TILLY DIDN'T know if she would laugh 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.

And I know why.

"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, my lady," 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."

Tilly laughed softly at the two's reaction. "So, who started this ridiculous rumor?"

***

"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 chocolate" party. "What made you think that Luna is pregnant with my brother's child?"

Of course, she didn't believe it.

The kids explained 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.

Brother probably doesn't want anyone to hear what he wants to tell Luna.

"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 congratulate Roarke for having a "sibling."

And thus, the rumor began to spread.

"I'm not angry," she said to console the kids. "I'm glad 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 to come closer. She faced Solenn first. "Princess Solenn, after you apologize to Luna, tell her to join us in the bath later. 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.

And that's where Kiho went to take a bath.

The other two bathhouse were relatively smaller than the grand one. One was for the ladies, 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 contemplated 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."

She laughed 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."

***

KIHO scowled as soon as Aku Moonchester, clad 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 would laughed 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 clad in a white bathrobe. He would only go naked in a bath with Tilly. "We have children living with us in this village. 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.

Winter and Julian…?

He felt the little brats' Mana. It looked like they were in the other bathhouse. And it also seemed like they were playing because their Mana was all over the place. 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 particular," he said bluntly. "My wife just doesn't want you to show the kids what kind of relationship 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 it completely. 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't comment 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?"

He laughed 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 Elaine that way? She was our sister, our youngest sibling back then."

"She wasn't a god like us."

"What?"

"Elaine Moonchester wasn't a god like us, Kiho. She was just an ordinary Mana-user," Aku Moonchester explained 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."

***

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 flawless and curvy body almost made her feel insecure.

Almost.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Nia, who looked so immaculate 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 plan succeeded."

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 the land that drinks blood. It was also the reason why the royal twins went to the North.

"I see," she said. "I'm glad that he won't be coming with us to the Great Fire Tree."

"Should you really be glad, 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 plan 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 nonchalant when they were still in the Solarium.

"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't come back to me alive. And so, I want you to spoil his plan as revenge for me."

She laughed 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 plan, huh?"

The royal princess remained to be silent.

Gosh, she's annoying but she acts so refined.

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."

***

"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…

***

[A while ago...]

Luna was still shocked after hearing what Lord Wixx told her about Stella.

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.

"Stella is the reincarnation of Elaine Moonchester," Luna said in disbelief. She was glad that she was sitting on the sofa or else, her knees would have buckled. "And she plans to steal the throne for Aku Moonchester?"

If that was the case, then the emperor would surely kill his sister!

And Aku Moonchester already killed her in the past…

"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?"

Luna gulped, her heart suddenly confused. "I can't let my sister die again…"

***

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