"THIS cold tea isn't half bad."

Soleil was relieved to hear that Yumi, the White Snake, seemed satisfied with the cold tea that she served her. "I'm glad to hear that, Lady Yumi."

To be honest, she was still a little bewildered as to how this happened.

When Kalel left a while ago to see who visited them at that time, Yumi suddenly appeared. Then, the White Snake said that she wanted to take a bath.

Since Yumi was a guest and she was also a minor god, she treated her with utmost care.

And now, after the White Snake took a bath, she served her the drink that their nation was known for: their "cold tea." Since most of their visitors complained that their nation was too hot to be comfortable in, the chefs all over their country came up with new refreshments.

One of them was the cold tea. But the preparation wasn't as simple as putting ice in the tea– it was more complex than that. They had to adjust several ingredients to make it taste better even if they added ice to it.

"It's refreshing, isn't it?" Soleil asked, trying to break the silence between her and the White Snake. They shared the tea table in the room that she prepared for Kalel but the awkward silence was killing her. And so, she decided to break the ice. "We can also serve you dinner if you're hungry, Lady Yumi."

"I'm a spirit guardian," Yumi said, then she sipped her tea before she continued. "I don't need to eat so I'll pass on that."

"May I know how you became Lord Kalel's spirit guardian, Lady Yumi?"

"Getting straight to the point right away, huh?" the White Snake asked in an amused voice. "Aren't you a curious child?"

She smiled and sipped her tea before she responded. "I may not have ascended the heavens, but just like Lord Kalel and the other Beast Gods, I was blessed with a power that allows me to have a spirit guardian. As far as I know, our spirit guardians were born from our power. Since I have the fire Mana, my spirit guardian was born from my flame."

The White Snake scoffed. "Don't compare my little Nystrom to the likes of you," she said. "My son is the child of two gods. That makes him more special than all of you."

"Of course," she said, not really caring about what the minor god said.

"Since I'm a goddess and the Mother of Snakes, I don't really die," Yumi explained. "All I have to do was to give up my physical body to be Nystrom's spirit guardian."

"Is it only possible among gods?"

The White Snake laughed softly. "It's only possible if you have a connection with the Plane."

The Plane?

It was the place between the living world and the afterlife. As far as she knew, the Plane was also where the souls of the dead "wait" before their reincarnation. She was pretty sure that she had stayed in the Plane before she was reborn in this life.

She just couldn't remember it well.

"You don't like my son, do you?"

She almost choked on her tea because of the White Snake's question. "I don't understand what you're talking about, Lady Yuna."

"I know that my son is immaculately handsome," the older lady said. "But you can't possibly fall in love with Nystrom just because of his face."

She couldn't refute that.

Ah, maybe mothers really know best.

"You wouldn't approach my son just to admire his face, Soleil Rosenberg," Yumi said in a threatening voice. "Why are you seducing my son, you wicked little girl?"

"Is it time to drop my act?" Soleil asked, then she laughed softly while shaking her head. "I apologize but it seems like I already succeeded, Lady Yuna," she said, then she put the teacup on the coaster before she smiled sweetly at the White Snake. "I'll do everything for my clan."

***

"SOLEIL!"

Soleil, despite her conscience stabbing her heart ever since she left Kalel's room, smiled when her brother greeted her as soon as she entered her chamber. It was rare for Winchell to be in a good mood, so she didn't want to ruin it by letting him know that she felt awful at the moment. "What is it, Brother?"

Winchell held her by the shoulders and gently shook her as if he was excited. "Is it true that you plan to kill your future husband?"

Her smile vanished. "Brother, how did you know…" She trailed-off because it was a stupid question. Of course, only two people knew about the prophecy about her future husband. "Ah. Solaris and Solenn already told you about the prophecy."

"Yes," her brother said cheerfully. "I heard from Solenn the vision that she saw. Apparently, the man that you would marry in the near future would either break or make our clan. She told me that you didn't want to risk it, so you decided to kill your future husband if ever you were put in a situation where you were forced to marry him." Winchell hugged her while patting her head gently. "Great thinking, Soleil. I'm proud of you."

She bit her lower lip to stop herself from commenting.

To be honest, when she decided to kill her future husband (because during that time, she was convinced that she was going to be forced to marry someone she didn't love), she didn't know that the heavens would show her the man that she was supposed to marry someday.

She didn't have visions like the Sun Priestess, but for some reason, when she took Kalel's hand in the tower, she saw her future with him.

I know in my heart that Lord Kalel is going to be my future husband.

She didn't save him because she was infatuated with him like she was in the past. She did that because he was an old friend to her, and she didn't want him to suffer that way. And of course, it was true that she needed Kalel's strength for her mission to eliminate the Crades clan with the help of the Beast Gods.

But never in her wildest dream did she imagine that she would marry Kalel…

… and their marriage was supposed to either break or make the clan that she loved so much.

"Brother?"

He pulled away from their hug to face her. "What is it, Soleil?"

"Were there things you had to sacrifice when you chose your duty over your personal feelings?"

"Of course," the Red Phoenix said without missing a beat. "Soleil, we are the leaders of this clan. Our people, our nation, come first before our own selves. And that's exactly the reason why not every person in this country can become a leader." He gently ran his thumb over his cheek. "What's wrong? Are you worried about how you're running the country with Solaris and Solenn?"

She nodded before she answered. "You spoiled me too much, Brother. You and everyone in this country," she said. She was completely aware that she was being ridiculous, but she had to be honest. "I'm afraid that one day, I'll be selfish enough to sacrifice our people for my personal desires. I don't know what I'll do if that day comes, Brother."

"You sound like you already know that you will choose your heart over your duty, Soleil."

Soleil smiled sadly. "It seems the case, Brother."

"I won't let you do it," Winchell said sternly, his eyes glowing dangerously. "You are the leader of the Fire Mages, Soleil Rosenberg– and I won't let you forget that."

***

KALEL could only shake his head while watching the Moon Priestess eat with so much gusto.

Right now, they were in the middle of the forest that surrounded Soleil's residence. A while ago, he sneaked in the kitchen to steal some bread, pastries, and tea to feed the Moon Priestess. He knew that he could just tell Soleil that the unexpected visitor was the Moon Priestess, and he was sure that she'd welcome the lady.

But he was also aware that not all Fire Mages were welcoming of children of the moon like him. He saw how some of the Fire Mages looked at him with disgust.

Introducing another child of the moon to people of this country might not be a good idea.

"I'm full," the Moon Priestess said, then she drank the tea on the teacup in one gulp. After that, she shamelessly burped out loud. "Ah, their food here is great."

Kalel let out a sigh. "If you're done eating, go. I'll return to the palace and confess that I stole food in the kitchen."

"Are you going to meet Soleil Rosenberg?"

"You talk as if you know her personally."

"I've seen her too many times in my visions that I feel like I already know her," she said with a smile. "Kalel Moonchester, do you like Soleil?"

"I'm not obliged to answer that."

"This is a part of your plan, isn't it?"

He glared at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, you sure do," the strange woman said with a laugh. "Auro Moonchester asked you to be close to Soleil Rosenberg, didn't he?"

He remained silent.

Denying or admitting that was out of the question.

"I came here to ask you what you'll choose between your brother and your future lover," the Moon Priestess said, then she stood up and stretched her arms. "But I think I already know the answer."

"Don't assume things about me, Moon Priestess."

"Luna," she said. "That's my name."

"Don't assume things about me, Luna," he said in a sarcastic voice.

The Moon Priestess laughed while clutching her stomach. "You're funny, Brother," she said when she calmed down. "I think we could have been friends had you not chosen your brother over your future lover."

He scoffed at that. "What are you saying? Aren't you a Moon Priestess? You're supposed to be on my side."

It wasn't like he was being entitled to other people's loyalty.

He was just a little surprised to hear a Moon Priestess say that she wouldn't choose his side. After all, Moon Priestesses were supposed to support him--- the child of the Moon God himself.

"I don't like you so I'm not siding with you even if the heavens punish me," Luna said nonchalantly. Then, she turned her back on her and began walking away while waving at him. "I sincerely hope that you don't regret your decision, Brother."

"I'm not your brother," Kalel said but Luna already disappeared. He could only sigh and shake his head. "What a strange woman."

***

PS: Hi! I might post around this time or maybe 6AM (GMT+8), to be exact, next month. I usually write in my free time during the day so I could post before midnight (GMT+8). But I write during nighttime instead of daytime these days, right after my day job, because of my new work-related project. Thus, I post my updates in an awkward time these days. Sorry for the sudden change of schedule. T-T

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

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