Ignorant to what happening to Regis, Miko walked down the halls of the palace with a frown.

“This won’t do. I know that it would take sometime but it’s almost been five years.”

He muttered to himself.

“I guess I need to search for Luka.”

He stopped and then changed directions to towards the exist.

While he walked he remembered Tia’s face earlier.

“Sigh. In the end, she sees me as a replacement huh? Well, I’ve expected as much.”

He said to himself.

It was then that ran into someone.

“Oh, Miko!”

It was Momo who was walking with Kirika and Alec.

“Are you alright? I heard that you collapsed after drawing out too much power.”

She asked with a concerned tone.

“Yeah. I overdid it.”

Miko replied.

“I see. You shouldn’t use Deus Malum in such a forcible manner. You’ll just put yourself at risk.”

‘Deus Malum?’

Miko then came to a realization.

‘Ah, Tia must’ve told them that the power I used earlier was because of Deus Malum. No, she herself must believe that to be the case. After all, she doesn’t know how the technique really works.’

Thinking that Miko nodded.

“I’ll be careful in the future.”

Momo smiled when she heard that.

“Oh, this is a great chance. I want to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

When Miko asked that, Kirika stepped forward.

“Nice to meet you, King Miko. My name is Kirika Dragna, I’m from the Tertitus Branch.”

“I know. This isn’t our first time meeting, but this is our first time speaking. You don’t need to be so formal. Miko is fine, leave off the King.”

What Miko said surprised Kirika, since she thought that he would be more arrogant when talking to her. After all, of all the times she’s seen him Miko was always arrogant.

She found it a bit refreshing.

“Then, Miko. I’ll like to make a proposition for you.”

“Which is?”

She paused a bit before speaking.

“I’ve seen from the battle earlier that your main weapon are swords, and you yourself have an unique swordplay for battle. This has peeked my interest in you and your future with the sword.”

She shook her head.

“I’ll get to the point. Miko, I want you to become my disciple.”

“Oh?”

Momo stepped forward at this moment.

“I think you should accept Miko. I might be your master, but I'm still in training myself. As such there are many things I can’t teach you. Swordsmanship is one of them, since I’m a novice myself.”

She said.

“You might not know but Kirika is a world-renowned sword genius with a bright future. I’m sure that you would benefit greatly from training under her.”

“……..”

Miko didn’t reply immediately and entered deep thinking.

After a while, he looked at Alec.

“Was Augustus a great swordsman?”

Augustus’ Qi artifact was an all purpose tool that could turn into multiple weapons and armor. One of its form was a giant sword.

However, that doesn’t mean that he was skill with the sword.

Alec shook his head.

“From my knowledge there are no records of Augustus ever being a great swordsman.”

Alec answered.

“I see.”

‘This could be a way to separate myself from Augustus.’

Miko was faced with the problem of living in Augustus’ shadow for all of his life. This was evident in the fact that Tiamat used him as a replacement for Augustus.

There was a high chance that many others will see him in the same light, in the future.

To prevent that, he needed to walk a different path from his past self.

He’ll have to make people see him as him, and not as Augustus; and the best way to do that was to surpass him.

‘I’ll surpass him and become my own person’

Is what he swore to himself.

If Augustus was to know what he was thinking then he would be filled with joy.

What he wanted from Miko was for him to walk his own path, a path he himself couldn’t walk. That way they will truly become complete.

This included the issue with Tiamat as well.

Augustus didn’t show himself to her because as cruel as it sounds, she was an obstacle for him and Miko to reach perfection.

Not only her, but Rias as well.

In his life, Augustus dedicated his entire life to becoming someone worthy of Rias. Because of this he pushed him down a lonely path of conquest with only his goal in mind.

Of course he fell in love with other women and made some comrades along the way, but in the end he was alone.

There was actually no one who truly understood him, his actions, or why he does them.

One example is him joining the war for supremacy, when he didn’t need to.

Rias believe he did it to please Tiamat, and blamed her for it. But that wasn’t the case.

Augustus joined it because he believed that if he won, he would surely become worthy of being with Rias. It would also ensure that no one could hurt Tiamat either.

But neither Rias or Tiamat knew this.

In the end, he was never understood and Miko was just going to repeat his own mistakes.

Just like how Augustus lived for Rias, Miko was going to live for Tiamat.

However, Miko realized to be truly happy he couldn't repeat the mistakes of his past self (Augustus).

He must walk a new path into the unknown.

‘For the time being, I’ll settle with aiming to become the strongest. Something I ( Augustus) failed to become before.’

He thought to himself.

‘After that, who knows. I might just become a panda God or something.’

He looked at Kirika and bowed his head.

This action shocked the three who stood in front of him.

“I gladly accept you as my master.”

He then peeked up at her.

“However, my goal is to stand at the pinnacle of this world and become my own person. If you become an obstacle in my way or is too weak to keep up with me, then I’ll discard you without mercy.”

His words were calm, but were serious.

Seeing that, Kirika gulped.

‘This boy might be a bit too much for me to handle.’

She soon smiled.

‘Yet, I feel nothing but excitement by the thought of grooming him.’

She thought.

“No problem. But it’s vice versa. If you become someone that only bring shame to my name, then I’ll cleanse my name with your blood.”

Miko smiled when he heard that.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

He then turned to Alec.

“You’re going to teach me Alchemy.”

“Huh? I don’t wanna.”

Alec replied instantly.

“I don’t really do the whole student-teacher thing. I’m a free bird.”

He said with a proud expression.

“Then how about giving me some pointers?”

Miko didn’t get mad and asked calmly.

“Pointers?”

“That’s right. There’s something I want to create, and I’m sure Alchemy will be needed. If you give me pointers I can handle the rest myself.”

“I thought that you would order me to do so.”

Alec said.

“I love to force my will on others, but that doesn’t mean that I’m unreasonable.”

He then walked past by Alec.

“Besides you would’ve helped me anyway, considering that you’re interested in Augustus.”

He whispered as he past.

“…..I see. I guess after my display earlier it would be natural for you figure something out.”

Alec was talking about how he pleaded to Augustus when he took over Miko’s body. Unless Alec had some inside information about Augustus, he wouldn’t have begged Miko, but instead be like everyone else and thought that Miko was just an arrogant brat.

It also made sense when you considered how Alec acted around Miko, and even observed and saved him in Grim City.

As someone from a far away branch, there was no need for him to be so interested in someone like Miko.

Alec shook his head.

“That kid’s really scary sometimes.”

Miko soon left the palace in a good mood.

He, for some reason, felt freer than he’s felt before.

However, his mood was immediately ruined when he ran into someone.

“Yo, Miko.”

“Yo, Uncle Rihan.”

He said as he looked at the smiling Rihan.

“I heard that you were able to tame those wild people.”

“Only after you provoked them.”

Rihan laughed.

“Well, they were getting a bit too wild for my liking, so I had to tease them a little.”

He replied.

“Alright, get to the point. I don’t have all day.”

Rihan smiled when he heard that.

“Then I should hurry up then.”

His smile changed to a teasing one.

“The Saevio Branch is planning to assassinate you and stage a rebellion.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh? You’re calmer than I expected you to be.”

“Well, it was a possibility that I had already considered.”

“Is that so?”

Rihan pointed at himself.

“Then, did you know that I’m the one who encouraged them to do it?”

“Oh? Now that’s a bit surprising.”

Miko said with a smile.

“So what? Are you declaring war on me?”

“No. I’m not planning anything that grand.”

“Oh.”

“You look disappointed.”

“Of course. I thought that I could use this as an excuse to purge you along with them.”

“Aren’t you honest?”

Rihan said with a laugh.

“This isn’t a declaration of war, but more of a peace treaty.”

“I don’t recall going to war with you though.”

Miko said with a smile.

“On surface, no, but it is inevitable considering our personalities and our individual plots.”

“True. I don’t like the idea of you controlling my father and brother like puppets.”

“I don’t treat them like puppets, they’re my family.”

He pointed at Miko.

“You too chose your family right? I’m just doing the same.”

“Say whatever you want.”

Miko said with a frown.

Rihan smiled.

“Let’s make a deal. In the near future there will be an incident that might put this country at risk. If you come out victorious, then I want you to forgive that person.”

“What?”

Miko was instantly confused by what Rihan said.

“You heard me. I want you to pardon a future offender. If you do I’ll hand over the heads of the Saevio clan in exchange.”

Said Rihan.

“Who is this future offender?”

“I can’t say, but you’ll know when they make their move.”

“Oh?”

Miko smiled sinisterly.

“And what’s keeping me from torturing the information out you?”

“Nothing, but if we were to fight now the country you worked so hard to build will be reduced to rubble. Unless you’re confident you can kill me in an instant.”

“……..”

“I thought so.”

Rihan started laughing while Miko frowned.

“While don’t be so upset. You’ll see that sparing that person will be your only option if you want to stay happy.”

He said with a weird smile.

“For you to go this far for them, they must be very important to you.”

“………”

Rihan didn’t answer and kept smiling.

Seeing that, Miko sighed.

“Fine. I’ll spare that person depending on who they are and how much damage they cause. However, if they are apart of New Era I’ll destroy them.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. They aren’t.”

Rihan showed a devilish smile.

“If they were, I would’ve killed them myself.”