Chapter 213: 213
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Julian's eyes widened and it wasn't because of his mother's accusation.
Winter!
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.
He knows the truth now.
A few moments later, 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 still coming 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 become your mother while Mommy thinks that you're his son?"
"As far as I know, in the past, Father claimed that I was the Supreme's son to get support from the Red Phoenix and the Fire Mages," he explained. "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 claim. "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't completely 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.
"I have one last 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 clan 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 blamed the Supreme for what her brother and her clan did to him.
It's not like my mother is completely innocent either.
"Then, I can't trust you," Winter declared. "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 welcomed 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 related 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 become complacent 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 said later. "We'll wait for Mom and let her explain 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."
***
"HELLO, Lady Hayward," Tilly greeted her evil mother-in-law 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 glare, 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 as compensation."
The White Snake looked shocked by her son's retort.
On the other hand, she had to stifle her laughter. 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.
And I guess it's the same for Kiho.
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, Solaris made sure that she would know who her enemies were.
"I know why you're here, Yumi," Tilly said that gained her another glare from her evil mother-in-law. 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 to come 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," Kiho complained under his breath. "I should have frozen that oversized snake."
She stifled her laugher.
He still thinks that a dragon is just a big snake.
Well, hard same.
"Tilly?"
She turned to her husband. "Hmm?"
"Will you come 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 temple later."
"Then, can I come 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 accepted 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 the commotion 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 to comfort him but when they stepped out of the ballroom, she was surprised when she saw that a lot of young noble ladies 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 hilarious to see how disappointed they were to see her in Kiho's arm. Some were even giving her a side-eye.
Well, I can't blame 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.
As the legal wife, it was her job to put them in place.
"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 Black Serpent Knights and we weren't married yet, the noble ladies in the empire look down on you. They didn't care about your amazing personality just because you didn't come from nobility and you didn't have a title then. But look at them now." She smirked at the ladies 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."
The ladies 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 glad that you're the woman who saw me real worth," he said softly. "Thank you for accepting me for who I am even without a noble title."
Tilly just smiled at her husband, then she turned to the ladies 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."
***
"WHAT did the Supreme want from you?"
"She wants to go to the land 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. "The land that's almost as elusive as the Fire Mages."
"You mean the land 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 place," he explained. "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 that land? 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 Tree comes in handy now."
***
"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 will come 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 Black 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 plan. 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 her later.
Be prepared, Elis Ripperton– you're next.
Kiho's golden eyes glowed in excitement. "Tilly, I will wait for you."
Tilly smiled and nodded. "This time, I will come home for real, Kiho."
***
"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 energy coming 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.
Uncle Amilo must have been hit by something hard before I was able to create a barrier.
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 glad 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 to last until he killed the wench. "Stop talking and come 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.
And it's none other than the Black Flame.
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 accidentally discovered that his mommy was the reincarnation of the Supreme Fire Mage.
Unfortunately, he found out about her mother's real identity back then too late.
And during that time, Lucina Morganna was already using the Black Flame 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!"
***
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Julian's eyes widened and it wasn't because of his mother's accusation.
Winter!
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.
He knows the truth now.
A few moments later, 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 still coming 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 become your mother while Mommy thinks that you're his son?"
"As far as I know, in the past, Father claimed that I was the Supreme's son to get support from the Red Phoenix and the Fire Mages," he explained. "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 claim. "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't completely 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.
"I have one last 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 clan 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 blamed the Supreme for what her brother and her clan did to him.
It's not like my mother is completely innocent either.
"Then, I can't trust you," Winter declared. "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 welcomed 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 related 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 become complacent 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 said later. "We'll wait for Mom and let her explain 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."
***
"HELLO, Lady Hayward," Tilly greeted her evil mother-in-law 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 glare, 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 as compensation."
The White Snake looked shocked by her son's retort.
On the other hand, she had to stifle her laughter. 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.
And I guess it's the same for Kiho.
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, Solaris made sure that she would know who her enemies were.
"I know why you're here, Yumi," Tilly said that gained her another glare from her evil mother-in-law. 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 to come 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," Kiho complained under his breath. "I should have frozen that oversized snake."
She stifled her laugher.
He still thinks that a dragon is just a big snake.
Well, hard same.
"Tilly?"
She turned to her husband. "Hmm?"
"Will you come 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 temple later."
"Then, can I come 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 accepted 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 the commotion 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 to comfort him but when they stepped out of the ballroom, she was surprised when she saw that a lot of young noble ladies 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 hilarious to see how disappointed they were to see her in Kiho's arm. Some were even giving her a side-eye.
Well, I can't blame 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.
As the legal wife, it was her job to put them in place.
"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 Black Serpent Knights and we weren't married yet, the noble ladies in the empire look down on you. They didn't care about your amazing personality just because you didn't come from nobility and you didn't have a title then. But look at them now." She smirked at the ladies 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."
The ladies 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 glad that you're the woman who saw me real worth," he said softly. "Thank you for accepting me for who I am even without a noble title."
Tilly just smiled at her husband, then she turned to the ladies 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."
***
"WHAT did the Supreme want from you?"
"She wants to go to the land 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. "The land that's almost as elusive as the Fire Mages."
"You mean the land 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 place," he explained. "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 that land? 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 Tree comes in handy now."
***
"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 will come 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 Black 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 plan. 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 her later.
Be prepared, Elis Ripperton– you're next.
Kiho's golden eyes glowed in excitement. "Tilly, I will wait for you."
Tilly smiled and nodded. "This time, I will come home for real, Kiho."
***
"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 energy coming 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.
Uncle Amilo must have been hit by something hard before I was able to create a barrier.
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 glad 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 to last until he killed the wench. "Stop talking and come 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.
And it's none other than the Black Flame.
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 accidentally discovered that his mommy was the reincarnation of the Supreme Fire Mage.
Unfortunately, he found out about her mother's real identity back then too late.
And during that time, Lucina Morganna was already using the Black Flame 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!"
***
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***
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Julian's eyes widened and it wasn't because of his mother's accusation.Winter!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.He knows the truth now.A few moments later, 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 still coming 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 become your mother while Mommy thinks that you're his son?""As far as I know, in the past, Father claimed that I was the Supreme's son to get support from the Red Phoenix and the Fire Mages," he explained. "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 claim. "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't completely 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."I have one last 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 clan 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 blamed the Supreme for what her brother and her clan did to him.It's not like my mother is completely innocent either."Then, I can't trust you," Winter declared. "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 welcomed 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 related 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 become complacent 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 said later. "We'll wait for Mom and let her explain 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."***"HELLO, Lady Hayward," Tilly greeted her evil mother-in-law 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 glare, 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 as compensation."The White Snake looked shocked by her son's retort.On the other hand, she had to stifle her laughter. 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.And I guess it's the same for Kiho.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, Solaris made sure that she would know who her enemies were."I know why you're here, Yumi," Tilly said that gained her another glare from her evil mother-in-law. 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 to come 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," Kiho complained under his breath. "I should have frozen that oversized snake."She stifled her laugher.He still thinks that a dragon is just a big snake.Well, hard same."Tilly?"She turned to her husband. "Hmm?""Will you come 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 temple later.""Then, can I come 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 accepted 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 the commotion 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 to comfort him but when they stepped out of the ballroom, she was surprised when she saw that a lot of young noble ladies 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 hilarious to see how disappointed they were to see her in Kiho's arm. Some were even giving her a side-eye.Well, I can't blame 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.As the legal wife, it was her job to put them in place."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 Black Serpent Knights and we weren't married yet, the noble ladies in the empire look down on you. They didn't care about your amazing personality just because you didn't come from nobility and you didn't have a title then. But look at them now." She smirked at the ladies 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."The ladies 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 glad that you're the woman who saw me real worth," he said softly. "Thank you for accepting me for who I am even without a noble title."Tilly just smiled at her husband, then she turned to the ladies 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."***"WHAT did the Supreme want from you?""She wants to go to the land 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. "The land that's almost as elusive as the Fire Mages.""You mean the land 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 place," he explained. "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 that land? 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 Tree comes in handy now."***"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 will come 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 Black 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 plan. 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 her later.Be prepared, Elis Ripperton you're next.Kiho's golden eyes glowed in excitement. "Tilly, I will wait for you."Tilly smiled and nodded. "This time, I will come home for real, Kiho."***"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 energy coming 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.Uncle Amilo must have been hit by something hard before I was able to create a barrier.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 glad 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 to last until he killed the wench. "Stop talking and come 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.And it's none other than the Black Flame.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 accidentally discovered that his mommy was the reincarnation of the Supreme Fire Mage.Unfortunately, he found out about her mother's real identity back then too late.And during that time, Lucina Morganna was already using the Black Flame 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!"***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! :\u003e
