She closes the door before he could enter. Her cold gaze falls on the bed. It's neatly made. Did he try to remove his traces from this room? Shaking her head, she goes to the bathroom.

The clothes are discarded on the floor. She immerses her body in the water tub, trying to relax. An ominous feeling trickles her in her chest. Kresi furrows her brows. How is Renasir Ari doing?

The Dark God should come back already. This is tiring. Though the annoying royal arse hasn't realized it yet... No! She's wrong. There's nothing other than pity.

What if there's something more?

"Who would see me as a woman?" Kresi stretches her legs. "Even if someone sees me as a woman, is it that easy to love that person? Nothing grows in the desert other than thorns."

Too old. Too young. Too many lifetimes of regrets. Too bitter. Too empty.

"It's too much for me to be happy." She runs her fingers through her hair. "I only bring misery to people around me."

People like her don't deserve love.

"And I am tired." Her soul feels weary. "Still, I cling to life. When did it become a habit? I want to stop and give up, but I continue to do this. Even if my skin rots, it won't be darker than my twisted heart. What do I want? I only want to survive myself."

The water is no longer warm.

Kresi gets up and walks out of the bathroom. Since rebels are taken care of, there shouldn't be any hiccups in the future. Maybe she should study the forbidden runes since she has decided to specialize in them.

"You, woman!"

The scream startles her. She summons a rune to her palm, ready to kill the person before her. Kresi blinks her eyes when she sees a pair of familiar green eyes. Aren covers his eyes and runs toward the door, only to crash on the door and falls back on his butt.

"Ah!" He shouts. "I didn't want to see. It was an accident. Don't kill me."

Then, she realizes that she's naked.

Both furious and ashamed, Kresi gnashed her teeth as she cast a rune on the door. The door wouldn't open up until she wants it to. She should have cast it earlier.

"Please let me leave." Aren struggles to open the door. He uses every spell that he knows. "Woman, it's your fault. You shouldn't be walking around naked."

The 'woman' ignores him. She wears a simple robe as he tries to burn the door to crisp.

When nothing works, he sits down on the floor and covers his face. "I am sorry. I am telling you that I saw nothing."

"Then, why are you overreacting?" She asks him, walking in his direction. "Say, were my breasts big enough for your liking? You like things that fit in your palms."

"What?" He raises his head to look at her. Then, he closes his eyes. "I don't know. I didn't see."

The tips of his ears are red. Kresi clicks her tongue. He has seen everything. "Why are you in my room?"

"I wanted to treat your wounds." He mumbles with his eyes closed, "You are the type of person who makes other people worry."

Somehow, it's her fault that he barged into her room and saw her naked. Kresi crosses her arms over her chest. "I locked the door for sure."

"I opened it with a spell when you didn't open it." He answers her honestly, "I am sorry. I should have left when I realized that you were bathing yourself. I didn't expect that you would come out naked."

"So, you saw," She remarks darkly.

"I didn't see!" He emphasizes strongly. "Kresi, what's there to see anyway? I prefer women with curves. You are a bamboo shoot. Besides, I saw your… Well, there's nothing new to see."

What is stopping her from killing this guy? She has never been compared to a bamboo shoot before. His nerves are getting on her nerves now. "If you haven't seen me naked, you wouldn't know whether I am a bamboo shoot or curvy pottery."

"..." He purses his lips.

Annoying! She sits on the bed. "I can also do magic. My wounds will heal itself since ehr runs in my body. Don't worry about your mother's murderer so much."

"Do you always have to mention that?" Aren exhales. "I already forgave you."

Kresi studies him calmly. "I am wearing clothes. You can look at me now."

He takes a breath of relief before he removes his hands from his face. "Thank goodness!"

"And take your potions." She throws a pouch on him. "Don't try the art of healing if you want to keep your dignity."

"Why?" He opens the pouch and sees the potions. "Were they bad?"

"I have never seen anything worse than that." Kresi summons back the rune from the door. "Leave."

Aren squints his eyes on her. "If you let the ehr heal your wounds, it might leave a scar."

"It's better to be ugly than drink potions that do anything but healing." She rolls her eyes. "If you stay here for another moment…"

Kresi pauses, staring at the open door. She inhales the cold air sharply. "He's back."

"The dark god?" Aren mutters, turning his head toward the door. The pressure in the castle has changed. A certain chill is back. Kresi and Aren run toward the arena where the gate has appeared. Mogrok and other spirit beasts are already there, bent on their knees, paying respect to the three gods of Iravan.

The child in the Dark God's arms coos. Mogrok peers at the dark god. He searches for Renasir Ari with his gaze. The gate disappears behind them but Renasir Ari doesn't appear.

"Where is Renasir Ari?" Kresi asks the Dark God anxiously. "Where's Ai?"

"I don't know." Adira scowls at her. "You aren't dressed properly."

"Don't dictate me." Kresi snaps at him. "I am no longer your wife. Your woman is Renasir Ari. Why is she not with you? Who is that child?"

Rilyah and Cina look down nervously.

"She's my daughter." Adira tells her, "Her mother abandoned her right after her birth and left with her adopted son. Do you want to hear more?"

Kresi takes a step back. Adopted son? Is he Ai? But can Renasir Ari abandon her own daughter? "This doesn't sound like her."