NIA HAD 7 real "collection" of warriors that she hid from Aku.

All this time, her brother thought that she had a private army with more than a hundred of men. Well, that was true. She also had a collection of weak warriors that she only considered as "minions." In short, paws that she could discard anytime.

Some of them were Lord Eugene Huxley and Lady Alisa Hayward. She only needed the count for his money, while she needed Alisa for her healing abilities.

Come to think of it, the only real followers of her that her brother had already met were Lahara and the Royal Archmage. Yes, the White Tower and the royal mages were under her control.

Always has been.

"Your Royal Highness, is it really wise to make a deal with the Supreme Fire Mage?" Rosalia, the Royal Archmage, asked. Right now, she was talking to the Royal Archmage using the golden flame in the cauldron in the temple's prayer room. It was a room that Aku had no knowledge of. "The experiment that we performed on Stella is a success. We just need to add more pressure to His Majesty until he gives in and take Stella as his new empress."

Of course she was involved in that experiment.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she practically transferred her reproductive organs to Stella. The witch wouldn't be able to carry a Moonchester in her womb without her help.

"Based on Aku's reaction to your proposal, I have a strong feeling that he will never accept Stella as his new empress," Nia told the archmage. "Yes, the council and the people of the empire can pressure him to take her as his wife. He could even conceive a child with her to appease his advisors and the Royal Faction. But I think in the end, he will just kill Stella and the child that he would have with her."

Despite knowing that, she still proceeded with the plan.

Her goal wasn't just to escape her brother by doing that. The real goal for "creating" a female that could conceive a child with the emperor was to show the whole world that it was possible. That a Moonchester princess no longer had to marry her own brother just to keep their blood "pure."

To simply say, she wanted to end their disgusting tradition.

"I can't let Aku kill Stella, not after we spent so many years of hard work in 'creating' her," she continued. "I need to return to the Royal Capital to divert his attention. And travelling with the Supreme for a common goal doesn't sound so bad. As long as we have a binding vow, she can't kill me anyway."

"We can't be too complacent, Your Royal Highness," Rosalia said worriedly. "At the end of the day, the Supreme Fire Mage is still your nemesis."

"I know that, Rosalia," Nia said firmly, then she looked at the cut in her palm. "That's why I decided to summon my real guardians."

***

"GOOD morning, my babies," Tilly greeted Winter and Julian who both ran towards her as soon as she entered the dining hall. She chuckled when her sons hugged her waist tight. "I've missed you."

To be honest, her body was still sore all over. She could barely walk because of uhm, Kiho's "love" for her all night. Both of them also barely slept because they talked about their strategies for their new battle with the Moonchesters.

Still, the thought of seeing their babies gave her strength.

"I miss you, too, Mommy," Winter said cheerfully. "Let's sleep together tonight! Brother Julian and I have a lot of things we want to talk to you with."

Julian nodded shyly in agreement.

She was about to open her mouth to speak when all of a sudden, Kiho cleared his throat from behind her a little too loud.

"No can do, children," Kiho said playfully when he stood beside her and gently wrapped an arm around her waist. "Your mother and I have a very important meeting tonight."

Her blushed at that because she was very aware of what was going on in Kiho's mind. So as a response, she nudged his side a little too hard– making him gasp in surprise. "Winter, Julian, I'm sorry but your Dad and I might not be home tonight," she said, then she squatted to meet her children's eyes. "We'll be having a meeting with Aku Moonchester later."

Her children obviously looked worried.

"We will be fine," she assured her kids, and then she turned serious. "Winter, Julian, can I trust you with a mission?"

Winter and Julian both looked surprised by her question.

And then, they stood in front of her and put their hands behind their backs in a formal way. They looked like soldiers waiting for their commander's request.

She stood properly and faced her husband.

He gave her an encouraging nod.

To be honest, she didn't want their children to be involved in the upcoming battle. But she knew it was impossible to avoid it.

And I want them far from the Royal Capital tonight.

That was the reason why she decided to give them a mission.

"Winter, Julian, I want the two of you to meet up with Solenn and the rest of our allies in the North. Both of you will be my representative, and you will relay my instructions to them," Tilly said seriously. "Luna and Jameson will accompany you in this mission."

Winter and Julian both nodded firmly.

"Yes, Mommy."

"Yes, Mother."

"Before that…" Kiho said, then he squatted in front of Julian and put his hands on their son's shoulders. "Can I talk to you in private, Julian?"

Julian looked surprised, but then, he nodded gently. "Of course, Father."

***

JULIAN was nervous.

While his father was making tea, he sat quietly on the sofa while fidgeting with his fingers.

Calm down, Julian, he told himself. Father isn't the same father that you know.

In the past, whenever his father would summon him, he would either scold him or give him an order that would send him far away from home. In short, he didn't have good memories with his father.

"Julian, I already recovered all the memories that I lost," his father began when he sat on the sofa across from him. He just served the tea for them even though he volunteered to do it instead. But since his father insisted, he just let him do that. "I know that I've been a terrible father to you in the past. Still, I can't remember exactly all the awful things that I have done to you. The memories of my past after Soleil Rosenberg died are blurry for some reason. But I know that that's not an excuse." Much to his shock, his father bowed his head to him. "I'm so sorry for being a terrible and abusive father to you in the past, Julian. Please forgive me too for neglecting you for the past five years. I will make it up to you, I swear."

Hearing those words from his father made him teary-eyed right away.

To be honest, he had already forgiven his father even though he never asked for it in the past. He loved him too much for him to hate him. Even in this lifetime, when he thought that he wasn't the Supreme's real son, he longed for his father to acknowledge him the way he acknowledged Winter.

When his mother returned and told him that he was his real son, he thought he'd be contented to be a part of their family.

He didn't expect that his father would apologize and bow his head to him.

"Father, please don't bow to me," Julian said in a cracked voice. Then, he stood up and went to his father. He stood in front of him, and he cupped his face. "You don't have to apologize to me, Father."

When his father raised his head to face him properly, he noticed that his golden eyes were glassy. Just like him, his father was also in an emotional state. "Julian, you deserve an apology from me."

He smiled as tears began to fall from his eyes. Ah, his father was really different from before. "Thank you, Father," he said between sobs. "And yes, I forgive you. I can never hate you because my love for you and our family is bigger than my pain."

His father also began to cry silently. "I don't deserve you," he said in a cracked voice. "But you're just like your mother, Julian. Your heart is too big to accept and forgive a person like me."

That remark made him smile. "That was the first time you told me that I'm like my mother. I'm happy to hear that, Father. Thank you."

His father cupped his face and wiped his tears with his fingers. "Can I huge you, Julian?"

"You didn't have to ask, Father," Julian said with a soft laugh, then he jumped to wrap his arms around his father's neck. "Thank you for finally accepting me as your son."

"You don't have to thank me again and again, Julian," his father said, then he hugged him tight. "Welcome home, son."

***

NOTE: I AM SORRY. I knew I shouldn't have announced my plan to release more this weekend. I jinxed it again. I was busy with the hospital stuff regarding my mother's surgery (we finally got an appointment after months of reaching out to the hospital). But now that I'm home again, I'll post the mass release later. For real. Sorry again for the unexpected emergency. :(

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PS: You may send gifts if you can. Thank you~

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