrom. "My father didn''te back when Thaddeus Nystrom disappeared."


    "We didn''t kill your son," Kiho added in his usual cold tone. "We only helped Thaddeus Nystrom to pass on peacefully."


    The North King looked confused for a moment, then heughed like a lunatic. "Don''t even try to deceive me," he snarled at them. "This n will never find peace until the Red Phoenix is alive!"


    "Is it the same for every single person in your n?" she asked him carefully. "Or is it just you, their n leader, forcing your beliefs down their throat?"


    Their poor descendant didn''t have a retort for that.


    In fact, he looked surprised as if it was the first time that he considered that.


    "Thaddeus Nystrom, despite having lived for so long, still acted like a child," she continued in a more understanding tone. "He didn''t grow despite being "alive" as an ice puppet. Do you know what happened to him after Kiho gave him back his memories as a human?"


    Ga Nystrom looked surprised by what he heard. "You made my son remember the memories of his life as a human?"


    "Yes, and that''s what I intend to do to all of you," she said firmly. "Ga Nystrom, we''ll give all of you two choices: first is to regret everything that you have done wrong, then pass on peacefully. Second, to continue being an ice puppet and stay as our enemies in the uing divine war."


    The North King seemed to get angrier by then.


    On the other hand, the ice puppets behind him started to talk to each other in hush whispers. But she could clearly tell that most of them were considering her offer.


    "You were cursed by the Moonchesters so that you wouldn''t be able to betray them," she said. "That''s why the only way to save your souls is for you to pass on peacefully on your will. We will help you leave this world as humans instead of ice puppets."


    The North King smirked bitterly. "We will only leave this world if the Red Phoenix joins us in hell."


    Ah, she could feel Ga Nystrom''s hatred through her bones.


    "It''s not just the Red Phoenix," Kiho said, making the North King flinch for some reason. "The root of this all is me. If only I seeded in killing Aku Moonchester, none of this would have happened."


    "This is also my fault," she said. "I didn''t know that my second child back then survived."


    Their descendant looked confused, but it also seemed like he became angrier. "I don''t need your apology!"


    "But you deserve it. You and every single one of the n that we failed to protect," Tilly said in a sad voice. Then, she let go of Kiho''s hand and stepped aside to make way for their children. Winter and Julian stood between her and her husband. "Let''s end the cycle of hate here, Ga Nystrom."


    "We will take responsibility by making sure that all of you will pass on as humans," Kiho promised in a gentle tone that he rarely used on other people. "Ga Nystrom, please ept our family''s apology."


    Tilly, Kiho, Julian, and Winter then all kneeled down and bowed their heads.


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 272: Atonement

    Chapter 272: Atonement


    "FOOLS," Wixx whispered to himself while watching Tilly and her family kneel in front of the North King and the ice puppets. Since his precious little sister had forbidden him from going outside the house, all he could do was stand by the window and watch their crazy antics from there. "This is the first time that I saw gods kneel in front of humans." He paused, then clicked his tongue. "No, they''re not even humans. They''re mere frozen corpses by now."


    "Lady Nystrom and the ck Serpent have been rejecting their god status ever since time immemorial," Sentinel, who stood beside him, said dryly. "They have pride, but they also know humility unlike you, my lord."


    Of course, his spirit guardian would side with his little sister.


    "Why aren''t youing out when I''m around Tilly?" he asked Sentinel. "Did you wrong my sister or something?"


    "You haven''t gotten back your full power yet, my lord," the spirit guardian said. "I need to stay with you to make sure that you''ll have enough me store in you."


    "I''m the Red Phoenix," he reminded him. "I won''t run out of me, fool."


    "You don''t have your heart and you gave half of your me to Lady Nystrom," Sentinel also reminded him. "And most of all, you also gave your me to"


    "Stop," he warned him when he felt Roarke and Jameson approach them. "Return."


    The spirit spirit guardian bowed to him, then he got engulfed in red me until he disappeared.


    Sentinel returned inside his body right away.


    "My lord, we received an urgent news from Wong and Kelsi," Roarke said as they approached him. "They were trying to contact the Supreme but since I know she''s busy, I received the call in her stead."


    "Good job, son," Wixx said. "What did Wong report?"


    "Wong said that he didn''t get a solid proof, but he believes that Kyro''s real body is in the Royal Pce."


    "Wong''s hunch is almost never wrong so let''s trust him," he said. "Is that all?"


    "My lord, Wong said that Yumi, the White Snake, has found a new host," Jameson said. It was a surprise that he didn''t hear a single curse word from him, but his report seemed to be important so he didn''t interrupt him. "The new host is called Ste. Apparently, she is Lady Luna''s sister in this lifetime."


    "Well, it''s not impossible for Luna to have a sister in this lifetime."


    "Wong said that the new host isn''t an ordinary witch like Lady Luna," Roarke said seriously. "ording to Wong, he and Kelsi believe that Ste is the reincarnation of ine Moonchester the sister that Aku Moonchester killed back when he was King Auro."


    Wixx let out a deep sigh. "Another Moonchester to deal with, huh?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DO YOU think an apology will solve anything?"


    "Of course not," Tilly responded to Ga Nystrom''s question after she and her whole family stood up. "But it''s the first step, isn''t it?"


    Ga Nystrom still looked angry.


    But the North King also looked like he was still shaken from seeing her whole family kneel and bow to him. Even the ice puppets behind him looked shocked that it happened. The loud buzz a while ago suddenly disappeared.


    <em>I understand though. Gods are known to have huge ego. Kiho and I both have "god status." They surely didn''t expect us to kneel in front of them. The kids, too.</em>


    "We also know that our apology won''t bring back what you lost in the past because of our failures," Kiho added. "That''s why we decided to send you off propely. The Moonchesters have taken your humanity away from you. We will bring it back to you before you leave the world."


    "That''s not enough," Ga Nystrom snarled. "I didn''t wait all these years just to pass on! I want to have my revenge against the Red Phoenix."


    Tilly clenched her hands.


    She understood why the North King was very angry at her brother. But even though she understood his pain, she still couldn''t give him what he wanted.


    "That is your feelings and they are valid, Ga Nystrom," Julian said calmly, making all of them turn to him. As expected, even though their oldest child had an appearance of a child, the wisdom in his eyes couldn''t be mistaken for something else. "But how about the members of your n? I know for sure that they wanted to have their revenge against the Red Phoenix. I know because I longed for it as well in the past."


    She felt gutted when she heard that from her son.


    Kiho also looked like he was gutted.


    Of course, it would never be easy to hear that from their oldest. Especially not after they found out what Julian went through in the past.


    <em>Our poor baby</em>


    "But you''re a n leader, Ga Nystrom," Julian continued in a serious voice. "I know that most of them definitely wanted to get their revenge. But do they know that they will be turned into ice puppets? Did you tell them that they will live this long? That they''re going to lose their humanity for the sake of having their revenge?"


    Their oldest started to walk towards the North King that seemed to be frozen from where he stood.


    Tilly and Kiho exchanged looks, then they nodded at each other.


    They stopped Winter from following his brother. When their youngest looked up at them with questioning eyes, they just smiled at him.


    <em>Trust your brother, Winter.</em>


    "As the former head of the Nystrom n, let me ask you a question," Julian said when he stood in front of the North King while looking up at him. "Is it worth it, Ga Nystrom?"


    Ga Nystrom looked devastated by that question.


    <em>It seems like only Julian''s words have sessfully reached him.</em>


    "Let them decide now, Ga Nystrom," Julian said firmly. "Let them choose whether to stay as ice puppets for the revenge they seek, or to finally rest in peace."


    "Do it. I don''t care anymore," Ga Nystrom in a frustrated voice. "I don''t need people that are too tired to move anyway."


    "They have already forgotten what they''re fighting for," Kiho said and in just the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Ga Nystrom. Then, when he was certain that the North King wouldn''t put up a fight, he covered his eyes with his hand. "Let me show you your son''sst moments, Ga Nystrom."


    <em>Ah, Kiho got this.</em>


    A few momentster, a blindfold made of ice appeared in front of each ice puppet. Then, the blindfolds moved on its own to cover the ice puppets''s eyes. Without an order from the North King, the army remained dormant.


    Kiho has started to show them their memories.


    It was her turn to work.


    "Winter, baby, please step back," she said to her son gently. "Mommy doesn''t want to hurt you with my wings."


    She needed to summon her wings to create a powerful spell for hundreds of people.


    When she melted Thaddeus Nystrom''s ice after he genuinely regretted the wrong things that he had done, she didn''t have to use her ck wings. But applying the same curse to a huge number of people would require a lot of her Mana.


    After all, creating curses wasn''t her forte as the Supreme.


    "Mom, I''m here if you need me," Winter said, then he stepped back to give enough room for her wings to open without hitting him. "But please don''t push yourself too hard."


    Tilly smiled and nodded. "Thank you, my little cinnamon roll."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THAT''S my man," Solenn said while watching Julian from her room. She sat on the windowsill where she had a clear view of the Nystroms facing the North King and the ice puppets below. "Julian managed to soothe Ga Nystrom."


    "Julian is the grandfather of the North King in the past," Luna, who stood beside her, said. "I guess Ga Nystrom listened to him because he knows that Julian suffered the same fate as him and the rest of their n."


    "Uh-huh."


    "So, when did Lord Julian be your man?"


    "Just recently," she said, then she turned to the witch. "I don''t want to be a widow so help me, Lady Luna."


    Julian asked for her help regarding the matter about his intent to enter the ne despite being a living human.


    Her initial n to burn Julian with her me and give him a semi-permanent state of death was dangerous. In that way, her man could enter the ne. Well, she could do that easily when she was an adult. But now that she had the body of a child, it would be too risky.


    <em>And I don''t want to put Julian in a dangerous situation.</em>


    So, she asked Lady Luna if she could help her.


    "You''re putting me in a tight spot, Lady Solenn," Lady Luna said bluntly. "A living human entering the ne? You must be crazy."


    "Well, the Rosenbergs aren''t known for being sane."


    "I know," the witch agreed. "Still, we need the permission of Lord Julian''s parents."


    "But Julian doesn''t want his parents to know"


    "And I won''t tolerate that," Lady Luna said, then she gently patted her head. "If you want to marry Lord Julian in the future, don''t make Tilly angry. She can be a "mommy viiness" when ites to protecting her children, you know? You wouldn''t want her as an enemy."


    "This is going to be tough," sheined while shaking her head. "I don''t think the Supreme would allow Julian to"


    She trailed-off when she felt shivers down her spine because of the aura that made its presence known all of a sudden.


    It seemed like Lady Luna also felt that.


    "They''re here," Solenn said seriously. "They nasty siblings have finally arrived."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY''s ck wings disappeared when her feathers ran out.


    Every single ice puppet right now had a ck feather glued to their chest right now. As soon as the ice around their heart melted due to remorse, her spell would take effect. In fact, it was already working.


    Some of the ice puppets were already melting.


    "Mom, I''ve always known this but you''re truly amazing," Winter said with shining eyes. "I want to learn how to create curse, too."


    "Me too, Mother," Julian said shyly. "I want to learn from you."


    She smiled and was about to give her children a response when all of a sudden, they felt a presence that they wouldn''t mistake for someone else.


    All of a sudden, Kiho was standing protectively in front of her and their kids.


    "It''s nice to see you again, Kiho," Aku Moonchester greeted them cheerfully. "You too, Lady Nystrom and the young lords."


    Nia Moonchester, who stood behind the emperor quietly, just looked at them with cold eyes.


    "I''m d you made it safely here," she said. They were enemies but since they made a binding vow that brought them a ceasefire, being civil to them was only good manners. "Winter, Julian, greet our esteemed guests."


    Julian and Winter bowed politely. "Greetings, Your Majesty and Lady Moonchester."


    <em>Ah, right.</em>


    Nia Moonchester, despite gaining some sort of freedom, was still stripped off her title as the royal princess.


    <em>Good job, my precious little cinnamon rolls.</em>


    The sudden hostility in Aku Moonchester''s aura made it clear that he didn''t like how the children greeted his "beloved."


    But the hostile aura disappeared when Kiho released his bloodlust directed at the emperor.


    "Hey, I''m not here to fight with you. At least, not for now," Aku Moonchester said, back in his "carefree" personality. "I brought King Crabs, lobsters, and other seafood that your family seem to love." He smiled at them and if they didn''t know better, they''d think he was being genuine. "Shall we have a feast tonight?"


    Tilly wanted to be sarcastic but the thought of eating her favorite seafood made her stomach growl a little too loudly.


    Everyone (except for the ice puppets) turned to her, making her cheeks flush from embarrassment.


    <em>Gosh, I missed eating seafood so bad!</em>


    "Your offer doesn''t sound so bad, Aku Moonchester," Tilly said while trying to keep a straight face to hide her embarrassment. "The King Crabs are innocent so I will ept your offerings."


    Kiho turned to her, his eyes sparkling with yfulness. Then, he mouthed her the words that she rarely heard from him these days. "Goddess of crabs."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 273: Aku Moonchesters New Game

    Chapter 273: Aku Moonchester''s New Game


    TILLY almostughed when Kiho called her ''goddess of crabs.''


    She remembered that it was the first "gift" that he gave her during their early flirting days. It had been a long time since she heard that "title" from him, and she was d to hear that from him again.


    "It seems like you''re still busy," Aku Moonchester said. "Shall we go ahead? I don''t want my beloved Nia to freeze in the cold."


    "Both of you would make pretty ice sculptures though," Tilly said sarcastically. Before the nasty siblings could react, she turned to Winter and Julian. "Kids, please escort our guests back to our house. Your father and I will just deal with the North King and the ice puppets first."


    Winter and Julian looked concerned by her instruction.


    "Don''t worry, children," Kiho assured them. "Miss Luna and Solenn Rosenberg will join you."


    Their children turned to the direction of the house.


    Both boys were surprised and relieved to see Luna and Solenn waiting by the door. And to be honest, her children had nothing to worry about. After all, they were surrounded by their allies.


    Aku and Nia Moonchester should be the ones getting nervous.


    But the royal twins remained calm. In fact, they even looked confident even though they were surrounded by their enemies. She didn''t want to admit it but it was admirable.


    "It''s not like we''re here to fight," Aku Moonchesterined in a yful voice. He used to talk to Kiho that way. It was annoying to hear that kind of tone from him after everything that he had done to their family. "And children, I am technically your uncle. I don''t mind if you call me ''Uncle Aku.''"


    Winter and Julian turned to each other as if they were talking using their eyes. Then, the two children faced the emperor and talked at the same time. "We respectfully decline, Your Majesty."


    She smiled proudly at her kids.


    The words they said were polite, but their tone was dry and very formal.


    "That''s a shame," Aku Moonchester said, unfazed by the two boys'' rejection. "I would have treated you with car had you allowd me to be an uncle for you."


    "Enough with your lies, Aku Moonchester. No one is buying it here," Kiho said coldly. "My children will escort you and Nia Moonchester inside."


    Aku Moonchester just smiled "sweetly."


    With Tilly''s encouragement, Winter and Julian left them to escort Aku Moonchester to the house. She noticed that Nia Moonchester got left behind on purpose. When the emperor was out of ear-shot, only then did she greet her. "I''m d that you didn''t change your mind, Nia Moonchester."


    "You know why I''m here," Nia Moonchester said, then she walked past her with a whisper. "I''ll be waiting for my "reward," Supreme."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MORE THAN half of the ice puppets have now melted," Kiho said while watching the ice puppets with his wife. "But Ga Nystrom''s ice remains hard."


    "I already kind of expected this from him," Tilly, who stood beside him, said. "His hatred for my brother is too deep. Because of his anger, the bad memories of his life as a human also remain vivid. That''s probably why he doesn''t want to let of his wrath."


    He yfully bumped his wife''s shoulder. "The Rosenbergs really hold grudges."


    "Hey, your blood also flows in his veins," she retorted yfully. "If Ga Nystrom inherited that ugly side of me, then it looks like he inherited your sharp memory. He just can''t forget the past, can he?"


    He just nodded, silently admitting Tilly''s ims. "Tilly?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Ga Nystrom is vulnerable," he said carefully, then he turned to his wife. "If you want, you can melt him with your me now. I don''t think doing so will affect your binding vow with Nia Moonchester. After all, Ga Nystrom is already dead."


    She shook her head. "I want Ga Nystrom to make a choice of whether to live or die this time. He wasn''t given a chance to do so when my brother hunted them down. Plus, he wants to know the truth. Since he refuses to believe my brother''s words, it will be better if show him the truth once we reach the Great Fire Tree."


    "But we can''t trust the Spirit Great Fire Tree," he reminded her carefully. "The memories that the Sun God showed us that the damned old tree took Nia Moonchester''s side back then."


    "Even if that''s the case, the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree wouldn''t be able to change the truth," Tilly said. "And this time, we are with Nia Moonchester. If she asks her "father" to show us the truth that we need, then the Great Fire Tree wouldn''t be able to refuse. But in the instance that he does" Her purple eyes glowed menacingly. "I will burn that damned old tree to ashes."


    Kiho smiled proudly, then he gently pinched Tilly''s cheek. "You''re so cute, honey."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN, with Lady Solenn, ushered Nia Moonchester to her a guest room where she could rest.


    On the other hand, Winter and Lady Luna brought Aku Moonchester to another guest room. Thankfully, the emperor didn''t request to share a room with his twin sister. It looked like he was being considerate to them because they were "kids."


    "May I implore you to bring tea in my room?" Nia Moonchester asked politely as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I''m not good with the cold."


    Julian didn''t mind because first, the royal princess was polite. Second, he didn''t feel any hostilitying from her. And third, it was a harmless request


    "We don''t have tea here, Princess Nia Moonchester," Lady Solenn lied with a straight face. "We only have hot chocte. And if you want to have a cup of it, you should go to the kitchen yourself. Status don''t matter in this house."


    Ah, Lady Solenn could really be a handful sometimes.


    <em>But I like that about her.</em>


    "You''re a new face," Nia Moonchester said. "Who are you?"


    "I''m Solenn Rosenberg," Lady Solenn said proudly, then she linked her arms with his. "And I am Julian''s future potential fiance."


    He almost choked on his saliva out of surprise.


    Then, his cheeks burned from embarrassment.


    <em>I didn''t hate it though.</em>


    "Potential fianc, huh?" Nia Moonchester said with a bitter smile. "It''s disgusting to see two people rted to each other having that kind of rtionship."


    For the first time since Julian met Lady Solenn, he saw her get humiliated.


    And for some reason, he suddenly felt more protective of her than normal.


    "We don''t want to hear that from you," Julian said with a smile, but his tone was mocking. "We all know that after this mission, Aku Moonchester will still force you to marry him. And one more thing" He tilted his head at one side. "I heard Lady Luna has perfected the medicine that will fix your body. I bet the emperor can''t wait to conceive an heir with you, Princess Nia Moonchester."


    Nia Moonchester''s face was suddenly distorted with anger.


    He expected the royal princess to stand up and attack them. But much to his shock, Nia Moonchester suddenly plopped on the bed unconscious.


    "Julian, you''re so amazing," Lady Solenn praised him while pping her hands. "You killed the princess with just words."


    He just smiled at the young princess because he knew that they both knew it wasn''t true.


    Most of all, he was worried when he suddenly felt another presence in the room.


    Then, a ck smoke came out of Nia Moonchester''s mouth. Much to his shock and amazement, the ck smoke eventually took the shape of a woman. And finally, the smoke has turned into the person that he didn''t wish to see anymore.


    "Julian!" Lucina Morganna said gleefully, then she got down on one knee and hugged him tight. "I''ve missed you, son!"


    He let out a frustrated sigh. "I am not your son, Lady Morganna."


    To be honest, he could still sympathize with Lucina Morganna a bit.


    But this time, he was certain with himself that no matter what she said or did, he wouldn''t waver. He would stay with his true family. The thought of protecting Lucina Morganna again at the expense of his family had stopped crossing his mind a long time ago.


    "My mother already warned you before, Lady Morganna," he continued, then he gently pushed her away. "If you continue acting this way, my mother would burn you for real."


    Lucina Morganna looked shocked and hurt by his words. "But you will never allow the Supreme to hurt me, will you?" she asked, then she tapped her chest a little too hard. "I am your mother Julian!"


    "Lady Tilly Prescott-Nystrom is my one and only mother, Lady Morganna," he said firmly. "Always has been, and always will be."


    Lucina Morganna didn''t look happy with his deration. In fact, she looked very angry when she grabbed his shoulders. "You''re being brainwashed, Julian," she said desperately. "Come with me! Let''s run away from here!"


    He was about to put her in ce when somebody else had beaten him to it.


    "You''re not going anywhere with my Julian," Lady Solenn said, then she touched Lucina Morganna''s shoulder.


    The former spirit guardian screamed in pain while the shoulder that Lady Solenn touched was literally smoking. Ah, the young princess probably tried to burn Lucina Morganna. But since she was also a Fire Mage, she somehow protected herself.


    But fortunately, Lucina Morganna already lost her grip around his shoulders.


    "Hey, I only want to worry about one future mother-inw," Lady Solenn said with a "sweet" smile. "Aunt Tilly is already a tough opponent so please get out of my sight, hmm?"


    Lucina Morganna red at Lady Solenn. "And who are you to order me around?!"


    "Don''t shout at Lady Solenn," Julian said. "She''s a special person to me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THIS WILL be your room, Aku Moonchester," Winter told him. Thankfully, only his nephew ushered him inside the guest room. The witch called Luna was guarding outside. "We don''t have tea here. Only hot chocte."


    Aku Moonchesterughed softly at how casual Winter addressed him.


    But honestly? He didn''t mind. After all, despite theirplex rtionship, he really wanted to be nice to Winter and Julian. They were Kiho''s children, and he still saw Kiho as his brother even until now.


    "I haven''t had hot chocte for a long while now," Aku Moonchester said, then he sat on the edge of the bed. "Oh, the mattress is quite ufortable. But I think I can get used to this."


    "Don''t get used to it," his nephew said. "Anyway, I''ll go ahead. If you''re hungry or thirsty, just go to the kitchen yourself. Status don''t matter in this house."


    "I understand," he said. "Thank you for bringing me to my room."


    Winter just raised a brow at him, then he excused himself.


    <em>He got Lady Nystrom''s sass.</em>


    When he was finally alone in his room, heid on the bed and stared at the ceiling.


    Of course, he wouldn''t leave the Royal Pce and travel all way to the North just for nothing. After sending off Niater, he had a mission that he needed to fulfill.


    <em>That little girl called Solenn Rosenberg is a new face.</em>


    He also felt the presence of the Keepers as soon as he stepped in the house a while ago. It had been a long time since hest saw one. After all, they disappeared from the map as soon as the Supreme died in the past.


    But all of a sudden, they appeared from out of nowhere.


    <em>That can only mean that all this time, they have been hiding somewhere, just like what I''ve known for a long time now.</em>


    But the question was where.


    "I searched all over thend to look for Lady Nystrom and the Fire Mages the past few years. If they weren''t on any part of the continent" Aku whispered to himself, then he smiled when he remembered his hunch. He pointed a finger at the ceiling while imagining a clear sky above him. "Would it be possible for them to hide up there?"


    He needed to confirm if his hunch was correct as soon as possible.


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 274: Complicated Sibling Relationships

    Chapter 274: Complicated Sibling Rtionships


    <em><strong>[A few days ago]</strong></em>


    "HMM" Aku wondered to himself while looking at the map of the continentid neatly on the long table. He was in his private library because something bothered him again. "They keep showing up but ording to the people that I stationed in every part of the continent, they didn''t feel or notice anything strange. The only people who reported that a new presence entered the territory were the ones stationed here in the Royal Capital."


    Even though Elis Ripperton was silently having tea in front of him, the Blue Dragon simply ignored him.


    "Hey, I''m actually asking for your opinion," heined to the Beast God. "You''ve known the Red Phoenix since a long time ago. Don''t you have any idea as to where the Fire Mages could have been hiding all this time?"


    "The Rosenbergs and the Fire Mages have always been elusive since time immemorial," Elis Ripperton said, then he put his teacup down on the table. "Tilly is the only Rosenberg and Fire Mage that I care about so I never bothered to search where her n hid."


    "You should have bothered."


    "I know I wouldn''t be able to meet her anyway after the Sky God put the Beast Gods to sleep," he said. "And I know for a fact that Soleil wouldn''t be reborn in the Fire Mage n anyway, so what''s the use of finding their hide-out?"


    "How do you know that Lady Nystrom wouldn''t get reborn in the Fire Mage n?"


    "Because she was punished by the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree," the Blue Dragon said. "Anyway, why are you suddenly interested in their hide-out?"


    "At first, I honestly believed that the Fire Mages were wiped out when Soleil Rosenberg died," he said. "I know that a few of them got reincarnated and Nia got rid of them behind my back. I didn''t mind because the only Fire Mage I needed is the Supreme. My n was to let Nia find her, then take the Supreme away and kill her before my beloved rips her heart out. I was hoping to take advantage of the fact that the Supreme hasn''t retrieved her memories yet. But things gotplicated." He let out a deep sigh while shaking his head. "The fact that House Denver is a family of Fire Mages was already a huge shock to me. Then, Lady Nystrom''s Keepers and other allies kept appearing one by one. I understand how the Denvers were able to keep their identities hidden for so long. But I don''t understand how the Fire Mages and the Keepers were able to hide from me all this time."


    "Where did you find Winchell''s body?"


    "They''re not there," he said. "At least, not during your spirit guardian''sst report. Speaking of which, it seems like they have locked up your spirit guardian. Aren''t you worried?"


    "Drake is still alive, I can feel it," the Beast God said casually. "I''ll tell him to escape once I need him."


    "Aren''t you being a little toocent, Lord Ripperton?" heined. "Don''t you feel frustrated that Lady Nystrom is still with Kiho?"


    "I''ve waited for Tilly for centuries," Elis Ripperton said. "Waiting for a few more weeks or months isn''t that hard."


    He raised a brow at that.


    To be honest, he knew that Elis Ripperton was moving behind his back. But he already expected that. As long as the Blue Dragon was still useful to him, he would turn a blind eye to whatever he was scheming with the Moon God.


    "What?" Elis Rippertonined when he caught him looking at him. "Are you that desperate to find the Fire Mages even though Tilly is already right in front of you? You just need to rip Winchell''s heart out of her and crush it to make sure that your bond with Nia Moonchester will never get broken."


    That was true.


    The only thing that could burn his bond with Nia Moonchester was the me of the Red Phoenix.


    He knew that Nia Moonchester could always make a deal with Lady Nystrom or Wixx himself. If that happened, she would get her freedom and he might never find her again in their next lifetime. That was why he was still determined to crush Wixx''s heart inside Lady Nystrom.


    After all, once Wixx''s heart was crushed, he would lose his me.


    "I know that I should focus on Lord Wixx but I feel bothered that more Fire Mages are appearing one by one," he said. "It''s as if the heavens drop them" He trailed-off when he realized something. "Oh."


    "What?"


    "Lord Ripperton, do you remember what the Red Phoenix''s other nickname was?"


    "Sky Beast," the Blue Dragon said. "He got that name because that idiot kept flying around while burning down anything and everything that annoyed him back then."


    Heughed softly because he also remembered those days. "Yes, that''s true. I also remember that Soleil Rosenberg used to fly with her brother."


    "Does it have anything to do with the hide-out that you''re searching for desperately?"


    "Of course," he said, then he looked up at the map in front of him. "If I can''t find them in the continent, then maybe they''re hiding up in the sky. Since Lord Wixx and Lady Nystrom both rule the sky, it wouldn''t be impossible if they somehow created a little kingdom up there."


    "Interesting," Elis Ripperton said. "Since Tilly and Winchell are both powerful and crazy, it''s something that they might have actually done. But how will you prove if your theory is correct?"


    "I think it''s time for me to move," Aku said with a smile. "I''m going to the North and spend a few days with my "family.""


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU opened his eyes after he had a vague dream about hisst conversation with Elis Ripperton before he left the Royal Capital.


    <em>Where am I again?</em>


    He got up and realized that he was in an unfamiliar ce. Then, he remembered that he went to the North to "hang out" with his brother and his family. Unfortunately, the hosts of the house decided to give him a separate room from Nia.


    Their visit was unexpected so he had the feeling that the one who decided to separate him from his beloved was the witch called Luna. If he wasn''t mistaken, she was rted to Ste.


    <em>Does Miss Luna know that her sister is alive?</em>


    He once had tea with Ste when he lured her to his pce for Kyro and Yumi. When he asked her to properly introduce herself to him, she told him that she was a witch from the Colorless Coven, and that she had an estranged sister.


    If Luna was the one who created the medicine to fix Nia''s body, then it''s possible that Ste was the one who made the infertility medicine.


    <em>Damned sisters.</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he felt Lucina Morganna''s aura.


    That sted woman came out without Nia''s permission again.


    He stood up and went out of his room. That was when he realized he was being watched. He couldn''t see his "guards," but he could feel them following his every step closely.


    <em>Cute.</em>


    He arrived at Nia''s designated room, and found the witch with pink eyes guarding by the door. She was leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest.


    "You don''t look alike, but I can see the resemnce," Aku told the witch with a smile. "Although I have to say that youck the finesse that Miss Ste possess, Miss Luna."


    "Do you think I care about your opinion?" Luna asked with a raised brow. "And if your n is to surprise me, I''m sorry but you failed. I already know that Ste is alive. I''m also aware that she''s the new candidate to be your empress." She let out an exaggerated gasp, then she sped her hands together. "Ah, should I practice calling you "brother-inw" now, Your Majesty?"


    Of course, that got him riled up.


    <em>She''s really Lady Nystrom''s friend.</em>


    And since the witch was as sassy as the duchess, he knew how to deal with her with words.


    "I''ll never make your sister an empress. That spot only belongs to Nia," he said with a smile. "Especially since her infertility will be cured vert soon. She''d be capable of giving me an heir, so technically don''t need Miss Ste. But" He stepped closer to her, then he leaned down to reach her eye level. "Miss Ste seems to smitten by me. Since Nia will be gone for long, I don''t mind being apanied by your sister. I like timiddies like her. And most of all" He leaned down to her ear. "Your sister''s body looks great. She''d be a good recement for Nia. I have a feeling that Miss Ste can satisfy my needs as a man." He stood straight and looked down at Luna. He enjoyed the look of anger on the witch''s face. "I''m looking forward to thoroughly enjoy your sister''s body until she gives birth to a baby that I don''t need."


    "I''ll kill you," the witch snarled, then she grabbed him by neck. "If you use my sister that way"


    "Your sister wants me," he said confidently, then he grabbed her arm. "Although I''m not interested to have a child with another woman, I''m interested to know what kind of child will a Moonchester like me and a witch like Miss Ste will produce."


    "Don''t talk as if a child is only an experiment to you," she warned him. "And quit speaking nonsense. I know that you wouldn''t want a child with another woman because once it happens, people will realize that there are ways for a Moonchester male to have a child will a woman outside the royal family. It will decrease the value of female Moonchesters if that happens."


    "I know that," he said bluntly. "But who said I''d keep the baby alive for long? I can discard it once I''m done examining it, can''t I?"


    "You monster," she hissed, then she seriously tried to strangle him as if she hadpletely forgotten about Nia and Lady Nystrom''s binding vow.


    <em>She''s a lunatic.</em>


    "Luna, stop."


    Aku was surprised when he found Wixx standing in front of him while holding Luna''s arm. Thanks to the Red Phoenix, the witch had finally let go of his neck. I didn''t even hear or feel Lord Wixx approach us


    "Hey, Aku Moonchester," Wixx said. Then, much to his surprise, he suddenly gave him a hard p using the back of his hand. "Don''t bother Luna."


    He tasted his blood and his cheek stings from Wixx''s p. If he didn''t have a Divine Protection, the p would have broken his face already. It was that strong. "Did you really have to hit me, Lord Wixx?"


    "If it wasn''t for Tilly''s binding vow with your sister, I would have killed you, Aku Moonchester," the Red Phoenix warned him seriously. "But the binding vow won''t take effect even if I break all your bones so be careful."


    He suddenly missed the bracelet that could make the Beast Gods kneel in onemand.


    "I understand," he said while wiping the blood off his face using his handkerchief. There was no point in fighting since he didn''te there for that. "Now, can I visit Nia in peace?"


    "Don''t you dare touch the kids, Aku Moonchester," Wixx warned him, then he carefully wrapped his arm around Luna''s head to cover her eyes with his hand. "One funny movement and the Keepers will burn you alive."


    Aku smiled "sweetly" even though his cheek still hurt from the p. "I''ll keep that in mind, Lord Wixx."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LORD DENVER, is it alright to leave Miss Luna with Lord Red Phoenix?"


    Mikhail Denver turned to ke. "Miss Luna is safe with Lord Wixx."


    Right now, he and ke were in-charge of keeping an eye on the royal siblings.


    They saw it when Miss Luna and Aku Moonchester almost got into a serious and deadly fight. He was about to jump in the scene to stop and protect Miss Luna, but Lord Wixx suddenly came out of nowhere.


    And now that the incident had been solved, he and ke were on their way to check on the Golden Tiger. Lord Ainsworth''s weakness was the cold. Every time he would fall asleep, he would really fall into a long slumber. They had to wake him up each time it would happen.


    ke tapped him on the shoulder. "Lord Denver, humans have a way to fight against gods too so please don''t lose hope."


    Mikhail''s face turned red, then he yfully hit ke''s shoulder. "Shut up, ke."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU okay, Luna?"


    "No, I''m not okay," Luna said while looking at the mug of hot chocte in his hands. Wixx brought her to the kitchen to help her calm down. She appreciated his gesture, but she still couldn''t keep her cool. "I thought Ste is safe in the Royal Pce because Aku Moonchester isn''t interested in her. But after what I heard from that bastard"


    "Aku Moonchester is just riling you up, Luna," Wixx, who sat on the chair from across her, said calmly. "He''s not interested in anyone but Nia Moonchester."


    "I''m not worried about that," she said. "I''m worried that Ste might force herself on Aku Moonchester. The emperor wasn''t lying when he said my sister is smitten by him. That has been the case ever since we met the royal siblings. She even made a medicine that could make the royal princess infertile"


    "Why do you think your sister is obsessed with the Moonchesters?"


    "I don''t know," she said. "Ever since Lahara brought us to the Royal Capital in the past, she has been attached to the royal twins for some reason."


    "What do you n to do now?"


    "I want to save Ste," she said firmly. "I don''t care if I have to drag her out of the Royal Pce."


    She noticed that Wixx suddenly went silent while looking all serious.


    Honestly? That made her nervous. She didn''t want to say this but Wixx was really very handsome. And that made her suddenly feel conscious.


    <em>His gaze is so intense that I feel like melting</em>


    "Luna."


    Luna, even if she didn''t want to, gulped. "Y-Yes?"


    Wixx smiledzily that somehow looked sexy. No, she didn''t say that in her head, okay? "Shall we go to my room?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY braced herself when Ga Nystrom finally moved.


    It broke her heart when the North King melted the ice blindfold that Kiho made. That meant her curse didn''t work because Ga Nystrom refused to let go of his anger.


    He was the only one left standing as their other descendants already melted.


    "I will not forgive the Red Phoenix even if I die again," Ga Nystrom said in a voice filled with anger. Then, he bowed to them which was a big surprise. "The next time we meet, I will be your full-fledged enemy."


    After saying that, the North King began to "melt," not waiting for either her or Kiho to speak.


    <em>It''s probably some kind of a transportation spell.</em>


    Kiho turned to her with a worried look on his face. "Should we go after him?"


    "Let him be," Tilly said. "We already expected this to happen."


    "Then, shall we go inside?" he asked. "I''m worried about the children since Nia and Aku Moonchester are there."


    She nodded, then she let out a deep sigh. "I want to rest but it seems like we can''t." Since he was feeling clingy and no one was watching them anyway, she hugged Kiho by the waist tight. "Spoil me, Kiho."


    Heughed softly, then he kissed her on the forehead. "I like it when you''re acting like a spoiled baby," he said, then he wrapped his arms around her body. "I''ll give you whatever you want, honey."


    "I want a baby."


    "Hmm?"


    She looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. "I''ve been thinking for a while that I want to have a daughter. Not now, of course. But I really want a mini me."


    He blinked in surprise, then his cheeks turned red as he smiled shyly. "I''d love to have a daughter with you, Tilly."


    "Then, promise me that it will be our priority after this."


    "I promise," he said. "I''m sure Julian and Winter will also be delighted to have a sister."


    She smiled but then, she noticed that her husband suddenly got serious. "What''s wrong, Kiho?"


    "I just remembered my sister that Auro Moonchester killed in the past," Kiho said in a sad voice. "I never really had the chance to meet her, but I still feel bad that I failed to protect my younger sister."


    "It''s not your fault, hon," Tillyforted her husband. "If we are given the chance to meet her this time or in the next life time, let''s make it up to her."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELAINE stared at the emperor''s golden throne.


    Since Aku Moonchester left the Royal Capital, Elis Ripperton had been the one in-charge of the Royal Pce. Thus, she was free to roam around. It was also a good thing that Kyro was sleeping in the shrine. She could control Yumi as long as the Moon God was asleep.


    So she needed to make good use of the time that she was herself.


    The whole Royal Pce used to be the ck Serpent''sir in the past. I need to find it before Brother Aku does. The throne is the clue that I need to decipher.


    "Do you want this throne?" Elis Ripperton, who suddenly appeared on the armrest of the throne, asked. "Is that the revenge that you want against Aku Moonchester?"


    ine shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. I just want to steal everything that Brother Aku want. And I want to steal it just when he thought he already got it."


    "Are you also mad at the ck Serpent?"


    "Huh?"


    "Your n to get back at Aku Moonchester would hurt your other brother''s n," Elis Ripperton said. "I was wondering if you hate him for not being able to help you in the past."


    "I don''t care about that, but I hate everything and everyone that Brother Aku loves," ine said with a bitter smile on her face. "Of course, that includes Kiho Nystrom the only sibling that he epts whether now or then."


    <strong><em>***</em></strong>


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 Chapter 275: Noblesse Oblige

    Chapter 275: Noblesse Oblige


    "KIHO, those snowdrops are beautiful."


    Kiho nodded. He was happy and proud that Tilly noticed the little ice snowdrop flowers that "bloomed" when the ice puppets melted because of his wife''s me. "We didn''t have the chance to say goodbye to them. I thought giving them your favorite flower would be a good way to send them off, and to pay them ourst respects," he exined, then he turned to her. "Tilly, you whispered a prayer before you sent your feathers to each one of them, didn''t you?"


    Tilly turned to him with a surprised look on her face. "Oh, you noticed?"


    "Yes," he said. "What did you pray for?"


    "For each one of them to be reincarnated in a world where they can live in peace," she said. "I want them to be happy in their next life."


    He smiled and gently ruffled her hair. "Good girl."


    She groaned yfully. "Don''t smile at me like that, Kiho."


    He bit his lower lip, then he got serious. "Okay."


    Sheughed softly.


    <em>He could really be so nave sometimes.</em>


    But damn, even if Kiho wasn''t smiling, he was still so hot.


    She was very aware that it wasn''t the right time to lust after her husband. But she couldn''t help it, okay? She just missed having intimate moments with Kiho.


    <em>Yes, I''m horny.</em>


    "I think I understand now why you don''t want me to smile," Kiho said gently, then he touched her face and ran his thumb over her lower lip. "When you look at me like that, I feel my body burn for you, Tilly."


    She nodded in agreement.


    But instead of verbally responding to him, she just opened her mouth a little and licked the tip of his thumb.


    <em>We shouldn''t be doing this but</em>


    Kiho gently pushed his thumb inside her mouth a little bit more.


    This time, she sucked his thumb. She could clearly see that her husband was starting to get turned on. Ah, if he only knew how sucking his finger was making her feel. She wouldn''t lie she wished she was sucking something else.


    <em>I want to kneel and just suck him off.</em>


    Kiho''s face turned red, and his breath started to be shallow.


    She knew that looked very well. It meant that the "beast" in him was awakening. To be honest, she was amazed by her husband''s disy of self-control at the moment. She was pretty sure that if they were in an isted ce, he would have already picked her up, (gently) threw her on any t surface, ripped her clothes off, and devoured her the way she wanted him to.


    <em>If we keep this up, we might have baby #3 soon.</em>


    But they had to hold back since it wasn''t safe for her to be pregnant for now.


    Regretfully, she had to grab his wrist and pull his hand away from her face.


    <em>I already miss his finger in my mouth.</em>


    "Thank you for the snack, hon," she said while licking her lips. "It was delicious."


    "Tilly," Kiho groaned lowly, then he hugged her tight and buried his face against her neck. "Tilly"


    Something hard was poking her hip.


    <em>Someone is horny, huh?</em><em></em>


    "I want to do more," Kiho whispered in a hoarse, desperate voice. He hugged her tighter and as he did, he also slightly grind his erection against her hip. It felt so good. "I''m dying to be inside you again."


    She blushed because his words were a little vulgar.


    Kiho rarely talked dirty to her but everytime he did, she would be reduced to a puddle of mess. Gosh, she needed to be strong because if she gave in now, they wouldn''t be able to stop.


    Tilly gently patted Kiho''s back. "Take a cold shower first, hon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I DON''T care if youe out of Nia Moonchester''s body. It''s your choice to do so," Julian said to Lucina Morganna. "But don''t get near me again. I don''t want my mother to get upset."


    "But I''ve been good to you," Lucina Morganna said desperately. "Are you going to throw me away just because you''re real family has finally epted you?"


    He wouldn''t lie he still pitied Lucina Morganna.


    But like he promised himself before, that would never be a reason to betray his family. He was now a son and an older brother to good people.


    "Julian, don''t do this to me," Lucina Morganna begged, then she hugged him and suddenly carried her in her arms. "Let''s run away."


    "Hey!" Lady Solenn yelled. "Put my man down!"


    He heard her im (and didn''t hate it) but he chose to notment and focus on his would-be kidnapper instead.


    <em>I''m sorry, Lady Solenn.</em>


    When Lucina Morganna tried to run, he made his body burn until it was too hot even for a Fire Mage to handle. As expected, the woman was forced to drop him.


    Hended on his feet and immediately went into a defense position because he noticed that Lucina Morganna''s Mana started to increase. The look on her face also told him that she would use force this time. She even summoned the ck me in her hands.


    "Stop making troubles for Nia."


    To say that he was surprised when Aku Moonchester suddenly appeared behind Lucina Morganna would be an understatement.


    <em>We didn''t feel his presence until he spoke.</em>


    Before anyone of them could react, his "stepmother" already disappeared in a thick ck smoke when the emperor touched the top of her head.


    "Did shee out again?" Nia Moonchester, who just woke up, asked when she got up. It seemed like the princess was having a headache because she was clutching at her head pretty tight. "That wench"


    "I punished her for you," Aku Moonchester said, then he sat beside the royal princess. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Then, he pulled her closer to him and gently made hery her head against his chest. "Does your head hurt?"


    It was a disgusting sight.


    First, Aku and Nia Moonchesters were twins. Second, he couldn''t stomach the fact that the emperor could only be geuninely concern about one person.


    "Children, will you kindly give us some privacy?" Aku Moonchester asked with a smile. "See you at the family dinnerter."


    Julian nodded politely. "Excuse us."


    Lady Solenn, who didn''t have any intention to show good manners to the enemies, just grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room.


    He just followed the young princess quietly.


    "This is weird, isn''t it?" Lady Solenn asked with a scowl while they were walking in the hallway. "Our main enemies are here but we can''t touch them."


    "It can''t be helped since it''s not our priority to kill them," he exined. "If we kill them now, the name of the Fire Mages will never be cleared and we''ll make enemies out of the empire''s citizens. Mother and Father want to expose the crimes of the Moonchesters, clear our n''s name, and remove the Moonchesters from their position. It is all to avoid a war that may involve innocent people."


    "Noblesse oblige, isn''t it?" she asked in frustration. "The noblesse oblige says we should protect the weak and regte the strong." She turned to him with a scowl. "This is why I don''t want to be a decent person. I just want to punch anyone and anything that annoys me in the face."


    "You can''t do that," he gently scolded her. "You''re a princess, Lady Solenn. You have the obligation to lead the people with kindness."


    "I''ve done that countless times already," sheined. "In this lifetime, I just want to be azy princess. Or a pretty wife of a rich, handsome, and kind man." She stopped walking and faced him without letting go of his hand. "Take care of me, okay?"


    He could onlyugh awkwardly at her straightforwardness.


    "Hey, stop making my brother feel ufortable."


    He turned to see his younger brother walking towards him. For some reason, he felt relieved to see Winter.


    "I''m not making Julian ufortable," Lady Solenn said, then he turned to him with puppy dog eyes. "Am I?"


    "No, of course not," he denied. "I just don''t know how to react since this is the first time ady paid this much attention to me."


    The young princess looked surprised by that.


    It was true that he was married in the past. But he and his wife in his previous life just married each other out of obligation. It was a loveless marriage.


    "Just ignore her, Brother," Winter said, then he lightly hit Lady Solenn''s hand to make her lose her grip on his hand. "How long are you going to hold my brother''s hand, Solenn?"


    "Tsk," Lady Solennined. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with Miss Luna."


    "I was," Winter said. "But Miss Luna insisted to guard Nia Moonchester''s room. I was worried so I went to check on her. But then, I saw Aku Moonchester and Uncle Wixx have a little fight."


    "Fight?" he and Lady Solenn asked at the same time.


    "Uncle Wixx won because he was able to hit Aku Moonchester once," Winter said. "I left after that and went to my room. When I got bored, I went out to go and grab some hot chocte. And that was when I saw it." He looked around to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping on them. Then, he pulled them closer to him before he whispered. "I saw Uncle Wixx bring Miss Luna to his room."


    Lady Solenn let out a soft gasp. "Scandalous."


    Julian couldn''t help butugh softly at Lady Solenn''s reaction. <em>Cute.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "NIA, are you feeling better now?"


    "I need tea," Nia said, then she let out a sigh. The room had a"But our hosts are adamant about making us make our own drinks."


    Akuughed softly. It was obvious that her brother didn''t mind being treated this way by their hosts. After all, despite everything, he was still fond of Kiho. "I''ll go and make some tea for you. I used to make tea for Kiho in the past so rest assured, the tea I make will suit your taste."


    She shook her head. "No, you don''t have to do that. I can wait until dinner. They will serve us tea after then, won''t they?"


    "I think they''re not that rude not to serve us tea after dinner."


    She just nodded, then she looked at her brother who didn''t seem to be leaving her room anytime soon. "Do you need something from me, Aku?"


    "Yes," he said bluntly. "You brought your collection with you, didn''t you?"


    "Why are you asking me about my collection?" she asked defensively. "Aku, you promised me before that you won''t touch them."


    "I''m just going to borrow one of them, Nia."


    She wanted to say ''no'' but when her brother''s red eyes glowed, she bit her lower lip.


    <em>Damn, Aku haspletely recovered by now.</em>


    Aku had been weak for the past years because he gave more than half of his Mana to Yumi when the White Snake created the poison that made the Supreme and the ck Serpent forget their memories. It took him this long to recover his lost Mana.


    But now, her brother wouldn''t be easily touched by Duke and Duchess Nystrom now.


    <em>Though I believe that Aku is acting weak around the enemies to catch them off-guard.</em>


    "Nia, I need your winged-guardian," he said seriously. "Let me borrow that one."


    She was confused.


    The winged-guardian in her collection was the weakest one. The only good quality that it had for her to keep it in her collection was its ability to fly.


    <em>To fly?</em>


    Well, her brother did specify that he needed her winged-guardian.


    "That''s fine with me," Nia said. She was willing to give up that one since she wouldn''t need it. Not for now. "But Aku, what do you need it for? You have Elis Ripperton. He''s the Blue Dragon and he can fly better than my winged-guardian."


    "I need Elis Ripperton to stay in the Royal Capital for now."


    Ah, so he didn''t have any intention to tell her about his n.


    It seemed like Aku was being careful around her. Bute to think of it, both of them had never truly been "allies." He nned things behind her back, and she schemed things when he wasn''t looking. After all, even if they were supposed to be partners, they still had the same goal for different reasons.


    Well, that was the case in the past.


    <em>I don''t need to crush the heart anymore since I already made a deal with Lady Nystrom.</em>


    "Alright, I understand," Nia said. If she probed more questions, Aku might suspect her. She must not let him know that she made another binding vow with Lady Nystrom. "Let me know when you need it."


    "I will," Aku said, then he kissed her on the forehead. "Thank you for lending me your winged-guardian, my love."


    Eww.


    <strong>***</strong>


    ROARKE smiled gently when he saw Lady Solenn, Lord Julian, and Lord Wintere out of the kitchen. Each of them was holding a mug of hot chocte. For some reason, he saw the children as cute little ducks.


    Ah, scratch that.


    It actually looked like Lord Julian was a mother duck while Lady Solenn and Lord Winter were ducklings following their mother.


    "Good work today, Roarke," Lord Julian greeted him as he walked past him.


    "Good work," Lord Winter added. "And congrattions."


    "Huh?"


    "Congrattions for having a new sibling, Roarke," Lady Solenn added cheerfully. "I hope it''s a girl!"


    He heard Lord Julian scold Lady Solenn and Lord Winter as the three children walked up the stairs.


    But he was already frozen on his spot.


    Roarke gulped hard. "Is Lady Luna p-pregnant with Lord Wixx''s child?"


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a crashing noise.


    When he turned around, he saw a pale Lord Denver who obviously heard what he just said. He also noticed the broken pieces of a mug on the floor. It seemed like Lord Denver dropped the mug in shock.


    "Roarke, did I hear it right?" Lord Denver asked, then he gulped. "M-Miss Luna is p-pregnant?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 276: Blood is Thicker Than Water

    Chapter 276: Blood is Thicker Than Water


    TILLY DIDN''T know if she wouldugh or be concerned while looking at Roarke and Lord Denver who both looked so gloomy.


    The two men were sitting side-by-side on the front porch looking gloomy.


    <em>And I know why.</em>


    "I heard strange rumors a while ago," Tilly said, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "So, do you believe that Luna is pregnant right now?"


    "Of course not, mydy," Roarke and Lord Denver said at the same time.


    Okay, that was confusing.


    "If that''s the case, then why do you look like it''s the end of the earth?"


    "It''s the possibility, Lady Nystrom," Lord Denver said with seriously concerned look on his face. "I heard that Miss Luna and Lord Wixx were lovers in the past. Now that the Red Phoenix is back, the possibility of them getting back together is scaring the hell out of me. I mean, I know that I only have a very slim chance with Miss Luna. But now, that chance is reduced to zero. For me, the rumor is like a rude wake-up call."


    Okay, that made her feel bad for Lord Denver.


    "On the other hand, I feel like my position as Lady Luna and Lord Wixx''s son is threatened," Roarke said in a scared voice. "And I don''t know how to be a big brother."


    "That''s not true," she said, then she gently patted Roarke''s head. "You raised Jameson all your life, Roarke."


    Roarke''s eyes sparkled. "Oh."


    She just smiled, the she turned to Lord Denver. "And don''t give up, Lord Denver. As far as I know, Luna and my brother haven''t gotten back together."


    Lord Denver''s face lit up. "Oh."


    Tillyughed softly at the two''s reaction. "So, who started this ridiculous rumor?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I KNEW it was the three of you," Tilly said while looking down at Julian, Winter, and Solenn who were standing in front of her with their heads hanged low. Roarke and Lord Denver didn''t snitch. But she already had a feeling that the kids were behind the rumors. So, after talking to the men, she went to the tea room where the three children were having a "hot chocte" party. "What made you think that Luna is pregnant with my brother''s child?"


    Of course, she didn''t believe it.


    The kids exined a while ago that they saw Luna enter Wixx''s room. She didn''t think that the two would go to her brother''s room to have an intimate moment. In fact, she had a feeling that Wixx told Luna something very important.


    <em>Brother probably doesn''t want anyone to hear what he wants to tell Luna.</em>


    "I apologize, Mother," Julian said in a voice filled with regrets. "I''ll take responsibility."


    Winter and Solenn looked shocked by that.


    "And why would you take responsibility?"


    "Because I''m the oldest," Julian said. "I''m sorry that this happened, Mother."


    "Mom, please don''t punish Brother," Winter said while giving her puppy dog eyes that she could never refuse. "We were just messing around."


    "We were just teasing Roarke and Lord Denver," Solenn said. "We didn''t know that the rumor would spread like wildfire."


    Apparently, some knights heard the kids congratte Roarke for having a "sibling."


    And thus, the rumor began to spread.


    "I''m not angry," she said to console the kids. "I''m d that you acknowledge your mistakes. But I want you to clear the misunderstanding. Then, apologize to everyone especially to Luna and my brother."


    "Yes, Mom."


    "Yes, Mother.


    "We understand, Aunt Tilly."


    She was surprised that Solenn called her intimately because she rarely heard that from her. Of course, she didn''t mind.


    "And I have a job for the three of you," she said, then she squatted down and told them toe closer. She faced Solenn first. "Princess Solenn, after you apologize to Luna, tell her to join us in the bathter. I will also bring Nia Moonchester to the hot spring."


    Since it was always winter in the North, Lord Denver and the Fire Mages created several hot spring bathhouse. The biggest one was created for Ainsworth and Lord Forrester''s use.


    <em>And that''s where Kiho went to take a bath.</em>


    The other two bathhouse were rtively smaller than the grand one. One was for thedies, and one was for the gentlemen. Each bathhouse had two hot spring. Well, actually, it just looked like an inner pool with hot water but the hot water was nice anyway.


    "I want you to tell Luna to create a discreet barrier that not even Aku Moonchester will notice," she said to the young princess. "I want to talk to Nia Moonchester in private."


    Solenn nodded firmly. "I understand, Aunt Tilly."


    "Thank you, Solenn," she said, then she faced her sons. "Julian, Winter, I want you to go to the bathhouse beside the grand bathhouse. I will send Aku Moonchester to the grand bathhouse since your father is already there." She contemted whether to send her children to the grand bathhouse or not. In the end, she decided not to because she was afraid that Aku Moonchester wouldn''t let his guard down around her boys. "I want you to mess around in the bathhouse with your Mana as much as you need to. The more you use your Mana near Aku Moonchester, the more you will mess with his own Mana. If that happens, he wouldn''t be able to use his sharp senses to eavesdrop on me and Nia Moonchester."


    Winter saluted at her. "Roger, Mom."


    Sheughed softly. Winter really learned a lot from the way she talked because of the memories of her second life.


    "We will help you as much as we can, Mother," Julian, her ever polite son, assured her. "We will not disappoint you."


    Tilly smiled and hugged her boys. "Thank you, my little cinnamon rolls."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KIHO scowled as soon as Aku Moonchester, d in a white bathrobe, entered the bathhouse where he was enjoying the "hot spring."


    As expected, the emperor entered the room as if he owned it. And he looked majestic doing so. If they weren''t enemies, he wouldughed at how innocent Aku Moonchester looked while looking around.


    "It''s my first time in a humble bathroom like this," Aku Moonchester said, then he turned to him. "Lady Nystrom sent me here. I asked her if I could take a bath with Nia but she refused."


    "Of course she would," Kiho, dip in the "hot water," said. Like the emperor, he was also d in a white bathrobe. He would only go naked in a bath with Tilly. "We have children living with us in this vige. Even I was kicked out of our room."


    Well, it was his punishment for hurting Tilly a while ago. But Aku Moonchester didn''t need to know that.


    "Lady Nystrom can be so strict sometimes," the emperor said, then he sat on the edge of the giant tub that almost felt like a pool. Then, he dipped his feet in the "hot water" and scowled. "I was told that the "hot water" here is great. Why is it cold, Kiho?"


    He just shrugged.


    But yes, he made the water cold because he needed a "cold shower" a while ago.


    "It''s really no use raising a younger brother," Aku Moonchester said while shaking his head. "Kiho, you''re hurting my feelings."


    He just rolled his eyes at the emperor, then he paused.


    <em>Winter and Julian?</em>


    He felt the little brats'' Mana. It looked like they were in the other bathhouse. And it also seemed like they were ying because their Mana was all over the ce. It was hard to ignore because the boys'' Mana were messing with his.


    "So, is there a reason why Lady Nystrom sent me here?"


    "Nothing in particr," he said bluntly. "My wife just doesn''t want you to show the kids what kind of rtionship you have with your twin sister."


    "Of course," the emperor said, obviously not believing his words. "You know that you can''t lie to me, don''t you?"


    Well, that was true.


    "Lucina Morganna has nothing to do with you, Aku Moonchester."


    It was half-truth anyway.


    Thankfully, this time, it seemed like Aku Moonchester believed him. It didn''t look like he bought itpletely. But at least, he looked less doubtful now.


    "Ah, so it''s about Lucina Morganna," Aku Moonchester said while nodding his head. "That wench already served her purpose so I don''t really mind if Lady Nystrom gets rid of her now. In fact, I''d thank your wife if she does. Lucina Morganna is starting to be a bother to Nia after all."


    He didn''tment because he really didn''t like talking about Lucina Morganna.


    To be honest, he was relieved to know that before the reset, he didn''t marry Lucina Morganna for love. He wouldn''t be able to forgive himself if he "loved" her while he let Tilly die a gruesome death.


    "Don''t you feel nostalgic, Kiho?" the emperor asked him with a smile on his face. "When I first met you, back when you still didn''t know that I was a prince, we used to bathe in the river. Don''t you remember those peaceful days?"


    "Those are memories that I want to forget already," he said. "Tell me, Aku Moonchester. You killed Master Nystrom back then, didn''t you?"


    Heughed softly. "Did you just realize it now?"


    His anger made the (cold) water freeze, trapping Aku Moonchester''s feet in it. But despite what happened, the emperor remained calm. Well, he was aware that they couldn''t kill each other for now because of the binding vow.


    "That ''Master Nystrom'' of yours tried to unseal your memories when he recognized me," Aku Moonchester said. "I had to kill him. I''m sorry about that, Kiho."


    He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.


    When he was able to get a hold of his emotions, he melted the ice and the (not-so-hot) water returned to normal.


    "Impressive," the emperor said. "You''ve mature, Kiho."


    "Shut up," he told him. "Why are you acting like you aren''t trying to kill my family?"


    "I just want to pretend that everything is fine between us, Kiho."


    "Why?" he asked again. "What will you get from acting like my "brother?" I will never forgive you for everything you''ve done to me anyway."


    "Well, excuse me for wanting to be your real brother."


    That made him feel very frustrated, "Why didn''t you treat ine that way? She was our sister, our youngest sibling back then."


    "She wasn''t a god like us."


    "What?"


    "ine Moonchester wasn''t a god like us, Kiho. She was just an ordinary Mana-user," Aku Moonchester exined as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "She didn''t deserve to be a part of our family so I killed her."


    "You''re crazy," Kiho snarled at Aku Moonchester. He knew that the emperor was a heartless person. Still, he couldn''t believe that he killed their sister in the past just because of that petty reason. "You don''t deserve to be a god when you can''t even live as a decent human being, Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY almost regret inviting Nia Moonchester to join her in the bath.


    Both of them wore a thin, white dress that noblewomen like them wore in an open bath like that. Although she was usually confident with her looks, seeing Nia Moonchester''s wless and curvy body almost made her feel insecure.


    <em>Almost.</em>


    "What do you want to talk to me about?" Nia, who looked so immacte while dipped in the water, asked. "You wouldn''t ask me to join you for a bath for nothing. We''ve already dropped the "friends act" a long time ago."


    "Luna has already finished putting my past memories in the form of a potion," Tilly said seriously. "If you drink that, you''ll see the memories of my past life where your n seeded."


    Of course, she wouldn''t share the memories that the Sun God showed them a while ago. After all, her memories before the reset showed that Nia Moonchester died with her brother.


    "Understood," the royal princess said. "Give it to me after Aku leaves."


    "When will he leave?"


    "After we make the key."


    Ah, that key was the one they needed to enter thend that drinks blood. It was also the reason why the royal twins went to the North.


    "I see," she said. "I''m d that he won''t being with us to the Great Fire Tree."


    "Should you really be d, Lady Nystrom?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Aku asked me to lend him my winged-guardian," the royal princess said. "I don''t know what it''s for because he didn''t tell me. But I''m pretty sure that it''s a n meant to sabotage yours."


    She was worried about that but she didn''t let it show.


    After all, Nia Moonchester might only be saying that to see her reaction. Thank goodness Kelsi taught her how to act nonchnt when they were still in the Srium.


    "Why are you saying this to me, Nia Moonchester?"


    She shrugged. "It''s an advance payback to Aku. All the people that he "borrowed" from me died. I''m pretty sure that my winged-guardian won''te back to me alive. And so, I want you to spoil his n as revenge for me."


    Sheughed softly while shaking her head. "Now that you have the assurance that you can finally be freed from Aku, you don''t care anymore about his n, huh?"


    The royal princess remained to be silent.


    <em>Gosh, she''s annoying but she acts so refined.</em>


    But of course, she didn''t let the royal princess''s appearance fool her. After all, Nia Moonchester was still the one who killed her mother. She also hunted down her fellow Fire Mages in search of the heart in the past.


    "Nia Moonchester, I have to apologize to you in advance though," she said. It wasn''t like she owned the royal princess an apology. She was just being polite. Although she had a nasty temper, her strict upbringing as a noblewoman would still force her to behave that way sometimes. "I appreciate the information that you gave me but I still have to do my job."


    "I don''t care," Nia Moonchester said. "Do whatever you want with Lucina Morganna."


    She blinked in surprise. "How did you know?"


    "Lucina Morganna is the only thing left that you''d need from me."


    She nodded as confirmation. "I need to absorb my spirit guardian back."


    When Aku Moonchester arrived, she immediately noticed one thing: the emperor''s Mana was different from before. It was stronger, and more solid. She could feel that Aku Moonchester was even holding back at that state.


    "Like I said, do what you want with her," the royal princess said, then she closed her eyes as if she was savoring the hot water. "She has already served her purpose to me."


    Tilly could only sigh while shaking her head. "You''re a cold beauty, Nia Moonchester."


    Nia Moonchester smiled faintly. "And so are you, Lady Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LADY LUNA, are you okay?"


    Luna smiled and nodded at Solenn''s question.


    Right now, the two of them were dipped in the hot water. The young princess asked her to join her in the bath because of Tilly''s request. After she created a barrier where the duchess was taking a dip with Nia Moonchester, she suddenly spaced out.


    "You don''t look okay though," Solenn said, perceptive as usual. "But I won''t force you to tell me what''s bothering you, Lady Luna. Just know that I''m here to listen once you''re ready."


    She just smiled and nodded at the young princess''s warm words.


    Then, her mind wandered off to the conversation that she had with Lord Wixx a while ago


    <strong><em>***</em></strong>


    <em><strong>[A while ago...]</strong></em>


    <em>Luna was still shocked after hearing what Lord Wixx told her about Ste.</em>


    <em>He brought her to his room to make sure that the royal twins wouldn''t eavesdrop on them. And after hearing what he had to say, she understood why the Red Phoenix was being that careful.</em>


    <em>"Ste is the reincarnation of ine Moonchester," Luna said in disbelief. She was d that she was sitting on the sofa or else, her knees would have buckled. "And she ns to steal the throne for Aku Moonchester?"</em>


    <em>If that was the case, then the emperor would surely kill his sister!</em>


    <em>And Aku Moonchester already killed her in the past</em>


    <em>"Yes, that''s what Wong told us," Lord Wixx, who sat on the armrest of the sofa across from her, said seriously. "If your sister turns out to be an enemy, what are you going to do, Luna?"</em>


    <em>Luna gulped, her heart suddenly confused. "I can''t let my sister die again"</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 277: Feast On

    Chapter 277: Feast On


    "CONGRATULATIONS, Luna," Tilly teased Luna in a light tone. She was on the floor while unpacking a rectangr treasure box. Thankfully, she brought that special thing from Srium. "I hope it''s a girl this time."


    Luna rolled her eyes at her, but it seemed like she wasn''t offended by the joke. "The children apologized to me a while ago," she said, then the witch sat on the edge of the bed. "Lord Wixx seems delighted by the rumor though."


    Sheughed softly while shaking her head. "Yeah, I can imagine my stupid brother''s reaction."


    "Anyway, I''m done creating the medicine that you asked of me, Tilly," she said. "You wanted a medicine that will fix Lord Julian''s allergy to seafood, right?"


    She nodded and looked up at her with a smile. "Thank you, Luna."


    "It''s only temporary," the witch said. "But give me more time, Tilly. I''ll make a medicine that willpletely cure Lord Julian''s allergy."


    "I trust you, Luna," she said. "Thanks."


    For some reason, she suddenly looked guilty. "Are you not going to ask me why I was in Lord Wixx''s room?"


    "I''m curious but if it''s something that you can''t tell me, it''s fine," she said. "And I understand why you have to be extra careful."


    Much to her shock, Luna suddenly jumped at her to hug her.


    Then, she whispered in her ear. While the witch was doing so, she felt her power around the room. Luna probably created a barrier so nobody would eavesdrop on them.


    "Tilly, listen carefully," Luna whispered seriously. "Ste, my sister, is the reincarnation of ine Moonchester and the youngest Moonchester is aiming for the throne."


    To say that Tilly was surprised to hear that would be an understatement. "Damn."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOTHER, you called for me?" Julian asked when he entered his parents'' room. He found his mother sitting on the sofa while waving at him to join her. <em>I was summoned alone.</em>


    To be honest, that made him quite nervous.


    Winter was currently "fighting" with their father in the next room because their father wanted to choose Winter''s clothes for tonight''s dinner. And Winter didn''t want their father''s help because ording to his brother, he was already a "big boy."


    "Julian, have you heard about the menu for tonight''s dinner?" his Mother asked when he sat on the sofa from across her. "The one that Aku Moonchester brought as a gift."


    He politely nodded. "Yes, Mother."


    "And I heard you''re allergic to seafood?"


    "Yes, Mother," he said, then he smiled. "But please don''t worry. I heard steak is an option, too."


    "Do you want to eat seafood, Julian?"


    "I would if I could, Mother," he said truthfully. "I want to enjoy the things that you enjoy, too."


    "Then, you''re in luck," she said cheerfully. "Luna just made a medicine that will temporarily stop your allergic reaction to seafood. Which means you''ll get to feast on seafood tonight."


    He gasped in surprise. "Really, Mother?"


    Of course, he tried seeking medicine in the past for his allergies. None of them worked. But if Miss Luna was the one who made it, he knew that it would work.


    "It''s true, Julian. We can trust Luna," his mother said, then she tapped the space next to her. "Come here, baby. I have something to give you."


    He smiled and nodded, then he stood up and sat beside his mother. As a gentleman, he left a decent space between them. Even though they were family, he still had to mind his manners. That was how nobles were raised.


    "I have a gift for you, Julian," his mother said excitedly, then she handed a rectangr box to him.


    His smile grew wider because it was the first time that he received a gift from his mother. "Can I open this now, Mother?"


    "Of course, son."


    He excitedly opened the present that his mother prepared for him.


    Much to his pleasant surprise, he saw a wooden crab mallet inside. And the initials of his name were engraved in the mallet.


    He was touched.


    "Mother"


    "We all have the same crab mallet now: me, you, Winter, and Kiho. I asked the best craftsman back in the ind to make a set for our family," his mother said with a smile. "Did you like it, Julian?"


    Holding back his tears, he hugged his mother''s waist tight. "I love it, Mother. Thank you."


    His motherughed softly, then she patted his back and kissed the top of his head. "You''re wee, baby."


    Julian smiled and savored that moment. I truly belong to this family now.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HONEY, you look lovely."


    Tilly smiled at Kiho''s response.


    To be honest, the dress that she wore wasn''t that impressive. Since they were travelling, she only brought light dresses.


    For today''s dinner with the royal twins, she chose a ck gingham corset dress over a maroon long-sleeved ruffle blouse. Her outfit waspleted by boots. She didn''t bring fancy shoes since they weren''t needed anyway.


    And yet, despite her simple clothes, Kiho still looked at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world.


    "Thank you, hon," Tilly said as she wrapped her arms around Kiho''s waist. "You look dashing, Kiho."


    It was true.


    Kiho also packed lightly and the clothes he wore tonight were casual: natural mnge button down linen shirt, ck trousers, and boots.


    <em>He looks really good.</em>


    Winter and Julian wore the same outfit like their father. But their youngest son wore a bow because Kiho insisted.


    "Thank you, honey," her husband said, then he kissed her on the lips.


    They were alone in their room so they were free to do that.


    "I heard you "bullied" Winter," she teased her husband. "Why did you make him wear a bow that doesn''t go with his outfit?"


    He didn''t smile but the sparkle in his eyes was amusing. "I also don''t know why I did that. I think I just wanted to tease Winter," he said. "He looks cute when he''s pissed."


    She couldn''t help butugh and hit her husband lightly. "Don''t bully our baby too much."


    "You know, I realize that Winter really needs a baby sister," he said. "He''s too spoiled. Even Julian spoils her. But if he gets a little sister, I believe Winter would be more responsible. And I''d love to see him dote on our future daughter."


    She smiled at that thought.


    And then, her smile disappeared when she remembered what Luna said about Ste.


    <em>Kiho has to know.</em>


    "Are you okay, honey?" her husband asked worriedly. "You suddenly fell silent."


    "Kiho, Wong reported something very important a while ago," she said seriously. "It''s about Ste."


    "Miss Luna''s sister?"


    "Yes," Tilly said, the she took a deep breath before she continued talking. "Kiho, Wong found out that Ste is actually the reincarnation of ine Moonchester your sister in the past."


    Kiho''s eyes widened in shock. "Ste is ine?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU dying?" Wixx asked Ainsworth who was wrapped in a thick nket. The little tiger had been locked up in his room for so long that he began to worry about him. Especially since he knew what must be happening to Ainsworth. "Is it your spirit guardian?"


    "Last time I heard, your group asked Faline to lock up Drake in a safe ce," Ainsworth said. Faline was his spirit guardian while Drake was Elis Ripperton''s. "I''ve been in contact with Faline ever since she returned to the Royal Capital with you a while ago. But for the past few days, I haven''t heard from her." He paused, then he let out a deep sigh. "And I got sick."


    He wasn''t surprised to hear that from the little tiger because he already suspected that much.


    Ainsworth was the loudest person he knew in his life. So when he acted less energetic than usual, he knew something was wrong with him.


    "Our spirit guardians don''t die," he reminded Ainsworth. "But if you''re getting weak because of Faline, then it means someone or something is forcing her to betray you."


    To be honest, he felt guilty.


    It was him who ordered Faline to keep an eye on Drake. But it seemed like something bad had happened and it was Faline that was put in a dangerous situation now.


    If Faline ends up "betraying" Ainsworth, it will be bad for the little tiger.


    "Don''t tell Sister Tilly," the little tiger said seriously. "Faline is my spirit guardian. I will deal with this."


    "I will help you locate Faline," he offered. "It was my fault why she was separated from you anyway."


    "None of this your fault," the Golden Tiger insisted. "Let me handle this on my own."


    "Are you sure?"


    "I trust Faline," Ainsworth said firmly. "She won''t betray me and I will save her."


    "Alright," Wixx said. He didn''t insist to help the little tiger because as a fellow Beast God, he knew how important pride was to them. "Good luck, Ainsworth."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "PLEASE EXCUSE our discourtesy, Kiho."


    Kiho turned to Aku Moonchester who just came inside the dinner hall.


    It took him all the self-control that he got to stop himself from attacking Aku Moonchester. He wanted to hit the emperor after he found out about their sister''s reincarnation. But he knew that they had to keep it a secret from Aku Moonchester.


    <em>ine hase back, Aku Moonchester</em>, he said to himself. <em>But she''s here for revenge. Because of you, our sister''s heart is now filled with hatred.</em>


    "Nia fell asleep after taking a bath," Aku Moonchester exined. "Can we dy the dinner for half an hour?"


    "Of course," Kiho said. "Co-incidentally, Tilly has something to do before dinner."


    The emperor justughed softly.


    Both of them knew that the other was lying after all.


    "I need to leave for the Royal Capital tonight," the emperor said. "After dinner, let''s do the thing that I came here for. You haven''t forgotten about it, have you?"


    "No, because that''s the only reason why you''re still alive," Kiho said bluntly. "Let''s make the Blood Keyter but if you do anything funny"


    "I won''t," Aku Moonchester said with augh. "I will keep my end of the bargain, Kiho."


    ***


    LUCINA Morganna was surprised when she "woke up" and found herself standing in the middle of what seemed like a frozen forest.


    She was surprised that Nia Moonchester voluntarily let her out. When Aku Moonchester forced her to return inside the royal princess a while ago, she thought she could nevere out again as long as the emperor was there.


    But she didn''t care about that anymore because only one thing was important to her.


    "Julian," Lucina whispered to herself while walking fast. "My Julian"


    "Julian is not yours, Lucina Morganna--- my son belongs to himself."


    She was forced to stop walking when the Supreme literally blocked her way.


    For some reason, the Supreme looked intimidating than normal. Lady Nystrom''s hair waspletely jet-ck but the tips were burning with red me. Her purple eyes were glowing dangerously. And most of all, her bloodlust was directed at her.


    <em>The Supreme is going to kill me!</em>


    Then, that only meant Nia Moonchester already ditched her.


    <em>That bitch!</em>


    "I won''t allow you to kill me!" Lucina said, then she opened her hands and produced two balls of ck me above each palm. "You''re the one who''s going to die tonight, Supreme."


    "There''s only one way to kill a spirit guardian like you, Lucina Morgana," the Supreme said coldly. Then, when she moved her shoulders, her huge ck ming wings appeared on her back. "It''s time for me to feas absorb you back and feast on the ck me, my little traitorous spirit guardian."


    She wouldn''t lie it sent shivers down her spine.


    <em>I have the ck me in me so why the hell am I scared of the Supreme?</em>


    "I''m no longer your servant," she snarled at the Supreme.


    "When did I ever you treat you like a servant?" she asked in a somehow sad voice. "You''re the only one who thinks that way, Lucina Morganna."


    She couldn''t refute that.


    But it didn''t matter anymore.


    Lucina''s anger and desperation made the balls of ck me above her palms grow bigger in size. "I still won''t allow you to kill me, Supreme."


    "I don''t remember asking for your permission," the Supreme said, then she pped her ck wings sending Lucina flying until the spirit guardian hit a tree. "It''s time to receive your punishment for betraying me, Lucina Morganna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 278: Goodbye, Lucina Morganna

    Chapter 278: Goodbye, Lucina Morganna


    "I WON''T die," Lucina Morganna said, then she threw the huge ball of ck me at her. "I will not let you separate me from my son!"


    Tilly let out a tired sigh as a response to the other woman''s im.


    Then, she let the ck me that Lucina Morganna threw at her "burn" her.


    It didn''t hurt, of course. The ck me only made her body feel warmer than usual. And then, eventually, she absorbed the me and it made her ck wings grow bigger.


    Lucina Morganna gasped in shock. "No how can it be"


    "Why are you shocked?" she asked, the ck me that was supposed to burn her was nowpletely absorbed by her ck wings. "I''m the owner of the ck me. Did you really believe that you can hurt me with my own power?"


    The fear on her face already told her what she needed to know.


    "There was a lifetime that you used the ck me to hurt Kiho and Winter," she said, confusing Lucina Morganna who didn''t have the same past memories as she did. "Let me pay you back for that, my traitorous spirit guardian."


    She felt her ck wings detach themselves from her back at her will.


    Then, the form of the wings changed until it became a ck phoenix the size of a regr eagle. Since she hadn''t absorbed the ck me yet, she could only create a phoenix of that size. But she was confident that it was enough to burn down a vige or a forest.


    "Let me teach you how you to use the ck me," she said, then she looked up and smiled at the ck phoenix above her. "Eat the traitor, my lovely bird."


    The ck phoenix shrieked, then it flew down fast towards Lucina Morganna''s direction.


    When she turned to look at the other woman, she saw her running deeper in the woods to probably hide. She couldn''t outrun the ck phoenix, of course. After just a few seconds, the traitor was already caught by the ming bird using its ws.


    The ck phoenix carried the yelling and struggling Lucina Morganna back to her. Then, the ming bird dropped the traitor in front of her. The other woman dropped with a loud thud.


    "You can''t escape, Lucina Morganna," she said coldly. When the woman looked up at her to re at her, she just waved her hand. "Burn."


    Lucina Morganna tried to protect herself with the ck me that she stole.


    But instead of protecting her, the ck me actually attacked her, making her scream in agony. That didn''t stop her from attacking the traitor with the ck phoenix. The ming bird wrapped Lucina Morganna in its wings until the only thing that she could see from the other woman was her head.


    Lucina Morganna''s cry for help was filled with anguish. She could tell that her body was being roasted slowly and surely.


    She could just burn the traitor to ashes, but she wanted her to feel pain first.


    "You can''t die, Lucina Morganna," she reminded her. "You''re not a human being in the first ce."


    That seemed to hit a nerve because the traitor stopped crying.


    Then, she looked at her with a confused look on her face.


    <em>Did she seriously forget that she''s not a human?</em>


    "Lucina Morganna, you''re a spirit guardian just like Sentinel, Faline, and Drake," she said. She didn''t include Yumi because the White Snake''s case was different. Her mother-inw was a minor god after all. "You were only born from my me. I don''t know why you think that you''re a human."


    "But she said she''ll turn me into a real human" Lucina Morganna said in almost a whisper. "She promised me that if I steal everything away from you, she will grant me a human body that I will be free from you forever"


    She was confused at first.


    Then, the image of the "young Solenn" that was trapped in the Abyss entered her mind.


    <em>It was her</em>, she said to herself. <em>She was the one who made that ridiculous promise with Lucina Morganna.</em>


    "You have been tricked, Lucina Morganna," she said and this time, she genuinely pitied the traitorous spirit guardian. "Not even the Sky God could turn a spirit guardian into a human."


    Lucina Morganna looked devastated by her revtion.


    "You do not have soul and it''s the very thing that one needs to be human. After all, a human body needs a soul to be considered "alive,"" she exined. "But a spirit guardian is made of whatever element your master wields. For you, it''s me. The only human about you is your physical appearance."


    "Lies!" Lucina Morganna yelled while tears fell down her face. "Do you think I will believe you? You''re an enemy!"


    "Because that little girl said so, right?"


    Once again, the traitor was rendered speechless.


    "You betrayed me because you were tempted by her lies," she said while shaking her head. "Why are you desperate to be a human, Lucina Morganna?"


    "I want to be a wife," Lucina Morganna said in a whisper. "And a mother."


    At that moment, her heart broke for the enemy.


    She silently asked the ck phoenix to return inside her. The ming bird opened its wings, then it slowly vanished. She knew that the ck phoenix entered her body when she felt a strange warmth in her chest.


    <em>Lucina Morganna wants to be a wife and a mother</em>


    She looked down at Lucina Morganna who was now on the ground while hugging herself. Her clothes were already burned to nothing, and her skin was all red from the burn. Even though she wasn''t a real human, her physical body was still simr to a real human and thus, she received the same damage as any other person that was literally roasted.


    Lucina Morganna''s long hair was also burned short. Her cheeks were only a little red because she didn''t burn her face a while ago.


    <em>This pitiful woman</em>


    Before she realized what she was doing, she already took off her cloak and gently threw it Lucina Morganna.


    "I don''t need your pity," Lucina Morganna said, then she looked up at her with a re. "Go ahead. Laugh at me. You already won."


    To be honest, she still gets angry whenever she remembered the time that Lucina Morgannaughed at her after she was beheaded. She even made a promise to herself that she would get her revenge andugh at the traitor in the end.


    But she couldn''t do that right now.


    Not after she realized how lucky she was to be given the chance to have her family back. She had been reborn several times. And she might have taken that for granted.


    "I''m also a woman who has always wanted to be a wife and a mother," she said gently, then she squatted down to meet Lucina Morganna''s eye level. "I still hate you for every awful thing that you did to me and my family. But I wouldn''tugh at your dream."


    "Like I said, I don''t need your pity."


    "I also hate that I feel this way towards you," she said in a frustrated voice. "But I couldn''t help it. I also had a phase in my life where I wanted to be a mother so bad. I understand your pain, and that''s why I feel bad for you." Before Lucina Morganna could open her mouth toin, she beat it to it. "But that doesn''t mean I will excuse your terrible actions. You betrayed me and tried to steal my husband and my son from me in two separate lifetimes. For that, you still need to be punished."


    "Do it," Lucina Morganna said stubbornly, then she averted her eyes from her. It seemed like she already gave up after she realized that she couldn''t control the ck me anymore. But she knew that the spirit guardian lost hope after she realized that she had been tricked that she couldn''t really be turned into a human. And as a spirit guardian, she couldn''t conceive or bear a child. "I don''t care anymore."


    She gently put a hand on top of Lucina Morganna''s head. Then, she began to absorb her back to her body. The spirit guardian''s human body began to melt as she returned to her original form: a lump of ck me. "I pray that you get to be reborn in a peaceful world, Lucina Morganna," she whispered. Lucina Morganna heard her because she turned to her with a surprised look on her face. "I hope that in that world, you be a good wife to a kind man, and a good mother to a kind child." Since it was thest time that she would ever see her, she smiled sadly at her. "Goodbye, Lucina Morganna."


    Lucina Morganna, after her shock subsided, gave back a sad smile of her own. Then, she closed her eyes and she looked like she already found peace. As soon as her tears fell, shepletely vanished.


    Then, a ck marble the size of a ping pong ball.


    <em>The ck me</em>


    She tried to touch it but all of a sudden, it transformed into the young Solenn with little ck wings the one that she met in the Abyss in the past.


    <em>So, she''s really the ck me, huh?</em>


    "If you swallow the ck me again, you will once again prove to the gods that you are their biggest mistake," the "young Soleil" warned her with a smile. "I know that you think I''m a bad and crazy person for tricking your gullible spirit guardian. But I have a reason for using her to separate the ck me from you."


    "I''m not really in the mood to listen to you," she said, tired. "Plus, you won''t answer my questions anyway, will you?"


    She giggled like a little girl that she was. "My lips are literally sealed. And I want to y with you more."


    "We can y all you wantter but for now, I need to borrow your strength," she told the "child." "I need the ck me."


    "You won''t regret it?"


    "I will probably regret itter but I''ll regret it even more if I fail to protect my family this time."


    "I understand," the young Solenn said, then she smiled at her as her body began to turn translucent. "Please don''t me meter, Lady Tilly Prescott-Nystrom."


    "I won''t," she promised her. "I am responsible of my own actions."


    The young Solenn transformed back into the ck marble that she saw a while ago.


    She gently grabbed it. Then, she put it in her mouth and swallowed it without hesitation. As soon as she did, she felt like her heart was literally set into fire the kind of fire that could hurt a Fire Mage like her.


    <em>It hurts</em>


    When she thought she was about to fall on the ground, she found herself leaning against a strong and cold body. She didn''t have to look up to know that it was Kiho who wrapped his arms around her.


    The coolness of his body helped to lessen the heat of her own.


    "Kiho, I''m hurting you, am I not?" she asked worriedly, then she looked up at her husband to see his nk face. He had always been good at hiding his pain, thanks to his poker face. "My body is unnaturally hot right now."


    "I''m fine," Kiho said, tightening his hug. "Are you okay, honey?"


    "I should be the one asking that."


    "I''m fine, really," he assured her. "I''m more worried about you."


    "I''m fine," she assured him as well. "I didn''tugh at Lucina Morganna even though I dreamed about doing that in several fake scenarios in my head."


    "It''s because you''re a good person."


    "I''m not," she denied with a softugh. But she appreciated the fact that she could see in Kiho''s clear golden eyes that he really believed that she was a good person. "Lucina Morganna''s reason for hurting me all this time maybe simple to other people. But when I heard that she wanted to be a wife and a mother, my heart went out to her. And yet, I still had to stand my ground and punish her. I can''t be a good person."


    "A good person doesn''t equal being a pushover," he said in an attempt to console her. That was so Kiho-ish of him to say so. "You did a good job, Tilly."


    That was touching.


    Kiho always knew what to say to make her feel better.


    She was once again reminded that she was lucky to have him as her lover. He wasn''t perfect, but so she was. And yet, when they were together, they fit each other just fine.


    "Thank you for being reborn as my lover again and again," Tilly said sincerely. "Please be my husband again in our next lifetime, Kiho."


    "Please marry me again in our next lifetime, Tilly," Kiho said gently. "I promise that I will always, <em>always</em> find you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 279: The Blood Key

    Chapter 279: The Blood Key


    "MOM!"


    "Wee back, Mother."


    Tilly smiled when Winter and Julian weed them as soon as she and Kiho entered the house. Her youngest, as the little rascal that he was, ran towards her and hugged her waist tight. On the other hand, their formal oldest son, just stood there and smiled at them.


    "Ouch," Winter said, then he stepped away from her. "Mom, you''re hot."


    "You got it right, Winter," Kiho agreed with a nod. "Your mom is really hot."


    Okay, that "yful"pliment med her cheeks.


    Julian, on the other hand, literally face-palmed at his father''s flirtyment towards her.


    Winter, who was a little more innocent even though he was in his teens when he died in his previous life, blinked several times in confusion.


    She gently elbowed Kiho before she squatted down in front of Winter. "I''m sorry, baby," she said to her youngest. "Mommy''s temperature is higher than normal because I just swallowed the ck me. It seems like it''s too hot even for you whose dominant Mana is ice. I''m sorry but I can''t give cuddles for now."


    "It''s okay, Mom. I can wait," Winter said with a smile. "I''m more worried about Dad since he''s very clingy to you."


    Sheughed softly.


    "Come here, you little rascal," Kiho yfully said, then he ran towards Winter.


    Winter, who was initially shocked when his father started toe at him, began to realize what was happening. Then, heughed and ran away while Kiho chased him.


    And then, there was only her and Julian in the entrance of the house.


    "Lucina Morganna is gone, Julian," she told her oldest in a sad voice. "I''m sorry."


    "You don''t have to apologize, Mother. Lady Morganna had iting," Julian said in a soft tone. "Can I cry for her though? Despite everything that she had done to you and our family, her death still brings heaviness in my heart."


    "I understand, baby," she said, her heart breaking for her son''s new suffering. "You''re allowed to mourn for her. After all, Lucina Morganna really treated you with kindness and love."


    Her oldest became teary-eyed. "Mother, can I hug you?"


    She opened her arms, hoping that she wouldn''t hurt Julian since his dominant Mana was me. "Come here, Julian," she said with an encouraging smile. "I will do my best to tame down my me so I wouldn''t identally burn you."


    Julian nodded, then he ran towards her and hugged her tight, burying his face against her neck.


    And then, he cried his heart out.


    Tilly gently patted Julian''s back tofort her son.


    <em>You did well, Julian.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN noticed that his mother, father, and younger brother were all excitedly waiting for him to crack his first crab''s ws with the crab mallet.


    Yes, it was the one that he received from his mother.


    To be honest, it was adorable how his familypletely ignored Aku and Nia Moonchester who was supposed to be their esteemed guests. No one paid attention to the royal twins because as he said a while ago, his parents and sibling had their full attention on him.


    "Go ahead, Julian," his mother encouraged her. "Luna made sure that the seafood that our guests brought are safe to eat."


    "I''d like to say that I''m insulted but I don''t me you," Aku Moonchester said with a softugh. "I, too, wouldn''t carelessly consume something that came from you."


    "Of course," Kiho deadpanned. "Isn''t that the reason why you made your own food even if we offered to cook for you?"


    "It''s not that I''m afraid of getting poisoned," the emperor, who personally cooked white truffle pasta for him and Nia Moonchester, denied. "I know that the Supreme and the ck Serpent wouldn''t resort to such a cheap trick. But you know, Nia is a picky eater. Aside from the royal chef, only I can cook the food that will suit her taste."


    Nia Moonchester just rolled her eyes, then she continued eating in silence.


    "How sweet," his mother said sarcastically, then she turned to him. "Julian, go ahead."


    Julian smiled and nodded. Then, he finally used the crab mallet to break the w. Since it was lightweight, he was able to crack the w without crushing it into pieces. The meat inside looked neat and delicious. "Thank you for the food," he said, then he started to eat the meat in the w.


    ording to his parents, the ws was the tastiest part of a crab.


    "How is it, Brother?" Winter asked curiously. "It''s delicious, isn''t it?"


    Julian, amazed by the taste of the first seafood that he tried without getting an awful allergic reaction, smiled widely. "It''s delicious," he said, making his parents and younger sibling smile. "I love it."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I HAD a pleasant dinner even if you practically ignored us the whole dinner."


    "It''s because you acted important and refused to let our friends join us for dinner," Tilly deadpanned. "But thank god they didn''t want to eat with you anyway."


    Her brother, the Golden Tiger, Lord Forrester, Lord Denver, and Luna all refused to eat with the royal twins.


    Tilly and her family couldn''t really let their guests alone so they were the "sacrifice."


    After their dinner, she and Kiho brought Aku and Nia Moonchester in the tea room. Right now, the four of them were sharing a round table while having tea.


    "Let''s forget about that," Aku Moonchester said, then he pulled a small vial from the inside pocket of his jacket. Then, he put the ss with a red liquid inside it. "This is my blood, one of the things you need to enter thend that drinks blood." He turned to her. "Now, you only need Lord Forrester and your own blood, Lady Nystrom."


    She remained pokerfaced even if the emperor just implied that he knew she lied before.


    A while ago, she told Aku Moonchester that she also needed her husband''s blood to make the key. She liked back then because she wanted to protect Kiho.


    "I already have Lord Forrester''s blood," she said. Getting a vial of the former saint''s blood was one of the things that she took care of a while ago. "But to ensure that they key won''t get stolen while we''re travelling, we will only create it once we reach our destination."


    "That''s fine with me," the emperor said, then he sipped his tea before he continued speaking. "Who will you bring with you? Nia is going alone so I need to know who''s going with her in this journey."


    "It will only be my family and my brother Wixx."


    The emperor looked surprised by that. "What?"


    "You heard my wife right," Kiho said. "Only us, our children, and Winchell will go to thend that drinks blood with Nia Moonchester."


    "I suppose that''s fine," Aku Moonchester said while nodding his head. "You''ll do as Nia''s bodyguards." When her Mana made the room hot while Kiho''s froze the tea in the tea cups, the emperorughed. "It was just a joke. Don''t be mad."


    "Aku, please stop talking like I need the Supreme and the ck Serpent to protect me," Nia Moonchester said in an obviously pissed tone. "I can take care of myself."


    "Of course," His Majesty said. "I know that, Nia. But you can''t stop me from worrying about you"


    The emperor stopped talking when the ground shook hard.


    Then, it was followed by the release of two familiar Mana.


    Kiho clicked his tongue. "Elis Ripperton, the extrarge snake."


    "He''s a dragon, Kiho," Aku Moonchester said with augh. "Anyway, Lord Ripperton isn''t here to bother you. He''s here to fetch me."


    "Elis Ripperton is bothering Ainsworth," Tilly said, then she turned to her husband. "Hon, can you check on the little tiger?"


    Kiho turned to her and nodded. "Okay, hon."


    "Aku, you should go and check on Lord Ripperton as well," Nia Moonchester said, then she sipped her tea. "It gets rowdy when the Beast Gods gather so keep an eye on them."


    "I''d say that I''m not a babysitter but since it''s a request from you, then I have no choice but to obey," Aku Moonchester said, then he turned to Kiho. "Let''s go and meet your little buddies, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HERE''S the potion that Luna made," Tilly said, then she put the vial with a purple liquid on the table. Now that her and Nia were alone in the room after Kiho and Aku Moonchester left, they were free to talk about that. "If you drink that, you will see the past memories that I have the one that I mentioned before. I know that you said that you''d take it after Aku Moonchester leaves. But I thought you asked your brother to leave for that."


    Nia silently took the vial and hid it in the pocket of her skirt. "Aku was already done inspecting my things. He''s going to leave now so this is the perfect time to get the potion from you." She sipped her tea before she continued talking. Ah, they were having a newly brewed tea after Kiho froze the one that they had a while ago. "And I want to see the memories of your past life as soon as I can."


    "Whatever floats your boat," she said, then she sipped her tea.


    "There''s another reason why I wanted to talk to you in private," the royal princess said. "Lady Nystrom, I''d like to let you know in advance that I''m bringing my collection with me. Even with a binding vow, I still need my protection."


    It seemed like the protection that Nia Moonchester didn''t want was the one that Aku Moonchester would offer. She understood though. The royal princess definitely knew that her brother''s people would also serve as her surveince.


    "I don''t mind if you bring your "collection" with you," she said. "Is there anything else that you want to tell me?"


    "How was Lucina Morganna''s final moments?"


    "Lucina Morganna said her only goal was to be a wife and a mother," she said, then she sipped her tea. "I will admit that I feel bad for her. But the means that she used to try and get what she wanted was wrong. So in the end, I still had to punish her." She put the teacup down on the saucer. "For that reason, I will not also let you off the hook for the crimes that youmitted, Nia Moonchester. After the binding vow is over, we will return to what we really are: enemies."


    "I have never once felt guilty for the things that I did to get where I am right now," Nia Moonchester said, then she looked at her straight in the eye. "That includes killing the former Lady Marianne Prescott your mother."


    That almost made her lost it.


    But remembering the sacrifices that her mother made for her calmed her down. Yes, she hated Nia Moonchester for killing her mother. But killing the royal princess wasn''t the only way to punish her for her crimes.


    "Nia Moonchester, I''ll still punish you even if you don''t provoke me," Tilly said, then she put her teacup down on the saucer. "It seems like we can never really be friends in this lifetime, huh?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT DID you do to Faline?"


    Elis Ripperton smirked at Ainsworth''s reaction. The little tiger got worked up as soon as he stepped in his room. "How did you know that I have your spirit guardian?"


    "I can sense Faline''s energy in you," Ainsworth growled at him. "Did you absorb her?"


    "If you want to know what happened to that little cat of yours,e with me."


    The little tiger was just about to open his mouth to talk when all of a sudden, the temperature in the room turned hot.


    Before Elis could react, he felt his body frozen on the spot.


    And then, a strong arm put his neck on a tight armlock.


    "It''s been a while, Elis Ripperton," Winchell greeted him with a smirk. "You''re still an asshole, I see."


    Elis turned to Winchell and smiled at him. "It''s been a while, brother-inw."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I KNEW it was here," ine said as the emperor''s throne moved to the side to reveal a hidden door underneath. All she had to do was "feed" the throne with a piece of her soul the one that would prove that she was a Moonchester. Opening the door was easy. As soon as she touched it, the lid opened up automatically. It was probably because of her aura as a Moonchester. "Thank god Elis Ripperton finally left the pce."


    When the door waspletely opened, she went down the staircase. She noticed that the torches attached to the wall began to light up on their own. Thanks to that, she didn''t have to worry about seeing in the dark.


    After she reached thest step, the door closed on its own. She also heard the throne move above her. It probably returned to its original position.


    She wasn''t afraid to be "locked" inside the basement. For some reason, the fact that she was a Moonchester made her feel safe in any part of the pce.


    "There you are," she said, relieved to see the symbol of the ck Serpent on the whole floor of the empty basement. Aside from the pirs, nothing else was inside. Not even murals. "So, this is where the monstrous and the most dangerous Crades are sleeping, huh?"


    The Crades were the flesh-eating humans that terrorized the whole continent many years ago.


    In the past, Kalel Nystrom single-handedly put the Crades n to a deep slumber. She didn''t know why but as far as she knew, it was Auro Moonchester who stopped their brother from killing the Crades.


    Knowing Brother Auro, he probably intended to wake up these monsters for his convenience.


    There were still Crades in the empire up to this day, but they were so weak that even average Mana-users can kill them. But the sleeping Crades buried under the Royal Pce had the power that could rival that of a minor god''s. If these monsters awakened now, who knew what would happen to the empire and its people?


    <em>After all, the Crades will definitely wake up starving.</em>


    ine smiled at that thought. "Brothers, can your poor little sister have these Crades as her new toy?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    Note: *grovels, forehead hits the ground* I am terribly sorry for the sudden break. I suddenly "disappeared" because of the following reasons:


    1. I had to change my eyesses because my eye prescription changed. My eyesight has gotten worse that the ophthalmologist advised me to get asik eye surgery. Scary. So please take care of your eyes and don''t end up like me.


    2. I received a job offer that I wasn''t able to refuse. So my workload has been full once again. But since this is only a side job, it''s temporary. It will be done by the end of the month.


    3. I got sick. But it''s just a cold. I still have runny nose (eww) but I think I''m getting better. My immune system sucks these days.


    Anyway, thank you for waiting. I will post updates again and I will join the Win-Win event on March. That means daily update again and hopefully, I get to finish the event next month. Since thest arc will now begin, I think the updates on March will be action-packed. Stay tuned~


    Ah, about my other story {Royal Secret: I''m a Princess!), I was only able to keep posting an update for it for thest few days because I have a stockpile (not anymore tho, thest one was postedst night). I had a stockpile because I was supposed to add a tier to my privilege but my dumbass forgot to edit the priv.


    I''ll be writing an update for both stories now.


    Thank you.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 280: Gods Gift

    Chapter 280: God''s Gift


    "DON''T CALL me "brother-inw" again if you don''t want me to burn you alive," Wixx warned Elis Ripperton, then he pulled his arm away from the Blue Dragon. "If you''re here to fetch Aku Moonchester, then just take your trash out quietly. Don''t mess with the little tiger."


    "I am not messing with the little tiger," Elis Ripperton denied. "I''m just giving him a chance to save his poor spirit guardian."


    "I know what you''re trying to do, Elis Ripperton," he said. "You''re trying to divide our force, aren''t you?"


    "You''re free to believe that theory of yours," the Blue Dragon said, then he turned to Ainsworth. "Don''t worry, little tiger. Faline is safe. But I don''t know how long she''d be safe though. Your spirit guardian is too frailpared to yours."


    Ainsworth growled and was about to attack Elis Ripperton when the little tiger''s feet were suddenly covered by ice keeping him in ce.


    Of course, everyone instantly knew that it was Kiho''s ice.


    But the ck Serpent didn''t arrive alone. He was with Aku Moonchester. And surprisingly, the two weren''t fighting.


    "Calm down, little tiger," Kiho said to Ainsworth, then the ice around the little tiger''s feet melted. "What''s happening?"


    "Elis Ripperton has Faline," Ainsworth growled.


    "And the Blue Dragon is tempting to lure the little tiger with him," Wixx added while looking at Kiho. "It seems like it''s their n to divide our force."


    "How dare you use us of using cheap trick?" Aku Moonchester ined" lightly. "In the first ce, aren''t you the one who abducted Drake in the first ce?"


    Drake was Elis Ripperton''s spirit guardian.


    "That''s right," the Blue Dragon agreed with the emperor. "You abducted Drake. It wasn''t my fault that I found where Faline hid my spirit guardian. As Drake''s master, it is my responsibility to save him and punish his abductor."


    Ainsworth growled but he didn''t move an inch from his spot when Kiho put a hand on his shoulder.


    Now Wixx once again felt guilty.


    He shouldn''t have entrusted Drake with Faline alone. Why didn''t he think of sending at least one Keeper with the little tiger''s spirit guardian? One of his many ws was really caring only about Tilly and Luna.


    "That sounds fair," Kiho said, causing everyone in the room to turn to him. Ah, the ck Serpent''s golden eyes were glowing menacingly. "You won''t mind if we retaliate, will you?"


    Ainsworth looked shocked at first, then he nodded firmly in agreement with Kiho''s statement.


    "Of course, we won''t mind," Aku Moonchester said. "But save that forter. Lord Ripperton is only here to fetch me."


    "Like I said before, if you''re going to leave, then leave now," Wixx said while ring at Aku Moonchester and Elis Ripperton. "Enjoy yourst peaceful days, fellow gentlemen."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "NIA, I''m leaving," Aku said to his beloved after he packed his things. "Will you really be alright alone?"


    Nia, who stood in front of him, nodded. "They can''t hurt me because of the binding vow," she assured him. "You also put a spell in the vial that you gave Lady Nystrom, don''t you?"


    He nodded as confirmation.


    Even though he gave the vial of his blood to the Supreme, she wouldn''t be able to open it. The bottle had a spell. It wouldn''t break even if someone as powerful as Lady Nystrom tried to destroy. After all, the spell that he put in it would only allow Nia to open the vial.


    "Only you can open the vial so they can''t kill you," he assured her, then he cupped her face between his hands. "And don''t worry. I''ll follow you soon."


    She only nodded as a response.


    "By the way, did you get it?" he asked her.


    She nodded. Then, she pulled out a small vial from the pocket of her skirt. The little bottle was filled with ck me inside. By that, he meant the ck me. "I stole some of Lucina Morganna''s ck me before I let her out just like what you asked me to do."


    "You did well, Nia," he said, then he kissed her on the forehead while putting the vial in the inside pocket of his jacket. "Thank you."


    "What do you need the ck me for, Aku?"


    To be honest, he didn''t want to keep things from Nia.


    But for now, he couldn''t fully trust her again. Since he knew his beloved so well, he was aware that she was hiding something from him. But just like what he did in the past, he didn''t confront her. Instead, he would just patiently wait for her to reveal her n.


    <em>Nia is smart but shecks perseverance and motivation. Once her initial n fails, she easily loses interest. Then, she starts a different game that she may not see through the end again.</em>


    He liked that about her though.


    <em>As long as Nia doesn''t have the strong urge to abandon me, she can never truly run away from me.</em>


    "If you don''t want to tell me, you don''t have to," Nia said casually when she realized that he didn''t want to answer her question. "I don''t mind."


    "It''s not that I don''t want to share my ns with you," he lied with a sweet smile on his face while caressing her cheek. "I''m just being careful, Nia. You''ll be alone with Lady Nystrom and her group. I don''t want them to read your mind or something like that to happen."


    "You don''t have to exin," she said. "Like I said, I don''t mind."


    Aku justughed it off. Then, he cupped her face once again to kiss her on the lips. "See you soon, Nia."


    Nia nodded, her face as nk as usual. These days, he noticed that his beloved wasn''t even trying to hide her coldness from him. "See youter, Aku."


    Why did it sound like she didn''t mean those words?


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, I don''t mind even if you already have two kids."


    Elis Ripperton almostughed at how adorable Tilly''s angry face was when she turned to him with a re.


    He ignored the two little demons clinging to her legs while ring at him.


    <em>God, they look like the ck Serpent''s mini versions.</em>


    How demonic.


    "How many times do I have to reject you before you leave me alone, huh?" Tilly hissed while shaking her head. "And don''t call me by my first name. We''re not close."


    He just smirked at that.


    Right now, they were in front of the house.


    He was waiting for Aku Moonchester, while Tilly was keeping an eye on him so he wouldn''t "pick on" Ainsworth. Thank goodness the ck Serpent had to stay inside the house with Winchell to escort Aku Moonchester out.


    <em>They really don''t trust the kid emperor, huh?</em>


    Well, thanks to that, he was able to spend time with Tilly without the ck Serpent breathing at his neck. Although he could feel several eyes on him. He knew that if he made a funny move, he would be attacked right away. But he didn''t care as long as he could talk to Tilly this way.


    <em>This moment would have been perfect if her demon children weren''t here.</em>


    "If you don''t want me to call you by your first name, then shall I call you sweetheart?" he teased the Supreme. "Darling? My love?"


    Tilly looked disgusted by his suggestions and she didn''t even bother to hide it.


    "Mom, permission to freeze that creepy old relic," Winter, the Moon Serpent, said with the same look of disgust as Tilly. "An ancient god like you should be resting by now, Mr. Blue Dragon."


    "We can help you enter the eternal slumber if you want, Mr. Blue Dragon," the other child, Julian, "offered" in a calm but obviously mocking tone. And even though the child''s face was "gentle," his eyes told him that he was judging his whole existence. "It will only take my me a few minutes to burn you into ashes."


    Heughed at the child''s ignorance. "Your me can''t burn my scales so don''t be arrogant, child. But you''re always wee to try." He focused his bloodlust on the children to scare them. "Come at me."


    Winter and Julian, two powerful children for their young age, still weren''t able to withstand his bloodlust. In just a matter of seconds, the two little demons were already on their knees both were holding their throats. Ah, the pressure from his bloodlust knocked the breath out of them.


    The reaction he received from threatening the children wasn''t good, of course.


    Before he knew it, Tilly was already in front of him while the de of her ding dagger was pressed hard against his throat. Kiho, on the other hand, was behind him while poking the sharp de of his ice spear against his back.


    If he didn''t turned his skin into scales, he would have been heavily injured from the attack of the Supreme and the ck Serpent.


    <em>They don''t care about the binding vow when ites to their children, huh?</em>


    Even Winchell, Ainsworth, and the other powerful beings around him seemed to be ready to attack him anytime.


    Behind Tilly, he saw a witch with pink eyes attend to Winter and Julian. When the woman touched the backs of the children, the two were able to breathe properly again. But they seemed to be exhausted from being exposed to his bloodlust because they fell unconscious.


    A Fire Mage called Lord Denver, if he remembered it correctly, attended to the kids as well.


    "What do you think you''re doing to my children?" Tilly, who was very angry at the moment, asked in a low voice. The ck me of her dagger was starting to melt the scales protecting his throat. "Do you want to die, Elis Ripperton?"


    To be honest, he didn''t expect that Tilly''s me could melt his scales this easily.


    <em>Her ck me has be stronger.</em>


    "Elis Ripperton," Kiho, who was behind him, called his name in a threatening manner. "We can break the binding vow, right here, right now."


    The ice spear poking his back was starting to prate his scales as well.


    <em>The ck Serpent also got stronger, huh?</em>


    "Everyone, that''s enough."


    Elis Ripperton smiled when Tilly''s me and Kiho''s ice disappeared when Aku talked. <em>Ah, the kid emperor''s full power is really back.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was shocked when her me was nullified because of Aku Moonchester''s aura. When she turned to Kiho, her husband looked as bbergasted as she was because his ice was also nullified by the emperor''s strange Mana.


    Calling it "strange" made it sound like it was the first time that it happened when it wasn''t true. It would be more appropriate to say that they were reminded of Aku Moonchester''s true power aka the gift that he received from the Sky God in the past.


    She almost forgot that it was the ability that gave her a hard time in her past life as Soleil Rosenberg.


    <em>Nullification</em>, Tilly thought to herself when she turned to Aku Moonchester who looked extra arrogant at the moment. <em>The stupid Sky God didn''t just bless Aku Moonchester with Divine Protection he also gifted him the ability to nullify other gods'' powers.</em>


    "Let''s not fight, everyone," Aku Moonchester said with a "sweet" smile. It seemed like he noticed that they were surprised that he already retrieved his nullification power, and he was enjoying the moment. Even Nia Moonchester who stood behind him looked surprised by the ability that he just showcased. "I want to leave in peace."


    Tilly, more than ever, wanted to raise her middle finger as a "salute" to the Sky God and his awful "creation." <em>Perhaps the real enemy here isn''t Aku Moonchester but the ipetence of the "gods" who rule the heavens.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>

 Chapter 281: Julians Rebellion (?)

    Chapter 281: Julian''s Rebellion (?)


    AKU was enjoying the look of surprise on Kiho and Lady Nystrom''s face when all of a sudden, he saw an ice dagger flying towards him. It was an attack that he could easily dodge, esepcially since it didn''t came from Kiho.


    That ice dagger was created by Winter the only ice user in the group aside from his father.


    <em>How adorable.</em>


    Winter and Julian lost consciousness a while ago. But the two children were already up. And since Elis Ripperton wasn''t using his bloodlust anymore, both Winter and Julian regained their strength already.


    And it seems like the witch with pink eyes healed them a while ago.


    Anyway, Aku tried to melt the ice dagger with his nullification power but it didn''t work. Even his Divine Protection seemed to have lost its effect. He had no choice but to catch the ice dagger with his hand. Avoiding it wasn''t an option because he didn''t want Nia, who stood behind him, to identally get hurt.


    "It seems like your ability doesn''t work on me, Your Majesty," Winter said haughtily. "Is it because I''m the Moon Serpent the one destined to kill you?"


    He smirked at the child''s arrogance but to be honest, he was pissed.


    <em>How could I forget that the Moon Serpent is the one prophesied to kill me? Not the Supreme, not the ck Serpent. But I already killed it once. I can do it again, can''t I?</em>


    Anyway, because of the scene Winter made, the tension disappeared.


    Kiho and Lady Nystrom looked so proud of their youngest son, and so was Julian. Even Lord Wixx and the others were looking at Winter as if they were their hope. It seemed like everyone was reminded of the prophecy about the Moon Serpent.


    "It was a lovely disy of your ability, Winter," Aku said, then he crushed the ice dagger in his hand. He bled for a while. But since it was only a minor wound, it healed on its own. "Let''s y again next time." He smiled "sweetly" at the child before he turned his back on him. "But the next time we y, one of us will surely end up dead."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was relieved when Aku Moonchester and Elis Ripperton finally left.


    The only enemy left in the house was Nia Moonchester. But she already locked herself up in the room. As long as they were tied by the binding vow, she knew that she wouldn''t so something reckless. But of course, they were still keeping an eye on the royal princess.


    "I already covered the room with my Mana," Luna said. "Rest assured, Nia Moonchester wouldn''t be able to eavesdrop on our conversation."


    "We trust your ability, Luna," Tilly said. "Thank you."


    Right now, they were having a meeting in the conference room.


    She, Kiho, Julian, Winter, Solenn, Luna, Wixx, Ainsworth, and Lord Forrester were sharing a round table while having hot chocte. They only brought out the tea for the royal twins. But now that the two weren''t around, they went back to drinking hot chocte.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Lord Denver and her Keepers were assigned to guard the area while they were having a meeting. Of course, they couldn''t trust Aku Moonchester and Elis Ripperton. Even though the two already left, they were still half-expecting them to return and attack their "camp."


    <em>It''s better to be safe than sorry.</em>


    "First of all, I''d like everyone in this room to know that Kiho and I won''t be taking all of you to thend that drinks blood," Tilly said. Before they went there, she and her husband already talked a little about what to discuss with their allies. Kiho also told her the problem with Ainsworth and his spirit guardian. After that, they decided to hold that meeting. "We decided to only bring our children with us."


    Their allies looked surprised, obviously.


    "That''s a good n. It''s not wise to bring a big party anyway," Wixx said while nodding his head. "But you need to bring me and Luna with you, Tilly. I will protect you, and you need Luna because she''s good at healing and creating barriers."


    "I agree with Lord Wixx," Luna said even though she could see the hesitation in her friend''s eyes. "I''m your doctor, Tilly."


    "I''d love to take you all with me but we can''t because Kiho and I decided to give you different jobs instead," she continued. "Everyone, Nia Moonchester gave me a hint that implies Aku Moonchester already knows that the Fire Mage n is hiding up in the sky."


    Everyone looked shocked by that revtion, especially the Red Phoenix.


    "How did that bastard find out?" Wixx asked angrily. "We did a good job hiding Srium from the Moonchesters all these years."


    "It''s not confirmed yet," she told her brother. "Nia Moonchester doesn''t know that Srium is up in the sky. I didn''t tell her anyway. I only concluded that Aku Moonchester already knows about it because Nia Moonchester told me that her brother asked for her winged-guardian. Apparently, Aku Moonchester wanted to check something in the sky and Elis Ripperton isn''t avable for the job."


    "It''s strange that Aku Moonchester would suddenly have the urge to fly that high when he didn''t bother to do so in the past," Kiho added. "The fact that he allowed Nia Moonchester to join us alone is already suspicious. So Tilly and I think that Aku Moonchester will look for the floating ind while we''re on our way to thend that drinks blood."


    "That makes sense," Lord Forrester said. "Aku Moonchester won''t leave Nia Moonchester alone without a valid reason."


    "Aunt Tilly, we should inform Father right away," Solenn said worriedly. "It''s better if they prepare for a fight as early as now."


    She nodded in agreement with the young princess. "But it''s not enough that we inform them of what''s going on," she said, then she turned to Wixx. "Brother, I want you to return to Srium with Solenn and all the Keepers."


    "What?!" Wixx and Solennined at the same time.


    "You all have to return to Srium and protect it with Sris," she said firmly. "The Srium needs the me of the Keepers to keep it afloat. If the ind gets attacked, the Keepers must be there to make sure that Srium won''t fall on the ground. And Brother, you must be there and stand as my representative. Sris and the rest of the n will feel safe if one of us will be there to lead them."


    His brother couldn''t refute that because as the Red Phoenix, he knew that he couldn''t leave their n again. "Fine," he said. "But I will leave Sentinel with you. If you have my spirit guardian, I cane to your rescue faster than normal means."


    She smiled and nodded. It was a goodpromise. When Solenn didn''tin, she moved on to the next topic of discussion. "Ainsworth," she said when she turned to the little tiger. "Kiho already told me about your situation. I will let you look for Faline."


    Ainsworth looked surprised by what she said. "But I want to fight with you, Sister Tilly."


    "You''re getting weak because of whatever they''re doing with your spirit guardian, Ainsworth," she said firmly. "It''s better if you find Faline first. And if you happen to get a hold of Drake, it will benefit us."


    "We can use Elis Ripperton''s guardian against him," Kiho added. "So rescue Faline as soon as possible, little tiger."


    Ainsworth looked at each one of them. When he realized that nobody was using him of backing down from a fight, he looked relieved. "Thank you, Sister Tilly and ck Serpent," he said with a firm nod. "I will find Faline and take care of Drake."


    "Thank you," she said, then she turned to Luna and Lord Forrester. "Luna, Lord Forrester, I want you to return to the Royal Capital and keep an eye on Ste. If you can, please convince them to join our force. We can''t trust her yet so don''t tell anything important to her. I just want to keep her close to our side for now. After all, Aku Moonchester''s enemy is a "friend" to us." She paused to sip her hot chocte before she continued. "Please bring Lord Denver with you as well. I want him to keep an eye on the citizens. I don''t want Aku Moonchester to use them as a shield once the divine war begins."


    Luna nodded, and she looked relieved that she was assigned to keep an eye on her sister. "Thank you, Tilly."


    "I will tell Lord Denver about the nter," Lord Forrester said. "I''m sure he''d be d to know that he''d be sent back to the Royal Capital."


    She just nodded and was about to speak again when Julian raised his hand. "What is it, Julian?"


    "Mother, I''m sorry but I have other ns," Julian said firmly, then he turned to Solenn. "Actually, Lady Solenn and I decided to do other things."


    Solenn looked confused at first, then she nodded. "Ah, that''s right. I can''t return to Srium," she said, then she turned to Julian. "Julian needs me after all."


    Her oldest son turned red.


    "Eww," Winter said. "What are you two talking about?"


    "I won''t allow it," Tilly said firmly. "It''s dangerous."


    "Mother, I''m sorry but we really have to go," Julian insisted in a stubborn voice. "If you don''t give us your permission, I will run away with Lady Solenn."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>

 Chapter 282: Call of Duty

    Chapter 282: Call of Duty


    "LUNA, do you know what''s going on between Julian and Solenn?"


    "I have an idea, Lord Wixx," Luna answered the Red Phoenix''s question. Right now, they were walking back to her room after Tilly asked them to leave. Only the Supreme''s immediate family remained in the room. Even Solenn was kicked out. "But I didn''t expect Lord Julian to be that bold. I thought he was the gentle, obedient kind."


    Lord Wixxughed at that. "Well, Julian has Tilly''s blood. It''s only a matter of time for his stubbornness to show."


    She just nodded as a response.


    To be honest, she was distracted because she was a little nervous about the mission that Tilly gave her.


    She wanted to go with the Supreme and her family but at the same time, she wanted to confront Ste. Even though she was the reincarnation of ine Moonchester, Ste was still her sister. They were born with the same parents in this lifetime, and she practically raised her little sister before Lahara took her away from her.


    <em>Once I get a hold of Ste, she''d get an earful from me!</em>


    Well, she was hoping that her sister hadn''t changed that much.


    "Luna, I want to bring you to Srium."


    Now that got her full attention.


    She stopped walking. Then, she turned around and faced Lord Wixx. He looked serious as he stood before her while looking at her straight in the eye.


    "I know now that gods are greedier and more selfish than normal humans," she said carefully. Her statement also applied to Tilly and Duke Nystrom. They were great people, no doubt about it. But she couldn''t deny that the Supreme and the ck Serpent had made selfish decisions that messed them up. "But Lord Wixx, I don''t think this is the right time to act on your selfishness. Your sister and her family are sacrificing their lives to save this empire from the Moonchesters."


    "Still, I can''t help but worry about you," Lord Wixx said seriously. "In the past you, I lost you when I took my eyes off of you for a moment."


    "You lost me because you didn''t choose me."


    His eyes glowed menacingly but she knew that his anger wasn''t directed at her. It was directed at himself. He couldn''t even refute her usation.


    "I''m not ming you for that, Lord Wixx," she said. "I understand that your n needed you more back then. It was your duty as their guardian to protect them. And one of your obligations during that time was to leave an heir for the Fire Mage n. The Supreme wasn''t able to conceive a child then, so it was up to you to have one."


    "Luna"


    "I was a Moon Priestess back then and most of your people saw me as an enemy," she continued even though reliving the past also hurt her a little. "To appease your n, you had to choose the Sun Priestess over me."


    He shut his eyes tight as his jaw clenched hard.


    "I know that your duty outweighed your love for me and I epted that," she said firmly. "Lord Wixx, I respected your choice back then so now, it''s your turn to respect mine."


    Lord Wixx opened his eyes. The pain or regret that she was expecting to see where nowhere to be found. He just gave her a distant look, then he nodded politely. "I understand, Luna," he said in a formal tone. "But if you need my help, don''t hesitate to call me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHERE do you n to go again?" Tilly asked Julian while trying to calm herself. Kiho''s hand was gently patting her back in an attempt to soothe her. But frankly speaking, she still felt agitated. "Julian, our family has finally been reunited. But you''re saying that you want to go somewhere else with Solenn?"


    She could see the fear in Julian''s eyes even if she didn''t mean to intimidate him.


    Even Solenn who was usually confident and arrogant couldn''t meet her gaze.


    The only "chill" one in the room was Winter, of course. But her youngest son was looking at his brother as if thetter just grew two heads.


    <em>This is making me feel bad.</em>


    She was surprised when Julian said he would "run away" with Solenn. It sounded like the two would elope. Of course, that gave her a mini heart attack.


    <em>Julian is still my baby.</em>


    "I''m not mad," she said because she didn''t want to scare Julian and Solenn. "I''m just a little upset. So please tell me everything that I need to know."


    Julian took a deep breath before he spoke. "Mother, I asked for Lady Solenn''s help so please don''t scold her," he said carefully while looking at her straight in the eye. "I asked her to help me get to the ne."


    She was shocked to hear that.


    Winter looked clueless, of course.


    But Kiho wasn''t. Her husband seemed to be upset with what he heard from their son because all of a sudden, the room turned cold.


    "Julian, do you know what the ne is?" Kiho asked sternly. "Only dead people can get to the ne."


    Winter gasped when he heard that. "Brother, you''re not nning to die, are you?"


    "I''m not," Julian assured her brother. "That''s why I asked Lady Solenn for help."


    She turned to Solenn, hoping that she didn''t look scary for the young princess. "May we know how you n to help our son, Solenn?"


    Solenn gulped before she spoke. "I n to put Julian into a semi-permanent state of death."


    Once again, she was shocked to hear that.


    <em>Semi-permanent state of death?!</em>


    Even Kiho didn''t seem impressed because the room turned colder. "Solenn, it''s not that we don''t trust you," he began carefully. "But putting someone in a semi-permanent state of death is dangerous. I can see what you''re trying to do. But the ne isn''t a ce that you can easily enter and leave. That''s the ce where different gods reside after all."


    "Kiho is right," she agreed with a firm nod. "Plus, the fact that you''re putting my son in a semi-permanent state of death is more than enough reason to not give our permission to this "mission" of yours. Why do you need to go to the ne anyway?"


    "I''m suspecting that some ancient being is messing with our rebirth, Mother," Julian said in a mildly impatient voice. That was the first time she heard her son used that tone on them. "People with our lineage shouldn''t have gaps in our memories. But the memories that we retrieved from the Sun God are still iplete. I want to go to the ne to personally check on them."


    "You made a valid point, son," she said, acknowledging the fact that Julian realized it when it didn''t cross their mind before. There was already too much on her te, so she was d that her son noticed the thing that she overlooked. "But I still won''t let the two of you go. Kiho and I will deal with theer."


    Her husband nodded in agreement.


    "It might be toote by then, Mother," Julian insisted in a firm voice. "Once you get to the Great Fire Tree, your binding vow with Lady Nia Moonchester will be over. I''m sure the divine war will begin by then."


    "I agree with Julian, Aunt Tilly," Solenn said seriously. "The best time to "visit" the ne would be the time that the gods are too busy watching the divine war on earth."


    She hated to admit this but the young princess had a good point.


    "And I have a feeling that Emperor Aku Moonchester wouldn''t only be targetting the floating ind," Julian added. "He''ll probably attack every ce and people dear to you while you''re travelling to thend that drinks blood, Mother. I know that you already anticipated it, thus you assigned our people with different tasks. I believe that if Lady Solenn and I visit the ne, it will give us a huge advantage in the uing divine war."


    "The risk is too high," she insisted. As a businesswoman, she was a risk-taker. But as a mother, she wouldn''t put her children''s lives at stake for some "advantage." "No matter what you say, I won''t allow you to go to the ne."


    "Then, I won''t ask for your permission as my mother," Julian said in a more impatient voice now. "Lady Tilly Prescott-Nystrom, the Supreme Fire Mage, please allow me to go to the ne with Lady Solenn for the sake of our victory against the Moonchesters."


    She suddenly felt helpless.


    As a mother, it was easy for her to decline Julian''s request.


    But as the Supreme Fire Mage, she realized that not allowing Julian and Solenn to go would be a waste.


    <em>Still, even in my point of view as the Supreme, sending Julian and Solenn to a dangerous ce isn''t really that worth it. Well, it''s true that we may gain advantage if they find something important in the ne. But if they get hurt, our whole n will suffer. Julian is my firstborn, and Solenn is Sris''s only daughter.</em>


    Yet, if they got toote in reaching the ne along the way


    "Brother, you''re putting too much pressure on Mom," Winterined to Julian. "Do you really have to go? You don''t even know what exactly you''re looking for in the ne."


    Julian turned to his brother. "I know what I want to see in the ne, Winter. I need to look for the god in-charge of our rebirth and question him about the memories that we lost."


    "Brother, do you think the ne is small, cozy ce that will warmly wee an intruder like you?" Winter asked in a t voice. "Please don''t tell me that you believe a god would just simply answer your questions. And if they don''t, do you think you could threaten them? Have you ever thought that they might just lock your soul up in the ne forever?"


    Their oldest son red at his younger brother for the first time.


    "I won''t let that happen," Solenn said to Winter in a firm voice. "I will awaken Julian if I sense that his soul is in danger."


    "Nah, that doesn''t make your n fool-proof."


    "Winter, don''t speak to Lady Solenn that way," Julian scolded his younger brother. "And are you treating me like an idiot?"


    "I''m not treating you like an idiot, Brother," Winter insisted. "But if you think that way, then maybe your n sounds stupid in the first ce."


    Julian released a bloodlust directed at Winter.


    Of course, Winter flinched when he felt that.


    Tilly wanted to stop the two from fighting but when the round table and everything on top of it were suddenly covered by ice, she held back and allowed her husband to take over.


    "If you want to fight, take it outside," Kiho said sternly. "But if any of you step out of this room, I will take it as a rebellion against me and your mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU WEREN''T able to steal even a small amount of me from Winchell''s spirit guardian?" Elis Ripperton, who sat on the sofa from across him inside the grand carriage, asked with a raised brow. "Did you only go to the North to drop off Nia Moonchester?"


    "It can''t be helped," Aku said while looking at the three vials in his hand. "Sentinel didn''te out of Lord Wixx while I was there. But these are enough."


    One vial in his hand had the ck me that Nia stole from Lucina Morganna. The other bottle was filled with a golden light that came from Faline Ainsworth''s spirit guardian. And finally, thest vial was filled with a dark purple liquid that came from Yumi''s venom.


    "Once I get control of Lady Nystrom, Kiho, and Ainsworth, I wouldn''t need Lord Wixx anyway," he said, then he turned to the Blue Dragon. "I didn''t ask for your spirit guardian''s essence because I trust you, Lord Ripperton. You''re on my side, aren''t you?"


    "I will be on your side as long as our interests align."


    "That''s good enough for me," he said, then he put the vials in the inside pocket of his suit. "Let''s head straight to the temple. I need the High Priest''s assistance to recreate the Bangle."


    The ''Bangle'' would be the bracelet that allowed Lady Nystrom in the past to control the Ancient Beasts. But the bracelet had never truly epted him as its master and thus, it easily melted when the Supreme decided that she no longer needed it.


    So this time, he decided to create a new Bangle that would give him control over the Ancient Beasts. And in ce of Lord Wixx, he decided to control Lady Nystrom instead. After all, the Supreme had the ck Phoenix in her.


    "What will you do after recreating the bracelet?" Elis Ripperton asked him. "Will you personally fly with the winged-guardian to look for the Fire Mage n in the sky?"


    "I''m still undecided," Aku admitted, then he turned outside the window. Right now, they were already in the Royal Capital. To be precise, they were in the upscale part of the capital that the nobles frequently visit. Since it was the area where the ruling ss reside, it was also the saftest part of the empire. "I have a feeling that I need to destroy the peace that my people enjoy before the divine war begins."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU."


    Mikhail Denver stopped in his tracks when Lord Wixx literally blocked his way. He was about to enter the main house when the Red Phoenix appeared. Well, to be precise, he flew down when he saw him. "My name is Mikhail Denver, my lord," he said politely with a bow. "I am the leader of the Fire Mages that managed to hide from the royal family until recently."


    "Ah, is that so? Good job then," Lord Wixx said dismissively. "Have you already talked to Asher Forrester about the mission that my sister bestowed upon you?"


    "Yes, I have, Lord Wixx," he said politely. "I am to serve as Miss Luna''s escort to the Royal Capital."


    "Luna is stronger than you so she doesn''t really need your protection."


    Ouch.


    "I know that Miss Luna is stronger than me, my lord," he said. To be honest, he was starting to get pissed by the Red Phoenix''s hostility towards him. But he held back because at the end of the day, Lord Wixx was still the god that their n worshipped. "But it doesn''t mean she no longer needs protection. Even if I''m inferior to her, I still want to be worthy of standing next to her. And I want to be of use to Miss Luna, even if all I can offer is support."


    "Do you have romantic feelings for Luna?"


    Ah, so it was about that, huh?


    He heard that Lord Wixx and Miss Luna had a romantic rtionship in the past. But as far as he knew, it wasn''t the case this time.


    "Answer my question honestly, Mikhail Denver," Lord Wixx ordered him, his dark purple eyes turned a deep shade of orange (almost red), and they were now glowing menacingly. "Are you in love with Luna?"


    Mikhail Denver smiled politely at the Red Phoenix. "I believe that''s none of your business, Lord Wixx."


    <em>Dear ancestors, please forgive me for my insolence.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>

 Chapter 283: Consultation Time

    Chapter 283: Consultation Time


    "HAVE YOU gone crazy?" Winter scolded his brother and Solenn, then he crossed his arms over his chest. They were locked up in the tea room because of the two''s crazy antics. When the adults left, he stood in front of Julian and Solenn because the two were ignoring him. "I get your point but how could youe up with a n with a lot of loopholes? I expected than from Solenn but not from you, Brother."


    "Hey," Solennined while ring at her. "Do you want me to hit you?"


    He ignored the little brat princess because his attention was now focused on his brother.


    "Winter, if you''re going to pick a fight with me, I''m sorry but I''m not in the mood," Julian said in a tired voice. "I''m busy thinking of a way to convince Mother to agree with my n. We''re going to leave the North tomorrow morning. I only have a few hours to give Mother an offer that she couldn''t refuse."


    His older brother''s words hurt him.


    <em>So, he doesn''t really consider bringing me with them, huh?</em>


    "Why don''t we just run away?" Solenn said while looking at Julian with sparkling eyes. "You already dered that we''d run away if they don''t give us their blessing, Julian."


    His brother''s face turned red.


    To be honest, Winter was cringing deep inside.


    Although Julian and Solenn both had adult souls, it was still awkward to see a five year old little girl flirt with a seven year old little boy who also happened to be his brother.


    "I will snitch on you if you run away," Winter delcared coldly, causing Julian and Solenn to turn to him at the same time. "And do you think we''re not being watched as of this moment? If I can feel the heavy gaze of the Keepers, I''m sure that the two of you feel them as well."


    "We can escape if we want to," Solenn still insisted. "They can''t hurt as anyway."


    "I will try to convince Mother again. I don''t want to make her and Father upset," his brother said. "But if they still don''t change their mind, I will really leave with Solenn. I have to do this for our family so please try to be understanding, Winter."


    He clenched his hands tight until his nails dug deep into the skin of his palms. "Why aren''t you asking me toe with you, Brother?" he asked, his voice filled with pain more than he had expected. Wow, so he was this hurt, huh? "Why don''t you want to bring me with you? Is Solenn more important to you than your own brother?"


    His older brother blinked in surprise.


    "Winter, are you jealous of me?" Solenn asked in disbelief. "Wow, that''s new."


    "Shut up," he snarled at the little brat princess. "You''re stealing my brother from me!"


    "Winter, that''s not true," Julian denied, then he stood up and held his shoulders gently. "I can''t bring you with me because it''s too dangerous. And one of us has to stay with Mother and Father. It has to be you."


    "But why does it have to be me only?"


    "You''re the Moon Serpent, Winter," his brother reminded him. "You''re the one destined to kill Aku Moonchester. Of course, you''re the one who''s supposed to stay with Mother and Father. Only our parents can protect you."


    "How about you, Brother?"


    "The ne is a dangerous ce but I really have a feeling that I can find the answers that I''m looking for in there," he insisted. "I admit that the questions you raised a while ago are valid, Winter. Still, we can only know the answers once I get there."


    "I think I''ve been into the ne, Brother."


    His brother looked shocked by his statement.


    "Winter, you''re not just saying that to convince Julian to bring you with us, are you?" Solenn asked him with a raised brow. "It''s not good to lie in this situation."


    "I''m not lying, Solenn," Winter insisted, then he looked at his brother straight in the eye. "Brother, I was waiting to be reborn in this lifetime. During those times, I canmunicate with Mother even if I was only a fetus. Where do you think my soul was residing back then?"


    Julian suddenly looked interested in what he was saying. "Tell me more about it, Winter."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HEY, BLACK Serpent."


    Kiho, who was seated on a tree branch, turned to Winchell who was seated on the branch of a tree from across him. He was there to make sure that Julian and Solenn wouldn''t try to escape. And he was on duty to guard the area this time. But he had no idea why his brother-inw (who hated him with a passion) suddenly came to him on his own. "What, Red Phoenix?"


    "Is he a good person?" Winchell asked seriously. "That Mikhail Denver."


    "Lord Denver is a great person," he said right away. It was a no-brainer since Lord Denver had already proved several times that he was a decent person. He had been loyal to Tilly as well all this time. In his book, everyone who was kind to his wife (without an ulterior motive) was a good person. "Why do you ask?"


    "He loves Luna."


    Now he regretted asking.


    He was aware of what kind of rtionship Winchell and Miss Luna had in the past. And he was also a little aware of Lord Denver''s feelings for the witch. But to be honest, he didn''t really care that much about other people''s affairs.


    To be honest, he only cared about Lord Denver''s personal life in the past because he thought he was interested in Tilly. When he realized that Lord Denver had romantic feelings for Miss Luna and not for his wife, he left him alone right away.


    "Aren''t you going to ask me how I feel about that?" Winchellined when he didn''t react at his previous remark. "ck Serpent, you were the one who introduced Luna to me in the past. You were our matchmaker so you have to take responsibility."


    "Are you crazy?" heined back. "I didn''t introduce Miss Luna to you as a possible wife. I introduced her to your n as the Moon Priestess back then." He paused, then he clicked his tongue. "If I knew you wouldn''t have the balls to choose her, I would have hidden her away from you."


    The Red Phoenix looked hurt by his words.


    Now that made him feel bad a little bit.


    <em>Winchell has always been sensitive when ites to Miss Luna.</em>


    "Is it that despicable that I chose my duty over her in the past?" the Red Phoenix asked in a soft tone that he almost never used. He only often talk that way when he was speaking with Tilly. His current vulnerability was making Kiho feel awkward. "I had no choice back then, ck Serpent. My sister married a Moonchester that time," he said. Of course, Winchell was referring to him back when he was Kalel Moonchester/Nystrom. "If I chose the Moon Priestess as my wife back then, our n would have rebelled against us."


    "Do you regret the choice that you made in the past?"


    His brother-inw paused before he gave an answer. "No."


    "You do," he insisted. "You hesitated."


    "I can''t change the choice that I made back then," Winchell admitted. "But my greed is acting up, ck Serpent. I''m starting to desire Luna once again."


    "Does she want you back?"


    "No," he said, his shoulders slumped. "That''s why I''m asking you if Mikhail Denver is a good person. I don''t want Luna to end up with the wrong man again."


    "If Tilly was here, she would have punched you in the face."


    "What did I do wrong?"


    "Miss Luna doesn''t seem interested in Lord Denver. As far as I know, she already rejected him a few years ago," he told his stupid brother-inw. "That''s why it''s weird that you''re acting like you have to hand her over to Lord Denver. Miss Luna doesn''t want either of you, Winchell. She''s perfectly happy with her single-blessedness."


    Winchell looked bbergasted with everything that he said.


    "Moreover, Miss Luna has too much on her te already without you adding to her list of concerns," Kiho said to his brother-inw. "She''s focused on reuniting with her sister so don''t bother her, Winchell."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LADY NYSTROM, please allow Lord Julian and Lady Solenn to go to the ne."


    Tilly bit her lower lip.


    Right now, she was in the balcony with Lord Forrester. She went out to breathe fresh air when the former saint followed her. And now, they were talking while facing the Frozen Woods.


    "I know that you asked me to apany Miss Luna to the Royal Capital," Lord Forrester continued. "But I believe that I will be more of use if I escort Lord Julian and Lady Solenn to the ne instead."


    Tilly took a deep breath to calm herself before she turend to the former saint. "Why do you say so, Lord Forrester?"


    "I have a feeling that my father, the Sky God, is trapped in the ne," the former saint said. "I have lost contact with my father a few years ago. When Lord Julian mentioned the ne, I suddenly realized that it''s the only ce that can block mymunication link with my father."


    Now it was getting hard to deny Julian the permission that he was asking of her.


    After all, aside from being a mother, she was also the Supreme Fire Mage.


    "I know that you''re worried about Lord Julian''s safety," Lord Forrester said seriously. "I promise to protect him and Lady Solenn if you allow us to travel to the ne, Lady Nystrom."


    Tilly let out a deep sigh. "Let''s go and talk to the children again, Lord Forrester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELAINE wasn''t surprised when the tea in her teacup suddenly turned gold.


    Since she was alone in her chamber, she already expected them to contact her. After all, it had been a long time since thest time she talked to them.


    "<em>If you have found what you''re looking for in the Royal Pce, then it''s time for you to return</em>," the voice said to her in a gentle tone. "<em>We will open the gates of the ne for you but you have to hurry. You know that we can''t keep it open for a long time, don''t you?</em>"


    "I know," ine said, then she turned to the outside of her window where she could see the full moon. "But I want to meet my other brother first, Mistress."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 284: Crazy Counter-Attack Plan

    Chapter 284: Crazy Counter-Attack n


    "I DON''T really remember the ce where I was while waiting for me to be born in this world," Winter said, then he sipped his hot chocte before he continued speaking. "But all I remember is it felt like I was in the womb. And a mother figure took care of me back then."


    Julian nodded carefully after hearing Winter''s story. He didn''t doubt his brother because he had no reason to lie. Most of all, he would always believe Winter. He already learned from his mistake when he didn''t believe that his Mother was really his mother. Since then, he promised himself that he wouldn''t make the same mistake again. "There are only a few goddesses in the heaven. We can narrow our list down now thanks to you, Winter."


    His younger brother smiled proudly.


    He also couldn''t help but smile and gently pat Winter''s head. "Thank you."


    "Are you going to bring me with you now, Brother?"


    "No."


    Winter scowled. Well, to be honest, he looked like he was throwing tantrums. Despite having an older soul, he was still immature. It was probably because he had a strict childhood in the past. So now that he was born into a loving family, he had the freedom and the privilege to be a spoiled child. "Why not? I already proved that I''m useful."


    "It''s because I love you, Winter."


    His younger brother, who was obviously not used to him being vocal about his feelings, suddenly turned red as if he was shy. "Why are you suddenly saying that, Brother? It''s cringey."


    Heughed. Winter spent a long time with their mother that he had already started using unfamiliar words casually. He wasn''t jealous because he knew that the more time he spent with his family, the more he would adapt the way Winter did. Those were things that he didn''t want to rush. "I''m just saying it in case I lose the chance to say it in the future."


    <em>Ah, I shouldn''t have said that.</em>


    Winter scowled, obviously upset by the implication of his words.


    Julian already promised to change. But he had lived as a pessimist for a long time. Sometimes, he said negative things without actually meaning it.


    "Hey, don''t talk like that," Lady Solenn scolded him, then she lightly flickered his forehead with her fingers. "You''re going to make Winter cry."


    He just smiled apologetically at the young princess.


    "I''m not crying," Winter insisted while ring at Solenn. "And I won''t."


    "Please don''t fight," he told Winter and Solenn, then he faced his brother again and gently patted his head. "I apologize for the careless words I used, Winter."


    His younger brother was about to say something when they heard a knock on the door.


    Then, when the door opened, the three of them stood up and greeted his Mother and Lord Forrester. They only sat back on the sofa when his mother and the former saint sat on the sofa from across them.


    "Julian, I already made a decision," his mother said seriously. "I''m going to let you and Solenn go to the ne."


    Julian''s eyes widened in delight. "Really, Mother?"


    "Yes, but I have a condition," his mother said, then she politely gestured to the former saint with a han. "I want you to bring Lord Forrester with you."


    "I''m kind of familiar with the ne since I''ve been there in the past," Lord Forrester said. "I want to go there as well because I believe that I can find my father in the ne. May I join you in your journey, Lord Julian and Lady Solenn?"


    "I don''t mind if you join us, Lord Forrester. Having you join us will put me more at ease," Lady Solenn said, then she turned to him. "But the final decision is on you, Julian."


    He was adamant about letting Winter join them because he didn''t want to put his brother''s life in danger.


    But if Lord Forrester joined him and Lady Solenn to their journey to the ne, their sess rate would increase. He wasn''t saying that Winter wouldn''t do the same if he joined them. It was just that bringing someone who knew the ne''s blueprint would be more logical.


    "It''s an honor to have you join us, Lord Forrester," Julian said with a smile. "Please allow us to share with you the things that Winter told us a while ago."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AFTER TILLY listened to Julian and Winter, she felt relieved to know that the children wouldn''t blindly roam in the ne. "You have a lead and that''s a good start," she said while nodding her head. "Like what you said, Julian, there''s only a few goddesses in the heaven. It''s dominated by gods after all."


    "That''s right," Lord Forrester agreed with her. "And there''s a fewer goddesses stationed in the ne. We can begin by making a list of the goddesses in the ne that I''m familiar with." He turned to Winter. "Lord Winter, can you tell me the things that you remember about the "mother figure" that you met in the ne?"


    "I can try," Winter said. "But my memory of that moment is hazy. I''m not sure if I can give useful clues in identifying that goddess."


    "It''s okay, Winter," Julian told his brother encouragingly. "Anything is fine."


    Tilly smiled at how her little boys supported each other.


    Seeing her sons'' strong bond reminded her of her own brother. She also remembered that Wixx requested an audience from her. It seemed like the Red Phoenix hade up with a n to counter Aku Moonchester''s n to attack Srium.


    "Lord Forrester, Winter, Julian, go ahead and continue your meeting," Tilly said, then she turned to Solenn who was just about to sip her hot chocte. "Solenn,e with me to the conference room."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "EVERYONE in this room probably knows that I''m crazy," Wixx asked Tilly, Solenn, Jameson, and Roarke who were in the conference room with him. "Right?"


    "We know, Brother," Tilly said. "It''s not news to us."


    Nobody among Solenn, Jameson, and Roarke voiced out their agreement with Tilly in fear of disrespecting him. Only her little sister had the galls to do that, and he loved that about her.


    "I''m d to know that you''re already aware of that. I hope you don''t get too surprised by the n that I came up with," he said, then he paused for a while before he continued speaking in a serious tone. "I want to literally bring Srium down."


    Everyone, including his little sister who grew up with his crazy antics, still looked shocked by his deration.


    "Listen to me before you react," he told them. "I know it won''t be easy to bring the floating ind back to earth. Even I can''t assure that Aku Moonchester and his cronies wouldn''t notice us once the indnded on the ground. But I believe that Ainsworth, as an Ancient Beast that controls the earth, can help us with that. And so, I want to push through with this n."


    "Brother, may I know why you suddenly wanted to bring Srium back to earth?" Tilly asked curiously. "Do you think you can''t protect the floating ind from Aku Moonchester''s attack? Don''t we have the advantage in aerial battle because you can fly and he can''t? He even borrowed Nia Moonchester''s winged-guardian."


    "I know that I have the upper hand in an aerial battle," he told his sister seriously. "But Tilly, don''t forget that to keep the ind afloat, every single one of the Keepers has to use their me. If a war in Srium breaks out, how can they protect the people if they are busy keeping the ind afloat? Not every Fire Mage in Srium can fight."


    His sister fell silent, and she was probably thinking about his n carefully.


    "May I speak, Lord Wixx?" Solenn, who was often casual to him, spoke formally this time. She was probably acting as Sris''s representative and not as his granddaughter. When he nodded encouragingly at her, she continued talking. "I agree with your decision. If it''s only you and Aku Moonchester fighting, I am confident that you''d win. But knowing how sly the emperor is, he''ll probably bring his cronies. He won''t hesitate to target ordinary civilians even if we''re supposed to be in a "divine war.""


    He nodded at Solenn''s thoughts. "Thank you for sharing your opinion, Solenn. I''m sure that your father will agree with you if he was here."


    The young princess smiled proudly.


    <em>She looks like Sris whenever I praised him in the past.</em>


    He turned to Jameson and Roarke. "I want to hear your opinion as Keepers, Jameson and Roarke."


    "I agree with you, Lord Wixx," Jameson, who seemed to have forgotten how to curse, said with a firm nod. "I want to fight, but I can''t go all-out if I need to keep the ind afloat with my me."


    "It''s not that I''m disagreeing," Roarke began hesitantly. "But Lord Wixx, may I hear how you n to protect the Fire Mage n once Sriumnded back on earth?"


    "I''m d that you asked that. As expected of my son," Wixx said, proud that his son wasn''t a blind follower. "I''m actually thinking of bringing the ind here in the North."


    "Here? You''re going to bring the Fire Mages in a territory where it''s always snowing?" Tilly asked, her eyes widening in shock. "What exactly are you nning, Brother?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>"WE WILL open the gates of the ne for you but you have to hurry. You know that we can''t keep it open for a long time, don''t you?"</em>


    Kelsi smiled when she heard that strange voice talking to Ste, aka ine Moonchester. "Did you hear that, Wong?" she asked. Then, she pressed the small stone attached to the button in her hand. That paused the recording that she made Wong listen to. "ine Moonchester seems to be involved with the ne."


    Wong, who stopped drinking tea midway, looked at her as if she grew two heads. "I still can''t believe that your little trick on spying the Royal Pce worked."


    "It would have been better if you attached the voice recording device to Elis Ripperton," she said with a smile. "But it seems like having it attached on Ste instead is also a good thing."


    When Wong didn''t react, she tilted her head at one side until it hit his shoulder.


    "What?" heined.


    "I did a good job," Kelsi said with a pout. "Give me a pet head, Wong."


    Wong let out a deep sigh, then he awkwardly patted her head. "Happy now?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 285: Temporary Separation

    Chapter 285: Temporary Separation


    TO SAY that Nia Moonchester was surprised when she woke up in an almost empty house would be an exaggeration.


    Aside from the Supreme, the ck Serpent, and the children, everyone was gone. The Red Phoenix, the Golden Tiger, the former saint, and the former ck Serpent and Red Phoenix Knights had all vanished.


    <em>They probably left the Northst night.</em>


    And she didn''t even feel or hear anything. She fell asleep early and had a good night sleep. But that was the strangest thing. Whenever she was in the Royal Pce, or the temple where she was "locked up," she would always wake up even with the softest thud. She was pretty certain that her food didn''t have any "sleeping potion" on them though.


    <em>Is it my room? Did they put a calming spell in my room so I wouldn''t wake up?</em>


    "Good morning, Nia Moonchester," Lady Nystrom greeted her. She was preparing the table and Kiho was helping her. Winter and Julian, who both greeted her politely, were already seated. There was also a strange little girl between the two boys but shepletely ignored her. "We only have pancakes for breakfast since our food stock is empty now. Will that be alright with you?"


    "I don''t mind," Nia said, then she sat down on the empty chair from across Winter. "And Lady Nystrom, you can call me by my first name. Calling me by my full name every time hurts my ears."


    "Alright, Nia," the Supreme said. "Then, you can call me by my name first as well. It''s not because I''m being friendly to you. I just don''t want to appear rude if I call you by your name while you still address me politely."


    "I understand, Tilly," she said, then she turned to Kiho who quietly poured tea in her teacup. "You can also call me by my first name, Kiho. We''re practically siblings after all."


    "I can call you by your first name, Nia," Kiho said, then he looked down at her coldly. "But don''t act familiar with me. You were never my sister. You were just ine''s recement."


    She smiled faintly at the ck Serpent''s coldness. "Ah, it has been a while since Ist heard that name," she said, then she sipped her tea before she spoke again. "It''s funny how you''re acting protective of ine now, Kiho. After all, you didn''t care about her in the past. If you truly did, you would have rescued her the moment that you heard that Aku locked her up in the tower."


    It looked like she hit a nerve because Kiho''s golden eyes glowed dangerously.


    "If you don''t want to have burnt pancakes for breakfast, don''t you dare pester my husband," Tilly warned her. "We already have a binding vow so don''t provoke us."


    "I''m just having a conversation with my ex-brother."


    "You mean brother-inw," Kiho said in a calm yet snarky manner. "You were Aku''s wife back then. And will still be even in this lifetime."


    This time, the ck Serpent hit a sensitive nerve of hers.


    It didn''t help that Winter and Julian both stifled aughter. On the other hand, the little girl between the two young gentlemen didn''t hold back andughed aloud.


    <em>Children don''t have manners these days.</em>


    "I knew I didn''t have to defend you, hon," the Supreme said delightfully. "Nia, this is ourst breakfast in this house. Let''s eat in peace, shall we?"


    She just rolled her eyes at that. "Where are the others?"


    "They already left," Tilly said, then she smiled sweetly at her. "I''m sorry but I won''t tell you where they are."


    "I''m not that interested to know," Nia said casually. "Do we have honey for the pancakes?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "JULIAN, SOLENN, take care of yourselves," Tilly said while kneeling in front of the two kids. Behind Julian and Solenn, a warp in the form of a ring of fire was open. The Keepers from the other side of the portal was keeping it open with the help of Solenn''s me. "I''m d that you decided to drop by at our mansion in the Royal Capital first."


    Yes, that was the n.


    Julian and Solenn would take a detour first before when Wong calledst night, he told them that they got an information regarding ine Moonchester and the ne. For that matter, Lord Forrester went ahead to hear the details from the Keeper.


    "Julian, Flint is at our home," she said. It was one of the reasons why she was d that Julian and Solenn would go to their mansion first. Flint was there, and she knew how much Julian wanted to be reunited with his other brother. "Please send our regards to Flint."


    "And please tell Flint to wait for us," Kiho said, then he got down on one knee and held their oldest son''s shoulder gently. "He''ll always be my little rival anyway."


    Julian smiled and nodded. "I''m sure Brother Flint will be d to hear that, Mother, Father. Thank you for worrying about him."


    Both her and Kiho smiled at that.


    "Brother, don''t forget me while you''re hanging out with Brother Flint," Winter, who was a bit too clingy, said to his brother. "Promise me that I will always be your favorite brother."


    "Of course, Winter," Julian said with a kind smile. "Would you like a farewell hug?"


    Instead of verbally responding, Winter just hugged Julian tightly.


    Their oldest son gently patted their youngest son''s back as if he wasforting him.


    <em>I''m so happy that their bond is this strong now.</em>


    She didn''t want to cry so she turned to Solenn instead.


    Although she knew that Julian didn''t mean "elope" when he said he''d run awany with the young princess a while ago, she still couldn''t help but get a little wary of her own niece. She knew that it was pathetic but her protectiveness as a mother couldn''t be hidden.


    "Julian is mine," she dered. "Don''t steal my baby away from me."


    Solenn looked at her as if she had grown two heads, then sheughed softly. "Don''t worry, Aunt Tilly. I''m patient," she said yfully. "I will wait for Julian until he''s of legal age."


    Gosh, the little brat princess was a tough opponent, huh?


    And the redness in Julian''s cheeks wasn''t a good sign either.


    "Julian, you''re still a baby," Tilly said with a pout, then she hugged both Julian and Winter. To be honest, she was trying not to cry. But now that the reality of their separation hit her, she could no longer hold back her tears. "Let''s hurry up with our missions and reunite as soon as possible, hmm?"


    Winter and Julian both smiled and nodded.


    "Of course, Mom."


    "Yes, Mother."


    "We''re just one call away, Julian," Kiho said, then he joined their big family hug. "Please return to us safely."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HAVE you calmed down, honey?" Kiho asked while he and Tilly were walking deep into the woods. "Your eyes and nose are both so red."


    After Julian and Solenn left, they walked Winter back to the house.


    Although Nia was still there, they were certain that she wouldn''t try to hurt her son. But of course, they couldn''tpletely trust the royal princess. So, his wife put a spell on Winter''s room. If Nia got near it, the room would burn.


    But Winter wouldn''t get hurt because as soon as Tilly''s me engulfed their son''s room, he would be sent to wherever he and his wife was.


    If they didn''t have to, they wouldn''t leave Winter alone in the house.


    <em>But we need to find Ga Nystrom to make North our own territorypletely. We had to leave Winter alone in the house to keep an eye on Nia.</em>


    "I''m fine now, hon," Tilly said between sobs. "I''m just sad that we can''t bring Julian with us. I''m also worried about him and Solenn. But I know that even if he''s a child, he still has duties as our oldest son."


    He gently wrapped his arms around his wife''s shoulders. "During times like this, I can''t help but remember the world that you talk about before. I want to live in a peaceful world with you and our children."


    "It''s impossible to leave this world for now so we have no choice but to make this empire safe for our children."


    He nodded in agreement.


    "Anyway, let''s hurry and find Ga Nystrom first," his wife said. "I don''t want to leave Winter alone for so long."


    Again, he nodded in agreement.


    Then, he went rigid when he heard something.


    "What''s wrong, hon?" his wife asked worriedly. "Is there a threat nearby?"


    "No," he assured her, then he turned to her while hoping that his eyes weren''t glowing from excitement. "I just hear a river nearby."


    "Oh."


    "Tilly?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Can we do itter?" Kiho asked, his cheeks probably red from his boldness. "I mean, can we take a bath after our mission?"


    He knew that it was not the right moment for that.


    But sometimes, he couldn''t control the urges that he felt. Although if Tilly said no, he would respect her decision. He was just trying to test his luck.


    <em>It''s been so long since west did it so...</em>


    Tilly blinked several times as if she was trying to check if she heard him right. Then, after staring at his red face for a few moments, sheughed softly. "Of course," she said, then she gently pinched his cheeks. "And we can also do something else, you naughty boy."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 286: An Unexpected Alliance

    Chapter 286: An Unexpected Alliance


    JULIAN felt sad that he went back to their home without his parents and his younger brother.


    But the fact that Flint was there made him feel better. To be honest, he had to be aggressive and chase his brother who seemed to be very adamant to avoid him.


    "Brother, why are you avoiding me?" Julian asked Flint after he followed him to the pond. His brother was feeding his parents'' koi fish when he arrived. Since Flint couldn''t leave while he hadn''t finished feeding the fish yet, he had no choice but to say. "Did I do something bad?"


    Flint looked awkward around him. He couldn''t even focus on him. Instead, his brother kept his gaze on the pond. "You didn''t do anything wrong, Lord Julian."


    Hearing his brother address him as such hurt him. "Please don''t call me that way, Brother. It feels like you''re so distant to me now."


    "But we''re not brothers," he said, then he turned to him with an ufortable look on his face. "You''re the son of Sister Tilly and Brother Rival. That means we can''t be real brothers. I don''t know how you became my parents'' son. But now I know that it can''t be true."


    He clenched his hands before he told Flint what he knew about his biological brother. "Brother Flint, your real brother was dead when your mother gave birth to him."


    Flint looked shocked by his revtion.


    "I suddenly appeared on the grave that your parents made for your brother," he continued with his exnation. "They probably thought that I was sent by the heaven as your brother''s recement. And thus, he adopted me without telling you that I''m not your real brother."


    He could remember everything because even though he was reborn as a baby, his mind and memories as an adult remained intact.


    "I''m sorry I kept it a secret from you, Brother Flint," he felt in a voice filled with guilt. "I didn''t want you to abandon me. I''ll admit that at first, I was just afraid to be left alone. After all, as a baby, I don''t know how I''ll survive. But I got attached to you eventually. I''ve always longed for a brother in the past so when I met you in this lifetime, I was d and thankful. You''ve taken good care of me even though you were also a child back then." He bowed to his brother. "I''m sorry for using you as a means of survival, Brother Flint."


    "You don''t have to apologize for that, Lord Julian," Flint said. "I''m not mad at you for keeping it a secret. And you didn''t use me as a means of survival. You were a baby then, and it''s only natural for babies to depend on their family."


    He raised his head and looked at his brother with sparkling eyes, perhaps. "Really, Brother Flint? You''re not mad at me even if I didn''t tell you that I''m not your real brother?"


    "Yes, I''m not mad," Flint said. "It doesn''t matter to me whether Mother gave birth to you or not. To me, you''re still my brother."


    "Then, why are you avoiding me?"


    "Because you''re a Nystrom now," his brother said in a sad voice. "I''m just amoner, Lord Julian. Even though you''ll always be my brother in my heart, my social standing doesn''t allow me to act familiar with you. After all, I''m just amoner."


    He shook his head firmly. "Please don''t say that, Brother Flint. Even if I''m a Nystrom now, you''re still my brother. I don''t care about our social status. I''m pretty sure that my Winter and our parents don''t care about that as well. You know that, don''t you?"


    His brother''s eyes glinted with tears. "Is it really okay if I still consider you as my younger brother, Julian?"


    He smiled when his Brother Flint finally addressed him by his first name. "You will always be my brother, Brother Flint."


    "Thank you," his older brother said, now sobbing. "I''ve missed you, you know? I was so scared when you were taken away from me in the past."


    "Me too, Brother Flint," Julian said, then he walked towards his brother and hugged him. Even though he was mentally older than Flint, he really thought of him as his older brother. After all, he took good care of him since he was born in that lifetime. "I''ve missed you, too."


    Flint sobbed, then he hugged him back and gently patted his back. "You grew up well, Julian," he whispered to him. "Thank you foring back alive, my little brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IT''S A good thing that Wong was able to attach a listening device to Ste aka ine Moonchester," Solenn said while holding the button that Wong left them. She was seated on the study''s window. She chose that ce because it had the best view of the estate''s pond. "Although it already lost its effect, we still managed to find a clue about the ne."


    When they arrived at the Nystrom Mansionst night, Wong and Kelsi gave them the button that served as a listening device. They exined to them that Wong managed to attach the device to Ste during their confrontation. Apparently, Wong attached the button''s pair on Ste''s clothes. But it lost its effect because of the Royal Pce''s barrier.


    Since her Uncle Winchell and the rest of the Keepers already left to return to the Srium, it was now up to her and her "team" to continue keeping an eye on ine Moonchester. And her team included Lord Forrester and Julian.


    "We have to be prepared all the time," Lord Forrester, who was sitting seated on the sofa while reading a book. The book was in anguage that she didn''t understand. Although she already lived a long life, she still didn''t get a chance to study thenguage that ancient gods used. "Once ine Moonchester opens the path to the ne, we will follow her at all cost."


    "Understood, Lord Forrester," Solenn said, then she looked outside the window where she could clearly see Julian and Flint. She smiled when she saw the two brothers hug. It seemed like they already made up. "Oh," she said when she realized something, then her shoulders slumped. "It looks like my Julian has to be separated from his Brother Flint again."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IT SEEMS like Ga Nystrom is hiding in that cave," Tilly said while looking at the cave in front of them. It was almost covered by thick snow, and there was literally an ice block in the entrance. Obviously, they weren''t weed there. "Kiho," she called her husband who stood beside her, then she turned to him. "It seems like our descendants inherited your affinity with caves. Why do you like making it a hide-out?"


    "Well, it''s dark and it''s easy to set traps inside," Kiho said seriously, then he turned to her with mirth in his eyes. "But ever since I met you in our previous life, I found another reason why I like caves."


    She tilted her head at one side. Well, based on the excited look on his face, she knew that Kiho was thinking of something "bad." But she had no idea what exactly was on his mind. "What reason is it?"


    "We used to make love in my cave"


    She instantly covered Kiho''s mouth when she realized what he was talking about. Gosh, even though it was cold, her whole face felt hot. "Hey, do you have to say it aloud?"


    His eyes sparkled in delight the same time she felt his smile on her skin.


    Then, much to her shock, he licked the palm of her hand.


    "You''re so horny tonight, Kiho," she teased him with a softugh. Then, she pulled her hand away from his mouth. "Let''s get our job done first, okay?"


    Kiho nodded, then he became serious when he turned to the cave again. "I just have to freeze the whole cave. Right, honey?"


    "Yes, hon," Tilly said seriously, then she turned to the cave just like Kiho. "We have to seal Ga Nystrom to make sure that he won''t be able to report to Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I DIDN''T know that there''s a ce like this under the throne room."


    ine gasped in shock when she heard the voice of Elis Ripperton. When she turned around, the Blue Dragon was indeed in the same basement as she was. "What are you doing here?"


    By "here," she meant the basement under the throne room with the symbol of the ck Serpent. To simply say, it was their of the sleeping ancient Crades that Auro and Kalel Nystrom put to sleep in the past.


    She sneaked in every now and then to feed the Crades with her blood and Mana. It was one of the ways to slowly wake them up.


    And she was able to do that because Aku Moonchester hadn''t returned to the pce yet.


    <em>I thought Elis Ripperton is with him</em>


    "Don''t be scared, ine Moonchester," Elis Ripperton said with a smile. "We are not your enemies."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. ""We?""


    As soon as she asked that, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach.


    It felt like somehow had gutted her. Then, she "threw up." But the thing that came out of her mouth was a white snake.


    She shrieked in surprise and walked backwards until she fell on the ground.


    "Oh, it''s just me," the white snake said in a voice that sounded like a woman. Then, a few momentster, it grew bigger and transformed into the shape of a person. Finally, when it stood up, she was greeted by a beautifuldy with white hair and golden eyes. She wore a white elegant robe that was almost the same color as her pale skin. "Have you forgotten that you''re now my new host?"


    "A Moonchester who''s afraid of a snake?" Elis Ripperton asked with a smirk. "No wonder Aku and the ck Serpent didn''t acknowledge you as their sister."


    She red at the Blue Dragon. "You"


    "Like I said, we''re not your enemies," he cut her off rudely. "ine Moonchester, it seems like you have a solid n to bring Aku Moonchester down. At first, I thought you''re just all talk because you''re angry at him. But now, it seems to us that you can be of use."


    "I thought we agreed to never interfere with each other''s work?" she asked with a raised brow. "Why are you suddenlying to me as if you want to form a stronger alliance?"


    "My darling husband''s condition isn''t very good right now," the white snake woman said, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "He needs a new body to possess. But since his soul is a soul of a god, not even a strong Mana-user could be his vessel. Only one person aside from my dear son could contain Kyro''s soul. Do you know who it is?"


    Her brows furrowed in confusion.


    She knew that ''Kyro'' was the Moon God the ck Serpent''s father. But she didn''t understand what the white snake was talking about.


    "Oh, my," the white snake said in disappointment, then she rolled her eyes before she turned to the Blue Dragon. "Elis Ripperton, that youngdy is dumb."


    "She''s just a bit nave because she grew up in a small world," Elis Ripperton said, then he squatted down in front of her. He put one finger under her chin, then he roughly moved her head until she was looking up at him. "ine Moonchester, who do you think is the strongest human in the whole continent?"


    ine''s eyes widened in shock when realization finally dawned upon her. "Aku Moonchester," she said in disbelief. "Are you nning to sacrifice Aku Moonchester for the Moon God to have a physical body?"


    "Now we''re talking," the white snake, the Moon God''s wife, said in amusement. "ine Moonchester, help us feed Aku Moonchester''s body to my darling husband."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HON, I thought you wanted to take a bath in the river," Tilly said while admiring the beautiful, sparklingke in front of her. "Not that I''mining."


    After they sealed Ga Nystrom in his cave, Kiho somehow found a new cave thanks to the "whispers" of the snakes that came out of Ga Nystrom''s cave a while ago.


    Then, her husband brought her to a cave that was a little further than the previous one. Upon entering, she was surprised to see an undergroundke. The walls of the caves were covered with ice. But surprisingly, the water wasn''t. It was so blue and pretty.


    And it also looked clean.


    "I thought we could get more privacy in here," Kiho said from behind her. Then, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "And I don''t want you to get too cold."


    He said that while trailing hot kisses on her neck.


    <em>Yep, there''s no way I''m going to feel cold as long as he''s doing that to my body.</em>


    "Hon, there''s something hard poking at my hip," Tilly teased him, and she was rewarded by Kiho''s rare heartyugh. With the urge to see his smiling face, she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. Yep, Kiho''s smiling face was still the best. And yes again, there was no way she could resist that face tonight. "Let''s not make Winter for too long, Kiho."


    Kiho''s golden eyes glowed in excitement, then he silently captured her mouth in a searing kiss.


    <em>Winter, baby, I''m sorry but I think you need to wait for us a little longer...</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 287: Silver Snakes

    Chapter 287: Silver Snakes


    TILLY was aware that they needed to hurry.


    But it had been so long since she had an intimate time with Kiho. So now that they were both naked in theke to wash up, she couldn''t help but tease her husband.


    As she sat on him, her slick slit slid against the underside of his hardness. Then, she rubbed herself as if she was letting him know that she wanted to jack him off with herself. Like she expected, Kiho groaned a little louder than usual.


    <em>Ah, someone is really turned on, huh?</em>


    To be honest, their position was awkward. There was a stone step in the corner of theke that was shaped like a pool. Kiho sat on that step and ced his elbows against the rocky edge of theke. That was why she felt a little bad when she sat on him.


    "Kiho, should we change position?" Tilly asked her husband worriedly. "It looks like this position is hurting you."


    "No," Kiho said with a heavy breath. Then, much to her shock, he used his elbows to prop himself up and look at where their bodies connected at the moment. The ground were that his elbows were leaning against had pebbles in it. But it seemed like he didn''t notice. "I like this position."


    And he seemed to really enjoy the "view" that he couldn''t get his eyes off.


    By "view," of course she meant their connected parts down there. She was even more turned on by the fact that Kiho was watching her with intense gaze. That made her feel sexier and more desirable than ever. And so, she moved faster and pressed down herself against his hard erection even more.


    Kiho, who was still watching her move against him, had a clear view of herself against his cock, her dripping slip, and probably her sensitive "lovebud." "Tilly, that feels so fucking good," he said. Ah, he would really say the "f-word" every time he felt that good. And it was hot to hear him curse in the middle of sex. "I''m close."


    He held her by the waist, then he began to move his hips upwards to meet her downward slides.


    "It''s okay if youe first, hon," she told him. She physically felt his release building up. She knew that he was so close and she could almost feel his taste in her lips from too much anticipation. Both of them didn''t take any contraceptive so they had to be extra careful. Thus, theck of pration in their sexual intercourse. "I want to watch youe, Kiho."


    Kiho closed his eyes and tilted his head back as he moaned her name again and again. Then, his cum spurt into his hard-rock stomach. God, he was so loaded that he felt like it took him an eternity before he was able to release all the pent-up desire he had for her.


    <em>It must have been hard holding back all this time</em>


    She gently ran her fingers over her rock-hard stomach (abs!), then she dipped her finger in the warm liquid that came out of him. When Kiho, who was breathing heavily, opened his eyes, she brought her finger coated with his orgasm to her mouth.


    Then, she sucked it off for him to watch and see how much she loved his taste. And she felt his cock twitch in response to her teasing.


    <em>Gosh, he''s getting bigger again!</em>


    "I should have drunk our contraceptive before we went out," Kiho lightlyined while ying with her breasts. His big hands were cold as he squeezed her breasts while asionally tweaking her hardened nipples. "I forgot to bring it out because Winter kept following me like a duckling following its mother."


    Sheughed at the analogy that her husband used.


    The three of them shared a room since their allies left the Northst night. Ever since then, Winter made sure that she and Kiho wouldn''t get intimate in his presence. Her youngest son particrly "picked on" her husband by watching him like hawk.


    Anyway, there was no contraception like a condom in the empire yet.


    The most effective contraception there was a medicine that both a man and a woman could drink to prevent pregnancy. But it loses its effect if taken frequently. That was why she and Kiho were still very careful even if they were taking that medicine already.


    "Winter likes "picking on" you, hon," she said with a softugh, then she moaned when Kiho squeezed her breasts together.


    <em>He really likes them.</em>


    Then, Kiho took one nipple in his mouth and traced wet circles around it. His other hand fondled her other breast quite hard. It didn''t hurt though. After all, her husband already knew her body like the back of his hand. He knew exactly how to please her.


    And he was so good at it that she found herself rocking back and forth against his erection.


    Yes, Kiho was very hard again.


    "Kiho, we should hurry," she reminded her husband even though she was starting to feel really good again. "Winter is waiting for us."


    Her husband, as a response, lightly grazed his teeth against her nipple.


    Ah, it sent shivers all over her body the good kind, of course.


    Her thoughts were cut-off when Kiho suddenly grabbed her by the waist. Then, he gently lifted her and helped her stand. Then, he guided her until she was facing the edge of theke while he stood behind her.


    She blushed hard because she realized that he wanted to do it behind this time.


    <em>Gosh, this position never fails to make me feel embarrassed for some reason.</em>


    Kiho gently wrapped his arms around her body. To be precise, his arms werefortably ced under her breasts. Then, his thumb lightly brushed across her underboob, causing the peak of her breast to get erected even more. "Last round, I promise."


    After saying that, he began to rub the tip of his swollen cock against the crack of her butt cheeks.


    Tilly had to bite her lower lip to stop herself from moaning loud. She was a screamer, yes. But she didn''t want her moans to echo in that cave. "Alright," she gave in while grinding her behind against her husband''s erection. "But let''s make it quick this time, Kiho."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER blinked several times while awkwardly looking outside his window.


    <em>Where did all these snakese from?</em>


    Yes, there were snakes outside the window of his room and they looked strange to him. After all, it was his first time to see snakes with silver-ish scales. It also made him feel awkward that he shared the same eye color with them.


    <em>If I became a snake, that''s definitely how I would look like.</em>


    Winter gasped when he realized something. "Oh my god," he whispered to himself while walking towards the window. "Are you my children in my past life as the Moon Serpent or something?"


    He quickly opened the window.


    For some reason, he was confident that the snakes wouldn''t attack him. And he was right. The silver snakes remained where they were. The only difference now was as soon as he heard the snakes'' hissing sound, he somehow understood what they were saying.


    It was a foreignnguage in his ears, but he could understand them just fine.


    <em>"Lord Moon Serpent, can we stay here for the meantime? Lady Supreme and Lord ck Serpent have taken over our ce."</em>


    He blinked several times in surprise. "My parents took over your ce? How?"


    As far as he knew, his mom and dad were supposed to look for Ga Nystrom and locked him up.


    "Is your ce the one where Ga Nystrom hides?" he asked curiously.


    <em>"No, our lord."</em>


    <em>"We live in a cave with a beautifulke."</em>


    <em>"Lady Supreme and Lord ck Serpent are taking a bath there right now."</em>


    <em>"We can''te in because they''re doing something more intimate than taking a bath together"</em>


    <em>"What are you saying to a child, you stupid snake!"</em>


    As the silver snakes fight, Winter''s face turned red. He wanted to crawl in a hole or something. Yes, he could be immature sometimes. But this time, he clearly got what the silver snakes told him about his parents.


    He wanted to die from second-hand embarrassment.


    <em>Mom Dad really? In a cave?</em>


    He would never want to know where his parents had conceived him!


    Winter cleared his throat to catch the attention of the silver snakes that were hissing at each other angrily now. "On behalf of my parents, I apologize," he said, his face still flushed from embarrassment. "I will scold themter for you, little ones."


    The silver snakes hissed but in his ears, they wereughing merrily like ordinary humans did.


    But it was cut short when all of a sudden, a shadow of a huge beastly hand with ws grabbed a handful of silver snakes and just


    swallowed them.


    Yes, it was a shadow of a beastly hand but it also had a mouth.


    <em>It ate my children!</em>


    When he saw the same beastly hand about to grab a handful of silver snakes again, he raised his hands and created a thick barrier of ice to protect his "kids." He knew that at that moment, his golden eyes turned deep purple.


    After all, he only didn''t produce ice. His fire Mana activated on its own and hit the shadow beastly hand with fireballs.


    "Careful, young lord."


    He froze on his spot due to the heavy pressure of Manaing from the royal princess.


    Yes, Nia Moonchester suddenly appeared a few meters away from his window. Her Mana was leaking but it wasn''t because she was trying to attack or hurt him. The aura of her immense power was leaking because of those "things" behind her.


    The royal princess''s had four giant and beastly shadows behind her.


    He said "beastly" because the shapes of the shadows didn''t belong to a human or a known animal. Each one reminded him of Crades, the flesh-eating monsters in the empire.


    <em>Shadow Crades?</em>


    He didn''t want to admit this but he could feel that each "shadow" was almost as strong as he was.


    <em>And the princess is hiding such beasts in her shadow all this time?</em>


    "Ah, it seems like one of my collection has eaten some of your friends," Nia Moonchester said. She made some weird gesture using her hand. After that, the beastly shadows behind her began to disappear one by one until the only shadow that remained was her own. "I apologize. Could you tell your little friends to stop hissing at me? Or else" She smiled "sweetly." "My pets are still hungry."


    "They won''t bite you, Lady Princess," Winter said with a "sweet" smile on his face. Yes, he just made up a nickname for her. He didn''t want to address Nia Moonchester by her full name because it would be considered rude. But he also didn''t want to call her princess so he opted for ''Lady Princess'' instead. It looked like she didn''t mind anyway. "I think the blood of the Moonchesters are more venomous than the venom of my children after all."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY felt guilty when she saw Winter sitting on the bed with a serious look on his face. When she and Kiho entered the room, their youngest just smiled weakly at them as a greeting. Usually, Winter would run and hug them. So his behavior made her worry. "Winter, are you okay?" she asked, then she sat beside her son and hugged her. "Did Nia do something bad to you while we were away?"


    When they came home, Nia was locked up in her room again.


    They also didn''t see or feel any remnant of Mana that would suggest that a fight happened in the house.


    From the corner of her eye, she saw Kiho silently scanning Winter from head to toe. Her husband was probably checking if their son was hurt anywhere. Physically, their baby looked fine. His Mana was also stable.


    But Winter''s silence was worrying.


    <em>He''s usually loud after all.</em>


    "Mom, Dad"


    "Yes, baby?"


    "What is it, little rascal?"


    "There were several silver snakes that visited me a while ago," Winter said, surprising both her and Kiho. But they should have expected that their son also had affinity with snakes. After all, Winter was the son of the ck Serpent. And most of all, their youngest was the Moon Serpent himself. "And they told me about" he trailed-off, then his whole face turned red. "A-about the c-cave"


    She almost choked on her saliva.


    This time, her whole face and even her ears turned red. She was too shocked and too embarrassed to speak.


    Kiho, oblivious at the most crucial parts, tilted his head at one side. "What about the cave?"


    <em>Oh, hon! I love you but sometimes, you''re too clueless for your own good!</em>


    Winter shut his eyes tight and spoke in a fast manner. "P-Please don''t do "it" in the c-cave again because the s-silver s-snakes are cining to m-me!"


    Kiho, who finally got it, turned red instantly.


    Tilly covered her face with her hands and sobbed from embarrassment. "We''re so sorry, son!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 288: [VALENTINE SPECIAL] Nystroms in Another World (1)

    Chapter 288: [VALENTINE SPECIAL] Nystroms in Another World (1)


    "HEY, everyone," Tilly greeted her viewers cheerfully. "For our today''s mukbang, we''re going to try the famous seafood tter from DelicaSEAty. For the record, this isn''t a sponsored ad. I just really want to try their seafood tter, especially their famous steamed skan King Crab with honeyed bearnaise sauce." She looked at the spread of seafood on her table and unconsciously licked her lips. "Their creamy parmesan lobsters also look really good."


    Her seafood lover heart was so happy with her choice of dishes to eat for her live mukbang today. Aside from the two dishes that she already mentioned, she also ordered the following: cheesy baked oysters, squid cmari, butter garlic suahe, and creamy tiger prawns.


    Yes, she could finish all of it on her own.


    Her thoughts were only cut-off when she heard continuous pinging from her mobile phone. When she checked the messages she received from her viewers, sheughed.


    ""Stop drooling, Tilly,"" she read the first message that she saw. Since it was a live broadcast, the messages continued pouring on thement section that she couldn''t finish another message. But upon scanning the messages, the grievances most of the viewers were the same. She couldn''t stopughing now. "Fine, I will start eating now," she said, then she rolled up her sleeves. "Let me get my crab mallet first."


    She was a mukbanger and she had been doing this for only a year.


    Her career as a mukbanger began when she left her work as a copy editor in a famous Advertisingpany. Well, fine. She got fired after she had a fight with Sir George the Creative Director of theirpany and her boss.


    <em>I don''t regret it though.</em>


    ""Where are your "little cinnamon rolls?"" she said, reading the question from a viewer while cracking the w of the skan King Crab. "My babies aren''t home. They''re staying with my best friend right now. No, I won''t show them to you."


    In the past, her babies identally had a cameo in her broadcast. Thankfully, their faces weren''t clearly shown in the video. She never posted her children''s photos in her social media ounts because for her, they were too young to be exposed in public.


    <em>Plus, I have another reason to protect their privacy.</em>


    And her children were her reason for living.


    When she left her corporate job, she was worried about how to raise her two little cinnamon rolls as a single mother. That was when she ventured into bing a Y*utuber. She had always been a foodie so she thought, why not do mukbangs? And her favorite food in the whole world was seafood.


    Thankfully, she got lucky. Just six months since she started her channel, she already gained half a million viewers. And now, she could give afortable life to Julian and Winter her twins.


    Speaking of her babies, they were in the care of Isabelle their nanny. She does her live broadcast in the dining hall of her apartment. To make sure that Julian and Winter wouldn''t interrupt her broadcast, she asked Isabelle to bring her kids next door where her best friend lives. After her broadcast, she''d fetch her babies.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    It had already been an hour since her live broadcast began when she felt stomach cramps. She tried to ignore the pain but it kept getting worse by the minute. Even her viewers noticed that she went pale.


    Soon, thement section was filled with concern from her viewers. Most of them were asking if she was fine.


    There were also some viewers making fun of her and asking if she needed to poop.


    "No, guys. I feel awful. My stomach suddenly hurts," Tilly said while clutching her stomach really hard. "I''m sorry but I need to end my broadcast here."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KIHO, wake up!"


    Kiho groaned inint when he heard his younger brother''s voice. "Aku, go away," he shooed him away. "I just got home, okay?"


    Well, he got home three hours ago.


    But the point was he didn''t have enough sleep yet. He woke up at dawn to fetch the imported fresh lobsters for his restaurant.


    "Your restaurant is in trouble, Kiho Nystrom," Aku said sternly. "A famous mukbanger was reportedly food poisoned while eating your seafood tter live."


    Okay, that got his attention.


    He immediately got up and turned to his brother with furrowed brows. "What did you say?"


    His younger brother crossed him arms over his chest. "A famous female mukbanger was food poisoned," he repeated. "Your restaurant is trending online because her fans are bashing you. They''re iming that DelicaSEAty has poor food quality, thus the food poisoning incident."


    "The seafood that we serve is always fresh!"


    "That''s why I want you to go to that mukbanger and check if your food is really the cause of her food poisoning," he said, then he paused. "Kiho, if Dad finds out about this, he''ll get mad at you again."


    "Your father is always mad at me anyway."


    Aku wasn''t his biological brother because he was only adopted.


    Their parents adopted him when their mother thought she was infertile. Two years after he was adopted, his mother miraculously got pregnant with Aku. And then, ever since his younger brother was born, his parents became distant to him.


    "Kiho, don''t say that," his younger brother said. "Mom and Dad care about you."


    He just rolled his eyes. To be honest, he already got over with their family drama. He was no longer the teenaged Kiho who craved for his parents love and attention. He was now a grown man who got his shit together.


    Well, almost.


    "What''s the name of that mukbanger?" he said. As a restaurant owner, he was aware of the rise of the mukbangers in the food industry. He heard that those type of Y*utubers were good in advertising products. Even his colleagues were convincing him to hire a mukbanger to promote his chain of restaurants. "I can''t let her ruin my business."


    "Her channel is called ''Goddess of Crabs,''"Aku said, then he paused for a moment to check his phone. "And her name is Tilly," he said before he looked at him again. "Tilly Prescott."


    His eyes widened in shock.


    Hearing that familiar name made him remember his younger years. Of course, her name wasn''t unique. But he had a feeling that the ''Tilly Prescott'' that his brother mentioned was his Tilly. After all, when they were in high school, he once called her ''Goddess of Crabs.''


    And it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that she was the one who inspired him to get into the food industry.


    "Where is she, Aku?" Kiho asked seriously. "I need to see her."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOMMY, are you okay?"


    "Does your stomach still hurt, Mom?"


    Tilly smiled at Julian and Winter to assure her twins that she was alright. "I''m fine, my precious cinnamon rolls," she said. "Thank you for worrying about me."


    Winter and Julian, each lying down on either side of her, hugged her tight.


    She smiled and hugged them back.


    Right now, she was confined in a private room in a private hospital where she was takenst night. It was confirmed that she had been food poisoned. But she was pretty sure that it wasn''t because of the seafood that she ate during her live broadcast.


    After all, she ate a sandwich that tasted strange during lunch yesterday.


    <em>I have to clear it to my viewerster.</em>


    She checked her phone a while ago and she found out that she was trending. DelicaSEAty was also trending because her followers were bashing the restaurant. She wanted to clear the misunderstanding but she fell asleep.


    When she woke up, Winter and Julian were already beside her.


    "Tilly, how are you feeling?"


    She looked up to see Nia, her best friend, who just entered the room with stic bags from her favorite fast food restaurant. Ah, it must be for the children. "I''m feeling better now," she said. "Where''s Isabelle?"


    "I sent her home to make food for you. I know that you won''t like the food here in the hospital," Nia said, then she put the stic bags on the table. Her private room had a mini lounge/dining area. "Ah, I met someone outside. He said he''s the owner of DelicaSEAty and he wants a word with you. Should I let him in?"


    She already expected that visit because she received an email from the restaurant a while ago. Since she felt apologetic that DelicaSEAty was being bashed because of the misunderstanding that she created, she decided to cooperate with them to clear the issue.


    "I''m expecting him," she told her best friend. "Let him in, Nia. Thanks."


    "No problem," Nia said, then she turned to her kids. "Winter, Julian, do you want to go with me?"


    "We want to stay with Mommy, Aunt Nia," Winter and Julian said at the same time.


    "It''s okay, Nia," she assured her. "My babies know how to behave when we have a visitor."


    "Alright," Nia said as she began to walk towards the door. "I''ll let him in now."


    She just nodded as a response.


    While she was busy telling Winter and Julian to behave in front of the visitor, she heard the door open. It was followed by a deep, husky voice that brought back the memories of her youth right away.


    "It''s really you, Tilly."


    Shocked, she raised her head to see the "visitor."


    She felt shivers down her spine when she was greeted by the most handsome face that she had ever seen in her life.


    Of course, that face was familiar.


    There was no way she would forget a man as handsome as Kiho Nystrom.


    <em>Well, he is a Moonchester. But he likes using his parents'' real name unofficially. And I respected his decision so I used to refer to him as ''Kiho Nystrom'' in the past.</em>


    "Tilly" Kiho said in a confused tone while looking back and forth at Winter and Julian. "Are those kids" He looked at her with an anxious look on his face. "Yours?"


    "Yes. They are twins," she said, her heart thumping hard and fast against her chest. Well, now that Kiho was here, she didn''t have any intention to keep the truth from him. She just didn''t expect that this was how he''d find out about their kids. "Winter and Julian are seven years old."


    He suddenly fell silent as if he was thinking deeply.


    Would it be more appropriate to say that he must be doing Math in his head?


    "Seven years then" Kiho whispered in disbelief, then he gulped before he continued speaking. "Tilly, are they mine?"


    Tilly took a deep breath before she slowly nodded. "Yes, Kiho. They are your kids," she said, then she looked down at Winter and Julian who were both looking up at her with sparkling eyes. Well, her children knew who their dad was because she didn''t keep it a secret from them. She just told them that they couldn''t meet him yet. Who would have thought that Kiho would find them instead? "Winter, Julian, he''s your father."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Kiho was shocked would be an understatement.


    After Tilly dropped the bomb, he sat with the children on the dining hall. While he was having coffee, Winter and Julian were having chicken nuggets from a fastfood chain. He wanted to snatch the unhealthy snack from the kids, but he didn''t want to scare them.


    Plus, they were still in Tilly''s private room and she was watching him like a hawk.


    <em>If I scolded the children for eating nuggets, she would definitely get mad at me.</em>


    And the kids looked healthy anyway. He knew that Tilly, a foodie, wouldn''t let her children eat unhealthy snacks all the time.


    <em>God, this is shocking. Who would have thought that the mukbanger who almost ruined my business turned out to be my ex? Wait, I can''t really call Tilly my ex since we were never official. But we made babies</em>


    He pinched the bridge of his nose from stress.


    "Can we call you Daddy?"


    He turned to Winter, if he remembered it correctly.


    The twins were non-identical so it was easy for him to separate the two. Plus, the one called Julian wore eyesses.


    "Are you not surprised by this?" Kiho asked carefully. "This is the first time that we met, right?"


    "Technically," Julian said. This one looked more distant than his friendly twin. "But Mom gave us your picture, sir. She never kept your identity a secret from us. The only thing that she asked is for us not to look for you."


    That was so Tilly.


    "I can tell right away that you''re our daddy," Winter, in his cheerful voice, said. "Your face is exactly the type of face that Mommy likes."


    "Winter," Julian scolded his brother lightly.


    "It''s true though," Winter insisted. "Plus, look at Dad, Julian. He''s handsome just like us!"


    He couldn''t help butugh softly at the two. "You really are Tilly''s children."


    To be honest, he wasn''t angry that Tilly kept the children from him.


    He had an idea as to why she didn''t want to enter his life again. After all, when they met during their youth, both of them had shitty lives. He couldn''t me her if she chose to run away from him back then.


    "We''re also your children," Winter said with a pout. "Or do you not want to ept us?"


    "It''s fine if you don''t want us, sir," Julian said with a "sweet" smile on his cold face. "We only need Mom after all."


    <em>Ah, Julian is mature for his age.</em>


    "You can call me Dad," he said with a soft smile. "Now that I know that I have children, I will make it up to you."


    Winter, who was smiling widely, did a fist pump in the air.


    Julian, on the other hand, just smiled at him.


    "Thank you, Dad," Winter said in a cheerful tone. Ah, this kid inherited Tilly''s high energy. In the past, despite how stressful Tilly''s life was, she remained a ball of sunshine. "Mom said that you love seafood, too. Is that true?"


    "Yes, it''s true," he said with a nod. "How about you?"


    "I love seafood!" Winter said, then he awkwardly turned to Julian. "But my brother is allergic to seafood so"


    "It''s fine. I love steak anyway," Julian said, then he turned to Winter. "Finish your food first, Winter."


    "Then, excuse me for a while, kids. I need to talk to your mother so finish your food first," he said, then he stood up and walked towards Tilly.


    "If you''re going to scold me for keeping the children a secret from you, can you do itter?" Tilly asked right away. "I don''t want the kids to see us fight."


    "I''m not going to fight you," he said sincerely. "I just want to talk."


    She nodded in agreement. "Yes, we really need to talk. I''m d that you''re not cursing at me though. I would understand if you got angry at me."


    "I have an idea as to why you keep the children from me," Kiho said with clenched fists. "Lucina Morganna is involved, isn''t she?"


    Tilly, who suddenly looked annoyed, nodded as confirmation. "It''s not only her though," she added. "My brother Wixx is also involved."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>Note:</strong> Sorry! I wanted to end the special chapter in just one episode. But it''s too long so I had to divide it into two chapters. Please don''t be upset. >_<


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 289: [VALENTINE SPECIAL] Nystroms in Another World (2)

    Chapter 289: [VALENTINE SPECIAL] Nystroms in Another World (2)


    <em><strong>[A few years ago]</strong></em>


    "YOU''VE already heard what happened to Kiho, haven''t you?" Lucina Morganna, the girl who introduced herself as Kiho''s future fiance, asked.


    "Yes, and I''ve heard it from him when I visited himst night," Tilly said, then she sipped her matchatte before she spoke again. She didn''t know how but Lucina got her phone number. The other girl called her this morning and asked her to meet her in that coffee shop. Since Lucina said she had something important to say about Kiho, she decided to meet her. "There''s a possibility that he might not be able to walk again, right?"


    Kiho was involved in a bad car ident a two weeks ago.


    He fell into aa for about six days. But even when he woke up, he still remained in a bad condition. To be precise, he couldn''t move his body from the waist down. Thus, he was still confined in the hospital.


    Last night, when she didn''t know the extent of Kiho''s condition yet, she was determined to tell him that she was pregnant. But when she got to the hospital and saw how bad his condition was, she hesitated.


    Plus, Kiho''s attitude scared her. Because of the possibility that he might lose the use of his legs, he became grumpy and hard to deal with. It was understandable. To be honest, she wanted tofort him. But since her life was as shitty as his, she didn''t have the energy and the time to care about other people.


    Even though she genuinely liked Kiho, she chose to prioritize herself this time.


    "There''s still a chance to fix Kiho''s legs," Lucina said. "We''re going to bring him to the US. There''s a hospital there that''s known to handle cases like Kiho''s. My family will shoulder everything."


    "Your family will?"


    She sipped her ck coffee before she responded. "Kiho''s family is on the verge of getting bankrupt. They don''t have the means to support his operation. And you must know how his parents treat him, don''t you?"


    She just nodded as a response.


    Kiho once told her that his family favored his younger brother. But she didn''t know that his rtionship with his parents was that bad.


    "In exchange of that, Kiho and I will get married."


    "Ah," she said. She felt a sting in her heart but she ignored that. "That''s why you introduced yourself as Kiho''s future fiance."


    "Our engagement will be official after his surgery," Lucina said. "I''m sorry but I ran a background check on you."


    "Why did you have to do that?"


    "Because I heard that you''re Kiho''s girlfriend."


    "We''re not officially in a rtionship."


    Lucina raised a brow at that. "Then, are you saying that you won''t get in our way?"


    "I don''t have the time and energy to fight another girl for a boy," she said seriously. "Lucina Morganna, you have to know that I''m pregnant with Kiho''s child."


    She looked surprised by that revtion. "That would be a problem," she finally said. "I''ll give you an option"


    "No, I won''t do abortion," she said firmly, then she clutched her stomach. "I intend to keep my babies."


    Upon her check-up, she found out that she was two-month pregnant with twins.


    <em>Yes, twins.</em>


    "If you intend to keep them, then are you saying that you want to tell Kiho about them?" Lucina asked with a raised brow. "Do you want him to take responsibility?"


    "Well, that was the n," she admitted, "But after I saw him at the hospital, I know that he''s not in the right condition to be a father. He''s so angry and bitter because of what may happen to his legs. While Ipletely understand his feelings, I''m afraid that he might end upshing out on me and our babies."


    She nodded in agreement. "So, what do you want to do now?"


    "I still need money," she said. "Even if Kiho doesn''t want the kids, he still needs to support them financially."


    "His family are on the verge of bankruptcy. I don''t think they''ll give you the money you need," Lucina reminded her. "But I can." She sipped her drink before she continued speaking. "I''ll give you twenty five thousand dors. Would that be enough?"


    Well, considering how expensive childbirth was, it wasn''t enough, of course.


    Raising the children would be more expensive, too. But Lucina Morganna had no obligation to help her with that. In fact, no one was obliged except her.


    "I will ept that," she said, swallowing her pride. "You want me to stay away from Kiho in return, don''t you?"


    "That''s right," Lucina said, then her gaze turned sharp. "If you change your mind and try to get in my way, I will make sure that you will lose your babies."


    "I understand," Tilly said with a firm nod. "I will disappear from Kiho''s life now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, aren''t youing with us to the US?"


    Tilly let out a deep sigh when she heard what Luna, her sister-inw, asked from the other line. "No, I''m not," she said firmly. "Tell my brother to leave me alone, Luna."


    She had two reasons why she didn''t want to go with her brother (and legal guardian because their parents were long gone).


    First, she already made a promise with Lucina Morganna that she would disappear from Kiho''s life. Although the US was a huge ce, she still didn''t want to risk it.


    Second and the heaviest reason why she didn''t want to go with her brother was the fact that he wanted to marry her off.


    What a jackass of a brother.


    "I''m worried about you, Tilly," her sister-inw said.


    "I''ll be fine," she said, then she gulped hard. "Me and my babies."


    "What?" Luna asked, obviously shocked. "Your are pregnant?"


    "Yes, I''m pregnant," Tilly dered, her one hand ced carefully on her stomach. "Please tell that to brother and that guy named Elis Ripperton that he wants me to marry."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AND THAT''S what happened," Tilly ended her story. "I''m sorry for leaving you without a word, Kiho. And for epting the money."


    "No, you don''t have to apologize," Kiho said while shaking his head. "You did the right thing then. I admit that during that time, I wasn''t the kind of person that you would have needed in your life. You needed the money for our children. Please don''t feel ashamed for that. The fact that you kept our babies is admirable."


    She smiled, touched by his words.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    They were able to talk about their past that way because Nia came back and brought the kids with her outside.


    "I heard that you allowed the kids to call you their dad," she said to break the silence that ensued. "Won''t you have a problem with your wife?"


    "I don''t have a wife."


    "What?"


    "I didn''t marry Lucina," he said. "My brother Aku managed to save ourpany from bankruptcy. We were able to pay-off our debts to their family so the engagement was called-off. And while I was pretending that I couldn''t walk yet, Lucina found another man who wants to marry her. She thought I wouldn''t be able to give her a child due to my condition, so she decided to marry another man. Turns out she''s desperate to be a mother."


    "Oh," she said while blinking. "You pretended that you couldn''t walk?"


    "I was stalling because Aku was already fixing the problem with ourpany then," he exined. "I didn''t want to marry Lucina at all cost."


    She didn''t want to say this but she actually felt relieved to hear that.


    "Tilly, will it be okay if I spend time with our kids?" he asked while scratching his cheek as if he was shy. "I want to make it for the lost time."


    "Sure," Tilly said, then she extended her hand to him. "It''s nice to see you again, Kiho."


    Kiho smiled, then he shook her hand. "It''s very nice to see you again, Tilly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HI, EVERYONE," Tilly said to her viewers. As usual, she had the same set-up. But this time, Kiho was sitting beside her. "First of all, I''d like to say thank you for sending me get-well messages"


    Her smile froze when she read thements.


    Most of the viewers were asking who the "handsome and sexy Greek god" beside her was. Gosh, these people were so horny.


    "Second of all, I''d like to let everyone know that the food from DelicaSEAty wasn''t what caused my food poison. I got it from eating a spoiled sandwich," she exined. She was a bit distracted by the thirstyments regarding Kiho. But even though she knew that the viewers'' attention were on Kiho, she still decided to carry on. "I''ll appreciate it if you stop sending hate messages on them. Their food is really good so please try it if you can." She turned to Kiho. "Right?"


    Kiho nodded while looking at her straight in the eye. "DelicaSEAty will have a three-day promo. All of our dishes will be 50%."


    She tried to ignore his gaze but being stared at by a handsome guy like him made her conscious. And she didn''t want to admit this but all of a sudden, the intimate moments that they had when they were younger flooded her mind.


    My dear cheeks, please don''t turn red.


    "Why is your face so red?" Kiho asked curiously, then he tilted his head at one side in a very cute manner. Gosh, the duality of this man was really awesome. He could turn from sexy to cute in just one move. "Is it hot?"


    "Yes," she lied even though her ce was well-ventted. "Just a little."


    What ame excuse!


    She couldn''t tell if Kiho bought her excuse because of his pokerface.


    But all of a sudden, he started to fan her face with his hands. The innocent look on his face told her that she really believed her lie.


    Gosh, he could really be so nave sometimes.


    And that was cute.


    "Cute," Kiho said while looking at her with sparkling eyes. Then, heughed softly. "Tilly, your face just turned redder."


    She wanted to deny that but she was tooo mesmerized by his smile.


    <em>Dammit, he looks so fine.</em>


    "Oh, Dad is here."


    "Daaad!"


    Her thoughts were cut-off when all of a sudden, Winter and Julian came running to Kiho.


    She was pleased when she saw Kiho''s face lit up when he saw the kids. It seemed like he genuinely liked their children and she was relieved to know that. After all, she didn''t want to force him to ept Winter and Julian if he didn''t want to be a father yet.


    He has changed. I''m d that Kiho met our children during this time. If we forced our rtionship to work back then, maybe we would have been bad parents to our twins.


    She smiled when Kiho put Winter and Julian on hisp. And her smile grew bigger when she saw how their children''s faces lit up while looking up at their father. Her boys were mature enough to not look for their dad after she exined the situation to them.


    But of course, they still longed for their father.


    She almost cried because of happiness, but she couldn''t shake off the feeling that she was forgetting something.


    And that was when she remembered that she was doing a live broadcast!


    She gasped and turned to the screen to read thements.


    <em>Shit.</em>


    The viewers lost their shit when they realized that Kiho was the father of her children. Well, the viewers saw her twins once. And the fact that the twins looked like Kiho was already a dead giveaway.


    "Mom?"


    "Mom, are you okay?"


    "Tilly, you suddenly went pale."


    "I''m not sure," Tilly said, then she turned to the boys. Kiho, Winter, and Julian were looking at her with a worried look on their face. "I think we just became inte famous."


    And that was the beginning of the hit Y*utube channel called the Nystrom Family Eats.


    <strong>[END OF PROLOGUE]</strong>


    [Yes, the one-shot Valentine Special has be a full nove in my head so the first two chapters ended up as "prologue." My weakness as a writer is I can''t write short stories. They always end up as a full novel in my head. Sorry! Anyway, I hope to share the full story soon, maybe once the main series ends.]


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>Note</strong>: *grovels, forehead hits the ground* I am terribly sorry for the sudden break. I suddenly "disappeared" because of the following reasons:


    1. I had to change my eyesses because my eye prescription changed. My eyesight has gotten worse that the ophthalmologist advised me to get asik eye surgery. Scary. So please take care of your eyes and don''t end up like me.


    2. I received a job offer that I wasn''t able to refuse. So my workload has been full once again. But since this is only a side job, it''s temporary. It will be done by the end of the month.


    3. I got sick. But it''s just a cold. I still have runny nose (eww) but I think I''m getting better. My immune system sucks these days.


    Anyway, thank you for waiting. I will post updates again and I will join the Win-Win event on March. That means daily update again and hopefully, I get to finish the event next month. Since thest arc will now begin, I think the updates on March will be action-packed. Stay tuned~


    Ah, about my other story {Royal Secret: I''m a Princess!), I was only able to keep posting an update for it for thest few days because I have a stockpile (not anymore tho, thest one was postedst night). I had a stockpile because I was supposed to add a tier to my privilege but my dumbass forgot to edit the priv.


    I''ll be writing an update for both stories now.


    Thank you.


    Oh, another thing. I don''t know where to announce stuff like this since I rarely use social media and discord (I also don''t know how to use discord that much, except for reading announcements from editors and reading private messages). >.<


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 290: Symbol of Betrayal

    Chapter 290: Symbol of Betrayal


    "HAVE YOU finished the Bangle, Lord Kyro?" Aku asked the Moon God as soon as he entered his shrine. Elis Ripperton summoned him a while ago and told him that Kyro Nystrom already finished making the bracelet he needed. "That was quite fast even for you."


    "It was easy to work using this body," Kyro, who currently possessed Elis Ripperton''s body, said. The Moon God stood behind a round marble table where a transparent ss box was seated. Inside the ss box sat a red cushion. And of course, on top of the cushion, a silver Bangle with the symbol of moon was ced carefully. "It wouldn''t have been possible for me to finish the job early if it wasn''t for him."


    "And don''t underestimate my darling," Yumi, who know possessed Ste''s body, said with a huff. The White Snake was obviously insulted that he questioned her husband''s ability. "How dare you even doubt my husband?"


    "I apologize if my words offended you, Yumi," he said, then he turned to Kyro. "I''m simply anxious because the Bangle is very important to me, Lord Kyro. It''s my only hope to gain control over Kiho and the others again."


    "I know that. You''re not the only one who needs Kiho to be controlled, Aku Moonchester," Kyro reminded him. "I need my son, too. And that''s the only reason why I made sure to finish the Bangle as soo as I got a hold of the materials that I need."


    Ah, that made sense.


    Kyro needed Kiho''s physical body to revive his own after all.


    But still, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. He didn''t know if he was just being anxious to be separated from Nia, or something bad was really about to happen.


    "Should we try it?" Kyro asked. Then, before he could even respond, he already picked up the Bange inside the ss box. Then, much to his shock, he wore it around his wrist. "Ah, it fits perfectly."


    "I don''t like the body you''re using right now but I''m certain that it will look good on your real body, darling," Yumi said while looking at Kyro with shining eyes. She could probably see her husband''s real face instead of Elis Ripperton''s. "I can''t wait to see you back in your real body, my dear husband."


    The Moon God just smiled at his wife.


    To be honest, it felt weird to see Elis Ripperton smile (even though Kyro''s soul was inside his body, the one in front of him now was the Blue Dragon).


    But it wasn''t the strangest thing that he found at the moment.


    "Lord Kyro, may I know why you''re wearing the Bangle that I asked you to make for me?" he asked firmly. "The Bangle belongs to me."


    Kyro, still smiling, turned to him. "Didn''t you hear me when I said I was going to try and see if it works first?"


    "To whom are you going to test that on?" he confronted the Moon God. This time, his instinct was telling him that he was in danger. "Kyro, don''t tell me"


    The Moon God smiled, then he raised a hand. "Halt."


    He growled when his body suddenly stopped moving. As soon as he felt Kyro''s hostility towards him, he tried to escape. But s, the Moon God used the Bangle on him. It could only mean one thing. "How dare you use the Bangle to control me," he snarled at the Moon God. "And how did you manage to create a Bangle that can control me? I didn''t give you my blood or a piece of my Mana!"


    "It doesn''t have to be you, Aku Moonchester," Kyro said in an amused tone. "To control a Moonchester, I only need two things: your blood and a piece of your soul."


    "What did you do to Nia?!"


    "Oh, don''t worry. I didn''t even touch a strand of your beloved''s hair," the Moon God denied. "Her soul isn''t a real Moonchester to begin with."


    That shocked him.


    If it wasn''t him or Nia, then where did Kyro get the blood and a piece of a Moonchester''s soul in order to have control over him?


    "I''m hurt, Brother."


    He was startled when Ste, the witch, suddenly spoke and called him "brother."


    And he also noticed that Yumi was already "asleep" inside the witch''s body. That meant the one talking to him right now was the real Ste.


    "''Brother?''" he asked in disgust. "Who gave you the right to call me that way?"


    "Well, considering that we were born with the same parents in our previous life, then I guess that gave me the right to call you ''brother,''" Ste said with a creepy smile on her face. "How can you forget the sister that you killed back then? I''m disappointed in you."


    The sister that he killed?


    His eyes widened in shock when realization hit her. "ine?"


    "Thank you for remembering me, Brother," ine said, her pink eyes now red and glowing. "I want to be thest face you''d see before you fall into a deep slumber."


    <em>Deep slumber?</em>


    He turned to Kyro with a re. This was frustrating but no matter how much he tried to break free from the binding spell, he just couldn''t. Heck, he couldn''t even summon his Mana! "What are you nning to do to me?!"


    All of a sudden, the fact that he just regained his full power had been rendered useless in front of Kyro. Even without a physical body, the Moon God remained as powerful as ever. He couldn''t even lift a finger against a full-pledged god!


    "I need a physical vessel," the Moon God said. "Kiho is the perfect choice but since my son is going to a farawaynd, I can''t use him at the moment. Elis Ripperton has an important job to do so I can''t borrow his body for too long. That leaves you alone, Aku Moonchester. You''re the only person in the empire who could contain my spirit in your body."


    "You should have just told me!"


    "Would you let me borrow your body though?"


    Of course not.


    He knew that Kyro would never return his body again. Especially if the Moon God would use it as a sacrifice to resurrect his own.


    Just like what Kyro nned to do to Kiho.


    "I won''t let you use my body," Aku said with gritted teeth. This time, he was giving everything that he got to release himself from the binding spell. It was working now since he could feel his fingers move on their own. "Kyro, I''ll make you regret betraying me."


    Kyro justughed softly at his threat.


    "Now, I shall excuse myself. I don''t want get dragged into your fight," Ste, rather, ine Moonchester said with a mocking smile on her face. "It''s nice seeing you again, Brother." She even had the audacity to bow at him. "I hope you''re still yourself the next time we see each other because I want to show you my new toys."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "TILLY, are you mad at me?"


    "No, I''m not," Tilly said, then she turned to Kiho who stood five steps away from her. That was the distance between them that she decided on. "But we have to maintain this distance from now on to avoid getting carried away by our feelings."


    <em>And hormones.</em>


    "Okay," Kiho said even though he looked like a kicked puppy. "I understand."


    They exchanged teasing looks, thenughed at how silly they were.


    "Mom, Dad, please," Winter, who just got out of his room with a small sling bag across his body,ined. "Just please try not to embarrass me again, hmm?"


    She got down on one knee and showered her baby with kisses on the face. "Mom and Dad are sorry, baby. It won''t happen again."


    "I will try to hold back," Kiho said in a yful voice.


    Obviously, her husband was just messing with their son.


    Winter rolled his eyes at his father as a response. "I will make the silver snakes watch you 24/7 if you don''t behave, Dad."


    Sheughed at her son''s "threat."


    <em>Winter really learned the way I talk.</em>


    Their little family moment was interrupted when the three of them felt a strange presence.


    Tilly immediately grabbed Winter and carried him in his arms as she stood up. Then, she turned to Kiho worriedly. "It feels like a Moonchester aura."


    But it couldn''t be Nia since the royal princess had been with them all this time.


    "It''s not Aku Moonchester," Kiho told her, then he turned to main door. "I have a feeling that it''s my sister from my previous life."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELAINE smiled when she saw Nia standing outside the house where she felt the presence of the Supreme and the ck Serpent.


    Although she appeared from out of nowhere, the fake royal princess didn''t even bat an eye when she saw her. She had watched Nia during her "idle time" in the ne. The images of the fake royal princess that she had seen back then didn''t do her justice.


    <em>Nia is more beautiful up-close.</em>


    And the fake royal princess was still a beauty even with a nk look on her face.


    "Greetings, Nia," ine greeted the fake royal princess. She really called her by her first name casually on purpose. After all, Nia was neither a Moonchester nor a princess. Calling her by her name alone was enough. "Do you know me?"


    "You released an aura that only a Moonchester could possess," Nia answered calmly. It looked like she didn''t care even though she just called her rudely. When did the fake royal princess be an irondy? "Do you want me to praise you for being born a Moonchester?"


    Sheughed at Nia''s sarcasm


    then she pped the fake royal princess hard on the face. It seemed like Nia didn''t expect that because she looked so shocked when she turned to her.


    "Ah, that felt good," ine said with a softugh. "I''ve always wanted to meet the wench that Brother Auro killed me for."


    Nia looked at her with cold eyes, her shadow now starting to change into a weird shape. "Do you want to die again, ine Moonchester?"


    Ah, so the fake royal princess knew who she was.


    <em>This is going to be fun then.</em>


    "Stop, you two."


    She immediately turned around when she heard the deep, husky voice that became familiar to her through other people''s memories.


    And she was right.


    She smiled when she saw the ck Serpent standing by the door. The Supreme and the little Moon Serpent were behind her brother. But she didn''t care about the two.


    "Brother Kalel," ine called her brother excitedly, then she ran towards him. Since she had no hostility or bloodlust towards the ck Serpent, he didn''t move to attack her. But he seemed surprise when she suddenly hugged him. After she wrapped her arms around her big brother''s waist, she looked up at him with teary eyes. "I finally got to meet you, Big Brother."


    Kiho Nystrom looked confused. It looked like his guard was up, but she also saw a look of pity on her big brother''s eyes.


    "You."


    She felt shivers down her spine when she heard the Supreme''s cold voice. When she turned to her, she saw Tilly Nystrom giving her a sharp re. Even her son, the little Moon Serpent, was looking at her like he wanted to tear her away from his father.


    <em>How possessive!</em>


    "You never met Kiho in your previous life for you to act that way," the Supreme said in a cold tone. "What are you scheming, ine Moonchester?"


    Ah, so this side already knew who she really was.


    <em>Is it because of the people stalking me recently?</em>


    "I''m not scheming," ine said in a childish tone that she often used on Auro in the past. "I just want to greet my big brother."


    "I''m giving you five seconds to get away from my husband before I burn you down," Tilly Nystrom warned her. "Five, four one!"


    Her eyes widened in shock when all of a sudden, a strong force literally "peeled" her away from the ck Serpent. The next thing she knew, she was already being burned alive by the Supreme''s hot and unforgiving ck me.


    "You lunatic wench!" ine screamed while trying to use her Mana to put out the ck me. "Don''t you know how to count properly?!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 291: A Sneak Attack

    Chapter 291: A Sneak Attack


    "STOP screaming," Tilly said to ine Moonchester (also known as Ste) when Winter''s illusion finally lost its effect. Yes, she didn''t really burn the true princess. She and her youngest son just yed a cruel trick on in Moonchester to peel her away from Kiho. "You can''t even tell illusion from reality and yet, you have the audacity to touch my man?"


    ine Moonchester finally calmed down when the effect of Winter''s illusion finally ended. She immediately looked at her arms, then she touched her face. She let out a relieved sigh when she realized that she wasn''t burnt. After realizing that she was yed on, she red at her. "Just what did I do wrong for you to attack me like that? I mean no harm to my brother!"


    "Didn''t you hear what I said earlier?" she asked in a cold voice. "You''re not close enough to Kiho for you to hug him so affectionately."


    The true princess smirked at her. "What? Don''t tell me you''re jealous of me, "sister-inw?""


    "Don''t be too arrogant. You''re not relevant to Kiho for me to get jealous of you," she said with a softugh that obviously offended the other woman. "I just don''t trust anyone with Moonchester blood in them."


    The true princess looked like she suddenly wanted to cry.


    She rolled her eyes. <em>Is she a crybaby or something?</em>


    "What are you doing here, ine Moonchester?" Kiho asked in his usual indifferent voice. "Did Aku Moonchester send you after me?"


    "I''m not working with Brother Aku," ine Moonchester said while shaking her head firmly. "Brother Kiho, I just really want to meet you."


    When she turned to her husband, she saw that his face softened up a bit.


    She didn''t like ine Moonchester because she could never trust a Moonchester. Bute to think of it, she didn''t do anything wrong to them in their previous life. In fact, they never even met her since Auro Moonchester killed ine Moonchester in the past.


    <em>But still, I can''t let my guard down.</em>


    "Truth be told, I don''t know what to do now that you''re standing in front of me," Kiho said, his voice more gentle now. "But let me apologize to you first, ine. I''m sorry that I wasn''t able to protect you in our previous lives."


    The true princess became teary-eyed. "Brother, does it mean you''re going to protect me this time?"


    "No," Kiho said bluntly. "Not unless you prove to me that you''re not an enemy."


    Tilly suddenly felt bad for ine Moonchester when she saw how shocked and devastated the true princess was by Kiho''s bluntness.


    <em>Gosh, my husband can really be savage most of the time.</em>


    "Brother, I already told you that I''m no harm to you"


    "I heard that," Kiho said. "But I didn''t hear you say that you''re not a threat to my family."


    ine Moonchester suddenly fell silent.


    "I won''t protect people who intend to hurt my family," Kiho said coldly. "It doesn''t matter to me even if we were rted in our past lives. After all, my wife and I decided that we will live in the present and not in the past."


    <em> A</em>


    Tilly just fell in love with her husband all over again.


    Even Winter looked satisfied by what his father said.


    "Are you done talking now?"


    It was Nia Moonchester.


    Everyone turned to her when she spoke including ine Moonchester.


    And as soon as the true princess turned around to face Nia, thetter pped ine Moonchester on the face hard.


    It was so hard that the true princess fell on the ground.


    "That''s payback for pping me a while ago," Nia said coldly while looking at ine Moonchester with glowing red eyes. "You''re not on my level so know your ce, wench."


    Kiho, thankfully, didn''t move to meddle in the fight.


    After all, both Nia and ine Moonchester were their enemies. She was d to know that her husband wasn''t getting emotional just because the true princess was the sister that he unintentionally neglected in the past.


    And that sister-inw of hers was now on the verge of crying because of a p.


    "Gosh, Nia. You made her cry," Tillymented while shaking her head. "You have a nasty temper."


    Nia just rolled her eyes.


    "Mom, I don''t think you should be saying that," Winter "scolded" her lightly. "You''re the one with the worst temper here."


    Kiho stifledughter at their son''s yful remark.


    Once again, just like a while ago, their family bonding was interrupted because of a strange happening.


    When ine Moonchester sobbed loudly, she was suddenly engulfed with a blinding light.


    <em>Great. What now?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    AKU coughed blood.


    His Mana was almost depleted and yet, he still wasn''t able to break free from the Bangle''s control. That made him wonder about one thing.


    "Did you only create the Bangle to control me?" Aku, who knelt on the floor while clutching his stomach, snarled at Kyro who still dwelled inside Elis Ripperton''s body. ine Moonchester already left so only the two of them were in the shrine. "Is controlling me more important than controlling the Supreme and the Ancient Beasts?!"


    "No, but I had no choice," Kyro said, then he squatted down to meet his eye level. "The "ck me" that you brought me disappeared as soon as I opened the vial."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "Nia was the one who gave me the vial where the me was kept. And I also confirmed that it was indeed the ck me. Are you trying to turn me into a liar?"


    "The ck me is alive, Aku Moonchester," the Moon God reminded him. "It doesn''t have a proper master, but it''s quite fond of the Supreme. Didn''t you notice it? Even if the ck me was "stolen" by the Supreme''s spirit guardian, that lowly woman wasn''t able to use the me properly. Instead, that wench was the one who was controlled by the ck me all this time."


    "Are you saying that the ck me just disappeared because it knew that you''re going to use it against the Supreme?"


    "I wouldn''t go that far," the god said. "Let''s just say that now that the Supreme has gotten back the ck me, she will absorb back every piece of it wherever it goes. That''s how well her soul resonates with the ck me. Didn''t you know that, Aku Moonchester?"


    He didn''t pay attention to the ck me before because when he made an enemy out of the Supreme, she was already using Lord Wixx''s red me and not her own.


    The only true enemy that he had back then was the Moon Serpent and not the Supreme. And most of all, he made Kalel Nystrom deal with his wife back then so he wouldn''t have to. He thought the Supreme wouldn''t be a problem to him.


    "Because the ck me wasn''t present, I thought of recing it with your sister''s blood and soul instead," Kyro continued. "ine Moonchester doesn''t care even if she gets control by the Bangle. She just wants to have her revenge against you."


    Aku red at Kyro because that was the only thing that he could do at the moment. "What do you n to do to me?"


    Kyro grabbed his face roughly until he was forced to open his mouth. "I already told you," he said while he was literally pulling out his soul from his body with his other hand. "Your body is now my vessel, Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY was shocked while looking up at ine Moonchester''s unconscious body floating in front of them right now.


    But it wasn''t that thing that shocked them, to be honest.


    Behind ine Moonchester was a huge steel gate. It was a bit open, and she could see two long and pale arms slowly wrapping themselves around the true princess''s body.


    Despite looking strange, she didn''t feel any hostility from it.


    Kiho, Winter, and even Nia were as calm as her while watching the scene above them unfold. Like her, the three also didn''t feel like their lives were in danger.


    Tilly turned to her son who was still in her arms. Kiho, of course, stood in front of them as soon as ine Moonchester acted strangely a while ago. "Winter, can you feel it, too?"


    Winter nodded, then he slowly turned to her. "Mom, that gate is overflowing with divine energy."


    "That''s right, son," she said, then she looked up at the gate again. "Kiho, do you know where that gate leads to?"


    Kiho may have not ascended to the heavens in the past.


    But he was still a full-fledged god. He was more knowledgeable than her when ites to things rted to the heavens.


    Although she had to say that the gate felt familiar to her for some reason.


    "This is the first time that I''ve seen that gate," Kiho said, then he turned to her. "But for some reason, it feels very familyar to me."


    "Oh," she said, surprised that Kiho felt that way as well. "It''s strange, isn''t it?"


    "Mom, Dad, look!"


    Both she and Kiho looked up once again.


    Ah, the gate waspletely now and the arms around ine Moonchester were already pulling her inside. None of them moved because for some reason, the divine energy was making them feel too rxed. Upon realizing that, she suddenly felt restless.


    <em>It''s making us toox!</em>


    She was about to tell Kiho to put his guard up when all of a sudden, another portal opened up in the air. This time, she saw familiar faces.


    Saint Forrester, Solenn, and her son Julian were flying fast towards the gate.


    <em>Towards the gate?!</em>


    "Julian!" both she and Kiho yelled while Winter called his brother in a voice as terrified as them.


    Saint Forrester and Solenn also turned to them.


    But their attention was focused on Julian, of course.


    Plus, the saint and the young princess disappeared right away when they entered the gate that seemed to have absorbed them in.


    "Mother, Fathe, Winter, I''ll be fine," Julian said with a smile, then he touched the strange and divine energy inside the gate. Just like what happened to Saint Forrester and Solenn a while ago, their son was also absorbed by the strange energy. "Take care of yourselves."


    And when the gate closed, it vanished immediately.


    <em>No!</em>


    "Julian" Tilly whispered to herself in a worried voice. "If they entered the gate, it only means one thing"


    Kiho nodded, his eyes filled with worry just like her and Winter. "It must be the gate that leads to the ne."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 292: Prelude to Divine War

    Chapter 292: Prelude to Divine War


    "I CAN''T believe this," Luna said in a shaking voice while looking at the magic circle around the Royal Capital. "That''s an ancient spell."


    Right now, she stood on top of the abandoned tower of the "Fire Wielders." Of course, it was empty now. Still, since the tower was still standing proud and tall, she and Lord Denver decided to use it to check on the Royal Capital.


    After getting on the top of the tower, she created amon bird that shared its vision with her. She made it fly around the Royal Capital to check on it since she had been having an ominous feeling ever since they returned there.


    She wasn''t prepared for what greeted her.


    "An ancient spell around the Royal Capital?" Lord Denver, who stood beside her, asked. "What kind of spell is it?"


    She gulped before she gave him an answer. "A spell to awaken ancient monsters."


    "Ancient monsters?!"


    She nodded before she turned to him. "To be precise, it''s a spell to awaken the ancient Crades that have been into sleep in thest divine war."


    Crades were human-eating monsters that have been terrorizing the empire since time immemorial. But since the older and stronger Crades had been into sleep, the ones that remained until now were weak and can easily be handled even by average Mana-users. That was why the Crades of today hid in the forests or deserted inds. It was their way of protecting themselves against humans.


    But of course, the ancient Crades would be different.


    "Someone has begun a ritual to awaken the ancient Crades," she said worriedly. Even though her mind wanted to deny it, she already had an idea as to who created the ancient spell. "It''s going to be dangerous if the ancient Crades awakened, Lord Denver."


    The former captain nodded in agreement. "They have been asleep for centuries. They will definitely wake up starving. And hunger makes them stronger."


    "That''s true, but that''s not the only problem, Lord Denver," she said. "The Nystroms wouldn''t be able to protect the Royal Capital. Even Lord Wixx, Lord Ainsworth, and Lord Forrester aren''t here. If the ancient Crades awaken, they would be too much for us. Even with the help of the other Fire Mages, I don''t think we can contain them."


    "But if the empire is attacked, won''t His Majesty deploy his royal knights to protect the citizens?" he asked, confused.


    "During the previous war where Auro Moonchester made the ck Serpent and the Supreme fight, he sacrificed his people," she said, remembering the memories that she had as the Moon Priestess in the past. "He lured the ancient Crades to the Royal Capital back then using the blood and flesh of his own citizens."


    "But why would a king do that?"


    "Because he wanted to distract the Supreme when he realized that the Fire Mages are winning the war," she exined. "He knew that the Supreme wouldn''t be able to resist helping the innocent people get caught up in a cruel war. Unfortunately, I died after that so I don''t know how the war ended. And how the Fire Mages were used of betraying the empire."


    "Oh," he said. "If Auro Nystrom did that in the past, then he can do it again."


    She nodded firmly. "We have to stay here and gather allies. I don''t trust Lord Noel Sherwood but he''s one of the people that can help us protect the empire from the Crades. But he seems to be missing these days."


    "I''ll go and find him," Lord Denver offered. "I think I have an idea as to where he might be."


    "Really?"


    He nodded before he exined. "Thest time we talked, he told me that he''s looking for Lord Ainsworth''s descendants. When the Golden Tiger betrayed His Majesty a few years ago, the members of the House Ainsworth was locked up somewhere. I believe Lord Denver is looking for them."


    "Then, how will you find him?"


    "We were both former captains of the Four Orders," he exined. "We have a unique way of locating one another."


    "Then, I''ll leave it to you."


    He nodded firmly. "How about you, Miss Luna? Do you really intend to stay here? I thought you were going with Lord Forrester''s group after we determined that Miss Ste, your sister, is going to the ne."


    "I can''t leave now that we have a problem that we have to deal with here," she said. "Moreover, this is a mess that my own sister made. I need to clean it up myself."


    The former captain looked confused, then his eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying that Miss Ste is the one who created the spell that would awaken the ancient Crades?"


    "Ste is a strong witch like me," she exined even though it hurt to admit that her sister had done something that she shouldn''t have. "And I felt the aura of a Moonchester in that magic circle surrounding the Royal Capital. Ste is the only person here who has the power of a witch and the aura of a Moonchester." She turned to the direction where the "eye" that she created could see the White Tower where the Royal Archmage resided. "I need to take that bitch down first."


    "Who?"


    "The Royal Archmage."


    Lord Denver gasped at what she said. "Miss Luna, are you saying that you''re going to take the White Tower down?"


    "They''re not as powerful as you think they are, Lord Denver," Luna said, then she turned to the former captain. Before she regained her past memories, she used to think that the White Tower was a scary ce filled with strong mages. But after retrieving her memories and training in the Srium for the past five years, she was confident that she could take down the tower. After all, only the Royal Archmage was the real problem and she just knew how to deal with her. "Don''t worry, I will win."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LUNA won''t be going with us to the ne," Asher Forrester announced to Julian and Solenn. Right now, they were in an empty room in Nystrom Mansion. He needed an empty room because of the transportation spell that he created to follow Ste aka ine Moonchester. "She and Lord Denver have encountered a problem in the Royal Capital."


    Solenn looked surprised by his deration. "What kind of problem?"


    "Apparently, Ste aka ine Moonchester created a spell that will awaken the sleeping ancient Crades."


    The two children looked shocked by that.


    "Then, it means she found their of the ancient Crades in the Royal Pce," Julian said worriedly. "But why would she awaken them? Is it still a part of her n to have her revenge against Aku Moonchester?"


    "We don''t know about that, and we don''t have time to deal with it," he said. "Let''s just leave the problem to Luna and Lord Denver. As soon as we''re done with our own mission, we will hurry back and support them. Right now, the best help that we could offer them is to return as soon as possible."


    The two children looked at each other as if they weremunicating with their eyes. Then, they both turned to him and nodded respectfully.


    He was about to say something when he felt ine Moonchester use her power.


    Thanks to the spell that the Keeper called Kelsi attached to the former Moonchester princess, they were able to detect her movement. The Keeper gave him the device that would tell them where ine Moonchester was head to.


    He infused that device with his own spell a spell that would take them to wherever the former princess would go to. Discreetly, of course.


    "ine Moonchester is already leaving the Royal Capital," Asher Forrester announced to the children, then he extended his hands to them. "Hold onto me tight, children."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN was surprised when all of a sudden, he found himself with Lord Forrester and Lady Solenn suspended in the air.


    He was even more shocked to see a strange yet familiar gate in front of them. Although he had to say that the sight of unusually pale and long arms slowly dragging ine Moonchester inside the gate was a little unnerving.


    "Julian!"


    Julian immediately turned to the voices of his family. He was surprised to see his parents and little brother looking at him with a shocked look on their faces. Oh, he didn''t realize that ine Moonchester was in the North until he saw his family.


    And they all looked worried about him.


    "Mother, Fathe, Winter, I''ll be fine," Julian assured his family. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that Lord Forrester and Lady Solenn extended their arms to reach for the divine energy inside the gate. He did the same before he gave his family onest longing look. "Take care of yourselves."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOW LONG are you going to talk among yourselves?"


    Tilly turned to Nia Moonchester who already looked impatient. Ah, they made the princess wait and she wasn''t happy about it. "We apologize for that," she said because she still had manners. Sometimes. "Let''s now open the gate of thend that drinks blood."


    "Finally," Nia said sarcastically. "I thought you were going to take forever before you move."


    She just rolled her eyes at the royal princess.


    Then, she handed Winter to Kiho. Her husband stood closer to her when Nia approached them. She noticed that the royal princess already held the vial with Aku Moonchester''s blood in her hand, and so she pulled out the vials that contained her blood and Lord Forrester''s separately.


    "Let''s begin," Tilly said, then she opened the two vials and poured the blood in the snow-covered ground. "To thend that drinks blood."


    Nia opened the vial in her hand and poured the blood on the same spot as her. "To thend that drinks blood."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "HOW ARE you feeling, my lord?" Elis Ripperton asked him after his soul settled in his new vessel. "Is Aku Moonchester''s physical body good enough to be your temporary vessel?"


    "Not as good enough as Kiho''s but this will do for now," Kyro, now in Aku Moonchester body, said while sealing the child emperor''s soul inside a small bottle. Of course, it wasn''t an ordinary vial. It was made of materials that could only be found in the heavens. Only such thing could lock up an old and powerful soul such as Aku Moonchester''s. He was d that Yumi, his beloved wife, was able to take care of it all these years. "Now that I have his body, you may leave now," he said, then he turned to the Blue Dragon. "You need to go to your spirit guardian, don''t you?"


    The Blue Dragon nodded. "It seems like the little tiger has bitten my bait. I need to greet him as his "older brother.""


    He just nodded as a response. "How about the winged-guardian that Aku Moonchester ns to use for his n?"


    Now that he was in the child emperor''s body, he couldn''t really use his full power to teleport or fly high up into the sky. If he did that, Aku Moonchester''s body might get torn into pieces. He couldn''t afford to lose his new vessel until he gets a hold of Kiho.


    "I can prepare it before I leave, my lord," his servant said. "Are you going to attack the Fire Mages''s hiding ce just like Aku Moonchester''s n?"


    "Winchell is already awake so I want to get rid of him before I go after my son. That hot-headed ming bird will be a problem if he assists his sister in the fight," he said. "I also need to wait for Yumi to return anyway, so might as well wipe out an entire n to kill time."


    Elis Rippertonughed softly at what he said, then he bowed to him. "I will now prepare the winged-guardian for your departure, Lord Kyro."


    "Thank you," Kyro said, then he looked at the silver ball of energy inside the bottle. He could feel that Aku Moonchester was trying to break free from it. But of course, his efforts were futile. "Don''t worry, I will wipe out the entire Fire Mage n as a token of gratitude for "lending" me your body, Aku Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 293: Frozen Divine Garden

    Chapter 293: Frozen Divine Garden


    "FATHER, wee back."


    Wixx blinked several times while looking at the young man before him.


    Of course, he knew that it was Sris his one and only son. His Mana and the aura that he got from him couldn''t be faked by anyone. He was just a little surprised to see his child all grown-up. Thest time he saw him personally, he was only in his early teens. "You''re all grown-up now, Sris."


    Sris looked confused, then he nodded. "Of course, Father. I''m a father myself now."


    Still, he couldn''t believe that his son was a man now.


    Anyway, he just arrived at Srium with the Keepers. It waste at night when they arrived, so the whole ind was still asleep. But the guards were still up, of course. They silently greeted them and he asked them to not make a fuss.


    After that, he personally met up with Sris in his private office.


    The Keepers went to their quarters to rest. Or to sulk. After all, he had to drag the kids back to the floating ind.


    <em>They''re too attached to my little sister.</em>


    "I met your daughter," he told his son. "She''s quite a feisty one, isn''t she?"


    His son suddenly looked worried. "I hope Solenn wasn''t rude to you, Father."


    "Oh, she was," he said with a softugh that made Sris close his eyes in embarrassment. "Don''t worry about that, Sris. We can''t do anything about how hot-headed the women in our family are."


    "I apologize for my daughter''s rudeness, Father," his son said, then he bowed to him before he opened his eyes and raised his head to face him properly. "May I know why Solenn and Lady Nystrom didn''t return with you? The Keepers also look upset."


    "Tilly and her family went to the Great Fire Tree," he exined. "Solenn, on the other hand, eloped with Julian the "second" son from the past."


    Sris''s eyes almost popped out of the socket.


    To say that his son looked shocked would be an understatement.


    "It was just a joke," he said before Sris fainted on him. "But Solenn and Julian are together with Asher Forrester. They n to go to the ne."


    Once again, his son looked shocked. "But only people who have died could enter the ne"


    "It seems like they found a way to enter the ne without having to die," he said. "Trust them, Sris. They may look like children. But we know that they literally have old souls. Moreover, Asher Forrester is with them."


    "I understand, Father," the Fire Archmage said. "I know that Solenn has a duty to fulfill as a Rosenberg."


    "I''m d to hear that," he said. "We have our own duty to fulfill, Sris."


    "I am at your service, Father."


    He just realized that Sris felt more like a follower than a son with how formal he was.


    To be honest, he didn''t mind it before. After all, he only left an heir in the world to fulfill his duty as a god and the previous leader of the Rosenberg n. He also didn''t have the time or chance to bond with his only son.


    He didn''t care about that before but after seeing how close-knitted the Nystroms were, he suddenly felt envious of their family.


    But it''s not the time to think about that.


    "Sris, it''s time for another divine war."


    His son didn''t look surprised by his deration. It seemed like he had been waiting for it actually. "The Fire Mage n has been prepared for war all this time, Father. Solenn already sent me a message. ording to her, Aku Moonchester already found out that Srium is a floating ind."


    "That''s true," he confirmed while nodding. "But you are not going to fight up here."


    Sris looked confused by his words. "What do you mean by that, Father?"


    "You and our n need to descend back to the empire," Wixx said seriously. "I will wait for Aku Moonchester here and make Srium his grave."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID we get to the wrong ce?" Tilly asked in a confused voice when they arrived at thend that drinks blood. But all she could see was a garden literally frozen with ice. Even the Great Fire Tree was frozen with ice and its supposedly ming red leaves. "This looks like exactly thend that drinks blood but why is it frozen?"


    She was sure that the Great Fire Tree drank the blood that they offered.


    The tree epted it because after they poured the blood on the ground, they were engulfed by a golden me that came from the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree. That golden me was one of the most powerful teleportation spells in the world.


    After all, thend that drinks blood was actually located in a ce that only spirits could enter. The soul of gods and goddesses were also considered as spirits. That was why she, Kiho, Winter, and Nia were able to enter the Divine Garden (the haven that protected the Great Fire Tree) without a problem.


    "This is the ce where I was born so I''m pretty sure that this is the real Divine Garden," Nia said, then she turned to Kiho with a suspicious look on her face. "The ice that covers the whole garden has traces of your Mana, Kiho."


    Oh, that was true.


    "It seems like it''s really my ice," Kiho, who was carrying Winter in his arms, said in a confused voice. Then, she turned to him. "But Tilly, I don''t remembering here and freezing the entire garden in my past life."


    "If you went on a rampage here and the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree punished you, it''s possible that he might have erased your memory," she said to her husband. "Just like what he did to me."


    "Oh, that makes sense."


    "But Dad, is the Great Fire Tree still alive after it got frozen for at least a century?" Winter asked his father, then he turned to her. "Mom, can you melt the ice?"


    "I think so," she said, then she turned to Nia. "I need your assistance, Nia. My ck me might be too much for the Great Fire Tree. Since you''re the daughter of the Spirit, I need you to wake him up. If he wakes up, he can help me melt the ice from the inside of his trunk."


    "You don''t have to tell me that," Nia said, then she started to walk towards the tree. "Let''s go."


    "Gosh, what a diva," she said under her breath, then she turned to Kiho and Winter. "Wait here, my cinnamon rolls."


    Kiho nodded at her, his eyes telling her that he was just right behind her.


    Winter, on the other hand, gave her a flying kiss. "Take care, mom."


    She just smiled at her baby before she followed Nia.


    When she got to the frozen Great Fire Tree, the diva princess already had her hands ced on the tree''s trunk. She also had her eyes closed.


    Nia''s Mana seemed to be sipping through the Great Fire Tree.


    <em>At least, she''s cooperating.</em>


    Tilly gently ced her hand on the trunk, then she closed her eyes while summoning her ck me. Of course, she was being careful not to summon the amount of me that could burn down the whole ce.


    She hated the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree and her emotions usually yed a pivotal role in her control when it came to her me. In short, she had to be very careful so she wouldn''t identally burn the tree.


    <em>Just please melt for us.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THAT''S Nia Moonchester''s winged-guardian?" Kyro asked when he saw his ride that Elis Ripperton summoned for him. Right now, they were in the rooftop of Aku Moonchester''s pce. And the ugly being was waiting for him. "That looks ugly."


    "It can''t be helped," Elis Ripperton said, then he turned to the winged-guardian. "Nia Moonchester is fond of collecting the remains of ancient monsters, then turning them into her shadow beasts."


    Just like the ugly winged-guardian.


    It was a huge skeleton of a Crades that somehow resembled a dragon. Now that was just all bones, the difference wasn''t that obvious. But when that winged-creature was still alive, it had a head that looked like a giant lizard with three eyes and three mouths.


    "As long as it can fly me high up in the sky, that will do," Kyro said, then he turned to the ugly winged-guardian. "If you disappoint me, I will feed you to the Crades of my own."


    And by "Crades of his own," he meant the siblings that Kiho had never met in any of his past lives.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "JULIAN!"


    Julian was awakened by a familiar voice yelling in his ear.


    When he got up, he was surprised to see Solenn standing in front of him. But it wasn''t the Solenn that he knew. For some reason, she had suddenly grown up. Based on his estimations, she might be in herte teens now.


    And she was wearing a very short skirt that fell above her knees.


    "Lady Solenn, aren''t you cold?" Julian asked, his cheeks burning for some reason. Then, he stood up and took off his jacket. And that was when he realized that it wasn''t just Solenn who suddenly had a weird growth spurt. "I''m a grown-up like you?"


    Solennughed at him. She looked different because she had ck hair and brown eyes. But she still looked very beautiful. "What are you saying, Julian Kang? Of course, we''re grown-ups. We''re both neen years old now, duh."


    Julian Kang?


    Neen years old?


    He knew that it must be a dream.


    When he looked around, he found himself in an unfamiliar ce. It was a room with plenty of chairs and desks. But when he looked outside the window, his eyes widened in shock as to what greeted him.


    The architecture of the buildings around him didn''t look familiar to him.


    "Where are we?"


    "Julian, are you okay?" Solenn asked him in a confused and worried voice. "We''re at school. Why do you look lost?"


    <em>School?</em>


    He turned to Solenn again and examined her carefully (and tried his best not to be distracted by her blinding beauty). How could she still look pretty even in a weird outfit?


    She wore a brown zer with a white blouse under, a maroon ribbon, and a skirt that had a strange pattern in it. She also wore a type of clothing that covered her legs.


    When he looked down, he realized that he also wore strange clothes. He had a zer simr to Solenn''s, a white polo under it, a maroon tie, ck trousers, and ck leather shoes. Those clothes definitely didn''te from their world.


    He could only think of one ce that was very different from the one he knew.


    <em>Is this the modern world that Mother mentioned before?</em>


    "Julian Kang, is this a prank? You''re scaring me!"


    He raised his head to look at Solenn. "Lady Solenn, did you lose your memories?"


    "''Lady Solenn?'' Eww," Solennined, then she hugged herself and took a step away from him. "It seems like it''s you who lost your memories. Julian Kang, it''s me Solenn Kim and not ''Lady Solenn.''" She even rolled her eyes at him. "If this is a prank, it''s not funny."


    "Please excuse me," Julian said, then he carefully tied his zer around Solenn''s waist. He knew that it was a different world but still, he couldn''t let her walk around in that outfit when it was freezing cold. When he looked up at Solenn to apologize to her, he kind of froze when he realized that her face was so red. Ah, her embarrassed face looked very cute. <em>This is a very nice dream, huh?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em></em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 294: Spirit of the Great Fire Tree

    Chapter 294: Spirit of the Great Fire Tree


    TILLY was relieved when she saw the ice that covered the Great Fire Tree began to melt. But she was more relieved by the fact that she wasn''t burning the tree down. She didn''t want to admit this but controlling the ck me was quite hard.


    It couldn''t be helped since she never had the chance to truly use and master the ck me. Maybe she only got lucky that the ck me liked her enough to listen to her.


    "It''s done," Nia announced, then she pulled her hands away from the tree and took a step backward. "The Spirit is awake."


    Tilly pulled her hands away from the tree when she felt the Spirit''s warm and pure energying out of its trunk. By then, the ice covering the whole Divine Garden began to melt. But this time, it wasn''t because of her ck me. "Good morning, Spirit of the Great Fire Tree."


    The Spirit let out a deep, long sigh before speaking. "I didn''t want you to be the first person that I see as soon as I open my eyes after a long time, Supreme."


    "You should be honored," sheined, then she turned to Nia. "And you should be grateful that I brought your daughter here."


    "Although I''m delighted to see my daughter again, I couldn''t truly celebrate knowing that you brought her here because you need something from me," the Spirit said. "What do you want to know from me, Supreme?"


    "I want to know the truth about the Fire Mages'' "betrayal,"" she said, then she paused and shook her head. "Ah, we already know that Auro Moonchester did something to make it look like the Fire Mages betrayed him during his reign. What I want from you is to show me what exactly happened back then. Everything."


    While the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree shows her the memory of the past, she would make a copy of it, she would record it using the spirit stone that she made specifically for that moment. After that, she would return to the Royal Capital and show it to everyone.


    She needed to clear the Fire Mages'' reputation first so that her n could return safely.


    Then, overthrow Aku Moonchester properly.


    Finally, kill him and his cohorts.


    "I will do as you say, Supreme," the Spirit said. "I will show you the truth that you seek."


    "Huh?" she said, surprised. "I didn''t expect you toply easily."


    "Do you think I wasn''t punished after the crime Imitted in the past?"


    The only crime that the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree in the past was when he gave Nia all the information that Aku Moonchester asked for: the weaknesses of the gods.


    "I thought Kiho punished you for that because the entire garden was frozen," she said. "I guess it''s only natural that the other gods woulde after you as well."


    "I was the one who froze the garden, right?" Kiho, who now stood behind him with Winter in his arms, asked. "I want to retrieve that part of my memory as well."


    "All will be returned to you as well, ck Serpent."


    She was relieved to hear that.


    "Wait," Nia, much to her chagrin said. "Now that the Spirit assured you that you''d be able to retrieve the memories of the past, I want an assurance that you will do your end of the bargain, Tilly. The Red Phoenix isn''t here. Do you n to make me wait before you burn my bond with Aku?" She shook her head firmly. "I can''t wait any longer. Once you get what you want from the Spirit, Aku might already be here by then."


    "Don''t worry, Nia," she assured her. Then, she snapped her fingers. "I brought the core of my brother''s red me with me."


    The royal princess was left speechless when Sentinel appeared beside her.


    Sentinel, her brother''s spirit guardian, was stronger now that Wixx entrusted his ''core'' to him. The core was the Red Phoenix''s source of red me. That was why Sentinel''s me felt almost simr to the Red Phoenix now.


    Of course, leaving his brother alone without his core was dangerous. That was why as soon as her deal with Nia was over, Sentinel would immediately return to Wixx.


    "Don''t worry, Nia Moonchester," Sentinel said to the princess. "I carry my lord''s core. It''s enough as long as I burn your tie with Aku Moonchester, isn''t it?"


    Nia looked satisfied as she nodded. "As long as the damned tie gets burn down, I don''t care who does it."


    "Very well," Tilly said, then she turned to the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree. "Shall we begin?"


    "This is going to be a long ride," the Spirit said, then the dry leaves on the tree''s branches began to turn red again. It didn''t take time for the leaves to get fully "resurrected" by being literally on fire. "Now, let''s visit the past."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was surprised when he woke up in an unfamiliar ce.


    The room he was in was spacious and luxurious, just like the room that he had from the world that he came from. Yes, he knew that it was a different world. Because in the room that he was currently in, he saw some of the things that his mother used to describe to him.


    Like the big, t-screen TV attached to the wall.


    And the smartphone in his hand.


    If he wasn''t in such a strange "dream," he would have been excited. So even though he wanted to examine the tiny phone in his hand, he set his feelings aside and stood up. When he did, he came face-to-face with a full-length mirror.


    <em>Woah, I''m wearing strange clothes.</em>


    He knew that he was wearing a shirt, but the skull design on it looked strange. The pants he wore were also a little bit too tight, and there were holes in the knee area.


    <em>My room looks luxurious but my pants are torn. Am I rich or poor?</em>


    Aside from that, he also couldn''t describe the white shoes that he wore. Although it looked strange, it feltfortable.


    <em>But I shouldn''t be concerned with my outfit.</em>


    Maybe he should be more concerned by the fact that his appearace changed. Back in his world, he was only five years old. But right now, he seemed to be older than the age he had during his first life. If his estimation was correct, then he must be eighteen or neen years old.


    <em>What in the world is happening?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he heard a knock on the door, followed by the voice of his mother.


    "Winter?"


    "Mom!" Winter said happily. "Come in."


    As soon as the door opened and his mother entered the room, he literally jumped to reach and hug her faster.


    It was weird that he was now taller than his mommy.


    He also noticed that his mother wore a dress that he could only describe as strange and modern. It was the type of dress that showed off her arms and legs. And it was fit, so it showed-off his mommy''s dress.


    <em>I wonder if Dad has killed a man who looked at my mother the wrong way.</em>


    Anyway


    Winter literally had to look down at his mother now. "Mom, you''ve shrunk."


    His motherughed before she looked up at him. "No, you''ve just grown taller," she said, then she gently pinched his cheek. "You just turned neen this year, Winter."


    That answer made him nervous.


    <em>Why does Mom sound like we really came from this world?</em>


    Well, he knew the answer but he was too afraid to ept it. So even if he already knew the answer, he still asked.


    "Mom, where''s Dad and Julian?"


    "Your dad is still at work," his mother said, then she paused. "But who''s ''Julian?'' Is he a ssmate of yours, son?"


    To say that he was shocked would be an understatement.


    Clearly, the mother that he had in this world wasn''t the mother that he had back in his real world.


    "Mom, Julian is my older brother," he said. "Have you forgotten about me?"


    "You''re our only child, Winter," his mother said. "It was hard for me to get pregnant because of my health issues. That''s why Kiho and I decided to only have one child."


    He froze from where he stood.


    In this world, he still had the same parents. But why didn''t Julian exist in here? Just what kind of world was this?


    "Mom, wake up," Winter said seriously, then he held his mother''s shoulders. "This isn''t our world and I refuse to live in a world where Julian doesn''t exist!"


    He didn''t mean to but when he raised his voice, the whole room was suddenly covered in ice...


    ... so was his mother,


    "Mom!" he yelled in surprise, then he let go of his mother''s shoulders. He was about to touch her again to try and melt her with his me when he heard a softughing from what sounded like a woman''s voice. He looked around the room, wary. "Who''s there?"


    "Winter Nystrom, are you sure that you don''t want to live in a peaceful world like this with your dear parents?"


    He clenched his hands and shook his head firmly. "I don''t want a world where Julian doesn''t exist!"


    "But deep in your heart, I can see your desire: you don''t want a sibling, Winter Nystrom," the woman said, obviously taunting him. "You want to monopolize your parents'' love, don''t you?"


    Winter wanted to deny it but all of a sudden, he couldn''t find his voice.


    <em>What''s happening to me...?</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>[Memories of the past]</strong></em>


    "SOLEIL ROSENBERG has been reincarnated in the Fire Mage n."


    Wixx smiled at the good news. "It means it''s time for the Ancient Beasts to return to earth, right?"


    Kyro, the Moon God who gathered them in the shrine for the Ancient Beasts, smiled and nodded. "Yes, you may return for the meantime."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 295: How The Tragedy Began

    Chapter 295: How The Tragedy Began


    "ELIS RIPPERTON, don''t you dare show your ugly face at my sister''s n."


    Elis Ripperton turned to Winchell, then he let out a deep sigh.


    After their meeting with the Moon God a while ago, he wanted to retire for the night and return to his room. He needed to gather his Mana and divine power anyway before they descended back to earth.


    But now that he had to deal with Winchell, he knew that he would only get more exhausted from here on.


    "Although I adore Soleil with all my heart and soul, I still haven''t forgotten my duty as an Ancient Beast," Elis told Winchell. "I''m still the Blue Dragon after all."


    "I''m d to know that," Winchell said arrogantly. "Are you going to return to your n?"


    "Of course," he said dryly. He wasn''t in the mood to entertain this annoying ming bird but if he ignored him, he would just annoy him even more just to get his attention. Winchell was that kind of person. "Where else would I go once I descended back to earth?"


    "Good question," the Red Phoenix said. "Where else would you go, Elis Ripperton?"


    Now that made him flinch involuntarily.


    Winchell, with the ck Serpent''s absence, was arguably the strongest Ancient Beast among them. But he had an impression that the Red Phoenix was dumb and dense. Ah, it would be more appropriate to say that Winchell was selfish and immature.


    He didn''t expect that the Red Phoenix would notice his other movements.


    Yes, one could argue that Winchell''s question was harmless and random. But the ze in the Red Phoenix''s eyes said otherwise.


    "I have nowhere else to go, Winchell," he said carefully. Of course, he didn''t want the Red Phoenix to know that he was starting to feel pressured by his interrogation. "I don''t even know where you''re trying to get at."


    The Red Phoenix shrugged. "I just want to make sure that you won''t bother Soleil once we return back to earth."


    "Soleil is my friend," he said. Well, a friend for now. He intended to change thatter. "You can''t stop me from visiting her, Winchell. Moreover, whether you like it or not, we''re destined to work together for her."


    After all, they were asked by the heavens to return to earth to help Soleil protect the human race from the monsters called Crades.


    Well, the Crades had always been a problem even before they ascended the heavens. But apparently, the monster race had be more powerful the past years. Soleil, the child who had always been special, was prophecied to save the entire human race.


    But of course, she needed help from the gods.


    And thus, it was decided that the Ancient Beasts would descend and support her.


    "Ah, that''s right," he said, then he let out a deep sigh. "I don''t know why the heavens suddenly decided that Soleil is going to be the Priestess that would bind the four of us together. My sister only needs me she doesn''t need anyone else." He raised a brow at that. "Especially not you, Blue Dragon."


    He scoffed at that. "I''m not the only one you should be worried about, Winchell," he reminded him. "As you said, the "four" of us are bound to work together for Soleil. You haven''t forgotten about the thief who stole your sister''s heart, have you?"


    "The ck Serpent didn''t steal my sister''s heart," Winchell hissed at him. "What Soleil may have felt for the ck Serpent back then was nothing but a silly crush. Now that she has been reborn, I''m certain that her feelings for the ck Serpent have changed."


    "For the first time, I pray that you''re correct," he said, then he turned his back on Winchell. "Have a good night, Red Phoenix."


    He didn''t hear Winchell respond, but he felt his presence disappear.


    When he reached his room, he let out a deep sigh when he saw Kyro having tea in the lounge area. But of course, the Moon God wasn''t in his god form. Instead, he was using the body of Drake his spirit guardian.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked the Moon God, then he sat on the seat opposite to him. "I thought you already left."


    "I can''t leave without talking to my disciple separately, can I?" Kyro, in Drake''s body, said before he sipped his tea. "Don''t worry, Elis Ripperton. I made sure that no one noticed that I borrowed your spirit guardian''s body."


    "Are you sure about that?" he asked while pouring himself some tea. "Winchell is on to something, you see."


    "The Red Phoenix?" the Moon God asked. "Interesting. I thought he only cares about himself and his little sister."


    "That''s true," he agreed, then he sipped his tea. "But since the heavens has involved Soleil in our affairs, Winchell is being extra wary."


    "The heavens didn''t involve Soleil Rosenberg in their affairs, child."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Soleil Rosenberg has been the center of all of this ever since she swallowed the sun," Kyro said, then he smiled bitterly. "She''s the mistake of the gods that we need to eliminate."


    He had always meant to ask Kyro what he meant each time he said Soleil swallowed the sun. Well, he had a gist but until the Moon God confirmed it, his hunch would always remain a hunch.


    The problem was it seemed like Kyro had no intention of telling him the truth.


    It was probably because he wasn''t a full-fledged god. After all, the Ancient Beasts were once humans, unlike the full-fledged gods who were born in the heavens. So even if he and the others had the "god" title, the Moon God and the others of his kind were still on a higher level.


    "I will follow you as long as I can have Soleil in the end," Elis Ripperton said. "That''s our deal, Kyro."


    "And I haven''t forgotten about it," Kyro assured him. "But you have to do your end of the bargain first: protect Auro Moonchester at all cost."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "IT SEEMS like Elis Ripperton is working for the Moon God," Winchell said while pouring some alcoholic drink in the Sky God''s ss. They were in his shrine and to be honest, it was supposed to be off-limits to him. But who cares if the Sky God himself invited him in his shrine? "It was faint, but I''m certain that I felt Kyro''s divine aura in the Blue Dragon''s residence."


    "It''s no longer news for us," the Sky God, in his in human form, said. When the Sky God was in that form, he was reminded of Alec Forrester the current saint on the earth and one of his oldest friends and allies. "We already knew that the two are conniving to help Auro Moonchester win."


    "That''s the thing that I don''t understand," he said, then he sipped his drink before he spoke again. "During the war among the seven moons, it was you who turned Aku Moonchester into a human. You even helped him kill the poor Moon Serpent. And now, you want Aku, who now goes by the name of Auro Moonchester, dead."


    "It was a trap," the Sky God said with clenched teeth. "It was a trap that Kyro set for him. And I foolishly danced into the palm of his hand." He drank before he spoke angrily again. "Because of my foolishness, the Moon Serpent was banished from the heavens. And then, Kyro managed to trick me into helping thest moon finish off the poor Moon Serpent. It was a mistake that I need to correct at all cost."


    "And how do you n to correct that mistake?"


    "I''m going to the ne to meet the Mistress," the god said firmly. "I''m going to ask her to reincarnate the Moon Serpent. If we want to eliminate Auro Moonchester and stop Kyro from his ns, we need the Moon Serpent on our side."


    To say that he was surprised to hear that would be an understatement. "You''re going to the ne yourself? Why didn''t you just ask me to go in your ce?"


    "Who''s going to protect Soleil Rosenberg if you to the ne in my stead?"


    That made him more serious. He always took things rted to his precious little sister seriously. But the fact that the Sky God was willing to leave the heavens to go to the ne made him feel the gravity of the situation.


    "I don''t understand what''s going on anymore," he said, confused. "What would happen if we let Auro Moonchester and Kyro do whatever it is that they n to do?"


    "The line that separates gods from humans would disappear," the god said. "It almost happened when Soleil Rosenberg swallowed the sun."


    Winchell let out a deep sigh. "So in the end, it begins and will revolve around my poor little sister."


    "That''s right," the Sky God said while nodding in agreement. "After all, Soleil Rosenberg unconsciously began this silent divine war."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I THINK he''s calling me," Soleil Rosenberg said while looking at the Royal Pce. To be precise, she was looking at the highest tower known as the ''Thorne Pce.'' They could see it even while they were in the carriage. By ''they,'' she meant herself and her aid. "The lonely prince of the Thorn Pce, I mean."


    "What do you mean by ''lonely prince?''" M, her young maid, asked while shaking her head. "Lady Rosenberg, I heard that the prince of the tower is a monster."


    She justughed it off. "I bet he''s handsome."


    "Where did you get that, mydy?" the young maid asked curiously. "I heard from the people of the kingdom that no one has seen the prince yet."


    "Because of his name," he said between giggles. "I heard he was called ''Kalel.'' It sounds handsome."


    M let out a sigh while shaking her head. "You and your obsession with good-looking people, mydy."


    She smiled, then she turned outside the window to stare at the tower again. "Yes, I''m obsessed enough to save the handsome prince of the Thorne Pce."


    "What do you mean to save?" the young maid asked nervously. "Lady Rosenberg, we didn''t travel to this kingdom for the lonely prince, did we?"


    She turned to her aid and smiled sweetly. "M, why do you think I begged the elders of our n to let me travel here?"


    "You said you wanted to learn other cultures, mydy."


    "Exactly," she said cheerfully. "I want to learn how good-looking princes live."


    "Mydy!" M, now pale, looked at her with begging eyes. "The elders will kill me if you get into trouble!"


    "Don''t worry, M," Soleil assured her with a softugh. "Saving the handsome prince is easy for me."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 296: The Lonely Prince

    Chapter 296: The Lonely Prince


    KALE KINGDOM was a new kingdom on the continent.


    It hasn''t even been twenty years since the kingdom was established. It used to be a part of an empire. But when the empire fell, one man rose and started picking-up what was left of the fallen territory. Apparently, that man was chosen by the Moon God himself to rule a new kingdom.


    Thus, Aleo Moonchester became the king of the Kale Kingdom.


    He and his group of friends were apparently blessed by the Moon God with powers that made them stand above ordinary humans. That was when the gift called ''Mana'' became well-known in the empire. But only the royals and the nobles had that kind of power. For that reason, the nobles only married and reproduced within themselves.


    But from time to time, a Mana-user would be born into an ordinary family. But despite that, they would be treated differently from Mana-users with royal or noble blood.


    After all, that bastard of a king wanted to stand above his own people as if he was a god.


    As if his kingdom was the only ce in the continent that could use Mana.


    As if King Aleo Moonchester''s reign was absolute.


    Needless to say, Soleil Rosenberg hated the man even though this was just their first meeting.


    "Rosenberg n? Of course, I''ve heard of it," King Aleo, seated on his throne arrogantly, said while looking down at her and her aid. Obviously, the king was unimpressed by their visit. He probably only weed their envoy when he heard that they brought rare gifts for the kingdom. "People call you ''Fire Mages.'' Am I correct?"


    "You''re correct, Your Majesty," Soleil said politely and with a smile even if she didn''t want to. "We are called Fire Mages and we live in a small nation called Srium in the east part of the continent."


    Right now, Soleil was in the presence of King Aleo Moonchester in his throne room.


    A gant-looking young knight stood behind him and nobody else. But she was certain that the other knights were just next door.


    Anyway, she didn''t feel intimidated even though she was in the king''s territory. Aside from the fact that M stood behind her, she came in the pce as a visitor. But of course, if the king tried to do something funny, she wouldn''t hesitate to fight back.


    Even if it meant going to war against the Kale Kingdom.


    <em>But I hope we don''t get there.</em>


    Anyway, although she didn''t like the arrogant King Aleo, she had to admit that he was quite good-looking. He wasn''t also that old yet. As far as she knew, he was only in his early forties. No wonder he still looked fit to be sitting on that throne.


    But the king''s conventionally attractive look was his only saving grace.


    <em>Rumor has it that His Majesty is a good swordmaster, but his Mana is quite average.</em>


    "I''ve also heard of your nation," the king said, still unimpressed. "Apparently, your nation is known as the ''Land Where the Sun was Born.''" He smirked, obviously in a taunting manner. "What should I do? Kale Kingdom is known as the ''Land Where the Moon was Born.''"


    That was aplete lie.


    Kale Kingdom wasn''t called that way. The king was just obviously messing with her because he didn''t want to appear inferior to their little nation.


    But since she needed something from the king, she had to put up with his arrogance.


    "I heard that Kale Kingdom is a kingdom loved by the Moon God himself," she said with a smile. "It''s an honor to be here, Your Majesty."


    The king looked satisfied by her praise. "You said your name is Soleil, isn''t it? And you''re the only daughter of your nation''s ruler?"


    "That, I am, Your Majesty."


    "I can''t believe that your parents let their only child travel alone."


    "I am not alone, Your Majesty."


    He scoffed at that. "A female aid isn''t much of a protection, youngdy."


    She just smiled politely even though she was seething inside. M was strong and she didn''t need to prove that to an arrogant king. After all, they didn''t care about his opinion anyway.


    "So, to what do we owe this visit?" King Aleo asked. "I was surprised when I received a letter from your nation. I''m quite interested in what you''vee for to offer to me."


    <em>He really said "to me" instead of "to our kingdom," huh</em>?


    It seemed like the rumor about the king''s greed was also true.


    "May I go straight to the point, Your Majesty?"


    "Of course, youngdy."


    "I''m here to see the first prince," she dered, obviously shocking the king. "I''m here for Prince Kalel Moonchester."


    The king now looked serious as he gave her a cold stare. "I''m afraid I can''t grant your request, youngdy. The first prince is ill. Although it pains me to say this, my oldest son''s disease is infectious. Thus, he''s now allowed to receive guests. I hope for your kind understanding."


    He said all of that in a stiff way as if it was a spiel that he memorized to say in situations such as that one.


    But she already expected that from the king, and so she came prepared.


    "Your Majesty, winter is already approaching," she said, obviously confusing the king. "I heard that the cold could get really bad in your kingdom. Apparently, even nobles have a hard time keeping their homes warm and safe from the harsh weather."


    The king raised a brow at her. "I thought you''d get straight to the point, youngdy?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Your Majesty, may I implore you to allow my aid to use her Mana to bring out the presents that we bought for you?"


    The knight reacted negatively, just like she expected because it was considered a sin to use Mana or a weapon in the presence of the king. "How dare you ask that to His Majesty?"


    "Hush," the king told the knight who quickly shut his mouth. "I''m giving you the permission to use your Mana in my presence."


    She bowed politely at him. "My utmost gratitude, Your Majesty," she said, then she turned to M. "Put them out, M."


    M bowed to her. "As you wish, mydy."


    After that, her aid pulled out a handkerchief from the breast pocket of her blouse. Then, she dropped it on the floor. As soon as M did that, the handkerchief turned into a huge pic nket.


    And on top of the nketid ten huge treasure boxes.


    Each box had its lid open because it couldn''t contain the red, shining spirit stones inside. The spirit stones resembled the gem called ruby. But of course, the ones they brought were infused with Mana that not even a king like Aleo Moonchester could easily get a hold of.


    The king knew that, thus the sudden spark of interest in his red eyes.


    "Your Majesty, I''d like to present to you these spirit stones called Vulcan," she exined to the king who looked thrilled now. "One Vulcan is enough to keep a pce warm. No matter how cold the winter turns out to be this year, you''d get warm by using our spirit stone."


    "Interesting," the king said. "There are stones sold in the market with a simr effect. But you''re saying that I only need one of your spirit stones to keep my pce warm?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she said. "Our nation has only begun to open its gate to trading. Currently, one Vulcan costs one hundred gold coins. The bigger ones cost a diamond."


    The king looked shocked by the price. "One spirit stone costs that much?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," she said confidently. "But as a token of gratitude for your warm wee, we present all of these to you as a humble present."


    It wasn''t a humble present and the king knew that.


    To be honest, revealing Srium''s precious stones to the greedy king was a huge risk. She and her people knew that there was a chance that King Aleo might invade their nation to get their riches. But they were prepared for it.


    Moreover, she was prepared to risk it all for the lonely prince.


    "You only need to see the first prince, don''t you?" King Aleo asked, a greedy smiled stered on his face. "Would visiting his room suffice, youngdy?"


    Soleil smiled and bowed her head to the king. "I''m much obliged to you, Your Majesty."


    <strong>***</strong>


    THE KING said his knights would take her to the first prince''s "room."


    But much to Soleil''s disgust, the "room" was nothing but a mere prison cell. From the outside, he could see a stale bed, a sink, and a small bathroom. There was a window, but it had bars in it.


    Moreover, she could feel a strong and powerful spell in the room that was probably keeping the lonely prince from escaping.


    How dare they do this to the first prince?


    <em>And why did you let them treat you this way, Nystrom?</em>


    The corner of the room was so dark that she could barely see anything. But she could feel the first prince''s intense gazeing from that side. Moreover, as soon as they arrived, the cell got colder as if he was silently warning her to stay away from him.


    <em>As if I''d do that. </em>


    "Youngdy, you may just look at the first prince from here," one of the knights who escorted her and M said. "The first prince is untamed so I advise you to be cautious."


    "I understand," Soleil said, then she turned to the two knights behind her. "You may leave now. I''d like to talk to the first prince in private."


    The two knights looked hesitant.


    "I apologize but His Majesty ordered as to stay with you, youngdy," the other knight said.


    She just smiled at them, then she turned to M. "Where are our manners? M, give our good sirs here some rare presents from our nation."


    M nodded and bowed politely at her, then she turned to the two knights while opening two pouches filled with gold coins and rare gemstones. "Would you like to give me a tour around the Thorne Pce? I assure you that mydy wouldn''t take long talking to the first prince."


    The two knights looked at each other as if they weremunicating with their eyes. And then, they turned to her and nodded.


    "Please don''t take too long, youngdy," the first knight who talked to her said.


    "Mydy, we''ll give your aid a quick tour around the Thorne Pce," the other knight said, then he turned to M. "Shall we go, Miss?"


    M just nodded, then she turned to her with pleading eyes.


    She couldn''t help butugh at her aid''s pleading look. "I will just talk to him, M."


    The aid didn''t look convinced, but she bowed and left with the knights quietly.


    And now, she was finally alone with the lonely prince.


    "Kalel Moonchester, you don''t belong here," Soleil said, then she grabbed the cold bars of the prison cell. Without much difficulty, she as able to melt the gate in just a few minutes. After that, she entered the room. "Please excuse my intrusion."


    She was met with a loud, hissing sound.


    "Oh, right," she said casually, then she turned to the dark corner of the room. She opened one hand and created a ball of red me on top of her palm. Thanks to the lighting from her me, she could now clearly see her lonely prince. "There you are."


    The first prince was sitting in the corner while hugging his legs close to his chest.


    When he raised his head to meet her gaze, Kalel Moonchester''s red eyes glowed dangerously.


    <em>Red eyes?</em>


    That surprised her.


    The Nystrom that she met in her first life had beautiful golden eyes.


    But he still looked very handsome though. And she was relieved that he wore clean and neat clothes. She would have waged a war right there and right then if she saw the poor god wearing rag for clothes.


    "Lord Nystrom, do you remember me?" she asked with a smile, then she squatted down carefully to not startle him. His cold gaze followed her, so she made sure that she wouldn''t make any extra movement. She knew that one funny move from her and he''d attack like a feral beast. "It''s me Soleil Rosenberg."


    Her name didn''t change because her brother, the Red Phoenix, talked to the Sun Priestess of their n and ordered them to name her ''Soleil'' again.


    She didn''t mind since she was reborn with her past memories.


    At least, she wouldn''t be confused if she had the same name as her past self.


    "Do you not remember me?" she asked again. "I won''t leave you alone if you don''t answer, Lord Nystrom."


    "I''m not ''Nystrom,''" Kalel Moonchester growled lowly. "And I don''t know you."


    He was obviously lying.


    Gods and children "favored" by them would never lose their memories during reincarnation, unless the ne had a heavy reason for doing so.


    As far as she knew, Nystrom was reincarnated as a human because it was his wish.


    That meant he wasn''t punished, so he should have the memories of his first life intact.


    "You''re so cold, Nystrom," she said in an exaggerated hurt voice. "How could you forget about me after you left me and our children in our past life, huh?"


    "We never got married, let alone have kids" Kalel trailed-off when he realized that she got him. "Go away, Soleil."


    She just smiled at his threat. Well, she was happy that he still remembered her so his threat didn''t work. "I''m not leaving without you, Lord Kalel," she said. She didn''t want to call him ''Nystrom'' because he made it clear earlier that he didn''t want to be addressed by his previous name. "I need you."


    "What do you need from me?"


    "The other three Ancient Beasts have returned to earth," she said seriously. She wanted to be yful when talking to Kalel but she knew that it wasn''t the right time to do so. After all, she had another reason for saving him. Yes, even if he obviously didn''t want to be saved by her. "Our Sun Priestess asked me to gather the four Ancient Beasts, and that includes you. Moreover, the ce where the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, and the Golden Tiger were sealed away was a dangerous territory for me to go to alone."


    He scoffed at that. "You are strong."


    "Thanks, but I still need you," she insisted. "As I said, I was tasked to gather the Four Ancient Beasts."


    "I can''t leave the kingdom," he said. "Especially not when my brother hasn''t returned from the expedition yet."


    He must be talking about Auro Moonchester, the second prince and the heir apparent to the throne. While traveling, she heard that the second prince was sent to war to prove himself as someone who deserved to be the crown prince.


    She also heard that if Auro Moonchester won the war and returned safely, he would be officially recognized as the crown prince of the Kale Kingdom.


    "But I heard that the second prince just got sent into a war against a kingdom far away from here," she said worriedly. "It might take years before he returns, Lord Kalel. I need you to help me now to keep the peace---"


    "I don''t care," he said with a hiss. "I''ll wait for my brother."


    "No can do."


    "I''m not asking for your permission."


    "Then, tell me what I can do to convince you to help me," she said, desperate. "As long as it''s within my power, I will grant it."


    "Are you sure about that?"


    She nodded firmly although she was quite nervous. But still, she decided to trust him. She knew that he wouldn''t ask something outrageous.


    Right?


    Kalel Moonchester, who probably sensed her hestitation, smirked bitterly. "If I asked you to burn down this tower, would you do it?"


    Soleil didn''t have to respond verbally she just simply created a strong fire ball that was enough to burn down the whole pce. Judging by Kalel''s shocked expression, she knew that he felt how powerful the me in her hand was and that she wasn''t kidding when she said she''d do anything to bring him with her. "I''m willing to go on a war against this damned kingdom for you, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 297: Leaving the Thorn Palace

    Chapter 297: Leaving the Thorn Pce


    "DON''T be reckless."


    "I''m being reckless?" Soleilined at what Kalel Moonchester said about her. "Lord Kalel, may I remind you that you''re the one who asked me to burn this tower down?"


    "I was just trying to scare you," Kalel said, then he touched the ball of me in her hand with his finger. Like expected, he was able to put out the fire with his water Mana. "After all, I know that you have reservations in killing humans especially the innocent ones."


    For some reason, that sounded like an insult.


    "Did I offend you?" he asked. Ah, he probably noticed the little scowl that she made when she heard his remark a while ago. "It''s true though. You can''t kill humans even those that tried to kill you in the past. So even if you act tough right now, you don''t convince me."


    Now she was seriously pissed.


    "I guess reincarnation can change a person," she said bitterly. "The Lord Nystrom I know is quiet."


    "But do you hate it?" he asked, then the corner of his mouth curved into a smirk. "You don''t hate hearing me talk, do you?"


    She couldn''t believe what she just heard. The Nystrom that she knew wasn''t this arrogant. Having said, she still found it amusing that he could talk this way now. But of course, she wouldn''t simply ept his snide remarks towards her. "If it''s your intention to hurt my feelings to shoo me away, I''m sorry but it''s not working. How can I take you seriously when you allow a lowlife to lock you up like this?"


    He looked at her with amusement in his eyes. "It seems like I''m not the only one who changed here. I think this is the first time I heard you insult a human you just met. You''re usually patient and kind to them."


    Well, she knew the answer but she wouldn''t admit it in front of him.


    She could never let Kalel know that when ites to him, she was willing to break her personal rules. Even she didn''t know why she could go to such lengths just for him.


    "I don''t want to be kind to people like the fake king."


    "''Fake king?''"


    "You know what I''m talking about," she said. "Kale Kingdom is supposed to be yours, Kalel Moonchester. The Moon God obviously named you after the kingdom that he entrusted to Aleo Moonchester. If you just add ''L'' to the kingdom''s name, it will be Kalel."


    He looked shocked by what she said. "How did you know all of that?"


    "The new Moon Priestess came to see me a while ago," she exined to him. "She told me about your rebirth."


    "But I haven''t met the new Moon Priestess yet."


    "Well, a Moon Priestess is someone who can hear the voice of gods," she said. "She told me that Lord Kyro, your father, personally watched over your rebirth. He chose the previous Moon Priestess to carry you in her womb."


    It didn''t mean that Kyro got the previous Moon Priestess pregnant.


    Rebirths of gods didn''t work that way.


    Kalel retained his physical appearance from his past life as Nystrom (except for the color of his eyes) because his soul and "vessel" (aka human body) were "molded" after his appearance in his god form.


    <em>I just don''t understand why Lord Kalel''s eye color changed</em>


    "Then, he chose Aleo Moonchester to be your father and helped him build this kingdom. But he did that with the condition that Aleo will marry the previous Moon Priestess and make you his heir. Aleo Moonchester kept his promise at first," she continued. "But when you were born, that fake king got afraid when he realized what you are. He killed the Moon Priestess who gave birth to you, then married a new wife. That was how your younger brother, the second prince, was born. Did I get the story correct?"


    "You forgot one thing," he said. "Auro has a younger sister locked up in this tower as well. That''s why no matter how short-tempered you are, don''t think about burning this down."


    "You can just go save your sister while I burn the tower down, you know?"


    He let out a deep sigh. "I''m still not going with you."


    "Give me a valid reason for turning me down, Lord Kalel."


    "The king is trying to get rid of Auro," he said. "He sent my brother into a war because he''s hoping that Auro would die in the battlefield. If I leave the tower, he will order my brother''s death."


    "Don''t you trust your brother?" she asked curiously. "I heard that the first prince is a strong Mana-user. I don''t think a person like that could be easily killed by assassins hired by the fake king."


    "It''s not like that," he denied. "Auro and I made a promise to each other. If he senses that his life is in danger, he would send me a message. Then, I''ll kill the king. And until he returns, I''ll protect the throne in his ce. That''s the reason why I can''t leave the tower."


    She nodded while humming, her brain already working on finding a loophole to the promise that Kalel made with Auro Moonchester.


    Of course, she hasn''t given up yet.


    This was shameful to admit but she was born from love and grew up with love. That meant she was used to getting what she wanted. And that was probably the reason why she was this stubborn when ites to Kalel.


    "Lord Kalel, how old is Prince Auro now?"


    "Sixteen."


    "Oh," she said, a little surprised. She didn''t know that because she didn''t care about the first prince. "We''re the same age."


    She didn''t know why but for some reason, she felt an ominous feeling from that fact.


    But she set that aside for now.


    "And where was your brother sent to?"


    "I forgot the exact name but apparently, it''s called the blue sea kingdom."


    "Perfect!" she said with a bright smile. "The Azure Kingdom, also known as the blue sea kingdom, isn''t that far from the Redsun Dessert."


    He suddenly turned serious. "That''s your destination? It''s their of ancient Crades, Soleil Rosenberg."


    "It''s very dangerous, isn''t it?" she asked with excitement in her voice. "Although I''m strong, I''m not on your level. After all, the ancient Crades are said to be as powerful as the gods."


    "Does your n want you to die?"


    "It''s not like that," she said, defending her n. "I just have to do it because I was chosen to be the Beast Priestess. And now that my brother is gone, it''s my duty to protect them."


    "Are you still going to head to the Redsun Dessert even if I refuse toe with you?"


    She smiled and tilted her head at one side. "What do you think, my lord?"


    He let out a deep sigh while shaking his head. "The ne should have gotten rid of your reckless personality before they sent you back to earth."


    She justughed it off, then she stood up and extended her hand to him. "Shall we run away?"


    "I will only help you until you meet the other Ancient Beasts," he said before he took her hand, then he stood up. "I will return to this kingdom as soon as it''s over."


    "Well, if you still want to leave by then, I won''t stop you."


    He looked confused by her words.


    And they didn''t have the chance to discuss that matter more because they felt the presence of other peopleing near them.


    In just a few seconds, King Aleo Moonchester came.


    The king was escorted by several knights that were all above average Mana-users. If those knights weren''t facing her or Kalel, they could be considered strong.


    "You monster, get a hold of that woman!" King Aleo ordered Kalel. "If we take her as a hostage, then the Fire Mage n would give me all the riches that they''re hiding in their little nation!"


    She rolled her eyes, already expecting that to happen.


    He''s really a greedy person through and through.


    "Your Majesty, I think you got one thing wrong."


    She turned to Kalel and was a little surprised when she saw that his face and his body were starting to be covered by ck scales. Ah, now she knew why the fake king called Kalel a "monster."


    "I''ve only followed your orders until now because it benefits Auro," Kalel said in a cold voice, then he raised his hand, and with just a burst of his ice Mana, the knights behind the fake king were frozen instantly. "But now that my brother isn''t here, I have no reason to act as your servant."


    King Aleo, now shaking in fear, fell on the ground and looked up at Kalel while trying to act tough. "I-If you d-disobey me, I will ask my people to k-kill Auro!"


    "I dare you to do that," Kalel said indifferently. "The moment your people try to hurt my brother, I will kill you right here, right now."


    It wasn''t an empty threat and the fake king knew that.


    Thus, the silence.


    Soleil suddenly felt bad for the poor king. <em>He looks like he''s about to faint anytime.</em>


    "It''s your turn to act like my puppet," the second prince said, then he snapped his fingers.


    King Aleo screamed in fear when he suddenly floated in the air. Then, all of a sudden, he was trapped inside the Water Sphere one of the ck Serpent''s water techniques. Since the sphere was filled with water, she wasn''t surprised when the fake king began to drown.


    She pitied the man because despite what she said earlier, it was still hard for her to watch humans suffer.


    "Forget about what happened today," Kalel told the king, his red eyes glowing menacingly. "Forget about meeting Soleil Rosenberg. Forget about the Fire Mage n. Forget about hurting or trying to kill Auro. And most of all, forget about me while I''m gone."


    When he closed his hand, the Water Sphere burst and the fake king fell on the ground.


    King Aleo was already unconscious by then.


    She felt relieved that Kalel didn''t kill the fake king. After all, despite her tough words a while ago, the fact that she didn''t want to see humans get hurt or die was still a fact.


    "Why didn''t you use mind maniption on the fake king earlier?" she asked, then she turned to Kale. "Your problem could have been resolved" She trailed-off when she saw blood trickle down the side of his mouth. "Oh."


    "I wasn''t supposed to use mind maniption on the king. It was a curse that he put on me when I was a child," he exined while wiping the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. "But now that I''m a grown-up and can control my divine power, using my mind maniption ability won''t kill me anymore. But since the curse is still in effect, my insides would rot the more I use it."


    "Then, we just need topletely get rid of the curse, right?"


    He just nodded as a response.


    "I know someone who can do the job," Solei said with a smile. "Aren''t you d that I came to save you, Lord Kalel?"


    "Who''s saving whom?" Kalel scoffed, then he gently flicked her forehead. "Let''s go."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DO we really have to ride on the same horse?"


    "Of course," Soleil, seatedfortably in front of Kalel (that controlled their horse), said. Right now, they were travelling to the Redsun Dessert. She already asked M to return to their nation, and now she was on her way to meet her allies with Kalel. "We''re getting closer to the Redsun Dessert so it''s getting hotter. Your body is cool so I need to be close to you."


    "You''re a Fire Mage," Kalel said bluntly. "You''re not bothered by the heat."


    "That''s a misconception," sheined, then she looked up at him. "Do you hate being this close to me?"


    He just looked at her for a few seconds, then he averted his gaze.


    That made her smile.


    "Lord Kalel, you''re still a shy person," she teased him. "Can I lean on your chest?"


    Kalel fell silent for a while before he responded. "Do what you want."


    Soleil smiled, then she leaned against Kalel''s chest and smiled. "Thank you, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 298: A Test for the Beast Priestess

    Chapter 298: A Test for the Beast Priestess


    "LORD Kalel, I''d like to introduce you to Saint Alec Forrester," Soleil said while looking at the two men that stood opposite each other. She was in the middle. "But I''m sure you already know each other."


    Kalel and Alec Forrester made a mini staring contest.


    <em>Ah, Lord Kalel definitely remembers him.</em>


    Anyway, right now, they were already in the Redsun Dessert.


    But the Crades were still sleeping because the man-eating monsters onlye out when the sun had already set. The Crades were sleeping under the hot sand of the desert. It was one of the reasons why it was hard for the knights and other heroes of the continent to them down.


    The fact that the Crades''ir was the harsh sand of the Redsun Desert was already a challenge. Aside from the sand being seriously hot, the weather in that area was also very unforgiving. The air in there was hot.


    If they were ordinary people, they would have already dropped unconscious because of the heat.


    She wasn''t affected because she was a Fire Mage.


    Alec Forrester was protected by his divine power.


    And Kalel Moonchester had ice and water Mana. His body was naturally cold. So even if the weather was very hot, he wasn''t even sweating.


    "You''re still alive?" Kalel asked Alec in a disinterested voice. "How old are you now?"


    Alec justughed it off. "Greetings, ck Serpent. I don''t know how old I am now since I stopped counting a long time ago," he said politely. "I entered eternal sleep a few years after the three Ancient Beasts ascended to the heavens."


    Entering the ''eternal sleep'' was the equivalent of death to people like Alec Forrester who could choose their death. Since the saint was one of the sons of the Sky God, he had the privilege to choose when to rest forever.


    But of course, the gods could change that.


    "My father woke me up when the heavens decided to bring back the Ancient Beasts to earth," the saint continued. "It seems like they want us to work together to put the Crades into an eternal slumber once and for all."


    Kalel let out a sigh. "The gods created the Crades themselves. Why do we need to take care of the creatures that they gave birth to in the first ce?"


    "Well, cleaning up the mess on earth is the reason why gods reproduce," she said with a shrug. "Some even go as far as reproducing with a human just to ensure that they would have children that they could order around here on earth."


    "That''s true," Alec said while scratching his cheek. "I think that''s the main reason why the Sky God sends his sons here on earth to be a saint"


    The saint trailed-off, then he turned serious.


    <em>Ah, they''re starting to wake up.</em>


    The three of them turned to the vast desert in front of them. At that moment, the ground began to shake hard. Then, a few momentster, the giant-sized Crades start to arise from under the sand. They came in different sizes and shapes.


    But the majority of the Ancient Crades looked like disfigured dragons, snakes, centipedes, spiders, and other big animals and insects known to man. They were also flying Crades that looked like the grotesque version of birds. Phoenixes, to be precise.


    Although they were monstrous, most of them were intelligent. They also had the advantage of the terrain.


    "Soleil Rosenberg, what do you need to do here?" Kalel asked her, his gaze focused on the Crades before them. "You didn''te here just to hunt them down, did you?"


    She shook her head. "I need to go to Mount S," she said, then she pointed at the giant mountain behind the Crades. "The shrine of the Sun God is buried under that mountain. I need you and Lord Forrester to create a pathway for me."


    ording to the Sun Priestess of their n, the Ancient Beastsnded on earth and were sealed away by an unknown enemy in that shrine. She needed to rescue them. But getting past the ancient Crades was too much for her alone.


    That was why she sought the help of Kalel Moonchester and Saint Alec Forrester.


    "I will put a barrier around you while you fly past them, Lady Rosenberg," Alec said, then he turned to Kalel. "Lord ck Serpent, can I ask you to lead the attack?"


    Kalel ignored the saint.


    Instead, the ck Serpent stepped forward while pulling out a dagger from the sheath around his hips. Then, without saying a word, he cut his arms as if he was cutting a piece of meat. He didn''t stop until there were at least ten nted shes on each of his arms.


    Of course, he bled like crazy.


    Soleil gulped because she didn''t understand what Kalel was hurting himself for. "Lord Kalel, what are you doing?"


    As far as she knew, the ck Serpent had ice and water Mana.


    This was the first time that she saw him use his blood as a weapon. She wasn''t certain if he was going to manipte his blood like how he manipted water. But she was pretty sure that Kalel wouldn''t hurt himself for anything.


    "We need to reduce their number as quickly as possible," Kalel said without turning to her. Then, he made a huge and long sh across his chest. It bled easily, but he didn''t seem to be hurt. "Scaring the others won''t hurt as well."


    She could only gulp as a response. "Alright. I trust you, Lord Kalel."


    He just ignored her, then he threw the dagger (its de now bloody) on the sand.


    Then, he raised his hands until his blood floated and umted in the air. Eventually, his blood took the shape of a sphere. After that, he effortlessly threw the "blood sphere" up in the air. To be precise, it now floated above the head of the giant Crades.


    Finally, he closed his hands tight.


    There was a rumble in the sky before the blood sphere burst.


    And then, his blood sphere poured like rain.


    Since the Crades were obsessed with human flesh and blood, she wasn''t surprised when she saw most of them looked up and opened their mouths to drink Kalel''s blood.


    "A blood rain?" she asked, slightly amused by that technique. And she wouldn''t lie. Although it might look creepy to other people, it looked pretty in her eyes. "But what can it do to the Crades"


    She trailed-off when all of a sudden, the giant monsters began to let out an agonizing cry before they dropped on the ground one by one.


    <em>Just what in the world is happening?</em>


    "Poison," Alec said in disbelief, then he turned to Kalel. "Your blood is poisonous?"


    Kalel nodded without turning to either of them. "Well, have you forgotten who and what my mother is?"


    "Ah," the saint said.


    Soleil, on the other hand, nodded slowly when she remembered that Kalel''s mother was Yumi the White Snake. The minor god was known for its ability to create unique and rare medicine. But of course, the White Snake was most famous for her poison.


    And venom, if Yumi was in her snake form.


    <em>Their family is really strong.</em>


    Especially Kalel who was the son of two gods. Although Yumi was only a minor god, her existence was still more divine than ordinary humans.


    "My blood is poisonous to monsters who eat human flesh," Kalel exined shortly, then he turned to her. "The effect of my poisonous blood won''tst long because the amount of blood I used isn''t enough to make the poisonst longer. The effect might also be weaker than what I''d like them to have. That''s why I need you to fly past them as fast as you can." Much to her surprise and delight, he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Although his hand was cold due to his Mana, she felt warm with the thought that he was trying to encourage her. "Don''t look back, Soleil Rosenberg. I will take care of the Crades behind you." He gently squeezed her shoulder. "Do you really trust me?"


    Soleilughed softly at his silly question. "I wouldn''t have saved you if I don''t trust you, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    OF COURSE, Soleil was able to fly past the Crades without a problem.


    After all, she was backed up by two of the strongest men that she knew on earth: Kalel, the ck Serpent. And of course, Saint Alec Forrester. While the ck Serpent slew the man-eating monsters, the saint provided divine protection for her and Kalel.


    <em>We''re surprisingly a good team.</em>


    But a problem urred now that she was alone.


    Although she easily found the secret shrine on the foot of the mountain (buried under an ancient and giant tree), she couldn''t open the gigantic gate.


    She tried melting it with her me, but it didn''t work.


    Physically force also failed.


    "But the scripture on the door says that the Beast Priestess just needs to prove her identity," Soleil said to herself while reading the ancient writings on the door. "I''m a Fire Mage so in order to prove my identity, all I have to do is use my me"


    <em>Oh.</em>


    That must be the problem.


    After all, her Red me wasn''t hers to begin with.


    Her brother Winchell used to tell her that she was too weak to control the ck me. That was why he left a huge part of his ''Core'' to her. The ''Core'' was the source of his me.


    Before her brother ascended to the heavens, he told her to never use her ck me.


    To be honest, she had almost forgotten about it. But the situation called for it. She needed to open the gate to rescue the trapped Ancient Beasts in there.


    <em>I''m sorry, Brother</em>


    "I need to use the ck me this time," Soleil said to herself firmly, then she clenched her hands before she summoned her spirit guardian. "Come out, Lucina Morganna."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 299: Welcome Back, Beast Gods

    Chapter 299: Wee Back, Beast Gods


    TO SAY that Alec Forrester was shocked after Kalel Moonchester, the ck Serpent, froze the entire Redsun Desert. The Crades had also turned into giant ice sculptures. And even if the climate in that area was very hot, his ice didn''t look like they would melt any soon.


    It required a very high amount of Mana to aplish such task.


    After all, the Crades in the Redsun Desert were the strongest kind. But when faced against a Beast God like the ck Serpent, they looked nothing like the fearsome creatures that they should be. For Kalel Moonchester, they were just insects that he could easily step on.


    And the most amazing thing was the fact that the ck Serpent didn''t even break a sweat despite using a huge amount of Mana.


    "You''re amazing, Lord ck Serpent," Alec told him. "Even though you chose to be reborn as human, discarding your divine body in the process, your Mana and divine powers still remain very strong."


    "It''s not as strong as it used to be," Kalel said while looking straight at Mount S. Even though it was a few feet away from them, he could tell that the ck Serpent could see the shrine where Soleil Rosenberg went to. After all, the ck Serpent had a sharp sight. Ah, to be precise, all his senses were sharper than normal people. "These Crades are just weak."


    Heughed softly at that remark. "Of course, my lord. Any enemy, no matter how strong they are, will look weak in front of you."


    "No," the ck Serpent said, then he turned to him. "These aren''t the usual Crades that lurk around in this area. This is supposed to be theirir. But it seems like the stronger ones aren''t here for some reason."


    He was surprised to hear that.


    Of course, he didn''t doubt the ck Serpent''s words. Even before he was reborn as a human, he had already faced the ancient Crades back when he was still Nystrom. That meant Kalel Moonchester knew what he was talking about.


    "Then, maybe they were already eliminated by someone else," Alec said hesitantly. Admittedly, he didn''t know much about the Crades because it wasn''t a part of his job to deal with them. "Although I''m not sure if there are people like you that can easily eliminate them. I heard that even your brother, the second prince, has a hard time fighting them off."


    "Auro isn''t weak."


    Ah, the ck Serpent looked offended. It seemed like the rumor about the first prince being overprotective of the second price was true, huh?


    "I apologize if I sounded like I''m saying that Prince Auro is weak," he said with an apologetic smile. "I didn''t mean to offend you, Lord ck Serpent."


    "You can just call me by my current name," Kalel said. "The way you call me is too mouthful."


    He smiled and nodded. "I understand, Lord Kalel."


    Thankfully, the ck Serpent looked satisfied now.


    "I''ve seen some shedded skin around," Kalel said seriously, then he turned to Mount S again. "I have a feeling that the stronger Crades have already evolved and thus, thisir has be to small for them."


    "''Evolved?''" Alec asked, then he gulped nervously. "Then, does it mean the ancient Crades have be stronger?"


    ***


    "I AM here, Lady Soleil."


    Soleil turned to her spirit guardian and smiled.


    Lucina Morganna held the Core of her real power, the ck me. Although she was a spirit guardian, she looked like human. She had dark brown hair and eyes, and wore a maroon cloak that had the symbol of the Red Phoenix.


    After all, the Beast God that the Fire Mage n worshipped was her very own brother.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve summoned you," Soleil said to Lucina with a cheerful smile. "How have you been, Lucina? I missed you."


    "I''m always with you, Lady Soleil," Lucina said in her usual indifferent tone. "How can I serve you today?"


    "I need the ck me."


    "No can do, mydy," the spirit guardian said bluntly. "Master Winchell asked me before to never let you use the ck me."


    She groaned as a yfulint. "Lucina, I''m your master and not my brother."


    "But as your spirit guardian, it''s my duty to protect you," Lucina exined patiently as if she was talking to a child. "Using the ck me weakens your body, mydy. You haven''t tamed it yet so it attacks you each time you try to borrow its power."


    "I can''t tame it because you and my brother won''t let me use it," sheined while shaking her head. In normal circumstances, she would have given up on using the ck me because she knew how stubborn Lucina could get. But not this time. "Lucina, I''m serious."


    The spirit guardian flinched when she probably realized that she was really dead serious.


    "Lucina Morganna,e," Soleil said in a serious tone, then she extended her hand to her spirit guardian. "Be my wings."


    Lucina let out a deep sigh, then she smiled faintly at her before she took her hand.


    As soon as she did, the spirit guardian became a lump of red me that spread to her body like, well, wildfire. Then, the heat from her me gathered on her back. When she moved her shoulders, she felt her wings sprout from her shoulder des.


    The flicker of me around her had turned ck now.


    But she didn''t need to see it to know that her me had changed. After all, the fact that she was coughing blood now was enough proof that she had sessfully summoned the ck me. And it wasn''t happy to be summoned by her.


    "Just lend me your power for a few minutes. Don''t be stubborn," Soleil told the ck me in her in a yful voice. Then, she pressed her hands on the giant steel gate in front of her. "Melt this for me if you want to return to the Abyss, ck me."


    She heard a sizzling sound from under the palm of her hands.


    Then, it was followed by a loud bang when she released a huge amount of ck me from her hands. After that, she took a step away from the giant gate and watch it get melted by her me. The heating from her own me was enough to make her skin feel burned.


    Yes, a Fire Mage like her felt like she was being roasted by her own me.


    I''m a disgrace to our n, she said while clenching her hands tight. They celebrate me as the greatest Fire Mage in our history but look at me now. I can''t even control the ck me. Even my brother felt like it was necessary for him to give me half of his Red me.


    Her thoughts were cut-off when the gate finally melted.


    It only took the ck me a few minutes to melt it down. The ck me didn''t get put out even after burning the gate down. She didn''t have the time to wait for it to cool down so entered the room.


    Thankfully, the strong barrier that she felting from inside the room a while ago disappeared as soon as she stepped in.


    The shrine has probably recognized me as the Beast Priestess because of the ck me.


    And now, she stood in front of the three gigantic stone statues of the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, and the little tiger.


    Uh, the Golden Tiger, I mean.


    She could feel the three Beast Gods'' divine powering from each statute, so they must had been sealed away in there.


    Who could have done this to them?


    She set that thought aside first to do her job. After all, she was sent there by their new Sun Priestess to free the Beast Gods that would apparently help her defeat the uing catastrophe that would hit the continent soon.


    But they had no clue what kind of catastrophe do they had to prepare for.


    The gods can''t even tell us the whole prophecy and yet, they always ask us to save the world instead ofing here themselves to protect us.


    "Tsk," she said. Clicking her tongue was unbing of someone her position. But thinking about how the gods had been ordering her around since her previous life never failed to piss her off. "They can''t even give me a good reward," sheined, then she raised her hands while her palms faced the direction of the three stone statues in front of her. "Burn."


    This time, the ming ck feathers of her wings began to throw themselves at the stone statues. As soon as a ming feather hit the statue, it would melt the part that it hit. The process continued until the three gigantic statues began to melt.


    Unfortunately, it seemed like she had reached her limit because she got into a fit of cough once again.


    Bloody cough, if she may say so.


    She clutched her stomach tight while her other hand was wiping the blood off her mouth. ck me, why do you hate me so much?


    "My foolish little sister," Winchell, whose voice wasing from the statue of the Red Phoenix, said in a mocking tone. He always used that tone on her whenever he would scold her. "How many times have I told you that you can''t use the ck me?"


    She tried to stand straight despite her buckling knees because she didn''t want to appear weak in front of her arrogant older brother.


    "Hey, Soleil, have you gone weak?" the little tiger, whose voice wasing from the statue of the Golden Tiger, asked in an annoying voice. "I bet I can beat you now if we fight one-on-one this time."


    As if.


    "Soleil, I''m d that your beauty remains the same."


    To say that she was surprised when Elis Ripperton, the Blue Dragon, appeared in front of her. He was in his human form, and he still looked the same as she remembered before he ascended the heavens.


    Elis was still beautiful, but she still hated how he never respected her personal space.


    And I hate myself for not feeling his presence until he spoke.


    Soleil was about to tell Elis off, but all of a sudden, her strength left her. She felt her ming ck wings vanish the moment she found herself falling on the ground. But instead of the cold and hard floor, she found herself leaning against a cold and solid body. She smiled because she already knew who caught her. "Lord Kalel," she said when she turned to look at him. "Thank you for catching me."


    "Rest," Kalel said, then he gently covered her eyes with one hand. "Don''t look at the ugly people in front of you."


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 300: Chaotic Reunion

    Chapter 300: Chaotic Reunion


    KALEL realized that Soleil could be a little dense when she saw him talking to the naked Elis Ripperton, the Blue Dragon.


    He wasn''t surprised that the Beast God was naked, and he knew it wasn''t because he was a pervert. In fact, even Winchell and Ainsworth woulde out of the statues nakedter. That was how gods descend to earth after all.


    Thankfully, it seemed like Soleil didn''t even notice that Elis Ripperton was naked.


    <em>But why do I feel relieved?</em>


    His thoughts were cut-off when he saw Soleil''s ming ck wings vanish. Then, her knees buckled.


    Before he could even process what he was doing, he just found himself standing behind Soleil to break her fall. He let her lean against his chest.


    <em>Ah, her body is warmer than usual.</em>


    Soleil looked up at him with a smile on her face. It seemed like she wasn''t surprised to see him. She probably knew it was him because of his aura, and the unique coolness of his body. "Lord Kalel, thank you for catching me."


    She only said one line but she was already out of breath.


    When he reached the shrine, he felt the residue of Soleil''s ck me inside. He knew that she just used a huge amount of Mana. No wonder she looked so exhausted at the moment.


    <em>Her ck me is too much for her.</em>


    From the corner of his eye, he saw Winchell and Ainsworth descend from their statues. Just like Elis Ripperton, both the Red Phoenix and the Golden Tiger were naked as well.


    He gently covered Soleil''s eyes with his hand. "Rest," he said. "Don''t look at the ugly people in front of you."


    Soleilughed softly, then he felt her lean against him even more. "I actually feel sleepy so if you''ll excuse me"


    He had to hold her shoulders this time because she fell asleep for real.


    <em>She must have been really tired.</em>


    He had no choice then but to carry her in his arms.


    When he did that, he received disapproving looks from Elis Ripperton and Winchell. The only one who didn''t seem to care was the Golden Tiger.


    "Hah! Pathetic," Ainsworth said while looking at Soleil. "You''ve gone weak, Soleil!"


    Winchell hit the back of the little tiger''s head. "Shut it. My precious little sister is sleeping!"


    The Golden Tiger could only re at the Red Phoenix.


    "I didn''t expect to see you here, ck Serpent," Elis Ripperton said when he turned to her. "Since when did you be close to Soleil?"


    "I''m not obliged to answer that," Kalel said, then he turned his back on his fellow Beast Gods. "And I have no intention to talk to naked men."


    "Bastard," Winchell, Ainsworth, and Elis Ripperton snarled at him.


    "My lords!" Alec Forrester said as soon as he arrived at the scene. The saint held a huge bag in his arms. Ah, right. The saint waste because he had to pick that up from their carriage. "I brought clothes for you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE CRADES have evolved?" Soleil asked Kalel in surprise after hearing what he had to say about the monsters that they encountered a while ago. "And the Crades left here in theirir are the weaker ones?"


    "That''s right," Kalel, seated on her side (much to her delight), said in his usual disinterested voice. "I saw the skins and shells that most of them had shredded. I''m certain that it was caused by evolution."


    They were still in the shrine because it was too dark for them to travel back to the Royal Capital.


    Well, to be honest, with three other Beast Gods with them, using a teleportation spell wouldn''t be difficult. But they knew that they had to talk first before they went separate ways. Thus, they were inside the shrine now while sitting around a campfire.


    "It''s probably the reason why the heavens decided to lend us the Beast Gods," Saint Alec Forrester said. "The evolution of the Crades might pose a huge threat to the human race soon."


    "We just have to find them," Winchell, seated on her other side (much to her chagrin), said confidently. "I''m pretty sure that no matter how much evolution they go through, they can''t possibly be a good match to four Beast Gods." Her brother turned to her, then gently patted her head. "Most of all, we have our brave little Soleil with us."


    She wanted to tell her brother off but she didn''t want to appear feral in front of Kalel.


    Elis Ripperton, seated across from her, decided to annoy her then. "I don''t think Soleil would be a good help to us though." He smirked at her. "You almost died just from finding us."


    "That''s an exaggeration," she said firmly. She wouldn''t let this Blue Dragon humiliate her. Especially not in front of Kalel. "And shouldn''t you be ashamed that you were sealed away by an unknown enemy? Is descending back to earth safely that hard to aplish?" She smirked at Elis Ripperton when his annoying smirk finally disappeared. "You call yourselves ''gods'' but you needed the help of a mere human just to get out of this shrine."


    Winchell, Ainsworth, and Elis Ripperton looked offended by her words.


    Alec Forrester, on the other hand, looked horrified after she insulted the Beast Gods.


    To be honest, she was starting to doubt whether she said too much or not when Kalelughed loudly. It was the first time that he showed such emotion to her to them. And she was relieved that she was able to elicit such a lively reaction from the ck Serpent.


    Now she was confident that she did the right thing by standing up for herself in front of these gods that were acting like children.


    "Soleil was right," Kalel said with a proud smile on his face. "You don''t have the right to look down on her or on anyone for that matter when you were easily sealed away by an unknown enemy during your descent. A god calling a human who freed them ''weak'' is pathetic in my book." He looked straight in the eye of Elis Ripperton. "Yes, I''m talking about you, Blue Dragon."


    Elis Ripperton didn''t respond verbally. But he let Kalel know that he was pissed by releasing a bloodlust directed at the ck Serpent.


    Of course, the prideful Kalel Moonchester responded in the same fashion.


    If ordinary humans were around them, they would have already dropped unconscious because of the heavy pressureing from two Beast Gods'' aura.


    <em>Men and their immaturity.</em>


    "Soleil, I think you''ve be arrogant just because you were born a little special than ordinary humans," Ainsworth snarled at her, then he stood up and looked at her with glowing golden eyes. "I challenge you to a match. I don''t care if the heavens have chosen you as the Beast Priestess or something. But I won''t take orders from people weaker than me!"


    Winchellughed out loud. "Ainsworth, you''re dead meat."


    "You can say that again, Brother," Soleil said to the Red Phoenix, then she looked up at Ainsworth with glowing purple eyes. "Shall I remind you why you should ALWAYS call me ''Sister Soleil,'' little tiger?"


    The Golden Tiger gulped, but he still maintained the tough look on his face.


    Alec Forrester, after realizing that the Beast Gods didn''t really get along well, could only sigh and shake his head. "This is a disaster."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU TWO, don''t fight."


    Kalel didn''t lower his guard but he turned to Winchell.


    And so did Elis Ripperton.


    Although Winchell wasn''t releasing his bloodlust to stop them, he and the Blue Dragon knew that if there was one person who could stop them if they got into a serious fight, it was the Red Phoenix.


    The four of them never got along well in the past. But they never got into any serious fight because Winchell was always there to stop them.


    "Let''s just make a bet to kill time," Winchell suggested in a yful tone. He was definitely changing the topic to distract him and Elis Ripperton from fighting. "Who do you think would win between Soleil and little tiger?"


    Soleil and Ainsworth stepped outside to fight.


    Only Alec Forrester followed the two to "mediate."


    He and Elis Ripperton were busy sizing each other up, while Winchell seemed to be toozy to budge from his seat. And thus, the three of them were left behind.


    "The little tiger will win this time," Elis Ripperton, who was sessfully distracted by Winchell, said as his bloodlust began to vanish. "Although I respect Soleil as a warrior, Ainsworth didn''t ck off during the time he spent in the heavens. I''m sure he has grown stronger than Soleil who chose to be reborn as a human."


    "Interesting take," Winchell said while nodding his head. "I also bet on the little tiger. I don''t want Soleil to win because if she does, that only means she''s strong enough to be a Beast God. I don''t want my little sister to be stronger than me because I want her to keep on relying on me." Heughed at his own reasoning. "And to be honest, my pride as a Beast God would take damage if a human beats the little tiger''s ass even if it''s by my precious little sister."


    The Blue Dragon nodded in agreement.


    These two are garbage.


    "Soleil will win," Kalel said firmly. "There''s no way she''d lose to an arrogant Beast God like Ainsworth."


    Their conversation was interrupted when the ground shook hard.


    It was followed by a collision of two powerful Mana. But they couldn''t tell which one between Soleil and Ainsworth won because their Mana mixed in the air. To be honest, the fact that a human like Soleil could be on par with the Golden Tiger was already a huge feat.


    "Ah," Winchell said when they heard heavy footsteps. It obviously belonged to Ainsworth. Thus, the Red Phoenix and the Blue Dragon smiled at each other. "Herees the winner."


    Ainsworth entered the shrine.


    He didn''t look like a winner because his whole body was burnt, and he even had long and deep cuts all over his body.


    "Strong," Ainsworth said in an exhausted voice, then he dropped on the ground face first. "Sister Soleil is strong"


    When Ainsworth fell on the ground, they all realized that Soleil was standing behind him.


    They just didn''t see her because the little tiger was huge and she was petite.


    Kalel smiled when he saw that Soleil came out of the fight unscathed. Well, she looked a little out of breath from using her Mana. But the fact that she didn''t obtain a single scratch just proved that she was the winner. "Congrattions, Soleil."


    Soleil''s face turned pink, then she smiled at him. "Thank you, Lord Kalel."


    On the other hand, Winchell and Elis Ripperton both turned to Ainsworth with a disappointed look on their face. "Disgrace," they said at the same time. "You are the heavens'' big disgrace, little tiger."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 301: Prince Auro Moonchester

    Chapter 301: Prince Auro Moonchester


    "YOU ESCAPED from the tower, Brother?"


    "Yes," Kalel said to Auro. Right now, he was seated on a tree''s branch while talking to his brother using amunication device. It was the type of a spirit stone that would only work if fed by his blood. He and Auro chose that kind ofmunication device to make sure that it wouldn''t be used by other people. Only the two of them knew how to make it work after all. "I''m currently at Mount S. I apanied Soleil Rosenberg here to meet the other Beast Gods."


    "The Beast Gods?" Auro, who had always been fascinated with gods, asked in an excited voice. "You mean you''re currently with the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, and the Golden Tiger?"


    "Yes," he said. "But I will be returning to the tower tomorrow morning. Who knows what your father would do if I wasn''t there to keep him in check?"


    "Brother, you have to return just to keep an eye on the king," his younger brother said. "I''m winning the war. Thanks to my triumph, our territory is expanding. It won''t take long before our kingdom bes an empire."


    Ah, yes.


    King Aleo was a greedy man. He wanted to extend his territory and turn Kale Kingdom into an empire soon. And he was using Auro to achieve his ambition.


    "The king won''t kill me because he needs me to build the empire that he has always dreamed of," Auro assured him. "And Brother, I''m not that weak to be killed by assassins. Do you not trust me?"


    "It''s not that I don''t trust you," he said. "I''m just worried. After all, you''re my one and only brother in this world."


    He remembered his past life, and he also remembered that he spent most of it in istion.


    Because his parents were both gods, he was born different. He didn''t even have friends until he met Soleil Rosenberg in the Lumira Temple. Unfortunately, they were only able to spend a short time together before the two of them decided to be reborn as humans.


    "I know that you''re worried about me, Brother," Auro said in a gentle voice. "But I''m also worried about you. I don''t want you to be locked up in that tower anymore. Now that I''m strong enough to protect myself, I want you to live your life freely."


    He smiled at his brother''s kind words.


    <em>Ah, right. This is the main reason why I wanted to be reborn as a human.</em>


    He had always craved connection. It wasn''t like he chose to be lonely in his past life after all. Being the son of the Moon God and a hated minor god made people around him avoid him. And since he grew up in istion, he didn''t learn how to make connections to other people.


    It was a shame that he only got to meet Soleil Rosenberg in the past after he decided to be reborn as a human instead of ascending to the heavens. But he was d that he was able to meet her again in this lifetime.


    <em>Soleil is still as interesting as before.</em>


    He wanted to stay with her. But


    "I can live my life freely once you''ve safely returned to the kingdom, Auro," he said. He felt a protest in his chest, but he ignored it. "And I can''t leave our little sister alone. She''s at the age where the greedy king could marry her off into some rich family."


    As devastating as it was, their stupid kingdom allowed girls as young as six years old to be married or sold off into rich families.


    It was one of their customs that Auro vowed to break once he bes the king.


    And for that reason, he was willing to do everything to help his brother ascend the throne. If he had to start a coup, he would do it for Auro.


    "Brother, are you sure about that?" Auro asked worriedly. Although he didn''t like making his younger brother worried, he would admit that it still felt nice that Auro was concerned about him. "I don''t want you to continue living a miserable life for me. And about ine, I made sure that she''s well-protected so you don''t have to worry about her."


    "Let''s talk about this again once you''ve returned," he said, his tone more serious now because he felt another presence watching his move. "I have to say goodbye now."


    "Oh," Auro said. He sounded surprised. But then, he probably realized that someone joined him so he didn''t ask anymore. "Take care, Brother."


    "You, too."


    After that, he cut off the line, hiding the spirit stone in his body like how he would absorb his Mana, then looked down.


    As expected, it was Saint Alec Forrester.


    "What are you doing here?" Kalel asked him coldly. "Do you have business with me?"


    "I apologize for interrupting your private time, Lord Kalel," Alec Forrester said with a shy smile on his face while scratching his cheek. "Lady Rosenberg mentioned to me a while ago that you have a curse that prohibits you from using your mind control ability. Do you mind if I purify it for you?"


    "Can you do it?"


    Heughed softly. "Although I''m weak at other aspects, I''m pretty confident with my divine powers, Lord Kalel. I''ve already gauged ced on you earlier. I can purify it."


    "Great," he said, then he jumped off from the tree to stand in front of the saint. "Do it now. I need to get rid of this curse before I return to the kingdom."


    "It won''t be a problem, my lord," the saint said, then he blinked as if he was confused. "I apologize for asking but will you really leave Lady Rosenberg?"


    He raised a brow at that question. "And what do you mean by that?"


    "I thought you were going to apany her until you get rid of all the Crades that terrorize the continent," His Holiness said. "Lady Rosenberg is looking forward to working with you. She even lied to her n just to meet you."


    "What do you mean by that?" he asked, confused. "I thought she was asked by their Sun Priestess to "rescue" me and meet the other Beast Gods?"


    The saintughed softly while shaking his head. "It''s true that the Sun Priestess asked Lady Rosenberg to wee the return of the Beast Gods. But the Sun Priestess never asked her toe to Kale Kingdom to rescue you. It was the youngdy''s volition toe and save you, Lord Kalel."


    His brows furrowed because he still couldn''t understand what was going through Soleil''s mind. "Why would she do that? I never asked for her help."


    "I guess Lady Rosenberg wants to be with you."


    "Huh?"


    Alec Forrester bit his lower lip, looking guilty all of a sudden. "It appears that I have said too much," he said, then heughed awkwardly at his own mistake. "Lord Kalel, can you forget what I''ve said just now?"


    Kalel rolled his eyes. "Just purify my curse, Alec Forrester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHY ARE you going to our nation first instead of going back to your vige?" Soleil asked Elis Ripperton while they were taking a stroll in the forest that surrounded the shrine. Well, to be honest, she escaped the shrine while her brother was treating Ainsworth''s wounds. She was searching for Kalel when Elis joined her. She had no choice but to lie and say that she was just taking a walk for fresh air. "Your descendants are waiting for you, dummy. Aren''t you excited to meet them?"


    Just like Ainsworth, Elis Ripperton also left an heir before he ascended the heavens.


    Her Brother Winchell, on the other, wasn''t required by their n to leave an heir. After all, the gods promised their n that they would return her to them once she was reborn. Thus, she got to live as Soleil Rosenberg again.


    And since her brother was a Beast God now, she became the heiress of their n.


    <em>That means the task of having an heir is mine now.</em>


    "Are you really asking because you don''t know?" Elis Ripperton asked, then he stood in front of her, forcing her to stop walking. "Soleil, you''re now the leader of your n."


    "Yes, that I am," she said, then she looked up at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "What does it have to do with our conversation?"


    "You''re at the age where you need to have a husband and an heir," the Blue Dragon said bluntly. "I''m saying that I want to be your husband, and the one to give you an heir."


    Sheughed because she thought it was ame joke. But when Elis Ripperton remained serious, she stoppedughing and got serious as well. "Are you serious, Elis?"


    "I am," Elis Ripperton said. "Soleil, will you marry me?"


    "I''m sorry but no," Soleil turned him down right away. She thought it would be crueler to prolong her answer when she knew in her heart that she would say ''no'' anyway. "Elis, you''re not my type."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "GREETINGS, Your Majesty," Auro Moonchester greeted the "king" before him, then he politely smiled at him. "How was your meal?"


    Gruger, the king of human-like Crades, smiled while wiping the blood off his mouth with a white handkerchief. "The humans that you brought today were high quality, Auro."


    "They were excellent!" Ingham, the "queen" seated beside Gruger, eximed happily. "The meat of thedies you brought as my dinner was very tender, Auro." She gently touched her face with her hands. "I can feel their vigor doing nice things on my skin."


    He smiled, satisfied that the royals of the human-like Crades were delighted with the dinner that he provided for them.


    When he looked at the long table in front of him, only the blood of the humans that he served them remained. Not even a piece of bone was left. It was the first time that Gruger and Ingham consumed humans without leaving anything for their servants.


    It seems like serving them the royals of this country is worth it.


    Yes, the humans that he served Gruger and Ingham were the royal family members of the country that he just invaded. Their castle was now the ir" of the human-like Crades.


    "How do I look, Auro?" Ingham, as vain as ever, asked him excitedly. "Do I look more of a human now?"


    "You told us that the more we consume high-quality humans, the more we''d look like them," Gruger added, a satisfied smile stered on his face. "Is it working?"


    Yes, it was working.


    Gruger and Ingham both possessed golden hair and green eyes in different shades (darker for Gruger, and lighter for Ingham). They had paleplexion, and bodies that were considered desirable by human standards. They were just a little bit taller than average humans.


    But other than that, they looked very human now that it was hard even for him to imagine what they looked like before they evolved.


    No one would mistake them as Crades anymore.


    Helping them escape their while they were in the middle of evolution was worth it. Even though he had to sacrifice his former squad just to feed the king, the queen, and the heirs of the "royal family" of the human-like Crades, he had no regrets.


    After all, he needed these Crades to gain more power.


    Power against the Beast Gods sent back on earth just to kill him.


    "Both of His Majesty and Her Majesty look beautiful," Auro said, smiling at the two to make them feel superior even more. "I believe that you will be more attractive and more powerful if I serve you the so-called Beast Gods next time."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 302: Whats with a Face?

    Chapter 302: What''s with a Face?


    "I''M NOT your "type?"" Elis Ripperton asked her. "What does that even mean, Soleil?"


    Soleil sighed, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "It simply means that I don''t like you, Elis."


    "What is it that you don''t find satisfactory about me?" he asked. And his arrogant tone told her that he was still confident that he could change her mind. "Just tell me, Soleil. I will work on it."


    To be honest, the thing that she didn''t like about Elis the most was his personality.


    But it was something that he could change. Or at least, fake. She didn''t want to give him even a tiny bit of hope. So in the end, she decided to choose the thing that he couldn''t change about himself even if it meant she''d appear rude or shallow.


    "I don''t like your face," she said bluntly, trying to sound as mean as possible. She didn''t like insulting other people because of their appearance. So even if she didn''t really like Elis, she still felt guilty that she was picking on his physical form. "It''s not my type."


    Elis stared nkly at her for a few seconds, then heughed outloud. He neverughed that loud unless he was mocking someone. And that was exactly what he was doing. "Soleil, I don''t really pay attention to my looks. But I''m aware that I have the kind of face that most women would worship. And you''re saying that you don''t like my face?"


    Well, it was true that Elis was very good-looking.


    It wasn''t just his face. This arrogant bastard was also blessed with a good physique. Everything about him was beautiful.


    But that didn''t mean she''d fall for him just because he was immactely handsome.


    "I appreciate your beauty but your face is still not the face that I imagine waking up to," she said firmly. "Elis, I''m sorry but I don''t really see myself getting married to you."


    "Who is it?" he asked, his aura now turning dangerous. "Whose face is it that you want to see in your waking hours then?"


    Kalel Moonchester''s face instantly entered her mind.


    She would admit that even in her past life, she had always been attracted to Nystrom''s cold beauty. That still stands true even now. Kalel still had the same look before. Even though his eye color changed, her feelings didn''t change.


    But of course, it wasn''t just his face that she liked about Kalel.


    <em>Elis Ripperton doesn''t have to know that though.</em>


    "Do I have to have a man in my life for you to give up on me?" she asked bitterly. "Whether I have a man or not in my life, my answer to you will always be ''no,'' Elis."


    "I won''t ept that," he said firmly. "I challenge you to a match, Soleil Rosenberg."


    "Excuse me?"


    "If I win, you''ll marry me," the Blue Dragon, now being carried by a strong gust of wind around him, said in a cold voice. "I won''t hold back, Soleil Rosenberg."


    She took a step backward, trying to avoid the violent wind around him. "Are you crazy, Elis Ripperton?!"


    To be honest, she was not in the condition to fight.


    Although she won against Ainsworth, that didn''t mean she won easily. She didn''t have major injuries from her fight with the little tiger because she used her full Mana. Yes, she also summoned the ck me again even though it already made her faint once.


    She hadn''t regained her strength yet so fighting Elis Ripperton, who was much stronger than Ainsworth, would definitely result to her losing.


    But that didn''t mean she would give up without a fight!


    "Yes, I''m crazy," Elis Ripperton said, his eyes now glowing dangerously. "I can''t help but lose myself when ites to you, Soleil Rosenberg."


    "Damn you," Soleil said, then she opened her hands to summon her me. "Lucina Morganna, give me the ck me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL blinked in surprise when he felt his body go light.


    He was pretty sure that the curse inside him was also purified. It was amazing how Alec Forrester was able to get rid of the curse that made him suffer for years. In the past, Auro tried to help him by summoning the Royal Mages of the kingdom.


    But none of them were able to purify the curse.


    He couldn''t decide if the Royal Mages were weak, or the saint was simply more powerful.


    Considering that Alec Forrester is the saint, it must be thetter. Soleil Rosenberg didn''t lie when she said she knew someone who could help him purify his curse.


    <em>I''m indebted to her once again.</em>


    "It''s done now, Lord Kalel," Alec Forrester said while catching his breath. Ah, it seemed like purifying the curse wasn''t as easy as he thought it was. It might have taken a huge toll on the saint''s power. "You can freely use your mind maniption ability now."


    Kalel nodded. "Thank you."


    The saint''s face lit up as if he was waiting for him to say that. "My lord, can I ask for a small reward?"


    To be honest, he didn''t expect that from the saint.


    But he didn''t feel any hostility from him. And if he was a friend of Soleil Rosenberg, then he could trust him.


    "What is it?" he asked carefully. "If it''s within my power, I will grant it."


    "Can you please be my younger brother''s godfather?"


    "Huh?"


    "Asher Forrester, my younger brother," the saint said with an excited look on his face. "He entered the supposed-to-be eternal sleep with me. He was a littlezy so to avoid the responsibilities that were supposed to be passed down to him when I was gone, he secretly entered the eternal sleep with me."


    That almost made himugh.


    Bute to think of it, it wasn''t aughable matter. There were people who were desperate to live. But that Asher Forrester chose to die just to avoid the responsibilities of bing the next saint.


    "It sounds like I wouldn''t like your brother," he said bluntly. "Howzy must he be for him to choose death over working in your ce?"


    The saint let out a deep sigh. "That''s what I''m worried about, Kalel."


    "And the solution you came up with was to make me his godfather?"


    He smiled and nodded eagerly. "My lord, my brother fears you the most among the Beast Gods. Apparently, he''s afraid of your "enthusiasm" for choosing a difficult life as a human instead of living in luxury as a god. So I figured that if you became his godfather, you might influence him on bing motivated to live." His face became sad as if he was begging for his sympathy. "Lord Kalel, I don''t know what else to do with my brother''sziness. So I''m begging you, please help me."


    Having a godson sounded troublesome so he tried to give the saint an "advice" just to make him change his mind.


    "Have you tried another approach?" he asked the saint. "How about introducing her to Soleil? She''s a ball of sunshine, and she''s seriously full of energy. Maybe she''ll inspire your brother to live his life to the fullest."


    "I already tried that, my lord," His Holiness said while scratching his cheek. "But Asher only ran away from Lady Rosenberg. ording to my brother, spending time with her feels like getting exposed to the sun too much. It seems like the youngdy''s bright and warm aura are too much for my brother."


    He couldn''t help but smile in agreement. "It''s true," he said, almost a whisper. "Soleil Rosenberg is like sunshine."


    "Oh, you''re smiling," Saint Alec Forrester said gently. "I thought you didn''t know how to smile, Lord Kalel."


    He was about to deny that when all of a sudden, they felt a sh of strong Mana.


    It definitely came from Soleil Rosenberg and Elis Ripperton.


    <em>Are they fighting?</em>


    Before he could even process what was going on, he already found himself running towards where the burst of powerful energies wasing from.


    When Soleil fought Ainsworth a while ago, he didn''t get worried. Aside from the fact that he knew Soleil would win, he was also confident that the little tiger wouldn''t seriously harm her. No matter how much Ainsworth provoke Soleil, everyone knew that the Golden Tiger had a deep respect for Soleil.


    But he couldn''t say the same for Elis Ripperton.


    Although the Blue Dragon imed that he was "in love" with Soleil, he knew that he wouldn''t hesitate to hurt her or force himself on her.


    <em>Damn you, Elis Ripperton</em>, Kalel thought to himself. <em>If you hurt Soleil, I''ll kill you</em>.


    His thoughts were cut-off when he arrived at the scene.


    He almost lost his mind when he saw Soleil Rosenberg on the ground while covered with deep cuts all over her body. Her clothes were torn, and she was bleeding profusely. It was obvious from her injury that it was caused by Elis Ripperton''s violent wind.


    <em>That lunatic</em>


    When he turned to the Blue Dragon, his blood boil when he saw the lustful look that Elis Ripperton was throwing at Soleil. The bastard was particrly feasting his eyes with the sight of Soleil''s exposed legs, and the deep valley of her breasts.


    That was the first time in his life that he felt so much anger rise in his chest.


    "Elis Ripperton," Kalel said, his red eyes probably glowing by now. When the Blue Dragon turned to him with an irritated look on his face, he released his bloodlust directed at him. "I''ll kill you, right here, right now."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL, not wanting to lose consciousness in the middle of a fight, did her best to wake herself up by stabbing her leg with her dagger.


    The pain definitely helped her regain her consciousness.


    Her whole body hurt like hell but despite that, she still managed to force herself to get up and look for her enemy. She noticed the unfamiliar jacket that fell off when she got up, which meant someone covered her body while she was unconscious a while ago. But she set that thought aside for the meantime.


    <em>Where is that damned Elis Ripperton?</em>


    When her eyes finally managed to focus on her surroundings, she got the shock of her life when she realized that the entire forest had been frozen with, well, ice.


    But the thing that shocked her the most was Elis Ripperton''s "ice sculpture."


    <em>That Elis Ripperton has been frozen?</em>


    "If you break his ice sculpture now, he''ll die right away."


    Soleil gasped and flinched in surprise. When she turned to her side, she was shocked to see Kalel sitting beside her. He was the only one who could freeze Elis Ripperton. And she was amazed that he was able to do so without breaking a sweat.


    Ah, she noticed that Kalel was only wearing a thin undershirt. That meant the jacket that kept her covered earlier was from him.


    How sweet.


    "That sounds tempting," Soleil admitted. "But we still need him."


    Kalel just scoffed at her reasoning. "You''re too soft-hearted."


    Why does he look so pissed?


    "It''s not I already forgave him," she said firmly. "But if I''m going to kill him, I want to kill him with my me."


    He turned to her and much to her shock, he gently flicked her forehead with his fingers. "You have to train harder if you want to kill that bastard."


    Sheughed softly when she heard him curse. "I like it when you talk like that."


    "You have a weird taste."


    She just shrugged.


    He let out a deep sigh and shook his head. "I can''t leave you alone even for a second, can I?"


    "And what do you mean by that?"


    "Let''s go," Kalel said vaguely, then he stood up and offered his hand to her. "I''m going to join your journey from now on."


    Soleil smiled brightly, then she took Kalel''s hand and let him help her stand. He also didn''t let go and let her lean against him. After all, she was injured and she even stabbed her leg a while ago. "I''ll make sure that you won''t regret this, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 303: Villain Origin: Boredom

    Chapter 303: Viin Origin: Boredom


    WINCHELL didn''t want to thaw Elis Ripperton after he heard what the bastard did to his precious little sister, but he had to.


    Unfortunately, killing the Blue Dragon would only put Soleil in a tight position. She was chosen as the Beast Priestess and was tasked to deal with the Crades to protect the human race. ording to the heavens, Soleil could only defeat the monstrous race if she had the four Beast Gods on her side.


    The heavens were unforgiving to "chosen" people that failed their task. He didn''t want to think what they might do to his precious little sister if she failed to gather the four Beast Gods.


    You should be grateful that you still have your use, Elis Ripperton.


    His thoughts were disrupted when the ice that covered the bastard Blue Dragon finally melted.


    "Where''s the ck Serpent?" Elis Ripperton snarled as soon as he was thawed. "I''ll kill that bastard"


    The Blue Dragon wasn''t able to finish his sentence when all of a sudden, Ainsworth came out of nowhere.


    They only realized he was there when the ground shook hard.


    Then, without warning, the little tiger punched Elis Ripperton in the face. That was a surprising move from Ainsworth. His signature style of fighting was mauling his enemies like a little tiger that he was.


    The fact that Ainsworth punched Elis Ripperton (who dropped on the ground instantly) meant that the former was really angry.


    "Pull that kind of move on Sister Soleil again and I''ll kill you for real," Ainsworth, crouched like a predator ready to pound on its prey, warned Elis Ripperton. "How dare you hurt her?"


    "It was a match," Elis Ripperton reasoned, then he stood up while wiping the blood off the side of his mouth with the back of his hand. "I challenged her to a match where if I win, she will marry me."


    "There''s no way Sister Soleil will agree to that stupid match!" the little tiger snarled. "Stop forcing yourself on her, Elis Ripperton!"


    The Blue Dragon red at Ainsworth with the intention of attacking.


    "Stop," Winchell warned Elis Ripperton. His oozing bloodlust was enough to make Ainsworth and Elis Ripperton freeze on their tracks. It was ironic that he had the fire Mana. But his bloodlust could be colder than the ck Serpent''s once he was mad. "I''ll only say this once so you better listen carefully." When the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger stood properly in front of him, only then did he continue. "For the sake of Soleil, we can''t have a fall-out until she fulfills her mission as the Beast Priestess." He turned to Elis Ripperton. "I will only let this slide once, Blue Dragon. The next time you try toy a hand on my sister, I will quit as a Beast God and kill you."


    Elis Ripperton let out a sigh. "I won''t do it again. I''m just trying to help Soleil. She''s at the age where your n wants her to get married and have an heir, isn''t she?"


    Ainsworth growled at the Blue Dragon. "You just never learn, do you?"


    "Elis Ripperton, you don''t have to worry about that," Winchell said coldly. "Soleil is the leader of the n because I''m not here. But now that I have returned, the responsibility of leaving an heir lies on me." He turned his back on his fellow Beast Gods. "If I have to have a child to the person chosen by the n for Soleil to have her freedom, I''ll do it," he said. "I''ll do it so that my little sister can marry the man that she loves."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU''RE really reckless."


    Soleil pouted when Kalel scolded her. "I didn''t know that you were there because I didn''t notice your presence," she exined. "If I had known I was already safe, I wouldn''t have stabbed my leg."


    Because of what she did, she was now sitting on a rock while Alec Forrester was treating the wound on her leg. Since it was her who stabbed herself, she did quite a number on her poor leg, thus the saint had to use his divine power.


    "Sorry," Kalel, seated next to her while watching Alec Forrester with an annoyed look on his face for some reason, said. "I reacted toote. If only I was able to stop you from hurting yourself, that saint wouldn''t have to touch your leg like that."


    Ah, so that was the reason why Kalel was ring at Alec Forrester.


    She felt her cheeks burn from embarrassment, but she couldn''t also stop herself from giggling when she realized that Kalel was probably jealous.


    Alec Forrester cleared his throat before he spoke. "Lord Kalel, I''m not "touching" Lady Rosenberg''s leg," he exined in an awkward voice. "The divine energying out of my palm prevents us from having any sort of skin contact. And my intention is to purely heal the youngdy''s wound. So please stop ring at me like I''m a fiend."


    "You should have said it sooner," Kalel said, then he turned to her and caught her looking at him. It seemed to surprise him, thus avoiding her gaze. "Sleep once you''re done getting treated. I will watch over you and make sure that the Blue Dragon wouldn''t be able to get near you."


    She smiled when she noticed that his ears were red. "Stay here with me, Lord Kalel. Please?"


    He paused for a while before he spoke. "Alright."


    Her smile grew bigger. "Can I lean my head on your shoulder, Lord Kalel?"


    "Do whatever you want."


    Soleil smiled, then she gentlyid her head on Kalel''s shoulder. Although she wasn''t bothered by the warm climate in the desert, it still felt nice to be this close to his cool body. "Thank you for keeping me cold, Lord Kalel."


    "That sounds strange," Kalel mumbled, then it seemed like he decreased his body temperature to cool her even more. "You really have a weird way with words, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "CAN WE really feast on the people of Kale Kingdom?"


    "Of course," Auro said as a response to Gruger, the king of human-like Crades. He was still in the dining hall with the "royals." The king and queen were having desserts from the blood of the people that they just ate. They invited him to join but he politely declined. Thus, he remained standing in front of them. "I will open the gates to our kingdom. You''ll be free to eat anyone or anything that you want in there."


    "Even your own family?" Ingham, the queen, asked while licking her lips. The gluttonous queen just had dinner. But it seemed like the thought of feasting on nobles and royals of Kale Kingdom made her hungry again. "I heard that you have a little sister, Auro Moonchester. I like eating the flesh of young and beautiful maidens, you know." She touched her cheek while her frenzied eyes glowed dangerously. "I want to know what a little princess tastes like."


    "My little sister''s name is ine," he said graciously. "She''s pretty useless so you can have her, my queen."


    The queenughed like a maniac while pping her hands. "This is what I love about you, Auro Moonchester."


    He just smiled politely.


    "Is it really okay to give your little sister to my dear wife as food?" Gruger asked him. The queenined, but the king ignored his wife. "How about the second phase of our experiment? I seriously thought that you''re going to use your little sister to mate with Harred, our oldest son."


    The next phase of their experiment was breeding a human to an evolved Crades. They wanted to know what kind of being the two different races would produce.


    "Aside from the fact that it would take a long while before my little sister grows up, I don''t think she''s fit to endure the experiment. She''s very weak even for a human," he exined to the king. "The one I have in mind is probably the strongest woman in the whole continent. We can use her for the experiment without her dying on the process."


    "Interesting," the king said. "May I know who this woman is?"


    His smile grew bigger. "She''s called Soleil Rosenberg."


    "Rosenberg," Gruger and Ingham said at the same time, obviously displeased upon hearing the infamous name within the monstrous race.


    "That n has been exterminating our poor n since time immemorial," the queenined.


    "Wouldn''t that make it more interesting?" he asked with a smile. "Soleil Rosenberg is the current leader of their n. Can you imagine how her people would feel if they find out that she''s carrying the child of their enemies in her womb?"


    The royals fell silent for a while, then theyughed maniacally.


    "That would be a perfect revenge, indeed," Gruger said while nodding his head in satisfaction. "But we can''t kill her, right?"


    "You can''t kill her," he said firmly. "Soleil Rosenberg is more valuable when she''s alive. That''s why we can''t even let her kill herself."


    It was partially true.


    But the real reason why he didn''t want to kill Soleil Rosenberg was the fact that their lives were tied together. That meant if Soleil Rosenberg died, he would die, too. And vice-versa.


    Of course, he couldn''t let anyone else know that.


    After all, it was a secret between him and the ne.


    There''s a reason why Soleil Rosenberg and I were born the same year.


    "When can we meet our future daughter-inw?" the king asked sarcastically.


    "I''m sure Soleil Rosenberg will appear as soon as we begin attacking the kingdom," he said. "After all, I heard that she gathered the Beast Gods for the purpose of wiping out the Crades n."


    Inghamughed once again. "Instead of wiping us out, that Rosenbergdy would actually help our family grow bigger!"


    He smiled and nodded as a response to the queen.


    "Auro Moonchester, tell me," Gruger said, then he sipped the human blood in his wine ss before he continued. "Why are you helping the Crades invade your own race?"


    "I don''t really have a deep reason for doing this," Auro said, and he was being genuine. It was true that there were other reasons why he was following orders from someone that he was indebted to. But to be honest, the only reason why he stuck with the n was that he didn''t have any motive to oppose it. Moreover, he didn''t want to spend his life acting like a good brother to Kalel. That game was starting to get boring. "It''s just that the peace in this continent is making me bored."


    ***


    "NO!"


    Soleil flinched when all of a sudden, Alec Forrester screamed in his sleep.


    Right now, they were sleeping inside the shrine when the saint suddenly screamed. Since she was the closest to him (and the Beast Gods weren''t really sleeping), she got up and gently shook Alec''s shoulder.


    Alec Forrester suddenly got up, and he was covered with sweat while catching his breath. "The Kale Kingdom is going to be attacked by a herd of Crades soon."


    "What?" Kalel Moonchester, the real son of Kale Kingdom, asked in an understably worried voice. "When will it happen?"


    The saint turned to the ck Serpent before he responded. "ording to my vision, it will happen a month from now," he exined. "The Royal Capital will soon turn into a battlefield. But strangely enough, I didn''t see any different kind of Crades in my prophecy."


    "It doesn''t matter what kind of Crades would attack the kingdom," Soleil dered. She wasn''t being arrogant this time. She just simply wanted to assure Kalel that she would do everything in her power to help him protect Kale Kingdom. "We just have to protect the kingdom and its people, right?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 304: The Cursed Alliance

    Chapter 304: The Cursed Alliance


    "BROTHER, why do you look awkward?" Soleil asked her brother who was acting strange now that they were about to reach Srium. Currently, they were on a carriage sitting opposite each other. Kalel, on the other hand, was seated beside him. But the ck Serpent was sleeping quietly. "Aren''t you excited to see our people again after such a long time?"


    "Soleil."


    "Hmm?"


    Winchellughed awkwardly while scratching his cheek. "I actually forgot that I have descendants now."


    "What?!"


    "Well, it''s been a long time since I ascended the heavens," her brother said defensively. "I forgot that before I ascended to the heavens, I left an heir."


    Well, it hadn''t been that long since the Beast Gods ascended the heavens.


    If her calctions were correct, it happened seventy years ago. But she had to say that a lot of things had indeed changed since then. She was just d that when she returned, the Fire Mage n was already a strong nation.


    The only thing that she could in" about the n was that the members were a little bit overprotective of her. Even though they knew that she was strong enough to protect herself, they still treated her like a baby.


    And she didn''t want to say this but sometimes, she felt awkward whenever she would feel that they sort of worshipped her.


    "That soundsme," she said while shaking her head. "But Brother, I can''t me you. To be honest, our n hid your son to protect him from people who wanted to destroy our n. Apparently, only a select few know that you left an heir before you left our n. The leaders of our family spread a rumor that unlike the Blue Dragon and the Golden Tiger''s n, you didn''t need to leave a child because the gods promised that they would return me to the Rosenbergs. It might be the reason why even you erased it from your memory. Forgetting about your child is probably your own way of protecting him."


    "Oh," he said while blinking several times. "I think I vaguely remember granting the Sun Priestess''s wish that I forget about her and our son for their protection."


    The Sun Priestess that her brother mentioned was Lady Cyra Amelia. She was thedy chosen to carry the Red Phoenix''s child in her womb. In short, Lady Cyra Amelia was Winchell''s partner and the mother of Sris her nephew.


    But physically, Sris was older than her. Thus, they shared the same position as leaders of the Fire Mage n.


    While she was the symbol of power, Sris served as the authority.


    "Sris grew up well, Brother," she said. "His daughter, Solenn, is the new Sun Priestess. The two of them are doing a good job in helping me run our small nation."


    Since Sris had the blood of a Beast God, he stopped aging when he reached his thirties.


    And Solenn, on the other hand, was a young maiden in her twenties. Sris had her when he was already in his fifties. After all, being the leader of a n was hard. Sris had to put their nation as his top priority before himself.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Even though Solenn was physically older than her, she still treated her with utmost respect. Sometimes, the Sun Priestess would even tease her and call her "grandma."


    "The Fire Mage n is doing well, Brother," she said proudly. "Sris and Solenn did a good job expanding our territory until it became a strong and respectable nation. Aside from training the Fire Mages to fight properly, Sris also made our nation prosper by using the rare spirit stones found in ournd. And Solenn keeps the people''s faith in gods stronger than ever. I almost have nothing to do thanks to them."


    Her brother scowled. "Ah, dear Soleil, why does it sound like you''re telling me that our n doesn''t need me anymore?"


    "That''s not true, Brother," she denied while shaking her head. "The Red Phoenix is the Guardian of the Fire Mage n. Of course, we need you."


    "Really?"


    "Of course," she said with a smile. "But I hope you don''t treat Sris and Solenn coldly, Brother."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "You''re only kind to me," Soleil said in a sad smile. "I hope you extend that kindness to your family, Brother."


    Winchell smiled even though it looked like he didn''t take her seriously. "I understand, Soleil," he said. "I''ll do everything for you."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "ARE YOU a Beast God?"


    Elis Ripperton scowled when a "man" with blonde hair and green eyes blocked his way.


    Well, the man could pass as a human. But since he wasn''t an ordinary person, he could tell that the person who introduced himself as Harred wasn''t a real human. He could smell human blood and flesh in his mouth.


    Disgusting. The Crades are known as man-eating monsters so it looks natural whenever they eat humans. But now that they evolved to look like their "food," they look more disgusting.


    "I am here for Auro Moonchester," Elis said, ignoring the nonsenseing out from the human-like Crade. As soon as he entered the pce of the fallen kingdom that Auro Moonchester just invaded, this ugly being greeted him. "I believe he''s expecting me."


    After all, he had been in contact with Auro Moonchester even before he descended back to earth.


    To be honest, he didn''t want to travel all the way to an unknownnd just to meet a brat like Auro Moonchester. But since he wasn''t really that thrilled to meet his descendants, he decided to make a detour and check on the brat first.


    He was a little curious to see the evolution of the Crades after all.


    But now that he had seen it, he realized that it wasn''t worth seeing.


    <em>I''m wasting my time here.</em>


    "You didn''t bring Soleil Rosenberg with you?"


    "Excuse me?" he asked with a raised brow. "You don''t have the right to mention Soleil''s name with that filthy mouth of yours, you disgusting monster."


    Harred didn''t seem insulted by his words. In fact, he justughed like a lunatic that he probably was. "Auro Moonchester told me that Soleil Rosenberg is going to be my bride."


    To say that his blood boiled in anger would be an understatement.


    That was never a part of the n.


    <em>Just what is that brat nning behind my back?</em>


    "Auro Moonchester also said that Soleil Rosenberg is the chosen woman to give birth to my children," the ugly monster continued yapping. "I can''t wait to see how delectable Soleil Rosenberg looks like ahhh!"


    Harred wasn''t able to finish his nonsense sentence because he tore his mouth off his face using his bare hand. In short, he was able to destroy half of his face. All he had to do was use his Mana when he moved to "snatch" the monster''s mouth.


    Now, the human-like could do nothing but hold what left of his bleeding face.


    "I told you not to mention Soleil''s name," he said, his eyes glowing dangerously. "Don''t even dream about touching her, you filthy bastard."


    Much to his utter disgust, the face of the monster began regenerating in an inhuman speed.


    Ah, they maintained that ability of theirs.


    In just a few minutes, Harred''s face was back to normal. He looked so angry and he was about to attack him when all of a sudden, Auro Moonchester appeared behind the human-like Crades.


    Without saying a word, Auro Moonchester knocked Harred by hitting the back of his head without warning.


    As soon as the human-like Crades fell on the ground unconscious, the brat knelt before him. It seemed like Auro Moonchester was aware of what angered him. After all, he didn''t just kneel he also bowed his head so low.


    "Lord Ripperton, please forgive me for not weing you earlier," Auro Moonchester said in a serious voice. "I didn''t know that you''d arrive earlier than scheduled."


    "Don''t be sorry about the things that I don''t care about," he snarled at the brat. "Auro Moonchester, how dare you n to ruin Soleil in such a horrific and gruesome manner, huh?"


    "I fail to understand what you''re angry about, my lord," the brat said. "Soleil Rosenberg is the strongest woman in the empire. I know that you''re aware that I''m nning to produce children from humans and Crades. She''s the perfect woman for the job"


    The fool wasn''t able to finish his sentence when he grabbed him by the cor and lifted him up until their eye level matched.


    "Soleil is mine," he warned the brat angrily. "If you continue with this stupid n of yours, our deal is over and I will kill you."


    Auro Moonchester looked surprised by that. "Lord Ripperton, do you have feelings for Soleil Rosenberg?"


    "I''m crazy in love with her," he snarled. "So don''t even think about harming her in any way, Auro Moonchester."


    The brat, upon realizing how serious he was, nodded. "I understand, my lord," he said. "I apologize for my mistake."


    Elis sent the brat flying with his violent wind until his back hit the wall. "You better not make the same mistake, Auro Moonchester," he said, his eyes still glowing dangerously. "I will only forgive you this once."


    Auro Moonchester, despite his bleeding head, kneeled properly in front of her and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your generosity, Lord Ripperton."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL smiled while watching Kalel sleep in the carriage.


    They already arrived at their nation. In fact, Winchell already got off the carriage to greet their people. She had to stay though and wake the ck Serpent up. But seeing how cute he was when sleeping, she didn''t have the heart to ruin his sleep.


    "How cute," Soleil whispered to herself, then she couldn''t help but raise her hand to try and poke his cheek with her finger. "I apologize for this, Lord Kalel."


    But when she was just about to touch her face, someone grabbed her by the wrist.


    When she looked up, she was surprised to see a very pale woman wearing a white, elegant robe. Her face was beautiful, and so was her long, white hair. Judging by her divine aura, she could instantly tell who thedy was.


    "Don''t touch my son," Yumi, the White Snake, warned her with glowing eyes. "Who are you to seduce my precious Nystrom?"


    "My name is Soleil Rosenberg, Lady Yumi," Soleil said politely. After all, thedy was Kalel''s mother. She was still a little confused at how the White Snake appeared out of nowhere. But at the moment, she only had one thought in her mind. "Can I have your son?"


    Oops.


    She didn''t know that she said it out loud. And she only realized that she did when anger crossed Yumi''s face. She was about to apologize when all of a sudden, Yumi disappeared and turned into a white snake.


    The white snake wrapped itself around her arm and was about to bite her.


    To be honest, she could just burn it to protect herself. But she didn''t want to hurt Kalel''s mother. So in the end, she decided to ept it as her punishment for being rude a while ago.


    <em>A snake''s bite won''t kill me instantly, will it?</em>


    When the white snake was in the middle of biting her, she closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.


    But after a few minutes, nothing happened.


    And the feel of the white snake around her arm also disappeared.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw Kalel holding the hissing white snake by the neck. Well, she wasn''t knowledgeable about snakes so she assumed that the part below the snake''s face was its neck, just like in a human''s body.


    "Mother, Soleil Rosenberg isn''t seducing me," Kalel said bluntly. "It''s the other way around."


    Soleil let out a soft gasp. "Lord Kalel, are we seducing each other?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 305: Late Night Visitor

    Chapter 305: Late Night Visitor


    "LORD WINCHELL, we have prepared a banquet to celebrate your return."


    Winchell, seated on a throne in a shrine built for him, looked at the young man standing in front of him.


    It was Sris, his one and only son. This was the first time that he saw his child personally. After all, he already ascended to the heavens before he was even born. Now looking at him closely, he could see that his son resembled him.


    Sris just looked neater as he donned the n''s maroon robe with golden embroidery of the Fire Mage symbol: the Red Phoenix, of course.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    Standing next to Sris was the current Sun Priestess Solenn, her granddaughter. Like Sris, the youngdy wore a robe. But the one she wore was white, and it was decorated with golden embroidery that depicted worshipping the sun.


    <em>She looks a little like Soleil. But of course, my little sister is prettier.</em>


    Both Sris and Solenn had already stopped aging.


    After all, eternal youth was a reward given to a Beast God''s direct descendant.


    "Lord Winchell, may we also request your presence for the ceremony tomorrow morning?" Solenn asked with a smile. "Our people would like to be graced with your presence."


    "Alright, let''s do that," Winchell said. "But make sure that Soleil will get a proper sleep first. I''m sure she''s tired from the journey."


    "Of course, my lord," Sris and Solenn said at the same time.


    It was quite fascinating to his son and granddaughter treat him like he wasn''t personally rted to him. The way how formal and stiff the two were around him made him feel like he was talking to mere followers instead of his direct descendants.


    Maybe Sris and Solenn were brought up that way. After all, the fact that he had a son (and now a granddaughter) was a secret of their n.


    "Sris."


    "Yes, my lord?"


    "How''s your mother?"


    "Lady Cyra Amelia, who has been rewarded with eternal youth after giving birth to your child, was hailed as this nation''s saintess," Sris exined. Even though Cyra Amelia was his mother, he talked as if she had nothing to do with him. "Ever since then, Mother has chosen the main temple in the Capital as her residence. Do you wish to see the saintess, my lord?"


    "No," he said bluntly. "She has already fulfilled her duty by giving birth to my son. Now that she''s a saintess, there''s no reason for us to meet again."


    He knew that he was being cold.


    But he couldn''t help it. Even before he became a Beast God, he had always felt detached from everything and everyone except for Soleil. It seemed like he was only capable of loving his little sister. And he was unapologetic over that.


    "I think it''s time to announce to the world that our n''s Fire Archmage is my son," he dered, obviously surprising Sris and Solenn. "Now that I have returned, it doesn''t matter even if our enemies find out that I have direct descendants. As long as I am here, no one can touch my family."


    He said ''family.''


    But in his heart, he truly only considered Soleil as his family. But of course, it was his duty to protect Sris and Solenn since they were his descendants.


    "We will not question your decision, Lord Winchell," Sris said formally. "May I know the reason behind this?"


    "Since Soleil became the leader of our n, there are pests lurking around her thinking that she needs them to give birth to an heir," he said with a scowl. "Only a select few know that you are my son, Sris. I don''t want our people to unnecessarily pressure my sister into producing an heir for this n. If the whole nation finds out that I already have direct descendants, they will leave Soleil alone."


    For some reason, his son and grandchild looked hesitant as if they needed to say something but they couldn''t.


    "What is it?" he asked the two in an impatient tone. "Speak up."


    "My lord, my daughter saw a vision a while ago," Sris said, then he turned to his daughter. "Solenn, tell him."


    Solenn nodded to her father before she turned to him. "Lord Winchell, I saw in my vision that in the near future, Lady Soleil would get married," she said, pissing him off instantly. "ording to what I saw, Lady Soleil''s marriage would either break or make our n."


    "Who?" Winchell asked in clenched teeth. "Who would dare to take my little sister away from me, huh?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LORD KALEL?" Soleil asked hesitantly when she poked her head inside the guest room that she lent to Kalel Moonchester. Since he was her guest, she lent him one of the rooms in her residence. Thank goodness her brother had been "taken away" by Sris and Solenn. If her brother found out that she brought the ck Serpent to her residence, he would definitely make a scene. "I''m here to bring you a set of fresh clothes."


    She saw Kalel standing in the middle of the room.


    It seemed like that he used his ice Mana to cover his room with a thinyer of ice. As expected, the room became a little too cold. Ordinary people might die or freeze if they stayed in that chamber. But since Kalel was a "son of ice," he''d definitely be fine.


    "Sorry for turning this room into this," Kalel said in his usual disinterested voice. "I didn''t expect your nation to have this kind of climate. I can usually stand the heat but not here."


    Oh, that was one of the longest sentences that she had heard from him.


    "It''s alright," she said. "May Ie in?"


    He nodded. "Just be careful."


    When she stepped on the ice-covered floor, the part that her shoes had graced melted instantly. "Sorry," she said, embarrassed. "My body temperature is quite warmer than ordinary people."


    "It''s okay," he said. "I can fix itter."


    She just smiled and nodded, then she carefully put the neatly folded clothes on top of his bed. Thankfully, the bed was the only thing in the room not covered with ice. "Your room has its own bathroom so you don''t have to use themunal bath," she exined. "I''ll bring you your dinner after you take a bath, Lord Kalel."


    She wanted to invite him to join her for dinner.


    But she didn''t want her brother to make a fuss out of it. Moreover, she had this selfish desire in her heart to hide Kalel from other people especially from the young maidens of the nation.


    <em>They will surely fall in love with Lord Kalel at first sight!</em>


    Well, she waspletely aware that Kalel wasn''t hers (yet). And even if they got into a rtionship, it wouldn''t automatically mean that she could monopolize him.


    "Oh no," she said, then she held her burning cheeks with her hands. "My imagination is running wild."


    "Hmm?"


    "Because you said we are seducing each other, I''m beginning to see you as my l-lover," she said. Although she was straightforward, she still felt a little shy inside. But still, she liked expressing her feelings especially since she wasn''t hurting anybody else by doing so. "Did you just say that to soothe your mother, Lord Kalel?"


    "No," he said bluntly. Oh, it looked like someone was a bold as hers, huh? "I wouldn''t go to a foreignnd with a woman that I only see as a friend, Soleil."


    She bit her lower lip to stop herself from squealing from giddiness.


    "Although I have to let you know that my mother is quite overprotective," he said while scratching his cheek. "If we pursue this, she might be a hindrance"


    "It''s okay, Lord Kalel," she said, a little too eagerly. To be honest, she was curious as to how Yumi, the White Snake, had turned into his spirit guardian. But she could ask about thatter. For now, one thing was more important. "I will do my best to win your mother over."


    Kalel''s mouth moved as if he was about to smile. But then, all of a sudden, he became serious as he turned to the window of the room. The moon was shining bright, but it seemed like he was seeing someone or something else. "A child of the moon has arrived."


    Soleil''s brows furrowed in confusion. "A child of the moon?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL went outside and followed the trace of the child of the moon that he felt a while ago.


    His feet brought her to the entrance of Srium where a huge steel gate was built. Seated on top of the gate was a hooded figured. It seemed like it was a woman. At least, it was what he felt when the person talked.


    "Kalel Moonchester, let me ask you a question," the child of the moon asked. "Who is more important: your brother or your lover?"


    Kalel''s brows furrowed in surprise when he recognized the child of the moon. "Moon Priestess?"


    To be honest, he didn''t know how he actually recognized her.


    It wasn''t like he had met the Moon Priestess personally in the past. But since he was the Moon God''s son, he could tell if a person was a "child of the moon" or not. Being called a child of the moon was only a metaphor and not to be taken literally.


    The term only meant that a person was blessed with a power rted to the moon.


    And the most special "child of the moon" was none other than the Moon Priestess. That was probably the reason why he recognized her right away.


    "I''m d that you recognized me. Traveling here didn''t go to waste," the Moon Priestess said, then she took off her hood to reveal a luscious amount of red hair. The color of her eyes was a shade deeper than camellia flowers. "After all, we''re practically siblings, aren''t we?"


    "No, we''re not."


    The Moon Priestess justughed it off. Then, she suddenly fell silent. Much to his shock, she fell from the gate as if she went unconscious.


    He cursed under his breath before he moved to catch her.


    Thankfully, the Moon Priestess fell in his arms in time.


    "Oh, thank you," the Moon Priestess said in a sleepy voice. She didn''t fall unconscious. She just probably fell asleep for a second. How reckless! As if that wasn''t disgraceful enough, her stomach had to growl loudly after. "Brother, feed me."


    Kalel coldly dropped the Moon Priestess on the ground, earning him an earful. But he just ignored her and turned his back on her. "I''m not your brother, brat."


    "Hey, you can''t leave me," she said. "You need me."


    He continued walking away from her.


    "Aren''t you interested in knowing what I saw in the near future?"


    He walked faster. That was one of the things that he hated: the ability to know one''s future. After all, he believed in making his own destiny rather than leaving it to fate.


    "You''re going to get married soon."


    Oh, that was enough to make him stop on his tracks. But he had to clench his hands to stop himself from turning back.


    "I would like to congratte you but your wedding wouldn''t exactly going to be a joyous event," the Moon Priestess said in azy voice. It seemed like she was really sleepy. And hungry, because he could still hear his stomach grumble. "Well, not unless you chose her over your brother."


    Kalel turned to the Moon Priestess, his red eyes glowing menacingly. He wanted to ignore the thing about his wedding. But he couldn''t help but get curious as to why the Moon Priestess kept on bringing up his brother. "What does Auro has to do with it?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 306: A Hazy Future

    Chapter 306: A Hazy Future


    "THIS cold tea isn''t half bad."


    Soleil was relieved to hear that Yumi, the White Snake, seemed satisfied with the cold tea that she served her. "I''m d to hear that, Lady Yumi."


    To be honest, she was still a little bewildered as to how this happened.


    When Kalel left a while ago to see who visited them at that time, Yumi suddenly appeared. Then, the White Snake said that she wanted to take a bath.


    Since Yumi was a guest and she was also a minor god, she treated her with utmost care.


    And now, after the White Snake took a bath, she served her the drink that their nation was known for: their "cold tea." Since most of their visitorsined that their nation was too hot to befortable in, the chefs all over their country came up with new refreshments.


    One of them was the cold tea. But the preparation wasn''t as simple as putting ice in the tea it was moreplex than that. They had to adjust several ingredients to make it taste better even if they added ice to it.


    "It''s refreshing, isn''t it?" Soleil asked, trying to break the silence between her and the White Snake. They shared the tea table in the room that she prepared for Kalel but the awkward silence was killing her. And so, she decided to break the ice. "We can also serve you dinner if you''re hungry, Lady Yumi."


    "I''m a spirit guardian," Yumi said, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "I don''t need to eat so I''ll pass on that."


    "May I know how you became Lord Kalel''s spirit guardian, Lady Yumi?"


    "Getting straight to the point right away, huh?" the White Snake asked in an amused voice. "Aren''t you a curious child?"


    She smiled and sipped her tea before she responded. "I may not have ascended the heavens, but just like Lord Kalel and the other Beast Gods, I was blessed with a power that allows me to have a spirit guardian. As far as I know, our spirit guardians were born from our power. Since I have the fire Mana, my spirit guardian was born from my me."


    The White Snake scoffed. "Don''tpare my little Nystrom to the likes of you," she said. "My son is the child of two gods. That makes him more special than all of you."


    "Of course," she said, not really caring about what the minor god said.


    "Since I''m a goddess and the Mother of Snakes, I don''t really die," Yumi exined. "All I have to do was to give up my physical body to be Nystrom''s spirit guardian."


    "Is it only possible among gods?"


    The White Snakeughed softly. "It''s only possible if you have a connection with the ne."


    <em>The ne?</em>


    It was the ce between the living world and the afterlife. As far as she knew, the ne was also where the souls of the dead "wait" before their reincarnation. She was pretty sure that she had stayed in the ne before she was reborn in this life.


    She just couldn''t remember it well.


    "You don''t like my son, do you?"


    She almost choked on her tea because of the White Snake''s question. "I don''t understand what you''re talking about, Lady Yuna."


    "I know that my son is immactely handsome," the olderdy said. "But you can''t possibly fall in love with Nystrom just because of his face."


    She couldn''t refute that.


    <em>Ah, maybe mothers really know best.</em>


    "You wouldn''t approach my son just to admire his face, Soleil Rosenberg," Yumi said in a threatening voice. "Why are you seducing my son, you wicked little girl?"


    "Is it time to drop my act?" Soleil asked, then sheughed softly while shaking her head. "I apologize but it seems like I already seeded, Lady Yuna," she said, then she put the teacup on the coaster before she smiled sweetly at the White Snake. "I''ll do everything for my n."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SOLEIL!"


    Soleil, despite her conscience stabbing her heart ever since she left Kalel''s room, smiled when her brother greeted her as soon as she entered her chamber. It was rare for Winchell to be in a good mood, so she didn''t want to ruin it by letting him know that she felt awful at the moment. "What is it, Brother?"


    Winchell held her by the shoulders and gently shook her as if he was excited. "Is it true that you n to kill your future husband?"


    Her smile vanished. "Brother, how did you know" She trailed-off because it was a stupid question. Of course, only two people knew about the prophecy about her future husband. "Ah. Sris and Solenn already told you about the prophecy."


    "Yes," her brother said cheerfully. "I heard from Solenn the vision that she saw. Apparently, the man that you would marry in the near future would either break or make our n. She told me that you didn''t want to risk it, so you decided to kill your future husband if ever you were put in a situation where you were forced to marry him." Winchell hugged her while patting her head gently. "Great thinking, Soleil. I''m proud of you."


    She bit her lower lip to stop herself frommenting.


    To be honest, when she decided to kill her future husband (because during that time, she was convinced that she was going to be forced to marry someone she didn''t love), she didn''t know that the heavens would show her the man that she was supposed to marry someday.


    She didn''t have visions like the Sun Priestess, but for some reason, when she took Kalel''s hand in the tower, she saw her future with him.


    <em>I know in my heart that Lord Kalel is going to be my future husband.</em>


    She didn''t save him because she was infatuated with him like she was in the past. She did that because he was an old friend to her, and she didn''t want him to suffer that way. And of course, it was true that she needed Kalel''s strength for her mission to eliminate the Crades n with the help of the Beast Gods.


    But never in her wildest dream did she imagine that she would marry Kalel


    and their marriage was supposed to either break or make the n that she loved so much.


    "Brother?"


    He pulled away from their hug to face her. "What is it, Soleil?"


    "Were there things you had to sacrifice when you chose your duty over your personal feelings?"


    "Of course," the Red Phoenix said without missing a beat. "Soleil, we are the leaders of this n. Our people, our nation,e first before our own selves. And that''s exactly the reason why not every person in this country can be a leader." He gently ran his thumb over his cheek. "What''s wrong? Are you worried about how you''re running the country with Sris and Solenn?"


    She nodded before she answered. "You spoiled me too much, Brother. You and everyone in this country," she said. She waspletely aware that she was being ridiculous, but she had to be honest. "I''m afraid that one day, I''ll be selfish enough to sacrifice our people for my personal desires. I don''t know what I''ll do if that dayes, Brother."


    "You sound like you already know that you will choose your heart over your duty, Soleil."


    Soleil smiled sadly. "It seems the case, Brother."


    "I won''t let you do it," Winchell said sternly, his eyes glowing dangerously. "You are the leader of the Fire Mages, Soleil Rosenberg and I won''t let you forget that."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL could only shake his head while watching the Moon Priestess eat with so much gusto.


    Right now, they were in the middle of the forest that surrounded Soleil''s residence. A while ago, he sneaked in the kitchen to steal some bread, pastries, and tea to feed the Moon Priestess. He knew that he could just tell Soleil that the unexpected visitor was the Moon Priestess, and he was sure that she''d wee thedy.


    But he was also aware that not all Fire Mages were weing of children of the moon like him. He saw how some of the Fire Mages looked at him with disgust.


    Introducing another child of the moon to people of this country might not be a good idea.


    "I''m full," the Moon Priestess said, then she drank the tea on the teacup in one gulp. After that, she shamelessly burped out loud. "Ah, their food here is great."


    Kalel let out a sigh. "If you''re done eating, go. I''ll return to the pce and confess that I stole food in the kitchen."


    "Are you going to meet Soleil Rosenberg?"


    "You talk as if you know her personally."


    "I''ve seen her too many times in my visions that I feel like I already know her," she said with a smile. "Kalel Moonchester, do you like Soleil?"


    "I''m not obliged to answer that."


    "This is a part of your n, isn''t it?"


    He red at her. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Oh, you sure do," the strange woman said with augh. "Auro Moonchester asked you to be close to Soleil Rosenberg, didn''t he?"


    He remained silent.


    Denying or admitting that was out of the question.


    "I came here to ask you what you''ll choose between your brother and your future lover," the Moon Priestess said, then she stood up and stretched her arms. "But I think I already know the answer."


    "Don''t assume things about me, Moon Priestess."


    "Luna," she said. "That''s my name."


    "Don''t assume things about me, Luna," he said in a sarcastic voice.


    The Moon Priestessughed while clutching her stomach. "You''re funny, Brother," she said when she calmed down. "I think we could have been friends had you not chosen your brother over your future lover."


    He scoffed at that. "What are you saying? Aren''t you a Moon Priestess? You''re supposed to be on my side."


    It wasn''t like he was being entitled to other people''s loyalty.


    He was just a little surprised to hear a Moon Priestess say that she wouldn''t choose his side. After all, Moon Priestesses were supposed to support him--- the child of the Moon God himself.


    "I don''t like you so I''m not siding with you even if the heavens punish me," Luna said nonchntly. Then, she turned her back on her and began walking away while waving at him. "I sincerely hope that you don''t regret your decision, Brother."


    "I''m not your brother," Kalel said but Luna already disappeared. He could only sigh and shake his head. "What a strange woman."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: Hi! I might post around this time or maybe 6AM (GMT+8), to be exact, next month. I usually write in my free time during the day so I could post before midnight (GMT+8). But I write during nighttime instead of daytime these days, right after my day job, because of my new work-rted project. Thus, I post my updates in an awkward time these days. Sorry for the sudden change of schedule. T-T


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 307: Just be Friends

    Chapter 307: Just be Friends


    "IT SEEMS like Soleil Rosenberg is infatuated with my son," Yumi said in a frustrated voice while talking to Auro Moonchester using a spirit stone in her earring. Now that "I can''t stand that woman. She thinks she has a chance with my precious Nystrom."


    Although it would benefit them if Soleil Rosenberg really fell for her precious Nystrom, she still hated the idea.


    As a mother, she would naturally hate everyone and anyone who would want to take his son away from her. And to be honest, she really thinks that no one would be good enough for Nystrom.


    Not even Soleil Rosenberg--- the "favored" child.


    Auro Moonchesterughed. "Isn''t it the n? We''re going to use Kalel to get closer to Soleil Rosenberg. And once she trusts my brother enough, we''ll make Kalel capture her heart literally."


    Soleil Rosenberg was the child who swallowed the sun.


    Since a Mana-user''s Core was in her heart, they were pretty sure that the power that she got from the sun was stuck in her heart. Thus, they needed to get it from here. But it was hard to get close to Soleil Rosenberg because she was well-protected by the Fire Mage n.


    And now that Winchell was here, it was going to get a lot harder to get near that woman.


    She didn''t want to admit this but if there was a Beast God who could be on par with Nystrom, it would be the Red Phoenix.


    "To be honest, I don''t agree with my darling''s decision to send the other Beast Gods back to earth and use them to make a fake prophecy," she said with twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "He even manipted the Sun God to send a message to the Fire Mage''s Sun Priestess to make Soleil Rosenberg gather the Beast Gods."


    "Why do you hate that n so much?" Auro asked her curiously. "It worked. Thanks to that prophecy, Soleil Rosenberg came to my brother on her own. We know how soft-hearted she is, and so we used it to our advantage. From the very beginning, we already expected her to take pity on my brother because of his poor condition."


    "And for that reason, you never helped my poor son get out of that filthy "room,"" she snarled at him. "I haven''t forgiven you for that, child."


    "Yumi, you know that it was a part of our n. I even got permission from Lord Kyro to do that," he reasoned with her. "Stealing Soleil Rosenberg''s heart isn''t going to be easy. That''s why we''ve been preparing for this moment all these years. Please understand my decision."


    She didn''t want to admit this but Auro''s n really worked.


    It was a good thing that Nystrom didn''t hate his "brother." But then again, his son wouldn''t be able to hate Auro and that prince should be grateful to her for that.


    "Fine, I''ll let that slide," she said. "But Auro, you don''t n to make my son marry that wench, do you?"


    "Why are you worried, Yumi?" he asked. "Do you think Kalel will fall in love with Soleil Rosenberg?"


    "Of course not," Yumi said, then she smirked. "My son doesn''t have that kind of emotion."


    "That''s true," Auro agreed with her in an amused tone. "After all, you and your poison made sure that the only love that Kalel will ever learn is love for his family."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL knew that she had to clear her mind.


    And thus, even before the sun rose, she was already training in the forest that surrounded her residence. She liked training there because of the cramped space that she liked using to improve her agility. Especially since her chosen weapon was a dagger.


    Just like what she was doing now.


    She imagined several enemies around her. Then, she moved quickly to cut their throats using her dagger. She also made use of the terrain well by circling the trees around her to avoid an imaginary enemy.


    Then, all of a sudden, she felt a presence behind her.


    Her instincts kicked in and when she turned around, she went after the throat of the person who sneaked in behind her.


    "Oh," Kalel said in his usual monotone voice. The de of her dagger hit his throat but he didn''t get hurt. After all, he protected his neck by covering it with a thickyer of ice. "I almost died."


    "Liar," Soleil said with a softugh, then she pulled her dagger away from his throat. "A simple attack like that won''t kill you."


    "It would have killed an ordinary person though."


    She just smiled as an acknowledgment that it was true.


    Then, she got distracted by Kalel''s outfit. He wore a fitted ck shirt that emphasized that gorgeous body of his. He looked lean but he was actually a bit muscr. It was obvious how solid his body was.


    <em>God, are you testing my resolve?</em>


    "Why can''t you look at me in the eye, Soleil?"


    "I''m sorry but I need to concentrate," she said while using her hands to fan her suddenly hot face. "If you''re here to train, then I''ll take my leave."


    "We can train together."


    She turned to him, surprised by his invitation.


    After all, she was used to making the "first move."


    <em>What''s happening?</em>


    It had only been three days since Kalel arrived in their nation. Since then, he locked himself in his room to train his ice Mana. He would only get out of his room during nighttime when the weather was a little cooler than it was during the day.


    Thanks to that schedule of his, she managed to avoid him. Moreover, she had been too busy these days anyway. She prepared a banquet for Winchell, and she organized several ceremonies so that people all over their small country could meet the Red Phoenix.


    "Are you avoiding me, Soleil?"


    She almost choked on her saliva because of his unexpected question. Was she that obvious? "Why would I avoid you, Lord Kalel?"


    "I don''t know," he said, then he tilted his head at one side while observing her intently. "You tell me."


    She gulped hard.


    But to be honest, wasn''t it a good opportunity to tell Kalel her honest feelings? After all, she already decided to give up on her because of the prophecy that Solenn saw.


    "Lord Kalel, I think we''re better off as friends," she said with a softugh. Her chest was hurting but she decided to carry on with her "resolve" that she might just as well call a lie. "I was being nave before. Now that I can see that you''re out of my league, I guess we should just stay as friends."


    "Did my mother scare you?"


    "No," she said while shaking her head firmly. "I just realized that what I felt for you was just a silly crush." Sheughed awkwardly while scratching her cheek. "Maybe I''m not yet mature to consider a serious rtionship."


    "Are you sure about that?"


    She clenched her hands and nodded. "Yes. Let''s just be friends forever."


    The prophecy said that her future husband would either be a blessing or a curse to her. She told Solenn and her n that she would kill her future husband to protect their people. But when she realized that it was going to be Kalel, she knew that she wouldn''t be able to kill him. She was that soft-hearted to people that she loved.


    So to avoid a tragic end for her and Kalel, she promised herself that she would never marry her. That was why no matter what happened, they had to stay as friends only.


    "Alright, I understand," he said bluntly. "I won''t bother you again."


    "Huh?" she asked, surprised. "You''re already giving up?"


    Well, she''d like it if he pursued her a little bit


    "You already said no to a possible rtionship between us," Kalel said casually. "I''m not that kind of guy that would force himself on a woman who doesn''t want him. And I respect your decision." He bowed to her, then he began to walk away from her. "I will try my best to be a good friend, Soleil."


    She couldn''t utter a reply because of her shock.


    When she was certain that Kalel was already gone, she allowed her knees to "die" on her. The next thing she knew, she was already kneeling on the ground. It was her who turned Kalel down, but why did it feel like she was the one who got rejected?


    "This is what I want to happen though," Soleil whispered to herself. "But it sucks to know that Lord Kalel doesn''t like me that much"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SOLEIL, I don''t like your chosen weapon. A dagger requires closebat after all. I don''t want you to get near your enemies especially if they are men."


    Soleil, still hurting from "breaking up" with Kalel even though they didn''t have a rtionship yet, turned to her brother with an annoyed look on her face. "Are you going to choose my weapon for me this time, Brother? I''m not a child."


    Winchell, seated on the chair beside her bed, looked surprised at first. Then, heughed loudly. "Oh, someone is having a tantrum."


    She just ignored her brother and buried her face in the pillow.


    All she wanted was some peace and quiet in her room. That was why she locked herself up in the chamber. She nned to sleep even though it wasn''t even dinner time yet.


    But Winchell had to barge in and disturb her when she just wanted to rest.


    "Go away, Brother," she shooed him away. "I want to be alone."


    "Let''s go to Mount S."


    She raised her head to look at her brother. "What?"


    "We need to train. You''re still so weak," her brother said bluntly. "And I want to give you a gift."


    She got up while holding a pillow near her chest. "My answer depends on what gift I''d get to receive if I agree to your n, Brother."


    But to be honest, she was already tempted to go with him.


    She was the one who invited Kalel to their nation. Kicking him out because of her personal feelings would be rude. But if she left the country to train with her brother, then it would be a valid reason for her to avoid himpletely.


    Maybe training with my brother will mend my broken heart


    "I want to give you your personal guards," Winchell said seriously. "My me will give birth to them and we''ll call them ''Keepers.''"


    Soleil blinked several times, amused. "That sounds interesting, Brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 308: Eyes of the Moon Priestess

    Chapter 308: Eyes of the Moon Priestess


    "GOOD MORNING, Lord Kalel," Soleil greeted him cheerfully. Then, she froze in her tracks when she saw him standing in the middle of the room. "Oh"


    She came to his room to bring him breakfast, but it seemed like she was the one who was treated to a delicious meal when she saw his gorgeous torso.


    It was obvious that Kalel just finished his morning exercise. Thus, he wasn''t wearing a shirt even though he wasn''t sweating anyway. But who cares about that? Kalel''s body made her throat dry. This was the first time she felt this way.


    That wide expanse of chest thin waist taut hips muscr arms and that damned V-line on his abdomen


    And of course, those six-pack abs of his


    Her sinful thoughts were cut-off when Kalel finally put his shirt on.


    "Good morning," Kalel said indifferently when he faced her. "Are you done avoiding me now, Soleil?"


    She just pouted at his teasing. Yes, she could tell that he was teasing her despite the nk look on his face. "Yes, I''m done avoiding you. How can we be friends if I keep on running away from you?" she asked while pushing the silver food cart into the room. "I brought your breakfast. In case Lady Yumi wants to eat with you, I prepared extra utensils for her."


    "Oh," he said, surprised. "Thank you."


    She just smiled and nodded.


    "My mother says she''s going to sleep so she doesn''t want breakfast," he said. "Would you like to join me for breakfast instead, Soleil?"


    "Oh, sure," she said. To be honest, she really prepared the extra utensils for herself. Saying that it was for Yumi was only an excuse. Because even though she wanted to talk to Kalel, she didn''t want to make it that obvious. "I have something to tell you anyway."


    He just nodded, then he proceeded to prepare the table.


    After a few moments, she and Kalel were sharing a table on his room''s balcony. The breakfast she prepared was simple as it was his request to have a light meal in the morning. He specifically seemed to love the brioche that their chef often makes for him.


    This time, the chef served brioche as a sandwich instead of sending jam or butter with it. The filling of the brioche sandwich wasposed of sliced meats and cheese.


    Of course, they had to have tea.


    "What is it that you want to tell me?" Kalel asked when both of them were having tea. They ate their sandwiches in silence a while ago. But it was afortable silence. Thus, they didn''t need to break it for small talk. "Does it have something to do with your trip with Winchell?"


    She blinked in surprise. "How did you know that, Lord Kalel?"


    "You know how loud your brother is, don''t you?"


    She let out a deep sigh while shaking her head.


    Every morning, Winchell would fly around the pce and the neighboring town to talk to their people. And now that he finally revealed that Sris was his son, their citizens'' respect for the Fire Archmage had doubled. Even Solenn''s poprity among their followers had increased.


    People began to call them the ''Blessed Family'' among the Fire Mage n.


    It seemed like Winchell liked the new title and thus, he often visits the towns and viges around the pce to "grace" the people with his presence.


    Of course, since her brother talked a lot, he probably told everyone in the pce about their "uing trip." She just hoped that Winchell wasn''t stupid enough to reveal the location of their training ground or else, it would defeat the purpose of their away mission.


    "My brother offered to train me," she said. "Since we don''t know how strong the Crades have be, we need to be extra prepared. I''m also not satisfied with my current strength, so I figured my brother could help me get stronger." She sipped her tea before she continued. "I don''t want to be beaten up by Elis Ripperton or any other man again."


    He nodded understandingly. "I like your resolve, Soleil."


    "Thank you," she said. "Lord Kalel, I apologize for choosing to leave after I invited you toe to our country."


    "You don''t have to apologize," he said, then he sipped his tea before talking again. "We''re both "favored children" of the heavens. We have duties to fulfill. A separation such as this is inevitable."


    She nodded in agreement. "Anyway, you can stay here, Lord Kalel. My brother and I intend to return before the prophecied attack of the Crades happens. I already asked Sris to take care of you while I''m away."


    "I''ll take you up on that offer," he said. "I found a hidden cave in the deepest part of the forest that surrounds your pce. I found new friends there that I can spar with."


    "Friends?" she asked worriedly. "Are there people living in the cave?"


    He shook his head. "I''m talking about snakes."


    Oh.


    How could she have forgotten that he had an affinity for snakes because he was the ck Serpent?


    "That''s cute," Soleil said with a smile, "Can I meet them after I return from my training, Lord Kalel?"


    Kalel nodded, then he turned his gaze away from her. It was toote though. After all, she already saw his cheeks turn pink. "We''ll be waiting for you, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL didn''t expect that Soleil leaving the pce would make him feel this empty.


    But since he wanted to send her off without making her sad, he decided to keep up the usual nk look on his face.


    "Farewell, Lord Kalel," Soleil said in a sad voice. It even looked like she was about to cry. But she was probably holding it back since Winchell, seated on the rail of the gigantic gate of the pce, was watching them with hawk-lile eyes. "I will miss you."


    As far as he knew, Soleil and Winchell would only be gone for two weeks at most.


    But he understood why Soleil was acting like they would be separated for a long time. After all, even though she was still standing in front of him, he already missed her. Just imagining what his tomorrow without Soleil would look like was already enough to make him feel gutted.


    "I''m looking forward to you bing stronger, Soleil," Kalel encouraged her. "But don''t be too hard on yourself. You''re already plenty strong."


    Sheughed softly, then she sobbed again when she extended her hand to him. "For good luck, good sir."


    Ah, Soleil and her strange way with words.


    Since he didn''t want to have regrets, he took her hand


    then he pulled his "friend" for a tight hug.


    "I''ll miss you," he whispered in her ear. "Take care of yourself, Soleil."


    She nodded and hugged him back. "Take care of yourself as well, Lord Kalel."


    This wasn''t the first time that he felt Soleil''s warm and soft body against his.


    But this time, he savored every second of having her in his arms. He wanted to imprint her scent and the feel of her body in his mind. He wanted her scent and her warmth to linger on his body for as long as possible.


    At that moment, he realized that he couldn''t just be a friend to her.


    <em>But I don''t want to force my feelings on Soleil either</em>


    "Hey, stop hugging my sister!" Winchell yelled at him angrily. "Do you want to die, ck Serpent?"


    "Argh," Soleilined but she didn''t pull away from his hug yet. "My brother is annoying."


    "He sure is," Kalel agreed, then he looked up at Winchell and raised his middle finger at him. He saw the Red Phoenix''s face turn red in anger, but he just raised his other middle finger at him as revenge. "Winchell''s possessiveness with you isn''t cute anymore, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "KALEL, are you alright?" Yumi asked his son that he found sitting on the rail of his room''s balcony. As usual, he was staring at the crescent moon in the dark night sky. But as a mother, she noticed that her precious child looked a little gloomier than normal. "Did you get hurt during your training a while ago?"


    "No, Mother," her little Nystrom said, then he turned to her with a hollowed look on his face. "Mother, I feel empty."


    "Whatever do you mean by that, Nystrom?" she asked worriedly, then she walked towards him and cupped his face between her hands. "What''s the matter, my precious son?"


    "I already miss Soleil."


    She didn''t like what she heard.


    When she found out that Soleil left the pce with the Red Phoenix, she was delighted. Although they needed that child for their n, the fact that Soleil was seducing her son didn''t sit well with her.


    She thought she wouldn''t have to worry about that anymore, but it seemed like she was wrong.


    That young wench managed to seduce my precious son!


    "Oh, my poor little Nystrom," she said, then she hugged her son. She put her hand on the back of his neck and gently pushed his head so that he''d bury his face against her neck. "You''re too young to give your heart to somebody else, son."


    "If it''s Soleil, I don''t mind."


    "Well, I do," Yumi said, then she buried her face against Nystrom''s neck. Without warning, she hissed and bit his neck. He heard his son gasp in surprise, but she just dug her fangs deeper into his skin until her poison entered his body. In just a few seconds, Nystrom fell unconscious. She patted her son''s back after he fell asleep in her arms. "Forget about your feelings for Soleil Rosenberg," she whispered. "You should only love your family, my little Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA saw everything.


    Meeting Kalel Moonchester to attach a magical device to spy on him was worth it. Now, she finally knew why a mere human like Auro Moonchester was able to make a puppet of the ck Serpent the strongest Beast Gods the heavens had ever produced.


    "It seems like Kyro and Yumi have coborated with Auro Moonchester," Luna, seated on the rooftop of the building opposite to where Kalel and Yumi were, said to herself. She wasn''t worried about being caught because she was confident with her invisibility spell. It was the kind of spell that also erased her presence. "What a despicable family."


    "You''ve seen something that you shouldn''t have witnessed," the androgynous voice in her head said. It was a god, for sure. But she didn''t know its exact identity. All she knew was she began hearing its voice when she decided to turn her back on the Moon God. She was sure that it wasn''t Kyro though. "Now I know what your punishment would be in your next lifetime, Moon Priestess."


    Sheughed softly. "I''m still alive and yet, you''re already talking about my next life?"


    "You wouldn''t live long enough in this lifetime," the magical voice threatened her. "Once you''re reborn, you''ll be blessed with eyes that would bring demise to you and the people that you will love in that lifetime."


    "Is that a threat?"


    "Are you being threatened?"


    Well, not really.


    When she decided that she wouldn''t support the ck Serpent even though she was the Moon Priestess, she already expected that she would receive some sort of punishment. She just didn''t expect that her punishment would happen in her next life and not during this time.


    "Interesting," Luna said, then she snapped her fingers to cut off the "link" that the voice created in her mind. By doing so, she would no longer hear it talk to her. She mastered that technique because she never wanted to hear any god''s voice in her head again. "I''m not afraid of you, whoever you are."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 309: Divine Abomination

    Chapter 309: Divine Abomination


    WINCHELL let out a long and deep sigh while looking at the huge egg that was born from his Red me.


    Yes, it was an egg that probably the size of an ostrich''s egg.


    And yes again, it came from his me.


    <em>Just for the record, I didn''ty an egg.</em>


    The process was hard to describe. When he was creating the guardian, he asked his Core to create a human-like me, just like Sentinel, that would only follow one person--- Soleil, of course.


    He didn''t need a guardian since he was already capable of protecting himself.


    <em>Anyway...</em>


    If an ordinary human touched the egg, it would burn them alive. After all, the inside of the egg was filled with his me. He didn''t even know if the creature woulde out of it would look like a human.


    "Creating a guardian made out of my me isn''t as easy as I thought it would be," Winchell, seated in front of the egg in a lotus position, said to himself. He brought the egg to the rooftop of the shrine. "I n to make at least five guardians. But giving birth to one almost killed me."


    Well, that was an exaggeration.


    Still, he wouldn''t deny that giving birth to one guardian was exhausting. Thanks to that, he wasn''t able to spend as much time as he would like with Soleil. What a wasted opportunity when it was only him and his little sister in Mount S at the moment.


    "Brother, did you justy an egg?"


    He flinched when he realized that Soleil was now squatting down next to him. The fact that he didn''t notice her until he spoke crept him out. Was he too distracted or his sister just got strong enough to hide her presence even from him?


    It''s probably thetter. It has only been ten days since I taught Soleil how to use the Core of her heart to control the Red me that I lent her. But she already mastered it to the point that it seems like she owns the Red me instead of me.


    To be honest, he wanted to teach her how to control the ck me.


    But in the end, he decided to keep forbidding Soleil from using it. The ck me had a life of its own and he didn''t trust it enough.


    "Brother Wixx, are you alright?" his sister asked her worriedly.


    He blinked when he realized that she called him by a different name. "Who''s Wixx? Why did you mistake me for him, Soleil Rosenberg?"


    Sheughed and flicked his forehead. "It sounds cute, doesn''t it? I rested in the shrine a while ago. To entertain myself, I read the ancient inscriptions on the wall. Apparently, the older gods refer to their rebellious children as ''Wixx.'' I thought it suits you, Brother. It also sounds cuter than Winchell."


    Actually, he didn''t find the pet name ''cute.''


    But since Soleil looked happy, he didn''t oppose her. Moreover, the fact that his precious little sister gave him a pet name was special to him.


    "Alright," he said while patting her head. "You can call me anything you want, Soleil."


    "Thank you, Brother Wixx," she said with a bright smile on her face. Ah, she seemed proud of the nickname for him that she came up with. "Anyway, did you reallyy an egg? Is it because you''re the Red Phoenix?"


    "I didn''t," he said firmly. "It came out from my wings when I tried to create a guardian for you. But I guess since I''m the Red Phoenix, my "child" came in the form of an egg first."


    "That''s amazing," his sister said excitedly. Good thing she didn''t find the process gross or creepy. "Are you saying that there''s a life inside that egg, Brother Wixx? Is it going to turn out as a human or a phoenix like you?"


    "I don''t know yet," he admitted. "But since the process is simr to creating a spirit guardian, maybe it will also look like human just like Sentinel. I guess we just have to wait until the egg hatches to confirm it."


    "Maybe you should stay with it until it hatches, Brother," she said seriously. "We don''t know what kind of being wille out of that egg. But staying with the egg while sharing your feelings with it might give it the same feelings as you, Brother Wixx. Wouldn''t it be nice if your "child" takes after you even in terms of beliefs?"


    "Oh, that''s a nice idea," he said, then he gently ced a hand on the egg. "I also want this child to inherit my unconditional love for you, Soleil. After all, my goal is to create guardians that will live and die only for you." He snapped his fingers when he realized something. "What if this kides out with only one personality?"


    She scowled at that. "What do you mean by that, Brother?"


    "Aside from loving and adoring your forever, I want this child to hate the ck Serpent as much as I do."


    "Brother!"


    "I''ve always known that you are smitten with the ck Serpent even in your past life, Soleil," he said seriously. "I''m sorry but I saw and heard it when the ck Serpent rejected you."


    Her face turned red from embarrassment. "Y-You were watching?"


    "You know that I have sharp eyes and hearing, don''t you?" he said with a bitter smile. "I didn''t mean to witness that pathetic scene, Soleil. But when I was keeping an eye on your practice session, the ck Serpent appeared. You know what happened next."


    "I-I didn''t get rejected," she said, now her ears were also red. Moreover, this was the first time he heard her sister stutter. "If you really witnessed that scene, then you should know that I was the one who turned him down." She clutched her chest tight, and this time, she looked like she was on the verge of crying. "I was the one who told Lord Kalel that we''re better of as friends."


    "But he walked away with a nonchnt look on his face, Soleil," he told his sister bluntly. He hated hurting Soleil on purpose but he had to do it to snap her out of her silly puppy love. He would support her if it wasn''t the ck Serpent. But for some reason, he couldn''t trust that man. "You were the one who cried pathetically."


    The fact that the ck Serpent made his precious sister cry almost made him kill his fellow Beast God.


    But then, he realized that he should be grateful that the ck Serpent rejected Soleil. He didn''t want Kalel Moonchester to be his sister''s husband. After all, he also didn''t like Kyro and Yumi that ck Serpent''s parents.


    Soleil sobbed and covered her face with her hands. "You''re so cruel, Brother Wixx. Do you really have to remind me that?"


    "I brought you here to help you move on from the ck Serpent," he told her, then he changed the topic. "How''s your training with the Golden Bow and Arrow that I gave you as a present? The god of weapons personally made that for you so it should be sturdy."


    "I think I''ve already mastered it," she said, her hands still covering her face. "But I want to get stronger, Brother Wixx. I want to be an archer and a closebat fighter."


    "You''re being greedy," he said, then he stood up and extended his hand to his sister. "But I like that resolve so let''s continue our training, Soleil."


    Soleil, who seemed to have gotten over her embarrassment, finally pulled her hands away from her face. Then, with burning determination in her eyes, she grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her up. "Brother, let''s fight," she said seriously. "I am done using the Crades in the Redsun Desert for practice. I want to be stronger by fighting you."


    He already expected that from her.


    In fact, fighting Soleil was the final part of the training menu that he created for her.


    "Alright, let''s do it," Winchell said with a smirk. After all, Soleil was easily provoked. And she would get crazily strong when she was pissed. "Just don''t cry if I identally hit you a little harder than intended, my baby sister."


    "I''m no longer a baby!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DARLING, our babies are about to get born," Yumi informed her husband excitedly while rubbing the bump of the woman lying on the bed unconscious. "Our little Nystrom will finally have younger siblings soon."


    She had to leave her little Nystrom in the country of Srium to return to Kale Kingdom.


    Then, she went to the throne room when the stupid king wasn''t there. To be precise, she went to the basement right under the throne. It was a secret room that only Auro Moonchester (among his family and followers) knew about.


    It was the perfect ce to hide Selena one of the half-human-half snakewoman that belonged to her n. Whenever she would leave Nystrom''s body, she would possess Selena''s body. And she also used the woman to conceive children with Fersby, the second prince of the Crades''s royal family.


    Fersby, on the other hand, was possessed by Kyro''s spirit.


    Although the bodies that she and her husband used didn''t belong to them, they created a forbidden spell that would put their "divine fluids" inside the bodies that they used. Thus, the children conceived by Selena and Ferby would belong to her and Kyro.


    Yes, it was an abomination.


    The act itself was disgusting.


    But she was willing to do anything and everything for her darling husband.


    "I wish you were here, darling," Yumi said, missing her husband dearly. "Nystrom and I wish you''de home sooner."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL couldn''t move her body after her sparring with Wixx.


    Although she could tell that he held back a little, he still managed to defeat her. During the five rounds of sparring that she asked from him, she never won once.


    <em>My brother acts dumb but he''s seriously strong.</em>


    And thus, right now, she wasying on the sand while looking at the starry night. It was already safe to do that because she already eliminated the Crades in that area. She was alone because her brother was making their dinner.


    "I seriously thought that I''m strong because I was able to beat the little tiger," Soleil whispered to herself. "Is Ainsworth too weak or my brother is just stupidly strong?"


    "It''s because you''re not using the ck me."


    "That''s right," she agreed to the voice that came from her side. "The Red me belongs to my brother. But unfortunately, he doesn''t allow me to use the ck me so"


    She trailed off when she realized that she was talking to a stranger.


    But since she didn''t feel any hostility, she let her guard down. Still, she instantly got up and summoned her dagger.


    "Oh, rx," the pretty woman said while raising her hands in surrender. "I''m not an enemy."


    She believed that but of course, she didn''t show it. Her brother often tells her that she trusts people easily. So even if her instincts told her that the stranger wasn''t a threat to her, she still put her guard up. "Who are you?"


    "I''m Luna," the beautiful stranger said. "I''m the banished Moon Priestess."


    "Why were you banished?" she asked, confused.


    "Because I don''t want to serve the Moon God anymore," Luna said with a softugh. How could this womanugh while practically confessing that she just betrayed the god that she served? "I didn''t like his son so I turned my back on them."


    "Are you talking about Lord Kalel?" Soleil asked, putting her dagger down. "Just what do you not like about him, huh?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 310: The Third Choice

    Chapter 310: The Third Choice


    "ARE you too blinded with your obsession with Kalel Moonchester''s face that you can''t see that he''s weird?"


    Soleil blinked in confusion at what Luna said to her.


    And if she''d be honest, she''d say that she was offended with her usation. It was true that she liked Kalel''s face. But it wasn''t the only thing that she liked about him.


    "Soleil Rosenberg, open your eyes," Luna told her while munching on an ear of grilled corn. That was her snack while waiting for her brother to finish cooking their dinner. But since the Moon Priestess looked hungry, she offered her the grilled corn. "Didn''t you notice something different about Kalel Moonchester from the Nystrom that you met in your first life?"


    She bit her lower lip.


    That question seriously got her thinking.


    "Lord Kalel seems to talk more than when I met him as Lord Nystrom," Soleil said in a hesitant voice. To be honest, she noticed the changes in Lord Kalel. But she thought it was only natural since he was reborn in a different environment. "And he seems to be more affectionate towards me now."


    In the past, she could say that she and Nystrom got a little closer before the two of them got reincarnated in this world. But she didn''t get him to open up with her back then. Maybe it was because of the limited time that they had together. Yet, despite all of that, she really felt close to him back then. Not in a physical sense, but more of the fact that they seemed to have a silent yet solid understanding of each other.


    Kalel, on the other hand, seemed to be physically closer to her. Yet, he somehow made her feel empty. And it wasn''t just because he rejected her.


    "It''s strange, indeed," Soleil whispered to herself. "Lord Kalel feels physically closer to me and yet, I feel like our rtionship today is hollow." That thought scared her, so she looked at the Moon Priestess to look for some answers. "What does it mean, Luna?"


    "I also don''t know the exact answer to your question," the Moon Priestess said. "All I''m certain is you and Kalel Moonchester will be the center of the uing catastrophe."


    She''d like to say that she was surprised to hear that.


    But unfortunately, she wasn''t.


    "I heard the same thing from our Sun Priestess," she said nervously. "She warned me that my future husband is either going to be an ally that will make our country strong or an enemy that will bring an end to our n."


    "I haven''t meant your Sun Priestess yet but I think we''re going to get along well," Luna said casually. "Anyway, do you think that Kalel Moonchester is the "future husband" of yours that the prophecy referred to?"


    She nodded hesitantly. "I have reasons to believe so. At first, I was willing to bet that Lord Kalel is going to be my future husband that will help my n and our country get stronger. I''ve always known in my heart that he''s the one, so I went to Kalel Kingdom and saved him even though the Sun Priestess warned me about it. As soon as he took my hand, I confirmed to myself that he''s really the only one for me," she confessed, then she let out a deep sigh. "In just a few days, I fell in love with Lord Kalel. Then, the prophecy started to scare me. If I ended up wrong and Lord Kalel turns out to be the enemy that will bring our downfall, I already know in my heart that I can no longer kill him." She soon became teary-eyed. "I have a feeling that I can and I will betray the Fire Mage n for him. I don''t want to lose either of them so I thought staying friends with Lord Kalel will prevent the prophecy from happening." Sheughed bitterly while wiping the tears off her eyes. "But it''s ame choice, isn''t it?"


    "Uh-huh, it''s veryme and stupid."


    She pouted at the Moon Priestess''s bluntness. "Can''t you at least pretend to console me, Luna?"


    "You grew up nave because you''ve been spoiled a lot."


    She was hurt by the statement but she couldn''t refute that.


    "Anyway, keep an eye on Kalel Moonchester and his family," Luna said, changing the topic casually. The Moon Priestess seemed unapologetic with the hurtful words that she said to her. This was the first time that she met a person who humbled her in a harsh way. "There''s a reason why he could either make or break you, Soleil Rosenberg." She took a bite of her grilled corn before she pointed a finger at herzily. "Grow up and start acting like a n leader, especially now that a war against Crades is about to happen."


    Soleil had so many questions for the Moon Priestess. But the cold look on Luna''s face told her that she wouldn''t spoonfeed her. "I''lle up with an answer on my own," she said firmly. "As a woman and as the leader of the Fire Mage n, I don''t want to choose between Lord Kalel and my people because it means losing one of them." She pped her cheeks a little too hard to wake her up. "I''ll create a third choice so I could keep them both."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I KNOW why you provoked my poor little sister, but do you have to treat her so harshly?"


    Luna wasn''t surprised when she heard Winchell''s voice behind her after Soleil Rosenberg left the shrine to train again.


    She already noticed the Red Phoenix''s presence a while ago. To be honest, he even released his bloodlust directed at her several times. She ignored it because dealing with Winchell''s tantrum would only be a waste of time.


    Well, this was the first time that she personally met the Red Phoenix. But he had a bad reputation. And he was most infamous for being "obsessed" with his little sister.


    "Soleil Rosenberg grew up nave because of you," Luna said, then she turned around to face Winchell.


    Much to her surprise, the Red Phoenix was standing a little too closely.


    His deep purple eyes were glowing menacingly as if he was trying to intimidate her. She hated being intimidated, especially by an obnoxious man, so she did what she had to do: when Winchell opened his mouth to probably threaten her, she put the corncob on his mouth.


    Winchell''s face turned red from embarrassment, then he grabbed the corncob on his mouth and threw it on the ground while ring at her. "What the hell did you just do?"


    She shrugged casually. "Don''t birds like corns?"


    "Did you just call me a bird?" he asked in disbelief. "I''m a Red Phoenix!"


    "It''s still a bird," she reasoned. "Just because a phoenix burn doesn''t make it special."


    He closed his eyes tight and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was trying to stop himself from strangling her. "State your reason for approaching my sister," he said, obviously changing the topic. When he opened his eyes, he looked dead serious this time. "You''re the Moon Priestess. Did Kyro send you here to spy on us?"


    She raised a brow at her. "Why would the Moon God send a spy on you?"


    He didn''t answer her question and it seemed like he had no intention to do so.


    "I heard that the heavens have been thrown into chaos recently," she continued. Since she could hear the voices of different gods, she was able to gather some information about what was going on as she traveled the continent. "Is it true the three main gods have created different factions and are currently on a silent divine war?"


    The three main gods that she spoke of would be the Moon God, the Sun God, and the Sky God.


    She could tell that the Red Phoenix belongs to the Sun God faction.


    Of course, Kalel Moonchester, as the son of the Moon God would automatically belong to the Moon God faction.


    On the other hand, the Sky God gathered his many children and built a faction with them.


    But as of now, no major movement had been made by either of the three main gods.


    "Moreover, I heard that aside from the heavens, there''s still one ce that has been corrupted recently," Luna continued in a yful voice. "How''s the ne these days, Lord Winchell?"


    "You seem to know a lot for someone who apparently betrayed her god."


    "Just because I''m the Moon Priestess doesn''t automatically mean that I belong to the Moon God," she said seriously. "Well, it''s true that I work for him but only because it''s convenient in the past. But now that the tides have changed, it''s time for me to return to my real master."


    "Real master?"


    "Lord Winchell, do you think that the Moon God solely governs the moon?" she asked while preparing for her escape. "Kyro isn''t the only person who holds the power of the moon, you know?"


    Winchell fell silent for a moment, then his eyes widened in shock. "The Moon Serpent"


    Luna smiled and put a finger on her nose. "Shh, don''t speak of him yet," she said while her body was slowly bing transparent. After all, she just performed a transportation spell to get away from the Red Phoenix. "It''s not yet time, Lord Winchell."


    <strong>***</strong>


    IT HAS been a few days since Winchell talked to the Moon Priestess called Luna, but he still couldn''t forget about her words.


    <em>"Don''t birds like corns?"</em>


    He froze when he heard that phrase again in his head. Then, he looked at the grilled corncob in his hand. It was his snack while waiting for Soleil who locked herself up in a cave to train by herself.


    "You''re a bird," said Luna''s voice in his head even though the Moon Priestess didn''t say those words at him back then.


    "Tsk," Winchell said, clicking his tongue. Then, he threw the corncob on the ground. "Why do I still hear that cheeky woman''s voice in my head?"


    Although her subtle message about the Moon Serpent bothered him, he still couldn''t get over the fact that she insulted him him, a Beast God. And that woman did it without even an ounce of fear in her eyes. Aside from Soleil, Luna was the only person who was able to look at him in the eye without getting intimidated.


    "That woman is strange," he said while shaking his head. But instead of focusing on the Moon Priestess''s rudeness, he just shifted his attention to her words regarding her real "master." "I''m pretty sure she''s talking about the Moon Serpent."


    But the Moon Serpent had already been banished from the heavens a long time ago.


    And then, the stupid Sky God helped Aku Moonchester kill the Moon Serpent. Was Luna saying that the Moon Serpent had somehow survived?


    In the first ce, how did a Moon Priestess like her be the Moon Serpent''s servant?


    He sighed and shook his head. "Kyro will kill her for her betrayal"


    Not that he cared about a woman he just met.


    "Brother Wixx, are you talking to yourself?"


    Winchell smiled and raised his head when he heard Soleil''s voice above him.


    His little sister was floating in front of her with her phoenix wings open.


    But his smile vanished as soon as shivers went down his spine. There was no threat that caused his goosebumps. He got that from simply taking a nce at Soleil''s red ming wings.


    Her ming wings were almost as big as his. The Red me that he lent her had turned purer which meant it was probably as strong as his me now. How did his little sister manage to make his Red me as if it was her own?


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that Soleil is the strongest Fire Mage now.


    "Brother Wixx, I''ve alreadye up with a third choice," his little sister said. "I know that you were listening to me and Luna when we talked a few days ago. You know what I''m talking about, don''t you?"


    Winchell nodded, still surprised at how Soleil was able to improve her fire Mana this fast. "What kind of choice did you create?"


    "I will get closer to Lord Kalel and spy on his family," Soleil said firmly. "Then, I will save him and turn him into an ally. In that way, he would never be the cause of our downfall."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 311: Alliance of the Priestesses

    Chapter 311: Alliance of the Priestesses


    LUNA was amused when she found Solenn Rosenberg, the Sun Priestess of the Fire Mage n, waiting for her in the shrine of the Red Phoenix.


    She could tell that the Sun Priestess was waiting for her because she prepared tea for two on the tea table that was also meant for two people. Solenn was alone, and it was toote for her to ept visitors. Thus, she could only conclude that the Sun Priestess felt her arrival.


    "You''ve finallye to meet me," Solenn said to her, smiling warmly. She couldn''t say if it was genuine or not. After all, the Sun Priestess was good at hiding her true intentions. "I got sad when you didn''t visit me thest time you were here."


    The Sun Priestess must be speaking of the time that she paid a visit to Kalel Moonchester.


    "My name is Luna, Solenn Rosenberg," Luna said as she entered the shrinepletely. After being invited, she sat down on the chair opposite Solenn. "I''m surprised that you didn''t know my name yet."


    Solenn smiled, then she put the teacup down on the coaster before she faced her properly. "I apologize but the Moon Priestess that I''m acquainted with was the one that you killed."


    Okay, that surprised her a little.


    Of course, she already knew that Solenn would be aware of the death of the real Moon Priestess. After all, the different priestesses that served different gods had a strange connection. But even though she knew that, she didn''t expect the Sun Priestess to say it to her face.


    "I like your guts, Solenn," she said, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "Aren''t you going to ask me why I killed the real Moon Priestess?"


    "It''s none of my business," the Sun Priestess said casually. "But I wouldn''t say that the other Moon Priestess was the real one because that would imply that you''re a fake."


    "Oh, you don''t think I''m a fake?"


    "Of course not," Solenn said while shaking her head. "Ever since time immemorial, there have always been two Moon Priestesses. After all, there are two lords that govern the moon."


    She slowly pped her hands and it wasn''t because of sarcasm or anything like that. She was just simply amazed by the Sun Priestess''s knowledge about the moon when she was a Child of the Sun. "I''m impressed, Solenn."


    The other priestess just smiled, then she sipped her tea. "If you''re here, does it mean that the Moon Serpent has been reincarnated now?"


    To be honest, answering the Sun Priestess''s question would either kill her, or help her survive from the wrath of the Moon God.


    She wouldn''t say that she trusted Solennpletely. Even though she seemed like a good person, she still couldn''t be trusted because she served the sun. But frankly speaking, she didn''t have any other choice but to bet on the Sun Priestess anyway.


    Between Solenn and Kyro, she''d rather be on the Sun Priestess''s side.


    "I was just in the ne a few months ago," she began the story carefully. She could see the sudden interest in the Sun Priestess''s eyes, so she continued with more confidence now. "As I expected, the Mistress of the ne locked up the Moon Serpent''s soul to prevent him from being reincarnated."


    The Sun Priestess''s eyes widened in shock. "Then, how do you n to help the Moon Serpent get reborn? The ne is the only ce that could do that, Luna. If the ne is somehow controlled by the people or the gods that didn''t want the Moon Serpent to be reborn, then it''s over for you now."


    "I wouldn''t risk my life if it''s already toote, Solenn," she said firmly. "When I was at the ne, I met the Sun God."


    Solenn let out a soft gasp. "The Sun God?"


    She nodded firmly because she continued with her story. "I won''t tell you the details because I don''t have the time to exin," she said in a hurried voice. She could feel that the Fire Archmage, Solenn''s father, had been notified by someone of her arrival. In just a few minutes, the other Fire Mages would show up. And she didn''t want to talk to them. Solenn as an ally would suffice. "All you need to know is that the Sun God found a way for the Moon Serpent to be reborn and the n includes Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Moonchester."


    This time, the Sun Priestess didn''t look surprised. "I saw in my vision that Kalel Moonchester is going to be either the savior or the destroyer of our n. To be precise, his fate would depend on how his marriage with our Soleil would turn out. Does it have something to do with the Sun God''s n for the Moon Serpent to be reincarnated?"


    "Yes," she said with a firm nod. "Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Moonchester have to get married and conceive the Moon Serpent as their child."


    Solenn''s eyes widened in shock. "Soleil and Kalel Moonchester have to conceive the Moon Serpent together? Then, it means that the Moon Serpent will get reincarnated as their son?"


    "Yes, exactly," she said with a nod. "Crazy, isn''t it?"


    "That would be an understatement."


    She justughed it off.


    The Sun Priestess, who still seemed to be shocked by what she learned, sipped her tea again until she finished it in one gulp. "Are you here to convince me to work with you?" she asked while putting the teacup down on the coaster. "Do you want us to y matchmakers for Soleil and Kalel Moonchester?"


    "To be honest, I don''t want to do this," she confessed. "I still don''t trust Kalel Moonchester. I can''t tell if he knows what''s going on among the main gods or not. If he happens to be aware and he''s on his father''s side, then his union with Soleil will be your n''s downfall."


    "That''s true," the other priestess agreed with her. "But it seems like our Soleil is already in love with the ck Serpent. What if we''re toote to stop her feelings for Kalel Moonchester?''


    "I already considered that so I made a move recently," she assured the Sun Priestess. "I gave Soleil subtle clues about how she shouldn''t trust Kalel Moonchester."


    "Did it work?"


    To be honest, she already hid from Soleil and Winchell after she provoked the Fire Mage princess.


    But she heard what Soleil told her brother then.


    "Soleil said that she''d save Kalel Moonchester," Luna said, then she let out a sigh. "She seems to be really in love with the ck Serpent."


    "We have no choice but to support Soleil if we can''t stop her anymore," Solenn said while shaking her head. "And we should keep an eye on Kalel Moonchester as well."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT?" Auro asked in shock after he heard what Yumi, in her white snake form, reported to him. "Would you repeat that, Yumi?"


    He had just returned to the Royal Capital of Kalel Kingdom as a war hero.


    Right now, he was in his room while changing his clothes for the banquetter. When he felt the White Snake''s presence, he asked his maids and servants to leave. And now, he was alone with her.


    As he sat on the sofa, Yumi coiled her body around his arm.


    "I heard the conversation between the Sun Priestess and the new Moon Priestess," Yumi said. Yes, she could talk like a normal human even in her snake form. After all, she was the ''Mother of Snakes.'' That fact was also the reason why the Sun and the Moon Priestess weren''t able to notice her presence. "The Sun God is currently at the ne. And somehow, he managed to find a way to bring back the Moon Serpent by using my precious Nystrom and that wench Soleil Rosenberg."


    Heughed bitterly, awed by the Sun God''s quick and thinking, and mad that the very thing that could kill him would return soon. "So, they n to use my brother and Soleil Rosenberg to conceive the Moon Serpent?"


    The White Snake hissed. "I won''t allow it!" she said firmly. "I won''t let that wench marry my little Nystrom let alone to have a child with him!"


    "I also won''t allow that to happen, Yumi," he said seriously. "I won''t let Kalel and Soleil Rosenberg be instruments for the return of my executioner."


    "Then, what do you n to do?" Yumi asked impatiently. "I don''t want to admit this but Soleil Rosenberg''s feelings for my son aren''t one-sided." She hissed again. "It seems like my precious Nystrom is also infatuated with that wench."


    "We''re going to stop them from conceiving the Moon Serpent together," Auro said firmly, then his jaw clenched in annoyance. "But if we fail to do so, we will kill the monster that Soleil Rosenberg will carry in her womb."


    ***


    NOTE: I don''t know what else to say but sorry. I''m really sorry for suddenly taking a hiatus here without telling you in advance. My brain suddenly stopped working for Mommy Viiness just when we''re at the final arc.


    But my brain is working properly again.


    I''m back.


    And I''m here to finish the story now.


    I hope you forgive me for the sudden break. I didn''t mean to make you feel abandoned. I''m really sorry. :<


    ***


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 312: The Birth of the Supreme Fire Mage

    Chapter 312: The Birth of the Supreme Fire Mage


    SOLEIL didn''t expect that she''d return to Kale Kingdom during chaos.


    After her training with her Brother Wixx, the two of them nned to head home first and meet up with the other Beast Gods to make a n. But on their way back to Srium, they received a message from Solenn, the Sun Priestess.


    Apparently, the Crades and the evolved ones had attacked Kale Kingdom a week earlier than they were told.


    When she and the Red Phoenix arrived at the Royal Capital, they were almost toote.


    "I can''t believe the Crades managed to break the protective barrier around the kingdom," Wixx, standing beside her on the roof of the highest tower in the Royal Capital, said while watching the horrific attacks of the Crades happening below. "And the royal knights couldn''t even protect one vige."


    She heard her brother''s apathetic voice, but her body felt numb at the moment.


    There were so many things happening at the same time that she didn''t know where to look at. People were being eaten by Crades wherever she looked. But the thing that shocked her the most was the fact that the evolved Crades actually looked very simr to humans now.


    Thus, it confused humans. They began suspecting that the other was Crades. Then, they would fight and end up killing each other only to find out that they actually murdered a fellow human. That unnecessary killing just made the pandemonium worse than already it was.


    Her heart thumped hard against her chest painfully.


    Everything that she saw disgusted her to the core.


    "The other Beast Gods arete," her Brother Wixx said, then he turned to her. "Shall we start?"


    "Brother."


    "Yes?"


    She turned to her brother. Even though she couldn''t see her reflection, she was pretty sure that her eyes had turned a glowing red. For the first time in her life, she felt so angry that she thought of harming even innocent humans. Thankfully, she managed to get a hold of her remaining sanity. "I will burn everything down so please do your best to save as many humans as you could. And if you have the time, could you please check on the royal family in the tower? I''m worried about Lord Kalel''s siblings."


    Her brother looked confused, but he nodded. "I don''t know what you''re nning but I trust you, Soleil," he said, then he opened his ming wings. "I will help the citizens, and try to check on the ck Serpent''s siblings if I have the chance."


    After saying that, Brother Wixx flew around without further ado.


    She understood her brother''s urgency. They were already in a war and that meant every second count. Thus, she didn''t waste any more time as well.


    "Calm down," she told herself, then she took several deep breaths until her breathing returned to normal. Then, she summoned her Golden Bow. She didn''t summon the Golden Arrow yet because she needed to perform a spell first. "Let''s do this."


    Encouraging herself worked.


    Fire Mages were still mages that could perform spells that didn''t have anything to do with fire. It was just that their affinity to the me was so strong that people thought they were only good at controlling fire.


    But she was born a mage, too. Thankfully, her n''s greatest mage taught her how to make strong spells, and that was what she was about to do.


    "Great me of mine, listen to my cry," she said while holding the Golden Bow in her hand tight. "Burn those monsters who feast on human flesh, leave not even a speck of dust. Envelope this cursed vige in your warm and mighty embrace."


    The Golden Bow illuminated, telling her that she sessfully created a spell of her own.


    Without hesitation, she grabbed the Golden Bow and positioned herself to shoot. This time, she summoned her Golden Arrow while preparing another spell.


    Yes, she only needed one arrow.


    "Golden Arrows of mine, I need your infinite strength," Soleil said seriously, then she pulled the arrow pointed at the sky. "Make it rain and don''t stop until every single man-eating monster has turned into ashes."


    A legend would be born from that dayter.


    People had witnessed the "Great Rain of Fire" from the infinite ming arrows "pouring" down. But the amazing thing was each ming arrow only hit Crades, saving the humans and giving them the chance to be saved by Winchell.


    While Soleil, who didn''t even need to move, just stood there and watch her enemies get burned down to ashes.


    But just because she was ''just'' standing there didn''t mean that she was doing nothing. The two spells that she created were actually eating on her Mana. Moreover, the "infinite" Golden Arrows weren''t actually "infinite."


    If ever she lost consciousness or she died, then the spell would lose its effect.


    Thus, Soleil had to be conscious and guard her back.


    But she didn''t have to worry about that.


    Even though she felt the presence of several strong Crades behind her, she didn''t move from her spot. Heck, she didn''t even turn to them. After all, she knew that her allies had alreadye to protect her.


    "You are so reckless, Soleil," Elis Ripperton said, and she could imagine him shaking his head. "Couldn''t you have waited a bit for us?"


    "Why are the prophecies always wrong?" Ainsworthined. His heavy footsteps were enough for her to know that he was pissed. "They gave us the wrong date again!"


    "Stopining, you idiots!" her Brother Wixx, who was flying around, stopped in front of them to yell at his fellow Beast Gods. "Help me save the people!"


    Without saying a word, Elis Ripperton and Ainsworth disappeared from behind her.


    Ah, they definitely followed her brother to save the humans.


    "You really are reckless, Soleil Rosenberg," Kalel Moonchester, who just stood beside her, said while shaking his head. "But good job."


    Soleil, despite being tired at the moment, smiled. "Thank you, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    TO SAY that Auro was shocked to see the Royal Capital get burned down by Soleil Rosenberg''s me alone would be an understatement. He watched the whole thing happen from the window of the highest floor in the tower. He was on his way to fetch ine, his youngest sibling, to give her to Ingham as a present. After all, he already weed the royal family of the Crades in the Royal Pce.


    In fact, he was pretty sure that Gruger already made a meal out of King Aleo, his father.


    He thought he had the time to make it look like they were overpowered by the Crades. But if any of the other Beast Gods expect for Elis Ripperton reached the Royal Pce first, they would definitely know that the Crades were weed inside.


    <em>Damn, I''ll get exposed if that happens.</em>


    This wasn''t supposed how the n would go.


    Of course, he expected that the Beast Priestess and the Beast Gods would appear. Even Elis Ripperton had to go so he wouldn''t be suspected. What he and the Blue Dragon didn''t expect was Soleil Rosenberg''s me that burned down almost all the Crades that they sent to the Royal Capital to eat the humans.


    When did Soleil Rosenberg be this powerful?


    "Auro, my dear, where is my premium meal?"


    Auro''s eyes widened in shock when he heard Ingham''s voice. When he turned around, he was surprised to see the Crades Queen walking towards him. The sted monster''s mouth and clothes were covered with human blood. The look on her face told him that she was still hungry. "Your Majesty, you didn''t have toe here," he said politely. Damn, why did this glutton monster follow him? "I will bring the royal princess to you."


    "But I''m getting impatient," Inghamined like a child. "You gave Gruger the king. I want to eat the little princess now."


    He clenched his fists tight but he smiled anyway. "Then, after you, mydy. My sister''s room is at the end of the hallway."


    The queen smiled, then she walked past him happily.


    Heck, she was almost hopping by now.


    He followed the Crades Queen like a puppy. To be honest, his heart was thumping against his chest like crazy. He was hoping that none of the Beast Gods would reach the Royal Pce yet.


    Thankfully, they reached ine''s room without encountering that problem.


    "Hello, little princess!" Ingham greeted his sister in a cheerful voice as she entered the room. Then, he heard ine scream in horror. "Oh, please don''t make it hard for this auntie to devour you, sweeties."


    ine''s scream only grew louder.


    "Brother, help me!" ine screamed, then she heard him cry in agony as if Ingham had already got a hold of her. "Brother!"


    "Aren''t you going to help your poor little sister?"


    Auro''s eyes widened in shock at the same time he felt shivers down his spine when he heard a voice behind him. He didn''t feel anyone''s presence so he was surprised when he heard someone talk. When he turned around, his heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw the face that greeted him. "L-Lord Winchell."


    "Auro Moonchester," Winchell said, a smug smile stered on his face. "Did you just let that Crades eat your sister?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    ALTHOUGH the whole Royal Capital had been burned down by her me already, Soleil felt cold because her surroundings were covered with ice.


    After all, Kalel Moonchester froze the Crades that tried to attack them.


    "Oh, is it too cold?" Kalel asked when he saw her shaking in cold. "Sorry, I thought Fire Mages don''t get cold."


    "We usually don''t get bothered by the cold," Soleil said, then she turned to the ck Serpent. "But it seems like your ice Mana has be more powerful, my lord."


    "Ah, I did some training," he said while taking off his jacket, then he put it on her shoulders. "Does it help you get warm?"


    She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Lord Kalel."


    Kalel just nodded, then he looked down below. "It seems like the Blue Dragon and the little tiger have rescued the people in the area." He looked up at the direction of the Royal Pce. "Should we follow Winchell in the Royal Pce?"


    Ah, yes.


    Her Brother Wixx said that he would check on the Royal Pce and left the Royal Capital to Elis Ripperton and Ainsworth.


    She knew that Kalel was worried about his family. But he chose to stay with her and protect her since she couldn''t break her concentration or else, her me would disappear. The ck Serpent had already done his duty.


    It was time for Kalel to protect his family this time.


    Soleil was about to respond when all of a sudden, everything turned ck.


    "Soleil!"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 313: Awakened Beast Priestess

    Chapter 313: Awakened Beast Priestess


    "AURO Moonchester," Winchell said, smiling smugly as he watched the royal prince visibly pale. "Did you just let that Crades eat your sister?"


    Auro Moonchester paled, and it was obvious that he didn''t know what to say.


    <em>I knew it this bastard has definitely coborated with the Crades to attack the kingdom.</em>


    When he reached the Royal Pce a while ago, it was already toote.


    The human-like Crades had already infiltrated the pce, and they were already feasting on the knights and the servants. Although he managed to burn down the Crades, it was toote to save the humans.


    Since it was still his duty to save the royal family of Kale Kingdom, he hurried to the king''s residence.


    Much to his shock, he found the "royal family" of the human-like Crades feasting on the body of the king. Aside from the king, the other high-ranking nobles of the kingdom were also turned into a meal for that disgusting feast.


    After burning down the monsters, he instantly looked for Auro Moonchester.


    And that was when he saw everything.


    He didn''t hear what Auro and the female human-like Crades talked about. But he clearly saw it when the royal prince guided the man-eating monster inside the young princess''s room.


    "Auro Moonchester, have you betrayed us?" he continued pressuring the royal prince. Then, he pulled out the Holy ming Sword from his chest. He doesn''t usually use his holy weapon because he was used to simply burning everything down. But he hated traitors the most. Beheading Auro Moonchester, if proven guilty, would be more satisfying. "Why can''t you answer my simple question, Your Royal Highness?"


    Yes, he addressed the royal prince with his title sarcastically.


    "I didn''t coborate with the Crades, Lord Winchell," Auro Moonchester said, finally breaking his silence. But he didn''t sound convincing because his voice actually trembled. He seemed to have noticed it himself because he cleared his throat before he spoke again. "There''s a reason why I brought the Crades Queen here."


    He smirked before making the mes of his sword grow bigger. That seemed to scare the royal prince even more. "Your life depends on your excuse, Auro Moonchester."


    When he noticed that Auro Moonchester''s Mana spike as if he suddenly panicked, he raised his arms and was ready to cut him down with his ming sword. To be honest, he could me that on his instinct. It seemed like the royal prince was ready to kill him. And thus, he attacked him to protect himself even though he was confident that Auro Moonchester couldn''t kill him.


    But all of a sudden, the me of his weapon was put out by a strong wind.


    Of course, it wasn''t an ordinary one.


    "It was a part of our n, Winchell," Elis Ripperton, who came out of the room with the unconscious young princess in his arms, said. "Auro Moonchester led the Crades Queen to his sister''s room because I was there."


    He raised his brow at that. To be honest, he was shocked to see the Blue Dragon here. He didn''t know that he was close to Auro Moonchester. "And why were you in the young princess''s room?"


    "I arrived first in the pce," the Blue Dragon said. "When I saw Auro Moonchester on his way to save his sister, he begged me to go to the young princess''s room since I''m faster than him."


    That didn''t make sense.


    He clearly saw Auro Moonchester walking calmly before the Crades Queen approached him. Or was the prince already calm because he knew that Elis Ripperton was already inside his little sister''s room?


    <em>Still</em>


    "I heard the young princess scream for help," he told Elis Ripperton. "If you were there, why did she scream for help?"


    "The young princess saw me ughter the Crades in front of her," the Blue Dragon exined. "The Crades Queen looked like a human, Winchell. And the young princess doesn''t know that it was a man-eating monster. Of course, she''d be shocked to witness such a thing." He looked down at the young princess in his arms. "The poor thing fainted after seeing what I did to the Crades Queen."


    He hated to admit this but it sounded usible.


    Still, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that Auro Moonchester and Elis Ripperton were both lying to him.


    "Lord Winchell, I''m sorry if I wasn''t able to answer your question a while ago," Auro Moonchester said. "To be honest, I''m still quite shaken and I can''t think straight at the moment. I saw my father get eaten by the Crades King. I wanted to save him but I know that it''s already toote. Thus, I decided to save my sister instead. I wouldn''t be able to handle it if I lose both my father and my sister at the same time."


    That also sounded usible, damn it.


    "Auro Moonchester, go and take care of your sister first," Elis Ripperton said as he handed the young princess to Auro Moonchester. "I will talk to Winchell."


    Auro Moonchester nodded, then he carefully carried his little sister in his arms. Then, he turned to him with an apologetic look on his face. "I''d like to exin more but my sister needs me, Lord Winchell," he said, then he bowed to him. "Please excuse me."


    He wanted to stop Auro Moonchester but when he saw the pale face of the young princess, he changed his mind.


    <em>Poor young princess</em>


    Also, if Soleil fainted, he would kill anyone who would dare to stop him from taking care of his little sister.


    "Winchell, why did you use Auro Moonchester of working with the Crades?" Elis Ripperton confronted him when Auro Moonchester and his little sister were out of sight. "The poor prince just lost his father and the majority of their people. Aren''t you a being a little too harsh on him?"


    "I have reasons to believe that the Crades worked with someone who has ess in the Royal Pce," he said coldly while ring at the Blue Dragon. "There were no signs that the gates and the barrier around the Royal Pce had been forced open, Elis Ripperton. It was obvious that someone let those man-eating monsters in. Can you me me if I suspected Auro Moonchester?"


    The Blue Dragon scoffed. "You only suspected Auro Moonchester because he worships the Moon God. Is he a threat to the Sun God that you worship, Winchell Rosenberg?"


    "You talk like you know exactly what''s going on," he said with a smirk. "And you sound like someone who works for the Moon God."


    "I''m the Blue Dragon and I''m a free individual. I''m so fed up with your provocations, Winchell," Elis Ripperton said, his violent wind began embracing him. His Mana also spiked, and so was his Mana. It was obvious that he was picking a fight with him. "Shall we settle our differences today?"


    Winchellughed out loud, then he covered himself entirely with his Red me. "I won''t hold back, Elis Ripperton."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL caught Soleil Rosenberg as soon as she fell unconscious.


    Much to his surprise, a strange youngdy came out of nowhere and stood where Soleil stood a while ago. After a few moments of observing the strangedy, he realized that she was filled with Soleil''s Mana. He concluded that she must be Soleil''s spirit guardian.


    Ah, so that must be the reason why the "rain" of ming arrows didn''t stop even though Soleil fainted. Since her me was still alive, the spell was still effective.


    <em>Soleil is strong even when unconscious, huh?</em>


    But it seemed like her physical body couldn''t catch up with her Mana. Thus, she fainted. Her body was also warmer than usual.


    "Lord ck Serpent, please take care of my master," the woman said. But she looked and sounded apathetic despite her master''s condition. In fact, the spirit guardian didn''t even turn to Soleil. Instead, the strange woman was looking at him intently. "Can you cool her down, my lord? My master''s temperature is higher than normal."


    He just nodded, then he stood up while carrying Soleil in his arms.


    For some reason, he wasn''tfortable with Soleil''s spirit guardian. So without even saying goodbye to the strange woman, he used his teleportation spell to leave. Moreover, he wanted to check on the Royal Pce because he was worried about Auro.


    His teleportation spell brought him to the gates of the Royal Pce.


    The fact that dead Crades and severed human body parts greeted him didn''t shock him. He already expected that. But he was surprised when he felt Winchell and Elis Ripperton''s Mana.


    The two were seriously trying to kill each other.


    "ck Serpent, help me stop the Red Phoenix and the Blue Dragon!" Ainsworth, who suddenly appeared before him, said in a worried voice. "They might end up really killing each other if we don''t stop them!"


    Well, let him think about it first.


    He didn''t like Winchell because he was too overprotective of Soleil.


    And he also didn''t like Elis Ripperton because that one was a crazy bastard. Worse, he was obsessed with Soleil in a very harmful way.


    "Let them kill each other," Kalel said, then he began to walk away from the Golden Tiger with Soleil in his arms. "I hope one of them dies."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Soleil opened her eyes, she was surprised to see the face of her young version.


    Shocked, she immediately got up only to be shocked once again. After all, she found herself in the humid Redsun Desert when she was supposed to in the Kale Kingdom.


    Thest thing she remembered was fainting while trying to keep the spell alive.


    "What happened to the war?" Soleil asked the child. Of course, she knew that it was some sort of a dream. But she couldn''t really care less especially if her allies were fighting a war. "And Lord Kalel"


    "Don''t worry, you won the war splendidly," the young version of her said in a cheerful voice, then she sat on a huge rock. She noticed that the child wore a cloak that covered her petite body. "Soleil Rosenberg, you have one more test before the war ends."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What test?"


    "The Beast Gods are trying to kill each other at the moment."


    "What?!" she asked, stressed and worried at the same time. "Have they lost their mind?"


    The child giggled and nodded in agreement with her. "You have to tame them, Soleil," she said. "If you sessfully stop them from killing each other, I will reward you."


    "Huh?"


    "If one of the Beast Gods died now, then it''s over for all of us," her young version of herself said, then she snapped her fingers. "I will lend you a portion of my power so use it wisely, Soleil Rosenberg."


    She was about to ask more questions but all of a sudden, she felt a warm sensation in her chest. She clutched her chest tight while closing her eyes tight.


    When the pain subsided and she felt the cool breeze of air, she opened her eyes.


    Ah, she was floating above thanks to her red ming wings.


    But the sight that greeted her made her seriously upset: the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, the Golden Tiger, and the ck Serpent had all transformed into their beastly forms. That alone was enough to crush the buildings around them, which meant that nobody could recognize the Royal Pce now.


    Because the four Beast Gods'' divine forms were gigantic, she was pretty certain that the surviving humans could see them even from afar.


    <em>Why are these "gods" acting like children?!</em>


    Anger instantly rose up in her chest at the same time a wave of new and stronger Mana flowed in her veins. She took a deep sigh, then she yelled at the top of her lungs.


    "You feral beasts!" Soleil yelled in a firm and clear voice. "Kneel!"


    The Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, the Golden Tiger, and the ck Serpent suddenly crashed on the ground as if an unseen force shoved them down. When the Beast Gods hit the ground, they all returned to their human forms.


    Much to Soleil''s amazement, Winchell, Elis Ripperton, Ainsworth, and Kalel Moonchester were all kneeling down with their heads hang low.


    ***


    NOTE: I don''t know what else to say but sorry. I''m really sorry for suddenly taking a hiatus here without telling you in advance. My brain suddenly stopped working for Mommy Viiness just when we''re at the final arc.


    But my brain is working properly again.


    I''m back.


    And I''m here to finish the story now.


    I hope you forgive me for the sudden break. I didn''t mean to make you feel abandoned. I''m really sorry. :<


    ***


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 314: Tale of the Moon Serpent

    Chapter 314: Tale of the Moon Serpent


    SOLEIL, when she came to be, was just as shocked as the Beast Gods.


    When shended on her feet, Winchell, Elis Ripperton, Ainsworth, and Kalel all stood up while looking at her as if she just grew another head.


    She could tell why they were shocked though.


    First, her aura and Mana felt stronger than the Beast Gods''bined power.


    Second, that strange power of hers actually forced them to kneel when she told them to do so.


    The Sun Priestess told her that she was the Beast Priestess. She thought she was only supposed to lead the Beast Gods to the war. But she didn''t understand why her powers seemed to have been boosted by the strange apparition that she saw a while ago.


    <em>But it makes sense. To govern the Beast Gods, I have to be somewhat strong enough to control them. I wonder where the sudden boost came from though?</em>


    "Sister Soleil, what happened?" Ainsworth asked, obviously confused with what happened. "When you yelled a while ago, a strong force crushed me to the ground. Before I knew it, I''m already kneeling in front of you."


    Winchell, Elis Ripperton, and Kalel kept quiet but they seemed to agree with the little tiger.


    "It must be one of the perks of being the Beast Priestess," Soleil said confidently even though she was also confused by what happened. Then, she quickly changed the topic. "Anyway, why the hell are the four of you fighting? You''re embarrassing."


    In fairness, these men called gods looked embarrassed by their actions.


    "Winchell and Elis started it," Ainsworth said smugly, then he pointed at Kalel. "He made it worse though. When Winchell and Elis saw him carrying you in his arms, the three of them started to fight. Kalel put you down in a corner, then he transformed into his ck Serpent form. Then, Winchell and Elis also transformed."


    The three used men didn''t deny it.


    In fact, they even looked smug of their fight.


    <em>Ah, men and their stupid war thirst for fights.</em>


    She turned to the little tiger with a sharp re. "Then, why did you also transform?"


    "I wanted to stop them," Ainsworth defended himself. "I can''t do that in my human form, you know?"


    She could only sigh while shaking her head.


    "Soleil, are you okay?" Winchell asked, then he walked to her and held her hand. "We should go home. I''m worried about your sudden burst of power so let''s have the Sun Priestess check on you."


    "You can''t just leave," Elis Ripperton protested. "The Crades have been eliminated but the situation here isn''t solved yet."


    "Kale Kingdom isn''t our territory. We have already done our part so we should be free to go," her brother argued, then he turned to Kalel. "This is your kingdom. Your father is already dead but your siblings are still alive. It''s your duty to rebuild this kingdom with them, not ours."


    To be honest, she didn''t feel sad that King Aleo was already dead because he wasn''t a good king and a good father anyway.


    Most of all, she was relieved to know that Kalel''s siblings were alive.


    <em>Lord Kalel seems to care about his siblings a lot.</em>


    "It''s true that it''s my responsibility to rebuild the kingdom with my siblings," Kalel said, then he turned to her. "But can you stay with me a bit, Soleil?"


    She wasn''t the only one surprised by the ck Serpent''s request.


    Her brother and Elis Ripperton looked like they wanted to strangle Kalel.


    On the other hand, Ainsworth got over his shock the fastest. After a while, the little tiger plopped on the ground andid down on his side.


    <em>Sozy.</em>


    Kalel, who probably noticed that she was hesitating, gave her a pleading look. "We''re friends, aren''t we?"


    Before Soleil could even speak, all of them froze when they heard a voice in their head.


    It was a message from the Sky God himself.


    And the damned old man asked Soleil and the Beast Gods to eliminate all the remaining Crades in the whole continent.


    Thus, the legend of the Beast Priestess and the Beast Gods was born.


    <strong>***</strong>


    IT TOOK Soleil and the Beast Gods three years to finally eliminate every single Crades in the whole continent.


    By then, she was already known as the Supreme Fire Mage after she burned down millions of Crades that terrorized the human race. On the other hand, each one of the Beast God had managed to gather devoted followers.


    By the time that the Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, the Golden Tiger and the ck Serpent returned to their respective n, tribe, and kingdom, they were already more famous than the main gods that went silent during the great war against the Crades.


    "Wee back, Lord Winchell and Supreme Fire Mage," Solenn and Sris greeted them as soon as they arrived at their residence.


    Soleil was relieved to finally have the chance to get some rest.


    When she and Winchell arrived at their country, their people greeted them with much enthusiasm. If Solenn and Sris didn''te to calm the crowd, they would have never arrived at her residence as soon as she''d like to.


    "Thank you," Soleil said, then she plopped on the sofa. "I''m so exhausted."


    "That''s why I told you to go to your room and rest," her Brother Winchell said, then he sat on the other end of the sofa she was seated on. "Our people will understand that the Supreme Fire Mage needs to rest."


    She rolled her eyes because it was obvious that her brother was teasing her for having another title.


    First, she was the Beast Priestess.


    Now, she was the Supreme Fire Mage.


    "You deserve a rest, Lady Soleil," Sris, seated opposite hers, said gently. "The banquet for your return can wait."


    Solenn nodded in agreement with her father. "Our country and our people have missed you tremendously. But we understand that you need to rest, Supreme Fire Mage."


    She nodded, and she was about to nod off when all of a sudden, she heard a voice in her head.


    "<em>Wee back, Supreme</em>," the voice in her head said. "<em>Did you miss me?</em>"


    Soleil opened her eyes and got up abruptly. "Luna?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL didn''t know if she was going tough or get pissed when she found Luna in the grand bath that was supposed to be exclusive to hers.


    The Moon Priestess was already in the cold water while enjoying a ss of wine.


    Yes, the water in her giant bath was cold because the weather in their country was always humid. Although she enjoyed a hot bath, her guest obviously didn''t. She wouldn''t be surprised if Luna herself made the water cold.


    "Wee back, Supreme Fire Mage," Luna said, then she raised the ss of wine in her hand. "I heard about your victories for the past three years. You and the Beast Gods gained fame paralleled to the glorious days of the main gods."


    "All we did was kill and kill every single day," Soleil said, tired. Then, she got in the cold water and sat opposite Luna. Her bath was so grand that instead of a tub, her people actually build a pool the size of ake for her. "I don''t think it''s worth celebrating."


    "That''s only because you''re too soft," the Moon Priestess said. "You pity even the Crades that eat humans."


    She couldn''t refute that. "It got harder for me when they took the form of humans, Luna."


    "That''s the weight that you need to carry as the Beast Priestess, Soleil," she reminded her. "And now that you became the Supreme Fire Mage, your responsibility only doubled. The faith of your people in you and Lord Winchell have also gotten stronger for the past three years."


    She just nodded.


    Since her brother was a Beast God, the faith of their people in him would benefit him. After all, the stronger the people''s faith was in their chosen god, the stronger their god bes. In her brother''s case, his Red me grew stronger than ever.


    And that''s the same case with the other Beast Gods.


    "Can we please not talk about that for now?" she asked the Moon Priestess. "I''d rather hear what you came here for, Luna."


    Luna nodded before she proceeded. "Have you heard of the story about the Moon Serpent?"


    "The god that was kicked out of the heavens?"


    "Yes," the Moon Priestess said. "The Moon Serpent was the other ruler of the Moon before he was banished from the heavens. In the past, this world had seven moons. Kyro was fond of them, and he treated them like they were his sons. They were practically Nystrom''s siblings."


    She listened intently because the story was rted to Kalel.


    "Apparently, the Moon Serpent was jealous of the seven moons that only gave their glow to Kyro," Luna continued with her story. "He was banished from the heavens after he attacked Kyro and tried to eat the moons apparently."


    Why does it sound like Luna doesn''t believe the story?


    "Since Kyro was still injured during that time, the Sky God decided to turn six of the moons into humans and sent them in the human world," the Moon Priestess said. "But I guess you know what already happened after that."


    She nodded. "The story about the six moons is quite famous. The six moons infamously inherited the human greed and thus, began killing each other for power and wealth."


    "Disturbed by the noises created by the war that the six moons created, the Moon Serpent resurfaced and eat them one by one. But to be honest, I believe that the Moon Serpent did that to protect the human race," Luna said with a bitterugh. "But do you know what the Sky God did after that? He turned thest moon into a human and sent him to hunt the Moon Serpent down."


    "I know that story," she said. "Since the Moon Serpent was depicted as a monster in several stories, Aku Moonchester, the one who killed it, had been celebrated as a hero. That''s the reason why the name Moonchester has been famous all over the continent. Also for that reason, the people didn''t question it when Kyro chose Aleo Moonchester to build a kingdom from the remains of a fallen empire."


    "For a Child of the Sun, you sure know a lot about the Moon God and the stories about him."


    "It''s because the Moon God and his "sons" are infamous for creating troubles for the human race," she said cheekily. "The Children of the Moon, despite being called heroes, are actually a threat against the human race."


    The Moon Priestess chuckled. "I can''t deny that. The Children of the Sun have a close-knit family."


    "What''s the point of this talk, Luna?"


    "Will you believe me if I say that the Moon Serpent isn''t the real viin of the story?"


    "Are you saying that the gods, especially the Sky God, made a mistake when they ordered the death of the Moon Serpent?"


    "That''s correct," the Moon Priestess said seriously. "The real viin in the story is Aku Moonchester."


    "Luna, that''s a heavy usation."


    "I''m not yet done, Soleil. I also worked hard for the past three years, you know?" Luna said with a smug smile on her face. "What will you do if I tell you that King Auro Moonchester is the reincarnation of the Aku Moonchester that killed the poor little Moon Serpent?"


    Soleil''s eyes widened in shock. "Auro Moonchester is the child that Lord Nystrom and I saved in the past?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BROTHER, are you leaving the kingdom?"


    Kalel, now standing in front of Auro seated on the throne, nodded. Seeing his brother wear the crown gave him a sense of relief. He knew that he could leave in peace now. "I swore on my life that I will make you the king, Auro," he said. He could mention the king''s name right now because only the two of them were in the throne room. "And now that it has been fulfilled, I know that I can leave the kingdom in your capable hands."


    Three years ago, Auro began to rebuild their kingdom.


    Under his reign, Kale Kingdom had flourished in just a span of two years. The people loved and trusted Auro. He wasn''t needed in the kingdom anymore.


    "Brother, be honest with me," Auro said with a sad smile on his face. "What''s the real reason behind your decision to leave the kingdom?"


    Ah, it looked like he couldn''t lie to his brother.


    To be honest, he didn''t expect that this day woulde. He always thought that he would stay at Kale Kingdom with his siblings. But after spending the past three years with Soleil, he realized one thing.


    He didn''t want to spend his life without her anymore.


    "I want to live my own life now, Auro," Kalel said honestly. "I will go to Srium and try to court Soleil one more time."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 315: Fight Fire With Fire

    Chapter 315: Fight Fire With Fire


    SOLEIL gasped for air.


    After Luna showed her the memories that she witnessed for the past three years, she felt like she drowned. She was only able to breathe again after the memories of the Moon Priestess disappeared in her mind.


    "Luna, are those memories that you''ve shown me real?" Soleil asked when she finally calmed down. She almost forgot that they were still in the bath. But time must have passed quite quickly because the cold water that she remembered had turned warm. "Is it true that Yumi the White Snake is poisoning her own son? And King Auro is working with the Moon God?" She clenched her teeth when she remembered thest part of the memories that Luna showed her. "Moreover, Elis Ripperton is involved with them."


    There were three major points in Luna''s memories.


    First, Yumi was using her poison to somewhat control Kalel.


    Second, Auro Moonchester was working with the Moon God. The two also joined forces with the Crades that attacked the Kale Kingdom three years ago. Auro Moonchester probably did that to get rid of his father and ascend the throne without losing the support of his people.


    She understood that human greed could force a person to do sphemous things such as what Auro Moonchester had done. But she could never understand how a thing such as a throne could drive humans crazy. Even though she already lived a lifetime in the past, she was yet to understand why humans would kill just to be on the top.


    <em>But most of all</em>


    "I don''t understand why a Beast God like Elis Ripperton will aid a human like Auro Moonchester," she said, annoyed by the Blue Dragon''s shamelessness. "Most of all, even the Moon God himself was involved in such abomination."


    "There''s an on-going silent war among the Moon God, the Sky God, and the missing Sun God," Luna said after being quiet for a while. "Lord Kyro''s descend and teaming up with Auro Moonchester may have something to do with that war. And since Lord Kalel is the only son of the Moon God, it''s inevitable for him to use his own child."


    "Do you know if Lord Kalel is aware of what Auro Moonchester and the Moon God have been doing for the past three years?"


    The Moon Priestess shook her head. "Based on my observation, it seems like Lord Kalel isn''t aware of anything that his brother has been doing behind his back."


    Ah, that was a relief.


    She couldn''t imagine what kind of pain Kalel would go through if he found out that Auro Moonchester worked with Crades who invaded their kingdom.


    The only thing that she could be grateful for was the fact that she and Kalel had been closer for the past three years. Traveling the whole continent while fighting Crades also got her and the other Beast Gods closer.


    Here I thought Elis Ripperton has changed. I was willing to give him another chance to be my friend again. But now, I want to deprive him of his Beast God title that he doesn''t deserve.


    "Lord Kalel isn''t safe with his lunatic family," Soleil said firmly. "Luna, is there a way for me to save him?"


    "That''s what Solenn and I have been working with for the past three years, Supreme Fire Mage," Luna said confidently. "Now, go and have a talk with the Sun Priestess." She turned to the exit of the grand bath. "I will deal with your clingy brother in the meantime."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHAT ARE you doing here in my sister''s room?"


    Luna poured wine in her ss,pletely ignoring Winchell in the meantime.


    Right now, she was seated on the tea table but instead of tea, she was having wine. She found it more rxing to drink before heading to bed.


    "The Supreme Fire Mage is in the Sun Priestess''s room," Luna said, then she turned to Winchell who stood by the door with his arms crossed over his chest. "Don''t even try to bother them because the Sun Priestess is giving your sister a full body massage."


    It was a lie though.


    She just said that Soleil was getting a full massage to imply that the Supreme Fire Mage was partly naked. Thus, Winchell couldn''t carelessly enter the Sun Priestess''s room. It was really bold of her to lie in front of a Beast God.


    But it seemed like the Red Phoenix wasn''t really listening to her anyway.


    After all, she caught Winchell subtly checking her out from head to toe. And it looked like he was pleased with what he saw.


    She rolled her eyes.


    <em>God or not men will always be men.</em>


    Well, she couldn''t really me Winchell for not being able to take his eyes off her body. After all, she only wore a short and tight bathrobe. She also wore a thin white nightgown under it but it didn''t hide the luscious curves of her body.


    "If you have a message for Lady Soleil, I will ry it to her for you," she said to get Winchell''s attention. "If it isn''t urgent, you may just talk to her first thing in the morning. Your sister deserves a whole night of rxing, Lord Winchell."


    Winchell''s eyes finally met hers. "What are you nning with my little sister?"


    Ah, as expected, he was sharp.


    She gestured for the chair opposite hers. "Care to join me for a drink?"


    "You already have two sses on the table," hemented when he joined her table. "It seems like you''re already expecting me. Did Soleil ask you to stay here and distract me?"


    Sheughed softly as she poured wine in Winchell''s ss. "Is it working?"


    He took a sip of his wine before he nodded firmly. "It''s effective."


    "Lord Winchell, you''re aware of the on-going war among the main gods, aren''t you?"


    The Red Phoenix looked surprised by the sudden change of topic, but he gave her a quick response anyway. "I am. Did you make Soleil aware of it?"


    "It can''t be helped," she said. "Solenn, the Sun Priestess, and I, the Moon Priestess, have seen the same prophecy a few years ago. We kept it a secret because Lady Soleil and the Beast Gods have gone to war against the Crades."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What kind of prophecy did you and Solenn see? It''s rare for the Sun Priestess and the Moon Priestess to work. After all, you are each other''s natural enemy."


    Well, that was true.


    But since she wasn''t serving Kyro anyway, Solenn feltfortable with her. She also trusted the Sun Priestess because she knew that the Children of the Sun had nothing against her real master the Moon Serpent.


    She sipped her tea before she answered. There was no use trying to hide the truth from the Red Phoenix. "The union of the Supreme Fire Mage and the ck Serpent."


    As expected, the Red Phoenix''s eyes glowed dangerously. But he wasn''t angry at her. She also didn''t feel like he would hurt her. The Red Phoenix was simply anxious because he was too overprotective of his little sister. "Are you saying that the heavens want my little sister to marry the ck Serpent?!"


    "Soleil Rosenberg isn''t just your "little sister," Lord Winchell," she reminded him firmly. "Soleil Rosenberg is the Supreme Fire Mage and she has a duty to fulfill and that is the duty to give birth to the Moon Serpent."


    Winchell looked surprised by her revtion. "Soleil is destined to give birth to the Moon Serpent?"


    "That''s correct, my lord," Luna said seriously. "And the Moon Serpent is the only being that could save us from the impending doom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "FIGHT FIRE with fire?" Soleil asked Solenn while holding a vial that contained a purple, glimmering liquid. Then, she looked up at the Sun Priestess. "Do you want me to poison Lord Kalel by using the poison that you made with Luna?"


    "That''s right, Supreme Fire Mage," Soleil said with a thoughtful nod. "It''s a poison that acts as an antidote if the person who''d consume it is already filled with poison in his body."


    Right now, they were in Solenn''s room.


    To be precise, they were having tea in the lounge while sharing a round table.


    "How can I make Lord Kalel consume this?" she asked worriedly. "Lord Kalel''s spirit guardian is his mother. And Yumi the White Snake is knowledgeable of poisons. She''d know if her son is getting poisoned."


    "That''s true," the Sun Priestess agreed with her. "And that''s exactly why we prepared a special kind of poison, Lady Soleil. To be honest, it would be more appropriate to call it a spell at this point."


    "How did it be special?"


    "The poison can only be transferred to another person through a kiss."


    She almost choked on her saliva. "A k-kiss?"


    Solenn remained pokerfaced, then she nodded. "Yes, a kiss," she said. "Lady Soleil, you have to drink the poison. But don''t worry because it won''t be harmful to you. After you drink a small amount of it, you have to kiss Lord Kalel. Yumi the White Snake won''t notice it. Moreover, I''m sure she''d give you privacy with her son even if she doesn''t want to. After all, what kind of a mother would be willing to see her child''s intimate moment with a partner?"


    That was true.


    She froze when she realized something, then her cheeks burned from embarrassment. "W-Wait why did you and Luna assume that Lord Kalel and I w-will k-kiss?"


    "We didn''t assume it, mydy," the Sun Priestess said seriously. "Luna and I saw a prophecy about you and the ck Serpent."


    "What kind of prophecy is that?"


    Solenn suddenly turned solemn. "A prophecy that says you and Lord Kalel must conceive the Moon Serpent if you want to save the whole continent from the impending doom."


    She was shocked to hear that. "But isn''t my future husband a threat to our n?"


    "This is a gamble that we need to take now, mydy," the Sun Priestess said. "The first prophecy says that your husband would either make or break our n. But now that there''s a war among the gods, we need something and someone stronger than the Red Phoenix to protect us. And you''re the only one who can summon the Moon Serpent."


    "We''re the Children of the Sun, Solenn," she reminded her. "And the Moon Serpent is a former ruler of the moon"


    "That''s exactly why your union with Lord Kalel is needed, mydy," Solenn said firmly. "Perhaps, it''s time for the righteous Child of the Sun and Child of the Moon to unite to save our continent from the result of the war among the main gods. You and Lord Kalel were chosen by the heavens for a reason, Supreme Fire Mage."


    She was about to say something when all of a sudden, she felt a cold breeze.


    It seemed like Solenn felt it as well because she turned to the closed window of the room.


    Her heart thumping hard against her chest, she stood up and ran towards the window to open it. And just like she expected, he was there.


    Kalel was in front of the shrine where the Sun Priestess resides. He was looking up at her with a soft look on his face. Then, much to her surprise, snow started to fall down from the sky. Did he bring the snow with him, or was it already the beginning of winter?


    Whatever it was, Kalel and the snow looked good together.


    <em>God, I missed him so much.</em>


    "Lord Kalel," Soleil greeted him with a smile on her face. "May I know what you''re doing here at this hour?"


    "This might sound crazy but" Kalel began, then he hesitated. He scratched his cheek as if he was shy, and it was fun seeing him that way. After all, he was always calm andposed. Seeing him act awkward now made her heart skip a beat. "Soleil, I''m here to beg for a chance to win you over with the intention of making you my wife."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story in your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 316: Cruel Intentions

    Chapter 316: Cruel Intentions


    "DID YOU bring the snow with you?"


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you but I can''t fully control the weather, Soleil," Kalel said in an amused tone. "Do you like the snow?"


    "Not really. I like warm weather the most," Soleil confessed, then she pointed at the beautiful white flowers underneath the deciduous trees in front of them. "But they bloom every time it snows, and that what makes me love this weather."


    She brought Kalel to her favorite part of the man-made forest that surrounded her residence.


    It was in the middle of the woods. Since she would often train there, her servants built a cabin for her and it was just behind them.


    Right now though, she and Kalel were seated on a bench. They were having tea while enjoying the tea together. It was alreadyte at night but aside from the full moon that made the night sky a little brighter than usual, there were also floating spirit stones around them.


    Those spirit stones were made of their n''s me. So basically, they were like floating candles that light up the surroundings. And since the me was from the Fire Mages, ordinary snow or water wouldn''t be able to put them out.


    "Snowdrops," Kalel said, cutting off her thoughts. "Those flowers are called snowdrops."


    "They look like little bulbs."


    Much to her pleasant surprise, he chuckled. "That''s true."


    She smiled not because he agreed with her, but she found his happy face really soothing. "Lord Kalel, are you serious about wanting to marry me?"


    "I am."


    "What made you realize that you want to marry me suddenly?"


    "It''s not ''suddenly,''" he denied while shaking his head. "You already know that I have feelings for you before the Crades war began, don''t you?"


    She nodded, then she pouted. "But you gave up on me easily."


    "You turned me down."


    Well, she couldn''t refute that.


    "I don''t know where to put myself in that kind of situation, Soleil," he said. "Had I pursued you after you turned me down, I would have been the kind of man that most women detested. And most of all, I don''t want my feelings to scare you."


    Ah, that was nice to hear.


    "Although I have to say that during the three years that I spent with you, my feelings may have turned me into a monster," he confessed softly. "I have be greedy for you, Soleil. I no longer want a life without you in it. Thus, I left Auro and the kingdom toe here and beg for your love." He paused for a while to sip tea, then he continued. "Will you give me a chance this time?"


    To be honest, she didn''t have to think twice.


    In the past, she decided to remain "friends" with Kalel because of the first prophecy. But now that she knew that she had to marry him and conceive the Moon Serpent with him for the sake of the world, she didn''t want to escape her fate anymore.


    Because just like Kalel, her feelings for him also grew for the past three years.


    "I don''t want to live here once we get married," she said, obviously surprising Kalel. "I love my n but they can be so overprotective most of the time. Thus, for that reason, I don''t want them to be involved in our marriage in any way."


    But that was only a part of the reason why she didn''t want to stay in Srium when they get married in the future.


    She knew that Kalel was still a threat to her n. Thus, she wanted him to stay from the Fire Mages as far away as possible. But that wasn''t the end of it. She wanted a different ce to call home to separate Kalel from Auro Moonchester as well.


    <em>I can''t straight up tell Lord Kalel that Auro Moonchester is nning sinister things behind him. I have to gain his trust first. And I can only do that once we''re separated from his brother.</em>


    "I can''t return to Kale Kingdom because my existence threatens Auro''s reign," he said after a few seconds of silence. "Although I already expressed myck of interest in the throne, the people who want to oppose my brother still keep on bothering me."


    "Then, where shall we live after our marriage?"


    As the heiress of the Rosenberg n, she had several territories under her name. But as she said, she didn''t want to live in a ce where her n could easily go to. Knowing them, they would probably "visit" as often as they wanted.


    "I''m still a royal prince, Soleil," he reminded her. "Although King Aleo was a horrible father, he still secured a territory in my name as a part of his deal with the Moon God."


    "Oh, you have a territory?" she asked curiously. "Where is it?"


    "In the northern region of Kale Kingdom."


    She blinked in surprise, then she gasped. "Isn''t it thend that always snows?" She clicked her tongue. "Lord Kalel, thete king scammed you! He purposely gave you a vast yet wastefulnd as a territory. I know that it''s bad to bad mouth a bad person but I''m still going to say it: Aleo Moonchester deserved his gruesome death."


    Kalel looked at her in surprise, then heughed. "I like it when the usually nice and polite Soleil turns bad," he said, then he gently patted her head. "Don''t worry, Soleil. The North is an inhabitablend. I''ve been there so I know. The snow only acts as a barrier. But once you get inside, it isn''t as cold as it looks like from the outside. Thete king didn''t know that because he didn''t bother to inspect thend thoroughly."


    "Oh," she said. She decided to forget about thete king''s evilness because it didn''t matter anymore. "So, we''re going to live in the North after we get married?"


    "Only if it''s fine with you," he said worriedly. "Although the cold is bearable even for average humans, it might still be ufortable for a Fire Mage like you, Soleil."


    "Don''t worry about me, Lord Kalel," she assured him. "I can survive it. My body is naturally warm so I don''t get cold."


    He smiled as if he was relieved, then he blinked in surprise. "Soleil, does it mean you agree to marry me?"


    She chuckled and was about to tease him about how ''slow'' he could be sometimes when all of a sudden, a strong ball of energy came out of his chest pulling Kl away from her.


    "Lord Kalel!"


    Worried about him when she saw him hit a tree and fall on the snow-covered ground, she stood up to help him. But all of a sudden, she found herself unable to move. The next thing she knew, a gigantic white snake was already wrapped around her body.


    The white snake was trying to break her body by constriction, and it was hissing angrily at her face.


    "You will not marry my Nystrom, you wench!" Yumi, the White Snake, hissed at her. "I will not give you my son!"


    "Mother!" Kalel yelled angrily when he saw his mother about to bite her. "Don''t hurt Soleil!"


    Her future husband didn''t have to worry about her though.


    She protected herself by literally summoning her ck me to burn Yumi. Yes, she used the ck me even though it was bad for her body. But if she wanted to seriously hurt a minor god like the White Snake, she had to use her own power.


    And it worked.


    Yumi, almost burned to death, fell on the ground. Hah, she looked like a charcoal snake now instead of a white one. Most of her scales had also melted from the heat of her ck me.


    "Dear future mother-inw, I am not the same meek girl that you met three years ago," Soleil said coldly, then she turned to Kalel who stood in shock after he saw her roast his mother alive. It saddened her that she couldn''t get along well with her mother-inw, but she had duties to fulfill. "Kalel, I will only ept your marriage proposal if you promise that your mother won''t live with us. I know that she''s your spirit guardian. But I know that there''s a way to separate her from you." When Yumi hissed as if it was about to attack her despite her serious injuries, she stepped on the White Snake mercilessly. "I''m sorry but I need to make you choose between me and your mother."


    Kalel looked at Yumi with a sad look on his eyes, then his jaw clenched when he looked at her face. "Let''s get married, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHY DID you let the ck Serpent leave to marry my Soleil?!"


    Auro Moonchester, seated on the windowsill of his room while watching Elis Ripperton literally bring a storm there, sighed. "Why are you venting out on me, Lord Ripperton? It was Lord Kyro who decided to let his son marry the Supreme Fire Mage. If you''re mad about it, then go andin to the Moon God."


    "As if I could do that," Elis Ripperton, who seemed to be tired after turning his room upside-down, plopped on the sofa facing him. "Lord Kyro is in a bad mood because apparently, he had a fight with Lady Yumi after she found out that the ck Serpent left. The White Snake left a while ago to follow his son, so the Moon God is sulking in the shrine."


    He chuckled at that.


    Kyro and Yumi had a weird yet strong rtionship. It was normal for gods to have several wives. But the Moon God had remained faithful to the White Snake all these years. Some people may call it love. But he didn''t know what love was so he couldn''t be so sure about that.


    "Just endure it for a bit, Lord Ripperton," Auro said, then he turned outside to look at the full moon. "We only need Soleil Rosenberg to get pregnant because apparently, female Fire Mages are the weakest when they have a child in their womb. Once she''s in her most vulnerable state, we will steal her heart." He turned to the Blue Dragon with a raised brow. "I don''t know if you still want Soleil Rosenberg after she gets pregnant with another man''s child though."


    "I don''t care about that. Soleil will always remain pure in my heart," Elis Ripperton said. "But make sure to kill the child because I would loathe a mini version of the ck Serpent, Auro Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LET LADY Soleil marry the ck Serpent, Lord Winchell."


    Winchell heard Solenn and he would usually listen to his granddaughter. But this time, since the topic was rted to his precious little sister, he wouldn''t be easily convinced. "It''s not that I''m just being overprotective," he said. "But the Moonchesters are enemies. I won''t let my sister marry a guy from that family."


    Right now, he was in the prayer room dedicated to him the Red Phoenix.


    They used that room because only he and Solenn, the Sun Priestess, were allowed to step inside. Not even Soleil was allowed there.


    "I''m aware of that, my lord," the Sun Priestess said. "But we need the Moon Serpent on our side. Only Lady Soleil and ck Serpent can conceive him."


    He clicked his tongue because if she put it that way, he couldn''t refute her anymore.


    After all, he knew the importance of the Moon Serpent if they wanted to win the divine war among the main gods. He didn''t want to admit this but the sudden disappearance of the Sun God did a number on their side. The Sky God was also trapped in the ne so he couldn''t directly give them a hand.


    Thus, they needed to summon the Moon Serpent.


    "Lord Winchell, we only need Kalel Moonchester because of the Moon Serpent," Solenn reminded her, her eyes gleaming in the dark. "But once the Moon Seprent is born, regardless of Lady Soleil''s feelings, the ck Serpent would no longer have any use to us."


    Winchell fell silent for a while, then heughed when he realized what the Sun Priestess meant by her words. "Yes, we can get rid of Kalel Moonchester after he fulfills his role."


    ***


    NOTE: I don''t know what else to say but sorry. I''m really sorry for suddenly taking a hiatus here without telling you in advance. My brain suddenly stopped working for Mommy Viiness just when we''re at the final arc.


    But my brain is working properly again.


    I''m back.


    And I''m here to finish the story now.


    I hope you forgive me for the sudden break. I didn''t mean to make you feel abandoned. I''m really sorry. :<


    ***


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 317: Humble Wedding of the Century

    Chapter 317: Humble Wedding of the Century


    "MOTHER, you are different from other spirit guardians so I know that you''ll live even if I lock you out of my Mana," Kalel, seated on the edge of the tub, told his mother seriously. "In the Snake n, there''s a half human-half snakewoman called Selena. I heard that out of all the snakewomen that you take care of, she''s the one who has the body that resonates well with your spirit. If you use her as your new host, then everything is going to be fine for you."


    "Are you really choosing that wench over me, Nystrom?" his mother, dressed in a white robe while dipped in the tub, asked him bitterly. Even though she was back in her human form, her white scales still covered her whole body. Most of the burnt scales were now recovering. "I''m your mother and I know what''s best for you, son. I''m telling you Soleil Rosenberg will be the cause of your downfall!"


    He took a deep breath, then he literally looked down at his mother.


    Right now, they were in the cabin that Soleil lent them. After she epted his marriage proposal, she excused herself and went back to her residence to give him private time with his mother.


    They should be celebrating their engagement but Soleil was kind-hearted enough to let him deal with his family matters first.


    <em>And Soleil wants me to tend to my mother''s injury as well.</em>


    Soleil got his mother pretty good. After all, his mother''s scales were melted by her ck me. Still, it was obvious that his fiance held back.


    Thankfully, healing his mother''s burn marks was easy. All he had to do was put his mother in a tub filled with water that he summoned from his Mana. His water Mana had healingponents. Usually, burn marks caused by a powerful element such as Soleil''s ck me would be impossible to heal even with his power.


    But his mother was special since she was a minor god.


    Moreover, ''Yumi the White Snake'' was also known as the ''Water Serpent.''


    He actually inherited his water Mana from his mother. And since his mother''s spirit resonated well with his water Mana, she was able to be his spirit guardian with ease.


    "Mother, I''ve already lived a lifetime," he reminded his mother, then he stood up. "I''m no longer a child. That means I can make decisions of my own."


    Once again, his mother burst out crying while hugging her knees closer to his chest. "Are you in love with that wench?"


    "Don''t call Soleil that way, Mother," he said firmly. "She''s not someone who you can insult. If any of the Fire Mages hear you, they will kill you for badmouthing their precious Supreme Fire Mage. And" He turned to his mother, his red eyes now glowing. "I''ve tolerated you long enough, Mother. This time, I won''t let it slide if you insult my fiance again."


    "Your father will hear about this, Nystrom," his mother said in a cracked voice, then she buried her face against her knees. "Don''te crying to me once Soleil Rosenberg ruins your life, son."


    "Don''t worry because that won''t happen," Kalel said firmly, then he turned his back on his mother. "Take care of yourself, Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MASTER, are you alright?"


    Soleil smiled weakly at Lucina Morganna. Her spirit guardian voluntarily went out of her body to check on her. Lucina may have felt that she was suffering from her body ''overheating.'' It was the side effect of using her ck me a while ago. "I''m alright, Lucina," she said while lying on the bed motionless. "Thank you for taking care of me."


    After Lucina went out of her body to walk her to her room, she nursed her and even gave her a bath before tucking her into bed.


    "It''s my duty to take care of you," Lucina said in her usual indifferent voice. "Should I call the Sun Priestess? She knows better than me how to look after you."


    "Please don''t," she said while weakly shaking her head. "I heard that my brother is talking with her. If my brother finds out that I used the ck me again, he''s going to scold me."


    "I understand," the spirit guardian said. "Then, I will look after you all night."


    She chuckled. "Thanks," she said, then she gasped. "Ah, I have a favor, Lucina."


    "You don''t have to ask for ''favors,'' Master," Lucina said. "I''m your servant. All you have to do is order me and I''ll do anything that you tell me to."


    Hearing that made her sad.


    She had been with Lucina ever since she was a child. But despite her attempts to get closer to her, she refused the friendship that she offered her. Instead, Lucina insisted that having the master-servant rtionship that they had suited them best.


    Afraid that her spirit guardian might hurt her if she forced friendship on her, she just decided to follow Lucina''s pace.


    "Please check if Lord Kalel has returned to his room," she told Lucina. "It''s praying time for the servants of my residence so there''s no one avable to assist him. Can you see if he needs something?"


    Lucina nodded, then she bowed to her. "I will return as soon as possible, Master."


    Soleil smiled at her spirit guardian. "I will wait for you, Lucina."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Soleil gained consciousness, she realized right away that her soul was summoned by a divinity.


    And it wasn''t just her.


    In the center of the white hall with five pirs, she stood with Kalel, Winchell, Ainsworth, and Elis Ripperton.


    None of them looked shocked or confused. After all, this wasn''t the first time that a god summoned them in their dreams. But she had to say that this was the first time a god summoned the Beast Priestess and the Beast Gods together.


    "Soleil, you''re here," Winchell greeted her cheerfully. Then, her brother stood beside her and held her hand. "This is the Sky God''s domain. Stick to me."


    Soleil nodded at her brother''s request.


    She was about to say something when all of a sudden, Kalel stood on her other side. Then, he quietly asked for permission through his eyes while identally "bumping" the back of his hand against hers. When she smiled and nodded, he gently grabbed her hand.


    That gesture made her heart flutter.


    "Let go of my sister''s hand," her brother snarled at the ck Serpent.


    "No," Kalel said firmly without even turning to the Red Phoenix. "I will only let go of Soleil''s hand if she asks me to."


    "Don''t fight," Soleil scolded her brother and her fianc firmly. "We''re at the Sky God''s domain."


    Winchell and Kalel listened to her, thankfully.


    "What''s happening though?" Ainsworth asked while looking at her and Kalel''s hands. Then, he looked up at her face with a questioning look on his face. "It''s normal for Winchell to be clingy and stick to you, Sister Soleil. But this is the first time that I saw you and the ck Serpent hold hands." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Although I have to say that the two of you have gotten closer these past years we spent together. Are you seeing each other now?"


    The question actually made her shy.


    After all, this was her first romantic rtionship.


    "No," Kalel answered Ainsworth''s question, almost giving her a heart attack. Thankfully, the ck Serpent exined right away. "Our rtionship is deeper than simply "seeing" each other." He turned to her and gently squeezed her hand. "Soleil and I just agreed to get married."


    She smiled, her cheeks burning from embarrassment.


    But she wasn''t ashamed of their rtionship. She just got nervous because it finally sank into her mind that she was going to marry Kalel.


    And after his announcement, there was a heavy silence in the air.


    "Congrattions, Sister Soleil and ck Serpent," Ainsworth said nervously while looking back and forth to Winchell and Elis Ripperton who were both silent at the moment. "Well, I guess I''m not the only one who doesn''t know."


    She could understand her brother''s silence. After all, she knew that Solenn already informed Winchell about the new prophecy.


    <em>I''m sure my brother will scold meter.</em>


    Elis Ripperton''s silence bothered her though.


    <em>But I''m hoping that he has already moved on from me.</em>


    "Congrattions to your engagement, Supreme Fire Mage and ck Serpent."


    They all turned to the floating golden ball of divine energy where the Sky God''s voice came from.


    Of course, he wouldn''t show up in his human form.


    "Thank you, Lord Sky God," she and Kalel said at the same time.


    Since it was a formal gathering, they addressed the god formally as well.


    "What did you gather us for?" Elis Ripperton, who never once turned in their direction, asked impatiently at the Sky God. "We''re busy people, Lord Sky God."


    "Don''t worry, Blue Dragon. This will be quick," the Sky God said. "Soleil Rosenberg, the Beast Priestess, I thank you for leading the Beast Gods and eliminating the Crades n with them. I am here to reward you for your hard work."


    <em>Oh, that sounds sweet.</em>


    "Give me your hand, child."


    She wanted to but both Winchell and Kalel squeezed her hand a little tighter.


    <em>How immature.</em>


    In the end, she decided to shake off her brother''s hand. Winchell looked so betrayed, but she just averted her gaze away from him. Then, she lifted her left hand.


    A warm and golden light enveloped her wrist.


    And just a few momentster, she was already wearing a crystal bracelet with an engraved symbol of the sun. That made her wonder.


    <em>Why does the bracelet have the symbol of the sun when the gift came from the Sky God?</em>


    "That bracelet is the symbol of the Beast Priestess, Supreme Fire Mage," the Sky God said. "With that, you can summon the Beast Gods whenever and wherever you need them."


    "Did you have their consent?" she asked nervously while looking at each of the Beast God around them.


    None of them looked surprised by the gift that she received.


    Winchell, Ainsworth, and Kalel even smiled at her.


    Elis Ripperton just looked at her.


    "This gift has already been decided before the Beast Gods descended back to earth. They all agreed to be summoned by you using the divine bracelet," the Sky God exined. "Feel free to use it to your heart''s content, Supreme Fire Mage."


    She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Lord Sky God," she said, then she looked at the Beast Gods one by one with a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you, everyone."


    The men all bowed at her as a response.


    "Now that I have delivered your promised reward, I shall go and send you back," the Sky God said.


    "Wait, Lord Sky God," she said in an urgent voice. "I have a favor to ask."


    To be honest, she only thought of it just now.


    But she didn''t want to let this opportunity go. After all, it was rare for the Sky God to grace them with his presence.


    "Say it, Supreme Fire Mage," the Sky God said. "I will grant it as long as it is within your power."


    She gulped and nodded before she spoke. "Lord Sky God, please officiate my wedding with Lord Kalel right here, right now."


    Everyone looked shocked by her request, including her fianc.


    "I''m sorry for not asking for your permission beforehand, Lord Kalel," she said when she turned to her fianc. "The idea entered my mind just now. We don''t know when we''d get to meet a god again so I want us to be married at this instant and receive his blessing."


    After all, a blessing from a god could be used to protect their union.


    "I understand, Soleil. And you don''t have to apologize," Kalel said, then he caressed her face with his hand. "I''d love to be married to you right here, right now. But are you sure that you want to get married even without a wedding gown?"


    She smiled and leaned into his touch. "Yes, Lord Kalel. I''d rather have a god blessing our union than having a wedding gown."


    Yes, she and Kalel were both wearing sleeping clothes.


    But it didn''t matter to her. As she said a while ago, the Sky God''s blessing was more important than a grand wedding.


    "Congrattions again!" Ainsworth said. "Hurry up with the ceremony, then let''s have a grand banquetter!"


    "You have lost your mind," Winchell said while shaking his head. "Are children these days really crazy?"


    "I hate to agree with Winchell but he''s right you two have lost your mind," Elis Ripperton said bitterly. "I don''t want to see this wedding."


    "I''ll send you back now, Blue Dragon," the Sky God said. As soon as he said that, Elis Ripperton really disappeared from his spot. "Shall we begin this wedding now?"


    Soleil and Kalel turned to each other, then they smiled before facing the Sky God. "We are ready, Lord Sky God."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 318: Growing Desires

    Chapter 318: Growing Desires


    LUCINA already knocked several times on the door of Lord Kalel''s room.


    When she didn''t get a response, she began to feel worried for the safety of the lord. After all, Lord Kalel was her master''s fianc. It was her duty to make sure that he was safe, especially since he was in the residence of Lady Soleil.


    "Please excuse my intrusion, Lord Kalel," Lucina said, then she entered the room. As soon as she did, she let out a soft gasp and turned around facing the door. "I''m sorry, my lord."


    She was surprised because she found Lord Kalel lying on the bed without a shirt.


    The lord wore trousers so he wasn''tpletely naked. Still, the sight of his sinful body surprised her.


    Although she never considered herself a human since she was born from me, for the first time in her life, she felt one. The vessel that she was simr to a human body. Thus, it had the same function. Like having flushed cheeks, perhaps.


    <em>Should I just leave?</em>


    But should she just really leave the lord in that position?


    Based on what she saw, it looked like Lord Kalel suddenly copsed when he was in the middle of putting his shirt on. After all, even though she quickly turned around a while ago, she still noticed the clean shirt on the floor.


    <em>He might be sick or injured</em>


    Determined to help the lord, she took a deep breath while gathering the courage to turn around and face him again.


    This time, she didn''t let her feelings get in the way of serving Lord Kalel.


    She quickly picked up the shirt on the floor, put it in the basket of dirty clothes, then went to his closet to get a new clean shirt.


    "Please excuse me, my lord," she said.


    After that, she sat on the edge of the bed and gulped as her eyes traveled to his gorgeous body.


    Lord Kalel was very pale. Hisplexion was probably like that because his father was said to be as pale as the woman, and so was his mother who was even dubbed as the ''White Snake.'' Yet, his very fairplexion didn''t make him look less of a man.


    The lord had broad shoulders, wide expanse of chest, slim waist, taut hips, and


    and that rock-hard stomach.


    She was ashamed to admit this but she suddenly had the urge to run her fingers over his wonderful body.


    <em>Just once and he wouldn''t know right?</em>


    Once again, she gulped. But this time, she wasn''t able to control herself. Before she knew it, her hand was already on its way to feel his chest.


    She thought she was finally close to heaven.


    But all of a sudden, Lord Kalel grabbed her by the wrist. Then, he got up fast. Before she knew it, he already held an ice dagger against her throat.


    "Who are you?" Lord Kalel asked in a threatening voice, his red eyes glowing dangerously. "What are you doing in my room?"


    She couldn''t speak because the sharp and cold "de" of the ice dagger was pressed heavily against her throat.


    It looked like the lord noticed that because the pressure of the "de" against her throat suddenly turned a little lighter for her to speak. But despite that, she knew that he could still sh her if she said something wrong.


    "M-My name is L-Lucina Morganna, my lord," she said in a shaking voice. "I am Lady Soleil''s guardian spirit."


    As soon as she said that, Kalel let go of her wrist.


    Then, he dropped the ice dagger that quickly melted. The water was absorbed by his body before it hit her or the bed.


    "Sorry," he said apologetically. "I didn''t recognize you right away."


    That hurt.


    During the past three years, she also fought with Lord Kalel and the other Beast Gods. Lady Soleil summoned her multiple times in the presence of the ck Serpent. And yet, he was saying that he didn''t recognize her?


    "Am I that unforgettable, Lord Kalel?"


    He flinched when he probably noticed the hurt in her voice.


    "It''s not that you''re unforgettable," he said while scratching his cheek and avoiding her gaze. "I just simply don''t pay attention to women who aren''t Soleil."


    That hurt even more.


    She hated it when people only saw her as Lady Soleil''s spirit guardian.


    But she didn''t know that she would hate it more when someone didn''t even recognize her not even as her master''s servant.


    That made her feel insignificant.


    Thanks to her pride that refused to look more pathetic, she went back to her usual indifferent look and tone. She was hoping that it was enough to hide her pain. Because truthfully, she was broken inside.


    "I understand, Lord Kalel," she said formally, then she stood up. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. Lady Soleil sent me here to check on you. When I saw you unconscious on the bed, I couldn''t help but to aid you as it is my job to do so. But when I was about to put some clothes on you, you suddenly woke up." She bowed to him. "I''m sorry if my shameless action offended you, my lord. Please forgive this lowly servant."


    "You don''t have to bow and apologize again and again, Lucina Morganna," the lord said in an awkward voice. "I should be the one saying sorry for suddenly attacking you. Please raise your head."


    She did as she was told.


    To be honest, she wanted to be angry at him. But she couldn''t stay mad at him while he looked like that.


    By "that," she meant looking immactely handsome.


    "Thank you for worrying about me. But since I''m up now, you don''t have to aid me anymore," Lord Kalel said formally. "You''re dismissed, Lucina Morganna."


    Lucina bowed lightly. "Have a good night, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR BROTHER stormed out of his room and flew around the pce while screaming and breathing fire."


    Soleil let out a sigh when she heard that from Solenn.


    The Sun Priestess wasn''t the only guest that she had as soon as she woke up from her dream a while ago. The Moon Priestess was also there.


    In fact, the two were seated on either of her sides.


    It seemed like the priestesses felt it when the Sky God summoned her through a dream. Thus, they went to her room and checked on her. And when she woke up, the two were already beside her.


    "That''s understandable," Soleil said to the twodies. "Solenn, Luna, I just got married to Lord Kalel a while ago."


    Solenn and Luna both gasped in surprise.


    On the other hand, she just giggled shyly and raised her left hand to show the twodies her "ice wedding ring."


    Since her wedding ceremony with Kalel was abrupt, he created their wedding rings on the spot. It was just a simple ice band that had their initials engraved at the back of the rings. And because the ring was made of Kalel''s ice, they wouldn''t melt. Even the special warmth of her body wasn''t enough to melt the ice wedding ring.


    "For a full god like Lord Kalel and a favored Child of the Sun like you, a wedding of that scale is uneptable," Solenn said while shaking her head. "Although we have another motive for marrying you off to the ck Serpent, we still have a reputation to protect."


    Luna nodded in agreement. "As the Moon Priestess, I am ashamed that the only son of the Moon God gave the Supreme Fire Mage a wedding ring made of ice. I feel like I should bow and beg for your forgiveness on Lord Kalel''s behalf, Lady Soleil."


    "The most important thing is Lord Kalel and I are already married," she said defensively, then she kissed the ice wedding ring. "And I love our wedding rings."


    "If you say so, mydy," Solenn and Luna said at the same time, both were still obviously disappointed by the humble wedding ceremony that she had with Kalel.


    Now that she was finally talking about her simple wedding ceremony, she suddenly felt shy. "The Sky God blessed our union and that''s all that matters for now," she said, her cheeks probably flushed. "I took the opportunity to get married to Lord Kalel because I want our wedding to be blessed by a main god. I thought the Sky God''s blessing would somehow give our marriage a little protection."


    She already knew that her marriage with Kalel was destined to fail.


    But that didn''t mean that she couldn''t try and make it work. After all, she wasn''t the kind of person to listen to the gods easily. If she was that obedient to the heavens, then she should have ascended with the other Beast Gods after her first life ended.


    "So, where will you go for your honeymoon?"


    Luna''s straightforward question startled her. "H-Honeymoon?"


    "Ites after the wedding, mydy," Solenn said bluntly. "Don''t tell you forgot about the honeymoon part?"


    Her cheeks probably turned red because the two priestessesughed at her.


    But of course, they got serious right away.


    "Mydy, I know that we told you to conceive the Moon Serpent with Lord Kalel," Solenn said. "But please don''t get pregnant for now."


    "We don''t know what kind of poison did Yumi inject inside Lord Kalel''s body all his life," Luna added. "You have to cleanse his body first using the potion that I made for you. Once you''re certain that the poison inside Lord Kalel has been purified, only then should you conceive a child with him."


    Soleil, sad that she was reminded of the true purpose of her marriage with Kalel, nodded and gently ran her finger over the ice wedding ring. "I will fulfill my duty to protect our n."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>"DON''T you find it unfair?"</em>


    Lucina Morganna covered her ears with her hands when she heard the voice a little girl in her head again. Then, she closed her eyes tight. "Go away!"


    After she left Lord Kalel''s room, she didn''t go back to Lady Soleil''s room when she felt the presence of the Sun and Moon Priestess inside. So she went to an empty, guest room instead. When she felt a sudden pang in her head, she sat in the corner of the room and hugged her knees close to her chest.


    Then, that was when she heard the familiar and annoying voice in her head.


    <em>"Your master has every good thing since she was born. She was also that spoiled during her first life</em>," the voice continued ringing in her head. <em>"And she even has a very fine man as a fianc now. Don''t you feel jealous of her?"</em>


    "No," Lucina snarled at the voice. "Lady Soleil is my master, so why would be jealous of her?"


    She knew in her heart that it was a lie though.


    And the voice in her head knew that as well.


    "I don''t like Soleil Rosenberg," the voice in her head said. "And you know that, don''t you?"


    Of course, she knew that.


    After all, she lived in the Core of Lady Soleil.


    "Soleil is too soft for my ck me," the voice continued. "That''s why she can never tame me. What I need is a person like you, Lucina Morganna."


    She opened her eyes because of shock.


    That was the first time that she met a person (or whatever the voice was) that chose her over her perfect and well-loved master.


    "Y-You need me?"


    She didn''t want to admit this but she had always longed for other people to acknowledge her as a different person from her master.


    But she didn''t have the chance to prove to them that she was a person of her own. After all, she rarely came out. Lady Soleil gave her the freedom toe out whenever she wished to. But she never did because she didn''t like to hear people refer to her as "Lady Soleil''s spirit guardian."


    Although it was what she truly was, she still didn''t want them to remember her that way.


    "You''re the person who suits to use the ck me best, Lucina Morganna."


    "R-Really?"


    "Yes, and I mean it," the voice said confidently. "Lucina Morganna, do you want to be a real human?"


    She gulped, tempted by the offer. "H-How?"


    "Oh, you just have to steal me, the ck me, from Soleil Rosenberg," the voice said in a yful voice. "Then, betray your master in the process, of course."


    Lucina''s eyes widened in shock. "You want me to betray my master?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 319: Founding of House Nystrom

    Chapter 319: Founding of House Nystrom


    "YOU''RE GOING to abandon yourst name ''Moonchester?''" Soleil asked Kalel. Right now, they were having tea in the rose garden. It was their "first morning" as husband and wife. She hoped that Kalel didn''t notice but she kept looking at their wedding rings made of his ice. And she would smile secretly each time because it was proof that they really got marriedst night. "Why would you want to change your name, Lord Kalel?"


    "To protect Auro''s reign," Kalel said with a serious look on his face. "I am the oldest son and therefore, I should have been the king. But since I was never interested in the throne, I quietly stepped down as a prince. Still, there are people using my existence to threaten Auro''s reign."


    "I thought they already gave up when you left Kale Kingdom?"


    He shook his head. "When the news of our marriage reached the Royal Capital, the Anti-Royal Faction brought up my existence again to question Auro''s position. My brother was able to ascend the throne because of his father''s untimely death. But by doing so, he bypassed one importantw that the other kings had followed in the past."


    "Whatw is that?"


    "A king must be married and produce an heir within three years."


    Ah, now she understood.


    Now that Kalel was married, he had be more "fit" to rule the kingdom in the eye of the people who didn''t like Auro as a king. But does her husband really have to change his name for that?


    "Lord Kalel, I hope you don''t mind my asking," she said carefully. "But why can''t King Auro just find ady to marry? He''s young, good-looking, and a logical ruler. I''m sure there are a lot ofdies from decent households who want to marry him."


    She knew that Auro Moonchester wasn''t all that but until she was certain that Kalel would choose her side, she''d avoid bad-mouthing the king.


    After all, it seems like Lord Kalel is very attached to Auro Moonchester.


    "Auro wants to marry because of love and not for politics," he said, then heughed softly. "He could be sentimental like that sometimes."


    She just smiled even though her heart broke a little when she realized something.


    As of now, Lord Kalel will choose Auro Moonchester over me.


    She would have to work harder to make her husband love her more than he loved his little brother.


    <em>I guess this is worse than Lord Kalel having a mistress.</em>


    "I want Auro to marry for love the same way I did," Kalel said softly, then he held her hand and brought it near his lips without breaking eye contact. "Because I want my brother to experience the joy of being married to the woman he loves."


    After saying those sweet words, he kissed her knuckles.


    Of course, that was enough to make her blush.


    "Do you want something?" she asked, her cheeks still probably as red as a tomato. "Something''s telling me that you''re being this sweet because you have a favor to ask."


    "I do have a favor that I want to ask but that''s not the reason why I''m being sweet," he said smoothly. Then, he gently caressed her warm cheek with the back of his hand. "Is it wrong to dote on my wife?"


    She smiled because she liked hearing him call her his wife.


    "Stop with the sweet nothings," she said. She''d die of happiness if Kalel won''t stop making her feel giddy. "What is the favor that you want to ask, Lord Kalel?"


    "I''d like to return to the Royal Capital for a while," he said, now more serious than a while ago. He still held her hands gently though. "I want to ask Auro to give me the Grand Duke title and make my territory an independent state."


    She gasped when she heard that. "An independent state?!"


    He nodded firmly. "Thus, I need to change my name. Once I be a Grand Duke of my own state, the Anti-Royal Faction could no longer use me as a tool to question Auro''s reign."


    "But do you think King Auro would grant you a title and an independent state?"


    "Of course," Kalel said confidently. "After all, we are brothers."


    Soleil could only smile sadly for her husband''splete trust to his evil brother.


    <em>Don''t worry, Lord Kalel I will save you from Auro Moonchester.</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU''RE GOING to use ''Nystrom'' as yourst name, Brother?"


    "Yes," Kalel told his brother while they were having a break from their sparring. "I want to use my first name in the past as myst name in this lifetime."


    Auro was in the middle of practicing his swordsmanship when he arrived at the pce.


    His brother asked him to join him for sparring. Of course, not after asking his guards to leave the training ground. They wouldn''t be able to fight properly if he had the royal knights around them because they would definitely arrest him as soon as he pointed a sword at his brother.


    He was confident that Auro wouldn''t let his knights arrest him, but still, he didn''t want that kind of troublesome thing to happen.


    Most of the people who serve my brother are wary of me after all.


    "Brother, you know the three conditions that you need to fulfill for establishing a recognized state, don''t you?" Auro asked. "You need a territory, leaders, and people. The North region is already yours, and I could give you and your wife the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess title respectively. But you need people. Where will you get them? Your territory has been empty because people thought it was inhabitable due to the unending snowstorm in thatnd."


    "Soleil and I already discussed it before I left," he said, then he drank water from the vial before he continued. "My wife and I decided to let the orphans of the previous war live in my territory. Most of them worship the Supreme Fire Mage and the ck Serpent anyway."


    "Ah, I see."


    He was surprised by his brother''s seeminglyck of interest in the topic.


    After all, he honestly thought that Auro would easily support his decision. It was for him anyway.


    "Is there a problem, Auro?"


    "I don''t mind giving you your independence, Brother," Auro said. "But I''m afraid that the people who support me would see it as a rebellion from you. Having an independent state while the kingdom has just recovered from war is a little"


    Ah, he didn''t see it from that perspective.


    "I understand," he said because he didn''t want to put his brother in a tight spot. "Then, would you at least allow me to live in the North with my wife? I also wanted to bring the orphans with us as soon as possible. Our official independence can wait, but I hope you grant us the permission to move to my territory."


    Finally, his brother''s face lit up. "Of course, Brother."


    He nodded. "Thank you."


    "Ah," the king said as if he remembered something. And he turned serious once again. "Brother, I also have a favor to ask of you. Actually, it''s a favor for Lady Soleil. But I want you to hear it first. Is that okay?"


    "Go ahead."


    "I actually need to borrow the bracelet that she received from the Sky God," his brother said in an embarrassed tone. "Ever since the news of your marriage spread, the rumor about the present that the Sky God handed to the Supreme Fire Mage also spread like wildfire."


    It didn''t surprise him anymore.


    After all, there were priests and priestesses who could receive visions from gods. They might have been the ones behind the spread of the news.


    <em>Was Auro affected by that news?</em>


    "I know it''s not Lady Soleil''s fault but because of the present that she received from the Sky God, it did a number on my reputation as a king," his brother said, his face now red with embarrassment. "But it would really help me protect my position if the people of Kale Kingdom see that I have a strong connection with the Beast Priestess and the Beast Gods. I thought that if the bracelet is put under my care for a short while, my reputation will improve. Is it too much to ask of Lady Soleil, Brother?"


    "Of course not," he said. "I understand your grievances, Auro. But of course, we still have to ask for her permission. After all, the bracelet was a gift for her."


    His brother looked saddened by that.


    "Don''t worry, Auro," Kalel said, then he patted his brother''s back. "Soleil is a lot kinder than I am so I''m sure she''ll lend you a hand."


    Auro''s smile finally returned. "Thank you, Brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL almost choked when she saw the blueprint that her brotherid on the table.


    The mansion in the blueprint was huge, and it looked luxurious. Although the Rosenberg n was rich, they didn''t really spend a lot of money on things that they didn''t deem necessary. Like a house to live in.


    Our Royal Pce is a lot more modest than the other ones existing in the continent.


    "Brother," Soleil said, then she looked up at her brother who looked smug at the moment. "Are you saying that you''re going to build that huge mansion for me and Lord Kalel?"


    "I hope you''re not thinking that we don''t have the money for that, my dear sister," Winchell said, then he crossed his arms over his chest. "Although the Rosenberg n was taught to live humbly, that doesn''t mean we don''t have the wealth topete with other kingdoms. I can build ten more mansions as massive as that one and our wealth would remain abundant."


    "But"


    "We weren''t able to give you a grand wedding so let us give you a grand mansion instead," her brother insisted. "Moreover, your husband''s territory is in the North and it''s known for its cold weather. We, Fire Mages, should be the ones to build afortable home for you, Soleil."


    She smiled at her brother''s thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Brother. I thought you''d bepletely against my wedding with Lord Kalel."


    "You''re not wrong," he said sternly. "But leaders like us have duties to fulfill. And your duty is to give birth to the Moon Serpent."


    She scowled at that.


    "I know that it sounds inhumane," Winchell continued seriously. "But I only allowed that to happen because I know that you''re in love with the ck Serpent."


    She hadn''t forgotten that it was the real purpose of her marriage with Kalel.


    But it was still saddening to hear that.


    Soleil smiled anyway. "I understand, Brother Wixx."


    <strong>***</strong>


    IT ONLY took a year for the grand mansion in the North to be built.


    Since it was filled with spirit stones made by the Fire Mages of their n, their mansion was warm despite the cold weather outside.


    But she couldn''t appreciate the mansion yet because tonight


    It''s my first night with Lord Kalel.


    For the past year, they weren''t able to consummate their marriage because both of them got very busy.


    Kalel was in charge of taking care of the legal process of turning his territory into a recognized duchy. Unfortunately, her husband had to stay in the Royal Capital for that.


    On the other hand, she was in charge of helping the orphans they nned to bring to their duchy to have their legal papers register to the empire so they would be recognized as its citizens.


    Thus, this would be their first night together.


    "Soleil, are you ready?" Kalel, who was on top of her, asked while looking at her with glowing eyes. She could tell that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Moreover, the hardness poking at her hip right now was a firm evidence. "Are you sure?"


    Soleil nodded, then she closed her eyes. "I''m ready, Lord Kalel."


    Who would have thought that despite the preparations she took not to get pregnant right away, they were still able to conceive the Moon Serpent that night?


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 320: Weird Cravings

    Chapter 320: Weird Cravings


    "SHOULD I just stay here with you?"


    Soleil, despite feeling under the weather that morning,ughed softly at what her husband said. Right now, she was lying on the bed while looking and feeling sick. But she didn''t know that it would be enough for Kalel to worry this much about her. "I''m fine, Lord Kalel," she assured him. "I think I''m just exhausted. All I need is rest."


    Lord Kalel, seated on the bed while looking at her with a worried look on his face, didn''t move an inch. "Yourplexion doesn''t look good, Soleil. Should I call the doctor?"


    She shook her head. "I''m really fine, Lord Kalel. If you call the doctor, it will reach the ears of my people. They will definitelye here and make a fuss about it. Ever since Brother Wixx ascended back to heavens, my n has been more protective of me."


    That was right Winchell already ascended back to the heavens. And this time, for some unknown reason, he brought Luna with him. It was possible because thedy was the Moon Priestess. But of course, Luna could only enter the heavens as a guest. That meant she was required to leave as soon as possible.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    The Red Phoenix wasn''t the only person who left for the past year.


    Since the continent had found peace once again, both Ainsworth and Elis Ripperton also ascended back to the heavens. The little tiger''s n had been doing great. But ever since the Blue Dragon abandoned his n, there were bad rumors going around about his people.


    And that was exactly what kept her husband busy these days.


    "I like that you are surrounded by people who care about you," Kalel said, then he gently held the strands of her hair and kissed it. "But you know that I''m the one who cares about you the most, don''t you?"


    Sheughed at his pettiness. "You''re sopetitive even in the most trivial thing, Lord Kalel," she said, then she held his hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for worrying about me. But I''m really fine. Moreover, you need to go and find the n that Elis Ripperton abandoned."


    It was an order from Auro Moonchester.


    But it wasn''t an ordinary order.


    ording to the king, if Kalel managed to find the Ripperton n and bring them back safely to the Royal Capital, then Auro Moonchester would finally grant their dukedom its independence.


    "If you find them, we will finally gain our independence," she said, then she touched his face. "But other than the benefit that we will get once you fulfill your mission, I also want the Blue Dragon''s descendants to be found as soon as possible. I don''t like Elis Ripperton, but his people are innocent. Especially the children."


    "I know how much you care about them, Soleil," he said, leaning into her touch. "That''s the only reason why I epted Auro''s order even though I don''t care about Elis Ripperton and his abandoned n."


    She smiled and nodded. "I know, Lord Kalel."


    He smiled and kissed her palm.


    To be honest, she was still surprised that Kalel had be warmer and more gentle to her ever since they got married.


    <em>Is it because of the "poison" that I''ve been drinking for the past year?</em>


    It was the poison that Luna and Solenn made for her. Apparently, the more she kissed Kalel after consuming it, the more it would cleanse the poison in her husband''s body. And if the poison in Kalel''s body was cleaned out, then Yumi''s control over him would end.


    <em>I wonder how much Lord Kalel treasures me now? Should I put it to a test? I need to know if I canpete with Auro Moonchester at this point in time.</em>


    "What are you thinking, Soleil?" Kalel asked worriedly. "You suddenly fell silent."


    <em>Hmm let''s do this.</em>


    "Lord Kalel, I have a favor to ask of you."


    "You don''t have to ask for my favor," he said. "You''re my wife, Soleil. You can ask me anything."


    <em>Well, I''m not that sure about it yet.</em>


    "It''s about the bracelet that King Auro borrowed a year ago," she said, pretending to hesitate. "The bracelet that the Sky God gave to me as a reward."


    A year ago, Auro Moonchester "borrowed" the bracelet and put it in disy during the banquet of his 19th birthday. Apparently, it was to showcase the close ties of the king to the Beast Priestess and the Beast Gods.


    Even when Winchell, Ainsworth, and Elis Ripperton ascended back to the heavens, they had done it in the soil of Kale Kingdom.


    But even after Auro Moonchester gained the trust of his people, it seemed like he had "forgotten" to return the bracelet to her. She didn''t mind at first because she didn''t want to use the bracelet anyway. Things had changed now though.


    "I need it back," she said carefully. "Do you mind asking King Auro if I can have the bracelet back, Lord Kalel?"


    Her husband looked surprised by her request.


    But in the end, he nodded.


    "The bracelet has been in Auro''s possession far longer than it should have been. You have the right to ask for it to be returned now," Kalel said, then he kissed her forehead. "I will ask my brother to return it to you as soon as possible."


    Soleil smiled, then she hugged Kalel. She was relieved that Kalel didn''t think that she was being stingy to his brother. "Thank you, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "RETURN the bracelet?"


    "Yes," Kalel, riding on horseback, said. Right now, he and his brother Auro were riding on a horseback to the yard of his pce. They had a race a while ago. "To be frank, you only borrowed it to showcase your ties with us to the people of your kingdom. You should have returned it to my wife a long time ago, Auro."


    He didn''t like scolding his brother.


    But this time, he knew that Soleil was right. The bracelet was given to hers by the Sky God. It was a precious gift that she shouldn''t neglect. Auro was lucky that his wife was generous in the first ce.


    "Can''t I just keep it, Brother?" Auro asked in his usual charming voice. "Every time my enemies see the bracelet, they are reminded why they shouldn''t oppose me."


    "The bracelet belongs to my wife so don''t ask for my permission," he said firmly. "In the first ce, if you rely on something that doesn''t belong to you to keep your enemies in check, then how feeble your power over your own people must be?"


    "Brother, aren''t you being a little too harsh?"


    "I''m saying this for your own good," he insisted. It pained him to scold his younger brother this way. But now that he had a wife, he couldn''t look after him the way he did before. "Don''t rely on the Beast Priestess and the Beast Gods to protect your throne."


    "But I''m not a special being, Brother," the young king argued. "I need your strength."


    "Auro, we are not your tools," he said. To be honest, he didn''t like how his brother was acting right now. This wasn''t the Auro he knew that promised him to ascend the throne and be a better king than his father. "And stop talking like a coward. I don''t like seeing this side of you."


    For some reason, his brother''s face turned sad. "Brother, it seemed like you don''t love me anymore."


    "Why are you being sentimental all of a sudden?"


    "I just get the feeling that you''ll choose your wife over me anytime."


    "I pray that I won''t get in a situation where I have to choose between you and Soleil," Kalel said honestly, then he changed the topic. The idea that there was a probability where he might be forced to choose between Soleil and Auro was making him feel ufortable. "Do you want to hear my report about the missing Ripperton n, Auro?"


    Auro nodded, and it seemed like his mood didn''t improve even with the change of topic. "Let''s head back to my office, Brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "NYSTROM doesn''t listen to you anymore?"


    "He doesn''t," Auro snarled as a response to Yumi''s question. He was still fuming about the fact that Kalel ignored his request a while ago. His brother even scolded him! "It seems like he''s taking Lady Soleil''s side now." He red at the White Snake. "What happened to the poison that you''ve put in my brother''s body since he was reborn? I thought it was more than enough for him to never leave our side?"


    Yumi, ever since she was kicked out of Kalel''s body, had been living in the Moon God''s shrine that he made for Kyro. She was using some snakewoman as a host. Every time that snakewoman was asleep, she coulde out in her spirit form.


    It had only been a year since the White Snake was separated from his son. The effect of the poison in Kalel''s body should still be in effect. So howe his brother was acting like he was free from the poison now?


    "That can''t be possible," the White Snake hissed back at him. "Only I have the antidote for the poison that I made."


    "Then, what''s happening to my brother?" he asked, frustrated. "He wants the bracelet back as soon as possible. But Lord Kyro isn''t done tampering with the bracelet yet. What should I do now?"


    "Don''t worry about it," Yumi said, her eyes glowing menacingly. "My darling husband will return soon and once he''s here, we''ll create a chance for me to meet my little Nystrom," she said, then she bit her lower lip hard enough for it to bleed. After all, she was still a god and her vessel was whenever she would take the form of a human highly functioned as if it was real. "I will use the most powerful poison on my rebellious son to bring him back to us."


    Hearing that relieved him.


    "I''m counting on you, Yumi," Auro said, then he clenched his hands when he remembered something that annoyed him again. "I want to get rid of Lady Soleil as soon as possible."


    <strong>***</strong>


    AFTER taking a bath, Soleil took the vial of the medicine that she needed to take.


    It was a contraceptive medicine that Luna made for her. She convinced Kalel that it wasn''t the right time for them to have a child yet. She also told her husband a little lie by saying that she wasn''t ready to be a mother yet. Thankfully, her husband respected her decision.


    <em>I want to be a mother soon but not until I am certain that Kalel loves me more than he loves his evil brother.</em>


    It was ridiculous that her rival was her husband''s brother, but that was her reality.


    <em>Let''s not think about it for now.</em>


    She was about to drink the medicine when all of a sudden, she felt painful stomach cramps. This was the first time that she felt that kind of pain and out of shock, she dropped the vial on the floor. The bottle shattered, and the medicine made a mess when it spilled.


    She didn''t have the time to care about that though.


    <em>My stomach hurts</em>


    She stood up and was about to call the doctor when her body gave in. When she thought she was about to fall, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. Ah, she must have been in too much pain not to notice her husband''s presence.


    "Wee back, Lord Kalel," she said weakly, then she raised her head to smile at Kalel.


    Kalel looked worried, and that made her happy. "I''ll call the doctor," he said firmly, then he carried her carefully to the bed. He was about to leave when she grabbed him by the hand to stop him. Her husband turned to her with an apologetic look on his face while gently tapping her hand. "Please let go, Soleil. I''ll return to you as soon as possible."


    "I''m hungry, Lord Kalel," Soleil said. For some reason, the pain in her stomach subsided. Now, it was reced by hunger. And a craving that she hadn''t experienced before. "And I''m craving for your ice, my lord."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


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    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 321: The Child Who Must Never Be Born

    Chapter 321: The Child Who Must Never Be Born


    SOLEIL couldn''t help butugh softly at Kalel''s stupefied state.


    It had already been a good ten minutes since the doctor who checked on her left. But her husband was still frozen while sitting beside her. Kalel''s hand was also ced gently over her tummy. But he was as stiff and as cold as ice.


    <em>Ah, yes. We decided to call a doctor to check whether I was pregnant or not.</em>


    After all, Kalel thought it wasn''t normal for her to be craving for his ice. Although her husband always makes sure that his ice cubes were edible and safe for her to eat, he was still worried. Thus, he called a doctor.


    That was how they found out that she was already more than two months pregnant.


    "Are you okay, Lord Kalel?" Soleil asked worriedly, then she put a hand on her husband''s hand on her stomach. "Are you still in disbelief after we find out that I''m pregnant?"


    Kalel slowly nodded. "It''s such an overwhelming feeling to know that we''ve created a life together, Soleil."


    She smiled warmly at her husband. After all, she knew exactly what he was feeling right now. "I understand how you feel, Lord Kalel. We created another life, and I''m sure that our child would be a wonderful person."


    She was fully aware that the child in her womb was the Moon Serpent a "weapon" that they must use to kill Auro Moonchester.


    But now that the baby was finally in her womb, she could no longer see the child as the Moon Serpent. She wouldn''t allow anyone to treat her child as a weapon. After all, it was the life that she created with her beloved Kalel.


    "I''m just a little worried, Lord Kalel," she said when she remembered what the doctor said a while ago. "The doctor said that our baby''s heartbeat is faint. She said that I''m already more than two months pregnant. The baby''s heartbeat should be clearly detected by now."


    "We should return to the Royal Capital," her husband said. "The best doctors are in the Royal Capital after all."


    To be honest, she knew that it was the right thing to do.


    Yet, she couldn''t help but hesitate. Now that she was pregnant, she needed to stay away from Auro Moonchester. And she didn''t want the greedy king to know that she was already pregnant.


    "Lord Kalel, may I ask for a favor?"


    "Anything, Soleil."


    "Can we keep my pregnancy a secret from everyone first?"


    He looked surprised by her request. "May I know why?"


    "The women in our n used to say that the first months of pregnancy is quite dangerous," she said. Although what she was saying was true, it wasn''t the real reason why she wanted to keep her pregnancy a secret. She felt bad for lying to Kalel, but she had to. "I don''t want them to make a fuss over my pregnancy until it''s almost time for me to give birth to our baby." She squeezed his hand and gave her husband a pleading look. "Can you keep this a secret from King Auro as well?"


    "If you don''t n to tell your n about the good news yet, then I won''t tell my brother yet," he promised her. "I will trust your judgment."


    "Thank you, Lord Kalel."


    He just nodded and squeezed her hand. "Should I secretly return to the Royal Capital and find you a doctor?"


    "Regarding that matter, can I contact Solenn?" she asked. "Right now, she''s the only person I''mfortable to share my pregnancy news to. We can trust her about keeping it a secret. And moreover, she can send a doctor from our n to check on me."


    Since Luna wasn''t here, she could only depend on Solenn.


    To be honest, they warned her not to get pregnant right away. She even talked to Kalel about it. Thus, they used birth control medicine.


    But she remembered that there was a time that they did it without protection.


    It was only once and here she was, now pregnant.


    "What are you thinking, Soleil?"


    "I told you that I didn''t want to get pregnant right away but here we are now," she said with a smile. "It seems like I''m meant to be a mother as early as now."


    He suddenly looked worried. "Do you regret it?"


    She shook her head. To be honest, she thought she''d get scared for ruining their n. After all, she was advised by the Moon and the Sun Priestess not to get pregnant yet. But after receiving the good news, she only felt happiness in her heart.


    But there was fear as well.


    <em>Don''t worry, baby. I will protect you. Your father and I won''t let anything bad happen to you, our little angel.</em>


    "I don''t regret it, too," her husband said gently. "Even though we didn''t n for you to get pregnant right away, I''m still d that our child is in your womb now."


    "Lord Kalel, you have to protect our child at all cost," Soleil said, then she hugged her husband and buried her face against his neck. After all, she didn''t want him to see her sad and worried expression at the moment. "Please don''t let any harm befall on our baby."


    "Of course, I won''t," Kalel promised her, then he hugged her tight. "I will always protect you and our child, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE MOON Serpent has descended back to earth."


    To say that Auro was shocked to hear the news from Kyro, the Moon God himself, would be an understatement. "Soleil Rosenberg is already pregnant?"


    Right now, he was in the tea room with his esteemed guest.


    Kyro was using another person''s physical body as a vessel. But even though that was the case, his aura as a god was still blinding and overwhelming.


    "Yes," Kyro, seated opposite him while calmly drinking his tea, said. "I checked the ne before I returned here. The Spirit of the Moon Serpent is no longer there, Auro Moonchester. The only way for him to get out of his cage is to be conceived as my son''s child with the Supreme Fire Mage."


    His grip almost broke the handle of the teacup in his hand. "That child must never be born then."


    When Kyro sent him a message a few days ago, he was delighted to know that the Moon God was finally returning. After all, the real bracelet that Soleil Rosenberg received from the Sky God was in the possession of the Moon God. But since his brother, Kalel, wanted him to return it to the Supreme Fire Mage, he had no choice but to ask Kyro to return it.


    He didn''t know that Kyro would return with a piece of bad news.


    "We should kill the Moon Serpent before he gets reborn," he said with a low growl. "I already crushed his heart. Howe he was still able to be reincarnated?"


    "Exactly."


    "Huh?"


    "You don''t have to panic, Auro Moonchester," the Moon God said to him. "As you said, you crushed the Moon Serpent''s real heart in the past. But the ne probably provided him with a temporary heart. The Sky God must have had a hand in that."


    "So, the Moon Serpent is alive?"


    "Yes, but his heart is weak," the god said, then he sipped some tea. "That means we can easily kill the Moon Serpent."


    He was relieved to hear that, but he was still worried. "Kalel is the problem, Lord Kyro. Yumi''s poison seemed to have weakened. My brother is very attached to Soleil Rosenberg now. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that he might choose his wife over me in his current state."


    "Don''t worry about that, Auro," the Moon God said, then he slipped his hand in the inside pocket of his suit. Then, he put the bracelet on the table the Holy Bracelet that the Supreme Fire Mage received from the Sky God. "I already tampered with that bracelet. Instead of my adorable daughter-inw, you''re the one who would be able to control the Beast Gods now, Auro Moonchester. If you use that against my son, he can never disobey you."


    His eyes widened in shock. "Really, my lord?"


    The Moon God nodded, then he paused for a while before speaking again. "Don''t let Elis Ripperton know. He''ll get pissed since he doesn''t like being controlled. And you don''t have to use the bracelet on the Blue Dragon since he''s an ally anyway." He sipped his tea before he continued. "Just use that to control my stubborn son."


    Auro smiled, then he picked up the Holy Bracelet and put it on his wrist. "We can''t return this to Soleil Rosenberg now," he said, then he turned to Kyro. "What should we give her then, Lord Kyro?"


    "I made a fake one," Kyro said in a proud voice. "Give that to my daughter-inw and I swear that she won''t notice the difference."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "WHO ARE you?" Winchell snarled at the woman he found in a strange room. "Where is Luna?!"


    When he and Luna arrived at the ne, a strong and unseen force separated the two of them.


    He tried to look for her, but he got stuck in a hallway where both sides had white doors. He opened each door that he passed by but all of them were empty. Then, when thest door that he opened brought him to the strange woman in front of him now.


    "Why are you getting angry at me when you''re the one who trespassed at my home," the woman said in a cheerful voice. "You''re really rude, Red Phoenix."


    He just red at her.


    The woman had long, golden hair and a pair of literally shining green eyes. She wore a simple yet elegant white robe with gold ents. And she was holding a pen with a golden feather in her left hand.


    That was when he noticed that the room looked like an office.


    And the only desk there was messy with a mountain of what seemed to be paper works.


    "You look like a goddess," he said carefully. "But this is the first time that I''ve seen you."


    "I don''t like getting out of my room," the goddess said. "By the way, stop calling me ''you.'' You may call me ''Mistress'' instead."


    Winchell raised a brow at the weird name the strange goddess just gave him. "Mistress of what?"


    "Mistress of Fate," ''Mistress'' said in an excited tone, then she held up the golden quil in her hand. "Winchell, the Red Phoenix, would you like me to change your past and make the Moon Priestess called Luna your wife?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> I don''t know what else to say but sorry. I''m really sorry for suddenly taking a hiatus here without telling you in advance. My brain suddenly stopped working for Mommy Viiness just when we''re at the final arc.


    But my brain is working properly again.


    I''m back.


    And I''m here to finish the story now.


    I hope you forgive me for the sudden break. I didn''t mean to make you feel abandoned. I''m really sorry. :<


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 322: Birth of the First Keeper

    Chapter 322: Birth of the First Keeper


    "YOU''RE going to Srium alone?"


    Soleil nodded at Kalel''s question. "Solenn told me that it''s better to have Lady Cyra Amelia by my side during my pregnancy."


    "The former Sun Priestess?" Kalel asked, amused. "Winchell''s wife?"


    "My brother and Lady Cyra weren''t married," she exined to her husband. "Since my brother is a Beast God, he would have lost his divinity had she married Lady Cyra. Moreover, they didn''t love each other. They only had Sris out of duty."


    "Ah," he said, then he paused. "I think your brother likes Luna though."


    Sheughed softly as she nodded. "Yes. It''s quite obvious. Even though the elders of our n were against Luna staying at Srium, my brother protected her." She noticed that her husband suddenly looked worried. "Is there something wrong, Lord Kalel?"


    "Luna is a Moon Priestess," he said hesitantly. "As far as I remember, it''s quite difficult for a Moon Priestess to find a partner because of the certain rules that they must obey. I don''t know exactly what those rules are."


    "Oh."


    "But Luna and Winchell are both adults," her husband said, then he touched her cheek. "Let''s not worry about them too much. And you''re pregnant. I don''t want you to be stressed about other people''s business."


    She smiled, touched by Kalel''s concern.


    <em>He''s so different from how he acted in the past.</em>


    She was d that it seemed like Kalel had been getting closer and more attached to her. Was it because the "poison" that she had been taking was working on him? Could she assume that the poison inside Kalel''s body was now being cleansed?


    If that''s the case, I hope that Kalel chooses to believe me over his brother.


    After all, now that she was pregnant with the Moon Serpent, she was pretty sure that Auro Moonchester and his cronies would begin to attack her.


    "What are you thinking, Soleil?"


    "Nothing, Lord Kalel," she said while shaking her head. "We should go now."


    Her husband would return to the Royal Capital because Auro Moonchester summoned him again. Apparently, the king would finally give her Holy Bracelet back.


    On the other hand, she would secretly leave the North and visit Srium.


    She wanted to personally fetch Lady Cyra Amelia.


    "Take care, Soleil," Kalel said. She was d that her husband trusted her enough to let her leave their territory alone. He probably knew that she would be able to move quickly if she didn''t have a guard to worry about. "I know that you''re very strong, but please be careful," he said, then he kissed her forehead. "Please send me a message every hour."


    Soleil smiled and nodded. "I will, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "AURO MOONCHESTER, do you know what I recently discovered?"


    Auro smiled at Yumi. "Since you look happy, I bet it''s something that will benefit me as well."


    He didn''t have work today since he was expecting Kalelter.


    So he had the time to entertain the White Snake. Right now, they were having tea in his room. Since Yumi was using another person''s body, he had to hide her to avoid having a scandal.


    After all, the nobles around him were already pressuring him to get married.


    "My darling already found the Great Fire Tree," Yumi said cheerfully, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "And guess what? The Spirit of the Great Tree has a "daughter.""


    He sipped his tea while wondering how that piece of news would benefit them. "I understand why it''s important that Lord Kyro finally found the Great Fire Tree. After all, it can answer almost all the questions regarding the history of our continent including the pieces of information about the gods that created this world," he said. "But why do you sound like the fact that the Great Fire Tree has a "daughter" is the best thing from that?"


    "You fool," the White Snake said, then sheughed. "Do you think the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree would answer the questions that we asked him? If it''s that easy, then Kyro would have already gotten what he needed from that old tree."


    "Ah," he said. "So, do you n to use the Spirit''s "daughter" to make him talk?"


    "That''s your job, Auro Moonchester."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "ording to Kyro, the Spirit''s "daughter" is a nave little girl," the White Snake said. "Well, of course, she isn''t young. She''s probably as old as you if webined your previous lives. But apparently, that girl is nave and innocent. It''s probably because she was born and raised in the Eternal Garden with limited interaction with other beings."


    He could already see where the conversation was heading.


    But he shut his mouth and listened to Yumi.


    After all, he didn''t mind what Kyro and the White Snake nned to make him do. As long as he achieved his goals, his personal feelings didn''t matter.


    "Kyro said that this girl is craving for human interaction," Yumi said, then she put down the teacup on the table. "Do you understand what I''m saying?"


    He smiled and nodded. "How do I meet this "nave" little girl?"


    "I''m d that you''re sharp," she said, then she sipped her tea again. "Kyro already arranged everything for you. All you need to do is show up and act as a gant knight. Since you''re sharp, you''ll definitely understand what Kyro wants you to do."


    "What''s her name?" Auro asked, then he sipped his tea. "What''s the name of the girl that I need to seduce to get close to the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree?"


    "Nia," Yumi said with a satisfied smile on her face. "That''s the name of the girl that we want you to make your queen."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL knew that she was being followed.


    Right now, she was riding on a horse in the deep part of the forest. Since she didn''t want their people to see her leave their territory, she had to take that path. She didn''t expect that she''d be followed right away.


    <em>Does this mean Auro Moonchester already knows that I''m pregnant?</em>


    If the young king was already informed by her pregnancy, then she could now finally believe that a powerful god coborated with a greedy human.


    <em>st them all.</em>


    "Soleil, it''s me."


    She stopped the horse in its tracks when she heard the familiar voice that echoed in the forest. Then, she looked up and looked for the owner of the voice.


    "Elis?"


    Yes, it was Elis Ripperton.


    She was surprised that she didn''t recognize his Mana. The one that she felt a while ago was different from the Blue Dragon''s aura. She thought she was being followed by an assassin because of the thick bloodlust that she felt!


    <em>Is he going to kill me?</em>


    "I thought you already ascended back to heavens," Soleil said, wary. "Show yourself, Elis."


    Much to her surprise, her horse was carried by a sudden yet strong gust of wind.


    Afraid that the violent wind would throw her on the ground or something, she summoned her wings and flew away from the horse. Since her ck me was sealed by Winchell, she was back to using her brother''s Red me.


    She was distracted when the horse was suddenly sent flying until it hit a tree. The poor horse let out a cry before dying.


    That broke her heart.


    "Elis Ripperton!"


    Much to her shock, the damned Blue Dragon suddenly appeared right in front of her.


    Since Elis Ripperton had a greatmand of the wind, he could "fly" without the help of wings unlike her.


    But she didn''t have time to think about that.


    After all, she was shocked by what the sted Blue Dragon did to her without her noticing it right away.


    "I''ve missed you, Soleil," Elis Ripperton said with a smirk on his face. Then, he twisted the dagger that he stabbed in your stomach a while ago. It was a shock to her because her body shouldn''t have been pierced by any de after she covered it with her me. "I heard that you were already pregnant," he said, pushing the knife even deeper. "I wonder if the thing inside your womb is already strong enough to endure this?"


    She hated to admit this but the de of Elis Ripperton''s dagger seemed to have beenced with poison.


    After all, her body suddenly went numb.


    She was probably paralyzed.


    <em>My baby</em>


    She grabbed the de of the dagger, cutting both of her hands deeply. Thus, the pain and the blood. But she didn''t care about that. She pulled the de out of her body even if it meant that the blood would only spurt out more.


    <em>Please be safe, my little Moon Serpent.</em>


    "Soleil, you really are crazy," Elis Ripperton told her. "But that''s what I love about you."


    She hissed at him, then she summoned her me to burn the Blue Dragon alive.


    But much to her surprise, her me didn''te out.


    Worse, the me that covered her body began to get wiped out by the wind around her, and so were her wings.


    <em>I''m going to fall!</em>


    "The de that I just used to stab you is the kind of de that absorbs one''s Mana," Elis Ripperton said with a smirk while looking down at her literally. After all, she began to fall as her ming wings finally vanished. "Don''t worry, Soleil. I will catch you."


    She didn''t have the time to curse at him.


    All she could think about was how to save herself so her baby wouldn''t die with her.


    While covering her bleeding stomach with her hands, she closed her eyes.


    <em>Lucina,e out</em>, she ordered her Spirit Guardian in her mind. <em>Unseal the ck me.</em>


    Much to her shock, she was met with silence.


    <em>Lucina?</em>


    Why was Lucina not answering her call? Was she sealed or something because of the strange dagger that Elis Ripperton used?


    <em>No</em>


    She could only close her eyes while anticipating her fall, praying that her physically strong body would save her and her baby.


    But to be honest, she knew that Elis Ripperton wouldn''t let her fall.


    Thus, she wasn''t surprised when she felt someone break her fall before she hit the ground. But she was surprised when she noticed that the person''s body temperature that caught her was as warm as hers.


    "Master?"


    She immediately opened her eyes when she heard an unfamiliar voice.


    Glowing moss green eyes were glowing. Dark green curly, short hair. Body covered with ck clothing from head to toe.


    <em>I don''t know this man.</em>


    But for some reason, he felt warm and familiar to her.


    "I will introduce myself properlyter," the stranger said politely, then he carefully put her down and assisted her until she could stand on her own. "I will eliminate the enemy first."


    Soleil could only blink, her mind was still a clutter after the near-death experience that she had. "Are you saying that you can fight the Blue Dragon?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL couldn''t believe it but the stranger was able to fight with Elis Ripperton equally.


    Unfortunately, she wasn''t able to watch the fight longer because the two disappeared. She noticed that the stranger had pushed the Blue Dragon away from her location by sending hundreds of strong fireballs at Elis Ripperton.


    The stranger probably doesn''t want me to get harmed by the fight.


    She already took shelter inside a cave that she found.


    While she was there, she ripped the hem of her skirt and used it to tie around her stomach to stop the bleeding. But she knew that it wasn''t enough. She needed to go to a doctor. After all, there was a precious life in her womb now.


    <em>I can''t lose consciousness,</em> she reminded herself when darkness began pulling her. <em>I have to get out of here</em>


    "Master, I apologize but the Blue Dragon managed to escape."


    She raised her head, surprised that the stranger came back in one piece after fighting Elis Ripperton. He had cuts all over his body. But considering who his enemy was, she could tell that he fought well.


    "Who are you?" she asked in a weak voice. "Why do you keep calling me ''master?'' Since you can use a me, you must be a Fire Mage."


    The stranger got down on one knee and bowed to her. "Lady Soleil Rosenberg, my name is Wong the first Keeper that Lord Winchell created to protect you."


    She gasped when she remembered the "egg" that her brother showed her before.


    But did he say "first?"


    She gulped, hesitant to ask the question in her head but she still did. "There are other ''Keepers'' like you?"


    "Yes, Master," Wong said, then he raised her head. "They haven''t hatched yet though."


    ''Hatched.''


    She almostughed at the word that Wong used.


    But now that she had rxed, her body began to sumb to fatigue.


    "Wong, make sure that my baby is alright," Soleil said as her consciousness began to fade. "And call my husband for me"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 323: Hard Pill to Swallow

    Chapter 323: Hard Pill to Swallow


    KALEL was almost at Auro''s pce when a red ming feather suddenly appeared right in front of his face. He recognized it right away as one of Soleil''s feathers. She would sometimes use that method to send him a message.


    Thankfully, it appeared when he was on the premise of Auro''s residence. Since it was the king''s pce, there weren''t guards patrolling the area. Not even servants because for some reason, his brothers didn''t like many people entering his ce.


    <em>Anyway</em>


    "Soleil, how are you?" Kalel talked to the red ming feather as if it was his wife. He hid behind a tree while hiding his presence as well. Since he and Soleil decided to keep her pregnancy a secret, he didn''t want anyone else to hear his conversation with his wife. Not even Auro. "Have you arrived at Srium?"


    "ck Serpent."


    He got agitated as soon as he heard the unfamiliar voice of a male. "Who are you?" he snarled. "Where''s my wife?"


    "Lady Rosenberg was attacked by the Blue Dragon," the stranger informed him in a blunt and cold voice. "I brought her to Srium. She''s being treated by the people here."


    He felt gutted when he heard what happened to Soleil.


    <em>That damned Elis Ripperton attacked my wife?!</em>


    He was confused. After all, he thought that the Blue Dragon ascended back to the heavens with the Golden Tiger. And as a fellow Beast God, he should have felt it when that sted man returned to earth.


    <em>Does it mean Elis Ripperton hid his descent from us?</em>


    To be honest, he had no reason to easily believe a man he didn''t know. But he had Soleil''s feather. And he would risk anything if it was for his wife.


    Thus, the identity of the man talking to him right now wasn''t that important.


    His top priority was to hurry back to Soleil.


    "I''ll be there," Kalel said in a hurried voice. "You better be there and exin everything to me, whoever you are."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN Soleil woke up, she was relieved to be greeted by a familiar face.


    <em>Solenn</em>


    Now she was confused.


    Thest thing she remembered was being attacked by the cursed Blue Dragon. Then, a strange fellow who kept calling her "master" appeared. That was thest thing she could remember.


    "My baby," Soleil said in a croaked voice. She tried to get up but her whole body hurt like hell. She couldn''t even lift her hand to put it over her belly. "Is my baby safe, Solenn?"


    Solenn nodded, worry written all over her face. "Thankfully, your baby is safe since its Mana served as its shield. If your baby is an ordinary human, it wouldn''t have survived the Blue Dragon''s attack."


    She was relieved to hear that.


    To be honest, when she was on her way to Srium, she was thinking about apologizing to Solenn for getting pregnant right away. But after she almost lost her baby, she realized that she had nothing to be sorry about.


    Despite the risks, she knew in her heart that she would never regret carrying her child in her womb.


    "How did I get here?" she asked in a weak voice. "I just got out of our territory when I was attacked by Elis Ripperton."


    "A man called Wong brought you here," the Sun Priestess exined to her. "He has almost the same me as Lord Winchell. He even used the same teleportation spell that our lord uses."


    The teleportation spell that her brother uses was renowned in the continent.


    After all, the Red Phoenix could bring himself to any part of the continent that he had already stepped foot on. The downside was the spell consumed arge portion of his Mana.


    She also got the same ability.


    If she wasn''t attacked by Elis Ripperton, she would have used her teleportation spell to return to her country. Kalel knew about her ability. Thus, he allowed her to travel alone despite her being pregnant. After all, she couldn''t bring more people with her if she was going to use her teleportation spell.


    "How''s Wong?" she asked. "Using the same teleportation spell as my brother must have drained his energy. Especially since he brought me along."


    Solenn nodded in agreement. "Wong fell unconscious as soon as he was assured that we will treat you. He''s sleeping in the next room. Are you really acquainted with him?"


    "To be honest, this is the first time that we met," she said. "But apparently, he''s the Keeper that my brother created for me. I wouldn''t be surprised if my brother shared his memories with Wong. That guy seems to know me very well."


    "He also calls you master, Lady Soleil."


    "Yeah, I remember him calling me ''master,''" she said. "He must really be my brother''s creation."


    "Let''s set that matter aside first," the Sun Priestess said. "Lady Soleil, the child in your womb is the Moon Serpent. But I''m afraid that his heartbeat is too faint."


    She bit her lower lip before she nodded. "The doctor who checked on me the other day said the same thing. My baby is in danger, isn''t he?"


    Solenn nodded thoughtfully. "I don''t want to say this but it seems like the Moon Serpent''s life force is getting weaker every minute. We have to be careful for your pregnancy to be sessful, mydy."


    "I know that," she said seriously. "The enemies already know that I''m pregnant. Elis Ripperton attacked me to kill my child."


    The Sun Priestess looked even more worried now. "Mydy, should you just stay here at Srium for the duration of your pregnancy? We can protect you better if you''re here." Her eyes suddenly glowed menacingly. "Our country has been quiet all this time but it doesn''t mean that we can''t fight the Kale Kingdom. If Auro Moonchester sends assassins after you, we will take it as a deration of war."


    "It seems like going on a war against Auro Moonchester is inevitable."


    "I didn''t expect that you''d agree with me, mydy."


    "I hate wars," she admitted. "Wars only create pain and sins. Moreover, the poor at the end of the "hierarchy" suffer the most." She clenched her hands when she felt her strengthing back. "But I have a feeling that if I let Auro Moonchester loose, more people would suffer. He might even destroy the whole continent. I can''t let that happen. I saved him in the past so it''s only natural that I take responsibility by stopping him from his greediness."


    Solenn fell silent for a few seconds before she spoke again. "The Moon God is supporting Auro Moonchester in the dark, Lady Soleil," she reminded her gently. "And the Moon God is Lord Kalel''s father."


    "I know that very well," Soleil said softly, then she closed her eyes tight. "Thus, I decided to reveal everything to my husband."


    And ultimately, make Kalel choose between her and Auro Moonchester.


    <strong>***</strong>


    SINCE KALEL''s teleportation spell wasn''t as precise as Soleil''s, it took him a whole day before he reached the country of Srium.


    He never felt weed in the country of Fire Mages even after he married Soleil.


    But this time, the hostility that he felt from the people serving his wife''s residence got worse. Since they were working at Soleil''s pce, he wouldn''t be surprised if they already knew what happened to his wife. They were probably thinking that he failed to protect their Supreme Fire Mage.


    And honestly? They were right. He really failed to protect his wife.


    <em>I shouldn''t have let Soleil leave the territory alone.</em>


    "ck Serpent."


    He raised his head to find a strange man standing on the branch of a huge fire tree in front of the room where he was asked to wait. There was a huge yard in front of the pce, and he was on the second floor. If the stranger climbed up the tree, that only meant that he specifically looked for him.


    "That voice is familiar," Kalel said, then he walked towards the open window and leaned against the windowsill. "You were the one who sent me a message using Soleil''s feather. How did you do that?"


    He was suspicious of the stranger but he was trying to be polite.


    After all, the strange man had the same aura as the Fire Mages. Moreover, he was in his wife''s country. He didn''t want to offend her people.


    "That feather was mine," the stranger said in a cold voice. "I have the same ability as my master and my creator."


    "I can''t follow what you''re saying," he said. "And would it kill you to introduce yourself first?"


    "My name is Wong. Lord Winchell created me to serve and protect my master," the Fire Mage man called ''Wong'' said. "I will live and die for Lady Soleil Rosenberg, the Supreme Fire Mage and the most precious person in the whole world."


    He got goosebumps because he thought he was listening to Winchell.


    Ah, this strange guy was really created by that stupid Red Phoenix.


    "I don''t mind another body protecting my wife," he said, emphasizing the words "my wife" to make a point. "But Wong, know your ce. I am Soleil''s husband. It''s me who''s going to protect her and our family."


    "Do you know whom you should protect my master from?"


    He was surprised by that question. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Wong."


    He immediately looked down at the direction of where the familiar voice came from, and he found his wife walking in the yard towards the tree where Wong was.


    <em>Soleil.</em>


    He was relieved to see his wife, but he was also worried as to why she was already walking on her own after she was just attacked.


    Wanting to get to his wife as fast as possible, he jumped over the window. He was only on the second floor of the pce so he didn''t even break a sweat. As soon as his feetnded on the ground, he walked fast to his wife.


    "Soleil, is it fine for you to walk around after what happened to you?" he asked worriedly, then he stood in front of his wife and held her shoulders. "Are you okay"


    He trailed off when he realized that they were surrounded.


    <em>Fire Mages?</em>


    He could feel the hostility of the Fire Mages around them. But much to his frustration, he couldn''t see them except for the one called Wong. It seemed like there was a powerful spell that concealed them from his sight.


    "Soleil, did I do something wrong?" he asked when he turned to his wife. "I can feel your people''s hostility."


    "My people are concealed by Solenn''s spell," Soleil said in a serious voice. "You can''t see them and on the other hand, they can''t hear what we are talking about. But if they see you attack me, they will kill you, Lord Kalel."


    Now he was confused.


    "Why would I attack you, Soleil?"


    "Lord Kalel, I have something important to tell you."


    "I can see that."


    His wife smiled sadly at him before she spoke. "Lord Kalel, it''s not only Elis Ripperton who wants our child dead," she said in a sad and bitter voice. "You have to know that Auro Moonchester and your own father want to kill our child."


    To say that he was shocked to hear that would be an understatement.


    "Soleil, what''s happening to you?" he asked worriedly. "Who fed you the idea that my father and my brother want to kill our child?"


    "Lord Kalel, you can read a person''s memories using your water technique, can''t you?"


    He was stunned because he knew what his wife wanted him to do.


    And he was afraid to do so.


    He didn''t want to doubt his own family. But he also knew that Soleil wouldn''t lie to him. She wasn''t that kind of person.


    "Read my memories, Lord Kalel," Soleil said firmly. "Read it and choose between me and Auro Moonchester."


    Kalel wasn''t ready for what kind of ugly truth had hit him at that moment.


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 324: The Worst Kind of Betrayal

    Chapter 324: The Worst Kind of Betrayal


    KALEL thought he was going insane after he saw the memories that he "borrowed" from Soleil using his water technique.


    Before he knew it, he was already on the ground.


    He clutched his chest tight while catching his breath.


    <em>Auro Mother have you been controlling me all this time?</em>


    Well, to be honest, the memories that Soleil shared with him were the conversations that his wife had with the Sun and Moon Priestess.


    But he also saw the part where Luna revealed to Soleil that she saw his mother bit his neck. He didn''t remember that happening. What bothered him the most was the fact that Luna was right his mother''s bite was poisonous.


    <em>The fact that I don''t remember being bitten by my mother is suspicious enough. But can I really trust Luna?</em>


    "Lord Kalel" Soleil called him worriedly, then she got down on one knee and held his shoulder. "Are you alright? Well, I know that you''re not alright. Do you want to rest inside and talk?"


    Kalel raised his head and faced his wife. "Soleil, do you trust the Sun and the Moon Priestess?"


    His wife turned serious, then she nodded firmly. "I do," she said. "I trust them with my life."


    "I''m sorry but I can''t trust them right away," he said. "We''re talking about my family here, Soleil. I hope you understand how I feel right now."


    She nodded thoughtfully. "If you tell me right now that my family wants to kill my baby, I won''t easily believe you as well." She paused, then her purple eyes glowered. "But that doesn''t mean that I willpletely invalidate your im. If I were you, I''d do my own investigation." This time, she cupped his face between her hands. "Lord Kalel, if you can''t fully trust me and myrades yet, then find the truth yourself."


    Soleil''s clear and honest eyes already told him that she wasn''t lying.


    In the first ce, he didn''t doubt her.


    He just couldn''t ept the painful truth about his mother and brother. He needed a solid piece of evidence to finally ept it.


    "Soleil, it''s not that I don''t trust you," he said, then he put a hand on top of hers. "But I can''t just ept the information that you got from the Sun and Moon Priestess. That''s why I need to find the truth myself."


    She nodded in agreement. "But Lord Kalel, promise me that you won''t tell Auro Moonchester that we already know who he truly is," she said, her eyes begging. "And don''t even think about telling him that I''m pregnant. Although we already have a hunch that he already knows about my pregnancy, I still don''t want you to confirm it for him."


    His jaw clenched, then he nodded.


    He couldn''t believe that Auro was the Aku Moonchester that he and Soleil saved in the past. He thought that his father only granted the name ''Moonchester'' to the first king of the kingdom because in the oldnguage of the gods, ''Moonchester'' simply meant ''child of the moon.''


    <em>If Auro Moonchester remembers his past life, why didn''t he say anything to me?</em>


    Soleil''s revtion only made more sense now.


    "Soleil, I need to go," Kalel said, then he gently pulled Soleil''s hands away from his face. "I won''t tell Auro what I know."


    "I understand why you need to leave," Soleil said seriously, then she became teary-eyed. "But Lord Kalel, please promise me that you''ll return to me."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BROTHER, why are you sote?"


    Kalel looked at Auro seriously.


    Right now, he was in his brother''s chamber.


    It was already midnight when he arrived at the pce so he had no choice but to sneak into his brother''s room. Fortunately, Auro was still up. And it looked like he was waiting for him. After all, there were two sses of wine on his table.


    "I had to return to my territory," Kalel said, then he sat on the chair opposite his brother''s. "Soleil was attacked by Elis Ripperton."


    Auro stopped drinking his wine midway, then he turned to him with a surprised look on his face. "The Blue Dragon did that? This is a surprise. I didn''t even know that he has returned."


    He didn''t know if his brother was acting or not.


    But it seemed like he was really surprised by the news.


    "Is Lady Soleil alright, Brother?" Auro asked and he seemed worried. "You shouldn''t have left your wife."


    That was true.


    Had Soleil not revealed what she knew about his family, he wouldn''t have left her side.


    But had to leave as soon as his wife assured him that she and their baby were both safe. After all, he would never be at peace until he finds out the truth.


    "Soleil is fine," he said, purposely keeping the fact that his wife was pregnant.


    After all, Auro and his mother apparently wanted to kill his child.


    "I''m here for the Holy Bracelet, Auro," he said as an excuse. "Maybe we can use it to track Elis Ripperton. That bastard needs to pay for what he did to my wife."


    That wasn''t exactly a lie.


    He arrived thatte at the Royal Capital because he visited the Blue Dragon''s old "nest" and the other ces that he would frequently visit. He was serious about killing Elis Ripperton for what he did to his pregnant wife. Unfortunately, he didn''t find the bastard.


    "I already prepared the Holy Bracelet for you, Brother," Auro said, then he stood up. "Let me get it for a second."


    He just nodded as a response.


    As soon as Auro turned his back on him, he silently tapped his foot on the floor.


    Then, without his brother knowing, the young king was already frozen along with the whole room. Of course, he made sure that none of his knights would feel his "attack."


    "I''m sorry, Auro," Kalel said when he stood in front of his now frozen brother. Then, he gently put a finger on his forehead. "Let me take a peek at your memories."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "BROTHER, are you leaving already?" Auro asked Kalel after his brother said that he was leaving as soon as he handed him the Holy Bracelet. "You didn''t even take a sip of the wine I prepared for you. It''s your favorite."


    "Auro, don''t forget that my wife needs me by her side," Kalel said while freezing the treasure box where the Holy Bracelet was with his ice Mana. Then, it melted and "disappeared." That was one of his brother''s unique ways of using his powers to store things. "I need to go now," he said when he raised his head. Then, he put a hand on his shoulder. "Auro, be careful of Elis Ripperton. And if he shows up, let me know."


    He smiled and nodded. "Yes, Brother. I will capture Elis Ripperton for you."


    To be honest, he was nervous when Kalel arrived at his pce at that hour.


    He knew what that stupid Elis Ripperton had done to Soleil Rosenberg. And he was scared to death that his brother might have already discovered his ties with the Blue Dragon. Thankfully, it seemed like Kalel was still clueless.


    But I wonder why my brother didn''t share the news about his wife''s pregnancy. I wanted to know if the baby survived or not.


    Well, judging by how Kalel was still calm, the Moon Serpent definitely survived.


    If the baby died because of Elis Ripperton''s attack, then my brother would have already hunted him down.


    "I really need to go now," his brother said, then his whole body began to be covered with his ice. Ah, his brother was really about to leave now. "Auro"


    "Yes, Brother?"


    "Yes, we are brothers," Kalel said, then he began to disappear. "Don''t ever forget that, Auro."


    And just like that, his brother was gone.


    <em>What does he mean by that?</em>


    His thoughts were distracted when he felt a sharp pang in his head.


    That was when he realized that there was a gap in his memory.


    He remembered that he got up from his seat to get the Holy Bracelet for his brother. But the next thing he knew, he was already handing it to Kalel.


    <em>Did my brother use his ability on me?</em>


    "He did, you weak child."


    He flinched when he heard Kyro''s voice.


    The fact that he could only hear the Moon God and not see him only meant that he was in his Spirit form. He also probably hid his presence to hide from Kalel.


    "What did Brother Kalel did to me, Lord Kyro?"


    "He took a peek at your memories."


    He wouldn''t say that he was surprised to hear that.


    After all, as soon as they realized that someone was feeding Soleil Rosenberg information about their n, they already anticipated that his "sister-inw" would try to bring Kalel to her side by exposing his n to his brother.


    "It''s a good thing that you protected some of my memories in advance, Lord Kyro. We can''t let my brother know the full scale of our n," he said, amused that the Moon God knew exactly how his son would react once Soleil Rosenberg speaks. "Did you show that "part" to my brother?"


    "Of course," Kyro said with a huff. "That''s the only reason why my adorable son didn''t kill you, Auro Moonchester."


    Auro smiled, satisfied that their n worked. "As long as my life force is tied with Soleil Rosenberg, then my poor brother can''t kill me."


    After all, if he died, the Supreme Fire Mage would die as well.


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL locked herself up in her chamber, and she made it hot enough that not even Wong could enter. After all, she had always known that her me and her Mana were stronger than her brother. But since her brother was the Red Phoenix, she didn''t want to overshine him and thus, she would often hide her real power.


    And by "real power," she meant the ck me. It was still stubborn. But with the help of Lucina who just came back to her, she was able to use it now.


    At this rate, only Kalel could enter her chamber.


    After all, her husband''s ice would protect him from the heat that she created in the room.


    "Master, are you certain that Lord Kalel will return?" Lucina Morganna asked in her mind. "What if he returns as an enemy?"


    "That won''t happen," Soleil, seated on the sofa, said firmly. Then, she put her hands over her tummy. "I believe in Lord Kalel."


    "Master"


    "Lucina, don''t worry about my affair with my husband," she said strictly. "We have something more important to discuss. After I deal with Lord Kalel, you''ll tell me where you went earlier. I almost lost my baby because I wasn''t able to summon the ck me without you undoing the seal that my brother made."


    Lucina fell silent before she spoke again. "I understand, Master."


    She was distracted from scolding her spirit guardian when the temperature in the room suddenly dropped. Then, a thinyer of ice began to cover the floor and the walls.


    <em>Lord Kalel</em>


    When she stood up, she was surprised when her husband suddenly appeared right in front of her.


    "Lord Kalel"


    As soon as she saw the crestfallen look on Kalel''s face, she already felt her heart break.


    "I''m sorry, Soleil," Kalel said softly, his voice filled with guilt. Then, he hugged her tight. "I''m sorry but even though everything you told me about Auro is right, I still can''t kill him."


    Soleil closed her eyes, her arms subconsciously wrapped around her tummy in a protective manner. "Lord Kalel, please don''t say that," she said in a cracked voice. "Don''t let our baby hear you say that you''re choosing your brother over us."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 325: Mistress of Fate

    Chapter 325: Mistress of Fate


    "WOULD you repeat that?" Winchell asked the woman who introduced herself as the ''Mistress of Fate.'' "Why can''t we kill Auro Moonchester again."


    "As I said, Soleil Rosenberg will die if you kill Auro Moonchester," the Mistress said. "Do you know why Auro Moonchester and Soleil Rosenberg were born the same year in this lifetime?"


    "How would I know that?" he snapped at her. "I was doing god works in the heavens when my sister was reincarnated."


    "That only means that the Moon God sessfully distracted you during that time.


    "What?"


    "Listen carefully, Red Phoenix," she said seriously. "I don''t know the exact details. But as far as I know, Soleil Rosenberg''s soul was put in the same "womb" as Auro Moonchester when the two of them were in the ne while waiting to be reborn. Using some forbidden spell, Kyro tied Auro Moonchester''s soul with Soleil Rosenberg''s. Thus, those two were born the same year. As far as I know, Auro was "released" first upon Kyro''smand."


    "Kyro is a main god and while he is powerful as the Moon God, I don''t think he has the right to do whatever he wants in the ne," he snarled. "Who''s the god in charge of the ne and why are they letting Kyro run it as if it''s his, huh?"


    "That''s what I want to know too," she said in a mncholic voice. "Unfortunately, ever since I witnessed the "womb" return Soleil Rosenberg back to earth, a strong yet unseen force has locked me up in this room."


    That made him nervous. "Does it mean I''m also locked up here now?"


    "You fell into their trap, apparently."


    He excused himself and ran towards the door to try and open it. Much to his shock, he realized that it was locked from the outside. He tried to use force, it didn''t work. As ast resort, he used his me to burn down the door. When it didn''t work, he tried melting it with the heat of his Mana. Still, it was a futile attempt.


    He shut his eyes tight. "Shit," he said under his breath, then he opened his eyes and turned around to face thedy. "Should I blow up this ce?"


    "You don''t have to do that," she said with a softugh. "I can help you."


    He raised a brow at that. "No offense but how can you do that when you can''t even escape from here?"


    "This room is specifically made to confine me," she said. "Others can find a way to get out of here."


    "And what do you want in return?"


    She looked surprised by his question, then sheughed. "Entertain me, Red Phoenix," she said, her eyes glowing like crazy. "I''ve been bored out of mind from being locked up in this room for a long time. If you entertain me enough, I promise that I will get you out of here."


    To be honest, he didn''t like that condition.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t in the position to be a chooser. Moreover, he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Blowing up the entire ce wasn''t a good idea.


    After all, Luna was also there and he didn''t want to identally hurt her.


    "What kind of entertainment are we talking about here?" he asked her. "Do you want me to sing or dance?"


    "No need to be sarcastic, Red Phoenix," she scolded him, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "All you have to do is choose."


    "I don''t like the sound of it."


    "I can change your fate," the Mistress said seriously. "I can make it like you never had a son with the former Sun Priestess of your n."


    To say that he was shocked to hear that would be an understatement.


    "Are you insane?" he asked her. "Sris is my heir and he''s the backbone of our n. What benefit would I get if you make it like I never had a son?"


    "Do you know why most Moon Priestesses don''t get married?"


    "I wouldn''t know," he said. "We only have Sun Priestesses in our n, and every Fire Mage is wary of children of the moon."


    She raised a brow at him. "You seem pretty close to the Moon Priestess that you brought with you, Red Phoenix."


    That implication on thedy''s words wasn''t missed.


    He hoped his face didn''t turn red.


    "Give up on her, Red Phoenix," thedy said while shaking her head. "If you marry her and consummate your marriage with her, you''ll kill her."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "A Moon Priestess can''t marry a man who already has a kid with another woman," the Mistress exined. "To be precise, a Moon Priestess can only marry a man whose body is still pure."


    "That''s ridiculous," he insisted. "Why can Moon Priestesses only marry virgin men?"


    "What''s so ridiculous about it?" thedy said with a huff. "Don''t men value women''s worth based on their virginity? Isn''t it men like you who think that women who are no longer virgins aren''t worth marrying?"


    "Not all men are like that."


    "But the majority are, and the remaining men who think otherwise don''t have the guts to call out their fellow men," she reminded him with augh. "Anyway, I''m telling the truth. The Moon Priestesses have to find a man with a pure body. If Miss Luna marries you and she consummates her marriage with you, the "impure" energy of a non-virgin like you will enter her body. Then, she''ll die right away."


    He couldn''t help but snarl at that, but he couldn''t say anything.


    "It''s a punishment for all the Moon Priestesses because of the sin of their ancestor," the Mistress exined. "A century ago, Moon Priestesses were maidens who vowed chastity to the Moon Goddess. The Moon Goddess was a prouddy who somewhat hated men. She believed that her servants must feel the same way that she did. So when a Moon Priestess was seduced by a man and broke her vow of chastity as a result, the Moon Goddes was livid. Especially when she learned that the man who seduced her nave servant was already married and had several children."


    That was the first time he heard that story.


    He didn''t even know that there used to be a Moon Goddess. When he was born, Kyro, the Moon God was already the one who ruled the night sky.


    "The Moon Goddess cursed all the Moon Priestesses, present and future, to die if they make love with a man who had already been married or fathered a child with another woman," thedy continued with her ridiculous story. "As old-fashioned as it may sound, the Moon Goddess believed that a man and a woman should be both pure or else, the woman should just remain a virgin forever."


    "That''s bulllshit."


    "The Moon Goddess used up her entire life force to put the curse on effect," the Mistress said, ignoring his outburst. "When she died, her younger brother Kyro took her ce. That''s how he became the Moon God."


    "I knew there''s a reason why I hate the Moon God and his n," he said. "They''re full of bullshit."


    Thedyughed, then she gave him a sharp re. "Choose, Red Phoenix," she said. "If you choose the current Moon Priestess, I will rewrite your fate. You''ll ascend the heavens without leaving an heir. And once you return to earth, you''ll meet Luna."


    He clenched his fists tight. Whether he admitted it or not, the offer was very tempting. "But what will happen to Soleil if I leave without an heir?" he asked. "The only reason I decided to leave an heir was because I didn''t want Soleil to carry that responsibility on her shoulders. I didn''t want her to be forced to get married for the sake of our n."


    "You''ll swap your fate with your little sister," she said nonchntly. "Soleil Rosenberg will marry the ck Serpent earlier than what happened in this lifetime. Thus, they would conceive the Moon Serpent ahead of schedule as well."


    His brows furrowed in confusion when he realized something. "Are you saying that all of it will happen while I''m in the heavens?"


    "That is correct."


    "Then, I won''t be beside Soleil once she gave birth to the Moon Serpent," he said in a hiss. "No one will protect her from the Moon God!"


    "Perhaps," she said vaguely. "So, what will be your choice then?"


    He shut his eyes tight.


    To be honest, the options he had were killing him.


    Of course, he wanted to pursue a deeper rtionship with Luna. The short time that they spent together was already enough for him to know that she was the one. In fact, he was ready to give up his divinity to marry her.


    But he couldn''t ruin Soleil''s life for his selfishness.


    And now that the threat towards his little sister and his unborn nephew was getting more dangerous, he couldn''t simply lose his divine powers.


    He knew in his heart that he was already in love with Luna.


    But


    "I can''t pass my responsibility as a n leader to Soleil," Winchell said softly, then he opened his eyes and clenched his hands tighter until his nails dug deep into the palms of his hands. "And I can''t lose my divine powers now."


    "I understand your choice," the Mistress said with a sympathetic smile on her face. "As a constion for the heartbreak I caused you, let me tell you a piece of information that you will definitely need before you leave the ne." She suddenly turned serious, her eyes glowing menacingly. "Red Phoenix, if you kill Auro Moonchester now, Soleil Rosenberg will die as well."


    "What?!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I WON our stupid bet," Luna said coldly to the woman who introduced herself as the Mistress of Fate. "Didn''t I already tell you that Lord Winchell will choose his sister over me?"


    The Mistress of Fate smiled sadly at her. "It seems like the curse that the former Moon Goddess cast upon the Moon Priestesses is quite strong. I have never met a Moon Priestess who managed to marry a man who didn''t kill her."


    She didn''t give a damn about that.


    All she wanted was to get out of that room.


    Right now, she was in an empty room with the strangedy.


    But the wall had turned into a huge "aquarium." There was no marine life in there. But the water was showing them what was happening to the room next door. But as soon as Winchell made a choice, she asked the Mistress to turn it off.


    Anyway


    Winchell was locked up in the chamber next to hers. He was apanied by the woman who also introduced herself to the Red Phoenix as the Mistress of Fate. Yes, the Mistress had two physical bodies.


    It was hardly surprising though.


    After all, it was a known fact that gods could be at two different ces at the same time.


    "It has nothing to do with my curse as a Moon Priestess," she told the Mistress. "I just know Lord Winchell very well. To him, nothing is more important than Soleil."


    To say that her heart was broken would be an understatement.


    But right now, her priority was to get out of the ne. She realized that the ne had no intention to take her or Winchell seriously. Thus, she''d rather get out of there and return to Soleil''s side. She had a feeling that the Supreme Fire Mage needed her.


    Fortunately, the Mistress of Fate asked her to y a game with her. If she won, the Mistress would return her to Srium safely.


    The game was to guess whether Winchell would choose her or not.


    "I will return you back safely to Srium as I promised," the Mistress said. "As an apology for breaking your heart, do you want me to tell you when you''ll die?"


    She was too shocked to give a response to that.


    "You''ll die early," the strangedy said casually. "Just like the other Moon Priestesses before you."


    "Are you having fun?" she asked, her jaw clenched. "Do you enjoy making people suffer by ying with their pre-determined fate that you somehow got your hands on?"


    "I can''t deny that," the Mistress of Fate said nonchntly. "Gods feel powerful when they can make humans like you dance on the palm of their hands."


    Luna grabbed the Mistress by the cor which obviously surprised her. "I curse all of you," she said coldly. "I curse all of you to meet your end by the hands of the person I chose to serve." She smirked when she saw fear cross the Mistress''s eyes for a second. "I will devote my life to Soleil Rosenberg then I will help her ruin the heavens that you gods don''t deserve any more."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DON''T move," Kalel warned Auro who just got up from his bed when he probably felt his killing intent. "I''ll kill you if you move."


    His warning came with hundreds of ice daggers suspended in the air.


    Yes, he returned to the Kale Kingdom and killed off all the guards in his brother''s residence. And now, he finally reached Auro''s room.


    Auro looked up at the ice daggers above him, then heughed before he turned to him with glowing red eyes. "Kill me, you say?" he asked, then he stood up. "Brother, you already know that you can''t kill me without killing your precious wife, don''t you?"


    He snarled at his brother''s casual reveal of his true colors. "Why are you doing this, Auro?!"


    His brother just smiled at him.


    He was about to attack Auro to make him talk when all of a sudden, the ice daggers that he prepared melted without his permission.


    Then, he found himself being suffocated by a big white snake wrapped around his body.


    "Mother!"


    Yumi, his mother in her snake form, just hissed at his ear.


    "Kalel, don''t you dare raise your voice at your mother," his father, the Moon God himself, said sternly. He couldn''t see Kyro, but his voice echoed in the room. "It looks like it''s time for you to return to our side, son."


    Kalel btedly realized what just had transpired.


    <em>I fell into their trap!</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 326: Winter and Julian in an Alternate World

    Chapter 326: Winter and Julian in an Alternate World


    "WINTER, is Julian your father''s child with another woman?" his mother asked, obviously fuming. "Did he secretly introduce his illegitimate child to you?" Her mother, on the verge of crying, bit her lower lip. "Is that the reason why your father oftenes homete?"


    Now it was Winter''s turn to be confused.


    All of a sudden, the strange world that he was thrown into faded in the background. His priority now was tofort his crying mother. Moreover, he didn''t want his father (in this world) to get into trouble.


    "Mom, it''s not like that," he said, then he put his hands on her shoulders. "Dad doesn''t have an illegitimate child."


    After all, Julian was his full-blooded brother.


    "You''re right," his mother said while wiping the tears off her face with her hands. "Kiho is not that kind of man."


    He was relieved that his father in that world was still his dad.


    But maybe Dad doesn''t remember Julian as well.


    It seemed like her parents in this world weren''t the same ones from the world that he came from. Now that he had calmed down, he remembered what his mother used to call the second life that she had.


    A modern world without magic.


    <em>An alternate world.</em>


    "But Winter, who is this Julian that you''re talking about?" his mother asked curiously. "Why do you insist that he''s your brother?"


    It was no use exining the truth to his mother in this world.


    Whatever he''d say, she''d never get it. After all, this wasn''t his real mother. And if he was wrong and it turned out that this wasn''t an alternate world, then it could mean one thing.


    <em>I''m trapped in a world created by someone.</em>


    "It''s nothing, Mom," he said, then he smiled innocently. "I just had a very realistic dream that I thought happened in real life. But now that I''m fully awake, I realized that I''m being silly. I''m sorry for making you worry, Mom."


    Her motherughed softly. "Oh, Winter. This is why you''ll always be our baby," she said, then she gently patted his cheek. "What do you want for dinner, son?"


    Winter smiled awkwardly, then he answered his mother''s question while hoping that the dish in his mind also existed in this world. "I''m in the mood for some crabs and lobsters, Mom."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINTER was more than relieved that crabs and lobsters were normal dishes in this world.


    And for some reason, even though he was certain that this was the first time he saw the things around them, his body knew how to use them.


    <em>This is strange</em>, he thought to himself while lying down on his huge bed and watching a ''film'' in a huge, t box called ''television.'' He was even eating the ''popcorn'' that his mother made for him. <em>I shouldn''t be rxing this way but I can''t help it.</em>


    "Winter, may Ie in?"


    He flinched when he heard the familiar voice of his father apanied by a firm knock.


    "Pleasee in, Dad," he said as he got up.


    A few momentster and his father entered his room.


    He was a little surprised to see that his dad wore clothes almost simr to the ones that he always wears in their world. But his father''s navy blue three-piece suit right now was a lot simpler since it didn''te with a mantle or a cape.


    Fortunately, his father, just like his mother, looked the same.


    "I heard from your mother that you had a "realistic dream" where you have a brother called ''Julian,''" his father said, then he sat beside him and ruffled his hair. "You little rascal. I almost got into trouble with your mom because of your silly dream."


    His father''s tone wasn''t usatory. It was light and yful. Well, he was a little different from his father in his real world. But he could tell that he was a good father, too.


    "Sorry, Dad," he said sheepishly. "I didn''t mean to do that."


    "It''s okay, son," his father assured him. "Thankfully, your mother trusts me a lot."


    "Dad?"


    "Hmm?"


    He bit his lower lip.


    To be honest, he wanted to ask about Julian again. But he realized that it would be silly. After all, if his father in this world knew who Julian was, he would have mentioned it already.


    "Nothing, Dad," he said.


    "You need fresh air, son," his father said, then he smiled and extended his hand to him. "Shall we go for a ride?"


    Winter didn''t know what it means but he epted his father''s hand. "As you wish, Dad."


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN never got over his shock as soon as he and Solenn got out of "school."


    First, the moving vehicle called ''car'' almost made him throw up. If it wasn''t for his pride, he would have puked his guts out.


    Thankfully, he was distracted by the sight that he saw on the road.


    Apparently, the second thing that shocked him was called ''skyscraper.'' And there were a lot of them. He also noticed that there were different types of moving vehicles. Moreover, the people that he saw outside wore strange clothes. He couldn''t even look at thedies whose legs were exposed.


    <em>I am really in a different world now.</em>


    But what shocked him the most was the people who greeted him when he and Solenn got to the mansion that was apparently his home.


    "Julian, why do you look so pale?" his mother asked worriedly.


    Yes, thedy looked like his mother in the world that she came from.


    "Are you sick, son?" his father asked worriedly. "Do you want to go to the hospital?"


    Yes, the man beside his mother also looked like his father.


    Of course, their clothes looked strange to him.


    Moreover, both his parents (in this world) had a normal eye and hair color: ck. He noticed that most people in this world, or in that country at least, had dark eye and hair color. It was so different from the world that he came from.


    "Julian was carsick, Aunt Tilly and Uncle Kiho," Solenn said when he was unable to give a response to his parents. "And he''s been acting strange since we got out of school."


    "Strange?" his parents asked Solenn at the same time.


    Solenn nodded before she responded. "Julian thinks he has a younger brother named ''Winter.''"


    The confusion on his parents'' faces told him that they didn''t have the memories that he had.


    Both his mother and father didn''t react when Solenn mentioned Winter''s name. It was as if his younger brother didn''t really exist in that world.


    "Julian, perhaps"


    They all turned to his father when he spoke.


    "Son," his father said, then he put his hands on his shoulders. "Is that your way of asking me and your mother to give you a younger brother?"


    He was too embarrassed by what his father said that he couldn''t give him a response.


    On the other hand, her mother''s face turned red.


    Even Solenn felt second-hand embarrassment because she turned red and covered her face with her hands.


    "Kiho," his mother called his father threateningly. "What are you saying in front of the children?"


    His father justughed it off. "Kids, please pretend that you didn''t hear anything or else, my lovely wife will scold meter."


    Solenn immediately covered her ears with her hands. "I didn''t hear anything, future parents-inw."


    He blushed when he heard that from Solenn.


    <em>Lady Solenn is brazen even in this world.</em>


    On the other hand, his parents teased him as if they were already used to that kind of deration from Solenn.


    Julian, ever since he woke up from that world, finally smiled and rxed.


    In fact, even though it was a strange world for him, he somehow felt like that was where he truly belonged.


    <em>I wish this is reality</em>.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "MOTHER, FATHER, you don''t have to tuck me in bed," Julian said, embarrassed now that he was lying down between her mother and father. "I''m too old for this."


    He spent almost three hours in the ''shower room'' while trying to figure out how the stuff in there worked.


    When he got out of the bathroom, his parents were already waiting for him in his room.


    "You will always be a baby to us," his mother said gently while looking at him warmly. "Julian, are you really okay?"


    "Solenn said that you were out of it the whole day," his father said. "If there''s something bothering you, your mother and I are here to listen to you."


    He was touched.


    To be honest, he was exhausted.


    After Solenn apanied him home, she politely said goodbye to his family. Fortunately, her house was just next to theirs. He was relieved to know that he coulde to her easily. After all, it was hard to navigate that world all by himself.


    "I''m fine," he assured his parents. "Solenn is just a little worrywart."


    I''m sorry, Lady Solenn.


    "That''s exactly why Solenn is going to be a good wife to you, son," her mother said teasingly. "She knows you like the back of her hand."


    He blushed at that.


    "Oho," his father said in an unusually cheerful voice. His father from another world wasn''t as cheerful as his father here. He didn''t dislike it though. "Do you finally ept your engagement with Solenn?"


    "Engagement?" he asked, surprised. "I''m engaged with Lady I mean, with Solenn?"


    "Yes," his parents answered at the same time.


    "But it''s not official yet since both you and Solenn are still in high school," her mother said. "Plus, your engagement with Solenn is only decided by my father and Solenn''s grandpa for the sake of our family business."


    "You don''t have to force yourself to marry a girl you don''t love for the sake of our business though," his father said. "Your grandfather will hand thepany to me and your mother. Once that timees, we will take care of the problem. Your mom and I will make sure that you can break off your engagement with Solenn with no consequences."


    He didn''t really understand but he got the gist of it.


    <em>In this world, I''m engaged with Lady Solenn. But my parents aren''t forcing me to marry her. And they don''t need to anyway.</em>


    "I don''t mind marrying Solenn."


    He realized he said it out loud when both his parents gasped aloud.


    Oh.


    "It looks like our baby has grown up, huh?" his father said cheerfully. "Well, your mother and I will support your decision, son. Solenn is a good girl anyway."


    "But don''t be too serious with your rtionship with Solenn yet," his mother pleaded with puppy dog eyes. "Julian, I''m not yet ready to see you getting married. I still want to dote on you. After all, you''re our one and only child in this world."


    He hated to admit this but he liked the sound of that.


    To be his parents'' one and only child


    "It''s a dreame true," Julian whispered to himself, then he closed his eyes. "And I don''t want to wake up from this dream anymore."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "JULIAN, WINTER, no!" Solenn yelled while banging on the wall with her tiny fists. "Don''t get lured by that illusion!"


    Right now, she was inside one of the many white and empty rooms on the ne.


    The wall in front of her was split into two screens.


    On the left side, Winter''s ''life'' was being shown. On the right side, it was Julian''s. And the more she sees how happy the two brothers were in their new lives, the more she worries.


    "Wake up!" she yelled again, ignoring the pain in her throat after screaming for god knows how long. "We''re still on the ne! Don''t you forget that!"


    "There''s only one way for them to "wake up" from that beautiful dream, youngdy."


    She froze when she heard the unfamiliar voice of a woman.


    When she turned around, she was greeted by a beautifuldy. The stranger had long, golden hair and a pair of literally shining green eyes. She wore a simple yet elegant white robe with gold ents. That was considered as a normal outfit of gods.


    A god, huh?


    It made sense since they were on the ne.


    "Wee back to the ne, Solenn," the strange woman said cheerfully. "It seems like yourpanions are in trouble, huh?"


    "Bring them back," she said firmly. She had many questions for the strangedy but she knew that she needed to bring Winter and Julian back to their senses. "Now!"


    "Youngdy, did the Supreme Fire Mage tell you about her second life in a world where Winter and Julian are currently in?"


    "What about it?"


    The strange woman smiled in amusement. "If the Supreme Fire Mage told you how she ended up back in this timeline, then you''d know how to bring your friends back to this world."


    Her brows furrowed, then she gasped.


    After all, she remembered how the Supreme''s second life ended.


    "Lady Soleil died in an ident in her second life," Solenn said softly. "Does it mean Winter and Julian have to die to wake up from their dream?"


    "The Supreme didn''t return because she died in her second life," the strange woman said seriously this time. "She was able to return because she sacrificed the most important thing to her in that ''lifetime.''"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 327: Mistakes Were Made

    Chapter 327: Mistakes Were Made


    "ARE YOU awake, Brother?"


    Kalel, seated on a sofa with a numb body, could only re at Auro.


    Right now, it seemed like they were in his room. He wasn''t sure if his instinct was correct but as of the moment, his father and his mother weren''t there.


    Still, he hated that he couldn''t move his body.


    <em>Mother probably poisoned me when she bit me earlier.</em>


    But fortunately, it seemed like his mother didn''t brainwash him this time.


    "Please don''t be angry at me," Auro, seated on the sofa across from him, said without an ounce of guilt. He even had the audacity to make a pleading face. "I have a reason for doing this."


    "Reason?" Kalel snarled at his brother. Fortunately, he had the strength to speak. Although he had to admit that doing so was already draining his remaining energy. Now he was reminded of how fatal his mother''s poison was. "You better have a sound reason for doing this, Auro."


    "Brother, I want to be a god."


    "That''s bullshit, Auro."


    "You wouldn''t understand because you were born a god."


    "I''m not the only god that you''ve met, Auro," he said sternly. "I''m pretty sure that you already know by now that gods aren''t special. We just happen to be beings with divine powers. But most of us behave worse than corrupted humans."


    "But the gods who ascended the heavens have a luxurious life, Brother."


    "You''re a king, Auro," he reminded him with a hiss. "You''re already living a luxurious life."


    "I still feel empty, Brother," he said as if he was a child whining. "By ''luxurious life,'' I mean the gods have the luxury to toy not just with human lives they also have the privilege of toying with the fate of weaker beings."


    He couldn''t refute that.


    After all, he knew that the major gods in the heavens were currently fighting because they wanted to control the human race in different ways.


    "You know what I''m talking about, don''t you?" Auro asked with a raised brow. "The Moon God wants to be a human to be able to ''raise'' the human race the way he has always wanted them to behave. But the Sky God wanted to stop the Moon God. Thus, he sought the help of the Sky God. The Sky God doesn''t particrly care for the human race. But he doesn''t want to lose his control over the lives of the humans that he wants to ''protect.''"


    For a ''human'' like Auro, he knew a lot about the affairs of the main gods.


    "You already know howplicated the current situation of the gods is," he said to his younger brother. "And yet, you still want to be one of them? You even worked with my father."


    "Lord Kyro and I understand each other''s greed very well, Brother," the foolish king said proudly. "He wants to control the middle world by taking over the human race. On the other hand, I want to ascend the heavens and take over the gods."


    He still didn''t understand his brother''s goal.


    After all, he never cared about power in the first ce. He just wanted to live a quiet life. And after meeting Soleil, all he wanted now was to build a happy andplete family with her.


    Taking over the human world and the heavens sounded boring to him.


    "But Brother, there''s one person standing in our way."


    "Don''t tell me it''s my wife?" he asked sarcastically.


    "It''s indeed your wife, Brother," he said while carefully nodding. "Lady Soleil Rosenberg is the biggest hindrance to our n."


    "Howe my wife is a hindrance when she''s not interested in any of this?"


    "Exactly, Brother," Auro said in a frustrated voice. "It''s not fair that Lady Soleil Rosenberg doesn''t have greed for power and yet, she''s the strongest one among us."


    "What are you saying?" he asked, confused. "I acknowledge that my wife is as strong as the Beast Gods. But how can she be more powerful than the main gods?"


    He was not underestimating Soleil in any way.


    But he couldn''t really understand why their enemies fear his wife.


    "Since we''re talking about your wife now, I will offer you a deal, Brother," Auro said, swiftly changing the topic. When he spoke again, he said something that made him forget about interrogating his brother regarding Soleil. "Brother, if you want a quiet life with your wife, then give me Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s heart."


    That awakened every fiber in his being.


    Thus, he was able to break free from the effect of his mother''s poison.


    Before Auro could even open his mouth, he was already standing in front of his brother while holding an ice dagger against his throat.


    "Are you crazy, Auro?" he asked coldly. "How can I live peacefully with my wife if you''re asking me to rip her heart out and give it to you?"


    "Calm down, Brother," Auro said with a confident smile on his face. "You know that you can''t kill me, don''t you?"


    He still didn''t drop his weapon.


    "Brother, I won''t let Lady Soleil die," his brother exined. "You know that I have the ability to bring someone back to life, don''t you? I can revive your wife as long as she hasn''t been dead for half a day. Since Lady Soleil is a special being, she won''t easily die even without a heart. So if you can find a suitable heart for her, I can revive her without a problem."


    "Do you think that''s enough for me to rip my wife''s heart out?" he snarled at his brother. "And won''t you die if Soleil dies because you tied your soul with hers?"


    "As long as Lady Soleil''s soul hasn''t reached the ne yet, the spell won''t get activated," Auro said with an annoying smile on his face. "If I revived Lady Soleil before her soulpletely leaves this world, everything is going to be fine."


    He still didn''t buy it.


    "Why do you need my wife''s heart?"


    "Lady Soleil''s heart is needed toplete my transition into bing a god," his brother said. "Brother, just find a new heart for your wife and then, the spell that ties my soul with her."


    "Do you think I''ll easily believe you?"


    "You have to, Brother," he said with a softugh. "While my soul is tied with Lady Soleil''s soul, I have absorbed enough Mana from her that I have be stronger now. I don''t need to depend on your wife''s Mana anymore."


    Of course, he didn''t believe that.


    But he had a feeling that he wouldn''t be able to force Auro to tell him things that he didn''t want him to know.


    <em>I have to coax him first.</em>


    He dropped the ice dagger in his hand and it melted before it even hit the floor.


    "Do you swear that you will let me and my wife live peacefully after getting what you want from us?"


    "I swear, Brother," Auro said, then he stood up and hugged him. "I will give you the North and let Srium, your wife''s birthce, remain an independent country as we invade the whole continent before I ascend to the heavens."


    "Keep your promise, Auro," Kalel warned his brother. "I will give you what you want as long as you leave my family alone."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "I CAN''T believe that my brother left just like that," Auro said while pouring himself a ss of whisky. "I thought he was going to destroy my pce before he was satisfied."


    "Don''t estimate my poison, child," Yumi, seated on the sofa across from him, said while she was in her human form. Then, she sipped her wine before she continued. "It will slowly but surely poison my son''s mind until he returns to uspletely."


    "Slowly?" he said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "I didn''t know that you''re the patient type, Yumi."


    "I must be patient this time," she said, then she put her wine ss on the table. "If I suddenly filled Nystrom''s body with poison, my despicable daughter-inw will notice it."


    He raised a brow at that. "It''s not the only reason why you''re being patient, is it?"


    Yumi smiled, then she sipped her wine before she spoke again. "My darling Kyro will soon take over my son''s body to end the Red Phoenix."


    Auro smiled a satisfied smile. "I can''t wait for that day, Yumi."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "SO, you''re my godson, huh?" Kalel asked the little boy wearing the temple''s white and gold robe standing in front of him. "You look more like Alec Forrester''s son instead of his younger brother."


    Asher Forrester, Alec''s younger brother, looked up at him with a scowl. "My big brother isn''t here."


    By ''here,'' the child meant the temple dedicated to the Sky God.


    It was hidden in the Mountain of Azule and only a select few could enter it. People without permission from Alec Forrester wouldn''t be able to find it in the first ce.


    In fact, even he took two weeks before he found the temple.


    "It''s fine even if Alec isn''t here," he told the child. "Since you''re also the son of the Sky God, you will do."


    "What does Lord ck Serpent want me to do?"


    "I want to talk to your father."


    "Are you crazy?"


    He was surprised by the rude tone that the child used on him. But he didn''t dislike it. "As expected of my godson, you have guts," he said, then he patted his head. The child scowled but he didn''tin. "I hope my child turns out to be as unbothered as you, little Asher."


    "Your request is still hard to grant, Lord ck Serpent."


    He was aware of that but he really needed to talk to the Sky God right now.


    Since he could no longer trust anything that Auro says, he had to confirm some things from the Sky God. Especially about the things rted to the spell that his brother used to ''hostage'' his wife''s soul.


    For that matter, he had to talk to the Sky God no matter what.


    "Hard but not impossible," he said to the child. "Do it or else, I''ll destroy the temple."


    The child''s eyes widened in shock. "Lord ck Serpent, I''m cruel."


    "Yeah, I''m cruel," he said. "I only care about my wife and our child."


    His godson fell silent. Then, he looked up at him with a serious look on his face. "Lord ck Serpent, my powers is greater than my older brother. I can sense things that he cannot. And I have bad news for you."


    "I don''t like that tone, child."


    "The Moon Serpent is dead," Asher Forrester said in an emotionless voice. "He was never meant to be alive in this lifetime."


    Kalel''s bloodlust suddenly burst out of his body. "What did you say?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL clutched her stomach when she suddenly felt a sharp pain as if an invisible yet strong force punched her.


    She was in the middle of having tea with Solenn when it happened. The Sun Priestess immediately stood up and checked on her. She didn''t need to say anything because as soon as Solenn saw her clutching her stomach, she checked on her right away.


    The face that the Sun Priestess made when she touched her stomach made her worry.


    "What''s wrong, Solenn?" Soleil asked in a weak, worried voice. "Is my baby alright, Solenn?"


    "I''m afraid not, Lady Soleil," Solenn said in a voice filled with confusion. When the Sun Priestess raised her head to meet her gaze, she saw the fear on her face. "Mydy, I can no longer detect your child''s heartbeat."


    "What?" Soleil asked in disbelief, then she wasn''t able to stop herself from sobbing uncontrobly. "No, my baby"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "OUR son is the ck Serpent?" Kalel asked in disbelief why looking at the golden me in the huge goblet. Right now, he was standing in the middle of the prayer room where Asher Forrester brought him to. The genius child fell asleep after using up his divine energy to summon the Sky God. "Then, why did Auro let me marry Soleil if he knows that the Moon Serpent is the only thing that could kill him?"


    "Because Aku Moonchester knows that the ck Serpent can''t be revived after he crushed its heart in the past," the Sky God exined. "He probably ''allowed'' you to marry the Supreme to use you against her."


    He heard what the Sky God said but he didn''t care about that.


    "If our child is dead from the beginning, then what was the heartbeat that we heard and felt from him, huh?" he asked, still in disbelief.


    "That was his remaining Mana," the god exined. "The Moon Serpent''s Mana is alive after all."


    "No," Kalel said weakly, worried about Soleil. Now he hated himself even more for leaving his wife for more than a month. "I need to be at my wife''s side."


    "Don''t leave yet, ck Serpent," the Sky God stopped him. "You want to know how to undo the spell that Aku Moonchester cast on Soleil Rosenberg, don''t you?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 328: Revolution

    Chapter 328: Revolution


    "WHAT we thought the heart of the Moon Serpent was turned out to be a lump of Mana, Lady Soleil," Solenn reported to her. "The Moon Serpent''s Mana is alive so it''s ''breathing.''"


    "Does it make sense that the Moon Serpent''s Mana is alive and he isn''t?" Soleil asked weakly. She had been bedridden sincest night. After finding out that the ''baby'' in her womb was nothing but a shell that protects a lump of Mana, she couldn''t find the courage to leave the bed. Worse, Kalel hadn''t returned yet since he left a few weeks ago. "How did we not detect it until now?"


    The Sun Priestess bowed to her. "My deepest apologies, Lady Soleil."


    "You don''t have to apologize to me, Solenn," she said. "It''s not your fault."


    "Lady Soleil"


    She smiled sadly at the Sun Priestess. "Solenn, I want to rest. I''m tired."


    Solenn nodded, then she bowed to her politely. "Rest well, Lady Soleil."


    After that, the Sun Priestess left the room quietly.


    She wanted to rest because it wasn''t being dramatic when she said she was tired. But her mind couldn''t stop working. Moreover, for the first time in her life, her heart was filled with rage. And the desire for revenge.


    Aku Moonchester, I should have killed you when I had the chance.


    "Wong," she said, then she got up and turned to the open window to her side.


    Just like she expected, Wong entered the room through the window. Then, he silently walked towards her and got down on one knee when he reached the side of the bed.


    "I am here, Lady Soleil," Wong said when he held her hand and kissed her knuckles. Then, he looked up at her with glimmering eyes. "What can I do for you, Master?"


    "Have the other eggs hatched?"


    When her brother Winchell returned a few weeks ago, he came back alone and didn''t talk about Luna. The Moon Priestess disappeared just like that. The hurt look on her brother''s face made her unable to ask about what happened to him and Luna at the ne.


    Moreover, her brother returned without a piece of information regarding the Sky God or the Sun God.


    Instead, Winchell went to the mountains to iste himself. He sent her letters though. And in those letters, he told her that he created four more ''eggs'' to serve as her ''Keepers.'' And thest letter that she received from him, he said that he was currently investigating Auro Moonchester''s suspicious movements.


    "Yes, Master. The other eggs have already hatched," Wong said politely. "The second egg that hatched produced a female and Lord Winchell calls her Kelsi. The third egg produced a pair of male twins. They are called Maddox and Braxton. And finally" He hesitated before he continued. "Thest egg seemed to be a spoiled egg because it produced a distasteful male fellow. Lord Winchell named him Jameson Crawford."


    Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Distasteful? And why is he the only one with a surname?"


    The surname sounded familiar to her though.


    "Apparently, Jameson Crawford reminds Lord Winchell of a certain Mr. Leo Crawford."


    She blinked several times, then sheughed while shaking her head. "Ah, I remember Mr. Leo Crawford. He was my brother''s butler in our previous lives. Mr. Crawford would curse like a sailor when he was still alive." She paused, then sheughed again. "Don''t tell me, the newborn baby curses a lot?"


    "Jameson Crawford was born with a filthy mouth indeed," Wong confirmed with a nod. "Lady Soleil, it''s good to see you smiling again."


    "Is that so?" she asked with a faint smile. "I think I''m done sulking. Self-pitying won''t bring my baby back anyway."


    "Mydy"


    She smiled at the Keeper, then she turned serious. "Wong, I have a mission for you."


    He immediately bowed and put a hand on his chest. "I am listening, mydy."


    "Train your siblings."


    "The other Keepers aren''t my siblings, Master."


    "Well, they are now because I said so."


    He didn''t dare to talk back, thankfully.


    "I acknowledge your ability, Wong," she said seriously. "I''ve seen how you''ve hunted down the Crades that threatened to invade our small country. That''s why I want you to lead the group of ''Keepers'' that my brother created to protect me. I want you to make them the strongest fighters on the whole continent. And I want it done as soon as possible."


    He fell silent for a while before he had the courage to look up at her with sad eyes. "Does it mean I need to leave your side, mydy?"


    "You can return to my side as soon as you''re done training your siblings," she consoled him, then she touched his face that made him blush for some reason. "Wong, I need your strength."


    "I will give my all to you, mydy," he said without missing a beat. "But I''m hesitant to leave your side at this crucial moment"


    "I''m not weak, Wong," she reminded him sternly. "You don''t have to worry about me."


    He bowed to her. "I apologize if my words offended you, Master."


    "Raise your head, Wong."


    And he did.


    "Prepare to leave tomorrow morning," Soleil instructed the Keeper strictly. "Once you return with your siblings, we will dere war on Aku Moonchester."


    Wong looked surprised by her deration, then his eyes glimmered in excitement. "I will return as soon as possible, Lady Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE FIRST thing that I heard since I returned was the fact that you want to dere war on the empire."


    Soleil, who was seated on her table while studying the map of the empire, raised her head to find Winchell sitting on the edge of her working table. Seeing that he came out of nowhere, she could assume that he used a transportation spell. In a normal situation, she''d get upset. But right now, she appreciated it. After all, she had isted herself in her study because she wasn''t in the mood to talk to her people. "Wee back, brother."


    "I''m surprised to find that you''re still here at Srium," Winchell said with a raised brow. "I thought you''ve already returned to the North."


    "I left our territory to the capable hands of my aides. And I send Wong to the North from time to time to check on my people," she said. Wong had begun training his siblings in the mountain. But the Keeper would still visit her from time to time. "Anyway, what have you been doing for the past few months, Brother Wixx?"


    "A lot of things," he said with a grin, then he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "And I happen to get a hold of the very thing that you need right now, Soleil."


    "Is it Lord Kalel?"


    He rolled her eyes at her. "No, but I can give you a reason to dere war on the empire and gain the support of other countries who have a grudge against Aku Moonchester."


    Oh.


    She was disappointed that her brother didn''t bring any news about Kalel. But she was still interested in what he said.


    "Soleil, I found out that Auro Moonchester has been experimenting with humanoid Crades," Winchell said seriously. "Apparently, his royal knights have been abducting outstanding and beautifuldies all over the continent." His eyes darkened, a sign that he was enraged. "My informant told me that the foolish kid emperor is forcing thedies of this continent to mate with humanoid Crades."


    Soleil clenched her hands tight until her nails dug deep into the skin of her palms, disgusted at what Auro Moonchester had allegedly been doing to thedies of the continent. "That bastard really deserves to die."


    <strong>***</strong>


    NOTE: Hi. There''s an unexpected incident that affects my entry for today''s mass release. I already informed my editor and I want to share it with you as well. A strong rain hit our area and as a result, flood entered the first floor of our house and there was a power interruption. Our electricity just came back.


    The saved files for my mass release today weren''t saved in the drafts yet. Thus, I''m just about to post it. Since our inte modem/router broke because of the flood, I will only be using my phone data. Please bear with me.


    I''m sorry for the inconvenience.


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 329: The Shadow Beast

    Chapter 329: The ''Shadow Beast''


    "BROTHER WIXX, do you have solid evidence to back up your im?" Soleil asked her brother. "I believe you, of course. But we need to proof if we want to gather allies to go to war with us."


    "I won''t mention it if I don''t have proof," Winchell said confidently. "The ''proof'' that I''m talking about is in the form of the survivors that I managed to save while I was investigating Auro Moonchester."


    "Where are the survivors, Brother Wixx?" she asked worriedly. "Why didn''t you bring them here so they would be properly taken care of?"


    "Don''t worry too much, Soleil," he assured her. "The survivors are currently hiding in a safe shelter. There are also people who are protecting and taking good care of them. So far, the survivors are still traumatized. But fortunately, they are willing to step out and expose the evil schemes of the kid emperor."


    "That''s a relief to hear but" She trailed off, hesitating to ask. But in the end, she gathered the courage to voice out her worries. "What kind of proof do the survivors have?"


    "They are pregnant with the humanoid Crades that r*ped them."


    She shut her eyes tight and bit her lower lip until she tasted blood in her mouth.


    To be honest, she already expected to hear that from her brother. Thus, her hesitation to ask earlier. But confirming her thoughts still hurt like hell.


    <em>Those poordies</em>


    Her anger for Auro Moonchester only grew worse.


    A while ago, she was wondering if she was being petty for taking revenge on the young emperor because she lost her baby and her husband to that despicable man.


    But now, she already knew that she couldn''t allow a person like that to rule the continent. She also knew that she was the only one who could stop him. After all, she was the one who saved that evil man in the past.


    "Most of thedies that we saved are royals from either a small or a defeated country," her brother continued. "If we inform their families of what happened to them because of Auro Moonchester, we can convince them to join our revolution."


    She took a deep breath before she opened her eyes. "Brother, can I see them?"


    "I don''t think it would be wise," her brother said while shaking his head. "Soleil, you know that Elis Ripperton is keeping an eye on you, don''t you?"


    She scowled, then she nodded. "I can feel his presence recently as if he''s trying to intimidate me. The Fire Mages led by Sris tried to catch him several times but to no avail."


    "That bastard Blue Dragon is really sleek," he said while clicking his tongue. "Anyway, since Elis Ripperton has his eyes on you, you shouldn''t step out of the pce for the meantime. If you meet the survivors, the Blue Dragon may follow you. You wouldn''t want him to find out the shelter that caters to the survivors, would you?"


    "I understand, Brother," she said. "Then, will you personally take care of thedies?"


    "An ally of mine is already doing that."


    She raised a brow at that. "You have friends, Brother?"


    He just scoffed at her. "I have other ''beast'' friends that you didn''t meet because you didn''t ascend to the heavens. Let''s just call this one as the ''shadow beast.'' He does the dirty works for me so it wouldn''t be an exagerration to say that he''s my servant now."


    "Brother, if you don''t want me to know who he is, that''s fine with me," she said. "No need to make an exagerrated lie."


    Her brotherughed softly while shaking his head, then he turned serious. "How are you, Soleil?"


    She automatically clutched at her stomach because she knew exactly what her brother was talking about. "I''m fine, Brother. As fine as someone in my situation could be."


    It seemed like her brother had already heard that the child in her womb was already heard about the Moon Serpent. Moreover, she had no reason to hide her condition from him. Fortunately, Winchell didn''t look like he wanted to pry more as he changed the topic easily.


    Plus, she wasn''tfortable to talk about how they couldn''t extract the Moon Serpent from her womb yet. ording to Solenn, they had to be careful because her baby''s Mana inside her was like a magic bomb. If they weren''t careful, it would explode inside her body and hurt her.


    "Are you not going to ask me if I know where the ck Serpent is?"


    "Are you going to tell me?"


    "Of course not," he said bluntly. "I think it''s better for you and the ck Serpent to get separated. Now that the Moon Serpent is gone, you have no reason to stay with him anymore."


    She knew that her brother was making sense.


    But it still hurt to hear that.


    "Brother, can you talk to the elders and our n about Auro Moonchester''s disgusting experiment?" Soleil asked, her turn to change the topic this time. "I''m going to personally check on the progress of the Keepers'' training."


    "Of course, my little sister," Winchell said, then he gently patted her head. "Leave the matters of the war to me."


    ***


    "LORD BLACK Serpent, thedies said that they are ready to have a recorded interview now."


    Kalel was relieved to hear that from Josef Sherwood one of Elis Ripperton''s descendants.


    To be precise, Josef Sherwood came from the lineage of the Blue Dragon''s daughter. Thus, the different surname. But the other descendants who carried the name Ripperton before already changed their name into ''Sherwood.''


    After all, they were mad at Elis Ripperton for abandoning their n.


    I''m d that I found their n before.


    He searched for the Blue Dragon''s descendants in the past because of Auro''s order. But when he found them and realized that the Sherwoods didn''t trust Auro because of his association with Elis Ripperton, he hid the whole n instead of presenting them to his brother.


    As of now, the Sherwood n was using the snowy mountain called ''Elisio'' as their hideout. They created a small vige there. And just recently, Elisio became the shelter for thedies that were abused by the humanoid Crades for breeding.


    "Good job, Josef," Kalel praised the young head of the n. "Tell thedies that we will visit themter with the matriarch of your family to keep them at ease."


    After all, he knew that thedies wouldn''t feelfortable if only men would get their statement.


    "Are you going to talk to them personally, my lord?"


    He shook his head. "I''m not good at talking todies who aren''t my wife. It''s his forte."


    As if on cue, he heard a loud pping of wings as a huge shadow hovered above them.


    When he looked up at the blue sky, he was greeted by the person who had been his ''partner in crime'' for the past weeks.


    "Wee back, Winchell," Kalel said while looking up at the Red Phoenix. "Are you sure you weren''t followed by the enemies?"


    Winchell scoffed at his question, andpletely ignored it by bringing up another topic. "Kalel, when are you going to return to my poor sister''s side?"


    ***


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    ***


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 Chapter 330: Forgiveness

    Chapter 330: Forgiveness


    "HOW''S Soleil?" Kalel asked Winchell while they were having tea in the tent near the residence where the survivors were being taken care of. The two of them were waiting for the women of the vige to apany them. They wanted to be considerate to the survivors and thus, they were being careful not to step foot in their residence without being apanied by women of the vige. "I know that she''s not okay but I want to know her exact condition."


    "She lost weight and she rarely smiles these days," Winchell said bluntly, then he sipped his tea. "Kalel, the only reason why I didn''t kill you is that you''re useful. You''re helping me collect evidence to oust Auro Moonchester. And most of all" His eyes glowered menacingly. "You promised that you will untie Soleil''s soul from the kid emperor''s."


    He sipped his tea while going over the events that transpired in the past few weeks.


    After he talked to the Sky God in the temple, he was mourning the lost of their child alone in the mountain when Winchell appeared. They talked about the spell that binds Soleil''s soul with Auro. The Red Phoenix almost killed him.


    If he didn''t say that he already knew how to undo the spell, Winchell would have already killed him.


    After their confrontation, they found an injured woman in dire of help. That was when they found out about the disgusting experiment that Auro had been doing. With the help of the woman they helped, they were able to rescue the otherdies locked up in a basement cell at the foot of the mountain they were in during that time.


    Then, they hid the survivors in Elisio.


    Ever since then, he had been working with Winchell and the Sherwoods.


    "You don''t have to remind me, Winchell," he said sternly, then he put his teacup down on the table between them. "I will save Soleil whatever happens."


    "You better do it fast, ck Serpent."


    "I am doing my best toplete the spell that the Sky God taught me," he said. "It''s aplicated spell. If I make a mistake, I might hurt Soleil so it would be better if I don''t get near her for the meantime."


    He had to endure even though he already wanted to return by his wife''s side, especially after he found out that they lost their baby.


    But he couldn''t.


    He wasn''t making an excuse. The spell was reallyplicated. Moreover, despite his blood as a son of two gods, he wasn''t born a mage. He could use ice and water Mana but that didn''t mean he could easily do ancient spells.


    But there wasn''t anything that he wouldn''t do for Soleil.


    <em>Please wait a little longer, Soleil.</em>


    "Kalel Nystrom."


    "What?"


    Winchell took a deep breath before he spoke again. "Soleil is going to dere war on Auro Moonchester soon."


    Kalel''s eyes widened in shock. "What?!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL smiled and pped while watching the Keepers'' sparring: Kelsi versus Maddox, and Braxton versus Jameson Crawford (the boy who says ''f*c'' a little too much). Wong was the one in charge of supervising the sparring among his siblings.


    She, on the other hand, was seated on a wooden chair in front of the tent that she had been using for the past few days.


    "Good work, everyone," Soleil said, then she stood up. "You impress me."


    Every single Keeper in front of her smiled, even Wong.


    Her praises weren''t empty words.


    One Keeper was equivalent to at least a thousand non-Mana Users. Even though the empire beat their country when ites to the numbers of knights that they had, she and her n had the advantage because they could use fire Mana.


    Now that the Keepers were here with her, her confidence just hit the roof.


    <em>We can win this war.</em>


    Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized that the Keepers (except Wong) were already standing close to her. Their eyes were even shining from happiness.


    "Lady Soleil, please praise us again," Kelsi, the only female Keeper, pleaded with her hands sped together. "Please, please, please."


    "Shut the fuck up, Kelsi," Jameson Crawford, standing between the twins, snarled at Kelsi. "You didn''t fucking do anything impressive to be fucking worthy of the Supreme''s praise!"


    "You don''t deserve it as well, Jameson," Braxton scoffed. "You lost to me!"


    Jameson red at Braxton. "You just fucking got lucky!"


    "I apologize for the noise, mydy," Maddox said in his gentle tone, then he held her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Thank you for praising us."


    The other Keepers looked shocked by what Maddox did.


    Then, the other three grabbed Maddox and they began to physically fight.


    She was about to stop the Keepers when Wong swiftly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and took her away from the ramble. The four Keepers were too busy fighting (and yelling) to notice that Wong had already taken her away from them.


    "I will discipline them, Master," Wong said politely as he pulled his arm away from her shoulders. Then, he stood in front of her and bowed. "Please enjoy your bath. I already secured theke so it''s safe now."


    Ah, right.


    It was her bath time.


    Soleil smiled and patted Wong''s head. "Thank you for being so dependable, Wong."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL was just about to take her clothes off when she felt another presence with her. She quickly tightened her robe and turned around to confront the intruder. But as soon as she saw the face that greeted her, the fire that she summoned on her palm disappeared. "Lord Kalel"


    Kalel looked gloomy even when he was smiling at her. "I''m sorry for suddenly leaving, Soleil."


    That was enough to make her cry.


    And remembered that she was supposed to be angry at him.


    She was happy that he was back. But at the same time, the reminder that she lost their baby made her angry.


    "Our baby is gone, Lord Kalel," she said angrily, her voice cracked from crying. "You left me alone to mourn. How could you do that to me? I thought you loved me."


    Much to her surprise, tears silently fell from Kalel''s sad golden eyes.


    "I have no excuse, Soleil," he said in a cracked voice. "But please believe me when I say that I will stay by your side this time."


    She couldn''t stop sobbing now that her husband was crying with her. "Are you choosing me over Auro Moonchester now?"


    "I will give you my brother''s head in the war that you''re going to dere on him," he said firmly. "I have heard about the awful things that he did to other people, Soleil. I can no longer believe that a person like Auro could still change for the better. I have to stop him now."


    Despite everything, she was relieved to hear that.


    "Are you sure about that, Lord Kalel?"


    He nodded firmly. "Please ept me again, Soleil."


    Those words were enough to melt her anger.


    Before she knew it, she was already running towards Kalel who weed her in his cold and yet somehow warm embrace.


    "I''m sorry, Soleil," Kalel whispered in her ear. "Thank you for giving me a chance."


    Soleil nodded, then she hugged him tighter. "Don''t leave me again, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 331: Blind Faith

    Chapter 331: Blind Faith


    <em>AH, THEY hate me.</em>


    Kalel could feel it in his bones that Soleil''s Keepers hated him.


    A while ago, while he and his wife were in the middle of embracing each other tight, those children suddenly appeared while calling Soleil. And when they saw him, the Keepers red at him. The kids also didn''t bother to hide their hate towards him.


    "Wong, you don''t have to guard outside our tent," Soleil said to the leader of the Keepers, the one who seemed to hate him the most. "My husband and I need to talk."


    "Master, can we really trust him?" ''Wong'' asked while ring at him. He seemed to be the group''s spokesperson because the other Keepers behind him were quiet. "He might have been sent by Auro Moonchester."


    Kalel clenched his hands but he couldn''t me the child for thinking that way. Thus, he did his best to stay calm and respond like the adult that he was. "I already cut my ties with Auro," he said firmly. "I no longer consider him as my brother."


    His wife turned to him with a gentle smile on her face.


    He loved her smile but he was sad when he realized that Soleil really lost weight. Now he hated himself even more for leaving her. Especially when she needed him the most.


    <em>I will make it up to you, Soleil.</em>


    "I understand, Master," Wong said. Then, he gave him onest warning look before he turned to Soleil. The kid''s face softened up while talking to his ''master.'' "If he does anything funny, don''t hesitate to call us."


    He wanted toment on that but he just lightly bit his tongue.


    <em>They are Soleil''s precious Keepers.</em>


    "I''ll do that," Soleil said to Wong with a soft smile on her face. "Thank you, Wong."


    Wong nodded, then he politely bowed to Soleil before he finally left the tent.


    "They are so protective of you, Soleil."


    His wife turned to him with a smile. "Those children were born from my brother''s love and me."


    "Ah, it makes sense why they seem to hate me."


    "They saw how miserable I was because you left me," she reminded him softly. "You can''t me them for hating you, Lord Kalel."


    He nodded as an acknowledgment of his worthlessness.


    Soleil smiled sympathetically at him, then she held his hand and pulled him to the sofa inside the tent. When she sat, she pulled him with her until he was sitting next to her. "Kalel, where have you been for the past few weeks?"


    He turned to his wife and watched her beautiful face while thinking.


    To be honest, before he went to meet Soleil, he was summoned by Luna who, for some reason, had gone into hiding. The Moon Priestess was currently using an old temple as her hideout. She didn''t even show her face to him.


    Anyway


    He talked to Luna and told him about his n. He also told the Moon Priestess about his n to keep everything from Soleil a secret. But Luna told him that he shouldn''t keep secrets from his wife especially if it concerned her.


    "Soleil, I''m currently working with Winchell," he said. "I know that he hasn''t told you yet but it was the two of us who found the women that Auro experimented on."


    His wife flinched. "So, you were the ''servant'' that my brother talked about?"


    "It seems so," he said with a sigh. "He keeps on asking me to do things for him ever since we began working together."


    She smiled and touched his face. "Thank you for protecting the survivors, my lord."


    His heart ached when he saw that genuine smile.


    How can you forgive me so easily, Soleil?


    "You''re the sunshine of my life, Soleil."


    His wife smiled and blushed. "Really?"


    He nodded. "You bring color to my life, Soleil. I don''t know how to live without you now."


    Her smile grew wider. "If I''m your sunshine, then you''re my gray cloud."


    "That sounds a little gloomy but I guess it suits me."


    Sheughed softly before she exined. "You''re my gray cloud because you''re the only person in my life who didn''t spoil me. You showed me the reality of life. Thanks to you, I didn''t stay as the ignorant little girl that I was in the past."


    "How can you turn something negative into a positive thing?"


    She smiled and shrugged, which was an adorable gesture of hers. "Is there anything else that you''d like to report to me?"


    He fell silent while thinking.


    To be honest, he didn''t really want to tell Soleil about her n. But after seeing how much trust his wife had for him, he changed his mind.


    "Soleil, Auro offered me a deal."


    Soleil''s eyes widened in shock. "What kind of deal?"


    Kalel took a deep breath before he responded. "Auro wants me to give your heart to him, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL sighed after hearing the offer that Auro made to Kalel, and how Kalel nned to pretend to ''ept'' it. "So, you''re saying that you''ll be working with Luna?"


    Kalel nodded slowly. "I will pretend to ept Auro''s deal and give your heart to him. But before he gets a hold of your heart, Luna will ''steal'' it from me using the Holy Scepter. After that, Luna will heal you. My goal is to find the reason why Auro wants your heart."


    She nodded slowly as if she was absorbing everything that he was telling her. "So, you''re saying that you have to rip my heart out?"


    At first, she was a little hurt to know that Kalel nned to rip her hearty out even if it was only to gain Auro Moonchester''s trust.


    But now that she was about to dere war on the young emperor, she realized that she had to make sacrifices. Most of all, she knew that it was a hard decision for her husband as well. She could see it in his eyes.


    He bowed to her. "I''m sorry, Soleil. I know that it will hurt so I will understand if you don''t agree with my n"


    "Let''s do it."


    He raised her head and met her now glowing eyes. "It''s going to hurt, Soleil."


    She smiled and pinched his cheek. "I''m sure you''ll do it painlessly."


    "Soleil"


    She held her hand and squeezed it. "Lord Kalel, I will dere war on Auro Moonchester. I will lead my people to a war that they didn''t wish for. I don''t mind sacrificing myself for their sake. Moreover, you won''t let me die, right?"


    "I won''t," Kalel promised her, then he hugged her tight. "I won''t let Auro get what he wants from you, Soleil."


    Soleil smiled and nodded. "We will win this fight, Lord Kalel."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLEIL smiled while looking up at Auro Moonchester who was standing in the middle of a makeshift stage in the za.


    Today was the first day of the week-long celebration of the empire''s founding.


    Thus, the young emperor came out of his pce to celebrate with themoners. For that reason, she decided to give Auro Moonchester a present.


    And now, her present drained the color on his face.


    "Did you like my present, Your Majesty?" Soleil asked while pointing at the huge sphere of water floating above her. "This is my gift to the poor people of this empire."


    Inside the huge sphere of water, a recorded video from a spirit stone was currently ying.


    In that video, the survivors from Auro Moonchester''s experiment were talking about what they went through. Of course, the women''s faces were blurred. Some of the babies that were born in the shelter were also shown in the video.


    The babies were half human-half Crades.


    Of course, everyone who witnessed the horrible scenes was in chaos right now.


    The royal knights tried to arrest her and break the sphere, but to no avail.


    After all, she was surrounded by her Keepers and the sphere was protected by Sris'' protective spell.


    "How dare you fabricate evidence to condemn me for a crime that I didn''tmit?" Auro Moonchester snarled at her. "Lady Soleil of the Fire Mage n, are you dering a war on the empire?"


    "I''m dering a war on you, Auro Moonchester," Soleil dered bravely. "An evil person like you doesn''t deserve to lead the empire."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 332: Where It Went Wrong

    Chapter 332: Where It Went Wrong


    "LORD KALEL, my master sent this to you."


    Kalel turned around and saw Lucina Morganna, his wife''s spirit guardian.


    The spirit guardian was in her human form because tonight was the night they were going to end the war with the empire that had been going on for almost three years now.


    Yes, the war had been going on for that long already.


    Auro managed to get a hold of the Golden Tiger because of the Holy Bracelet. Apparently, the one that his ''brother'' returned a few years ago was a fake. Ainsworth couldn''t disobey Auro so he was currently fighting them.


    Moreover, Winchell was no longer fighting alongside them.


    The Red Phoenix couldn''t disobey Auro because of the Holy Bracelet. But instead of following Auro, his brother-inw escaped and forced himself into a deep slumber in a ce that not even Soleil knew.


    Before Winchell disappeared, he left another Keeper that he called Roarke Sinir. Apparently, it was his ''child'' with Luna.


    "Thank you," Kalel said, then he epted the cup of tea that Lucina Morganna handed to him. "Where is my wife?"


    "Miss Luna is giving Lady Soleil a bath," Lucina Morganna said, then she bowed to him. "I shall take a leave now, Lord Kalel."


    He just nodded as a response.


    After Lucina Morganna left, he drank the tea in the cup. It was the tea that Soleil would brew for him every night. Apparently, it was to cleanse the poison in his body. His mother filled his body with poison that until now, there were still some left inside him.


    Why does the tea taste different this time


    He trailed off.


    Then, the next thing he knew, he already fell on the floor.


    <em>No</em>, Kalel said, his strength leaving him. <em>Soleil</em>


    And that was thest time that Kalel consciousness stayed with him.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE GODS will lose their power once Soleil Rosenberg is gone."


    Auro raised a brow, then he looked at the pretty woman d in a pristine white dress while seated on the branch of the Great Fire Tree. "Why is that so, Nia?"


    "Because ording to Nia''s father, Soleil Rosenberg swallowed the sun," Nia said in her childish manner of speaking. And the ''father'' that she mentioned was the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree. "The ''sun'' is also the name for the ancient powers sealed in a divine bean that they made Soleil Rosenberg eat in the past."


    His brows furrowed in confusion. "Why did they make Lady Soleil swallow the sun?"


    "Because ording to Nia''s father, the gods don''t want to have another divine war that will end mankind if it happens," she said. "Thus, they sealed it inside Soleil Rosenberg."


    "But why her?"


    "Because ording to Nia''s father, Soleil Rosenberg has the Abyss in her heart."


    His eyes widened in shock. "The Abyss is the dark hole that even the gods are afraid of."


    And the Abyss could swallow everything.


    Now he understood why they made Lady Soleil swallow the ''sun.''


    He smiled at the information that would surely help him win the war. "Thank you, Nia."


    "Nia doesn''t need you to thank her," Nia said with an adorable pout on her face. "Nia wants Aku to marry her."


    Ever since he told her his real name, she never stopped calling him that.


    He didn''t hate it though.


    "I will marry you, Nia," Auro promised her. "But I need to get rid of ine first."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DARLING, how are you feeling?"


    Kyro looked at his arms. Well, those were his son''s arms, but he was d that he was able to move them as if they were his. "I can move as if this body is mine," he said, then he raised his head to meet Yumi''s gaze. "Thank you, darling. Because of your poison, I was able to swiftly take over our son''s body."


    Yumi smiled, then she linked her arm with his. "Thank you for the praise, darling. But I''m not the only one who made it possible," she said, then she turned to the woman standing beside them. "We should also reward her."


    He looked at the woman his wife was talking about, then he smirked. "Of course, you''ll be greatly rewarded, Lucina Morganna," he said. "I will help you separate from your host."


    Lucina Morganna bowed her head to him. "I''m much obliged, Lord Kyro," she said. "In return, I will steal the ck me from my master."


    "That will be a huge help," Kyro said, then he began to walk away from the traitorous spirit guardian with his wife in his arm. "I can''t wait to rip Soleil''s heart out tonight."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em><strong>[Present]</strong></em>


    "FUCK," Tilly said while holding her head. She felt like her skull was breaking into two after seeing her past memories. She was familiar with most of them. But the ones that she didn''t know gave her a headache. "You don''t have to show me what happened next because I already know what happened after Kiho, possessed by his father''s spirit, ripped my heart out. I know that we lost that war."


    Kiho, who looked guilty because of the shorings of Kalel Nystrom, remained silent while holding her in his arms.


    "I want to see what happened after I gave birth to Julian," she said firmly. "My memories of that part of my life were hazy."


    "I don''t have clear memories of that part of my life that was mostly controlled by Kyro," Kiho said in a soft voice. "And we''re here to find out what happened to the Fire Mages after Soleil and Kalel died."


    She nodded in agreement with Kiho. Then, she turned to Nia. "I also don''t want to see how Nia and Aku got married in the past."


    Nia just rolled her eyes at her.


    "Most of all, I didn''t see how Kalel undid the spell that tied Soleil''s soul with Auro''s," she said, then she turned to Kiho. "Kiho, your soul is still bound to Aku even now. That''s the only reason why I haven''t killed that bastard yet. We have to see how you managed to undo the spell so we could cut Aku''s soul from yours." She clicked her tongue. "Why didn''t Kalel tell that to Soleil in the first ce?"


    "I''m sorry, Tilly," Kiho said in a voice filled with guilt. "But don''t we already know that Soleil and Kalel didn''t have goodmunication skills?"


    She let out a deep sigh. "Right," she said, then she turned to the Great Fire Tree. "You. Don''t skip the important parts. I know that you did on purpose so Kiho and I won''t be able to undo the spell."


    The Spirit remained silent, and the silence sounded guilt to her.


    "Show it," Tilly threatened the Spirit. "If you don''t want me to burn you and your daughter into ashes, then show the past to us properly."


    <strong>***</strong>


    <strong>NOTE:</strong> Hi! Again, I''m sorry for the dyed mass release. I will be more careful in the future since the series is ending now. Thank you so much for understanding. :(


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 333: God Complex

    Chapter 333: God Complex


    "MY LADY, we finally apprehended the tribe of the Golden Tiger."


    "Good," Soleil said, relieved that they finally stopped Ainsworth''s tribe. "Don''t kill the little tiger. I want to talk to him. Moreover, I know that he didn''t want this to happen."


    Right now, she was talking to Wong through the floating red feather in front of her.


    Since her army was dispatched to different areas of the empire, they decided to use her feather tomunicate. After all, every single Fire Mage had the ability to hear and talk to her using the feathers from her wings.


    It had been two years since the war between her country and the Moonchester Empire had begun. Yes, the war was ongoing for too long now. It couldn''t be helped.


    After all, Auro Moonchester managed to surprise them by controlling the Golden Tiger using the Holy Bracelet. He also almost controlled Kalel and Winchell. Thankfully, the two managed to break away from it using two different methods.


    Winchell hid away from the empire where the power of the Holy Bracelet wouldn''t reach him. The Red Phoenix figured that he''d rather not be able to help their n win the war rather than help Auro Moonchester destroy them.


    Kalel, on the other hand, managed to break free by suppressing his beast form. As long as he didn''t change into a ck Serpent, he wouldn''t be controlled by Auro Moonchester. The downside was her husband couldn''t use his full power.


    Thus, they couldn''t win the war easily despite having Asher Forrester, the new saint, fighting beside them.


    Even the three main gods had remained silent.


    [It''s time to end this, Auro Moonchester.]


    "Soleil."


    She was standing in the mountain of the Crades that she had just in when she heard the familiar voice. When she turned around, she smiled when she saw Kalel. But that smile quickly disappeared when she noticed that her husband''s eyes turned red.


    Moreover, the look on his face had changed.


    [This isn''t my husband.]


    It was toote when she realized that though.


    The next thing she knew, Kalel''s hand was already pierced through her chest. In just one fatal move, he already got her heart in his hand literally.


    "As expected, you realized right away that I''m not your husband," "Kalel" said in a mocking voice. "I wanted to torment you a little longer but I guess ripping your heart out takes priority."


    She wanted to move but she couldn''t.


    It seemed like "Kalel" created a barrier around them because her Keepers couldn''t go and help her. She could hear them scream, especially Wong, but she couldn''t even turn her head. All she could do at the moment was look at her "husband" in the eye.


    Then, she finally realized who the person inside Kalel was.


    "It''s your, father-inw," she said with a bitter smile. "For the past years that I''ve been observing Kalel, I noticed that he would treat me coldly every time his eyes changed into red. But each time his eyes would return to their original color, he would forget the things that happened while you had taken over his body."


    She knew all of that but she didn''t tell Kalel.


    After all, she was afraid that if her husband somehow got aware of what his own father was doing to him, the Moon God would take drastic action like possessing Kalel for real. Thus, she remained silent while observing her husband''s behavior all this time.


    And perhaps, it was a mistake.


    [Maybe I should have talked to Kalel openly instead of merely enduring his unstable behavior towards me.]


    "It looks like you regret keeping your silence all this time," Kyro, the Moon God that had taken over her husband''s body, said while pulling his hand out of her chest. Her beating heart was, of course, in his hand now. "This is why it''s easy to manipte you and my son, you know? Instead ofmunicating properly, you try to "protect" each other on your own. Do you know why you and Kalel are like that?" When she didn''t respond, her father-inw smirked haughtily. "It''s called ''godplex,'' my dear daughter-inw. We gods have so much pride in us that we can''t bear being protected by other people. What we want and desire is to protect those who are weaker than us. I, too, was burdened by thatplex. After all, it''s the reason why I want to protect the human race despite my indifference towards them."


    At that point, she couldn''t refute the criticism that she got from Kyro.


    Maybe she and Kalel really had that thing called ''godplex.''


    It was toote to realize that though. Mistakes were already made, and they were already paying for it now.


    "Kalel, this isn''t your fault," she said, talking to her husband with a smile on her face. To be honest, she already felt exhausted and every inch of her body hurt. It was a miracle that she could still stand like that. Perhaps, it was her ''godplex'' that refused to let her fall in front of the enemy. "Please don''t me yourself for this."


    Kyro smirked at her. "Do you think Kalel could still hear you"


    As soon as the Moon God said that, his face was suddenly distorted in pain. Then, after a few moments of struggling, he lowered his head as if he suddenly fell unconscious. And when he raised his head again, she noticed that his eyes turned gold again.


    [Ah, my gray cloud is back.]


    And he looked very devastated when he realized what he had just done.


    "It''s alright, Lord Kalel. We are both to me for this. I hope the next time we get reborn, we get reincarnated as ordinary humans instead," she said weakly, then she began to fall to the ground.


    But of course, her husband caught her and put her in hisp using one hand. After all, her beating heart was still in his hand literally.


    Seeing that made her angry.


    Just because of her heart, Auro, or should she say Aku Moonchester, had gone this far. And yet, they still didn''t know what he was going to use her heart for.


    "You can take my heart, my lord," she said bitterly. "And you better tell the Moonchesters to make sure I won''te back from the dead because once I do, I''ll make sure that I''ll burn them alive." Her hand reached out to touch his face. Then, she gently brushed the tear on his cheek with her thumb. "Don''t cry, my lord. We both made a choice that we can no longer change."


    It was both their choice to do things on their own.


    If she survived this, she would change. But for now, the important thing to her was tofort her husband. After all, if she died, she wanted him to avenge her.


    Moreover, she wanted to say goodbye to him properly.


    "I hope the next time we meet, you''d be the one to fall in love with me first," Soleil said, then she smiled as her tears began to fall from her eyes. "Please choose me if that happens."


    It was a shame that she didn''t hear what Kalel said as a response.


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINCHELL came out of his hiding as soon as received the news that Soleil''s heart was stolen by that damned Kalel Nystrom.


    When he arrived at their pce, he prepared himself for the worst.


    But much to his relief, he was informed that Soleil was still somewhat alive. He found his little sister literally frozen inside a huge block of ice. It wasn''t a block of ordinary ice, of course. Anyone with Mana could tell that.


    "Lord Kalel froze Lady Soleil''s body after ripping her heart out, my lord," Sris, his son who was standing beside him, said. "Thanks to that, our Lady Soleil is still alive."


    "Kalel didn''t do that for Soleil," Winchell said coldly. "He only kept my sister alive because Aku Moonchester would have died if my sister died."


    His son looked shocked by his revtion.


    "Don''t tell Soleil," he said to his child. "She''ll sacrifice herself if she finds out."


    Sris nodded and bowed to him. "I will keep this a secret from Lady Soleil."


    "Good," he said, then he turned to his son. "Sris, call Solenn since she''s the best physician in our n."


    "How are we going to save Lady Soleil, my lord?"


    "I''m going to give her my heart."


    His son''s eyes widened in shock. "But"


    "I won''t die even if I don''t have a heart," he assured Sris. "The worst that I could happen is my me getting weak. But it doesn''t matter since I can''t fight in this war anyway."


    His son didn''t give a response.


    "What''s wrong, Sris?" he asked with furrowed brows. "Do you not agree with my decision?"


    "It''s not like that, my lord," his son said, then he lowered his gaze. "I know this is selfish but I wonder if you''re going to go that far to save me if I were in Lady Soleil''s position."


    Ah, was Sris being jealous?


    It wasn''t like he wasn''t aware that he was doting on Soleil more than he did on his son. But he couldn''t help it. To him, Soleil was his sun.


    But that didn''t mean that he didn''t care about his son.


    "While I was on the ne, I was given the chance to be with Luna."


    His son finally raised his head to meet his gaze.


    "To be with her, I have to give up on you. If I chose Luna, you wouldn''t have existed in this world," he said gently. Well, as gently as he could since he had a naturally rough way of speaking. "I chose you, Sris. Although I tell myself that it''s for our n, I know in my heart that I chose you over my lover because I care about you. I will admit that I can''t love anyone else as much as I love my little sister." He patted his son''s head. "But you''re my one and only son, Sris. I will also do anything and everything to keep you safe."


    Sris''s tears suddenly rolled down his cheeks uncontrobly. "F-Father"


    "Ah, you finally called me ''father,''" Winchell said, then he pulled his son for a hug and gently patted his back. "Sris, let''s save Soleil together."


    <strong>***</strong>


    KALEL managed to stay conscious after putting Soleil in an "ice coffin" to keep her alive.


    After that, he fled the scene while the Keepers chased and tried to kill him. Of course, they weren''t able to catch or kill him as he vanished quickly. His destination was the Royal Pce where Auro was already waiting for him.


    "We made a deal," Kalel snarled at Auro Moonchester. "Why did my father possess my body to rip Soleil''s heart out? I told you I''d be the one to do it!"


    "Well, we didn''t trust you when you said that you''d do it," Auro said, then he looked at the icebox in his hand where he put Soleil''s heart to keep it safe. "But seeing that you delivered Lady Soleil''s heart even after gaining consciousness, I guess we were wrong to doubt you." He turned to him. "I''m sorry for doubting you, Brother."


    "I don''t need your apology, Auro Moonchester," he said coldly. "We made a deal. I brought you Soleil''s heart so it''s your turn to give me what I want."


    "I know, Brother," the young emperor said. "I will undo the binding spell that I tied Lady Soleil''s soul with. But in return"


    "I will let you tie your soul with mine."


    Auro smiled sickeningly sweet at him. "I''m d that you understand, Brother," he said, then he extended his hand to him. "May I hold Lady Soleil''s heart?"


    "Not so fast, Auro Moonchester," Kalel said coldly, then he closed his hand effectively hiding the frozen heart within his body. "Free my wife first."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 334: For Soleils Heart

    Chapter 334: For Soleil''s Heart


    "I FINALLY found you," Luna whispered to herself while looking at the cave that she found in the deepest part of the forest. The entrance was glowing with cold, blue Mana. She could tell that it belonged to the Blue Dragon. "Let''s see what you''re hiding here."


    It wasn''t easy to get to that forest.


    After all, it was known as air of aggressive dragons that crave for human flesh.


    [This definitely belongs to the cruel and crazy Elis Ripperton.]


    But for a Moon Priestess like her, it was quite easy to avoid the dragons and navigate the forest as if it wasn''t her first time there. Despite her hatred for Kyro, she couldn''t deny the fact that his blessing was pretty useful on her journey.


    By ''blessing,'' she meant the fact that a Moon Priestess like her wouldn''t get lost as long as she followed the moon. Moreover, it seemed like the forest itself was protected by Kyro''s power. Thus, as a child of the moon, the forest had been kind to her.


    [It''s so dark in here,] she thought to herself as she slowly and carefully treaded inside the cave. She followed the blue-ish dust-like lights that somehow felt like pointing her somewhere. [But the malevolent aura I feel is so thick.]


    To be honest, the aura inside the cave would be enough to knock down an average Mana-user. Moreover, it felt like the cave itself was alive. In fact, the air inside the cave felt like someone else''s breath. While the ground that she walked on felt


    [It feels like human flesh.]


    She also had a feeling that the "stones" and "rocks" around were actually broken human bones. And the pebbles? They looked like teeth.


    [Why do I feel like I''m inside a dead body of a giant?]


    She stopped on her tracks when realization hit her.


    [I''m inside a dead body of a giant.]


    But in this world, giants didn''t only referred to the now perished giant race.


    Gods, when they descend heavens in their original form, could be as big as a mountain. Thus, humans would often mistake them for a giant. But giants, aside from their impressive physical strength, didn''t have any outstanding fighting skills because they had low Mana.


    But the Mana inside that "cave" was thick.


    All of a sudden, shivers went down her spine.


    And it wasn''t only because of her shocking realization.


    [Soleil?]


    The bluish dust-like lights that she followed a while ago gathered in one ce, making the area shine bright.


    That was when she saw the ''person'' literally hanged on the cave wall like a painting.


    Yes, the sleeping woman, dressed in a light blue cloak, looks exactly like Soleil. Moreover, the rectangr, in white "bed" behind thedy looked like a canvas. Thus, it looked like a painting of the Supreme Fire Mage.


    [It looks so real]


    But obviously, it wasn''t. It was merely a doll made of flesh. To be honest, it wasn''t the first time that she saw a human doll. But this was the first time that she saw a human doll that looked very real.


    That was when she connected the dots.


    "Those sted demons," she whispered to herself with clenched hands, cursing Kyro and Elis Ripperton. "They killed a god and made a human doll that resembles Soleil."


    A human doll didn''t need a real brain to function. A Spirit Stone called ''Moonstone'' would suffice as a brain recement, but it wasn''t something an ordinary human could possess. After all, a Moonstone was the type of Spirit Stone that could produce fake memories.


    But for a human doll to be "alive," one needed a real heart. Of course, it had to be the heart of the human that the doll resembled.


    "Elis Ripperton," she whispered with clenched. "You''re digusting to the core."


    Now she finally understood why Elis Ripperton joined hands with Kyro.


    The Blue Dragon couldn''t possibly kill an ancient god on his own. She could imagine the Moon God offering Elis Ripperton a hand. Moreover, since Kyro was the Moon God himself, he could produce a Moonstone easily.


    She smiled bitterly to herself. "Now I know why the Mistress of Fate said that I would die protecting Soleil."


    It was thanks to the Mistress of Fate that she found that forest and that cave.


    As promised, the mistress really did tell her when and where she would die. Thus, she went to that forest to investigate the would-be cause of her death. She wasn''t afraid to die anyway, since she knew all beings would die in the end.


    So, instead of getting sad over her impending doom, she decided to face it and see how she could help Soleil before she died.


    [But I have a feeling that the Mistress of Fate told me that to guide me here.]


    Maybe that strange goddess was an ally all along.


    "I was feeling guilty for stealing the Holy Scepter when Asher Forrester was mourning his brother''s death," she said, then she opened her hand. A few momentster, the new saint''s Holy Scepter manifested above her palm. She grabbed it tightly. "But I''m d that I followed Lord Kalel''s ridiculous n."


    She took a breath, then she threw the Holy Scepter as if it was a spear. Luckily, despite being more reliant on her Mana, her physical strength didn''t betray her.


    The sharper end of the scepter pierced through the fake Soleil''s chest.


    Then, it disappeared.


    Luna took a deep breath, preparing for her next move. "I won''t let them use your heart for something this despicable, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    ELIS RIPPERTON smiled after Auro Moonchester cut open the chest of the human doll that resembled his beloved.


    After Auro Moonchester received the heart from Kalel, the young emperor summoned him. Then, the two of them travelled to the forest protected by him and Kyro. To be precise, they went to the "cave" where he kept the human doll all this time.


    Heid the human doll on the floating table as Auro Moonchester operated on it.


    "Even Soleil''s heart is beautiful," Elis Ripperton said while admiring the heart in Auro Moonchester''s hand. "It looks like a ruby."


    Soleil''s heart, after being frozen by Kalel''s ice, had turned into a gem that resembled a ruby.


    [A bright red and shining ruby, that is.]


    "Nia told me that Lady Soleil is the Daughter of the Sun," Auro Moonchester exined while putting the heart inside the chest of the human doll. "Thus, her heart would freeze like a beautiful gem once it''s ripped out of her body."


    "Who''s Nia?"


    "The one who''d take ine''s position soon," the young emperor said. "I''m going to marry her once "ine" reached hering of age."


    "Ah, I see."


    He didn''t give a damn about this child''s private affair.


    "Lord Ripperton, why do you have to do all of this just to have your own Lady Soleil?" Auro Moonchester asked him after he closed the cut that he made on the human doll''s chest. "You asked Lord Kyro to kill an ancient god for you, then you used the flesh of that god to create a human doll that resembles Lady Soleil."


    It wasn''t just any ancient god that Kyro killed.


    The Moon God actually killed the god that had served the ne as its guardian for many, many centuries.


    "A god''s flesh is the best material to use in creating a perfect human doll," he exined. "Just look at my Soleil''s body. It''s soft, smooth, and warm. It doesn''t look like a doll at all, does it?"


    "That''s not what I meant," the young emperor said while wiping his hands with a white handkerchief. "Lord Kyro promised you before that he''d give Lady Soleil to you. Once you have her, we can just erase her memories and rece it with a new one. No matter how "human" the doll looks, wouldn''t the real Lady Soleil be better than it?"


    "Hmm" he said while thinking, then he looked up at the ceiling of the "cave." "Soleil''s body is already impure, and she even carried another man''s child in her womb."


    He loved Soleil.


    But the thought that her body had already been owned by a man who wasn''t him was revolting.


    Thus, he wanted a new and fresh body for his beloved.


    "You''re a scumbag, Lord Ripperton."


    Shocked that the young emperor cursed at him, he lowered his head to meet his gaze. "Did you just call me a scumbag? I thought we were on the same side."


    "Yes, but that doesn''t mean I don''t have respect for Lady Soleil as a woman and as a person," Auro Moonchester said seriously. "Moreover, she''s still my sister-inw. Calling her "impure" when she''s a married woman is stupid and unnecessary, Lord Ripperton."


    He smirked bitterly at that. "Aren''t you being a hypocrite? You say you respect Soleil, but aren''t you willing to hand her to me in the past?"


    "That''s because I thought you truly love Lady Soleil," the young emperor said. "I thought you would ept her wholly. After all, you know from the very start that you''re trying to covet a married woman."


    He didn''t like being scolded by a mere moon turned human. "Are you done?"


    "Yes, I''m done. We just have to wait for a whole day to see if the human doll will ept or reject the heart," Auro Moonchester said, still cold and distant. It seemed like the cheeky young emperor was really offended by what he said regarding Soleil. "And Lord Ripperton?"


    "What?"


    "Now I understand why you can never beat my brother when ites to Lady Soleil."


    Elis snarled at the young emperor. "Know your ce, Auro Moonchester."


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA was relieved when Elis Ripperton and Auro Moonchester left the cave without the human doll.


    She thought she''d have to follow them to steal the heart.


    Had that been the case, she wasn''t confident if she could have stolen the heart from the two. After all, Elis Ripperton was still a Beast God while Auro Moonchester was blessed by Kyro. There was no way she could beat the two in a confrontation.


    Thankfully, she outwitted them this time.


    "I''m d that they didn''t notice the Holy Scepter," Luna whispered to herself while looking at the human doll''s body on the floating table. "Now, let''s steal the heart."


    Then, she stabbed the chest with her hand. After that, she grabbed the Holy Scepter and pulled it out. Of course, the scepter only appeared because it reacted to her energy.


    When she pulled it out, the other end of the Holy Scepter had changed. It was reced by a transparent cube. Inside the box was Soleil''s heart that turned into a beautiful and shiny ruby. But she noticed that it was slowly losing its life.


    "The Holy Scepter can''t keep Soleil''s heart alive for too long," Luna said to herself worriedly. "We have to find a living vessel."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 335: The Final Sacrifice

    Chapter 335: The Final Sacrifice


    LUNA was right to go to the cave that Kalel and Soleil made as their hideout.


    Since she was the Moon Priestess, Kalel''s little snakes in the cave didn''t attack her.


    She went as quickly and quietly as possible. When she got to the deepest part of the cave, she found Kalel in shock. He was looking at his hand with a regretful look on his face. Maybe Kyro, the Moon God, had possessed his body again without his knowledge.


    [That has to stop if I want my new n to seed.]


    "Soleil," Kalel whispered to himself while looking at his bloody hands. Ah, it seemed like the lord remembered some painful memories. "No"


    [It''s not your fault, my lord.]


    "Lord Kalel," Luna said while putting down the hood of her red cloak. "I''m here."


    Kalel turned around to face her. Recognition instantly crossed his golden eyes. Ah, the lord was currently himself. "How''s Soleil?"


    "Lady Rosenberg survived," she said. "Lord Winchell gave his heart to her. Since Lord Winchell doesn''t need a physical body, he''ll live even without a heart."


    He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. "I wasn''t able to protect Soleil''s heart," he said, then he opened his eyes. "Our n failed."


    Ah, right.


    The n was for Kalel to "surrender" Soleil''s heart to Auro Moonchester. Then, once the lord found out why the bastard emperor wanted the heart, he would steal it back and return it to Soleil.


    Obviously, his n failed.


    [Lord Kyro probably possessed Lord Kalel.]


    Thankfully, she already anticipated that to happen.


    "I stole Lady Rosenberg''s heart, my lord."


    He looked surprised and in disbelief by what she just said. "What do you mean by that?"


    "For some reason, Aku gave Soleil''s heart to Lord Ripperton," she reported to him.


    She didn''t mention about the human doll that looked exactly like Soleil.


    If she did, Kalel would definitely lose his mind and attack the Blue Dragon. He wasn''t in a stable condition and she didn''t want him to lose focus. Moreover, she didn''t want the enemies to know that she found the dead body of an unknown god.


    [It''s dangerous to tell Lord Kalel about such things until I do something to make sure that Lord Kyro won''t be able to possess him again even if it''s just temporary.]


    "The Blue Dragon?" Kalel asked in surprise, distracting her from her thoughts.


    She nodded as confirmation. "I stole it from the Blue Dragon using the Holy Scepter. Right now, the heart and the Holy Scepter are in the shrine. But we need to find a better ce to hide them, my lord."


    The shrine that she mentioned was her "secret base."


    It was the only ce in the continent that Kyro wouldn''t locate despite her connection to him as the only Moon Priestess left in the world. She gave everything that she had to create a space that could never be found by the enemies.


    Of course, it came with a great price.


    [It''s not important right now.]


    "Will the heart be alright?" Kalel asked worriedly.


    "I protected it with my spell, my lord," she said. She fell silent for a few seconds before she spoke again in a hesitant tone. "Now that Lady Soleil has a new heart, I think we can give her heart to the Moon Serpent."


    His eyes widened the lord clearly didn''t think about that until she mentioned it.


    "But we don''t know when you''ll be able to conceive the Moon Serpent again," she said in a worried tone. After all, Kalel just ripped out his wife''s heart out of her chest in front of the whole Fire Mage n. Still, she knew that Kalel and Soleil loved each other deeply. "My lord, I think we need a vessel for Lady Rosenberg''s heart. My spell can''t protect it forever."


    Creating the shrine almost drained her Mana and her life force after all.


    Kalel looked at her with a knowing look on his face. "It sounds like you already have a n."


    "A second child," she said hesitantly. Then, she took a deep breath before she spoke with more confidence. This was theirst chance to set things right again. And she didn''t much have time left so she needed to help her masters as much as she could. "You and Lady Soleil need a second child to be the heart''s vessel, my lord."


    She knew that she sounded like the poor second child''s purpose was only to be a vessel. To be honest, that wasn''t a proper reason to give birth to a child. But she wasn''t that worried about that.


    Soleil and Kalel were both good people.


    [I''m sure they will be kind and loving to ther second child."


    "I need to talk to Soleil and confess everything to her first," Kalel said, then he let out a deep sigh. "Winchell and their n will definitely stop me from getting near her though."


    "I will take care of that, my lord," Luna said with clenched hands. "I will make sure that Lord Winchell will let you talk to Soleil."


    ***


    "LUNA, is that the only way to protect my heart?" Soleil, seated on the bed while leaning against the headboard, asked Luna who was now kneeling before her. "Can''t we simply take Brother Wixx''s heart out of my chest, then rece it with my own heart?"


    "I wish it''s that simple, Soleil," Luna, who was still on her knees, said. Then, she raised her head to meet her gaze. "Unfortunately, I made a mistake. When I hid your heart inside the shape-shifting Holy Scepter, I didn''t expect it to merge with your heart."


    "The Holy Scepter merged with my heart?"


    "Yes, and the scepter refuses to let go of your heart, mydy," the Moon Priestess said. "The Holy Scepter is a holy weapon that feeds on divine energies. That''s exactly the reason why only the saints could wield it for long."


    "I see," she said while nodding her head. "Since I''m a human with a soul that resemble that of a god''s, my heart is protected by infinite divine energy."


    The priestess nodded in agreement. "Thus, the Holy Scepter treats your heart as an unlimited source of "food.""


    "Then, how would a second child of mine be used as a vessel?" she asked carefully. After all, giving birth to a child for that purpose was cruel. But still, she wanted to understand Luna''s n. The Moon Priestess wouldn''t suggest it if it wasn''t needed. Despite losing the war, she wanted to have her revenge on Auro Moonchester after her brother''s heart revived her. "If the second child woulde from me and Kalel, then wouldn''t the child be filled with more divine energy?"


    "Exactly, mydy," Luna said seriously. "We need a child filled with divine energy. If the Holy Scepter absorbs that amount of divine energy, it might "explode." Of course, it wouldn''t hurt your heart since the divine energy that would explode came from it anyway."


    Sheughed softly. "Asher Forrester would be devastated if he finds out that we''re nning to destroy the Holy Scepter to free my heart."


    Thest time she saw the new young saint was when his older brother, Alec Forrester, died.


    But she already knew what kind of person Asher Forrester was. The child was selfish and had a bad attitude. Still, she knew that he was a good person.


    [He''s also Kalel''s one and only godchild.]


    "Soleil, I''m sorry."


    She was surprised when she heard that from the Moon Priestess. "What are you sorry for, Luna?"


    "I know what happened between you and Lord Kalel," Luna said hesitantly. "He ripped your heart out in front of your entire n. I''m sure you haven''t forgiven him yet. But still, I came here and suggested that you should conceive a second child with him." She paused before she smiled sadly. "Why aren''t you getting mad at me, Soleil?"


    She smiled at her good friend. "I can''t be mad at you when I know that you''re doing us for all of us, Luna," she said softly. "And I''ve already forgiven Lord Kalel."


    "You''ve already forgiven him?!"


    Sheughed again because of Luna''s reaction.


    Well, she wasn''t the first person to have that kind of reaction. After she stopped her brother from hunting down Kalel, she got an earful from him. Even Sris and Solenn, who were both reserved usually, scolded her.


    "I know that it wasn''t Kalel who hurt me," she answered seriously. "He was possessed by his father. How can I hate my husband when I know that he''s the one suffering the most right now?"


    "Soleil, you''re so kind that you''re starting to look stupid."


    She smiled at her friend''s brutal honesty. But she appreciated that. And most of all, she knew that she was being stupid.


    But still, she couldn''t go against her own heart.


    "Luna, I want to meet Kalel," Soleil said seriously. "But as you can see, my brother put a spell around my room to prevent me from leaving. In short, I''m locked up here."


    "I will talk to Lord Winchell," Luna said, then she stood up and bowed to her. "I will bring Lord Kalel here at all cost."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "THE ANSWER is ''no.''"


    "I haven''t said anything yet, Lord Winchell," Luna said while looking up at Winchell seated on the branch of a huge tree right across Soleil''s room. "Why are you already rejecting me?"


    "I''m sorry but I eavesdropped on you and Soleil earlier," Winchell said, then he looked down at her with glowing eyes. "Luna, if some other guy told my sister to conceive another child with the man who ripped her heart out literally, I would killed them on the spot."


    She wasn''t surprised by that.


    First, she already knew that Winchell was listening to her conversation with Soleil earlier. After all, she recognized the spell around thedy''s room. It was meant as a surveince kind of spell that would allow the user to hear everything inside the chamber.


    "Lord Winchell, I can''t back down now," she said, then she smiled bitterly when she felt blood drip from the corner of her mouth. "My final spell has already been activated."


    After saying that, she felt dizzy.


    Then, the next thing she knew, she was already falling on the ground.


    Winchell''s eyes widened. Then, he jumped from the tree and catch her in time before she hit the ground. After that, he carried her in his arms. "What did you do?" he asked worriedly. "Why did you life force suddenly drop like that, Luna?"


    "I created a safe ce for Lord Kalel and Lady Soleil," Luna said weakly. "I used my own life force to conceal it even from the Moon God himself, Lord Winchell."


    <strong>***</strong>


    PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~


    <strong>***</strong>


    [NOTE: Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY so you can be notified when I post an update. Thank you! :>]

 Chapter 336: Breaking Bad Habits

    Chapter 336: Breaking Bad Habits


    SOLEIL thought she''d be mad once she saw Kalel again.


    Although she knew that her husband had been taken over by Kyro, it still frustrated her that he was powerless against his father. She was aware that it was out of Kalel''s control and yet, she still couldn''t help but feel upset.


    "I''m sorry, Soleil," Kalel said while kneeling in front of her with her head hanging low. "I know an apology wouldn''t be enough. But that''s all I could say to you at the moment."


    "That''s all you could say to me at the moment?" Soleil asked, offended. "Really, Lord Kalel?"


    There was an awkward silence before he spoke again.


    "No," he said, then he finally raised his head to meet her gaze. "I have something else to say to you, Soleil."


    "What is it?"


    "I love you."


    To say that she was shocked to hear that would be an understatement.


    But most of all, she didn''t expect that those words would easily melt her anger away. Hearing how genuine Kalel sounded when he said he loved her made her stupidly happy.


    Of course, she was aware that she was being a fool.


    But ever since she was a child, she had been used to following her heart. She couldn''t break her bad habit. And to be honest, she didn''t want to especially when ites to her husband.


    She let out a deep sigh. "I should step down from my position as the Supreme Fire Mage."


    Her husband looked shocked by her announcement. "But why?"


    "You ripped my heart out in front of everyone, Kalel," she said firmly. "It was a part of our n. Yes, it didn''t fall through because you were possessed by Lord Kyro. But fortunately, my brother was there to revive me."


    Her n with Kalel was supposed to be perfect.


    She thought her husband could fight his father. But maybe there was a reason why the ancient gods were invincible up to this day.


    "And my n doesn''t know that I''m aware you were going to rip my heart out," she continued. "Although I know that the majority of my n is fond of me, I''m also aware that most of them are starting to lose their faith in me. Do you know why?"


    He nodded slowly, his face crestfallen. "It''s because no matter how much I hurt you, you still forgive and ept me in the end."


    "Of course, you know," she said. "That''s why you keep abusing my love."


    "Soleil, it''s not like that."


    "Let''s not talk about this anymore," she said while shaking her head. "I will leave my n and hand over my position to Sris."


    The authority in their n was divided into two hers and Sris''.


    Her brother, Winchell, was the symbol of power. But her brother had heavenly duties and thus, he couldn''t stay on earth for a long time. For that reason, the real authority in their n belonged to her and Sris.


    But everyone knew that she had more power than her nephew.


    [That''s about to change now.]


    "I''m not quitting just for you," she told her husband who already looked guilty by her decision. "We were the ones who led the war that we recently lost. Thus, we have to take responsibility and leave."


    The war ended but the empire ruled by Auro Moonchester couldn''t invade them totally.


    After all, Sris still had all the pieces of evidence that they had regarding the emperor''s cruel human experiment. By that, she meant Auro Moonchester kidnapping all the finestdies all over the continent to force them to breed with humanoid Crades.


    She did reveal his secret to incite the war before.


    But the only people who witnessed the documentary that she prepared were the citizens of the empire. Even if the news spread outside the empire, it would be hard to prove their allegations despite the solid evidence that they had.


    After all, Auro Moonchester won the war.


    [And the victor in war has the power to change the story.]


    Auro Moonchester had never publicly admitted his wrongdoings. He was that shameless. But now that he won the war, his words alone would be powerful enough to erase all the doubts that his people had in him recently.


    "Auro Moonchester has already begun rewriting history in his favor," she reminded her husband. "He''s trying hard to make it look like the war between us was nothing more than a huge misunderstanding. He''s currently ming it on the Crades and iming that the humanoid Crades had manipted both of our sides to kill each other. ording to your brother''s story, the humanoid Crades'' goal is to make the strongest of the human race to fight. Then, the Crades would apparently use that chance to control the human race." She smirked bitterly. "Since he won the war, the countries and kingdoms outside the empire have begun believing his story. Even if we present the pieces of evidence that we have, I don''t think we would get support at this rate. Moreover, we don''t have the capacity to start another war. Our people and resources have both been exhausted after fighting the empire for the past few years."


    That was the sad truth.


    They were utterly defeated.


    Auro Moonchester knew that, too. Thus, he was shamelessly changing the story despite the pieces of evidence that the Fire Mage had. As she said earlier, the victor had the privilege to rewrite history in his favor.


    "And I''m tired," she said softly. "Lord Kalel, let''s run away and hide. Can''t we be selfish this time and choose each other over our duties?" She smiled sadly at her husband, then she ced her hands on her stomach. "I want to build a family with you. Not because we need to conceive the Moon Serpent, or a second child to be my heart''s vessel. I just want to have and raise a child with you."


    "I want that as well, Soleil."


    She smiled, then she opened her arms. "Come here, Lord Kalel."


    "You can just call me by my name," her husband said, then he stood up and sat beside her. "I''ve been telling you to drop the honorifics from the start, haven''t I?"


    "My strict upbringing doesn''t allow me to call my husband by his name alone," she said defensively, then she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But now that we''re going to abandon our titles, I guess it would be easier for me to call you casually."


    He wrapped his arms around her body. "Should we practice?"


    She raised her head to look up at him. "Kalel?"


    He smiled and gently patted her head. "You''re already good at it."


    "I''ve always wanted to call you by my name but as I said, my strict upbringing gets in my way. All the youngdies in the continent were taught to always treat their husbands as their masters. We learned that as early as three years old."


    He scowled at that. "Just what kind of rubbish things do they teach thedies of the continent?"


    "It''s hard to be a woman in this world, Kalel."


    "If we are blessed with a daughter, we will teach her to put herself above any man."


    "Even you?"


    "I believe that respect begets respect," he said firmly. "I intend to treat our future children with love and respect."


    "You''re going to be an excellent father."


    "I have to work harder to be a good husband first."


    "That''s true."


    "I''m sorry I failed to save your heart," he said, then he kissed the top of her head. "I haven''t asked Luna yet because I was disoriented when we met a while ago. But did she mention how exactly was she able to steal your heart from Auro and Elis Ripperton?"


    Ah, right.


    Luna mentioned that she didn''t tell Kalel the truth because the Moon Priestess was afraid that Kalel might go crazy.


    "Don''t worry about it, Kalel," Soleil said, then she closed her eyes and leaned her head against her husband''s chest. "Brother Wixx and my Keepers are probably taking care of it right now."


    "I don''t understand," Kalel said, confused. "Please enlighten me, Soleil."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINCHELL was enraged.


    Luna did warn him what he''d see once he and his little sister''s Keepers reached the cave that she told them about.


    But to see a human doll lying on the ground that looked exactly like Soleil.


    "How dare they do this?" Winchell said, his fists clenched tight. "That Blue Dragon has really lost his morals!"


    Wong, Maddox, Braxton, Kelsi, and Jameson''s anger could be felt in their unstable Mana.


    He understood how the Keepers felt.


    They didn''t have to imagine what kind of horrible things Elis Ripperton was nning to do with a human doll that looked exactly like Soleil.


    [That bastard wanted Soleil''s heart to give life to that human doll, huh?]


    "Burn that human doll to ashes," he said to the Keepers coldly. "That thing isn''t Soleil so don''t hesitate"


    "Don''t you dare touch my Soleil!"


    He turned around to see Elis Rippertoning out of thin air.


    The audacity of this bastard to look angrier than him!


    "Destroy the human doll," he ordered the Keepers behind him while approaching Elis Ripperton. "I will bury this sted Blue Dragon first."


    "As you wish, Master," the Keepers said.


    "I''ll kill you if you touch my Soleil!" Elis Ripperton yelled angrily, then he raised his hands, his palms facing his direction. "Don''t you dare get in my way, Winchell Rosenberg!"


    He deflected the Blue Dragon''s wind attack by creating a strong barrier made out of his me.


    "Didn''t you hear me, bastard?" Winchell snarled while cracking his knuckles. "This mountain is going to be your grave soon!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    LUNA felt awkward while looking at the young boy who was currently looking up at her with shining eyes.


    Winchell left that child to her as her "protector."


    [Should I say "our" child?]


    That damned red bird told her something shocking about the child before he left to destroy the human doll.


    "Did you say your name is Roarke Sinir?" Luna asked awkwardly, then she squatted down to meet the young boy''s eye level. "Do you know who I am?"


    Roarke nodded shyly. "L-Lord Winchell said you''re my mother."


    She felt her cheeks flush.


    [Damn you, Winchell.]


    But she wouldn''t say that she hated the fact that Winchell "created" a child that was supposed to be theirs.


    [It''s the only way we could have a child in this lifetime anyway.]


    She just felt sorry to the kid for one thing.


    "I''m sorry," she said, then she gently touched the child''s face. "I won''t be able to stay and raise you with Lord Winchell, my child."


    Roarke looked confused by what she said. "Why can''t I stay with you, Mother?"


    Her heart broke at the child''s innocent question.


    She smiled sadly at her "son," then she turned to the huge shrine in front of them.


    That shrine was built in the heart of the dead or inactive volcano that the Fire Mage n had been protecting since time immemorial. Using her own life force and Mana, she was able to create a livable space for Soleil and Kalel.


    If she was going to die, she''d die serving her masters until the cruel end.


    "I have people that I need to protect," Luna said, then she turned to Roarke and smiled at him. Although Roarke wasn''t a real person and he wasn''t her real son with Winchell, the child was the proof of their silent love for each other. Thus, the thought of leaving their child alone in this world broke her heart. But she was still the Moon Priestess and she had duties to fulfill. "I need to do this because I want a world where you''d be safe, Roarke."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 337: Farewell, Moon Priestess

    Chapter 337: Farewell, Moon Priestess


    WINCHELL knew that Elis Ripperton would be a formidable opponent because of his ability to control the wind.


    If the Blue Dragon wished, he could stop a person''s capability to breathe.


    Unfortunately for the bastard, that technique wouldn''t work on him since his Mana and divine power were too thick for him to break.


    He calls that technique of his ''Istion.''


    [That means that my Mana serves as a barrier that acts as if my physical body is in a different dimension than the one where Elis Ripperton is. Thus, his attacks don''t work on me. Heck, he couldn''t even touch my physical body.]


    "I would kill you if I could," Winchell said after he burned Elis Ripperton. Too bad the bastard was still alive. Now that the fight was over, the two of them both returned to their human form. "But you''re protected by the Moon God."


    And the Four Beast Gods formed a contract with the major gods in the past.


    The contract states that the four of them were not allowed to kill each other unless it was an official war approved by the major gods. But those damned old gods couldn''t be seen anywhere these days.


    "This isn''t o-over yet" Elis Ripperton said while coughing. Ah, he must have been suffocated from the smoke of the fire that burned him to crisp. "The daughter of the Guardian will soon find out all the gods'' weaknesses ahh!"


    The Blue Dragon wasn''t able to finish his threat.


    All because he stabbed his hand through the bastard''s chest. Then, he grabbed Elis Ripperton''s gem-like heart and crushed it. The Blue Dragon''s howl echoed the forest.


    "You won''t die from this but with this, you''ll be forced to enter deep slumber to recover," he told the Blue Dragon while standing up. Then, he wiped the blood off of his hand using the handkerchief that Wong silently handed to him. "Good fucking night, Elis Ripperton."


    The Blue Dragon cursed him before it disappeared in a mix of blue and white light.


    "My lord, will it really be alright to simply force the Blue Dragon to enter a deep slumber?" Wong, standing behind him, asked politely. "If you can''t kill him because of thews of heaven, then you should have asked him to kill him instead."


    He turned to the first Keeper that he created. "Wong, Elis Ripperton is a scum. But he''s still a god. You and your siblings who just woke up won''t be able to kill him." He patted Wong''s shoulder when he noticed that he was frowning. "I didn''t mean to hurt your feelings. I''m also not underestimating you and your siblings. I''m merely stating a fact."


    Wong nodded, then he clenched his fists. "I will work hard to get stronger, my lord."


    "Yes, you should do that," Winchell said while nodding. He was about to encourage Wong even more when all of a sudden, he felt a shiver down his spine. Much to her surprise, Luna''s image suddenly shed in his mind. "No, it can''t be"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU FOOL," Soleil whispered to herself, in a cracked voice, when she found Luna''s cold and stiff body in front of the temple where she and Kalel were supposed to stay at. She knelt beside her friend''s body, then she turned to the boy who was seated beside the Moon Priestess. "Are you one of the Keepers that my brother created?"


    The little boy nodded while looking at her with red cheeks. "My name is Roarke, Master," he said when he stood up. Then, he bowed to her. "It''s an honor to meet you."


    It seemed like the boy recognized her at one nce, huh?


    Although the temple was a ce that was limited to her, Kalel, Winchell, and the Keepers, she could easily tell that Roarke already knew her before he even came there. Her brother definitely filled the Keepers'' nted memories with everything rted to her.


    "The night is cold, Roarke," she gently told the boy. "Go inside the temple for now."


    "But I don''t want to leave Mother alone"


    Mother?


    Was the boy referring to Luna?


    [Ah, yes. I think I remember Brother Wixx telling me that he created a Keeper that he and Luna could raise as their child.]


    But now that Luna was gone


    "It''s alright, child," she assured the boy. "I will take care of your Mother. Trust me."


    Roarke nodded and bowed to her. Then, he gave Luna onest longing look before he entered the temple.


    And now, she was alone with her friend.


    "You have a good son, Luna. I promise to take care of him," she said softly while caressing Luna''s cold face. She couldn''t believe that her quirky friend really left the earth seated on the ground while leaning against a huge tree in front of the temple. It looked like the Moon Priestess was waiting for her. "I''m sorry I''mte."


    Getting to the temple wasn''t easy.


    Luna''s life forced that served as a barrier made it invisible to the naked eye. Only people with permission to enter the temple could see it. Having said that, she and Kalel still made sure that they weren''t followed. Thus, they came to the mountain separately.


    [I wish I arrived sooner]


    She tried to hold back her tears but couldn''t.


    Although she promised herself that she would stop being a crybaby, how could she not mourn the death of her best friend? To think that Luna sacrificed her life for her sake


    [Thank you, Luna.]


    She held the Moon Priestess''s hands, then she kissed her knuckles.


    "Soleil?"


    She wiped the tears off of her face before she stood up to face Kalel. Judging by the sorrowful look on her husband''s face, it was clear that he already noticed that Luna was gone.


    "Luna sacrificed her life for us, Kalel," she said in a cracked voice. "She used her life force to prepare a safe haven for us."


    Kalel''s jaw clenched, then he nodded. "We will not put Luna''s sacrifice to vain."


    She smiled at her husband sadly. "Can you help me give Luna a proper farewell?"


    "Of course," he said, then he froze for a moment.


    She knew why her husband was suddenly frozen though. And it was because her brother Winchell arrived. The sullen look on her brother''s face told them that he already knew that his lover was gone.


    But her brother didn''t look shocked.


    [Does Brother already know that Luna is nning to sacrifice her life for us?]


    "Soleil, let me handle this," Winchell said solemnly when he stood before her,pletely ignoring Kalel. "I have to burn Luna''s body."


    She gasped when she heard that. "But why do you have to do that, Brother Wixx?"


    "Luna, as a Moon Priestess, betrayed the Moon God," her brother exined. "Once her soul reaches the ne, she wouldn''t be considered for reincarnation as punishment for her betrayal."


    She fell silent for a while before she realized what her brother was nning to do. "You''re going to use your me as a phoenix to help Luna get reborn?"


    Her brother remained silent, and she took that as a ''yes.''


    "It''s going to exhaust your Mana, Brother," she said worriedly. "You might need to enter a deep slumber to recuperate. Will you be safe if you rest in heaven?"


    "Don''t worry about me, Soleil. I have Sentinel to protect while I sleep," her brother said, then he gently ruffled her hair. "I will return as soon as I can. While I''m away, I will leave the Keepers to you. Of course, they won''t enter the temple. But I will make them guard the area for you and your husband."


    "Brother"


    "Just focus on conceiving the child that you need," Winchell said, then he gently caressed her face. "I will be back before you know it."


    Soleil smiled sadly and nodded. "We will wait for you, Brother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WINCHELL used the most gentle me that he could muster to burn Luna''s remains.


    Before that, he carefully put her body in afortable bed and took her to the middle of the forest. He didn''t want to burn her where Roarke, their son, could see it. The darkness and the coldness of the night made him feel more gloomy.


    It made sending off Luna harder than he imagined.


    "You really didn''t listen to me until the end, Luna," Winchell whispered to himself with a sad smile on his face. Watching his beloved being swallowed by his own me hurt like hell. But he stayed because he didn''t want to leave Luna alone. He couldn''t. "Still, that only made you more endearing to me."


    To say that he was heartbroken to lose Luna would be an understatement.


    But on the other hand, he wouldn''t deny that he was grateful to her for being a good friend to Soleil until the end.


    None of them deserved the Moon Priestess.


    "I will make sure that you''ll get reborn because I know that you want to live longer in your next life," Winchell whispered, then he closed his eyes and let his tears fall. "I will find you again, Luna."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "NIA knows how to find the Supreme Fire Mage."


    Auro Moonchester turned to Nia who was lying beside him on the bed.


    He just told her his problem regarding his missing brother and sister-inw. Of course, he was hoping that the daughter of the Great Fire Tree could help him. But he didn''t expect Nia to give him an immediate response.


    "Really?" Auro asked eagerly. "Can Nia tell me how to find my dear brother and his wife?"


    "Summon the fire woman''s Spirit Guardian."


    ["Fire woman?" Is she referring to Lady Rosenberg?]


    "The Spirit Guardian can follow the fire woman anywhere," Nia continued cheerfully. "The Spirit Guardian has the same soul as the fire woman and therefore, the barrier hiding the fire woman won''t work on the Spirit Guardian."


    Ah, that made sense.


    Still


    "Even if the Spirit Guardian doesn''t like her master, I don''t think she''d betray Lady Rosenberg that easily," he said worriedly. "I heard that the Spirit Guardians will get punished if they betray their master."


    "It will be fine," his lover assured him. "The Spirit Guardian is being protected by a dark yet strong entity inside the fire woman."


    It was hard to believe at first.


    But he trusted Nia and her words.


    "Then, let''s give it a try," he said while gently patting Nia''s head. "I wonder how I could convince the Spirit Guardian toe to our side."


    "Give her the baby."


    "The baby?"


    "The fire woman''s baby," Nia said, her eyes glowing mischievously. "The Spirit Guardian wants the fire woman''s baby."


    The confidence in his lover''s voice encouraged him to believe her even more.


    "Thank you, Nia," Auro said, gathering her petite frame in his arms. "I don''t know how to live without you."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 338: Birth of the Second Son

    Chapter 338: Birth of the Second Son


    TILLY couldn''t help but cry after being reminded of Luna''s sacrifice back in her previous life.


    Then, she remembered that the Moon Priestess''s sacrifice went to vain.


    First, Lucina Morganna was able to enter the temple and steal her baby


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>["Lord Kalel, it''s gone!" Soleil cried while clutching her now empty stomach. She was already in her sixth month of pregnancy. But when she woke up, the baby in her womb was gone. "Our baby is gone!"</em>


    <em>Kalel looked shocked by what she said. "What do you mean the baby is gone?"</em>


    <em>She didn''t know how it happened either.</em>


    <em>The two of them ran away in secret after making both their families believe that they had ended up hating each other. The Fire Mage n believed that she was in her family''s temple to prepare for war. On the other hand, the Moonchesters thought that Kalel went to the North to train and summon another powerful weapon for the uing war, too.</em>


    <em>But the truth was they were in the shrine of the Moon Priestess.</em>


    <em>They conceived their second child in secret. Aside from Luna, no one else knew that she was pregnant. There was no way the Moon Priestess would betray them!</em>


    <em>"I don''t know but I think our baby was stolen," Soleil said between sobs. Then, she held Kalel''s hands in her trembling hands. "Lord Kalel, what do we do now? I feel like I''m about to go crazy!"]</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    After that, Tilly remembered that Sris and Solenn informed her about the Great Fire Tree''s betrayal. It happened a year after she lost her baby and her ck me to Lucina Morganna. Ever since then, she and Kalel mostly stayed in the temple while preparing for the things that they needed to do for the n


    <strong>***</strong>


    ["Mydy, the Great Fire Tree has betrayed the gods," Sris informed her. "He shared the weaknesses of the gods to Auro Moonchester."


    "The Keepers and I also found out through our investigation that Auro Moonchester has brought a new girl in the pce to rece his sister," Solenn added. "And thest time Lord Kalel was here, he also confirmed that the ine Moonchester that the emperor introduced to the public was no longer his real sister."


    She tried not to give any reaction when she heard her husband''s name.


    Half a year ago, Kalel left the temple to search for Lucina Morganna. He was hoping that their second child was still alive. And she let Kalel go alone.


    It wasn''t like she had given up on finding their second child.


    But she realized that even if they did find him, they wouldn''t be able to give the child a better life in a world ruled by Auro Moonchester.


    Yes, that bastard had already gained too much power.


    "The woman that Auro Moonchester used to rece his sister" Solei began carefully. "Is she the daughter of the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree?"


    Of course, she would know.


    Her Brother Winchell disappeared after he stormed to the pce to try and retrieve her second child from Auro Moonchester. After all, her brother was very certain that it was the emperor who connived with her Spirit Guardian to steal her child and her ck me.


    But her brother was heavily injured because of that fight.


    None of them knew where her Brother Winchell hid to heal his wounds.


    "That must be the case, mydy," Sris said, answering her previous question. ""ine Moonchester" was there when Lord Winchell and Auro Moonchester fought. The emperor managed to break Lord Winchell''s Istion."


    ''Istion'' was her brother''s strongest technique next to his Red me.


    After all, Istion was the kind of technique that protects his brother''s physical body from getting harmed. It was a secret that only a few of them knew though. But even if Auro Moonchester was aware of that technique, the fact that he was able to break Istion and harm her brother could only mean that he received help from that woman.


    "The Spirit of the Great Fire Tree must have lost his mind," she said coldly. "Sharing the secrets of the gods to his daughter and sending that wicked woman to assist Auro Moonchester" She clenched her hands tight. "Thisnd is no longer safe for us."


    Even the Golden Tiger had been sealed by Auro Moonchester.


    The main gods had also been quiet all this time. To simply say, it seemed like the wicked emperor had blocked all the help that their n could get.


    Her thoughts were distracted when she noticed that Sris and Solenn both looked anxious.


    "What is it?" she asked sternly. "Is there anything else you need to report to me?"


    Sris and Solenn turned to each other as if they weremunicating using their eyes. Then, the two faced her again with a determined look on their faces.


    "This is still ufirmed but I received reports that the empire has been secretly abducting Fire Mages for their experiment," Sris said in a voice that showed restraint. It seemed like he was angry, but he was trying to keep hisposure in front of her. "Apparently, the me of the abducted Fire Mages has been stolen. Thankfully, they were released alive."


    Of course, hearing that made her unbelievably angry.


    "Confirm it as soon as possible," she ordered, mad. "And gather all the Fire Mages in one, secured and hidden ce."


    Sris bowed to her. "As you wish, mydy," he said. "May we know why we need to gather all the Fire Mages in one ce?"


    Maybe it was time for her to share her ns with Sris and Solenn since her preparations were almost over. It wasn''t like she wanted to keep it a secret from her people. She just knew how they would react and therefore, she remained quiet all this time.


    It helped that the temple protected her from prying eyes.


    "Thend isn''t safe anymore as long as Auro Moonchester is one of the most powerful and influential people in the continent," Soleil said seriously. "I n to create an ind in the sky where the Fire Mages could live peacefully away from the tyrant emperor''s filthy hands."


    Of course, Sris and Solenn tried to stop her.


    The Keepers even cried while begging her to change her mind.


    But Soleil knew that it was the right to do.]


    <strong>***</strong>


    Then, Tilly remembered that she forced her way into the Eternal Garden and wreak havoc as revenge for the betrayal of the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>["I chose to use my remaining Mana on creating three different powerful spells," she said. "First, to create a safe ce for my n. Second, to create a spell that will protect my reincarnated spell from the Moonchesters. It was the kind of spell that will prevent the Moonchesters and all of my enemies in this lifetime to forget my face and my presence until my reincarnated self retrieved my memories as Soleil Rosenberg."</em>


    <em>"That''s foolish, Soleil Rosenberg," the Spirit said. "You can get reincarnated whenever you die because aside from the heart of the Red Phoenix, you are also the ck Phoenix yourself. What''s more amazing is the fact that you won''t lose the memories of your previous life when you get reincarnated. Gods and beings like you have that kind of privilege, you see."</em>


    <em>"I know that," she said with a bitter smile. "But I''m also aware that I will lose that privilege once I performed a forbidden spell. Thus, I had to create a spell that would protect me in my next lifetime until I retrieved my past memories."</em>


    <em>"A forbidden spell?" the Spirit asked, then it made the ground shake by screaming. "Don''t you dare touch my daughter, Soleil Rosenberg!"</em>


    <em>Soleil justughed, then she summoned her ming dagger. As soon as she grabbed the hilt of her weapon, she came at the holy tree and struck the de into its body. Of course, the Great Fire Tree was soon engulfed in her red me. "Don''t worry, I will not kill you because you still have a use in the future," she said, then she stepped away from it and let it burn while screaming curses at her. She justughed it off. "Watch me curse your daughter, Spirit of the Great Fire Tree."]</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    Tilly also remembered that she cursed Nia after that


    <strong>***</strong>


    <em>["Nia, Guardian of the Great Fire Tree who stole ine Moonchester''s identity I curse you," Soleil said, making Nia scream "no" loudly. "I curse you to be born as Aku Moonchester''s birth sister for all eternity."</em>


    <em>"No!" Nia screamed while trying to get away from her but as soon as she strangled her neck hard, she choked. "Supreme, Nia begs for your mercy"</em>


    <em>"I have none to give," Soleil said coldly. "Your soul will be forever tied with Aku Moonchester as beloved his little sister and only the me of the Red Phoenix could burn it." Sheughed when she remembered how much her brother hated the Moonchesters. "Not that my brother would help you escape your curse, Nia Moonchester."]</em>


    <strong>***</strong>


    TILLY blinked several times when all of a sudden, the memories that yed in her head like a movie stopped. Then, everything turned ck. That was when she realized that she had her eyes closed all this time.


    When she slowly opened her eyes, she was greeted by Kiho''s worried face.


    Nia, on the other hand, was sitting on the grass under the Fire Tree''s shade while braiding her hair. And the woman looked bored.


    [I''m doing all the work here.]


    "Tilly, are you alright?" Kiho asked worriedly. "What happened?"


    "It ended. The memories that I was watching in my head suddenly stopped," Tilly said, then she turned to the Great Fire Tree. "What happened?"


    "Your life ended after you sent the first batch of Fire Mages up in the sky," the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree said. "Now, I will show you the past memories of other people such as Lucina Morganna and your second child."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR MAJESTY, where is my child?" Lucina Morganna asked the emperor weakly. She just gave birth to her child a few hours ago. But as soon as she was informed that she gave birth to a boy, her baby was taken away from her. "Why did you take him away from me?"


    "Don''t worry, I won''t harm the child," Auro Moonchester said cheerfully. "I''m just going to use it as bait to lure out the Fire Mages in hiding."


    Ah, that again.


    After it was confirmed that Soleil Rosenberg already died and her soul had finally returned to the ne, they noticed that arge number of Fire Mages disappeared along with her. The only thing that was keeping the emperor calm was the fact that Sris was still leading their small country.


    As long as there were still Fire Mages within Auro Moonchester''s hands, he wouldn''t recklessly attack the Fire Mage n.


    [Moreover, he still needs the Fire Mages for his new experiment.]


    "How do you n to use my child to lure them out?" she asked curiously. "And it isn''t like they''re tantly hiding. Sris is still active as the leader of the n."


    "But the fact that Solenn, the Sun Priestess, disappeared along with the Supreme Fire Mage is making me anxious," the emperor said even though he didn''t really look anxious. "I can''t carelessly enter their territory because I don''t want to start another war with them. You know that I need the Fire Mages alive for my experiment. The more of them I lose, the higher the chance of my experiment failing gets. I can''t have that." He smiled charmingly at her. "Thus, I n to visit their small country under the guise of returning Lady Rosenberg''s second child to them."


    "Your Majesty!" sheined, scared. She wanted to move but her body couldn''t. "I don''t want to lose my child"


    "You''re not going to lose your child, Lucina Morganna," he assured her. "I just need to use your child to gain entry in their territory. I need to personally know why the number of Fire Mages that my people are observing decreases as time goes by. Once I get what I want, I will return the child to you. Don''t you trust me?"


    "Of course I don''t," she said bluntly. "Give me a reason to trust you, Your Majesty."


    "I''m not really obliged to gain your trust but since my dear Nia is fond of you, I will be generous," he said with that sickeningly "charming" smile of his. "Would you be satisfied if I said that I''d bring the father of your child with me?"


    To say that she was shocked to hear that would be an understatement.


    [Lord Kalel disappeared even before the Supreme died]


    "I guess you''ll only believe me if you see my dear brother with your own eyes," Auro Moonchester said whileughing softly. Then, he turned to the door. "Kalel,e in."


    She wasn''t really expecting anything.


    Thus, Lucina was pleasantly surprised when Kalel entered the room.


    He was still as handsome and as dashing as she remembered. Even though Lord Kalel''s face was as cold as ice, she didn''t mind it. Now that the Supreme Fire Mage was gone, it could only mean one thing.


    [This is my chance to give my son aplete family...]


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 339: The Unwanted Successor

    Chapter 339: The Unwanted Sessor


    "LORD KALEL, I''m thinking of naming our child ''Julian,''" Lucina Morganna excitedly told the father of her child. "What do you think?"


    Kalel turned to her with a smile. "It sounds nice."


    That made her heart flutter with delight.


    Right now, she and Kalel were spending time inside their baby''s room while having tea. Their son, on the other hand, was sleeping peacefully in his crib. If only she could immortalize this moment using a spirit stone, she would have done it.


    But she was still a little awkward with Kalel since this was the first time that they had gotten this close.


    [I''m quite nervous.]


    "Is that what you expected to hear from me?"


    She flinched when Kalel''s voice turned from warm to taunting. Even his expression changed. He was now looking at her as if he found her disgusting. That sent shivers down her spine. "W-What do you mean by that, Lord Kalel?"


    "The only reason why I''m doing this is because you safely gave birth to the Fire Mage sessor," he said, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "But don''t act like we''re already in a rtionship. Know your ce, human."


    She clenched her hands tight.


    Auro Moonchester told him that Kalel lost his memories after he went "insane" when the Supreme Fire Mage died. But why was he acting this way?


    "You didn''t lose your memories, did you?" she used him with a re. "You''re just probably fooling His Majesty." She mmed her hands on the table, spilling the tea in the process. Then, she got up and got ready to leave. "I will report you to the emperor in this instant!"


    "What are you going to report to me?"


    She flinched when Auro Moonchester entered the room.


    It bothered her that she didn''t feel his presence. But at the same time, she was d that the emperor arrived just when she needed to see him.


    "Your Majesty, I don''t think Lord Kalel has lost his memories," she said urgently. "I believe he''s trying to deceive you!"


    Auro Moonchester didn''t look surprised by her allegation. He simply raised an eyebrow at her. "And your basis for saying that is?"


    She flinched because she suddenly realized that her im would sound ridiculous. Nevertheless, she still gave it a shot. "I-I tried to get closer to Lord Kalel and he rudely told me to know my ce"


    Now she felt embarrassed after saying that herself.


    "She acted like she was my wife when all she did was give birth to my child," Kalel added while looking at the emperor. "Was I wrong to put her in her ce, Brother?"


    "Of course not, Brother," His Majesty said, then he turned to her. "Lady Morganna, my brother lost his memories not his taste in women."


    She wanted to die from embarrassment at that moment.


    But it wasn''t like she could retaliate against the two powerful men.


    Therefore, Lucina had no choice but to walk out of the room, wishing that the ground would open up swallow her from the humiliation that she suffered.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "DID YOU have to be that cold to Lady Morganna?" Auro teased his "brother" when it was only the two of them left in the Fire Mage sessor''s room. "Nia is fond of thatdy so please don''t upset her too much."


    "That woman already served her purpose," "Kalel" said haughtily. "I won''t coddle her just because your sister favors her."


    "Nia isn''t my sister."


    "Wasn''t," he corrected him. "But didn''t the Supreme bind your soul with Nia so the two of you would be real siblings in your next lives?"


    He scowled when his "brother" reminded him of the curse that the Supreme Fire Mage apparently ced on him and Nia. His lover had been worried sick about the curse. In this lifetime, the curse wouldn''t work yet.


    Although Nia was pretending to be ine Moonchester (his real sister) to be epted by their people as their empress, the truth was they weren''t rted by blood.


    But the next time the two of them get reborn, they would be blood-rted siblings then.


    [It''s too early to worry about that.]


    Moreover, marrying within the royal family was normal to keep the bloodline pure. That was exactly the reason why he made Nia pretend to be ine Moonchester. In fact, before he killed his real sister, the nobles and his advisors were pushing him to marry ine. Of course, the purpose of that marriage was to conceive an heir with a pure bloodline.


    [This custom wouldn''t change no matter how many years have passed, right?]


    Thus, Nia shouldn''t be worried.


    "It doesn''t matter whether the curse would work or not," he said firmly. "Nia and I will always be in love with each other."


    "How romantic," his "brother" said sarcastically. Then, he paused. "Now you''re making me miss my dear wife."


    Heughed while shaking his head. "Is Yumi still recovering?"


    "Yes, she is," Kyro, whose soul was possessing Kalel''s body, nodded. "But she has started preparing the things that she needs to create the perfect human bodies for the two of us."


    That was the reason why Kyro needed to borrow Kalel''s body first.


    It worked for him because he didn''t want his older brother to get in his way, but he also couldn''t kill him.


    [My soul is bind with my brother so if he dies, I will die as well.]


    But everything was alright now that Kyro put Kalel into a deep slumber.


    "Let me know if you need my help," he said, then he turned around and approached the baby in the crib. "For someone who ims that she desperately wants to be a mother, I can''t believe Lucina Morganna just walked out on us while leaving her child here."


    "Isn''t it because she thinks I''m Kalel?" the Moon God asked, then he sipped his tea before he continued. "Maybe that woman trusts "me" to protect the child."


    He carried the now awake baby in his arms as carefully as he could. Of course, he was fond of the child. After all, it was the son of his beloved brother. "Lord Kyro, don''t speak coldly. This child is your real grandson."


    "That child inherited his mother''s me," Kyro scoffed, then he put his teacup on the table. "Moreover, I don''t like how he resembles the Red Phoenix."


    He chuckled and nodded in agreement.


    Kalel''s son had bright red hair that reminded them of Winchell, the Red Phoenix. Aside from the child''s appearance, the me burning in his tiny body also screamed ''Rosenberg.'' In short, this child was obviously the child of thete Supreme Fire Mage.


    "Lord Kyro, shouldn''t you give this child a name?" he asked, then he turned around to face the Moon God. "We should at least give him a name before we present him to the Fire Mage n."


    "Ah, there''s a name that keeps ringing in my head every time Kalel tries to take his consciousness back. I think it''s the name that he and the Supreme hade up for their child," Kyro said, then he paused before speaking again. "I believe it''s ''Julian.''"


    "''Julian, huh?''" Auro said with a smile while looking at the child''s clear eyes. "Nice to meet you, Julian," he said to his nephew. "Now, will you help your poor uncle gain the trust of the Fire Mage n?"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "OUR SUPREME Fire Mage didn''t have a son."


    Auro Moonchester almost rolled his eyes at Sris, the current "king" of the Fire Mage n.


    Right now, he was in a parlor room with "Kalel" and Sris. He and his brother were seated side-by-side across from the Fire Archmage with a only table between them. A female knight was standing behind him and Kalel while carrying the sleeping Julian in her arms. On the other hand, there were two male Fire Mages behind Sris.


    [It seems like the news that the Sun Priestess Solenn has passed away is true.]


    He nted a mole in the n but of course, he wanted to verify the news by himself.


    "Lord Sris, the child is named Julian just like what Lady Rosenberg wished for her son to be called," Auro said as gently as he could. "Julian is the child of the Supreme Fire Mage."


    "Sris, Julian is my son with Soleil," Kyro, who was acting as Kalel, said in an indifferent tone just like how Kalel talked. "I know that you can tell that he is the child of the me."


    Anger crossed Sris'' eyes. "Don''t fool me, Lord Kalel," he said in a low and irritate voice. "The child is the child of the me because the woman who gave birth to him is the Supreme''s traitorous Spirit Guardian. You betrayed Lady Rosenberg, didn''t you?"


    "I did no such thing," the Moon God denied in a firm voice, proving that a being like him who lived for so long knew how to act properly. "I''m certain that you can confirm if the child is Soleil''s or not, Sris."


    "Enough," the Fire Archmage snarled at them. "If you''re done with your nonsense, you may leave now," he said, then he turned to her. "I believe that I''ve been courteous enough to face you even if you havee unannounced, Your Majesty."


    Ah, they were being kicked out.


    It was true that he and his party came unannounced. He had no choice though. After all, Sris had ignored all the letters that he sent to that small country. Thus, even if he knew that it would be rude for an emperor like him to visit a country unannounced, he still did so.


    In return, he only brought a few people with him.


    But he didn''t want to anger Sris because he was avoiding a war with the Fire Mage n. Therefore, he decided to concede for now.


    "Very well," Auro said, giving up for now because he didn''t want to cause a scene. After all, he had an image to uphold. "We''ll be back again soon, Lord Sris."


    <strong>***</strong>


    SOLARIS knew that the child that Auro Moonchester was the Supreme Fire Mage''s stolen child. Now that Solenn was gone, only he knew the truth. The other Fire Mages thought that Kalel betrayed Lady Soleil Rosenberg with Lucina Morganna.


    And he intended to keep it that way because of several heavy reasons.


    First, he could tell that the Kalel he met wasn''t his usual self so he couldn''t trust him.


    Second, he was aware that Auro Moonchester was trying to use the child to control the Fire Mage n.


    Third, he had a feeling that there were traitors among them at the moment.


    As the head of the Fire Mage n, he had to make sacrifices to protect his people.


    "I''m sorry, Lord Julian," Sris whispered to himself, then he closed his eyes while leaning against the door of the prayer room. "I have to deny your existence for our n"


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOU FAILED, child emperor."


    Auro let out a frustrated sigh as a response to Kyro''s mocking. "If you''ve put more effort into your acting, then maybe you could have moved the Fire Archmage''s heart, Lord Kyro," heined. "Julian is Kalel''s child and the Fire Archmage knows it. He just refuses to acknowledge it since he and the entire n me you for Lady Rosenberg''s death."


    They were free to talk that way because only he and Kyro was seated face-to-face inside the fancy royal carriage. Julian, the unwanted sessor, was in another carriage with the captain and vice-captain of the Royal Knights.


    "Why are you nagging me?" the Moon God asked with a raised eyebrow. "It''s not like you only came here to present the child to the Fire Archmage. Didn''t youe here for the Fire Mages who sought an alliance with you?"


    That reminder made him smile. "Ah, yes," he said while nodding his head. "With that, I can finally continue with my experiment."


    Kyro sighed and shook his head. "You''re crazy for trying to create your own Fire Mages by stealing the me of the Fire Mages you''ve abducted."


    "My test subjects won''t be called ''Fire Mages,''" Auro said with a proud smile on his face. "Once my experiment seeds, I will call them ''Fire Wielders.''"


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 340: Traitors of the Fire Mage Clan

    Chapter 340: Traitors of the Fire Mage n


    "WE WILL raise the Supreme''s second son."


    Auro Moonchester hid his smile by sipping his tea. [Ah, it''s going well as nned.]


    Right now, he was in a secret meeting with Lady Cyrene Amelia the new Sun Priestess. And yes, the new Sun Priestess came from the n of the Sun Priestess who gave birth to Sris. But instead of supporting their leader, Lady Cyrene Amelia chose to side with him.


    He didn''t expect it to be this easy.


    When Julian was born, he sent the news to Sris and the new Sun Priestess. The Fire Archmage didn''t receive the news kindly. On the other hand, Lady Cyrene Amelia responded back by setting up a secret meeting with him.


    That was how he ended up in a reception room in the Sun Temple while having tea with the new Sun Priestess.


    "We will raise Lord Julian as the future head of the Fire Mage n," Lady Amelia said calmly, then she sipped her tea. "Lady Solenn has gone missing. Thus, Lord Sris doesn''t have a sessor. It seems like he doesn''t have any intention of taking a wife again. Thanks to that, Lord Julian will have all the right to seed the Fire Archmage''s position."


    "It won''t be easy, Lady Amelia," Auro said, then he ced the teacup down on the table between him and the Sun Priestess. "The Fire Mages around Lord Sris are fiercely loyal to him and the Supreme."


    "They are loyal but weak," the Sun Priestess said. "The strong ones have disappeared."


    That was true.


    The first ones who disappeared from the Fire Mage n were the strongest ones.


    "The ones who are called the Supreme''s Keepers" he began carefully. "Did they disappear as well? They''re the strongest Fire Mages I''ve seen."


    "They did disappear after the Supreme passed away."


    "And you do not know where the missing Fire Mages have gone to?"


    "The answer is pretty obvious, isn''t it? I would have reported to you immediately if I had known where our missing n members have gone to," the Sun Priestess said, then she let out a deep sigh. "Your Majesty, you already know that there are currently at least two factions within the Fire Mage n, don''t you?"


    He smiled slyly as a response. "Why are you asking the obvious?"


    Of course, he knew that there was an internal conflict within the n at the moment.


    That was exactly why he delivered the news of Julian''s birth to two factions: Sris''s family, and Lady Cyrene Amelia''s side.


    "Lord Sris''s faction is weakening as more members of his side kept missing," the Sun Priestess said. "Moreover, the Fire Mages at the foot of the hierarchy are starting to lose faith in Lord Sris."


    "Oh," he said, suddenly interested in the piece of information that he heard. "Why is Lord Sris losing their faith?"


    "It''s for the same reason why I decided to take your side, Your Majesty," Lady Cyrene Amelia said solemnly. "It''s been a while since we heard the voice of the Sun God. It''s frustrating to see Lord Sris dwelling on the Supreme Fire Mage''s death rather than praying for our god to lend us his power again."


    He knew why the Sun God was silent recently.


    But of course, he wouldn''t share that precious information with the Sun Priestess. He wasn''t stupid. If the Sun God''s silence was the reason why some of the Fire Mages were doubting Sris''s authority, why would he tell the truth?


    [Let''s just pretend to be ignorant.]


    "Of course, I understand how precious Lady Soleil Rosenberg is to the Rosenberg Family the heart of the Fire Mages'' n," the Sun Priestess continued. "But our n cannot move forward if we keep on celebrating the dead. The times are changing but the Fire Mage n is still stuck in the past." She sipped her tea and shook her head. "I don''t want this kind of future for the Fire Mages, Your Majesty."


    "Tell me what you want, Lady Amelia."


    "I want to hear the Sun God''s voice again," the Sun Priestess said firmly. "I want to create a new history for the Fire Mages. To do that, Lord Sris and the Rosenberg Family must change first. Thus, I intend to raise Lord Julian as the future Supreme Fire Archmage."


    He smiled before he sipped his tea.


    [Perfect.]


    The nave Lady Cyrene Amelia didn''t know that most of the missing Fire Mages didn''t disappear by their own volition.


    [She doesn''t know that I''m abducting her fellow Fire Mages to experiment on them.]


    Keeping the real Fire Mages, for now, would be beneficial to him.


    The experiment on creating Fire Wielders by stealing the me of Fire Mages and forcing it into non-Mana users wasn''t going smoothly. They needed Fire Mages for the experiment, but the security in their country was getting tighter.


    Thankfully, Lady Cyrene Amelia and her faction were here to solve his problem for him.


    [Let''s run wild while Lord Winchell hasn''t returned yet.]


    He would discard the Fire Mages on his side after the experiment seeded. For now, they would keep him by his side as "allies."


    "Your Majesty."


    "What is it, Lady Amelia?"


    "I hope the empire doesn''t get involved once the fight for power within the Fire Mage n begins," Lady Amelia said seriously. "Even if we unite, we still do not have the power to fight the empire if you suddenly decide to attack us while we''re at our weakest."


    To be honest, that was his initial n.


    The Fire Mage n was so easy to attack as of the moment. But he didn''t want to start another war when he was still expanding his territories across the continent.


    [Yes, let''s take it easy.]


    Lady Soleil Rosenberg was gone.


    His brother Kalel was being suppressed by Kyro.


    [Everything is under control.]


    "I will silently support you and your faction, Lady Amelia. I will also leave Julian in your care," Auro said with a smile. "May the Sun Priestess hear the voice of the Sun God soon."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "JULIAN, my child."


    Julian, now five years old, wondered why his mother entered his room with a delighted look on her face.


    Of course, he was happy to see his mother finally smiling again.


    He was just wondering what happened for this to happen. Ever since he developed a mind of his own, he noticed that his mother was always sad. She was sad when his father wasn''t with him, but she was also sad when his father was there to visit.


    "Mother, you look happy," Julian said, then he smiled and hugged his mother''s leg. "Julian is happy when you''re happy, Mother."


    His teachers told him that he should stop talking like a child.


    [Even Mother encourages me to speak properly.]


    But it slipped out because he was excited to see that his mother was happy. Thankfully, his mother didn''t notice that he talked in the third person. Or maybe she just let it slide because she was in a very good mood.


    "Julian, my dream is finallying true," his mother said cheerfully, then she leaned down to pick him up and carry him in her arms. Upon a closer look, he could see that his mother''s eyes were shining brightly. "You''re going to be the official leader of the Fire Mage n soon!"


    His smile slowly disappeared.


    A five-year-old child might be too young for other people. But for a royal like him, that age was enough to start learning about politics. Moreover, his teachers praised him for being smart and mature for his age.


    Naturally, he easily understood what it meant when his mother said that he would be the official leader of the Fire Mage n soon.


    "Mother, what happened to Uncle Sris?" he asked worriedly. "He''s still the leader of the n"


    He still called Lord Sris ''Uncle Sris'' even though he wasn''t his uncle. After all, Lord Sris was Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s nephew. And he was also the man who didn''t ept him as the Supreme Fire Mage''s son.


    Yes, he knew that Lady Lucina Morganna wasn''t his real mother. But in his heart, he only had one mother and it wasn''t the Supreme Fire Mage.


    However, he still considered the Fire Mage n as his family.


    Even though he lived in the empire''s Royal Pce that his Uncle Auro provided for him and his mother, he would still visit the country where the Fire Mage n lived from time to time.


    He heard that when he was born, the Fire Mage n had been divided into two factions.


    The first faction was the one led by his Uncle Sris. It was also the faction that hated him because the members believed that he wasn''t Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s son.


    The second faction was the one led by his Aunt Cyrene, the Sun Priestess. It was the faction that took care of him and his mother. Whenever he would visit the Fire Mage country, Aunt Cyrene would wee him warmly.


    He also heard that Uncle Sris had no more power over the Fire Mage n even though he still held the title of the ''Fire Archmage.''


    His Aunt Cyrene, as the Sun Priestess, was apparently the one controlling the n now.


    Yet, all Aunt Cyrene could do was to hail him as the official sessor of the Fire Mage n. But now, he would be dered as the next leader?


    [That only means something bad happened to Uncle Sris]


    "I heard that Lord Sris is sick," his mother said in a cold and uninterested voice. "Julian, don''t concern yourself over the people who didn''t care about you."


    "Mother, Uncle Sris is still my family," Julian said softly. "Please allow me to visit my Uncle Sris."


    <strong>***</strong>


    FOR THE first time after a long while, Julian was granted permission by Uncle Sris himself to enter his room.


    He heard that his uncle was sick, but he didn''t expect him to be this sick.


    No, that couldn''t be right.


    [Poison.]


    His Uncle Sris was definitely poisoned judging by the color of his skin.


    He didn''t know why but all of a sudden, the image of the "Lady White Snake," his grandmother, entered his mind.


    [Could it be]


    "Julian?" Uncle Sris asked for him weakly. His eyes were still closed and it looked like he was having trouble breathing. "Can you hear me?"


    "Y-Yes, Uncle Sris," Julian answered politely. "I''m happy to see you again but my heart hurts to see you in this state"


    "Julian, listen to what I''m about to say."


    He felt a chill down his spine when he heard his uncle''s serious and cold tone despite the weakness in his voice.


    "Even if you take my ce as the Fire Archmage, that will never make you a real Rosenberg," Uncle Sris said in a cold and harsh voice. "You are not Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s son remember that, Julian Moonchester."


    Moonchester.


    His father, Kalel, was a Moonchester. Of course, there was nothing wrong to be addressed as such. But he was still hurt.


    He knew what the Fire Archmage meant when he called him by that name.


    Until the end, Uncle Sris didn''t acknowledge him as Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s son. He didn''t know if his uncle died because a week after that conversation he had with him, the Fire Archmage suddenly disappeared.


    Uncle Sris disappeared the way Lady Solenn and the other Fire Mages had disappeared for the past few years.


    But to be honest, a new fear was nted in his heart.


    It was the fear of iming that he was a Rosenberg.


    That was one of the most painful experiences that Julian had at his tender age.


    And he engraved one thing in his mind, heart, and soul.


    [I am not Lady Soleil Rosenberg''s son.]


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 341: Julians Forgotten Secret

    Chapter 341: Julian''s Forgotten Secret


    "CONGRATULATIONS on your eighteenth birthday, son."


    Julian smiled at his mother''s warm greeting.


    Tonight was the eve of his birthday celebration. But the banquet that Emperor Auro prepared for him would be held tomorrow night. Thus, only he and his mother were celebrating in his room right now.


    [I invited Father but it seems like he won''t make it.]


    Again.


    "Your father is busy, Julian," Lucina Mroganna, his mother, said while slicing the cake that she personally baked for him. "Please understand that your father is a busy man. He runs the empire with His Majesty."


    "I understand, Mother," Julian assured her. "I''m just d that I get to spend my birthday with you."


    His mother smiled and put the slice of cake on his te. Then, she handed him a fork. "My precious son, your marriage partner has been decided."


    He almost dropped the fork but thankfully, he managed to control his emotion. His smile froze for a moment but when he met his mother''s gaze, he forced himself to rx. "May I know what kind of ady she is, Mother?"


    "She''s the current Sun Priestess, and she came from the branch family of the Amelias."


    The Amelia n was the traitorous n that betrayed the Rosenberg n to steal thetter''s position.


    After Lord Sris disappeared, the Amelia n led the remaining Fire Mages.


    Naturally, the Sun Priestesses for the past few years came from either the Amelia n or one of their branch families. Since Sun Priestesses were usually born with a weak body, they often died early. Thus, the position was frequently vacant.


    "Her name is udia," his mother said while slicing the cake again. This time, she was probably getting a slice for herself. He had a feeling that his mother was keeping herself busy to avoid his gaze though. "Just like the other Sun Priestesses, her body is naturally weak. But her Mana is big enough to carry an heir in her womb. Julian, you know why your marriage partner has to be a Sun Priestess, don''t you?"


    He nodded before he responded. "I know, Mother," he said gently. "Only a Sun Priestess could give birth to a powerful Fire Mage."


    "That''s right, son," his mother said when she faced him again. "Julian, no matter what other say, you''re still a Fire Mage. You are the sole heir of the Rosenberg n, and you are the only one who have the right to lead the Fire Mages. Once you marry Lady udia, we will begin to control the Fire Mage n again."


    He smiled sadly. "But I''m not a Rosenberg, Mother. I don''t have the right to lead the Fire Mages."


    Most of the remaining Fire Mages even hated him and his mother.


    That was the reason why he couldn''t use his fire freely. He was afraid to be criticized by the Fire Mages. To be honest, he wanted ice to be his main power. But he wasn''t good at it.


    [And it''s not like I can ask Father to teach me]


    "It doesn''t matter whether you''re a Rosenberg or not," his mother said firmly, then he touched his face. "You will still be the new Fire Archmage, son."


    Julian forced himself to smile and nod. "I understand, Mother."


    <strong>***</strong>


    THE EVE of his birthday, Julian secretly left the pce.


    He made sure that his mother was already asleep. It was hard to do but he actually put some strong sleeping medicine that he put in the tea that he served his mother earlier. The medicine was tasteless and odorless so she didn''t notice it.


    [I''m sorry, Mother.]


    To be honest, he had been discreetly following the movements of the remaining Fire Mages recently. Emperor Auro had already lost interest in the Fire Mages ever since he had sessfully "raised" Fire Wielders. Thus, the emperor stopped spying on the Fire Mages.


    But Julian didn''t stop observing him.


    And it was because of the dream that he had been having these days.


    That led him to buy a very expensive long-distance teleportation scroll. The coordinates that he put in the scroll were the coordinates needed to get to the Redsun Desert. It was one of the most dangerous ces in the empire because of the monsterir there. But the dreams that he saw led him to that ce.


    He was shocked at what greeted him.


    Mount S was covered with what seemed like blood. The mountain was glowing red. And most of all


    Julian''s eyes widened when he saw hundreds of people with red ming wings ascending the sky. Ah, no. Those weren''t ordinary people. "Fire Mages," he whispered to himself in disbelief. "But where are they going"


    He trailed off when he realized the answer to his question.


    Now he finally understood the mystery behind the missing Fire Mages, and the reason why Emperor Auro couldn''t find them no matter how much he searched the whole continent.


    "The sky," he whispered to himself again. "They''re hiding in the sky."


    He was amazed.


    It was unimaginable. But the thing that amused him most was the fact that the idea was executed perfectly. Whatever kingdom it was that was created in the sky, it must be amazing to hide itself well from Emperor Auro.


    For some reason, the image of thete Supreme Fire Mage Soleil Rosenberg entered his mind. Then, his heart began to thump hard and loud against his chest.


    [It was her this was definitely her idea.]


    "How did you find this ce?"


    He instantly turned around and summoned his weapon a sword made of red me. Since his instinct kicked in, he swung his ming sword in the direction of where the voice came from.


    Ady around his age easily blocked his ming sword with his ming arm.


    He was shocked when he recognized the youngdy.


    "I saw you in my dreams," Julian said, surprised. "You were the one who kept telling me toe to this ce."


    "Now that''s strange," thedy that looked familiar to him said while looking at him in amusement. "Only Fire Mages who are still loyal and faithful to thete Lady Soleil Rosenberg are supposed to receive my message." She pushed his sword away, sending him flying in the process. "But you''re Julian Moonchester the precious nephew of that bastard Emperor Auro Moonchester."


    He frowned, then he shook his ming sword until it disappeared.


    "Did I make a mistake?" thedy, dressed in a hooded maroon robe, asked herself. Then, she crossed her arms over her chest while observing him. "Either that, or the precious nephew of the bastard emperor is a discreet yet devoted believer of the former Supreme Fire Mage."


    He flinched, and he was unable to deny that.


    In his heart, he still loved and respected thete Lady Soleil Rosenberg. No matter how much his mind deny it, his heart still knew the truth. Thete Supreme Fire Mage was his true mother. But he didn''t want to hurt the feelings of Lucina Morganna, his other mother.


    "It seems like thetter," the strangedy said, then she sped her hands together. "You wouldn''t have received my message if you have even a tiny bit of ill feelings towards our precious Lady Rosenberg." She smirked at him. "Will your precious "Uncle Auro" lose his fondness for you if he finds out that you''re still faithful to your roots as a Fire Mage?"


    He answered her question with another question. "Who are you?"


    "I''m just a Fire Mage like you," she said, then she pointed at the sky where hundreds of Fire Mages were still ascending the sky. "I''m the one who gave them phoenix wings to fly. I also covered the entire desert with my Mana. Those who have not been invited wouldn''t be able to see or hear anything happening in the desert. They could still see Mount S but not the red Mana that covers it at the moment."


    "Is that your Mana?" he asked, curious. "It looks like blood."


    She just smiled at him.


    "You shouldn''t have easily revealed all of this to me," he said while shaking his head. "What will you do if I tell Emperor Auro everything?"


    "Do you think I''ll let you leave this ce with your memories intact?"


    Ah, so that was why she wasn''t flustered.


    Thedy had the power to erase memories.


    "If you can erase my memories, then why didn''t you do it right away?"


    "Because I have something to ask of you first," thedy said cheerfully, then she approached him and extended her hand to him. "Julian Rosenberg Nystrom, would you like toe with us?"


    ''Julian Rosenberg Nystrom.''


    To hear his name followed by his parents''st names almost made him cry.


    But he didn''t want to shed tears in front of a stranger. So he clenched his hands and held back his tears. Still, he wouldn''t deny that he was happy to hear someone acknowledge him as the son of Lady Soleil Rosenberg and Lord Kiho Nystrom.


    "I am not a Rosenberg," he said firmly although it hurt him to say that himself. "You haven''t answered my question yet,dy. Who are you?"


    "Since I''m going to erase your memories soon, I''ll answer that," she said as she dropped the hand that she extended to him earlier. "I''m the real Sun Priestess of the Rosenberg n, and I''m the daughter of the Fire Archmage Sris."


    "Liar," he said. Even though he told himself many times that he wasn''t a Rosenberg, he still studied the history of the n well. "Lady Solenn disappeared before Lord Sris. If you were her, you should have been older than you look. Moreover" He looked at her suspiciously. "You''re not human."


    Sheughed softly as if she already expected that he''d know she wasn''t human. "If I''m not human, what do you think must I be?"


    "A Spirit?"


    "That''s right," she said with a nod. "But I didn''t lie when I said I was Lord Sris''s daughter."


    "I don''t understand"


    "Lucina Morganna used to be the Supreme Fire Mage''s Spirit Guardian but now, she''s pretending to be your mother," she cut him off, then she smiled bitterly. "I hate that it''s what I have inmon with that wench."


    Julian was shocked. "Your Lord Sris''s Spirit Guardian?"


    Thedy that imed to be Solenn smiled. Then, in just the blink of an eye, she was already in front of him. "That''s a secret," she said softly, then she put her hand on the top of his head. "I hope we see each other again in our next life, Julian Rosenberg Nystrom."


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 342: Two Hearts

    Chapter 342: Two Hearts


    AURO Moonchester sipped his tea while watching the mountain explode from afar.


    He knew that it would happen so he didn''t dare to get near the mountain. Instead of doing that, he just asked his servants to set up a table and a huge umbre for him. After that, he enjoyed his tea while simply watching an interesting event unfolding in front of his eyes.


    "Ah, he failed again," Auro whispered to himself. Since he asked his servants and knights to wait where they parked his carriage, he was currently alone. "Lord Kyro failed to create a perfect human body once again."


    He seriously didn''t understand why Lord Kyro was so obsessed with being human.


    But since a pure god like him couldn''t be reincarnated as a human no matter how many times he died, the Moon God''s only choice was to create a perfect human body for himself.


    [Unfortunately, Kalel''s body isn''t human so he cannot use his son as a vassal for whatever it is that he wanted to do. He could only use Kalel''s body to procure the ingredients that he needs to create his ideal physical body.]


    The thing that bothered him was Yumi though.


    Yumi, the White Snake and Kalel''s mother, had been stuck in the North all these years. When he asked his men to investigate, they found out that Lord Kyro''s real physical body was apparently buried in the snow.


    [If Lord Kyro needs a human body, why is Yumi still taking care of his real body? Moreover, how can a god''s physical body descend from the heavens in one piece when the soul of that body is upying someone else''s?]


    Ah, he felt like his brain would explode from thinking too much.


    "You''re here?"


    Auro smiled when he saw Lord Kyro in Kalel''s body. But soon, his smile disappeared when he felt a pang of jealousy in his chest. "Why is Kalel''s body still look like he''s just in his early twenties when he''s supposed to be old like me?"


    "It''s because my son is a god, dimwit," Lord Kyro said bluntly, then he upied the chair across from him. "His physical body stopped aging when he reached his prime in his twenties."


    "That''s unfair."


    Now his desire to be a god grew bigger.


    The Moon God chuckled while shaking his head. "You want eternal youth?"


    "Of course," he answered immediately, then he looked at his old, wrinkled hands. "Look at me, I''m old and weak now." He raised his head to meet Kyro''s gaze. "Julian ages slow, too. I look older than that bastard."


    "That child is the son of Kalel and Soleil Rosenberg," the Moon God reminded him, then he sipped his tea. "My blood runs through his veins since he''s my grandson. Of course, he''d age slow."


    "Everyone around me remains young!" heined out of frustration. "Even Nia!"


    The Moon God sipped his tea before he asked. "And who is that?"


    "Nia is my wife, Lord Kyro," he reminded the god. "The "daughter" of the Spirit of the Great Fire Tree."


    "Ah, that child," Lord Kyro said, then he chuckled again. "Of course, she won''t grow old. She''s a Guardian."


    He bit his lower lip in annoyance.


    It was because he suddenly remembered how Nia turned cold after his youth disappeared. Now that he was old, his youthful wife would look at him with disgust. She even tried to escape from him, iming that she wanted to return to the Eternal Garden.


    Thus, he locked Nia up in the tower just like how he had locked up ine (his real sister) in the past.


    "How do I kill a Guardian like Nia, my lord?" he asked curiously. "Nia won''t be easy to kill. She acts like a child but she''s a lump of Mana. Moreover, she knows my physical weaknesses. If we fight, she''d kill me before I even get my hands on her."


    That was the reason why he stayed as far as he could away from the tower.


    "You went all through the troubles in the past just to make her your wife," Lord Kyro said while shaking his head. "And now, you want to kill her?"


    "We will meet again anyway because of the curse that Lady Soleil Rosenberg has cast upon us," he said casually. "Even if Nia dies earlier than me, her soul would just get stuck in the ne. She would only get reincarnated once my soul joins hers."


    "Don''t you want to spend more time with your beloved?"


    "Not when I''m old and ugly."


    "As expected, a human''s love is shallow."


    "You can only say that because Yumi is eternally young like yourself, my lord," heined to the god once again. "Would you love Yumi if she gets old and wrinkly?"


    "Of course," Lord Kyro said bluntly. "There was a time that Yumi couldn''t turn into a human because she was badly hurt from a civil war within the snake n. She had to stay as a white snake for fifty years. I never left her side then. And I wouldn''t even if she turns into a worm."


    "How romantic," he said emotionlessly, then he changed the topic. "I have been sending you the bodies of the most beautiful, the most royal, and the most talented young people all over the continent as tribute all these years."


    Apparently, Lord Kyro had used those young people for his experiments to be a full human. But of course, he failed again and again.


    "Since you failed again, I''m sure you''d ask me to bring you sacrifices once more," he said carefully. "Don''t you think I deserve some reward?"


    "I can''t make you a god yet, Auro," Lord Kyro said. "We failed to acquire all the necessary materials to open the gates to the heavens for you. We have to wait again."


    "I''ve already epted that," he said. He had waited for so long to be a human in the past. Waiting some more to be a god soon wouldn''t be a problem. Moreover, he didn''t want to be a god when he was imperfect as a human. "But when I get reborn, I want to gain eternal youth, too. Since Nia is destined to be reborn as my sister with the same soul that she has now, I''m certain that she''d retain her eternal youth. I want that kind of ability, too."


    "Well, that''s simple."


    "Really?"


    "Do you know that Julian has two hearts?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "I said Julian has two hearts," Lord Kyro repeated patiently. It seemed like the god understood why he was shocked, thus he was being patient. "I can''t tell what the other heart is for since I''m not interested. But if you eat his other heart, the smaller one, then you''d regain eternal youth. Since it''s the heart of my direct descendant, your eternal youth wouldn''t disappear even if you get reincarnated."


    He sped his hands together. "It''s like I''m going to be an immortal."


    "Hardly," the god said. "Only your appearance will remain young. Your body will weaken as it should when it gets older. Moreover, once your body weakens, you''d start aging again albeit it is slow. Thus, instead of saying ''eternal youth,'' I guess it would be more appropriate to say that you''d age slow."


    "As long as I retain my youthful appearance in my next lifetime, I don''t care," he said confidently. "You''ve blessed me with strong Mana and immunity to certain people anyway. I''ll be fine."


    Lord Kyro sipped his tea. "If you say so."


    "I must return to the Royal Capital at once," Auro said with a wicked smile on his face. "I guess it''s time to finally end the Fire Mage n."


    <strong>***</strong>


    "YOUR MAJESTY, the number of children born with a strong affinity to fire this year is outstanding."


    Auro smiled when he heard the report of Brandon Denver the head of the Fire Wielder n that he raised with love and care. "Is that so? I''m pleased to hear that."


    He was pleased indeed.


    It wasn''t easy finding Fire Mages these days because most of them had disappeared already. Acquiring the me of the Fire Mages was necessary to create weapons that people with an affinity to fire could use.


    He didn''t need the Fire Mages. But the fire was a strong weapon that he needed to make the empire stronger. Thus, he created the Fire Wielders n.


    [They are fire users that are loyal to me.]


    Thus, the Fire Wielders were more important to him than the stubborn Fire Mages even though thetter was stronger.


    Brandon Denver smiled before he continued with his report. "Your Majesty, what should we do about the Fire Mages in our force? They''ve grown weak recently." An evil glint sparkled in the Fire Wielder''s eyes. "Do you we still need them when we, the Fire Wielder n members, have grown significantly stronger than them?"


    "I suppose you are correct, Lord Denver," Auro said, then heughed softly. "Those bastards aren''t loyal to us anyway, are they?"


    Moreover, it was time for him to eat Julian''s heart.


    <strong>***</strong>


    "LORD JULIAN!"


    Julian, who was on his way to see his newborn grandchild, halted when he heard his subordinate''s desperate call. "What is it?"


    "We are under attack, my lord!"


    He was surprised to hear that because it had been long since their nst fought in a war. In fact, they had been living quietly for the past ten years. Still, as the n leader, he remained calm. At least, on the outside. "Who dares to attack our n?"


    "F-Fire Mages"


    "What?"


    His subordinate took a deep breath before speaking again. "They are Fire Mages led by Lord Winchell, the Red Phoenix, himself!"


    Julian was shocked to hear that. "The Red Phoenix has resurrected?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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 Chapter 343: Path to Omnipotence

    Chapter 343: Path to Omnipotence


    KYRO FAILED again.


    No matter how many lives he sacrificed to create a perfect human body, he couldn''tplete it. Moreover, Kalel''s body was about to break already. His stubborn son, despite being suppressed for many years, was still fighting back to take over his body again.


    "Stop fighting me," Kyro growled while clutching his chest tight. "What use would reiming your body bring you, anyway? Soleil Rosenberg is no longer in this world!"


    It seemed like his words reached his son''s consciousness.


    After all, Kalel''s presence weakened until it disappearedpletely. Only then did he breathefortably again.


    "You''re being too harsh on our son, darling."


    He turned to Yumi, his precious wife.


    Although his wife was covered with the blood of their human sacrifices, she remained beautiful in his eyes.


    "I''m just scolding our son a little," he said, then he wiped the blood off of Yumi''s cheek. "You should rest, darling."


    Yumi looked around the underground basement that served as theirboratory.


    There was blood everywhere they looked. The smell of burning flesh was also strong. In short, it didn''t look like a proper room for a god.


    "Darling, do you really need a human body?" Yumi asked seriously when she turned to him again. "I want to support you with your goal. But I really can''t understand how a human''s body would be greater than your physical body as a god."


    Ah, it seemed like he hadn''t told his wife the truth yet.


    A long time ago, he just told her he needed a human body to be an omnipotence being. But he didn''t tell her the details because he was afraid that his enemy gods might be listening.


    But now that the Sky and Sun God werepletely powerless against him, he could freely talk about his goal now.


    "Darling, Soleil Rosenberg was a human being," he said carefully. "And she will always be a human being no matter how many times she reincarnated."


    His wife looked confused. "It sounds like a scam because even though Soleil Rosenberg was a human, she had the potential to be a god. Can we really call her a human when she could tame the Beast Gods, and control the most powerful me in the world?"


    "Darling, did you know why the gods stopped killing each other and decided to co-exist in the heavens?"


    Yumi nodded before she answered. "Didn''t the main gods make an oath that they would never directly kill one another? That no weapons, spells, or other means of killing would affect one another?"


    That was the reason he used the ambitious Auro/Aku Moonchester.


    He, as a supreme god, couldn''t kill his enemies directly. That was also the reason the Sun and the Sky God chose people to help them kill him.


    That also meant one thing.


    "Only a human could kill us," he said with a smirk. "A human who has the power of a god, that is."


    "Are you saying that Soleil Rosenberg could kill you, darling?"


    He nodded before giving an exnation. "Yes. Moreover, she swallowed the sun."


    "But the Sun God is still alive."


    "I didn''t mean the Sun God," he exined gently. "When gods made the oath to never kill each other directly, we also surrendered a portion of our power and put it in an orb that resembles the sun. The cunning Sun God, to make sure that none of us could steal it, made Soleil Rosenberg swallow the sun."


    "And you couldn''t just open up Soleil''s body to retrieve the sun?"


    "I wanted to, but the Sun God protected the orb," he said while shaking his head. "Only a human could swallow the sun."


    Yumi''s eyes widened in shock. "So, that''s the reason why you wanted a human body?"


    "Yes, darling," he said while nodding. "I could only steal the sun once I already have a human body. Otherwise, it would be futile. After all, even Kalel''s physical body isn''t the body of a human being. Moreover, I can''t trust anyone with the sun." He clenched his hands tight. "It has to be mine, and mine alone."


    "But why?" his wife asked, still confused. "You''re already a powerful god. Even if you can''t kill the Sky and the Sun God directly, you have the right people at your disposal to get rid of them. I know that killing the main gods isn''t easy, but it''s not impossible."


    "Darling, killing them isn''t my priority."


    "Then what is?"


    "The sun that Soleil Rosenberg makes her the real god of this world," he said bitterly. "After all, once she gets reincarnated, this world would copse."


    For that reason, he invaded the ne.


    He was doing everything in his power to dy Soleil Rosenberg''s reincarnation. But his power couldn''t manipte the ne for long. Thus, he had to hurry and create the perfect human body for himself.


    Yumi''s brows furrowed in confusion. "This world would copse once Soleil Rosenberg gets reincarnated? But how would that happen?"


    "Because of the power of Time and Reality in the sun that she swallowed. It was created after all the main gods'' powers werebined," Kyro exined, then he clenched his hands in anger. "As long as the sun is in Soleil Rosenberg''s body, she is omnipotent." He smiled at his wife bitterly. "That means the world where Soleil Rosenberg lives is the only world that will survive, while the other realities where she no longer exists would copse and disappear."


    Thus, letting Soleil Rosenberg live was the gods'' biggest mistake.


    <strong>***</strong>


    AURO MOONCHESTERughed while watching Winchell, in his Red Phoenix form, lead hundreds of Fire Mages to attack the Fire Mages led by Julian. Right now, he was standing in the highest tower in Julian''s pce to watch everything. "That fool," he said while watching the Red Phoenix roam the night sky. "He epted my invitation."


    By invitation, he meant the corpses of thousands of Fire Mages that he had killed over the years.


    He didn''t know where Winchell and the other Fire Mages had been hiding all this time.


    But when he took a peek at Julian''s memory in the past, a blurry memory of the young man caught his eye. It seemed like he was talking to someone, but that person was erased from his memory. However, that person failed to erase the location of where Julian had met them.


    [I''m certain that it''s the Redsun Desert where Mount S is located.]


    Thus, he used the desert as a dumpsite for the Fire Mages corpses.


    "Lord Denver," he called the current leader of the Fire Wielders. "Did you do it properly?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Lord Denver, who was standing behind him, said politely. "We had sessfully imnted the trap in every member of Lord Julian''s n."


    Julian''s n was the new Fire Mage n.


    Unlike the n that was led by Lady Soleil Rosenberg and Winchell in the past, the n that Julian led was amiable and listened to him well. Heck, Julian and his Fire Mages even helped the Fire Wielders train.


    He really liked Julian.


    But too bad he needed him and his n to fight Winchell.


    He opened his right hand and in just a few moments, an ice staff materialized. He grabbed it tight and looked at him fondly. It was the ice staff that Kalel owned, and it would give Auro the power to control his brother''s ice.


    "Brother, let me borrow your ice power," Auro said, then heughed again. "Let me use your power to kill your own descendants."


    <strong>***</strong>


    WHEN WINCHELL descended from the sky, he returned to his human form.


    He frowned and clenched his hands while leading the Fire Mages that he brought to bring Auro Moonchester down.


    But what greeted him was a horrible sight.


    The Fire Mages that was led by Julian, the child who imed to be his beloved sister''s son, stopped them. But before the fight even began, the enemy Fire Mages dropped dead one by one. And the most shocking thing?


    [They literally froze!]


    Then the dead Fire Mages, now covered with ice, returned to life and acted like puppets. After that, the ice "zombies" attacked them mindlessly.


    "For the Fire Mages to be turned into ice puppets"


    It made his chest heavy.


    He couldn''t stomach the fact that his family''s descendants had turned into such an existence. A Fire Mage should wield me, and not be frozen by ice.


    It left him with no other choice.


    "I''ll give you all a decent death," Winchell whispered to himself, then he raised his voice for his Fire Mages to hear. "Let''s burn everyone to ashes!"


    <strong>***</strong>


    JULIAN was toote,


    When he arrived at the scene, his n members were all being burned alive. And the one standing in the middle of the battlefield was none other than his uncle.


    "How could you?" Julian asked in a shaking voice. "How could you do this to my family?!"


    Winchell smirked at him. "What are you going to do about it, child?"


    <strong>***</strong>


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