The just-risen sun shone softly on the city streets, bringing with it a flurry of early-morning activity. It cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. Golden fingers of sunlight lit up the scene.

The light poured through the glass windows of a room with a small round table.

There was a young boy with black hair and blue eyes, standing in front of a young girl with emerald green eyes.

The girl wore a blue sideless surcoat slitted in the middle and kept together with golden laces criss-crossed in her navel area, reaching down to her waist forming her skirt, beneath that was a white one piece gown. Her hands were covered with soft white gloves that reached just above her elbows.

The boy was wearing a blue vest with a white undershirt and blue shorts. And he was very nervous as the cute girl across was looking at him.

“Good morning Reisha.” Said Emilia with a smile.

The young girl looked back, smiled and did a soft bow.

“A pleasant morning to you as well, dearest mother.” She then turned to Lazarus who was reluctantly meeting her gaze in preparation for a greeting. And she said, “And a pleasant morning to you too, Big brother Lazarus!” before beaming him with a smile.

“Uhmm.. yeah, good morning to you too.” Replied Lazarus, looking away.

"But those clothes..." Said Reisha, eyeing Lazarus from head to toe. "Were you there the night before? Was that you big brother Lazarus?"

Lazarus had a brief flashback to when he'd notice Reisha casting that snow magic. She must',ve been referring to that night.

"Yeah...maybe..." He answered hesitantly. But Reisha simply grew happier.

"What did you think of my snow magic?"

"It was nice..."

Emilia wondered a bit what they were talking about but decided it was probably best to leave it be and simply said,

"Now then you two, have a seat so we can have breakfast." Gesturing to the small round marble table.

Usually this table was used for some light snacks but Emilia preferred to eat at the smaller table when dealing with her kids, that way she could be closer to them.

The maids entered with a trolley, and poured tea on the cups prepared beforehand. Reisha took a sip then heaved a sigh as she tried to release some of the excitement she felt before looking at Lazarus once more.

Lazarus eyes were fixated on his cup in an attempt to avoid the gaze that was boring holes into him. He looked at Emilia who was just sipping her tea, smiling at the two of them.

“Your big brother is still a bit shy, Reisha.” said Emilia with a chuckle, patting little Reisha’s head. But hearing it from her, made Lazarus seize up and he wanted to say-.. ‘No!’, he wanted to scream, ‘I am not shy!’

But he couldn’t. Not while Reisha was looking at him. So he could only glare at his mother.

Why was he being tortured?

Veeery discreetly he tried to look at Reisha, but she was already looking at him and the moment their gaze met she spoke.

“Big brother.”

Lazarus hurriedly looked down.

"..."

Suddenly he heard the sound of heels clacking. It seems that Reisha had gotten off her chair.

Her little arms covered in silk white fabric reached out beneath his face, and he felt her soft touch on his chin, then softly and subtly, Reisha raised his chin. He was forced to look at her.

Reisha had her brow lowered and pulled closer together, her lips was curving slightly down as she pleaded softly,

“Please, I’ve always wanted to meet you so if I may be selfish, could I at least have a conversation with you my dearest brother?”

The pleading look she gave him, made it too hard to refuse...

“Uhmm...Sure....”

After Lazarus spoke, he immediately regretted saying those words as he answered without thinking.

Before he could retract his statement, Reisha smiled happily once more. The clouded look that she gave him vanished and was replaced by a radiant happiness.

Reisha trotted back to her chair and sat down gleefully.

Oh no....

Lazarus couldn’t take his words back. At least, not without making her sad.

Reisha was happy.

That fact alone made it feel worth it for some reason and it alleviated some of his uneasiness. For once, Lazarus felt a small stillness and calm in his heart just from seeing her happy.

For the moment he forgot he was talking to the genius of a magician, and was just talking to someone normal.

“Big brother Lazarus, is it true that you like to read books?” Reisha asked excitedly.

“Uhm.. well kind of.. I guess?”

Her eyes sparkled as she leaned forward. “Really!? Then you must know a lot of stories!”

“I do… I know a lot.”

“Then can you tell me one?”

Lazarus has read a lot of tales on magicians since he wanted to learn from them so he started with the very first book he read. Of course, he couldn’t remember the exact details but gave a brief overview of each of the book’s chapters as best as a six year old could.

As Emilia watched their exchange she was somewhat taken aback. While yes, Reisha was acting like a child of her age, this doesn’t often occur that much at all.

Reisha was disciplined by the maids and herself to be elegant and well mannered at all times since she was the crowned princess, they didn’t need to enforce it on her as she always did their instructions by the letter.

But now that she was talking with Lazarus, only a small bit of her elegance remained and she only had an unrestrained childish smile on her face.

Maybe it was because Lazarus was less formal given that he was only given the bare minimum of etiquette training but still. They got along so well that Emilia felt like she was melting from the warmth and comfort she felt in her heart.

It didn’t take long till their meal arrived and the maids wheeled in some eggs and toast, coupled with a glass of warm milk. It was quite the humble meal considering their status, but Emilia had specifically ordered these for a reason.

“Eggs and bacon!” Exclaimed Lazarus, he looked towards Emilia with a very grateful smile. It made her feel a gush of delight beneath her chest but that wasn’t the best part.

Reisha looked at him and asked,

“Big brother, do you happen to like Eggs and bacon as well in the morning?”

Lazarus nodded to which Reisha became excited,

“I love them too!”

“No way!”

“Really!”

Emilia had to look away as she felt she might be overwhelmed from the feeling of bursting sweetness. Of course she’d planned this, after all she knew that their favourite morning breakfast was the same. Maybe it was fate? Or something entirely coincidental.

After eating for bit, Reisha noticed something and asked Lazarus,

"Why did you poke the yellow part in your egg?"

"Oh, I just like to" Replied Lazarus casually.

Emilia, noticing Reisha's unsatisfied look, added,

"He likes to let the egg yolk flow to his bacon."

"Oh.. okay!" Reisha decided to do the same and continued to enjoy her breakfast.

After having breakfast, the two somehow decided that they would head to his room to continue Lazarus' story-telling. However, Emilia cut-in,

“Unfortunately, Reisha has yet to meet Clovis and Anastasia for the morning. And she has magic lessons after, ”

Reisha looked down and so did Lazarus. Seeing her kids a bit gloomy after they were bursting with joy was a pain only a mother understood.

Emilia, having thought of a way to avoid being the bad guy, said,

“Well, but the two of you could have the storytelling tonight, how about it?”

They both perked up which alleviated a bit of Emilia’s guilt and Reisha grabbed Lazarus’ hand, cupping them in both of her hands saying,

“Then it is a promise, Big brother!”

“Sure!”

Then Lazarus left the room. At this point the maids were already cleaning up the table and Reisha went back to seating herself back at the chair.

“Are you happy to finally meet your big brother?” Emilia teased, but contrary to her expectation, instead of denying it like a pouty kid, Reisha placed a hand on her chest, and looked at her.

Her smile was one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower opens. Emilia could see how it came from deep inside, lighting her eyes and it spread into every part of her little body.

Unrestrained and sunny.

“Yes! I’m very happy to have finally met Big Brother Lazarus!”

Emilia was a bit taken aback by her reaction but nonetheless she was happy the two children she loved so much were getting along.

-----------------------------------------

After having her breakfast with the other children, Emilia needed to address an audience with a noble.

While she waited, Emilia couldn't help but think it would've been great to have all of her children together for breakfast.

Unfortunately Anastasia always acts-up around Lazarus. But in this case, Reisha too, specifically requested to be with Lazarus only... Perhaps she wanted to meet him first ever since the stories Emilia told them about her siblings.

What interested Reisha the most was Lazarus among her siblings...

Emilia let out a sigh, now wasn't the time to think such things, the nobles was about to arrive.

After waiting for a bit,

Emilia sat in the throne room, poised, with a ram-rod back. A couple of guards were lined-up parallel to one another and between them, was a man kneeling down, placing a hand on his chest.

The usual formalities. And though Emilia didn’t like being imposing as a casual conversation much suited her, she knew better. But it still didn’t change the fact that acting all high and mighty stressed her out.

After a while, Emilia waved a hand and one of the guards spoke,

“Sir Balud, you are permitted to raise your head and gaze upon her majesty.”

The bald man looked up, taking in the sight of the Queen of the Twilight Kingdom and spoke in reverence,

“I am grateful for your highness.”

“State the matters in which you require the presence of her majesty!”

“Then I shall, your highness, Duke Roann wishes to have a talk with you, preferably, in private.”

Emilia frowned.

“Why not send a letter instead, then perhaps we could’ve discussed an appropriate time.”

“Unfortunately, this is a matter of urgency which is why he requested an audience with you today, tonight.”

What did he want? Emilia could only speculate as Duke Roann was one who wasn’t very fond of the royalty, in fact, he was the leader of the noble faction who wanted to wrestle power from them. She hadn’t heard from him for a while, so why now?

In any case, she couldn’t turn him away easily due to his influence, despite the fact that Duke Roann was a power hungry noble.

In any case,

“Then have him come and meet me tonight at the meeting room in the castle.”

Balud nodded and lowered his head deeply before leaving.

Emilia sighed. She had wanted to be there when Lazarus and Reisha would have their story-telling session, unfortunately, she couldn’t now.

-------------------------

Magic lessons….

A lesson usually reserved for people between the ages of eight and ten.

Reisha was five….

He was six….

Reisha could already cast magic.

He couldn’t.

Now that he was back in his room, Lazarus was keenly aware of the fact of the difference between them.

Sure he had forgotten about it while he had chatted with Reisha but still… he couldn’t help but envy her.

Maybe he could practice a bit of magic, he did have time after all… But what about the story he needed to tell Reisha? He read a few books but the problem was that they were mostly picture books and he couldn’t remember all the details.

After a bit of thinking, Lazarus took a pile of books from the shelf that was both a mix of story and magic studies. That way he could practice magic and if things didn’t go well then he could check out the stories!

He couldn’t help but snicker at his sheer genius.

In the afternoon, he didn’t really do much except coming up with an embellished story he planned on telling Reisha. Of course, he could just tell her a story from the picture books he had but she could definitely read those if she wanted, he wanted to impress her and so he came up with his own story.

How would she react?

Would she be happy?

He really couldn’t wait for tonight.

To pass the time, Lazarus began rummaging through the books in his shelf and eventually he noticed a book with a moss green cover.

After pulling it out, he realized he hadn't really read it yet and so he began flipping through the pages.

Another picture book.

It depicted a shining light in the sky that fell to the ground. And the text at the bottom read,

‘Some say it was the anger from above, others say it was a spell.

People went, but no one could tell. It had ignited the forest, forcing everyone to bid farewell.

Only I had seen, the iron in flames that hissed and puffed white smoke with zeal.

Too afraid, I too had bid goodbye, to the mysterious thing from the sky.’

A poem? Lazarus didn’t really understand them so he simply flipped through the next page.

This time, it was depicting a mountain with a tree. And below the tree, sat a figure of a girl. And followed by another riddle again.

‘A lone beauty sat beneath the tree, my heart throbbed a glee.

Little did I know that we were meant to be. Perhaps it was fate telling me to be free’

Lazarus frowned. He hated poems as he felt the rhymes were useless, and it felt like this book was going to be full of them. After reading through a handful of pages, it was indeed as he expected.

Shaking his head, Lazarus returned the book to the shelf and simply decided to continue his magic training.

There were many methods he tried differently this time.

After bending down like a spider, nose clogged with folded paper, tongue hanging out of his mouth and chanting some voodoo curses, still nothing happened.

Perhaps he could try what one of the magic books described as an item invoked magic. The idea Lazarus got was that some items had innate spells carved within them and so he decided to create his own item and maybe a spell would come out from them.

He tried drawing some fire on the paper, scribbling some text incantation he found on some books and placed it on the floor.

He tried dancing around it and invoking some spell casting in an attempted deep voice, still nothing happened.

After trying so many things, he was downright exhausted. Maybe he could-

*Tug-tug-tug*

Lazarus looked at the door and frowned, was it time for dinner? Wasn’t it a bit too early?

He looked outside the window and noticed that it was already night time. But he felt like it still wasn’t dinner time, but maybe he was wrong?

“Big brother, it is me, Reisha.”

“Ah!”

Crap. He forgot about their agreement.

Lazarus hurriedly went to the door, and there, Reisha stood with a transparent blue nightgown, and beneath it was a one piece sleeveless blue dress.

Her long lustrous dark hair that reached to her hips and curled inwards slightly at the end, her emerald green eyes, everything about her was just cute.

"Good evening, big brother Lazarus." Said Reisha, giving him a curtsy.

"Evening, come in!"

Lazarus led her to his bed where Reisha sat herself and looked excitedly at him.

“So what story are you gonna tell me?”

“I have many stories I’ve read here.” He tapped his book shelf and continued, “But I can lend you the books if you want to read them. However, I have my own story to tell.”

Reisha’s eyes lit up as she put her hands together and said,

“Really?!”

“Yep. This story is about a baker who met a mysterious man that forced him to become an adventurer!”

It was then that Lazarus went on to his story and conveniently added whatever suited him and made absurd situations that the baker had to face. Throughout the story, Reisha sometimes laughed, other times she would listen intently and made various expressions that Lazarus never knew a genius like her could make.

This story would have bored any adult who wrote a decent story, but to Reisha it was the best story she’d ever heard.

----------------------------------------------

In a room decorated by priceless porcelain, a long wooden rectangular table with extensive carvings was between Emilia and a fat noble with purple vest.

The noble had a purple vest and had well trimmed white greyish hair.

The windows displayed the castle walls but it was hard to make out since it was already dark. There wasn't much to see. It was intended this way since these meeting needed utmost privacy.

"I am truly blessed to have the chance to have this private time and be blessed by the chance to gaze upon your unparalleled beauty your majesty!"

"Hahh-...We both know you're not here for that, so please, refrain from these unnecessary and unpleasant comments and get to the point. Why are you really here Duke Roann?" Said Emilia in an even tone but contained a hint of hostility. She couldn't stand this man. Whenever she or Veyron interacted with him its always some sort of issue.

Roann simply shook his head disappointingly,

"We are nobles and royalties. This sort of exchange is precisely what separates us from the commoners"

If all he wanted was idle chatter, this was a waste of time. At this point Emilia already felt that this was a mistake and she should've never approved of this meeting

"If that is all, then-"

"A moment your highness," Roann cut in with a smile, before he continued. "I truly do feel that you're beauty is awe aspiring, your...." Roann's gaze slowly went over below the table where Emilia's skirt would have been, then to her hips, he savored each sight before looking over her chest. "You truly are magnificent in every sense of the word."

The room turned cold. A thin blue hue of light could be seen materializing around Emilia.

Roann felt a sort of pressure bearing down on him, he felt his heart quicken and a feeling he needed to run. He needed to survive.

At this very moment, he realized he took it to far.

"Apologies, my queen. I did not mean to offend you." Said Roann with an insincere bow.

Roann knew Emilia couldn't touch him. But if he pushed too much, perhaps she truly would end him, consequences be damned.

Emilia's surging mana, stilled for a moment, before it vanished.

"State..your..business."

Roann did want to tease her a bit more but perhaps his life would be in even greater danger.

"Y-yes your highness. Truth of the matter is, we've found a document with a seal from King Jusis Valheart that solidifies our claim to the escrow land that YOU awarded to Baron Valentine."

"Then show me proof." Said Emilia opening her palm.

There was quite a bit of distance between them and it wasn't possible to hand over the document to her. It was merely a gesture, and she knew he didn't have the document.

Duke Roann sighed heavily, "Unfortunately, I lost it. But you, or the King can give me a new seal of approval. I merely ask you honor the previous King's agreement with me."

Emilia frowned, "There is no such agreement!"

"Whahaha... but there is..." Duke Roann smiled, "But before that, let's talk about the young prince."

Emilia's stomach dropped.

"Young Prince Lazarus and his previdere."