"HONEY, what are you doing so early in the morning?"

Tilly smiled when Kiho sat on the armrest of her chair, then he kissed her shoulder as a greeting. Since it was already summer, she started to wear light clothes. For today, she wore an off-the-shoulder black dress.

They were still mourning so everyone in the mansion still wore black or dark clothes.

It has only been a week since Winter was born but it already felt like years.

Thankfully, after the unexpected visit of the Blue Dragon, they hadn't been attacked again. The security around their estate also tightened now that the Black Serpent Knights were living with them.

On the downside, they decided that she shouldn't leave the mansion yet. So instead of going to her father's mansion to visit the servants, she just called them using a communication device similar to the modern world's video call.

She told everyone that she and her husband would take care of them now that her father was gone. Then, she asked Isabelle to be Winter's nanny.

Damian already went to the Prescott Mansion to fetch Isabelle.

While Blake, the vice-captain of the Black Serpent Knights, went to the tower to fetch Flint and bring the child to the mansion.

We're gathering our forces.

"I'm trying to design a CCTV using our spirit stones," Tilly told Kiho. "It's a video surveillance used for security purposes back in the world where I came from."

After their breakfast, she went straight to work.

Since she didn't want to take her eyes off of Winter, she turned the lounge area of their room into her office. She put their son's crib beside her. Sentinel was inside her heart while Luna while staying in the next room with Julian. Winter fell asleep after she breastfed him but once he woke up, she might ask Luna to watch her son play with Julian.

"When I was in the modern world, I had several CCTV around my house," she told him. "It scares intruders. In most cases, CCTVs can be used as proof of evidence if a crime was caught in the camera. I want to create something similar to that, then install them in our estate."

Kiho looked at her face with sparkling eyes. "If the cameras caught the enemies attacking us in our mansion, we can use the video was evidence."

"Exactly," she said while nodding her head. "We need stealth surveillance cameras that the enemies won't see or feel. That's what I'm worried about though. The spirit stones that we use as communication devices contain strong Mana. It will be hard to keep their presence hidden. That's why I'm thinking to make CCTVs with strong protection. To make that happen, I need to study different spirit stones first."

"I know a jewelry maker with excellent skills. He's not famous among nobles, but I believe that his craftsmanship is the best in the empire. He's also knowledgeable about gems and spirit stones," he said. "I think he can help you with what you want to create, honey."

"Really?"

He nodded. "His name is Amilo. He was also the one I asked to make your engagement ring."

Her ears perked up when she heard that. "Oh. I love my engagement ring. Can you introduce Mr. Amilo to me, hon?"

"Of course," he said. "I'll bring him to our estate later."

"Can you ask him if he wants to go with us to Oakes?"

He looked surprised by her request.

"Hon, when we leave for Oakes, we're not going back here anymore," she reminded him. "Let's bring all the people and things that we need with us."

Understanding crossed his eyes. Then, he nodded and kissed her on the forehead. "I will ask Amilo to come with us to Oakes, honey."

"Thank you, hon," she said, then her brows furrowed. "Kiho, aren't you going to be late if you don't leave now?"

He let out a sigh and hugged her tight. "I don't want to leave you and Winter here."

She chuckled at his clinginess.

Well, she also didn't want Kiho to leave the mansion. But he needed to go to the Royal Palace to present the assailants to Emperor Aku. They needed to do that to begin the noble trial against House Huxley and House Hayward.

Before Captain Denver left, he already manipulated the mind of the assailants under their custody. Those people will testify to Kiho's accusation against House Huxley and House Hayward. And yes, they were faking evidence. What about it?

It wasn't like Emperor Aku and his cohorts were playing fair, so why would she?

Back in her second life, people would always tell the victims to not stoop down to their tormentor's level. She used to think that way before. But after all the things that her enemies did to her and her family, she became jaded.

"I won't be the bigger person anymore, Kiho," Tilly said in a cold voice. "From now on, I will bite back."

"Hot," Kiho said, his golden eyes glowing beautifully. "Bite me, too, honey."

That made her laugh out loud.

He really knows how to put me to good mood again.

***

"SO WE MEET again, Julian," Winter told the other guy who was sitting beside him. As usual, he was lying down on his crib again. His body couldn't move the way he wanted to yet. Worse, he couldn't control his sleepiness. Every time he was full, he would fall asleep easily. "I decided that I won't call you 'uncle' or 'big brother.' Is that okay with you?"

Julian smiled and nodded. "You can call me anything you want, Lord Winter."

"Why are you calling me 'lord?'" he asked curiously. "You're not my servant."

"You're the son of our benefactors," he said. "Of course, it's only right to refer to you that way. Does it make you feel uncomfortable, Lord Winter?"

Well, he wasn't sure.

He was the emperor's heir in his past life so he was used to being referred to as either "lord" or "Your Royal Highness." But for some reason, he felt awkward when Julian called him that way even though they weren't close anyway.

"It's weird," Winter admitted in the end. "Just call me by my name normally."

"I thought you hate me?"

"I did at first," he said bluntly. "But as long as you know your place, I'll tolerate you."

He laughed softly. "As you wish, Winter."

Julian's laugh caught the attention of Louisa, the head maid, and the young maids who were looking after them.

His mother asked the maids to look after him and Julian because apparently, she had something important to talk about with Miss Luna. His Mommy knew that he could understand them. That only meant she didn't want him to know what was happening.

I know we're in danger but I'm confident that Mommy and Daddy will win against the royal family this time.

Because this time, they were a whole family.

Anyway, when he noticed that Louisa was looking at him with a worried look on her face, he smiled at the maid.

"Oh, the young lord is smiling," Louisa squealed. "Look at how pretty our young master is."

When the young maids hovered over to take a look at him, he giggled for them.

As expected, the maids squealed in delight.

"The young lord is so cute."

"Indeed. He'll probably break so many hearts in the future."

"Just thinking about our young lord getting married in the future is already making me emotional."

"That won't happen," Winter said firmly. "I won't get married early. I'm going to live with mommy and daddy for a very, very, very long time."

"Winter, you seem to like your parents so much," Julian commented.

"I do," he said without missing a beat. "I almost killed you, didn't I? I want Mommy and Daddy all to myself."

���Duke and Duchess Nystrom love each other so much," the other guy said. "What if you get a younger sibling soon? Are you going to attack them the way you attacked me?"

"If it's a younger sister, then I'd love that," he answered seriously. "But I don't need a brother. I'm the only son that Mommy and Daddy need." He blinked when he remembered something. "You have an older brother, right?"

Julian nodded. "But my older brother isn't just a brother to me. He was practically my father and I'm very thankful to him. That's why I can't understand why you hate the idea of having a brother but a sister is fine to you."

"I don't know why I don't like the idea of having a brother as well," he admitted. "But if my parents would be blessed with another son, I hope it happens when I'm already an adult. Maybe if I was already mature by then, I wouldn't be this selfish."

Mentally, he was no longer a toddler.

But he didn't have a normal childhood in the past. He was brought up strictly because he was the emperor's heir. So this time, he wanted to act like a child.

"Winter, you're a weird one," Julian said with a smile. "I'm sorry to say this but I've seen how your parents act around each other. At this rate, you'll definitely have younger siblings soon enough."

He was pissed even though he knew that Julian was just blatantly teasing him. Still, he knew that the other guy was just stating a fact. "I wish Dad to have more self-control."

Julian laughed softly at his wish. "You seem to be in a good mood, Winter."

He nodded his tiny head. "Last night, Mommy baked a cake to celebrate my birthday. Then, father gave me a unique present."

The other guy's smile seemed to fade. "Your father gave you a present?"

"Yes," he said and even in his own ears, he sounded excited. "Dad made an ice crab mallet for me."

In his past life, it was her father who loved seafood– especially King Crabs.

He was glad to know that in this lifetime, his mommy enjoyed eating seafood as well.

"You're lucky, Winter," Julian said with a faint, sad smile. "I never received a present from Father."

He was surprised with how Julian said it.

Why is he talking like we have the same father?

"My parents died when I was newly born," Julian explained with a smile. "That's why I never experienced receiving presents from my parents. Please treasure the things that you got from your mother and father, Winter."

And now he's talking like an older brother.

"I know that," Winter said with a pout. "I know how to treasure the gifts I got from my parents. You didn't have to remind me."

Julian just smiled again, then he gently patted his tummy while humming a lullaby song.

Winter suddenly felt sleepy.

Damn this baby body of mine.

***

TILLY elegantly put the tea cup on the coaster, then she looked back and forth between Luna and Sentinel. "Can't we at least tell Kiho that he's the Black Serpent?"

Right now, she was having tea with Luna and Sentinel in the balcony of her room.

Winter and Julian were just in the next room while being watched over by the maids. Luna put a barrier in the room so they'd know if an intruder suddenly appeared. Also, the whole mansion was being patrolled by different groups of Black Serpent Knights.

"We can't, my lady," Sentinel said firmly. "We don't know what will happen if Duke Nystrom realized his real identity."

"But I was fine even though I found out that I'm the real Supreme."

"Exactly, my lady," Luna said. "You figured it out because of what the Blue Dragon did to your memory. You're only fine because you haven't retrieved your memories yet."

Well, the witch had a point.

"The Black Serpent is different from you, Lady Nystrom," Sentinel said seriously. "He lost his mind in the past. If he remembers that he's the Black Serpent, he might go insane again. And if he did, he'd forget his life as Kiho Nystrom. He will forget about you and your son."

Okay, that made her chest tighten.

But she knew it wasn't the time to be depressed about something that was yet to happen. Heck, she was overworking her brain cells to prevent that from happening. Moping in advance wouldn't help at all.

"Why did Kiho go crazy in the past?" she asked curiously. "Something or someone must have deliberately made him lose his mind."

The two fell silent.

She bit her lower lip, then took a deep breath before she asked again. "In my dream, I saw a child. He called himself 'Aku Moonchester.'"

Luna and Sentinel looked surprised by her revelation.

"Kiho and I saved him back then," she continued. "If I knew he was going to f*ck us up now, I would have yeeted him back to where he came from."

The witch and the spirit guardian looked confused by the modern word that he used.

"Nevermind," she said. "In my dream, the Black Serpent's clan took care of Aku Moonchester for a few years before the ungrateful brat left without a trace. Now, this is what I want to know: is the current emperor the reincarnation of that Aku brat?"

Again, the two remained silent.

But their silence this time screamed a loud "yes."

"So, His Majesty has been ruining my life since the beginning," she said, anger slowly rising in her chest. But when she reminded that Winter was just next door, she instantly calmed down. Getting angry wouldn't also help at her current situation. "He's my nemesis all along, huh?"

But she didn't want to be fixated on the past too much.

Even if she got angry at what happened back then, it wouldn't change anything. She should focus on the present and protect her family at all cost.

Speaking of family…

"The Black Serpent's descendants are my descendants as well, right?" she asked. But then again, Luna and Sentinel didn't respond. Still, she continued. "I said I'll kill every single one of them for killing my father. But I will only do that once I get a solid proof that they really did it."

Descendants or not, she wouldn't forgive them.

"Now that my head is clear, I believe I've been too hasty then to believe them easily," she said, ashamed of her mistake.

"You were going through a lot that night, Lady Nystrom," Luna comforted her. "We understand if you couldn't think straight then."

She smiled gratefully at the witch. "I trust the two of you," she said to the witch and the spirit guardian. "I won't retrieve my past memories and I will protect Kiho's identity. That's why I decided to go to Mount Sola."

Luna and Sentinel both gasped at her declaration.

"I feel like I can trust the Golden Tiger," she said before the two could even oppose her decision. "Plus, Lord Ainsworth said that I will find the island where I belong in Mount Sola."

The witch's eyes widened. "Was the Golden Tiger talking about the "island that worships the sun," my lady?"

"I believe so," she confirmed. "We need to find the island anyway to find the Great Fire Tree. My father told me that it holds the answer to the real history between the Fire Mages and the Moonchesters. When I find that tree, maybe I can ask it if it's possible to return Kiho's past memories without him going crazy."

"Lady Nystrom, why do you want the duke to retrieve his memories?" Sentinel asked in a frustrated tone. "He might kill you if he remembers his life as the Black Serpent."

"We can't keep a secret forever," she reasoned. "Plus, Kiho and I promised each other that we wouldn't keep secrets from one another."

"Lady Nystrom," Luna said in a scolding tone. "You don't know what kind of person the Black Serpent was. He's very different from the Kiho Nystrom that you know."

Sentinel nodded firmly as an agreement.

"Soleil wouldn't have loved the Black Serpent if he was an awful man," she said, then she clutched her chest. "I trust Soleil's heart."

"The Black Serpent was the Supreme's downfall," Sentinel said in an emotional tone. It looked like he was about to cry from too much anger. "The Supreme, in the end, was just a foolish girl who fell in love with the wrong person."

"Only Soleil and the Black Serpent knew the truth about their relationship," she said firmly. "If Soleil, my past self, truly hated the Black Serpent, then I would have felt her anger when I met Kiho in this lifetime."

"The Supreme hated the Black Serpent," Luna insisted. "That's why the Red Phoenix sealed her memories, my lady."

"Only I can decide if I hate the Black Serpent or not once I retrieve my memories," Tilly said. "But until then, I will continue believing in Soleil." She held the ice snowdrop pendant dangling in her necklace. "This is mine and Kiho's era– our story won't end tragically like how it ended for Soleil and the Black Serpent."

***

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