WINTER was pissed.

He didn't want to use his ice but the little brat princess was pushing him to get serious. When Solenn punched him again with her flaming fist, he grabbed her wrist and used his Mana to freeze her.

Now let's see if you can melt my ice!

Solenn looked surprised by his "cheating." She glared at him, then she tried to make her body literally burn.

She's trying to melt my ice.

He smirked at her futile attempt, then he let go of her wrist.

You can't melt my ice when I use my full Mana, little brat princess.

He watched as his ice started to spread from Solenn's arm to all over her torso down to her lower body until the only "un-frozen" part of her was her head and neck.

Heh.

"Cheater," Solenn snarled at him. "I said we should fight using our fire Mana! You used your ice so this fight is void!"

"I don't remember agreeing to that rule," he said with a smirk. "You should have made a written contract before we started our fight, Princess Solenn."

The princess screamed in annoyance.

He was glad that Solenn didn't breathe fire unlike his mommy. If the princess had the same ability as his mother, Solenn would have probably roasted him by now.

Let's scare her a little.

He raised his hand and commanded his ice to spread up to her little neck.

Solenn, known as a tough cookie, was on the verge of crying now.

Okay, that made him feel guilty. Maybe his prank went a little too far. Seeing her tears reminded him that he was an adult inside so he shouldn't be bullying children.

Shame on you, Winter Nystrom.

He closed his hand and as soon as he did, the ice covering Solenn from neck to toe started to melt fast.

The little brat princess stopped crying then.

"I admit I went overboard," he said when the ice covering Solenn finally melted. He could feel the sudden increase of the heat emitting from the princess's little body. She was probably using her Mana to dry herself. "Let's not fight over this again, okay?"

When the princess didn't respond, he extended his hand to her.

Well, I'm the adult here so I should be the bigger person.

Solenn finally gave in and reached for his hand.

But when he thought she would shake his hand, her posture suddenly changed. The next thing he knew, he was already on the ground while facing the blue sky.

His nose was bleeding.

Yes, the little brat princess freaking punched him on the face again! She didn't use her flame this time but still, she broke his nose!

Solenn's arrogant face came into view when she hovered over him. "I will never shake hands with a cheater like you."

He snarled, stood up, and was about to freeze the princess again when all of a sudden, a camera flash blinded them. He and Solenn both turned around and were surprised to find Maddox and Braxton Atkinson– the twin Keepers.

The twins had (fake) platinum blonde hair, bronze skin, and dark eyes.

It's really hard to tell them apart when they aren't talking.

Fortunately, the twins didn't wear clothes with the same color.

Maddox would always wear gray, while Braxton would always wear yellow. Also, Maddox was the quiet twin while Braxton was as loud as Jameson.

"Look what we have here," Braxton said in his usual bright and loud voice. He was holding an Ice Tablet that he definitely used to take a picture of him and Solenn a while ago. "The Supreme's son and the Fire Archmage's daughter in a brawl. I wonder how the Lady Rosenberg and Lord Solaris will react once they find out that their children fought… again."

"They will be disappointed, for sure," Maddox said in his usual bored tone.

Winter flinched.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Solenn flinch as well.

"I can't believe the future of the Fire Mages is on the shoulders of two hot-tempered little brats," Braxton teased them while laughing. "Mad, we're doomed."

Maddox silently nodded in agreement.

"Why did you two fight again?" Braxton confronted them with a raised brow. "Who started it?"

"I did. And I finished it with a bang," Solenn answered proudly. "I won."

"No, you didn't," Winter complained. "The fight was interrupted."

"I won the moment you cheated," the princess insisted while glaring at him. "But even if we fight again, I'm sure I'll win again– assuming that you won't use your ice to cheat."

He was about to give a retort when all of a sudden, Maddox and Braxton stood straight.

When he turned around, he saw his mother with the ever-worried Isabelle.

In the blink of an eye, Maddox, Braxton, and Solenn were already on their knees with their heads hanged low as they greeted his mommy.

"Greetings to the sun that shines brightly in the blue sky," Solenn, Maddox, and Braxton greeted his mother politely.

His mother just smile and when she turned to him, his mommy's smile even got "sweeter."

Winter turned his gaze away from his mother. I'm dead.

***

TILLY let out a deep sigh when she saw Winter's head wrapped in bandage.

Isabelle just finished treating the wounds that her son got from "playing" with Solenn– the only daughter of Solaris. For some reason, Winter "liked" picking a fight with the princess.

"Isabelle, you may leave now," Tilly said in a strict voice. "I need to talk to the young man right here."

Isabelle looked nervous. "Lady Nystrom, please don't scold the young lord too much."

She just smiled at the young maid.

Isabelle took it as a sign and bowed her head, then she quietly left her room.

Now, for his punishment…

Tilly sat on the sofa and asked Winter to stand in front of her. Her son did while his hands were behind his back. He looked somehow apologetic, but only because he made them worry. She would bet her entire fortune that the little rascal didn't regret picking a fight with Solenn.

Why do they always fight anyway?

"Winter, do you know what you did wrong?" she asked carefully.

Winter nodded before he answered. "I let my guard down and let the little brat princess hit me."

She bit her lower lip to stop herself from laughing.

Winter is really stubborn.

But as a mother, she had to discipline her son.

"Winter, Solenn is the princess of the island," she calmly reminded him. "And she's not a "brat." Her physical body is the same age as you. But her soul is older. You have to show her respect, okay?"

"A brat is just a brat, Mommy."

"Okay, little rascal," she said while shaking her head. "You're not allowed to get out of the house for a week."

He gasped while his eyes widened in shock. "Mommy!"

"I will only lift it when you apologize to Solenn."

He gulped before he shook his head. "I like staying at home."

She let out a small laugh, then she opened her arms. "Come here, baby."

"I'm not a baby anymore, Mommy," he said, but he sat on her lap and let her hug him tight while showering him with little kisses.

He's still a baby.

"Winter, why did you fight Solenn this time?" she asked seriously.

Her baby let out a deep sigh before he answered. "The little brat princess questioned if I'm really a Fire Mage because my fire Mana is weak."

"And you proved to her that you're a Fire Mage by freezing her?"

His face turned red in embarrassment.

She wouldn't say that Winter was being childish. After all, he was still five years old. It was normal for kids his age to act selfishly.

"Winter, you are my son," she gently told him. "Your fire Mana isn't weak. It just happens that your dominant Mana is ice. And it was a gift from your dad." She put a finger on Winter's chest– in the part where his heart was beating loudly. "You have half of me and half of your father. You don't have to prove to anyone that you're a Fire Mage. Isn't it enough that my Mana and your father's Mana exist inside you?"

"I know that, Mommy," he said with a pout. "But I don't like it when Solenn picks on me for having a little bit stronger fire Mana than me."

"Winter," she said strictly. "You're not underestimating Solenn just because she's a girl, are you?"

"The little princess brat is not a girl– she's a gorilla," he said firmly. "She can kill an average grown man with a single punch, Mommy." He pointed at the bandage wrapped around his head. "If she can do this to me, she can definitely break a skull of a Mana-less person."

"I'm glad that you recognize Solenn's strength, Winter," she said while stifling a laughter. "But please don't call her a gorilla. Insulting a girl just because you lost to her is petty, son."

He pouted. "I hate losing to Solenn because I'm the Supreme's son. Mommy, you are the goddess of the Fire Mages. I can't lose to your follower's daughter."

"Winter," she said seriously. Her heart felt heavy when she saw her son flinch, but she needed to discipline him. "It's true that the Fire Mages see me as their goddess. But I'm not here to be worshipped. I'm helping Solaris lead the clan because I want us to reclaim the freedom that was stolen from us. That doesn't make us special or more important than the rest, Winter." She gently ruffled his hair. "The moment you think that you are above other people is the moment you lose the right to be a leader. Do you understand what I'm saying, son?"

Winter fell silent at first. Then, he nodded. "I understand, Mommy," he said. "I'm sorry being arrogant."

"Apology only works when you don't commit the same mistake again," she said carefully. "You know that, don't you?"

Her son nodded.

"Good boy," she said, the she kissed his forehead. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Seafood," Winter said with sparkling eyes. "I want King Crabs, Mommy!"

Tilly laughed heartily. "I know, my little cinnamon roll."

***

"FATHER, are you having seafood for dinner?"

Kiho nodded at Julian's random question. The child went to his office because he needed help with his homework. After they were done with his assignment, he suddenly asked that strange question. "Yes. What about it?"

"Can I have seafood for dinner, too?" Julian asked bashfully. "I want to try eating seafood since it looks fun. Especially when you use a crab mallet to break the shells, Father."

"I want you to experience the joy of eating seafood as well," he said. "But Julian, you're allergic to seafood. The last time you ate crab meat, you got sick."

"That was two years ago, Father," the child reasoned. "I think I can eat seafood now, thanks to the medicine that Teacher Morganna gave me to cure my allergy."

"Are you sure that the medicine worked?"

"That's what I want to find out, Father."

Well, the child had a point.

"Alright," Kiho said. "Let's have seafood for dinner."

Julian's face instantly lit up. "Thank you, Father."

***

OF COURSE, Julian got sick after their dinner.

Kiho felt bad for the child. He loved seafood and he wanted Julian to enjoy it, too. After all, he was pretending to be his son.

But the child couldn't help it if he had severe allergy to seafood.

"Don't be too sad, Julian," Kiho tried to console the child. Right now, he was in the child's room. He sat on the chair beside the bed where Julian was resting. "I'll look for a doctor that specializes in curing allergies."

Julian looked surprised what he said. "Really, Father?"

He nodded. "Really."

"Thank you, Father," the child said. "I'm sad that I can't enjoy the food that you like. After all, I'm your son."

Kiho knew that Julian wasn't his son.

According to the videos that his wife left for him, their son's name was Winter. Louisa and Alphen assured him that his child was safe with the duchess.

Louisa and Alphen also said that he adopted Julian as his brother per his wife's request before. Julian was a Fire Mage and because the duchess wanted to protect the child, they decided to adopt him.

The head maid and the head butler said that they were surprised when one day, the emperor brought Julian to the mansion and the princess brainwashed everyone to believe that the toddler was his son.

Maybe Julian doesn't remember that anymore since he was just a baby when that happened. I think he really believes that I am his father.

That made him pity the child.

"We have something in common, Julian," he reminded him. "We can both use ice."

Surprisingly, Julian had two Manas– fire and ice. His dominant Mana was fire, but he could also use ice if he practiced enough.

At first, he was surprised when he discovered that Julian had two Manas. But he eventually thought that the child's ice Mana was fake. Perhaps, Emperor Aku used a spell that would allow the toddler to use ice so he'd be his perfect pretend son.

"But I'm not good at using ice, Father."

Okay, hearing that made him feel guilty.

He had been too busy with a lot of things to make sure that he'd meet his wife and son the soonest that he almost didn't pay attention to Julian.

"Well, I can teach you how to use your ice Mana," he offered.

Again, the child's face brightened up. "Really, Father?"

He nodded.

Then, much to his shock, the child got up and jumped towards him for a hug. He instinctively caught Julian and as soon as he did, he wrapped his arms around his neck.

Oh, he's warm.

He realized how bad of a father he was to Julian for only noticing that now.

The child was being used by the emperor so he detached himself from him. But he realized that it was unfair to Julian. After all, he was just a child caught in the middle of the mess created by the emperor.

"Thank you, Father," Julian said as his hug tightened. "I can't wait to spend time with you."

He felt awkward. But he reminded himself that he had to make it up to Julian for ignoring him for the past years. His wife was close enough to the child for her to decide that they should adopt him. He should be nice to the people that the duchess trusted.

Also, he should treat the child nicely because he wanted the people around his son to treat him as well.

Winter, wherever you are, I hope you and your mother are surrounded by good people.

"Okay," Kiho said, then he awkwardly patted Julian's back. "I'll train you starting tomorrow, Julian."

***

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