174 Three Little Words (1/2)
”My deepest apologies, Lady Nystrom,” Luna said in a shaking voice. Then, she kneeled and bowed to her until her forehead almost hit the floor. ”I was able to bring the saint out of the prayer room. But it seemed like the emperor put up a stronger barrier around the temple. Then, the Golden Tiger came.” Her shoulders started to shake as her voice cracked. ”His Holiness asked me to leave. He stayed behind to stop the Golden Tiger from attacking me.”
Her heart broke for the witch.
This was the first time that Luna broke down in tears ever since the first day that she met her.
”I'm sorry, Miss Luna,” she said in a weak voice. Then, she kneeled in front of the witch and put a hand on her shoulder. ”This is my fault. I shouldn't have sent you to the temple alone.”
The witch raised her head to look at her. Then, she shook her head. ”It's not your fault, Lady Nystrom,” she said while wiping off the tears on her face with her hands. ”I failed to save the saint because I'm still lacking as a witch.”
”You're not lacking, Miss Luna. You did good,” she said with a smile. To be honest, she wanted to cry with Luna. A life was lost because she was still weak. But unfortunately, she didn't have the luxury to break down. ”Miss Luna, I'm sorry to ask you this but you're the only person I can trust now. Please take care of Kiho and Winter. Make sure they'll reach Mount Sola safely.”
Luna looked confused but it was understandable. ”What do you mean by that, Lady Nystrom?”
Tilly smiled again even though she was starting to get scared of her own decision. ”Miss Luna, I'm going to awaken the heart and retrieve my memories as Soleil Rosenberg.”
***
KIHO hugged Winter tighter when he felt Miss Luna's presence.
The witch was back but she was alone.
We failed to save Saint Forrester.
He was angry– very angry– but he had to hold back. Two Beast Gods were already under His Majesty's control. While he knew that he could beat them, he wouldn't risk his family's safety. Running away for now was the best option for their survival.
”Brother Rival, you're crushing the baby,” Flint, who sat on the sofa across him, said worriedly.
Kiho's thoughts were cut-off as soon as he heard what Flint said. He immediately looked down at Winter in his arms. His son was pouting and was on the verge of crying. He immediately loosened up his hold on their baby. ”I'm sorry, little rascal,” he said while rocking him. ”Are you hurt?”
Winter shook his tiny head, but he still looked upset.
”I'm sorry, little rascal,” he said, then he kissed his son's forehead. ”Daddy didn't mean to hurt you.”
So cute.
He kissed Winter's cheek before he turned to Flint.
Right now, he was in the child's room because he needed to talk to him. Aside from Julian in the crib, nobody else was there. He wanted to talk to Flint alone so he asked the servants and the knights to give them privacy.
He couldn't comfort Tilly right now because he still had a job to do.
”Flint, you know that you're a Nystrom now, don't you?” Kiho asked. ”You and Julian.”
Flint nodded seriously. ”Yes, Brother Rival.”
”While my family will travel to Mount Sola, you and Julian will come with the Black Serpent Knights to the North,” he said. He already explained to Flint that he would be joining his knights. But this time, he'd explain why he couldn't bring them to Mount Sola. ”You will meet up with Captain Denver and the Red Phoenix Knights in the North. I already left a letter to Blake that he's supposed to give to the captain. You already know that, right?”
The child nodded. ”Sir Blake also informed me a while ago that we will be travelling with the troop.”
”Do you know why we have to go separate ways?”
”Because me and Julian will become a burden to you?” he asked nervously.
”Of course not,” he denied right away. ”Flint, we need to go separate ways because you're the heir of House Nystrom now.”
The child's eyes widened in shock. ”What do you mean by that, Brother Rival?”
”Winter and I might never come back to the Royal Capital again,” he explained. ”If that happens, I asked Captain Denver to help you succeed everything that Tilly and I will leave here. Of course, it might take years before it happens. That's why until the war is over, Captain Denver will hide and protect you. If we win, you and Julian will come back to the Royal Capital and claim everything that we left there.”
”But how about Baby Winter?” Flint asked worriedly. ”He's the rightful heir to your wealth.”
”We don't need that much wealth,” Kiho said with a smile. Then, he looked at Winter and kissed his son's forehead. ”Our family just needs to be together and we'll be fine.”
***
”DOES the flesh of a divine human being taste good, Ainsworth?”
Ainsworth flinched when Elis suddenly appeared beside him. He tried to stand up and run away but his cold voice stopped him.
”If you leave, I'll kill you,” Elis warned him. ”You know that I can do that, don't you?”
He sat completely still.
It wasn't because he was afraid of Elis, okay?
I should have left the temple after I finished off the saint.
But since he got full, he decided to stay in the pavilion's roof and take a nap first. If he knew Elis would find him there, he would have left right away.
”What do you want?” Ainsworth asked. And yes, he couldn't even turn to look at the damned Blue Dragon. ”I thought we agreed to never speak to each other again.”
”Don't be childish,” the Blue Dragon said. ”Aku Moonchester is summoning us. We have to work together.”
Of course, he knew that.
”That kid emperor can't crush Soleil's heart alone,” Elis continued. ”He needs us.”
He clenched his jaw before he turned to the Blue Dragon. ”Do you hear yourself, Elis? Are we really letting Aku Moonchester hurt our Supreme?”
”It's for the best,” the Blue Dragon said. ”I won't let the kid emperor kill Soleil. But I need him to crush her heart. Once that happens, she will come back to our side.”
He just turned his gaze away from Elis. ”Your obsession with Soleil is the reason why she turned her back on us, you fool.”
”That will change in this lifetime,” Elis said confidently. ”You don't have to help me, Ainsworth,” he threatened him. ”But don't get in my way later.”
”Do what you want,” Ainsworth said, then he glared at Elis. ”Just make sure that the Supreme won't die again.”
***
”BLAKE, take care of the troop,” Kiho told Blake. Right now, half of the Black Serpent Knights already left the estate on their horses. Blake and the rest of the team would escort Flint and Julian. The two kids were already inside the carriage. ”I don't usually pray but this time, I will. I will pray for your safe journey.”
Blake smiled and nodded. ”Don't worry too much about us, Duke Nystrom. I will bring the children and the whole squad to the North safely.”
He nodded, praying from the bottom of his heart that his men reached their destination without casualty. ”Let's meet again someday, Blake,” he said, then he extended his hand to him. ”We have to.”
The temporary captain nodded firmly, then he accepted his handshake. ”We will definitely meet again, Duke Nystrom.”
After saying his goodbye to Blake, he went to Damian and Whitton who were standing guard in front of the mansion's main entrance. He decided to leave the mansion to Damian and Whitton, along with a small squad that would protect the servants.
”Damian, Whitton, I entrust our home to you,” Kiho said. ”Let's meet again when everything is over.”
Damian and Whitton, two of the youngest members of the Black Serpent Knights, immediately got emotional. But the two did a good job holding back their tears. ”We will wait for your return, Duke Nystrom.”
***
KIHO checked on Flint and Julian, who were already inside the carriage, one last time. ”Hey,” he greeted Flint who was sitting on the couch while Julian was on his lap. ”Be careful. Remember to call us if you need our help. We'll come to you whatever happens.”
Flint nodded, then his eyes became sharp. ”Brother Rival, take care of Big Sister Tilly. If she gets hurt in any way, I will steal her from you when I grow up.”
Usually, he would take the threat seriously.
Well, his competitive and jealous sides were still threatening to come out, but he held back. It wasn't the time to entertain a rival. And after Flint almost died, he decided to be extra nice to him even if he was a ”love rival.”
He flicked the child's forehead. ”Just take care of your brother.”
And then, his gaze landed on Julian.