"LADY NYSTROM, you planned 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 Solaris were in the prayer room of her brother Wixx.

They stood opposite each other while a cauldron with a giant red flame stood between them.

"Solaris, 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 playfully. "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 Solarium and I've been protecting the island and the clan 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, Solaris," she reminded him. "Do you doubt our plan?"

"No," he said. "But I don't trust your heart, Supreme. You've always been weak against the Black Serpent."

Ouch.

But she couldn't complain because according to the story that she heard about Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom, everything that Solaris said was true.

She already resolved that though.

"I am not Soleil Rosenberg so please trust me, Solaris," 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 Black Serpent when he attacked her.

That also made her think that the Black Serpent that the entire Fire Mage Clan 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," Solaris instead. "What if it's another god, Supreme?"

"You don't have to fear the gods, Solaris," she told him. "For once, the Sky God is useless."

He looked like he almost choked by her blasphemy.

"Trust me, Solaris," Tilly said firmly. "But even if you don't, I will still escape and follow Winter and Solenn to the Royal Capital."

Solaris let out a frustrated sigh while shaking his head. "Do what you want, Lady Nystrom."

***

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.

I will never forgive you, Count Huxley.

He quietly pulled out his treasured slingshot from his bag. Then, using his flaming 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 accepted 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.

The way he fights still hasn't changed.

"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 to laugh 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 play 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 flame hotter– making the count scream in agony. "Shall I remind you who I am, Eugene Huxley?"

***

"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 (compared 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 the law that allows the installation of surveillance 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 uncomfortable being praised for something that wasn't his idea.

He just followed the instructions that his wife left for him. The businesses that she planned before leaving the Royal Capital were already on its final stage. All he had to do was follow her plans that she carefully put in a thick logbook.

The true business tycoon is my wife.

Even the idea of keeping thousands of pearl-producing oysters came from the duchess.

"Am I boring you?" the emperor asked with a laugh. "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.

Every lady looks average compared to my wife.

"I will not cancel it even if you glare 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."

***

WINTER smiled while standing on the deck of the ship going to Atlenta Town.

According to Jameson's "navigation skills," his father was on his way to that port town. And so, they travelled there after they landed on the Red Dessert. He didn't know that leaving the island to find his father would be that easy.

But of course, facing his dad would be the hard part.

Daddy, I wonder if you will recognize me even if your memories were erased. I hope you do, Winter wondered to himself while holding the pendant of his necklace. It was a small ice crab mallet that his father gave him when he was still a baby. I can't wait to see you again.

***

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