n

n

n

"Let's go back to the capital.

" the prince got up and made his way to Marinette, he glanced at the place on her stomach she put her hand on.

n

"But what about your...your business here?? Don't you need to do that?

"

n

"We need to take off the chain binding us together, and more importantly your wound.

"

n

"It's alright. I'm fine. Really, it's only a small wound.

" she denied it shaking her head, but the man from behind suddenly turned her around to him and pushed the hand hiding the wound away.

nThe stain of blood on the white bathrobe made Victor's eyes shake, Marinette avoided his eyes. Her heart was pounding, she already tried her best to not collapse from bleeding.

n

"This isn't fine!!! We need to treat you!!!

"

n

"What if we return to the capital???! We can't still use our magic, and by the time we arrive there...I would already die on the way.

"

n

"I won't let you die--

"

n

"You won't die that easily, there must be something you want to do here.

" the prince who crossed his arm muttered to Marinette.

nMarinette jolted, she shook off both of the guys and went to the door, the prince had to follow her as he couldn't be far away from her due to the chain.

n

"If I say I'm fine, I'm really fine...for now, we need to find a way to destroy this chain.

"

nPhilip grabbed her wrist with a serious look and the phoenix came out from his heart flying to Marinette.

nIt landed on her head telling her,

"The only person who could do that is your father.

"

n

"What??

"

n

"Did...that phoenix just talk?

" Victor walked quickly to join in the conversation.

n

"And that's more the reason why we need to go back to the capital.

" the prince talked logically to Marinette. Marinette ignored the prince's words and ran to the window with her bare feet dragging the prince with her.

nShe looked out the window seeing the white hair man walking among the crowd, she didn't mistake it. The red ruby eyes of that man were really duke Jellal's.

n

"That's duke Jellal...my father.

" Victor rushed to see the direction she pointed, it was the royal gate where the citizens were gathering in front.

nPrince Philip was amazed by that sudden coincidence of duke Jellal being there. While both two could see duke Jellal, Victor was left out squinting his eyes trying to see one man from such a far distance.

n

"We need to hurry.

"

n

"...

"

n

"What's wrong???

" Victor asked silent Marinette with a concerned look, she was hopeless about asking for duke Jellal's help.

n

"Nothing...let's go--

"

nThe capital's barrier suddenly turned to dark red like making the beautiful white moon to bloody red moon through the barrier.

nAll the knights turned to the dragons with the weapon in their hands and soared through the sky to their station around the edge of the barrier.

n

"Catch criminal Marinette and Victor!!! Woman with white hair and purple eyes, and a man with black hair and golden eyes!!! Whoever watched these two will be granted the reward.

"

n

"!!!

"

nThey were trapped inside the barrier of the empire.

n'Asking duke Jellal...I bet he comes here for Diana...'

n

nInside the royal palace, in the throne room,

nThe royal butler came inside the throne row turning his head the whole time as he walked to the man sitting on the throne.

n

"We have already set the emergency barrier as you told. We're sorry for the inconvenience for you to ride to our tower yourself.

"

n

"Did you already destroy that secret entrance inside the mountain?

" the cold words that came out from the emperor felt like a flying dagger putting on the butler's throat, his next words might be his last words if the answer didn't satisfy the emperor.

n

"We...we did, your majesty.

"

n

"Get out from my sight.

" the emperor with one eye got up from his golden throne then cast the chain magic summoning the chain from thin air surrounding the throne room completely after the butler left.

n

"Open!

" the throne split in two, a passage was opened under the emperor's command with many stairs leading the emperor down and down into the darkness till he walked to the lowest floor with a woman with hair completely gray sitting on the white bed with the blanket covering half of her body from her waist.

n

"I need more of your chain magic. Give it to me!

"

n

"What is it this time??? You won't even become the emperor if I didn't step down from the throne. I heard the voice outside...just how stupid--

"

n

"Enough, your highness!!! I know what I'm doing.

"

n

"What you're doing??? Do you mean being blind??? Piss off!!! I won't share any bit of magic with you.

" that woman was the only one who could talk to the emperor in such an arrogant and carefree way.

nThe emperor had a slight grin on his face as he had already come prepared.

n

"Oh...you will. Do you know who Marinette is??

"

n

"Hm??? Don't talk like you have the upper hand, you stupid emperor...I already gave you enough power...cough...

"

n

"She's the death roses magic-user. And...Jellal Mortel--

"

n

"Jellal...Jellal...Jellal...Anette...Anette...those bastards... those bastards!!!!!!!

" the woman panted with her blood dripping on the white sheet on the bed, her hand was full of scratches with the glass she broke. She threw the glass against the wall of the portrait of duke Jellal and Anette with their head ripped off in the portrait.

n

"Calm down...your highness...

"

n

"Don't order me around, you bastard!!!!!!!!!! In order to get power, I disguised as an orphanage!!! I did many things...just to get power!!! Power!!! But those bastards...they...they...

" she had a heart attack grabbing her shirt in pain trying to breathe. The emperor rushed to get the pill on the floor and gave it to swallow to calm down her heart rate.

nHer hands were rough, her skin wasn't soft at all. Her face was full of wrinkles, her pride and her beauty were all gone when the jet black hair all turned to grey and her eyes turned to the eyes of the commoner and not special like before when she was in her youth.

n

"Where is Marinette??? I'll kill her even if it's the last thing I ever do.

"

n

"Sister...calm down.

"

n

"Don't call me your sister!!! I hate you!!

"

n

"Alright, alright. But...you can't even walk...you're old--

"

n

"Regna...I thought you still have one eye...you'd better use it wisely before it's gone...

"

n

"Now...now...why don't you give me your chain power already??

"

n

"Make sure to bring her head to me, and don't forget about the butterfly pendant.

"

n

"I will bring you that and restore you to your powerful state soon, your highness...

"

n

"...f*ck off.

" the woman waved her hand kicking the emperor out of her lair which was full of random letters and the sculpture head of Jellal.

nAnd one name was written on the wall saying, 'Kira.'

nThat gray-haired woman with the hair laying down to her slender waist turned her head to the letter on the wall, the name Kira was in her sight.

n

"When I get all my power back, I swear I'll destroy that stupid mountain first for taking away my power. And then I'll kill Jellal just like how I killed Riana.

"

n

nThe Mortel Manor, the study room,

nThe butler came inside the room with the light was still on and the man who was still holding the feather to do all the paperwork even though it was already past midnight.

nThe butler made sure not to make any noise in order not to wake up Garu who was sleeping on the couch in the room.

n

"How is the cat?

"

nThe butler shook his head then put the white cat with bandages on its body on the desk.

nTristan felt miserable seeing the cat who he couldn't do anything to save. He slid his finger stroking the cat's fur as he listened to how the butler described the cat's current situation.

n

"The vet said the cat won't last long. It lost too much blood.

"

n

"You can go out now. Thank you.

"

nMeow...

nThe butler closed the door after he left the room, Tristan murmured to the cat as he was along with the cat.

n

"I really hope Eun-Kyung's okay...I'm sorry...cat...I can't save you...I really, really want to save you. But those royalties won't use their light magic on you...

"

nMeow...

n

"I wish I could understand your words.

"

nTristan tapped his finger on the cat's tiny nose and continue patting the cat's head gently.

n

"I feel like I see you before...

" Tristan got up from his seat, he stepped to the table full of frame pictures on it.

nHe looked closely in each and every photo which Marinette wasn't it. His heart ached a little when he saw all of those pictures at that time.

nMarinette was never included in the family's picture even in the family book. She was left out.

n

"I miss you, Marinette...I have so many things to say to you.

" he continued looking at the picture till his eyes were set upon the little kitten Diana held dear inside a picture.

nIt was a white kitten with a heart black spot.

nTristan turned to the cat on the desk licking its fur, there was a heart black spot on it.

n

"You're the kitten I gave to Diana...I...I thought Diana lost it years ago...

" Tristan ran to hug the cat out of a sudden. The cat flinched when being hugged tightly like that.

nMeow!!!!

n

"You're the cat I picked up when I was young...

"

nMeow!!! Meow!!!!!

n

"Diana will be happy to see you...you...

" his happiness disappeared when he realized Diana was also gone missing.

nSigh

n

"I want to go look for those three...

" he leaned on the chair putting his hand on his forehead.

nMeow...meow...

nThe cat jumped off the desk walking outside the opened window after Tristan fell asleep on the chair.

nMeow...meow...meow...(Eun-Kyung...please come back quickly...)

nMeow...meow...(...before everything's too late.)

n

nIn an inn in the capital,

n

"Young master...what makes you so happy??

" a blonde-haired woman with blue eyes slid her finger on the man's nipple burying her head on his firm chest and the other hand rubbing his abs.

nHer thigh touched with his under the white blanket they shared together, the bra, underwear, and the rest of their clothes were everywhere on the floor.

n

"My sister is dead!!! She won't be a thorn in my eyes anymore...too bad, I didn't beat up that b*tch for breaking my finger!!!

" Armando talked to his woman in anger but that woman quickly sat on him to remind him it's their night for celebration not to worry about stressing things.

n

"You really knew me well...

" he got up sitting kissing that woman.

n

"Of course...you can come to me anytime...

"

n

"When I become the head of the house, you will be my wife...

"

n

"I'm really honored, young master.

"

n

"Tomorrow, I have to go to the church for business...it will be tiring again...ahh...it was really a bad day today...Aurora's pet, that cat escaped me...I almost succeed in killing it.

"

n

"Don't worry too much...a pet will always come back to its owner...they won't go too far...

"

nTo be continued....!

n