Aren is aware that he has a half-brother.

Kresi made him feel the same pain that his mother went through when she was dying. She challenged him to find her. Because of that torture, his vessels were broken. When he received the holy fire, he was in tremendous pain. It was Mayaeira Mirin, the previous Renasir and Kresi's mother, who saved him.

After he woke up, he lived like a mad man. He hunted down the cursed children and killed them mercilessly. More he killed, the worst he felt.

No matter what he did, the harbinger didn't reappear. Back then, Belan Continent was closed off. He couldn't enter Belan and find his brother. After Ari died, the Belan just disappeared. He thought that his brother also died with Belan Spirit.

Aren bends down his head and sighs. "I guess that I know what were Kresi's sins. That night, Kresi made me suffer for something that was not my fault. I blamed her for a long time. I knew what kind of pain my mother felt when she died. I couldn't forget that pain for a long time."

He closes his eyes and exhales, shuddering. "I still can't forget it."

Ari crosses her arms. Aren was around Kresi's age at that time. From what she heard from Mogrok, Kresi made Mogrok eat Aeline's alive until the last of that woman was gone. Why was Kresi that cruel to Aren back then? Hate gives birth to more hate.

"She challenged me to find her." Aren gives her a small smile. "That's why I was looking for you. I wanted to destroy her. Until I received your letter, I had no idea that she also died back then."

Then, Kresi's first sin is Aren. Ari scratches her chin thoughtfully. But how does she resolve this debt? What does Kresi owe him? Kresi is dead. Aeline would never reincarnate because her soul was eaten by Mogrok. Kresi bound Ai with Belan Spirit in a way that Belan was supposed to die in Ai's hands. Does Kresi owe something to Ai?

"I have her debts." Ari asks him with a smile, "Do you want to destroy me?"

"I am over it." Aren lets out a low laugh. "I understand why she did it. I was the same though. Since most of them are dead, why should the living ones bear the pain?"

"I agree." Ari grins at him. "We should forget the past and move on."

He leans forward and looks into her eyes. "But I like that you owe me."

She chuckles. "How do you want me to pay you?"

"How?" He cocks his head and scans her with his smiling eyes. "Did I tell you that you were my first love?"

She blinks her eyes. First love? This arsehole! If she believes this crap, then she's a mouse. She returns his smile anyway. "I am not a cinderella and you are not a prince anymore."

"What is Cinderella?" Aren frowns at her. "I don't care whether you are Cinderella or not. But all I have to do is go back and claim my rights again. It's not difficult for me to become a prince again, even if it's only in name."

It's funny how this idiot can't understand her sarcasm. Ari lets out an exasperated sigh. "My husband is a possessive and jealous one. If he finds out that you are flirting with me, he's going to wipe your existence."

She's married to the dark god. Why is he not surprised? Shaking his head, Aren clicks his tongue. "I don't stand any chance."

"I am glad that you know that." Ari clears her throat. "Let's talk about a serious matter. Ai is alive, I think. He killed Belan. As much as I know, he might have done it because of the binding rune between him and Belan. He was supposed to kill her in the end. The child was born on the heart of Belan. He doesn't belong to any law." Just like her, at the moment. "I don't know what would become of him." She's fine though. "Do you still want to find him?"

"If he's alive, I want to find him." It's surprising that his half-brother was capable of killing Belan. Aren purses his lips. A lawless child? What did Kresi say to him back then? "Ari, can you find him?"

"I don't know." She puckers her lips. It's like Ai's not registered in this world's directory. It's hard to find someone who has no identity. He could be anywhere at the moment. She doesn't know how he looks like. What could be his state of mind?

Belan loved the child because of the rune. She must have also hated him.

What did he feel when he killed Belan? If it was something that he was forced to do, he must have felt hate.

Hated whom?

What if he knew everything that happened? Who would tell him though? Belan knew. Then, Belan could have told him everything.

"What are you thinking?" Aren questions her when he sees her deep in thoughts.

"I am trying to understand your brother." She takes a breath. "If I was in his place, what would I have done?"

"I don't think that you can imagine it." He replies with a quiet voice, "You are not like other people. Since he's my brother, I can tell you what he would have done."

"Then, what are you waiting for?" Ari makes a face. "You should tell me."

She's an impatient one. Aren tilts his head to his right. "I would be driven by hate and looked for the person who caused me to become the way I am."

If it is like that, she should have looked for the person who threw her in Kresi's body. But she didn't want revenge or follow hate. It doesn't make sense to her why would people not want to cherish their lives. The words in her head surprise her. Uh… didn't she die willingly? That's not cherishing life. Then again, if anyone hurt her people, she would also get driven by anger.

She's not a saint. How could she judge other people?

"Kresi made him the way he is." Ari runs her fingers through her dark hair and releases her breath, feeling tired. How a thirteen-year-old could cause so much trouble? When she was thirteen, she was busy studying in school and playing with her friends. Even in the second world where she was reborn as Ari, she lived her life in leisure.

She can't judge the children of this world with the same experiences that she had. Kresi's creator had abandoned her after hurting her. Kresi's family were only those children.

But why the hell did Kresi have to hurt Aren and throw Ai on Belan's face like that? Couldn't that girl find better ways to deal with Belan? Leaving debts behind for her to deal with… just where the heck that girl is?

"You look angry." Aren can't help it. He pinches her soft cheeks. "Why are you so pretty in this life? Is it because you saved the world?"

"If I could choose, I wouldn't choose beauty for sure." She slaps his hand. "I would choose magic and a long life with my man."

"Your man." Aren scoffs at her. "Are you showing off to me? We are not exactly friends."

"We aren't enemies either." Ari rubs her cheeks. Why does everyone attack her cheeks? Being beautiful is such a hassle. It's like she's made for pleasure. Her cheeks flame when she remembers the previous night with Adira. He always loves her like there's never going to be morning.

"You are thinking something dirty." Aren wrinkles his nose. "It shows on your face. You have such a lecherous grin. Show some restraint, okay? You are a girl."

"What do you mean?" Ari scowls at him. "Girls aren't allowed to think dirty? What's wrong with you? It's not like I am thinking dirty about you. My man is infinitely times better than yours."

Aren's lips purse into a thin line. She didn't have to say it like that. To appear in front of him like this and reigniting the old feelings that he once had for her while showing off how her man is better than him, this woman has no shame at all. He shakes his head and laughs.

"Why are you laughing?" Ari creases her forehead.

"Our last meeting was not a pleasant memory." Aren answers her with an amused tone, "I am happy that Kresi gave her sins to you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to see if you weren't indebted to me."

"It's a pain for me," Ari murmurs with an irritated look in her eyes. "I don't know how to resolve these debts either."

"I know a thing or two." Aren gets up and grabs his small bag. He stuffs the things on the table into his bag. "The real question is how do we find Ai."