CHAPTER 6, WHERE TO GO NEXT?

  “What do you mean we need to leave Omenmia?” Grant rants.

  In the cozy dining room, we share a long table. Grant is across Baz at the two ends of the table.

  “Your Highness, it’s not forever,” Baz replies. “We need allies. Armies. And a plan.”

  A coup. Bold move. There’s a chance a new civil war would be created by this act, which is not something I can rally behind so easily.

  I narrow my eyes at Baz. He’s already given up on changing Grant. Has he? Then why is he still helping him? It doesn’t seem worth it. Where does his loyalty come from?

  “Grant, I know it’s unfair,” Sharon says, her voice barely above a whisper. “But we need to be smart right now.”

  “I thought we were here to get the Divine Legion to do their job and serve the rightful ruler—ME! Ovivica cannot get away with this.” Grant soft slams the table. “We just need an audience with that guy—Obeli-whatever. Tell him to hand us the army, and we’re back in power. Simple.”

  He continues, “I don’t know why we are hiding. I was framed, after all.”

  Frustrated, he finally sits down.

  “Dirty water, dirty floor,” Mop suddenly interrupts.

  The conversation stalls.

  Grant blinks. His brain twists.

  Mop tilts her head, staring straight at me. “Mommy?”

  I blink.

  She looks at me for approval. All the attention on the table suddenly falls on me.

  What does that mean? I couldn’t figure that out yet, so I just nod to give her some confirmation. Her smile bursts out for that. This makes me extra proud for some reason.

  Seeing me agreeing with her, Grant panics. “What the hell does that even mean?”

  “Means you stink, Your Highness,” Dominic suddenly joins the conversation.

  Grant gawks. “Excuse me?”

  Your name is already tainted; doing more will only make it worse.

  I exhale slowly. Mop’s right. If we march into Bareniss demanding power, Grant won’t win loyalty. He’ll just confirm every accusation against him.

  Baz looks worried. “Your Highness, it’s…”

  Grant cuts him off. “Stinks? Hmm? So am I the dirty water or the floor?”

  The sudden self-reflection shocks everyone except for Mop.

  “…Hmm.” He crosses his arms. “That’s actually hard to figure out.”

  “Ugh. Whatever. This is too much thinking. You guys figure it out. I’ll just eat,” Grant whines as he sees the waitress serving the food.

  Bareniss is famous for its seafood and rare international cuisine. Our table is full of exotic dishes—sizzling fish, roasted raptor eggs from the east, and spiced eel from the western isles.

  I don’t like seafood, so I just order a simple rabbit stew.

  I try the stew and immediately realize it doesn’t tickle my taste buds like it used to. This body tastes things quite differently.

  Grant picks up a fork and frowns while checking the menu again. “Huh. No mermaid tails? No harpy legs?”

  Baz and Dominic pause mid-bite. Sharon's face crashes.

  “What?” Baz asks.

  Grant shrugs. “I heard people in the west like Lothikar actually eat Undinians. You know, as a delicacy. Thought I’d finally see it on a menu.”

  The table goes dead silent.

  What is he ranting about? Undinians are now officially Uxiospean citizens. This is not a joke to randomly drop around.

  Mop sees my face as upsetting.

  “BUGS.”

  Mop slaps Grant’s arm with a grin.

  Baz drops his fork.

  Grant looks offended. “What? I didn’t say I’d eat one! I’m just saying, if it’s a thing, then—”

  “Eat.” Sharon stuffs a piece of eel to shut him up.

  I rub my temples. Every second in this conversation drains my second lifespan.

  Dominic smirks and stabs a piece of fish. “Well, good thing they’re not on the menu, huh?”

  Grant sighs. “Yeah, yeah. Guess I’ll just settle for my spiced eel.”

  Baz, desperate to change the subject, clears his throat. “So, Dominic. How did you save Felicia?”

  Dominic pauses. “…I was stalking her.”

  Silence.

  Everyone’s jaw drops.

  Even Mop stares. She slowly turns to me for another confirmation, like her neck is broken. “Bugs?” Her hand is already halfway raised—ready to slap him.

  Sharon’s jaw drops, while looking for confirmation she is not the only one hearing it.

  Grant chokes on his eel. “Excuse me?”

  Dominic blinks, completely unfazed. “What? That’s the word, right? When you follow someone without them knowing?”

  Baz pushes his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. “No. That is not the word.”

  Dominic shrugs. “Fine, I was spying on her.”

  I slap my forehead lightly. Dominic notices my frustration. He shifts gear immediately.

  “I defeated the blond guy and saved her.”

  “The blond guy?” Baz inquires.

  “Yeah. The one with the long sword. I don’t know who he is.”

  Baz and Grant exchange a horrified glance.

  They yell together, “CAPTAIN ROX?!”

  Dominic blinks. “I guess. I didn’t ask his name when I could just knock him out.”

  Baz nearly drops his drink. Grant’s jaw is on the floor.

  “YOU JUST—YOU JUST—THAT WAS CAPTAIN ROX!”

  Dominic leans back, unfazed. “…Should I have?”

  I sigh. Now they think we have a legendary Shin master on our side.

  Baz presses fingers to his forehead, shaking his head in disbelief.

  “Forgive my wretched eyes! I have stared upon a mountain and called it a pebble!”

  Grant, still recovering, clutches his chest. “We… owe you one for saving Felicia. But uh—why were you spying on her?”

  Dominic takes a sip of his drink. “She is my lover.” The unfazed Dominic strikes again.

  The room implodes.

  Grant spits his beer across the table. Baz and Sharon cover their mouths, blushing. Mop nods confusedly. “Dad?”

  “Lover?” Grant questions.

  “You guys are dating?” Sharon bursts out.

  I roll my eyes.

  Dude, can you stop throwing thunderbolts?

  “She has served me my whole life. HOW COULD I NEVER KNOW THIS?!” Grant slams the table.

  Dominic isn’t listening. He’s staring at Mop like his entire reality is shattering. His hands shake as he slowly points at her.

  “That should be my question,” he breathes. “WHO IS THE FATHER OF THIS TEENAGE GIRL?!”

  I fold my arms. Honestly? I kinda want to know, too.

  “I don’t know.” Grant huffs. “Felicia never explained it to me. One day, I came home from a court meeting and boom! She was just… there. In my mansion.”

  “Mop!” Mop exclaims excitedly.

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  Dominic slams the table. “She just… appeared?”

  Grant waves his fork dismissively. “Yeah. You know, like a stray cat. Just… showed up. Never left.”

  Baz doesn’t seem interested in this topic. He stares at Grant softly, not a word.

  I sigh. My patience is at its limit. The conversation spirals in circles, going nowhere—just Grant being Grant, Dominic being Dominic.

  I push myself up from the table, stepping toward the window, away from the noise.

  A moment of silence.

  Then, footsteps follow me.

  “Mommy?”

  It’s Mop. Her voice is softer now—more certain than before. Her hair and clothes are extra clean for being a traveler.

  I glance at her. She’s looking up at me, expectant. Hopeful.

  Mop, from what I observed, isn’t complicated. She’s pure intuition, living by gut feelings rather than logic. If she calls Felicia her mother, then to her, that means something. One fact is clear—she trusts me more than she trusts Grant. That alone is enough reason to play the part.

  For now.

  I hug her gently to comfort her.

  She doesn’t want me to go again.

  Our journey has just started. We still have a long way to go.

  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  After we finish our meal, Baz stiffens up his face.

  “So we have a few options to escape to,” Baz states.

  “We can go to Uxiospea as they have…”

  “No.” Grant cuts him off.

  “But…”

  “No!”

  “We need…”

  “No!”

  “Why?”

  “No!”

  Baz sighs. “At least let me finish my sentence?”

  Grant crosses his arms. “Fine.”

  Baz opens his mouth—

  “No.”

  “Fine, what is your problem with Uxiospea?”

  Grant leans back. “I don’t like their third princess.”

  Baz rubs his temples. “That’s it?”

  Grant points dramatically. “If I go there, I have to bow down to her. I would rather die.”

  “I agree,” Sharon adds quickly.

  Baz doesn’t argue. He just nods. “Fine.”

  He moves on. “We can also go to Cyrus-Kaas Republic. They remain neutral in most conflicts.”

  “They are also famous for their Monasteries of Wisdoms. I always wanted to visit there,” Sharon drops some knowledge I don’t even know.

  Impressive.

  “Cyrus-Kaas would ensure our safety, but it will also stagnate our ability to reclaim Omenmia for their lack of resources,” Baz continues.

  “But they are good with tradings, we can…” Sharon rebuts.

  Baz interrupts, “No, that will not be enough to build an alliance.”

  Dominic leans in slightly to me. “The Commoner might be there.”

  My fingers tighten around my rapier. So he really exists.

  I glance at Dominic. He wouldn’t say this unless he was sure.

  Baz doesn’t notice our exchange. “If you are unwilling to negotiate with Uxiospea, then this may be the safest option.”

  Grant scoffs. “Cross that off. I am not giving up on Omenmia to Ovivica.”

  I can agree with that. Not the Ovivica part. And I don’t trust Cyrus-Kaas. There’s always a “but” for neutrality.

  Baz nods, already expecting this. “Then, we could go to Tian Jou. It’s a developed region, though language barriers will slow us down. Adapting and gathering support there would take time.”

  “I can teach you guys how to speak Tianese,” Sharon shares amusingly.

  Grant frowns. “Acceptable. What else?” He pauses, then suggests, “City of Serenity?”

  Baz pauses for a second, then shakes his head. “The City of Serenity would put us in a similar situation as Cyrus-Kaas, if not worse.”

  “But those wizards are nice, aren’t they?” Sharon asks.

  “The Wizard High Council may hesitate at first, but ultimately, they will align with Omenmia. Omenmia has been oppressing them for years. If we stay there too long, they may return you to Luna.” Baz explains.

  Grant’s jaw tightens. He falls silent for a moment, tapping his fingers against the table.

  I cross my arms. Good. Let him think.

  The Commoner…

  Baz takes a deep breath and says, “The last option is the Han Kingdom.”

  The table falls silent.

  He knows Grant will be upset.

  “…Han?” Grant’s voice is tense. “That tiny kingdom that humiliated us?”

  Baz meets his gaze. “Grant, they are the only country that ever defeated us. That’s proven history.”

  He called Grant by his name. This is new.

  Grant grinds his teeth. “Before all this happened, I already told you—I want to reclaim my father’s glory. I refused the demeaning peace accord. Why would I help them invade my country?!”

  His voice rises. The room tenses.

  “Gao is from Han, at least his father is,” Sharon tries to talk reason into him.

  Grant murmurs, “He… is different.”

  “Then, I guess we will have to go to Tian Jou.” Baz sighs, defeated.

  We reach an agreement—Tian Jou.

  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  Baz switches rooms with me so I can share a room with Mop. I can see Dominic is upset. But I don’t care.

  After a long bath, I finally sink into the bed, exhaling.

  For the first time in days, I have a moment to breathe.

  We have a few days to prepare for the journey. I’ll have to find a way to force Grant to study Tianese. If he doesn’t, he’ll just embarrass himself—or worse, offend the wrong person.

  …Wait.

  Actually, maybe it’s better if he doesn’t know Tianese. That way, Baz can negotiate on his behalf without interruption.

  Did I just agree to the coup plan?

  …Grant needs to grow up.

  I press my fingers against my temple. Why didn’t I take my children’s education seriously before?

  A soft voice breaks my thoughts.

  “Mommy, nest?”

  I blink. Mop is standing by my bed, looking at me expectantly.

  Nest?

  Her eyes are warm. Hopeful.

  She wants something. Something simple.

  …I scoot over and leave the space beside me.

  Her smile bursts out immediately.

  She climbs onto the bed, curls up close, and nuzzles into my side.

  Warm. Small. Trusting.

  “Mommy,” she murmurs sleepily.

  …This girl.

  I turn off the light.

  Snoring.

  Mop is already asleep. I should, too.

  I should…

  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  It’s dark. I can barely move. Shackles lock me up on the wall.

  Where am I?

  There’s a dark figure in front of me. It stabs a tube and injects something glowing in purple.

  It’s pretty but suffocating.

  Ah!

  It pulls it out. It uses its finger to flip my face up to it. It’s a man, not a monster.

  Everything is so fuzzy. The hair is dark, but the red eyes are unforgettable, cold, and calculating. Who is he?

  He smiles and drops my head, leaving me to rot in the cell.

  Across the cell is a young boy, rough like me.

  His hair is black as well. And a clear pair of red eyes, full of rage.

  I cannot hold it anymore.

  Muffled. Echoes. Nothing is clear.

  Suddenly, a giant BOOM!

  A bunch of Omenmia soldiers dash in.

  “The kids are here! The kids are here!”

  We are rescued.

  A woman comes in with a stern face.

  I recognize her. It’s Ovivica, my sister.

  She approaches the boy across me, unlocks him, and chats with him. I cannot hear what they say, but she carries him up and walks out majestically.

  The Omenmian soldiers follow her and help every one of us. I see Dan in a glimpse during the rescue.

  As they bring us all out of the dungeon, the exterior light blinds me to death.

  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  I wake up in the inn’s bed. Mop is holding my waist, still asleep.

  What was the dream? Another memory of Felicia’s?

  Ovivica, I remember this. It was a major discovery during the Civil War. The South is working with the Guild, using kidnapped children as experiments for super soldiers. She was in charge of this rescue. And this was also the time she adopted Gustaff.

  I thought we released all of them home. How did Felicia join the Shadow Soldier program?

  Ah, yes. Her home is already destroyed.

  The South did immoral acts and was revealed by us, only for us to follow their suit later.

  How hypocritical!

  Alright, the day has begun. No time to waste, we need to exchange our goods to something the Northian would like.

  I let go of Mop and tuck her in. I reflectively kiss her on the forehead.

  Wait? What did I just do?

  I shake my head clear. I’m Aulsman. I’m here to save my legacy.

  I walk to the sink to wash my face.

  Stay on your game.

  I look at myself in the mirror. The hair is a bit messy. I tidy it up as much as possible.

  Let’s grab some morning fresh air.

  I dress up and move out of the room, seeing Dominic sleeping outside of my room.

  Why didn’t he just sleep with Baz? This man…

  I tiptoe around him, avoiding waking him up.

  I arrive on the first floor and go straight to the garden.

  It’s something I enjoy doing as an emperor. A morning quiet before all the chores coming up.

  The air is quite fresh with a salty scent from the sea.

  The garden is well-maintained. Yellow gladioli bloom all over the garden. It’s summer.

  I sit on the grass to reclaim my solace, watching the clouds passing, one by one. The early merchants have already finished up their set-ups, ready for business.

  An old couple strolls together slowly across the inn. Seagulls flow around, eyeing for food. Their calls enhance the growing liveliness of the city.

  It would be nice if I have some tea with me. Just as I thought about that, a cup of tea is presented in front of me.

  “Here you go. You always prepare a morning tea for me. This is the least I can do.”

  It is Grant. I didn’t expect him to be the one to wake up early.

  I grab the teacup, taking a sip, as Grant sits down next to me.

  We sit together without saying any words. There must be some mutual agreement between Grant and Felicia before.

  For him to be so quiet is an unusual experience. I remember he always wanted to stuff in some comment when he was with me alone, whether I was working or resting.

  Just as I think this morning couldn’t be any better, something breaks it.

  A silver-blond-haired woman with an ethereally astonishing face, a beautiful pair of emerald eyes with gem-like textures, pointy ears, a star-breed Half-Celesus, a Salamandian appears across the street.

  Grant’s face changes immediately, and he stands up. I know who she is. Princess Ellina de Nova.

  Why is she here anyway? I wasn’t informed of the Uxiospean’s visit. Bareniss hides another piece of information from the court, again.

  Interestingly, I thought he would get angry immediately, but his expression tells me a different story. He is intrigued by her presence.

  Grant leaves without even checking on me.

  Well, the quiet morning was gone. I stand up and return to the inn.

  As I am checking on the breakfast menu, Mop and Dominic come downstairs to greet me. They seem to accept each other’s existence.

  On the other side, I see Baz dragging the two lazy girls, Sharon and Benica, towards the dining area.

  We greet each other softly as they are not fully awake.

  As I decide to follow them into the dining room for breakfast, a voice tightens me up.

  “What a lovely morning! It’s been a while, everyone. I see Grant got some new followers.”

  That voice and attitude. There’s no doubt. That is—

  Gustaff. He conceals his presence perfectly.

  I turn around to see the dark slim figure, in his clean inspector uniform, standing at the entrance of the inn.

  “So, where is Grant?” He smiles mischievously.

  This morning has just become a stand-off.