"Mama!"

Klydeur greeted the Empress with an angelic smile. He was on his way to see his brother, but then he saw her on his way.

"Oh," she kneeled down to level her height with him. "What is it that you want?"

"Klyde wants mama to go with me in the library!" The white-haired prince squealed.

The Empress sighed before holding her neck to massage it. "Well then."

Klydeur squealed happily as he held the Empress' hand before they walk off into the library.

When they were out of sight, the real Empress peeked on the hallway. Her cold silver eyes roaming around before she sighed.

She found it boring when she spent her precious times and days with her second son the past few days. Or more so, weeks.

But she can't just turn him down because of that lame reason, and so she used an illusionary spell. Not normally an illusion, but more like a clone which acts and speak like the person it is copying.

For instance, the clone that went with the poor prince isn't his real mother at all.

Aureus crossed her arms and leaned on the wall, as if proud with what she's done. That spell was simply named as "Gemini" by Aureus herself.

Snapping her fingers, she teleported into the office she had in the palace of the princes. Sitting on the couch and facing the stressful papers awaiting for her return in the desk, a knock filled the whole room.

The door creaked open, yet she didn't bother to look up.

"Your majesty," Jamie greeted as soon as she entered the room, before bowing her head as always. "May time make haste to the Vermillion Empire."

Aureus looked at her momentarily before glancing at the papers she is now holding. "What is it?"

"The three trusted alliances of the Vermillion empire has arrived."

At Jamie's announcement, Aureus completely looked at her, before placing the papers down the desk. "Tell them to come in."

"Yes, your majesty."

Not even a minute passed when atlast, three people entered the room. The first one is a tall man with blue hair, eyecolor is aqua and skin as white as paper. "."

The second one is a brunette little girl whose orange and red blazing eyes roamed around the room. The strands of hair on the side of her face is same to her eye color. ""

And the last one is also a little girl whose long golden yellow hair which reached her waist stood, wearing a white dress. Her golden eyes shows boredom and annoyance on it, with a half-moon mark on the side under her right eye.

Aureus crossed her fingers as she rested her elbows on the desk. "Its been a while, "

The tall man bowed at her. "It is a pleasant meeting."

"You're name is still weird, by the way."

A lightning seems to struck the poor man by Aureus' seemingly blatant insult.

The Empress glanced at the brunette girl who looked at her. "Greetings, your majesty." She also bowed down before roaming her eyes around again with a grin. "This place is nice."

"Nice is an understatement." Aureus commented. Looking towards the little girl, she tapped her fingers on the desk. "I see, so herself made her appearance today."

The little girl named Eldest frowned. "I'm a busy individual, ya know?"

"How come?" The brunette girl asked, crossing her arms.

"I'm busy breathing every day," Eldest sassily said. "That task is not an easy task." She said before crossing her arms too, as if to copy and mock the brunette girl.

She just rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'll just burn you to cris-"

"Dare to do so, I'll be the one to burn you to ashes as well, ." Aureus spoke coldly, her silver eyes staring at them coldly.

The three just frowned. "Why did you call us for?" Lord Aquabelium, Aqua for short, asked.

Sighing, the Empress leaned back on the couch. "About the royal family Caner.."

"What about them? You massacred them all, right?"

Shaking her head, she massaged her temple. "I did. But they're not dead."

Ashley's forehead creased in confusion. "And how is that? Surely, no one can escape your wrath."

"Absolutely." Aqua agreed.

Eldest, arms still crossed, tapped her silver boots on the marble floor. "I guess I know why."

All eyes landed on her. "What is it?"

"The Caner family's ring doesn't bear a protection spell, but rather a sacrificial life cycle."

Ashley frowned at her. "What the hell is that?"

"You mean, they are sacrificing something?" Aqua asked.

Eldest shooked her head with a frown. "No, no! You two are so stupid!"

"Then what is it?" Aureus asked impatiently.

"Hm," thinking, a little finger popped from the long sleeve covering her tiny hand. "In my knowledge, they sacrificed their second life to be able to escape death only once."

Aqua raised a brow. "That's against the rules."

Eldest nodded. "Exactly. That's why as long as they bear the ring, the more they'll do evil in this world." Sighing, she whined, "Why do youths these days are so cruel? The world has been changed."

Aureus fell into deep thoughts. Staring at her trusted fellow and allies, she decided to give them an order.

"Aqua, you're in charge in guarding all oceans or bodies of water that can be a route used to attack in this empire." The said man stood firm with a nod.

Glancing towards Ashley, the little girl grinned. "As always, your majesty. I'll be sending my best knights."

"I know what to do, monitor everyone," Eldest yawned. "An easy task, so I can leave now-"

"Not just that," Aureus spoke, making the little girl to stop from her sentence. "Aside from monitoring any possible threats and the safety of all people, you are assigned to protect one person."

Eldest raised a brow with a scoff. "And who is that unfortunate person?"

""

Silence filled the whole room.

"The crown prince?" Eldest herself is the one to break the 2 seconds of silence. "How about the youngest?"

Aureus stood up from her seat. "."

Eldest shrugged her shoulders. "Okay then."

The Empress eyed her paperworks, before she signaled for the tall man to come over. "Aqua, finish these as soon as possible."

"Yes, your majesty."

Glancing towards the brunette girl, her silver eyes glowed. "You better be serious with your job and never ever burn anything without my knowledge."

"Understood, your majesty." Ashley grinned.

Eldest looked at the Empress whose already staring at her direction, which made her tug her lips upward and formed a sarcastic smile. "Why, hello! I've got tons of workloads and please don't add another one."

"Yours is the easiest afterall."

"Yes, yes. Because I am powerful and talented. I already know that."

The Empress slightly grinned. "Then if you really are, you should be able to start with your work then."

Eldest grinned before placing a hand on her hip. "Sure. Is playing house game with your son okay then?"

A sudden change in the atmosphere filled the room. "You're too old for that." Aureus commented.

"Really?" The little girl grinned as she checked herself in the mirror. "I suppose I am," she frowned. "As if I ever wanted to play-"

"Play with him until it is time for his sleep." The Empress cut her sentence.

Eldest was about to protest, but chose to shut her mouth with a smile. The Empress herself is just giving her death glares. "Okay, okay, then be it."

Aureus turned her back to them and took her leave, with the three being left behind. Aqua is now busy with the paperworks, Ashley is staring at a painting in a wall, while Eldest just glanced towards the brunette girl with her eyes turned into slits.

Brushing her golden hair with her fingers, it then changed color. She heaved out a sigh. "I need evidence."