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 Solarium was a safe place for them, she still wouldn't risk her son's safety.

And I'm glad that I followed my son.

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 glad 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 mean later," she said with a soft laugh. "It's already past midnight, baby."

He laughed 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 was coming 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 Solaris 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?"

"According to Solaris, it means Julian wasn't born the natural way in this lifetime," she said seriously. "Solaris 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?"

"According to Solaris, in the past, Julian was my heart vessel," she explained. "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."

"Solaris 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 accept 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."

***

"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.

Anyway…

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.

I've seen Julian a few times. He's a quiet child. But there's an air of dignity around him.

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.

The poor child doesn't know that the Supreme is his real mother.

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.

Wherever you are, just stay there forever, Lady Nystrom.

"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, some ladies asked if Kiho is thinking of getting married again. I may have said that the duke already has his eyes on the lady 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 explanation.

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.

Lucina is a Huxley now and that makes her eligible to be the next Duchess Nystrom.

"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 calculating eyes."

The memories that he erased from Kiho were his memories of Kalel and the later 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 Black Serpent, he would always be more powerful than him.

Of course, there were a lot of people keeping an eye on Kiho right now.

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.

Right now, House Sherwood was quiet.

The last major move that Duke Sherwood did was when he passed a law about installing surveillance 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 a law 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.

Still, for now, Duke Sherwood looks satisfied to stand beside Kiho.

"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 manipulation was flawless especially if it was used on non-Mana users. There was no way a simple head maid could resist his beloved's brainwashing.

Unless the head maid has a protection.

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 plan. Lady Nystrom, you wench!

***

WINTER took a deep breath.

I can do this.

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.

I don't want Mommy to be disappointed in me so I have to apologize to the little princess brat.

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.

What a nasty temper.

He entered Solenn's room and found her sitting on the floor while watching something in the Ice Tablet placed 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 placed on top of a high tree.

"Aunt Tilly developed a flying spy camera with Aunt Luna and Aunt Kelsi," Solenn explained. "I stole one of the defective cameras."

He glared at her. "You stole from my Mommy?"

"You'll be thankful to me later," she said, then she pushed the button on the Ice Tablet to increase the volume of the video being played.

"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.

Maddox just shrugged.

"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.

Daddy is getting married again…?

"What's the woman's name again?" Braxton asked his twin. "I tend to forget irrelevant people easily."

"It's "Lady Huxley,"" Maddox said. "Formerly known as Lucina Morganna."

"No," Winter whispered to himself, his voice filled with fear as the memories of his previous life flooded his mind. "She's back."

***

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