Helial wasn’t the only one busy letting his power increase. In the opposite wing of the Royal Palace, the entire group was working hard too.

“How was the training like, Franky?” Lulu asked Frankenstein. Her smile was so pure and innocent it could melt the heart of everyone.

Frankenstein wore his most maniac expression as he answered: “I think I managed to convert che different density of energies. Now they’re more explosive, and more powerful. Well, surely it’s hard and dangerous to control them, but I’m pretty sure I’m not so behind those two freaking monsters at this point! DEAHAHAHAHAH!”

Lulu’s smile spread ever wider as she joined her palms in a loud happy clap.

Lumia glanced at her two fellows out of the corner of her eye. She smiled tenderly. They were growing fonder of each other. Might be they had a thing, maybe?

On the other hand, Lulu noticed something strange in Lumia too. Despite being the youngest of the three, Helial’s sister had been reasoning and behaving like a flat-out woman lately. If compared to her, Lulu and Frankenstein were but two little children.

“I don’t wanna disappoint you guys,” Lumia said in a grin, “but the gap between Helial and the cat and the three of us is an abyss. If you don’t see it, it means you’re yet to witness what they’re really capable of.”

Frankenstein’s face darkened. Something though seemed to sparkle down his eyes. Most likely, he had just been caught by yet another extreme idea that would risk blasting away the Royal Palace. Again.

Over the past weeks, Frankenstein had been doing a lot of testing with his Mana, since he now possessed four different Affinities as powerful as those of a high-level Elementalist. The servants of the Royal Palace were scared to death by that skinny, dark-circled Goblin. He had already caused a couple of explosions indeed. The only halls that could resist Frankenstein’s follies were those made of uncommon materials. However, the Goblin didn’t seem to like practicing in there, not at all.

“So…!” exclaimed Frankenstein as he told Lulu a new theory he had just come up with.

Lumia smiled and withdrew her gaze; a new figure, coming down the corridor, had caught her attention.

A wild untamed girl whose beauty could match that of the darkest night was tramping all the way down to the three kids.

“Miss Medea!” the guards let out a cry as they followed her, visibly frightened.

The girl turned towards the guards, her face painted in pure disdain. She yelled black: “You dare try to stop me? This bunch of clowns was shameless enough to kill Goblins on a sacred soil to us, and we should feel any safe in here?”

The guards froze. They didn’t dare step any farther. They knew what would expect them if they reached for her!

Medea was getting closer to the little group. She was ready to slur the filthy human girl and the Goblin betrayers. Sure as hell, she would end her venting in blood. Their blood. Despite being merely in the First Phase Late stage, Medea had no doubt she could step over the three of them altogether.

Medea. A member of the Sect of the Worthy. Comodus’ cousin, and direct heir of the Sect itself. She was one of the brightest talented warriors in her generation. Even though she was only in the First Phase Late stage, if she boasted to be second in the First Phase, who could claim the title of first?

She felt an immense disdain for mankind, which she inherited from her sister Medusa. Medusa was one of the best promises in the Sect of the Worthy. Though, she was unlucky enough to be born in the same generation as Pseudonym and Circe. Therefore, she had always lived in the background, even if nobody aware of her talent would ever dare challenge her in battle. At the young age of 17, Medusa conquered a number of human villages nearby the nation of Fiercelake that belonged to minor city-states. Her distinctive feature was her disdain for Humans, whose roots ran frighteningly deep through their generations.

Medea started off solemnly: “You, filthy people that-”

“WHERE THE FUCK IS THE DIAMOND COLLAR THIS EMPEROR CAT BOUGHT YESTERDAY? WHO STOLE IT? WHO?!” a voice boomed out through the corridor as the head of a huge cat whose fur was as white as snow appeared in front of Medea. The words he had just let out were in striking contrast with his pure snowy fur.

Medea stared blankly. Then she recalled that rumors had it that the little gang of the King did also include a big cat. According to her senses, the cat was only in the First Phase Intermediate stage. Which meant she could easily deal with him too.

Without further ado, Medea rushed forward like a typhoon. She delivered a midair kick right to Snowflake’s head. That was a fair punishment for having interrupted her.

Staring at the girl who just launched an attack towards him, Snowflake resolved for a raised eyebrow. He faintly yawned, curled his whiskers and licked his paw. Meanwhile, the kick was in the trajectory to hit him in the face.

Medea coldly sneered to herself. That cat must lack some marbles. So much the better; she would spare a second attack, apparently.

“I really need to milkbath. My fur looks so less shiny today,” Snowflake remarked. The state of his fur seemed to terribly worry him indeed. Then, he closely inspected the state of his claws. “Might as well be her who stole my collar. That’s why she wants to get rid of me. Mh,” Snowflake nodded to himself. He was fairly proud of his intuitive thinking. He caught himself wondering how many people could boast to have such sharp a mind as his.

When she saw that Snowflake paid the least attention to her attack, Medea lost her temper. Even someone in the Second Phase wouldn’t dare receive her attack without trying to defend themselves. The descendant of the Sect of the Worthy intensified the attack by imbuing her leg with more Mana. And finally, she hit Snowflake in the face!

“Hahaha! Foolish cat,” Medea sneered. But… why didn’t her leg perceive the impact? Like she only hit… the air?! “Fucking shit. An afterimage…”

The girl turned to look for Snowflake in midair. The cat was behind her back. He gave her a curious look. Then he blinked, put his paw on her face, and applied all of his strength and weight to it.

BOOM!

Medea crashed against the ground so violently that the floor cracked open. She spat out several mouthfuls of blood as her bones shattered under the power of his strength.

“The little boy can kill off some slobs and I can’t even mop the floor up with a slut?” Snowflake complaint. “And now tell me, where the fuck did you put my diamond collar, huh?”

Frankenstein and Lulu stared at the scene in terror.

Lumia was overly amused instead. Though, she pondered over how many problems to come the cat would cause Helial.

Coff Coff

Medea coughed and spat out another mouthful of blood. With great difficulty, she stood back up and said: “Wait for my sister to hear about this! This time you’re done for. Nobody lays a finger on a member of the Sect of the Worth-”

PENG

A huge block of marble came down from the top of the ceiling and crashed on Medea’s head under the baffled gazes of Frankenstein, Lulu and Snowflake. The three abruptly turned towards Lumia. They gave her a quizzical look.

Medea fainted and fell to the ground with a thud.

Lumia shrugged, spread her arms, and said: “Don’t you agree the bitch spoke too much?”

After these words, she turned on her heels, walked past the Goblin guards and disappeared into her brother’s room. There, she sat down cross-legged and began to guard about. Someone would come and disturb their peace soon enough.