Three Lifetimes

Three Lifetimes
Three Lifetimes 1 | P a g e
Three Lifetimes
By: Lalitaaa
June 2016
Dear Jiejie,
This is the something I had for you.

Congratulations on finishing this wonderful series.
Actually, I wanted to keep a compilation to myself. Then I thought why not send one to Jiejie too? Didja like
it?
From
Your Meimei
Summary:
Juju fell in love with Jin Lei, the God of War, at first glance. Determined to sweep him
off his feet, she accompanies him down the mortal realm as he takes on his three trials to
attain greater divinity.
However, in those three lifetimes that were given to them, will she be able to make him
love her back?
Disclaimer:
Most of the illustrations I use for my novel are from artist Ibuki Satsuki. I do not own any
of the art/pictures in this novel. Credit goes to the illustrators.
Prologue
The first time I saw Jin, the God of War, I was but a 50,000 year old immortal who didn‘t
really know the ways of the realm. I was the only daughter of Yanwang, the god of the
netherworld, and he spoiled me rotten.
He would often let me play with the spirits of the netherworld, and even as a child I had
become a strange dictator who was feared but respected by the spirits and imps who
worked around this desolate area. The netherworld was where the dead arrived and where
they would return to the reincarnation cycle back to the mortal realm. Sometimes, out of
curiosity, I would speak to those souls. While waiting in line for Old Meng‘s soup of
oblivion, they would inform me of detailed happenings in the mortal realm. I was also
quite a gossip monger even at a tender age.
It was when I was visiting my best friend Siming, who was the God of Fate in the
Heavenly realm, that I encountered a splendid visage that caught my breath.
He was emitting such a divine and imposing presence even as he walked that I wanted to
sprawl on the ground and have his godly feet step on me. I was enamored, and I quickly
hid behind a random plum blossom tree, hoping to get a better view without being
spotted. My eyes scanned his whole face, committing every single detail to memory. It
wasn‘t every day that I got to see someone like this! Most of my days were spent in the
netherworld where the spirits were as dull as mud. You couldn‘t hold this against me.
After his shadow disappeared, I hastily wiped the drool from my mouth. After walking a
few miles, I saw Siming‘s small palace and brutally opened the front door.
She was busy scribbling on parchment after parchment, with her small glasses perched on
top of her nose. Her hair was sticking out from the messy bun on her head, and her face
looked gaunt.
―I‘m here~‖ I announced.
―I know, I know,‖ she said with annoyance. ―Can you just shut up for a moment? Give
me peace for maybe…5 hours. This damned brat in the mortal realm keeps on changing
the fate I made for him! Damned brat, this was for his own good…‖ she kept muttering
under her breath as her brush strokes against the parchment were as fast as lightening.
―Hey, do you know a guy with long black hair?‖ I asked dreamily, thinking of the man I
had just encountered.
―Your father?‖
I nearly coughed out blood.
―Let me continue. Beautiful brows, beautiful eyes, beautiful lips…‖ those lips! I squealed
as my imagination ran away with me. I quickly fanned myself with a nearby parchment.
―Hey, hey! Don‘t touch that! That‘s the paper I use to wipe my butt with.‖
I threw it away instantaneously.
―You have such expensive and brutal toilet paper…‖ I said faintly.
―Go on. Tell me about this deity.‖
―He has some sort of sword at his waist which appeared magical. The hilt was shaped
like a coiling dragon, and he exuded such a divine presence, he couldn‘t be some
ordinary deity!‖
―Because he‘s Jin Lei, the God of War.‖
―Pardon?‖
―He‘s the God of War.‖ Her paintbrush stopped in mid air. She looked at me with a
smirk.
My mouth gaped open. The God of War! So he was the renowned deity who led only
1,000 soldiers to defeat the demons. The demons had grown haughty and decided to
invade the heavenly realm, numbering 10,000 and yet Jin had won!
My eyes were starry.
―Hey, stop with that stupid face. You‘re giving me goosebumps.‖ Siming rolled her eyes
and continued writing.
―I see, I see,‖ I muttered. ―God of War, huh. Interesting. I‘ll make him submit to me! He
might know battlefield tactics, but does he know love tactics, ah!‖
―…‖
Chapter One
―Father, I think I like someone,‖ I said with a sigh. I sat on a stool beside him as he
perused his papers.
He looked shocked. He suddenly muttered under his breath, ―Who in hell dares to seduce
my daughter! Does he not want to live anymore!?‖
―Father!‖ I giggled. ―I still love you and mother the most.‖
I cuddled close beside him, wrapping my arms around his torso. He visibly relaxed.
―Who is this man?‖ he asked solemnly. ―I‘ll try not to punish him too much…‖ his words
were barely audible.
―Jin Lei.‖
Those two words caused him to pale. He looked like he had turned into stone, so I poked
him until he recovered.
―Is it so surprising?‖ I pondered aloud. ―Don‘t get me wrong father, he doesn‘t even
know I exist!‖
He relaxed even more. ―That‘s fine then. I don‘t ever want to be blacklisted by him.‖ He
shuddered visibly. ―I thought I could whip the man a few times, but when I heard it was
the God of War, I would be whipped instead!‖
―Shouldn‘t you support your daughter‘s love?‖ I wasn‘t amused.
He coughed. ―Better to find someone who isn‘t so…terrifying. Who knows what he‘ll do
to you behind closed doors!‖
Behind closed doors? My imagination went into overdrive. There would obviously be a
bed. And two people. Me and him. On the bed. Doing things…
―Daughter! Why did you suddenly have a nosebleed?‖ My father pressed his white linen
handkerchief against my nose hastily.
I laughed awkwardly. ―Nothing, nothing.‖
I took the handkerchief from him and twisted it up both of my nostrils. The white cloth
was slowly being dyed red.
―As I was saying, choose someone else. There are lots of venerable deities in Heaven.
Being the niece of the Jade Emperor, anyone would want to take your hand in marriage!‖
I just nodded in assent, but my mind was elsewhere.
It went on like this for a couple of years, and the spiritual beings in the netherworld were
filled with anxiety. The me who loved to go around causing a ruckus turned into someone
who sat quietly in a corner, looking at the sky. Sometimes I would laugh manically,
which caused them to feel deep fear. My reveries were becoming even more fervid as the
years progressed.
When Siming gave me romance novels to read, I was even more starry-eyed. She pilfered
them from vendors in the mortal realm when she had gone to visit, and she had stacked
up quite a number of them in her palace. She said they were to give her inspiration in her
writing about people‘s fates. No wonder there was a story one soul told me, about a man
who found out later on that he had actually loved his mother in a sexual way…
…..
Siming, what were you thinking!
Sometimes I would visit my mother in the Jade Palace in Heaven, also hoping that I
would run into Jin Lei. My wishes weren‘t granted, and I never saw him again even as I
reached the ripe old age of 70,000 years.
Mother was the Jade Emperor‘s younger sister, so I was the Jade Emperor‘s niece. The
Emperor didn‘t have any children nor did he have a wife, so he doted on me very much
since I was born. I was blessed to have so many people who loved me, and because I was
protected by my backing, no one would ever dare to be rude to me. I was an existence
that was powerful in both Heaven and the netherworld. That was why I was able to do
anything I pleased, but I never went beyond boundaries. One thing I hated was being
lectured and having to repent.
―Uncle Emperor!‖ I greeted upon seeing him.
I was the only one who could greet him in such a way. I had developed this habit since
young, and although his servants were shell shocked at first, my uncle didn‘t mind one
bit. Rather, he would give me such a warm and coddling smile that I would turn into a
puddle. Traditional greetings didn‘t exist between the both of us, and I was glad I didn‘t
have to kowtow to him thrice.
―My little Juju.‖ He held an elegant arm out, coaxing me to come closer to his side. If I
was a dog, my tail would be wagging at this moment. I loved hugging people I loved.
―Uncle, where‘s mother?‖ I asked.
―She is in her courtyard. You want me to accompany you?‖ he asked, smiling gently
down at me.
―Your Majesty, if I may interrupt. You were on your way to inspect the crater that the
Demon Lord had made…‖ his steward said anxiously.
―That can wait until tomorrow. My cute niece is here, after all.‖ The emperor laughed,
hiding his lips behind a feathered fan.
―As you wish, Your Majesty.‖ The steward bowed.
―Uncle, are you sure?‖ I didn‘t want him to avoid duty because of me, as I would feel
guilty.
―It is of no big consequence.‖ He held my hand. He was a head taller than me, and I
always felt like a child whenever I was with him. After all, he was much more mature. In
terms of years, I was basically an infant compared to him.
My mother was basking in the sun in her courtyard, servants standing in perfect rows
behind her. It was cherry blossom season, and the cherry blossom trees that almost
encompassed the entire area were in full bloom. Pink leaves littered the ground, causing
an ethereal effect. Contrasting to her beauty which was said to be a solid Top 1 in the
ranks in Heaven, this scenery was simply mesmerizing.
But how she could love someone like my father was beyond me… sorry father.
―Juju, my love!‖ Her eyes sparkled when she saw me, and she sat up on her divan.
―Mother.‖ I went to her and kissed both her cheeks. She then rubbed her cheeks against
mine like a cat. This mother of mine was overly affectionate all the time.
―My Juju is still the cutest in the world,‖ she cooed.
―Mother, I‘m not a child anymore…‖ I said bitterly, but I still felt my heart become
warm.
―You‘re my child, so you‘re a child!‖ She said defiantly, squeezing my cheeks. I didn‘t
really understand her way of thinking, but she was always this way. I shook my head at
her fondly.
We had afternoon tea in her courtyard, and the maids brought in the golden chairs from
the palace to seat the three of us. A round, jade table was also transferred.
―I heard that Jin Lei will be undergoing his trials to attain higher divinity,‖ my mother
said as she delicately sipped her tea.
My ears seemed like they increased ten times their size.
―Yes,‖ uncle replied. ―Three trials in fact. He shall be going to the mortal realm
tomorrow.‖
My mother smiled. ―He is a very courageous boy.‖
I didn‘t think boy would be the correct term, though. Jin Lei was definitely a man! The
man of all men! My man!
My sudden lewd thoughts made me choke on my tea. Both my mother and uncle shot a
worried glance towards me, but I waved away their concerns.
―I‘m fine, I‘m fine. Please talk more about the God of War. I‘m quite interested in this
discussion.‖ I lifted a napkin to the corner of my lips.
Unfortunately, the discussion veered towards a different direction, and both of them
didn‘t mention Jin Lei again. They were touching on politics which I didn‘t have any
interest in.
―Mother, you should visit father sometimes. Even if you‘re divorced, he‘s quite lonely.‖ I
looked at her and pouted. Both of them had gone through a rough patch during the first
few millennia of my life, and although I didn‘t know the specific reason, I still saw that
both of them loved each other very much…which made me wonder why they had a
divorce in the first place.
My mother smiled sadly. ―You should ask him how Fiona is doing.‖
―Fiona?‖ I asked, dumbfounded.
―Yes. The other woman in his life. He even lied to me about her!‖ She had a murderous
aura enveloping her, and the grass and petals around our area suddenly shriveled up.
―Um, relax mother.‖ I patted her hand. The name Fiona was somewhat familiar, but I
couldn‘t put a finger on it.
Suddenly, I heard a loud meow from within my mother‘s palace. It was a large white
tiger who became my mother‘s soul beast.
―Qian, come here.‖ My mother wiggled her fingers towards the tiger. When the tiger
placed her head on my mother‘s lap, she stroked the head lovingly. ―This is the last gift
your father gave to me. To think he was hiding such a magnificent beast!‖
―Mother…‖ A lightbulb lit up in my head. ―The name of that tiger is actually Fiona…‖
The Jade Emperor almost choked on his tea.
Chapter Two
―Uncle, uncle, I have a favor to ask,‖ I said meekly. We left mother in her courtyard, and
the both of us were walking idly around the palace with uncle‘s servants and steward
trailing behind us in a uniformed line.
―What is it?‖ he asked gently.
I felt my face suffuse with red. This was such an embarrassing request, but I needed to
have a backbone if I wanted this love of mine to actually bear fruit.
―I want to be with Jin Lei when he undergoes those trials.‖ I was looking down, and it
was as if my face was emitting steam.
―Mmm.‖ Uncle looked at me curiously, and I saw a flash of understanding pass before
his eyes.
―Uncle, please!‖ I was desperate.
―Well…you do know how difficult it is for him, right? He has to live his three lives as a
mortal with none of his powers as a deity. I myself cannot reveal what kind of trial he has
to undergo as a mortal, but it would not be easy. If he were to fail, the consequences
would be dire.‖
My face paled a bit. ―I‘ll just help him in any way I can! I won‘t hamper him!‖
―He will be drinking the soup of oblivion, so he will not know you. His memories as a
deity will be temporarily erased as a mortal. Will you support him despite it all?‖ Uncle
had a small, teasing smile on his lips.
―I will!‖ I said with my fists clenching at my sides. Then I looked down at the ground
again. ―He doesn‘t know me anyway, so I have nothing to lose.‖
―He does not know you?‖ Uncle looked at me oddly. Well, in terms of fame I guess I was
well-known throughout Heaven and the netherworld, so it was hard for anyone not to
know of me. However, only a scant amount of people actually saw my appearance, as I
would wear a veil over my face when I would go out of the palace.
I would sometimes even hear rumors of people saying I was so hideous that I had to
cover my face in order not to scare away suitors, but I ignored them all.
Now that I thought about it, I never even had one suitor. I knew I had a good lineage, so
why did none of the deity families come to me and arrange a marriage? I had never fallen
in love with someone other than Jin Lei, so perhaps that was one reason why I never
bothered questioning this aspect in my life.
I also only had a few friends my age, who I could count with one hand…and there was
only one male in the mix (who later on became my father‘s apprentice). Why did I feel
that there was something wrong with this situation?? My dwindling youth seemed to pass
before my eyes and my mood plummeted.
―What are you thinking about, Juju? You suddenly look quite depressed,‖ uncle
commented while rubbing my back.
―I just thought about how no one likes me.‖
―Who says they do not like you?‖ A murderous glint appeared in uncle‘s eyes for a
millisecond, and I thought I imagined it.
―I say no one likes me. I don‘t even have a man courting me! I‘m a failure of a woman!‖
I suddenly wailed. I didn‘t think my appearance was shabby, and even at some point I
thought I looked pretty decent.
My thoughts were always incoherent segments, jumping from one idea to the next. I had
the attention span of a goldfish as well.
―It is not because no one likes you, your family is just overprotective.‖ Uncle‘s words felt
like it held a deeper meaning, but before I could dissect his words, he said, ―Jin Lei is a
difficult person to get close to. He is a recluse who wields divine power almost
comparable to mine.‖
My eyes widened like saucers. Jin Lei was almost as amazing as the Emperor? It was
simply too much for my little brain to wrap around.
―That is why, you must not anger him so, Juju.‖ He caressed my head and looked at me
helplessly. ―I know how much of a misfit you are, but restrain yourself. Do not cause any
harm to the mortals, or there will be divine retribution. Even I cannot protect you if things
are to go awry. The most I will be able to do is lighten your punishment, but you cannot
escape from it. If you promise me to behave, I will allow you to leave for the mortal
realm.‖
I nodded my head vigorously. I looked like I was having spasms.
―I promise uncle!‖
―Do you like him that much?‖ He looked at me with a concerned expression.
I nodded my head again, this time with a vibrant color spreading across my cheeks.
―I see.‖ Uncle sighed then chuckled bitterly. ―I thought this day would never come.‖
―Huh?‖ I tilted my head, not really knowing what he meant. He cleared his throat.
―Since you like him so much, I will not prevent you from seeking him on your own will.
You should be able to make him fall for you.‖ He hugged me and kissed the top of my
head. ―How could anyone not love my cute little niece?‖ He started fawning over me and
I thought I heard him mutter under his breath, ―I‘ll kill him if he doesn‘t reciprocate her
innocent love.‖ That was obviously just my imagination.
He then grasped my wrist and turned it over. With two fingers of his other hand, he
placed a golden seal on the inside of my wrist. I could feel it pulsate with warmth.
―I have given you three lives in the mortal realm. This seal will also allow you to find Jin
Lei wherever he shall be.‖
I was overcome with emotion, and my eyes started watering.
―The Heavens will be in your favor. May you win his love, my little Juju.‖
Chapter Three
When I arrived at my father‘s palace, apprentice Chan had a desk beside my father,
looking at the death records. Chan was my childhood friend, and we had a love-hate
relationship going on for 65,000 years. Although he loved bullying me, I knew that he
would also be the first (among other people) to protect me if any danger would arise.
―Why do these mortals die so fast?‖ He grumbled after looking at the papers in his hands.
―Their life span is at most 50 years if they don‘t cultivate! And one mortal died from
getting kicked in the balls!‖
―Maybe he hit his head against a rock?‖ I suggested.
Chan harrumphed in reply.
My father looked up from his papers. ―Welcome back, Juju. How is your mother?‖ He
knew I came back from visiting her in the Jade Palace.
―She‘s fine. She said you‘re an adulterer.‖ I grinned slyly.
Father trembled and his face looked like death (how fitting for him to be the God of the
Netherworld).
―I never! She has always been the one I loved!‖
Father looked like he was going to cry, so I patted him on the shoulder. ―She found out,
thanks to me, that you weren‘t an adulterer after all. She might come to the palace soon
and revoke the divorce. That is why, you owe me.‖
He looked at me curiously, and hesitantly asked, ―What is it you want?‖
My smile broadened. ―I‘m going on a trip to the mortal realm, and you won‘t be able to
stop me.‖
―What!‖ He spluttered.
―Yes, father. Don‘t interfere with me in the mortal realm, alright? I‘m going to do things
my own way.‖
He looked like he was going to puke any minute. ―Dear daughter, why must you go to the
mortal realm? There are so many things there that will sully your innocence! The
atrocious sins they commit time and again…and if they saw a beauty like you–‖ his
expression blackened as he stared into space, as though his soul was leaving him.
I shook him hard. ―Father! You‘re thinking too much!‖
He started to sob. ―My daughter is leaving me.‖
I rolled my eyes and looked at Chan for support. He merely shrugged his shoulders and
continued reading, as if this situation had nothing to do with him. I wanted to hit him on
the head.
―I‘ve had permission from the Emperor as well, so it‘s fine. Father, I want to see how the
mortal realm is like for the first time. I‘m already 70,000 years old, and yet I have not
experienced it at all! Shouldn‘t my own trial happen already?‖
―Ah?‖ He looked away suspiciously.
―I‘ve only read about the mortals in books or learned about them from the departed souls.
I want to see how it is like!‖ And also to find my Jin Lei! But I didn‘t want to tell my
father that, lest he would chain me up and drag me to the underground cellar.
He looked at me, then sighed. He looked at me again for a long time, then sighed again
heavily.
―I understand. Juju, you must take care.‖ His eyes were moist as he clasped my hand.
―When will you be leaving?‖
―Tomorrow.‖
That one word pierced his heart, and he sat against his chair like a dead fish. I ignored
him and spoke to Chan.
―Do you think I should bring something with me when I descend?‖ I asked as I stood in
front of him.
―You‘re not going to go through the reincarnation cycle?‖ He sat on his chair lazily as he
looked up at me.
―Not this time. I‘m still a newbie, so I want to have my powers as a deity with me. I don‘t
think I can stand being so powerless yet. What if something bad were to happen?‖
―That sounds absurd to me. Something bad always happens when you‘re around.‖
I suddenly wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off of his face. I hid my raging fist behind
my back.
―I‘ll still have a body that can die in the mortal realm anyway…unless someone strikes
my soul…‖ The thought made me shudder. If someone shattered my soul, I was a goner.
I would definitely disappear from the world. Being an immortal wouldn‘t help if the soul
itself vanished.
―Good luck with that.‖ Chan shrugged again and picked up his papers. ―You don‘t have
to bring anything with you. If you do, the mortals will go crazy. Even that hairpin on your
head could buy approximately two kingdoms or more.‖
What! It was that valuable?
―You‘ll know when you get there. You can simply conjure money with your magic. Also
dress as plain as you can if you want to mingle with the commoners. Although…‖ He
looked at the dress I was wearing. ―…everything in your closet is too expensive and may
attract a lot of unwanted attention. You better learn to sew and cook. We immortals don‘t
need to eat, but mortals do.‖
I nodded my head. I had already read books about them before, so I had a gist of what to
do. Although I may seem quite a silly person, I had quite a good memory and was able to
learn fast if I put my heart into it. I would just have to ask for cooking and sewing books
again from Siming, who had too many random books at her disposal. These past years I
had devoured almost every book she owned, ranging from romance, medicine, economics
and even to tactical warfare. I certainly had too much time on my hands.
―I understand.‖ I nodded my head. ―Thank you, Chan! You give better pointers than my
father.‖
I gave the aforementioned person a sideways glance, but he still looked numb and unable
to comprehend anything due to the shock he received.
Chapter Four
The next day, I prepared myself early in the morning by hiding behind a boulder in the
netherworld. The boulder was situated across the bridge of reincarnation, and I had a
great vantage point of my future husband. Some of the spiritual beings copied me and
squatted beside me, wondering what was happening.
The imps tilted their heads towards me, but did not say anything for fear I would beat
them up. I had used many of them before as my sparring partners, and they were always
utterly squashed beneath my feet. Other than my fists, I liked using swords. Although, it
was embarrassing to admit that I was self-taught due to the fact that my father and the
Jade Emperor didn‘t give me a teacher, saying that they were too concerned for me. As if
I would stab myself accidentally with a sword…
I obviously rebelled. One night, I crept into the Jade Palace and gathered many of uncle‘s
secretly stashed skill books, divine pills and artifacts and placed them inside my spatial
ring. I didn‘t want to lose any of them in case uncle found out they were missing, but I
wasn‘t willing to hand them over any time soon as well. Besides, I made very good use of
them.
Suddenly, the person that I had been waiting for, arrived. I pressed myself against the
boulder and peeked out, with the imps following suit. If the other spirits were to see us
right now, it would be a comedic sight.
Jin Lei looked as glorious as ever. Even though 20,000 years had passed, his aura didn‘t
diminish. If anything, it was even stronger than before.
One imp gently wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth.
Jin Lei was waiting in line for the soup of oblivion, and I secretly hoped Old Meng would
ladle out the soup as slowly as possible in order to give me more time to stare at Jin Lei‘s
profile.
―Your Highness, your smile is scaring us,‖ one spiritual being said as he trembled. I shot
him a cold glance.
When Jin Lei drank, I saw his Adam‘s apple bob up and down. I gulped in response. He
smiled gently at Old Meng, and I thought flowers were blooming. He thanked him and
crossed the bridge, entering the Yang reincarnation pool.
I quickly sprang up from my hiding spot, surprising the imps and spirits as they fell back
on their butts.
―What‘s wrong, Your Highness?‖ They asked as they knelt down, as if they had done
something wrong.
―I‘m going on a trip!‖ I declared. I was feeling generous, so I distributed gold coins to
each one of my supporters. Their expressions turned as bright as day. ―I‘ll be gone for a
couple of years, so go and have fun without me. Think of it as payment for your
worries!‖ The mortal realm ran on a different time scale. One day in the netherworld or
Heaven equated to one year in the mortal realm.
―Your Highness…‖ They looked at me with eyes full of worship. Now that‘s what I
wanted to see!
―Now I‘m off!‖ I waved goodbye. I continued to laugh with the back of my hand pressed
against my lips.
The imps and spirits continued to kowtow until I disappeared into the fog.
Chapter Five
Before I descended into the mortal realm, I had collected my soul beast from the Jade
Palace. He was in the palace for training. There was a beast master who ensured both me
and my mother‘s soul beasts were the best in their cultivation, so they may be able to
protect us without any worries. Thus, because of him, both our beasts were now able to
take up human forms and wield weapons if they wished.
When I was a child, I had thought my beast was a female, and inadvertently named him
Coco. When I found out he was male, I quickly changed his name to Seiran, with my
excuse being that it took me a long time to find a name better suited for him. He seemed
to accept this with a little bit of resentment.
Seiran was a white fox I had found in the Golden Forest. I was 5,000 years old at that
time, and I loved exploring Heaven and flying on my golden leaf.
He was a baby when I found him, and he had been lying beside his dead mother,
sorrowfully pawing at her corpse. It was snowing, and both mother and child blended into
the background. If not for my keen eyes, and the splash of red by the mother‘s chest, I
would not have been able to find them.
It seemed like someone shot the mother, but why would anyone want to kill a divine
beast? I hopped down my leaf, and walked closer. Seiran was surprised, and then he
growled viciously at me.
―Calm down. I‘m not going to hurt you.‖ I looked at the corpse and sniffed. ―I think it‘s
best to bury your mother. Don‘t you want her to have a proper grave?‖
Divine beasts were not able to talk unless they cultivated up to the 8th stage of the
Nascent realm. If they reached the 12th stage, and broke into the Xian profound realm,
they were then able to take the physical form of humans, which would be their turning
point of cultivation. If they wanted to obtain more power, the last stage was the
Empyrean realm which had another 12 stages of cultivation.
The little fox retracted its teeth, and whimpered.
―Alright, then.‖ I smiled gently at him. Although I was only 5,000 years old, I was quite
efficient in magic. The only thing I needed to raise was my stamina, otherwise, simple
things were easy for me to accomplish.
I melted the snow until the green grass beneath showed. I dug into the ground until I
made a rectangular hole which was five feet in height.
―Will this suffice?‖ I looked at the fox that had been trailing behind me. He looked into
the hole and slowly nodded his head.
I lifted the carcass in the air, and slowly moved her down the hole until she reached the
bottom.
A thought suddenly occurred to me. I looked at the fox and said, ―There needs to be some
sort of marker here. We‘ll need to pay respects in the future, so the bigger marker, the
better it would be for us.‖
The fox only looked at me with his jewel-like eyes.
―I actually have a branch here of my favorite plum blossom tree. Do you mind if I use it
on your mother‘s grave? Once it grows, it will become extremely beautiful. I‘m sure she
would like to be remembered that way.‖
For the first time, I saw a hint of happiness in his blue eyes.
After covering the hole with the upturned soil, I placed the branch on top of the finished
mound. I took the ribbon I had used to tie my hair with, and casted a simple fertility spell
on it as I wrapped it delicately around the vertical branch.
―There.‖ I smiled at my work of art. ―All done.‖
I stroked the fox‘s head, and he nudged lovingly against my hand in gratitude. Suddenly,
without warning, he bared his fangs and bit my arm.
Because a deity‘s sense of pain was diminished, the pain was tolerable. However, I was
too stunned to move. ―What the—!!‖
Before I could retaliate, he started to lick the blood that had slowly trickled down to my
hand. The fox, in turn, nipped his own paw. Blood oozed from the wound, and he pressed
it against the flesh where he had bitten me.
When I felt something warm flow inside of me, I knew what he had done. He actually
made a soul contract with me! I was dumbfounded. At that moment, as our souls merged
together, both of our wounds closed up almost instantaneously, and I felt a rush of energy
that strengthened my meridians.
Divine soul beasts were not easy to obtain. They had to acknowledge you as someone
they served first. Also, they were quite rare in Heaven, as most of the beasts come from
the mortal realm, ascending only into Heaven once they had reached the pinnacle of
mortal cultivation. But even if I was glad I had made a contract, it was still out of the
blue. I felt like I had been raped!
―You didn‘t even ask my permission!‖ I squeaked.
Now that we were bound by the soul, he was easily able to enter my soul space. Although
he was not able to speak, he communicated to me through the emotions that he delivered
telepathically.
He looked at me pitifully, as he scratched his ears and whined. He looked adorable. I
hated how it made me want to cuddle him instead.
―Now that I‘m your master, I‘m going to work you to the bone!‖ I laughed evilly.
He knew my true thoughts (which was far from that), and ignored my comment. He made
a cackling noise through his mouth, probably trying to imitate me. It was cute if it didn‘t
sound so eerie.
I grimaced, and he stopped his noise. He curled around my legs and nudged the side of
his furry head against my thigh.
―I hate how you‘re adorable,‖ I muttered. I scooped him up in my arms and we rode my
golden leaf back to the netherworld.
It was during the journey that the little fox in my arms started to change shape. Its fur
retracted, and it was replaced by glistening white scales. Little wings sprouted from his
back, and his snout became longer, his head a bit narrower. He looked like a serpent
covered in pearls, but I knew what kind of beast he was.
I almost threw him into the air if not for the blue eyes that were looking at me pleadingly.
―You lied to me. I thought you were a cute fox, but you‘re actually a baby dragon!‖ I
gritted my teeth.
It was one thing to become my soul beast without my permission, and it was entirely
another thing to have him keep his identity before the contract. He turned back into fox
form after he saw my anger, and quickly licked the side of my face, asking for
forgiveness. It wasn‘t easy for him to convey his reasons, as all I could feel were his
turbulent emotions, but in the end I accepted him back into my arms. I couldn‘t win
against the cuteness after all.
When I informed my uncle of the mother‘s death (it turned out to be Seiran‘s friend, not
mother), he quickly sent a team to investigate the case. It turned out that a new deity who
ascended into Heaven from the mortal world but a month ago, had killed her. The fox had
refused becoming his soul beast, and he was so infuriated that he couldn‘t contain the
lightning bolt that escaped his fingertip. Divine spiritual beasts were difficult opponents,
but it seemed that the fox had already prepared to die.
I wondered why, but I thought of the baby dragon in my arms. Perhaps she tried to
protect him, thus using herself as bait? I surmised that was the reason for Seiran hiding
his identity. Although the norm of obtaining Soul beasts were to have them accept you
first, there was also a forceful way to do it without their consent. Somehow like what
Seiran had done with me, with the roles reversed.
When The Emperor heard of this, he immediately gave out the order to return that deity
to where he came from, stripping him of his immortality. He had to claw his way up from
the 1st stage of the Nascent realm, which was the beginner stage in terms of cultivation.
This ex-deity cultivated long and hard, taking him 20,000 years to climb up the ladder of
Heaven again. He was repentant, and the Jade Emperor assigned him to become a
guardian deity of the fox clan in recompense for killing one of their members. Well, it‘s
quite a good story, right?
Lalitaaa : so in case anyone is curious about the cultivation levels/realms, here it is :

1 Heavenly Beasts : Nascent realm, Xian profound, Empyrean
2 Spiritual Beasts in the mortal realm : first stage (nascent realm and xian profound).
Once they turn human, they go through the process again with a realm taken out
(nascent realm, Xian profound, empyrean, then ascension to Heaven). Once in
Heaven, they have to cultivate again. They‟re so hardworking
3 Mortals : (nascent realm, Xian profound, infernal realm, empyrean, ascencion)
Chapter Six
The first thing that Seiran said when we descended onto a mountain top was, ―Master, are
you really chasing after a man?‖ His voice was riddled with condescension. He had been
hiding in my soul space, and when we descended, he had leapt out and stretched on the
grassy plains.
―Don‘t go using that tone on me. Don‘t you want your master to get married already?‖ I
lectured him.
―What difference does it make if you‘re married or not? Master is still master.‖
In his fox form, he rubbed himself against my leg. He always had a way with words, and
it was quite hard to remain angry with him. I stroked him under his chin, and his hind leg
moved in glee.
―I‘m here to chase after my husband. Isn‘t that a wife‘s duty?‖
―But master…he doesn‘t even know you…‖
I wanted to kick this dog into mud.
―Will you stop shattering my dreams?‖ I punched him lightly on the head.
With the pulsating seal on my wrist as a guide, I walked around the mountain with Seiran
by my side.
―Master, did Jin Lei reincarnate on a mountain?‖ He asked, puzzled.
―I guess so. The seal is becoming brighter with each step, so I‘m assuming he‘s near.
Maybe his mortal family lives in the mountain?‖
The bright glow that the seal emitted suddenly vanished, and I panicked for a moment
until I saw a small white object lying against a thick tree root. It was swaddled hastily and
looked like it was abandoned.
―Master, I think that‘s a baby,‖ Seiran said the obvious.
―I think that‘s Jin Lei…‖
I closed my eyes and released my divine sense, expanding it across the mountain. I saw a
woman hastily running down the mountain steps with tears in her eyes. So Jin Lei really
was abandoned, huh? I wondered what the reason was, but I didn‘t mind. If it meant that I
was the one able to protect him as he grew, then it was a blessing.
I picked up the white object and stared intently at his face. Big, round eyes looked back at
me, full of innocence. He was drooling, and his pudgy arms were swinging in the air.
Small hairs surrounded his scalp, but he still looked bald.
―He kind of looks disgusting…‖ I trailed off.
―Master!‖ Seiran said helplessly.
This was my first time actually seeing a baby, as the birth rate in Heaven was not high at
all. I had my share of interacting with children, but never with a baby. Lucky for me, I
knew how to take care of one, as I had casually perused the neonatal handbook I found in
Siming‘s library before.
Upon closer inspection of the round facial structure, I had a sudden realization.
―He looks like a potato,‖ I said as I took my handkerchief and wiped the drool from his
mouth.
―…‖ Seiran was dumbstruck at my creative words.
The little potato in my arms started giggling as if in agreement, further drooling against
my chest.
―Despite being abandoned, he looks quite happy don‘t you think?‖ I told Seiran. He could
only shake his head as if saying, ―What am I going to do with with you.‖
―Ah, where should we live from now on?‖ I asked myself aloud. I didn‘t want potato Jin
to live on the mountain. What could he gain from it? Absolutely nothing! I didn‘t want to
hamper his trial, whatever it was, and the only thing I could do was give him a good life
where he could easily obtain his dreams.
I searched the surrounding areas with my divine sense, and saw that there were numerous
cities. I picked the biggest city, which I assumed was the Capital (because of a palace
erected in the middle), and flew towards its gates.
Seiran hid inside my soul space as I looked around the marketplace. It was a bustling
place that awed me. No one would dare be so noisy in Heaven. The noises perhaps
frightened the little potato, and he started wailing loudly, but his cries blended into the
background as if part of it.
―Excuse me, miss. Your baby is probably hungry. You should breast feed him soon,‖ one
lady said as she passed me by. She was holding a basket in one hand and held the hand of
a little girl in the other.
―Thank you for your concern, but unfortunately he‘s not my son. I don‘t have milk…‖ I
looked apologetic. The image of the potato latching on to my breasts embarrassed me.
The lewd and inappropriate thoughts I had in Heaven, now completely vanished. I only
had them when Jin Lei was in his manly appearance, and I was glad I didn‘t have such
thoughts towards him as a child. I would rather knock my head against a block of tofu
than become a pedophile.
―I have good goat‘s milk, which is a good substitute for breast milk!‖ An old woman
called me over from her stall. ―This milk has been refined by the practitioners, so it holds
nourishment for a baby‘s body.‖
I patted the potato as I carried him in my arms. I was anxious and I wanted him to quiet
down. ―How much is it?‖
―Just 7 coppers! But if you want the glass bottle to be included, that would be another
five. So 12 coppers in all per bottle!‖ I didn‘t detect any deceit in her person, so I nodded
my head. After examining the appearance of these coins from a passing shopper, I
inserted my hand in my pocket, conjuring them in my palm.
―I‘ll buy one bottle. If he likes it, I‘ll come back again.‖ The old woman smiled at me
happily as she received the coppers.
After going around, I found out that 100 copper coins were equivalent to one silver coin,
and 10 silver coins were equivalent to one gold coin. I also heard that the coin with the
biggest value was the Jade coin, which was equivalent to 1,000 gold for one piece. It was
an amount that was beyond a commoner‘s income for a year, and that coin was mostly
used by the nobility, royalty, or even really wealthy commoners who had amassed a
fortune in business.
While the potato was happily drinking his bottle of milk, I scoured for real estate
establishments. Because I had money on hand, the broker willingly found me the best lot
in the middle of the city in a matter of minutes. It was twice bigger than the normal
surrounding houses, with fully furnished interiors. The previous owner left for another
city, and didn‘t want to bring so many things with him. Annexed to the side of the house
was also a bookstore that had long been out of business.
It felt like a dream. If I could open up the bookstore once more, it would give me a steady
income which could be used to cover up my fortune. Now, no one would question where
my money came from. The thought of reading updated books also filled me with endless
excitement. I had to read all the books I could read in these three lives! I wouldn‘t have to
frequently borrow books from Siming‘s library anymore. In my head, I already scripted
my response to her, ―You have new books? Pah! I read those decades ago.‖
I paid for the house with one jade coin and 5 gold. The extra 5 gold I gave to the broker
as a reward for his fast services, and he looked like he was going to cry in joy. He
clutched the gold in his hands and said I was a goddess. Well, he couldn‘t be more right
though?
In the afternoon of the same day, the potato and I entered the place where we would soon
call home.
Chapters Seven & Eight
As the years passed, we gradually got accustomed to life in the city. The bookstore I had
renovated and put back into business was doing fairly well. I hired a general manager
who also did the finances, and a middle aged lady to manage the counter.
I also made a lot of friends in the city, mostly housewives I met in the marketplace. From
them I heard all kinds of gossip, ranging from the recent fashion trends to the squabbles
of the inner palace.
It was refreshing to speak to people who were uninhibited. In Heaven, I was used to
people refraining from speaking their minds for fear of the consequences, and I was glad
the mortals didn‘t know I was a deity. It was also thanks to these friends of mine that I
easily blended into this mortal life.
When they asked me if Jin was my child, I had refuted them solemnly. I said, with my
voice dripping with all the sadness I could feel in the world, ―My best friend had a child
out of wedlock, and could not raise him well. She entrusted him to me for safekeeping
until she returns, but I have never heard from her since.‖ I sobbed crocodile tears against
my handkerchief, and the mothers took their turns soothing and calming me. They never
asked about his background again, and I started dancing in my heart in relief.

I was cutting up apples for Jin to eat, when I accidentally sliced the side of my finger,
causing a thin thread of blood to ooze from the laceration. It was unprecedented, as I
thought of myself as a culinary expert, but my eyes had been occupied by Seiran, who
had suspiciously crept closer to the fish pond with hungry eyes. I had instructed him to
change his form to be inconspicuous in the city, and he turned himself into a white cat. I
didn‘t doubt that his form affected his appetite as well.
―Juu!‖ Potato Jin was two years old, and when he saw my bleeding hand, his eyes started
turning red. In an instant, big droplets of water rolled down his round cheeks.
―Why are you crying?‖ I asked, bewildered.
―Juu is hurting.‖ He started bawling.
I could actually heal myself with magic if I wanted to, but I didn‘t want Jin to see
something this extraordinary. I didn‘t want to reveal to him that I was a hidden deity. I
wanted to live my life as a normal mortal who did normal mortal things, but of course
that was on the outside. When no one was looking, I would often finish things with magic
whenever I got lazy. It seemed I was lazy most of the time.
I hastily wiped the blood from my finger, and I hissed at the stinging pain. I wasn‘t used
to feeling pain as a deity, because our sense of pain was diminished, and I reveled at the
fact that even this small wound would cause me to tear up. I planned on healing it
properly later.
―See? Juju isn‘t hurt anymore,‖ I said as I kneeled beside Jin, who was squatting on the
floor. I wiped his tears with my sleeves, but snot was beginning to drip down his nose. I
honestly did not want my sleeves to be snot covered, so I took a towel from the bathing
room and wiped his nose with it.
―Lemme see,‖ Jin demanded as he earnestly tugged on my left hand. He saw that the
shallow wound had left a gash across my index finger, and he furrowed his eyebrows in
concern. ―Hurting!‖
―If you kiss it, it‘ll disappear,‖ I said teasingly. ―But it only happens if it‘s a good boy
who kisses it.‖
―I‘m a good boy!‖ He was alarmed. Hey potato, I‘m not accusing you of being
otherwise?
Then to my surprise, he actually pressed his lips against the edge of my wound!
―Not that way!‖ I still felt like teasing him despite my evident shock. ―You should close
your eyes and wish with all your might for the wound to heal.‖
He pressed his eyes tightly with his brows drawn together in concentration. His lips
puckered towards my wound as his chubby fingers gripped my hand. I could almost hear
his silent chants, and I stifled my laughter. I didn‘t want to see him disappointed when he
opened his eyes, so I cleared my wound with magic, making it seem like he had been the
one to heal me.
―You can open your eyes now,‖ I said gently.
He opened his eyes slowly, as if fearing that his determination was not enough. In just a
split second, as he saw the clean finger, his mouth formed an ‗O‘ in shock with his
eyebrows shooting up towards his hairline. I was so amused by his reaction that I
couldn‘t stop kissing his face in laughter.
His chubby hands turned my left hand over and over, not believing his eyes. Then he took
my right hand, turning it over and over as well, as if the wound had magically transferred
somewhere else.
―Didn‘t you say you were a good boy?‖ I cupped his potato face in my hands. He nodded
vigorously, his cheeks bouncing against my palms. Ahhh…two pieces of siopao have
landed in my hands…
I made sure I was never hurt that way again in front of him, as to avoid him trying to kiss
wounds (it didn‘t sound very hygienic to me). However, for some reason, every time I
started cooking, he would sit on his stool beside the kitchen counter and watch me
attentively. It was like he was waiting for me to cut myself?

I had honed my sewing skills over these few years, and although I had made clothes for
Jin and myself, they were not very fashionable. I simply copied the style of the majority
of the people in the city, and I have to say, it was very bland. I didn‘t hold it against them,
as the common people did not like spending so much on frivolous things, but I still
wanted to make things of aesthetic value.
Since the normal cloth used by the people in the city was cotton, I did not want to deviate
away from the norm and have them be apprehensive towards me. Jin and I had already
lived in the biggest house in the square, and I didn‘t want to attract any more unwanted
attention by dressing up so gaudily.
But as I passed the fabric store one afternoon, I saw a cloth that caught my eye. It wasn‘t
easy for material goods to please me (since I naturally had high standards, if you had
Heaven as a comparison), but this fabric amazed me. It was rainbow hued, with the colors
changing with every movement one made. I bought it without any hesitation, for a
staggering 2 Jade coins per meter, and didn‘t regret it.
It was Jin‘s fourth birthday in two weeks (the day I found him was the day I set his
birthday to), and I wanted to surprise him by making him pajamas to wear at night. It was
tough hiding from him as I sewed, and I had deliberately made Seiran play with him for
distraction. I had given Jin a ball of yarn, and told him that Seiran liked following the
string around.
Inside the house, it was then a usual sight to see Seiran hopping from one place to another
as a devious yarn would completely evade his paws. Sometimes the thread appeared
above a chair, in the garden, on the tree (get down from there this instance, mischievous
potato!), or under the table, but Seiran didn‘t seem to mind. On the contrary, I think he
was enjoying the chase much more than I expected. Jin‘s childish laughter filled the
house and my heart, and I continued working on his pajamas diligently.
On the eve of his birthday, he had been playing so much that he was exhausted. He had
fallen asleep right on the floor with Seiran snoozing in the nook of his arm, the white tail
twitching back and forth. I found them that way after I wrapped his gift in a box. I didn‘t
have the heart to wake them up, as they both looked so peaceful, so I decided to read one
of my newly bought romance novels in the corner until it was midnight.
―Juu,‖ the potato called softly.
―Yes?‖ I turned my face towards him, but it turned out he was still sleeping. I saw the
potato suddenly lifting his lips to form a smile. What dream was this potato currently
having?
―Wuv Juu,‖ he sighed as he rolled on his side, squashing Seiran who was flattened
awake. Because Seiran had yowled so loud, he had awoken Jin in the process. Seiran
quickly dashed to the upper floor where my bed was situated. I could see his tail flicker
back and forth petulantly as he climbed up the stairs.
―Happy birthday, little potato!‖ I said cheerily as I picked him off the ground. He rubbed
his eyes sleepily and smiled.
―I‘m four now!‖ He pressed four fingers towards my face.
―Well aren‘t you a smart brat?‖ I said affectionately, kissing his cheeks. ―I‘ve got a
present for you.‖
―Where?‖ His eyes glowed and he clutched his hands together excitedly. I would most
likely spoil him every day if that would mean seeing this adorable expression of his every
time.
I put him down on the floor and placed the box in his hands. He looked up at me with a
goofy grin, asking for permission to open it.
―Go ahead.‖
He carefully opened the box, and he reverently pulled out the rainbow cloth. Even in the
night, with the lamps offering a dim glow, the vibrant colors of the rainbow was almost
palpable to the touch.
―Hey, slow down!‖ I chided, as he started stripping his clothes hastily. But when he
started touching the pajamas, his movements slowed down. He looked dispirited, afraid
that he would accidentally tear it.
I chuckled. ―Don‘t worry, the material is from spider silk so it‘s definitely not easy to
tear.‖
His face lit up as he smoothly wore the rainbow pajamas. He kept turning around and
around, looking at his sleeves, then at his pants, then arching his back to have a better
glimpse of his own profile. This kid was like a comedy show.
―Well I‘m glad you like it!‖ I was happy that he liked it so much. Spider silk was actually
quite hard to sew, as the material could not be cut by ordinary means. I also had to use
thread made from spider silk as well, due to the fact that using ordinary thread would not
be able to hold the pieces together.
Jin was so happy that he was speechless. He raised his arms upwards, wanting a hug. I
crouched low and accepted him. He circled his pudgy arms around my neck and kissed
me everywhere on the face.
―S-Stop it!‖ I was laughing so hard. His little kisses were tickling me, and I already felt
sticky from his saliva. But he didn‘t stop until he too started laughing with me.
After I had given him the pajamas, he didn‘t change his clothes for so many days that I
was getting angry. I was flattered, of course, that he loved it so much, but how could he
not allow me to even give it a wash? He still took his daily baths, but every after bath
time, he would always find the pajamas in places I hid them in, even if it meant running
around the house naked in despair.
―Jin! Change your clothes right this instant!‖ I raised my voice as I would chase him
around the house.
―Don‘t wanna!‖
His rainbow clad figure would suddenly stop running, and then just as I was about to
catch him, he would sprint away with all his might, giving me false hope of his capture.
What was this tactical ploy of his!
This went on until the sixth day when he accidentally soiled his pants. He came to me of
his own accord, crying tearfully. He started resentfully undressing himself. ―Sowwy, Ju.‖
―You stink, you little brat.‖ I helped him tug his shirt off his head.
―Sowwy, Juu,‖ his voice was a little louder.
―Take a bath now, I‘ll take care of your clothes.‖ I stroked his head to calm him down.
―When can I wear them again?‖ He asked between snivels.
―When they‘re dry.‖
―Okay!‖ He stopped crying and marched towards the bathing chamber, butt naked.

When potato Jin turned five, he suddenly asked me a question while I was in the kitchen
making wonton soup.
―Are you my mother?‖ He asked, with a little pout on his lips. I almost dropped the bowl
of soup in my hands.
Out of all times he had to ask, why was it now? I had been vague about my presence in
his life, just showing that I was not a direct family member, but akin to a caretaker…or
housewife. I liked the sound of the latter.
I placed the bowl on the counter and turned around. Seiran rubbed against my legs. I
didn‘t allow him to speak in front of the mortals, but I could feel him laughing so hard in
his heart.
―Jin, what makes you say that?‖ My smile twitched. How was I ever going to get his
romantic interest if he were to see me as a mother?! I felt my soul cry out in despair.
Seiran fell back on the floor, wriggling with mirth. Damned cat!
―If you‘re not my mother, then why are you taking care of me?‖ He asked me with those
big dewy eyes of his. Ah, stop it. Don‘t turn me into a pedophile.
―I did tell you I found you on the mountain, right?‖ I drilled this knowledge into his head
as soon as he could comprehend words. I really did try to place a firm line between
romantic and familial love even from the start.
He nodded his head, but looked solemn. ―Why was I abandoned?‖
―Ah?‖ I choked on words. Think, think, think! I didn‘t want him to feel down. What if
the wrong things I say would affect him emotionally, thus triggering his future downfall?
The thought drove me crazy.
―That‘s because…‖ I smiled slyly after I thought of a perfect response, ―I‘m your wife!
When you grow older, you‘re going to marry me!‖ I closed my arms around his small
body, and he wrapped his arms around my neck. ―You weren‘t abandoned. Your parents
just knew I was going to pick you up on that mountain.‖
He pressed his warm, chubby cheek against mine. ―Oh. That‘s good. I thought you were
my mother.‖
Wait, was that a bad thing or a good thing? I really didn‘t understand what he was trying
to convey.

There was a certain period where he wouldn‘t eat his vegetables. He needed vegetables to
grow healthily, so I scolded him every time he left his greens at the edge of his plate.
―But they don‘t taste good!‖ He pouted as his chopsticks picked the limp cabbage
hesitatingly.
―Not everything that tastes good is healthy, and not everything that tastes bad is actually
bad,‖ I wanted to sound like a learned scholar, but I wasn‘t so sure my made up proverb
would create such an impact.
A light bulb suddenly lit in my head. I thought of another way to get him to eat his
vegetables, and it involved surreptitious threats.
―Seiran, come here,‖ I called him over. He trotted towards me, his tail wagging. He could
sense food was involved.
―Eat this.‖ I took a small bowl and filled it with vegetables for Seiran. Seiran ate anything
that was edible and didn‘t have a specific preference (fish aside). He finished the bowl in
less than a minute, and he looked up at me for seconds, his eyes glistening as he licked
his lips.
―Good kitty,‖ I cooed. I could hear Seiran barfing telepathically. I picked him up and
puckered my lips. ―Because you‘re such a good kitty, I‘m going to give you a kiss!‖
Seiran desperately tried to claw his way out of my grasp, and I genuinely believed he
would start barfing on my face.
―I‘ll eat, I‘ll eat!‖ Jin said hurriedly as he finished his vegetables in the speed of light.
I placed Seiran back on the ground, and later on he refused to go near me for a week. He
told me he would start to gag every time he saw my fat lips, and I nearly drove him out of
the house with a fish.
―Where‘s my kiss?‖ Jin asked, looking at me expectantly. He had finished another bowl
of vegetables.
I smacked his cheeks with my lips, but he had the gall to look disappointed! After some
thought, he closed his eyes and pushed his thin lips outwards. I smacked him on the head.
―Perverted brat! It‘s too early for that. Ask me that when we‘re married!‖

Despite Jin‘s peculiar attitude, I was extremely impressed by his intelligence. When he
learned how to read and write (with me being the excellent teacher), he would go over to
the bookstore and pick out books to bring home for himself. Sometimes I would read to
him at night, and he would listen to me obediently with a disposition that was too mature
for his age.
When I asked if he wanted to play with the neighbor‘s kids, he would always decline,
saying, ―Juju will be lonely.‖ Although this line melted my heart, I still thought I was
hindering his formative years of childhood. But if he said he didn‘t want to, I didn‘t have
the right to force him.
When he was seven years old, I told him that it was the right age for him to go to school.
―Don‘t worry about me, I‘ll be fine.‖ I stroked his head lovingly. ―There are so many
things you can learn in school that I can‘t teach you. This will be better for your future.‖
He suddenly hugged my waist. ―You won‘t miss me?‖
I wanted to laugh out loud. Really, this kid! Was he putting his moves on me?
―Who says I won‘t? I always do, even if you‘re just across the room.‖ I laughed, patting
him on the head. ―And I‘m curious, have you thought of your future profession?‖
He looked up at me with a pondering look. After a few seconds passed he suddenly said,
―Your husband!‖
―Ha?‖
―I‘ll become your husband in the future!‖
….
Didn‘t this potato have any aspiration at all, ah?!
Chapter Nine
Recently, I felt like such a lazy and spoiled housewife.
When Jin started school, I would wake up early at dawn to prepare breakfast, packed
lunch and snacks for him to bring to school. He would also come home early in the
afternoon, to help prepare the meals for dinner. He especially loved Gong Bao chicken,
and would often have it for days until he was sick of it for a while.
But as he grew older, his schedule at school became more packed, and he continued to
come home in the evenings instead of afternoons. It came to a point where he would
wake up so early to make breakfast for me instead, as an apology for coming home late. I
didn‘t even have time to make him lunches or snacks before he went out of the door in a
hurry.
Every day after school, he would tell me about what transpired in class and what he had
learned. His detailed explanations dissipated my worries, and I was happy for him. It kind
of made me want to go back to school too.
I idly remembered my days of deity school. In Heaven, it was compulsory to go to school

at the ages of 500 to 10,000. Although my memories of the past were fuzzy, I still
recalled that school was very enjoyable for me.
What Jin didn‘t tell me, however, was that he was quite popular with his peers. I heard
my friend who I often met at the marketplace, talk about how her daughter had a huge
crush on him. I felt my heart burn in ire. I was jealous, but what could I do about it? It
was petty of me to feel this way towards mortal girls who hadn‘t even reached puberty.
Jin had become a dashing boy, but at eleven years old, his face still retained round edges
of when he was a potato. He also had an indisputable aura that attracted people. His voice
had not yet deepened, but it was already smooth as honey. I wouldn‘t be surprised if he
unwittingly created a harem, but I would still tear my hair out if that were to happen.

The housewives created a little gossip group called ―The Merry Wives‖ and I was thrust
into the circle of approximately ten women, all of whom were the friends I had the
fortune to meet in various sections of the marketplace.
They knew I was not a wife nor a mother per se, but I had become one of the people they
had entrusted their household problems to as it seemed I had solutions to even the most
mundane things. One thing they loved talking about was cooking. Because I lived in
Heaven, I knew of various dishes that were not made here, and I generously gave them
recipes. Because some of the original herbs could not be found, I replaced it with herbs
that were easily sold in the market.
The Merry Wives had a strict ‖meeting‖ every Friday in the afternoon, at a certain red
bean bun shop which we all loved. The shop could seat 50 people, but you had to arrive
early (the shop opened at two in the afternoon), if you wanted a seat because of its
enormous popularity among the masses. I had unanimously became the president of this
organization of vain ladies, and for the first time I thought that this was the most difficult
position I had ever been entrusted with in my entire life.

I was lying on the sofa with Seiran curled up on my stomach one afternoon. I was having
another lazy day. In Heaven, I had so much things I was able to do as a royal, but being a
commoner in the mortal realm had many limitations.
I combed my hair with my fingers as I started musing. I was glad I had changed my hair
color to black from the previous silver color I had in Heaven. No one in this city had
silver hair, and I would be an anomaly if not for Chan‘s guidance.
I had always been fond of my silver hair even when I was a child, and people had told me
I was like the moonlight. I was extremely proud of it, but there was one thing that
bothered me. It was my face. I recalled a certain boy back in deity school who had
announced I was ugly during the graduation ball.
I could not remember his face or his name now, as thousands of years have already
passed, but I remembered the feeling of being so humiliated I ran out with tears in my
eyes. I was so embarrassed that I could not help but hide my face with a veil every time I
went out for a stroll.
Many of my school friends had comforted me, saying it was not true that I was ugly, but I
knew they were just saying those words to please me. I knew I wasn‘t that hideous, and
sometimes I would find myself even pretty at an angle. Many years after graduation, I
lost touch with those school friends, and only kept a handful who stayed by my side.
Siming and Chan were one of the few good friends I still had.
I was lost in my reveries when I suddenly heard the door open.
I turned my head to greet Jin, but I was shocked to find that it was a strange man. He
wore a brown cloak that covered his body, the hood shadowing his face. I thought I was
just dreaming as I stared into the black shadows that were supposed to be his eyes. He
also returned my gaze, then suddenly shrieked like a little girl.
I sat up quickly with Seiran jumping off my stomach in rapid shock.
―Shouldn‘t I be the one screaming?‖ I looked at the stranger, trying my best not to pound
him to the floor.
―Ah, sorry. Didn‘t know anyone lived here,‖ a cold and smooth voice replied after
clearing his girly throat.
―Are you blind? Did you perhaps not see the lights and the new bookstore?‖ I tried to
reign in my anger. This thief really knew no manners!
―Ah– I‘m not a thief!‖ His hands were in the air as he saw me burning with rage. ―My
friend used to own this house, and he allowed me personal use of it whenever I was in the
city.‖
―Well, this house is mine now,‖ I said icily.
The stranger coughed after standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. ―Pardon me, I
haven‘t introduced myself.‖ He pulled down his hood, revealing golden hair that was
uncommon in this town, and green eyes like jade. ―My name is Taren.‖
―I didn‘t ask for introductions,‖ I said as I rolled my eyes. After inspecting his
appearance, I couldn‘t help but point out, ―You look…different.‖
―Well, I‘m from another country in the…west.‖ He laughed awkwardly.
―Is that so?‖ I peered at his face. ―What are you doing here?‖
―I wanted to relax in this house. It‘s the only place where I can be myself.‖ As he said
this, he looked around the room in satisfaction. ―Everything is where it was before.‖
―I mean, what are you doing in this country?‖ I narrowed my eyes at him. He sounded
suspicious. Seiran was licking his paws in a corner, but I knew that he was watching the
stranger attentively, ready to pounce if the situation turned dangerous.
―I‘m…visiting friends.‖ Another awkward laugh escaped from his lips. I could only
pressure him with a cold stare. Suddenly, a loud gurgling noise pierced the silence.
―Sorry, miss…‖ Taren had the gall to look embarrassed. ―Looks like I‘m starving. Do
you have anything around? Even leftovers would be good.‖ He peered at me sheepishly.
I felt like feeding him poison, but poison was too good for him. His stomach rumbled
again, as if signaling me to commence preparations.
―Call me Juju.‖ I stomped towards the kitchen and started preparing dinner for four
(Seiran included). I chopped the meat with murderous intent. ―I can‘t believe I‘m feeding
a thief!‖ Ah, I really was too kindhearted. Even if this stranger just walked into my house
unannounced, I started feeding him because he was hungry! I should just open up an
orphanage while I was at it.
Taren laughed. ―I‘m certainly thieving for food!‖
Chapter Ten
When Jin arrived from school in the evening, he had on an expression I had never seen
before. He looked like he had caught me having an affair.
―Who is he?‖ His demeanor turned ruthless, and it was the first time I saw him with such
an icy aura.
―Don‘t mind him. He‘s just a dog barking up the wrong door for food,‖ I quickly replied,
hoping to dampen his blatant ire.
I was in the kitchen, washing strawberries for Jin. Taren had already finished his meal,
and with a burgeoning belly, he stifled a burp.
―He‘s a disgusting ape. Feel free to throw him out, Jin.‖ My voice was emotionless.
―So you had a kid?‖ Taren asked, turning around in his seat to look at Jin. ―You look too
young to have a kid that age though?‖
Jin‘s expression turned even more severe, murderous intent flashing from his eyes. It
made Taren press himself against the table in surprise.
―Did I say something wrong?‖ Taren asked skeptically.
I didn‘t actually want to say I was Jin‘s wife. Jin was still a child. What would people
think of us if they knew? I didn‘t trust Taren, and with his personality, I could tell he
often told secrets without even intending to. He looked like he was just a frivolous
blabbermouth. I didn‘t want to tarnish Jin‘s reputation. I was just biding my time, waiting
for him to grow up and become a splendid man.
―Ah, he‘s my friend‘s son,‖ I hastily replied, placing the strawberries in a bowl.
Taren raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. He stood up from his chair and wore his
cloak. ―I think it‘s about time for me to leave. Thanks for the food! I‘ll be coming back to
visit again soon.‖
―Who told you you could come back, you damned thief?‖ I shrieked. ―I hope I‘ll never
see you again!‖
He merely laughed as he strode out the door.
―What a rude guy!‖ I complained. He was too easy-going. Walking to the table, I pushed
the bowl of strawberries towards Jin, but he didn‘t even look at them.
―Welcome back Jin. Come and eat.‖ I smiled at him.
He looked at me sternly, then retreated up the stairs to his room. I felt a pang of
loneliness in my heart as I sat alone in the dining room, picking up the strawberries one
by one. Did I say something wrong? Why did he ignore me? Was he in his rebellious
stage?
―Master, do you want me to help you eat those strawberries?‖ Seiran asked as he hopped
on top of the table, his eyes latching on excitedly on the red fruits.
―No way! Get your paws off the table!‖ I protected the bowl as if my life depended on it.
―Eh, stingy.‖ He flicked his tail, and jumped down the table haughtily.

I didn‘t realize I had slept in the dining room. My face was plastered against the table
with an arm haphazardly used as a pillow. In the darkness, I was semi aware of my
surroundings when I felt something warm drape around my body. I drifted in and out of
sleep, and a few hours after, I heard shuffling in the kitchen. A mouthwatering aroma
drifted to my nostrils in a matter of minutes.
I raised my head, and the blanket around my shoulders shifted downwards. I clutched the
blanket with a smile. Even when Jin was angry, he was so thoughtful.
―You‘re awake.‖ Jin appeared with a plate of Chow Mein in one hand. He placed the dish
in front of me, then came back later with a cup of tea.
―Are you still mad at me?‖ I gazed at him with upturned eyes.
―Why do you think I‘m mad at you?‖ He raised an eyebrow.
―Because I let a strange guy come in the house? And I also cooked for him?‖
―That would be part of it.‖ He smirked, folding his arms across his chest. Really, when
did this potato act so grown up?! Time flew too fast. Was this a mother‘s dilemma?
When I thought of my previously sweet potato, I wanted to cry. I wanted to go back in
time and relive those days before he evolved into this current preteen.
―Why did you say I was someone else‘s son?‖ He demanded with his lower lip slightly
protruding. Question marks floated on top of my head. I really didn‘t know why he was
mad?
―Ha? You want me to say you‘re my son?‖ I was flummoxed.
―No!‖ He looked exasperated. ―I thought I was your…‖ His ears turned scarlet, and a
blush was slowly creeping up from his neck. ―Your…‖
―…Husband?‖ I finished for him. His whole face was dyed red in an instant.
I chuckled. Was this all he was mad about? He definitely was still a kid!
―W-Why are you laughing!‖ He hid his face behind his sleeve, looking even more
embarrassed.
―I said that because I didn‘t want to sully your reputation. What if your harem learns that
I‘m your future wife? Won‘t they be enraged? How are you going to live well in the
future with your reputation in shreds?‖
Jin had already calmed down upon hearing my words. ―What harem are you talking
about? Can‘t you, for once, hold back on your lurid fantasies?‖ He sighed. ―Besides, what
does reputation matter if I can‘t have you?‖
It was my turn to be beet red. T-This kid! Where did he learn to be so smooth! Was it due
to the romance novel I saw peeking out from under his pillow a few months ago? I
mentally made a note to put those in a locked chest.
―W-Wait until you turn eighteen! We can get married then.‖ I sipped my tea in order to
hide my flushed face. Why did I suddenly blurt out marriage? I wanted to knock my head
against a wall.
―I am always willing to wait for you.‖ His response was languid yet sincere.
Ah! In this life, who is courting who? Why have the tables suddenly turned?
Chapter Eleven
During one of our The Merry Wives meetings, one woman named Lin voiced out her
deep dissatisfaction towards the monarchy.
Although we were in a privately owned shop, we didn‘t know if any customers here were
actually working for the Imperial family, so everyone chided her. They feared they would
be branded as traitors in the country, so they quickly clamped down on her mouth.
I honestly thought they didn‘t have to go through such lengths to silence her. I wanted to
hear what she had to say, so I thought up another way.
―Why don‘t you just replace their names with aliases?‖ I suggested. ―In that way, those
who would happen to eavesdrop won‘t know. Talk in a way where you don‘t implicate
the royal family.‖
―That‘s a good idea.‖ Everyone agreed.
So we made this:
Emperor – Boy 1
Empress – Girl 1
Crown prince – Boy 2
Imperial concubine – Girl 2
Second prince (son of Imperial concubine) – Boy 3
I lamented on our lack of creativity. (Author: just imagine the following conversations as
using the designated aliases. I‟m using their original names to avoid confusion).
―I honestly don‘t know where all our money goes to! Do we pay taxes just so it lines the
pockets of the second prince?‖ Lin whispered roughly. She was always the first one to
speak her mind in any matters, and she was also the founder of The Merry Wives. After
seeing me in the marketplace eleven years ago when I had trouble with the wailing Jin in
my arms, she decided to befriend me the next day.
―Why? What about the second prince?‖ I asked.
―He‘s a cavorting dandy! He goes out almost every night, and no one knows where he
goes to!‖ Luli exclaimed, clenching her white fists. Luli was a petite mother of two, yet
her innocent face belied the raging dragon beneath.
―I heard he‘s an accomplished master of the realms?‖ Dandan said. She had always been
the gentle woman in the group, and would always insert a nice comment here and there,
despite the flames of opposition.
―Is he really?‖ Meifen scoffed as she bit into her read bean bun. ―They say he‘s in the
Xian profound realm, but I bet he‘s still at Nascent realm!‖
―And you? What are you? A practitioner?‖ Luli teased. Although some commoners had
the innate talent to become practitioners, almost all practitioners in the country were from
the nobility. Only the children of the nobility had access to cultivation methods, and it
was rare to find a commoner child breaking through even the first stage without someone
with cultivating knowledge helping them.
The amount of opened meridians in the body also affected the pace of ones ease in
sensing spiritual energy. Among the 12 meridians, 11 opened meridians were the highest
one person had achieved in the Capital. Offsprings from noble clans had opened
meridians ranging from 5-11, and commoners mostly had 1-4 meridians opened. It was
unfortunate that people of high birth discriminated the commoners due to this fact.
Since commoners were well-known to have trash meridians, they were constantly looked
down upon by the clans. I didn‘t know why no one ever thought of a method to forcefully
open locked meridians. It was quite easy to circulate your own energy and find the spots.
It was either the nobles didn‘t want their power to be overtaken, or that they were stupid.
Or perhaps it was both.
―My friend who works at the palace actually confirmed he was at the middle Xian
profound realm,‖ Dandan added shyly.
No one refuted what she said, and they latched on to another subject: the Imperial
concubine.
Ting arrived at our table with two boxes of black bean buns. She was a mother who loved
eating during her spare time, and she always bought two to five boxes of assorted buns
every time we held our meetings.
―Sorry I‘m late!‖ Her round face flushed as she sat down abruptly, her stomach jiggling.
―I had to wait for my kids to sleep before coming here. You know how they are.‖ All the
mothers nodded in sympathy. The remaining four members were also preoccupied with
housework, so they could not join today‘s meeting.
―Anyway, don‘t you think the Imperial concubine is very beautiful?‖ Meifen said with a
jealous face. ―It‘s no wonder the Emperor dotes on her so! Even to the point of
disregarding the Empress! How cruel!‖
After we filled Ting in with the aliases, she became interested in today‘s topic. She
started stuffing her face with buns and her eyes turned round when she heard what
Meifen had said.
―The imperial concubine doesn‘t look ordinary that‘s why!‖ Ting licked the crumbs off
her lips. ―I saw her with the Emperor a year ago at the Flying Lotus competition, and she
looked like the sun goddess!‖
―Me too! I saw her that day too! Her hair was so long and looked like it was made of
gold!‖ Lin could not help but gush.
―I heard she was from a country in the West,‖ Meifen added. ―Many people from that
country have extraordinary hair and eye color.‖
After hearing that, I thought it felt vaguely familiar, but I just could not make out why.
After thinking it through, the realization hit me like a gust of cold wind.
―Does the imperial concubine‘s son have golden hair as well?‖ I articulated slowly. ―And
does he perhaps have green eyes?‖
They all nodded their heads, and I wouldn‘t be more surprised if someone slapped me in
the face with tofu.
―Is that so…‖ I said faintly.
―Too bad that son of hers is a good for nothing! Always going to the gambling den at
night or somewhere who knows where,‖ Lin grumbled. She really wasn‘t going to let go
of that opinion, it seemed.
After a few minutes of intense debate, the women decided to change to a topic that
wouldn‘t stress them out.
―Juju dear, I just noticed now but,‖ Luli looked at my face intensely, ―how do you still
look so young after these 11 years?‖
I paled. Now I was the one stressed out!
―What‘s your secret?‖ Ting looked at me with sparkles in her eyes.
My secret was being a deity? Hehe?
―Secret?‖ I smiled secretively, and starting chewing on my bun slowly to stall for time. I
was actually panicking inside.
―Tell us!‖ Meifen said fervently as her chopsticks waved in the air. Please don‘t attack
me with those.
―Um.‖ I drank my tea to stall for more time.
―Stop stalling! Spit it out now!‖ Lin said. I hope she didn‘t mean the tea.
―Well…if I say it, don‘t spread it okay?‖ The corner of my smile twitched as I thought of
a way to get out of this. My mind started to work quickly.
―We won‘t!‖ They said in unison.
―Remember the goats milk I bought for Jin way back when he was a baby?‖ I cleared my
throat. ―Well, he accidentally spilled it on my face one night. No I mean, every night.
Then I realized,‖ I raised my eyebrows to act my surprise, ―my skin was so smooth and
white!‖
My audience sat on their seats with rapt attention. I had to pat myself on the back for
being such a good storyteller of fiction.
―Then I used it every night since then,‖ I touched my soft cheeks, ―and now look! No
wrinkles, no pores! I stay looking like I‘m twenty forever!‖
They clapped their hands in awe. Thank you, thank you. You needn‘t look at me so
reverently, it was nothing really. Just a stroke of my bountiful imagination. Then I
thought, if my beauty regimen didn‘t work for them, at least no one else would blame me
right?
I thought they wouldn‘t tell anyone else of my beauty tip, but as I visited the market a
few days later, I saw a gathering of other housewives as they made a commotion in front
of the goat milk stall.
―I‘ll buy 5 bottles!‖
―I‘ll take 6!‖
―10!‖
―I got here first, bitch!‖
―Whore!‖
―You‘re not a virgin!‖
―So are you!‖
…..
I closed my ears off to this obscene banter.
Well, the old vendor looked extremely happy by her sudden popularity though?
The Merry Wives held another meeting the following week, and they all looked like they
glowed. They couldn‘t help but flaunt their glistening faces in front of me as they started
staring at me in various angles. It was unnerving.
Everyone could tell the sudden change in skin texture and color, and soon goats milk
changed from being common milk to a popular merchandise for beauty. Different stores
had goats milk in their ingredients, and the sales skyrocketed in just a matter of days.
….
Um, you‘re welcome?
Chapter Twelve
Many years passed since the man named Taren, who was actually the prince, had come to
burgle the house. I didn‘t know if his name was actually Taren, but I knew that the reason
why he had such a devil may care attitude was because of his background. He was rude
because he had the backing to be rude. His frivolous attitude actually reminded me of
myself in Heaven. I would be able to do many misdeeds in Heaven if I wanted to, and the
deities could not help but turn a blind eye to my actions.
But of course, I was not a philandering good for nothing guy like him. Although I liked to
have fun, no one was ever mortally wounded by me. I think.
I started to think that Taren‘s ―I‘ll come back again‖ were merely words he had said
offhandedly until that very person almost blew the door in with his entrance one
afternoon.
I had been reading in the kitchen as I stirred some Lily herbed broth in a pot. When he
suddenly burst in, I jumped back so hard, I nearly toppled the pot.
―I‘m back!‖ He announced gaily. ―Phew! Took me quite some time to remember I had a
beautiful woman waiting for me here.‖ He winked at me and I felt sick to my stomach.
―Can you get out of my face?‖ I growled at him. ―Who said you could enter your cheeky
Royal personage in my house? You almost made me knock over my broth!‖
Taren pulled his hood down and deposited his cloak in a chair before ambling towards
me.
―Since you know who I am, then you also know that with just one word, I could easily
have your beautiful head be severed from your delicate neck.‖ He neared his face towards
me, his green eyes locking with mine.
I pushed him back, but he didn‘t budge. I stared right back at him unfalteringly. ―You
think I‘m afraid of your idle threats?‖ I derided. Who did he think he was? I, the great
niece of the Jade Emperor, be wary of a cockroach like him? How laughable! How old
was he? Nineteen? I was 70,000 years old and counting. I could be his ancestor‘s
ancestor for crying out loud!
―I was kidding!‖ He suddenly laughed, throwing his head back as he clutched his
stomach. ―You‘re so serious!‖
I rolled my eyes. ―There‘s always a sliver of truth even in jests.‖
―How interesting you are.‖ He stopped laughing. He assessed me with bright eyes.
―You‘re hardly like the other commoners who would beg for their lives after being
threatened. Even knowing that I am the prince, you don‘t even bow?‖ He sounded
incredulous but not offended.
Tell me, how could a venerable deity such as myself bow to a presumptuous and haughty
mortal like him? How could a great grandmother bow to her infant great grandson? The
thought itself was preposterous!
―I only bow to those I respect,‖ I replied as I turned around to ladle the broth into a bowl.
Seiran was relaxing on my bed upstairs right at this moment, so I didn‘t bother to take
another bowl out for him.
―Ouch! That hurts, juju.‖ He pretended to stagger backwards as if an arrow had pierced
his chest. After he caught sight of the broth in my hands, he stopped acting. ―Do I still get
a bowl of that? It smells really delicious.‖ Why was he acting so overly familiar with me?
It was nauseating. Furthermore, did he come just to beg for food?
―I‘ll give you a bowl if you stop inviting yourself here.‖ Could he stop interfering with
my daily activities? Furthermore, I didn‘t want Jin to catch me with him again. Once was
already enough! I didn‘t want to be branded as an adulterous wife.
Taren was so silent, I wondered what took him so long to answer me. He stared into
space pensively, but didn‘t say anything else even as I sat at the dining table to spoon
myself some broth. Was it that difficult to leave me and this house alone? Or did he think
the broth was not good enough for that barter?
After what seemed like eons, he walked to my side with his brows knitted together.
―I‘ll agree to your terms only if you promise me that in three years time, I‘ll come for
you.‖
―Fine, in three years you can come over again,‖ I said with sarcasm. At least I wouldn‘t
be able to see him in those years! Even if we had just met twice, I didn‘t think I could
bear seeing him again soon without popping a vein.
―By the way, what‘s your name?‖ I asked as I pushed a bowl towards him.
―I did not lie to you. My mother gave me the name Taren, but the people of this country
call me Zemin.‖ He smiled lightly as he placed the bowl to his lips. ―You should feel
fortunate to actually be acquainted with this country‘s prince.‖
Although I was exasperated by his remark, I brushed it off because I wanted to enjoy my
meal. ―I‘m fortunate alright.‖ Again, sarcasm dripped heavily from my words.
When we suddenly started talking about literature, poetry and war, I realized that he was
quite well-versed, opposite to the many rumors of his infamy. For the first time, we
actually had a pleasant conversation during the meal and even joked around to further
ease the mood. I gave in to the pleasantries as a token of our short-lived enmity, and also
as it would be my last time to acquaint myself with him. Perhaps in three years time, after
Jin would graduate from school, he and I would transfer to another city for a change of
environment.
After the pot of broth was consumed and our conversation had run dry, Taren decided to
take his leave. He stopped by the doorway and looked back at me in rumination.
―I‘ll see you in three years, perhaps in the palace?‖ He had on an impish grin as he
combed his blonde hair back away from his face.
―Perhaps in your dreams?‖ I countered. I kicked him out of the house without second
thoughts.
Chapter Thirteen
Just minutes after Taren had left the house, Jin came in through the front door with a dark
expression on his face. I had an inkling that they had encountered each other on the
streets and it terrified me.
―I‘m not having an affair!‖ Was the first thing my mouth spouted after seeing him. My
response was so abrupt, it hung in the air. I wanted to snatch it and stuff it back in my
mouth. I turned red from embarrassment.
Jin looked at me quietly, then his shoulders began to tremble as he laughed. ―I was not
even accusing you.‖ He wiped the tears away from his eyes.
I looked at him sullenly. ―I‘m just saying so you won‘t get the wrong idea. I don‘t want
you to be mad at me again like last time. Rest assured, we won‘t ever be seeing him again
soon.‖
Jin smiled childishly as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. He was already
fourteen years old, and he already surpassed me in height by almost a head. He grew up
so fast that it unnerved me. Although I liked this Jin in front of me, I missed the potato
Jin I held in my arms as well.
I stretched one of Jin‘s smooth cheek in one hand. ―Can you not grow up so fast? You
used to follow me around as a child, and yet here you are now acting like such an adult.‖
Jin held my hand on his cheek tenderly. He smiled. ―You don‘t want to marry a child, do
you?‖
My heart started flipping like a fish out of water. ―No…but…‖
―Then won‘t I be an adult for your convenience?‖ He grinned beguilingly. He held my
palm in his, and I could only look on helplessly at our entwined hands. Hey, this was too
forward of him! He was still fourteen! Hey? Hey!
I tugged at my hand, but he wouldn‘t let me go. I started sweating.
―Ah? I think I hear Seiran in my room?‖ I pretended to hear something in the distance.
―Oh? He wants to take a bath? And he wants to play with yarn?!‖ When Jin‘s hand
loosened on mine, I instantly took my hand back as I dashed up the stairs. ―I‘ll make you
chicken porridge later!‖ I called out to him as he shook his head at me fondly.

The Flying Lotus competition happened every five years. It was a competition between
practitioners of the different clans, to showcase their talent on the stage and honor their
families. The most prominent clan in the Capital was the Hua clan, which always
developed practitioners who ranked top 5 during the competition. A few trained
commoners also applied, but they were all heavily humiliated in defeat in the end, owing
to the fact that they had only cultivated to the elementary stages of Nascent Realm.
I had passed by the colosseum where the competition was held a long time ago, and
needless to say, I was not satisfied by their performance. The most prominent clan had
only Xian profound realm experts taking part in the competition, and no adolescent had
reached the Infernal or Empyrean realm. The Hua clan leader was at middle Infernal
realm, and I didn‘t see anyone who was at the Empyrean realm. I guess I wouldn‘t be
meeting them in Heaven for thousands of years.
Why were these people so weak? Or was it that my standards were too high? I didn‘t
really delve in too deeply on that matter, because I thought it had nothing to do with me.
But Jin approached me one day with a request, ―Can I take part in the Flying Lotus
competition?‖
I was dumbstruck. I had totally forgotten to ask him if he wanted to become a

practitioner. Because I knew he was actually a deity, I didn‘t think it mattered if he
cultivated or not. I had forgotten that he was a mortal now, despite his immortal soul.
―Why do you want to take part?‖ I queried. The next competition would happen a year
from now. It was too soon. Most people with no cultivation background would be aghast
at the idea of spending only a year to train before the competition, but it seemed this
didn‘t deter Jin in the slightest.
―So I can also do something for you,‖ Jin said shyly after some inner deliberation. I
didn‘t understand what he meant by that, however.
―What does taking part in the competition have anything to do with me?‖ I wondered
aloud. Well, if one won the competition, national recognition would be granted together
with an Imperial reward. Last time it was the Heavenly Peach Fruit which was said to
cure any illnesses, and prior to that was a Soul Forming Dan pill which made one leap at
least three levels higher than one‘s current cultivation.
―Well…‖ He looked away as a blush permeated his cheeks. ―Honestly…I just…‖ He said
the following words in a muffled tone, ―…want you to be proud of me.‖
I chuckled. ―You think I‘m not proud of you?‖
―It‘s not that!‖ He shook his head vehemently. ―I want to be able to win this competition
for you.‖ He took my hand in his as he gazed gently at me, then his eyes suddenly
hardened. ―I also don‘t like how the nobles look down upon us commoners so much. The
other day, my friends had a squabble with the Chu Tan clan, and they became heavily
wounded because they did not know how to fight back. If I could defeat them fairly in the
competition, no one would say we were trash again.‖
I see. So his sudden willingness was for vengeance and honor? He was, after all, the God
of War. Perhaps he had already been itching for a power that could save people. It was
very characteristic of him, and one reason why I liked him.
―And why are you telling me this? You think I know anything that‘ll make you strong?‖ I
asked, amused.
―I think you‘re hiding something, but it‘s not bad.‖ His reply surprised me. How did he
know something was different about me? Aside from not aging, aside from lazing around
the house all day but still having it spotlessly clean, aside from secretly blow drying my
hair with a gust of wind from my palm…I also recalled that incident in the past where I
had healed my wound and made him believe he had done it with his kisses and
prayers…damn. I could name a lot that I did (or thought I did) in secret. He was too smart
not to notice.
―Is that so?‖ I said lightly, ―You think I‘m the strongest in the world? That I‘m capable of
raising trash meridians to peak meridians?‖
―Yes,‖ he said with such certainty that I felt pressured into meeting his expectations.
―After all, you took it upon yourself to take care of me all these years without any outside
help. So yes. To me, you are the strongest in the world.‖ He squeezed my hand, and I felt
a warm jolt of electricity run up my arm.
―Well, you‘re right about that. I AM the strongest,‖ I said haughtily. I could only say that
now that I was in the mortal realm. In Heaven, I doubt I would ever win in a spar against
the God of War. When he would remember this conversation in the future, I would
probably be knocking my head against tofu in embarrassment.
I was also glad he didn‘t probe too deeply into my background, or I would have to lie to
him. I honestly did not want to tell him I was actually a deity, because I was afraid of his
reaction. Perhaps if I told him, he would not treat me the same way anymore.
After thinking for some time, I said firmly, ―If revenge is the only thing you‘re after, I‘m
not going to help you. Nothing good comes from revenge, and you have to be prepared to
dig two graves. Besides, such black feelings will only encumber your cultivation.‖
―But I want to do this for you as well,‖ he replied. ―I have two goals. The other is for
vengeance, not simple revenge.‖
He was playing with words, but I also believed that vengeance and revenge were
different things. Vengeance was committed to avenge crimes, and revenge was used for
petty insults. Although they might mean almost the same thing, the level of one‘s
understanding towards these feelings affected the way one was able to circulate spiritual
energy around the body. Negative feelings would hamper one‘s cultivation by remarkably
slowing down one‘s energy flow.
―Well, I actually don‘t believe in using others as a goal, but if that makes you want to
become stronger, then I will allow it.‖ I nodded my head after some thought.
I never was someone who wanted to become strong for other people. I was someone who
became strong for myself, because I believed that the only person I should rely on was
me. I was selfish in that way, but I realized that perhaps I was missing that certain core
that Jin himself had. People held different views of things, and I didn‘t want to force my
own views on him. I also realized that if one had someone they loved, they would want to
become stronger to protect them. He seemed to be a part of such case…I wanted to
believe he loved me as well. Tee hee~
―Will you help me become strong?‖ He looked at me with worried eyes. I couldn‘t turn
down his request now could I? ―I‘ll make you proud.‖
―As I said, you don‘t need to say such things. I‘m already proud of who you are.‖ I kissed
his cheek and he smiled.
Chapter Fourteen
That night, I made Jin sit cross-legged on his bed. I sat on my knees behind him and
touched my palms to his back. I was preparing to assess his meridians and open them.
―How many meridians do you want me to open?‖ I asked. If I opened all of them at once,
the pain would be debilitating to the point where he might die in distress.
―All of them.‖
―Are you sure?‖ I hesitated.
―Please,‖ he said softly. ―Don‘t worry about me, I can do this.‖
―But I‘ll stop if I sense that you won‘t be able to make it, okay?‖ I was afraid he would
cough out blood in the process.
―Okay.‖
With my palms against his back, I closed my eyes as I circulated my spiritual energy
inside his body. I was disappointed to find only two opened meridians in his body, and I
clucked my tongue. These commoners did have trash meridians, even the God of War
could not escape from this predicament.
The energy passed different parts of his body, pin pointing the locations of the meridians.
One by one I gently pried them open until a ‗pu‘ sound could be heard. With every sound
I could feel Jin tremble, but he did not utter a word of complaint, nor did he grunt in pain.
I was amazed by his perseverance as I continued to unlock these points.
The first five meridians were now open, and the sweat on his naked back was so profuse,
I could put a bucket beneath his spine and start a bath.
―Are you okay?‖ I asked worriedly.
He grunted in response.
―I‘ll continue, alright? The next five would be even harder to open, so bear with it while
you can.‖
The next meridians were in hiding inside his body, as if they didn‘t want to come out. But
when I probed them to open, I heard a crack. Jin bent forward in agony, and I could tell
that with the opening of his meridians, he had also successfully taken in spiritual energy
particles that raised his cultivation level. Each breakthrough caused his bone and muscles
to collapse then regenerate in a matter of seconds. The newly regenerated bone and
muscles were tougher and harder than before, thus people with higher cultivation levels
were exponentially stronger.
My palms trembled every time I heard a definite crunch sound, but I told myself to bear
with it. My emotional pain couldn‘t even hold a candle to the kind of pain Jin was feeling
right now.
When the 11th meridian was opened, I paused. Jin was sweating so much that his sweat
soaked up the whole bed. I was honestly itching to order Seiran to bring a bucket.
―Don‘t stop…continue…‖ Jin said in between ragged breaths. His body was bent forward
now as he was in indescribable pain, but I could also feel how much stronger he had
become.
―The last meridian is the hardest to open and the most painful,‖ I said. I wanted to
dissuade him. It wasn‘t necessary to open the last meridian in my opinion, but cultivation
was extremely faster if one had all his meridians opened.
―Please…one last…continue…‖
I sighed.
I already knew the location of the last meridian, and I poked it with my energy. It was a
shy one, as it wouldn‘t open with a gentle tap. I added medium energy to it, and I could
see its field crack in surprise. I applied more energy, and the crack expanded more. I
continued to insert my spiritual energy little by little until it succumbed to my pressure
and opened up entirely. With a huge gasp, Jin fell forward and lost consciousness. I was
happy to note that with just that, he leapt from 1st stage to 6th stage Nascent realm! He
had skipped 5 levels just by opening up his entire meridians!
The entire process lasted for so many hours, I could already see the sun rising from the
windows, and a red-orange glow permeated the room.
Seiran who had been sleeping in the corner, suddenly jumped on the bed. He sat on Jin‘s
back, his tail twitching back and forth.
―Master, I could go water rafting in this room,‖ Seiran said as he pretended to use Jin‘s
back as a raft, pedaling through the waters that were his sweat.
―Seiran you‘re such a moron!‖ I squeezed with laughter.

I was perusing through the skill books that I had in my spatial ring. These were the same
skill books I had secretly ‗borrowed‘ from The Jade Emperor, and I knew they would
come in handy now. I had transferred Jin to my room, because his own room was soaked,
and I already knew he wouldn‘t wake up for a week.
I had visited his school this morning in order to tell the principal of his absence, stating
that he had been incapacitated from his rigorous training. I didn‘t specifically say what
kind of training it was, but the principal seemed to understand. Had he already known
about this from the start?
As I sat in the living room with Seiran pawing at some scrolls, my eyes scanned several
titles. These titles were written by hand, and the handwriting looked very familiar. What
shocked me more after scanning through a variety of skills, was that I had never seen
these said skills before in my spatial ring!
[The Jade Emperor‘s Heavenly Dance][The Jade Emperor‘s Divine Retribution][The

Jade Emperor‘s Dancing Flowers][The Jade Emperor Is A Handsome Man]
….
Uncle, you were actually a narcissist, huh?
[The Jade Emperor‘s Niece]
My eyes bulged.
…wait a minute. Had I read that wrong?!
[The Jade Emperor‘s Niece Who Was Actually A Thief][You Have My Permission][The
Jade Emperor‘s Dragon Beast][Here, Take This][And This][Study Hard][My Lovely
Niece][Learn This Dance][Make Sure To Return These][We Miss And Love You]
I nearly fainted in shock. It was clearly uncle‘s penmanship, but how could he write the
titles of these skills as if he was writing a short letter to me! Furthermore, all of the skills
books that suddenly appeared were of Heavenly grade! It was the highest skill anyone
could make (…well, he was The Jade Emperor after all), but the names were senseless if
you just happened upon a single skill book in your hands. I imagined a practitioner
learning about the Make Sure To Return These skill. He would probably be pressured
into learning the skill fast so he could return the book to me…
I wasn‘t surprised how my uncle learned about my treachery, but I had always wondered
why I had infiltrated the palace too easily, without any obstructions. Perhaps he already
knew of my plan back then, and allowed me to purloin his treasures. But my question
was, how was my uncle able to insert these skill books into my spatial ring? Well, again,
he was The Jade Emperor. He was capable of doing anything…even making senselessly
named skills for fun.
I sighed and selected a few Heavenly Grade skill books that didn‘t have such a bizarre
name and effect. I chose [The Jade Emperor‘s Dragon Beast] just because I had a dragon
masquerading as a feline beside me. When the aforementioned feline heard of this fact,
he happily nudged his head against my hand. I stroked him under the chin and he purred
loudly enough to bother neighbors. I think he rather liked his feline form a little…too
much.
Chapter Fifteen
When Jin woke up, I had already positioned myself on a stool by the bed. I was rewriting
the formation of [The Jade Emperor‘s Dragon Beast] to make it a simple enough skill for
a Nascent Realm practitioner to use. It was actually very difficult to alter the skill, as it
was originally a Heavenly grade scroll. Scrolls were graded: Low grade, Middle Grade,
Jade Grade, Legendary Grade and Heavenly Grade.
I had never heard of anyone in this country using Heavenly Grade skill books, and the
highest skill the clans had in the country was of Jade Grade. And even that was
uncommon. Legendary Grade skill books were even more rare, becoming treasures stored
only by Royalty. But even the Royalty thought it was too precious to be used. I thought
that that was a bunch of hogwash. These skills were not made to be simple decorations
but to be actually used for its purpose! Sheesh, no wonder this country was weak. People
were so selfish.
Jin turned his face towards me. ―What are you doing?‖ I had moved a table beside the
bed, and I was busy rewriting skills on the parchment. Seiran languidly hopped on the
bed and sat on Jin‘s stomach like a king and his vassal.
―So how do you feel?‖ I asked. I swept away the loose strands across his forehead so I
had a better view of his eyes.
―I feel like I could feel everything so clearly.‖ His eyes were bright as he scanned his
surroundings. When one entered cultivation, one‘s senses and strength were heightened
in accordance to the level of cultivation. You would be able to see far into the distance
and revel in the true beauty of colors in the surroundings. Its aesthetic effects were also a
bonus to practitioners who valued beauty.
He suddenly faced me with a troubled look. ―Have you always looked this beautiful?‖
His question was actually so innocent; I didn‘t know what to say. I thought he was
flirting with me, but he actually looked perplexed. I didn‘t know if I should be flattered or
not.
I cleared my throat and changed the subject. ―If you‘re fine now, then let‘s have lunch.‖
I had prepared steamed crabs for lunch, and Jin ate one crab after the other in such a rush
I thought he would choke on a crab leg. Even Seiran was noisily chewing on shells as if it
were made of meat. Even though he looked like a cat, he still retained a dragon‘s strong
jaw and teeth, and more importantly, appetite. He was a walking vacuum that more often
than not, swept the neighbor‘s fish pond whenever I wasn‘t looking. When the neighbor‘s
happened to see bony fish heads floating in their pond, they went and blamed the other
neighbor. I swear I had nothing to do with it.
When we finished lunch, I ushered Jin to the living room while Seiran wrapped his fluffy
white self around my neck like a scarf. He had already started snoring against my neck,
and I was worried he was getting obese. Oh well. It wasn‘t my problem.
―I have a Jade grade skill that‘ll help you in your cultivation.‖ The Heavenly grade had
downgraded to a Jade grade skill, but it was more than satisfactory. If other practitioners
knew of this, they‘d probably kill themselves over it.
I handed Jin a scroll.
[The Jade Emperor‘s Dragon Beast] had turned into [The Jade Emperor‘s Little Dragon].
I hoped he didn‘t mind the Little Dragon bit. My creative juices had already been running
dry.
―Jade grade?‖ Jin‘s eyes widened as he accepted the scroll. ―How?‖
How was I able to acquire that? ‗Cause I was a goddess, of course! But I didn‘t want to
divulge such information to him now.
―Ask me that when you‘ve learned to understand the skill.‖ I stroked the silky hair that
was on his head. In that time when he does learn the skill, he would probably forget he
asked such a question in the first place.
I added, ―Although, it‘s actually quite a difficult skill. But once you know the key, it‘s
easier to take in the spiritual energy and successfully disseminate it throughout your body
to breakthrough to the next level.‖
Jin looked excited as he clutched the scroll against his chest. ―Thank you Juju. I‘ll master
this well. I won‘t let you down!‖
―You won‘t.‖ I had already expected him to exceed my expectations. He was actually the
God of War, so his innate talent would definitely be extraordinary.
He hugged my waist, and planted a kiss on the side of my lips. This was actually the first
time he had kissed me that close to my mouth, and my jaw dropped. When Jin saw my
slackened expression, he laughed.
―Relax! Not until marriage right?‖ He smiled at my slyly.
―Damned brat!‖ I punched him in the shoulder. ―Get your perverted butt out of here and
start doing your homework!‖
He leisurely started walking up the stairs to start cultivating.
―Jin!‖ I called out when I suddenly remembered something. ―I‘ll be going to your school
to teach your friends a few things about cultivation. I‘ll probably make the first ever sect
full of commoners!‖ I added as a joke.
Jin smiled at me adoringly. ―I‘m counting on you to do just that.‖
After hearing what Jin had said about his wounded friends, I honestly couldn‘t just sit and
watch while I saw people being bullied by pests who thought too much of themselves. I
had always made it my motto to help those in need, whenever I could. I had the chance
now, and it would be a waste not to take it.
I wasn‘t going to ransack the noble clans and kill all of them, of course. If I did that, I
didn‘t know what kind of punishment would be given to me in Heaven. I didn‘t even
want to think about it.
If I were to borrow a proverb, what I was about to do was to teach people how to fish on
their own. I wasn‘t going to give them fish to feed themselves once, but a technique or
power to feed themselves in the long run.
Just you wait, you noble devils.
Let us commoners be the revolution that would change our lives forever!
Chapter Sixteen
The first step to this change I was about to make, was to inform The Merry Wives of
what I had planned to do. They were obviously skeptical at first.
―Huh? You‘re actually a practitioner?‖ Their eyes were all bulging out from their sockets.
―Yeah…‖ I coughed. ―So I need your help.‖
―Why did you not tell us something so important before?‖ Dandan asked, looking hurt.
I thought of an immediate excuse. ―That‘s because I didn‘t want you to ostracize me.‖
―We would never ostracize you,‖ Dandan said, looking even more hurt.
―What‘s your cultivation level?‖ Lin asked. She was getting excited, and the thought that
I was lying completely disappeared from her mind.
―I‘m actually…‖ Which realm should I pick? As a deity myself, I surpassed those levels
entirely. I decided to choose a realm which was not too high, but just enough for people
to be in awe of me. ―At the Peak Xian Profound realm.‖
The silence that ensued was so deafening, I looked at their faces in worry. They all stared
at me, slack-jawed. They looked so funny, I wanted to stuff meat buns into their opened
mouths.
I decided to use my authority to stir them awake. ―My first task to you as the appointed
President of The Merry Wives, is to inform all commoners that I am willing to teach
everyone cultivation secrets. No matter what age, I would be able to open up their
meridians to a maximum of ten, if they wished.‖ Ten opened meridians were just right. I
didn‘t want too many people to suffer the pain of having all their meridians opened in one
go. I didn‘t know how many could handle it, when Jin himself went into a coma for a
week.
―You can open meridians?‖ They all had another round of intense shock. I thought their
mouths couldn‘t get any wider, but they did.
―Yes, I will be able to teach you. Do you want to be the army that can open up meridians
for the masses?‖ I winked at them.
They nodded their heads vigorously, their fists clenched. I knew they desired power as
well. As humans, who didn‘t desire such things? They too knew what it was like to be
looked down upon by the noble clans, and as such, built up a desire to retaliate. No one
liked to be called trash after all.
This was the first catalyst to the revolution I had in mind.

I visited the school which Jin attended. I had informed The Merry Wives that I would be
meeting with the future practitioners in the open ground behind the school, in front of the
forest. It was the perfect place to train them, and I felt exhilarated. I had no disciples in
Heaven, and my only training was against the imps in the netherworld, who could not
stand even one blow from my fist. This was a great way to disseminate the skills and
techniques I had, and if I gave birth to geniuses unparalleled by the nobles, I would
become one proud teacher!
―Miss Juju,‖ Principal Lu cleared his throat beside me, ―I have brought with me the
children who seek to know ways of cultivation.‖
I looked behind him, and saw children from five to seventeen years old, about two
hundred in number.
―You brought all your students?‖ I was baffled. I thought they would ridicule my
statements, but I didn‘t think they would actually believe me. If I were a commoner, I
would not believe someone telling me they knew of a person who could teach mystic arts
and opened meridians. It would be too good to be true.
―Not all of them. The rest went to fetch their parents in the district.‖ Principal Lu smiled
at me. ―May I also be present during your teachings, Miss Juju? I too, would like to know
the ways of cultivation arts. Although I am but a frail old man, will you still be able to
teach me?‖ Aside from strengthening one‘s body, becoming a practitioner also meant
extending one‘s life. His toothy grin softened my heart.
―Of course, principal! No matter how young or old, I‘ll help you all!‖ I exclaimed
triumphantly, and the children cheered.
While I was waiting for the next batch of recruits from The Merry Wives, I started to
open meridians. I opened the meridians in accordance to how much pain they could
tolerate, but I always made it a point to have the minimum number of five meridians
opened. This would definitely elevate their status in this country.

I never had experienced physical or mental exhaustion before as a deity, but right now, as
I helped these people open their meridians, I felt mental exhaustion for the first time. I
was fine physically, but mentally, I felt like my head was going to explode.
The Merry Wives had brought in the people they had gathered in the square, numbering
about eight hundred! I was so flabbergasted, that I just stared at the streaming flow of
people entering the whole expanse of my vision.
―We brought in recruits!‖ Meifen announced, leading a group of middle-aged men behind
her.
Many of the people who gathered here looked skeptical. The older generation looked
uncomfortable, but the children were restless, trembling with excitement. The crowd was
beginning to be noisy, and I realized that I had to do something to catch their attention
and make them believe my capabilities.
―Attention, everyone!‖ I cupped a hand around my mouth, lacing my voice with magic so
it was transmitted to the whole area, entering every person‘s ears. Soon enough, a hush
descended upon the crowd as they all turned to look at me expectantly.
To better everyone‘s view, I raised the ground beneath my feet until I created a small
stage that was about five meters tall. I looked at the stricken expressions on their faces
and was satisfied. But this wasn‘t enough.
―I assume most of you think I‘ve conned you all. Who would think that a person such as
myself suddenly became a practitioner without anyone knowing?‖
A murmur escaped the crowd but I raised my hand to silence them. I‘ve already had my
fair share of commanding the imps and spirits in the netherworld, and this wasn‘t
anything different to me.
―I gather you all here today to ask you to believe me. As a commoner, do you feel like
you‘re stepped on?‖ Some awkwardly shifted their feet and some looked at me with
hardened eyes. ―That you‘re too weak to change? To retaliate? To become someone you
yourself could be proud of?‖
As I assiduously tempted the crowd for power, they started chattering to themselves. I
could feel an excited aura emanate from them, but there were still people who thought
that I merely had good interpersonal skills and no talent to back up my words.
―Why am I here?‖ I asked this question aloud and the crowd erupted further. ―To help
you change. If you don‘t believe in my capabilities after this, then feel free to leave.‖
A raised my hand and formed a sword using my spiritual energy. I limited my abilities to
those belonging in the Xian Profound realm, and in this realm, one was capable of
materializing one‘s energy to form physical objects to use as a weapon. Since I actually
had divine spiritual energy flowing inside me, the sword in my hand glittered golden as I
moved, with an incandescent aura enveloping its entirety.
The crowd was silent. Not one person dared to move as they saw me wielding the sword
in my hand. They were all struck dumb with awe.
I quickly dissolved the sword in my hand, and turned around, using the same golden
essence to strike a tree behind me in half. The huge tree was cleanly split into two, and I
felt very satisfied.
I turned back to the crowd with a smiling face. They should be able to believe me now,
right?
―So, who are willing to learn under my tutelage?‖ I placed a hand on my hip and posed.
The crowd of approximately one thousand suddenly kowtowed in domino effect.
―We greet our sect Master!‖ Ah? I wasn‘t planning on creating a sect though…?
I had a nagging sensation. Why did it seem like I had unwittingly created an army? Why
was I getting a very bad feeling about this?
The crowd continued to kowtow in reverence and some people even started openly
crying, Principal Lu included.
Okay, okay, you could stop now.
I forcefully erased the misgivings I had in my head.
Chapter Seventeen
Because The Merry Wives and I had become mentally exhausted just by opening
meridians, I thought it was better if I gave the crowd a chance to learn it themselves. This
would save time and effort for all of us.
I thought of my teachings as long-term, and I basically wasn‘t in a rush. None of the

commoners actually thought they would be able to compete in the Flying Lotus
competition in the next year, but they were still glad to be able to learn how to cultivate
properly, as none of them had any educational background on that matter.
I had stood on my dais again as I dictated to my disciples the formula of opening up one‘s
meridians. I tried my best to simplify it, but many still did not understand. I had told them
to raise their hand if they had any questions, and many palms shot up in the air in a matter
of seconds. Soon, with their own strength, they were able to open up the meridians they
had thought were closed forever. This gave them such a feeling of fulfillment that as each
meridian was popped open, a crying sound could be heard as well, but it wasn‘t from the
pain.
It was pleasing to note these people were so diligent, especially those middle-aged
workers who thought they could not be anything else. I hoped this was also a way to
build their self-esteem.
Since the adults who had become my disciples also had work to do during the day, I let
the younger generation give them notes of what had transpired during my day teachings.
It was a way for my teachings to become efficient, and a way to prevent anyone from
being left out of the loop. The students of the school attended my lectures diligently, as
the Principal himself had inserted it as compulsory in their curriculum.
I plotted out my teaching schedules which occurred thrice a week. For the first three
months, I taught them all the basics of cultivation. The fourth to sixth month, I taught
them easy methods of making cultivation enhancing pills. Pills were a luxury that only
the nobles could afford to make, and I flipped that notion by making use of locally
bought herbs, teaching them a different way of refinement to produce same or even
greater effects. On the seventh month, I made them write down the skills I had simplified
from The Jade Emperor‘s skill books.
―I am willing to share these Jade grade skills with you, but as someone under my sect,
never ever reveal these hidden cards to any other sect!‖ I declared and all of them shook
their heads vehemently.
The crowd shouted. ―No way, master!‖ ―We will never reveal these to the sect of the
nobles!‖ ―NEVAH!!!‖ Okay, calm down.
When the day‘s lecture ended, a group of children came to me with glittering eyes.
―Our Master Goddess, you have not told us the name of our sect,‖ one potato asked
cheerily. More importantly, what was with the title ‗Master Goddess‘ ?!
―You want me to give a sect name? Do I have to give one?‖ I suppressed the whining
tone in my voice.
―Of course, Sect Master! This is the first sect made of commoners in this country!‖
―This is the sect that‘ll make you proud!‖
―This is the sect where all our dreams come true!‖
These children were so enthusiastic.
―We love you Master!‖
―We are willing to die for you!‖
Why was this conversation turning morbid, hey!
―Master, give the sect a name!‖
They all waited patiently in front of me with starry eyes, I felt pressured into meeting
their naming expectations.
―I‘ve got a good one,‖ I said hastily, even if my brain was just full of air.
They looked at me expectantly, their faces shining. I gulped. Suddenly, I remembered my

true hair color and what people had said about it.
―Moonlight sect!‖ I said victoriously. ―The sect where…things happen at night,‖ I added
lamely. I needed one liter of creative juice now!
―Yes! It‘s the sect that will be unfalteringly beautiful despite the darkness!‖ One little girl
squealed with her dimpled cheeks glowing.
―That‘s absolutely right!‖ I gloated, secretly thanking the little girl for artistically twisting
my words.
―Hooray for the birth of Moonlight sect!‖
―Cheers to the Moonlight sect!‖
The potatoes ran around the area, delivering news of the new name with fervid tones. I
felt emotionally drained.
Seiran also suddenly became the sect mascot. He himself felt like the sacred beast that he
was supposed to be, as the children delivered fish to his face even while he was sleeping
idly under a tree. When Seiran slept around my neck, the children would look on me
shyly, their fingers twitching. I knew what they wanted, so I often lent Seiran to them.
After lessons, they would play around after eating. Sometimes, Seiran was bored of
playing, so he just liked to sit on a child‘s shoulder like a regal King.
Right now Seiran became too obese, he could not fit himself onto a small shoulder, and
decided to move back to my neck, where he hung like a mewling scarf. His obesity didn‘t
actually affect his health, as sacred beasts of the dragon race were immune to such
illnesses, but I felt I was being a bad master to let him grow horizontally without concern.
When I told him to go on a diet, he cried pitifully, acting all cutesy around me.
―You‘re too heavy around my neck. Lose weight or I won‘t carry you ever again.‖
I didn‘t think it was such an effective threat.

As time passed, my sect grew in number. My teachings were passed down to these
newcomers like it was a divine secret which could destroy the country. I didn‘t think it
was so amazing, as that knowledge I imparted to them was common in Heaven, but every
time the new sect members held multiple papers containing these ‗secrets‘, they would
look at me with even more reverence I thought was impossible.
I didn‘t mind such things, and was just happy that they themselves evolved into capable
practitioners. I was happy to see the change in the commoners. One could tell from the
glistening skin that turned heads in the city and from the way they held themselves
upright, that their bearings were more confident.
Sometimes I held practice sessions. I segregated the people into different groups,
according to their age. With the help of The Merry Wives, who had become very efficient
in crowd control, the practices ran smoothly. I had given my disciples different skill
books for more variety, and I watched each match meticulously, pointing out flaws on
their usage of spiritual energy or footwork. All in all, things were going better than I
expected.
The only thing that exceeded my expectations was how the commoners themselves
pooled money in order to actually build an edifice that would solidify the sect. I had
refuted them at first, saying that there was no need to build such a grand building, but
they all persisted with such fervor I could not reject their scintillating faces. Although
most commoners had only paltry income, there existed wealthy merchants in my sect
who donated a staggering sum.
There didn‘t seem to be financial problems, but I still hesitated to comply to their
arrangements. After all, establishing my sect would cause a huge uproar among the
nobles and royals. Although my disciples were discreet about their learnings, I was sure
their progress also reached the nobles‘ ears, but it seemed there was no blatant reaction
coming from them. Perhaps they didn‘t bother validating the rumor, as they thought
commoners were always trash practitioners no matter what the case. However, if there
actually was a Moonlight sect building popping out of nowhere, it was solid proof of our
sect‘s sudden rise of power.
I hoped the Emperor didn‘t think of this as the commoner‘s way of an uprising. I had a
feeling such would be the case. If commoners had found a foothold in the realm of
practitioners, with their massive number, they could very well lead to a country‘s demise
if they were to band together.
I told myself what I was doing was helping them achieve their dreams of cultivation, and
I honestly hoped they would not think of insurgency. The current monarch was not evil, I
knew, but there were quite a number of nobles who pulled those evil strings and many
commoners were dissatisfied by the way the current country was run. Whenever I thought
of all these variables, it always caused me a splitting headache. I waved away such
concerns and just agreed to my disciple‘s proposition. Hey, at least they actually had a
decent training hall now, as opposed to a muddy training field.
Jin had been locked up in his room for many months, only coming out after breaking
through another level. He was very diligent, and I didn‘t dare intrude into his base. When
he learned of my sect, he laughed out loud.
―What did I say?‖ He pinched my cheek. ―Congratulations, master.‖ His lips trembled as
he tried to contain his laughter.
―Don‘t mock me, brat!‖ I slapped his hand away from my face and harrumphed. ―You
only have a few more days until the competition. Are you ready?‖
He shrugged his shoulders with a light grin. ―I‘ll be sure to take first place. I wonder what
the prize will be?‖ He actually looked like he was pondering over the prize. He was too
confident!
―Say that when you‘ve actually won!‖ I rolled my eyes. ―Besides, two of my disciples
suddenly wanted to join in as well. Their cultivation speed is remarkable, so you
shouldn‘t be so overconfident with your abilities. Who knows, perhaps my disciples will
be bringing you down.‖ I didn‘t think much of the nobles‘ cultivation levels. Despite my
disciples‘ lower level, the Jade grade skills they learned from me would compensate the
level difference.
―Oh? Is this a bet?‖ He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth rising. Ever since he
turned fifteen, his shoulders became broader and his muscles were firmer from being in
elementary stage Xian profound realm. I could even see a hint of stubble around his
chiseled jawline, and I sometimes had the urge to scratch it out. All in all, he was
transforming into a very masculine…potato. The potato would always be a potato.
―What would I possibly bet on that you don‘t have? You already have me, after all,‖ I
threw in a flirtatious line that turned him into a ripe tomato (potato!). My disciples were
actually still in the middle stages of Nascent realm, so battling against Jin was not an
option as the competition was divided by realms.
―Never mind.‖ He casually turned around to hide his ruddy face. ―I said I was going to
win this for you, so I will. I won‘t be half-hearted about this.‖ After his flush subsided, he
added while turning towards me, ―With your disciples in the match, it will definitely
cause an uproar among the nobles.‖ He grinned widely. ―We can say goodbye to being
called trash forever.‖
―That‘s the plan.‖ I returned his smile.
Chapter Eighteen
The competition started on a seemingly propitious summer day. Banners were strewn
across the city in color, with posters of significant contestants who wowed the crowd for
generations plastered on random walls. Everyone was in a festive mood.
In the colosseum, I had paid a handsome amount for the box seat I was currently at.
Because pets were not allowed to enter, I hid Seiran in my soul space, and he was
currently asleep. The box seats in the colosseum were high enough to properly see the
contestants below. Because this was the most expensive seat for non-royals, I was seated
in between the nobles who turned towards me with questioning glances which I decidedly
ignored. So what if I was not a noble in this country? I paid for this seat, so I had my
rights to be here. Hmph.
The box was right beneath the royal family‘s sectioned area, and I could properly see
Taren sitting beside his mother. When he saw me, he quickly did a wave and excused
himself to his family. Every noble turned their heads to bow and look at the second
prince who was jovially headed this way, his golden hair standing out conspicuously
amidst the black. I pretended not to notice the noble girls staring daggers into my back as
Taren paused in front of me with a smile. Because there were no other seats available, he
glared at a certain high-ranked duke of the Tiu clan who sat beside me, and the poor
fellow had to get out of his seat to stand in the back with a sorrowful look.
―It‘s been only a year since we last met. Don‘t you have two more years till we meet
again?‖ I kept my voice low as to avoid the nobles who were obviously eavesdropping on
our conversation, if their crouching positions were any indication.
―I can‘t hear you.‖ He leaned closer to me that my lips were almost touching his ears.
―I said, you‘re ugly,‖ I shout-whispered into his ear, and he started shaking with laughter.
He had obviously heard me the first time I spoke.
―Shh, it‘s starting.‖ He looked like he was about to grasp my hand, so I quickly folded
my arms across my chest. I heard Taren cluck his tongue and I wanted to knock his teeth
out. How dare he be flirty with me! I decided to ignore his existence.
The competition started with practitioners of the Nascent realm in an elimination style of
tourney. My two disciples who were competing in the competition waited at the side of
the ring patiently. They were both Jin‘s friends from school, and they were named Dewei
and Zixin, the very friends of his who got into a squabble with the Chu Tan clan years
ago.
When they had come to me for permission to participate in the Flying Lotus competition,
I had initially denied them. I told them the same thing I had told Jin years ago. ―If
revenge is what you seek, I won‘t allow it. Nothing good comes out of it, and it will only
taint your heart, crippling your abilities to cultivate.‖ Perhaps the reason for the slow
progress of the noble‘s cultivation was because of their tainted minds as well…together
with their stupidity.
Dewei and Zixin came back to me a few days later with a change of heart.
―Sect Master, we humbly apologize for our horrible mindset.‖ They hugged their fists
and bowed to me.
―You don‘t need to apologize,‖ I waved away their worries. ―One can‘t evade such
thoughts.‖
―Sect Master, please allow us to join the competition. We won‘t be doing it for revenge
against the Chu Tan clan, for we have put that in the past. We are willing to compete in
order to show the glory of the Moonlight sect which Master made in order for us mere
commoners to ascend to the Heavens at last,‖ Dewei said this with such emotion that his
lips trembled.
―We won‘t die from getting kicked in the balls anymore! This is all thanks to Sect
Master,‖ Zixin said happily. Wait, it‘s not normal to die because of that, you know!
―Sect Master Goddess, please grant us permission!‖ They bowed their heads so low, they
were about to touch their knees. But why was my title suddenly longer, hey!
I sighed heavily. I was partly relieved by their change in mindset, but I was afraid of the
commotion it would cause if they were to stand on stage and declare that the Moonlight
sect was actually a legitimate sect which held knowledge that the noble‘s did not have. I
was rather negative minded but I honestly did not want to cause so much trouble in the
mortal realm.
The tournament announcer‘s booming voice woke me from my anxiety. His name was
Ping, and he suddenly declared, ―Contestant Dewei of the Moonlight sect!‖
Thousands of people in the colosseum started to murmur amongst themselves.
―The Moonlight sect, made by the commoners!‖ The announcer looked like he wanted to
laugh. I wanted to choke him. ―Ah, well, anyway, contestant Dewei against Kong Dei
from the Hua clan sect! The rising star of the Hua clan who recently cultivated to become
a Middle Nascent realm practitioner!‖
As the two stepped onto the stage, I fisted my hands on my lap in worry. Although I had
checked Dewei and Zixin‘s progress constantly ever since they said they would take part
in the tourney, I still felt ill at ease. I knew they were capable of winning, but I didn‘t
want them to be hurt in the process.
―I wonder who the master of the Moonlight sect is,‖ Taren said from beside me. I had
almost forgotten his entire existence. ―I don‘t know yet of the abilities of these children,
so I cannot say if the master is foolish or cunning.‖
It was awkward hearing someone talk about yourself in third person, so I just kept the
flow of the conversation as if it had nothing to do with me. ―Why do you say cunning?‖
―Cunning because that person waited until many commoners reached an age where they
were capable of understanding the secrets of cultivation. With this, that person would be
able to create an enormous army under his jurisdiction. That thought alone is alarming.‖
Big drops of sweat rolled down my face. I wasn‘t creating an army! I really wasn‘t! I
cried out in mental anguish. I promise I was just helping them retain their pride!
―Ha ha,‖ I laughed awkwardly. ―Why are you telling a commoner like me for? I‘m
just…‖ My voice faded as I saw the look in his eyes.
―You‘re saying you‘re still a commoner after being able to purchase these box seats?‖ He
raised a golden eyebrow, and I surreptitiously wiped away the sweat that had fallen on
my lashes.
―It wasn‘t that expensive…ha ha.‖ I started fanning myself as I blew out a stray strand of
hair away from my face. ―Hoo, It‘s such a hot day today.‖
―These seats cost 100 Jade coins…‖ He looked at me intently.
Damned prince! Why was he so smart now? Could he not look into these circumstances
so meticulously? I was just here to enjoy the tourney!
―I have been honest with you, so you have to be honest with me in return.‖ A strange
light was in his eyes, and I gulped. I was really terrible at fabricating things on the spot.
He said softly, ―Who are you?‖
―The winner is…!‖ The announcer suddenly stopped his sentence as the whole crowd
froze. Since I had been previously occupied, I didn‘t get to see Dewei‘s entire match. I
inwardly cursed. My heart hammered against my chest as finally the announcer moved to
the side to reveal Kong Dei, who was lying face down on the ground, unmoving.
I wanted to know which skill Dewei had used for the instant kill, and I was frustrated.
However, other people did not feel the same.
The crowd roared upon seeing the result.
―Unbelievable!‖
―A commoner incapacitating Kong Dei with five mere steps? Impossible!‖
―He must be using black arts!‖
―That‘s right, that‘s right! How else would they achieve such victory?‖
―That Moonlight sect is teaching black arts!‖
Hey, there was a limit to one‘s patience, and if these nobles continued to sully the divine
skills I had imparted to my disciples, I would definitely start rampaging. These skills
were ones from Heaven! How dare they say they were of black arts! I breathed in and
out, trying to calm myself. I was being such a hypocrite. I had told the boys that I would
not allow acts to be done out of revenge, yet here I was, restraining my urge to do just
that.
Taren saw my clenched fists and he asked delicately, ―What‘s wrong?‖
―Because victory is suddenly with the commoners, nobles start to resort to slandering
because they had lost face?‖ I intentionally raised my voice so the nobles nearby could
hear me. I turned to look at Taren straight in the eyes. ―Tell me, do nobles have no pride
at all?‖
I could feel palpable waves of anger surrounding me, and I saw one elderly noble stand
up. He was about to hurl expletives at my face, but Taren himself stood up, prompting a
hushed silence across the gossiping crowd.
―Please announce that the winner is Dewei.‖ Taren told the announcer as he laced magic
with his voice. ―I did not see any Demonic intent with his skills, nor was there any black
aura emanating from his person, which are both signs of practitioners of the black arts.
Rest assured everyone, victory goes to the right person.‖
No noble was reassured though, and only the commoners in the opposite section of the
colosseum shouted with joy. Although Taren was known as the good for nothing prince,
he still held authority which could not be denied. He was also the son of the Imperial
concubine, the woman whom the Emperor loved more than the Empress, so he was able
to do anything he wanted without being scolded. In fact, the Emperor was so terrifyingly
indulgent with this second prince, it would be no joke to say any crime of his would be
pardoned no matter what.
When Taren sat back down, I could not restrain the gratitude I felt in my heart.
―Thank you,‖ I said as I smiled at him for the first time.
―I don‘t need your thanks.‖ He winked at me. ―I only need your lips.‖
The smile froze on my face and a vein on my temple twitched. This damned prince! I
turned my head away quickly so as to prevent myself from getting ideas on how to roast
him alive in my head.
Chapter Nineteen
―You haven‘t replied to me,‖ Taren said as his eyes bore into mine.
―Huh? About what?‖ I kept my eyes on the battlefield, and I was excited to see that it was
Zixin who stepped proudly on the stage, his robe dancing as a wind flew past. He looked
extremely well-prepared, and I was hoping he would use the [Wind Phoenix] skill I had
created for him ever since I saw he had an aptitude for wind magic. He could also use
skills of water and fire, but he preferred the wind since he could make his hair float for
aesthetic purposes. Boys were so vain.
―Are you perhaps a royal of another country? With your unparalleled beauty, perhaps you
come from the North?‖ Taren‘s words went through one ear and passed through the
other.
Zixin was battling against a brat from the Hua clan named Dijun. Dijun was at the peak
of Nascent realm, and I realized he had the potential to break through to the Xian
profound realm in any time. Zixin was still at the middle stages of Nascent realm, and he
had a hurdle of 5 levels to go over if he wanted to defeat Dijun.
I bit my lip. There were 12 levels for each realm, and even one level difference between
the other competitors was a vast gap in skills. Although I had made him learn how to
efficiently control his spiritual energy, so as not to expend so much effort in just a simple
technique, I wasn‘t quite sure if this 5 level difference was a hurdle he could surpass. I
thought my techniques for him would suffice, but with his opponent at Peak Nascent
realm, I was having my doubts.
Maybe if he used [Dragon Dance], he would be able to win. It was a technique I had
given to him after Seiran had been bored with eating and decided to be creative one day.
He created the technique to showcase the power of the mighty dragon by a powerful
illusion, and since Seiran himself was a dragon, he was able to capture its skill essence
completely and impart it as a formation. It was of Jade grade, but its effects were more
that of Legendary grade. Seiran was an intelligent creature, as he came from the line of
ancient sacred beasts in Heaven, but nowadays his stomach controlled his brain more
than I would normally allow. I wanted to slap his furry behind.
In Dewei‘s previous competition, his opponent was at the middle stages of Nascent realm
as well, so it was obvious who the winner would be. I just hoped Zixin would use my
techniques well and incapacitate his opponent. Those were the techniques I had made up
on a whim as I had my mock battles with the imps in the Netherworld. It was surely
effective.
―Are you a runaway bride? You don‘t want to marry the eldest son of the duke of some
household in your country, so you escaped to here?‖ I tuned my ears and realized that
Taren had not stopped his incessant chatter since the beginning.
―Uh, aren‘t you going to watch the competition?‖ I asked grimly with my eyes still
focused on the ring. Dijun had released his tiger aura, and I could see that it had caused
Zixin to inevitably tremble.
―My questions are more important.‖
―Could you shut up.‖
―There‘s only one way for you to make me.‖
―Oh, I know what that one way is. I‘ll kiss you later,‖ I lied.
Through the corner of my eyes, I saw that he had stiffened up as a red blush slowly
suffused his whole face. So this thick-skinned person had the ability to be embarrassed as
well? It was rather shocking.
―R-really?‖ He stammered. ―I was…I was just kidding!‖
―I know. That‘s why I lied,‖ I said nonchalantly and he was instantly hit with gloom.
Zixin subdued the tiger aura with his own willpower, and he started to fly as if the winds
were carrying him around the ring. Dijun started his skill, and lightning bolts flew from
his palms, trying to strike the Zixin that had carefully evaded each one.
―A true man takes these bolts head on!‖ Dijun was angry as he spouted these words.
―Who would be stupid enough to not realize those bolts would kill him?‖ Zixin retorted.
He gathered the winds and sent a cyclone to where Dijun was standing. Dijun instantly
dissipated the winds by dispersing them with his bolts.
It was a stalemate for quite a long time. The audience‘s boredom was immensely
palpable. However, the prominent Hua clan could not lose face right now, or they would
be definitely kicked out of the top 5. They had to win or they wouldn‘t be able to walk
with dignity anymore. In the end, pride was all that mattered to them.
―Impossible!‖ Dijun screamed as his flaming tiger had been slashed to minute pieces by
the [Wind Phoenix] skill that Zixin used. Dijun already looked well spent, his legs
wobbling to stand up. Because his spiritual energy was circulated haphazardly, his energy
expenditures were significant every time a skill was used. In contrast, Zixin had
circulated his spiritual energy through his meridians evenly, leaving no fenestrations.
Zixin was standing serenely in the rink, his breathing even and paced. At times, he would
secretly attack the weak points of Dijun‘s circulated energy, rendering him even more
frazzled. Everyone could see the significant difference between these two, and it was as
clear as day that Zixin‘s level of skill mastery was on a completely higher level than that
of Dijun‘s.
The announcer Ping did not want to proclaim the winner so fast, as it was obvious he still
held the commoner‘s Moonlight Sect as one unworthy of winning, but these blatant facts
could not be denied. In the end, because Dijun was already crawling on the ground,
refusing to give up so pitifully, announcer Ping could not help but proclaim the winner
with a cracking voice.
―And the winner is…Zixin of the Moonlight Sect!‖ Ping‘s voice held fake enthusiasm,
but the other Moonlight Sect disciples who were watching from the sidelines did not
mind it, and they instead held on to each other with joy, cheering loudly.
Zixin had won! I felt so proud of both him and Dewei, that I couldn‘t hide the smile that
was spreading so brightly across my face. I was even prouder of Zixin for not using the
other high grade skills such as [Dragon Dance], and he simply relied on his own strength
and agility in overcoming the level difference, pushing the Peak Nascent realm
practitioner to an exhausted state. This was considered an intelligent tactic as well, even
if it did sound somewhat sneaky.
―I…won‘t…give up…‖ Dijun said through ragged breaths as half of his face was kissing
the ground. In but a moment, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he lost
consciousness. Rest in peace, little one.
―Moonlight Sect is quite amazing,‖ Taren mused beside me. He had long stopped asking
me about my background. He had occasionally made unwanted commentaries here and
there, but I closed off my ears.
―I hope to meet their Master one day and converse with him. I have not seen techniques
such as those before. Is it perhaps an ancient skill passed down in secrecy? Nothing else
comes to mind.‖ Taren‘s eyebrows were furrowed in thought. I wondered how he would
react if I said I was the Master of such a Sect.
―Who knows.‖ I shrugged.
The Nascent Realm tournament ended, and the different winners of the fights would
battle it out again after the Xian Profound Realm tournament commenced.
―Is your son taking part of the Xian Profound realm tourney?‖ Taren asked.
―What son?‖ I looked at him with a repulsed expression on my face. I knew who he was
referring to, but I hated it when people thought Jin was my son. Did I look that old??
Okay, so maybe I was actually a little old if one did not simply look at my face…70,000
years old to be exact…I cried inwardly.
―Or your little brother. Him.‖ Taren pointed at Jin‘s tall figure in the crowd of other Xian
Profound realm competitors. Although Jin wasn‘t as expensively dressed as the other
nobles who were competing, his incredible aura was enough to turn heads.
―Is he a part of the Moonlight Sect as well?‖ Taren asked, curious.
―No.‖ But if you took in to account the fact that I too had given him instructions on how
to cultivate, I guess one could say he was also under my tutelage, and somewhat part of
the Moonlight Sect?
I added, ―But if he wants to be part, I won‘t stop him.‖
―Do you know the prize of today‘s competition?‖ Taren asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
―It hasn‘t been announced yet.‖ I was curious. I was sure Taren would blurt it out soon.
―Do you want to know?‖ He said, looking shady.
―With that kind of look on your face?‖ I wrinkled my nose. ―Never mind.‖
―No, wait! Don‘t mind my face at all.‖ He chuckled as he fixed his expression. ―Do you
want to know now?‖
―If you want to say it, go ahead.‖ I acted as though he owed me a favor.
Taren raised the corners of his lips into a smile. ―Well, aside from taking home monetary
assets, the winner of this competition would be selected to be the lieutenant of the
Imperial army, learning under the current General so he may be the next leader.‖
My eyes narrowed. ―Wait, that latter doesn‘t sound very promising? It sounds more like
you‘re forcing the winner to serve the country for your sake.‖
Taren shook his head, looking a bit piqued by my words. ―In this country, it is an honor
to serve as part of the Imperial army. The army has had outstanding wins and very rare
losses, that many people think of them as heroes in the city.‖
―An honor, you say?‖ I snorted. ―That‘s quite a prejudiced view. I understand why you
think this way, however, the winner should be given a choice on that matter. Not
everyone thinks that sacrificing themselves is an honor to the country.‖ I would definitely
not sacrifice my own life for this current country, but if it were the Heaven I lived, it
would be an honor to sacrifice my life for my parents to live on.
I saw Taren‘s fists clench, as he restrained the anger that was boiling up inside him. This
was the first time I saw him so angry, and I was amazed that he would be so tetchy when
it came to imperial matters. I thought he saw it as beneath himself.
―Why are you so angry when I am merely speaking up my views? As you have noticed
earlier, I do not come from this country, but from somewhere far away. You can‘t hold
my opinions against me, as I am not an official citizen here.‖ I gave him a hard stare until
he calmed down.
―Juju, don‘t say those things again.‖ Taren‘s eyes held no humor in them. ―If anyone else
aside from me heard your words, you would be executed on the spot for lese-majeste.
Though in my father‘s vocabulary it is the same as treason. This is my warning to you,
because I do not want you to die.‖ He looked at me with a soft light in his eyes as he
added, ―It would be a great loss.‖
―Just those things would immediately warrant an execution?‖ I was appalled, not caring
about how different he looked at me now. ―No wonder your country is not prospering.
Even a little constructive criticism would cause an innocent head to roll.‖
Taren glared at me, and I immediately closed my mouth. Although the nobles beside me
were watching the match with tense expressions, I hoped they had not overheard the
conversation that we were trying to hide by whispering.
―Let‘s watch the tourney. It‘s almost your little brother‘s turn,‖ Taren said slowly as he
looked away from me. He started to grab my hand on my lap again, and I pinched his
flesh, causing him to yelp in surprise.
Chapter Twenty
When it was Jin‘s turn on the ring, my fists were again clenched against my lap with
worry. No matter how confident he had been, I would always worry about him.
―Jin from the Moonlight Sect against Zedong from the Hua Clan Sect!‖ Announcer
Ping‘s voice echoed throughout the stadium.
Jin actually made himself a part of the Moonlight Sect? I was secretly happy. But why
did this Master not know of it?!
After the introductions were made, Jin and Zedong took up their stances. I could see that
Zedong was also at the elementary stages of Xian Profound, so Jin had an advantage.
[The Jade Emperor‘s Little Dragon] was a skill that surpassed the Jade grade in terms of
effects, and I already knew Jin would win in just a matter of minutes. I was just curious to
know how he was going to do just that.
Zedong materialized a spear in his hands using his spiritual energy, and it was flaming
red, mirroring the hatred that he didn‘t bother to conceal in his eyes. What was he so mad
about anyway? Well, Dewei and Zixin both won during the Nascent realm round, and it
would just be a matter of time before they announced them to take either first or second
place, so perhaps it bothered him? Ah, the Hua Clan was supposed to always take the top
spots, I forgot. It was too bad. I started snickering in my head.
Jin held his right hand out, and a silver light emanated from within, his own energy
forming a long sword, with trails of dark silver flowing from the tip as if it were smoke.
When Zedong threw his spear, it suddenly split into two. Then the two spears continued
splitting apart until the whole ring was half-filled with them, forming a wall between both
opponents, leaving no openings for Jin to pass through unscathed.
Jin, however, did not seem to panic. He raised his left hand, and another silver long
sword appeared. As the spears launched towards him for an attack, Jin twirled both
swords in his hands so fast, cleanly cutting the red spears of flames that came within a
meter‘s distance.
This type of swordplay was so outstanding that no one in the crowd was able to utter a
sound, as they all gaped in amazement at Jin with his swords, looking almost as if he had
created a silver shield that surrounded him. Everyone started leaning over their seats to
get a better view. I felt immense pride well up in my chest.
When all of the fiery spears were dispersed, Jin launched the [The Jade Emperor‘s Little
Dragon] skill, synchronizing it with both of his swords. Soon, his two swords became
silver dragons that flew intimidatingly in the air. The crowd was surprised, and they
began to chatter loudly. This was a skill that was never seen before by these mortals, and
my chest puffed up more with pride.
―What…what is that!‖ Zedong screamed, as he hastily collected all his broken spears
from the ground to turn back into his energy. Unfortunately, before he could gather
enough energy to fight back, he was knocked out by a dragon‘s mighty kick. Zedong
became unconscious in but a moment, and the winner was decided. Everyone felt it was
too anticlimactic, and I agreed with them. The Hua clan was actually so weak…
―The winner is…Jin from the Moonlight Sect!‖
Jin calmly retracted his dragons back to his palms, and he bowed deeply to the crowd
before returning to the sidelines. As the match progressed and the losers were eliminated,
Jin came out victorious through it all. It was then the last match where the official winner
of the games was decided, and Jin‘s opponent was another disciple of the Hua clan, with
the name Qilang.
―Now that I know your hidden card, I won‘t be played a fool! This is payback for my
Brother Zedong! I will kill you!‖ Killing was not allowed in the tournament, but if it was
accidental (or seemed to be one), it was looked over. However, this abrupt declaration of
annihilation made him unable to escape the penalty that awaited him after his killing, and
when Qilang realized this, he turned pale.
At this point in time when Qilang was worriedly standing on the stage, he did not realize
that Jin had already dispatched a white dragon behind him to knock him out on the head.
―I…It was a mere slip of the tongue!‖ Qilang declared before diving head first into the
ground, a slim dragon resting languidly against his unconscious figure.
Sigh. Yet another anticlimactic battle.
This victory was so easy, I felt truly disappointed. Even his first battle was ten times
more exciting than this. This was a championship game, and yet Qilang had been so
stupid as to recklessly blurt out nonesense that caused his downfall! It was his own fault
for standing so idle even when the battle had already commenced. I thought I was the
only one thinking of such things, but it seemed like the rest of the nobles did as well. I
heard bits and pieces of their chatter flowing into my ears.
―That Qilang boy is a disappointment!‖
―The Hua clan has lost my favor. Why did they send out such dissatisfying disciples!‖
―It is the Moonlight Sect that is so strong, you would not believe it.‖
―A bunch of trash commoners actually know something!‖
―It is hard to believe, but they are not the trash we knew of.‖
I was happy that they changed their views about the commoners, however, most of them
still believed that winning was merely a stroke of good fortune, as they repeatedly said
the Hua clan had sent out low-grade disciples for the tournament. Whatever reasons they
came up with was refuted by what they saw during the championship rounds for Nascent
realm. Zixin and Dewei battled against other clans, standing victorious through all of
them until they had to battle each other for the championship.
―Since I‘m the eldest one here, I should take first place,‖ Zixin said as he faced Dewei.
―Sure, no problem,‖ Dewei replied as he closed his eyes.
Everyone in the crowd wondered how this would go. The people had already seen their
prowess on the ring, and most were excited to see the top players battle it out.
Zixin closed in on Dewei, and the crowd held their breaths. Perhaps it would be yet
another unknown skill? But why was Dewei closing his eyes and not responding? When a
loud resounding pak! was heard, everyone was shocked to see the red hand print on
Dewei‘s left cheek.
―Ouch!‖ Dewei complained as he theatrically fell, striking a pose on the ground.
―I won!‖ Zixin raised his fist to the sky. He was met with complete and utter silence.
There really were too many amazing things that happened today, and this was the last of
it. But hey, was this even allowed? My stupid disciples were a bunch of fools!
―Ah…ah…‖ Announcer Ping didn‘t know what to say. He was as baffled as the rest of
the people, and he raised his eyes to look at the Emperor, pleading for him to make a
decision.
The Emperor, who was actually busy flirting with his imperial concubine, had no idea
about the happenings around the tournament. Furious that he had been interrupted during
his leisure time, he completely ignored the announcer and waved him off with a fat hand.
Announcer Ping sweated. He cleared his throat and declared anyway, ―The winner for the
Nascent realm tourney goes to Zixin of the Moonlight Sect!‖
Taren had his gaze on the Emperor who was coddling his beloved concubine, and there
was a disgusted expression on his face. He turned to me and said, ―Doesn‘t it bother you
to see your parents act all lovingly in front of a crowd of people?‖
I remembered my parents in Heaven. Before their divorce, their nauseating display of

affection always caused me to run away. Being confined to a room with just the both of
them gave me the chills.
―I feel the same way,‖ I responded dejectedly.
―The victors of the tournament will now be presented with a gift from His Majesty!
Victors please walk to the platform in front of your King to be awarded.‖ Announcer
Ping led Jin and Zixin to the platform, and both of them had to kowtow in ceremony.
The Emperor had already detached himself from his woman, and walked down the
carpeted aisle to reach another gilded throne on top of the stage. He looked down at the
kneeling Zixin and Jin with a pleased expression on his face.
―So you are both the victors of today‘s tournament,‖ the Emperor said. Uh, was that a
rhetorical question? He was obviously mentally absent during the whole battle, as he was
preoccupied with canoodling his lover.
―Yes, Your Majesty,‖ Zixin and Jin responded in unison after the Emperor raised a hand,
allowing them to speak.
―You will both be given 1,000 Jade coins for your participation. Also, I will bestow upon
you a title most revered in this country.‖ Revered my butt. The Emperor stopped talking,
using the silence as a means to increase one‘s anticipation of his upcoming words.
―I will bestow upon you both titles of first and second Lieutenant General of the imperial
army!‖ He raised his hand, prompting a cheer to erupt from the crowd.
Zixin and Jin kowtowed again with scripted replies, ―Many thanks to His Majesty! May
he reign in longevity!‖
I knitted my brows. I knew that Jin was a mortal and didn‘t know that he himself was the
almighty God of War, but it didn‘t sit well with me at all to see him kowtowing
subserviently towards the stupid man on the throne. As the God of War, it was beneath
him to do such a thing, and I had to remind myself that this current Jin was a mere mortal
who did not know anything. Slighting the Emperor would cause one‘s own head to roll,
and he didn‘t want that to happen to himself or anyone else.
When the competition ended, the sky had already darkened and the lamps around the
colosseum had been lit up. The spectators started streaming out the doors in waves, and I
waited on my seat because I didn‘t want to be swallowed by the crowd.
―I have to go back to my family now,‖ Taren said rather regretfully.
―Okay,‖ I replied succinctly without any emotion.
―You could at least look more sorrowful, you know?‖ Taren huffed.
I change my expression to that of sorrow, and Taren chuckled. ―Let‘s meet again in two
years.‖
―You met me earlier than expected,‖ I retorted. ―Shouldn‘t that be null and void
already?‖
―No, today is just an extra.‖ He winked at me, and then strode off to where the royal
family was sitting. I didn‘t understand his words at all, and pegged it to be words born
from insanity. That second prince was definitely up to no good.
Chapter Twenty-one
Two years passed by in a blink of an eye. I was busy teaching my Moonlight Sect
disciples, and Jin was busy undertaking sieges as part of the imperial army. He was very
well known in the Capital as the valiant hero who didn‘t dare leave his comrades behind.
Every time the Emperor commanded the army to take over another city that had rebelled,
Jin made sure that that certain city didn‘t experience the after effects of war.
It was a common thing for the army to start looting, killing and raping extravagantly after
winning a war, but Jin did not allow such thing. In contrast, he would actually help the
people in the cities, giving medical aid or extra food the army didn‘t need. He would
make sure killing rebels was to a minimum, and only if it was necessary. Ever since he
had cultivated to Peak Xian Profound realm in just two years, none of his subordinates
would ever dream of retaliating against him, as his power could crush a dozen of Nascent
realm practitioners which consisted the bulk of the imperial army.
Jin‘s cultivation level was even higher than the commanding General. The latter was a
lazy but efficient General for many years, and when he knew of Jin and Zixin‘s skills, he
gave full control of the army to them, preferring to nestle in the big bosoms of women in
brothels and drinking to a stupor. Indeed, many government and military officials were
stupid. Although I always worried about Jin and Zixin in my heart, I knew that they had
done the country a great service, and my disciples thought of Jin and Zixin as heroes they
wanted to follow.
It was a snowy day and I was wondering when Jin would come to visit me. I had not seen
him in many months, and I missed his warm gaze. In these two years, I had only seen him
thrice, and my heart was aching. I wanted to visit him, but I didn‘t think it was proper for
a lady to insert herself in the army of smelly men (Jin and Zixin excluded, because I was
biased).
A year from now, Jin would turn eighteen. He had told me he would be marrying me in
the spring of next year, and I was excited by the prospect. Although I had not heard him
say he loved me, I had not told him I loved him either…but…wasn‘t it so terribly
obvious already? Did one need to say such words?
I sighed, and I let the snowflakes land on the palm of my hand.
―Master,‖ Seiran purred while burrowing himself in the folds of my dress. ―It‘s cold.
Won‘t you go inside the Moonlight Sect building? Your disciples are waiting for you
there.‖
I plodded through the snow. I saw my little disciples race towards me with their little feet
as they carried warm towels and tea.
―Sect Master! Be careful of your health!‖ Their concern warmed my heart.
I warmed my hands with the towel they gave me as Seiran climbed up my shoulder. The
potatoes covered him with towels as well, and he purred in satisfaction.
―Sect Master! Teach us the Flying Dragon skill!‖
―Sect Master! Teach me the [The Jade Emperor‘s Niece Who Was Actually A Thief]
skill!‖
Wait…what?! Had I accidentally taken that stupidly named skill out unknowingly?!
―Sect Master! Watch me do a skill you taught me!‖
―Sect Master! Watch me! Watch me!‖ Little potatoes were hopping in the snow.
―No, watch me!‖
―Me, me, me!‖
They pushed against themselves to be the first one near me, until it erupted into a fist
fight.
My little disciples were so noisy, I was getting a headache just by looking at them. Seiran
wanted to squirm out of my embrace to command the fist fight, but I determinedly
pressed his white self further into my arms.
―Sorry, Sect Master Goddess,‖ Dewei apologized on behalf of his little brothers and
sisters. I had given him the task of looking after the little disciples as their Head Brother,
and since he liked children, he was doing quite well as the leader of little potatoes.
These two years, my disciples had grown so much in number, I didn‘t even bother
counting. All I knew was that many of the new recruits came from the far cities, and
wanted to join after learning of the sect‘s glory during the Flying Lotus competition. I
was glad the sect was spreading out into different areas, and ever since Jin and Zixin
entered the imperial army, the noble‘s views on commoners changed.
Previously, only the well established clans‘ disciples were able to be part of the imperial
army, so as to curry favor with the Emperor. Since most people knew that being in the
army would entail possible death, the clans sent out their lowest ranked sons or disciples
to take part, in order to keep the important ones safe.
But ever since Jin had also taught these subordinate of his a few tricks to cultivation, the
whole army changed under his jurisdiction and they vowed to follow him for the rest of
their lives. The nobles who were also thought of as trash to their families eagerly learned
from Jin, who was said to be a trash commoner himself. Such a bond was formed
between them, and it was a great beginning to a friendship I hoped extended to other
families.
If one could see the changes from the outside, it was evident that the commoners now
held a great deal of power over the nobles. Ever since the competition, the nobles were
aware of this fact, but chose to turn a blind eye to it, to preserve their dignity. However,
they could not bully these commoners anymore. If they did, not just one, but a whole
batch of Moonlight Sect disciples would come crashing down their door with vengeance.
The nobles did not dare make fun of the commoners again, and it was quite peaceful in
the city as people from different levels of hierarchy conversed with each other without
prejudice. You could even say that in the city, even a common tailor was in the middle
stages of Nascent realm. One could not tell how powerful the commoners actually were,
and the only way to avoid damage was to act vigilant and not offend.
Of course, there were also some disciples of mine who thought they were better than the
nobles and would start seeking disputes. I had aggressively scolded a group of
troublemakers, and punished them before they could burn a noble‘s house down. I tried to
terminate them from being my disciples.
They cried pitifully with tears streaming down every orifice on their face as they latched
on to my ankles, rendering me immobile. That was then I made a decree to never cause
harm to other people, the nobles notwithstanding. Vengeance would be given when it was
due, but to purposely act out without reason was seeking death. I gave my foolish
disciples a solid beating on the butt, and although their exposed behinds were glaring red,
they had stupid grins on their faces when I said I would still give them another chance.
After the beating, they continued to cling to my ankles with gratitude, and I tried walking
away…dragging all of them on the ground.
I was living quite a fulfilling life, if I had to say so myself. After establishing my sect, my
days of living lazily were gone, replaced by intense labor on my part. It was the first time
I had used up almost all of my knowledge to achieve this sort of position, and I felt proud
of everything I had accomplished so far.
As I watched my disciples spar against each other in the training hall, a cold breeze
accompanied by snowflakes suddenly blew across the room as the door was hurriedly
opened. It was Zixin, and he looked terrible. My disciples stopped sparring to look at him
curiously.
―Sect Master!‖ He was pale, and his lips were turning blue from the cold. ―I come with
grave news! Jin…Jin is to be executed today for treason!‖
―TREASON!?‖ Everyone was flabbergasted as they shouted that one word.
I stood there, unmoving, as my brain tried to digest the words he spoke. It was as if my
brain stopped working when the word ‗treason‘ entered, and for the life of me, I could not
even make out a reason as to why Jin would even do such a thing. I couldn‘t believe it
one bit.
―Why?‖ My voice was barely audible, but Zixin detected it.
―We must hurry!‖ Zixin pulled me along hurriedly while Seiran discreetly entered my
soul space. Zixin explained, ―It was a crime of lese-majeste. Taren asked for your hand in
marriage, and Jin opposed it, saying he would be the one to wed you. A heated argument
commenced…the palace was in an uproar! The Emperor was enraged, as his will was
opposed by a mere commoner. You know how selfish the Emperor is, and how he would
give anything to his beloved son, even if it meant killing his very own outstanding
lieutenant of the imperial army!‖ His words were rushed as he took my arm with his
hand, almost causing me to stagger into the snow.
―We must hurry,‖ Zixin‘s voice was apologetic, ―I came here as fast as I could after the
Emperor‘s mandate, and the execution will take place in front of the palace!‖
I felt numb. My brain was too slow to comprehend anything, as if the world itself was
running too fast for me to catch up. First of all, Taren asked for my hand in marriage?
What?! Was he crazy? He was! And as for Jin, of course he would oppose such a thing!
But for him to be executed because of that, and be stamped with treason, how could the
Emperor be such an incorrigible bigot?
―Juju!‖ A person called out from afar as he quickly trudged along the snow to my side,
his blonde hair full of snowflakes. ―I‘m sorry. I‘ll rectify this. I‘m sorry. I didn‘t know Jin
loved you in that way!‖ His voice hurriedly spoke out apologies, but I was feeling numb.
―Juju, I can‘t change my father‘s mind anymore. I tried. I really did. I‘m sorry.‖ He
looked pained as well, but I wondered if it was all an act. I would not marry anyone else
in any lifetime but Jin.
―Juju–‖ before his hands could caress my face, my fist already met his nose and a crunch
was heard in the middle of the snowy outdoors.
―…‖ Zixin was speechless. So was I. I swear that my fist acted on its own! I was still
numb!
―Ah…‖ I looked at the blood smeared on my fist and the disbelief on Taren‘s face as he
gingerly touched his blood soaked nose.
―Well, this rectifies it somewhat doesn‘t it.‖ I casually wiped my fist on Zixin‘s coat, and
I smiled at Taren sheepishly. ―Although a broken nose cannot be compared to one‘s life.‖
My mind cleared up from its fog as I said, ―I will go ahead and save him.‖ I gave Taren a
long and cold glance. ―After that, I will never see you again.‖
Taren looked conflicted, but he did not say a word to refute my statement. He looked like
he accepted it, and his head hung low in grief.
Zixin hugged his fist and bowed to me, ―Sect Master, I shall pray for your success! We of
the Moonlight Sect will forever be with you!‖
I smiled at him affectionately, and without even a second glance at Taren, I flew in the air
towards the imperial palace. The snow stopped falling, as if the Heavens knew of my
ordeal, and I was glad that I was able to see better now. If I was not in such emotional
pain, I would say that the mountains and cities blanketed in snow was a beautiful sight to
behold. But I was not sightseeing at this moment. I was trying to save a life. What
happens after I would save him never crossed my mind, as I tried hurriedly to approach
the executioner‘s platform.
As I floated towards the area in front of the palace, I saw that the royal family had
positioned themselves on a dais directly in front of the platform in order to get the best
view. Many of the citizens were shouting and hurling expletives at the Emperor, but the
latter did not seem to care for once. The Imperial guards held the citizens back against the
platform and dais so they would be unable to disrupt the proceedings.
Jin was kneeling silently on the platform, with handcuffs that sealed his cultivation
levels, making him but a first stage Nascent realm practitioner. He exuded a calm and
domineering aura that made people wonder about the truth of the allegations against him,
and his eyes held a certain resolution as if they said, ―I would rather die than have Juju
marry another!‖
Was his brain addled?! If he were to die right now, then it would obviously make the
other man more capable of taking me as his wife! Was he stupid? He was definitely
stupid! I was indeed right, he failed as a love tactician!
A bright light suddenly blinded me for a second, and I saw that it was a tip of a flat blade
that caught the sun‘s rays as it was raised in the air.
I had no time to think as I flew over to the stage, and also no time to realize what had
transpired until I felt an excruciating pain I had never felt before in my chest. This was
definitely not one of heartbreak.
I didn‘t even glance at the executioner who had stumbled backwards in shock, nor look at
the crowd who all gasped in indignation. The only thing that my eyes took up was the
ash-like face of my potato who had grown a bit of a stubble.
He caught me with trembling hands, the metal cuffs clanking noisily. ―You…why did
you…‖ He choked on words, and I replied by vomiting blood against his chest.
―You‘ll be alright, it‘s alright.‖ He was trembling so badly as he chanted words that
seemed more likely to comfort himself than me.
The crowd was pushing now against the Imperial guards, and I could hear many of them
scream, ―Sect Master! Sect Master!‖
―Please don‘t die!‖
―Sect Master!‖
I smiled stiffly as blood trickled down my mouth. I could already see the soul collectors
waiting for me to finish before escorting me back to the netherworld, so I hastily pressed
my lips against the side of his mouth.
―This will have to do…‖ Until we were married, I wanted to add, but the effort of trying
to say those few words already drained me. As I looked down, I saw that the sword that
had struck my chest was peeking through the front of my blouse. I smiled grimly.
―I‘ll…I‘ll take the sword out!‖ Jin suddenly said, as his lips turned white. Snowflakes
started to fall once again, and the little flakes started falling on his hair and face, but he
did not even blink, as his eyes seemed like they wanted to watch me forever. It seemed he
thought I would disappear if he closed his eyes for even a second.
―Stupid,‖ I mouthed those words.
I could feel the soul collectors were beginning to be impatient, and I knew it was time to
go.
―Don‘t leave me, Juju. Don‘t leave…‖ His eyes filled up, the tears threatening to fall.
―I‘ll see you soon,‖ I whispered one last time before leaving my whole body in his
embrace.
When I was on the road back to the Netherworld, I turned around to catch a last glimpse
of him, and my heart caught in my throat. Jin was clutching my corpse with his face
against my neck, sobbing with a heartbreaking expression.
My blood soaked corpse was a brilliant contrast against the snow, as multiple citizens
climbed their way over the Imperial guards and onto the platform to form a protective
stance around Jin and I. After that scene, I could not see anything else but white.
Chapter Twenty-two
Once I returned to the Netherworld, I began musing. I wondered if my previous actions

were good. If my death caused Jin to pass his first trial, then it was fine. But what if my
death had disastrous consequences? I could just imagine my disciples going wild with
anger, and I was afraid they would suddenly revolt against the monarchy. I hoped they
were not that stupid.
As I walked around the Netherworld aimlessly, I could see my father‘s palace up ahead,
but I didn‘t want to visit him yet. I was sure he knew now that I went down to the mortal
realm for Jin Lei, and I was afraid he‘d lock me up for good. Instead of paying my
parents a visit, I went to Heaven and went to Siming‘s palace.
Siming was the God of Fate, and I was certain she was writing Jin‘s current fates as well.
―Simiiiiiiiiiiing!‖ I bawled when I pushed open her front doors. ―Huhuhu!‖
The doors opened with a slam, the reverberations causing the glasses perched on her nose
to hang askew.
―What.‖ Siming glared at me as she corrected her glasses.
―Huhuh! I died!‖ I grabbed on to the hem of her dress and made a pitiful pose.
―I know. Or you wouldn‘t be here.‖ She casually went back to writing her fates.
Seiran, who had been resting in my soul space, leapt out and started stretching.
―Master, why did you die.‖ Seiran looked at me accusingly.
―Seiran, how could you say something like that to your master! I need comfort!‖ I glared
at him, and he meowed sweetly, as he rubbed his head against my legs to placate me.
―By the way, why don‘t you turn back to your dragon or wolf form,‖ I said as I scratched
him under his chin.
Seiran purred. ―Nah, I prefer it this way. It‘s easier for Master to carry me around
because I‘m portable.‖
―You lazy cat!‖ I scratched his belly, and he trembled with undisguised pleasure. I
abruptly stopped scratching, and he yowled in disappointment. If his dragon clan were to
see him now, they would be vomiting blood! How could a sacred beast such as himself
actually want to stay in cat form for an indefinite time?
It was a total downgrade, and I pitied his dragon clan for producing such a lazy dragon
son whose head was merely filled with food. He even had the choice to transform into his
human self, having painstakingly cultivated into the Xian Profound realm. However, the
only time I ever saw him in his human form was when he was sparring with the Beast
Master in the Jade Palace. He rarely ever transformed into his dragon self as well, and
before his current cat form, he liked walking around as a fox. Where did he leave his
dignity behind as a sacred beast?!
―So, why are you intruding into my humble abode yet again?‖ Siming asked as she raised
an eyebrow at me. Her hair was in a bun today as well, and numerous brushes were
inserted into it as pseudo hair pins. Although her face was gaunt the last time I visited,
her current face seemed to glow a bit.
―I know you‘re making Jin‘s fates!‖ My tone was accusatory.
―So?‖ A vein on her face twitched.
―Erm…that means you‘re making it! So you actually killed me!‖ My face froze in shock
after the realization dawned on me. My best friend killed me!
She hit my head with a rolled up parchment. ―Are you stupid or something? I was writing
about Jin‘s fates, without you as a variable. You, being the anomaly, messed up my
creative ideas, you know.‖
―Oh.‖ I scratched my head. ―So, what was supposed to be the original story?‖
―That‘s a secret.‖ She winked at me coquettishly and I gripped the hem of her skirt in
distress. She kicked me away without remorse.
―You‘re so mean~~‖ I whined. ―I thought we were best friends.‖
―Best friends? What are those words you speak of?‖ She smiled at me evilly, and I wailed
louder. I heard Seiran snigger in the background. Damned cat.
―Well, you want to follow him along all three of his lifetimes right?‖ Siming looked
through her drawers and pulled out a bunch of paper. ―I cannot tell you the specifics;
however, I can tell you where he will be.‖
Curious, I sidled closer to her side, but she immediately covered the papers as if it was
such an explosive secret.
―His Majesty and I have collaborated together for an experiment that will change the way
Heavenly trials will be looked at forever.‖ Siming scanned one paper in her hands after
shooing me away. ―The next trials will happen in different worlds. The second trial will
be on Earth, and the third trial will be,‖ Siming paused as she looked at another paper in
her hands, ―a world known as Amara.‖
―Different worlds?‖ I echoed. I knew there were different worlds, but the gods who
inhabited such worlds never really came to meet us personally, and we had never thought
to meet them as well. This was a first.
―How did you obtain permission for such a thing?‖ I was awed. When did my uncle and
the other world‘s Heavenly Kings meet up and agree to something like this?
―It was just something His Majesty and I thought of one day when you were in the mortal
realm. It was a fun thought, so he sent out missives to the different worlds for a small
conference.‖ Siming acted like the details didn‘t matter, but it was a huge surprise for me.
I was getting excited. Different worlds! How amazing would they be?
―But,‖ Siming raised one finger, ―there are rules one must abide to.‖
―What rules?‖ I was feeling discomfited.
―On Earth, their Heavenly King stated that the reincarnated gods and goddesses must
never use their divine power no matter what.‖ Siming read the paper in her hands. ―Also,
no spatial rings are allowed. No soul beasts. No unnecessary equipment. Bring yourself
only. If one defies such rules, one will be sent to an eternal abyss. Ooh, scary. Killing is
also not allowed. Mmm…they have the ten commandments written on here as well. All
mortals must abide to these, though exemptions were permitted on a case to case basis.‖
She continued on to the next paper in her hands. ―For Amara, their condition is that all
deities MUST drink the soup of oblivion. No spatial rings, no unnecessary equipment. No
killing unless absolutely necessary…eh. Since you‘re going to drink the soup of oblivion
anyway, you won‘t remember the next rules in the first place!‖ She guffawed.
I didn‘t mind that I would lose my memories in Amara, but I was scared of what my
personality would be like if I started from square one. Would I unwittingly change my
character depending on my circumstances? The thought of an alter ego scared me.
Siming and I talked for some time. She knew many things about Earth and Amara, and
she filled me in on the usual differences between such worlds. Earth, it seemed, did not
have magic in its system. Mortals of that world had no supernatural power. However, to
compensate for that lack, their advancements in what they call ‗technology‘ was at an
incredible pace. Science was a subject they used to explain magic, and technology was
used to replicate its effects.
Amara, on the other hand, was an old romantic world where magic was limited to one‘s
imagination. Magic usage depended on one‘s mana, and one could be anyone they
wanted to be as long as they had the imagination to believe it. Although my memories
will be erased in that world, I hoped I would be creative enough in that aspect. With my
exceedingly dry imagination, I had a feeling I would be drawing the short end of the
stick.
Seiran was curled around my neck, his snores resounding against my flesh. I thought it
was time to go now, and I bid Siming goodbye. After returning Seiran back to the Beast
Master in the Jade Palace, I went back to the Netherworld.
I was afraid to go back to my father‘s palace, so I merely strolled around the Netherworld
as the imps and spiritual beings celebrated my arrival.
―Your Highness! How was your trip?‖
―Your Highness, you look marvelous today!‖ Yes, keep those compliments coming!
―Your Highness! When will you be leaving again?‖
These damned imps! Did they want me to leave as soon as I arrived? Maybe I should take
back the gold I gave them! Hmph.
Chapter Twenty-three
As I was walking around the Netherworld, I saw a familiar figure in the distance. Uh-oh.
―Juju!‖ My father‘s voice boomed in the open air.
I reluctantly ambled over, giving him a peck on the cheek. ―Hello, father!‖ I smiled
brightly at him and decided to spit out compliments, ―Haven‘t seen you in a long time!
You look rather handsome today! Is that a new haircut?‖ I could not help but add, even
though he had always been bald.
―Juju! I did not approve of you going down the mortal realm just to chase after a man!‖
He trembled with undisguised rage, and his face turned pink. With shifty eyes, I scanned
the vicinity for a comrade to help me get out of this predicament.
―Mother!‖ I suddenly felt relieved when I saw her walking towards us, and I pleaded with
her with my eyes. Mother, please stop father! You‟re the only one who can defeat this
monster!
―Darling,‖ mother sidled up to father‘s side, entwining her arm around his. ―Juju is old
enough to do whatever she wants to do. If she wants to chase a man, then let her!‖
Mother! Why did it sound so vulgar coming from your mouth??
―But dear!‖ Father‘s face softened at once, his eyebrows drawn down in repressed anger.
―It‘s the God of War! Who knows what he‘ll do to her!‖
―Oh shush!‖ Mother playfully slapped him on the arm. ―You know what you do with me.
It‘s the same thing!‖
Father blushed beet red, all thoughts of admonishing me flying straight out the window. I
did not want to hear how my parents did THINGS in detail, so when they started looking
at each other with hearts in their eyes, I saw it as an opening. I scurried away and
backtracked to where Old Meng was. Although I was glad my parents were back together
again, their public display of affection was still nauseating.
―Hey Old Meng!‖ I greeted the old man who made soup for a living. I looked at the
stretch of souls lining up for the drink. ―Looks like business is booming, ah!‖
I hovered over his shoulder as he ladled soup.
―Your Highness, if I may be so blunt. Having your presence so near makes me quite
anxious.‖ I saw his frail hands tremble as he held out a bowl to a departed soul.
―It‘s not like I‘m going to bite you!‖ I exclaimed. ―In any case, I‘m feeling bored. Shall I
help you?‖ The line for the soup was very, very long. It seemed a lot of people had died
in the mortal realm. Was there some sort of epidemic?
―It really is not necessary, Your Highness. This old man has always been alone for
thousands of years without help.‖ I could hear a bit of grief mixed in his voice, and I
resolutely took up a stance beside him.
I started ladling out soup, and this job of being the soup aide, became my job for many
days while I waited for Jin to come back from his first life. I didn‘t want to go ahead to
the next life if he wasn‘t there. It would be meaningless.
I held a bowl of soup towards a soul when I realized I knew that certain person back in
the mortal realm!
He stared back at me with anger in his eyes. ―You!‖ Was all he could splutter. I realized
that ever since coming back from my first life, I had not worn a veil over my face. I
thought it was too troublesome now after not wearing one for how many years in the
mortal realm.
―Welcome to the netherworld, Your Majesty!‖ I greeted him with sarcasm. Although he
used to be the Emperor in the mortal realm, he was nothing but another soul here. ―By the
way, how could you recognize me? I don‘t think we‘ve ever met face to face? Have I
offended you in some way? Did you die of old age?‖
―How could I not know you? HOW COULD I NOT? You ruined me! You!‖ He shouted
in anger, and the imps and spiritual beings in the netherworld turned to him to glare,
sharpening their weapons. How could he raise his voice at me like that? I knew he did not
know who I was, but this was the first time this happened to me, and I would be lying if I
said I didn‘t feel insulted.
―I just wanted to give my son the world, and the world turned its back on me just because
of a mere commoner! It was you!‖ He was raging so much, he leaned across the table to
grip my shoulders. He spat at my feet. The imps and spiritual beings looked like they
were going to attack him any minute, but I held out a hand to stop them. The old Emperor
continued, ―I cannot believe you were actually the leader of the commoner sect! Ha!
Meeting you here is fate; I will kill you now as they have killed me! And when I return, I
will definitely kill that bastard Jin!‖
I was indeed very, very angry. This was perhaps the first time I was this close to the
boiling point. This mere soul from the mortal realm dare try to kill me? To pin the blame
on me for his death? After I heard he was going to kill Jin as well, I scoffed in his face.
There definitely was something wrong with his head if he thought he could kill the God
of War with his measly cultivation. I grabbed his hands that were on my shoulders and
flew over his head, flipping his body in the air. With a resounding bang, I pinned him to
the ground with a foot on his head.
The imps and spiritual beings cheered when they saw the spectacle, but I could tell they
were disappointed they had not been the ones to instigate a torture. Insulting me was a
grave offense that no one would dare try to do.
―You should know your place.‖ I applied more pressure to my foot, until his face was
kissing the dirty floor. ―This Jin you are referring to, is actually the God of War. If you
want to kill him, you have to go through me first.‖ I glared at him. ―However, seeing as
you are but an ant beneath my feet, how could you proclaim yourself to be able to kill
both of us?‖
I motioned for the spiritual guards of the netherworld to come closer. ―Bring this person
to the animal reincarnation pool. Let him drink five bowls of soup to addle his brain.
Also, make sure this process will continue until he regrets what he has done.‖
―Yes, Your Highness.‖
As the spiritual guards took him away, the Emperor turned towards me in loathe. I waved
at him goodbye. ―Hey, this punishment is already a very lenient one! You should thank
me, actually. The other punishments include really, really bad fates…and you wouldn‘t
like the sound of that.‖ If the Jade Emperor or even Siming knew of what had recently
transpired, I doubt they would let him off lightly. Even my father would prefer him to
stay in the soul prison forever, where souls would rather die than be kept in such a place.
I was allowing the old Emperor a freedom which he wouldn‘t be able to obtain otherwise
after insulting the niece of the Jade Emperor and the daughter of the Netherworld.
I went back behind the soup table and continued handing out bowls as if nothing had
happened. The departed souls were looking at me warily, and they were rather muted
now. I simply smiled at them warmly, as I had many questions to ask.
―Are you from the country of Ku?‖ I asked one soul who looked like an imperial guard.
―Yes…Your Highness,‖ he replied, promptly recognizing my status after the recent

event. He cupped his fist and bowed gracefully. ―I apologize on behalf of His Majesty.
He is simply overwhelmed by what had happened. He did not think the first lieutenant
and the second prince would cooperate and form a coup d‘etat to overthrow him…‖ He
looked at the other soul beside him awkwardly.
The other soul shrugged and said, ―It doesn‘t matter anymore. We died just as the
Moonlight Sect appeared in the palace. They were an incredible force. I don‘t have much
regrets, but what I do regret is not seeing the first lieutenant kill His Majesty with burning
hatred.‖ He suddenly laughed.
The Imperial guard chided him, but the soul merely said, ―So what! We don‘t serve His
Majesty anymore. We‘re dead! I can say whatever I want without being afraid of the
executioner!‖
The departed souls started chattering wildly, and I heard bits and pieces of what had
transpired in the mortal realm. So my Moonlight Sect had done something outrageous
such as overthrowing the monarch, after all. I was not surprised. What surprised me more
was the fact that Jin himself had killed the Emperor. Was he so affected by my death that
he had to do such a thing? I was touched as well as emotionally conflicted. I actually felt
a tad bit of pity towards the Emperor, as his doting caused his massive downfall. So how
did Jin‘s actions affect his trials now?
The departed souls could not say anything more, as many of them had died in the
onslaught, but the new souls who arrived a few days later spoke of how Taren became the
new Emperor, though it seemed as though it was Jin who held the strings to his reign.
The Moonlight Sect I had erected became the most revered sect in the country, and with
Jin as its new Sect Master, it was an unstoppable sect that brought a new era of prosperity
to the country.
As I kept handing out bowls of soup, I wondered when Jin would arrive in the
netherworld. He was accomplishing great things in the mortal realm, and I wondered if he
had enough. Did he miss me as much as I missed him? He would probably be enraged
once he got his memories back, but he did not know that I was actually a deity in Heaven.
Would he scour the netherworld for my mortal soul?
As I thought of this, I reluctantly placed the veil back on my face for good measure. I did
not want him to recognize me at all, even if it pained me to think that he would look
elsewhere for me. I didn‘t think I was capable of actually greeting him face to face as he
turned back to the God of War. At least with a veil, I was able to hide. I wanted to
continue hiding until the time he would tell me that he loves me. It was a defensive
mechanism of my heart.
As the weeks passed, a certain day came when the imps and spiritual beings were in a
frenzy. I wondered what made them so jumpy, so I followed their line of sight. In the
distance, Jin came through the gate of the netherworld with heavy steps. He looked livid,
and I was glad I was wearing a veil to hide my face. He didn‘t know me.
But.
Wait.
Why was he striding off towards my direction? Why was he glaring at me? Did he know
who I was? Wait, my hair was already back to silver and I wore my veil! There was no
way he knew who I was!
I patiently continued handing out bowls. Soon, Jin was only meters away from where I
stood, and I started panicking. He definitely knew who I was!
I quickly leapt from my previous position and dashed towards Heaven. Why the hell was
I running! My brain could not keep up with my legs, and I was running in circles in
Heaven until I went back to the netherworld. I turned my face to look back, and was
shocked to see Jin was following me! I quickened my pace and turned to the dimensional
cavern in the netherworld where the reincarnation pool to Earth was located. This was my
chance to escape! My panicked state befuddled my brain.
―Stop right there, Juju!‖ His voice was laced with restlessness. I didn‘t turn around and
instead, I jumped into the pool with my head full of thoughts of how he was going to
murder me in the next life.
Chapter Twenty-four
I could not open my eyes.
In the darkness, as I was swamped with drowsiness, I thought of the Jin I left behind in
the netherworld. Why was he so mad? Perhaps it‘s because I had actually made him fail
in his first trial? It couldn‘t be because of that, right? I had sacrificed my life for him to
live, so as long as he lived for his first life, it was okay. Right? Right??
I was getting a splitting headache just thinking about it, so I mentally shut down.

I woke up, feeling famished.
I could hear a soothing woman‘s voice, and a soft substance was pressed against my face.
My instincts told me to open my mouth, and when I did, a warm and delicious liquid
flowed into my mouth. I couldn‘t stop sucking, as I tried to replete myself after I had
gone starving for too long.
When I slowly opened my eyes to thank the Heavens for this divine liquid, my eyes met
with a pink…NIPPLE. I knew the face of a nipple because I had a set of my own!
―Waaaaaaa!!!‖ I cried, trying to get out of this lady‘s grasp. I‘m sorry for molesting you,
I didn‘t mean to! I was into men, honest!
―Shhh…‖ The lady hugged me closer, pressing her nipple again against my face. No
lady! NO! I did NOT want your nipple!
―&?!:;&&@‖ I could not understand a word she was saying. It seemed there was a
language barrier. I should‘ve known. After all, I was currently in another world.
Although learning a new language was exciting, I was feeling rather drowsy and lazy to
learn right now.
The lady pressed herself against my face. I shoved a hand towards her forehead as it
seemed she was going to smother me with her lips. It was then I realized something
shocking. My limbs were short and fat!
―Waaaa!!!‖ I cried as my limbs flailed about. Crying was all I seemed to be able to do.
―Shhh.‖ The lady smiled gently at me and cradled me in her arms.
It was official. I was a baby!
I was stupid enough to forget that something like this was bound to happen when one
entered the reincarnation pool. Jin had gone through the same ordeal, and he happened to
look like a potato! Did that mean I looked like a potato as well??
All this thinking and crying made me hungry again, and I stared at the nipple in front of
my face with dread.
As if sensing my hunger, the lady pressed her nipple against my mouth. Huhu, I had no
choice if I didn‘t want to starve to death. My brain was rather slow, as it took a rather
long time for me to realize that the lady was in fact my mother. Her tender smile
reminded me of my original mother and I felt a sense of familiarity with her.
As my mother laid me down in a crib, a man‘s face popped out from beside her. I decided
he was my father. Both of them were watching me with such love and joy in their eyes, I
could not suppress the happiness I felt in my heart. These were my parents in my second
life, and I wanted to cherish them.
As the months passed, I started to understand a bit of Earth‘s language and how this
world worked.
I soon found out what my name was, after my parents kept repeatedly cooing the name
every time they saw me.
It was Bob.
Bob was Bob.
It was a name with no impact at all! If you spelled it backwards, it was still Bob! I had
nothing against people that were named Bob, but I just didn‘t like it if it was my own
name!
―Bobby dearest!‖ Mother said as I squirmed in her arms. I showed my protestations

against the name by letting my saliva drip over my chin. My mother didn‘t seem to care
as I drooled all over the front of her blouse.
―Yvonne darling, his name is Ryle. Bob Ryle, though I prefer Ryle,‖ father said, gently
correcting mother. I couldn‘t understand what else he said in Earth‘s language, but I
caught on that one word.
Ryle was rather a good name. Uh-huh. I would pick that name over Bob any day. Thank
you so much, father.
Mmm…

Something nagged my mind. It felt as though something was odd about this?
Mmm…
Why was my name Bob? Or Ryle? Wasn‘t that a guy‘s name? Was I a guy?! In fact, as a
baby I could not bend to see my nether regions, but I had always thought something was
off every time I peed into my diaper.
Did I lose my sacred vagina?!
Was I actually in such a rush to escape from Jin in the netherworld that I accidentally
jumped into the Yang reincarnation pool?!
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH. MY VAGIIIIIIIINAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

….
…….
…………
It took me quite a long time to calm down after that revelation, and after I cried from the
loss of my flower, I decided to just put the past behind me and live as a man, adding this
lifetime to my experience points. I planned on looking for Jin once I was old enough,
since in this vast Earth I did not know where he could be despite the seal on my wrist.
Since my reincarnation, the golden seal had metamorphosed into a brown birthmark that
was shaped like a plum blossom petal, and did not give me any direction at all. I knew Jin
was not a homosexual, thus being both guys, the chances of making him fall for me were
slim to none…I was yet again driven to despair. I was one stressed-out baby.
―Say mama! Ma-ma!‖ My mother waited for me to say it, and I tried to comply so she
wouldn‘t look so disappointed.
―Ma. Ma.‖ These were the first words I uttered with difficulty. I felt like my tongue was
too big for my mouth, and my throat too tight.
My mother squealed in happiness and hugged me so hard I cried against her chest in
protest. Did this mother of mine not know she could kill me through suffocation?!
Sometimes I would push open the bars of my crib and crawl down inconspicuously while
my parents were not in the room. I wanted to explore this new home and the exciting new
technology that this world had to offer me.
In this mortal body of mine, I could not use my powers. It was as if my powers as a deity

were sealed, and I could not feel any spiritual energy particles around me. They didn‘t
seem to exist in this world, so I could not take them in to cultivate. I was disappointed.
But upon remembering that no one on Earth had such powers, I felt once again at ease.
In my past life, there were no such things as television, computers, cellphones or Internet.
The people did not have much entertainment and merely focused on becoming stronger
than the rest through cultivating to become a celestial being.
However, there was no such notion here on Earth. Since no one knew how to cultivate, or
rather they had no power to do so, none were aware of the intricacies of Heaven. It
seemed that the King of Heaven that governed Earth gifted good mortals a right to eternal
happiness in the afterlife.
I suddenly remembered what I had heard from Siming. It was that Earth‘s mortals had
their own way of cultivating. It was not known to them, of course, but each reincarnation
they had was equivalent to a stage of cultivation. Each reincarnation merited refining of
the soul, until the soul itself reached its peak of purity. It was only then that they would
ascend into Heaven, and live in unbound happiness forever.
I myself thought that the Earth‘s ways were even more difficult than what my original
world had. The mortals of Earth had to have a good heart and soul in each reincarnation
before breaking through and entering the next round of reincarnation with a more purified
soul. But if they could not break through in that one incarnation, how much more lives
did they have to spend before reaching the next stage of cultivation? The worst part of it
all was that none of them even knew this was the case, so mistakes were made time and
again.
From the information I could extrapolate from the television, it seemed many religions
were formed on Earth with different concepts of the afterlife. However, I could not
understand why they had to fight over each other and create wars when in fact, just by
doing so, they were already encumbering their cultivation. Karma was always applied,
and the next life they would lead would be in irony.
People also had good rapport in this world compared to my previous world. Because they
did not shut themselves inside their room for months to cultivate, they had more time to
interact with their peers. In the country I was currently born in, the monarchical system
was abolished a long time ago and instead a republican state was erected. This made
much more sense to me as I honestly believed a leader should be elected by the people,
rather than letting the bloodlines choose. If all monarchs and their offsprings were stupid
and selfish like the old Emperor, no country would thrive. I hoped Taren was being a
good Emperor back in my old world.
These humans were pretty amazing for creating things without the use of magic. The
television that had people inside was a contraption I wanted to dissect to satisfy my
curiosity. How could you change the channels so easily? How did it work?

How could one call another person on their cellphone from miles away? They obviously
could not use telepathy, and even in my past life if was something rare and was usually
used with soul beasts.
How was I able to have a hot bath? They did not have the magic power to warm water,
but it was so effortless. With a mere turn of the knob in the bathroom, hot water comes
gushing out the faucet. There were so many bizarre devices with such unknown systems
that I felt that the endless knowledge I thought I had accumulated in my past life was
useless. I had no magic, hence, no power to do what I wanted. I was currently a little tyke
who relied on my mother‘s nipple for food…although she would oftentimes feed me
mush that tasted like bananas and apples. I quite liked the mush.
Despite it all, I had to say that Earth was amazing, and I was determined not to take this
one life I had here for granted.

Chapter Twenty-five
I was surprised to find out that my family was wealthy. Very wealthy.
Although I was used to even more extravagance in Heaven, my previous life was rather
drab if one would compare it to the life I currently led.
Yvonne, my mother, was a famous painter in the country. Since she relied on
commissions, she loved staying home in the mansion that had mostly glass walls and
painted whenever she felt like it. Reeve, my father, belonged to an old aristocratic family
line in a place called England, and was an archeologist. He was often out of the country
for his projects, but he made a point to always visit us every month despite his hectic
schedule. Every time he would leave the house, his face would fill up with tears and snot
that it was rather disgusting, but I commended him for his familial piety.
Hence, while my father was out and Yvonne was busy painting, I was left alone with the
maids who wore frilly aprons. There were three maids who cooked gourmet meals for us
and cleaned the entire mansion. Together with two chauffeurs (who were also secretly
bodyguards), there was a building made just for them at the back of the mansion, beside
the garden. I had to admit that their building was almost twice as large as the house I
bought in my previous life. The current mansion I lived in was also six times as large as
my previous house, and that included the pool area, the recreation area, the garage, a
separate movie theatre…wow huhu.
I liked the Head maid the most among the three. Her name was Luisa and she was a
middle-aged woman who seemed to know what I was always thinking. When I was at the
age capable of walking, I oftentimes trotted to the kitchen to see how the people of Earth
cooked their meals. Luisa liked feeding me mashed vegetables or fruits, and she loved
squeezing my cheeks and kissing my face. The other two maids named Nina and Shelly,
were also very nice girls who loved to hold me as they fought over who would carry me
to bed.
Sometimes when I would sneak out of their supervision, I would get lost inside the
mansion due to its enormous size. We lived in a subdivision which catered to the higher
class, and one could say the people who lived in this area were the counterparts of the
nobles in my previous life. Ironically, it would seem I was currently a noble in this life.
All that surrounded our mansion were pine or coconut trees, and a huge expanse of green
everywhere. I was afraid to even step out of the house, for fear that no one would be able
to find me if I got lost in such a jungle.
Hence, since I did not want to leave the house alone, my mother would often bring me to
the patio, where one could see the large river adjacent to our house. On days she was not
busy painting, she would bring out her ABC books and teach me new words so she could

converse with me. She would also read to me stories she liked (though I was more
amused by her facial expressions than the story itself). She loved painting outdoors as
well, and would sometimes use me as her model as she kept gushing on about how I
looked like such an angel.
There was one thing I noticed about my mother, and it was that she was quite a ditzy
person. The thought would always pass itself in my brain whenever she did something
that would totally offset her initial image in my mind.
For example, sometimes she would forget where she placed her paintbrushes. They were
actually stuck in her hair bun. Another would be how bad she was at cooking, that I was
glad the mush she fed me were pre-made in stores. Her cooking was such a disaster that
anyone who dared take even a little bite would be able to see the soul collectors in the
distance. Perhaps that was one of the reasons the maids were also hired to cook.
When my father was not around, mother would take me out to eat ice cream or shop for
clothes. I actually liked the fashion statement of this world. One time, I kept salivating
over the cute girl clothes that I could not help but snatch the ones that were left
previously by a customer on the floor. When I tried them on in the middle of the store,
the sales ladies kept staring at me in shock.
―Bobby!‖ Mother said as she saw me wearing a pink chiffon gown. ―You‘re merely three
years old, and you already admit your sexual orientation?‖
Huh?!
―Mama,‖ I whined. The gown was really pretty, okay?! I was actually a girl inside, okay!
―It‘s okay baby,‖ she picked me up and kissed my cheeks. ―Even if you‘re gay, it doesn‘t
matter one bit to me!‖ I wanted to cough out blood.
She paid for the pink gown that was actually quite costly, and left the store with her head
held high. The next instances where we would go out to shop, we would always happen
to end up in the girls‘ section, and I wanted to smack my mother in the head in
frustration.
―Mama! No! Boys!‖ I threw a tantrum in the middle of the floor. At first she thought I
wanted to see boys, as in physical…BOYS. But when she realized I was talking about
clothes, she started laughing and brought me to the boys section.
―Maybe my baby is just metrosexual,‖ I heard my mother ponder out aloud, and she
never brought me to the girls‘ section since then.
Everytime I would see the pink cloth in my closet, I would touch it with my hands and a
little spark of happiness would always be ignited in my chest. However, I did not have
the courage to wear it again. I was a guy now, and I had to be strong! Huhu, goodbye

dresses!
When I was about to turn five years old, father and mother made a decision.
―Bobby.‖
―Ryle,‖ both said different names at the same time. Father, please let my name be just
Ryle!
―We‘re sending you to kindergarten.‖ Father raised me in the air and hugged me.
―Kindergarten?‖ I echoed. My voice was still very baby-like and cutesy, but I didn‘t hate
it. I actually liked being coddled this way, and I knew now what potato Jin had felt when
he was a child. It was refreshing to revert back to these carefree days, and sometimes I
talked gibberish on purpose just to see my parents‘ amused smile.
―School, baby,‖ mother said as she smiled at me warmly. ―You‘re about to turn five now,
and it‘s the right time for kindergarten! How time flies so fast!‖ She sniffed, the rims of
her eyes turning red. Mother…you don‘t have to cry…
―Yvonne, don‘t cry. It‘s not like we‘re not going to see him again,‖ father said as twin
waterfalls cascaded down his face. I wiped away his tears with a pudgy hand, and he
cried harder.
I suddenly remembered my original parents in Heaven. Was it actually my destiny to

have such eccentric parentals? Was I the only levelheaded person in the family?!

My parents came with me during my first day of kindergarten. But before we could step
out of the house, my parents took many photos of me in my school uniform. I was
wearing plaid trousers and a white collared shirt, making me look too mature for my
current age.
―My baby is so cute!‖ Mother squealed as she made me pose in front of a tree.
―Wear this!‖ My father ran to me to put oversized sunglasses on my face.
My mother‘s squeals reached a higher note, and I desperately wanted to leave now. It
took an hour to get them off of me, and to hasten them, I had to start posing in whatever
angles they wanted me to pose in, such as the ―look away with a hand under your chin‖
or the ―smile cherubically with a flower in your hand‖ pose. Please stop. Please.
The chauffeur drove us to an area I thought was a hotel or a mall, but in fact was actually
my school! This school was perhaps even bigger than the noble‘s academy in my
previous life, and thus I was rendered speechless.

―Here we are! Welcome to Avalon Academy!‖ Mother said cheerily as she took me in
her arms. I wiggled my legs as a sign to make her put me down to walk. I wasn‘t a
crippled child, after all. I also didn‘t want other children to mock me for being carried
around by my parent.
With both of my hands in either of my parent‘s grasp, they told me of their love story.
Although I didn‘t particularly want to listen to my parent‘s love story, I had no choice.
The kindergarten building seemed very far away, and walking on cobblestones was
difficult for me with my short legs.
My parents met when they were in highschool, it seemed. This private school I would be
attending had an escalator type of system, so one was able to go from kindergarten to
highschool under the same academe without applying for entrance exams. This school
was my parents‘ alma mater, and although they both started together in kindergarten, they
had only known of each other‘s existence when they were sixteen.
―When I saw your mother, you know what the first thing I thought of was?‖ Father
grinned at mother, and she blushed. I wanted to gag.
It was a rhetorical question of course, and he didn‘t bother to wait for my reply.
―I thought I would be the luckiest man alive if I were to make her my wife!‖ Father‘s face
was glowing, and my mother slapped his arm in embarrassment.
―How could you say those things so fast! I was painting in the Arts room and hadn‘t
realized I had wiped my face with hands full of paint!‖ This was a typical ditzy act of
mother‘s, and I wasn‘t surprised. ―You probably thought I was a clown!‖
―A beautiful clown.‖ My father bent his head to kiss my mother‘s cheek, and her face
turned into a ripe tomato.
Ah, this was definitely love. Ugh. I tried not to gag seeing this sickeningly sweet display
by my parents, and I suddenly remembered Jin. Remembering him was heartbreaking for
me, as I did not even get a chance to talk to him properly. I knew it was my fault for
escaping from him in the netherworld, but I really could not help it. I was more than
surprised he had recognized me, and that alone caused my brain to be muddled.
He probably would drink Old Meng‘s soup before reincarnation, as he was a stickler for
rules, so my heart was a bit anxious knowing he wouldn‘t remember me again in this life.
My plan would not be thwarted though, despite being a guy! Watch out Jin, I‘ll be
coming for your heart!

Chapter Twenty-six
My parents left me in the care of a young teacher named Miss Diedre. However, since
most of the children could not speak her name properly, she opted to be called Miss D.
It was rather interesting to be around a bunch of potatoes. Although my mind was already
very mature for my age, I could not help but follow their toddling movements as I tried to
fit in.
Miss D started the class by introducing each one of us. She didn‘t make us introduce
ourselves because I could see that many of my peers were actually crying as they missed
their parents, or were shy to even look at anything other than the ground. In contrast, a
couple of children in the back looked extremely arrogant, and fabulously well fed if I had
to say so myself.
When it was my turn to be introduced, I stood up promptly and arrived in front of Miss
D. She seemed surprised by my quick feet, and I beamed at her. She stroked my head
with affection.
―This is Bob–‖ she started her introductions.
―Ryle,‖ I hastily cut in.
―Bob Ryle–‖
―Ryle,‖ I cut in again. Then before she could open her mouth again, I added, ―Please call
me Ryle, teacher.‖
Miss D looked amused. ―Well then, class, this is Ryle Knight. Say hello.‖
―Hi.‖
―Hello!‖
―Hmph.‖
Different reactions were met with the introductions, and I myself felt entertained by the
fact some children already behaved so pompous at such a young age.
A certain corpulent potato who looked both menacing and pompous was introduced by
Miss D.
―Everyone, this is Gary Sanders. Say hello to Gary!‖ Miss D‘s bright face contrasted to
Gary‘s huge frown.

―Hello.‖
―Hi.‖
―He looks scary!‖ One potato named Edrie pointed out, and Gary immediately released a
killing intent. The children looked terrified.
―Gary, stop scowling!‖ Miss D admonished as she stroked his back. She turned to the
potatoes. ―Class, it‘s not nice to say those things to people.‖
―But it‘s the truth!‖ Edrie pushed. Ah, children were always so terrifyingly honest.
―If you only know how to say bad things, then rather don‘t say anything at all!‖ Miss D
spread her words of wisdom. Go Miss D!
Most of the children were confused. It was as if I could read their minds. What‟s so bad
about being honest?
―For example, would you like it if I said you were ugly?‖ Miss D shifted her little chair to
where Edrie sat on the carpeted floor.
―But I‘m not ugly!‖ Edrie was furious.
―What if I said it was the truth?‖ Miss D had a mischievous glint in her eyes.
―I‘m not ugly!‖ Edrie repeated, clenching his tiny fists. I was rather impressed by his
confidence.
―Yes you are!‖ One of the girls named Amy giggled. Edrie looked crushed. Children
were so brutal and they didn‘t even know it.
―I‘m just saying what if,‖ Miss D tried to smooth things over. ―Would you like to listen
to someone calling you ugly even if it was the truth?‖
Edrie looked down, his eyes red. ―No.‖
―See?‖ Miss D smiled gently. ―So you shouldn‘t say those things to other people cause
it‘ll hurt their feelings.‖
Edrie nodded sullenly, as he stole a quick glance at Amy. Amy stuck her tongue out at
him and he made an ugly face at her.

I was old enough to be given a room of my own, and I happily dove into the comforters
after my parents surprised me one night.

I used to sleep in the same bed as my parents, and although I missed having their warmth
beside me, I was still relieved I had a room I could call my own.
―This will be your new room,‖ mother said affectionately, as she opened the door to
reveal blue walls and a huge bed that was shaped like a race car. It was…interesting. I
was allowed to change the interiors once I was older, right?
―Do you like it?‖ Father asked as he looked at me expectantly.
―Sure,‖ I said vaguely, not wanting to hurt their feelings. They both didn‘t seem to hear
the hesitancy in my voice, and they went away with pleased expressions.
In the middle of the night, the walls were shaking.
Thinking it was an earthquake, I woke up with a start. I hopped off the bed and dashed
towards my door. It was then I heard banging against the wall and muffled voices that
sounded suspiciously…erotic.
….
NOOOOOOO. MY VIRGIN EARS.
The walls didn‘t stop trembling, and I could not fall asleep anymore even as I placed
pillows over my ears. When an hour passed and things were getting even more steamy, I
was left with no choice.
I went out of my room and opened my parents‘ door. How unfortunate that our rooms
were just side by side.
―NOISY!‖ I shouted to be better heard.
The movement on the bed stopped abruptly, and my father turned around in shock. When
my mother saw it was me, she covered herself quickly with the sheets and accidentally
kicked my father in surprise. He rolled over the bed and onto the floor, with his naked
butt kissing the cold air.
I felt myself burning red.
―Thanks,‖ I said sheepishly and closed the door to their room.
Sorry for interrupting your happy hour, father and mother. Your child needed to sleep
properly in order to grow.


Kindergarten was actually a really fun and relaxing place to be. Our classes were held
five times a day in a week, and happened only in the mornings from 8am to 12pm. The
things that Miss D allowed us to do were very simple. She would bring papers with
cartoon drawings for us to color, or she had us work on our penmanship and start games.
We also had role-plays and projects, mostly done as a group activity to enhance
cooperation. Once a week we also had a movie day, where Miss D would start playing
Disney movies on the flat screen tv in the classroom. We also had nap time!
There were only 15 children in this class, and we all became friends quite fast. It was
actually fun conversing with them because they always said and did the silliest things.
One kid named Tim told me he had an imaginary friend, and that certain imaginary friend
liked me as well. It was creepy, but I just played along by saying hi to the imaginary
friend who was supposed to be standing beside Tim. Another friend I had was named
Lily, who loved putting glue on her hands just so she could wait for it to dry and peel
them off. Her table was always full of white strips of dried up glue. Maria, another
oddball, always claimed she was a goddess from Heaven. I would‘ve believed she was
the same as me, except for the fact that she also claimed to be a mermaid.
One person who did not get along with anybody, however, was Gary. When Miss D
would tell us to group ourselves, no one would go near him. I didn‘t really bother with
him as I thought he had his own emotional problems, but I understood why the other
children did not like him. He was a bully who liked stealing crayons that a person was
still using. He liked throwing gum at a little girl‘s hair and vandalized anyone‘s drawings,
with mine being no exception.
He made so many potatoes cry, I wondered what his problem was. Even Miss D could
not do anything with him, as her scolding merely passed from one ear to the other.
When we entered level 1 of primary school, I was already seven years old. Many of my
friends were still in the same school as me, including Gary. We also had new classmates
from various places, and so our population grew to forty-five students.
With the newcomers dominating the population, our class became rowdy and Gary
seemed to take advantage of the number to increase his notoriety. He even gained a few
underlings who were following him because they feared him, and many of the students
would start cowering upon seeing him.
I didn‘t want to intrude or scold him for being a bully, as I simply thought this character
of his would come to pass. He had not yet physically hurt anybody, and his insulting
words were incredibly lousy that I would just roll my eyes.

However, his growth rate was unfathomable. As the years passed, he started learning cuss
words from television and would hurl ludicrous expletives to anyone who dared defy
him.
When I saw him making a girl named Kina cry as he called her names during recess, I
could not help but butt in. I caught the hand that was about to slap her face.
―Stop doing this,‖ I said as menacingly as possible. I could no longer bear to see children
cry.
―Oh?‖ He scoffed at me as his rotund belly started jiggling with mocking laughter. ―As if
you could!‖ Two of his underlings jeered at me.
I could see him forming a fist with his hand, and although I was a child right now and had
no power, I knew of techniques and pressure points to make up for my lack of strength. I
sidestepped the fist, grabbed his wrist with my right hand and twisted his hand back with
my left. He fell on his back against the ground, writhing in agony.
My classmates were speechless by this display. Some looked at me with horror while my
friends from kindergarten looked at me with happiness, pumping their fists in the air and
doing a victory pose.
―Why you!‖ Gary tried to get up, but he had a hard time due to the fact that gravity was
winning against his fats.
I looked around the classroom and saw a bit of fear in the children‘s eyes. They were
most probably afraid of Gary‘s retaliation, and how this would affect them in the long
run. I sighed. I guess I had to be the one to clean up my own mess.

Chapter Twenty-seven
Because I wanted to stop Gary‘s tyrant ways once and for all, I had to show him who was
boss. That was me.
As I left Gary squirming to get up on the floor, I went to the teacher‘s table in the front of
the classroom and stood on top. I glowered at Gary and his two minions.
―If you wanna bully people, fight me first and win!‖ I looked down at them with both of
my hands on my hips. Damned brats. Even if I didn‘t like laying my hands on a child,
punishment should be delivered accordingly. This was the only way they would learn.
Good thing potato Jin wasn‘t such a handful. Potato Jin was in fact the sweetest child I
had ever encountered, and that meant a lot, seeing as these children on Earth were giving
me a splitting headache. Everybody should be like potato Jin.
As Gary stood up again with the help of his two subordinates, he came cannonballing
towards me headfirst in an outrage. The other children gasped, and I merely smiled at
him in pity.
I timed my performance. As soon as he was close enough to me, I used his cleanly
shaved head as leverage to jump over his corpulent frame. As I flipped in midair and
landed behind him, I watched coolly as he could not stop his raging velocity. He bumped
heavily against the teacher‘s table, rolling over it and smashing himself on the ground.
My classmates started laughing at Gary as he groaned on the floor, but I actually thought
he was quite pitiful.
I turned to his two underlings. ―You want to fight me too?‖
The both of them shook their heads as they trembled comically.
―Good.‖ I smiled.
I looked at everyone in the classroom and made a decree.
―From now on, bullying is prohibited and I won‘t tolerate it! Prepared to meet my fist if
you do!‖ I pretended to punch one of the underlings, and before it was even a meter away
from his face, he suddenly peed his pants.
―…‖
His partner looked at him in disbelief and scurried away.
―Ew.‖

―Smells!‖
―Gross!‖
The girls turned their heads and started sniffing the air in repulsion, and the guys started
sniggering amongst themselves.
I looked at the underling with a helpless expression.
―You shouldn‘t make fun of him, guys. It‘s not nice. Don‘t be such bullies,‖ I reminded
my classmates, and they reluctantly shut their mouths. They were actually such obedient
children. It was my fault for scaring the kid into peeing his pants, and I kinda felt guilty
even though I didn‘t do it intentionally.
I helped the underling up as I told Edrie, who was nearest to me, to get a mop to clean up
this mess.
―What‘s your name again?‖ I asked the underling. I only remembered the names of
people I was familiar with.
―Bob,‖ he replied, looking down at the puddle he had made with a brilliant red face.
―Hi Bob!‖ I smiled so brightly that he looked quite taken aback by my expression. I had
found a comrade!

I was then known throughout primary school as The Hero. I didn‘t think much of the title,
and I had only known about it when a gaggle of girls started calling me Hero instead of
Ryle. I would smile awkwardly at them, yet somehow, they would respond with an ear-
splitting squeal.
The first change I saw was from Gary himself. Due to his previous rolling performance,
he had suffered a fracture in his arm and had a sling over his chest which encumbered his
movements. He would glare at me every time he saw me, but ever since he lost his
underlings, his pride had been dealt a great blow, and he would sit in the corner with his
usual frowning face. I wondered what excuse he made up for his parents concerning his
injury. I was sure he withheld certain information to keep his face.
I was actually amazed by how he turned reticent so fast. I thought he would try to pick a
fight with me time and again, but so far, nothing had happened. But I was still vigilant.
Who knew when another one of his cannonball tricks would be aimed at my unguarded
back.
The second change I saw was in the classroom. Ever since the bully had been subdued, a

happy and lively atmosphere was always present. The term ‗bully‘ also became a
catchphrase, and now that Gary was not a threat anymore, the term was mocked
playfully.
―Hero! Maria bullied me!‖ Lily turned to me. It was as if I had inadvertently become
some sort of police officer who would bestow corporal punishment on miscreants.
―I did! Punish me!‖ Maria blushed red as she fluttered her lashes at me.
See? This was how they always mocked my words. Soon, the whole class was in on it
and would start acting out my moves. They would often ask me to teach them how to flip
in midair, and during recess I would show them a few simple moves that allowed them to
defend themselves. This suddenly reminded me of my Moonlight Sect, and I felt a pang
of loneliness in my heart. I missed my idiotic potatoes. I bet they were all grown-up now.
The third change I saw was from Kina, the girl I had saved from Gary‘s impending slap.
She was a cute girl who I had actually been acquainted with since kindergarten. With her
golden hair and rosy cheeks, she was a cherub who looked like she definitely needed
protection. It was after that incident that she started sticking to me like glue.
I hadn‘t noticed it at first, actually. It was only when I would start telling my parents
about what transpired during the day that Kina‘s name would always pop out
inadvertently. Such as, ―Kina and I went to do this‖ or ―Kina asked if she could borrow
this‖ or ―Kina said this or that‖.
My parents looked at each other with knowing glances after I talked about Kina for the
nth time.
―It‘s not what you think!‖ I disagreed with the romantic images I could see floating in
their heads.
I was obviously a female by heart, and I wasn‘t likely to fall in love with a person of the
same gender. Besides, Jin was waiting for me somewhere! I was saving my heart for him
and no one else.
―Uh-huh.‖ Mother giggled. Then she sighed, leaning her head against father‘s shoulders.
―My baby is growing up so fast, he already has a girlfriend!‖
Mother!! There was no way that was happening. I honestly saw Kina as a little sister that
I wanted to protect, and nothing else. More importantly, we were still nine years old!
―Ryle, you saved her from a bully. Of course she‘s your princess since you‘re her knight
in shining armor,‖ father said while winking at me.
What were my parents teaching me exactly?!

In school I also noticed that chocolates would somehow appear magically in my bag pack
every day in school. I didn‘t know who gave it, and I never saw the culprit, but I thanked
that person in my heart. When I popped a Ferrero in my mouth, I slowly ate it with relish.
Earth‘s delicacies were incomparable! Ahh, I was tempted to live here forever.
Chapter Twenty-eight
What I liked most about Avalon Academy was its facilities. Because of the expansive
ground the school occupied, there were different buildings that catered to each
department. All in all, there were three huge buildings: one each for the kindergarteners,
primary schoolers and secondary schoolers otherwise known as high schoolers.
The principal of the academy, principal Horatio, loved nature as much as my mother did.
Big trees and flower bushes surrounded the buildings. Each building had a beautiful
garden of its own. In the garden, there were various flowers and plants which were
imported from different countries all over the world. Hedges were sculpted into various
shapes and images, and there was this one very well-known tree that stood out in the
middle of the garden. It was a large rhododendron tree that bloomed nearly for the whole
year round. It was famous for being the number one spot for love confessions.
It was obviously especially crowded during Valentine‘s Day.
When I became a level 4 primary schooler, my popularity started rising. Because I

wanted to move my body a lot, I joined many after school clubs such as basketball,
swimming and soccer. I was restless if I didn‘t get to do physical activity, and I loved the
feeling of working out with sweat dripping down my back. When I was a deity in
Heaven, I could not feel such things, as I did not even sweat or felt fatigue. This
newfound feeling was refreshing, and I jumped from one club to the other everyday with
the coaches lauding me for my hard work.
During my practices, Kina would always be by the bleachers waiting for me to finish my
sessions. She often brought snacks for me with bottles of Gatorade in her bag. I honestly
never told her to do these things for me, but nevertheless I felt guilty as if I was using her.
My friends would always nudge me and give me those knowing glances but I would
always slap them away in distaste. Kina was only nice to me because I had saved her,
after all.
―Oh! I got another batch of chocolates today!‖ I happily said upon seeing the said
delights in my bag. It was now Autumn, and I loved how the trees that surrounded the
school turned into golden red clusters. The fallen leaves carpeted the floor with a beauty
that reminded me of Heaven.
I was walking Kina to her car, as the pathway towards the parking lot was rather far from
our primary school building. She always made her chauffeur wait for her as she waited
for me to finish my practices everyday, and it made me feel even more guilty.
Kina beamed at me when she saw me stuffing maltesers into my mouth.
―You know,‖ I said after I chowed down the wonderful chocolate, ―You don‘t have to
wait for me all the time. It‘s really boring after all.‖
―But it‘s not boring for me,‖ she replied, handing me a water bottle. I gulped its contents
and she took the empty bottle from my hands, shoving it inside her bag. There was a
trashcan nearby, though. Why didn‘t she throw it?
―Huh? You like seeing sweaty guys practice?‖ I teased her.
―No,‖ she retorted, blushing furiously.
―Then why?‖ I nudged her shoulder, and she blushed further. Woah, why did this girl
always look like a ripe tomato whenever I was with her? Was it so embarrassing to be
seen with me?
―That‘s because…‖ She looked down at her feet as she started tugging my cuffs.
―I lo—‖ whatever she said was drowned by a clamor in the distance. Vociferous voices
were heard, and I quickly grabbed her hand and guided her to where the sounds were
coming from.
In a small building usually used as a shed for the gardening equipment, I saw that there
were a couple of shadows moving in the corner, behind the shed.
―Shh…‖ I placed a finger to Kina‘s lips. ―Hide behind a bush and don‘t make a sound. I
don‘t know what‘s going on, but I think someone needs help.‖
Kina looked alarmed, but she nodded her head and obediently hid herself.
As I neared the shed, I could see a figure crouching on the ground in pain as three level 6
primary schoolers started attacking him with their feet. When the crouching figure turned
over, I saw, to my absolute stupefaction, that it was Gary! His legendary shaved head was
highly noticeable. I had not seen him since level 3 primary school where the class was
split into two sections, and I was shocked to see that his formerly rotund figure was no
more, and in its place was a person that resembled a twig!
―Where‘s your daddy‘s money now?‖ A snigger.
―Your daddy went bankrupt and you‘re just a poor boy with debts!‖ Collective sniggers.

―This is what you get! Your mom whored and destroyed my family! Serves you right!‖
―You‘re just a peasant!‖
―What the hell are you doing?!‖ I could not help but shout at these kids who were
maltreating a kid 2 years their junior. Even if Gary had mistreated many children before,
he was now well-behaved and did not deserve this!
The three kids stopped kicking to look at me first with wariness and then with ridicule.
Gary‘s face was flat in the dirt.
Kid number 1 said, ―Hey, this is the kid people were talking about.‖ He quoted with his
fingers, ―The Hero.‖ He looked at kid number 2 with a mocking smile.
―Ha? What‘s he doing here for?‖ Kid number 3 turned to them.
―For justice!‖ Kid number 1 laughed derisively. ―Ah, those were the days.‖ He shook his
head as if he began recalling his childhood past, then when he remembered Gary in the
dirt, he started kicking him again in the stomach.
―I said stop!‖ I glared at him and balled my fists at my sides, readying a fighting pose.
These kids were getting on my nerves. I was a tall kid for my age, and although they were
two years older, the difference in our heights were next to nothing. From all the club
activities I had been doing, I knew my physical strength increased many folds over since
the last time I had a dispute with Gary. However, I didn‘t want to use my new strength to
start a bloody mess right now, but it couldn‘t be helped if they forced my hand.
When kid 1 was about to lift his foot to start kicking, I hunkered down to grab his ankles.
I twisted his ankle as I cartwheeled on the ground, using my extended feet to knock down
kid 2, who had been watching in astonishment. Not even a minute passed, and both of the
kids were lying in the dirt. One was clutching his ankle in pain, while the other squatted
with a broken nose.
―So?‖ I started dusting the filth off of my hands as I turned to face kid 3. ―What‘s the big
deal? Why are you doing this?‖
Despite what he had seen, and his bloody comrades, he sneered at me. ―Why do you want
to know? It‘s none of your business.‖
I raised an eyebrow. ―It certainly is my business if my friend is involved.‖
I saw Gary‘s figure twitch.
―Hmph!‖ Kid 3 helped his comrades stand up. ―You think just cause you‘re a kid, you
can get away with this?‖ Ah, this was a typical villainous line. He was definitely

watching too much television.
―Why can‘t I get away with it?‖ I folded my arms over my chest as I released a chilling
smile.
―Shall I cripple you so you won‘t be able to walk?‖ I stepped menacingly towards Kid 3.
It was amazing how he wasn‘t afraid. For some time I thought he had some secret
weapon stashed under his sleeve, but upon closer inspection, kid 3 was actually shaking
like a leaf!
My killing intent faded away just as a cool breeze swept the area.
―Scram, you brats! Never go near my sight again or I swear I‘m gonna pound you to the
floor!‖ I yelled as the pent-up frustrations welled up in my chest.
Kid 2 and 3 left in a hurry and kid 1 hopped after them with his sprained ankle starting to
swell. Sorry about that, kid 1.
After I saw them fully off, I squatted to where Gary‘s rigid body lay.
―Hey.‖ I poked his arm. ―You dead?‖
―No.‖ Gary was lying face first on the ground, and his voice was muffled.
―Are you okay? Should I help you stand?‖
―No.‖
―Then get up. I don‘t want to talk to a corpse.‖ I stood up and waited.
And waited.
Waited…
―Hey!‖ I shouted. ―You didn‘t just die right?‖
―No.‖
―Did your brain get kicked too? How old are you? Two?‖
I was impatient, so I turned him over to glare at his face.
I was shocked.
Although his face was full of dirt, two streams of tears were cascading openly over his
cheeks. Snot dripped down to his lips, and he started sniveling when he saw me. What the

hell? Who was this person? Had I mistakenly saved someone else?
―Sorry!‖ He immediately said. He covered his eyes with both arms, as if he was afraid to
see me….or as if he was afraid I would see him in such a state.
―Huh? For what?‖ Shouldn‘t he be thanking me instead for saving him? What was he
apologizing for?
―For being so mean before.‖ He hiccupped. ―And thank you.‖ He sniffed. His tears were
dripping down his collar. ―Thank you for saving me. I don‘t have much pride left
anyway, so I‘m just going to say how I feel. Thank you.‖
Wow…his tears and snot inundated his whole face and neck now, and I was rendered
speechless.
While I was anxiously worrying about my next move, I heard a rustling sound behind me.
I turned around and saw Kina.
―Do you have a towel or something?‖ I asked her. She usually handed me towels after my
practices, so she probably had a bunch of them in her bag.
Kina looked at Gary worriedly. She fished out a clean towel from her bag and gave it to
me.
―Hey Gary, I‘m sorry for what I did to you before too, even if you deserved it back then.‖
I pulled his arms away from his face, but his thin arms felt as heavy as lead. I gave up on
doing so, then started wiping the tears that fell around his neck. ―Hey Gary, I don‘t know
what‘s happening in your life right now, but I‘ll be your friend.‖ I think what he really
needed was a guidance counselor or a therapist, but I think an ancient grandma like me
was sufficient. I was willing to reform potatoes for free!
I looked back at Kina questioningly and she nodded her head.
―Kina says she‘ll be your friend too.‖ I wiped the tears and dirt on his cheeks. ―Let‘s be
friends forever.‖
When Gary removed his arms from his face, his eyes had become so red and swollen that
he looked like he was having allergies.
―Pfft~‖ I could not suppress the laughter that escaped my lips.
―Why are you laughing!‖ Gary looked hurt.
―Pfft~‖ Kina couldn‘t hold it back either.

Gary saw Kina‘s laughing expression, and he couldn‘t help but laugh as well.
The three of us started laughing together as the golden leaves of Autumn swept past our
feet.

Chapter Twenty-nine
I was missing Jin terribly.
But how was I going to search for him without any leads? My seal seemed to be
malfunctioning because I could not even feel any pulsations from it since the time I had
been reincarnated. I was very frustrated. I hoped he had not fallen in love with someone
else while I wasn‘t around! Just thinking about it made me pale with worry.
―Why do you look so down?‖ Gary asked as he spooned himself a bowl of curry.
We were currently in the primary school‘s beautifully furnished cafeteria, and today‘s
luxurious lunches were Japanese themed. The dining hall was also one of my favorite
places to visit, as the food was already paid for and part of the tuition so I was able to
order whatever I wanted on the menu.
―I‘m looking for my husband,‖ I sighed.
―Husband?!‖ Gary and Kina nearly shouted out loud.
―Yeah.‖ I looked at their shocked expression with solemnity.

―Are you…gay?‖ Kina turned as white as a sheet.
Ah! I had forgotten I was currently a guy.
―No,‖ I laughed. ―I mean wife. Yeah, wife.‖
―Wife?‖ Gary asked. ―How could you have a wife when we‘re still 11 years old?‖
―What I meant was…‖ I looked around the cafeteria and saw many girls look my way
with bashful expressions on their faces. Huh? Was there something on my face?
―I‘m looking for a wife,‖ I said as nonchalantly as possible.
―Can‘t you look for a girlfriend first?‖ Gary laughed. Ever since we had become close
friends, he wasn‘t the same person Kina and I used to know. He gained more weight after
we fed him snacks and a truckload of food, and his muscles were firmer after joining the
clubs I was also part of. He was a lighthearted person now, and someone I was willing to
trust. I was glad we were now in the same section as we progressed to Level 5 primary
school.
Whatever family problems he had were a bit resolved after I had talked to my father
about it, and it seemed my father knew of the Sanders‘ deteriorating company. He
willingly bought a few shares and started making the company flourish once again, hence
the Sander family declared they were eternally indebted to us.
Aside from the company, Gary‘s parents reconciled after the cheating incident, and from
what I assessed since the last time I saw them visit our house, they were proper people.
The only downside was their lack of attentiveness towards Gary, thus I surmised he was
actually a very lonely child who only wanted to be seen and heard. Perhaps that‘s when
he started bullying people, as a way to be noticed by his parents and peers.
―W-Wife?‖ Kina started turning as red as the tomato juice in her hand.
―Yeah, I found her before but,‖ I sighed, ―I lost her too soon. I didn‘t even get to tell her I
loved her.‖
It was actually funny how Kina‘s red face turned into white in a matter of seconds. Was
she okay?
―Why? You lost contact or something?‖ Gary asked.
―Sorta.‖ It was hard to keep in touch when deities didn‘t have built-in cellphones for
communication.
―Did you search for her on Facebook?‖ Gary suggested.

―I don‘t know her name.‖ I didn‘t know what Jin‘s Earth name was, so searching him on
Facebook was useless.
―Sounds complicated.‖ Gary munched on his Oreos. He looked a bit contemplative.

―You‘ll find her soon, don‘t worry.‖
―Thanks!‖ I smiled at him and chugged down my goat‘s milk. I grinned wider when I
remembered all the fuss I had inadvertently caused in my past life when I suggested goats
milk as a beauty product. I suddenly felt melancholic. Ah, perhaps this was the reason
people chose to drink the soup of oblivion. Tying yourself to the past caused extreme
heartache.

For some reason, I had been getting love notes in my desk recently. It amused me, so
when I got home I would read them in my room.
They were very…flowery. Some of the love notes were written so well I had a hard time
believing it wasn‘t some sort of essay about their favorite food.
The streams of love notes kept flowing until I couldn‘t be bothered to read them all
anymore. I merely stuffed them all in my bag and placed them in a drawer in my room
for safekeeping. I didn‘t want to throw them away because as a girl, I knew how that
would hurt. More importantly, I didn‘t even know why they kept sending me such letters.
It was all so abrupt, I could not even guess the catalyst. I also felt that the boy they saw
me as and the person who I really was were two different people. It was a pity that they
were falling in love with a mere illusion.
―Excuse me, um…Hero?‖ A girl with brown locks came to me with red cheeks. Our class
was having morning recess, and I was sitting on Gary‘s desk while we chatted with Kina.
The rest of my classmates paused what they were looking to eavesdrop on us.
―Yes?‖ I looked at her, waiting patiently for what she was about to say.
―My friend is going to graduate soon from primary school, and she won‘t be going to this
school for secondary school…and…‖ She was out of breath. ―She wants to meet you
under the rhododendron tree at noon!‖
―Noon?‖ I asked. But that was lunch! Did she mean I would have to skip my favorite
meals just to meet this person?
Perhaps it was because she saw the altered expression on my face, that she hastily added,
―She brought food with her! Um, it‘s Mexican!‖

Ooh, nachos! Tortillas! Quesadillas!
I surreptitiously wiped away the drool that threaten to escape my mouth as I suddenly
imagined such food, and nodded my head.
Damn. I felt like I was turning into Seiran. I quickly squashed away the mournful feelings
I always had after remembering my old life.
―Sure,‖ I replied.
After the girl had gone, Gary looked at me with mirth while Kina glared at me. The
contrasting expressions were too stark.
―Huh? Why are you looking at me like that for?‖ I looked at Kina with a bewildered face.
―Our boy is so popular.‖ Gary nudged Kina with a shoulder. ―Better watch out for this
confession!‖
―What confession?‖ Huh? Wasn‘t it some friendly talk that happened to involve food?
―Love confession, you idiot! Obviously!‖ Gary smacked the table playfully.
―Huh? Why?‖ Huh? Why was it a love confession? Did that girl even know me? I didn‘t
think she did though? It was like the love notes I was given. Although they were signed
anonymously, I could not find it appropriate to fall in love with someone you barely even
knew. Oh wait. I was a hypocrite wasn‘t I? I had fallen in love with Jin at first sight, after
all! No, I should be an exception…

When I came back to the classroom after the date under the rhododendron tree, Kina was
the first to jump at me with apprehension in her eyes.
―What happened?‖ She asked me seriously as she clutched my sleeves.
I patted her head. ―I had lunch.‖
―Was it any good?‖ Gary asked from behind Kina. The rest of my classmates also turned
their heads to tease.
―Oi, Hero! Don‘t be such a heartbreaker!‖ Tim started pointing at me.
―How can you still be called a hero if you go hurting a girl‘s heart huh?‖
―Heroooo~~~~ fall in love with me!‖ One boy started hugging himself.

―Shut up you guys!‖ The girls reprimanded them as they continued to peer curiously at
me.
―I just had good food for lunch,‖ I said and then shrugged. It was true that the girl did
indeed confess, but that was after the scrumptious lunch she had painstakingly arranged
beneath the beautiful tree. Food would never be able to entice me, however, and I
obviously turned her down. I walked back to my desk.
―Was she pretty?‖ Maria asked me after Lily prodded her from behind.
―Does it matter?‖ I asked. Whether she was pretty or not, I still held no interest towards
prepubescent girls…or any girl for that matter.
The girls started blushing as they scurried away to whisper amongst themselves.
What was up with all that blushing? Why were the girls on Earth so odd?

It was the summer before we entered high school, and both Gary and Kina were away on
vacation. I basically had nothing to do with my time, and so I ended up becoming a
model for another one of my mother‘s paintings. She had already drawn my face for her
own Angel collections, and now she was using my face as a standard for her Greek gods
collection.
I peeked at her rough draft. ―Mother, is that me? I look old.‖
―This is how I envision you when you‘re older!‖ Mother laughed. ―See? Perfect for
Adonis!‖
―I don‘t see a resemblance though?‖ I squinted my eyes to see better. The jaws were too
chiseled…the nose was too long…huh? Did she even use me as a model? What was the
use of me sitting as still as a stone for hours?!
―It‘s all in here!‖ She tapped the side of her head with a paintbrush.
Um, okay, if you say so.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. One of the maids named Shelly, scurried to the front door to
receive the guest.
The birthmark I had on my wrist started pulsating, and a warmth suddenly filled my
heart. Were the answers to my prayers finally going to be delivered to my front doorstep
quite literally?!

Chapter Thirty
―Mistress Knight, the new neighbors have come to visit,‖ Shelly announced as she led the
guests into the living room.
My heart was beating so hard against my chest and my brain felt so fuzzy, I didn‘t even
know what I was looking at. I felt my mother tug at my arm.
―Oh hello there Camille! Thank you so much for stopping by!‖ My mother and Camille
kissed each other on the cheeks.
―We just moved in a few days ago, it would be rude not to pay a visit to my next door
neighbor!‖ Camille laughed lightly.
―Come inside, sit, sit,‖ my mother ushered them further into the living room.
I saw the small shadow behind Camille, and my heart felt like it was going to explode.
Blood rushed to my face as I saw the person I had wanted to see so much for 12 years. It
was Jin! It was really him! My heart couldn‘t stop singing.
―And this is my daughter Sarielle,‖ Camille introduced, pushing the small person in front
of her.
What.
―And this is my son, Bobby!‖ Mother nudged me forward. ―Say hello Bobby!‖
My mouth opened, but I couldn‘t seem to form words. I was too dumbstruck.
A girl?!
Jin was a girl?! It took me many seconds to collect myself.
I hadn‘t noticed it, but Sarielle‘s expression from the beginning was one of complete
anger. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her cheeks were flushed, as if we had a long
overdue enmity. Why was she mad? Jin drank the soup of oblivion and this was the first
time we met. How could she be mad at a complete stranger?
My mother and Camille left us alone while they strode off to the kitchen. They started
chattering about new cooking recipes, and I could not help but think, Mother, you don‘t
have to try so hard…

Sarielle sat on a couch and continued to glare at me.
What was this girl‘s problem??
―How could you leave my like that! Do you know how long it took me to find you when I
had no leads at all?!‖ She was fuming now, and her whole face turned red. I could almost
see steam coming out of her ears.
―Huh?‖ I was so glad to see Jin again that I couldn‘t think or comprehend anything else.
My head was full of fluff instead.
―You‘re an idiot!‖ She stood up then walked to where I stood. I looked down to see the
top of her head. I was actually a head taller than her, and I was suddenly highly amused.
The tables have indeed turned! I suddenly felt an urge to squish and hug her.
―What are you doing!‖ She yelled as I clasped her to me, her face against my shoulder.
Ah, this felt really good. I missed Jin so much. No matter how much this Jin was still
angry for unknown reasons, I still wanted to cry. This reunion was Heaven sent! Should I
thank Siming for that? But wait, then that would mean I had to punish her for making Jin
and I not see each other for 12 years in the first place!
―Stop…stop!‖ She continued yelling, albeit a bit feebly now.
I didn‘t stop hugging her. Minutes later, her outbursts suddenly dwindled, as if she was a
toy that had run out of battery. It was the cutest thing in the world.
I didn‘t know how long I just stood there holding her. It was only when I heard a camera
snap and my mother squeal her usually high pitched squeals that I was brought back to
the present. I quickly pushed Sarielle away from me as I felt my cheeks heat up.
―My goodness, Camille! I‘m so sorry about my son being sooo forward!‖ My mother
didn‘t look apologetic at all, as she continued snapping photos of Sarielle and I. I
glowered at her.
Camille giggled. ―Weren‘t we like that during high school? Reeve was especially forward
towards you, it must be in the genes!‖ Yes, pin the blame on father!
As they continued to reminisce about their old high school days, I turned to Sarielle.
―Will I see you again?‖ I asked timidly.
―I‘m just next door,‖ she replied. ―How could you not see me?‖
―How about high school?‖ She seemed to be the same age as me, so I hoped we would be
going together.

―Avalon Academy?‖ She grinned her pearly whites at me.
―Yes?‖ I hopped in excitement.
―I‘ll see you there as well.‖
―Yes!‖ I hugged her again and she stiffened up in embarrassment.

During the whole summer, Sarielle and I saw each other every day, as if this made up for
the 12 years we had not seen each other. I was completely ecstatic. We went to watch
movies together in our theatre room, went to the pool, went fishing in the river, played
basketball, and basically did everything we could think of as the time seemed to fly too
fast.
We also talked a lot during the time, and although she kept mum about most of her past,
she told me she had been in another country for primary school. She came back to this
country with her mother because both our mothers turned out to be close acquaintances
from the past, and they sorely missed each other. It was so much of a coincidence that
until now I couldn‘t repress the delight of experiencing something akin to a miracle.


It was now the first day of high school.
With the change of school buildings came with it the change of school uniforms. We now
wore long sleeves with a collar and a necktie emblazoned with our Academy‘s logo. We
could choose whatever pants to wear, and blazers were optional. I think we looked quite
dapper, and my parents thought so as well. Now that Sarielle and I had become the best
of friends, we were told to go to and from school together. And on the first day, Sarielle
became another inclusion to my parents‘ photo shoot.
―Ah, darling, don‘t they look like the cutest couple?‖ Mother giggled as she lowered her
camera. ―Kina and our baby weren‘t a couple, which disappointed me, but little Sari is
perfect!‖
―Honey, are you thinking what I‘m thinking?‖ Father grinned roguishly as he whispered
something into her ears. Mother suddenly laughed.
―Mom! Dad! Stop flirting! We‘re leaving now,‖ I whined as I grasped Sarielle‘s hand.
―Goodbye Bobby! Have fun on your first day of high school!‖
―Bye Ryle! See ya later!‖
In the backseat of my chauffeur driven car, Sarielle turned to me.
―Is it Bobby or Ryle?‖ She looked confused.
―Ryle, no doubt about it,‖ I answered back with a bit of a panic in my eyes.
Sarielle chuckled, then turned her head towards the window to look at the passing
landscape. Sometimes I didn‘t know how to treat this girl. For her, I was but a stranger
who became her close friend, so I couldn‘t ask for more than that. For now. I was going
to wait until we were older to personally make my moves!
I was also glad Jin became a girl as well, as stealing her heart would be a cinch. Although
Sarielle sometimes spoke roughly as if she were a man, I found it rather cute. And she
was rather a gentleman about most things, such as opening the doors for me or basically
just looking out for me like a natural born sentry. It was amusing, and as a man now, it
kinda hurt my pride to see a lady act so manly, so I made sure I was the one opening
doors for her instead. However, I was met with unanticipated ire, and I never tried to
dissuade her again.
Ah, it seemed I fell in love with such a tomboy.

Chapter Thirty-one
The opening ceremony for the new freshmen was led by our primary school
valedictorian, Maria Izuno. She had stopped claiming to be a goddess or mermaid when
we were in level 3 primary school, and it seemed she went and became a very studious
person devoted to otaku things. Half of her time spent in the classroom was reading
manga, and half of her time spent at home was studying for exams that were months
away.
I was a bit of an otaku myself, and Gary and I read mangas on our iPads when we had
nothing to do during recess. Sometimes I would catch Gary sneakily hiding his iPad
under his desk, and once when I looked over, I saw that he was reading yaoi…
…well.
I wasn‘t going to judge him.
Anyway, it seemed that my class had expanded thrice over, numbering over 150 students.
Not everyone in highschool came from affluent families. The Academy held scholarships
for those who could not afford the extravagant tuition. I could tell many of these new
students were not used to the Academy‘s facilities as well. During the opening ceremony,
most were looking around the gym in awe or staring out the huge windows to sigh at the
billowing willows outside.
We were currently in the gym when Maria started her speech. I also had already
introduced Sarielle to Gary and Kina. Gary was very friendly and chatted with her
happily, however, Kina seemed more reluctant to join in their conversation. I couldn‘t
understand it. Kina now had a girl she could talk to instead of boisterous guys such as
Gary and I, so wouldn‘t she be glad?
When we went to the bulletin board to check our class arrangements, I was delighted to
see that the four of us were all in section A! The whole batch was divided into six
sections so as to prevent overcrowding in the classrooms. The seats were arranged
alphabetically, so Sarielle Knox ended up my seatmate while Gary and Kina were seated
two rows behind.
I did not know a third of my classmates, but I was hoping to get along with them as I had
gotten along well with my classmates in primary school and kindergarten.
Gary and I signed up for various clubs again. We joined the high school division for
swimming, basketball and soccer, and the coaches who had heard about the famous
athletes of primary school welcomed us with open arms. The coaches didn‘t even care if
we had other clubs to attend, as long as we attended the club at least once a week.
I thought Kina would stop waiting for me to finish my clubs now that we were in high
school, but contrary to my thoughts, she didn‘t stop at all. Because Sarielle rode with me
going back home, she waited for me as well. Both Kina and Sarielle ended up sitting side
by side at the bleachers as they waited for me to finish practice, and their friendship
seemed to grow. I was glad.
When my friends in the basketball team saw this, they started teasing me.
―Hey, Hero! Who else is your victim, huh?‖ A senior asked as he gave me a noogie, and I
tried to desperately get away from his arms.
―He‘s just a freshman but he has more girls than you, Jo!‖ A senior laughed as he
approached me to give me a noogie as well.
Stop!!! My hair was a mess now! I looked at the girls on the bleachers for help, and I saw
Sarielle give me the evil eye. Huh? Why did she look angry?
―Who else are you going to add to your harem?‖ Gary chuckled as he came and added
another knuckle on my head. I tried to squirm away from the upperclassmen‘s embrace.
―You!‖ I pointed at Gary with a teasing smile.
For some reason, Gary‘s ears turned red. He looked away and said, ―Big brothers, let‘s
play ball now!‖
With the upperclassmen‘s attention diverted, I quickly dashed out from their clutches and
towards the bleachers to gulp in some air.
―Here,‖ two girly voices said simultaneously as two Gatorade bottles appeared in front of
my face.
Ah?
Kina held the orange flavored one while Sarielle held the grape flavor. I took both of
their bottles in my hands and because I preferred grape more, I called out to Gary.
―Yo Gary!‖ I shouted. He turned his head then started jogging towards me. I saw that his
ears were pink.
―Catch!‖ I threw the orange flavored Gatorade at him. ―It‘s from Kina!‖
Gary caught it smoothly in his hands, and waved a hand at Kina. ―Thanks!‖
I turned to glance at Kina, but saw that she somehow looked glum.

―I‘m sorry. Did you not want to give it to him?‖ I told her. Gary and I were both close to
her, and we all ate and drank the same food without reservations. So why did she look
upset?
―No, it‘s nothing.‖ She shook her head then mustered a smile for me.
―Okay.‖ I smiled at her and mussed her hair. She looked down with a small smile, her
eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks.
I gulped down the contents of the Gatorade in front of Sarielle. I loved how the drink was
still cold. It refreshed my parched throat in a matter of seconds. I downed the whole
bottle, and wiped away the excess drops on my lips. I turned and saw Sarielle‘s cheeks
were a bit flushed. Mm? Did she have a fever?

I suddenly garnered a new nickname out of nowhere during my sophomore year.
I had to admit that I was a very well-mannered person *cough* on Earth. Because I was
afraid of Earth‘s Heavenly King and the tribulations He might bestow upon me if I ever
screwed His world, I started becoming cautious with my actions. I promised myself I
wasn‘t going to beat up anybody unless the situation called for it. I also tried my best to
be kind to those around me, offering them a smile to brighten up their day. Who wanted
to greet a person with a frown, anyway?
One day while my friends and I were going up the stairs to head for the physics lab, we
heard a shriek from above. I saw a girl stumble backwards on the stairs. Afraid that she
would hurt herself, I quickly ran up a few flights of stairs, clutching the railing with my
left hand for support and used my right hand to catch her in my arms.

She had her eyes tightly closed as she expected a harsher impact, and when she slowly
opened her eyes, her mouth opened in shock. The girl was a freshman, from the class
badge I saw pinned to her collar, and she suddenly turned to stone in my arms. She
continued to gape at me without a sound.
―You go on ahead guys,‖ I told Sarielle, Gary and Kina. Kina was hesitant, and seemed
like she was going to follow me, but I shook my head at her. It wasn‘t like I needed help
with carrying a girl who barely weighed fifty kilos.
I carried the freshman to the infirmary, as it seemed there was something wrong with her
head. The doctor didn‘t seem to be around, so I told the nurse about what had happened
on the stairs. She told me to bring the freshman to a spare bed, and I chose a bed beside a
potted orchid.
―P-Prince!‖ The freshman suddenly declared with hearts for eyes.
―Who?‖ I looked at her as if she was a mental patient. I turned around to call for the

nurse. This freshman seemed to be hallucinating.
―Prince!‖ She called again and started grabbing my sleeves.
―My name is Ryle, not Prince.‖ I forcefully pried her fingers off of me. Alarm signals
were ringing in my head. This freshman was a dangerous creature.
I quickly pushed her on the bed, and she screamed kyaa! As she blushed.
What the hell!
She started to close her eyes with her lips puckered. I looked on in disgust as I quickly
covered her with a blanket and sped out of the infirmary in the speed of light.
Chapter Thirty-two
Gary, Sarielle, Kina and I were known for being the popular coterie in highschool. I
didn‘t bother with things such as popularity, but when things just go out of hand and the
sole cause was your own popularity, I truly thought it was a nuisance instead.
In class, I noticed that this girl named Tina who sat in front of me kept throwing her
eraser on the floor. The first few times I picked it up for her as she seemed to be unaware,
but the next few times seemed to me a calculated move on her part. How could an eraser
fall five times in a span of an hour?!
When recess began, I stood up and sat at the edge of Sarielle‘s desk. If that girl‘s eraser
fell again, no one would blame me for not looking.
―I know what you‘re thinking,‖ Sarielle smiled deviously as she perched her small face
on both knuckles. ―And you‘re right.‖ She peered at the girl behind me.
―If any guy ever did that to you, I‘m going to shave my head,‖ I announced. No one liked
a baldie. Oh…sorry Gary.
Sarielle raised an eyebrow. ―If any guy ever puts his hands on you, I‘m going to run
around naked.‖
I didn‘t really understand her sentence as I was also a guy now, but the mere thought of
Jin naked drove me nuts.
―Here.‖ Sarielle held out a handkerchief to my bloody nose with amusement.

While I was busy soaking my nose with the handkerchief, Sarielle looked behind me and
started suppressing laughter.
―What‘s up?‖ I asked.
―You‘re the Knight in Shining Armor, right?‖ She grinned. ―The eraser is on the floor
again.‖
I didn‘t turn around. Instead, I rolled my eyes.
Suddenly, Sarielle nudged me. She blinked furiously with her eyes pointing towards a
scene behind me. I turned around to see what was going on, and I saw one of my
classmates named Mike walk over to pick up the eraser for Tina.
However, Tina glowered at him. ―That‘s not mine!‖
―Eh?‖ Mike was stupefied. ―But…but…it has your name on it…‖
―I said it‘s not mine!‖ Tina repeated in harsher tones, and Mike blanched.
―Okay…okay…‖ Mike started returning the eraser to where it fell, which was beside the
leg of Tina‘s desk.
I turned away from the miserable spectacle to look back at Sarielle.
―Poor guy,‖ we both said at the same time.
―Jinx!‖ We said together, our fingers pointing at each other.
―Jinx!‖ I repeated hurriedly.
―Aw, man!‖ She sighed as she scribbled another line on her notebook.
Sarielle : 2 points vs Ryle : 10 points.

My favorite time of the day was noon. Because it meant one thing: lunch at the cafeteria!
In my past life, I thought my cooking was legendary, but how pretentious I had been!
Earth‘s food couldn‘t even compare to the cooking I learned in Heaven in my past life,
and I was serious. Even the fast food joints were delicious! If Seiran were here, he would
devour them all! And because of that, I was kind of glad he wasn‘t here…but of course, I
still missed that little fat rascal.
It was really a good thing I was physically active. If not, with all the food I currently ate,

I was pretty sure I was going to be obese. I had to thank my parents for sending me to a
high class Academy which served food comparable to five star hotels. Ah, now that I had
Sarielle beside me, I was more than content with my life. Food and Sarielle were a great
combo.
I kept munching on the pistachios Sarielle handed to me after she peeled off the shells.
This was actually the same behavior Jin had done for me in my past life, and I was
overcome with joy. Perhaps Sarielle still retained a bit of Jin‘s memories! I was a bit
giddy.
―You know what, you guys seem like you know each other too well,‖ Gary said as he
cracked open a pistachio the cafeteria ladies were handing around.
Kina narrowed her eyes at Sarielle, but did not say a word.
―Of course! We‘re next door neighbors!‖ I said. We also had two lifetimes together, so
we obviously knew each other a lot more than one would expect.
―Sari, what do you think of Ryle?‖ Kina suddenly asked.
Sarielle continued to peel pistachios for me. ―I think he‘s an idiot.‖
I felt like an arrow struck my heart, accompanied by a herd of cows stepping over it in
determination.
Kina and Gary looked a bit pleased, but I was definitely bewildered.
―Hey! You‘re an idiot as well!‖ I countered. Jin was an idiot for…for calling me an idiot!
―Whatever, idiot,‖ Sarielle said as she stuck a pink tongue out at me. Despite her words, I
suddenly blushed. Bah! She was so annoying! How could an insult make even my heart
race? I was doomed to insanity!

My favorite sport was swimming. I loved the feel of water against my skin especially
during humid weather, and I liked how I could feel my muscles ripple with strength every
time I did a stroke. Because of all the time I spent on sports, I did not have time to scour
the bookstores for random novels anymore. Although I thought it was a pity, I also had
many school books to read as well, so I wasn‘t actually missing out on anything Earth
had to offer me.
―Nice lap,‖ Gary commented as he helped me up the pool. ―Fifteen yards under fifty
seconds!‖ He looked at his stopwatch then gave me a high five.
―It was nothing. I had fun.‖ I smiled at him.

―Here‘s a towel,‖ Kina suddenly rushed over with Sarielle trailing behind her.
I took the towel and started rubbing my head with it.

―Your fan club has been increasing these days,‖ Sarielle could not help but comment as
she jerked a thumb towards the benches where a group of freshmen and sophomores were
giggling and ogling me.
I suddenly felt goosebumps raise over my arms. Their gazes were quite predatory, and I
felt naked even when I was wearing my swimming trunks. Adolescent girls were the
scariest beings on Earth. I had to blame it on the skyrocketing hormones. Too bad they
didn‘t know that what lied inside this youthful hunk was actually an aging grandma.
―Uh…lets take a shower,‖ I told Gary. I wanted to get far away from the evil gleam in
those girls‘ eyes.
In the locker room, I started peeling off my swimming trunks without care and quickly
took the nearest shower stall. It was funny how the men‘s shower room had only simple
divisions for each shower head, but I didn‘t mind much. I wasn‘t affected by seeing other
guys‘ bodies. The only body I wanted to see was Jin‘s and no one else‘s. They couldn‘t
even compare.
My other friends from the swim team came barging in after their practiced laps, and they
quickly started showering beside me. The room was immediately filled with steam.
―Ryle,‖ Gary said. He had taken a stall beside mine, and he was looking my way. I
couldn‘t see much because of the steam, but I thought I saw a red face.
―Hey, you okay? You look like a lobster. Maybe you should get out and get some fresh
air,‖ I suggested as I lathered shampoo over my hair.
―Can…can you wash my back?‖ He asked timidly.
―I‘ll wash your back for you!‖ One of our teammates suddenly joined in.
―Shut up!‖ Gary said as he turned away from me.
―Hey Prince!‖ The swimming captain, Jack, shouted over the sound of streaming water.
―I never knew you actually got a huge package!‖ Everyone started laughing and teasing.
I was busy washing my hair and didn‘t bother to comment on such obscene observation.
―The captain‘s just jealous cause his package is thumb sized!‖ Someone shouted over the
noise, and everyone guffawed.
―Ooh, burn!‖ They jeered.
I think my teammates from the swimming club were the most vulgar and raunchy bunch

among my club friends. In the locker room, most would start showing other people porno
on their phones, and I would only look on in disgust. It wasn‘t that I abhorred them for
having such lewd thoughts, as I knew it was common for guys in that age, but it was just
that I didn‘t find it so enjoyable. If Jin and I did those smutty acts together and someone
was videoing us and watching us on repeat, I wouldn‘t like it one bit.
Ah, pardon the sudden nosebleed.
―Look here Prince!‖ A junior, Marlo, started waving me over as he held his phone in his
hands. Many of our teammates were behind him as they looked on at the screen with
lascivious smiles.
―What about it?‖ I was already buttoning my shirt and was prepared to leave.
―Why don‘t you have any interest in this stuff?‖ One senior asked in astonishment.
―We‘re at the peak of adolescence! We have the drive! We have the skill!‖
Jack smacked him on the head. ―What skill are you talking about, you old virgin!‖
―You know…we‘re good at free style.‖ The senior winked at Jack. ―We do lots of strokes
with enthusiasm…‖
I was turning red from the vivid imagery I had in my head. Dammit these boys and their
ribald jokes!
―Let‘s go,‖ I told Gary, who was putting on his shoes slowly. He looked up at me, his
cheeks a little red.
―Oh, c‘mon Prince! Look at this! Damn, that swimsuit is hot!‖ Marlo couldn‘t contain
himself as he inhaled his fist, his other hand holding his phone with heated anticipation.
These apes were disgusting.

Chapter Thirty-three
―So how do you feel bathing with guys?‖ Sarielle asked with a chilling undertone in her
voice.
Sarielle and I were having our daily homework sessions in my room. We were currently
doing our science homework, and ever since I stumbled upon the realm of Earth‘s
science, I was overwhelmed by the many facts that humans unearthed. How wonderful it
truly was! To think that there were such things as atoms and molecules in the elements. I
held but a scintilla of knowledge of such things, and it couldn‘t be compared to what
Earth held in store for me.
But what most shocked me was their advanced mathematical system.
What was wrong with their math? Why did they suddenly include letters in their
numbers?! The alphabets were supposed to stay put together, ah! What were these
symbols for? I didn‘t think I needed to know that in order to buy a piece of burger!
―Can you please stop spacing out?‖ Sarielle threw a paper ball at my head playfully.
―Sorry. What were you saying again?‖ I started to twirl my pen in between my fingers. If
only I could bring these gadgets with me to Heaven and sell them, I would be filthy rich!
―How does it feel to bathe with guys?‖ She looked at me sternly.
―I don‘t really care?‖ I shrugged. ―It‘s not like I‘m seeing something I don‘t have after
all.‖
Sarielle burst out laughing.
I was being honest here. I felt nothing towards a random female and male body that
weren‘t Jin‘s. It was odd, but it was better that way. I wondered if Sarielle felt the same.
―And you?‖ I narrowed my eyes at her. ―I saw a guy confessing to you under the
rhododendron tree. You sure are popular.‖ My tone was bland because I kept my jealousy
hidden. If another guy stole her away from me, what would I possibly do?!
―Oh?‖ The corners of her lips raised. ―You saw that?‖
―Of course!‖ My Sarielle-stalking abilities were top notch.
―Why were you stalking me?‖ She leaned over the table, moving her face closer to mine.
She was changing the subject so adroitly, hey!

―Because…because I was curious!‖ I stammered. I turned my face away. Her face was
too close.
―Have I told you how cute you are?‖ She peered at me as if she was memorizing every
inch of my face.
―Huh?‖ I covered a portion of my blushing face with my hand. ―No you haven‘t, but you
can say it as many times as you like.‖

Sarielle laughed again.
―I think I‘m going to take a shower,‖ I said. I was suddenly feeling very hot right now,
and I didn‘t want to smell like a fish in front of her.
―Go ahead,‖ she smiled provocatively at me, and I blushed even harder. Dammit! My
heart was weak.
―I‘m going to help auntie Yvonne with dinner while you shower,‖ she said as she stood
up, patting the creases on her skirt.
―You‘re not going to shower with me?‖ I teased.
As expected, Sarielle turned red, and she threw a paper ball which she had stacked up on
the table at me with ferocity. She left the room in a huff. She was so cute.
After I finished my shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist and started flexing my
muscles in front of the full length mirror I had in my room. As a fifteen year old, I had to
be honest. My rippling pectorals were amazing! This was all due to my hard work, and I
felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. I started posing in front of the mirror. I
curled my arms and flexed. Ooh, my abs looked tight. Niiiice.
―You‘re turning into such a narcissist.‖
I turned around and saw Sarielle who had on a jaded look.
I shrieked like a little girl and covered my nether regions with my hands. Even though I
had a towel over my waist, it didn‘t keep my package in the proper position…if you
know what I mean…
―Are you here to rape me?‖ I said, my eyes wide with shock and a little bit of…thrill?!
―Who wants to rape you?‖ Sarielle threw a disgusted glance my way and strode towards
my bed.
―Are we going to do it on the bed?‖ I almost said out loud, but Sarielle‘s glare caused me
to shut my trap. I sucked in my nosebleed.
Sarielle started looking under my bed. ―You‘re a healthy boy. Where do you keep your
porn?‖
―I don‘t read those things!‖ I said, aghast.
Although this body I had always had the urges, I restrained myself. As she said, this was
a healthy human male‘s body, and it was a typical thing to do. However, this kind of

conversation was too bizarre!
―Want me to help you?‖ She asked.
WITH WHAT?! What was she saying!
―You‘re such an idiot! I was asking if you wanted me to help you clean up the random
junk under your bed.‖ She lifted the comforter to reveal random toys I had shoved under
the bed from when I was still five years old. I started blushing with embarrassment.
―Oh.‖ I looked away. I think I really gotta change into real clothes now…
―Don‘t worry, I‘ll wait until we‘re married to do those things you want to do.‖ I could see
the mirth in her eyes as she glanced at me while dragging out the toys.
―I don‘t want to do those things you think I want to do!‖ I lied. Wait, what had she said
before that?
My wardrobe was beside my bed, behind the area where Sarielle squatted, piling up my
old toys. I carefully walked over to the wardrobe as I held the towel securely around my
hips, hoping I wouldn‘t stub myself on the foot.
I jinxed myself. As I was only a step away from my closet, I accidentally stepped on a
Lego. I howled in pain and stumbled backwards. I looked back and saw the stricken
expression on Sarielle‘s face. Oh no, I was going to land on her!
I twisted my body so instead of landing on my back, I landed face-front. I didn‘t want to

hurt her, so I caged her body with my arms instead, my hands landing on either side of
her face. Whoosh~ My butt suddenly felt cold as I heard something flap away. I think it
was my dignity.
―Ouch…ouch…‖ I cried. My hand had landed on Captain America.
I stared back at Sarielle, who stared back at me with unconcealed surprise. Her ears were
red.
The door creaked open. ―Oh my my my!‖
I turned my head and saw my mother at the door, carrying a tray full of snacks.
―I thought you were doing group study, but I didn‘t know it was THIS kind of studying!‖
What the hell!
In horror, I lost my balance and fell face first into the valley between soft breasts. My
friends from the swim team liked to call it the Grand Canyon, but that was reserved for

girls with DD cups. Sarielle, on the other hand, had a humble B cup, so I opted for the
term valley instead. My cheeks were pressed against the soft mounds and I could hear a
heartbeat running wild. So this was what all the hype was about, I thought randomly with
my cheeks on fire.
―Oh my my my! How forward! Don‘t be so harsh during studying okay? Be safe, that‘s
my only advice for you!‖ The door immediately closed.
I slowly pulled my face away from the famous valleys. I could not even look at Sarielle
in the eye.
―…please put on some clothes…‖ Was all she said.
Whoosh~
Yes, it was getting really cold down there.

Chapter Thirty-four
We were in the cafeteria discussing the upcoming year-ender field trip which commenced
in two weeks‘ time. It was said to be a camping trip as well on the mountains of Kreuk,
and any sort of mobile gadgets were not allowed, in order to prevent any kind of
distraction from the beauty of nature. I wasn‘t so physically attached to my phone or
iPad, but I knew a lot of my classmates could not help but cry out in complaints.
―I don‘t really understand why they won‘t let us bring our phones,‖ Kina said after she
slurped her orange juice. ―How are we supposed to document our stay?‖
―I‘m pretty sure the teachers are bringing some equipment?‖ I said. ―It‘ll be for the
yearbook, after all.‖
―Ah, I wanted to take a picture of the stars!‖ Gary said.
―I bet they‘re beautiful,‖ Sarielle said as she smiled. After that certain naked incident in
my room, I had a hard time looking at her straight in the face. Sarielle acted normally,
and was not upset, although sometimes I saw her ears turn pink whenever she looked at
me. I gradually returned to my normal state as well.
―Let‘s go on a ski trip this winter!‖ Gary said enthusiastically. ―We‘ve never gone out
together during breaks before.‖
―Yeah!‖ Kina agreed.
―I don‘t like the snow,‖ Sarielle said, her expression somber.
―Why?‖ I asked as my heart started to pound wildly. I recalled a certain memory in the
past that was still quite vivid in my heart.
Sarielle looked at me silently, then turned her face away as she added, ―It‘s the color of
blood.‖
Gary and Kina had confused expressions on their faces.
―Huh? But snow is white though?‖ Gary was perplexed.
Sarielle smiled sadly, but did not reply.
I could not stop staring at her.
Was it that she still retained Jin‘s memories? All of them? Although I had disregarded the
small clues before, thinking it could not be the case, this was one clue I could definitely

not look over. There was definitely a cut-off to my stupidity.
Because Sarielle and I sat side by side, Gary and Kina who sat across us, could not see
how I had suddenly grasped Sarielle‘s hand underneath the table.
The hand in mine stiffened in surprise, but slowly her hand covered my own in a soft
grip. We continued to talk and eat with our hands held tightly under the table.

Sarielle and I did not speak about our past lives, but I knew that she knew I had finally
realized now. Sarielle still had Jin‘s memories intact, and I was a dunce for not realizing
it any sooner. No wonder she had said I was an idiot!
Sometimes, I could not help but stare at her in a trance. All of the memories I had of Jin
in the past life came rushing back to me, and I could not suppress the happiness in my
heart. Although I had thought Sarielle did not retain Jin‘s memories, I still wanted to woo
her and make her fall in love with me even when I did not know how.
No wonder Sarielle had acted oddly during the first time we met. She was angry I had left
her in the netherworld! It was such a disconcerting oversight on my part. I was a failure
as his wife! (Or wife to be…or in this case, husband to be…??)
But now that Jin‘s memories were intact, what was I going to do now?
I definitely still had to woo Sarielle. I was the man who stuck to his words.
…but how?
We were doing homework again in my room, and I was staring dazedly at Sarielle‘s face.
―Why do you always seem like you‘re spacing out?‖ Sarielle looked worried. ―Are you
okay? I‘ll bring you some tea.‖
―No,‖ I shook my head, ―I‘m just thinking.‖
―Of what?‖ She inclined her head.
―Of you,‖ I confessed.
Sarielle instantly turned red in the face. ―You don‘t have to say it out loud!‖ She bent her
head down to scribble on her notebook, hiding her face behind a veil of hair.
She was so adorable. I wanted her to be with me forever.
―Sarielle, will you marry me?‖ I asked earnestly.

I could not deny that I had impulsively followed Jin to the mortal realm because of my
certain infatuation with his magnificence. However, I realized something important as I
stared at her in rumination. No matter how Jin looked on the outside, if he were a decrepit
man or an impoverished woman, what I was in love with was not his physical
appearance. What I was in love with was his soul. Even if I would not have my memories
intact in my next life, I was sure that I would still find him and fall in love with him all
the same.
Sarielle looked back at me with red eyes. She nodded her head slowly, smiling as the
tears suddenly rolled down her face.
―You beat me to the punch,‖ she laughed through her tears. Then she muttered, ―Damn, I
blame my emotional instability on PMS.‖ I chuckled.
I wiped her tears with my thumbs. ―I‘m the man now, you know? You just gotta sit back
and let me take care of you.‖
She closed her eyes as she leaned against my palm with a sigh. ―No…let us take care of
each other.‖

Chapter Thirty-five
I was busy packing for the three days and two nights camping trip in the mountains.
―Bobby honey, have you brought with you all your essentials?‖ My mother asked as I
shouldered my knapsack.
Sarielle was waiting for me in the living room. I looked at her and smiled.
―Not everything,‖ I told my mother.
I grabbed Sarielle‘s hand. ―Now I‘m all ready.‖
My mother chuckled as Sarielle turned her face away in embarrassment.
When we arrived in the Academy, there were seven huge buses that awaited us students
in the parking lot. Each bus had a teacher as usherettes, holding with them a huge sign
which indicated which section should go to which bus. Many students were already
forming lines as they handed their luggage to the porter.
The chauffeur held the door for us as Sarielle and I got off the car. My classmates who
had also just arrived, approached us with surprised faces.
―What‘s going on here?‖ Tim looked shocked as girls peeked from behind him.
―What‘s going on where?‖ I asked. In front of our classmates, Sarielle took my hand in a
seemingly protective gesture.
―This is my first time seeing you two ride to school together,‖ Maria commented with
disbelief. Of course it would be their first time seeing us get into the same car together.
My chauffeur always knew solitary places to drop us off at school, so as to avoid my

depraved fanclub.
―Don‘t tell me you‘re dating?‖ Kina, who had also recently arrived, walked to us with
Gary trailing behind her. Although she knew Sarielle and I rode the same car everyday,
she still looked skeptical.
I didn‘t know, were Sarielle and I dating? We were practically engaged already, so did
that count as dating?

I looked towards Sarielle, who also seemed to be pondering the situation.
―I guess so?‖ Sarielle replied, and the whole crowd gasped with expressions of
incredulity on their faces.
―What‘s with all that exaggerated response?‖ I scowled, taking umbrage at their conduct.
They were a bunch of busybodies, and I didn‘t appreciate anyone butting in when it
wasn‘t their business at all. The crowd saw my deep frown, and they precipitously
dispersed, though their gossiping nature could not be restrained.
Kina hastily fixed the wrathful expression on her face. She smiled at me with hands that
gripped the handles of her duffle bag tightly. ―I see,‖ she said through gritted teeth.
Gary held a hand on Kina‘s shoulder, and he whispered something softly in her ear. I
thought I heard, ―At least they‘re not married.‖ But perhaps I was wrong. Kina‘s grip on
her bag loosened, but the hard glint in her eyes was still there. I could not understand why
she would be so unhappy after Sarielle‘s announcement. It couldn‘t be she actually had
fallen in love with me? Nah. I was merely her savior and friend. I would only believe
such a thing if she said it out loud.
In the bus, Sarielle and I sat side by side. Sarielle took the aisle seat because she would
often stand up to go to the restroom at the back of the bus, and she didn‘t want to bother
me.
It was a five hour trip to the mountain lake, and because everyone was excited, no one
could stop chattering in the bus. During our freshmen and sophomore years, our year
ender excursions were trips to Russia and Paris respectively, but many of my classmates
were wealthy enough to visit those countries many times over, so the excitement had
been dimmed. The teachers then decided on local trips instead, so we could appreciate the
beauty of our own country for once.
―By the way, how did you find me?‖ I turned to face Sarielle. This was a question that
had nagged me the most, but would always forget to ask. I wanted to know how Sarielle
found me on this Earth. Now that the shock of realizing Jin‘s memories were intact was
gone, I suddenly remembered. I was sure her finding me wasn‘t such a coincidence after
all. He was the God of War for a reason.
Sarielle gave me a once over and said, ―I think I find you rather attractive.‖
―Thank you, but, that‘s not what I meant.‖ I felt my cheeks heat up. ―I meant, how did
you know I was in Hillwood City?‖
―It was my mother. One day she was talking about her close friend back in Hillwood City
who had a son with a really cool birthmark on the inside of his wrist.‖ She took my right
hand and turned it over, revealing the plum blossom leaf shaped birthmark. ―I saw the
circular birthmark you had on your wrist in our previous life. It was worth a shot to see if

you were who I thought you were.‖
I didn‘t want to tell him that the circular birthmark was actually a seal used to stalk him.
But ever since I had reincarnated and the seal actually metamorphosed in the process, I
thought perhaps it also had affected its use, limiting its distance coverage. But I wasn‘t
going to linger on that anymore, and I was just happy I got to see her now.
I wanted to ask another question. ―Not that I don‘t like your female appearance or
anything, but, why did you turn into a female?‖
Jin was cute as a girl, but I also wanted to see him as a boy, actually.
―Because I don‘t think you would like me that way if we‘re of the same gender. I saw
you jump into the Yang reincarnation pool, hence, I jumped into the Yin,‖ she said this as
if it was the most natural thing to do.
I honestly thought I would like him no matter what his gender was. It made no difference
to me.
―By the way, I made these for you.‖ I took out a Tupperware from my bag and handed it
to Sarielle. She looked at it curiously, then suddenly laughed when she saw what was
inside.
―Gong Bao chicken!‖ She exclaimed happily.
―Still your favorite?‖ I asked. I would be devastated if she said she hated it now in her
second incarnation.
―Everything you make is my favorite.‖ She started to eat the chicken cubes with a fork. I
was happy to know ingredients for this dish was available on Earth, and I had
meticulously prepared this dish early in the morning, making sure that the sauce was
thick and shiny. I also added peanuts to better the tasty experience.
I really loved looking at Sarielle‘s happy face. I suddenly felt an urge to kiss her. Perhaps
I felt that way because of all the male hormones that were haranguing me in this body. I
could not blame it on anything else but that. I was normally a decent person, I promise.
―Here.‖ Sarielle fished out something from her knapsack. I extended my hand and she
plopped a McDonald‘s burger in my palm. She grinned. ―I know you like burgers.‖
Ah~ my urges seemed uncontrollable. I shouldn‘t kiss her, I shouldn‘t. Control. I had to
control myself.
I looked away from her as I bit into the majestic piece of Heaven. Ah, no matter what
kind of rumors abound about this fake patty, I could not fake the emotions I felt every
time I set my eyes on this beauty.

―You have quite the voracious appetite nowadays. Be careful or you‘ll end up looking
like Seiran,‖ Sarielle said with mirth in her eyes.
―Looking like what? Looking cute?‖ I laughed, then said seriously, ―But I already am.‖
Sarielle rolled her eyes.
In the middle of the trip I was getting a bit drowsy. I kept nodding off with my chin
hitting my chest every few minutes. After probably the 100th time my chest was hit, I felt
soft fingers touch the side of my face, and I was gently led to lean over a small shoulder.
I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, but my heart was pounding. I felt her head lean
against mine as well, and in no time, I could hear her soft snores. My neck felt a bit
cramped now, as I refused to move my head, afraid to awaken her.
Ah~ my neck hurts.

Chapter Thirty-six
Once we arrived at the base of the mountain, the teachers had us trek up the five mile
hiking trail to the top. At the top, they said, were cottages that waited for us by the scenic
lake. I hoped the view was enough to take away our exhaustion.
―Give me your bag.‖ I turned to Sarielle and extended my hand. She was a small woman,
only reaching my shoulders, and I did not want her to carry such a heavy load while we
trekked.
Sarielle blushed and then said stiltedly, ―I…I can take care of myself.‖
Ah, he still kept his manly pride, I see.
―It‘s okay,‖ I said. It didn‘t matter to me if he lost his dignity by this much. He was a girl

now and I cared about his health. Back when I didn‘t know she was Jin, I had let her do
many gentlemanly things for me because I didn‘t want her to be upset. Now that I knew
she retained Jin‘s memories, I finally saw why she kept doing those things. But I wanted
to return the favor this time around.
I took the knapsack from her shoulder despite her protests. I weighed it in my hand. It
was quite heavy for her standard.
I looked over my shoulder to see how Gary and Kina were doing. Kina looked like she
was struggling with her duffel bag as well, and I was about to take it from her hands until
Gary spoke.
―Here, let me carry that for you.‖ Gary took Kina‘s bag from her hands without her
approval, and she pouted.
―Thanks,‖ she said reluctantly.
―No problem,‖ Gary replied.
I nodded my head. ―Let‘s go.‖
As we climbed the trails, we saw that the sun was beginning to set. The yellow-orange
glow peeked through the tree branches, bathing the floor with color.
―I wish I brought my camera,‖ Kina whined as she stopped in front of us.
―Too bad,‖ Gary said as he grinned.
The trail was rocky as well as a little muddy, as rain had fallen on the mountain a couple
of days ago.
―Careful,‖ I told everyone. I looked behind me to see if any of my classmates were

struggling with the trails. I was glad they were clustered in groups, permitting them to
rely on each other if one ever fell.
When I turned my head back to the front, I did not realize I had stepped on a particular
slippery portion of the ground, and I started losing my balance. I thought I was going to
fall backwards, but I suddenly felt hands on my elbows and back. I realized that three
people had immediately supported me as soon as I looked like I was about to fall.
I grinned sheepishly and thanked them as I fixed the two bags on both shoulders.
We continued on, and I made Gary, Kina and Sarielle walk in front of me in case any one
of them were to fall. At least I would be behind to catch them.
―I‘m going to stay beside you if I can‘t stay behind you,‖ Sarielle asserted as she stopped

in her tracks.
Gary and Kina remonstrated as well, but I didn‘t concur. With the current body I had, I
was a good meaty support. Suddenly, Gary looked at Sarielle and I with a look of
understanding in his eyes, and he took Kina‘s arms to walk further to the front. Did Gary
actually think I wanted to spend alone time with Sarielle, hence his change in attitude? I
was actually trying to be a gentleman here, not someone with ulterior motives! Ah, my
good intentions were misinterpreted.
―Do you want to hold my hand?‖ Sarielle asked, holding out a hand towards me with a
demure smile.
―Just so you won‘t lose your balance,‖ I made a prompt excuse to make it seem like I
wasn‘t so eager. However, I grabbed her hand quite eagerly.
―Riiiight.‖ Sarielle shook her head at me with a helpless expression.
The terrain became fairly rugged on the final leg to the summit, and I was glad I was
holding Sarielle‘s hand, or she would have fallen over thousands of times. Because she
had a small stature and was not in any clubs, preferring to stay and wait for me to finish
my practices, her muscles were not defined and her stamina was lacking. In this life, I
was her rock, and I could not deny the smug feeling of satisfaction of having her lean on
me like this.
We arrived at the summit before the sun had completely set, and the cottages that the
Academy had constructed especially for us were quaintly surrounding the tranquil lake
like sentries.
―Good job everyone for arriving on time!‖ Our PE teacher was the head of this excursion,
and he was also the class adviser for our class section. ―Now, I‘m sorry to disappoint you
youngsters, but gender will be segregated! Boys on the left side lake cottages and girls on
the right . Each cottage has two rooms, with five students per room. Dinner is served at
8pm! I‘ll see you in the main lodge‘s mess hall!‖
After the teachers called out the student‘s names for the respective cottages, we were
allowed to have a brief one hour rest before dinner.
―I‘ll bring your bag back to your cottage,‖ I told Sarielle. I had already let go of her hand
when we arrived at the summit, as I didn‘t like how it brought so many curious glances
from my peers.
Gary, who had also shouldered Kina‘s bag, went with me to the female‘s cottages as well.
As if it was fate, Kina and Sarielle ended up sharing a room together and so did Gary and
I. Perhaps the groupings were settled by determining cliques within the junior
batchmates, to prevent unnecessary discord.

Before I left, Sarielle gave me a pack of hot-packs, saying, ―It gets chilly at night.‖
I was grateful for her concern. It was then Kina pulled out a woolen blanket from her bag
and gave it to me.
―It also gets cold. Here,‖ Kina said while stuffing the blanket in my arms.
―Huh? But aren‘t you gonna use it?‖ I asked, dumbfounded. Her bag didn‘t seem to be
carrying another extra?
―I have an extra,‖ Kina said as she hid the deflated duffel bag behind her legs.
…really.
―No, it‘s fine,‖ I said as I returned the blanket to her.
Kina stomped her feet, looking quite upset. I honestly didn‘t know what to do.
―Just take it Ryle,‖ Sarielle said. ―Kina has an extra blanket with her so you don‘t have to
worry.‖
Kina looked like she swallowed a fly. If Sarielle defended her in order to preserve Kina‘s
dignity, then I couldn‘t help but think that Sarielle was a really good friend to her. I was
glad their relationship didn‘t seem so strained after all.
Because Sarielle had supported Kina, I had no choice but to carry the blanket with me
back to our cottage.

Chapter Thirty-seven
Tim, Bob, Edrie and Gary were my roommates, and after dinner, we had an exclusive
roommates-only late night conversation about life, love and food. Those three were an
essential combination on Earth.
This was actually the first time we got to spend so much time together in one room, and
although we were all friends, there was something about being in an enclosed room that
made for an intimate discussion.
―So, Prince, I heard you‘re dating Sari,‖ Edrie made a steeple with his fingers as he
looked at me seriously through his glasses. Ever since he fell in love with Amy in
kindergarten, he had been wearing glasses to impress her with his intelligent facade.
Wearing glasses heightened one‘s appeal, he would blurt out randomly during class.

―Why are you guys putting me on the hot seat so fast?‖ I asked with an incredulous tone
in my voice. People really loved to gossip about things that needn‘t concern them. It was
highly frustrating.
―Because you‘re the Prince, and we‘re the paupers,‖ Bob said as he shed crocodile tears.
―Cause you‘re the number one talked about person in school, so we gotta extract new
news from you first, ya know? We can gain popularity that way!‖ Tim chortled.
―My friends are a bunch of users!‖ I declared, and they were callous enough to agree.
―Stop making fun of him guys,‖ Gary said to mollify me. We were squatting in a circular
formation on the wooden floors of the cottage, and Gary sat to my left. He turned his face
to me and said gravely, ―You actually love Sarielle very much don‘t you?‖
The boys whooped in amusement when they saw my ruddy face.
―The Prince has indeed fallen in love!‖ Tim said in a low, old-fashioned voice.
―Hear ye, hear ye!‖ Bob pounded his chest.
―Hear ye, hear ye!‖ Edrie echoed as he fist bumped Bob.
―Shut yer traps!‖ I hollered. ―Yeah, I like her a lot okay? So stop it. I don‘t want to be
made fun of.‖ I couldn‘t help but pout to let off a bit of steam.
―I can already hear the sound of breaking hearts,‖ Edrie could not help but say
mournfully.
―I‘ve heard it since this morning!‖ Bob cackled.
While the boys were guffawing to themselves while drinking the pilfered non-alcoholic
champagne from the mess hall, I stood up to take a breath of fine mountain air outside the
cottage. Alcoholic beverages were prohibited in school since we were all minors, and we
were generally brought up to be health conscious (I try), preferring milk tea over sodas.
The boys drank the champagne with merriment, pretending to be inebriated after just one
glass.
―The stars are out.‖ I heard Gary‘s voice from behind me, and I turned around and
stopped walking.
―Yeah.‖ I waited until he caught up to me. We stood by the lakeside, and with the moon
reflecting silver against the tranquil waters, I felt at peace with myself. I could actually
still hear the sound of raucous laughter emanating from our cottage, and I hoped the
teachers didn‘t wake up in the dead of the night just to reprimand us. Our curfew was

10pm, which was 3 hours ago. I wasn‘t even allowed to take a stroll in that case, but I
didn‘t mind if I were scolded. I just wanted to get away from that cottage and the three
nut cases.
I gripped the hot pack in my hands and handed it to Gary after I saw him shiver from a
gust of chilly wind.
―Thanks,‖ he said while compressing the hot pack in his hands.
We sat on the bank of the river drinking another non-alcoholic champagne bottle that
Gary actually had hidden away inside his jacket. Because there were no glasses, we took
turns taking swigs from the mouth of the bottle, and in the pale light of the moon, I saw
Gary‘s cheeks flush crimson.
―You know, I have a lot to thank you for,‖ he said softly as he stared at the glistening
lake.
―You don‘t have to thank me for anything.‖ I honestly felt embarrassed if people felt they
were indebted with gratitude towards me. I did things not so I could receive their thanks,
after all.
―I do. I really do have to thank you.‖ He pulled his knees to his chest and leaned against
them with his arms. ―I‘m not joking when I say you saved me. I‘m serious, you know.
I‘m only going to say this once because it‘s embarrassing, so just listen to me, okay?‖

―Okay.‖ I didn‘t have much choice on that matter.
―You‘re more than just a friend to me…‖ He said slowly, his eyes still holding the view
of the lake. Then he hid his face in his knees after turning a shade darker.
Why was he was embarrassed to say he thought of us as best friends? I had even been
thick-faced enough to declare my best friendship status with Siming first.
Gary lifted his face then rested his chin on his knees. He was very antsy today.
He continued, ―I know you won‘t ever feel the same way, but I‘m going to support you
regardless. As your friend, I‘m going to do what it takes for your relationship with
Sarielle to flow smoothly. That‘s all I can do for you…‖
He didn‘t really have to do that, though? I think my relationship was fine even without
outside help? But I was touched. Gary was a really good friend.
―Thank you,‖ I said simply. I hugged him sideways with one arm, and he took solace in
my half embrace, leaning his head briefly against the edge of my shoulder.
―No…I don‘t need your thanks for this…‖ He looked down, a small forlorn smile playing
on his lips. ―…we will, after all, be friends forever…‖

Chapter Thirty-eight
The three day trip went by too fast.
In that short amount of time, we had the whole mountain of Kreuk to ourselves, as our
Academy had paid for the summit‘s reservation. No other hikers were allowed to enter,
and my junior batch was thrilled. We practically owned the place.
We had done many things, such as fishing, kayaking, boating, and swimming. Many of
the others went to explore the mountains more, but I stayed with my group of friends as
they wanted to go swimming to expunge the blistering heat.
Kina was wearing a two piece bathing suit, and proudly walked around the camp with a
knitted bolero over her swimsuit. She had always been known for her curvaceous body,
and now that she was wearing a swimsuit that left nothing to the imagination, many guys
started wiping the drool dripping from their mouths.
Kina approached me, her hips provocatively shaking with each step she took. I began to
wonder if she had neurologic problems. I thought she would be the only girl brave
enough to wear such a skimpy outfit, but numerous girls started parading in front of me,
flaunting their bikinis as well. There were also a few guys whose heads were turned away
from me while their biceps were flexed in my direction…

Hey, why were there some guys mixed in there?
Sarielle was laughing so hard beside me, that she held on to my shoulder for support.
―You said I was creating a harem before, but now…look who‘s talking!‖ She wheezed.
―But I understand how they feel. You‘re an easy person to love.‖
Please stop being so adorable, or I might do something bad to you.
―How do I look?‖ Kina twirled in front of me, both her chest and buttocks jiggling with
the effort. I think she should be asking Sarielle that question, as Sarielle was actually a
guy inside. But looking at her current disinterested face, it would seem she didn‘t care
much for Kina‘s looks. I was glad.
I aimed for standard flattery. ―It suits you well.‖
She looked pleased, and sauntered off to a group of girls by the lake who were dipping
their toes in the water and squealing.
―Aren‘t you going to swim?‖ Gary asked. He was wearing the complete swimming set:
green swimming trunks, red goggles and a yellow head cap.
―You look like a traffic light,‖ I observed. Gary chortled, not in the least offended.
Another classmate of ours came and started engaging Gary in a lighthearted conversation
about color schemes.
I looked at Sarielle, wondering if she wore her bathing suit underneath her flower
patterned sundress. She looked so cute, I wanted to squish her in my arms.
Must. Resist. Urges.
―Don‘t you feel like you‘re cross-dressing?‖ I asked. She was, after all, a man at heart. I
wondered if she felt odd about dressing up in such girly clothes.
Sarielle shrugged. ―I‘m used to it. My mother dressed me up even more gaudily as a
child, and I couldn‘t complain. I‘ve learned to deal with it. She was the one who picked
this dress out for me, as well.‖
―She has good taste.‖ I tried to suppress my leering look.
―I‘m wearing a swimsuit underneath,‖ Sarielle said after she rolled her eyes at me.
―Bikini?‖ I was hoping.

―School swimsuit,‖ she replied with a deadpan expression and I wanted to cry.
―I‘ll be heading off first,‖ Gary said as he waved at us. ―Maybe I can catch a trout with
my hands.‖
―Be careful not to scare them away with your face!‖ I called out and he laughed.
My classmates were now heading in groups to the lake, as the sweltering heat had risen
and they wanted to wash off the sweat and grime. Sarielle and I stood at the edge of the
waters, awkwardly shifting our feet. I didn‘t want to take off my shirt first, nor did
Sarielle want to take off her dress first either. So we just stood there.
―Take it off,‖ I commanded. Show me that school swimsuit! I don‘t care!
―You‘re a pervert.‖
―Sadly, I can‘t even deny that.‖ My male hormones were raging, it wasn‘t my fault! Or
maybe I was originally a pervert and it multiplied tenfold in this body. Mmm…that also
seemed to be the case.
―Fine, I‘ll take mine off,‖ I grumbled.
For some reason, everything was silent as I slowly took my shirt off. My shirt got stuck
midway, and I had to keep turning, to wiggle out of it. Sarielle helped me get the collar
past my head, and when I was completely free, my hair had become disheveled and I was
sweating. I heard people gulp mouthfuls air.
―Your turn.‖ I smiled devilishly at Sarielle.
Sarielle turned red as she fumbled to open the buttons on the front of her dress, revealing
a blue spandex beneath that actually wasn‘t the school‘s swimsuit. Yes, yes! I touched
my nose in case I was going to get a nosebleed. With slow movements, she unbuttoned
further down, as if she were teasing me. She unbuttoned even further, and I saw it was
still blue. Huh? When she took off her sundress, I could see that the blue spandex came
down to her knees.
….
It wasn‘t sexy at all!

I could see that Gary had also kept Kina at bay. I think he was trying suppress any sort of
interloper in my relationship with Sarielle, but I was feeling bad about it. After all, we
were all friends. Although I wanted to spend quality time with Sarielle, it was bad if it
was just her and me all the time. You just didn‘t gain friends and leave them behind.

They were called friends for a reason.
Hence, despite Gary‘s antics, Sarielle and I both agreed to approach them although Gary
was trying his best to leave us both on our own.
We all sat together around the campfire on the last night of our excursion, and our
teachers had given us no curfew this time. We were allowed to do whatever we wanted,
as long as it was within the boundaries of the summit, and many of my classmates were
night swimming and dancing horrendously without constraint.
I saw that Edrie had asked Amy for a dance with a struggling face, his eyeglasses
mirroring the fiery flames of the campfire. Amy looked a bit bashful, and consented
albeit reluctantly. They were now dancing slowly in a corner, their silhouette sometimes
in illumination.
―Have some peanuts,‖ Kina said, handing over a bowl of boiled peanuts towards me.
―I want some,‖ Gary said as he took two handfuls from the bowl, leaving only a few
remaining peanuts for me. Kina glared at him.
―Thank you,‖ I said, taking the bowl and getting a few before handing it to Sarielle to
finish.
It was a bit noisy now, as people were handing out papaya lassies and pomegranate
mojito mocktails given by the teachers, and sometimes we had to shout to be overheard
over the ruckus.
―We‘ll be seniors in a few months,‖ Kina mused as she sat between Gary and I. ―Have
you guys decided on which college you‘re gonna apply to and what course?‖
―I haven‘t thought about it yet, actually,‖ I confessed. This was probably the only life
where I could choose who I wanted to be. In Heaven, there were not much professions
one could choose from, unlike on Earth. We weren‘t poor nor were there any sort of
mortal illness that befell us, unless it was caused by a curse. We were immortals that
simply had too much time on ours hands. I turned to Sarielle to ask what she had planned.
―A lawyer or a doctor,‖ Sarielle said with a smile. ―I want to do work that could benefit
the people.‖ I was a bit amazed by her answer, as I always thought that since she was the
God of War, she would choose to be in the military. But I guess one‘s views shouldn‘t be
so limited. External factors in this second life of ours also played a major part.
―Amazing,‖ Gary could not help but mutter. ―I can‘t be as virtuous as you. Is there a job
that entails sitting and eating all day?‖
―Don‘t even think about it, or you‘ll turn back to being obese,‖ I warned him. ―I‘m gonna
use you in the ocean as a floater.‖

―Or you could eat me if you ever turn into a cannibal,‖ Gary suggested. ―Lots of fats to
go around.‖
―No, he could eat me!‖ Kina declared, her cheeks on fire. My face stiffened. Why did it
sound like an innuendo?
―Sorry, I‘ve already got Ryle reserved since our past lives. He can‘t eat anyone else,‖
Sarielle said seriously. I wish she added ―but me‖ to her sentence, but I wasn‘t going to
be picky.
―Sorry,‖ Kina said a little scathingly that I frowned.
Gary laughed as he tried to smoothen the tense atmosphere. ―You could also eat me if
you want, Kina. We‘re friends after all.‖
Kina made a disgusted face. ―Thank you for being so considerate, but no thanks.‖
―What, you don‘t like my rock hard abs?‖ Gary patted the so called abs underneath his
shirt for effect. ―It took me a lot of effort to get these!‖
―What‘s so rock hard about them? They look like massive marshmallows on your torso!‖
Kina began punching Gary‘s torso while he laughed, finding it ticklish.
―You guys should just get together,‖ Sarielle said as she smiled secretively.
―No way!‖
―Ew!‖
Kina and Gary retorted at the same time.
I chuckled. Actually, they were quite compatible together.
I raised an eyebrow at Sarielle, my eyes conveying, ―You think they look good together
too?‖
Sarielle replied by raising her eyebrows twice in agreement, with a little smile on her
face.
―It‘s the yearbook committee!‖ We heard our classmates shout out. We turned to see a
group of people going around the campfire taking pictures with their DSLR and Polaroid
cameras.
One girl went to us with a Polaroid in her hand. ―Pictures! I‘ll take two. One for you guys
and one for the committee!‖

―Okay!‖ Kina said readily as she fixed her hair.
―Sitting or standing?‖ Gary asked.
―Guys can stand up, girls sit down!‖ The yearbook girl said with a smile.
Gary and I stood up as Kina and Sarielle squatted in front of us.
―You‘re only going to get one picture so make this good!‖ The girl said as she gestured
with her hands for us to move closer to each other. ―Everybody, do a wacky pose!‖
I raised my arms in the air as I made an ugly face while Gary pretended to kiss my
armpits. Kina and Sarielle were busy flailing their arms as well.
―Okay, one…two…three…‖
We were all blinded momentarily by the light, and we started massaging our eyeballs
after we got our picture taken.
―Can I take this home? I‘ll scan it and send the picture to all of you,‖ Gary said as he
waited for our image to appear on the film.
―Sure,‖ we all agreed.
When we finally saw the image appear, we couldn‘t stop laughing. We were all a bunch
of lunatics.

Chapter Thirty-nine
When the fire started to dwindle, as the firewood had almost been eaten up, I decided it
was time to take a walk around the mountains. Kina was preoccupied with talking to
Gary, and her back was towards me as she started animatedly slapping Gary‘s shoulder in
response to his jest.
I stood up and looked at Gary, jerking my thumb towards the forest.
Gary nodded his head subtly at me, then continued talking to Kina. It was as if he was
intentionally trying to distract her, because he and Kina would normally follow after me
wherever I went. Well, if he didn‘t want to go, then I wasn‘t going to force him to.

―C‘mon,‖ I said as I held out a hand to help Sarielle stand up.
She and I walked along the path to the deeper parts of the mountain, the moonlight
guiding our way. I could smell the damp leaves and earth, and even the faint aroma of
roasted chicken from the campsite. The merriment was not over yet, and laughter drifted
towards where we carefully walked.
―I‘m actually bad with directions,‖ I confessed further in.
―Me too.‖ Her cold hand grasped my own. It was another chilly night.
―…‖ She was kidding right? I could not tell which way was which. All the trees looked
the same!
―I‘m kidding.‖ She laughed hard when she saw the bleak expression on my face. ―I‘m so
good with directions, I could easily find the way back to your heart!‖
―You‘re so funny,‖ I said in a deadpan way, although this joke of hers made my heart
pound.
―Don‘t worry, you won‘t be lost with me.‖ She squeezed my hand, and her smile seemed
to be more charming with the moonlight giving her a silvery glow.
―That‘s true. On the contrary, I would be lost without you.‖
We both grinned at each other. The subdued undertones in our conversation caused us
both to crack up, and we slapped ourselves on the back for being such mawkish
individuals.
There was a large clearing up ahead, and we both decided to lay down to look at the
bright stars. Because we were far from the city, there was nothing to obstruct their
beauty.
―Lap pillow!‖ I said as I eyed Sarielle who had sat down on the grass with her legs
stretched out. I was becoming too shameless, but I didn‘t care one bit.
―You‘re such a child.‖ Sarielle rolled her eyes, but patted her legs anyway.
With my head on her lap, I could see the stars and her face (or rather, her chin) properly. I
had a pretty great view, if I had to say so myself.
―I bet you don‘t know the constellations,‖ I told her. I actually wanted to boast to her
what I remembered from Science class.
―Well, what do you see then?‖

I traced the stars with my finger towards the sky, ―See that protruding line to the right?
That‘s Aquarius‘s right arm, with the large downward shape being a combination of the
water flowing down out of the vase and his right leg. Did you know that Aquarius
represents Ganyemede, a very handsome man in Greek mythology?‖ I started stroking
my chin in a contemplative manner. ―I didn‘t know that constellation was named after
me. I wasn‘t informed of such thing.‖
Sarielle pointed to the five bright stars in the sky, tracing it to form a ‗W‘. ―No, that‘s
your star. Cassiopeia, the vain queen.‖
She chuckled when she saw me making a face.
―Whatever,‖ was my only reply, as I could not think of a better comeback.
Because Sarielle had become the wind breaker for me, she started shivering from the
cold, owing to the fact that she had on but a measly cardigan.
I started to sit up in order to give her my jacket, but her voice stopped me.
―I don‘t need it,‖ she said stubbornly, despite her small shivering shoulders.
―I don‘t need it more,‖ I said as I shrugged off my jacket and placed it over her shoulders.
She pouted in response, but didn‘t refuse my offer.
―Plus, I‘ve got really thick flesh now. Can you not see my exquisite abdominal muscles
and bulging deltoids?‖ I took her hand and made her pat my shoulders for a keener
observation.
However, she looked unfazed. ―I‘ve seen better.‖
―Whose?‖ I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. How could she find another guy‘s body
better than mine? I suddenly found myself in a little pit of disappointment.
―Mine,‖ Sarielle responded slyly, indicating her celestial form.
―…‖
Well, as the God of War, his physique and battle scars were unequal in Heaven, so I
could not deny what she said. He was literally and metaphorically ‗Heavenly‘.
I checked my nose in case another nosebleed was coming, and I was glad I had a bit of
control over it now. Just as long as I didn‘t imagine anything further…such as what laid
underneath the clothes. I hastily sucked in air.
I laid my head back on her lap, and in the guise of looking at the stars, I was looking at
her profile instead. She seemed to notice my stare, and she suddenly blushed, covering
my eyes with one cold hand.

―I can‘t see anymore,‖ I complained.
―Then look properly,‖ she replied, taking her hand away. She gazed back up at the stars.
―I am.‖ I chuckled.
After some time, the wind started to cradle me to sleep. With the warmth of her body like
a blanket and the cold night, it was a lull into inevitable somnolence.
In the midst of dreaming, I felt a hand caress my hair away from my face, and heard a
soft voice that accompanied it.
―Juju…‖ It sounded far away, yet it contained warmth and an affection I could not deny.
The wind was howling.

―I love you…‖ I hoped I wasn‘t just dreaming this, but I was still lost in the black abyss.
―I have always loved you…‖
The breeze carried the words I wanted to hear.
―Juju…‖
My name was said in a sigh, caressed by the wind and caressing my heart.

―Ryle!‖ A shout.
I woke up with a start, directly banging my head against Sarielle‘s, who had shook me
awake.
―Owww!‖ We both exclaimed while touching the tender parts of our faces.
Kina and Gary stood beside our bodies with exasperated faces.
―What the hell, you guys! We were looking for you everywhere!‖ Gary looked like he
was going to erupt.
―We thought you were eaten by bears or something!‖ Kina added, looking upset as well. I
felt guilty for making them worry.
―C‘mon! The bus is leaving! We were just waiting for you guys. We got your bags ready.
Let‘s go!‖ Gary started jogging quickly back to the campsite and I stopped my tracks to
look for Sarielle. When I saw Kina bringing Sarielle along with her, I jogged back to
Gary‘s side.
―What did you do with him last night?‖ I could hear Kina‘s low voice.
I couldn‘t hear Sarielle‘s response clearly, but I hoped she denied any amatory
accusations.
In the bus, everyone cheered when they saw us arrive. The teachers looked relieved and
scolded us for making them worry. Sarielle and I apologized for that.
―Took you long enough!‖ Tim shouted from the front of the bus.
―What were you two doing in the forest, eh?‖ Bob smiled lasciviously, offering a lewd
stare at Sarielle and I.
I chucked him under the chin with a low growl and went to a vacant seat beside Sarielle.

In no time, everyone in the bus was passed out and people were singing through the back
of their mouths. The sound of snores was varied, ranging from boat sounds to whistle
sounds to gargling sounds. Sarielle and I could not stop grinning.
―I never knew our class was so musically inclined,‖ Sarielle mused. I burst out laughing.
Although we had quite a noisy backdrop, both she and I were exhausted to even care. I
laid my head against her shoulder, and she promptly leaned her head against mine in turn.
I closed my eyes, and I began to recall the dream I had last night. It was quite vague, and
I could not seem to catch it anymore. However, the sweet essence still lingered in my
heart. I could not help but smile.
Chapter Forty
We were now in our last year of high school, and somehow I was feeling quite
melancholic. Kina and Gary had already planned on going to Europe for their college
courses in business, yet I was still undecided. It wasn‘t that I was melancholic about the
college choices, but more on the fact that I was feeling somber about leaving Avalon
Academy. It was like my second home for more than a decade.
I made a lot of friends in this place, and grew up with them for so long that I practically
knew what they were thinking. It had been such a long time since I felt this sort of
connection with people my age, and it was nostalgic. I only had a few close friends in
Heaven, and the friends that I had gathered back in deity school turned into mere

memories.
We were in class writing our chosen career paths on papers. I racked my brain, trying to
see what profession would fit me the most. Mmm…a model? I thought with humor.
Whatever career I chose in the end, I wanted to make my parents proud of me.
Because I was feeling stressed out, I decided I needed some sugar in my system. I took
out the chocolates from my bag, the very same ones that arrived almost daily in my bag
since primary school. Back in primary school, they were mostly store bought. But when
secondary school came, the chocolates became handmade, with each chocolate
individually wrapped with foil.
I secretly took out the biggest heart shaped chocolate from my bag, and while
surreptitiously unwrapping it under my desk so as not to be reprimanded by the teacher, I
found a note beneath the wrapper.
Curious, I took out the little pink note and read it.
―Please meet me under the rhododendron tree after afternoon classes end. I have
something to confess.‖
I folded the note and tucked it into my pocket. Was it a love confession? Although I had
clearly stated during primary school that confessing to me was prohibited, as I could
never return their feelings, this was a special case. I had always wanted to thank this
person for supplying me chocolates for years, and this was the right time to do so.

―I saw you reading a note this morning in class,‖ Gary started to say as we placed our
trays down on our usual cafeteria table.
―A love note?‖ Sarielle asked as she placed the utensils and an extra plate of dessert on
my tray.
―I don‘t know,‖ I replied. ―I‘m still gonna meet that person after class.‖
―So you‘re really going to meet her?‖ Kina said a bit anxiously.
―Yeah. After all, that person has given me diabetes for many years!‖ I laughed.
―When I‘ll become a doctor, I can amputate your gangrened leg for you,‖ Sarielle said as
she lifted a steak knife in one hand.
―Not with that kind of knife, you won‘t.‖ I shivered visibly in horror and they all laughed.

When class ended, everyone filed out of the classroom in a hurry to return home. Kina
and Gary bid their goodbyes. There were no club practices today, so I was free at the end
of class.
―Will you wait for me?‖ I asked Sarielle.
―I have always been waiting for you.‖ Her reply hinted at a deeper meaning, but I didn‘t
quite understand it. It was true that she had always been waiting for me to finish with my
clubs, and she did so without complaint. I was very grateful for her patience.
―I‘ll meet you by the school gates then. I probably won‘t take long.‖ I grabbed my bag
and hauled it over my shoulder.
―It‘s fine. Take your time,‖ Sarielle replied with a smile.
I slowly made my way to the school garden where the beautiful rhododendron tree was
planted smack dab in the middle. Before I could reach it, however, I had to go through a
small maze of hedges. It was a bit annoying.
When I turned to the last area of the maze which opened into a clearing, I saw a figure
standing solitarily underneath the dark pink blossoms.
―What are you doing here?‖ I asked the familiar presence. ―Have you seen another person
here?‖
―It‘s me.‖ Kina looked at me seriously.
―What?‖ It couldn‘t possibly…be?
―I was the one giving you chocolate since primary school. I was also…‖ She looked
down at her shoes as she clutched the sides of her skirt. ―I also wrote the letter this
morning.‖
―So it was you! Why haven‘t you said anything all this time?‖ I chuckled as I
affectionately stroked her head. Why did she have to hide the fact she had been giving me
chocolate all these years? I considered it a blessing in disguise!
She still didn‘t look at me, but her whole face started turning red.
―There was never a right time. When Sari arrived, I lost even more confidence in myself.
I couldn‘t do it. But it‘s our last year of high school, and I couldn‘t…I couldn‘t not say
anything.‖
I touched her chin with my fingers and lifted it up so we were face to face. She still didn‘t
look at me, but I saw a thin film of water quickly appear over her eyes.

―Why are you crying?‖ I asked in surprise.
The tears started gushing down her cheeks. ―Idiot! I wouldn‘t have cried if you didn‘t
point it out!‖
―Sorry, sorry!‖ I patted my trouser pockets for a handkerchief. I was very troubled.
Kina awkwardly rubbed away the tears with the back of her hand. Sadly, I finally found a
clean handkerchief when her cheeks were already dry. I hovered it over her eyes, but she
slapped my hand away.
―Stop being so nice to me!‖ She shouted, her eyes starting to become moist again.
―Why should I stop being nice to you?‖ I asked, a bit discombobulated. Kina was really
acting unlike herself.
―Because I don‘t want to fall more in love with you!‖ Tears were now rolling slowly
down her cheeks again, but my hands couldn‘t move.
I stood there rooted to the ground as the words ―fall in love‖ entered my brain on repeat.
Fall in love with you!
What.
Fall in love!
What.
Love!
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.
―Kina…‖ I articulated slowly, afraid that anything I would say would hurt her even more.
―If there was anything I did to lead you on, I‘m really sorry, but…‖ I said bitterly. This
was going to leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth.
―Shut up! I know, I know!‖ She shook her head as she used her palms to cover her ears.
―I don‘t want to hear it! I know!‖ She dropped her hands away as she looked at the
ground again. ―I know it, but…but I can‘t help it, you know?‖
―I–‖ I started to say, but she cut me off.
―It‘s your fault!‖ She suddenly declared, as she stared at me, her eyes glistening with

tears.
―Huh?‖ Why was it my fault now?!
―It‘s your fault for being a person so easy to love!‖ She pouted, wiping the corner of her
eyes with a finger.
―I‘m…sorry?‖ I didn‘t know what else to say. It felt awkward apologizing for being
so…lovable…
―Hmph!‖ She crossed her arms over her chest, and turned around. She lifted her nose in
the air. ―You could at least comfort me in your arms, you know. That‘s what a prince
does to damsels in distress!‖
―You‘re obviously in distress, but are you a damsel?‖ I teased, wanting to lighten the
atmosphere.
―Hmph! Do you see me hiding a phallus underneath my skirt?‖ She turned around to face
me, her cheeks red.
―How should I know?‖ I lifted my shoulders in a shrug.
Kina laughed when she saw the perturbed expression on my face.
―Just hold me, alright! That‘s my last request!‖ She looked at me with determination in
her eyes. ―I won‘t mention my feelings again after this.‖
I took her small figure in my arms, and she rested her face against the crook of my neck. I
stroked her back once I heard her sobs. My collar was getting wet from her tears, but I
didn‘t care. I was truly sorry for hurting her, but my feelings would never change. I loved
Jin and no one else. Kina was a good friend that I did not want to lose no matter what. I
hoped everything would turn out well after this.

After a few minutes passed, her sobs started to slow down until she was merely sniffing
against my shoulder.
―I‘ve got snot all over your shirt,‖ she commented, her voice muffled against the fabric.
―Uh-oh. Now you‘ve gotta pay for it. I take chocolates in installment,‖ I said seriously.
―I don‘t feel like making those anymore. How about a knuckle sandwich?‖ She raised a
fist against my chin in example.
I shook my head. ―That bony appearance doesn‘t look very appetizing. I should‘ve fed
you more burgers.‖
―I‘m buying a tub of ice cream tonight.‖ She hugged me tighter, her wet cheek pressed
against my shoulder. ―Watch me gain weight overnight.‖
―Then may I suggest my favorite brand of ice cream? I absolutely adore Antonio
Federici.‖ Because her face turned sour, I decided to stop joking. I patted her head and
smiled. ―We‘re still friends right?‖
She nodded her head, holding me a few seconds longer.
As we were about to part, I thought I heard a small whisper coming from her direction,
―But I‘m not giving up on you…‖
I honestly hoped I heard wrong.
Chapter Forty-one
I was glad that Kina acted the same now as she usually did around us. Gary and Sarielle
seemed to know something had transpired between Kina and I, but neither of them asked,
understanding that it was a very touchy topic.
The class was abuzz with conversations about the upcoming senior ball, which was four
months away. Even if it was still quite far, many of the girls were excitedly sketching
their gowns and wondering who would ask them out. Some of my classmates had even
asked the girls they liked to be their partner since junior year, afraid that some other guy
would steal them away. Now that‘s what you call an ‗early reservation‘.
No one needed to ask me who I was going with, as it was obvious as day. Come to think
of it, I never even asked Sarielle to be my ball date. We just knew. There was never
anyone else in our minds.
―I want you to wear an off shouldered gown,‖ I said, already imagining how nice her
shoulders would look. Then I suddenly made a face. ―Never mind. I don‘t want other
guys to ogle you. Only I can do that. You should just wear a tuxedo to cover everything.‖
―I‘ll wear a tuxedo if you wear a gown,‖ Sarielle said laughingly.
Gary and Kina arrived at the lunch table, just in time to hear Sarielle say she wanted me
to cross-dress.
―You would look fabulous~‖ Gary said in a high pitched coquettish tone, and I was
momentarily stunned by how it suited him so well.
―I think a lot of people would run away,‖ Kina remarked with a smirk. ―Just don‘t. It‘ll
ruin a lot of girls‘ and even guys‘ imaginations.‖
―Doesn‘t ruin mine, though,‖ Gary said abruptly as he added another lump of sugar to his
milktea.

―Need I say why?‖ Kina punched him teasingly in the shoulder. Gary looked like a deer
caught in the headlights.
―Please don‘t,‖ Gary pleaded.
―What‘s this all about?‖ I interjected, wanting in on this secret conversation of theirs.
―None of your business,‖ they both replied at the same time.
Huhu, why were they ganging up on me?!

Sarielle and I were doing homework in the living room (because confining ourselves in
my room caused too many temptations *cough*). I was researching online about our next
class excursion, which was for history class. We had to use the common mode of
transportation to immerse ourselves in plebeian society. The academy had rented out an
antique train for us, which was said to have carried with it immigrants dating from
WWII. Our destination was a large museum in the province, and it held gorgeous artifacts
from the 12th century and beyond.
I found it interesting how Earth always preserved things of the past. In my past life, there
were no such things as museums and the like. The gold and jewelry that they obtained
were actually still usable in the present, so they had no need to store them so scrupulously
for future generations to behold. All the important objects that were deemed important
were used for the cultivation process.
Earth, however, was different. They did not know how to cultivate, and such, gave their
all to the aesthetic values in life. The intricacies of the sculptures and of the ancient
buildings were a rare sight now in modern society, and the artisans of the past were
venerated for creating amazing designs with humble tools.
Sometimes I was philosophical about it. Perhaps Earth preserved the past not only to
enrich the minds of modern people, but also to display the horror and truth of what wars,
immorality, intolerance, and most importantly, hate, could do to life. We were doomed to
repeat such tragedies if we couldn‘t grasp the past.
While in my philosophical state, the clacking of my mother‘s heels against the tiles and
my father‘s rich baritone voice brought me to the present. My parents had arrived.
―Bobby!‖
―Ryle.‖
―Welcome home mom, dad.‖ I stood up to kiss them on their cheeks.

―Sari!‖ Mother beamed and kissed her on the cheeks as well, my mother‘s elegant hands
on either side of Sarielle‘s face.
―Good evening auntie,‖ Sarielle said, then smiled warmly at my father. ―Good evening,
uncle.‖
―No need to be so polite with us, Sari!‖ Father patted her shoulder with a warm smile on
his face.
―I have something very important to discuss with you both, and I wish for you to hear me
out,‖ Sarielle said suddenly.
My parents looked at me, askance. I raised my eyebrows and shrugged my shoulders,

pleading for innocence with my eyes.
This came right out of the blue. I didn‘t know what Sarielle was going to say either!
―Reeve already said not to be so polite, Sari dear! You don‘t have to look so stiff!‖
Mother laughed. ―Spit out whatever you want! Not literally of course.‖
―Well…‖ Sarielle suddenly turned very red, but her eyes were still focused on my
parents. ―I…want to ask for your dau–son‘s hand in marriage.‖
The silence was deafening, and we all stood there shell shocked.
―Um, well, I won‘t marry your dau–son right away or anything…maybe after I get a
stable job and can provide for her–him…‖ Sarielle‘s face was so ruddy that she looked
like she was going to overheat.
―My goodness!‖ Mother finally said something. She covered her huge smile with a
delicate hand. She nudged the surprised husband in the ribs. He shook himself from his
daze.
―Ryle! How could you let your girlfriend propose for you!‖ Father looked a bit miffed.
―I didn‘t do anything!‖ My hands were in the air. I was innocent! Although I had
proposed to her a year ago, I didn‘t think she would start asking my parents for
permission to marry me. I was surprised myself! I had planned on telling my parents
about our engagement after we graduated high school, but it seemed Sarielle stole the
limelight from me this time.
―Calm down honey,‖ mother smoothed his arm. She turned to Sarielle. ―Well, it‘s not that
we‘re against it. We were just shocked, that‘s all. But we‘ve known since the beginning
that this would happen.‖

Father smiled wryly. ―You‘ve hooked a great girl, Ryle. I wonder where you got your
techniques from.‖
―Obviously from you, dad.‖ I decided to just play along, and he grinned.
―Take good care of her, okay?‖ Father said, his eyes in all seriousness.
―Use protection!‖ Mother quipped.
―MOM!!!‖ I complained. We weren‘t even going to do anything that would require it! I
added, ―I don‘t need it!‖
―Ryle!‖ Mother said, aghast. ―You HAVE to use protection! At least, before marriage!‖
―MOM!!!‖ I whined.
I was misunderstood, ah!

In the subway not far from our academy, our senior batch stood at platform B6, waiting
for the train that would take us to the museum in the province.
Everyone was chattering excitedly. The students who came from humble backgrounds
were not too amazed by the common trains, as they were used to commuting to and fro
school, but they were still excited by the fact that what they were going to experience
now was an antique train. It was, after all, cool vintage.
―You‘re engaged?‖ Kina and Gary both shrieked after I had finally confessed to them my
current relationship status. They were my closest friends, and they had the right to know.
I scratched my head. ―Don‘t say it so loud, guys!‖ I looked at the heads that were starting
to turn towards our direction.
―Hell,‖ Kina spat, glaring at Sarielle who was standing beside me.
I didn‘t like how Kina looked, so I stood in front of Sarielle as if protecting her. But
Sarielle herself didn‘t want to be protected, and she took another step to stand beside me.
I contracted my brows in displeasure. What was with this tense atmosphere?
―Er–congratulations,‖ Gary said awkwardly. He couldn‘t look at Sarielle or I in the eye.

Was it a bad thing to suddenly blurt this out? Was it such a surprise? I started to regret
my decision. I wish I could stuff it all back in my mouth.
Kina did not say anything, yet she had a portentous scowl on her face. I felt chills running
down my spine.

―Does anyone want anything to drink?‖ I asked wearily. Maybe their mood would soften
with a can of Coke…or something? I was hopeful.
―No?‖ I said after no response. I glanced at Sarielle to see if she wanted to come with me
to the vending machine, but she merely smiled softly.
The vending machine wasn‘t that far, but with this crowd of students, it was hard to get
through. After about fifteen minutes of weaving in, I purchased two cans of Coke, one
orange juice for Sarielle, and a small carton of milk for myself. I made my way through
the throng slowly, clutching the beverages in my arms.
―I hate you!‖ A shrill scream pierced the common chatter. I started feeling very anxious,
and I quickened my feet.
―You stole him from me!‖ My classmates hushed their conversations to eavesdrop on the
current commotion. My heart was ringing in my ears.
―Kina, wait.‖ I saw Sarielle grip Kina‘s sleeve, but Kina brushed her off forcefully.
Sarielle had already been standing on the yellow line of the platform, and when Kina
pushed her away, her foot was sent to the edge, and she stumbled backwards.
The drinks fell from my arms as I lunged forward. ―JIIIIIN!!!‖ I shouted.
It was as if the scene that unfolded before me occurred in slow motion. Before I could
reach them, Gary had pulled her back on safe ground with his hand. But instead, he had
taken her place. I did not want to lose Gary or anyone important to me, and so with one
last stride, I jumped forward to catch his hand as he was sent flying over the edge. I
pulled back his arm, pushing him with all the force I could muster back to the platform.
I slammed myself against the train tracks with such a force that I heard my bones crack. I
groaned from the intense pain that ran up my arm. I could hear a sharp, ear-splitting
scream just as a light came speeding towards me, and every other sound was drowned out
by the locomotive that chugged closer and closer, the horns blaring in alarm. I closed my
eyes. I hoped the soul collectors would come and take me before I could feel even more
excruciating pain.

Chapter Forty-two
The pain was akin to a needle prick, lasting only for a few moments, then disappearing. I
still didn‘t want to open my eyes, scared that I would see my own blood-splattered corpse
on the tracks. I probably looked like minced meat. I shivered.
―Your Highness, please stand up and walk on your own,‖ I heard soul collector A‘s
voice.
I opened one eye, still afraid.
Once I turned my head to look at the shadow in my peripheral vision, my other eye flew
open, and I stared at the imposing figure with shock and dread.
―Jin! Why the hell did you follow me!‖ I was beginning to feel extremely incensed. How
could he choose to follow me in death, when it could possibly affect his trials!
He helped me stand up by holding my arm, but his grip was a little too tight.
―How could I not? Juju, tell me, do you know how it feels to be the one left behind?‖
His eyes were clear, boring into mine, and I felt stifled.
―I don‘t…‖ I answered honestly. I remembered that I had died before him in our first life,
leaving him in such an emotional state that he killed the Emperor of Ku without remorse.
I looked down at my feet in guilt.
―Then you should know this. I would rather die with you, if I could.‖ He lifted my chin
with his fingers, and gazed solemnly at me.
―Ahem.‖ Soul collector A cleared his throat. ―As much as I would like to see deities flirt
on the open road, we sincerely ask you to hurry up and walk back to the netherworld.‖
―We‘re busy, you know,‖ soul collector B added irritably. ―We don‘t have all the time to
wait. You‘re messing up our schedules!‖
―Sorry!‖ Jin and I exclaimed, turning away from each other in embarrassment.
On the way back to the netherworld, I was a tad bit surprised that he grasped my hand as
if it was the most natural thing to do. Because I wanted to get my mind off of the fact that
the God of War Jin himself was now currently holding my hand for the first time in
Heaven, I decided to ask him about what had transpired during our last hours on Earth.
―Kina was an interesting character,‖ Jin mused.

―But didn‘t she push you to your death?‖ I asked in puzzlement. I was still amazed by
how Kina could act so brashly. It was just an accident right? Kina shouldn‘t have any
murderous tendencies, right?
―People can do stupid things when they‘re in love,‖ Jin remarked dryly.
―Do you hate her?‖ I asked him. I still had a hard time digesting the fact that she had
done that to Jin, be it an accident or not. But I did not want to hate her, and hoped Jin felt
the same.
Jin shook his head. ―I don‘t hate her. If anything, I pity her. I‘m pretty sure she‘s
wallowing in a pool of regret right now. After all, she lost the love of her life. Both she
and Gary would never forget that day. They would probably think of themselves as
murderers.‖
I bit my lip. Although I didn‘t want them to feel such tragic emotions, I couldn‘t very
well go back to Earth right away even if I wanted to. How shocked would they be if they
saw Ryle walking around after being splattered by the train? No, the thought of going
back was preposterous at this moment. But I was also feeling a bit depressed, as I had
never gotten the chance to say goodbye to my parents on Earth. I really did love them.
I felt Jin squeeze my hand in reassurance and comfort, and I smiled up at him in
gratitude. I prayed with all my heart my friends and family on Earth would be alright, and
hoped they wouldn‘t dwell so much on our death. Perhaps sometime in the future I would
leave a note to tell them that we were okay.
My brain started recounting the memories I had with them on Earth, and my heart was
full. I would never forget the time I spent with them. My life on Earth was colorful and
beautiful because they were there. Although I still felt sad, I needed to move forward
towards the next chapter.
―Juju!‖ I saw my father in the distance. He ambled over quickly, and when he saw that
my hand was entwined with Jin‘s, he suddenly turned to stone.
―Darling Juju! Welcome back!‖ My mother pushed away the corpse that was her
husband, and came over to kiss my cheeks.
―Mother, this is…‖ I gestured to the majestic man beside me.
Before Jin could open his mouth, my mother cut him off.
―I obviously know who he is!‖ Mother smiled slyly. ―Hello, Jin!‖ She looked down at our
interlaced hands with a histrionic display of shock. I quickly took my hand away in
embarrassment, hiding it behind my back.

Mother placed her fan over her mischievous smile. ―Well, well, well. Jin still has another
lifetime to prove himself worthy of my daughter. Do your best, okay?‖ She winked at Jin,
turned around, picked up my father‘s corpse off the ground, and walked back towards the
palace. Everything happened so fast, that I was left slightly befuddled.
―You can ignore my mother,‖ I looked at Jin, and suggested. ―She says the silliest
things.‖ Mothers really knew how to embarrass their daughters! Ah, saying that Jin‘s
trials were to prove himself worthy of me was humiliating!
While my brain was still churning from recent events, one of the imps of the netherworld
suddenly scuttled towards us and bowed low.
―Your Highness, God of War Jin, the Jade Emperor requests an audience with you in the
Jade Palace.‖
―What for?‖ Jin asked cautiously.
―I don‘t have the slightest idea,‖ the imp replied. ―I‘m just paid to deliver the news.‖ The
imp jiggled the purse tied around his waist with glee. I actually felt like throwing a punch
at his face for some reason.
―Let‘s go then.‖ Jin held out a hand to me, but I refused to take it. After what my mother
had blurted out, I was feeling diffident. This was the first time I talked so much with Jin
in deity form, and since I had a full and unobstructed view of his appearance, it became
too much for my heart to handle.
Jin looked at me questioningly. ―You‘re actually getting shy about this? You were the
one forcing yourself on me in the second life, have you forgotten?‖
I blushed red in an instant. ―N-No, I wasn‘t!‖
With mock indignation, I walked hurriedly towards Heaven, with Jin laughing behind
me.
We arrived at the Jade Palace, with servants bowing their heads at us as we made our
entrance. Uncle was sitting on his throne, and when he saw us, he smiled.
Jin kowtowed thrice in front of him, while I just stood there awkwardly, unsure if I
should follow etiquette.
When I was about to bend down on one knee, uncle stopped me with a hand as he shook
his head at me in disapproval.
―Welcome back, my little Juju.‖ Uncle‘s gaze was warm towards me, but when he turned
his head to look at Jin, his gaze hardened. ―And God of War Jin.‖

―Thank you, Your Majesty,‖ Jin bowed his head in response.
―I congratulate you for passing the first two of your trials,‖ uncle told Jin, a small wry
smile playing on his lips.
―Thank you, Your Majesty,‖ Jin could not contain the happiness in his voice.
―But,‖ uncle raised one finger in the air. ―The last lifetime you will face will be the most
difficult of all, as it will test your perseverance.‖
Why was uncle saying such ominous things?!
Jin looked at the Jade Emperor with resolution in his eyes, his head held high. I guess Jin
really wanted to obtain higher divinity, huh?
―I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty,‖ Jin said.
―I hope my niece was not bothering you with your trials.‖ There was an underlying
sinister tone in uncle‘s voice, and I was a bit scared.
―Not at all,‖ Jin replied, a smile tugging at his lips.
―My niece will accompany you during your third life as well, if you do not mind.‖ When
the Jade Emperor saw Jin tilt his head in puzzlement, in order to cover for me and my
dubious reason, he hastily added, ―Because she wants to explore the new worlds. She has
always been quite a curious little child.‖ Jin nodded his head, seeming to accept this. Yes,
I love you so much, uncle!
Uncle motioned me over to his side. ―I will take away your seal, Juju. You will not need
it anymore.‖ His voice was warm again.
―Seal?‖ Jin repeated curiously.
―The birthmark!‖ I hurriedly said. ―It‘s getting itchy!‖ I scratched my wrist to prove my
point. I didn‘t want Jin to know I was using a seal to stalk him in his lifetimes!
―…‖ Jin was nonplussed.
―Please remove it now, uncle.‖ I bared my wrist in front of his face.
The Jade Emperor laughed. He pressed two fingers against the flesh of the seal, and it
started to glow brightly, then dimmed as the gold circle disappeared in a few moments.

After I said my thanks, I went back to stand beside Jin. Why did my seal have to be
removed? How would I be able to find him in the next life now? I felt downcast. But then
again, what use would I have for the seal if we were both obliged to drink the soup of
oblivion in the third life?
―Juju, take care in the next life. Jin, I hope you won‘t disappoint me.‖ With one wave of
uncle‘s hand, the doors of the throne room opened, indicating that it was time for us to
leave. ―Don‘t forget to drink the soup of oblivion,‖ he reminded us.
I quickly went to uncle to kiss him goodbye on the cheek, and his tender eyes made me
feel warm inside. ―Thank you, uncle! I love you so much!‖ I hugged his neck and he
patted me fondly on the back, as he whispered, ―I shall await your return, my little juju.
Happiness is waiting just around the corner.‖
After drinking our bowls from Old Meng, Jin and I walked to the dimensional cavern
where the pools to Amara were located.
―Will we see each other in the next life?‖ I looked at Jin with apprehension.
―I‘m sure we will find each other. We always did, after all,‖ he said.
I nodded my head, hopeful.
―Be careful you don‘t jump into the wrong pool again,‖ Jin said as he guided me to the
edge of the Yin pool.
To spite him, I pretended to jump into the Yang pool, but Jin started laughing as he
pulled me away by the collar.
―Let‘s see who arrives in that world first!‖ I said excitedly, raising my skirts to reveal feet
that were ready to jump into the pool at any minute.
―One…two…three…!‖ Jin was laughing as he counted, and we both submerged

ourselves into the waters in haste.

Chapter Forty-three
In the verdant and opulent Kingdom of Alastriona, a baby‘s loud cry pierced the tranquil
atmosphere of the castle.
―Queen Aiyana has given birth!‖ Everyone in the castle could not remain still, as this
news was carried off from one mouth to another.
―It‘s a beautiful baby girl!‖
―Finally! Her Majesty has always wanted a girl after bearing two sons!‖
―I cannot wait to see!‖
―Hurry, hurry!‖
The maidservants scuttled about in a frenzy, almost knocking into each other, but they
could care less. They had to see the princess right away! This called for another round of
festivities! All the Royal staff hastened to the Royal bedchamber to peek through its
gilded doors.
In the Royal bedchamber, the Queen cradled her newborn daughter in her arms, hoping to
lull the princess into slumber. The Royal wet nurse stood at the edge of the bed, smiling
at this peaceful and loving scene.
King Altair drew closer to his wife on the bed as he looked on adoringly at the sleeping
baby. He could not contain the happiness he felt in his heart as he gratefully looked at his
young wife.
―Thank you,‖ the King said to his wife, his eyes moist.
―You‘re very welcome, dear husband. Don‘t forget, you contributed to this too.‖ The
Queen laughed when she saw her husband turn red in the ears.
―Mother! Father!‖ The two princes rushed into the bedchamber, their faces flushed with
unfeigned excitement.
―Alasdair, Alaric! No running!‖ The King chastised, afraid that they would cause
unavoidable anxiety to the Queen who had just given birth.
The 10 year old Alaric stopped running to grab his 5 year old brother in the arm. ―Sorry,
father!‖ They cautiously crept nearer to the bed, their eyes starry as they gazed upon the
sleeping baby in their mother‘s arms.
―What‘s her name?‖ Alasdair whispered loudly.

―We have not named her yet,‖ the Queen replied. ―Unless you have any suggestions, little
Alasdair?‖ The Queen smiled at her second son fondly.
Alasdair‘s eyes brightened up even more. ―It should start with an ‗Al‘ too!‖ His body
trembled with giddiness, excited at being given such a monumental decision.
―Alan!‖ Alasdair said after much thought.
―That‘s a guy‘s name!‖ Alaric rebuffed his younger brother‘s suggestion with a scowl.
―Alan…air?‖ Alasdair said meekly after racking his brain for a good whole second.
The Queen chuckled. ―Alenaire it is.‖ She stroked Alasdair‘s head as he looked on his
sister with a pleased expression on his little face.
In the distance, the bells of the grand cathedral resounded, extolling the birth of another
Royal. Everyone in the kingdom cheered.

At the same time, on the same day, another piercing cry emanated from within the walls
of the Great General‘s manor.
―Our lady Evadne has given birth to a son!‖ The servants in the manor cried in happiness.
It was a blessing to everyone, as the Great General and his wife had longed for a child of
their own after many years of fruitless attempts.
―My baby!‖ The lady Evadne clutched her newborn son as the tears spilled down her
cheeks. ―Luce. His name shall be Luce!‖
―At last, my dear. At last.‖ General Cassius cradled his wife and son in his arms, as he
sniffed back his tears.
The grand cathedral‘s bells tolled an auspicious morning.
―General, it is indeed a time for a celebration! Can you hear the bells?‖ The wet nurse
exclaimed as she placed a blanket over lady Evadne‘s legs. ―The castle as well is in
festivity! A princess has been born!‖
―How wonderful!‖ Lady Evadne smiled as she softly stroked her son‘s cheeks. The little
baby had stopped crying, and was now hungry, his little mouth searching for a breast to
suckle on. Lady Evadne happily complied.
―I can‘t wait to introduce my dearest son to His Majesty!‖ General Cassius stood up,
pumping his fist triumphantly in the air.

Lady Evadne giggled at her husband‘s pose. ―His Majesty will be very glad to hear about
this! Perhaps you can even make the princess and our Luce meet!‖ She winked at her
husband several times, mischief in her eyes.
―Perhaps I can arrange something,‖ General Cassius pondered with a hand cradling his
chin. ―A princess needs her own personal guardian knight, am I not right?‖ The mischief
in his eyes mirrored his wife‘s.
―How ingenious!‖ Lady Evadne laughed silently, careful not to disturb her son‘s meal.
―This is one of the reasons why I love you!‖
General Cassius coughed, slightly embarrassed. Suddenly, his wife tugged the front of his
shirt, and as he leaned forward, her lips caught his with much fervor.

Chapter Forty-four
One afternoon, as baby Alenaire was left sleeping in her crib in the Royal bedchamber,
one little boy decided to sneak in while his parents were in court and his older brother
was busy with his sword lessons. The pageboy assigned to the chamber doors looked at
the small figure, but did not ask any questions as he opened the doors for the little boy to
pass through.
Alasdair tiptoed silently across the room, afraid that he would awaken his baby sister if
he were to be noisy. He couldn‘t wait to see her again.
The crib‘s height was more or less the same as he, and he inserted his arm between the
wooden bars to tickle one soft white cheek with a finger.
Alenaire turned over in her bed. She suddenly opened her small eyes, grabbed his finger
with both hands, and stuffed it inside her mouth.
―Uwa!!!‖ Alasdair cried silently as his whole hand was soon covered with baby drool.
But he didn‘t have the heart to take away his finger, so he just stood there, letting her
suckle on it diligently.
―You can stop now,‖ Alasdair said after a few minutes. ―I‘m getting cramps!‖
Alenaire looked at him with her big, purple eyes. Suddenly, she giggled as she pushed his
hand away, as if noticing his distress.
Alasdair was rooted to the ground. He had never seen anything so adorable in his whole
entire existence! At this very moment, he wanted to smother her with love!
―What are you doing here, little Alasdair?‖ His mother‘s amiable voice shook him in his
trance.
―Mother! I…I…‖ Alasdair had his tongue tied. He was embarrassed to be seen so eager
to visit his baby sister.
―Do you want to hold her?‖ The Queen asked as she bent towards the crib, scooping
Alenaire into her arms.
―C-Can I really?‖ Alasdair looked hopeful. ―But I‘m afraid I might drop her!‖
―Don‘t worry, I‘ll hold you.‖ The Queen sat on a divan as she made Alasdair sit on her
lap. ―Here,‖ she said as she delivered the bundled up baby into his arms.

Alasdair could not help but look at his baby sister with twinkling eyes as he gently
jiggled her round pink cheeks.
―Mother! Can I look after her?!‖ He asked, his voice raising in anticipation.
―Shh, don‘t be so loud.‖ The Queen placed a hand over his mouth. ―You‘ll make her
cry.‖
―Okay,‖ he replied with hushed tones after his mother took her hand away. He uneasily
looked at the baby in his arms. Alenaire did not flinch nor cry, however, and he was glad.
She simply smiled, revealing her pink toothless gums.
―How can you look after her when you have your Royal lessons?‖ The Queen replied
with humor.
―I don‘t have lessons every day! Only thrice a week! Big brother has them every day
because he‘s the Crown Prince, but I don‘t need so much! I don‘t want to study!‖
Alasdair pouted, the volume of his voice escalating with each word.
―Shhh!‖ The Queen reprimanded. ―Quiet down, Alasdair! I see you need more etiquette
lessons if you can‘t even follow such simple instructions!‖
Alasdair panicked. ―No mother, no! I hate etiquette lessons the most!‖
―Then stop raising your voice,‖ the Queen admonished as she took Alenaire back into her
arms.
―I wanna hold her! I wanna hold her!‖ Alasdair threw a tantrum.
―Alasdair, quiet!‖ The Queen said sharply. She placed her baby back into the crib,
smiling gently as she tickled Alenaire‘s neck. Alenaire started giggling and throwing her
hands and feet in the air in a dance. The Queen‘s heart melted at this sight, and she placed
a hand to her chest to express her strong affections. However, her emotions were quickly
disturbed by a little Alasdair who kept shoving his arms between the bars of the crib, and
she pulled him away hastily.
―She is trying to sleep, Alasdair. Leave her be,‖ the Queen took Alasdair‘s hand in her
own.
―But I wanna watch her sleep!‖ Alasdair complained, tugging his hand away from her
grasp.
―You can, when you learn restraint.‖ The Queen motioned for the pageboy to open the
heavy oak doors.
―But I am restraining myself from complaining!‖ Alasdair complained.

―You need to be schooled in vocabulary as well,‖ the Queen said as she dragged her
wailing son away.
The pageboy quietly shut the doors behind them with a smile tugging at his lips.

For one whole month, the kingdom could be seen singing, dancing and in jocund festivity
in celebration of the princess‘ birth.
The Kingdom of Alastriona was the largest nation in the central continent, and it held
authority over many other smaller and lesser kingdoms and unclaimed villages who
pledged their allegiance under the High King Altair.
Because the King Altair had exceptional foresight enlaced with business and political
acumen, he had enlarged his kingdom two folds during his reign, following his own
father‘s footsteps and astuteness.
What differed Alastriona from the other kingdoms was that Alastriona thrived on the
ideals of liberty and equality, despite the different social classes present, and the fact that
some people were not born with mana. This was a privilege not known by many others,
and was decreed by the current King‘s own grandfather after witnessing how deliberate
social prejudice could cause a country‘s own undoing.
Thus, women were allowed the same freedom as men, such as: becoming adventurers,
choosing their own class, and taking part in subjugation missions. Although slavery was
also abolished, the noble houses could not be abrogated. As long as they treated their
serfs well and offered them their protection, they were allowed to keep their land and
title.
The King Altair‘s father had enforced an act against vagrancy, which aimed to provide
for the care and rehabilitation of destitute persons in the kingdom. And so, welfare homes
were established, different kinds of jobs were opened to accommodate the poor, and a
public school was put up in the middle of the city square to increase the educational and
literacy rate of his people.
Because the kingdom flourished, as it endeavored to make the people happy, the people
themselves gave back to the monarchy in terms of their loyalty and trust. Thus, they
happily celebrated the birth of another Royal, a princess who, although they had not seen,
they already loved.

Chapter Forty-five
The Royal court had become busy ever since the birth of the princess, and many
adventurers, merchants, high priests and priestesses, commoners, and gentry, came to pay
respects to their King. They brought with them gifts for the princess, even if some could
only present a bottle of milk. The Grand Master of Ceremonies introduced each one of
the guests to His Majesty the King, and the guests in turn bowed low in subservience.
The King was a good man who did not judge a person‘s worth simply by their clothes or
appearance, and he welcomed any gift that they brought, even if it was just a simple sack
of radishes. It was the thought that counted, and he was touched that even the simple
commoners would gift away a portion of their yield, when it was quite meager in the first
place.
The Kingdom of Alastriona was unique, as both the King and Queen shared power
equally. Both their words were law, and one could even say that if you wanted to please
the King, you had to curry favor with the Queen first. Both monarchs usually sat side by
side on gilded thrones on the dais, and either one of them would remain if the other was
indisposed.
―I congratulate His and Her Majesty for the birth of the princess Alenaire!‖
―We bring three gallons of milk for the princess!‖
―Silk for the princess!‖
―We have beautiful jewelry which the princess will surely love!‖
―My crops have not yield much abundance these past few months, but I at least can give
away two sacks of wheat for His Majesty‘s family!‖
The King was immensely pleased. All those that were in attendance were given a great
banquet. This banquet lasted for many months onward, which now welcomed anyone:
from the people of the outskirts to the ones in the capital city.
Since taxes were low in the kingdom, the citizens earned and spent their money freely
and generously, choosing to spend their money in bettering their lives. The common
houses were beautifully constructed, their colors differing from one another, and it was as
if the citizens were secretly battling over which house was the best. Of course, the
noble‘s houses were not included in this battle, as they had already lavish estates since
generations past.
The kingdom was also involved in many forms of trade, with high demand for exports.
Hence, this yielded a very large annual revenue which increased the kingdom‘s treasury.
Clearly, the kingdom did not lack in monetary support, which was why festivals and

royal banquets were common.

General Cassius did not have time to visit the King. After the birth of his son, he couldn‘t
stay away from his wife in worry. Was his wife feeling cold? Did his wife need a drink?
Was the baby having a fever? Why did the baby look like him and not his wife?!
General Cassius was also the Minister of War, where he was in charge of the military
branch of the kingdom, which also included the Royal Knights. He sometimes left the
manor in order to check up on the captains of each squad, but saw that they were busy
with the festivities and did not need to be so uptight. Although they stayed vigilant in
case any enemy kingdom would attack, they were still drawn to the gaiety in the air.
And so, General Cassius told the Royal Secretary to inform His Majesty of his temporary
leave of absence. He would come back once his wife was better (although there was
sincerely nothing wrong with her whatsoever).
―Don‘t you have an army to look after?‖ Lady Evadne raised an eyebrow at her husband
one afternoon. She was holding the standing Luce as he wobbled on his small legs.
―I do drop by sometimes!‖ General Cassius defended himself.
―How long has your leave of absence been?‖ Lady Evadne looked at her husband
sharply.
General Cassius coughed and pretended to hear someone calling him in the distance.
―Oh no, you‘re not getting away from me.‖ Lady Evadne held Luce in her arms as she
tiptoed to glare at her husband straight in the eye. ―Tell me. How long has it been.‖ Each
word she said was like a knife stabbing his heart.
―Possibly one…‖ General Cassius sweated, looking at the birds chirping outside the
window. If possible, he wanted the birds to knock him out cold. His wife was like a
raging dragon when provoked, and she was even scarier than the impression his
subordinates had of himself.
―One month?‖ Lady Evadne looked at him skeptically.
―One year…‖ Lady Evadne pinched him in the stomach before he could spurt any asinine
excuses. Although her husband‘s body was rock solid, she knew of the soft places where
it would hurt quite a bit. She held Luce upright with her other arm as the General winced
at the small pain in his abdomen. It felt more like a bee sting in his opinion, but he kept
his mouth shut lest his wife breathes fire on him.

―Are you taking advantage of His Majesty‘s magnanimity?‖ She roared. Luce trembled in
her arms, but did not cry out. ―Sure you‘ve got the power and skill to be the Great
General, but being off the job for one year or perhaps even more?! Be careful you‘ll lose
the job you painstakingly worked hard for!‖
General Cassius wiped away the sweat on his forehead with a back of a ruddy hand.
―Calm down, my dear. As I said, I do drop by every week or so…‖
―Get your lazy ass out of this house and start working! You‘re lucky you still get paid
despite loafing around!‖ Lady Evadne was burning with so much outrage that Luce
started crying. She immediately retracted her baleful aura and hugged Luce. ―There,
there, my love. I‘m sorry mama is scary. Your papa said he would introduce you to His
Majesty soon so you could be the princess‘ knight, yet he still hasn‘t done so! Your papa
is bad!‖
Luce looked at his daddy with knitted brows, the edges of his eyes still tearing up. He
echoed, ―Papa bad!‖
The aforesaid papa was immediately sent into a spiral of depression.

Chapter Forty-six
The Royal Guards bowed as they saw the hulking figure of a man come their way.
Although he was ruggedly handsome, he had a large scar across the bridge of his nose,
which gave him a sinister and terrifying aura, a fact which he himself would secretly
lament over bitterly. His massive biceps were emphasized by the tight sleeves of his
tunic, and his long curly hair was tied behind his head with a leather string. He walked
with a stately air. This man was no other than the Great General Cassius.
As the Royal Guards bowed, their eyes caught sight of the little figure being held against
the Great General‘s brawny chest.
―Papa! Papa!‖ The boy danced in his arms.
The Royal Guards had heard that the General‘s wife had given birth, yet still their
eyeballs popped out of their sockets when they saw the General‘s usual stony face soften
with affection. This was completely unheard of! Their Great General was supposed to be
incapable of such human emotion!
General Cassius saw the expression on the guards‘ faces, and glared. The guards stiffened
up and saluted, sweat dripping down their foreheads.
―His Majesty awaits you, Great General,‖ a tall lanky man said as he stood by the arched
pillars of the inner hall. He pushed his spectacles up his nose then bowed. ―This butler
will accompany you to the drawing room.‖
General Cassius followed after the butler, rubbing his stubble against Luce‘s face in order
to trigger his giggles. This was a sound he loved hearing everyday. He stopped in the
middle of his actions to look around the hallway to check if any of the Royal Guards had
seen him being so affectionate. He didn‘t want to ruin his reputation of being a gelid
brute. Since the King was of a sublime character, the General needed to possess an iron
hand to contrast it. This was what made people listen and follow him. This was how order
was created in the Kingdom.
―Is His Majesty not preoccupied?‖ General Cassius inquired.
―He has deliberately excused himself in court sessions to meet you personally, General.‖
The butler looked back to see the worried expression on the General‘s face. To assuage
his guilt, he added, ―The Queen handles court matters as good as the King, so you
needn‘t worry.‖
The pageboy opened the door to the royal drawing room, and the butler entered as he
announced the arrival of the Great General with mellifluous tones.

General Cassius lowered his son to the floor and helped him stand. Then he quickly
kneeled in front of His Majesty who sat behind his desk.
―Your Majesty! I apologize for my extended absence! Please deliver any sort of
judgement upon my insolence!‖ The General faced the silk carpet as he kneeled on one
knee, his anxiety heightened with each second of silence. This was all his fault, he
thought. He deserved punishment for neglecting his position, but he didn‘t have the heart
to leave his wife or son alone.
―Papa?‖ Luce looked questioningly at his father, who was kneeling with an anguished
expression on his face.
―You may rise, Cassius,‖ King Altair‘s voice was gentle. ―I understand your grievances,
however, I still cannot overlook how you have left your post for almost two years.‖
General Cassius gulped.
―There have been reports of you coming by a few times a week to oversee your men, so
my punishment will not be hefty.‖
The General waited with bated breath for the final verdict.
A slow smile formed across the King‘s face. ―You have to congratulate me.‖
―Huh?‖ The General thought he heard wrong. He coughed. ―I mean, pardon, Your
Majesty? I seem to have misheard…‖
―You have not congratulated me yet! My princess is almost two years old! That is one
offense I cannot overlook!‖ The King pounded his fist against the armrest of his chair. ―I
have been waiting for my friend to come see me, yet all he would visit were his men! As
your friend and not your sovereign, I feel quite affronted!‖ The King narrowed his eyes,
looking upset.
―I–I‘m sorry, Your Majesty.‖ The General was tongue tied, and did not know what else to
say.
―I have already sent out my butler and guards out of the room. You may call me Altair
now, Cassius.‖ The King smiled and stood up from his chair. ―You were a loyal knight of
mine since I was a child. Do you think I would dismiss you from your post so easily?‖ He
walked closer to pat his friend on the shoulder. ―Besides, what kind of leave of absence
entailed the person to be occasionally present?‖
General Cassius realized this and laughed out loud. ―I couldn‘t just leave my men. The
captains become quite lonely without me.‖

―On the contrary, I think they are quite glad the walking devil isn‘t around,‖ the King
replied, his mouth twitching with mirth.
―Papa,‖ a little voice called from behind the General.
―Luce!‖ The General exclaimed, feeling guilty that he had momentarily forgotten his own
son.
―Luce? Is he your son? I cannot believe you have not even introduced your son to me!‖
The King pretended to be livid.
―I apologize again for being too preoccupied with personal matters, Your Majesty.‖
General Cassius bowed his head in his direction before lifting Luce in his arms.
―Altair,‖ the King reminded.
―Altair.‖ General Cassius smiled and nodded his head. He took Luce‘s small arm, and
shook it in front of Altair‘s face. ―Say hello Luce~ this is His Majesty Altair. Say Al-
tair~‖
―Ah,‖ Luce complied, ―Twhe.‖
King Altair laughed. ―He reminds me so much of my darling princess! Ah, if only she
were here!‖
The King quickly went to his table and rang a small brass hand bell. The drawing room
doors immediately opened, revealing the tall butler.
―You called, Your Majesty?‖ The butler bowed with a palm across his chest.
―Please bring Princess Alenaire to the drawing room!‖ King Altair commanded.
―As you wish, Your Majesty.‖ The butler closed the door behind him after another
graceful bow.
Two little people came in through the door after a few moments. Prince Alasdair held
Princess Alenaire‘s little hand in his, and he walked through the room with a proud air.
―Daaaddyyy!‖ Alenaire squealed, her eyes glittering with happiness as she tottered to
where her father was standing. The adults in the room held their breaths, preparing to
catch her if she were to fall flat on her face on the carpets. However, their worries were
not needed, as Alenaire finally arrived beside her father to hug his leg. The King‘s heart
warmed, and he raised her in the air amidst her giggles to give her a kiss on the cheek.
―Who that?‖ Alenaire hugged her father‘s nape, pointing at General Cassius and the boy
in his arms.

Alasdair stood beside his father and reprimanded the little princess. ―Don‘t be rude,
Alenaire! That‘s the Great General Cassius!‖ He had always looked up to this burly
general, and his greatest wish was to become as strong and powerful as he.
―Hello, little princess,‖ General Cassius said with a genteel tone in his voice. ―I‘m
General Cassius, and this is my son, Luce.‖ He turned Luce in his arms in order for him
to see the princess face to face. Cassius lifted Luce‘s little arm again and shook it. ―Say
hello to Princess Alenaire, Luce!‖
Luce stared at Alenaire for a few seconds before burrowing his face back against his
father‘s chest.
―It seems Luce is shy!‖ The King laughed.
―He‘s just acting cute,‖ Alasdair said as he puffed his cheeks and crossed his arms over
his chest. ―Boys like to act cute in front of girls!‖
―Is that a tactic of yours, little prince?‖ General Cassius teased, and Alasdair‘s face
turned red from embarrassment.
After a few exchanges of pleasantries, the King decided it was time to take on a more
serious note.
―I have a few things to talk to you about, General. It‘s about our northern borders.‖ He
placed Alenaire on the ground, and Alasdair held her hand.
General Cassius released Luce from his arms as well. He told his son, ―You can play with
the princess while the King and I have some important matters to discuss, okay?‖
Luce looked at his father, wide-eyed. He then nodded his head slowly, watching his
father and the King walk to a large round table where the kingdom‘s map was displayed.
Luce turned back to the princess and her brother. He waved and smiled, as the dimples
formed crevices in his cheeks. He uttered, with a slightly bashful tone to his baby voice,
―Hi.‖

Chapter Forty-seven

―What‘s your name again?‖ Alasdair asked the little boy who stood in front him. The boy
tilted his head to the side as if he could not understand.
―Wuce!‖ Alenaire clapped her hands together. ―Wuce!‖
―Wuce!‖ Luce repeated as he giggled.
―Okay, Luce. Do you know her name?‖ Alasdair patted Alenaire‘s head gently.
Luce tilted his head to the opposite side. After a few seconds passed, he said, ―Awi-neh!‖
Alenaire clapped her hands together and squealed. She iterated, ―Awi! Awi!‖
―That‘s rather cute!‖ Alasdair laughed as he spoke in adult-like tones. He sometimes had
this habit of pretending to be older than he actually was. ―I rather like the nickname
Awi!‖ He pointed at his little sister. ―From now on, I shall call you Awi!‖
―Awi! Awi!‖ Alenaire clapped her hands offbeat. She wobbled towards Luce and used
her small plump hand to grab on to his sleeve.
Luce pushed her away. ―No!‖
Alenaire squealed in protest as she slapped him in the arm. ―No!‖
―No!‖ Luce pushed her away again, his face contorted.
―Kids!‖ Alasdair shook his head, pretending to act like the royal butler who disdained
childish acts. Just before he could break them away from each other, Luce had grabbed
ahold of her hand, which caused Alenaire to shriek as she tried to pull her hand away.
―Noooo!‖ Alenaire cried.
―Kids!‖ Alasdair sighed. He pried the hands apart and held their hands instead, which
quieted them both. With the kids in tow, he walked to where his father and the Great
General were soberly discussing matters of the kingdom.
―Father!‖ Alasdair said loudly.
The King turned his head, a crease forming between his brows. ―Have patience, Alasdair.
Your father is busy.‖
―But they‘re so noisy!‖ Alasdair griped. ―They need etiquette lessons together!‖
―No, I think you‘re the one who needs them, Alasdair,‖ the King said helplessly.
―You‘re the same as mother!‖ Alasdair puffed out his cheeks.

―Patience boy, patience is the key!‖ The King turned back to look at the map. ―I have
asked The Council of Elders about this matter, but I seek your opinion, Cassius. Say, if
we were to move the mages to this location and perhaps have the architects construct a
watchtower, wouldn‘t this be in their favor?‖
―Certainly. If you add a central tower for communications here,‖ the General pressed a
forefinger against an X on the map. ―It would be best. For now, you may deploy mages
and archers together, or mages and my infantry. There are also mages who can use mind-
linked communication channels that aid us during wartime, and having clerics would also
be an asset, in case of unanticipated injuries.‖ The General tapped his chin in thought.
―We need to strengthen our defenses, so we must build impregnable walls around the
Northern border as well.‖
The King nodded, then sighed. ―It is a benefit to us that all the four countries in the
central continent are now in an alliance. After that risible war two decades ago, where
they were reckless enough to try and invade us and failed, they had no choice but to opt
for an alliance if they did not want to suffer.‖ The King shook his head and chuckled,
recalling past memories. He looked back at the map and pointed. ―So, our borders on the
East, West and South do not need much sentries. However, the problem lies with our
Northern borders. If what my spies are telling me are true, then we must prepare.‖
The General crossed his thewy arms over his chest. ―If they wish to defeat and conquer
the central continent, then their preparation for a scale of that magnitude would take a
decade or more. There is a vast ocean that lies between us, so they would have to build
thousands of fleets to accommodate an army of a grand scale.‖
―If they wish to destroy my country,‖ the King gnashed his teeth, ―And everything I
worked so hard for achieving, then I will personally cut off their heads.‖ The King looked
at his hands, clenching and unclenching them. ―I have not used my swords in many years,
but for them I will.‖
―Is there war?!‖ Alasdair, who stood and listened on the side, shouted with horror.
―No, little prince. Well, not yet,‖ the General replied as he shook his head. ―These are
merely extensive precautions. Many kingdoms from the different continents want to take
over our fertile land. We must be vigilant lest we come to regret in the end.‖
―I‘m also an elemental mage, you know!‖ Alasdair decided to boast at this time. ―I can
help!‖ He looked at the General, waiting to be praised.
―Is that so?‖ General Cassius smiled and extended a hand to pat the little boy‘s head.
Normally, this kind of intimate act with a royal was prohibited, but General Cassius was
already like a family to them. ―When was your awakening?‖

Sometimes the powers came when one was still a child, and sometimes it came even as
late as an adult. Awakening one‘s powers depended on willpower, imagination, affinity,
and at times even necessity.
―Just a few months ago!‖ Alasdair puffed out his chest, eager to look cool in front of his
idol. ―It‘s ‘cause of Awi!‖ Alasdair motioned for the General to lean his ear towards him,
and he then mentioned the following in whispered tones which incidentally the King
could still hear, ―I accidentally made her fall in mud and I didn‘t want to tell anybody.
My magic tutor told me a secret that water can be found in air so I imagined it and then
there was water and then I started bathing Awi and then…‖ Alasdair rattled on and on.
―Alasdair…‖ The King said in a warning tone. ―Perhaps I shouldn‘t leave your sister to
you after all…‖ Although there were nannies that were employed just for the princess,
the prince had insisted he was mature enough to look after her all on his own when he
was not preoccupied with Royal lessons. Nonetheless, there were always Royal guards
who followed them in secret, in case any sort of mishap were to occur.
―Father!‖ Alasdair panicked. ―I promise I‘ll look after Awi properly! I‘m the best!‖
King Altair‘s vein throbbed on his face. ―Alasdair…‖
―Your Majesty,‖ General Cassius tried to stifle his laugh. ―If it were to be any
consolation, I wish to recommend my own son as your princess‘ knight. I will assure you
she will be safe in his hands.‖ The General finally found a way to insert this suggestion,
without sounding so ambitious.
―General, are you saying she‘s not safe with me?!‖ Alasdair pouted, his pride hurt.
―I am not saying that, little prince. It is that, wouldn‘t it be safer if the princess had her
own personal knight to rely on when her dear older brother would be engaged in future
matters?‖ General Cassius patted Alasdair‘s head once again, and the little boy looked
less miffed. ―When you grow older, there will be no assurance that you have all the time
to look after the little princess.‖
―Fine.‖ Alasdair crossed his arms over his chest, mimicking what the General himself
had done a few moments back.
―I have actually thought of the same thing, General,‖ the King said as he stroked the
stubble on his chin. ―It‘s quite a splendid idea. I wish for your son to take the post you
used to have: the personal knight of a royal personage. However, the official knighting
will still proceed when he reaches thirteen.‖
―Why don‘t I get a knight?!‖ Alasdair whined.
Alasdair was giving his father a splitting headache. ―Alasdair, please. You don‘t need a
knight. What you need is a tutor to school you in manners.‖

―Father is so mean!‖ Alasdair whined again. ―Right Awi?!‖
He looked at his sister, but she was busy sucking her thumb.
―That‘s no good, Awi! You‘re gonna grow another thumb if you keep doing that!‖
Alasdair reprimanded as he took her thumb away from her mouth. ―That‘s bad!‖
Alenaire raised her other hand, and sucked on her thumb, a contented look on her face.
―Bad!‖ Alasdair brought her other hand down.
Alenaire looked like she was going to cry, but stopped when Luce went to stand by her to
touch her arm.
―Bad!‖ Luce repeated, making Alenaire cry in the end.
―Shhh! Shhh! Don‘t cry!‖ Alasdair panicked as he took his little sister in his arms. ―But
it‘s bad! Mother says you shouldn‘t suck on your thumb! It‘s against the law!‖
The King and General Cassius looked perplexedly at each other, then guffawed.
―Why are you laughing?!‖ Alasdair demanded as he calmed down the weeping princess.
―It‘s true!‖
―It‘s true?‖ General Cassius turned to the King as he raised one eyebrow.
The King shrugged. ―If my wife says it‘s true, then who am I to say otherwise?‖
Both of them started laughing again, knowing all too well how formidable wives could
be.

Chapter Forty-eight
Squeals and giggles of children could be heard echoing through the castle, yet the castle
staff did not mind the noise. They would oftentimes even catch themselves smiling
whenever they saw the little princess run away from her little knight who tried to catch
her in a game of tag.
And of course, the Second Prince Alasdair was not too far behind.
―Stop running! No running!‖ Alasdair shouted as he himself ran after the children.
The squeals even reached the back garden where the King and Queen were leisurely
having their afternoon tea with their eldest son, the Crown Prince Alaric.
―Mother, why are you not chastising Alenaire and Luce for running amok? You used to
pull mine and Alasdair‘s ears when we were younger, for misbehaving,‖ the fourteen
year old Alaric could not help but comment.
―You needn‘t ask such an obvious question, my boy! Your mother is obviously gender-
biased!‖ The King replied as he looked at his wife with humor.
The Queen glared at him as she gracefully picked up her teacup. ―No, I am simply too old
to run after her. I‘ve done quite enough running around when the both of you were
children!‖ She pointedly looked at Alaric.
―You‘re not a geriatric, mother,‖ Alaric said as he shook his head. ―By the way, how old
are you again mother?‖
―How rude!‖ The Queen put down her teacup with a clang. ―Remember Alaric, one
should never ask a woman her age.‖
The King leaned over his seat to whisper to his son through the corner of his mouth.
―She‘s thirty-two. Ouch!‖ The King yelped as his thigh was pinched by no other than his
wife.
―Big brother!‖ They heard a little girl‘s childish voice ring jubilantly in the air. They
turned around in their seats to meet the three children.
―Little sister, how are you?‖ Alaric smiled softly as Alenaire dashed towards him to have
her head petted. ―How are you as well, Luce? Alasdair?‖
―Good!‖ Luce replied happily.
―Hello big brother,‖ Alasdair said. He crudely went to the table to grab a handful of
salted crackers.
―Manners, Alasdair!‖ The King reproached, but Alasdair didn‘t heed him and kept eating
the crackers out of his hand with a loud crunching noise. He also extended his palm out to
Luce, who gingerly fished out a few crumbs for himself.
―Sometimes I wonder if I‘m raising an ape instead of a boy,‖ the Queen said rather
solemnly, but a certain fondness crept into her voice. It was difficult not to love your own
children, even if they missed your expectations.

―Alenaire, come here my love,‖ the Queen said in dulcet tones. Alenaire complied, and
sat on her mother‘s lap with a smile.
―Tell me, love. Who do you love the most between daddy and I? Mm?‖ The Queen
brushed Alenaire‘s cheek with a back of her elegant hand. She then whispered into
Alenaire‘s ear, ―Say mommy.‖
―Mommy!‖ Alenaire repeated, giggling against her mother‘s chest.
―Wha–! Alenaire, my princess, have you forgotten all about your daddy?‖ The King tried
his best not to look so affected by his daughter‘s words.
―Say, ‗Who are you?‘,‖ the Queen whispered again into Alenaire‘s ear.
―Who are you?‖ Alenaire repeated as she stared at her father innocently.
The King was devastated. Alaric hid his laughter by pressing a napkin against his lips,
however, his trembling shoulders gave him away.
―What were you and Luce playing, Alenaire love?‖ The Queen asked after she had a
good laugh at her husband‘s expense. It was revenge for blurting out her age.
―Tag! Luce chased me around but can‘t catch me!‖ Alenaire declared proudly.
―I did! But you cried!‖ Luce protested as he approached the Queen with Alenaire on her
lap.
―I didn‘t cry!‖ Alenaire wiggled her feet to be let down from her mother‘s embrace.
―Catch me!‖ Alenaire ran away, with Luce chasing after her once again.
―Four year old children are a handful,‖ Alasdair sighed dreadfully. ―I‘m getting grey
hairs just looking after them!‖
―You‘re quite the histrionic one, Alasdair dear,‖ the Queen said. She motioned him to
come closer so she could inspect his head. ―Mmm…I see. This is your predicament. It‘s
not so bad. Why, I can count only five grey hairs!‖
―Really?!‖ Alasdair looked back at his mother, his mouth agape. He was merely joking
about his grey hairs, but to actually have them was absurd!
His family laughed as they saw his stricken expression. He was so easy to fool.
―Your mother is simply joking, son,‖ the King mollified.
Alaric lifted his cup of tea towards his brother. ―Why don‘t you join us for tea?‖

Alasdair looked behind him to see the children still running about, not caring how their
shoes were getting soiled from the earth.
―I‘m busy,‖ Alasdair said smugly as he shook his head. ―I have children to look after.‖
―Alasdair you sound like an old man with ten children!‖ Alaric pointed out. His brother
was so silly. ―By the way, I‘ve heard from the Royal tutor that you‘ve piled up
homework,‖ he added as soon as he remembered. He wasn‘t going to let his younger
brother get away with it just because their parents were kept in the dark.
―Alasdair! I know you love your sister a lot, but you should focus on your studies!‖ The
King rebuked, his expression stern.
―Your father is right, Alasdair dear. In the future, you will be helping your older brother
govern this kingdom. That is why studying is important. So you will learn–Alasdair! I
was not finished!‖ The Queen‘s eyebrows were drawn together as Alasdair quickly made
his escape, using the children frolicking on the grass as the reason for his short attention
span.
The King sighed as he placed a warm hand on his wife‘s shoulder. ―Just leave him be,
Aiyana. He‘s still nine years old. He‘ll grow out of his immaturity soon…I hope.‖
―I hope,‖ the Queen and the crown prince said simultaneously.
―Luce! You‘re going to be Awi‘s knight! You should know manners and sword
fighting!‖ Alasdair said as he tugged both of the children out of the grass.
―Sword!‖ Luce pretended to swing an invisible sword in his hand as he stabbed and
sliced the air.
―But you can‘t learn those stuff until you‘re seven, though. You‘re too young. I think you
can join in Awi‘s Royal classes too at that age,‖ Alasdair said after much thought.
―Mother said Awi‘s classes will start when she‘s seven. She‘ll have homework like me!‖
Alenaire raised her hands and started chanting gibberish. She pretended to be one of the
mages she saw around the castle.
―Awi, I know you can‘t talk properly yet, but your chants are scaring me. You sound like
you‘re trying to revive the dead,‖ Alasdair said as he lowered Alenaire‘s raised hands.
Luce was still piercing the air with his invisible sword, and Alenaire seemed jealous. She
followed his movements, clumsily waving one of her hands in the air.
―So you like swords too?‖ Alasdair asked as he looked on at the two children. Then he
sighed. ―I wonder when my words will be met with a proper response…‖

Chapter Forty-nine
―Stay in this spot okay, kids?‖ Alasdair placed his hands over his hips as he commanded
Alenaire and Luce like a general. They were currently in the middle of the Mystic Forest.
―My magic tutor gave me a very important task now that I‘m ten years old! I gotta kill ten
crystal spiders to increase my mana!‖ Alasdair said merrily. ―I‘ll be back! Don‘t wander
around so much, okay? I‘ll be back!‖
A small army of Royal Knights came with the children to protect them from any perilous
advances from the magic beasts, and a portion of them followed prince Alasdair further
into the forest.
The rest of the Royal Knights fanned out across the forest, staying a few meters away
from the children in order to give them privacy. They were guarding the princess as well
as their general‘s son. They felt that it was both an honor and privilege.
―Luce, what should we play?‖ Alenaire asked as she held Luce‘s hand. They were always
seen holding each other‘s hand, as they were both afraid to lose sight of each other, even
if they were just in one room.
―Dunno. Maybe we can catch magic beasts?‖ Luce said.
―But no magic beast will come near us when the knights are around,‖ Alenaire said
dejectedly.
―Let‘s sneak out, Awi!‖ Luce suggested eagerly as he squeezed her hand.
―Okay!‖ Alenaire cheerfully agreed.
With their hands held tightly together, they decided to sneak out of the guarding
perimeter…and failed.
―Where are you going princess? Luce?‖ One of the knights asked as he looked at the
children who looked a bit sneaky.
―Luce wants to pee!‖ Alenaire said, squeezing Luce‘s hand forcefully to indicate that he
should just concur without questions.
―I wanna pee!‖ Luce played along.
―O-Okay…‖ The knight looked at his partner. ―Shall we escort them?‖
―No!‖ Luce protested. ―Awi will come with me!‖
―Yes!‖ Alenaire nodded her head, looking strict.

The knights laughed. ―Who is the personal knight between you two? It seems the roles
have switched.‖
―I can be a knight myself!‖ Alenaire folded her arms over her chest. ―I don‘t need anyone
to protect me!‖
Luce looked at her, a bit pale in the face. ―But Awi, papa says I‘m your knight. If I‘m not,
then what am I gonna do?‖
―Oh.‖ Alenaire looked conflicted. ―Okay, you can still be my knight!‖
Luce held Alenaire‘s hand as his face brightened considerably. They began to walk away
from the two knights.
The knight whispered to his partner, ―Those two have a better love life than the two of us
combined, Toni.‖ He sighed miserably.
Toni laughed. ―Don‘t be jealous of two kids, Raoul!‖ He then looked at the two small
figures in the distance. ―Don‘t forget to keep an eye out on those two. Spread your mana
to see if magic beasts are lurking somewhere close. We‘ll be dead if those two have even
a slight scratch on them.‖
Raoul shudder involuntarily. ―I can‘t imagine what Great General Cassius would do if his
son were hurt.‖
―We‘d be flogged to death,‖ Toni said gravely. Although they had never seen the general
punish anyone so severely, they also didn‘t want to be the first to experience such a thing.
A bit far from where the knights stood, Luce and Alenaire were busy giggling to each
other.
―They fell for it!‖ Alenaire giggled.
―I know!‖ Luce looked pleased, but then suddenly his face contorted. ―I actually wanna
pee now.‖
―Okay…‖ Alenaire looked uncomfortable. ―Go pee somewhere far! I don‘t wanna see
your winkle! It‘s gross!
‖
Luce made a face, and started to say something in protest, but thought better of it as he
walked away to find a secure spot where his princess wouldn‘t see him tinkle.
Alenaire squatted on the ground, drawing an unidentifiable shape on the ground with a
random stick. She heard the tall grass rustle behind her, but didn‘t mind it until she heard
a voice.

―Master! Huhuhu! Maaaaaster! I can‘t believe you left me in Heaven on your third life!
You‘re a meanie! Do you know how long it took me to find you? I‘ve been lost in the
forest for years until I could finally smell your soul!‖
Alenaire turned around, wide-eyed. She dropped her stick on the ground.
―I mean, meow~‖ the meow sounded somehow scratchy, as if its inflection had not been
tuned for a millennia.
―Ah?‖ Alenaire saw a fat brown thing slowly wiggle its way through the blades of grass.
It gradually formed into a cat.
―Kitty?‖ Alenaire said happily as the cat languidly made its way towards her.
―Meow~‖ the cat tried again, this time with a higher and cuter inflection in its voice.
―Cutie!‖ Despite how muddy the cat was, Alenaire tackled it with her arms and buried
her face in its brown belly.
―Awi! What‘s that!‖ Luce called out panting, as he hastened to her side, thinking that she
was being attacked.
―It‘s a kitty!‖ Alenaire scratched the cat‘s belly, and it immediately reclined on the
ground, its limbs spread apart with a blissful expression on its face.
―It‘s dirty, Awi!‖ Luce didn‘t look impressed. He tried to pull her already muddy hand
away from the cat‘s belly, but she refused. ―Awi, look! We don‘t know where that cat
came from! It might be a magic beast pretending to be a cute cat!‖
―It‘s not ‗it‘! It‘s a ‗he!‘ You should know the difference! Don‘t you listen to Nanny Rika
when she teaches us stuff?‖ Alenaire was a bit upset. ―Nanny Rika will be sad! You don‘t
listen as much as I do.‖
Luce turned red in the face. ―I do listen to her! I just don‘t know if the cat is a boy or a
girl!‖ He said defensively.
―I know how. You should know too!‖ Alenaire said proudly as she peered at the cat‘s
butt. ―It‘s the balls! You have to look at the balls to know if it‘s a boy or girl! The balls
and the winkle are a pair!‖ She reiterated what Nanny Rika said to her own child in
passing.
The cat screeched as it felt all eyes on its butt, and it stood on its hind legs, hissing in
outrage. The children laughed as they found this stance rather amusing.
―Don‘t you have balls, too?‖ Alenaire turned to Luce. ―All guys have that. Big brother
says the bigger the more manlier.‖

Luce turned crimson as he stuttered, ―I-I do…but…I don‘t think it‘s that big…‖ His
voice turned faint.
―That‘s okay!‖ Alenaire patted Luce‘s shoulder with a sympathizing look. ―It doesn‘t
matter to me!‖
Since the children could not carry the cat, as it was too heavy for their small stature, they
just told it to follow them. They walked back happily to where the Royal Knights stood
on standby.
―Are you gonna bring the cat to the castle, Awi?‖ Luce looked troubled.
―Yeah! He‘s cute! And fat! I like fat people!‖ Alenaire said as she stroked the cat‘s head.
She turned her head to assess Luce‘s body. ―But it doesn‘t mean I dislike people who
aren‘t fat! I like everyone!‖
―Okay,‖ Luce said, happy that he was included in the people she liked.
―We should give him a name!‖ Alenaire said. ―It‘s too sad if we just call him kitty.‖
―How about kitty cat?‖ Luce suggested.
―No way!‖ Alenaire objected emphatically, making Luce look crestfallen.
Alenaire looked like she was thinking very hard on the matter, and then her face
brightened. ―Ah! I remember mommy telling me a story before. It was about a dragon! I
just forgot his name.‖
The cat perked its ears as it anticipated the name. It was as if that certain story was made
for him! He couldn‘t wait. His tail flicked back and forth with excitement.
Alenaire‘s shoulders drooped. ―I still can‘t remember. Ah! But what I do remember is the
toad‘s name! It was Bastian!‖
The cat looked tense, its tail curled downwards as it felt a portentous foreshadowing of
future events.
―Okay, his name is Bastian!‖ Luce nodded his head in agreement.
So he was named after a toad?! Bastian inwardly wailed in horror.

Chapter Fifty
―What‘s that?‖ Raoul asked Toni as the two children approached with a thing walking in
between them.
Toni squinted his eyes. ―It looks like a huge meatball…with legs.‖
As the children neared, they could approximate the brown figure to be a cat covered in
mud.
―A magic beast?!‖ Raoul was alarmed.
―No, I can‘t sense any mana from it. Unless its mana is simply too high that we can‘t
detect it ourselves. However, that only applies to sacred beasts such as the dragon or the
Phoenix. They can‘t possibly be walking around the Mystic Forest when they have the
Sacred Mountain to themselves. That walking meatball is definitely a cat,‖ Toni replied
with certainty.
―Princess, why are you bringing a cat with you?‖ Raoul asked as he looked at the cat that
was busy rubbing itself against the princess‘ legs.
―His name is Bastian!‖ Alenaire said as she rubbed the cat under its chin. She didn‘t care
that her dress, hands and face were caked with dried up mud. ―Bastian, say meow!‖
―Meow~!‖ Bastian complied as he wrapped his fluffy tail around her wrist.
―Good boy!‖ Alenaire stroked his tail and he purred with satisfaction.
―I did it! I killed ten crystal spiders all by myself!‖ They heard Alasdair‘s voice in the
distance. When Alasdair and his knights came closer, they all looked at the brown fat
thing beside the princess and paused, thinking it was a magic earth beast. In less than a
second, they began to ready their stance, whipping their swords out of their scabbards,
their faces grim.
―Stoooop!‖ Alenaire clutched Bastian in her arms. ―Nooooo!‖
Luce stood in front of her, protecting her small frame with his own. He thought that if
ever the Knights were going to push through and harm Alenaire and Bastian, he would be
the first one to stop it. He hated to see her cry.
―What‘s that, Awi?‖ Alasdair was puzzled. ―What is that…thing?‖ He lifted a hand up to
the Knights, instructing them to put back their weapons.
―It‘s not a thing! Bastian is a cat! A caaaat!‖ Alenaire whined, clutching Bastian so tight
that he was clawing at the air for reprieve.
―A cat? A normal…cat?‖ Alasdair looked at Toni and Raoul, and the Knights both
nodded their heads in affirmation.
―Okay…‖ Alasdair massaged his tense shoulders. ―Well…I got my crystal spiders, so we
can go home now.‖ Alasdair looked at Alenaire who was still clutching Bastian in her
arms. ―Awi, are you gonna bring that along?‖
―Uh-huh!‖ Alenaire let go of Bastian, and he licked the dried mud off of her hand.
―Well…I don‘t know if our parents are gonna approve, but that cat at least needs a
bath…‖ Alasdair said soberly as he assessed the cat and his sister who was covered head
to toe in brown mud.
Was her brother going to show off his water magic? Alenaire looked at him expectantly,
her eyes glittering.
Alasdair was weak against his sister, and he would do anything to make her happy, if it

was within his power…and that included giving the cat a bath.
He started chanting under his breath, and a ball of water appeared above Bastian…and
Alenaire as well.
―Hey…big brother?!‖ Alenaire saw the blue ball above her, and shrieked.
―I can‘t let you meet father and mother in that state…‖ Alasdair shook his head. ―They‘re
going to get mad at me again!‖
The two blue balls burst, and both the princess and the cat were drenched thoroughly,
brown water starting to flow from where they stood.
―Axel, please use your wind magic to dry them off,‖ Alasdair commanded the knight
with red hair.
Axel looked discomfited, as his magic was known to be used to cut enemies into two, and
to have it used on the princess and her cat to dry them off was degrading…and yet
so…ingenious at the same time.
Bastian slowly returned to his normal color, which was a similar shade to snow. The hot
air caused his hair to poof, and he looked like…
―A cloud!‖ Alenaire observed. ―He‘s so cute!‖ She hugged him again, lifting him off the
ground.
―So soft…‖ Luce‘s eyes sparkled as he touched the fur. It felt like wisps of cotton in his
hands.
―Okay, let‘s go everyone!‖ Alasdair raised his hand and commanded.
They walked back to where their horses awaited them at the forest‘s entrance.

The King and Queen at first did not accept the new feline addition to the family, but they
too were weak against Alenaire‘s pleas and her desperation. She loved the cat Bastian so
much that she would use him even as a pillow to sleep on whenever she was tired.
It was an adorable sight, but somehow Luce became quite jealous. His princess would not
hold his hand any longer, as her hands were quite preoccupied with the fluffy white fur. It
was as if Bastian could even feel Luce‘s envy and wanted to rub salt on his wounds, as he
would deliberately do things that would provoke him, which irritated Luce to no end.
―Luce, why do you always look so mad?‖ Alenaire wanted to know one afternoon when
they were playing near the castle‘s moat.

―I‘m not mad,‖ Luce rejected with a pout.
―Then why do you always look like this?‖ Alenaire used her index fingers to press her
eyebrows down.
Luce thought this was funny, and he couldn‘t help but giggle. ―I‘m not mad.‖
―Promise?‖ Alenaire held out her pinky finger in front of him.
Luce hooked his pinky around hers. ―Promise.‖
That was the beginning of how they would start blurting out their dreams, making
promises that they hoped would be kept for now and in the future.
―I‘ll be a good person and make lots of people happy, like my daddy,‖ Alenaire said the
following day, after they had visited the capital. The children had seen how lively the
people of the kingdom were, and upon knowing she was their princess, they gifted her
and Luce random pastries and toys, which made them quite blissful. The carriage they
rode in was overflowing with so much goods that it caused the Knights accompanying
them to chuckle at the sight.
―I‘ll be a good person too, and I‘ll make you happy!‖ Luce added a bit bashfully.
―When I grow up, I‘m going to be strong!‖ Alenaire decided as she held Luce‘s hand in
hers. She didn‘t know how she was going to be strong, but she knew she had the
determination, and she wanted to become it. She meant being strong in all sense of the
word.
―I‘ll be strong too!‖ Luce nodded.
Two little pinkies were hooked in the air as two bright, smiling faces faced each other.

Alenaire was finally given a wing of her own when she turned seven years old. She used
to live in a room close to the King and Queen, but now was given the South Wing of the
castle as her living quarters. Alasdair lived in the West Wing, Alaric lived in the East,
and the King and Queen both took the North Wing for themselves.
Now that Alenaire was seven years old, she was given official Royal lessons thrice a
week, which included language, geography and history, economics and mathematics.
Because she had not yet awakened her powers, the King and Queen did not call for a
magic instructor to guide her. The Queen also incorporated etiquette, dance and music
into Alenaire‘s lessons, having them be taught during the weekends instead of weekdays.
Normal lessons occurred only in the morning, to give freedom to the princess who loved
to play, and also for Luce, who had swordsmanship lessons in the afternoon with his
father.
Because Luce was her knight, he also stayed with her during her lessons and was taught
the same things, despite not being a royal himself. The King and Queen wanted them to
not only strengthen their relationship as princess and knight, but as close friends who did
not betray each other. They believed friendship was stronger than any kind of loyalty that
was forced upon a person.

Miss Oona, the Princess‘ Royal tutor, did not mind how the little boy also participated in
her small class. She loved how the two children would raise their hands with earnest,
asking multiple questions that would satiate their thirst for knowledge. She had never met
children that were as curious as them. Bastian, the princess‘ pet, would also invite
himself to the Study Hall, plopping his round self on the princess‘ desk and using up half
the space on her table.
―Basti!‖ Luce looked at the cat with reproach. ―You‘re covering the princess‘ table,
again!‖
Bastian looked at Luce briefly in a bored manner, then resumed to licking his paws.
―Luce! I‘ve said it before, I don‘t want you to call me princess! I have a name!‖ Alenaire
said furiously.
―What else can I call you? You ARE the princess.‖ Luce wouldn‘t let go of it. Ever since
he realized the importance of his position as Alenaire‘s personal knight, he couldn‘t allow
himself to talk so familiarly with her anymore. His father had said there was a limit to
one‘s immaturity, and he needed to learn to be precocious for the princess‘ sake. He tried
his best to become more mature, yet sometimes (or most of the time) he couldn‘t keep up
with such a facade. He could not not be himself around her.
―Okay, please settle down, princess, Luce.‖ Miss Oona tapped the black board with a
ruler. ―You think you might be too young to learn economics, but it is because of one‘s
knowledge of it that makes a kingdom prosper.‖
As Miss Oona talked about the kingdom‘s program which prevented inflation and
economic collapse, Bastian decided to jump down the table to rummage through
Alenaire‘s purse out of boredom.
Inside the purse was a Bocote wood box with plush velvet interiors that encased a palm
sized porcelain mermaid: a beautiful figure of a young woman who had her arms above
her, as if swimming in stillness, with her tail turned to one side. Her hair and tail were
overlaid with gold. This sculpture was given by the King and Queen on her sixth
birthday, and she loved it so much that she would carry it around with her in her purse.
Alenaire loved fantastical creatures such as the mermaid, elves, orcs, fairies and dwarves.
It was rare to see these creatures with your own two eyes, as they all lived in the south
continent governing their own respective kingdoms. Some adventurers and seamen would
visit their continent, but most often than not, these creatures remained perfectly hidden
(owing to the fact that the fairies‘ illusion barrier was too strong for humans to shatter),
as these creatures did not want any kind of human contact whatsoever. But of course,
some humans became an exception, depending on a creature‘s capricious mood, and thus
tales were woven from these spectacles, spreading across the central continent.

Bastian took the wooden box discreetly while Alenaire was busy taking down notes on
her desk, and he used his paws to push open the box, revealing the beautiful mermaid
within. He didn‘t intend to touch the mermaid itself, as he knew how much Alenaire took
care of it, and he didn‘t want to damage the exterior at all. He was just sadistic enough to
want to see Luce‘s jealous face again, so he deliberately kept flicking his tail back and
forth to catch his attention.
Luce saw the flicking white tail at the corner of his eyes, and he turned towards Bastian
with a frown.
Bastian walked flamboyantly around the mermaid‘s casing, the tip of his tail almost
caressing the mermaid‘s face. He wanted to show how close he could be to touching the
mermaid without receiving vitriol from the princess.
Luce was horrified. He didn‘t want the mermaid to be subjected to a cat‘s mercurial
behavior, so he got off his seat to steal the box away from the gloating cat.
However, he tugged too hard.
The mermaid flew out of the box, landing on the marble floors with a heartbreaking
crack.
Chapter Fifty-one
The mermaid‘s narrow waist was severed upon impact, and everyone‘s eyes were glued
to it in horror.
Alenaire was too stunned to even move, let alone cry. It was her most prized possession,
and to have it broken right in front of her by Luce was the most painful emotion she felt.
―Awi…I…‖ Luce said stiltedly as he carefully took the mermaid in his hands and placed
it back in the box. Bastian had already scurried away and had hidden himself behind a
bookcase.
―Awi…I‘m sorry…I‘m gonna fix this, I promise…‖ Luce turned pale, and his hands were
shaking as he closed the lid of the box and tucked it in the crook of his elbow.
―Luce…‖ Alenaire was both enraged and disconsolate, but her mouth was dry and she
couldn‘t say anything else.

―I‘m sorry, Awi! I‘m sorry!‖ He hugged the sitting Alenaire with one arm, and after a
few moments, he felt her sobs against his chest. He felt incredibly awful.
Miss Oona sighed when she saw this scene. ―Luce, I don‘t know why you broke the
princess‘ sculpture, but you should know how precious it is to her.‖
Luce stroked Alenaire‘s head while she sobbed against his chest. ―I know…‖ Luce said,
his voice strained.
Miss Oona gathered her things from the table. ―Luce, I will not take part of this drama
between you both. It is my own belief that children should learn from their own mistakes
in order to grow. Thus, I will be taking my leave for today.‖
―It is my mistake,‖ Luce said with his head bowed. He bit his lip in frustration.
―You are an honest and sensible child, Luce.‖ Miss Oona smiled at him and proceeded to
walk to the door. ―I reckon everything will be alright tomorrow?‖ She looked back at the
still crying princess in Luce‘s arms. ―Or perhaps a few days from now?‖
―I‘ll try my best,‖ Luce replied.

Luce skipped his sword fighting lessons with his father in the afternoon. His father was
bewildered, but upon seeing the determination in his son‘s eyes as he said, ―I have
something important to do‖, the General did not have the heart to dissuade or berate him.
Luce went to the smithy workshop at the back of his father‘s manor. There was a smith
who used to work for his father a long time ago, but had relocated to the provinces to live
a more peaceful life with his new wife, leaving behind a workshop full of tools that had
not been used for a long time. He went to the smithy‘s work desk and carefully retrieved
the broken mermaid from the box.
He wanted to repair it himself. He could ask for help, but letting someone else answer his
own problems made him feel averse to the very notion. He wanted to fix the sculpture
himself or there would be no meaning to it. He owed Alenaire this much.
As he looked somberly at the mermaid who was now in half, he wondered if he could
piece them back together using something sticky. His mother used to make adhesives
using starch and water, but he wanted something prettier. Something gold to fit the gold
painted tail. A light bulb lit up in his head. Could he melt gold and use it to stick the
mermaid together?

He could only try! He rushed back to his room and took out his piggy bank, an object that
held the money his parents gave him on his birthdays. Sometimes they gave copper coins,
sometimes it was silver. Recently, it was gold! He smashed the piggy bank without
thinking twice, and clutched the gold coin to his heart as he rushed back to the workshop.
He took a crucible from the counter, placed the gold coin in it, and stood in front of the
kiln.
Okay.
How was he going to work the kiln?! He cried out in anguish as he felt his heart plummet
down to his stomach.
If only he had the power of fire so he could call upon it anytime he needed it. With
sorrowful steps, he placed the crucible on his desk. Maybe he should just go to an artisan
and ask him to mend the sculpture for him. That would seem even more plausible than
obtaining the flame element.
After another lightbulb lit up in his head, he wanted to smack himself on the face. Why
was he giving up now when he hadn‘t even tried? What if he really could obtain the
flame element? There was no harm in trying!
He had often been told by the elemental mages that true power came from the heart, and
its constituents were borne from the mind. He knew he was born with mana to fuel his
imagination, as all of the people born in the upper echelons did, but the strength of power
may also depend on one‘s aptitude to it. Many of the mages he knew had awakened their
powers during their adolescence instead of childhood, as they lacked concentration
during their early years. If he were to put his mind to it now, would he be able to do it?
He closed his eyes, imagining a small flame in his palm.
After some time, he opened his eyes to a slit, but did not see anything happening in his
palm. Feeling a bit disappointed, he closed his eyes again.
He imagined once again, this time with a more vivid detail. It‘s flickering form, it‘s
orange-red color, its trails of smoke.
He tried again and again, and this lasted him a few hours of futile attempts until he
remembered Alenaire‘s crying face. Although this scene hurt his heart, it strengthened his
resolve, and he was even more determined to gain this element.

As he closed his eyes, with mana warming his veins, he could feel something tickling the
middle of his palm. He slowly opened his eyes and he saw a small ball of reddish hue
dancing just above his hand. In panic, he tried to extinguish it right away by blowing it,
afraid that he was going to burn himself. He tried his very hardest, even including an
amount of saliva in the mix, but when he realized that he was actually unharmed by the
flame, he started laughing at himself for being so silly.
He looked at the flame in his hand with something akin to endearment. He felt immensely
proud of himself, but the flame had to be bigger and hotter. After a few hours of trial and
error, he had created a medium sized blue flame that split into miniature versions when
he willed them to the tip of his fingers.
No, wait. Perhaps he needed just one big flame on the tip of his index finger.
With a torch-like flame, he held it above the gold coin inside the crucible and slowly
worked the flame in circular motion. Once it heated up and turned red, he began to work
the torch in slowly until the coin was reduced to a nugget.
When it was done, he took an iron spatula and dipped it in the melted gold, transferring it
over the solid stumped edge of the broken waist. He made sure only to transfer a small
amount so that it wouldn‘t spill over once the mermaid‘s torso was attached. Then again,
even if it spilled, he could easily blend the gold over the mermaid‘s already gold tail.
It took him the whole afternoon and night to do all of this, and he hardly noticed the time
until the workshop was bathed in a red-orange light, signifying the sun‘s rise.
Luce was startled. He hardly even felt fatigue the whole time, as he was both excited and
in too much concentration.
He placed the repaired mermaid in its box and tucked it in his arm. Without even bathing,
he headed towards the castle.
The drawbridge was thankfully drawn down, and he passed by the Royal guards with a
salute. The Royal guards did not ask why Luce arrived so early in the morning, as they
pegged it to be caused by peculiar whims of a young boy.
Luce walked to the south side of the castle, carefully treading the soft grass and earth,
afraid that he would trip and destroy the mended porcelain sculpture that he had worked
so hard for.
He stopped in front of a huge balcony that was about five meters above him. The
beautiful purple wisteria vines twisted around the trellis that led to the balcony, and with
one hand, he climbed upwards as he used the steps as a ladder, while the other hand held
on tightly to the box.

Once he finally reached the top, he extended his arm to grab onto the balustrade of the
balcony, and he swung himself over to land almost soundlessly on the floor. He knocked
on the hand painted windows until he heard shuffling inside the room.
―What‘s that?‖ He heard a sleepy voice from within.
―I‘m sorry Awi,‖ Luce apologized again and left the box by the glass door.
He quickly climbed down the trellis and ran back to his home to take a bath. Fatigue
finally hit him, and he smelled a bit fishy.
Chapter Fifty-two & Fifty-three

Alenaire opened the glass door and stepped into the balcony with bleary eyes. Last night
she had skipped dinner with the family to cry in bed, and her family became extremely
worried. They asked her what was wrong, but she didn‘t answer them. Even if it was all
Luce‘s fault, she did not want to implicate him and be castigated for doing something
accidental, so she kept mum, and her maids simply left food for her on the table beside
her bed.
The cold morning breeze assailed her face, and she hugged herself as she shivered. She
was only wearing a thin silk night gown, so she quickly scanned the balcony for the
intruder.
No one was around, but something caught the corner of her eye. It was the box which she
used to store her precious mermaid! Had Luce brought it here?
She bent down to pick it up, but she was too scared to open it. Inside her bedchamber, she
sat on the bed as she caressed the ornately carved Bocote wood, tracing the roses and
vines with her fingers.
Because she could not help herself, she opened the box with a feeling of anticipation
mixed with dread.
What she saw was her mermaid, in one piece. She took it gingerly from the box, scanning
the jagged pattern on the waist, that was filled with gold. Her mermaid looked like she
was wearing a golden waist ornament, and it didn‘t look too bad. She held it in her hands
as drops of tears spilled on the mermaid‘s face.
Luce was simply the best.

Alenaire did not care if she had not awakened her powers at all. Even as she turned ten
years old, she did not even try, thinking that there was no use for it. She had everything
she could ever need, and she thought that powers were merely a method for convenience.
Besides, Luce had also became an Elemental Mage who specialized in all the four basic
elements: wind, earth, water and fire, and if she wanted him to do something for her with
his powers, he would willingly comply. She could become stronger in different ways,
anyway.
After Luce had first awakened with the power of fire, he soon found out that it was quite
easy to call forth and manipulate the rest of the elements. He didn‘t even need to chant
words after his awakening, as other mages had to do. For some reason, with simply his
mind, he could conjure both a ball of water and flame anytime without the words.
Soon, he incorporated the elements into his sword skills, becoming an Elemental Knight
which was completely unheard of. Usually, the citizens only bothered training for one
class, and never thought of fusing both classes, thinking it was not possible. However,
nothing was impossible for Luce. If one only saw the limits, how could one ever
overcome it?
Hence, with Luce‘s boundless energy and imagination, he made swords out of his
elements whenever he wished, and his favorite weapon was his ice sword which he could
modify easily in his hands.
Although the other Knights were proud of him, and would often say, ―As expected of the
Great General‘s son‖, he did not like to boast and become the center of attention, and
would only show his talent when his father instructed him to. During normal bouts, Luce
used the common iron sword. What took up most of his time however, was his idle
thoughts on how he could impress his princess with fun tricks by using his elements.
While his sword lessons started in the afternoon, the princess stayed inside her father‘s
study, as it overlooked the courtyard where Luce and his father sparred against each
other. She was intrigued by swords, and often asked Luce to teach her the basics and
techniques when the general was not around. While waiting for Luce to finish his
practices, she would bury herself in the books that were in her father‘s study. The books
she read were of agriculture and finance.
She read these not because she was tasked to by her tutor, but because she honestly was
interested in how the kingdom worked. Her occasional visits to the capital city made her
realize how honest and good-natured the citizens of Alastriona were. This could only
happen when people were under a good sovereign. She wanted to be a good Queen in the
future and maintain their happiness as well.
And so, she would sit by the window as she read her books, occasionally looking out into
the courtyard. She liked to see Luce look so serious when he sparred, because he hardly
had on a serious face when he was with her, unless they were having an argument.

Now that they were both ten years old, they were given a freedom that they usually did
not have when they were younger. Alasdair was now fifteen, and because he was
allegedly forced into helping his father with paperwork or becoming the crown prince‘s
right hand man, he was too busy to look after his little sister even when he wanted to.
As the territories of Alastriona expanded again after small unclaimed villages offered
their loyalty, multiple Knights, field workers, carpenters, architects, merchants and more
were dispatched to those rural places in order to fortify the areas, or gather the villagers
who wanted to migrate to the capital. Sometimes Alaric and Alasdair would join the
expeditions, and they would not be able to return to the castle until many months passed.
Since Alenaire‘s family was busy, she and Luce would oftentimes have dinner in the
forest behind the castle. The glade was their favorite spot, and they found out that if
Bastian was with them, they never got attacked by any magic beasts of the sort, and he
inadvertently became their good luck charm.
Although the King and Queen were still worried that danger might befall them, Alenaire,
to prove a point, then made an experiment where a group of random people entered the
forest with and without Bastian. Her parents were finally convinced after a man got
slapped on the face by a flying slime when he wandered away from the group who held
Bastian.
―Are you ready, princess?‖ Luce opening the door to the study, and peeked inside, his
Raven black hair slick with sweat. He had changed his soaked clothes, but he had
forgotten to dry his hair.
―I‘m always ready!‖ Alenaire folded a corner of a page she was currently reading, and
slammed the book shut.
They made their way to the forest with Alenaire holding Bastian in her arms and Luce
with a basket full of food.
―Don‘t you think Basti got a little…fatter?‖ Luce narrowed his eyes at the cat in her
arms, and the cat turned its head away haughtily in reply.
―Is that even possible?‖ Alenaire looked shocked as she adjusted Bastian over her
shoulder.
―He looks heavy. Do you want me to hold him?‖ Luce asked as he held out his hand.
Bastian clawed at him as he yowled in rejection.
Alenaire laughed. ―You know he never lets anyone hold him but me. He‘s quite picky.‖
Unbeknownst to Alenaire, Luce and Bastian were having a glaring competition

throughout the whole journey. When they reached the glade, Luce laid down a blanket on
the grass, and brought out the different dishes.

―Ah, smells so good,‖ Alenaire said as she wiped the drool from her mouth.
―Careful, it‘s still hot,‖ Luce said as he handed Alenaire a plate full of piping hot steak
pie.
―And here‘s yours.‖ Luce gave Bastian a smaller plate with smaller servings.
Bastian looked at his small plate, then looked at the food piled high on Luce‘s plate, then
hissed, his back arched and his hair rising in anger.
Alenaire laughed as she stroked Bastian‘s head. ―He‘s saying, ‗How unfair! My portion is
so small! What is this discrimination, you brute!‘.‖
―I thought he was on a diet?‖ Luce shrugged nonchalantly as he spooned himself a

portion of steak pie. Bastian continued to hiss at him, looking like he was about to paw
Luce‘s pie right off his plate.
―Here, here,‖ Alenaire said as she took another plate and added larger portions to placate
Bastian.
Bastian licked her hand in happiness and continued to nudge his head lovingly against her
arm before eating.
―Basti is on a diet, but I don‘t want to see him exact revenge on you just because you did
not give him enough food,‖ Alenaire said amusedly.
―His revenge is quite brutal,‖ Luce said faintly with a frown on his face. ―When we were
eight years old, I had told Basti that he was really cute because he was really fat, and he
got so upset that he tore my shirt to shreds when I had fallen asleep in the garden.‖
Alenaire stroked Bastian‘s whole back, and his buttocks lifted upwards involuntarily, the
tail slithering in the air. ―He‘s a petty cat, but he‘s never been that way with me. He‘s
really affectionate towards me. I guess he loves me a lot.‖
―It‘s quite obvious.‖ Luce glared at the cat that was busy chewing on his fish, his tail
flicking back and forth with happiness.
After they had cleaned up and placed the dishes back in the basket, Bastian promptly fell
asleep in the middle of the blanket, snoring peacefully with his tail jerking in his sleep.
Luce and Alenaire decided to leave the sleeping cat, and ventured off on their own
towards the inner parts of the forest. It was an adventure the children could not resist.
―Don‘t worry princess, I‘m going to protect you,‖ Luce said as he walked in front of her.

―I‘m not worried about that. What I‘m worried about is that I don‘t have a weapon to
defend myself with, in case you‘re preoccupied with stuff.‖ Alenaire expressed her
disapproval.
―But you won‘t need one with me,‖ Luce asserted.
―I trust you Luce, but I know your mana is not that high yet. You can only conjure your
ice sword for thirty minutes at most, and if you start using the rest of the elements, your
mana is going to drain real quick. Who will defend me when you‘re lying on the ground
cause you ran out of mana?‖ Alenaire made a grave point that embarrassed Luce for
acting so cocky.
Luce blushed. ―H-How do you even know those things?‖
Alenaire smiled secretively, but did not reply.
―Gimme your iron sword,‖ Alenaire said as she stretched out her hand.
―W-What?‖ Luce was flabbergasted.
―You‘re not going to use this right?‖ Alenaire herself took it out from the scabbard at
Luce‘s waist.
Luce was nonplussed. He shook his head silently, at a loss.
―Good.‖ Alenaire grinned at him.
They walked for a few minutes before Luce turned his face towards Alenaire with a rosy
blush on his cheeks. ―Um, princess, the ground is rocky so…can I hold your hand? I
mean, so you won‘t trip. I don‘t want to see you trip.‖
Alenaire looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ―What are you turning red for? You don‘t
need a reason to hold my hand.‖ She smiled as she took his hand in hers, and Luce turned
even redder.
They chanced upon magic beasts as they traversed the forest, stopping as six foot flying
centipedes flew their way. It was easy for Luce, as he just had to stand beneath them and
cut open their bellies. They also encountered hairless mice, scabby beasts, colorful lizards
and seemingly innocent slimes. Luce dealt with them swiftly without Alenaire even
having to use the sword in her hand.
However, Luce was sweating profusely, as his stamina was beginning to wear out.
―Let‘s go back,‖ Alenaire said as she wiped his brow with a handkerchief. ―The further
we get, the more dangerous the beasts are. Let‘s stop.‖

But before they could even turn back, their feet were suddenly pinned to the ground by a
sticky web.
Luce stilled his galloping heart, and used his flames to disintegrate the webs that held
their feet. He turned around just in time to see a ten feet tall spider loom over them, its
legs ready to strike.
Luce immediately pushed Alenaire out of its path, and the spider‘s leg slashed his side
without mercy.
―Uhh!‖ Luce doubled over in pain.
―Luce!‖ Alenaire paled as she held the steel sword in her hand with anxiety. She looked
at the spider‘s carapace, hoping that there was a soft area where she could run her sword
into.
―Don‘t come here, Awi! Please!‖ Luce shouted before he rolled on the ground, barely
missed being impaled by a thin and sharp leg.
The spider suddenly turned its head towards Alenaire, and Luce was scared that it would
attack her instead. Without thinking twice, he used his remaining mana to seal the
spider‘s fangs and pointed legs with blocks of ice. It was miserably pinioned to the
ground due to the weight of the ice that encapsulated its limbs, and its head tried to shake
the ice away from its fangs in a futile attempt.
―Luce!‖ Alenaire cried as she took his head in her lap. He had lost consciousness.
―Meow!‖ Alenaire heard Bastian‘s cries, and she turned to see him careening towards
them with a panicked expression.
Alenaire was afraid Bastian was going to crash into them, but what he did was to halt in
front of the towering spider, looking like an ant before a fly.
Bastian was so angered from what had transpired, and what the spider had done, that one
could feel murderous intent emanating from the white fur. The spider, however massive
and brutal he once had been, could not help but shake with fear. Bastian regretted
napping into oblivion, and was glad that he had been awoken by his master‘s anguished
soul. Still, he was angry he had not arrived on time, and he lashed out his grievances
upon the spider.
While Bastian was bullying the spider into depression, Alenaire pulled up Luce‘s bloody
shirt to assess his wound. The ground was spilled with red, and the smell of iron
permeated the air. Her hands shook as she saw that the wound was in fact a large gash on
his side, and it was so deep that the blood did not stop gushing forth.

She tore the hem of her dress and used it to wrap his torso tightly, but a few seconds later,
the cloth was immediately soaked with blood.
Alenaire was in a panic. If only she had sewing materials, perhaps she could sew the
wound close. If she couldn‘t close his wound, then he would die of blood loss! If she
were to drag him to the castle, he would probably die as soon as he arrived!
If only she had the power of the high priests or priestesses. If only she knew how to heal!
Please, please.
Give me the power to heal! She chanted, the tears dripping down, staining the blood-
soaked makeshift bandage.
She didn‘t know how this healing ritual worked. If she prayed hard enough, would the
heavens hear her? She didn‘t care if she looked crazed. She placed a hand over his
wound, closed her eyes, and prayed. She imagined the wound closing up beneath her
palm, the open flesh mending together into whole.
Please, please, god or goddess, if you‟re listening to me, grant me the power to save
lives.
She was sobbing.
I cannot live without him. I simply cannot.
Please.
Please…
She felt a golden warmth envelop her being, and she prayed even harder.
Please!
Pleeeeaaaaaassssseeeeee!!!
DAMMIT gods and goddesses if you‟re not gonna grant me this power I‟m gonna
personally kick your butts in heaven! She started spewing curses under her breath,
following how her older brother would conduct himself in times of stress.
At that moment, she felt someone caress her cheek, and her eyes popped open.
Luce was smiling at her lopsidedly, his dimples more pronounced.
Her vision blurred, and she continued to sob against his hand.

Chapter Fifty-four
Alenaire was surprised that her prayers worked. Perhaps the gods in heaven were actually
afraid of her powerful kick! Whichever reason it actually was, she was thrilled.
She informed her parents and her siblings about her newfound power, but declared that
she needn‘t a priestess for a tutor. She wanted to explore the power herself, like Luce.
―But Awi, a tutor will help guide you as they have guided me,‖ Alasdair said.
The whole family were having lunch together after long months of separation. Alasdair
and Alaric had just arrived from an expedition at the coast, where they began discussing
naval operations with the admiral of the kingdom‘s fleet.
―Yes, love. The high priestess Kendra is a very proficient teacher,‖ the Queen said as she
gracefully cut her beef into little quarters.
―So you‘re the same as Luce, little sister? You don‘t need to chant to help draw out
power?‖ Alaric asked after dabbing the side of his mouth with a napkin.
―I don‘t need to chant,‖ Alenaire said proudly. ―Do you want to see how it works?‖
―Why not, dear?‖ The King smiled at her indulgently.
Alenaire turned to Alasdair who was beside her. She looked at the bright red dot that had
been seeking attention on his cheek for the past few minutes. ―I can heal your pimple!‖
She said quite bluntly.
―…‖ Alasdair touched the red pimple on his cheek and flushed a shade similar to that
which he wanted to cover. ―Awi! I‘m in the throes of adolescence! I can‘t stop these
pimples from forming if I wanted to, okay? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me
by pointing them out?‖ He asked in despair.
―That‘s why I said I‘ll heal them!‖ Alenaire pouted.
Without warning, Alenaire closed her hand over Alasdair‘s own hand on his cheek, and a
golden light emerged.
Her family looked on in both amusement and fascination as Alenaire took her and her
brother‘s hand away, revealing a now smooth cheek which was still blotted by his blush.
―See? It works!‖ Alenaire said triumphantly, and she bowed gracefully in front of her
family who clapped at her skillful act.
―Leave it to my sister to make me pretty,‖ Alasdair said helplessly as he patted her head.
―As much as it embarrasses me, I have to say thank you, Awi.‖

―Anytime!‖ Alenaire smiled at him happily.
―No…I think it would hurt my dignity to call on my little sister when I have pimple
problems…‖ Alasdair said with affliction, and the whole family laughed. He looked so
pitiful.

Alenaire found out from numerous experiments that her healing magic was a subclass of
light magic. She could form a ball of light in her hand, and she used it to pave her way in
the darkness. Her magic was actually harmless, as she did not want to hurt anyone, even
if it was accidental.
She exercised her healing magic every day, in order to increase her mana pool. Since no
one she knew was actually hurt fatally, she practiced by expanding and condensing her
healing spheres, making it so that it became easier to control. Healing wasn‘t so simple as
she initially thought. One had to know what ailment the person had, and bigger wounds
entailed bigger sacrifices to her mana pool.
One day, while Alenaire was busy reading in her father‘s study, one of the Knights fell
off his horse after a mock duel with another. A big commotion happened in the courtyard,
as this knight had suffered a broken arm, and one of the Knights immediately ran to the
church in the capital to call for a High Priest.
Alenaire looked out the window, curious. She not only saw a person in pain, but she also
saw a potential day for some exercise!
She immediately ran down the stairs to attend to the groaning man in the courtyard.
―Princess, what are you doing?‖ The Knights asked as they parted for her to enter their
circle, and saw her kneel beside the man.
Luce gave everyone the eye as he said proudly, ―Did you not know? The princess is a
healer!‖
And upon his words, a golden light glowed, leaving the Knights in admiration and
stupefaction.
And so, since then, the princess unwittingly became the healer of the Royal castle.

A grand party was set up as soon as Alenaire and Luce turned thirteen. It was a coming-
of-age party for Alenaire, as well as a ceremony for Luce‘s knighting.

Now that they both stood at the foremost stages of puberty, people saw that they had
started to mature in looks and in manners. However, what they did not know was how
differently they conducted themselves when they were alone together, and how the
pristine exterior hid their true selves.
Luce had grown his hair, keeping his curly hair tied behind the back of his head with a
leather string like his father. His shoulders broadened, his voice deepened, and his face
was more angular than before.
Alenaire stopped acting like a spoiled child, and because her etiquette teacher was quite
strict, Alenaire made it a habit of straightening her spine and walking in a straight line
whenever possible. She exuded an elegance now which she did not have before.
After Luce‘s dreadful near death experience in the forest, Alenaire couldn‘t bear to set
foot in it anymore, and instead opted to stay in the garden where Luce would often show
her his elemental tricks, making her giggle with excitement. Alenaire in turn, would show
him her spheres of light, winding them around his elements, almost as if merging them
into one.
Luce would also often make sculptures out of Earth or Ice, and would leave them at her
balcony without informing her. Every time Alenaire pulled away the drapes first thing in
the morning, she would see the little sculptures standing firmly on the floor, as if
informing her that it was another beautiful day.
A few hours before the grand party began, Alenaire was prepped by her maids in her
chambers. There were approximately five maids in her room, and they all accounted for
the overseeing of the: corset, chemise, petticoat, train, outer garments and tiara.
The worst part of it all was the corset.
―Suck in your breath, Princess!‖ Leica said as she began pulling on the strings of the
corset.
―Inhale!‖ Ticia added.
―You can do it, Princess!‖ Rema cheered.
Alenaire grumbled. ―Why do I have to wear these deathly things?!‖
―For aesthetic purposes, of course, Princess. Your waist will look slim and trim!‖ Mina
said gaily.
―How am I supposed to eat if I can hardly even breathe?!‖ Alenaire demanded.
―Well, if you do faint, you will always have a knight to carry you in your arms,‖ Neri
giggled.

It was now the trend for ladies of the capital and even of the villages, to look up to the
Knights who upheld their code of chivalry. Due to the excess of maidens who saw them
through rose colored glasses, every time knights would pass by for a general inspection
of the streets, they would be run over by a teem of young ladies waving their white
handkerchiefs in the air. It was a spectacle no one wanted to miss.
―I suppose so,‖ Alenaire said with a bit of blush on her cheeks as she thought of her very
own knight.
―Princess, you look much lovelier when in love!‖ Leica fluttered as she added powder to
Alenaire‘s face.
―Love?‖ Alenaire still could not grasp the notion of love. She had heard of the word
many times, but the meaning still eluded her, as if taunting her to figure it out for herself.
―How does one describe such emotion?‖
The maids giggled. ―Oh Princess! You truly have been locked up in this castle for far too
long!‖
―Love is when you blush like what you‘re doing now!‖
―Love is when your heart dances when he looks at you!‖
―Love is when you can‘t go a day without him!‖
―When you want to be held in his arms!‖
―When you want him to kiss you!‖ Rema said as she clasped her hands and kissed the air.
―Okay, that‘s enough ladies,‖ Leica said when she saw the princess look uncomfortable
from their frenzied movements. After the merriment toned down, she filled in Alenaire‘s
lips with rouge, and defined her eyes with kohl. ―I think our princess is all set. What do
you think?‖ She presented the princess to the rest of the maids with a flourish.

―Perfect!‖ They all said in unison.
―We have such a beautiful princess!‖ Neri sighed with happiness.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
―Is the princess ready?‖ A deep baritone voice filtered through.
The five maids squealed, their high pitched voices overlapping each other‘s.
―It‘s Luce!‖
―The Princess‘ knight is here!‖
―Oh how lovely!‖
Leica looked at the soft expression in Alenaire‘s eyes.
―Princess, love is when you look at him that way,‖ Leica could not help but point out
with a smile.
Alenaire coughed and looked away from the door, hiding her blushing face from the
squealing maids. ―I thank you all for your duties. I shall be on my way.‖
As Alenaire stood up and made her way to the door, her maids cheered her on.
―We support you, Princess!‖ The maids cheered.
Ticia opened the door for her, and Alenaire blushed harder when she immediately saw
Luce‘s face.
He was wearing his knight armor without the helm. The candle lights flickered off of his
metal cuirass as he delivered an elegant bow, his gauntlets making a chinking noise with
the movement, with his red cape falling over one shoulder. ―My princess, shall I escort
you to the party?‖ He raised his head, a lock of dark curly hair crossing over his brow.
His green eyes sparkled like the early dew in the morning sun.
―Sure,‖ Alenaire squeaked out. She cleared her throat hastily. ―I mean, you shall.‖
Alenaire placed her gloved hand on the crook of Luce‘s outstretched elbow, and they
elegantly glided down the long, red carpeted staircase which directly led to the ball room.

Chapter Fifty-five
―The Princess Alenaire and her Knight, Luce Elistar, have arrived.‖ The herald at the top
of the stairs saw them, and announced their entrance with a voice that echoed throughout
the hall.
The audience cheered as they saw the two glide effortlessly down the stairs, as the knight
himself advanced one step down in order to support Alenaire‘s hand on his. They both
shone with an aureate brilliance that was spellbinding.
The King and Queen were pleased by the audience‘s expressions of rapt admiration of the
two, and they all knew that they were not just a knight and his princess, but also the best
of friends. The King stood up from his throne when Alenaire and Luce reached the
landing, and the babble of talk in the ballroom died upon their entry.
King Altair spoke jovially, ―Everyone, before we officially start the banquet, as I know
most of you have been staring at that juicy pheasant in the corner,‖ the audience
chuckled, not even denying the accusation, ―We shall now officially knight our beloved
princess‘ Knight, Luce Elistar, the only son of our Great General Cassius.‖
General Cassius and his wife, who were a part of the audience, were smiling hugely in
anticipation while the crowd applauded.
―Now, I shall give the knighting honors to my daughter, the Princess Alenaire. Alenaire,
please,‖ the King gestured for her to walk to the center of the dais, and she complied.
As she had already been instructed on how the ceremony was initiated, and had practiced
in her room several times over, her movements became fluid and refined. She tapped his
shoulder with the blunt edge of a sword as he kneeled in front of her, his head bowed
low.
―Will you swear your loyalty to me?‖ She said, gripping the hilt of the sword with poise.
―I will forever be loyal to you,‖ he replied after speaking the knight‘s general oath.
As the ceremony ended with the high priests and priestesses showering them with
blessings, the banquet at once begun with a loud cheer.
The King and Queen descended from their thrones to mingle with their people. The
crown prince Alaric and Prince Alasdair also joined in on the festivities, and they were
currently surrounded by beauteous women, some from the aristocratic line and some
women who were adventurers in the city.

Although Prince Alaric was already married to the Princess of Breamid, it still did not
stop the women from surrounding him while his wife was not around. Prince Alasdair
was also a fine catch, and because the King had not yet picked his fiancée, the women
were clamoring for his attention, as they wholeheartedly wanted to be chosen as his
Princess.
―Altair, do you still remember me?‖ A man in his fifties nodded to the King Altair, his
white beard contrasting to his head of dark hair. His eyes crinkled when he smiled, yet he
maintained a staid appearance which prompted people to reply with all seriousness. Of
course, the King Altair who was naturally a jolly man, was an exception to this.
Altair turned around, wondering who would dare call him by his first name. When he saw
who it was, a big smile immediately stretched his face.
―Xanthas!‖ Altair extended his hand, and the man named Xanthas shook it with verve.
―I‘m glad you still remember me,‖ Xanthas said a bit wryly.
―How could I forget the man who saved my life?‖ Altair beamed. He asked his steward to
search for his wife and bring her to where he was. As soon as Altair saw her, she took her
elbow and guided her in front of Xanthas. ―My dear, remember what I had said before?
About the man who saved me from an arrow back when I was as old as Alaric? This is
the man! He is the King of our allied kingdom, the Kingdom of Rhiannon.‖
King Xanthas bowed and kissed Queen Aiyana‘s outstretched hand.
―Charmed to meet you,‖ Queen Aiyana said, smiling gently at him. ―Thank you for
saving my husband‘s life.‖
―It is the right thing to do,‖ Xanthas said.
While Queen Aiyana was busy talking to her ladies in waiting and looking amusedly at
the young boys who surrounded her daughter, the King Altair and King Xanthas were
discussing about the fate of the allied kingdoms.
The Kingdoms of Alastriona, Rhiannon, Breamid and Oturus were in an alliance, sticking
together and helping each other during times of international crisis. Since the kingdoms
of the northern continent wanted to invade the central continent, they had to prepare for
contingencies.
―Has there been any engagement offers for your daughter?‖ Xanthas asked. ―To
strengthen our ties, I would like to offer my son to be your daughter‘s future partner. That
is, if you don‘t have anyone else in mind.‖
King Altair thought of the Raven-haired boy who was his daughter‘s knight. He knew
they both loved each other in that way (one would be blind not to see it), yet a marriage

between a royal and a knight could never be. It was completely unheard of. In this age of
wartime, to strengthen bonds between countries, Royal marriages had to take place. It
was a royal‘s duty, and one they have known from the start.
―That is not a bad idea,‖ the Altair said. ―I have actually thought of the other kingdoms of
the western continent, but they do not need an alliance through marriage. It was either
Oturus or Rhiannon for my daughter, but now that you have offered your son, I cannot
decline…‖ The King wanted to decline, as he was very fond of his daughter. However,
there were many circumstances which led to political marriages being a necessity, and he
could not avoid it. But he could extend his daughter‘s presence in the castle, at least. He
coughed, looking pained. ―I cannot bear to part with my daughter right now.‖
Xanthas nodded. ―I understand that she is still thirteen. Once she is sixteen, will you
accept it and send her to my kingdom? I would introduce my son to you right now, but he
seemed to have run off somewhere at the vestibule.‖
Altair looked into the distance, at his daughter who was happily dancing with her Knight,
Luce. He felt his heart break as he knew how much hurt she would receive if he delivered
the news of her engagement. He thought it was better to put off telling her right now. He
wanted to let her live happily for three more years without worrying about her
engagement to another man. Altair thought this was the best. He would face her ire then,
but it was to be expected.
―Although I am still reluctant, I have offered nothing to you when you saved my life.‖
Altair was still distressed. There were so many factors that urged him to come to an
agreement with Xanthas, yet he still felt a gnawing guilt in his heart. He had not felt this
way when he had chosen Alaric‘s wife for him, as Alenaire was different. Alenaire was
his only daughter, and if he could, he would rather not let her marry. He wanted her to
remain in the castle with him forever.
―Is that a yes?‖ Xanthas inquired.
King Altair‘s heart clenched.
―Yes…‖

Luce stood beside Alenaire as she was surrounded by a crowd of boys who were sons of
aristocracy or who were adventurers themselves.
―Will the princess give me the honor of this dance?‖ One boy bowed as he opened his
palm up to the princess.
Because Alenaire was getting a severe headache from these boys who talked over
themselves in order to get her attention, she wanted to get away as soon as possible. She
placed her hand upon Luce‘s arm, and said in saccharine tones, ―Unfortunately, my first
and succeeding dances have already been reserved by my knight.‖
Luce had already changed out of his armor, and was wearing a black suit. As his attire
and hair were both black, his emerald eyes seemed to be even more striking, and many of
the women around the ballroom could not take their eyes off of him, despite knowing that
he had eyes only for the princess.
―That‘s unfair, princess!‖ One of the boys shouted in indignation. ―You didn‘t even
dance with anyone of us, and it‘s your party!‖
―Life is unfair,‖ Alenaire replied sweetly as Luce brought her to the middle of the dance
floor.
―You shouldn‘t act like that towards them, princess. Who knows, one of them could be
your husband in the future,‖ Luce said calmly, but the tremble to his lips betrayed his
emotions.
Alenaire gripped his shoulder tighter, and his muscles hardened from her touch. She
looked away from the quiet intensity in his emerald green eyes. ―I…I don‘t want to think
about it.‖
―Neither do I.‖ His reply was succinct, yet it also held a thousand words that he could not
convey.
Luce and Alenaire continued to dance one song after the other without rest, as they talked
and laughed all the while, not minding if they were to be judged by others. They simply
did not want anyone to interfere with their time, as it was theirs alone, in that single space
where they only saw each other.
As a slow song started to be played by the orchestra, both Alenaire and Luce slowed
down to the beat. Alenaire was thankful the song was slow enough to warrant a rest, as
she was already gasping for breath with her forehead shimmering in sweat.
―You lack stamina, princess,‖ Luce observed as he saw Alenaire‘s chest rise and fall with
her breath.
―Where do you think you‘re looking at, you pervert?‖ Alenaire demanded, her ears
turning red.
―Why? Is there anything to see?‖ Luce said with a little tilt to the corner of his lips.
Alenaire stomped on his leather clad foot with undisguised anger.

―Ouch!‖ Luce hopped with one foot as he still held Alenaire‘s hand with his right, and
her waist with the other. ―I thought etiquette lessons from Miss Palma turned you into a
lady.‖
―I am a lady!‖ Alenaire replied as she puffed out her cheeks.
―Where?‖ Luce looked back at her flat chest, and he was awarded with another stomp on
his previously afflicted foot.
―Ouch! Were you perhaps a man in your past life?‖ Luce inquired as he winced from the
throbbing pain.
―I‘m kidding!‖ Luce chuckled when he saw Alenaire‘s hard glare. ―I apologize for my
foul mouth. How about we go to the garden and I‘ll show you a trick I just recently
made?‖ He squeezed her hand gently, his dimples appearing below twinkling eyes.
Alenaire‘s eyes brightened at once. ―Apology accepted.‖
Once the dance ended, Luce escorted her to the garden.
―I‘ll be back to get us some refreshments, princess. Shall I get you warmed goats milk?‖
Luce asked with half of his face illuminated by the moonlight.
―You know me too well,‖ Alenaire replied with a smile.
―How could I not?‖ Luce replied as he raised his shoulders in a shrug.
As soon as Luce was out of sight, she picked up the skirts of her dress, and begun
twirling in the light of the moon. For some reason, she loved the moon. Its silvery glow
felt somewhat nostalgic, as if it beckoned her from a different world.
While she twirled and twirled without sensing the time, a shy voice broke her
momentum.
―Ah…ah…Hello…‖ The voice stuttered, and Alenaire turned around to meet the owner.
The owner was a boy a bit older than she, and as he swung his arm for a bow, the suit he
wore seemed ill-fitted for his thin frame, as the sleeves flapped as he moved. He adjusted
his glasses up his nose with an awkward smile.
―G-Good evening milady, I chanced upon your figure in the garden and I-I was hoping if
you could show me directions.‖ The boy scratched his head in worry. ―I-I seem to have
lost my father while I was trying to catch a cat…‖
Alenaire laughed, knowing that the cat was most probably Bastian. ―Well, where do you
want to go?‖

―T-The ballroom…‖ The boy adjusted his glasses with an index finger.
―It‘s right behind me,‖ Alenaire said in a singsong voice as she twirled again, loving how
her skirts rippled around her. She had gotten used to the constraining corset, and had
secretly loved the way Luce‘s big hand had encased her small waist during the dance.
―T-Thank you…‖ The boy bowed mechanically as the color red suffused his cheeks.
―Um…um…may I perchance know your name, milady?‖
―Princess, you mean,‖ Luce cut in icily, as it seemed as if he had just magically appeared
in the boy‘s eyes. Luce had in fact, already arrived a few seconds ago, but the boy was
too enthralled by the princess to notice.
―P-Princess?!‖ The boy took a step back, his mouth agape. He quivered in
embarrassment. ―I–I…‖
―Thank you, Luce,‖ Alenaire said as Luce handed her a cup of steaming goat‘s milk.
They both sat on the ornately carved ivory bench, looking as if there wasn‘t anyone else
around them.
―L-Luce?! The Princess‘ Knight?!‖ The boy exclaimed, his hands trembling. From what,
they didn‘t know.
―Ah, goat‘s milk is Heavenly,‖ Alenaire said as she smelled the steam rising from her
porcelain cup.
―I think orange juice is better,‖ Luce said as he gulped down the whole contents of his
glass in one go. ―Aaah, how refreshing!‖
―I cannot believe I‘m standing in front of The Princess and Sir Luce! Ah, it‘s certainly Sir
Luce now!‖ The boy was giddy with excitement as he flailed his arms around.
―Meow!‖ Bastian suddenly popped his head from behind a flowering bush, and he stared
at the boy in annoyance. It seemed Bastian‘s sleep had been interrupted by this boy‘s
ceaseless chatter.
―It‘s the cat!‖ The boy said as he hurried to catch it, but Bastian was too agile, and he
quickly leapt on the ivory bench to wedge himself between Alenaire and Luce, looking
almost as if he intentionally wanted to separate the two.
―His name is Bastian,‖ Alenaire finally said after a drawn out silence, her eyes peeking
out from behind her cup. ―What is yours?‖
―A-Apologies!‖ The boy bowed hurriedly. ―My name is Zephyr! I am pleased to meet
your acquaintance!‖

―We are pleased as well.‖ Alenaire superimposed her lie with a charming smile. ―The
ballroom is that way.‖ She inclined her head in its direction.
This was a very blatant but gentle form of, ―Get out already.‖ Alenaire felt the boy‘s
presence was quite bothersome, and she wanted to have a quiet evening with Luce and
Luce alone (Bastian notwithstanding).
The boy named Zephyr did not take the hint.
―Sir Luce! I have heard that you are an elemental knight!‖ Zephyr‘s stutters seemed to
disappear during his excited state. ―I have tried my hardest to concentrate and perhaps
become a Mage as well, but I think it really depends on one‘s aptitude, doesn‘t it? Even if
I can feel the mana flowing through me, I still don‘t know how to utilize it! I do want to
become a knight as well!‖
Luce nodded his head absently towards him as he trailed his fingers along Bastian‘s soft
white fur. There was actually something familiar about this cat, but he just couldn‘t put a
finger on it. Somehow, for some inexplicable reason, he just liked making fun of this cat.
―And princess! You have the gift of healing! That‘s incredible! I‘ve heard you don‘t even
let the high priestesses help you with that.‖ Zephyr eyes sparkled as he looked at both of
his idols with a passion. His tone became more childish like his speech.
Luce felt a vein throb on his face. ―Mister Zephyr, as what the princess has said, the
ballroom is that way.‖ Luce couldn‘t keep the exasperation from creeping into his voice
as he jerked his thumb towards the place where the merriment was held.
―Yes! I have to tell father of my chance meeting right away!‖ The eager Zephyr ran away
comically, his thin figure looking like it would be swept away by even the gentlest
breeze.

Chapter Fifty-six
Despite being The Princess‘ Knight, Luce was oftentimes dispatched for subjugation
missions in the countryside by his father, as they all relied on his elemental mastery. A
few mages had their own style of fighting, but none ever saw a beautiful sword and
element mastery from someone other than the Knight Luce. As the years passed and he
finally turned fifteen, his mana continued to grow until it seemed almost limitless. He
was able to use all his elements continuously for a month without even batting an
eyelash. He became the idol of both mages and Knights everywhere.
While Luce was not around the castle, one would find Princess Alenaire with her nose
stuck in a book; but it wasn‘t the usual books a young princess of fifteen would be seen
reading. What she read were political, fiscal and other government books that she loved
reading in order to help her father. She had already spent her time listening to courtly
affairs, and sometimes she would even add suggestions during the times where her father,
the general and his men, and The Council, would commune for military strategies and
other national matters.
Once Luce was back after subjugating a nest of demon bees that had infiltrated the
surrounding villages, he went straight to the south wing of the castle just as the sun had
begun to set. While traveling on his horse, he had been molding a miniature rose from red
Earthen clay, molding it to look as much alike as the rose he had plucked in one of the
villages. The village boasted of having the best garden that could even rival that of the
castle.
Luce climbed up the trellis with swiftness; he had done this so many times that he could
maneuver up the balcony with his eyes closed. Although he could fly up instead with his
winds, he liked to exercise his muscles more. The clouds drowned the setting sun, its rays
casting an orange-red tint on the castle walls, also happening to illuminate a lone figure
who stood idly in the middle of the balcony.
―Woah!‖ Luce, who was about to grasp the railing and leap over, was shocked by the
appearance of the princess who stood looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
―I‘ve wanted to catch you for the longest time, but you were too elusive,‖ Alenaire said
as she placed her arms over her chest. She had been waiting for him to arrive all night,
and was almost tempted to go back to bed until she saw him coming through the castle
gates with his steed. As it was already time for bed, she covered her nightgown with a
long embroidered silk robe to preserve her modesty.
After Luce had calmed his heart, he jumped over the balcony rails to stand before the
princess, his red satin waistcoat almost the same tinge as the setting sun. ―How‘d you
know I‘ve been leaving sculptures?‖ He asked as if it weren‘t so obvious.
―Who else would be leaving behind sculptures but you?‖ Alenaire rolled her eyes.

―Um, your father?‖ Luce guessed, looking deep in thought.
Alenaire exhaled her frustration. ―You honestly drive me up a wall.‖
Luce chuckled. ―Hey, I scale walls myself.‖ He motioned to the wall at the side of the
balcony, the purple wisterias hanging off the wooden frames of the trellis.
―Agh!‖ Alenaire looked like she was going to tear her hair out, and Luce laughed out
loud as he clutched his stomach.
―By the way, I made another surprise for you,‖ Luce said as he touched the bulky object
inside his inner pocket.
―Oh?‖ Alenaire tried to keep the curiosity out of her voice. She loved everything he
made, and had a whole cabinet full of them in her room.
―But you have to close your eyes,‖ Luce said.
―Why?‖ She demanded.
―For the thrill,‖ Luce said as he smiled, engaging her to give in.
To prevent herself from staring at the dimples that appeared whenever he smiled,
Alenaire decided to comply and close her eyes. After a while, she could feel his warmth
as he drew closer, smelling the scent of sweat and earth. He had certainly just come from
the battlefield, and her heart warmed when she realized he came to see her right away.
―Your nose wrinkled. I smell, don‘t I?‖ Luce asked, his tone wary.
Alenaire‘s lips twitched, but she kept her eyes closed. ―What smell do you mean? If I
were to lie, I‘d say you smell like roses. But I‘m an honest person~‖ Alenaire could
already visualize Luce rolling his eyes.
She felt a hard object press against the side of her head, and a long stem hooked behind
her earlobe to keep it in place. ―What‘s that?‖ She asked as she turned her head to the
side, her lips directly smacking against flesh. Her eyes popped open. She had collided
with the edge of Luce‘s lip, and both of them flushed almost simultaneously. It even
seemed that the roots of her hair were dyed red in embarrassment.
―That was an accident. Unintentional,‖ Alenaire quickly said, as she tried not to be so
fidgety.
Luce cleared his suddenly dry throat, ―I know. Anyway, I shall take my leave now. It‘s
not proper for me to be seen with you at this hour.‖ The sun had completely set, although
there were still trails of purple and blue that enveloped the surroundings.

Alenaire didn‘t want him to leave yet, but her pride didn‘t allow herself to say it. She
touched the object on her ear, tracing the figure with her fingers.
―It‘s a rose,‖ Luce said, tucking it firmly in her hair. ―I thought you‘d like it.‖
―I love anything you make,‖ Alenaire confessed, staring straight into his eyes.
Luce smiled at her adoringly. This wasn‘t the first time Alenaire said such sweet and
honest things to him, but today out of all days, those words she said tugged at his
vulnerable heart.
He was suddenly drawn into the amethyst pools that were her eyes, and his body
involuntarily moved forward on its own, as if she were a magnet he could not pull away
from. Alenaire‘s eyes fluttered close, and he advanced a bit closer…and closer, his lips
hovering above hers.

He paused, stopping himself just in time before he could do something that he knew
would hurt them both. He could never be the one for her. Their social standings were too
different.
―Good night, princess,‖ he said huskily, the clogged emotions surfacing in his voice. He
walked away, jumping over the balcony to grab the frame of the trellis at its side.
Alenaire opened her eyes slowly when she felt his warmth disappear. Her disappointment
was almost palpable, and her heart felt like it hung heavily in her chest. She blushed as
she realized that she honestly wanted him to kiss her, and she covered her reddened
cheeks with her hands as if she could hide her indecent thoughts. Why did he not kiss
her? She wondered. Was it because she was the princess who would be married to
another? She squashed the thought. Although the chances were slim to none, she hoped
her father would forget arranging a political marriage for her.
She sighed and looked over the balcony, dejectedly staring at the tall figure walking into
the night.

One afternoon, Luce‘s father decided to give him the afternoon off after seeing that he
had nothing else to teach his son who was already as proficient in the art of sword-
fighting as he. Or perhaps, his son was even more proficient, as he held his sword or
double swords as if they were another body part.
Hence, Luce was left with basically nothing to do with his time, and so he decided to pay
his princess a visit in the King‘s study, where he knew she loved staying at in order to
spy at him in the courtyard.
He imagined this scene quite vividly in his head, and he started chuckling to himself.
There were no pageboys who stood in front of the large oak doors of the study, and so he
pushed the heavy doors himself, the hinges creaking as it opened.
Unfortunately, the person he wanted to see was sprawled asleep on the King‘s study
table, her extended right arm used as a cushion for her cheek. She was snoring softly, her
eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks.
Bastian also happened to be sleeping, his snores overpowering his mistress‘, as he forced
himself inside a wooden box much too small for his corpulent body.
Luce shook his head at Bastian, and muttered, ―Fat cat‖, under his breath.
He took a chair from the corner and sat in front of the table where Alenaire snoozed. He
pressed his cheek against the wood as he gazed at her face; the thin eyebrows, the curled
lashes, the slight blush on her cheeks…her lips…

Luce looked away immediately.
It was improper of him to think of the princess that way…but then again, he could not
help such thoughts from surfacing.
He wanted to keep his feelings locked to himself, as he knew that he could never have
her, not in this lifetime. These feelings would just burden her. She was a princess born to
marry a prince, not some knight. She was born to lead, born to become a Queen, born to
live in the lap of luxury which he himself could not give. However, he would not trade
anything to be anywhere else but by her side.
He could not even remember the days where she was not there. It seemed her presence
could always be found even in the deepest recesses of his memories. In truth, she, in
essence, composed his life.
In the stillness of the study, he leaned over the table to press his lips gently against her
head.
Perhaps…if only…
―…if we were to be given another life,‖ he whispered almost inaudibly against her golden
hair, ―I wish for it to still be with you.‖
As the doors closed behind him softly, the princess‘ right arm curled inwards, hiding the
crystal tears that slid down her cheeks.

Chapter Fifty-seven
The King declared that a masquerade ball was to be held upon Alenaire and Luce‘s
sixteenth birthday. In this ball, he was prepared to reveal Alenaire‘s fiancée to the
kingdom.
He had not told the princess yet about her fiancée, thus she seemed almost convinced that
her father forgot about the whole matter of marriage entirely. The king was happy she
spent the three years in bliss, yet he also felt a pang of guilt knowing that he kept such
vital information from her. It was a surprise he knew she would not like, and he had
already come to an agreement with himself that he would bear the brunt of her anger. He
had started hardening his heart since the morning.
The Princess Alenaire remained incognito in the ball, as she determinedly covered half of
her face with a grotesque mask, using a large brim hat to cover her hair. She stood
leaning against a stone pillar with an elbow to support her frame. She was glad no one
bothered to go near her. Perhaps it was because of the mask‘s gnarled nose, the length of
which could poke someone in the eye during normal conversations.
―May I ask milady for a dance?‖ A tall man sidled up to her side, offering a hand.
Alenaire looked at the mask which was almost identical to hers, only that the nose itself
sheltered nose hairs. The man did not bother to wear a hat, and a curl determinedly swept
across his forehead despite his constant arrangements.
―I am waiting for the dessert to be refilled by the servants,‖ Alenaire said, peering at the
dessert table again. She was waiting for the absolutely delicious squash pudding which
always ran out so quickly.
―Then, will you dance with me while waiting?‖ The man suggested, his hand still waiting
for hers. ―Or perhaps you‘re waiting for your prince?‖
Alenaire‘s lips twisted with disgust.
―I am not this prince you seek, but in this masked ball, I can be whoever you want me to
be.‖ The two slits in the mask revealed eyes that were full of mischief, as he waited for
her answer, his palm up towards her.
She raised a hand to cup his cheeks tenderly and smiled, holding the stars in her eyes. ―I
want you to be…yourself.‖ She looked into his eyes, amethyst against emerald. His eyes
burned with an emotion she could not fathom, but it caught her breath. ―Luce…‖ She
whispered his name like a feather brushing his heart.
He raised his hand to grasp her wrist gently, kissing the inside of her palm, he whispered
back, ―I always am, when I‘m with you.‖

They stood still for quite some time, just silently looking at each other, when they heard
trumpets which heralded The King‘s upcoming speech.
Both Alenaire and Luce turned towards the man who stood up from his throne, the gold
crown on his head a bit askew on a head of hair that was starting to turn grey.
The King‘s voice was sonorous as he said, ―Good evening everyone, thank you all for
coming tonight. This ball is a celebration of my daughter, The Princess Alenaire‘s,
sixteenth birthday. It is also to deliver to you news of her engagement. I have thought
long and hard of this arrangement, and now as my other son Prince Alasdair has already
wed the princess of Oturus, the Princess Alenaire will also be wed to one of our allied
countries, the Kingdom of Rhiannon…‖
The King continued to talk, yet Alenaire did not want to hear anything more. It was as if
the noise in the surroundings died in her ears, as she replayed the words that her father
had announced. She knew she could not escape being engaged to another, but she was
still not ready to face reality. No, she was not ready to face herself, to face her own title.
She had been living in a sheltered bubble, thinking that perhaps her father wouldn‘t be so
cruel as to give her away. Thinking that perhaps, it was different for her. It clearly wasn‘t.
She blanched as she clutched Luce‘s arm so tight that he winced, but even he wanted to
feel a little bit of pain. It was to remind himself that this was real. His princess was
indeed getting married. Although he knew it all along, hearing his thoughts being
affirmed held even a greater impact.
―Princess,‖ Luce‘s voice cracked, and he immediately cleared his throat. ―Princess, your
father is calling you to stand up on the stage.‖
His voice brought her back, and in a panic, she ran through the crowd of guests in the
ballroom, not caring if some were knocked away by her sharp elbows or gnarled nose.
She wanted to hide. She needed to collect her thoughts. She needed to convince herself
she did not love him.

―Alenaire, my dear, I apologize for not telling you…‖ Her father‘s worried voice came
through the door.
Alenaire sat on her bed, holding her knees against her chin. ―Father, how could you!‖ She
shouted.
The brass doorknob shook as someone tried to open the door but to no avail. Alenaire had
locked it so she could be alone.

―Alenaire, love!‖ Came her mother‘s exasperated tone. ―You knew this would happen.
You‘re a princess!‖ Alenaire could almost visualize her mother‘s angry face. Although
her mother was pleasant and lovely, once she was irate, she became frightening.
Alenaire still did not reply.
―Alenaire, I told your father to give you one month to prepare, but if you still won‘t open
your door in three days, I‘m going to break down the door with my own two fists and
send you off to Rhiannon right away!‖ Her mother warned her as her voice dripped with
menace.
When the footsteps went away, she wrapped her blankets around her shoulder while
Bastian cuddled close to her side, his paws stroking her arm in sympathy.
Alenaire smiled at him sadly while she fiddled with one paw. ―Basti, if I were a
commoner, I could love whoever I wanted right?‖
Bastian tilted his head to the side, his cerulean eyes gazing back at her with an
intelligence inconceivable for a mere house cat. Sensing her sadness, he stood on his hind
legs and licked her cheek.
The glass door to her balcony started shaking the next morning, as someone started
knocking at it persistently. She knew who it was, and she quickly stood up to draw away
the drapes of the window, revealing a face that was pressed up against the window, the
glass fogging as his nose breathed against it.
Alenaire laughed and opened the door for Luce to come inside her bedchamber.
―Awi…‖ Luce looked at her seriously as he closed the door behind him.
Alenaire sat at the foot of her bed. Since she did not want to look him in the eye, she
started studying her toes instead.
―Awi, talk to your father,‖ Luce‘s voice was calm, yet it hinted a sadness that dwelled
deep in his heart.
Alenaire shook her head stubbornly. Bastian pawed his way through the comforters of her
bed to curl himself beside her hip.
―Awi.‖ Luce looked at her face, his eyebrows drawn together. ―What is there to be so
upset about? Both of your brothers have already married, it is now your turn. This is your
future.‖

Alenaire shook her head again. Her throat felt tight as she wanted to utter, ―But it is a
future without you.‖ But she swallowed the words down, ashamed. What would he think
of her if she abruptly told him she loved him? Would he look at her with disgust or would
he run away with her?
―I‘m not going to run away with you,‖ Luce clucked his tongue, smiling slightly. ―I can
read you like a book, you know.‖
Alenaire stared back at him fiercely. ―Then can you read my feelings for you?‖
A flush crept from his neck to his face in less than a second. ―That…well…I can only
assume…if your feelings are the same as mine…‖
Alenaire threw her head back to laugh, and the flush slowly faded from his face.
She stood up to grab his hand, looking up at him, she said softly, ―Than can I assume as
well?‖
―If assuming is a good thing,‖ he replied as softly, the dimples appearing on his cheeks.
―I assume it‘s a good thing.‖ She leaned forward and placed her head against his
shoulder, his arms wrapping around her waist.
―Talk to your father now. He‘s as heartbroken as I am,‖ he whispered against the top of
her head.
―Are you not against this?‖ She asked, her voice a bit muffled against his shoulder.
―Even if I am, what can I do?‖ He said, pressing his lips against her hair. She fisted his
shirt in her hands. ―I am only your knight, princess.‖

―But you are more than that…to me…‖ She blinked back her tears as she struggled to
keep her voice even.
Luce combed her golden hair with his fingers, tucking strands behind her ear. ―Go, Awi.
Your father is in his study while your mother is holding court.‖
―Fine…‖ She reluctantly peeled herself off his chest, her eyes downcast. She picked up
Bastian from the bed, and cradled him in her arms as she walked slowly towards her
father‘s study.
The pageboy opened the doors for her, and she stepped inside hesitantly, holding Bastian
tightly in her arms.
―Alenaire, dear…‖ The King looked weary, as if he aged overnight. There were dark
circles under his eyes, and although he smiled at her, the sadness in his eyes could not go
unnoticed.
―Father…‖ Alenaire released Bastian from her arms to hug her father around the
shoulders. She felt guilty for acting so spoiled, acting like she had no obligations as a
princess. It was true, she knew from the start. She knew she could not marry the one she
actually loved.
―Alenaire, I am sorry,‖ The King said gently, his arms wrapping around his daughter‘s.
―You don‘t need to apologize, father. If anything, it should be me. I‘ve been rude, I‘m
sorry…‖ Alenaire sat on his lap as she snuggled closer against him, smelling his scent of
cardamom and thyme, the fragrance a favorite of her mother‘s.
―I remember you used to sit on my lap like this when you were a child,‖ King Altair
recalled fondly, stroking her long hair. ―How time flies so fast, my dear. You were so
small, so tiny, I could keep you in my pocket. I can‘t do anything like that now, but as a
parent, there is one thing I must do.‖ He rubbed the sides of her cheeks, as she smiled
wistfully.
―You know, it is a parent‘s greatest desire to see their children live happily.‖ He sighed.
―Although I cannot deny that your marriage also has an ulterior purpose, such as the
marriages of your brothers.‖
―I know. It is my duty,‖ Alenaire replied, resigned. ―Mother said you owe the King of
Rhiannon a debt for saving your life. If I am the reward, then my sacrifice is worth it.‖
King Altair shook his head, not knowing how to reply to that. It was true that he felt
indebted to the king, yet he did not want to make his daughter feel as if she were a mere
commodity.

―I know your heart lies elsewhere,‖ King Altair twisted his lips to form a wry smile, ―We
all know to whom it belongs.‖ He started patting her shoulders in rhythmic motion, just
like the way he did when she was a kid.
―Is it so obvious?‖ Alenaire sighed.
―This was why we allowed the two of you your freedom in the first place, before you
were to be sent away. But perhaps it was also a wrong decision of mine, as you are
feeling worse than you would be if I had not.‖
Alenaire shook her head fiercely. ―No, father. I would never want to lose the time I spend
with him.‖
King Altair continued to stroke her hair. ―My dear, if we were an ordinary family, I
would let you choose whoever you want…‖
―I know, father, I know.‖ She sighed heavily, and closed her eyes against his chest.
―I hope you don‘t despise this old man,‖ King Altair said gruffly. ―I honestly wouldn‘t
know what to do if my only daughter hates me.‖
Alenaire chuckled. ―You‘re so silly, father. I‘ve never even stopped loving you.‖
King Altair was moved, and while his daughter leaned against him with her eyes closed,
he quickly wiped the edges of his eyes with his fingers, catching the drops of tears that
spilled from his heart.

Chapter Fifty-eight
Alenaire had one month left in the Kingdom of Alastriona before she was to be sent away
to the Kingdom of Rhiannon, so she made use of her remaining time. Instead of staying
inside the castle, she and her Knight Luce roamed around the capital and the villages in
the outskirts, breathing and seeing the sights for perhaps the last time.
She had been told by her father that her fiancée was a nice and generous man, who was
quite spiff at the age of eighteen. However, every time she looked at Luce, as the sun
shone on his Raven hair, she would wonder if that fiancée could be possibly handsomer
than he. It was unthinkable. But then again, anything was beautiful through the eyes of
love.
Because the current King of Rhiannon became fed up with monarchical duties after his
wife died a few years ago, he told King Altair that the future wedding and coronation
ceremony would happen simultaneously, also so that funds would be used just once. It
was a way to save money in times of crisis. King Altair agreed, as he sent out three huge
chests from the treasury to be included as the dowry.
Alasdair and Alaric tried to console their youngest sister, saying that having a
predetermined fiancée wasn‘t so bad, as they both were now madly in love with their own
wives, but Alenaire thought it was impossible to love someone as much as she loved
Luce. Perhaps she would come to love her husband as time passed, but it wouldn‘t be the
same.
Alenaire tried to hide her low-spirits with a smile, but sometimes it came out stiff, or that
it did not reach her eyes. Luce himself noticed, but did not comment, as he himself was
feeling an ache in his chest, yet he tried his best to cover it up as well. Whenever Alenaire
was not looking, he would stare at her with a longing he could not suppress. They were
talking and laughing through masks of joviality, yet beneath that facade were eyes filled
with pain.
The night before Alenaire was about to leave for Rhiannon, Luce asked her to sneak out
of the castle with him. It wasn‘t to run away, but to have one last night of fun together.
She donned her cloak and disposed of her night gown, choosing a leather garment which
most of the adventurers wore for comfort.
―I‘ll be back,‖ she told Bastian, and it looked like he was shaking his head at her as he
rolled his eyes. Alenaire smiled amusedly.
She leaned over the balcony a quarter before midnight, and saw a figure waiting for her
beneath.
―Well, aren‘t you early,‖ Luce said, his white teeth visible in the night. If the moon had
not casted a dim glow over his body, he would have looked almost invisible.

―So are you,‖ Alenaire replied accusingly, and Luce chuckled.
―Jump. I‘ll catch you,‖ Luce said as he opened his arms wide.
She touched the marble rails of her balcony, her eyes assessing the distance between her
and the ground. It was quite a long distance.
Alenaire looked at the huge grin on Luce‘s face. ―Why is it that I can‘t trust you when
you look like that?‖
―Am I too handsome to be trusted?‖ Luce flashed his white teeth again.
―Maybe I‘ll just use the trellis,‖ Alenaire said as she about-faced, walking to the wall.
―Come on, princess. Just jump, I‘ll catch you. It‘s faster that way. We only get five hours
together,‖ Luce reminded her.
Alenaire hesitated a bit, then thought that if she were to die now if he failed to catch her,
at least it would be all Luce‘s fault. Dying in his arms didn‘t sound so bad, as well.
She raised her leg over the rails, and when both of her legs were on the other side, her
butt firmly planted on the marble, she jumped, her cloak flapping behind her. A second
after she jumped, she hung in the air, slowly descending as her body gradually flew
towards Luce‘s outstretched arms.
―It wasn‘t so bad, was it?‖ Luce asked as he smiled down at the princess in his arms.
Alenaire wiggled her feet in protest. ―You can let me down now.‖
―What if I want to carry you like this to the city?‖ He grinned roguishly in the moonlight.
Alenaire felt her face heat up. ―I‘m heavy.‖
―Is that even considered a problem?‖ Luce wanted to know. At the last minute, he
decided to make fun of her. ―Ugh…you‘re right…s-so heavy…‖ He pretended to drop
her with a theatrical struggle, and Alenaire immediately clutched his neck in fear.
―Stop that!‖ Alenaire said in a panicked voice, her body pressed even firmly against his.
Luce groaned inwardly, a small part of him thinking that this was a bad idea (and a huge
part of him thinking otherwise). He had to suppress the burning urges he felt, as his body
reacted in response just as he tightened his hold on her.
Luce jumped over the towering castle walls with wind powering his steps. The wind blew
across their faces as they neared the sleeping city that still held a few glittering lights, and
Alenaire shivered from the cold. Luce, feeling her shivers in his arms, made a wind
barrier, regulating the temperature inside the sphere to a nice and cozy warmth.

―The moon looks beautiful,‖ Alenaire commented, her eyes holding the silvery full moon
in its depths.
―We can stay in the air, if you‘d like,‖ Luce said.
―Is that possible?‖ Alenaire queried, looking at him unsurely. Was he not going to run out
of mana quickly?
―Are you questioning my abilities?‖ Luce cocked an eyebrow at her.
―Only your motives,‖ Alenaire said with a smirk.
Luce shook his head and chuckled. ―I concede defeat in this verbal war.‖ He looked at the
princess in his arms. ―By the way, you can let go of my neck now. I made it so we can
both float in the air.‖
Slowly, Alenaire peeled one of her arms away from him, and stepped one foot down. ―A-
Are you sure?‖ She looked at the city below her feet, and she trembled with a bit of fear.
She did not know why she always had an innate fear of falling. ―It‘s not a joke if I fall off
at this height, you know.‖
―Then let me make an air bed so we can both sit down on it,‖ Luce said as he lowered his
palm beside his feet, compressing the air to form an invisible yet solid ground beneath
them.
Alenaire felt the stable surface while she clutched Luce‘s arm, and timidly placed both of
her feet down with a huge sigh.
―Better?‖ Luce asked.
Alenaire smiled at him. ―Better.‖
As they both sat down, the glowing moon in front of them their only source of light, Luce
took out two bottles from his satchel.
―What are those?‖ Alenaire eyed them suspiciously.
―Beer,‖ Luce said, giving her one bottle. ―Don‘t give me that look. We‘re sixteen. It‘s
legal.‖
Alenaire sniffed the contents after unscrewing the cap. ―Smells awful.‖
―But tastes great,‖ Luce said after a huge swig.
Alenaire sipped the beer gingerly, then turned her contorted face towards him.
―Disgusting!‖

―You mean, delicious!‖ Luce corrected, his mouth twitching into a laugh.
Alenaire took small sips while trying to dispel the ugly scowl on her face.
―Your face looks hilarious,‖ Luce commented between laughter, ―I could stare at you all
day.‖
Alenaire narrowed her eyes at him and said sarcastically, ―Thanks.‖ But when his eyes
suddenly took on a gentle look, she looked away from him, feeling a bit self-conscious.
How could she continue to look into two eyes that conveyed feelings that needed no
words?
―I can‘t be your knight anymore, princess,‖ Luce said after a few moments of silence. He
caressed his half empty bottle absentmindedly.
Alenaire pressed her lips into a thin line. ―I know. I won‘t even be a princess anymore.‖
―Instead, you will be someone else‘s Queen…‖ Luce trailed off, as he pretended to read
the bottle‘s brand name with perplexing concentration.
Alenaire placed her bottle beside her and inched closer to his side. ―Luce…are you angry
with me?‖
―Angry?‖ Luce tilted his head to look at her, his tone incredulous. ―What are you saying,
Awi. How can I even be angry with you?‖
―Because I‘m marrying someone else?‖ Alenaire said as she bit her lip and looked down.
―Awi…listen to me.‖ Luce cupped her chin in his hand as he stared into her eyes. ―I am
not angry. I do not even have the right to be jealous. My feelings for you transcend such
petty emotion. I am more than that.‖ He caressed the side of her face, tucking strands of
hair behind her ear.
―…my love for you is more than that,‖ his voice trembled as he said words that took him
a substantial amount of effort to get passed his lips.
He closed his eyes to the pain as he kissed her on the forehead, his hands holding the
sides of her arms. ―Truly, however cruel fate may be, I have realized…‖ he touched his
forehead to hers, softly whispering, ―…how lucky I am to have known you. I cannot ask
for anything more precious than the memories we have shared. How lucky I am, how
very lucky I am…‖ His voice quivered, and he gulped down his tears.
―If there ever would be another life, I promise that I will find you once again.‖ He looked
at her, his eyes full of earnest.

―That is all you will do?‖ Alenaire acted as if it wasn‘t such a big deal, even if her heart
felt like it was burning in her chest.
Luce lifted a corner of his lips as he looked at her again, this time with eyes full of
resolve. ―…and I will marry you.‖
Alenaire bit her lip to stop herself from squealing from the happiness that suddenly
bloomed in her heart. ―Then let us meet in the next life. I will be waiting for your
promise.‖ Although she was skeptical about reincarnations, she was willing to believe it
if it meant being with him in the end.
Alenaire closed her eyes, the tears spilling over her cheeks, striking her cloak repeatedly.
This was only a temporary parting, but why did it still hurt so much?
―Goodbye…Luce…‖ Alenaire choked out, feeling suffocated.
―Goodbye…Awi…‖

Alenaire departed the next day, leaving a yowling Bastian in Luce‘s arms. She didn‘t
want to bring her beloved pet along with her, as she was afraid Bastian wouldn‘t like the
new surroundings and the new people. After debating with herself for the past few days,
she decided to leave him in the Royal castle where she tasked Luce to take care of him
each day.
Alasdair hugged Alenaire fiercely before she entered her carriage. ―My dear sister, just
tell me if your husband doesn‘t treat you well! I‘ll be there to personally castrate him!‖
―How morbid of you,‖ Alenaire remarked, her lips twisting into a half smile.
―We‘ll be there to attend your coronation and marriage ceremony, love,‖ the Queen
hugged her next.
―Luce will be there too,‖ the King whispered into Alenaire‘s ear before hugging her.
―Father!‖ Alenaire admonished. ―You‘re so nosy.‖
―Well, father‘s nose is always found in everyone‘s business. He‘s the king, after all,‖
Alaric quipped as he hugged her and patted her back as if to say, ―It‘s alright, we‘re here
for you.‖

Her eyes swept the castle one last time, smiling at the castle staff that had been with her
all her life. Her nannies, her tutors, the cooks, the pageboys, the guards, the Knights. She
curtsied to the wives of her brothers, hugged and kissed her little nephews, then shook the
Great General‘s hand.
Cassius‘ smile was subdued, as he also knew that his son loved the princess dearly, but
that they could never be together. He kissed the princess‘ hand and said, ―May you have a
safe journey, princess.‖ She nodded at him with a slight smile.
Finally, she turned to Luce.
Luce knelt before her, taking her hand in his. ―Princess. I, as your knight, shall vow to
protect the kingdom you love dearly in your stead. This is a promise I shall not break.‖
Alenaire inhaled sharply, feeling her eyes prickle with unshed tears. ―Protect them well.‖
―I will…‖
Luce stood up, then lifted a pinky in the air. With a lopsided smile, he said, ―Remember?
Let‘s be strong.‖
―Together,‖ Alenaire added as she hooked her pinky around his.
They looked at each other, and smiled.

That night, Luce stared absently at his ceiling as he lay in bed.
He had to prepare his heart for the days without the light that was her smile. Tomorrow,
and in the next days, there would be no princess to greet him good morning anymore.
He struggled through the pain, struggled to think of happier thoughts, something to keep
his mind off of her. However, this too backfired, as those happy thoughts inevitably
brought him back to her.
Luce felt like there was a big weight on his chest, and a lock in his throat. It hurt to even
breathe. This emotional pain was even more agonizing than any physical pain he had ever
received in his life. This type of pain didn‘t even have a cure.
He blew out the candles on the table by his bedside, and just as his room was
immediately embraced in darkness, he crumbled.

Chapter Fifty-nine

Alenaire withdrew the carriage curtains to look at the towering castle in the distance. This
Kingdom of Rhiannon was nothing like she imagined. She had been given the image that
this kingdom was prosperous and as beautiful as Alastriona, yet, as she looked at the
muddy roads, the beggars on the streets, the slaves walking barefoot in the market, and
that dreary looking castle, she was driven to speechlessness.
She stuck her head out of the carriage window to call her coachman. ―Mister Sid, are you
sure we‘re in the right kingdom…or even continent?!‖
―Indeed we are in the Kingdom of Rhiannon, princess. I was certain this kingdom wasn‘t
so dismal a few years back,‖ the coachman shouted over the clomping of the horses
hooves.
Alenaire sat back against the seat, trying not to bite her nails in agitation.
Once the carriage stopped, arriving at its destination in the inner ward of the castle,
Alenaire opened the door immediately before the doorman could even move towards the
carriage.
―Princess Alenaire!‖ Someone called out as he descended the stone steps of the keep. The
wind brushed his muddy brown hair against his face, his mantle flying behind him. He
pushed his glasses back up his nose as he grinned enormously, pausing just a step in front
of her to pick up her hand and kiss it.
―It has been awhile! I have not seen you in three years, yet I hope you still remember
me?‖ The man pushed his glasses again as he looked at her expectantly.
Alenaire assessed the man before her. He was not as tall as Luce, but he had a good lean
body which boasted of everyday exercise. His hair was cut short at the back, yet long
strands still framed his face, as if someone got too tired in the middle of barbering. She
looked back at his grey eyes. No, she did not remember this man.
The man looked crestfallen after he realized Alenaire did not remember him at all. His
lower lip jutted out. ―I am your fiancée, Zephyr. We met in the gardens of the castle.‖
Zephyr?
…who was that again?
Alenaire smiled and laughed, pretending to remember. ―Oh it‘s you!‖
―Yes, it‘s me!‖ Zephyr calmed himself down as he felt the unending excitement rush
through his veins. ―I even fixed my stammer, so I could impress you, princess! Or shall I
call you Alenaire now, as you will soon be my wife?‖

The laughter died on her face at once, and the corners of her lips struggled to keep a
smile. To avoid the awkwardness, she turned to her entourage, the men and women who
had accompanied her on her journey. She acted surprised, as if she had just remembered
they were there.
―Oh!‖ Zephyr said as he turned his head in their direction. ―Pardon me for my lack of
manners. You may bring the princess‘ belongings up the keep. There is a separate room
prepared for her, as we have not wedded yet.‖
The Royal maids and porters looked at Alenaire for confirmation.
―Yes, please do so,‖ Alenaire said, keeping a smile floating on her face while her heart
was banging against her chest. Did that mean they would stay in one room after the
wedding? She had not thought about what else marriage entailed, and the mere thought of
spending one night with this man was simply intolerable. Simply, simply, intolerable.
―Alenaire, will your staff stay in the castle or will they return at once?‖ Zephyr inquired.
Her name seemed so foreign on his lips, and she tried her best to repel negative emotions.
―They will return at once. I only brought with me one personal hand maid, as my father
said you will take care of the rest for me.‖
―That‘s good, that‘s good. I want you to rely on me.‖ Zephyr looked satisfied by her
words.
―Have you had dinner yet?‖ Zephyr asked as he held her hand up the stairs. ―The castle
cook makes excellent pheasant pie. I know our countries are right next to each other, but
I‘m sure the three day travel triggered your hunger, am I right?‖ He turned his head to a
passing castle servant. ―Fred, after the princess‘ entourage finishes with unpacking and
unloading her belongings, usher them to the mess hall for dinner and pack food worth
three days for them as well.‖
Alenaire forced the side of her mouth to tilt upwards. ―I‘m grateful for your
thoughtfulness, but my men have already packed six days‘ worth of food.‖
―It‘s really no problem!‖ Zephyr said. ―There‘s nothing wrong with extra food, the more
the better, right?‖
―Not if it spoils in the middle of the journey,‖ Alenaire added. Then she remembered the
destitute people back at the city‘s center. ―If you have so much food in the castle, why are
you not giving it to your people to share?‖
Zephyr twisted his mouth into a frown. ―But they‘re fine, right? I don‘t really know much
about the kingdom‘s affairs. I‘ve just been training in the castle ever since I met you and
Luce three years ago. You can say I was inspired!‖

Alenaire clenched her fists. ―What has your father been doing all this while? Can‘t he see
what‘s wrong with his people?‖
―What‘s wrong with them?‖ Zephyr lifted an eyebrow, then adjusted his glasses up his
nose. ―Well, ever since my mother died two years ago, he has not been the same. He
would often just lock himself in his chambers and only comes out to approve the papers
written by The Council.‖
Alenaire‘s eyes hardened. ―Is that so?‖
―Yeah. My father and I used to be so close, but now he‘s filled with apathy. I can‘t
change that.‖ Zephyr shook his head solemnly.
She was disappointed in this prince who lacked involvement and compassion towards his
people, but she was even more thoroughly disappointed in the King who left his work to
The Council. She could sympathize with the King‘s aching heart as she too felt like
someone carved out her chest, yet she knew what position she held in society. She knew
how her power could change many people‘s lives. It was her responsibility, as someone
who would govern a kingdom. However, why couldn‘t the King see that? See how his
behavior affected his people? Even she had given up the one she loved in order to be
here, even if she could‘ve ran away with Luce to another continent (though that was still
an appealing idea, she thought).
―I feel rather tired.‖ Alenaire placed a hand to her brow, looking faint. ―I wish to retire
early, Zephyr.‖
―Are you alright?‖ Zephyr looked concerned. ―Do you want me to bring soup to your
chambers? Where does it hurt?‖
―My heart,‖ Alenaire wanted to add, but she stopped herself because it was too sappy.
―I‘m not hurt anywhere. Just tired.‖
Zephyr led her to her room, which was located in one of the greater towers of the castle.
They went up a few flights of stone steps and Zephyr held the door open for her.
―It seems your maids have done an excellent job.‖ Zephyr looked around the room and
saw the incredible alteration. Gone were the simple wooden chairs, bed, desk and cloth
designs. What entered his vision was a room made ideally for a princess: plump
mattresses beneath thick comforters, drapes that surrounded the four corners of the bed,
with carpets and curtains of silk. The room was filled with so much color, that Zephyr
had to rub his eyes from the sudden ache. The furnishings were a big contrast to the grey
stone walls of the castle, and he couldn‘t help but be amazed.
―I seem to have forgotten how wealthy your Kingdom is,‖ Zephyr muttered.

―It only takes sagaciousness in a political and business setting,‖ Alenaire said, trying to
strike a sore spot. However, Zephyr was too dense to sense the attack on his person.
―My country is not that wealthy now, although it used to be a long time ago.‖ Zephyr
shrugged.
Alenaire went to one of her trunks to inspect what was inside, and Zephyr sat on a small
plump chaise. He leaned over, his elbows propped against his knees, as he said, ―Are you
afraid, Alenaire?‖
―Of what?‖ Alenaire closed the trunk and went to another. She found what she was
looking for. One whole trunk contained all the sculptures Luce had made for her over the
years, and she had to pinch herself so she could focus on the physical pain instead.
―Of marrying me in three months? Of becoming Queen?‖ He asked, clasping his hands
together as he looked at her.
―I‘m not,‖ she replied, referring to the latter. She was definitely afraid of marrying this
man she barely knew, but she had to overcome it.
―I am afraid,‖ Zephyr confessed, tightening his hands. ―Truth be told, if I were not the
only prince and heir to the throne, I would rather be a Knight like Luce.‖
Alenaire couldn‘t help but wish they switched places instead.
―I‘m not really good with presiding over large scale matters. I can‘t seem to understand
any of it. Even if I had tutors in the past, they would always be fed up with me, as I
would suddenly be absentminded. I stopped my lessons when I was fourteen because my
mother and father said it was useless. I wouldn‘t listen. I found joy instead in playing
with animals and riding horses.‖
Alenaire didn‘t say anything, and continued to be busy transferring a few sculptures from
her trunk to a mahogany table by her bed.
Zephyr looked at her with a wry smile. ―I‘m sorry for ranting. I just want to tell you a
condensed version of myself because I can tell you don‘t really like me…or perhaps
you‘re disappointed in me…‖
Alenaire felt a sharp jab at her heart, as she didn‘t think this prince would be actually
quite perceptive. But before she could reply with an unintelligible response, Zephyr stood
up.
―I‘ll leave you to sleep now, Alenaire. Perhaps I can persuade my father to get out of his
room and meet you tomorrow.‖ Zephyr stopped by the door and smiled dolefully. ―Have
a good night.‖

―…good night, Zephyr.‖
As the door closed behind him, Alenaire immediately slammed her butt against the settee
and decided that she would just sleep right there without changing into her night clothes.
She needed even this small reprieve.
Reality was an onerous entity she wished she would not be dealing with. Ever.

In her sleep-disoriented state, she felt someone take her shoes off and carry her to bed,
tucking her gently in between the sheets.
―Luce?‖ She whispered involuntarily when she felt the strong arms that had encased her
body.
―No, Master. It is I,‖ a deep, smooth voice said beside her ear.

Chapter Sixty
Alenaire‘s eyes popped open after hearing an unfamiliar voice in her ear. She
immediately lit the whole room with her light orbs, illuminating the man beside her bed.
―Who are you?‖ she said menacingly, readying her fist for a punch. ―What the hell are
you doing in my chambers at this hour?‖
The man furrowed his brows as if in deep thought, then relaxed them after he came to his
own mental conclusion. He tied his silky white hair behind his back before kneeling by
her bed and taking one hand in his.
―Master, you may call me Seiran. I have been entrusted by…your father–I mean, King
Xanthas, to keep you safe. From now on, I will be your servant, and you my master, as is
destined.‖ He waited patiently for her answer, his eyes assessing every change on her
face.
―Why have I not been informed of this?‖ Alenaire asked, sniffing out dubitable behavior.
She looked around the room. ―And where is my handmaid?‖
―Your handmaid is currently in her own room, as she has been given a special servant‘s
quarters. She will assist you with your personal daily needs, while I continue to guard
your door.‖
―…very well.‖ Alenaire thought there was something familiar about his cerulean eyes,
and so accepted it after a moment. She shook his hand. ―Rise, Seiran. Return to your post.
Don‘t ever try to sneak into my chambers without informing me again.‖ She gritted her
teeth at his impropriety.
―Yes, master.‖ He smiled gratefully, and went out the door, thinking, ―How unfair is it
that Luce can go in and out whenever he wants…‖

The Rhiannon castle staff were preparing for the wedding and coronation. The Royal
treasurer had taken the ceremonial expenditures from the Princess Alenaire‘s own dowry,
and he was in glee, as there was still much left for him to fill his own pockets. Of course,
he did not completely take everything at once, but he did so little by little so as not to
seem so conspicuous. If ever the princess were to ask him about where and how her
dowry was spent, he was more than willing to show her a ledger full of extremely
abstruse calculations that will no doubt leave her with a headache.

The princess kept herself busy by sending letters back to the castle in Alastriona using
carrier pigeons. These pigeons were strapped with a small leather pouch at the breast, and
they were very fast and efficient, returning responses within just one day. And so,
Alenaire was kept up to date with Alastriona castle matters, such as how her beautiful cat
Bastian disappeared the day after she left.
“Bastian seemed to be an intelligent cat, who was perhaps even a magic beast in hiding,
with a human‟s cognition, as he himself left a note in your room saying, „I will return to
the forest. Don‟t come and find me.‟ It was written with a paw print stamped on the
corner. Yet what highly puzzled us was how he wrote that note in the first place…
There is no one in the kingdom who would dare steal the princess‟ beloved cat, so we had
no choice but to think he left home himself.
We decided to let him go, as he was possibly missing you and wanted to go home to
where you found him. Perhaps he truly belonged in the forest, together with the rest of
the magic beasts.
I hope you are not too aggrieved by this.

Love, mother and father.”
Alenaire sighed as she folded the paper and placed it in her drawer. If Bastian wanted to
go home to his real family, then she didn‘t have the right to stop him. She just hoped he
was okay, wherever he was.
During the three months in the castle, Zephyr also visited Alenaire every day.
―Who is he?‖ Zephyr asked as he looked at the handsome white-haired man beside his
fiancée. He suddenly felt a sudden stab of inferiority, as this person had a better looking
physique than he, and this person also looked even better suited for his fiancée than
himself, appearance-wise. He struggled to crawl out of the pit of jealousy in his heart.
―Don‘t you know him? He‘s Seiran. He said your father picked him out for me,‖ Alenaire
said, and Seiran nodded his head in support.
―Mmm, I hardly know what‘s going on in my father‘s head.‖ Zephyr shrugged. ―Come,
let us eat.‖
The three months, Alenaire gradually acclimatized to the life in Rhiannon with Zephyr‘s
help. Her heart was still homesick, but she was glad she was able to send letters back and
forth. Luce sometimes sent letters to ask her how she was doing, but he never asked about
Alenaire‘s fiancée or other matters that weren‘t personally about her. They both knew it
was a topic they did not want to talk about.

Alenaire also decided that she needed to see how this Kingdom was like from the inside,
and so she dragged Zephyr and Seiran out into the city. While walking or riding in the
carriage, she began to take down notes of everything that was wrong, practically
everything that contradicted everything she know about how a good country should be.
She felt her heart sink every time she saw a beggar on the street, or the garbage just lying
on the ground. Two years were not yet enough for the citizens to instigate a national
rebellion, as they still clung to the hope of change. She wrote down everything, vowing
that when she would come to power, she would change this.
Seiran was by her side all the time, and sometimes he had a few habits which she found
quite familiar. No, it wasn‘t just the habits. It was perhaps his entire aura. In but a few
days, she started to open up to him, and they became fast friends.

The wedding and coronation happened on a particularly gloomy day, as if it mirrored
what a certain princess was feeling.
Alenaire was in her room, her handmaid the only maid who attended to her, as the castle
seemed understaffed for some dubious reason.
―You look beautiful, princess,‖ Leica, the handmaid, said as she touched the princess‘
golden curls. For the final touches, Leica had placed a thin, embroidered veil over
Alenaire‘s head, then added a turquoise tiara atop it. ―Your parents will be so proud.‖
Alenaire smiled grimly, but didn‘t want to respond. If she did, she would probably spurt
poisonous words, which would be unfair to the maid who only genuinely cared about her.
A knock sounded through the door. ―Is the princess ready?‖
―All done, Seiran!‖ Leica called out.
Alenaire was feeling a faint sense of deja vu. She suddenly remembered that time when
she was thirteen years old, and Luce escorted her to the party. His smile was like the
tranquil sea, as bright and warm as the sun.
She felt her chest tighten, and a sharp pain prickled her nose.
―Princess, don‘t cry! Princess!‖ Leica panicked, fanning her hands over Alenaire‘s made-
up eyes. ―You‘ll ruin the make up!‖ Alenaire‘s eyes glistened even more. ―Princess,
please, stop! You‘re making me cry as well!‖ Leica started sniffing. ―I know this is the
hardest decision you‘ll ever make in your life, to go with a marriage to someone you
don‘t love, but trust me, princess. Things will get better. Be brave, princess. There are a
lot of people in Rhiannon who are depending on you, their new Queen.‖

Alenaire‘s tears dried in her eyes as soon as she saw Leica sob with her face contorted.
She found her maid‘s face quite funny, and a chuckle escaped her lips.
―Leica, stop crying. I‘ve already stopped, so you should as well.‖ Alenaire mustered a
smile for her handmaid as she rubbed away the tears on her cheeks.
―Princess, you know, I‘ve told many people in the castle that you‘ll bring change. They
were so happy.‖ Leica rubbed her eyes. ―I know how you help His Majesty in kingdom
matters, and I know you‘ve been around the city and saw its dreadful state. It wasn‘t like
this two years ago, they said. When King Altair agreed to the proposal, Rhiannon was a
small but thriving country.‖ She held Alenaire‘s hands, and looked at her with a strong
light in her eyes. ―There are people who are waiting for you to do great things princess,
so you have to be strong. I‘ll always be here to support you no matter what.‖
―Thank you,‖ Alenaire whispered as she embraced her friend.
When Alenaire opened the door, what met her were not the emerald green eyes she
wished she saw, but cerulean eyes that looked at her worriedly, searching her face
beneath the veil.
―Master, are you alright? If you want to, we can just run away–‖ Seiran suggested, but
got cut off by Alenaire‘s determined shake of the head.
―I am not a coward who runs away from pain, even of this caliber,‖ Alenaire said.
―But–‖
―I‘m grateful for your worries, but there are just things one is destined for,‖ Alenaire
replied bitterly. ―If this is a trial for me, then I will gladly face it head on. I am sure Luce
is feeling the same way as well,‖ she added softly. She lifted her head high, and with
Seiran a few steps behind her, she walked with resolve towards the front doors of the
cathedral, where her future husband awaited her.

Chapter Sixty-one
Luce clenched his fist against the front of his vest as he leaned into the cushioned seat of
his carriage.
His father did not say anything, as words were not needed right now, so he merely leaned
forward to pat his son‘s knee. They were the only two in the carriage, following the
Alastriona Royal family‘s entourage as they returned home.
Luce didn‘t know how he had been able to cope with the noise his heart made against his
chest during the whole ceremony in the cathedral. It was as if all sounds were drowned
out by the hammering, when Alenaire walked down the carpeted path to where her
fiancée stood in front of the dais.
His throat was tight, and his eyes were bleeding, yet he didn‘t take his eyes away from
her. Alenaire herself was resolved to look straight in front, not noticing his piercing stare.
The King and Queen of Alastriona, and the hermit King of Rhiannon sat on gilded
thrones on the dais, watching as the High Priest started chanting blessings upon the

couple. Queen Aiyana and King Altair felt a sad pang in their chests, and they held each
other‘s hands for comfort. They had seen the sudden change of this kingdom of
Rhiannon, and they could not stop the disappointed expressions from appearing on their
faces. They couldn‘t very well retract their alliance now just because of this, and although
they felt a bitterness in their throats, they hoped their daughter would rectify the current
kingdom‘s situation through her own willpower and intelligence.

The proceedings went without any trouble, and once the new king and queen were
crowned, anointed with oil, they too sat on the foremost high thrones of the dais, where
they could see their subjects around the cathedral, pressing against each other to take a
better look at their new sovereigns. Both sovereigns held a scepter and rod in their hands
as they sat still, waiting for the priests to guide them in their oath taking and their
wedding vows.
Once the whole ceremony was over, and the people filed out of the cathedral in
multitudes, Luce remained rooted to the ground, his chest burdened with a tremendous
amount of pressure that he almost couldn‘t breathe. His princess was finally married, and
her stoic face throughout the whole event made his heart clench.
A party was held in the castle after the ceremony, and Luce had to wait in line amongst
the people who were tripping over themselves to congratulate the royal couple. His palms
were sweaty, and his stomach queasy, so he conditioned his mind, saying it was okay. He
had already promised Alenaire that they were going to be strong together. Still, however
strong a person seemed on the outside, what people did not see was the demons they had
to overcome for it.
King Altair, Queen Aiyana, The Crown Prince Alaric, The Second Prince Alasdair and
their wives, were busy hugging the new couple and congratulating them, which took a lot
of time as they laughed and exchanged pleasantries, making some of the nobles of
Rhiannon look impatient, as they wanted to enjoy the banquet already, and it was rude if
they did not greet their King and Queen first. The previous King Xanthas looked like a
withered leaf, as he sat on his old throne on the dais, staring absentmindedly at the goblet
of wine in his hand. Many of the nobles did not look his way, as he was now a person
who held no power at all in court.
When it was finally Luce‘s turn, he bowed low before the Royal couple who stood in
front of the dais in full state regalia.
―Your Majesties, I congratulate you both,‖ he said, steadying his voice. He knew how
tremulous his heart strings were, and he would be shamed if it manifested itself in his
voice.
―It‘s Luce!‖ Zephyr said, smiling broadly. ―Do you remember me? We met in the back
gardens of the castle of Alastriona three years ago.‖
Luce tilted his head to look at Alenaire with a questioning gaze. She looked back at him,
looking like she was going to laugh. Obviously, Luce did not remember such a person
three years ago.
―S-Sure…‖ Luce replied vaguely. He then coughed. ―Your Majesties, I wish the both of
you happiness from the bottom of my heart.‖
―We wish for yours as well,‖ Alenaire said, her sad eyes betraying the smile on her face.

―My happiness is your happiness, Your Majesty.‖ Luce placed a fist over his heart as he
nodded towards her. Alenaire chewed on her lip, as Luce already looked and sounded so
distant. Despite knowing one had to be formal upon this occasion, it still jabbed at her
side.
―Well then, how about my sadness?‖ Alenaire blurted out, saying whatever came to
mind, as long as her conversation with Luce lasted longer.
Luce looked at her, the corner of his mouth tilting upward into a mischievous grin, ―You
can keep that to yourself, Your Majesty.‖
Alenaire placed her gloved hand over her mouth to stop from laughing out loud. The
twinkle in his eyes, and the dimples that accompanied such a roguish grin, those were the
features she loved and have known so well. They stood there, smiling at each other as if
no one else was in the room. Zephyr looked at them both, feeling slightly awkward and
off center (weren‘t he and his wife the main characters here?), so he cleared his throat
loudly.
―I‘m sorry but, we still have a lot more people who wish to meet us,‖ Zephyr said, tilting
his head towards the long line across the throne room.
―Ah, forgive me Your Majesties. Then, I shall be off.‖ Luce bowed, his eyes maintaining
contact with Alenaire‘s, and the light of resolve and strength could be seen in both
amethyst and emerald. This was not a last goodbye for them. This was merely a trial that
proved how even if the fates contrived to tear them apart, the fates still held no hold over
their hearts.

―Master, you don‘t have to sell your purity.‖ Seiran held Alenaire‘s arm tightly, blocking
her way out of her room. Alenaire knew what wedding nights entailed, and felt obligated.
She was about to go to the new King Zephyr‘s chamber in order to fulfill it. It was a
Queen‘s duty to birth heirs, wasn‘t that right? She thought so straightforwardly.
―I‘m not selling anything.‖ Alenaire tried to pull her arm away, but Seiran was too strong.
―Unhand me, Seiran. He is my husband now.‖
―We can just kill him, so you can marry the one you–‖ Seiran was cut short as a sharp
pak! Flipped his head to the side. He looked back at Alenaire with shock, touching his red
cheek.
―Seiran, you should not say such things so freely!‖ Alenaire held her stinging hand
against her chest, her voice quivering. ―Zephyr is a man who doesn‘t deserve to be
murdered because he is not the one I love. I don‘t understand your way of thinking!‖

―But master, I cannot bear to see you cry anymore.‖ Seiran‘s brows were drawn together,
as he held out a hand to cup her small face in his, but stopped midway, as if he felt
ashamed.
―When have I ever cried in this castle?‖ Alenaire retorted.
―Right now…‖ Seiran said softly as he caught her tears with a thumb, her long eyelashes
clumped together from the wetness. He felt his heart was melting just by looking at her,
and he could not stop himself from confessing his deepest, darkest secret: ―Master,
although I may not seem it, but I really…really…‖ He smiled sadly, wiping off the tears
on her cheeks with both thumbs.
―Really…what?‖ Alenaire croaked out. She immediately cleared her throat, embarrassed.
―I really…‖ Love you, ―…care about your happiness. Which is why I will do anything for
you, even if I have to offer my life, as my life was already yours to begin with.‖ His
hands cupped her cheeks as he gazed intently into her amethyst eyes that were already
dry. He wanted to kick himself for being so bold, but such urges could not be contained
anymore.
―Seiran, your life is your own. I own nothing but myself.‖ Alenaire gripped his wrists as
she pushed his hands away. ―Which is why, I hope you will cherish your life more, and
not give it away so arbitrarily.‖
―But master–‖
―Seiran.‖ Alenaire pressed a hand to his chest as it seemed he was about to come closer
than what was deemed proper. ―I have resigned myself to my fate. We all have resigned
ourselves to our fates, and I ask that you accept this too.‖
―I cannot accept anyone defiling you…‖ Seiran‘s face hardened, as he propped an arm on
the wall over Alenaire‘s head. ―Master, you don‘t have to do this. We can go back to
Heaven–‖
―What nonsense are you speaking?‖ Alenaire demanded, as she pushed him away once
again. ―Let go of me, Seiran. Do you think you are the only one? I, too, am breaking
inside. But I am strong, and I will not let these emotions sway me from doing what I
know is necessary. If you cannot accept this, then you must leave me. If you cannot
endure the pain, then you have no right to stay by my side.‖
―I–‖ Seiran gritted his teeth, and clenched his fists. He struck the stone wall in frustration,
but Alenaire did not even flinch as she gazed up at him unfazed. ―Master…‖ He peeled
his arm off the wall, and nodded humorlessly. ―I cannot leave you no matter what. I have
always, always, been there with you…and so, I cannot even bear of parting…‖

Alenaire raised an eyebrow, wondering why he would say such things when they had just
met in a course of a few months. Why was he saying he had always been with her?
―Master…although it pains me, I have to abide to your wishes…‖ Seiran stepped to the
side, exposing the stone steps that led down to the main hall of the castle. ―Please take
care.‖
Alenaire‘s heart twisted from the broken expression on Seiran‘s face. She gripped the
sleeve of his tunic as she tiptoed to kiss him on the side of his face. Although this was
merely a small thing, she hoped he would feel her gratitude.
―Thank you,‖ Alenaire whispered.
As she disappeared from his view, he immediately slid down the wall to rest his head in
his knees. He banged the wall with his elbow, drowning out the sound of his cries.

Alenaire sat at the edge of Zephyr‘s bed, fiddling with her fingers as she studiously
assessed his toes that were on the floor. Mmm, he had quite a big toe.
―Alenaire, please look at me,‖ Zephyr‘s tone was humble, and he looked at his wife with
a deep sadness in his heart. ―Alenaire, please.‖
Alenaire raised her head to look at his stormy grey eyes.
―I am sorry,‖ Zephyr knelt on the ground as he clasped her hands that were on her knees.
Alenaire was stunned. ―W-Why?‖
―I am sorry that you have to marry me instead of someone else,‖ Zephyr said as he
tightened his hold on her hands. He just recently had an epiphany in the throne room, and
realized his wife loved her knight of the past. How could he not feel it? It was an emotion
almost palpable to the touch. He felt conceited to even think she would start loving him
as he had started loving her. He looked into her eyes, his heart overwhelmed with
emotion. ―But…I also have to thank you, for being brave enough to accept this.‖
He bent down to kiss her hands, his brows knitted together. ―I am now the King of
Rhiannon, and I can promise you whatever your heart desires. Gold? Jewelry? Riches? I
can give them to you all.‖
―I don‘t need such gewgaws,‖ Alenaire said as she shook her head. ―What I wish for is
something I can never have.‖

Zephyr swallowed his heart, and did not want to ask, in fear that he would actually hear a
certain knight‘s name. ―I will not force you to love me, as I cannot force feelings, but in
due time, I wish for you to accept me. Courtship should have happened before marriage,
and yet this time, it is reversed. But it is a blessing, as now, I can and will, court you
forever.‖
Alenaire‘s lips trembled as Zephyr bent his head again to kiss her hands.
―Alenaire, my dear wife, I leave myself in your care.‖
That night, as Zephyr drifted off into sleep, he did not know that there were tears sliding
across the bridge of Alenaire‘s nose, trailing down her cheeks, as he held his wife in his
embrace.
He did not know that sometimes, the most powerful of emotions, lie in silent tears.

Chapter Sixty-two

Sounds of desperation and war cries echoed into the carrion-black starless sky, as sparks
flew from metal against metal, and a blizzard of colorful magic whizzed into the night.
The enemy from the northern continent was like the plague, teeming beneath the
fortifications along the border, assailing the wall with concentrated power that melted the
stone as if it were mere putty. The ground was glazed with entrails and spritz of blood
sluiced into the air, baptizing the battlefield with a nauseating perfume.
The war they had all feared would come, had begun.
Luce gripped the handles of his swords, one ice sword in his left, and one of fire in his
right hand. He carved and cleaved the enemies within reach, anointing himself of the
remnants of blood and bowels. He held no mercy for those who intruded upon the
kingdom‘s peace, and the promise that he had made to his princess was still deeply
engraved in his heart.
―Easy there, Luce,‖ Alasdair said from beside him as he gripped his own sword, a spiral
of water forming at its tip. ―Can‘t you at least save some enemies for me? I was thinking
of making a tsunami, but…I don‘t think that would be a good idea. I can‘t control that
huge of a situation.‖ He looked around the battlefield, as enemies and allies collided.
―Good thing we asked for recruits from the allied kingdoms.‖ He looked into the horizon,
as glittering lights of enemy fleets illuminated the ocean. ―I have a feeling this war will
last for a long, long time.‖
Luce froze one guy in front of him, and charred another enemy on his right. He replied
calmly, ―The initial army they sent are mere beginners. Perhaps they want to exhaust our
mana before the real army comes.‖
Alaric quickly rode towards them on horseback once the enemies all turned to corpses on
the battlefield. ―The battle is not yet over. Father has been given a letter stating that the
eight kingdoms of the northern continent want our land of Alastriona.‖
―Why must it be just our land?‖ Alasdair wanted to know as he inserted his sword back
into his scabbard after wiping his still pristine blade.
―Brother, you forget that our kingdom is the biggest kingdom in the central continent. If
they were to have our kingdom, they could easily swallow the rest of the kingdoms
without second thoughts. Furthermore, since we have already advanced agricultural
techniques, all they would have to do is take over what we have started. It is the same as
you stealing my homework and taking credit for it,‖ Alaric added as he patted his pouting
younger brother on the shoulder.
―So what are we going to do now? Just wait until the fleet arrives?‖ Alasdair asked,
looking into the ocean. ―Too bad they made a barrier over their ships, or I could
definitely have swallowed them into a whirlpool. Or tsunami.‖

―Can you stop going on about tsunamis?‖ Luce shook his head, retracting the elements
back into his palm.
―Easy for you to say. I just found out I have only an aptitude for water magic,‖ Alasdair‘s
voice was tinged with jealousy. ―You have all the four basic elements, a dream anyone
wishes to have.‖
Luce twisted his mouth into a wry smile. ―I have everything anyone can ever dream of,
and yet I cannot have the person of my dreams.‖ He looked into the starless sky,
wondering what his princess was doing now. Did she have a child now? It had already
been three years after all. He wouldn‘t be surprised. Still, he could not help but feel a
sharp stab to his heart. His stomach was beginning to hurt.
Alaric and Alasdair looked at each other, exchanging a language that only blood brothers
could understand.
―He‘s deep,‖ Alaric said through his eyes.
―You should learn from him.‖ Alasdair quirked an eyebrow.
―I can‘t reach that depth. Too deep.‖ Alaric shook his head.
―I‘m drowning, too.‖ Alasdair shook his shoulders.
As they looked on at the solitary figure bathed in the moonlight, the vestiges of carnage
surrounding him, they both sighed and agreed, ―He‘s too pitiful…‖

―Callel, you can sit on mommy‘s lap while I work,‖ Alenaire said as she sat at her desk in
the drawing room.
The two year old Callel happily agreed as he practically ran up to her chair to climb up
her legs.
―How about daddy?‖ Zephyr asked as he spread his arms out. ―Callel? Won‘t you come
with daddy to the barracks?‖
Callel looked back at his father, then completely ignored him as he snuggled closer to his
mother.
―I don‘t think Callel wants to see the barracks, Zephyr,‖ Alenaire said, amused.

Zephyr sighed. ―I‘ll be leaving in a few days to command the army. The enemy has
infiltrated Rhiannon borders as well, so I must go and oversee it. They said they were
only going to attack Alastriona, but they lied. After I defeat them, I will go to Alastriona
and help.‖
Alenaire held on to the squirming child in her arms. ―Stay safe, Zephyr.‖
He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. ―If what I will do will keep you safe, then I must
go.‖ He stroked Callel‘s soft hair, and the little boy smiled brightly at him.
―Daddy, daddy!‖ He held out his hands, and Zephyr took him from his wife‘s lap to
embrace him in his arms.
―Oh Callel, I wish I could be with you longer, but I don‘t want to leave the war in the
hands of my people. It is like sending them off to the slaughterhouse without a care.
Being physically present would boost their morale as well.‖ He rubbed his cheek against
his son‘s, his heart warming from Callel‘s giggles.
Alenaire smiled softly as she stood up from her seat to embrace her husband from behind.
―Thank you for everything, Zephyr. You are a very kind and generous husband.‖
―Is that not a given?‖ Zephyr turned around to embrace his wife with his free arm. ―When
you love someone as much as I do you, it is normal to act that way.‖ He kissed the top of
her head. ―Dear wife, it pains me not to know when I‘ll be able to return.‖
―Don‘t worry, Zephyr. This kingdom is slowly turning back to its original state. The
reforms I have made has slowly shaped the country into glory. But who knew that so
much corruption went on while your father was indisposed. His neglect of his kingdom
was the catalyst to ruination.‖ Zephyr smiled grimly in response. He was glad that his
wife knew so much about how a country was run, and he was beyond grateful to her. He
himself did not hold much knowledge on court matters or any other political system, and
he had to rely on his wife for it, even if he felt his pride as the king squashed into
smithereens. But he didn‘t care. He loved his wife even more for it.
―But I will continue to work hard, especially now that the war has begun,‖ Alenaire said
with resoluteness.
―I leave the kingdom in your hands,‖ Zephyr said, pushing his glasses up his nose as he
smiled at her tenderly.
―You can count on me,‖ Alenaire replied.
―It seems I have counted on you a lot…‖ Zephyr said dryly.
―You‘re welcome,‖ Alenaire said with an upward tilt to her lips.

―I love you so much,‖ Zephyr‘s words were blurted out upon seeing the smile that
seemed to shine on her face. He could feel his heart ache just by looking at her, and he
was afraid that this would be the last time he would see her roseate smile and the
euphonious sound of her laughter. Because he was afraid, he said what he felt over and
over again, making sure that his wife knew of his heart if this were to be the last words
she was going to hear. He put Callel on the ground as he embraced his wife fiercely,
burying her surprised face in his shoulder. He cried, his heart burning with a thousand
flames that seemed never to extinguish, ―I love you, Alenaire. I love you…‖
Alenaire‘s eyes misted over, as his confession smothered her heart. Although she had
also come to love this person before her, it was more of a familial and platonic kind of
love that would never match what she held for a certain knight.
But she did indeed feel the emotion, and so she whispered, ―I love you too.‖
A happy sob escaped his lips as he heard the words he had longed to hear (albeit knowing
full well that it purported disparately), and he could not stop whispering the words that
spewed forth like an avalanche of a thousand ―I love you‘s‖.

Alenaire perused through the ledgers of the Royal treasury and the regional accounts of
the kingdom, and she felt her head ache. She massaged her temples and closed her eyes.
―Mommy, what‘s wrong?‖ Callel asked as he touched his mother‘s face as he sat on her
lap.
Alenaire kissed his nose. ―Why are you such an adorable potato? For some reason, that is
what comes to mind when I see your round face.‖
Callel giggled, and kissed her nose back.
Seiran was standing beside Alenaire as she sat at her working desk, and said, ―You‘re
still four years old Callel, these financial matters don‘t concern you just yet.‖
―But I‘m going to be the next king after daddy, right?‖ Callel tilted his head, his honey
blonde hair swaying with the motion. ―I should know these stuff, right?‖
―Well…that‘s true…‖ Seiran scratched his head.
―I am so disappointed in myself,‖ Alenaire sighed. ―How did I overlook the inconsistency

of these two financial statements?‖
―What‘s wrong?‖ Seiran asked.

―The five noble houses who are also the tax collectors of the five different regions, have
inflated the taxes without informing me.‖ Alenaire held out the regional accounts for
Seiran to speculate. ―See there? That‘s more than the usual tax I ask for. And here,‖
Alenaire picked up the Royal accounts, ―The amount I have calculated should not be as
low as this, if the regional taxes the nobles have collected are high.‖
Seiran raised an eyebrow. ―Indeed. Perhaps a crime of graft is in the works. The ongoing
war has already eaten up our financial capacities, and yet these nobles dare to trick us just
because it seems our eyes are focused somewhere else.‖
Alenaire massaged her temples harder. ―It‘s all because this country does not have a
proper system. I should have my own Royal secretary, treasurer and auditor instead of
those ancient people who form that stupid council. Can you believe all the nonsense they
have written for me to sign? What kind of law entails all nobles to have at least two
slaves per person? Do they think I am stupid and I cannot read?!‖
―Mommy, calm down. Daddy will worry.‖ Callel patted his mother‘s cheek again.
Alenaire kissed his cheek, but could not hold her diatribe. ―Do they really think that
because I am female, I know nothing of political practices? Bah! Wait until I write down
my final decree to abolish slavery.‖ She pondered for a few seconds. ―Maybe I should
abolish that stupid council as well…‖ Alenaire clenched her fists. ―I should just abolish
everything!‖
Seiran chuckled. ―Whatever you will do, I will help you in any way I can.‖
―Go mommy!‖ Callel waved his arms around.
―Seiran, I should just appoint you as my Royal chamberlain,‖ Alenaire said after a
thought. ―You will be my right-hand man now that my husband is not here.‖
―I am happy you think so highly of me, master, ‖ Seiran said.
―Why not? Your intelligence astounds me.‖ Alenaire beamed. ―I do not have a memory
as good as yours. You can practically memorize everything you see just once.‖
Seiran shrugged, pretending not to be so embarrassed by the flattery.
During the years that Alenaire was in Rhiannon, she had already outlined a law that
entailed the emancipation of slaves throughout the kingdom, but it was only during the
recent days that she finally had the time to finish it, as she had been bombarded with
endless paperwork that needed much attention during the war. She still could not abolish
the council of elders, as she did not know where to find people to replace them, and what
she had to do first was to establish schools that were opened to everyone, and not just to
the elite society. The literacy and educational rate were low, and she had to rectify those
first.

As the war progressed, Alenaire prevented the Rhiannon army from conscripting peasants
and slaves to join in the war efforts. If the farmers were gone, what would happen to the
crops? What would happen to food? Their kingdom would starve, and a price inflation of
foodstuff was inevitable. It would all lead to a spiral of ruin. She didn‘t want slaves to
enter as well, as she realized that they held no choice over their lives, and it would be too
tragic if they also held no choice over their deaths. The original army of Rhiannon was
not that large, but it was enough to cover their borders and send a few troops to the other
allied kingdoms.
The Queen Alenaire held court a few weeks later with the Prince Callel sitting on his own
throne beside her to watch the proceedings.
All the nobles, the council of elders, and a few commoners who wanted to be simple
bystanders were present, and they all kneeled before their Queen, their mouths in a taut
line. The nobles and the council had been told that the Queen was about to release a law
that would abolish slavery, and they had already made up a speech of repudiation in their
heads. The slaves were beneficial to them, as they did not need a salary. It was a one-time
purchase that they could throw away if they wanted to. They were practically free
workers who tilled the lands without asking for anything in return, becoming
fundamental buttresses to the upper echelons‘ wealth and prosperity.
―Representatives of the five noble houses, come forth,‖ the Queen Alenaire declared, her
voice regal and commanding. She sat on her gilded throne, full of poise and with an air of
intimidation. She could not wait to skewer these insensate humans alive.
Chapter Sixty-three
―Yes, Your Majesty.‖ The five nobles stood up and bowed before the dais, sensing
nothing amiss.
The Queen lifted the accounting records and passed it on to Seiran, who in turn gave each
noble a copy. Alenaire had totaled the tax income of both the regional accounts and the
Royal accounts, and they did not correlate at all.
The nobles hands were shaking as they looked at the paper they held in their hands, their
minds churning for a defensive statement that would help them get out of this
predicament. If only they had bribed the regional accountant and made them input a
different amount on the ledgers. However, they had naively thought the queen wouldn‘t
find out, as the council of elders had said that she was an incompetent queen.
―Are your pockets full enough?‖ The Queen Alenaire asked with a stiff smile.

―Seiran,‖ Alenaire looked over to the man who stood by her side, ―What do you think we
should do to them? The previous officials who I found out committed crimes of
corruption, have been sent to prison. But do you think that is too lenient of me?‖
The nobles shook in their golden buckled shoes, as they could envision themselves being
beheaded instead. Why did those damned council of elders say she was incompetent in
the first place?! They knew other officials had been sent to prison, but they had thought it
was from the decree of the King, not the Queen. If only they looked more meticulously
into matters.
―I could kill them right here,‖ Seiran said calmly, as he withdrew his sword from his
scabbard. The nobles sucked in their breaths. Wait, wasn‘t the Queen about to abolish
slavery? Why was this the primary subject at court?
―How bloody,‖ Alenaire said distastefully. She turned to her son, Callel. ―How about
you, my dear? What do you think should be done to these bad guys?‖
Callel wiggled his short legs on his throne. His feet could not reach the floor, and it
hovered over the ground. ―I dunno, mommy. Sometimes bad guys still do bad things
when they get out of prison,‖ he said childishly.
―What are you suggesting?‖ Alenaire said, smiling deviously.
―W-Wait, Your Majesty!‖ The noble head of the Skene Household came forward with
sweat dripping the sides of his face. ―We, the five noble houses, have merely gathered
money enough to compensate for the loss of our slaves, as we all know you have written
a law concerning their emancipation. This is merely a compensation that the Royal family
must bestow upon us.‖
―Mmm?‖ The Queen was not amused. ―That is not a very crafty reason. You are not only
stealing from the people who paid their taxes religiously, but you are also stealing what is
meant for the Royal treasury. The taxes are used to benefit the kingdom, and what you
are doing is impeding its progress. Tell me, is that not a crime? What is there for me to
compensate you for?‖
One of the elders of the council came forward, gripping his staff in one hand. ―Your
Majesty, if I may speak.‖
―Go ahead, Elder Gairm, I shall listen.‖ The Queen raised an eyebrow, as her fingers
thudded against the throne‘s arm rest.

―We, the members of the council, and also the noble faction, do not agree with
emancipating the slaves. They are a crucial part of our system, and if it were to be done,
major financial compensation should be made, which would make it difficult for the
Royal treasury in this time of heavy war. Thus, what the nobles have been doing is
nothing more than preparing for this act of abolition, little by little, as to not create a
deficit for the Royal family.‖
―Is that so?‖ The Queen‘s smile did not reach her gelid eyes. She turned to her son again.
―Callel, see how inhumane people really are? Some people only care about their own
matters, especially matters of the pockets, and do not care how there are also some people
who were born without a freedom to even earn for themselves. They do not care that
there are people who, every day, are being mistreated for the simple fact of being a mere
commodity in their eyes.‖
―There are really bad people, mommy,‖ Callel said sadly. ―I don‘t like bad people.‖
―I as well,‖ the Queen replied.
The nobles and elders were now trembling with bridled rage, but one elder could not help
himself as he pounded his staff on the floor, the tip of the staff glowing green to reveal
himself an Earth Mage.
―You are merely a foreigner who does not understand!‖ Elder Gille pounded his green
staff once more. ―You do not understand our ways!‖
Another staff glowed red, and then other, and another–until all the mages who were either
nobles or elders, lit the throne room with color, signifying their defiance against this
Queen who they reviled.
―Are you thwarting me?‖ The Queen sounded surprised. Callel jumped off his throne to
scurry towards his mother, as they seemed to be in a perilous predicament.
―It is about time that we united together,‖ Elder Gairm said. ―There are only two of you,
and hundreds of us. Now, who is going to win?‖
―You wish to overthrow me?‖ The Queen asked calmly.
―Is that not obvious enough?‖ Elder Gairm‘s red staff glowed even more brightly. ―Once
the king comes back, we will speak of your tragic demise, and he would die in heartbreak
just as his father before him.‖
―Goodbye, Your Majesty,‖ Elder Gille pointed his green staff towards the Queen,
chanting under his breath.

―SHUT UP!!!!!!!‖ A thunderous roar shook the whole castle, as debris from the ceiling
came falling on top of their heads. Everyone in the throne room aside from the Queen,
Callel and the commoners, were suddenly flat on the ground, as they felt a heavy pressure
over their chests.
Seiran stood in front of Alenaire, killing intent flowing from every pore in his body as his
normally blue eyes turned a vivid bright red. He was so angered by this scene before him,
that he almost could not control his dragon aura. How dare they, how dare they! He
repeated such thoughts in his head as his aura gushed forth like a wave.
―YOU DARE TRY TO KILL MY MASTER, YOU MERE HUMANS?!‖ He roared once
more, and some of the nobles and elder‘s ears started bleeding from the pressure waves
that he emitted.
Suddenly, the castle walls shook, and a bright light entered through the throne room, and
all of them looked on in horror at the beast that had clawed a portion of the stone wall, its
snout intruding as flickers of flames passed through its nostrils.
―A DRAGON!!!!!‖ Alarmed screams and shouts resounded throughout the room.
―I-It‘s a dragon!‖
―A dragon!?‖
But none of them could even move. The commoners, although they were not affected by
the pressure waves, did not want to move either, in fear that they would provoke the
dragon‘s attack. They turned their heads to the other side of the wall, and yet, through the
glass panes of the windows, they could also see more dragons roaming about!
―Why are there dragons here?‖ Alenaire asked Seiran.
Seiran immediately calmed himself down before replying, ―Ah, that is because I am a
dragon.‖
―You‘re a dragon?‖ Alenaire asked skeptically as she held on to Callel in her arms. The
boy thought the appearance of a random dragon in the castle was very delightful, and he
kept squirming in his mother‘s arms, wanting to be released to approach the beast.
―A dragon…master,‖ Seiran thought this was more appropriate. ―I am a dragon master

who can command dragons in this world if I will it to be.‖
Alenaire did not look as surprised as he thought, so he turned back to the prostrating
bodies on the floor of the throne room. He could smell the acrid stench of urine, as some
of the nobles and elders could not contain their fright.

―I have positioned dragons around the castle keep and the capital,‖ Seiran said. ―It took
me a few years before I could communicate and find their whereabouts, and they only
listen to me when I am of a certain range. However, worry not, as the whole country of
Rhiannon is within range.‖ Seiran smiled at the terrified, ash-like faces on the floor. ―So,
my plan is to put them on our northern border as well, to eviscerate the northern
enemies.‖
He turned to look at Alenaire for affirmation, and she nodded her head. He raised his
arm, and the dragon by the castle wall shrunk into a figure small enough to fly through
the hole it had created. It was also small enough to perch on top of Seiran‘s shoulder like
a dignified beast whose scales shone gold from the sun‘s blaze.
―So, long story short, our kingdom of Rhiannon will be protected by these dragons, and
those who defy the monarchy will be sentenced to a macabre death beneath their truly
frightening feet–er, claws.‖ Seiran chuckled as he petted the dragon on his shoulder. ―If
only I had made contact with my precious friends earlier, diplomatic discussions would
have been employed, right?‖
The unconscious bodies on the floor could not even utter a reply.

Chapter Sixty-four

―What are these northern enemies? Prolific monsters?‖ Zephyr wanted to know.
He was now in the Alastriona camp, sitting around the fire with the rest of his troops, the
allied forces, and the Alastrionan army. The night was cold, and they should be getting
rest, but every sound they heard in the dark night twitched them awake, thinking of
invisible enemies prowling in stygian blackness. Many of the men were getting sick, and
the priests and priestesses who remained in the war, would be drained of mana in just a
day.
―They are truly a prolific continent,‖ Great General Cassius said as he sharpened his
sword, the flickering flames of the bonfire making ghastly shadows against the tent walls.
―It has been twelve years,‖ Luce sighed. ―Have we ever rested properly during the twelve
years of war?‖
―None that I recall,‖ Alasdair said. ―The bags under my eyes are getting heavier and
darker from the lack of sleep.‖
―I‘m sure your daughter would love to see you like that,‖ Alaric chuckled. ―I‘ll tell her
her father turned into one of those pandas from the East!‖
Alasdair threw a pebble at the laughing Alaric. ―Shut up. I don‘t even want to remember
the family I left behind. My daughter must be a beauty just like her mother now.‖ He
sighed as a glob of water floated over his palm, slowly forming into two faces: one of his
wife‘s and the other of his infant daughter‘s.
―I miss my family too,‖ Zephyr confessed. ―Every day, I miss them.‖
―Huh?‖ Alasdair turned to Zephyr. ―You didn‘t tell us you have a child?‖
Zephyr blushed. ―Well, I didn‘t think it was proper to boast.‖ He pretended to fix his
glasses as he looked at Luce‘s face out of the corner of his eye.
Alaric cleared his throat, wanting to change the subject quickly when he saw Luce‘s face
darken. ―So, ah…why did you come to our camp again? What about the dragons you had
mentioned before?‖
―Since the dragons appeared and defended our northern border, we left them to wreak
havoc on the enemies. Seiran, my wife‘s chamberlain, is actually a Dragon Master,‖
Zephyr said proudly.
―Dragon Master?‖ General Cassius repeated. ―I have never heard of a person who can
tame or control those sacred beasts before. What kind of person is he?‖

Zephyr recalled the white-haired man in his memories. ―I have actually never known him
to be a Dragon Master up until that day. He flew on top of the dragons as if they were his
pets, and with just one sweep of his hand, the dragons incinerated the enemies with one
breath.‖
Alasdair rubbed the goose bumps on his arm. ―We should employ those dragons then!
They could obliterate the whole northern continent!‖
Zephyr shook his head. ―They only work when they are within range of Seiran. Seiran
does not want to leave my wife alone for even a second, and that time that he left to meet
me at the borders was just a one time thing. He is my wife‘s right-hand man, and the one
who swore to protect her with his life. I do not want him to leave for the war, as well.
Who would protect my wife in the castle if he‘s not there?‖
In the corner, Luce clenched and unclenched his fist, as he felt a stifling feeling in his
chest. He had not felt this emotion in a very long time, and every time he heard the words
―my wife‖, it was akin to a stab at his already fragile constitution.
Alaric looked over at Luce, and wanted to change the course of the conversation to an
even safer route, as it seemed an aura of melancholy had surrounded Luce‘s corner of the
tent.
―Ah–‖ Alaric started.
―So Zephyr, do I have a niece or a nephew?‖ Alasdair asked with his eyes sparkling.
Alaric wanted to strangle his brother for being so tactless. He threw sharp glares at him,
but his ignorance was like a max-leveled barrier.
Zephyr smiled at Alasdair. ―My son Callel is fifteen years old now. He took his mother‘s
blonde hair, and my grey eyes. He is a very handsome boy.‖
―Ahh, a nephew!‖ Alasdair said excitedly. ―I can‘t wait for this war to end. I miss my
sister, and I want to see my nephew already!‖
General Cassius slowly went over to his son‘s part of the tent, and thwacked his son‘s
back with a heavy hand.
―Help me make dinner,‖ Cassius said as he picked up his son‘s limp arm. He could not
bear to see the heartbreak in his son‘s eyes anymore.
Luce nodded absently as he was dragged out of the tent by his father.
Zephyr watched him go. He didn‘t mean to boast at all about his son, and he did not feel
great about knowing it had affected Luce so much. He still knew, deep within his heart,
that his wife loved Luce more than she did towards himself. Still, it calmed his heart to
know that his wife was his, even if it was just for this lifetime.

War negotiations by the King Altair had been made since the start of the war, to dissuade
the northern continent‘s kingdoms from further attacks.
However, King Altair‘s letter was merely scoffed at by the northern continent‘s High
King Cribal, as he and along with many other kings of his continent, knew of the riches
they would obtain if they won the battle.
Finally, after diplomatic negotiations failed for the umpteenth time, both sides agreed to
prepare for the last and decisive battle after twelve years of carnage.

Inside a certain tent in a particular place in time, nocuous tones slathered over several
voices could be heard.
―Is the poison ready?‖
―Yes, Your Majesty.‖
―Kekeke, how ironic it is that an apothecary can also create such a potent poison.‖
―Yes, Your Majesty. Medicines and poisons are quite similar. This poison, after almost a
decade of manufacturing, is quite the best. After hearing of this person with an almost
limitless mana pool, this poison will surely curb his mana regeneration and kill him on
the spot. There is also a Mage that can slow one‘s vitality, and I have told him to direct
his magic on this certain person.‖
―Your Majesty, this will surely do the trick. This man, who is a knight of Alastriona, is
said to be the most powerful knight of the lot. He has killed many of our men without
even breaking a sweat! He must be killed no matter what.‖
―Kekeke, this last battle shall decide who wins. Who said there should be no
reinforcements in this battle?‖
―Kekeke, they did, Your Majesty.‖
―Did we agree, Kekeke?‖
―Yes, Your Majesty—ouch! I mean, no, Your Majesty.‖
―That is good. Kekeke. We shall win this war at all cost. So what of underhanded tactics?
What is pride and honor? As long as we win, no?‖
―No, Your Majesty—ouch! I mean, yes, Your Majesty. Kekeke.‖


King Altair, who commanded the battle, chose a flat open plain where he could deploy
his larger forces. He did not want to be caught in a narrow battlefield where concentrated
mana would easily wipe them out.
The central continent‘s army numbered 80,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry, many of
whom were battle mages and Knights. While the northern continent‘s army numbered
32,000 cavalry, 1,500 archers, and 31,000 infantry.
King Cribal placed himself in the center of his best infantry, as was the tradition among
northern kings.
King Altair had also pushed himself forth, arriving at the battlefield before sunrise,
despite the protestations of his people and his family. They all wanted him to remain in
the castle, but he was adamantly against it. What good was a king if he could not even
protect his subjects on the battlefield?
The central continent‘s army was divided into two, with the right side under the direct
command of King Altair, and the left of Great General Cassius. They were both surprised
that the enemy army numbered less than what they imagined. Was this perhaps a ploy to
be caught off guard? They felt an unease in their hearts, knowing that this last battle must
be won at any cost.
The battle began with King Altair ordering his infantry to march in phalanx formation,
the men lining up in ranks in close order, locking their anti-magic shields together to
form a shield wall that would make front assaults difficult.
King Cribal, without any seeming formation whatsoever, raised his hand and shouted,
―Defeat the enemy!‖ And his army rushed forward in every direction, colliding with the
phalanx at the front, and crushing both flanks of General Cassius‘ and King Altair‘s
army.
Everyone was in an uproar, as this was not what they expected the final battle to be. It
was as if the central continent‘s army was a piece of candy that the enemy army swarmed
over with relish.
Everything was in chaos as multiple spells nullified each other, screams of anguish
pierced the dry air, and the loud clinking and clashing of sword against sword, and armor
upon armor, rang out in the open field.
The war seemed like it would never end.
Corpses upon corpses.

Geysers of blood showering and splattering militant faces.
The effluvium of death reeked all around.
Luce twirled his ice sword in his left hand, freezing enemies as soon as they were about
to touch the tip of his sword. With his fire sword, he melted them on the spot, not taking
even a minute.
―Be careful, son,‖ General Cassius reminded him from the side, as he coated his sword
with mana, slicing an enemy through his thick armor. He took the enemy‘s sword from
his scabbard, and used it pierce another enemy that was about to strike Luce‘s unguarded
back.
―Thanks father,‖ Luce said gratefully.
―A father does what a father does,‖ General Cassius smiled at his son, knocking an
enemy mage‘s front teeth with a mana coated fist.
The battle went on, and at noon, since the enemy army was outnumbered by King
Altair‘s army, their numbers dwindled at a fast rate.
There were also many casualties in King Altair‘s camp, despite the many priests and
priestesses who came with them to heal. At noon, their mana was almost next to nothing,
as they spent the hours healing the wounded without rest. Half of King Altair‘s troops
were defeated, leaving many of the surviving soldiers in a haggard state. Despite the
enemy‘s small number, they were an army to be feared, as they slashed and slashed,
chanting spells with no regard to their depleting mana. They did not seem to care about
their lives, and only cared about defeating the enemy and taking them down with them. It
was simply a suicide.
Luce sat on the ground as the sweat dripped over his face, his hair clumped together with
blood. He gasped for air, feeling his body turn heavy as lead, as a spell that an enemy
Mage had casted upon him slowed his vitality for an uncertain period of time. He had
been hacking at everything in his way, until his vision turned red.
―Damn it,‖ Luce muttered under his breath.
―Are you okay?‖ Zephyr lifted Luce‘s arm and helped him stand up. ―The enemy has
halted their attacks for now and called a temporary truce. I can bring you somewhere to
rest.‖
Luce lifted his lips into a half smile. ―Thanks.‖ He looked into the horizon at the small
remaining forces of the enemy. ―I wonder what they‘re waiting for?‖
Zephyr gave Luce a leather flask for him to drink. ―It‘s water.‖

―Thanks,‖ Luce said as he slowly lifted the flask to his lips with much difficulty.
―You‘re welcome.‖ Zephyr attached the leather flask to the buckle around his waist after
Luce was done drinking.
―Also,‖ Luce said, ―Thanks for looking after my–the princess, Alenaire. I mean–Queen
Alenaire.‖ He stood up on his own, feeling that his body was not as heavy as it previously
felt it had been, yet his head ached as if a thousand nails were being driven into his skull.
―It‘s only natural,‖ Zephyr said, his lips twitching into a mirthful smile. ―She is my wife,
after all.‖
―Right…‖ Luce looked away, pretending to dust off an invisible lint on his armor. ―Still,
I have to thank you. When the war is over, and we can all return to our homes, I hope you
both will live happily.‖
―We will,‖ Zephyr assured him as he fixed his crooked and half charred glasses on his
sooty face. ―I will make her happy in your place.‖
Zephyr looked at Luce intently, as the latter looked back with a bit of surprise registering
in his eyes.
Luce chuckled, shaking his head as he patted Zephyr on the shoulder. He did not have
enough words to counter that statement, as any sort of retort had died in his throat.
Suddenly, the ground began shaking.
A cloud of dust appeared on the plains, accompanied by the sound of thundering horse
hooves.
King Altair‘s men all gaped at the enemy‘s reinforcements that was approximated to be a
staggering 200,000 men, four times more than the remaining force King Altair now had.
Zephyr and Luce both shouted expletives as the men on horseback approached, their
swords raised in the air as they all shouted in victory.
―This was not part of the plan!‖ Alasdair cried out in dismay. ―Father had an agreement
with King Cribal that this last battle would end with no reinforcements on both sides! It‘s
unfair!‖
―Life is unfair,‖ Luce said, remembering the words Alenaire had uttered in the past.
―Prepare your positions!‖ General Cassius shouted over the panicking mass.
As soon as the reinforcements arrived, another bloody stage unfolded. The enemy lines
were now buttressed by the new soldiers who were still full of health and vitality, as they
thundered over to King Altair‘s already exhausted men with reckless abandon.

Zephyr parried a sword that came his way, and he looked over his shoulder quickly to see
how Luce was faring. Luce was fighting seriously, his eyebrows drawn together in
concentration as he called out all his four elements to help him in the battle. This took a
toll on his already weakened body, and depleted his mana rapidly, but he had no choice.
He had to protect his kingdom.
Zephyr saw something glint towards him, and by reflex, he evaded it by leaning his head
to the side, and it whizzed past, striking Luce who had just finished killing off ten men at
once. Because Zephyr‘s body had ensconced the arrow‘s view, Luce did not have enough
time to react at the last minute.
―Agh!‖ A grunt sounded from behind Zephyr, and he turned around to see that Luce had
been struck between the scales where his armor breastplates joined.
―Dammit!‖ Zephyr immediately threw his sword, piercing the archer who had attacked.
He then grabbed a random corpse‘s sword while he quickly made his way to Luce‘s side.
―Dammit!‖ Zephyr saw the arrow had pierced Luce‘s chest, and he was heavily bleeding
from the wound. Zephyr wanted to bandage him up, but upon seeing the many enemies
on horseback coming their way, he had no choice but to place him back down the ground
and face the riders. At the very least, Zephyr thought, he could protect Luce while he
recuperated and recharged his mana, fighting off the flesh wound.
―Dammit!‖ Zephyr bit his lip as he stood up again to face the new enemies that
surrounded them.
―DAMMIT!‖ Zephyr grabbed a long spear on the ground and slashed horizontally at the
enemies on horseback, decapitating five men, blood spurting like a geyser from their
necks, as they did not expect this man to move so swiftly. Zephyr threw the sword in his
other hand, hitting an enemy in the middle of his forehead. But this victory of his was
short-lived, as a hail of arrows immediately descended upon him, piercing him between
the gaps of his armor without remorse.
Luce remained conscious through it all, as the deep pain in his chest kept him awake. He
tapped the ground with his fingers, releasing his mana. Through the back of his eyelids,
the surroundings appeared before him in sepia tone, as he used his earth element to trace
every movement, every fiber of flesh that came in contact with the ground. He saw
Zephyr fall, his eyes lifeless. He saw Alasdair, Alaric and King Altair struggle as the
enemies flocked towards them, intending to kill the King of the kingdom they desired so
much.
He saw his father, as he was struck from behind by an axe much larger than he. Luce‘s
heart almost stopped at this sight, and he felt an unbridled rage flow through his body.
His fingers clutched the earth as he forced himself to calm down, as he could not think
properly through eyes clouded with anger.

He took deep breaths even as the pain in his chest struck him sharply with each
movement.
Lastly, in his mind, in his memories, he saw Alenaire.
The one that he loved and would keep on loving for all eternity.
He had promised her he would protect the kingdom, and he would do so at all costs.
He sat up and pulled the arrow from his chest, a jet of blood surging into the air. He knew
the arrow was coated with poison, and he could already feel it rampaging through his
bloodstream. He did not have much mana left either, as the poison hampered his ability to
refuel his mana.
What was he to do now with the little mana he had left? He did not even have enough
mana to materialize his weapons and keep them for a long period of time. So how was he
going to fight?
Luce cupped the blood that gushed from his wound. If he were to make a weapon out of
his blood, would it suffice? At least the material was there, as blood was like water, and
he only needed little mana to sustain and give it directives. He could also use the earth as
a medium, but he had not enough mana for a large scale effect, and it could also endanger
his comrades in the process. Calling upon the wind was too much for him as well, as the
air was dry and stale, with not even a cool brush against his cheek.
Luce closed his eyes as he pretended to be dead on the ground. He needed to have proper
concentration for the method he chose to do.
His blood seeped out from the wound on his chest slowly, as if the air itself extracted the
liquid from his heart, swirling around until it formed a dark red orb above him. It slowly
dispersed into minute particles, the small particles itself churning at a breakneck speed,
awaiting a signal.
Luce saw the hundred thousand enemy troops behind his eyelids, and he sent each of the
churning blood red particles towards them.
The particles reacted swiftly and smoothly, crossing the air and cleanly puncturing a hole
into their foreheads, spreading poison into their brains. A hundred thousand men fell of
their horses and dropped to the ground all at once, crying out in agony.
A ball of excess blood still hovered above Luce, waiting until it was perfect. Once it had
stopped being fed, it quickly looked around the surroundings, detecting enemies that had
escaped the previous particles‘ path. The ball of blood scattered its tentacles, entering
through open mouths that were stuck in a perpetual scream. None of the enemies were
left alive, as its master had decreed.

With one last and thorough sweep of the enemy camp, the ball of blood rushed back to its
master, and hovered in the air hesitantly until it dropped heavily onto a heart that would
no longer beat.
The sun had not even set, and yet the plains were dyed with a red that could parallel the
sunset.

Chapter Sixty-five
The Queen Alenaire spent the twelve years in her kingdom by making many social,
economic and political reforms throughout the country, as the noble houses meekly
complied to all of her wishes (as they were afraid of the dragons breathing down their
necks), and the council of elders was finally abolished. Another council was erected,
formed by young civilians throughout the country, who passed the requirements and
exam she had painstakingly created for the sole purpose of becoming a government
official that helped the country prosper. The kingdom was finally at peace, with dragons
roaming happily around the capital, becoming tourist attractions from far away villages.
Casualties from the war fronts were sent back to the capital in order to be healed by the
priests, and the Queen Alenaire herself would come to visit the hospice with her son
Callel, healing as many people as they could every day. Callel had awakened his power
of healing a few years back, and since all of the great Knights were in the war, his mother
Alenaire herself, declared that she would teach him everything she knew. As the days
passed, Callel was always by his mother‘s side as he was taught swordsmanship and
everything that he had to do once he became king.
Seiran became a well-known beast master throughout the kingdom, as he was revered by
commoners and feared by the nobles. He became the head of the council, also acting as
the Royal chamberlain. He was efficient in his work, and was oftentimes praised. One
could almost see a tail wagging behind him in glee.
Seiran had also spread throughout the kingdom of the Queen Alenaire being a goddess,
weaving a ludicrous tale about how she was the daughter of the netherworld and also the
niece of the Jade Emperor of Heaven. This goddess helped the poor and wielded a sword
of justice that could cut through dissenters.
In the hearts of the commoners, this Queen who, although was a foreigner to the country,
had fought on behalf of their enrichment, became a true goddess in their hearts. Because
the war did not come through the borders because of the dragons, the kingdom was at
peace, and they were able to till the lands without fear of enemy encroachment. All sorts
of jobs were opened to the public, and as literacy rate improved by the erected schools,
more commoners were able to acquire jobs that the upper echelons of society had only
previous access to.
With the slaves‘ emancipation, they were given a small land of their own from their
previous owners‘ assets as a compensation for maltreatment, and they finally felt like true
human beings, as the iron shackles around their ankles and wrists were finally unlocked.
Alenaire wanted to cry as well upon seeing the slaves cry in the middle of the streets, the
dark imprints of the shackles still on their skin. But they were now free, and it was all that
mattered to them. The kingdom (aside from the nobles) rejoiced, chanting the name of
their Queen who they were willing to blindly follow in worship.

―Do you miss father, mother?‖ Callel asked during dinnertime. He elegantly sliced his
steak into half as he looked on inquiringly at his mother.
―Of course I do,‖ Alenaire said. ―And I miss my family in Alastriona as well. Once the
war is over, I will bring you to them to visit. I want you to meet my silly older brother
Alasdair and my knight Luce when I was the princess.‖
―Luce?‖ Callel tapped the side of his goblet in thought. ―I think I have heard of that name
being mentioned by father before.‖
Alenaire stiffened, her knife stopping in midair just as she was about to slather butter
over her bread. ―Oh?‖
―I was too young to remember what he said, but I do remember the name,‖ Callel replied
innocently, not noticing his mother‘s distress.
Alenaire decided to change the subject. ―Once the war is over, I should find you a
suitable fiancée.‖
―Can I not choose who I want to marry?‖ Callel asked. ―There is this nice girl in the
council who I am attracted to…‖ Callel blushed, blotches of red appearing on his cheeks.
Alenaire did not know what to say. Now that she was actually the Queen, and her words
were law, she could practically say anything and it would be done. Her father had given
her away due to strengthening bonds, and now that the whole central continent was
united through marriage ties, she could not think of any other country to find.
Alenaire smiled at her son. ―I wish for you to have the freedom I could not have.‖
―So your marriage to father was one that was arranged?‖ Callel had actually thought that
they both loved each other, and thus marriage happened, but he had never thought it
would be like this. ―Did you love someone else?‖
Alenaire nodded imperceptibly, afraid that her son would scorn her for her honest reply.
―Yes…‖
―It‘s okay mother.‖ Callel patted her hand across the table, his smile one of childish
naivety. ―There is no cost in loving someone. That is your freedom.‖ Callel gripped her
slender hand in his. ―I will never think less of you merely for the fact you had loved
someone other than father. Love is not something to be looked down upon, after all.‖
Alenaire blinked back the tears in her eyes as she gripped Callel‘s hand in turn. ―Your
heart is so pure, it bothers me.‖
Callel laughed out loud. ―I only have one teacher, and that is you.‖

Alenaire stood up from her chair to embrace Callel around his shoulders. ―I cannot
believe I have raised such a sweet potato. Your mother is so proud of this harvest.‖
Callel laughed again as he patted his mother‘s arms. ―I thank the gods every day for
giving me a mother like you.‖
―If you are being sweet to me because you want something, then forget it,‖ Alenaire
teased, as the tears slipped down the corner of her eyes.
―Mother, your threatening words don‘t mesh well with tears,‖ Callel chuckled as he
patted his mother‘s cheeks dry with a napkin.

In the Queen‘s bedchamber, Alenaire was busy fixing her hair when she heard a tap on
her window. She turned to see it was the carrier pigeon, and so she opened the window
with anticipation. It had been months since the last letter her mother had sent her, and she
wondered if it was a letter telling of the end of the war. She eagerly opened the pouch on
the pigeon‘s chest, and unfolded the letter it contained.
She read the contents.
The paper shook as her hands trembled, yet she continued to scan the words over and
over again, thinking perhaps it was wrong. Thinking perhaps that it could not be. She
read the lines over and over again, still unbelieving.
The pigeon that perched on the windowsill tilted its head to the side, as if it did not want
to witness a human‘s breakdown before its eyes.

Callel was crowned the new king at the age of sixteen, and yet this ceremony was one of
solemnity for the masses. The previous King Zephyr‘s funeral was held before the
coronation ceremony, and he was buried in the crypts under the cathedral. Although the
central continent had won the war, there were too many casualties to even be happy
about. No one had the heart to celebrate.
The people also heard of how the Queen Alenaire, who was now the Queen Dowager,
had been bedridden for months, as her heart and soul seemed to be broken. As she was
indisposed, she transferred the crown to her son who was already of mature age. The
civilians did not mourn as much for the deceased King Zephyr as they did for the Queen
who was still alive. They prayed for her to get better, despite knowing that many healers
all over the kingdom had already tried to heal her, but it was not a flesh wound that was
remediable.

―Master, if there is anything I can do for you, please don‘t hesitate to tell me,‖ Seiran said
as he stood by her bedside. ―Please, eat master. Your son will visit you soon after he
holds court, and he will be upset if he sees that you haven‘t eaten your food again. Leica
has prepared your food to be more palatable.‖
Alenaire slowly sat up on her bed, lifting a thin hand over her face. ―How have I turned
into this?‖
―Master…‖ Seiran‘s voice broke upon seeing her tragic expression. ―It has almost been a
year, please be strong and overcome this.‖
―I have been strong, Seiran.‖ Alenaire covered her eyes, feeling as if the world had turned
grey. There were no more tears to be shed despite the deep sadness that burdened her
chest. ―I have been strong. All these years, I have been selfless. I have left my country,
my home. I took the throne and changed this kingdom for the better, despite the severe
opposition and the sleepless nights. Through it all, I was in a sense, independent. I was
confident. I was confident because I knew they were there. Alive.‖ Her frail hands shook.
―I used to look down on the previous king for neglecting his duties and failing the
kingdom for the mere fact that his wife died, but who is laughing now?‖ She fisted her
hands against her eyes. ―I am the same as him.‖
―Seiran?‖ She looked up at him as her frail hands fell away, revealing dark circles under
her eyes that were prominent on her gaunt face. ―I have never experienced this emotion
before. It is as if I do not know what it means anymore to be happy. Seiran, tell me, what
is this feeling of abject hopelessness I feel?‖
―Master, don‘t let this depression get the best of you.‖ Seiran knelt before the bed, gently
holding her thin hand. If he were to even add a little bit of pressure, he was afraid it
would snap. ―I am here. Your son is here. Everyone is waiting for you to heal yourself.‖
Alenaire twisted her lips into a bitter smile. ―What good are my powers if I cannot even
heal my own heart?‖
―Unfortunately, master, that‘s not part of the job description for healers…‖ Seiran joked,
a corner of his lips lifting up into a smile.
―Can I be selfish just this once?‖ Alenaire‘s voice was a thin thread in the air.
Seiran‘s heart tightened against his chest, as he was afraid of what kind of selfish act she
wanted to commit.
―Allow me to sleep. I‘m feeling tired again…‖ Alenaire closed her eyes and laid back
down against her pillow.

―Master…if you always sleep so much…‖ But Seiran‘s voice was drowned out as soon as
Alenaire drifted off into sleep once again.
Callel came by every day to check up on his mother. Because he was busy with work and
paperwork, he brought his desk to her chambers so he was able to work while overseeing
his mother. Seiran turned into one of his trusted advisers, and would oftentimes stay at
Callel‘s side during court because his master ordered him to. Callel was an intelligent
boy, and because he had always been with his mother during court sessions, he easily
adapted to court life, his political and business acumen at par with his grandfather, the
King Altair.
He had informed his mother‘s family about what happened to her, but the royal family
was busy with war reparations, and could not leave their kingdom for a few years, lest
another attack would unsuspectingly strike while they were absent even just for a day.
They could not take such a high risk, and expose the kingdom to another threat. As much
as they wanted to visit Alenaire, their hearts were tied.
As Callel was writing on his desk beside his mother‘s bed, he looked at his mother‘s
gaunt face, and her sunken eyes. However emaciated she was, in his eyes, she was still
the most beautiful mother that he knew. Callel knew that she was depressed because of
his father‘s and the Knight Luce‘s death, and as the son who could not really remember
his father that well, he wanted his mother to get over his death quickly and smile at him
once again.
Every time his mother took in food, it was a natural reaction for her to vomit out the
contents of her stomach everytime, as she could not hold it down. She tried her hardest to
get through it, but her body itself resisted. It was true that she desired to live past her
sickness, in order to live for her son, but her body betrayed her heart.
Callel dropped the pen in his hand and rested his forehead against his fists.
―What‘s wrong, Your Majesty?‖ Seiran asked worriedly as he stood by Callel‘s chair.
―I just had an epiphany,‖ Callel said, as he abruptly stood up from his chair, walking
briskly to his mother‘s bed.
Seiran looked at him, puzzled.
―Mother, mother,‖ Callel squeezed his mother‘s hands, and her bleary eyes slowly
opened. ―I‘m sorry, I didn‘t realize.‖ He held her hands against his forehead as he
trembled with emotion. ―I don‘t want you to live as an empty shell of a person, mother. I
don‘t want an empty vessel.‖ He inhaled strongly as the tears choked his voice. ―I don‘t
want you to live because you feel guilty of leaving me. I can take care of myself now. I‘m
brave enough. I have found who and what I love. It is time that you search for yours.‖

His tears drenched his mother‘s hands, and she looked back at him with her eyes moist
for the first time in many months.
―If death–‖ Callel bit his lips as a sob escaped his throat, ―–is what makes you happy,
then go. I won‘t tether you. Nothing in this world will tether you anymore.‖ He looked up
at the ceiling as he tried to dry his eyes, but the tears continued to cascade down his
cheeks. ―Just promise me, mother. Promise me one thing so I won‘t regret letting you
go.‖
Alenaire blinked, and hot tears streaked down her face as she turned her head towards her
son. Her voice was hoarse as she said, ―I love you, Callel.‖
Callel gritted his teeth in pain. ―Mother, if there is to be a next life, promise me that you
will live it the way you‘ve always wanted.‖ Alenaire slowly lifted her arm, the movement
lugubrious as she stroked her son‘s soft hair. ―Mother, mother…I love you too…please
be happy…‖
―My love,‖ Alenare placed her hands above her son‘s, as she held on as tightly as her
meager strength would allow, ―Forgive me for being so weak.‖
Callel shook his head fiercely, his hair whipping against his tear-stained cheeks. ―You are
the strongest woman I know, mother. You have taught me so much. You are the best
teacher I‘ve had…‖
―Callel, my love, I am your only teacher,‖ Alenaire replied with amusement, the edge of
her lips lifting to form a small smile. However small it was, it was still the first smile
Callel had seen in months.
―Nonetheless!‖ Callel replied, abashed. He suddenly removed his shoes and curled
against his mother‘s small form on the bed. ―Mommy, let me be a child again this once.‖
Callel, who was many times bigger than his mother ever since she withered away,
covered his mother with his arms as he placed her head on his shoulder.
―Mommy…mommy…I‘ll miss you.‖ As he kept repeating those words, he soon fell into
deep slumber, the tears drying on his face.
Since Alenaire did not have the strength to lift her head anymore, she stared at the canopy
and said Seiran‘s name.
―Master?‖ Seiran walked to the side of her bed and peered at her face.
―Seiran, I don‘t want to burden you anymore, but I have one last request,‖ Alenaire said.
―Anything, master. Tell me anything.‖ Seiran clenched his fists at the side, hoping that
this would not be the last conversation they would have in this world. It was quite selfish
of him to think that he wanted her all to himself, even if it was just one lifetime.

―Please take care of my son,‖ Alenaire said as the tears rolled down the sides of her face.
She turned her head to look at his cerulean eyes, and she mustered a small smile.
―Your wish is my command, master.‖ Seiran bowed low, hiding the empty feeling in his
eyes. If his master were to die now, he would have to live many more years without her.
This was different from her second life, as the time he had lost only summed into a few
weeks. This time, however, it was different. This time, he would lose her for years.
―Thank you, Seiran.‖ Alenaire lifted her hand, and Seiran took it in his as he kneeled by
the bed so he was able to look at her evenly.
―Master, I will do anything for you,‖ Seiran said seriously. He kissed her hands and said,
―In the next life, please keep the windows open for me. I will return to you when I have
finished this lifetime.‖
Although Alenaire herself did not really believe in reincarnation, she still nodded her
head to appease him. After a while, she felt a deep weight on her eyelids, and she could
not help but close her eyes.
―Goodbye, my…Juju…‖ He whispered through tears, holding a hand that was now cold.

Epilogue
―Welcome back, Your Highness,‖ two tall and enigmatic men said as they bowed before
me.
―Hello,‖ I responded slowly, not quite sure where I was. Was this perhaps a dream? I
didn‘t remember ever leaving my bed for months.
―Your Highness, please walk towards the netherworld,‖ one of the men said as he waved
his arm, pointing at something behind me.
I turned around and in the distance, I could make out a black gate which I presumed was
the gate to the netherworld.
The netherworld?!
Did that mean I actually died?! Well, obviously…
I felt a tightness in my heart as I realized I had indeed left my son. Although he had let
me go, he was still someone I loved dearly, and I could not help this feeling of guilt that
welled up in my chest. Seiran, I hope you take care of him well. I‟m counting on you.
I heard one of the men exhale loudly, as if he exhaled his frustrations towards my
motionless form.
―Your Highness, please be on your way. Many people are waiting for you in Heaven, and
we‘re on a tight schedule, you see.‖
One of the men pushed my back, and I begrudgingly started walking towards the gate.
Every step I took was like a key that opened up different locks to memories I did not even
know I had. A tidal wave of emotion slammed against my chest, drowning me to a degree
that I could hardly breathe. There were just too much to register all at once, and when I
stopped walking to grab on to a nearby boulder, all the memories started molding itself
together until it became a natural part of me.
Hence, the first thing I thought of was…
…DAAAAAAAAMN JIN DIED!?

Did that affect his trials? Did I cause his death in a way? Dear Jade Emperor uncle, please
don‘t punish him so severely! You can punish me instead!
I sweated while I blanched, and one of the imps timidly wiped my brow.
―Welcome back, Your Highness,‖ they greeted while kowtowing.
I couldn‘t hear them, as I was too busy pondering over the punishment that would be
bestowed upon Jin. I didn‘t know what kind of trial my uncle or Siming had given him,
but perhaps dying early meant failing the test. But wait, didn‘t Jin die with me during the
second life and passed it? Where was Jin? Was Jin in the soul prison?! I curled up in a
ball, my mind a mess.
―Your Highness,‖ a woman‘s serene voice drifted into my ear. ―Please change into these
clothes.‖
Through the corner of my eyes, I saw imperial maids bringing with them dressing screens
and elaborate red silk cloth.
Red?! Why, that was the color of blood! Was I to die together with Jin in the soul prison?
Wait..there wouldn‘t be any blood if it was a soul in prison…what was I thinking?!
―Her Highness looks quite fidgety doesn‘t she?‖ One of the maids giggled.
―Shhhh…don‘t spoil it!‖
―Hurry, the make up!‖
―Her hair!‖
―We don‘t have much time~‖
―Fufufu~‖
While my head was in chaos, I didn‘t know what the maids were doing to me. It was only
when a thick red veil completely covered my head and my sight, did I realize I had been
blanking out the whole time. I was gently ushered into a palanquin, and was still in deep
thoughts even as the palanquin stopped, and I was helped out and guided by the elbow as
we walked.
―Your Highness, everything will be okay,‖ a woman‘s calm voice soothed my nerves.
―Why do you sound so sure?‖ I asked skeptically.
―Because I can see what you cannot,‖ the woman chuckled.

I wanted to lift the veil off my face, but her grip on my elbow was strong enough to keep
me from doing so. Somehow, I had this strange feeling that people were bullying me
today.
I could sense that there were many people around me, and their previously boisterous
voices had turned into hushed murmurs, as if my presence had deliberately cut off their
ability to speak.
The hand on my elbow tugged at me to stop.
―This is your stop, Your Highness.‖ The woman‘s hand on my elbow disappeared
together with the sound of her footsteps.
I started fidgeting with my hands, unsure of what I had to do. Was my vision blocked
intentionally so I didn‘t know how I was going to die? Were my parents and uncle here
right now? Where was Jin?
I heard a low and deep chuckle come from right in front of me. ―This time, you are
mine.‖
―Jin!?‖ I squeaked. My hands started to tremble, as I recalled what we had been through
in the third life with no memories of each other whatsoever. So Jin was not punished for
failing because he died? What was I doing here then?!
―Congratulations, my little Juju.‖ Another deep voice came from my left.
―Uncle?!‖ I jumped.
Huh? I was thoroughly and utterly confused!
―Your Majesty, I think she is thoroughly and utterly confused,‖ Jin said with a chuckle,
reading my mind as if the words were printed right on my forehead. This was not the first
time I wanted to ask how he was able to do that, and it made my heart flutter in response.
―Then, we shall now commence the ceremony,‖ uncle said.
―What ceremony?‖ I was bewildered. Since this was not a death sentence as I had
previously thought of, could it be…?
Was this…?!
…….?!
―Did I not promise you, Juju?‖ I could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

I suddenly remembered the words he spoke in our third life, and I involuntarily
whispered, ―That in the next life–‖
―–I will marry you,‖ he finished for me.
My heart hammered against my chest. I was glad that I had a veil covering my face, as he
could not see how red I had become.
―D-Did you wait long?‖ I was stammering! My heart was beating so fast that it actually
pained me. Although I had been married in my third life, that was the corporeal life that
was in the past. This time, this marriage was one which would last for all eternity.
―I would wait forever. This is nothing to me,‖ Jin replied, and I could hear a smile in his
voice.
As the Jade Emperor started to open the ceremony with a few words to the audience, I
could hear my parents‘ voices in the background.
―My Juju is getting married! Wuhuhu!‖ I could hear the clogged snot in my father‘s
voice.
―Oh stop crying, dear. Just be glad that our daughter is finally getting married! I thought
she was going to become a spinster all her life!‖
―Wuhuhuhu! No, I oppose this marriage!‖
―Oh shut up, dear.‖ I heard a loud whack, and my father‘s cries miraculously
disappeared.
―…sorry, dear.‖
During the whole ceremony, I was still caught up in my own thoughts. My heart could
not slow down as I recalled everything Jin and I had been through. I recalled him as a
potato, crying over the fact that I had injured myself. He was such a cute potato, and a
part of me wished he stayed like that forever. But then again, I wouldn‘t be able to marry
him as a potato, so I was still quite conflicted. I recalled him as a girl, one who always
had a ready smile on her face. I loved her thoughtfulness and her kindness, and I fell even
deeper than what I had thought was possible.
I finally recalled our last life together. We did not know of each other‘s past, yet still, we
had fallen in love despite fate tearing us apart. I had married Zephyr and also had a son
with him. Although the love I had held for Zephyr was one purely familial, I did not
regret my decisions, and I knew Jin did not hold those against me.

We took quite the long way to get here, but it seemed every trial that we had faced
brought us even closer together. The memories of our struggles could never be erased,
and the friends and family that we had known together throughout our lives made it so
much more worth it. Right now, I was going to live the way my son wanted me to live.
The veil suddenly lifted from my face, and I closed my eyes as the sunlight suddenly
pierced my eyeballs. Once my eyes had adjusted, I realized that I was looking at Jin
through a blurry film of tears. He reached out to wipe away the tears with his thumbs, his
hands gently stroking the sides of my face as he looked at me with such a loving
expression that turned my legs into mush.
―What are you standing in a daze for? You can kiss me now, you know.‖ His smile
turned roguish as his eyes twinkled like the stars.
I laughed and sniffed back my snot. ―What are you saying? You‘re obviously the one
who wants to kiss me the most.‖
A slow smile spread across my face as I countered with those words. I recalled the scene
on the balcony, as he stopped just before his lips met mine. He had probably been
wanting to kiss me for the longest time but was too afraid to do so! This was his chance
(and mine!). Hohoho~
As if my smile was the cue, he abruptly leaned down without any warning whatsoever,
and kissed me.
He kissed me for a very long time.
The End

Bonus:
Side Stories
SS: Jin Lei

When the God of Blacksmithing‘s wife conceived their son, it was a quiet day aside from
an infant‘s piercing cry that split the air. Shang Lei received his son with the utmost care
and love that made his wife, Fang Jung, beam with pride.
Jin Lei was their sheltered son, and because they loved and protected him too much, they
did not allow him to step even one foot away from their house. This made the little boy‘s
curiosity reach to such a degree where he could not help but be bold.
When he was 300 years old, he decided that it was time for him to seek his own life. No
matter how much his parents showered him with toys and gifts, what he really wanted
was his freedom.
One night when the crescent moon rose high up in the sky, he ventured outside of his
small palace with a nap sack full of clothes and his own prized possessions: a jade frog
and one piece of gold which his father had given him on his recent birthday. In this new
life of his, he planned to live freely. If one gold was not enough to get by, he had already
anticipated selling his frog, albeit very reluctantly.
Upon making his way down the mountain where he resided, he came upon plants and
mythical beasts which he had only read about in books. This excited him so, and tried to
catch the beasts that flew away upon seeing his small figure race towards them. A few
hours later, he was exhausted and decided that this outside world was not so friendly after
all. He began regretting his decision, but he had already come so far, how could he give
up now?

He walked again as he reveled in the new sights that spread before his eyes. Although the
night was eerie, his deity eyes perceived the surrounding area as if it was bathed in soft
light. It was a good thing for him as well, for if he had not these eyes, he would have
fallen into countless of mishaps.
As time progressed, his 300 year old body could not sustain the weight of his bag which
became heavier and heavier with each step. He decided to rest for a while when he saw a
kingdom up ahead. He did not know what kingdom this was, but upon seeing the
uniquely structured designs, he surmised it to be the fairy kingdom.
The kingdom was radiantly sparkling in the night, as if the walls were made of jewels.
Despite his evident fatigue, he decided to quicken his pace and enter the wonderful city
which attracted him very much. The place seemed uninhabited, but it was due to the fact
that it was already very late at night, and the fairies always thought highly of their beauty
sleep.
Jin Lei suddenly felt very tired, his short legs already shaking in exhaustion. He pulled
into an empty alleyway and decided to take a nap, using his clothes as bedding. He
thought that if this is what freedom was like, he would rather go back to his loving
parents. But it was already too late to go back.
He woke up the next day to a kick in his stomach. Before even gaining full
consciousness, he made a fetal position in defense.
―Hey! What are you doing here, sleeping like a beggar! You sully our beautiful streets
with your pathetic appearance!‖
Jin Lei focused his eyes on the kid who had his foot on his stomach. The kid was only a
few hundred years older than he, but his mouth was so foul for a fairy.
―Hey! Answer me!‖ The kid pressed his foot down harder, and his posse of arrogant
misfits snickered in derision.
―I think he‘s a runaway!‖ One kid pointed at Jin Lei‘s nap sack which had torn places all
over from the brambles he had passed on the way.
―He probably got kicked out by his family.‖
―Poor thing.‖ The seemingly sympathetic words dripped with sarcasm.
Jin Lei was astonished to find that the first thing he experienced after entering this short-
lived freedom of his, was to meet people like them. He had never been treated this way in
his life, and it piqued his interest due to its novelty.
―Gross! This kid is smiling!‖ The foot disappeared from his stomach as the owner
stepped back in disgust.

―Haha! He‘s poor and also a retard!‖ Laughter emanated within the narrow alley, but Jin
Lei pretended not to notice. While still on his side on the makeshift bed, he covered his
face to block out their sight.
―What‘s he doing? Is he deaf too?‖
One kid picked him up by tugging his arm. Jin Lei only reached to his shoulders, and the
kid looked down at him in smugness.
―I should teach him a lesson, right? I‘m the son of the fairy duke, and to see people like
him spreading filth in our home is just too much, right?‖ He asked without waiting for
approval.
He struck his fist across Jin Lei‘s face, and Jin staggered backwards in shock, blood
dripping from his nose. He spat out blood into his palms, and he stared at them in horror.
How could anyone treat him this way?
The kid was about to place another strike against Jin Lei‘s unmoving figure, until a loud
voice rang out in the distance.
―WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!‖
The kid stopped his fist and turned around in surprise. What he and his friends saw was a
silver haired child whose beauty was unparalleled even in the fairy kingdom. The little
beauty was younger than them by a few centuries, but she exhibited such grace and
authority that made them slack jawed.
―W-Who are you?‖ The leader of the posse asked as soon as he cleared his head.
―Hmph! How impudent! You ask me who I am? Impudent! I‘ll ask YOU who you are
and what you‘re doing to that child!‖ Her silver hair swayed in the air even when no wind
passed.
―Stay away from this, little miss, and we won‘t hurt you.‖
―Yeah, stay away girly or your pretty face won‘t be so pretty anymore.‖ They all
sniggered.
―We‘re just teaching him a lesson.‖ One kid began dialing his nose.
―Disgusting!‖ The little beauty said. ―I‘ll give you one last chance. If you don‘t step away
from him, you won‘t be getting out of your beds tomorrow.‖
Her eyes sent a chill down their spines, but they suppressed it. After all, she barely even
reached their shoulders! Her frail appearance and sinister threats didn‘t match at all, and
they all thought it was merely her pride talking.

―Well we warned you–‖ just before the leader could finish his sentence, he was knocked
against the wall with his nose skewed.
―…what happened?‖ One of the boys said as he could not comprehend what he just saw.
―I think you look better with your nose that way,‖ the little girl said as she saw the limp
figure of the leader plastered against the wall.
―H-How dare you!‖ One boy turned red in anger, but the girl could only sigh helplessly.
In all seriousness, boys were stupid, she thought.
―Why don‘t boys learn their lessons?‖ The girl shook her head earnestly. The boy wanted
to kick her legs while her eyes were turned away, but just as he lifted his foot, he felt
himself being lifted in the air.
―This is the difference in our abilities. Although I am still a child, my innate talent is
much more compared to yours. I don‘t want to gloat, but there is no surprise that I would
be so powerful.‖ The girl giggled as she moved her hand down in an arc.
The boy was suddenly dropped down on the ground, kissing the floor with his face.
―Your Highness!‖ A crowd of imperial guards and lady attendants suddenly appeared at
the mouth of the alley, crying in worry.
The boys looked at the crowd, then at the little girl in shock. Your Highness? Who was
she? …Could she be? They looked at the sky, wanting to be finished off. They would
rather die right now than to realize they had severely insulted one of the most important
people in Heaven.
―What happened here?‖ An imperial guard stepped into the alley, inspecting the
recumbent boys. ―Did they injure you, Your Highness?‖ The boys thought how unfair life
was, for the guard to actually ask that when it was obvious as day that they were the ones
injured!
―How could anyone injure me?‖ She scoffed. ―I don‘t know who their parents are, but
escort them back to their homes. They need to be disciplined.‖
―Understood.‖
The girl had stood in front of Jin Lei in a defensive position, and when the obstacles
disappeared, she turned around to face him with a bright smile. It was as if nothing had
transpired before, and her smile like blooming flowers made his young heart stir.
―Are you okay?‖ She asked as she wiped away the blood that had already caked his nose.
―You obviously don‘t look okay though? I‘m sorry for even asking that.‖ She shook her
head in apology.

―What are you doing here? We‘re of the same age and yet you‘re here all alone!‖ She
was suddenly worried for him, a complete stranger, and his heart turned warmer as the
minutes ticked past.
―I ran away from home,‖ he replied honestly, his head bowed.
―Why? Did your parents not treat you well?‖ She looked at him with concern.
―No, no,‖ he hastily refuted. ―I just wanted to experience freedom, that‘s all.‖
The little girl laughed, her silver hair cascading down her shoulders. Even her laughter
was like the sound of bells, he thought. He suppressed the urge to touch the silvery
strands, and kept his hands by his sides.
―Well I‘m sure you‘ve had enough of this freedom for a day. You should go back to your
home. You‘ll soon realize that in this world, not everyone is as kind as you think.‖
She sounded so mature and worldly that he couldn‘t help but look up to this girl who had
out of the blue, helped him in his time of stupidity. Although his strength could be at par
with the leader, but to have so many boys outnumber him was too much of a feat for him.
How was she so strong?
―Oh, by the way, I‘m Juju.‖ Her childish smile erased his worries, and he suddenly was
glad he had been in this place at this point in time to be able to meet her.
―I‘m Bao Lei,‖ he offered his nickname, so it would seem more intimate.
―Bai Hua!‖ Juju called out to one of her maids.
Bai Hua bowed low to her mistress before speaking. ―Yes, Your Highness?‖
―I‘ll be sending off Bao Lei home, so you can go ahead without me.‖
―But Your Highness! Will you not look through the fairy kingdom? Their King had
personally prepared a banquet for you today!‖ Bai Hua knew the King wanted to curry
favor with the Emperor‘s niece, as it was easy to lure children with delicacies.
―I‘ve had enough. Tell him I don‘t want to anymore. If kids treat other kids this way with
such discrimination, then I don‘t want a part of it! Imagine, if I were not a royal, how
would I end up?‖
Just the thought of Her Highness being battered to the ground made Bai Hua so angry,
she wanted to confront the King herself!
―I understand, Your Highness! I shall personally deliver your words.‖ Bai Hua, together
with the other attendants, bowed courteously and left.

The remaining Imperial guards stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
―Please escort the ladies. I will be fine by myself,‖ Juju said.
The guards knew how capable the young Highness was, and although they did not want
to leave her alone, they could do nothing but abide her will.
―And so, let me take you back to where you belong.‖ She turned around to face Jin Lei,
holding out a small and slightly chubby white hand. He took it without any hesitation,
and they traveled back to the route leading to his house.
―Will you be going to school?‖ Juju asked as they walked leisurely in the forest.
―School? I have heard of it, but I don‘t know if I want to.‖
―I‘ll be going when I‘m 500 years old, so you have to be there as well.‖ School was
compulsory for children aged 500 to 10,000 years.
―Is that so? I will have to go then.‖
A kid‘s heart was easily swayed.
When they arrived at the little palace on top of the mountain, Jin Lei realized how foolish
his rebellion was. He had forgotten his parents were not at home, and had been on
vacation in another remote area and would be returning only the day after tomorrow. He
was relieved that he did not worry them, but also disappointed because he couldn‘t let
them know how much he wanted his freedom.
―I don‘t think good parents would prevent their children from getting a good education.‖
Juju stopped at the gates, letting go of his hand. He suddenly felt very lonely.
―My parents are good people. They spoil me a lot,‖ Jin Lei confessed.
―Me too!‖ Juju beamed. ―They spoil me rotten! That‘s why I can beat up people
whenever I want!‖
―Was that something to be so proud of?‖ Jin Lei thought grimly, though he held no ill-
will towards her.
―In 200 years, we‘ll see each other again soon!‖ Juju patted his shoulder as she smiled
warmly.
Jin Lei nodded hard. 200 years was nothing to an immortal. He was going to wait just to
see her again.

U
200 years passed. Jin Lei and Juju were not placed in the same class, and could hardly
interact with each other. It was very fortunate that although Juju had a bad habit of
forgetting people‘s names and faces in the long run, she could still remember the pretty
little boy she had helped in the fairy kingdom. How could she forget? When after that
event transpired, the fairy King was so ashamed, the boys were actually sent to her palace
to be personally trained by her! And these boys willingly complied to her every whim,
becoming more like slaves than students.
Jin Lei and Juju did not have much interaction with each other in school, however, as she
was also constantly surrounded by people who adored her. She was the hero of justice,
and the bullies that existed in school were met with her fist of retribution. Her fame was
so high, it was difficult to reach her.
Jin felt that no matter what he would do, he could not even reach her feet. He felt more
desolate as time passed, and even as they graduated from school at 10,000 years old, he
did not have many situations wherein he could converse with her properly. In those years,
they had merely smiled as they passed by each other in the hallways or had short chats
about something mundane whenever a situation presented itself. In all these times, she
had a group of people following her, so it was hard to talk about something privy only to
themselves.
It was during the graduation ball that Jin made a social blunder that he would regret all
his life.
Juju was wearing a black gown that seemed like the night sky had been embedded into it.
Her bountiful chest was accentuated as well as the curves of her hips. Her waist was tiny,
giving her an hourglass figure that many envied in their adolescence. Together with her
silver hair that shined, it was as if she was born from the stars and moon. When she
walked into the room, everyone could only stare in amazement.
Juju‘s face reddened in embarrassment, and she took an empty seat that was closest to
her, which incidentally was beside Jin.
―Bao Lei,‖ Juju greeted him with a little nod. Jin felt his heart beat doggedly against his
chest.
―Juju.‖ He found out his mouth was suddenly dry.
The surrounding male students kept staring at Juju and her perky chest, that it suddenly
triggered Jin Lei‘s anger and jealousy.
―You shouldn‘t wear something like that,‖ he chastised. How could he let her wear
something that left nothing to the imagination? You just had to imagine it in skin tone,
and…he quickly suppressed his lewd thoughts.
―You don‘t like it?‖ Juju bit her lower lip in sadness. ―Mother had this made for me,
though uncle and my father were adamantly against it. They said I should wear a potato
sack to the ball!‖ Her laughter rang in the air. ―Can you believe it? A potato sack? They
actually believe I‘ll still look good in it!‖ Jin honestly thought she was beautiful no
matter what she wore.
―It‘s not that I don‘t like it…‖ He liked it too much, but he didn‘t like other people to like
it as much as he did. ―Your face is just…‖ Too beautiful, like your heart, he thought.
Suddenly, the fairy lackeys started entering his vision as they wanted to ask Juju for a
dance. Why now! How could they interrupt this moment for him? He hardly ever got a
chance to actually talk to her by himself.
In a race against time, for lack of a better word to describe her face, he accidentally
blurted out, ―Ugly!‖, the antonym of the word that had been at the tip of his tongue.
It was precisely that moment in time where everyone had chosen to be quiet so they could
overhear the handsome fairy males ask the silver haired beauty for a dance. It was also
coincidentally at the same moment where they overheard Bao Lei say that she was ugly.
Everyone froze.
Juju stood up abruptly, knocking her chair back in full force. ―How could you?‖ She
looked at him with tears in her eyes. ―You didn‘t have to say such thing in public! I know
I‘m not the prettiest, but you didn‘t have to say it that way!‖
The audience was dumbfounded. If she was not pretty, than what were they? Manure?
After graduation, the students all found out that Juju wore a veil everytime she went out
of her palace. In time, many people had forgotten how beautiful she was, and her heroic
deeds were left in the ravages of time. The people who had followed her in school, soon
had their own lives to deal with after graduation. Even the fairy men who became her
lackeys returned to their kingdom as they soon took over managing the family territory.
Many years in the future, they would remember Juju as someone they had befriended.
They could not, for the life of them, remember how she looked. Only that she was
brilliant as the sun and as dazzling as the moon. These impressions lasted, but the truth
was also that she was way out of their league. Only a handful of people remained by her
side as years passed, for the others were still in awe by her position in Heaven and could
only think of themselves as lowly people who did not have any right to be with her.
Thus, it came to no surprise that no marriage proposals came. The Jade Emperor and
Yanwang also made sure that proposals would not arrive until she reached 150,000 years
old, but those preparations were unnecessary.

It was easy to forget the specifics when you lived for many thousands of years, but the
only person who did remember every single detail was none other than Jin Lei himself.
He was seven parts regretful and three parts relieved by what he had told Juju that night
during the graduation ball. He regretted making her cry, but after seeing that she wore a
veil over her head in the many years that followed, it was considered something of a
benefit for him. At least no one would see her beauty progress as time passed. At least no
one else but him remembered her heart.
It was then he came to a decision. In order to be worthy of her, he needed to become

strong. He needed to become someone who achieved many things for this Heaven that
was her home. He kept himself in isolation, cultivating into peak form. When he turned
20,000 years old, he became the youngest Heavenly general. When he was 30,000 years
old, he had defeated the Demon army with only 1,000 soldiers.

The Jade Emperor thus gave him the title of God of War. But Jin Lei did not stop there,
and continued to reap amazing feats that made him a hero in the hearts of little children.
He became a household figure, and no one in Heaven and in the netherworld did not
know or hear about him. He was a legend.
Jin Lei strolled along the famed orchard where plum blossoms were in abundance.
Although he was already 50,000 years old, and had gathered many achievements to his
name, he still thought it was not enough to be worthy of her. He wanted to ask for her
hand in marriage, but wanted to be in a more prominent position where even the Jade
Emperor himself could not refuse the proposal.
As he contemplated on the next stage, he suddenly saw a familiar head of silver hair flash
in the corner of his eyes. She was so deeply engraved in his heart that he knew it was her
without any second thoughts. He had not seen her in 40,000 years, and now that he
unexpectedly reunited with her, he could not hear anything else but the sound of his own
heart beating wildly against his chest.
But why was she hiding behind a tree? He could see the hem of her dress peeking out
from behind a root. Was she still angry by what he had said but did not mean? He had
abruptly apologized to her afterwards, but it was understandable that she would still hold
a bit of resentment. After all, what lady would want to be called ugly in front of a crowd?
He sighed, then walked away, his heart heavier with each step. Perhaps he would give her
more time, and then he would apologize to her again. But first, he had to do something
important. He had to prepare himself. He had to undergo his trials.
20,000 years later Jin Lei descended to the netherworld. This was his last task to attain
higher immortality, and no matter what trial he would face in the mortal realm, he could
not fail. As he was waiting in line for the soup of oblivion, he felt someone was staring at
him with such unnerving force.
At the corner of his eyes, he saw a head of silver hair flash above a boulder. His heart
raced. What was she doing? Was she sending him off to his trials? He didn‘t think he
would be so fortunate, but Juju had not left her hiding spot even as he began to drink the
soup.
He smiled gently as he thought of how seeing her before his trials gave him a spurt of
strength. He would never allow himself to fail now.
He thanked Old Meng, and crossed the bridge of reincarnation. After all of this was said
and done, he would make her his bride.

SS: Siming
My best friend was Her Royal Highness, Juju.
How did we become friends despite being polar opposites?
One could only guess.
I had a bad habit of staring into space as various would-be scenarios floated into my head
like a dream. My mother, who was also named Siming, was the previous God of Fate and
had passed on her daydreaming ways. Perhaps this was what being the God of Fate
entailed.
I always had a notebook tucked beneath my arm as I scribbled whatever scenes I could
think of in my head. When I was in deity school, I would rather study my own fates than
learn the geography of Heaven.
There was a certain classmate of mine who was like the sun. She smiled so often, I
wondered why it did not seem like an effort for her as much as it was an effort for me. I
didn‘t like the brightness she exuded, and I was sadistic enough to want to tear off her
face and peek at what was underneath. No one was this beautiful.
―Siming!‖ She happily came to me one day with her fairy lackeys trailing behind her. I
didn‘t even give them a sideways glance.
―Siming! Jing told me you love to write stories. Can I read them, please?‖ She asked, her
eyes lighting up.
―No,‖ I replied succinctly.
―How dare you reject Her Highness‘ good intentions!‖
―Take out your notebook immediately!‖
―Relax, guys!‖ She placated her fairies with a panicked voice. ―She has a choice not to,
it‘s not her fault.‖
I sneered. Well how about if I give Her Highness the most morbid story I had? Perhaps it
would make her stop coming to me.
I tore off a few pages of my notebook and handed it to her. ―Here, it‘s a classic.‖ My
voice dripped with sarcasm.

She was surprised as she took the pages from me, then smiled brightly. Ah, it was too
blinding. I did not want to see the sun.
I did not have much friends in deity school. Perhaps the only one I could rely on was
Chan, who I had known since infancy. He and I were like two peas in a pod, and we
valued each other‘s saturnine disposition.
―Hey, look. It‘s that boy again,‖ Chan said as he munched on an apple in the back
gardens of the school.
I looked to where he pointed and saw a boy standing by the roses, gazing deeply at the
figure of Her Highness in the distance.
―What is this, some sort of drama?‖ I scoffed, grabbing Chan‘s wrist to bite on the same
apple.
―Hey, get your own!‖ Chan tried to pull his hand away as he turned red in the face.
―Don‘t be so stingy,‖ I said with a mouthful of apples.
I glanced at the boy who stood desolately in the corner. ―Isn‘t that guy in your class? Do
you know him?‖
―I don‘t really know him. He‘s usually very reticent, and likes staring into space.‖ He
gave me a sidelong glance. ―Like you.‖
I kicked him in the legs.
―Ow!‖ Chan rubbed the phantom pain in his legs. ―I forgot his name, though. It sounded
like Jek or Jil or Jon…‖
―Jin?‖ I guessed. None of his suggested names sounded even remotely plausible.
―Yeah!‖ His face lit up. ―Jin.‖
I looked at the aforementioned person. He was still standing by the rose bushes despite
how Her Highness had long been gone.
―That‘s the look of love right there,‖ Chan sighed.
―Disgusting.‖
―I know.‖
―What a stalker,‖ I could not help but say. These kinds of men were repulsive. If they
wanted the girl, then they should have a backbone!

―I can‘t believe there‘s someone else who‘s more of a weirdo than you are.‖ Chan looked
at me smugly.
I kicked him in the shins.
―Stop being so violent! No one will ever like you,‖ Chan said as he rubbed away the foot
prints I had placed on his pants.
―But you like me,‖ I said nonchalantly.
―It‘s a tragedy.‖
Chan immediately ran away from my raging fists.
U
One day while I was sitting at my desk, I heard someone start sobbing.
―It‘s sooooo sad!‖ Her Highness was weeping as she pulled a chair to sit beside me.
―Is there something wrong with your head?‖ I asked her cautiously.
―It‘s the story you wrote!‖ She wailed. ―It‘s so sad!‖
All the grisly details I had written was actually sad enough to cause her to cry? There was
definitely something wrong with her head.
―Right guys?‖ Her Highness turned around to meet her fairy boys, and they all nodded
their heads with certainty. They looked like they had practiced their expressions for a
long time.
―Do you have any more?‖ She looked delighted as she clasped her hands together.
I actually was not expecting this. I had never shown anyone my stories before, as it felt
like someone was actually reading a part of my soul. It was something that was
unfamiliar to me, but I could not seem to say no to this person in front of me who seemed
to like it very much.
As the days passed and she eagerly awaited for new stories, I had become quite fond of
her. Despite all the pain, the angst, the ghastly descriptions of mayhem in my works, she
loved to read it all. And slowly, in time, as my works represented my soul, it seemed she
loved me the way I was. Me, the dull and shoddy person that I was, actually had a girl
friend for the first time.
I could not unsee the brightness, and I had no choice but to step into the light.

I was an awkward person. I did not know how to gracefully show my feelings without
inserting a vulgar word or manner. All I knew how to do was bully.
I loved to bully her as a conduit for my own affections.
―You know, I never had close girl friends before,‖ Juju said one day while I was writing
the fates in my rooms. It had been thousands of years since we graduated from deity
school, and my mother abdicated from her position, forcing me to take over.
―So what am I? A guy?‖ I rolled my eyes at her.
―What I meant was,‖ Juju started blushing, ―You‘re the best girl friend I could ever
have.‖
―Is that supposed to flatter me? I‘m your only girl friend.‖ Although my words were
cutting, I felt warm inside. I did not want to admit it, but Juju was the sweetest person I
knew.
Juju had done many things for me, but they were in a sense, invisible. She did not know
many things she did had softened my heart nor did she know that her smile I had once
derided made my heart smile in turn. She was the first one who saw my soul and
appreciated it.
While I was walking around Heaven, trying to look for inspiration, I met a familiar
person at a forked river in the middle of the Enchanted Forest. He was in a lotus position
by the bank of the river, and I could see he was busy meditating.
I sat beside him out of curiosity.
I continued to stare at him as the hours passed until he finally opened his eyes.
―Hey, Jin.‖ I waved at him.
―Hello Siming,‖ he replied. Of course he knew who I was. He watched Juju like a hawk,
and ever since Juju and I had become friends, we were always seen together.
―You did something pretty embarrassing during the graduation ball, huh,‖ I said with a
snigger.
―Please don‘t remind me.‖ He blushed then looked away.
―You know, if you like Juju so much, do you want to hear my advice?‖ I asked.
I knew Jin was a good person, and although he had been a creepy stalker back in school,
his feelings were true. But that would have to be tested. I did not want to hand over my
friend to a half-hearted person.

―Please.‖ He looked at me with all seriousness, that I wanted to mock him.
―Cultivate to become a great celestial. Reap achievements for Heaven, and the Jade
Emperor will recognize you. Juju‘s hand in marriage is no easy task to obtain.‖
―I know that very well.‖ Jin nodded solemnly. I saw the determination in his eyes as he
fisted his hands in his lap. ―Thank you very much! I will heed your advice.‖
―You don‘t have to thank me,‖ I said as I stood up, stretching. I started to prepare to
leave. ―Good luck with that.‖ My imagination, as always, started running wild and I had
come up with an idea. ―Oh, perhaps if you became the God of War, things would be
easier for you.‖
―God of War?‖ He asked.
―Yup, no one has gotten that position before, cause most of Heaven‘s celestials are a
bunch of sissies.‖ I shrugged. ―But you‘re welcome to try.‖
―I will.‖
U
Many thousands of years had passed since the beginning of my friendship with Juju, and
I wondered when she would ever get to marry someone she loved. I wondered if she
would fall for the God of War who seemed to have fallen for her greatly, but it seemed as
though Jin had not made his advances yet. What was he waiting for?
One day, Juju came barging into my palace once again during one of my busy days.
―I‘m here~‖ She announced.
―I know, I know,‖ I said, slightly annoyed. ―Can you just shut up for a moment? Give me
peace for maybe…5 hours. This damned brat in the mortal realm keeps on changing the
fate I made for him! Damned brat, this was for his own good…‖ maybe I should kill him
off instead, this damned brat.
―Hey, do you know a guy with long black hair?‖ She asked dreamily as she stared in
fixation at the ceiling.
―Your father?‖ I quipped.
She looked like she was about to cough up blood.
―Let me continue. Beautiful brows, beautiful eyes, beautiful lips…‖
What disgusting descriptions.

She quickly fanned herself with a nearby parchment.
―Hey, hey! Don‘t touch that! That‘s the paper I use to wipe my butt with,‖ I said with
haste. That parchment actually contained a love letter from Chan, and I did not want her
to read it.
She threw it away instantaneously, not bothering to read its contents. I was relieved.
―You have such expensive and brutal toilet paper…‖ She said faintly.
―Go on. Tell me about this deity.‖ Jin Lei would be devastated if he knew she loved
another.
―He has some sort of sword at his waist which appeared magical. The hilt was shaped
like a coiling dragon, and he exuded such a divine presence, he couldn‘t be some
ordinary deity!‖
This girl! Did she really not know?! Was she living under a rock in the netherworld all
this time?
―Because he‘s Jin Lei, the God of War,‖ I said, helplessly.
―Pardon?‖
―He‘s the God of War.‖ I looked at her with a smirk. Did they finally meet? How did Jin
Lei make her fall in love with him?
―I see, I see,‖ she muttered. ―God of War, huh. Interesting. I‘ll make him submit to me!
He might know battlefield tactics, but does he know love tactics, ah!‖
―…‖ this girl was actually idiotic.
U
It took me a long time to figure out that Juju did not realize Jin was someone she knew
from deity school.
I personally pitied Jin, and thought of making the fate of his trials in the mortal realm for
him. I decided the trials should be love trials. It was for the best if Juju and Jin would get
to know each other more through these three lifetimes. I didn‘t want Juju to merely fall
for Jin because of his looks, after all. Jin was already too pitiful.
I picked up my quill and started writing.

I did not want to completely be involved in Jin‘s love trials, so I simply placed a header
for all of his three lifetimes : To Love Who He Cannot Have. The degree of difficulty
increased by the third lifetime, and I inserted a few scenes to test not only Jin‘s, but
Juju‘s resolve as well.
Perhaps I was feeling a bit sadistic, but this was the only way to tell if Jin had enough
patience and determination to complete this test. Jin had to be worthy of my dearest
friend, after all.
Because I wanted to push Jin and Juju together, I did so discreetly with the aid of Juju‘s
mother.
When I told Juju‘s mother of what I had planned, she looked very happy. ―Finally! I can
finally be at peace knowing that my daughter will be wed!‖ I told her that when Juju
would come over to the Jade Palace for tea, she would start talking about Jin taking on
his trials, thus, prompting Juju to follow him.
After Juju left for the mortal realm, I discussed my plans with the Jade Emperor who
willingly complied (as he had already given his approval to his niece), though I could still
see a hint of reluctancy in his words. Perhaps he feared his niece fell in love with the
wrong guy who could not take care of her. But that remained to be seen.
I didn‘t know for certain if a satisfactory result would happen, though. It depended on
their own emotional development in the mortal realm, and if their reactions to certain
situations were morally acceptable. I just hoped Juju wouldn‘t do something idiotic such
as mass produce high ranking practitioners. She could be quite an idiotic muscle head. I
made a mental note to lie to her inconspicuously if ever she wanted to know the details of
Jin‘s trials that she shouldn‘t know about yet.
―Well, you are a very kind person, aren‘t you, Siming.‖ Juju‘s mother smiled at me
affectionately. ―You‘re doing so much for that idiotic daughter of mine.‖ I was glad we
shared the same sentiments.
―Not at all.‖ I shook my head. ―I just wanted her to stop bothering me in my palace.
Having something to divert her attentions is ideal.‖ I did not want to admit that I would
sorely miss that silver haired girl‘s incessant ramblings.
―Oh?‖ She smiled at me with a knowing look. ―You aren‘t very honest with yourself,
mmm, Siming?‖ She laughed, hiding her mouth behind an embroidered fan.
―I try my best.‖ I could not help but smile.

SS: Seiran

Seiran sat under the huge plum blossom tree, gathering his thoughts together and
strengthening his heart for what he was going to face. The wind blew past, tousling his
hair, and he caught the falling pink petals in his palm while he involuntarily recalled his
past.
U
When he was 3,000 years old, a baby in terms of dragon years, his eccentric parents
kicked him out of their home, saying, ―Go and see the world.‖
―But mother, where will I go in Heaven? What else is beyond this mountain?‖ Seiran
nudged himself against his mother‘s scales, but even this cutesy act could not change her
mind.
―What else is beyond the mountain?‖ His mother said as she poked her husband‘s side
with a claw. ―Husband, he‘s asking what‘s beyond the mountain.‖
―Beats me,‖ her husband replied, his whiskers trembling as he laughed. ―That‘s why I
want him to see what we cannot see.‖
―But you can just leave the mountain with me,‖ Seiran insisted.
―Huh? No,‖ his father scoffed. ―Your mother and I are having our 888,888 year
anniversary! Your ten older siblings have a family of their own, and your mother and I
want to try for another—ouch!‖
―Shut up, husband!‖ His wife hissed, her claw digging in between his scales. ―You‘re not
supposed to tell him the secret details! You‘re such a bad influence on our kids, I don‘t
even know why I married you!‖
―Because I have beautiful glistening white scales?‖ Her husband wrapped his tail around
his wife‘s. ―And my teeth are sharp? My jaw is chiseled? My horns are the color of your
eyes, my eyes mirror your soul, and my whiskers are captivating?‖
The wife rolled her eyes at him, and patted her son on the back. ―See here, son? I want
you to develop your own kind of personality, without your father‘s roguish influence. As
much as I also want to have the house to ourselves when you‘re gone–ah‖, she turned her
son around to face the door of their cave. ―I mean, we want you to explore the world.
Perhaps you want to become someone‘s soul beast? She can finally give you a name.
Your father and I don‘t really care about names, but wouldn‘t you want your own
identity? Oh, and you can also marry your master if you want. Your father and I don‘t
mind interracial marriages, you know.‖
His father nodded his head earnestly. ―That‘s right, that‘s right. Despite being sacred
beasts, we‘re not that narrow minded you know. You‘re free to love whoever you want,
even if that person is of the same gender.‖
―That‘s difficult, husband,‖ his wife turned to him. ―I want more grandkids.‖
Her husband sidled up to her, and licked her neck. ―Once we make more children, more
grandkids will come naturally.‖
―Fufufufu~ oh stop it, you.‖
―Fufufu~‖
―Fufufu~‖
―Ah…mother, father, I‘m going to leave now…‖ Seiran said dejectedly as he stood at the
door.
―Goodbye son~ Fufufu~‖
―Search for that one person who will steal your heart away as much as your mother has
stolen mine! After that, come back when you have won your bride!‖
―Fufufu~ you have such a way with words, husband. Let me hear your sexy roar~‖
―Meow~‖
Seiran left the Sacred Dragon Moutain immediately when his parents‘ shadows started
merging into one.
U
For 2,000 years, Seiran walked about Heaven with his new friend, Sying. She was a
white fox, a heavenly beast such as he, so he was able to communicate with her without
any problems. He had met her upon one of his walks, and since she was much older than
he, and did not have kids of her own, she took him under his wing and treated him as her
own son, despite their different races. Because Seiran did not want to look too out of
place with her, he used his powers to shape-shift into a baby fox, one that looked like a
smaller version of her. This was one of the innate skills a dragon had, which required
little energy expenditures.
Sying was truly different from his own mother, and although his mother was also a nice
person, Sying acted with more affection and love, making Seiran feel like this was what
true familial bonds were like.
Which was why, when the tragedy befell Sying, Seiran thought his heart would never
mend.

The deity who killed her was one who recently cultivated to become a celestial, and one
month in Heaven, he had found her, tracked her, and tried to coerce her into becoming his
soul beast. Naturally, she did not comply, as being tethered to a deity was not the road
she wanted to take. Although Sying had not reached the 8th stage of Nascent realm yet
despite her advanced age, she was still a beautiful white wolf who the deity wanted for
aesthetic purposes.
When she was confronted for the umpteenth time by the deity, the deity suddenly turned
his eyes to the little baby fox behind her, seeing him for the first time.
―What is that? I sense something divine in your child,‖ his eyes narrowed as he felt the
essence of a sacred beast.
―You can be my soul beast instead,‖ the deity said as he stepped closer towards Seiran.
However, Sying did not want any of that either. Seiran was her child, and she did not
want him to be in the clutches of this man. Even if she were to die, she would never hand
her son to him. She bared her teeth and growled.
―Hmph, you think you are a match for a deity such as myself?‖ The deity fleered. Once
the deity took another step closer to Seiran, with Seiran himself prepared to attack despite
his meager baby strength, Sying leapt over and caught the deity‘s arm between her fangs.
―Foolish wolf!‖ The deity was outraged, as he had just purchased his new embroidered
silk robe yesterday from the Fairy Kingdom, and he was sure his sleeve was now
punctured by the wolf‘s fangs. Without thinking of the consequences, he raised his index
finger and zapped her chest with lightening, shattering her soul into pieces.
Seiran was rendered immobile. He was too stunned to move, as he saw the dead corpse of
Sying in the snow, red blood accenting her white fur.
―Damn it!‖ The deity realized what he had done. Killing any person or any beast in
Heaven was considered taboo, and he didn‘t know what sort of punishment he would face
once this was known. He didn‘t know what to do, so instead, he fled from the scene of
the crime, rushing to find a covert to conceal himself within, hoping this would help even
a tiny bit.
Seiran pawed at Sying‘s corpse as he whimpered. He wanted to hit himself for not being
able to save her. Even if it happened less than a second and he did not have time to
retaliate, he still thought that it was due to his incompetence and his measly power.
Because he was still a baby dragon, his cultivating powers were quite slow. Because he
also did not have a proper teacher to guide him, cultivating for him was a chore. Now that
he realized how useful gaining powers and saving the ones you loved really was, he
regretted not putting the effort to do so.

While he was crying and pawing at her corpse, he felt a presence hovering above them.
He looked up and saw a girl with flowing silver hair, riding on her golden leaf. When she
descended and came closer, he bared his fangs and growled viciously. If she was here to
take Sying‘s corpse away, or perhaps kill him as well so that there would be no witnesses
to the deity‘s killing, then he was prepared to attack her.
―Calm down. I‘m not going to hurt you. I think it‘s best to bury your mother. Don‘t you
want her to have a proper grave?‖
Seiran retracted its teeth, and whimpered. Could she be able to bury Sying for him? His
broken heart started to be filled with hope.
―Alright, then.‖ The girl smiled at him happily as she clapped her hands in preparation
for her magic. She melted the snow and dug into the ground. Seiran trailed behind her
and peeped into the hole she had created. He nodded his head slowly in appreciation. She
lifted the carcass in the air and paced it in the hole gently.
―There needs to be some sort of marker here. We‘ll need to pay respects in the future, so
the bigger marker, the better it would be for us. I actually have a branch here of my
favorite plum blossom tree. Do you mind if I use it on your mother‘s grave? Once it
grows, it will become extremely beautiful. I‘m sure she would like to be remembered that
way.‖
Seiran was shocked. How did she know that Sying loved plum blossoms? Sying would be
happy to become one with such a beautiful tree.
While the girl petted Seiran‘s head, he thought of a plan. Perhaps this person could take
him in, and in that way, he could learn from her. He didn‘t know who she was, but she
was obviously a deity in Heaven. He wanted to be stronger. Stronger, so that next time,
he would be able to protect the people whom he loved. Next time, he was not going to
stand idly by while he looked on at their deaths. Next time, he was going to love with a
full heart. He bared his teeth and bit her arm.
―What the—!!‖
He performed the ritual of becoming someone‘s soul beast, his and her soul merging into
one, easily delivering emotions through an invisible communication channel which only
they could hear.
―You didn‘t even ask my permission!‖ The girl squeaked.

He looked at her pitifully, as he scratched his ears and whined. This was always the best
ploy to take, as he knew many deities could not go against the cuteness. He had gone
around Heaven with Sying after all, and many of the young and even the old deities could
not stop themselves from petting him and stroking his fur, their eyes twin hearts.
While riding back on the girl‘s golden leaf, it was then Seiran decided that he should
show his master his original form. He had entirely forgotten to change back into his
original form, and it would be bad to lie to her, after all. The girl almost threw him into
the air, but Seiran looked at her pleadingly. He didn‘t mean to lie to her, honest.
The girl still couldn‘t win against the cuteness, and she sighed as she wrapped his arms
around him.
Seiran could feel his broken heart starting to mend bit by bit as he snuggled closer into
her embrace. He was very grateful to this girl whom he decided to be his master. If she
did not happen to come by at that time, perhaps he was actually willing to follow Sying in
death. This girl had more or less, saved his life.
U
Seiran trained hard in the Jade Palace grounds. He trained hard for this new master of his,
cultivating even beyond the Xian Profound realm. He did not stop even when he was able
to take on human form, as he wanted to achieve higher power. Even as thousands of years
passed, he could still vividly recall Sying‘s death in his mind. Every week, he would pay
his respects to the blooming plum blossom tree, talking to Sying as if she were still alive.
Dying in Heaven meant a different thing entirely, as if one‘s soul was destroyed, one
would never be able to come back. He was envious of the mortal realm, as they could
reincarnate. Heaven was the last stop in the journey of souls, and dying would obliterate
you from existence.
Hence, he would try his best in this new life.
Seiran had just finished sparring with his beast trainer, and he sat at the side of his
courtyard in his human form, wiping the sweat on his brow.
―Seiran!‖ His master called out as she dashed towards him. She had just come from
school, and there was a load of homework in her arms. The hairs on his arms started
rising, as he knew what would commence.
―Seiran!‖ His master dropped her homework on the wooden seat beside him. ―Seiran!‖
―What do you want, master,‖ his tone was wary as he looked at the pile of homework,
then at her face.

―Help me with my homework pleaaaasee~‖ she gripped his hands in hers, as she looked
at him with a sorrowful expression.
―Master…I did not become your soul beast for 4,000 years in order to do your homework
for you,‖ Seiran said exasperatedly.
―But you can remember anything you‘ve read once! You can easily answer these
questions just by poking your brain for less than a second,‖ his master gripped his hands
tighter, her eyes glowing.
Seiran sighed heavily and grabbed a booklet.
―Yay!‖ His master hugged him around the neck, and Seiran could not suppress the blush
that crept up his face.
―M-Master is so indecent,‖ Seiran choked out.
―Call me master Juju!‖ She declared as she walked to the courtyard house and sat on the
side wood. ―I‘m sleepy. School is draining. Good night.‖ She laid her head against the
wooden floors and promptly fell asleep.
Seiran was dumbfounded as he clutched one of her homework booklets. His master was
very odd yet interesting at the same time. He did not quite know how to feel about her,
but he was glad that she was his master. He would not pick anyone else but her.
He went over to her side, and picked her up in his arms. It was no good if his master was
just laying at the side of the house looking like a vagrant. He brought her inside a vacant
room and closed the door. He looked at her face and for the first time, he felt a sudden
pang in his heart. Was his master this adorable? He pushed back the thoughts in his head
with full force. Now he was the indecent one.
He gently laid her on a pallet and placed a blanket over her sleeping form. He sat beside
her and continued to stare at her face.
Why was her face making his heart beat like so? He wanted to know. He covered her face
with his hand, thinking that perhaps this would stop his heart from its hurried
palpitations.
It did not.
So it wasn‘t the face after all? Juju was considered a beauty in human form, but for a
beast like himself, he looked at aesthetics with a mere cursory glance. Physical beauty did
not mean much to him, though he initially had thought that his master‘s face was the
leading cause of his heartburn.

Seiran wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. What was this feeling that hurt his chest?
This was different from the time when Sying died. This was more of a warmth that
surged from his heart, filling every vein in his body with joy. However, it also made his
heart ache with reasons unknown. It was a paradox of feelings he could not even fathom.
Seiran stared intently at Juju‘s face. Perhaps this ache in his chest would disappear if he
were to stay like this for a while.
But why did he suddenly want to kiss her?
Seiran wanted to bang his head against the floorboards.
He grabbed a random white towel from the closet and placed it over her face, in order to
cover her image from his eyes.
…mmm, somehow, his master now looked like the deceased.
U
Seiran was suddenly met with a colossal problem.
His master, whom he thought was going to be a spinster forever, suddenly fell in love at
the old age of 50,000 years!
―Seiran, I‘m in love~‖
He wanted to smack the dreamy expression off of her face.
―With whom?‖ He wanted to know.
―I don‘t know~‖
Seiran wanted to shake his master and bring her back to reality.
―Master…‖ Seiran looked at her helplessly.
―He‘s sooo amazing~‖ His master was laying at the side of the house, her arms spread
wide as she stared fixedly at the wooden beams of the ceiling.
Shut up, master. Don‟t look at anyone else but me.
Seiran reverted back to his fox form, seeking attention. He licked the side of her face, and
she giggled, stroking his ears. Ah, how he loved it when she stroked his ears.
However, Seiran was disappointed to know that his master could never even forget this
mystery guy. 20,000 years later, his master picked him up from the Jade Palace and
brought him with her to the mortal realm.
―Master, are you really chasing after a man?‖ Seiran could not help but speak out, his
voice dripping with disdain. How could his master lower herself to chase after someone
like this? If anything, the man should be chasing her! Still, the latter did not sit well with
him either.
―Don‘t go using that tone on me. Don‘t you want your master to get married already?‖
Juju lectured.
Seiran immediately tried to mitigate her incoming hostility. ―What difference does it
make if you‘re married or not? Master is still master.‖
―I‘m here to chase after my husband. Isn‘t that a wife‘s duty?‖
―But master…he doesn‘t even know you…‖ It was the truth. How could she fall in love
with someone she barely knew? If he were to fall in love with her just because of her
beauty, he deemed this to be a travesty. It was ridiculous to fall in love with a face, when
what truly mattered was what laid beyond it. Even he himself had fallen in love with her
spirit, her soul, her featherbrained character…
…wait
So he was in love with his master?!
He was so shocked by this revelation that he did not retaliate even when his master
punched him lightly on the head.
U
During his master‘s whole first reincarnated life, he was feeling quite jealous. He had
changed his appearance to that of a cat, hoping that his master would shift her affections
and throw it on him instead. After all, it was a fact that she could not win against the
cuteness, right?
He tried his hardest to possibly catch her attention, but it was of no use. He turned to food
instead, as food would never betray him. He wallowed his sorrows in bowls of rice and
fish. At least, they gave his stomach attention.
He was saddened that he could not be with his master during her second reincarnated life,
and was even more saddened that his master had forgotten all about him during the third!
Did she not want him anymore? He leapt into the world called Amara as soon as he had
heard that his master and her lover had headed off first.
Seiran realized that his master, who was now called Alenaire, was also someone he loved
right at the start. Her personality was a bit different, more tame and serious than the Juju
he knew, but he still loved this different part of her. He still loved her soul.

He would sometimes wedge himself in between Alenaire and Luce, to show that Alenaire
was his, not Luce‘s; that Juju‘s soul will only be bound to his, and no other‘s.
But of course, all his simple scheming did not have any effect whatsoever.
When he heard of Alenaire‘s engagement to another man, he was secretly pleased. Yes!
There was to be no Luce in this lifetime! But upon realizing that she would have to be
with someone else who he did not know entirely, he felt himself erupt with an anger he
never knew existed within him.
As he followed her into Rhiannon in human form, he tried to dissuade her from marrying
and giving up her purity to another man. He realized that he would rather have her with
Luce than have her lose her chastity to a stranger. He would rather have his master love
Jin for all eternity.
Seiran was not the type of person who would force his love on someone, and although he
loved her very much, he did not have the guts to tell her his feelings. He would rather
show his feelings through actions, not in words. Didn‘t that account for so much more?
And so, as his master lay on her bed breathing her last request, he vowed to follow it
through.
Upon the Queen Dowager‘s death, the citizens of the Kingdom of Rhiannon erected a
statue in her image. It was set in the middle of the town square where everyone could pay
their respects to the deceased Queen who had made their lives worth living. She was
given the title Goddess of War, as she had fought for the common people and healed
multitudes of soldiers during the war. Although she did not fight at the forefront, she
fought within the heart of Rhiannon, making her even more of a goddess to the people.
She continued to live on even after death.
Seiran looked after Callel and his kingdom until Callel died at the ripe old age of 80.
Callel was as astute and generous as his mother and grandfather, and he strengthened the
kingdom and made it prosper all the more. He had fathered four sons with his wife who
was part of The Council, and they all ruled with levelheaded might.
Seiran was quite popular in the kingdom of Rhiannon, as he was well-known for being
the deceased Queen Dowager‘s chamberlain and the King Callel‘s right hand man.
People sought after him for consultations on political and fiscal matters, and he always
replied with an accuracy which unnerved many people, but which also glorified him.
Many women in the castle fell for Seiran‘s stoic charm, and his white hair that moved in
the wind made many of the girls want to reach out their hands to touch it. It glittered in
the sunlight, looking like silken spider webs. But of course, Seiran spared no glance at
these women, not even noticing their loving stares or passion filled ‗accidents‘.

The Kingdom of Rhiannon also became known as the Dragon Country, as the dragons
roamed about the kingdom as if it were its second home. This particular scenario also
happened to increase the country‘s internal revenue, as many tourists from across the
continents wanted to stay in the country for quite a time in order to see these sacred
beasts for themselves. These sacred beasts were quite tame, and one was able to touch
them if you fed it a number of livestock. The dragons themselves were quite happy with
this kind of treatment. Their master had told them never to eat humans even if they
wanted to, so livestock became the next best thing. They didn‘t have the nerve to
complain, as they were also fearful of their master, the Dragon God.
As the years passed, in order to conform to human life, Seiran had transformed his looks
in accordance; wrinkling his skin to a near parchment kind of quality, and using a cane
despite having a ramrod straight back. He already had white hair to begin with, so he did
not change that. Although he appeared to be at least 90 years old, he was still agile, and
his clear blue eyes exuded an intelligence, inducing any employee into speaking out only
facts of verity.
After Callel died and Seiran saw the stability of the Kingdom of Rhiannon, he decided it
was time to leave this world. He left a note with the royal family, saying goodbye and
that it was time for him to meet his master, and he approached the forest in the distance.
He called on to his dragons while he stood at the edge of the cliff, and they arrived in
hordes, partly clouding the sky with their majestic forms.
They all planted their faces on the ground, vying for submissiveness.
―You called, master?‖ They said in unison. The dragons looked like endless scaly
mountains in the middle of the vast forest.
―I am going back to Heaven,‖ Seiran said. ―You may leave this kingdom if you wish.‖
―Yes, master.‖ They could not look at their Dragon God in the eye, as they thought it was
too rude of them to do so. This was a heavenly entity they could not dare to enrage.
―However, I shall give you another task,‖ Seiran said, lifting his arm forward. Initially,
his commands would only be heeded at a certain range, but as the time passed, Seiran
himself had built rapport with his dragons, giving them his soul essence so that he was
able to create a link, following their master‘s commands even when he was not around.
―Anything you wish, master.‖ The voices of a hundred dragons made the air quiver in
response.
―If there ever will be a war in this country once again, protect this territory well. This is
the only task I will leave for you. My own master has served this country, and I do not
want this kingdom to be left in waste after all that she has done.‖

―Yes, master.‖ The dragons bowed their heads even lower, if that were even possible.
―Thank you,‖ Seiran said as he raised his arm up, raising the dragons‘ chins up with his
movement. ―Farewell, my friends. May we meet in the afterlife.‖
―Goodbye, master.‖
All the dragons roared into the sky, the whole air reverberating with the sound, reaching
across the countries and even the rest of the continents. The humans wondered what this
was all about, as the sound not only seemed to inaugurate pain, but also one of death.
The dragons roared until they could no longer feel their master‘s presence in the world.
U
Seiran shook himself from his reveries. This was not the time to dawdle anymore. He
poured the plum blossoms in his hands onto the ground, and patted the trunk of the tree.
―Sying, grant me your strength,‖ he whispered with his eyes closed, as he clenched his
heart against the pain.
When he arrived back in Heaven, almost three months passed since Jin and Juju‘s
wedding. He had always known that he would never have his master as his bride. It was a
queer notion, but even so, a little bud of hope still sprouted in his heart.
Seiran exhaled heavily as he left the plum blossom tree to walk slowly towards the
direction of the God of War‘s palace.
He felt like he was stepping on hot coals with each step he took, but he forced himself to
walk on and go through with it. The one thing he wanted to see was his master‘s smiling
face. Simply put, he just wanted her to be happy. If that meant hiding his feelings from
her, then so be it.
Seiran exhaled again heavily, feeling his throat clog up. Perhaps this was exactly what
true love was. To be happy for your love for loving someone else. To be happy for
someone else, despite hearing the sound of your own heart breaking.
He stopped walking when he saw that one of the palace windows was opened, as if it had
been waiting just for him. Without further ado, he transformed himself back into a cat,
and leapt into the window.

SS: Taren
―Your Majesty, when will you ever take a wife?‖ One of his court ministers asked him in
a worried tone.
―Wife?‖ He envisioned her in the kitchen, cooking another one of her delicious meals.
She would be scowling at him, with a knife in her hand as a weapon, but he still thought
she was the most beautiful woman he had ever known.
―Who will be next in line to the throne?‖ The minister asked anxiously. ―The crown
prince has stepped down, and so did his mother. You are now the sole emperor in this
kingdom for thirty years, yet you still have not taken a wife. How will this empire survive
without heirs?‖
Taren looked up at the embellished ceiling of his palace and realized how gaudy
everything was. What beauty was there in gold when he could not use it to make himself
happy?
―After I die, I will abolish the monarchy,‖ the Emperor Taren suddenly announced,
leaving the whole court stunned by this unanticipated declaration. ―Shouldn‘t the king or
the person in charge of a country be elected by his citizens?‖
The court still could not utter a word. What was their king thinking?! To abolish the
monarchy, after many generations on the throne, how could he give up everything so
easily?!
―If perhaps one day, one of my descendants is a pile of trash, would not the people feel
obliged to follow him, just because he is sitting on the throne? Just because his father was
the king?‖ Taren said, remembering his father and how useless he had been in the
country. He loved his father for being his father, but matters of the court and of the
family were separated in his heart. Unless of course, it mattered too much. Such as,
killing the only one he had loved.
The court did not make a sound, as the ministers stared at each other with bafflement.
―After I die, I will let my people chose their leader wisely, for their own sake,‖ Taren
said. He turned to the minister at his side. ―Well, does that perhaps answer your question
about my heir?‖
―Ah…Ah…‖ The minister was nonplussed. ―Y-Yes…Your Majesty…‖

U
The Moonlight Sect‘s main building was a huge building in one of the biggest territories
in the Country of Ku. In the front of the building was a shrine which held graves of both
sect masters: Juju and Jin. Many of the sect members paid their respects in the shrine
before taking their leave in the morning and also upon arrival in the evening. It was one
of the busiest places in the building, as many of the sect members still held the memories
of both their sect masters in their hearts.
Taren would often disguise himself in order to visit this shrine, as it was the only way he
could be with Juju, even after her death.
―So, you‘re here again,‖ Zixin remarked from the side, as he saw a brown cloaked
person, tufts of golden hair appearing behind his ears, despite the attempts to tie it neatly
behind his head with a string.
―Disguising myself doesn‘t make a difference, does it?‖ Taren shook his head as he
pulled the hood closer over his face.
―Unless you dye your hair black and gouge your green eyes out,‖ Zixin said calmly.
―Well…I don‘t think I can do that,‖ Taren replied, standing timidly at the corner while a
few sect members bowed before the tombs. ―Oh, congratulations on becoming the next
sect master, by the way.‖
―Thanks,‖ Zixin replied as he took a step closer to Taren. ―You know, in a way, I still
hate you for killing our sect master Juju.‖
Taren gulped the boulders in his throat. ―Yeah…that‘s why I‘m in disguise…‖
―But still, it‘s a good thing you‘ve changed. I‘ve heard a lot about your cavorting ways
when I was younger, and if you had married our sect master, many of us Moonlight Sect
members would sneak up on your bed at night. And not for sexual intentions, I tell you.‖
―Ah, okay…‖ Taren wiped the sweat off his brow. He always was agitated in this enemy
territory, as most of the members were quite hostile to him, as they all knew he had been
the one to inadvertently cause their first sect master‘s death. ―Indeed I had been much of
a good for nothing son, but it would be a lie to say that I did not change for her. She had
stolen my heart like an agile fox.‖
―I don‘t particularly want to hear of your sappy heart,‖ Zixin said humorlessly. ―How‘s
your nose?‖
Taren touched his crooked nose. He recalled the time that Juju had punched him right in
the open field of snow, and he chuckled to himself. ―Still broken, like my heart.‖

―I would comfort you, but…I don‘t want to,‖ Zixin replied with a smile.
―Yes, I did deserve it,‖ Taren said as he sighed.
―Good you know,‖ Zixin replied as he patted Taren on the shoulder. ―Run along now,
Your Majesty. My new disciples keep wondering about this blonde haired man who
keeps visiting the sacred shrine, and if they knew it was indeed the Emperor, they would
go crazy. Not in a good way.‖
―…noted…‖
U
Sometimes, when he was feeling nostalgic and sentimental, he would visit a certain house
that held many memories for him. Ever since Juju and Jin died, Taren bought the whole
lot, including the bookstore, which he still kept running, as he knew that Juju loved
books.
He would sit at the dining table, remembering her shocked and angry face, remembering
how she would threaten him, how she would look up at him with defiant eyes that were
limpid pools of integrity. Her eyes were her best feature. He loved her eyes.
He smiled bitterly as he tasted something salty on his lips. Ah, he was never going to see
her again. It was all his fault. He had been too hasty with his past decisions, and now he
held the brunt of it.
Ah, if only he could see her once more.
If only.

SS: Gary
It was October 25, 2049.
Kina and I stood in front of their grave in the setting sun, seeming like vessels devoid of
any soul.
Their parents had asked that their remains to be buried together, so that in death they
would never be apart. I touched the edge of the cold, cold tombstone, replaying vivid
images of the boy who saved me not only once, but twice. He was a Hero through and
through.
I glanced at Kina‘s empty, lifeless eyes, and I still could not believe what she had
confessed to me all those years ago.
At that moment when I fell back safely on the platform, I was not able to stop Sarielle
who had jumped into the tracks to embrace her beloved. My brain had been hollowed out,
my heart feeling like a lump of iron in my chest.
Their bodies had been too dismembered for an open casket during the wake, and the
many students of Avalon Academy paid their respects to the coffin that sadistically
reminded me that they were both indeed dead.
In the midst of the sorrow, Kina had confessed to me in tumultuous tones that she had, in
all honestly, wanted to hurt Sarielle in order for her to gain back the boy she lost.
I was overcome with such anger that I could not even speak, as I stared at her with such
incredulity that her sobs wracked her body intensely. What had she done. How could she.
And yet, my anger fizzled out just as soon as she looked back at me with eyes so puffy it
was tickling a funny bone I thought almost disappeared. It was no use dwelling on the
past. It was not my position to forgive.
I was also wracked with grief, as I saw both Sarielle and Ryle‘s parents sob almost
ceaselessly on the sofas. I wanted to apologize.
I bowed in front of the Knight family, bowed so low I almost reached my knees.
―I‘m sorry. It‘s my fault,‖ I said as the tears dripped down to the floor.
Mrs. Knight stopped sobbing, her cold hands raising my wet chin to look at her.
―Dear Gary, you didn‘t do anything wrong.‖ Her dulcet tones were still conceivable in
spite of the slight hoarseness.

―It‘s our son‘s disposition,‖ Mr. Knight added with a sad smile. ―How could we hold that
against you? If anything, you should live life to the fullest after being saved. I‘m sure
Ryle would want that.‖
Yes, yes he would.
I cried harder, the snot and tears intermingling, yet I didn‘t care. Mr. Knight gave me a
hug, and I was drawn to the couch to be comforted by the two parents who even felt
greater heartbreak than I.
Kina had confessed her crimes to Sarielle‘s parents, but the parents could not believe it,
as many of the teachers had spoken that it was accidental, and she was confessing out of
guilt. Sarielle‘s parents forgave kina, and did not question why their daughter leapt into
the tracks after her fiancée, as they clearly knew how she loved Ryle dearly. This was an
unfortunate circumstance that they had to bear.
It was a rather morose yet sweet love story that circulated in school, and Sarielle and
Ryle became a legend that was passed down from generation to generation in the Avalon
Academy. For lack of creativity, they were called The Legendary Lovers, and no one in
school did not know of them. Even after thirty-three years, their tale was still spun, of a
Hero and his wife, two tragic fates dying together.
Tim and Edrie, who were now both teachers in Avalon Academy, would oftentimes boast
about how they were great friends with The Hero. Their students would ask a barrage of
questions which Tim and Edrie would answer with glee, and The Hero was given an
actual character in the hearts of the students. He was not only a hero, but perhaps even
the greatest friend who ever lived.
I stared at the epitaph on the tombstone in front of me.
“To the greatest people one would ever meet.”
Kina walked to me slowly, placing a hand on my shoulder, she whispered, her eyes filled
with fresh tears once again, ―I lost a great friend in her.‖
I nodded my head imperceptibly. If only Kina had not been eaten away by jealousy, then
perhaps she would not have done that. But I could not say this, as I did not want to add
even more guilt to her conscience.
―She was a lovely girl,‖ I said, remembering how Sarielle would not even rebuke or tattle
on Kina whenever she was rude and mean to her.
―She was so nice to me,‖ Kina said through sobs. ―And all I could do was to chafe at her,
and she didn‘t even retaliate!‖
―Yes,‖ I said while patting her back, encasing her shivering body with one arm.

I rummaged through my satchel for a tissue, and my hand caught something else. From
the inner pockets of my bag, I retrieved the Polaroid picture taken all those years ago on
the mountain.
I had been such a goofball, with my lips puckered to kiss Ryle‘s armpits with loving eyes.
I shook my head, a wry smile on my lips. Yes, I was still madly in love with the boy in
my memories. He was like the star that shone brightly in my sky, the sky which I thought
would never be in color. Indeed, the brightest flames burned out fast.
Upon turning the picture over to check the date I had inscribed at the back, a little note
was folded and pasted on its back.
―Kina, did you put this here?‖ I patted her head, and she looked at the object in my hand
with swollen eyes.
―Huh?‖ She brushed away her tears with her fists as she hurriedly peeled off the note
from the picture.
With trembling fingers, she unfolded the papyrus-like quality paper, and opened it,
raising it high for both of us to read. The handwriting that met our shocked eyes was too
familiar.
“Hello everyone!
Is everyone doing well? How are you Gary? Still eating? How about you Kina? I hope
you‟re not crying over me! Tears don‟t taste very good.
And how about me? Well, I‟m doing great! Just recently got hitched to Sarielle in
Heaven, so I‟m in a pretty good mood. Sarielle says hi btw, though she‟s actually a guy in
Heaven. No, stop thinking of yaoi! I‟m actually a girl! Lol! Crazy, huh? But we can talk
about that stuff some other time.
I just wanted to leave this note. I think you guys are pretty down about our death, and we
just want to tell you this: IT‟S NOT YOUR DAMNED FAULT.
GET OVER IT DAMMIT.
There. Whoo, that felt great. Jin is laughing really hard. I mean, that‟s Sarielle in her
real form btw.
I‟ve also made a note for my parents, but it isn‟t as immature as this, so you can be at
ease. I‟m glad that they‟re still safe and still going strong. Can you please hug them for
me?

I wish you all the best in life! Stop grieving, it‟ll only make you look old. Let‟s have a
reunion in Heaven, okay? I‟m not going to say “I‟ll see you soon” cause I don‟t want you
to die yet, lol.
Both Jin and I will be watching over you guys, so live life to the fullest! We‟ll be waiting
here.
P.S. Since I know you probably won‟t believe I‟ve written this note for you, I left some
things on our grave for your eyes, Gary. It‟s a secret I know you never told anyone.
Hohoho~
,
Juju and Jin”
A line was crossed over the names, and two names appeared below, ―Ryle and Sarielle‖.
After reading, I turned to the grave, and beside the many bouquet of flowers that
surrounded it, there was a pile of manga.
On the cover of the topmost manga, there was a man being fondled by another man.
―Ryyyyyyyyle!!!‖ I called out, mixed emotions of amusement, embarrassment, pain,

love, sadness in my heart.
I didn‘t know what else to do besides cry.

SS: ???
Daddy is a funny person.
Every time I cuddle mommy, and she starts kissing me, daddy gets a bit jealous. Because
he is jealous, he hugs both me and mommy in his arms and we stay like that for a long
time.
Sometimes I get mad. I only like mommy‘s soft arms. Daddy‘s arms are too hard.
U
Daddy told me a secret.
He said when he was young, he had told mommy she was ugly!
Mommy is the most beautiful person I know that it shocked me so much, I ran to her
crying!
Mommy was angry after I confessed the secret, but I was not feeling guilty. Daddy was a
bad man!
Mommy and daddy started arguing, and I was in a corner, watching carefully. Go
mommy, go mommy, I cheered!
But they suddenly laughed and started kissing each other.
I went back to my room.
U
I like staying at home.
Mommy is there.
Daddy is busy sometimes, so he can‘t always play with me.
But daddy is a good person.
Mommy tells me he defeats the bad guys so we could live peacefully in Heaven.
Sometimes I look up to daddy like a hero.
I tell daddy this, but he shakes his head. He says the true hero is mommy.

I think mommy and daddy are both heroes to me.
U
Every night mommy tells me stories of her adventures with daddy in the mortal realm,
and I always get excited.
When daddy is home, he joins in on storytelling, and he makes it so much more fun!
He says mommy turned into a boy but dressed up as a girl one time! I can‘t believe
mommy was a boy! Maybe she even looked like me!
Daddy makes me ride on his shoulders during storytelling, and he acts as if he were an
otomobeel from the planet Earth. He likes pretending to be a dynosoor and a choo choo
train too!
Then he pretends his arm is a big snake, biting my ankles. I squeal in fake panic.
―This poisonous snake killed me in my first life,‖ daddy says as he starts tickling my
tummy. I start laughing.
Mommy looks at him worriedly. ―A snake?‖
Daddy says that even while he was walking in the forest with his disciples, this snake
kept repeatedly aiming for him for no particular reason.
Mommy looks thoughtful. ―I think it‘s my fault.‖
Daddy and I turn to her. I don‘t understand how it‘s mommy‘s fault.
―It must be the Emperor of Ku,‖ mommy says. She then tells us how she had dumped
him in the animal reincarnation pool when he was full of blood-thirst for daddy. ―I guess
his brain wasn‘t that addled, after all.‖
Daddy just laughs it off saying it‘s fine. ―At least I got to see you sooner.‖
I turn away from the hearts in their eyes.
U

I love mommy because she feeds me good food!
She makes my favorite dish. Hamburgers!
Hamburgers!
So yummy!
But mommy only makes them once a week so I could have something to look forward to,
and I get sad sometimes.
When I‘m sad, daddy tries to make hamburgers instead for me, but mommy makes better
hamburgers so I don‘t like it!
U
Uncle Seiran is a fat white cat.
Mommy says he is her soul beast and he will protect me when they are not around. She
says he is very dependable. In mommy‘s third life, uncle Seiran was the one who helped
her deal with a new kingdom!
And I feel sad when mommy and daddy go out on a date without me. They always visit
their friends from their past lives in the other Heavens, and wouldn‘t bring me along.
Only when I‘m older, they said.
But uncle Seiran is a funny person so it‘s okay. But he likes sleeping too much, and keeps
hiding somewhere in the house.
He turns into a human when my parents are not around, and he looks almost as beautiful
as mommy and daddy.
Uncle Seiran feeds me a lot of food too, so I like him. He says he wants me to look good
like him, and I‘m happy! But my arms are getting fat.
U
My grandmother and the Jade Emperor come to visit the house sometimes.
They are very nice.
The Jade Emperor gives me lots of gold toys, but mommy gets upset because she doesn‘t
want to spoil me.
What does it mean to be spoiled?

I ask uncle Seiran this question.
He answers that it will harm my character if my parents are too indulgent.
I ask what indulgent means.
He answers that it means being overly-generous with affections.
Then does that mean I‘m spoiled?
Mommy and daddy spoil me with their love!
U
It is my mommy‘s birthday!
Last night I stayed up all night to draw a portrait of her. I put flowers and birds in her
hair, and I also included my hand prints! So that mommy will know that I made it for her.
I wake up early in the morning, before mommy and daddy could go out of their room and
wake me up.
I quietly open their bedroom door.
I hear my daddy‘s soft whisper, ―How is it possible that I love you more than I did
before?‖ He holds the silently weeping mommy in his arms. ―Happy birthday, my heart.‖
I silently close the door.
I guess I‘ll just come back later.
U
Auntie Siming and Uncle Chan came by the other day with their baby. It is a girl.
Mommy kept exclaiming about potatoes, and I didn‘t understand her. She is weird
sometimes. But I still love her.
Daddy told her she was a potato.
Mommy said she took care of him when he was a potato.
They both said I still looked like a potato.
They are both weird.

U
Mommy is pregnant!
Daddy says it is a blessing because pregnancy is rare in Heaven, and he says it is because
he is so hardworking.
Mommy rolls her eyes.
―What does daddy have to do with your big belly, mommy?‖ I ask. Don‘t all babies just
appear in a mother‘s tummy?
Mommy punches daddy for some reason, but daddy can‘t stop laughing. It‘s annoying.
Mommy says she will tell me all about it when I‘m 50,000 years old.
I‘m still 50 years old! You‘re so unfair mommy! You‘re hiding a secret!
U
Mommy tells me that I also have a half-brother in Amara‘s Heaven.
She says she will bring me to meet him when I‘m old enough. She says she met him with
daddy before his new soul got reincarnated again on Amara (daddy says the gods and
goddesses of Amara are weird, reincarnating the people who they like and giving them
powers just for fun), and when she came home one day she couldn‘t stop crying.
Daddy says that my half-brother is a very nice person because brother said that mommy
was the one who taught him how precious love was. That he would never forget mommy
even when he encounters different parents in all his lives.
But I‘m scared to meet him, because he is from a different daddy. Mommy and daddy
says my brother‘s daddy is a good person, but I don‘t like him. I can‘t bear to think of
mommy having another man other than daddy!
But daddy says I shouldn‘t discriminate.
I ask him why he‘s not mad.
He says my half-brother is a part of mommy, and he loves mommy‘s everything. Also,

mommy‘s past husband was in the past, and that husband reincarnated again in Amara
with already a family of his own! Daddy says that husband doesn‘t count because daddy
is mommy‘s husband forever! I can tell daddy is saying this because he is a bit jealous!
Hehe.
It makes me happy.
U
I get jealous of the new baby in mommy‘s tummy.
Mommy always has a sweet smile when she‘s rubbing her tummy, and daddy starts
kissing her belly all the time.
I don‘t feel loved anymore.
But when mommy and daddy see me just standing there, they open their arms wide for
me.
They make me place my hand on mommy‘s tummy, and I can feel something moving
inside!
I feel warm in my heart.
I suddenly can‘t wait for my new baby brother or sister!
―Will you be a good big brother?‖ Mommy asks me as she strokes my cheeks.
I nod my head happily and embrace her big tummy.
I love my family.

Three Lifetimes - Kerbasi

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Three Lifetimes - Kerbasi

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

This is the something I had for you.

―I‘m here~‖ I announced.

I nearly coughed out blood.

I threw it away instantaneously.

―Go on. Tell me about this deity.‖

―Because he‘s Jin Lei, the God of War.‖

―Father!‖ I giggled. ―I still love you and mother the most.‖

―Shouldn‘t you support your daughter‘s love?‖ I wasn‘t amused.

I laughed awkwardly. ―Nothing, nothing.‖

I just nodded in assent, but my mind was elsewhere.

Siming, what were you thinking!

―Uncle Emperor!‖ I greeted upon seeing him.

―Uncle, where‘s mother?‖ I asked.

―As you wish, Your Majesty.‖ The steward bowed.

―My Juju is still the cutest in the world,‖ she cooed.

My ears seemed like they increased ten times their size.

My mother smiled. ―He is a very courageous boy.‖

―Fiona?‖ I asked, dumbfounded.

―What is it?‖ he asked gently.

―Uncle, please!‖ I was desperate.

―I just thought about how no one likes me.‖

I nodded my head vigorously. I looked like I was having spasms.

―Maybe he hit his head against a rock?‖ I suggested.

Chan harrumphed in reply.

―She‘s fine. She said you‘re an adulterer.‖ I grinned slyly.

―I never! She has always been the one I loved!‖

He looked at me curiously, and hesitantly asked, ―What is it you want?‖

He started to sob. ―My daughter is leaving me.‖

―Ah?‖ He looked away suspiciously.

―When will you be leaving?‖

What! It was that valuable?

The little fox retracted its teeth, and whimpered.

The fox only looked at me with his jewel-like eyes.

―There.‖ I smiled at my work of art. ―All done.‖

―You didn‘t even ask my permission!‖ I squeaked.

Lalitaaa : so in case anyone is curious about the cultivation levels/realms, here it is :

―I‘m here to chase after my husband. Isn‘t that a wife‘s duty?‖

―But master…he doesn‘t even know you…‖

I wanted to kick this dog into mud.

―Master, I think that‘s a baby,‖ Seiran said the obvious.

―I think that‘s Jin Lei…‖

―He kind of looks disgusting…‖ I trailed off.

―Master!‖ Seiran said helplessly.

―…‖ Seiran was dumbstruck at my creative words.

―Why are you crying?‖ I asked, bewildered.

―Juu is hurting.‖ He started bawling.

―You can open your eyes now,‖ I said gently.

―Juu,‖ the potato called softly.

―I‘m four now!‖ He pressed four fingers towards my face.

―When can I wear them again?‖ He asked between snivels.

―When they‘re dry.‖

He nodded his head, but looked solemn. ―Why was I abandoned?‖

He suddenly hugged my waist. ―You won‘t miss me?‖

―I‘ll become your husband in the future!‖

Didn‘t this potato have any aspiration at all, ah?!

I idly remembered my days of deity school. In Heaven, it was compulsory to go to school

I was lost in my reveries when I suddenly heard the door open.

I sat up quickly with Seiran jumping off my stomach in rapid shock.

―Well, this house is mine now,‖ I said icily.

―Well, I‘m from another country in the…west.‖ He laughed awkwardly.

Taren laughed. ―I‘m certainly thieving for food!‖

―Did I say something wrong?‖ Taren asked skeptically.

He merely laughed as he strode out the door.