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.

Mikhail laughed bitterly. "Seriously? You're using illusion on me? 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 manipulation skill. Creating illusions could also be considered as mind manipulation. Because he had hyper awareness, such skills wouldn't work on him or his family members.

It's cute though.

"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 my companion 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 my companion deal with him."

He laughed 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.

She's confident that we wouldn't survive today.

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 this coming. 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."

I knew it.

"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 nonchalantly. "Now I'm pretty certain that only one of us can leave this place 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."

She laughed at him. "Big words coming from someone who can't even show his face to a lady."

He smirked at the way she shoved his words back at her with an insult.

She has a point.

"I apologize for that, my lady," Mikhail said. "But don't worry, I'll show my face to you once you're breathing your last 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 flame 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!"

***

"GREETINGS to the only moon of the Great Moonchester Empire."

Aku smiled at Captain Ainsworth's polite but stiff greeting.

The captain of the Golden Tiger doesn't really like me, huh?

Right now, they were in the prayer room of his palace.

In every corner of the chamber, a statue of an Ancient Beast stood. And in the center of the room was a glass case where the statue of the moon was placed 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.

"Welcome 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 feel comfortable standing in a room that I know I shouldn't be. After all, only the royal family members were supposed to have access in here."

"You're more than qualified to be here, Captain Ainsworth," he said playfully. "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 become the emperor's beast weapon. Unlike the Blue Dragon clan who really doesn't care about their ancestor, you're different. You believe that the Golden Tiger should serve no one else but your clan," 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 declared 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 Black 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 succeeded 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.

The Red Phoenix and the Black Serpent wouldn't be easy to defeat.

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 clan. If I return your god to you, would you aid me in the upcoming 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 clan. 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 clan."

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 place."

"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."

***

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