184 Wandering Hearts (1/2)
Tilly sipped her tea while listening to Solaris.
Right now, only the two of them were in the tea room. After their meeting with the others, the Fire Archmage asked her to have some tea with him.
”Wong sounds so sure that the information they got this time would really lead us to where Lord Winchell is,” Solaris continued. ”Supreme, instead of going to the Royal Capital, wouldn't it be more beneficial to us to save the Red Phoenix first?”
She put her teacup down on the coaster.
Of course, the Fire Archmage was right. For the past five years, they didn't stop looking for the Red Phoenix. The Keepers used a piece of her heart to look all over the world to find her brother. When she said a ”piece” of her heart, she meant Sentinel.
The spirit guardian had been travelling with Wong while searching for the Red Phoenix.
”It's true that we will gain an advantage if we found my brother before I return to the empire,” Tilly said carefully. ”But I believe that the loss will be bigger. If I have the Red Phoenix by then, Aku Moonchester wouldn't put his guard down. We can't also forget that Nia Moonchester wants my heart to summon the sky beast. If my brother descended down with me, the nasty twins will hunt him down right away. If that happens, our plan to convince the princess to make a binding vow with me would be ruined.”
The Fire Archmage slowly nodded his head in agreement. ”You have a point, Supreme.” But then, he threw her a dubious look. ”I apologize if this sounds rude but you're not eager to return to the empire just to see the Black Serpent again… are you?”
”Of course not,” she denied even though the thought of meeting the Black Serpent again just made her heart skip a beat. But she reminded herself to remain focused. ”And I'm not saying that we shouldn't rescue the Red Phoenix just because I'm returning to the empire. We can do both at the same time, Solaris.”
”Oh,” he said. ”You're right, Supreme.”
”I'm thinking of sending a party led by Wong to free the Red Phoenix,” she said. ”My presence in the empire will distract the Moonchesters. As long as I'm in the Royal Capital, their attention will be focused on me. Let's hope that Wong's team can move a little more freely if I serve as a distraction.”
”Let's talk about this again once Wong returns,” he said. ”We'll have to discuss the information that they collected first.”
She nodded in agreement. ”Is this the only reason why you want to talk to me in private?”
He shook his head, then he turned more serious. ”Supreme, about Lady Luna…”
She sipped her tea to hide her smile.
I knew it had something to do with Luna.
”How is she?” Solaris asked awkwardly. ”Did she successfully retrieve all her memories as the Moon Priestess?”
To be honest, she didn't really understand what was happening during the first years of her arrival at the floating island. But slowly, thanks to Solaris' hard work, she managed to retrieve pieces of her memories of her life as an-almost goddess, and as the Supreme Fire Mage.
She hadn't retrieved everything yet, but she remembered some major events in her past lives that helped her understood their clan's goal clearly.
Unfortunately, her memories as 'Duchess Tilly Nystrom' were still blurry.
The only things that helped her understood her current life was the pictures and videos that she had with her.
I also understand that my husband, Duke Kiho Nystrom, is the Black Serpent.
Solaris and her Keepers firmly believed that the Black Serpent was our nemesis. That they only allowed me to marry him because I needed to give birth to Winter– the Moon Serpent, also known as the 'God Slayer.' Apparently, his son was also the one destined to kill the evil Aku Moonchester.
Whatever they say, my heart still believes in Kiho Nystrom.
Anyway, Luna went through the same experience as her.
At first, the witch was very surprised to know that she was the Moon Priestess. Apparently, she was the only one who knew where Saint Asher Forrester's Holy Scepter was. But unfortunately, until now, Luna still couldn't remember the part of her past life where she hid the Holy Scepter.
”Luna is yet to retrieve all the memories of her past life as the Moon Priestess,” she said. ”I think she was still a little shock from what she remembered last time. Maybe that's what prevents her from remembering the rest of her memories.”
”Oh,” Solaris said, still looking as awkward as ever. ”I hope Lady Luna feels better soon.”
”We just need to give Luna more time,” Tilly assured the Fire Archmage. ”We can trust her, Solaris.”
***
”LORD NYSTROM will be having a dinner party with the members of House of Lords next week.”
Julian let out a sigh of frustration when he heard his mother Lucina talk to Louisa– the head maid. He was about to go down the grand staircase because his father was about to arrive any minute. But he stopped in his tracks when he found Lucina and Louisa in an argument while standing in front of the staircase wall.
To be precise, they were in a heated debate because of the portrait of his father and Duchess Nystrom hanging on the wall.
”I already told you to throw away all the portraits of Duchess Nystrom here in the mansion, didn't I?” Lady Lucina Morganna (now Huxley, but he still preferred his mother's old family name) said with a forced smile on her face. His mother already won the hearts of the servants of House Nystrom– except for the head maid and the head butler. ”The guests will feel uncomfortable if they saw the former duchess's portrait.”
”Lady Tilly Nystrom is still the Duchess of Oakes, Lady Huxley,” Louisa said in a calm but firm voice. ”Most of all, Lady Nystrom is still is the mother of House Nystrom. And I will only obey the master of the house.”
Julian knew that his mother would explode and hurt Louisa.
He was about to stop the two when all of a sudden, his father's cold and indifferent voice echoed in the mansion.
”What's going on here?”
Louisa and his mother immediately bowed and greeted his father.
Julian walked towards his father and bowed to him. ”Welcome back, Father.”
As usual, he only heard a soft hum from his father as an acknowledgement for his greeting.
When he raised his head, he saw his father give Louisa and his mother an annoyed look. Clearly, he heard the two's argument.
”I asked what's going on here,” his father said even though he probably knew the answer. ”Is no one going to answer me?”
Louisa bowed her head before she spoke. ”My lord, Lady Huxley is asking me to remove all the portraits of Duchess Nystrom in the mansion.”
Julian took a peek at his mother and he saw her glaring holes at the head maid's head.
Mother, please calm down.