213 Toxic Family Members (1/2)
Julian's eyes widened and it wasn't because of his mother's accusation.
Winter!
It didn't seem like his mother sensed his brother's Mana.
But since he was blessed with sharper senses, even among strong Mana users, he felt Winter's Mana. If he sensed it right, then his brother must be outside while listening to his conversation with his mother.
He knows the truth now.
A few moments later, Winter's Mana disappeared.
”Julian?” Lady Huxley said. ”Are you listening?”
”Please leave, Lady Huxley,” Julian told his mother in an urgent tone. ”If you don't, I will tell Father that you're still coming here despite his warning.”
That seemed to scare his mother.
Now that he was confident that Lady Huxley would leave the mansion, he bolted out of the room to chase after Winter.
It seemed like his brother knew that he would run after him. After all, he found him waiting for him in his room in the annex building. The angry look on Winter's face confirmed his fear: he really heard his conversation with his mother.
”Winter, I know that you heard my conversation with Lady Huxley,” Julian said while catching his breath. Literally running after his brother was exhausting since the mansion was huge. The annex building was really far from the main mansion. He wasn't that familiar in using teleportation spell yet so he had to run. But judging by how fast Winter got back to the annex, it seemed like his brother was already familiar with teleportation. ”I will answer your questions truthfully.”
”As you should,” Winter said with his arms crossed over his chest. ”How did Lucina Morganna become your mother while Mommy thinks that you're his son?”
”As far as I know, in the past, Father claimed that I was the Supreme's son to get support from the Red Phoenix and the Fire Mages,” he explained. ”But the truth was it was Lucina Morganna who gave birth to me.”
”So, you're saying that Lucina Morganna came from the same timeline as Soleil Rosenberg and Kalel Nystrom?”
He nodded. ”Yes. But it seems like my mother wasn't born with the memories of the past. She just recently reacquired it when we got reunited.”
Winter didn't show his reaction with his claim. ”Louisa and David were the people that Mommy entrusted the mansion to. Why did you let your ”mother” kick them out?”
”I don't have a choice, Winter,” he said in frustration. ”I can't tell Father what I know because I don't want them to know that he isn't completely controlled by the emperor.”
”And so, you let innocent people suffer by keeping your silence.”
He didn't have a retort for that because his brother was right.
”I have one last question for you,” Winter said in a distant tone. ”Between Mommy and Lucina Morganna, whom do you believe more?”
”Winter, it's not like I don't trust the Supreme,” he argued. ”But I lived in the past and you didn't. The Supreme isn't my mother.”
If he was really the Supreme's son, they why did the Red Phoenix and the rest of the Fire Mage clan treated him like he wasn't even human? During those times, only Lucina Morganna genuinely loved him.
But despite what he experienced in his previous life, he still never blamed the Supreme for what her brother and her clan did to him.
It's not like my mother is completely innocent either.
”Then, I can't trust you,” Winter declared. ”I will never trust people who don't have faith in my mother.”
”That's unfair, Winter.”
”I don't want to hear that from someone who got to stay by Dad's side for five years but still chose not to protect him properly,” his brother said coldly. ”I don't care if you believe that Lucina Morganna is your mother. I simply detest the fact that you welcomed her into your life even though you're fully aware that she's capable of hurting innocent people just to get what she wants. If you can tolerate that kind of behavior just because that woman is your ”mother,” then I don't want to be related to you anymore.”
He clenched his fists but he couldn't refute that.
Winter was right. All this time, he chose to remain silent because he thought he was protecting his father that way. But deep inside, he probably chose to turn the other way because he had become complacent of his position.
He should know by now that when people chose to keep quiet when there was injustice, they already sided with the oppressors.
”Mommy told me to never believe a word from the Moonchesters and their cohorts, and that includes your ”mother,”” Winter said later. ”We'll wait for Mom and let her explain how you ended up thinking that that Lucina Morganna is your mother. But unfortunately, I can't fully trust you right now.”
”I understand, Winter,” Julian said in a weak voice. ”Are you going to tell Father about this?”
”You know that I can't. But remember this, Julian,” Winter said bitterly. Ah, he just stopped calling him 'brother' and it hurt. ”I will keep an eye on you and if I see that your devotion to Lucina Morganna is a threat to our family, I will take matters into my own hands.”
***
”HELLO, Lady Hayward,” Tilly greeted her evil mother-in-law brightly. She was happy to see the White Snake. After all, she couldn't wait to ”grill” her. Killing a spirit guardian was next to impossible. But that didn't mean she couldn't make Yumi miserable for the rest of her pathetic life. ”Who told you that you can touch my husband, huh?”
”You crazy b*tch,” Yumi snarled at her with a glare, then she turned to Kiho as if she was asking for his sympathy. ”My little Nystrom, did you see what your wife did to me?”
”I did,” Kiho said proudly. ”Lady Hayward, if you're going to the hospital to treat your burned hands, you can send the medical bill to my house. I'll pay for it as compensation.”
The White Snake looked shocked by her son's retort.
On the other hand, she had to stifle her laughter. Well, she had stopped being the bigger person a long time ago. She didn't want to apply her manners to people who didn't deserve it.
And I guess it's the same for Kiho.
She truly enjoyed seeing her husband ”roast” his own mother.
Even though she lost her memories as Soleil Rosenberg again, she still knew who Yumi was and what she did to her in the past. After all, during the past five years, Solaris made sure that she would know who her enemies were.
”I know why you're here, Yumi,” Tilly said that gained her another glare from her evil mother-in-law. She just smiled and closed her hands, making the ring of fire around her husband disappear. ”If you try to touch my husband again, I'll make you regret it for all eternities.”
Yumi seemed desperate because she tried to come at her.
But all of a sudden, Elis Ripperton appeared behind the White Snake and held the woman by the shoulders.
”Stop,” Elis Ripperton warned Yumi. ”We're leaving.”
And just like that, the two disappeared.
”Tsk,” Kiho complained under his breath. ”I should have frozen that oversized snake.”
She stifled her laugher.
He still thinks that a dragon is just a big snake.
Well, hard same.
”Tilly?”
She turned to her husband. ”Hmm?”
”Will you come home with me now?”
”No,” she said with a sad smile. ”My meeting with Aku Moonchester isn't done yet. We're going to the temple later.”
”Then, can I come with you?”
She shook her head. Then, she extended her hand to him. ”Walk me to my carriage?”
”Of course,” he said right away. He looked happy when he accepted her hand. Then, he put it in his arm as they walked to the exit of the ballroom. It was empty now, but she could hear the commotion outside. ”Tilly, may I know who you're staying with right now?”
”I'm with Luna,” she said. ”She's my best friend and personal doctor. I also have a personal ”knight” with me.”
She didn't tell him about who Roarke was because she couldn't trust Kiho 100% yet.
If there was a person inside her husband who could take over his body anytime, giving him too much information would be a bad idea.
”I won't ask anything else,” Kiho said in a somewhat sad tone. ”I know that you can't trust me yet given my current position. And it's understandable.”
Okay, that gave her heart a squeeze.
She was about to comfort him but when they stepped out of the ballroom, she was surprised when she saw that a lot of young noble ladies were standing outside the door.
Judging by the excited look on their face when they saw Kiho, it was obvious that they were waiting for her husband. It was hilarious to see how disappointed they were to see her in Kiho's arm. Some were even giving her a side-eye.
Well, I can't blame them for wanting a Kiho is irresistible. But of course, that doesn't give them the right to covet a married man. Especially now that I'm back.