《Zosia: Quick Transmigration System》 Chapter 1 - 1- Death Zosia looked at the map in her hands with a twinkle in her eyes. "Damn, it was really the right choice to go on this tour." She laughed and followed the directions on the map dutifully. Arriving at her destination, she looked at the building before her eyes and smiled, revealing her dimples. The sight caused others to look at her and smile. Her smile brought a smile to other''s face. "Aish, look at how cute she is." "Damn, she isn''t just cute. Look at those long legs." Ignoring the side talks, she stepped into the museum. Her coming to the museum was not out of impulse. She had taken her time to sort everything out. To her, she needs a detailed plan for everything and her trip is one of it. She had heard about the new goods that has been dug out from an Emperor mausoleum from a friend. So, here she is. To help her friend transport it. Though she had left that kind of work, her friend had asked her for her help. Zosia decided to help and clear the debt she owed. Mia had saved her ass once, and she was just going to do the same without disrupting her trip. To the outside world, she is just a young girl with a clean family background. It may be kinda clich¨¦, but yeah, she is an orphan. According to her master, she had been abandoned, and he did her the favor of raising her to be useful to him. Coming out of her thoughts, she pressed a button on the elevator. "Password" a robotic voice said. She keyed in the password and more buttons appeared. Zosia pressed the button with the number 13 on it. Whoosh! The elevator sped down. The elevator seemed like it would fall before rocking itself against the wall. Ding! "Finally, you''re here." Mia''s voice came from the other side. "Gerald, what the hell is wrong with your elevator? It''s still withholding our Sia in it." Mia complained as she watched the elevator door slowly open. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Gerald, would you call your damn workers to go fix the elevator. What kind of crap is this to call itself an elevator?" Gerald shook his ear while using his other hand to massage his glabella. "Mia, it''s not even up to a minute¡­" the appearance of Zosia cut Gerald''s words short. "Finally, Sia you''re here. You can''t believe how badly¡­. I am so grateful you''re here." She gave Sia a bear hug to convey her attitude. "You are killing me." Zosia let out a grunt as she tried to breathed with the bear hug Mia had entrapped her in. "Sorry." "It''s Ok." after addressing Mia, she turned to Gerald. "Hi Gerald." "Hi!" "Alright, you said you need me for?" she looked at Mia, who had mentioned little to no details about their move, only mentioning that she needed her help. Not mentioning what she was needed her for, and her coming, is something dangerous to be done in their line of work. Was it trust? She didn''t think so, but since it was something she could do on her way while going for a trip, she decided to give a helping hand. "Sit down and have tea while I tell you what happened." Zosia nodded and sat down on the chair offered to her. "Hmmm¡­ This tea kinda taste awful." "Alright don''t drink it, I thought it was quite sweet, since Gerald drank it without squeezing his face." Mia said, placing a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice on the table. "Alright, can I see the stuff ¡ª Bleh!" Zosia brought out her tongue to show disgust at what she had just taken. Gerald brought out a chest and opened it, revealing its contents. "Wow, such a beautiful Gem." Zosia could not help but admire the gem that adorned the ring. "Yup, so beautiful that we are not the only ones eyeing it." Mai said from the side. Zosia frowned at her words, which made Mia think that she was frowning at the unexpected enemies. It was actually the opposite. Zosia looked at the nail that stuck out by the side of the chest which had inadvertently pricked her finger. Rubbing the blood on the chest, she took the leather like page. "What is this?" Zosia looked at them to answer her, unaware of the token sucking her blood. "Hmm¡­ it does looks strange. Never mind that." Gerald said, while bringing a laptop. Zosia dropped the token but not without touching the ring. She did not touch the rest as she had a job to do. ========= "It seems to be going too smooth. Mia, didn''t you mention that¡­." She had yet to finish her words, when Mia shouted. "Duck!" Whish! "F*ck, they planned to ambush us here." Zosia cursed. "Zosia take this." Mia handed her a gun. "Well, here we go again." Cracking her neck, she began firing. "Mia watch my back." Receiving no response, she called out Mia''s name again, "Mia¡­ Mia.." ''What''s going on? Why do I feel so dizzy? Apart from the grape juice and the bitter drink I drank this morning. I haven''t taken any other thing.'' Seeing her hand shake, she gripped the gun and turned her head to see if she could see Mia, but what she saw left her horrified. "Why?" was the last word she muttered before being blasted along with the vehicle by the grenade thrown by Mia while giving her a cute smile. Before she felt her consciousness completely disappear, she held the gun despite her shaky hands and shot at the incoming grenade, causing it to go off midway, reducing the impact, though it left her battered and almost at death door. Biting the inside of her cheeks, she tried to keep herself awake. ======== "Do you think she is dead?" Gerald asked as he stared at the ruins. They had bombed her along with the enemies. The enemies were small fries that they could easily handle, but without something to show for it, it might have been hard to deceive Zosia. Only if they knew, they had actually deceived her more easier than they thought. "She should, but it''s best we check. Her tenacity is too strong." Her eyes flickered with hatred. Gerald stared at Mia''s back as she searched for her so-called best friend and could not help but sneer. "She is dead." Mia bent down to check if the burned offering before her was still breathing, but couldn''t get anything. "How are you sure she is the one?" "Tsk, are you saying I can''t tell the body of my best friend?" She answered, her tone filled with anger. "The best friend you could not wait to kill." He retorted back at her. "Let''s go back. At least we have completed our mission," Gerald said. Not wanting to be here anymore, he took a step back and was about to leave. "Gerald, don''t also make the mistake she did. Did she ever think she could leave master side and see to live another day if not for master''s mercy? Don''t harbor thoughts you shouldn''t have." She warned him subtly and gave a wide smile. Skipping in her steps, she left the site. "You are thinking too much." Gerald''s eyes flickered for a moment. Nobody knew what thoughts were going through his head. Zosia, who had crawled her way under the car regardless of the pain with her battered body, heard everything they had said. "Is this really my fate?" She muttered to herself. "Hey Gerald, the chest. Hope you brought the fake one? It would be a pity if we lost the real one." Mia''s voice could still be heard from a distance. "Yes, I did." "I hope so, master doesn''t mind losing another competent person under him." While each of them were in their own thoughts or conversing, they were unaware of the bright light exuded by the chest in the booth. Everything disintegrated and was absorbed by the ring. The ring which had a silver and gold outlook in the form of a gradient color turned sleek black. The gem floated together with ring. Mia and Gerald had left not bothering to return to check, letting Zosia breathe a sigh of relief but the relief was short lasting. Tears fell like rain from her eyes soaking the ground. The ring and gem which were floating appeared before Zosia , causing her to widen her eyes in surprise. She couldn''t complete her statement when the ring and gem pierced her heart bringing forth excruciating pain. Her miserable scream echoed for a while before dying out weakly. She knew death would come one day but she never thought it would come this fast. Zosia gave her miserable self, one last look and breath her last not forgetting to leave her signature smirk on her face before passing on. "What a world." She spat out before leaving the world to where spirits go. Chapter 2 - 2- System Space. Grunt! Zosia felt uncomfortable and could not help but let out a sound. Then suddenly it clicked to her, since she could feel pain, then she should be alive. She opened her eyes to look at her surroundings. "Am I not supposed to be dead? How am I still alive? Where am I?" She asked so many questions, but she got no answer. "Huh? What is this?" She muttered. A holographic screen appeared before her eyes, followed by a female voice. [WELCOME TO THE SYSTEM SPACE, I WILL ADDRESS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS BEFORE THE TUTORIAL STARTS.] Looking at the holographic words, she had a lot of questions, but being in the system, she knows that she had been given only but a few minutes or more before her time runs up and then she would be thrown into the tutorial. [YOU ARE QUITE SMART.] "So, she can read my mind." Zosia thought inwardly. "Well, thanks. I have a few questions. First, who are you?" [YOUR GUIDE, TILL YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR TUTTORIAL. AS FOR IF YOU WOULD GET ANY AFTER THE TUTORIAL ENDS, DEPENDS ON IF YOU WOULD STILL BE ALIVE BY THEN.] "Okay, what and what do I need to prepare?" [AREN''T YOU GOING TO ASK ME HOW YOU GOT HER? THAT''S LIKE THE FIRST QUESTION THAT PEOPLE ASK.] "No." Zosia replied succinctly. [ALRIGHT, THAT SAVES ME A LOT OF TIME THEN. AS FOR WHAT YOU SHOULD PREPARE, THEY INCLUDE: FASTING PILLS, WATER, CRUMBLED BISCUIT AND A COLD WEAPON.] "How do I get that?" [EACH NEWBIE IS GIVEN A TOTAL OF 1000 POINTS. SO, YOU CAN USE THE POINTS GIVEN TO PURCHASE WHAT YOU NEED.] [YOUR TIME IS UP, BUT AS A BONUS, I WILL TELL YOU HOW YOU GOT HERE.] [YOU GOT HERE WITH THE AID OF THE VIP TOKEN, WHICH IS WHY I AM ALSO HERE. THE VIP TOKEN GRANTS YOU THE OPPURTUNITY FOR A GUIDE TO BRIEF YOU.. AND I HAPPEN TO BE THE ONE AND AS WELL AS 50% DISCOUNT ON YOUR FIRST PURCHASE AND EXTRA 1000 POINTS. OTHER EXPLANATIONS WOULD COME LATER, AS IF I CONTINUE EXPLAINING, YOUR TIME WOULD BE UP AND YOU WOULDN''T BE ABLE TO BUY ANYTHING. GOODLUCK IN YOUR TUTORIAL.] Zosia watched as the Holographic words disappeared and took a deep breath. Since she didn''t have much time left, she could only open the shop and see what she could get. Looking at the expensive prices, she was not sure if her 2000 points would be enough. She looked at the prices which were slashed and the newly generated price. First, she bought a dagger, some military biscuits, some bottle water and fasting pills. After buying all that, even with the discount, 1000 points disappeared. Biting her lips, she perused the shop and found a storage bag which reminded her of her inventory. She clicked on the inventory, but it was still in gray shade, meaning it wasn''t available to her yet. Looking at the things which she had bought on the floor, she gritted her teeth and was about to spend the remaining 1000 points to get a bag since she couldn''t afford even a simple storage artifact now. She bent down to arrange the things she had bought when she noticed a tattoo on the back of her arm resembling a live owl. As someone that doesn''t have a tattoo, seeing such a thing on her arm was strange, if not weird. The presence of such alone was questioning. Just as she was about to scrub it off, she suddenly felt like an explosion went off in her head and she felt her consciousness go dark. [MASTER ACKNOWLEDGED] Opening her eyes to find herself in a dry caked field with no grass and a spring which divides the field into two. Looking at the water, she wondered if she could return the water she bought. She decided to try it out first and see if it works. "Now, how do I go out?" She tried using her thoughts to send the message when she suddenly felt overwhelmed. Zosia felt like all the restrictions in the space disappeared. She was now completely in charge of the space. She even felt like not only could her consciousness enter, even her body could. Leaving the space, she clicked on the system and thought of how to return the water when she saw the option she was looking for. "Sell." She clicked on the water bottles and on the option to sell. The VIP card slashed the fee she would have paid, allowing her to regain back her points. Using the remaining points, she bought a lot of fasting pills and match sticks for making fire. She did not buy seeds, she believed she could get it from the world she would be going to. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She also bought a bag to use as a decoy. The moment she bought the bag, the shop option turned gray, and a countdown appeared. [YOUR TUTORIAL BEGINS IN 5¡­..4¡­. 3¡­ 2.. 1. BRACE YOURSELF.] ¡­. Opening her eyes, Zosia stared at the unfamiliar young man before her, who was shouting. She frowned imperceptibly, feeling the rising headache from the young man''s shouting, which also made her ears ring. Her eyes stung, and she felt pain. She really just wanted to drift into the dreamland, cause her head felt like it was about to explode. "You aren''t even listening to me. Look, better get this right. You can only be my wife on papers and nothing more." After he said that, the Young man stormed out of the room not forgetting to bang the door behind him, adding to Zosia''s headache. Zosia rolled her eyes and quickly crawled into the bed. "Oh Lord! This, is just so soft." Zosia let out a moan and allowed herself to sink into the bed. Before, she knew it, she entered the dreamland. ¡­ "Oh! It''s morning." Zosia yawned while stretching her arms. "Huh! It''s really morning." She blinked her eyes as confusion set in. What followed next was the replay of memories of the original owner. Zosia glanced at the tutorial board in front of her. [[[ MAIN QUEST: TAKE CARE OF THE UNBORN CHILD TILL HE REACHES ADULT STAGE. SIDE QUEST (1): MAKE KRIS REGRET HIS DECISION. SIDE QUEST (2): LOVE YOURSELF. TIME: 20 YEARS. ] ]]] Looking at the tutorial panel which only had the quest and nothing else on it, she let out a sigh. "I Can''t believe I am pregnant! Now, I just need to make some plans." According to the original owner''s memories, she is 20 years old, currently in her youth and now married to her crush of 7 years. Yup, she has been having a crush on Kris since she was a kid after he had helped her once. As for her current situation, after her mother remarried and her father also remarried, she is currently alone. Kris was a family friend when her family was still intact, but after their business expanded into the military, it was no longer so. Her step- sister also has a crush on him, but neither of them could get his heart, especially not the timid original host. Looking back at the memories, she really felt that the original host was really stupid, even to the extent of drugging Kris before she leaves for Miami, but she ended up getting pregnant. Now, she is currently 3 months pregnant. Kris'' parents were the one who even found out about her pregnancy, not even her. Kris'' parents had caught them in bed and assumed she would be their daughter -in-law since Kris wasn''t showing any signs of bringing one back home. Well, that''s a story for another day. She didn''t want to delve too deep into it. "Zosia, you need to think. What should I do now? Well, who cares!" Opening the bedside drawer, she took out the bank card given to her by Kris. Kris had thrown the card to her when he found out about her pregnancy. His plan was to use the money on the card to send her away. "Now, let''s go for a plan" Zosia winked at herself as she stood in front of the mirror. Chapter 3 - 3- First step. Zosia locked the house door and stepped into the garage. Gazing at the beautiful cars, she thought about using one, unfortunately; she had the key to none of them. "Sigh! I would have to walk out of the estate before I can find a cab." Zosia kept looking back at the garage with a regretful look in her eyes. She had already gone quite a distance, yet she''d look back occasionally. Vroom! "Hey, do you stay around here?" A car came to a halt in front of her, drawing back her attention. ''I would have gotten hit.'' ''She patted her chest in relief. "Yes, Sir." "Then you should watch where you''re going." Zosia nodded her head in agreement. The car drove past her with the car windows wound down, allowing her to see its occupants. "Isn''t that the so-called true love of my husband?" She muttered under her breath while still patting her chest. "Well, how is it any of my business? With his attitude, I am pretty sure I can''t raise this child together with him to avoid digging my early grave? I would go check how much is in this card. It decides my next step." Playing with the card at her fingertips, she skipped, momentarily forgetting she was pregnant. Oh, the beauty of your early pregnancy not showing. Unaware that she was being watched by someone. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ..... "Phew, does madam not know she is pregnant and what''s with twirling boss card like that?" He muttered to himself. The boss had sent him to come and give Madam a car key. "I better give it to her. If she ends up being kidnapped, I wouldn''t be able to explain myself." The Young man ran into the garage. Staring at the cars, he wondered which one he would give Madam. No one knew Madam''s preferences. Just thinking about this made his head ache. "I would take this one." Kyle immediately drove the car out to meet up with Madam. Upon getting close with Madam, he was met with a scene, he did not know if he should laugh or just face palm himself. He would go with the later, he watched in interest, as a young man around the age of 15-18 was hitting up on His Madam. He was still watching with interest, when his eyes met with that of Zosia. Smiling embarrassingly, he pulled up to her side. "Madam, I brought the car you wanted." He came down from the car and gave a formal bow. Zosia stared at the sleek black car in surprise. Black is her favorite color, so her love for the car rose. She gave the car a thorough look. It had enough space, looked like it had been improved. It was even bulletproof. The glass was also not see through, a private glass. "Let''s go." Zosia took the back seat. Kyle entered back into the car and drove off. The young man who had been hitting up on her was left embarrassed. "F*ck, I was hitting on a married woman. No wonder she gave me that look, like she was looking at a fool." "That b*tch, couldn''t she just say she was married. Luckily, this didn''t happen in front of my friends." He stomped his feet with frustration written on his face. ... "For how long have you been watching me?" Zosia''s words caused Kyle to sit up. "Ma''am, do you want the truth or a lie?" "Of course, the truth." His grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Not for long, ma''am," he responded Zosia gave no answer, nor did she react. She closed her eyes and let her head rest on the back of the seat. Hearing no reply after a while, he peeped at the overhead mirror. Seeing her close her eyes, he tentatively asked a question that has been bothering him. "Where are we going, ma''am?" "To the Bank." He was tempted to ask for what, but kept his mouth shut. .... Zosia''s reason for going to the bank was for three reasons. One is to open her own personal account. Not that she didn''t have one, but it could easily be tracked. Second, is to check the amount present in the card. Last, is to transfer some funds to the newly created account. Arriving at the bank didn''t take long and as well as all that she intended doing. It was done pretty quickly. She didn''t really feel like she had wasted her time. .... "Ma, where are we going next?" Kyle wondered what Zosia went to do. He still had to report everything to his boss. "The Mall. Take me to the best mall." "Yes, ma''am." He dropped his phone which he was texting his Boss on, reporting her every move. .... In a meeting room..... The ongoing presentation was interrupted by a notification tone. Kris did not like being interrupted when he is busy and was about to use the person who left their phone on ring out as an example, only for it to be his. "Continue." He addressed the person to continue while he opened his phone to check what it was. Looking at the massive amount that he had been debited, he was shocked. ''Who did I give this card to?'' his thoughts ruminating on who had used the card. The message he received next reminded him of who it was. What followed next, was a series of debit alert which soured his mood. The moment, the meeting was done, he stormed out of the meeting room. ... In the CEO''S Office¡­.. Kris took the coffee his assistant had brought and tried to calm himself. "What exactly is this woman buying?" at this point, he felt he needed to keep the phone far away from him, because the incessant alerts made his eyes sting and ears ring. "I need to call her. No, I would tell Kyle to bring her here." ... Zosia with a satisfied smile, stepped into the car with Kyle trailing behind her with bags. "Put them in the boot, if there is not enough space, you can put them here." Kyle could not answer, even office work was not as tiring as what he just went through. "Take me back home." Zosia commanded Kyle, the moment he sat at the driver''s seat. "That wouldn''t be possible ma''am. The boss said you should meet him." "Could it be that your Boss couldn''t handle the billing." Zosia snickered. Seeing that Kyle wasn''t saying anything, she decided to go meet this husband of hers. "Alright, let''s go." Chapter 4 - 4- Tutorial 2 Zosia looked at the skyscraper in front of her and could not help but marvel at the architecture of the building. "Nice, now let''s go see your Boss." She patted Kyle on his shoulder causing him to shudder. Kyle led the way. Entering the building, murmurs and whispers filled the building upon seeing her. Zosia walked with grace and elegance befitting of her stature though the cloth she wore gave a contrasting impression. Zosia wore a fluffy pink shirt with short and a canvas. A rabbit ear design on her head and with every step she took, the fluffy rabbit ears moved with her. Kris was met with such sight that it left him stunned. If not for her dressing, he would have forgotten his wife had just turned 20 years. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cough! Boss madam is here" Kyle''s cough was not actually to bring out his boss from his stunned state but also to remind him that his wife is here, so he should send the other woman away. Zosia looked at the scene of her husband with another woman on his lap, feeding him. She also noticed the presence of another man in the room. It was the person who had almost hit her. "You called for me." Zosia did not bother about their schadenfreude and took her sit. Her grace and elegance not diminishing in the slightest. Kris anger returned upon hearing the voice that always made him annoyed. At first, he planned to tell Eva to sit on her own but upon hearing her words, he changed his mind. "What and what did you spend so much money on? Do you think I pluck money from trees." His aura became colder, the more he spoke. While others were scared of his outburst including Eva. Zosia crossed her leg while admiring her nails. "You are really funny. I thought your dutiful assistant already told you what I did. Why are you still ranting?" her voice as light as always. Her composure left everyone stunned. "Zosia, how dare you say I am ranting?" Eva feeling the tense atmosphere decided to chime in. "Sia, why make Kris angry, you can just answer him. It''s just a simple question." Eva cooed. "And you are?" Zosia lazily lifted her eyelids to scan Eva thoroughly. Kris did not allow Eva to answer as he spoke to her condensingly. "You''re not worthy to know her." "Just like how, she is not worthy of my position now. Anyway, since you call me to showcase your love with your side chick, or should I say, ''Whore'', to which I am now aware that you have. Remember to deposit more money into the card. Have a nice day." Zosia stood up and left, leaving Kris angry and fuming. Eva clenched her fist, her eyes flashing with a ruthless glint. Being called a side chick is one thing, but being called a whore! "She asked for it. She shouldn''t blame me then. I will make sure I get rid of her and take the position, she is so proud of." She thought Inwardly. Raising her head up, she schooled her twisted features. "Babe, let me go and talk to her, I am sure she would come back to apologize." Eva turned to Kris and spoke. Her voice, sad and seemed like she was on the verge of tears, while still sitting on his lap. Kyle said nothing and since Eva couldn''t take back her words, she could only stand up. Eva left, leaving Kyle, Kris and well, the unknown man who seemed to be a good friend of Kris. "And what are you still doing here?" "I want to report to you, that Madam Antenatal is tomorrow- " his words were left Incompleted by Kris signaling him to keep his mouth shut. "Do not report to me anything about that woman and do not call her Madam. Deposit enough money into the card, if it would be enough to get her away from me. Do that every month." He ordered, his voice frigid. "Now get out." Kyle could only swallow back his words and leave. He opened the door to leave and met Miss Eva standing outside. His grip in the door tightened but he just smiled and gave way. "Kris am sorry, I could not catch up to her. She left really quick." Eva looked pitiful as she said that. "Eva, you should go home, I have some things to discuss with Ryan." "But- " "No, I said you should go home. I would come see you this night. I would let Kyle drop you off." He waved her off, he was already feeling annoyed and this can be seen by the cigarette he had taken up. Eva nodded her head, seeing him in a bad mood, she knew not to continue pushing his buttons, else she might get burnt as well. Eva gave Kris a peck with Ryan looking at them like a bystander before leaving. Click! The moment the door closed, Kris lit the cigarette. Ryan stared at the red light emitted by the cigarette, lost in thought. "Bro, you are married?" his eyes showed confusion as he stared at his friend Kris, his eyes staring into Kris''s own, searching for answers. "Just on paper, nothing much." Ryan opened and closed his mouth at his reply. "But she is pregnant ¡­" "So! , Ryan I don''t want to talk about her now, it''s not like she is the first pregnant lady." Kris reply left a frown on Ryan face. Taking a pack cigarette, he lit one while going through his thoughts. Lowering his eyelids, he took a puff of the smoke. "Then what about Eva, aren''t you breaking her heart." Ryan asked, waiting for an answer as he stared at his good friend. "Once, she gives birth, I am divorcing her." Kris tugged on his tie feeling uncomfortable by the question. "I have nothing to say, except, are you sure about your plans?" Ryan asked again. "100%" Kris answered with so much assurance in his voice. ...¡­ Kyle had planned to send Madam back as he was sure she would be waiting for him. "Kyle... Kyle¡­" Hearing his name from the person he hates made him shudder with anger. Kyle tried to reign his temper which made his face appear impassive. "How may I help you ma''am?" Kris asked in a gentle tone. Her shout had made other peering eyes to look. Kyle glanced at the people who were waiting to hear a gossip and ignored them. He didn''t like her and had a deep seated grudge with her, if she decided to use her own hand to wash her reputation black, who was he not to help her out. "Kris said you should take me back home." Eva did not care about the cold look worn by Kyle. She was well aware that Kyle was the one who brought Zosia and would be taking her back. ''Why not use this time to make her angry, if Zosia could have a miscarriage, it would be for the best.'' "I am sorry miss, but I have to take Madam back home." Kyle''s cold voice made some people''s eyes widen. Not because of his cold tone but by the fact that, the lady they had thought was the Boss girlfriend wasn''t any of that. "Boss is married?" "If the other lady is the Boss lady, who is she?" Whispers filled the office. Click! The CEO''s door was pushed open with Kris and Ryan coming out of the office. Due to how they had started off the conversation, they couldn''t really talk business. It''s best they cool their heads and continue talking later with less prejudice attached. Seeing the CEO, those who were watching the scene, immediately scuttled back to their seat. "What is going on here?" Kris asked as he stared inquisitively at Kyle. "She asked me to send her back home and I said, I would be sending Mrs. Zosia back first." Ryan looked at the scene with a smile tugging on his lips. He didn''t like his friends attitude and loved how the assistant was handling it. "Bro, no need to worry your assistant, I can send Eva back home, after all, she came with me." Ryan patted Kris on his shoulder. Knowing his friend, he knew Kris wouldn''t settle it amicably, especially when he is standing on a higher social strata. "Thanks bro." Kris eyed Kyle with a strange look in his eyes but said nothing. Kris eyed the rest of the people who were gossiping. They immediately went back to their station unwilling to enter his bad book. "If you would excuse me." Kyle gave a small bow and left the place first. "Don''t be angry, it''s nothing." Ryan voiced to no one in particular though it seemed to be addressing both of them. "I would be leaving with Eva now." Ryan grabbed Eva by her arm and left the scene. He didn''t want Eva to cause any more trouble, especially when he knows that just like Eva, they wouldn''t let it slide and take Kyle''s action as disrespect.... A huge one at that. ... Zosia looked at her wristwatch on her hand as she waited patiently for Kyle. "What is taking him so long?" her face cold as she thought about some possibilities. She was still lost in her thoughts, when the car door was pulled open. "Sorry to keep you waiting." "Oh, no madam was added this time around. Kris handwork?" Zosia asked with a raised brow. "Yes ma''am." "I can tell you don''t like Eva, seems like the grudge is deep." Kyle did not answer and just bit his lips. "What do you think about working with me?" "What do you want?" His tone wasn''t anything near as friendly as it usually is. "Calm down and we will talk." Kyle lowered his head as he tried to calm the bubbling rage he felt. The rage he feels towards Eva, towards the situation. The rich always like to get hold of something from you to do their bidding. He was angry at himself for letting her get hold of one. "I am calm now." Zosia gave Kyle a smile upon hearing his word. "I know you are wondering, what do I need you for. You may already have so many suggestions going on in your head, but you don''t have to worry about that. I need your help...¡­" Chapter 5 - 5- Tutorial 3 Four months later.... In an enclosed room.... A lady with both hands and legs bound, struggled. She tried to release the restraints on her. Zosia''s eyes opened as she stared at the burly men in front of her. "Please, let me go. My husband has money, he would pay you." Zosia begged the man who seemed to be the leader. The man eyed Zosia,his eyes landing on her protruding stomach, before giving way to his contractor. "Oh, Sia, where has thou elegance gone to." A mocking laughter rang out followed by Eva''s words. "I already left my husband for you. What else do you still need?" Zosia''s voice carried indignation. ''Gosh, my acting Is really top notch'' Zosia praised herself inwardly while her eyes stared coldly at Eva. "You sure are very funny. You are asking me what I want? Of course I need you to be completely eradicated. Your presence is unnecessary." "You-" her words were cut short as Zosia stared wide eyed at the match stick in Eva''s hand. ''This isn''t part of the plan.'' She panicked inwardly. Thanks to the restraints that hid her actions, she tried contacting someone. Not like she couldn''t escape, but she was currently heavily pregnant and had to endure the occasional contractions. ''Please, baby don''t come out yet.'' She prayed inwardly. ... "Kyle, what is it?" Kris asked, his tone laced with fury. Kris was literally fuming. Kyle had barged in when he was in the process of signing the contract. "Just sign the contract, so I can leave you to deal with your problem." The middle aged man said. Due to Kris negligence, he did not notice that the contract on the table had been switched. Kris did not want the opportunity to slip away, so he took the advice and penned his signature, stamping his company demise. "Have a nice day sir." The middle aged man smile widened as he left with his team. Kyle also did not notice the contract changing, he was panicking inwardly. His plan with Zosia had gone south. Their plan was to keep touching Eva buttons till she decides to do something crazy but in the process they had found out more things that they shouldn''t have and Eva had been on their tail since then. He was currently panicking as when he had gone to find Zosia to give her the report of who she had asked him to find but ended up finding out that she had been kidnapped. He had come straight to report it to his Boss but while in the elevator, the signal for communication between the two of them lit up, showing that she was in danger. "Boss, Madam has been kidnapped." "Who is Madam?" he asked with confusion plastered on his face. Looking at the confusion on his Boss face, he came to realization. ''Now I understand why Madam is doing what she is doing.'' "Sir, it''s Mrs. Zosia. Your wife." Kyle spoke through gritted teeth. Kris nodded after getting his answer. "Is that why you barged into my office?" "Yes sir." "Then you can get out. You are fired." Kris waved Kyle away not wanting to hear any other rubbish about the woman he hates. The woman hadn''t come to disturb him for 4 months now, who knows what''s up in her sleeve. "But- " "No but Kyle, you have been replaced, call Zayn for me as you leave." Kyle looked at his Boss and felt stupid. He had harboured some hope that his Boss would be willing to help Madam, after all, Madam had done a lot of things behind his back to protect the company. ''Now I understand how madam feels and why she made the decision she made.'' Now, he understood why she replied to him in the manner she did, after he questioned her. Kyle clenched the drive he had planned to give his boss but decided against it. "Yes, Sir. It''s nice working with you." Kris waved off Kyle''s reply, not bothering to look at the person that had worked with him for a while. Not even a while, for years and he just discarded him like he was nothing. Kyle gave a wry smile and left the office. "Zayn, Mr. Kris is calling for you." He called the young man before going to his office to pack what was left for him. He knew he had to save his Madam but who could he call. His eyes lit up as a suggestion came into his mind. Entering his office, he tried calling Kris parents but their line were unresponsive. Gritting his teeth, he thought about who else to call and decided to call Rayn. He had taken his number when he had gone to pick his boss who had gone drinking with Rayn. Ring! Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kyle stared at the phone with hope In his eyes. "Hello!" The moment Rayn picked, Kyle began to bombard him with details. "In general Sir, I need your help. Can you help me?" "Kris could do that. Why call me?" Kyle gave a wry smile to Ryan''s response. "Sir, you know best how their situation is." Ryan let out a sigh from the other end of the phone before responding. "Alright, I would coordinate with you." "Thanks a lot sir." "You have a lot of explanations to do." "I know sir." ...¡­. In a military base in country M¡­. Ryan dropped the phone call with Kyle and called some of his subordinates to help out. He started coordinating with Kyle. He made phone calls, by the time he was done, he was so tired. He had just finished his mission when he got a call from Kyle and after listening to the details, he felt like punching his friend in the face. He had not interacted much with Zosia but he could tell that she was dangerous. That''s why he let his friend continue fooling around with Eva, but now this. ...¡­. Zosia gazed at Eva as she lit the match. "Goodluck sweetheart." Eva''s mocking voice rang out as she departed the place but not without leaving a more depressing message to Zosia. "Don''t worry, your husband company would soon be mine and so would he. Don''t think of escaping, just behind is a river and there is a signal jammer. You can''t do anything." She cackled. Zosia eyes flashed as she watched Eva leave. Surrounded by flames and under restraint, the acting mask she was wearing was removed. "I am not so easily defeated. You made the worst mistake Eva and I would make sure you regret it." her eyes glinted dangerously. Chapter 6 - 6- Tutorial 4 Feeling the kick from the baby in her stomach, she calmed down. ''Even though this wasn''t part of my plan, it''s better. '' She thought Inwardly. Her plan from the beginning had been to create a new identity, live a new life. Just start afresh. Since one of the task had been to make Kris regret his decision, that means when the host of the body comes back, she wouldn''t be get back together with him. It further fueled her goals. Bringinhout a dagger from her space, she cut the restraints. "I can''t behave as before, am heavily pregnant." She reminded herself. Zosia disappeared into her space. During the 4 months period, she had refurbished the place. The space now looked like a paradise, unlike how cracked it was. She didn''t really raise any animal but she planted a lot of crops and herbs. She was not sure of how the herbs are used but she planted them. Who knows which world she would go to next. Entering the building she had built. It was more like a warehouse, she took the small oxygen mask, dressed herself up to prevent herself from getting burnt. Appearing back at the spot she was, she began communicating with Kyle. Indeed, just as Eva had said, there was a signal jammer but she had canceled it out, allowing free flow of network. As for how? It was through the watch she had designed, a project she was working on before she died. Communicating with Kyle, she knew her next step was solidified. Kyle had gotten her a helicopter. It could only help her after she got to a place with an open clearing. Leaving the burning building through the back door which had yet to get burned, she transversed through the small forest. Luckily for her, while she was pregnant, she hadn''t let herself be wasted and did some practices like core practices etc, so she could walk for a while, without getting tired. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia arrived at the river according to plan. "Zosia, can you hear me?" A voice came from the other end of the watch. "Yes I can." Zosia answered, "I am already at the river." "Eva saw the helicopter and had her gang gun it down. We escaped. I had Ryan help us out. It seems like Eva would carry her plans in full swing, this has already alerted Kris." Kyle reported dutifully. "That''s great. But we have to get out of the country fast." Zosia responded. "Yes, I have a friend, he would soon arrive and take you to the international waters. You would change ship midway and get to country M. I would deal with the mess here. Be careful." Kyle spoke hurriedly, before cutting the call. ----------- Groan!! He gritted his teeth as he stared at the bullet hole on his leg, his breathing ragged. "Cain, take me to the hospital. Leave everything behind." They helped Kyle into the car they had come with. ... "Are you David?" Zosia stared at the blonde haired man before her. He was the only one present on the boat. "Yes, Kyle called me. He said I should help him send you to international waters were you would board the Naga ship." He quickly explained to avoid the beautiful lady from misunderstanding. "Alright." Zosia agreed but her guard was still up. Entering the boat with the help of the young man, she scanned the boat to make sure she was safe. A day later .... "We are finally at the international waters." David spread his arms while smiling beautifully. "Young miss, we are at your destination." "I am surprised, your boat could get us here, but that''s great." Zosia stared at the expanse of sea before her. Gazing at the Naga ship, she contemplated her next move. David drove the boat closer to the ship. "Thank you. I sure would come to your shop for a barbecue when I get back to the country." "My pleasure." He waved at her after seeing her board the ship. Zosia eyed the interior of the shop, it looked pretty empty though. Guided by the old man who picked her up from David, she looked around while withholding her curiosity. "Young Master, she is here." The old man who is in a butler uniform knocked on the captain''s door. Well how did she know it is a captain door? Because it had a plaque on it written Captain. The door was opened by the young man she had seen before in Kris office. "Get her something to eat." He ordered the butler before turning to her, "Come in". He gave way, allow Zosia to enter. Zosia blinked before following him inside. "Thank you. I am very grateful." Zosia gave a small bow. She couldn''t do it well due to her stomach. "Don''t, just sit." He stopped her from bowing and sat her down. "Well, I am not surprised you could make it here. Do you have a hand in the mess going on in Kris company?" Ryan question was blunt and straight to the point . "No" her reply was very concise. "How do I believe you?" "I wouldn''t care if you were another person, but since you have helped me. You can take this." She raised her leg to him. "What am I going to do with your leg." He eyed her suspiciously. Zosia facepalmed herself at the awkward situation. "There is a disk drive in my boot. I can''t bend down to bring it out." Zosia explained. "Oh¡­ okay." He undid her boot. Holding her leg, he brought out her foot. This was the scene the butler encountered. "Young master¡­." The door opened unexpectedly to the arrival of the butler with a tray. "Just drop it. You can go." Ryan waved him off, not thinking much of the scene. "Yes Sir." He rolled the tray in and left not forgetting to close the door behind him. Ryan brought out the flashdrive. "Are you sure that the evidence is inside here?" he waved the sleek black looking flash drive before her. "Yes, I am sure. Can I eat now?" "Yeah, yeah sure." He carried his laptop and inserted the flash drive into it. Taking some food from the tray, she set them on the table. After dishing out her own portion, she dishes out his and dropped it in the small stool beside his chair. "Are you not gonna ask me, if there is an implanted virus in the flash drive?" Ryan stared at her like as if she was asking if she was foolish. "Why didn''t you ask me if the food is poisoned." He titled his head inquiringly. Zosia shut her mouth and no longer asked. She concentrated on filling her stomach. Clatter! "What is it?" Ryan stared at her with anger in his eyes. Going through the things in the flash drive almost made him go mad out of anger. He could not believe that Eva was capable of such but he was more afraid of how dangerous this seeming weak woman was. For her to be able to dig this far, it showed she is not simple. It took him a year to get just up to half of the depth she had dug but in four months she had almost uncovered all of Eva deeds. It no longer seemed surprising that Eva wanted her life so bad. The anger diminished when he saw her clutching her stomach. "What is it?" his tone softened. "is the food poisoned?" "No, it''s just pregnancy contractions. I feel the baby is about to come out. When are we arriving on land" "In about 4 hours . Just hold on." "I do not have any doctors on board to help with your delivery. Please hold on." Ryan was literally about to cry. Scratching his head, he left the room. When he came back, he came back with the butler. "Miss, it would take a while before we arrive on land. Can you hold on." "I can. For now it''s just contractions. If you can speed up please do." ...¡­. "Ah!!!!" Zosia felt like she is about to die. The contractions were killing her. "Miss, breathe. The baby is coming out." The nurses and the attending doctor encouraged her as she pushed. .... In Zosia Womb¡­. ''Where am I? Why do I feel sticky? Uh the pain'' Ken past memories came pouring in. He had died at 35 after being sent to prison. He was a hacker and had just avenged his family. His family was wiped out in a political scheme, he did not die but his life was worse than those in the slums. He was taken under the wings of an old man who passed his skills of being a hacker to him. As for how he got his revenge, he detonated the airplane carrying the people involved in his family death. Not all of them died, so he hunted each and everyone of them and was also hunted in return. To deal with the last person, he was willing to send himself to prison and that''s what he did. After being killed through an electric chair, he found himself in this sticky place. One would say, hadn''t his mindset become so twisted? Well yeah it has. He was hearing different voice but couldn''t make meaning of any. "The baby is out and the mother is safe." After hearing that, Zosia eyes teared up. The nurses quickly cleaned her up and the baby before wheeling her into another room. In the new room, she held her baby while giving him breast milk. According to the doctor, the baby is not full term but his vitality is as that of a baby that is full term. The bone age wouldn''t lie. Zosia''s eye was full of love as she held the child in her bosom. Knock! knock!! "Come in Ryan." Ryan was dumbfounded at the scene of her feeding her child and immediately looked away. "I could still wait if you had told me you were feeding the baby." He pinched his brows. The stress evident on his visage. "Thanks a lot Ryan. I owe you one." Ryan grinned at her words. "That would be for the best. I need your skill, are you willing to join the military? You can take your time to consider it. I have already taken care of the rest¡­.." Ryan was still talking when they were interrupted by a well dressed old woman. "Ryan how dare you?" she looked furious. "Grandma, what are you doing here?" "Your asking what am I doing here, if Gary hadn''t mentioned that you got a lady pregnant and she was giving birth, I wouldn''t know I have a grandchild." The old man behind her nodded at her statement. "Grandmum, calm down. It''s a misunderstanding." "What is there to misunderstand." She walked to Zosia bedside. "Can I carry the child?" The old wan eyes were literally shining and full of hope. "Yes ma, but there is indeed a misunderstanding." "If he is the one who told me that, I wouldn''t believe but since it''s you. Tell me, what did I misunderstand." "He is not the father of the child and our relationship is that, he is my husband''s friend." "Huh, then where is your husband?" the old man asked. Zosia lowered her head in sadness and began retelling the story. She did not lie but she removed some details. "How dare he. Son this is why you shouldn''t hang out with him. I told you¡­" Ryan was given an earful. "You are welcome dear. You don''t know how much I want to hold a greatgrandson. Can we be his god parents?" the three of them gazed at her with hope in their eyes. Zosia could understand why the old ones stared at her with hope but couldn''t understand Ryan''s own. "That would be great. At least he now has older figures to look at." Her words struck a chord. The old woman felt more pity for Zosia. "Since your son is our great grandson, you are our grand daughter." Zosia was kind of surprised as she was not expecting it. She declined but they persisted In their request and she agreed. ..... Ken finally got used to the situation. First, he had been reborn. Second, his father was a douchebag. He had concluded that from the story his mother told his now God parents. His eyes were still a little blurry, he could not make out their faces but he was happy. He had a new family. ...¡­. Back in Country A..... Kris was left stupefied by the series of down his company went through in just a day. He had unknowingly signed his company away and many projects that could net him some money vanished. All of them were signed to his father step- brother son. In just a day he had gone from a respected CEO to a pauper. Well not really a pauper as he had some businesses that were not related to the company in essence as he had wanted to avoid some risk. He was confused at first at how it had happened but seeing Eva with his brother, he understood . He lost his birthright to a woman he loved, cherished, to the extent he abandoned his own wife. "Oh brother, you can still not believe it right?" the voice laughed mockingly. "How do you feel about losing everything, your business, your wife and your child?" Kris stared at him coldly and asked, "What do you mean?" Christian laughed as he stared at the loser of a brother. "You are asking me what do I mean? Well, I would be kind enough to explain to you. Your wife and child died in a fire. And your men whom you asked to rescue her are all in the hospital. You carried out quite a poor rescue. Seems like they were not really important to you." At this point, Kris felt his ears were ringing. He did not know how he left the company and arrived at the hospital. He looked completely haggard. Kris eyes trailed the signboard if the hospital. "Christian had said they were here. Luckily, my main business was not affected by them. I just have to go to Country M and begin a fresh start. But not without dealing with those two bastards. I wonder how Kyle is doing." He muttered under his breath. Walking towards the Nurse behind the counter, he inquired for his men ward. "They are in Ward E354, take the elevator." "Have the bills been paid?" he asked the nurse. "No." "Here" he handed her a card. After settling the bills, he followed the directions given. Upon arriving at the door to the ward, he took a deep breath. He felt ashamed, after all, he was the one who caused the death of Zosia and his unborn child. If he had helped, even if he did not like her, the situation would not be like this. Knock!! knock!! Gathering his courage, he knocked on the door. In the ward... Cain stared at Kyle and Drew as they took their drip. There were only three that had gone to rescue madam and only Kyle was aware that Zosia was not dead. They were the only ones close to Zosia, so they were the only ones willing to go and save her. "Come in." Cain did not have the strength to open the door, so he let the person come in. He thought it was the doctor but the person who came in left him surprised. "Boss, is that you." Cain and Drew were not really aware of the drama that went on. All they knew were that Madam and Boss were not on talking terms. They had been hired by Zosia, so they were not really aware of the ins and outs. Kyle was already awake, even though he could not stand up, he could still glare at him. "How may I help you?" Kyle''s cold voice seemed to be dripping with venom. "Am sorry Kyle but I want to here from you. Is she dead or alive?" Kris question elicited a sharp laughter from Kyle. "Ha! Why ask me. Isn''t it what you were expecting?" his cold eyes stared at Kris. "Your sister¡­." "You ¨C" the moment his sister was mentioned, he knew he was being threatened, again. Oh! How he hates this feeling. He clenched his fist that had no drip. I must have power. "She is dead. She wanted me to give you this." He used his free hand to hand a black flash drive to Kris. Kris clenched the hard drive. "She knew." "Of course, why do you think she died. When she is trying to save your back. You really are a piece of shit." Kyle''s words caused Cain and Drew eyes to widen. "You two can leave. Take this. Ma''am was not sure if she would leave and asked me to settle you two." He Gave each of them a check. Kris eyes shrank when he heard Kyle words. He clenched his fist allowing his nails to dig into his palms. "Am sorry." Kris bowed his head in Shame. "Your sorry can''t bring her back. " "I understand, but Kyle do you like my wife?." He stared sharply at Kyle. His attitude caused Kyle to sneer, "You are worrying about that now. Truly a shame. Many can''t wait to pamper your wife but what did you do, you did the complete opposite. Even to the extent of letting her die" at the end of his words, he was already growling with anger. Kris ignored Kyle anger. He clenched his hand till his knuckles turn white. "What about her body? I want to see it." He stared at Cain and Drew. "Ha! It''s now you care about her. Now that she is dead. It''s really pathetic." Kyle said not really answering the question. "I said where is she?" Kris was teethering towards destruction but is trying so hard to hold himself regardless of Kyle teasing. "Her ashes were thrown into the river by Eva men. They said she wouldn''t have a resting place." Kyle words further aggregated Kris hatred towards Eva. After a while, he finally calmed down. "I am sorry." He bowed his head as he muttered those words, not only to Kyle but to Drew and Cain. Arriving at his penthouse. He quickly opened the door but was surprised by his parents presence. Slap! He was greeted with a slap on his cheeks by his mother. "So you finally succeeded in killing the daughter-in-law that was willing to clean up your mess. Not only that, but you also lost the company." At the end of her words she was already sobbing. "Maybe, if had picked the call when Kyle was calling, maybe just maybe it would have been a different result." Kris father stood up and held his wife. He hates seeing his wife cry and now she was blaming herself because of his stupid son''s mistake. "You better do one thing right." Holding his wife, he led her away. Taking hold of his wife, he did not want to see his unfilial son anymore. Kris watched them leave and slumped on the sofa. "Am a loser. " he held his both hands over his face. "Even if I can''t get her back, I must not let those bastard live." Rushing upstairs to his study room, he switched on his laptop and inserted the flash drive. The more he went through the contents in the flash drive, the darker his face became. He took alcohol at first to calm down his rage but at the end, he used it to drown his stupidity. He blamed himself. "Even if I never loved her, couldn''t I just try and get along with her. She already has my child for Christ sake." He was literally weeping. From that day forward, the Lovestruck Kris disappeared. What was left was a cold Kris with the aura of Antarctica. Chapter 7 - 7- Tutorial 5 ?Maria''s POV ? Alighting from the plane with her husband, their plan was to come see Zosia and see how the baby is doing, only to be met with shocking news. First, the company her husband had worked for years had been lost by their son to his step-brother son. "Those conniving bastards" she cursed under her breath. "Calm down babe, we would know all our answers soon" he patted his wife to reassure not only her but himself as well. "Try calling Kris, I would call others to know what is going on." She nodded at her husband''s suggestion. "Kyle has been calling me. Someone is wrong. Is Kris okay?" Her worry spiked up. "Calm down babe, let me call him, let''s find out what happened" After the call, her pallor was poorer than before. The call was put on loudspeaker, so she heard everything. Her husband''s face was also dark. They quickly arrived at her son''s place. Looking at him made her forget her worry. Filled with anger, she slapped her son. She had never laid her hand on him but she understood the pain Zosia must have gone through. Her husband did not want her to do anything more drastic and led her out. "Bohoo, Babe I regret it. If I had followed his wishes and not married her to him, would she still be alive?" Her voice choked as she embraced her husband. "Why couldn''t he just understand. Boohoo, why does he have to like that Eva so much. Now, she is the cause of his downfall. What exactly did he see in her." She vented out her anger. Raymond also concurred with his wife''s words. His dislike for Eva turned to hatred, as for that pesky nephew of hIs, he knew how he would deal with them. "Let''s ask Kyle about her body or ashes, anyone that is available. Poor child." He patted his wife as he made his suggestion. "Owkay." She wiped her teary eyes. They both arrived at the hospital quickly. After getting the ward Kyle was at, they entered. "Kyle, how are you feeling?" Kyle was very surprised at their entrance. He had sent both Drew and Cain away, once he was done with everything, he would continue with their next plan. He was aware that Kyle''s parents were going to come back today, a pity he couldn''t get their help to rescue Zosia. Well, it might be even better. "Is Zosia alive?" Raymond''s question brought Kyle out of his reverie. His eyes widened subconsciously and he let the cat out of the bag. "How do you know?" Raymond raised his eyebrow at the question thrown back to him by Kyle. His grin widened. Maria suddenly laughed with tears in her eyes. The scene looked so comical, a grinning man, a surprised man and a woman caught between tears and laughter. "Baby, she is alive, then that means my grandson is also alive. Tell me where is she? What are you all planning?" She threw a series of questions at Kyle. Kyle but his lips and kept mute. He had already let the cat out of the bag, he is grateful to Kris parents, if not for them, he wouldn''t have found his mom and sister in the first place, let alone getting treatment for his sister. "Kyle please tell me, I already got Prof. Winston to attend to your sister. " Maria said as she sat beside Kyle with her husband behind her. Raymond also nodded his head as a sign of agreement. ''Well, she only said I shouldn''t let Kris know right. It''s not impossible not to tell them'' he thought as he stared at Maria whose eyes were already so red. "If I tell you, you must not tell anybody, especially Kris?" Maria already had her regrets of pushing the two of them together, why would she tell her son again. "You don''t need to worry about that brat, just tell us" Kyle explained everything, including their plan, how it went awry and how they involved Ryan. "So how is she now? Have you heard from her?" Raymond hadn''t said anything since but decided to chip in since his wife was still reeling herself from the absurd situation. Maria thought to herself, ''if I were in my daughter-in-law shoes, even if I struggled, I don''t think I can be as victorious as Zosia. She recognized Zosia strength and will. Hearing her husband question, she came back to reality. She was also curious about her well-being. "First, how did you know she is still alive?" Kyle asked his own question. Raymond looked at him and smiled, his luscious dark hair illuminated by the sunlight made it appear shiny. Even as a middle aged man, he still looked so handsome. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "While on our way here, we called those at the scene, tried to get as many clues or anything we could gather. From the background, I heard they could not find anybody and have been digging since. So my thought when I came in was to throw that question at you, to which your reaction gave you away." "I thought I did a clean job. Since, you are able to find out this way, won''t Kris also be able to find out?" "Don''t worry about that, I have asked someone to deal with it." Kyle eyed them suspiciously but nevertheless still dropped his guard. "Well, you can call her and ask." He used his teeth to tug at the watch on his hand. "Kyle, what are you doing?'' Being reprimanded out of the blue made him remember that they were not aware of what the watch can do. "You can contact her with the watch. It''s like a satellite watch, able to bypass signal jammers and places without any network." His words caused Maria and Raymond to look at him in surprise. " Help me get it off" His call for help immediately brought them out from the land of wonder. Raymond immediately helped him. "Now you can call her." He also wanted to know how she was doing. Chapter 8 - 8- Tutorial 6 Ring! Ring!! Ring!!! Ken frowned at the incessant ringing. He wondered who it was from. Staring at his mother visage as she slept peacefully, he hated the fact that she was being disturbed. Zosia stirred awake due to the ringing of the watch. Opening her tired eyes, she glanced at the name of the caller, seeing that it was Kyle, the sleep vanished from her eyes. "Aish, I had forgotten to call him." Zosia muttered as she picked up the call, but the voice from the other end wasn''t one she was expecting. "Zosia! , how you going? Are you okay? Where are you? How is the baby? " Series of questions were throw at her by her former mother-in-law leaving her dumbfounded. "Mom, calm down" Zosia rubbed her gabella with her free hand as she thought to herself, ''what has Kyle done''. " Bohoo, at least you still recognize me as your mother. How are you feeling now?" Zosia regretted calling her mum now, she had said the words subconsciously as that has been how she addressed her while she was still with Kris. "I''m fine mum, I don''t know if Kyle has briefed you but just know am in Country M and I and the baby are doing fine. I have also given birth." At the other end of the phone, the trio eyes widened in surprise and were then filled with happiness. Maria cried tears of joy. "That''s great, how are you doing? How is your body? How is baby?" "We are fine ma" "So what did you name him?" "His name is Kendrick but it would be shortened to Ken." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I am deeply sorry about Kris." Maria apologized with a sincere filled tone. Raymond also echoed her words, "We are deeply sorry. It''s not easy, we just thank God that you survived, you are hale and hearty together with our grandson. We can''t ask for much but we hope you can allow us contact our grandson as well. You don''t have to worry about Kris, we won''t spill the beans." Raymond uttered quickly. Zosia stared at her son who was in the crib as she pondered on Raymond''s words. She knew she couldn''t keep Ken away from them and it would be devastating for them as well as heartbreaking if she did. Understanding this was different from accepting. Staring at her son who was bathed by golden rays from the sun that peered into the room through the windows. "Alright." She still has to accept. Even though she had been given a deadline of twenty years, who knew if she would die before then, either by natural disaster or accident, etc. If that happened and her son could not find refuge, it would be appalling. "I would give you my number so you can call to see him." "That would be great, can we also visit him?" Raymond uttered happily before he was slapped on his hand by his wife. Using his eye to signal at her, she shook her head, indicating she would speak later. "Yes, you can" Zosia smiled as she answered. She understood how they were feeling. "Great..... Thank you so much Zosia...Thank you." Maria said with a choking voice. "Thank you dear, we are grateful." Raymond wiped the tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he held his wife shoulder. "Give the watch to Kyle" at Zosia reminder, Maria quickly handed the watch to Kyle. Knowing that they couldn''t listen to the conversation, they decided it was time to leave. "We would be going. Take care Kyle, if you need anything, just tell us and as for your sister, her surgery would be done by tomorrow. Take care Zosia and please remember the number." Maria uttered with her eyes that shone with happiness. Kyle nodded his head and stared at them as they left. Raymond held the door open for his wife to pass before leaving not forgetting to close the door behind him. "Hey Kyle." Zosia word made him refocus his attention. "Sorry, I forgot to call you. I entered into labor the moment I got here." "It''s alright ma''am." "Ok, have you given the drive to him?" "Yes, I have " "Alright, then once your sister surgery is done, with the money in the card I gave to you, do well to start up something that could get me money, don''t gamble it away and don''t waste it. Anyway, I trust you, right?" "Of course ma''am" he knew that underlying tone all too well. His sweaty hand was already making him loose grip on the watch. He had to hold it well. "Great, then I would send you my new number once I get one." Zosia ended the call after that. Ken stared at his mother, he felt hungry but didn''t want to cry. Zosia felt a constant pair of eyes on her, turning her head to see who it was, she found her son, staring at her with his blue eyes which he had gotten from his dad. "You hungry?" Ken tried to say yes but only a babble left his mouth. "Oh wow, do you understand what Mama is saying?" Her eyes turned into slit, filled with happiness and love. Taking the child from the crib, she fed him. Ken felt himself slowly drifting to sleep and his body suddenly felt warm making him go deeper into slumber. Zosia entered her space alone with a glass cup, after fetching the water from the stream, she appeared back in the ward with a glass cup filled with sparkling water. She slowly fed it to the young lad. She had been drinking the water but she didn''t take it arbitrarily cos she felt it was reversing her age, though it healed all kind of ailments . Slowly the wrinkles on the child slowly faded, his skin becoming more supple and rosy. Zosia stared at the child with many thoughts going through her head. She knew she would still leave this world but the kind of connection she had with the child, just thinking about it made her heart ache. She knew she couldn''t continue feeding the child this water, so once he grew up and start showing signs of intellect, she would withdraw. If his original mother comes back and can''t provide him with it, it may cause some problems. Thinking up to this point, she found the need to learn medicine. Chapter 9 - 9- Tutorial 7 "Zosia!" "Sir!" Zosia gave a military salute. "There is a mission for you, the document would tell you everything you need to know. You and the rest of your squad would be moving out immediately. Get dressed into the right uniform and be on your way." "Yes sir" she gave another salute but this time, with confusion coloring her face. She wanted to speak but held back her words, watching the major go further and further, she couldn''t hold it in and ran after him. "Major! " "What?" the major turned to stare at her in confusion. "Sir, not that I do not accept the mission but am already on holiday. I still have to spend time with my son and can I at least have some time to inform my son?" "You can do that on road and before I forget, you guys would be going to glaze hotel. As for the holiday, if this goes well, you can take the year off" "Are you serious, sir?" Her eyes widened with the promise. "Yes. On my word." "Okay, I would get this done immediately." She immediately ran away like a gust of wind leaving the major standing alone. He was about to tell her that it may take a while to approve it. Nevermind, I better start working on it, if she comes back and can''t get the holiday immediately, I won''t be able to hear the end of it. Knowing that, he immediately left for his office. ..... Arriving at glaze hotel in an SUV with some military vehicle following behind. On their way here, she had read the file and also briefed her subordinates on what is going on. According to the file, some people from the Ghost Enclave had come her and were currently residing in glaze hotel. They had caused quite some trouble and since they can''t get the police involved as they were dealing with Mercenaries from the Ghost Enclave, they had been sent here. Ghost Enclave is a small country, free from government hands and a habitat for mercenaries. It''s a safe Haven for Mercenaries. Right now, they were on a case but due to the person escaping to the Ghost Enclave, they could only stop. Now that one of them had brought themselves to their doorstep, of course they would happily welcome the person. At first, they had planned to come on casual wear but since the major asked for them to wear uniform, they had to follow orders. Zosia assigned task to her subordinates as they quickly got down from the vehicle. Zosia started feeling suspicious, this task was too easy, she had 9 months of holiday, for the Major to increase it to a year, then there is something more fishy. She didn''t feel that the major would be that generous. Zosia decided to meet with the manager while her subordinates dealt with the rest. "You guys are here, though my boss would be coming soon." The middle aged manager said calmly. His calmness was quite eye raising, she wondered who the boss was to warrant such trust from him. "Boss" hearing the call from her subordinate, she turned to answer her but almost had a heart attack. "You-" Kris frowned at the lady who clearly had no manners since she was pointing at him. Zosia seeing the frown on his face made her realize that he did not recognize her. Actually, He was frowning cause he felt some sense of familiarity from her. Zosia almost had another shock of her life when she heard her name. "Zosia" Maria who was dining with her son before he left in a hurry made her worried, so she followed along. She was surprised seeing Zosia as well, and in front of Kris for that matter, so she subconsciously called her name. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kris eyes widened as he stared at the rude lady in front of him in shock. Recognizing her facial features, he knew it was his wife. Now he understood where the familiarity was coming from. It just that she had become more younger. She did not look like she was in her thirties at all, even her skin is more supple. "Zosia" Kris uttered her name tentatively, his eyes shone brighter than the night sky at this moment with his smile widening. "I don''t know what you are talking about. I Am not Zosia. Am just a soldier here to carry out orders. Now, if you would excuse me, I would like to take the offenders with me." The manager and the subordinate who had arrived both had confusions plastered on their faces. Kel interrupted her Boss. She had almost forgotten what she came to tell her and ended up confused. "Boss, he said we would have to give him some compensation as those foreigner almost killed some of his customers and that we can''t take them without giving him the compensation." Hearing what Kel said made Zosia gritt her teeth. She knew that as he had seen her, it wouldn''t be just a little compensation, she would definitely have to pay more. Raymond entered at this moment. He could feel the palpable tension im the air. Looking the scene, he could only say, "Ooh Ooh" ?(?§¥?)? Kris decided to break the tension by talking. "So, mom and dad, you are aware?" Maria decided to play dumb. "Aware of what?" Kris raised his eyebrow at her response. "Then how did you recognize her?" "Well could it be that you could not recognize her or are you blind" Maria response made Kris choke. He could not be bothered with his mother. Taking Zosia by her wrist, he dragged her away from the scene. Zosia struggled and manage to struggle free. "I have work to do." She looked at the red mark on her tender skin and felt like crying. She really felt like beating up this bastard. Kris looked at her expression and knew he wouldn''t be able to talk to her if she doesn''t finish this up. Zosia on the other hand, now understands why her superior have her this job. After arguing with Kris on the compensation, her throat felt so parched. Cursing the major in her mind, she suddenly saw a bottle water in front of her and took it. She did not even look at whom the water came from, she just unscrewed the cap and sent the water down her throat. "Since we are done, your subordinates can handle the rest, as for you, you are following me." Kris wanted to hold her hand but Zosia dodged. "What now" he was starting to get irritated, after all he had taken up some losses just so he could talk to her. If Zosia heard his thoughts, she would definitely punch him. Chapter 10 - 10: Information This book has successfully been contracted and will be editing the drafts but will make sure to post daily. The Synopsis and book cover would also be worked on, to further bring out the books allure before promotions will be done. Going premium would be after the end of the first world not the tutorial World or maybe at the beginning of the second one. Would also try to stockpile chapters, as not to keep you waiting. {EDIT: Decided to go premium at chapter 20. I hope to receive massive support from you ????} {EDIT: Have changed the book cover.} .... **Zosia POV** In one of the many worlds I traveled to, I met an author, a silly one at that, with hopes to make her book one of the best sellers. She said she wanted to write my life story, to which I felt was stupid and as per the contract with the Realm, it was something that shouldn''t be done. I was surprised on how she bargained with me and the level of her stupidity, but after thinking about how many faith points I could easily get. It would become a huge passive income for me, but the silly author doesn''t know that. Anyways, I decided to let her write it, but she is such a slow writer. I wonder how or where she got the guts to bargain with me. Such a silly girl. Now, she can only edit the drafts and write more, so you don''t forget me. After telling her my story, I had to leave the world for my next run. So, Bye. Let''s dive into my Life.???? S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 11 - 10- Mission completed "What now" he was starting to get irritated, after all he had taken up some losses just so he could talk to her. If Zosia heard his thoughts, she would definitely punch him. He could have just let her have the foreigners, why argue with her? It''s not that Kris couldn''t do it, but he had learnt his lesson the hard way. Now, he knows how to differentiate family from business. "I have to give a report on how it went and get some statements on them." "Huh" taking out his phone, he dialed a number. The phone rang for a while and was picked up on the second ring. "I have need for your subordinate and would need to take her. Her subordinates would handle the rest." Zosia heard how her major happily gave her out. After his call ended, she received a call from the major, she could only listen and instruct her subordinates on the rest. She still needed the one year leave. Sigh!, she had some hope that she could escape but she couldn''t. She knew that consequences for it would be drastic if she did. "Now, your free to come with me. Let''s go." He held her by her hand and dragged her to the underground parking lot. Zosia entered the car with only a question In her head. "Where are we going?" "To your house of course." "If you actually know my house then" Zosia shrugged her shoulders, she would love to know how he would get her to tell him that. As the car entered the road , the silence had become suffocating. Breaking the silence, Kris couldn''t help but ask, " How have you been doing?" "Been doing great." "Are you married?" "No" "Why did you leave me? Did you orchestrate the whole thing?" Zosia looked at him and said nothing. She did not reply to his question this time around. Hearing no answer from her, he turned to look at her and saw her staring at him. It suddenly dawned on him. How could he ask her such question. Gripping the steering wheel, he could feel the wounds in his heart being peeled again. Zosia stared at Kris. She wondered what made him ask such a question, or was he unaware that it was his fault. She didn''t want to get angry this evening. Turning her head to stare at the window, she enjoyed the scenery but the enjoyment slowly turned into shock. The road looked so familiar, it was then she realized that it was the road that led to her house. "You! How do you know my house?" She asked, her voice rising by a few decibels. Kris smirked at her reaction. Looking at how flustered she looked, amused him. They arrived at the scene of Ryan taking Ken with him. Kris was stunned as he stared at the smaller version of him with a mixture of Zosia features. Looking at the small boy, tears began accumulating in his eyes. Staring at the child before him, he took some shaky steps close to him before squatting. "Do you know me?" His tone trembling. Ken did not understand what was going on but he still truthfully answered. "Yes. Everybody has mentioned you to me." A smile appeared on Kris face. Ken looked at the expression on Kris face that looked worse than crying. Separating himself from his father hold, he ran to his mother. To him, the person he had a very close relationship was his mom followed by uncle Ryan, then his grandparents. "Mom, I thought you said, you are going for a mission." Kris stared at Ryan. Now he understood. Everything suddenly clicked in place. "Ryan!" Kris called, but Ryan did not answer, he was still shocked from seeing Kris. "Kris, you didn''t tell me you would be coming." "So, you guys could hide them deeper from me." He said with sarcasm lacing his tone. "Well, you wouldn''t have exactly found her if we intend on doing that." He answered, making Kris raise his eyebrow at his answer. Tussling his hair, he ignored Ryan and walked up to Zosia. "Let''s go inside" Zosia said as she picked up Ken from the ground. "Give him to me. You are already be tired." Kris did not give her the option to refuse and took Kris from her. ..... Zosia stared at the grenade coming at her. Right now, she was sure she would get PTSD. She wondered what she had ever done to grenades as she keeps dying by them. She tried moving but she did not know why she could not move, she couldn''t even enter her space. The moment the grenade exploded, she suddenly felt free. She knew this mission was dangerous but she still agreed to go. "If I survive this, I would surely retire." She muttered under her breath as she entered her space. Taking a deep breath, she dipped her head into the stream. Bring out her head, her erratic heartbeat slowly calmed down. Zosia could not make sense of what had just happened. Feeling that she had waited for a long while, she reappeared back at the scene. Looking at charred piece of land before her, she felt lucky. She suddenly noticed the holographic screen blinking. "What is wrong with it? I hope it is not glitching." Her gloomy voice spoke showing how unhappy she was with her current situation. Clicking on the screen, the Quest rolled itself out. ¨X¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ???????????????? ?????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????? (1): ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????? (2): ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????: 20 ????????????????????. ¨^¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨a Looking at the screen, she did not notice anything different. "Hmm, why does it have a scroll." Zosia curiosly scrolled down. ¨X¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ???????????????? ?????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????? (1): ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? (2): ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ????????????????: 20 ????????????????????. ¨^¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨a ¨X¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ???????????????? ?????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????? (1): ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? (2): ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ????????????????: 11 ????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????. ¨^¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨a ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ???????????????? ?????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? (1): ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? (2): ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????? ????????????????: 11 ????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????. ¨^¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨a Zosia had a look of shock in her face. She noticed that she hadn''t scrolled finish and dragged the cusor down. ¨X¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????? 10 ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ????????????????: 5????????????????: 23???????????? ¨^¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨a At this moment Zosia was in complete shock. "F*ck, can''t they warn someone. They even reduced the time for the task. What the hell? Who does that? I can''t even tell Ken bye." Zosia cursed under her breath. "F*ck" still cursing under her breath, she quickly smudge her body, then ran far away from the site of the explosion, not forgetting to drag her body as well, after all, d scene needs to be believable. Taking some equipments from her body she threw it into her space. "Ah, I forgot to collect some more equipment from those dead bodies. Nevermind, it''s late already" she brought out an envelope, then lay down like she was dead. Remembering something, she took out a walkie talkie from her pocket. Making her breathing ragged and painful was as easy as pie for her. She quickly called on her colleagues. Watching the countdown, Zosia felt that this was the most nerve racking moment of her life. The moment the countdown hit zero, she put on a look of shock on her face. She couldn''t leave the world with an incomplete evidence, could she? .......... Grunt! "Ah, she is awake?" Zosia felt some foreign voices and did not understand where they were coming from. She thought she was dead, how could she still hear voices. All she remembered was dying then her soul appeared in a dream like scene. She was asked what she wanted. She felt like she could have all her wishes fulfilled but as always, reality always burst people bubbles, she could only ask for three, to which they are; taking care of her baby, making Kris regret ever kicking her aside and to love herself. When she learnt that only by loving herself could she live better, it was already late. Grunt! Zosia suddenly felt another bout of pain. Taking a while to herself, she noticed new influx of memories. Going through the memories brought tears and happiness to her eyes. She couldn''t lie to herself, she knew if it were to be her, she wouldn''t be able to do it. Slowly, she suddenly noticed that the person''s face was becoming blurry, she slowly forgot about how she got there, the contract, her wishes etc. She tried grasping it, but it slipped away faster like loose sand from her hands, she could only let out a tear. She would always be grateful for this life she had been given. This is a conviction she made within her and till she died, she was always grateful. Waking up to the sight of her worried family, especially her son''s. She cried tears of joy seeing how big he had grown. She could not help but hug him. No one can understand the rollercoaster of emotions she was going through. To her everything seemed to have only occured within a few minutes. .. Chapter 12 - 11- System Space. Appearing back at the system space, Zosia massaged her aching neck while taking her time to look at the empty space. The holographic screen appeared again, but this time, the voice of the guide had changed. [???????????????????????????? ????????????????! ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????, ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????.] A small chip appeared, floating in the system space. "What is this and who are you?" [ ???? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????, ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? 10???????? ????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????, ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????? 10???????? ????????????????????. ???? ???????? ????????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????, ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????. ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????, ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????, ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????. ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????. ???????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????, ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????.] Zosia nodded her head at the given perks in appreciation, though she did not understand what the comprehension ability was or will do in the long run. "So Asgar, how do I meet you or how would you help me adjust?" She rolled her eyes thinking of the correct word to use. [ ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????. ???? ????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????, ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ????????????. ???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????. ?????????, ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? 100,000 ????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????, ???? ???????????????????????? ????????????????. ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????. ????????????''???? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ?????????????????????.] After those words the holographic screen disappeared. She had wanted to interrupt him and ask him a question but nevermind, he was already gone. Well let''s take a look at the guide book. Opening the guide book, she saw a map on the front page. She saw some places with red mark showing she shouldn''t go there. It''s an off limit place. Zosia took note of the place where she could go get the upgrade. An upgrade is what every newbie gets as a privilege of becoming a permanent Realmrider. The upgrade has so many benefits that come with it, with some of them being; ? Protection of the Soul against World Laws. ? Adaptation of the soul in each new World. ? Protection of the person''s luck. ? Can protect the soul against death. The kind of death it refers to, is soul death. This also depends on which upgrade solution used. Alpha solution only gives a one time protection and is usually free for everyone. This free is also dependent on the Realmrider level. An example, if a newbie Realmrider upgrades to a novice. He or she gets it for free. If the novice Realmrider levels up, he/she can get another Alpha Upgrade nutrition for free. After the Alpha Upgrade Nutrition, is the Beta Nutrition which can only be bought and has two time protection against soul death. Next is the Gamma Upgrade Nutrition and it gives three free protection against souls death. There were still more benefits but she skipped them. For the levels of Realmriders; There are 9 levels and 5 sublevels in each. The sublevels are in ascending order; New, Novice, Intermediate, Advance and Peak. The levels are in descending order; SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, F. Each level has conditions to fulfill before you can upgrade. "So, am an F level Realmrider. At least I am now a permanent Realmrider." Zosia went through the do''s and don''t. Turning to the next page, she noticed a Tip which was kinda inconspicuous. Tip: Each level has how many tasks they must complete in a week, month, year or season. And take note of the calendar at the back of the book. Zosia quickly flipped to the back of the guide book. As a F level Realmrider, she must complete at least one task every week. "Finally, aish... My leg is paining me but how is that possible? Aren''t I just a soul." Frowning she muttered to herself as she tried to stand up. To relieve the pain, she did some stretches. Once the pain had receeded, she walked to the side of the room that had a button on it. Clicking on the button on the wall, a door was revealed. Bending the door handle, she passed through the white veil of light and arrived at a street. Zosia admired the architecture of the high rising buildings. Looking at the multitude of souls, that carried out what ever they came for, her eyes held a hint of awe. Some were dressed stylishly while some were like her, looking around in awe. "Hey, we have more newbies." A man with sunglasses said to his friend. "I don''t really know what the management is doing. Anyways, let''s go to the mall." While some where whispering about their appearance, others ignored them. Zosia opened the map, her first stop was the bar. Why the bar you may ask. The bar is a hub for information, which could either be bought or maybe free. Zosia stared at the map but couldn''t find any bar. "Tsk" she was currently at the commercial street. "I am sure I can find one here" she muttered under her breath. Zosia finally found a bar. Entering into the place, she noticed that the amount of people here were much despite it still being day time. "Well, time sure runs differently in this place." She muttered to herself. She wondered if they had night here. Shaking her head, to remove those thoughts, she walked to the counter. "Hey!" Zosia called the man behind the counter but she was ignored. She watched as others came and bought something. "Fine, I want a fruit juice" after she said that, the man smiled. "What type of fruit juice?" "Orange." " Okay, that would be 10 points." He said as he watch her sip the juice. "You- " Zosia choked after hearing his words. "You might as well rob me" she cursed. "And, no refunds." He still wore his professional smile. "Fine" she gritted her teeth and paid the bill. She sipped the juice slowly as she gathered some information. First, the commercial district had shops for Realmriders to sell their wares if they don''t want to sell it at the Departmental Centre. Next, all the people here where the ones who had just finished their mission and came out to relax or those who are getting their mind ready for the next task . She learnt a lot of things, and really wanted to gather more information but she didn''t know when the juice in her cup was finished and except she bought another one, she couldn''t stay there. Not wanting to pay for another juice and if she kept sitting down there she would be pursued, so, she left. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "A pity" she muttered to herself as she exit the bar. She still needed to buy some things, so she didn''t bother staying there again. She did not forget to glare at the man before going, even though it was a bit childish. She decided to go to the Departmental Centre first to get her upgrade Nutrient Solution. The Departmental Centre also had different departments in it, like the task centre located on the 6the floor. Arriving at the Departmental Centre, she headed straight for the receptionist. She did not have time to admire the place. On her way here, she had seen different things she needed but the amount was too much. Internally she was crying as she thought of her pitiful account balance. "How may I help you?" "I would like to get my Upgrade Nutrient Solution and to fuse this with me." Chapter 13 - 12- Upgrade Nutrient Solution The receptionist hair which was packed into a ponytail bobbed along with her head making her look cute. "First, we would need to take some data." "Okay, what may that be?" "Your name, age and level. Though we already have that in the system, incase you would want to change any. To change your name would cost you 1000 points, which is the only thing that can be changed here." Zosia shivered when she thought about what someone would pay just to change their name. She didn''t plan to do that anyways. "Am cool with my own name, I want to ask if after fusing with the chip if it would be connected to..." The lady cut her short and asked. "Are you sure you are cool with your own name?" She asked mysteriously. "Well, yeah of course. My name is Zosia" Zosia response made the receptionist chuckle. "Oh, sweet dear. I forgot you are yet to see your status screen. What is written on your name colon is actually a number. But as a VIP, I guess thatust have been slashed and replaced with a real name." Zosia was stunned, she couldn''t help but complain inwardly, " Such money grubbers." "Back to what I was asking you before." Zosia quickly diverted the topic. "I understand what you are about to ask but don''t worry. It''s all good. Besides, this is just the basic chip. You can actually do this on your own but due to the fact we need to connect it to the main system, that''s why you are here. Now, go up to the first floor. Due to your VIP status, you would be getting a Beta Nutrient Solution and also your body data would be gotten after the upgrade." Zosia just stared at the lady as she talked. She didn''t even allow her to land before explaining. "Oh right, I forgot to tell you that, each upgrade solution is ranked the same way a Realmrider level is." She added. Zosia just nodded her head as she stared at the lady before allowing the information to sink inside her head. Anyways, the lady did address her question. Taking the chip, she walked up to the place where a blue glowing circle was drawn. Before she entered the circle, she saw the way the next person brought out something from his space ring. Thinking about hers, she knew she had to get a space ring to avoid suspicion, even if it''s the one of one cubic meter, especially for her who only has a chip and not a system, so she doesn''t have an inventory. Who knows when her Chip will upgrade to get an inventory. Entering the circle, a glass like dome appeared around her. [ ???????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????] A female mechanic voice spoke. " First Level" Zosia relaxed and prepared to get a smooth ride. Whoosh! Blergh! Zosia came out the elevator which had just opened and could not help but vomit. Like what the hell! Coughing out her guts, she watched as a cleaning android came to clean her vomit. Holding the wall as a form of support, she shook her head as she tried to regain her balance. Taking her time to calm down, she slowly did her hair which had turned into a mess. As the disorienting feeling slowly disappeared, she coughed in embarrassment. Being stared by people with her current state made her ears turn a shade of red. Blinking her eyes she slowly returned her cool. Zosia walked up to the receptionist, who gave her a number. Taking her seat, she allowed her eyes to take in the scene. She watched as the New souls entered. They had clothes they had worn when they died and so did she but she had changed out of hers before coming out. Luckily, she was not the only one who got embarrassed. All New souls went through the same thing. Looking at them, she was able to guess how most of them died. Some died from hanging as she noticed tight marks around their neck. One died from slitting her wrist which was quite visible as her arm was not covered. She couldn''t continue as her number had been called. After her number was called, she approached the person who seemed to be a guide and she was directed to a different room from the rest. Arriving at the door with ¡º???????????????????????????? - F¡»written on a plaque hanging on the door, she knocked before slowly pushing the door open. "So you are the VIP. Well you would be getting a Beta Nutrient Solution. You can buy a Gamma Nutrient Solution if you are willing?" "How many points would that cost?" "1 million points or 500,000 merit points or 300,000 faith points." The lady in labcoat said as she led her towards a pod. Smiling wryly, she shook her head. " I do not have such money." "That was a discount price and I understand. After all, you are a newbie." Zosia said nothing and was just speechless. If that was a discount price, what is the original price then. Since she could not afford it, she decides not to worry or let it bother and just looked around. She noticed countless pods arranged in order with each of them of different colours. "This is the place for the Beta upgrade. I was told you would be integrating with the chip. Can I see it?" "Yes." Zosia brought out the chip and gave it to her though she had second thoughts. Zosia showed her the chip, to which she collected from her hand and directed her to a pod to use. "You don''t have to worry about me doing anything. " Zosia just pursed her lips at the lady''s word. "Now undress and enter the pod." The pod she had been directed to, stood alone in the surrounding. It had a silver coloured matte. It looked smooth and the edges gleamed under the lightning. Zosia stared at the lady who had asked her to undress but was still standing there. "Aish, we are both ladies why are you shy. Sheesh, you must have been a virgin in your last life." The lady muttered under her breath and turned around. "Hold this, once you enter the pod. Place it on your gabella." The lady turned back to give her the chip after copying the code written on the back. Zosia had just finished undressing herself, when the door was pushed open and a man entered. Zosia did not think twice and quickly entered the pod, hiding herself in it. "Hahaha..." In the pod, Zosia heard the woman''s laughter. Even though she did not see the face of the man who entered or if he had noticed her, she felt so embarrassed. "Kevin, help me get a Nutrition fluid for her, while I get what you asked for." Kevin who had just entered the room and all he saw was a shadow but hearing Ella''s, laughter, made him know that he had entered at the wrong time. He had come for something important as directed by his boss but since she had gone to get it and he was only asked to insert a Nutrient Solution to the unknown person pod. Entering the freezer. A room with -50¡ãc, he walked towards the small batch of Gamma Upgrade Nutrient Solution. He had seen the pod the the person was in which is the Only gamma pod in the sea of Beta pods. Taking the Nutrient Solution, he walked back to the room and inserted the solution into the pod. Each pod has a space to which the solution can be attached. Ella came out after he had closed the side of the pod. "Here it is. Now get going so I can continue with my work." Ella shooed him away before turning to work with the holographic screen. Kevin wanted to tell her the kind of Upgrade solution he put in, but since he was being shooed away, he left. Ella was able to connect the chip successfully to the main system before she left the room to deal with some personal things inside. ************* Alone inside the pod, she placed the chip on her glabella. At first she was able to hear outside noises but they were slowly cancelled. The nutrient solution slowly filled the pod. She was able to feel how condensed the nutrient solution is. Argh! A jewel like something wriggled out of her heart. She was in so much pain but her body was just static with her brain receiving the pain. It was like as if, her pain receptors just increased and became very sensitive. Zosia watched as the jewel slowly floated. The purple looking jewel was in the shape of a kite. The jewel absorbed the nutrient solution fast that it seemed to be overdrawn. The jewel slowly stopped before dividing into two. One entered back into her heart while the other stuck with the chip. She had placed her blood on the chip before putting it on her head for recognition. The two jewel parts and chip slowly drilled into her head and heart. Zosia suddenly felt like her soul was full. Directing some of her energy towards her accupionts, she did not know what she was doing but it felt like instincts. The first accupionts opened and opening of the rest went smoothly. Zosia did not know when she fell asleep, but she woke up to the blaring noise. She did not know where the noise was coming from. Hearing her name, she opened the pod and was met with three pair of eyes. "Is she the one that is causing the alarm to ring?" One of them asked. "Yup" Ella nodded her head. "At least she is okay, just get her remaining data." The last figure who looked like a woman in her 60''s spoke. "Alright, get up and wear your clothes " they gave Zosia the space to get dressed. After dressing up, she walked up to Ella who led her to another room. Zosia stared at the other women who sat in their respective seat. "Stand on that floor and place your hand on each orb for about five minutes each." Zosia nodded her head in acknowledgement and placed her hand on the first orb. "Wow, so much soul power". They all had a look of amazement on her face. Curious, she stared at the orb and saw the figure of 30,000. Forget others, she that owns such amount of soul power was also shocked. "The possibility of her having a gift is high." "That''s true, go to the next orb." Zosia walked to the next orb and placed her hand on it. After a while, the transparent orb slowly changed to lilac then to amethyst followed by a violet color. The orb began glitching but it slowly settled at pure violet. Due to the changes, no one noticed the white color that flashed for a while before disappearing. "It''s okay." The old lady muttered. "Go to the last orb." Their body language told her that her power isn''t good enough but she ignored it. She would find out later,if it was good or not. Touching the last orb. She noticed as Ella typed something in her holographic screen while the orb remained the same. "Alright, it''s all done. Now your chip can be launched." Ella said before leading her out of the place. "How do I open my status then?" "It''s yet to be launched, so once you are ready to launch it. It can be launched. Also you may be wondering how you can go back. After the launching, click on return. If you have a house here, you would see an option below it but if you don''t, you can only return back to the system space." "Okay. Thanks for the clarification. But about my gift. Is it okay?" Her voice held a tinge of nervousness. "Of course it is. Don''t mind that old woman. I can''t say much but I can tell you that your gift is a space gift and is very pure. Gifts are not common. Only those with high soul power have a chance at getting one and sometimes it''s useless. As for the old woman attitude, don''t worry about her." "Thanks a lot ma. Can you give me a tip on how to use the chip?" "The chip comes with it''s own advanced manual. The moment it is launched, it would carry out it''s own scanning and also implant it''s guide to your brain. With the amount of soul power you have. Your consciousness and intellect should be equally strong. So you don''t have to worry." "Okay. Any tips on how to survive?" Ella looked at the lady who kept on asking her questions. Even her last question took Ella by surprise. "I can''t say much but the few tips I can tell you are: Complete your main task first before other supporting tasks and always finish your task on time so you can use the remaining time to train your skills. After finishing your main run, go to the task centre to get more task. Always train survival skills first before any other skill. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It''s best if you do your first ten runs without teaming up with anybody. Also, sell what you don''t have need for, train using mainly cold weapons before other hot weapons. I have seen your skill set. Develop your mastery in dagger and archery before the rest. Take a look at the sales centre before going for your next run, which would be your main run for the week. Also, Don''t be shy to ask questions to your seniors as to avoid breaking some unspoken rule. To which one of them is, never reveal who you are to denizens of which ever world you enter. You may meet your fellow colleagues though." "Thanks a lot ma." Zosia left the place after thanking her. Using the elevator, she went to the seventh floor which is where the sales center is. Coming out of the elevator. She noticed she did not feel as dizzy as she felt at first. It looked like a normal ride. Looking at the sight that greeted her, her eyes held a hint of amazement. The lights above shone the opulent style of the vast area, filled with different goods. A man in uniform approached her. "How may I help you miss?" His voice curt and polite. Zosia looked at his close to average face and looked away. " I want to sell some of the things I have on me. Hope you don''t collect a fee for selling?" The young man smiled, " No, we don''t. We only do that for items that you want to auction." "Okay, but why did the main system ask for a selling fee?" "Well, usually, to sell something through the main system. It''s default is auction. So you have to change it before selling." "Ok " Zosia nodded her head. Her ears reddning a bit from embarrassment. "Let''s go to the counter to know what you want to sell ." The young man led the way to the counter and she just followed him. During her time in the army, she had used her own connection and Ryan connection to secure a large amount of ammunitions. She had separated the ones she would use from the ones she would sell. Luckily for her, she had a ring to which she used it as a disguise for a space ring. " What I have is much and needs discretion." She said. The man paused and turned to lead her to a door. Entering with him, he used his hand to signal her to sit. Zosia sat down while staring at the androids that seemed ready to identify what she had. Waving her hand, the ammunitions she had for sell, appeared on the floor. "Great. I can get some commission from this." The young man happily directed the androids. It didn''t take long for everything to be sorted out. "How much altogether? " " Going by the selling price, it is 90,000 points." "I calculated it myself and it should be a hundred thousand points." "Yes, the 10, 000 is for tax." Zosia eyes widened at the response. If they couldn''t scam poor souls like them from service fee, they decided to do it through tax. Taking a deep breath, she decided to sell the remaining things she had at other shops but thinking about the time she would waste. She would still pay the tax, so what is the need. Bringing out some Jewelries, she asked him for the price. "You would be having 120,000 points altogether." "Alright proceed with the transaction." "I would need your ID for that." "Okay ... " She called out her Id as she had seen when she wanted to launch the chip. Chapter 14 - 13- status Coming out of the sales centre, she started Launching the chip. Zosia knows that she can only go back to the system space through the chip, or more so, her system now. ???????????????????????????????????????? ¡º????????????????????????????¡» ?1%..?2%..? 3%.. ?4%.. ?10% ...?20%... ?30%...? 40%... ?50% ...?60%... ?70%... ?80% ...?90% ...?91%..?98%...?99%..?100%. ?????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????? ????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????? ????????????????.? sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia decided to check out the functions later. She decided to check out the task center, after that she clicked on the return button on the holographic screen. Zosia took a deep breath of the air in her space. "Finally, i am back." She muttered. "According to Xen, she could decorated her space. " According to them, the space could act as a house. Opening the holographic screen. Her eyes scanned the screen for the guide book. Clicking on the guide book, she slowly understood what it could do. The chip had access to general knowledge of the Transmigration centre and of this soul world. A name she had given this place that brought in souls from different worlds, galaxy etc. It''s second ability was to give basic analysis. She wasn''t sure if she could upgrade it or how or when to upgrade it. It''s third ability is simulation. It''s simulation is of two parts. If she was fighting, the chip can analyze the best strategy for her with precise calculations and adjust her body to it. The other type is, if she wanted to try out a simulation to know if the manual she was practicing is correct, she can stimulate the best way to use it without side effects. Next, it can also function as a translator. If she reads a book in a foreign language and keeps on accumulating more knowledge on it, it would slowly fill its bank of knowledge and translate the book for me. It''s basic Ability is to act as a library. For anything she sees, it records it immediately. She didn''t have to think much or arrange them as it is automated. She decided to check her status. ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????...? ????????????????????????????????? ????????????????...? ????????????????? ????????????????????????????????...? ????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????...? ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ?????¨T¨T¨T¨T? ?????????????????????????: ? ????????????????; ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: ????- ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????: 100 ? ????????????????????????????: 110 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????: 3000 ????????????????? ????????????????????: 30,000 ?????????????????(????): ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????: ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ?????????e ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????. ?????????????????(????); ????????????????????? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ?????????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: 220,000 ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ?. Zosia eyes widened when she saw the values added to her strength and agility. "Is the Beta Upgrade Nutrition that good?" She muttered under her breath. "Or is there something wrong? What is there to think about. I should be happy instead of being worried. Maybe my values were already high and the Beta solution just spiked the values." Taking her eyes off the screen, she clicked on the shop. It took a while to load but after it did, she began to browse each section. She went to the manual section but had to run back after seeing that the cheapest was priced at 1 million points. Zosia decided against checking out the rest. She was sure that the prices wouldn''t be anything low. She has a cold weapons, so she didn''t have to buy one. The only thing she bought from the shop were fasting pills which cost 50 points each and this was because it was the upgraded type. She bought some rare seeds and fertilizer. Zosia immediately entered her space after getting the seeds. By the time she was done planting and watering the seeds, she felt tired. She could automatically harvest the fruits but she couldn''t automatically plant the seeds and planting them felt quite strenuous. Crunch! Zosia bit on her apple as she slowly explored the space. Up till now, she has yet to completely explore the place. Raising her head, she watched as a blue moon slowly rose to the sky. "This is slowly turning into a real world. Before there was no moon let alone a sun. Is it because of the upgrade?" She said to herself as she watched the small blue moon. "I am yet to even test my powers." Zosia wiped her hands on her cloth. " I have to know what I can do, so I can use it. Else won''t it be useless for me to have a gift. Don''t you think so tree? " She asked the tree she was leaning on. Taking a deep breath, she tried to see how she could use it. Slowly sensing her power, she suddenly felt like she moved. Opening her eyes, she found herself in an unknown part of the space she had yet to explore. Zosia continued with that for quite a while. By the time she was done, she was already feeling exhausted though her soul felt exhilarated. Appearing in front of the house she had built in the space, it was time to practice her second power. Zosia entered the warehouse and picked one of the fruits. After munching on a few, she wiped her mouth and took another one. Zosia did not really understand this second power of hers but if she did not try it, how could she learn more about it. Holding the fruit, she channeled her power into it. For now she would call it power since she is yet to understand if it was ether, aether, Mana or even soul power. Zosia felt some tinglings which felt more like a feedback response from the fruit. Playing around with it for a while, she learnt how to make it age quickly and get younger. By the time she was done with the two experiments, she was tired. Yawn!!! "I need to sleep. Tomorrow, I would start my first run." She grumbled and stumbled her way to her room. ........ Zosia body alarm clock woke her up from her dreamless sleep. Moving her body, she slowly stood up. After washing up and dressing up which was of no use, she went back to her system space. "Time for my next run." Zosia played with the fruit on her hand as a whirlpool slowly opened up. "I wonder if I can also speed up the time of it''s opening. Nah, that is too far from my level." She commented. As for getting ready for her next world, she did not really think she had anything to prepare. To her, it would be great if she was not over prepared. Her space is packed with fruits and other food stuff though she had no livestock for now, well as the space is upgrading and now has a moon, maybe she could start raising livestocks. "With my power, I wonder if I can change the gene of animals. It would be great if I could." Doing that would give her access to more than enough animals with the best breed. She could eat all kinds of assorted meal without needing to worry about how to get the next one. Staring at her system space that felt cold and empty. She decided to get some furnitures from any world she enters and use it to decorate the place. Zosia did not plan on spending her points on them. She needs to be frugal with her points. Chapter 15 - 14- Arc 1 Grunt! Zosia opened her eyes but was assaulted with memories of the body she currently inhabits. Phew! After getting the relief she wants, she slowly scanned the place. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡º???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ?????????????????¡»a mechanical voice spoke. Zosia thought for a while, first she needs to change the voice. Opening the chip panel, she went to settings and changed the voice to a females'' own. "How much storage does the library have?" ¡º????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????.¡»the female voice she had chosen replied. Zosia was surprised, she wondered if the chip had consciousness. After trying for a few minutes, she knew it was just an automated reply. She went to settings to check how much storage it has and found an infinity symbol. "Hmmm... But Xen said there would be specific Storage values." She suddenly recalled the jewel she had seen before she died and seeing it again when she had her upgrade. As for who Xen is, he is the person she had met at the task center. They had hit it off and became friends. "I shouldn''t worry about things I can''t solve. I better check the task." she muttered to herself as she clicked on the task panel. ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T???????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T???????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ¡º????????????????¡» ? ???????????????? ????????????????: ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????: 6 ????????????????????. ? ???????????????? ???????????????? 1: ???????????????????? ???? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????: 6 ????????????????????. ? ???????????????? ???????????????? 2: ???????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????: 7 ????????????????. ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T???????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T???????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T "It seems like the side task always comes first. Doesn''t seem like what Ella said." She muttered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she slowly stood up from her rickety bed. Creak! Creak!! The bed made a lot of noises as she stood up . Zosia walked towards the mirror to take a look at the face of the body she currently inhabits, when- Bang! Zosia who was halfway to her goal stared at the door that had been swung open by a ferocious looking woman with beautiful make up on her face. Her twisted expression plus the makeup, only served to make her look like a ghost. "You are lucky that you are awake. Go to the kitchen and prepare breakfast. I am giving you 30 minutes to get that done." The lady said her piece and left the room while swaying her hips. She wondered how the lady was still able to sway her hips despite storming out of the room. "Some people sure got special skills." She said as she shook her head with a smirk on her face. The smirk on her face vanished and was replaced by a weary face. ''Sigh! From the memories of this body, the woman is her stepmother and is very mean.'' Zosia thought inwardly as she quickly left for the kitchen after glancing at the door swinging by its hinges. She knows fully well that she couldn''t have a slip up in character to avoid suspicion. Entering the kitchen, she opened the fridge to see what they had. " This should be enough to whip up something decent. Luckily I have some skills, else it would be a disaster." She said to herself. A pity the host gets to get the skills and experience we have developed in their own world or used in their own world but we get nothing and have to practice. After making the meal, she quickly dished it and set the table for the family of three. Zosia stared at the scene of them eating and laughing happily and thought back about the body memories. After sifting through it, she felt a ball of hatred towards the so called father. Her hatred wasn''t directed at the stepmother or even her useless daughter but at the so called father. According to the body memories. Her mother had married her father, after they had been match made by his mother. She doesn''t know what her mom did, but her father always said that her mother was a title hungry woman. Even Zosia who was going through the memories in a third person pov, didn''t see the situation as such. She saw Diana''s mother as someone who wanted the marriage to work but ended up dying at the schemes of her stepmother. Due to the constant battering from her stepmother, insult and disappointment she got from her father, she slowly got traumatized. The trauma slowly weakened her mentality, and her father gave her no other option than suicide, after he told her that she would be getting married to someone, whether she likes it or not. She couldn''t argue and decided to kill herself by taking excess sleeping pills. Pa! Zosia stared wide eyed at the body''s father who had suddenly slapped her. "Who do you think you are to ignore me while am talking to you? Or do you have another man in mind and you don''t want to marry Dominic?" His menacing eyes bore down on her. Zosia did not respond. Zosia was sure that the moment she opened her mouth, her temper would erupt with her. She could only lower her head. "Diana, can''t you see your father is angry and you can''t even apologize." Cecilia said with a smile on her face as she watched the scene. "What can you expect from someone like her with no mother. She was not taught well by her useless mother." Camilla''s daughter spoke as she typed on her phone. "I can''t get angry because of you this morning, if not you would spit out the truth." Her father scanned her before turning to his wife. "You would be following, your mom with Trisha to get your hair done and get new clothes. Dominic would be coming to take you out." After he said that, she was told to disappear from his presence and go get dressed. Zosia did not wait for anyone to tell her that this was her chance at escaping. She quickly left the dining room and entered her room. Using the memory of the body, she quickly shifted the bed. Hitting the wooden plank, she found the place that sounded odd and slowly removed the wood. Cough! She choked on the dust that came out alongside the wood. Bringing out the box, she couldn''t check what it was as she suddenly heard footsteps. Quickly putting everything back in place, she waited for the footsteps to pass. She did not know whose own it belonged to but it wasn''t any of her worry. She took her birth certificate, house register and also stuffed them in the space. Zosia made sure not to forget any implicating evidence or things she would be asked for when registering for school, business or anything. Using the structure of the room stored in the system, she stimulated various part to know possible hiding place and found one. Opening a side of the bed, she noticed a compartment. The compartment was filled with books. Taking the books into the space, she did not have the luxury to start checking what it was. After making sure she had everything in place, she entered the bathroom and had a quick shower. She made sure not to waste time in dressing up. She wore one of her old dresses and a flat shoe. It would be easier for her to escape with it. "Where is that girl, why is she wasting my precious time. Does she think I don''t have something doing?" Her father voice could be heard from upstairs. Zosia rushed down the stairs after hearing his voice. She made her breath ragged and some bead of perspiration appeared on her forehead. Chapter 16 - 15- Arc 1 Ferdinand stared at his daughter with disgust. If not for his beloved daughter wanting to marry for love, did she seriously think that, she would have this opportunity. "Let''s go." His authoritative voice woke Zosia from her thoughts. Zosia felt reluctant leaving like that, without doing anything or making them feel pain. Zosia knows that the little time she has is not enough to get her to do any substantial damage. Taking a deep breath, she sighed and followed them out of the house. She watched as Ferdinand entered the black sleek car which had some sporting red. Ferdinand left with the driver to the company while Trisha, Cecelia and her entered another car that drove them to the saloon . Arriving at the Saloon, Zosia heard her step-mother mumblings. "If not for the fact that Ferdinand would be there, does this daughter of a wh*re even stand the chance of ever coming here." Trisha couldn''t contain her jealousy, turned to her and said, "B*tch, you better reject all instructions that they ask of you." Zosia did not reply and only kept her head down. To Trisha, it was a sign of acceptance of her pitiful fate. But Zosia was actually thinking of her plan on how to escape and not get caught. It would be a shame, if after all this, she still couldn''t get out of their family. ........ Zosia made her chip scan her environment as she prepared her route of escape. After scanning, she found out that the building has a backdoor which was connected to an alley. She does not know where the alley leads to. But beggars can''t be choosers, she was going to use that path of escape. But could she escape without money? Nope, so she had snagged some money from the inattentive Trisha and her mother. With that money and the one she had been saving, it should be enough for her to settle things. She is not worried about getting hungry. The money could be used to get information. She does not understand the denomination or how the money is being used here, but It does not stop her from recognizing the value of the paper, called money. ........ "Alright miss, please sit down." Zosia looked at the lady timidly, "Can I use the restroom?" "Yeah you can, just go straight, by your right." the young lady answered while arranging her equipment. Zosia nodded her head. Following the directions given, she entered the toilet. Scanning the toilet, the height of the window was in an acceptable range which could allow her skinny body to pass through. Following that, she used the window which was wide enough to allow her to pass. She slowly landed on the floor. Looking around her, she was still far from the alleyway she had seen. Going forward, after a few minutes, she arrived at the alleyway. The place though neat was a little humid and had a damp smell. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia felt like her throat was burning. Though the owner of the body is used to laborious work, the body is still too weak, malnourished and always needs to be hydrated. Taking out a bottle of water, she leaned on the wall of the alleyway and gulped it. After making sure that no one would be passing the alleyway for a while and there are no cameras, she entered her space and changed her cloth. She has seen the clothes of the people in this world and its variation was not much with that of the other world. She appeared back but this time, she was in a floral gown, a nice black sandals and her hair packed into a bun. After exiting the alleyway she found herself in another side of the city. A bustling street came into view. Zosia flagged down a cab which happened to have someone in it. Not minding, she quickly entered the taxi. Zosia''s mind was not on the person but on her next plan before they find out that she had escaped. "Where are you going ma''am?" The driver asked the customer who had just entered without telling him where she would be going. "The closest rail station." ...... Dominic felt his day was just filled with bad luck. First, his dad suddenly called him to tell him about going to pick up his wife to be, that had been arranged for him. Next, his car got spoilt and to avoid wasting more time, he decided to hail a cab. He has to meet the client at the agreed time and he definitely did not want to be late. The cab was halfway to his destination when he noticed his future wife, well not sure but for now she was his future wife, was trying to hail a cab. He was kinda surprised and wondered what she was doing there. He asked the cab driver to pick her up. To be honest, he does hate her and believes that she was the one who had forced her parents to make a deal with his father leading to her becoming his fiance. Also, the clothes he had always seen her on, did nothing to justify her beauty which he just noticed now. He had expected her to talk to him after seeing him but he found her lost in her own world. Dominic was more surprised at her destination, ''a rail station. What is she going to do there? Is she going to pick a friend?'' he thought Inwardly. At first, he was happy when she didn''t acknowledge his presence but he got more irritated when she did like as if he was just a stranger. Technically, that is the truth. Diana had only been told that she would be getting married without showing her pictures of him. She only knows his name and nothing more. According to her father, they would get to know each other in marriage. Dominic closed his eyes, he did not want his mind to keep wandering. Keeping his eyes closed for a while, he opened it when he noticed a movement on her part. "We are here ma''am." "Ok thanks, how much is your bill?" "It''s $5 ma." "Don''t worry about that, I would foot her bill" Dominic felt uncomfortable seeing her pay the bill while he was here. According to her reputation, she is one who likes to take advantage of others. It made him wonder what her plan was, but he did not have the patience to wait and know. Right now, he has more important things to worry about. ''Anyway, I would still meet her in the evening.'' he thought inwardly. Dominic was stunned by the smile she gave to him and also the fact she said thank you made him start doubting the information he had gotten about her. "Tsk, everything would be figured out this evening, I shouldn''t worry too much." He assured himself while watching as her back went further and further away from his view. Chapter 17 - 16- Arc 1 Zosia looked at the bustling rail station. Her eyes moved in search of a brochure. "Is there no brochure at a train station in this world?" Zosia muttered to herself after not seeing any sign of a brochure or map that talked about tourist areas. "Hey, what is your ticket number?" Zosia train of thought was halted by the bubbly voice. Zosia turned her head to the source of the voice and a young lady came into view. Looking at the young lady who seemed to be around the age of 15 years. She wondered what the lady was doing here. "I don''t have one yet, I don''t know how to get one." Zosia gave an embarrassed smile. "Oh! Are you with someone?" "No." Her answer made the lady stare at her for a few seconds. "Well, then are you waiting for someone?" Zosia tugged her lips to try and smile but it further showed how embarrassed and clueless she was. "Um, can you show me how to get it done and also how to get a brochure or maybe a map or something like that?" "Don''t you have a phone, you can look up those things." Through the little interaction, she knew that the person would help her with them, if she offered to pay in return. Through the person''s dressing and the occasional clutching of her bag, she could tell that the lady should either be traveling from here to another city. "Sigh! I lost my phone to a thief and everything i need including the instructions on where I should stop or travel is in there." Her story further prompted the lady to clutch her bag tighter. She was here to wait for her parents who went to the ticket counter to book the last minute train for them. Zosia would have taken the longer but more safer route but she did not have such leisure and time on hand. "How about I pay you $5, to show me how I can go about it?" The lady eyes widened at her proposal. To her, it was free money. "Okay. Just go left, you would see something like a booth. That is where you can get your ticket and they usually have brochures on the counters." Zosia felt stupid. She could have just looked around, maybe she wouldn''t have to spend the money. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After giving the young lady the money, she left to find the ticket booth. ..... Zosia arrived at the booth. Taking a brochure from the counter, she quickly scanned through it . '' Derive the best possible destination. '' she said Inwardly to the chip. Since, she could communicate with the chip through her thoughts, there was no need to say it out loud. ¡º???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ????????????????.¡»the female voice of the chip spoke. Zosia knew she had only a few minutes left before she gets caught. She couldn''t let her escape be in vain. She walked to the ticket officer. "I need a ticket to Vlinton City." "Hey, is there any ticket remaining for Vlinton City" the man loudly asked his colleague dealing with another ticket. "Yes, but it''s only one, the train would be leaving in five minutes." The colleague spoke while looking for the ticket. "Here it is." Zosia took the ticket but not without filling the details she was asked to fill. ...... A few hours later, the train arrived at Vlinton City. Since she had no luggage, she left the train station immediately. During those period of long boring hours, she was able to make a list of things she needed. Her next stop was a phone shop. She needs to get a phone. The amount she had on her is $2564, she hoped it would be enough to get a phone and have a place to spend the night. After getting the phone and SIM card, she went to a hotel. The first thing she did was to fill her stomach. After that she began to do some research about the cities, her family influence etc. ........ ?Dominic''s POV ? After settling things with the client, he left in the car the butler had brought for him. He went back to the company. He has a self- con in his office, so he took his bath and picked up one of his casual wears. Using the car, he went to the Leverato house. Knock! Knock!! Knock!!! "Ah, you are here?" Trisha who opened the door said with surprise. She looked around to know if he came with any other person, maybe someone that had forced him but saw no one. "Please come in." She gave a sweet smile, though inwardly she felt uncomfortable. She did not know that Dominic was this handsome, his picture did no justice to his face. ''Luck is on my side. It''s good that b*tch disappeared.'' her eyes glinted. Dominic had been watching the series of changes that occured on her face but just followed her order and entered inside. He dropped the gifts he came with on the table. "Ah, my son-in-law, you are here." Ferdinand came out of his study with an anxious look on his face. "Sigh! I don''t know where that daughter of mine went. I have been trying her line to no avail and I can''t call the police since she hasn''t been missing for 24 hours. I have been on call since trying to find her." Dominic was stunned since he had met her and even paid for her fare. " I am sorry about her abhorrent attitudes, especially towards you. I know you don''t like her as well, I would tell your dad not to worry about the marriage. " He said quickly with a weary face. He did not even remember the fact that Diana had no phone, so which line had he been trying? "Sigh! I made a mistake, I should let children fall in love with each other, it''s not something to be forced." Dominic nodded his head at Ferdinand words. He even heaved a sigh of relief. "Trisha, go and call your mother." His words snapped Trisha who had been standing and oogling at Dominic quickly ran up to call her mother. ''I must tell my mum to convince Dad to allow me to marry him instead.'' she thought. Ferdinand''s phone rang, "Let me take the call. Please make yourself at home." Dominic looked around the house, he did not want to stay any longer as even the person who went to call her mother was not coming down and the Master of the house was on call. He decided to check out Diana''s room. He didn''t know why he decided to do that but decided to go with his thoughts. ''Well, her room would further tell me what kind of person she is.'' he thought. Dominic was still trying to identify which room was hers when he heard his name. The voice seemed to belong to Trisha and her mother. "Mum, you have to convince Dad to allow me marry Dominic. It seems like Diana knows her place and left him." " I would try but we can''t rush it. We have to make it look like Diana eloped with a man. It would make your dad more angry that he would disown her." "But who would be doing my assignment and all the house chores." Dominic could hear the worry in Trisha''s tone. "That would be easily settled with a tutor." "Alright mum, let''s do as you say." Dominic did not want to dirty his ears anymore and went back downstairs. He remembered during the last banquet he had attended, Cecelia had painted her step daughter as overbearing, lazy, with all manner of bad characters. Even his investigation had given him the same thing. He needed to check some things out, it would be best if his father don''t even continue dealing with the family. The moment Dominic sat down back in his seat, Cecilia and Trisha came downstairs. Later, Ferdinand also joined them. After a little talk, he excused himself. He had not been able to see Diana''s room but to him, it was best not to continue dealing with the family. He didn''t want to be the next prey they will latch onto. {GOING TO MASS RELEASE TODAY AND GO PREMIUM AS WELL. FORGOT THAT TODAY WAS WN BIRTHDAY AND WOULD WANT TO JOIN THE ONGOING PROGRAM.} Chapter 18 - 17- Arc 1 Zosia had adjusted to Vlinton city after a week. "Tsk, the amount of money I have left isn''t enough. I also have to register into a law school and get a house of my own. I also haven''t checked out those books." She clicked her tongue while sitting on the comfy bed. Zosia was still staying in the hotel room she had booked. She waved her hand and the books she had taken with her from the Leverato house appeared, alongside the box. "Tsk, I wonder what fate I have with boxes." She said as she popped a fasting pill into her mouth. Due to how busy she had been and the fact that she was conserving money, she had only ordered for the room with it''s services being non- inclusive. So, she has been quite dependent on the fasting pills and fruits from the space. As for what she had been busy with. For starters, checking out a law firm in the city and gathering information about her former family. She completely forgot about Dominic and didn''t even bother doing a search. She had also been looking for jobs to support herself with but after thinking about the time she would waste on it, she decided to go back to hacking. At least, it was a way of sharpening her skills. "Hmmm.... It seems the space has an auto- cleaning function." Zosia muttered as she opened the wooden box which was now free of dust. She first brought out the book inside that seemed too old. " I don''t think Diana is aware of this box." she muttered while opening the box which had some yellow markings on it. After reading through it, she could conclude that it is a taoist manual. The front page has words written on it which technically translates to " Martial Art." The words written in the book and on it''s cover looked like gibberish, she was not sure how she was able to translate it. Maybe the ability to translate those words has something to do with the body she currently inhabits. She kept the book aside and poured out the remaining contents of the box. The only thing left was a disc like plate and node like plate, which she had no idea what it was. She put back the disc and node plates into her space. She would find out what it is later. For now, she wasn''t planning on using her brain cells to guess its function. The remaining books were just Diana school books. Zosia decided to read it later and work on the Martial Art. It did not seem to conform to the structure of this body. Which means, if she practiced it, the gains may be minimal or none at all. She re-read the book before asking the chip to carry out a simulation of her current body with the martial art and modify it to suit her current body. ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ¡ò???????? ??1%.....2%>>>>50%.....60%>>>>80%>>>>100%?? ¡º???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????.¡» It took a while for the simulation to be done, but finally it was completed. After going through the new simulated manual, she entered her space. "If I want to start practicing this, I need to get a house or an apartment. I can''t start collecting jobs from the dark web as it would take a while for her to go from a rookie to a novice and the jobs accessible to me are not really worthwhile." She said to herself as she glanced at the view before her. " I would make use of some herbs. But the older the herb or spice, the more expensive it would be." She thought as she stared at the herbal leaves that swayed with the wind. She didn''t bother to think of where the wind was coming from, if she did, she was sure to go bald. Zosia walked to the stream and scooped a jar of water before walking towards the area she had planted ginseng. "Tsk, they are only 10 years old. They wouldn''t go for much." Zosia clicked her tongue as she used her gift to check the age of the herb. Using one hand, she poured the water from the river which she had scooped on the soil while using her other hand to stimulate the herb. Zosia watched as the herb rapidly absorbed the water and nutrients in the soil. The age of the herb rose from 10-60 years. Going to the stream, she got another jar of water and allowed the herb to absorb it. Once she felt the herb had reached a 100 years old, she slowly reduced the nutrient supply. She did the same for two more ginseng. Finally, she had ginseng of ages 100, 60, 50 and 10 years. Placing them in a carved wooden box, she took it out of the space. After dressing herself up, she left the room with the box. Zosia took a cab to one of the biggest herb shops in Vlinton City. It didn''t take long for her to arrive at the largest herb shop in town. Entering the shop through the glass door that chimed on her entrance, she was met with a group of workers arranging some herbs which seemed to have just arrived. Touching one of the workers, she tried to get the personnel''s attention. "Good evening, I have some herbs to sell. Who is the boss or the person I can talk to?" Her voice as light and airy as always was heard sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey boss!" The personnel she had touched called out to the finely dressed mid aged man, his voice being a little loud. "What!? Just arrange it as I ask you too. You better don''t spoil the roots." The middle aged man responded with his thick voice resounding throughout the front area of the shop. "Boss, someone has some herbs to sell." The man ignored the Boss words and continued with telling him about Zosia coming to sell herbs. The middle aged man did not reply but came forward. "Hmmm, if your herb is good, then I would take it but if it''s expensive or on the higher side, i would have to redirect you. As you can see, I just bought herbs, so am not in need of herbs. But let''s check what it is." The man said, leading her into a room with equipments. "The front is a little packed with workers, so show me what you have ?" Taking the seat offered to her, she elegantly sat down and placed the box on the table. Opening the box , she revealed the contents to the man. The boss was stunned as he looked at the delicate and well done arrangement of the ginseng. " It would be better if, you packed them separately but it''s all good." He nodded his head repeatedly as he delicately held each ginseng and took note of their age and some details. " Aish, I would love to buy it but am short on money. Let me call someone to see if he still needs it." The middle aged man said as he took out his phone and dialed a number. The middle aged man distanced himself from her as he made the call. To which she didn''t mind, even removing her eyes from him and staring at the instruments and decorations that adorned the room. Zosia did not know what they talked about but all she knows is that she sold her ginseng at a considerably price. Looking at the zeroes in her account, she smiled in satisfaction. " Can you leave your number, I would love to get more ginseng like this from you." "I''m sorry sir, but getting this was a stroke of luck. If I have more, I would surely come to you. After all, it is nice doing business with you." She flashed her teeth in a smile. They both took each other''s number and she left. "Now that I have the money, the next step is to inquire about the Law School." After a while of inquiry, she found one but it was a little far from the hotel and in a more upscale area. Looking at the weather which still suggested that it was still noon, she booked a cab and went to check out the area. "Sigh! I have been running up and down since today." She said to herself while using her hand to fan herself. Zosia arrived at the Law school. She met with the receptionist and inquired about the duration of the program. "The program would last for four years. Four years of intensive training. It would be hard to juggle it with part time jobs and the Bi-exam would be taken in the second year." the receptionist behind the counter responded professionally. "Thanks, but is there a way to make it faster. Like can someone finish the program faster?" "I''m sorry ma, but it''s already as fast as it is. You can discuss that with the Barr. If your progress is fast." "Okay, thank you." "When is the next session beginning?" "It would begin at the beginning of next month ma''am." "What and what are the requirements..." By the time she was done footing the bill for everything, two million dollars was out of her account. Gurgle!!! Zosia felt her stomach protest. She really needs to get lunch else she wouldn''t have more energy for other things. But she didn''t have such Taking out an apple, she munched on it as she walked towards the housing estate. Since she would be studying here, she needs to also get a house. ...... By the time she was done with all the procedures for the house she had bought, it was already evening. Luckily they were fast, so she was able to finish on time. ''I would take a cab back to the hotel to sign out and come back here. Now that I have my own house, it''s best if I start practicing that new manual today.'' She thought as she waved at an incoming taxi. After going back and signing out of the hotel, she left with the taxi which was the one that drove her here. "Thanks for waiting for me sir." She thanked the driver who replied to her, "You are Welcome." "I also need to get a car." she thought to herself as she labelled her needs in a notepad in her phone. Arriving at the house she had bought. She stood outside admiring the house. The house is a duplex with its interior being very large. The first floor had the parlour, the dining room, the kitchen, a gym area and a room. The other floor had the Cinema room, the games room and three extra room. She took the Master bedroom. The house was fully furnished, so she needs not worry about buying furnitures etc. Though she would have to buy clothes. After arranging her stuffs, she treated herself to a good meal before bathing. "Damn, today has been kinda tiring. At least now I am settled in. And now I am broke." She said as she crossed her leg in a lotus position and tried to practice the revised manual. Zosia moaned in delight as she felt the new influx of energy. She was surprised it worked on the first try. According to the manual, it takes time before she could feel Qi unfortunately she couldn''t feel any soul energy as the manual is not cut out for that. She kept on condensing her Qi and using it to nourish her current body. She did not know that by practicing the martial art, she was not only strengthening her physical body but also honing her spiritual energy which would become useful in the future, in the grand scheme of things. As she continued to practice, she felt a sense of calmness and clarity washing over her mind, as if the movements were aligning her body and spirit in harmony. Hours passed as Zosia continued to cultivate, each cycle strengthening her vessels. She could feel the Qi coursing through her veins, invigorating her with a newfound sense of vitality. Eventually, exhaustion began to weigh heavily on her , signaling the end of her intense training session. Zosia stared out of the window, gazing at the canvas of the sky filled with twinkling bright stars. She could feel her mind buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead. Chapter 19 - 18- Arc 1 Zosia stared out of the window her thoughts going back to three months ago. She had just graduated as at then. Due to how brilliant she was, she was accepted as an intern in one of the largest firms in the country. Today, she is following her master to go and settle a case. The case is a murder case. According to what her master told her, his friends daughter had been killed by a drunk driver. Apparently, the said individual had no remorse and believes that her money would help her buy her way out. She had not gone through the case file yet as her teacher has yet to give her the file. Her thoughts were brought back to the present by a knock on her head " We are here. Let''s go." Kamil knocked on Zosia head as he said, " You are always spacing out. I know geniuses have their own quirks, I just hope this doesn''t put you in trouble." "How could I get in trouble. I''m not a trouble maker" Zosia answered as she came out of the car while arranging her hair. "Alright, let''s go." Kamil strode forward with Zosia following behind him. Entering the elevator, Zosia clicked on the floor they would be heading to, which was the 4th floor. The elevator that was closing, slowly reopened following the entrance of two men dressed in well tailored suit. "You-" Zosia looked at the person that just came in and was pointing at her, did she know him from anywhere. She slowly recalled and remembered he was the one who had paid for her fare when she was going to the train station. "Oh, hey. Thanks for that day." Zosia light and airy voice entered Dominic ears causing his lips to twitch. Kamil looked at the scene and abstained from saying anything about it. ''Sigh! Did he think my thanks to him that day was not enough, that is why he pointed at me. Well, why should I think about the thoughts of whom I know nothing about. I just hope this case would not be boring'' she thought inwardly while closing her eyes to cultivate. As she cultivated, she listened to the discussion going on between her teacher and him. Well, she really didn''t understand what they were talking about about especially since she could neither grasp the head or tail of what they were saying. ''I better cultivate. I have already reached a bottle neck and need to keep accumulating Qi.'' she thought. She filtered out their voice, slowly immersing herself in the cultivation which was abruptly cut short. It didn''t take long for them to arrive at the said floor. The two young men led the way while her teacher walked side by side with the man who had paid her transport fare. Seeing the situation, she walked beside the other guy who seems to be the assistant, if her guess was right. Knock!!! The door they arrived at, opened after a knock. Zosia did not understand why the people kept on following them and even entered the house with them. Zosia ran her eyes around the room. She caught sight of a weeping woman surrounded by some people of her age as well. Her teacher and the other man had sat down on the only available chair as others had been occupied by the women following the deceased mother to cry. She decided to stand behind her teacher and the assistant also did same. Knock! Knock!! Knock!!! Everyone turned to look at the door, even the crying mother was now sniveling. Zosia stared at the door but didn''t attempt to go and open it, this was neither her house and she does not also know the owner. The husband that they had greeted stood up to open the door. The door was opened wider to accommodate the entrance of the people coming in. "They are?" Kamil asked. This was a sensitive period, so this kind of influx of people could very well make the conversation he was about to have with the family be postponed to a later date. "They are my daughter''s classmate." Kamil did not say anything more but handed over the file that has been in his hand to Diana. Zosia opened the file that had been handed over to her, over looking the piercing eyes she felt on her. "How could you let her in? After everything she had done." A lady shouted in a shrill like voice dropping the gift she had come in with on the floor. "Who are you, miss?" Zosia asked with a frown as she watched the young lady match towards her. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You, how dare you. You dare to ask me who am I? How dare you?! After killing my best friend." Pointing at her was no longer enough for her, she swung her arm intending to slap Zosia. Zosia was stunned by the audacity of the young lady, but she had to first deflect the incoming slap. Kamil was incensed by the young lady attitude and the attitude of the family, as they had done nothing but kept quiet, allowing the girl to continue her charade. "You dare to slap my student in front of me. The audacity of you." Kamil voice became colder, his presence commanding dignity. "Young Miss, please calm down." Her friends quickly dragged her back. "Aunt, Uncle. Why did you let this whore in, she is the Trisha. Did you forget how she insulted and belittled you." Zosia frowned the moment she heard the name she had long tucked to the recess of her memory. "How could my disciple be that incorrigible fellow. For your information, my disciple name is Diana, you can''t even recognize the face of the culprit you intend to accuse." Kamil said while Zosia packed up the files. She knew her teacher was angry on her behalf and his attitude showed he was willing to walk out of here any moment from now. "She is sorry sir, she was just angry on behalf of my daughter. They have been friends for years now. I''m sure she did not mean it." The victim''s father spoke. The wife sniveled and turned to Zosia. "I don''t blame her, after all, both of them do look alike. The biggest difference found between both of them is in their body shape." The woman''s words caused everyone to run their eyes openly on her especially on her assets causing Zosia to frown further. During this period, she had also been working on her patience. If it were before, she was sure she would have already reacted, and trust me, it wouldn''t have been anything good. Chapter 20 - 19- Arc 1 I don''t know if I should write this chapter in a first or third person pov. But well, let''s go with a third person pov and see how it comes out. ?Dominic Pov? Dominic''s plan was to go see his granddad''s old friend family. They had suddenly started coming close to them and his grandfather accepted them, but after a while, their attitude weren''t really pleasant. They did not have the kind of good qualities his granddad said they had. Now, they had asked him for help, for their daughter who was murdered. As for who murdered her, it was Trisha and it was in an accident. Lost in thought, he tried to create the scene in his head, while looking at the papers in his hand. Indeed Trisha was drunk but according to the CCTV camera, another car had hit Trisha''s car and in an attempt to resist further accident between them, she spun the car. Trying to halt it, she found out that the break had failed and their daughter was also crossing the road at that moment. Trisha ended up in the hospital with a concussion, as for the driver who started it, he disappeared while their daughter ended up dead. Closing the book, he thought. If he hadn''t done his own investigation, he wouldn''t have known about this. From their mouth, they had said Trisha rammed into their daughter purposefully. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had called for Kamil who had told him, he would be bringing his student. He was surprised that they had arrived before him but not too surprised. His surprise lay at the figure he was seeing. The way she looked at him at first showed she had forgotten him and when she finally remembered who he was, she only gave him her thanks. It further cements the fact that she was not told anything about him. .... Inside the apartment, he saw the crying women which further irritated him. He had told them that he would be coming to visit with the lawyer and there should be no unwanted person/people. ''Tsk, now I understand more on why father does not like dealing with them'' he clicked his tongue as he thought. He was about to tell the father to send them away, so they could talk but was met with another knock on the door. What followed next could be called chaos. The alleged best friend couldn''t even identify or tell the difference between Trisha and Diana. Dominic would not lie, he never saw them as the same person, so he had never known they actually looked alike. To him, Trisha was more Voluptuous while Diana was more on the fit side. He was not the only one who got offended by the girls attitude and the attitude of the family towards the issue. Even the thought of helping them flew out of the window. Dominic did not want to stay any longer but it would do him no good if he doesn''t end up talking to them about the case. "Sir, could you send them home, we still have to talk to you about some things¡ª " He had yet to even finish his sentence and the Wife started wailing. "Ma, it''s important that some things don''t end up getting outside." His assistant said to the crying woman. "Why are you guys like this. My daughter died, fine, but you don''t even want to help me get justice." She wailed, her shrill voice echoed throughout the room. Dominic glanced at the husband who also had the same sentiment with the wife. He watched as the woman''s words aroused the little crowd gathered in the house. "Diana, take over and explain to them what they need to know. I''m getting old, I should start letting you do things." Kamil''s dignified voice slowly mellowed the aroused crowd but his words incensed the parents of the deceased. "See, See what am saying. They take our case lightly. Just imagine¡ª" Diana glared at the woman, causing her to shut up. But her actions gave them a room to talk, especially that so called Missy. "Are you even a lawyer, just a half baked learning through a teacher who is almost senile. " The lady words were not only stepping on Diana dignity but also on Kamil''s. Kamil heard her words and closed his eyes to rein in the anger he was feeling while directing his gaze at Dominic. Dominic understood that it is also his fault. Kamil had told him to bring the couple to his office but he had insisted they go see them. Now, seeing them not only did it not alleviate the situation but further made one of the best lawyers in the world and country annoyed. He was about suggesting that they leave but Diana''s action to continue with her speech surprised him. "You can all think and say what you want. It''s your freedom of speech and thought according to the Acts of Right but remember that you are also responsible for your actions and words. Well, to the main thing. According to the statement at the police station, it says, your daughter was Rammed by Trisha Leverato. According to evidence, it was an accident and not intentional. These are the evidence." Diana said while placing the pictures on the table. "According to the CCTV camera, your daughter was drunk while crossing the road and a drunk Trisha and an unknown driver were already in an accident. And in an attempt to reduce the impact of the force, Trisha swiveled the car that already had a brake failure and your daughter got hit. Post Mortem evaluation says otherwise. It says your daughter was already dead, her death was caused by excessive bleeding of the genital area. Sperm cells were found in your daughter''s reproductive tract and it can be considered that she had been violently raped. More evidence were also found. According to the video below, Miss. Caroline, who according to her statement is the deceased best friend was holding the deceased as they entered the room on the second floor of the bar known as Rosy nights." Diana placed a tablet on the table showing the video. Dominic watched as Caroline who had been all proud and arrogant already quivering in her seat. "What do you mean? You don''t know me but you are trying to frame me." The lady voice came out sharp. Dominic did not have to do anything as the father of the deceased glared at her which made her keep her mouth shut. "Well, I need to leave. We have a family dinner.. I¡ª" her words were cut short when she was dragged by another person to sit back down. " According to more evidence which had been unearthed. The alleged best friend also had a hand in disabling Trisha''s brake. This is her statement of account which shows the transfer and the person who received it and the person''s account statement . There are also call logs and pictures of the person hired disabling the brake. The person who had disabled the brakes and the person who had rammed into Trisha are the same person. Further evidence shows how they had carried out the plan which had been hatched. They had used tiny strings and inserted into the deceased body and with the use of a helicopter, they made it seem like she had been rammed into. This is a clearer video of the situation that had happened that night." Diana ended her speech by dropping another irrefutable evidence. Dominic watched as the parents tried to accept the news. He was surprised by the evidence they had garnered as he couldn''t even get this in such a short period of time. "We hope you can rethink further on how to handle this. If you plan to continue sueing Trisha. As Trisha would only be charged with drunk driving as she is not an accomplice but a victim." She ended with a smirk, allowing the tense atmosphere to fester before breaking the silence with her last words. "We would be on our way." She said, her voice still as light and airy as always. "Ah!!!! My daughter. It''s a lie, you wouldn''t be leaving. You must have forged the evidence. I understand, as you two both look alike. You must be sisters. You want to save your sister." The mother of the deceased stood up while pointing at Diana. "Enough. I have had enough of your family''s caricature. I have already done my own part of helping your family but your family keeps undermining my help. I''m sure with this evidence, you can continue the process by yourself. As for the videos and pictures, they would be sent to you in a flash drive." His voice laced with anger as he addressed the family. He rose from his seat and left the place followed closely by his assistant, Kamil and Diana. {WOULD BE GOING PREMIUM FROM CHAPTER 20. PLEASE DO SUPPORT ME ????????} Chapter 21 - 20- Arc 1 Back at the apartment... Caroline immediately followed behind Diana to get out but was violently dragged back by the mother of the deceased- Fria. Caroline tried to struggle free but could not. She could only watch as the people she came with rushed out of the apartment through the door. Even the women who had been consoling Fria, also left. ''F*ck'' Caroline cursed. She knew she couldn''t stay in the same room with this woman. "You-" her words were blocked by the pain of her hair being dragged. "I must deal with you today. You killed my daughter." Fria landed her palms on Caroline face. "Do you think I don''t dare to touch you because you''re from a wealthy family?" Fria shrill voice echoed in the room while she dragged Caroline by the hair. "You, do you know who I am?" A shrill like voice escaped her lips. "Of course I do, you are a sniveling slut¡ª " Fria words were blocked by the entrance of police into her apartment. Even her husband who had kept mute and let her deal with Caroline stood up violently In shock. Caroline also felt dread and the sight of the police but quickly sighed in relief when she noticed her guards behind them. As she stared at her guards who stood behind the officers, she smirked. She was finally not going to be in the same room with this woman. The smirk vanished on her face when what happened next was what she dreaded the most. .......... Outside the apartment... ?Dominic''s POV? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Breathing in the fresh air, he tugged at his tie. "Thanks for today, Barr. Kamil." "You are welcome, Mr. Dominic." Dominic smiled at his response and turned to look at Zosia whose facial expression had turned into one of shock. Deciding to tease her, he flicked her forehead. "How have you been doing, my Fianc¨¦?" His action not only caused him to be surprised, but even those around him were surprised. "Cough!... Mr. Dominic, I''m sure you understand the reason behind this murder. It''s best if you don''t get involved with my student." Kamil said while shielding his student. Dominic raised his eyebrow, he was not daft but he did not understand how he had anything to do with the murder case. "It''s like this. Trisha likes you and since you are close to this family, their daughter also likes you and so does her rich friend. Now to kill three birds with one stone, she planned the murder to remove any obstacle from her way while pursuing you." Diana said, clearing the confusion in his head. Dominic would be lying if he said he was not shocked. "Are they mad?! I don''t even like them." His voice rising by a few decibels. That was the sentence Caroline and Fria heard as they were escorted by the police. "How could you!? My daughter loves you so much that she is willing to do anything. You are so cold hearted. If not because of you, my daughter would still be alive." Caroline screamed Dominic took a deep breath to suppress the anger that threatened to erupt. " I don''t love her, have never loved her and never will. I didn''t even give her any signal to show I was interested in her. Sorry about my language, but she is not my type." His harsh words made Caroline eyes light up and the deceased parents to react violently. They would have pounced on him, if they weren''t being held by police. The police forcefully dragged them into the police car and drove away, leaving the four of them still standing. "I wonder what they did as well?" his assistant muttered to himself which was heard by him. "Drugs." "What?!" Dominic felt he has had more surprise than he ever had today. "That''s true... How were you able to get such conclusive evidence?" "A magician never reveals his tricks." She winked at him. "Alright. We have to start going." Kamil said and entered the car. Dominic was not daft, he could tell that Kamil did not want him around his student. He watched as their car drove away. His eyes getting deeper and thoughtful with no one actually aware of his thoughts. But one thing is sure, he was interested in Diana. Entering his own car with his assistant, the driver immediately started the car and drove off. ....... ?Zosia''s POV? Entering the car with her teacher who seemed suddenly quiet. Zosia felt a little bit tensed as she had lied to her teacher about her background. She had done all the changes related to her relationship with the Leverato family that if a background search was done, nothing would be found and now her teacher has found out about it, not from her but from someone else, it would be strange if he felt good about it. "Explain" Kamil spoke, his voice hiding underlying coldness. "I''am Sorry teach." "For what?" " For doing one of the things you hate most, lying." "Since you know, why did you do it?" ........ At St. McLaren Hospital.... ?Cecilia''s POV? Trisha looked at her mom and could not help but grumble. "Mom, when will Dominic come to see me. I thought Dad already asked him to come." Cecilia looked at her daughter who had a bandage around her head and her hatred towards Diana increased. If Diana hadn''t run away, at least her husband''s attention would still be on her and she could act as a lesser person for her daughter. During the past four years, their lovely family could no longer be found especially with the interference of her mother-in-law and the past which she tried so hard to hide, trying to surface. For the past one week, she had been on tenterhooks and didn''t even dare act like she used to with her husband, she became docile and tried to rein in her temper and now her daughter question acted as a fuel for her already suppressed anger. "All you know how to do is drink and chase Dominic up and down with little to no self respect attached to your name. Are you not what you accused Diana of? You don''t even have self respect, you still open your legs to other men and still expect Dominic to like you. You don''t even listen to me again? You feel you are on top of the world. You even dare to cause an accident and still act nonchalant." Trisha frowned. Her eyes flashing with disgust. "You talk like as if you were better. I wouldn''t even be surprised, if I was told am not Dad''s child. Besides, I learnt it from you." Trisha folded her arm while staring at Cecilia. Yes, she likes Dominic but she never said she would give her virgin self to Dominic. Dominic was not giving her the attention she needs and receiving it from someone else when Dominic hasn''t accepted her, is okay. At least she isn''t cheating. "You brat, you think you can say anything to me. If not for me, would you be enjoying the life you are living now. With this attitude, your father wouldn''t give you the company to inherit." Trisha calmed down, her mom words are not wrong and she isn''t completely foolish either. "Fine! Mom i''m sorry." Her eyes neither holding any sign of sincerity or wearing an apologetic look on face. Cecilia scoffed as she stared at her daughter''s unapologetic look. "What kind of child did I give birth to?" She muttered to herself. Her face wore a wry smile as she stared at her daughter. "I Lost." Chapter 22 - 21- ARC 1 ?Dominic''s Pov? "Drive to the house." He opened his phone while his voice reached the driver who obeyed the command. Glossing over the case file which had just been sent to him by Kamil. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He noticed that the details of the crime was more thorough than what he investigated. Dominic still felt surprised at the fact that he was the cause of the murder. The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable and irritated he was. Tugging his tie, he gulped down his saliva to moist his throat. Dominic stared at the picture of the young lady on his phone. It was a picture of Diana while she was talking. The more he stared at her, the more he felt her value and worth radiating from her. Dominic deep eyes which held a glint of slyness in it, turned to the window. The gaze slowly disappeared leaving behind a thoughtful gaze. "How was she able to do it within four years?" He muttered under his breath. He did not believe it to be a stroke of luck. There should either be a backer or something else. "Maybe I should investigate her? Nah... Someone who could throw such detailed evidence of the crime at my face, she would be able to find out that I am investingating her. It would be best if I don''t turn her into an enemy." His eyes flickered as more thoughts sprouted in his mind. Arriving back at the house, he had just removed his shoe when he heard Mr. Leverato voice. "What would happen if the Leverato family finds out that, it was the daughter they discarded that helped in reducing their daughter years in prison." He mused. Tack! He dropped his shoe on the shoe rack. "Good evening Dad, good evening Mr Leverato." He shook Ferdinand''s hand as he greeted. One might be wondering why he didn''t cut off all ties as he had said he would. Well, they needed to get the gold mine rights that is with Ferdinand and the right to develop a land owned by his family. "Dominic, you keep getting more handsome by the day. I saw the Listed company list that came out, and I must say, Congrats. It''s not easy, especially getting up to the top 25 in the country." Ferdinand said with a slight smile adorned on his lips. Dominic smiled, "You too. I should also congratulate you for having a lawyer in your household." Dominic stared at the confusion that appeared in Ferdinand''s eyes and his lips curled up. "Huh!?" "Well, Diana is now a lawyer. Isn''t that wonderful." Ferdinand stood up in shock. "You know where she is? Are you the one that has been shielding her all this while?" Dominic titled his head, he had no plans of answering the man. After all, someone like him who didn''t love his daughter would just exploit her. He had only mentioned it to see if he could get some benefit from Ferdinand. "I''m sorry sir. Currently I have been busy and I am so tired. Will love to discuss more on business with you. I have already done wrong by interrupting your talk with my father." He said with a yawn preparing to go upstairs. "Dominic wait." Dominic''s father who had been quiet, spoke up. Dominic turned to his father who had called him back. " Ferdinand came to ask if any news about the case." Dominic let out a chuckle, "Yes there is, your daughter would only be arrested for drunk driving. As for other things, you can talk to the police and see if they spill out anything." "Ok.. When would you be free to go and see Trisha?" Dominic playful mood slowly turned into that of an aggressor. "Tsk, why should I visit someone I don''t love. Rejection is better than Regret. I don''t know why you still insist on pushing her with me. Do you really hate your daughter that much that you would rather see her unhappy in a marriage?" Ferdinand had no way to retort. He did love his daughter but his daughter loves Dominic, what can he do except from fulfilling her wish. Dominic seeing as Ferdinand kept quiet, took the opportunity to go upstairs. He didn''t want to continue staying there, before his father would ask him to just go and see Trisha. "If Dad hadn''t asked me to come back, I wouldn''t bother returning." He muttered. "So you don''t miss your Mom. What a heartless child." He received a smack on his head from his mom. He didn''t really expect his mom to hear him and to even be close by in the first place . "Mom, you know that''s not what I mean." "Fine. Come and gist me on the latest news about the crime." His mother said with a giggle. Dominic let out a sigh. His mother is a sucker for gist. She is not a gossip but she loves having to hear gist. This also prompted his father to become a storyteller and one of the reasons for their travels to different places. "Mom, let me have-" the rest of his words were stuck in his throat as he stared at his mom puppy eyes. Leading her into his room, he decided to tell her everything. " I never knew my son is the heart throb of many." Ella scanned her son not really seeing anything noteworthy. "Apart from the fact that you are handsome and have money, I don''t really see any other thing. Tell me, among the three of them, who would you choose?" "Eww, mom. None. With the kind of trait they all have with each being worse than the other." "Fine. What about Diana?" "Don''t know mom. I just know i am interested in her, especially her skill. if it would reach the stage of wanting to build a family with her then I would but if it doesn''t, then that''s also good, being friends is okay." "Tsk, you are just being nonchalant. Better get her first before someone else does. After all, she is now a hot cake. A young lawyer, who is not only beautiful but has her own money and connections would have many young men flocking to date her." "I understand mom, but with the stuff that happened, her teacher is very wary of me." "Son, then cut off some relationship you have with some women." Dominic stared at his mom as he watched her eyes go down to his groin. Of course he understood what she was pointing at. The Sex kind of relationship. He did have some, especially when he wants to let of steam or after being stressed. "Sigh, I would try mom." "Do not try, do it. You are already old and I need to have a grandchild." Dominic just nodded. "Good, you can now take your bath. Once you are done, come down for dinner." His mother stood up and left not forgetting to close the door behind her. Chapter 23 - 22- Arc 1 ?Zosia POV? Sigh! Zosia rubbed her forehead as she looked at the information on her screen. Using her little connections, she had been able to snag a case. "Tsk, quite surprising how i am involved in the case" she clicked her tongue against her teeth while spinning the pen in her hand, lost in thought. The case is of a gold mine and land. She decided to do an indepth investigation and the result was quite surprising. Mrs. Lila Leverato which happens to be Diana''s mom is the owner of them but the deeds are in Mrs. Grace Leverato hands. Mrs. Grace Leverato, the mother of Ferdinand and Richard Leverato. A cunning witch and a woman who loves power. She would do anything to keep that power with her, as she got older, she slowly left the front lines of power and the love for her second son is so overwhelming, that he is so dependent on her. Mrs. Grace had an eye for those gold mine and land, so she plotted on how to get it. Zosia wasn''t able to understand how she got it though, she was sure she could still find out in one way or the other. Surprisingly, Mrs Grace handed over the deeds to her second son. Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of the Clerk. "Hmm?" Zosia tilted her head and looked at the to the lady who had come in unannounced with a questioning look on her face. "Someone is here to see you. He introduced himself as Mr. Dominic." Zosia frowned at the mention of his name. "Tell him to come in." she began packing the files, not caring about the look the Clerk was giving her. Zosia knew she was an object of gossip to her colleagues. To them, they felt she has followed the back door due to Barr. Kamil. Especially now that she got a case. The cases she had been doing had been with Barr. Kamil, this was her first time dealing with a case alone. After packing the files, she opened her drawer, she acted like she was putting it in, but the files were taken into her space. Knock! Knock!! "Come in." She adorned on her lips, her beautiful yet professional smile. "Good morning Mr. Dominic. I wonder what brings your esteemed self here?" She said while bringing out a drink from the fridge she had bought. "Quite surprising, for an intern to have an office." He said while raising his eyebrow with his eyes scanning the place. "Well, the office isn''t mine but a makeshift one from Barr. Kamil office." "Tsk, you must be really loved by that Old man." His voice held a certain amount of gloom hidden by the tone he used to convey his statement. "Mmm." she dropped the drink she brought out from the fridge in front of him. "This is all I have, can your esteemed self manage it?" Her words carried a hint of mockery. Sitting down on her swiveling chair, she turned to the table beside her which acted as a place she kept all her books. Taking one of the Buddhist scriptures, she flipped through it while she waited for Dominic to speak. Dominic also knew that she wouldn''t speak until he spoke. He cleared his throat and started by making small conversations. "I would get straight to the point then. I want to try it with you." "Huh?!" Zosia was genuinely confused at the statement. "Try what exactly?" "I want to date you. Neither of us are getting younger and since you are already betrothed to me, I don''t see why we shouldn''t try it. If it works out, then great. If it doesn''t, it''s not bad if we keep being friends, right?" He said. "I don''t think I am particularly interested in that, I pretty much have other things I am more interested in." She replied nonchalantly while flipping through the books. Knock! Knock!! "Come in." Zosia said while muttering under her breath, "who could it be now?" The clerk who had informed her about Dominic presence came in again. "Mr. Richard called on the line and wishes to speak to you about the job you have on hand." Zosia slapped the book close. "Okay" she stood up from her seat and headed towards the door. Zosia looked back and noticed that the so-called clerk wasn''t following her and snickered. ''Well, there is nothing in my office anyway. It would be good if she can pester Dominic and make him leave.'' .... ?Dominic POV? He had thought about his mother''s suggestion, even he could not deny that if it worked, he would gain something from it. Well, he is a little opportunistic and he doesn''t deny that, but this time around, he wasn''t going to do that with her. After taking his bath, he did not go straight to the office but went to her workplace, his plan was to take her out to eat, so he did not carry anything. "Since, I would still take her out, why burden myself." He thought. He arrived at the Firm. He thought she would be sharing an office with some colleagues, since she was just an intern. But, he was directed to her office, which made him surprised. The moment he entered her office, he perceived her smell which filled the room. The smell made him more conscious of his actions. He decided to tease her about her office and the reply, just didn''t sit well with him but he doesn''t know why. After going through so many corners through small talk, he was now confident to tell her to go out on a date with him but was interrupted by the so-called Clerk. Since, she would still be coming back, he felt there was no need for her to give him a quick answer, at least he could use this time to peruse through her books. Just, maybe, he could find some of her likes and dislikes. His plan was thwarted by the Clerk that had no manners. "Mr or can I call you Dominic." She said with a smile. Coming closer to him, she used her hand to trace his shoulders. "Mr. Dominic, I have heard a lot about you." ''Is this clerk trying to seduce me?'' he thought. "You sure do hear a lot." He remarked. Removing her hand that was tracing his shoulders, he picked up the book Diana had dropped. "Dominic! You can''t just ignore me like that?" "Do I know you?" Feeling irritated he asked. The clerk has a shocked look on her face. Seeing it, he scoffed while muttering under his breath. " Another gold digger." The lady''s face twisted in fury. "Mr. Dominic, I am not a gold digger and even if I am, how could you be so forgetful. We had a one night stand before." She said, masking her anger in her playful tone. "Ooh, then the sex must not have been memorable as I don''t remember you." His sharp words dealing a blow to her heart. " Dominic, how could you say that to a lady?" She laughed, " Does that mean you are doubting your skills." She cooed. Tracing her hands on his laps, she did not forget to rub her feet against his. "No need to Goard me. And if you want to keep your hand, You better get it of me." He said with a smile that it was more of a terrifying smile. ''Is this idiot thinking of wanting me to have a go with her in Diana''s office.'' He thought with a scoff, "Idiot." He muttered under his breath. Hearing him call her and idiot, she felt indignant. Lowering her head to hide her anger, she watched as he flipped through Diana''s books. "Ooh, before I forget. If I ever wanted to try out my skills or if I am lacking in that aspect, which I believe I am not....." His words brought hope to her face but his words that followed soon after. "I can have Diana help me with that." Unwilling to keep sitting down, he stood up to look around. "Ha!!! Do you think she would fall for you?!" The lady screamed as she remarked. He ignored her and kept on going through Diana''s book. He found that there was no really specific book. The book on the table ranged from religious work to various disciplines especially Law books, Buddhist scriptures as well as Taoist and Daoist Scriptures. "Tsk, she sure does have a lot of interest." His words showed his lack of response towards the clerk. After going through them, "Tsk, Dian is taking too long. Am sure she wants me to deal with you then." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Feeling unsatisfied and like she hasn''t accomplished anything, she calmed down and decided to try her luck again. The clerk who was about to talk was met with a sudden bout of pain on her arms. "Don''t You ever use those filthy hands on me. I told you that those hands wouldn''t be kept right. But since I am in my Fianc¨¦''s place , I have to show mercy. Now get out!" His voice thundering across the small room. "You!! Are you even a man?!" The clerk flinched as he glared at her before leaving the office with her tail tucked between her legs. He took the book Diana has been reading. Crossing his legs, he decided to read it while waiting for her. Chapter 24 - 23- Arc 1 The car bumping gave her headache, she just realized that, the body she was in, is a little car sick. "Millan, how do you deal with car sickness?" "You can start either by distracting yourself with your phone, like watching videos, playing games but definitely not anything that has to do with reading. You can also lay your head and close your eyes to rest." Millan, the driver she had hired, to come to this place. They were going to an underdeveloped area which had the gold mine. Richard had asked her to come and take a look at the mine and tell him if he would sell or develop it himself with viable reasons. She was sure he wouldn''t recognize her as his niece as they hadn''t met for a long time but to be cautious, she had done a little disguise with the help of makeup. Opening her phone with her index finger, she opened the short video app on her phone. She hadn''t used it before. To comment or like, she had to log in or sign in. After doing the necessary procedures, she opened the app. The first video she saw was of embroidery. "Interesting." The lady in the video made the embroidery easy. ''If I can get all types of my cloth sewn, I wouldn''t have to worry much as far as I have the apparel. Besides, if I can get all the machines, I can get the clothes in large numbers and sell them. Easy money.'' She clicked her tongue as she thought about it. She nodded her head in appreciation of her thought, ''But it would cost a lot of money and time, which I don''t have.'' A frown appearing on her face as she thought about it. ''What if I watch all the videos or have the chip store them, I can learn them in my personal space. If I can do that, then I can get the chip to store all useful videos I can find. I will practicalize this once am done with sight seeing the place'' a glint appearing in her eyes while the frown receeded. She saved the video in her phone. ....... "We have arrived ma''am." Millan looked at the overhead mirror as he informed Diana of where they are. "Ok, thanks. Would you follow me or will you stay in the car?" "In the car." "Alright." Zosia fixed her hair before taking her bag and stepping out of the car. The moment she stepped out, she realized she had worn the wrong shoes for this occasion. In an attempt to look more professional, she had worn heels. "Tsk, luckily I wore a cloth that doesn''t select." She dropped her bag on the chair while opening the yellow bag on the floor that contained her canvas. Wearing the canvas, she felt more comfortable stepping on the uneven road. "Will be back soon." Diana waved bye to Millan as she left to the meeting point as decided by Mr. Richard. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for why she didn''t bother to bring someone with her, she felt she had enough power to deal with anyone that will decided to cause trouble for her. With her confident steps she walked to the meeting place, elegance radiating from her which left people awed at the sight of her. Entering the only coffee shop on the street, she walked to the table by the window, which had a clear view of the city. "Mr. Richard, right?" She tilted her head a little, which was quite unnoticeable. "Yes, and you must be Miss. Diana?" "Yes." She drew the chair facing him back a little and sat down. ... At the Site..... While they were sight seeing, she noticed that the gold was quite different from the one she knew. Now they were 5 in number, which includes not only Richard and her but his assistant, an Appraiser, and an engineer. The gold however was identified to be Impure gold, so it won''t be worth that labour put in to mine the gold. "I would sell it, but who would be willing to buy the gold mine if the impurity level is more than 80%?" "I can get that done for you, Sir. Well, that would be if you are willing to entrust it to me." She said. When she met Richard, she was quite surprised by how he looked. He was more handsome than her father, though less astute. Well, it still wouldn''t stop her from acquiring back the gold mine and the land. "Of course, even if we end up selling it for a lower price. It''s better than letting it loose value in our hands. As for the land, it is where the gold mine is situated, therefore, we don''t have to worry about another person claiming it." While they were discussing, Zosia noticed a red dot. Being a sniper herself, she knew what such dot meant very well. "Dodge!!!" Her loud voice made them confused but they also bent down with her. What followed next was a bullet. The bullet that flew over Mr. Richard''s head, made them aware of their situation. Zosia was not ready to confront an unknown enemy, so she ducked, moving slowly, she was able to direct them without any of them being seriously injured. While they were leaving cautiously, the attacker did not forget to keep bombarding them with bullets. The appraiser got grazed by a bullet on his left arm while Richard was by his Cheek. Following her lead, they entered their respective cars, and left the place. Their coming back there, was something to be discussed on a later date. ..... In the car.... Zosia was lost in thought as she thought about what happened today. The unknown enemy they had encountered seemed to only want them out of the mine and didn''t care about them after they left, which assured her. "Could it be his enemy or people interested in the mine." She muttered out loud causing Millan to turn back and look at her. ''Seems like I did not investigate enough. But, or is there something I am missing.'' Her head lowered hide the terrifying glint in her eyes. She hated things spiralling out of control and this had become more profound after she died at the hands of Mira. She clenched her hand. She didn''t want to remember those bad memories. Memories of the fire burning her or the piercing of the jewel into her heart. She started prespireing. "Huh! What was that." Why was she remembering those things again and why were her emotions more magnified than usual. Clenching her hand into a fist, she knew something had affected her psyche and due to how high her soul level was, she was able to know she was being affected and suppressed it. Zosia tried to identify it but couldn''t. Taking deep breaths, she closed her eyes and leaned against the chair. ''If I can''t figure it out, there is no need to stress my brain. It would still come to me and if it doesn''t then I will go to it.'' Luckily, her closed eyelids hide her eyes that hold chills that could freeze a person''s soul while also hiding the changes happening in her eyes which she did not know. Chapter 25 - 24- Arc 1 It''s been three weeks and during this period she had been carrying out her plans. Some were already coming to fruition. She had been able to get a supplier for the machines and huge number of apparels, ranging from ancient to medieval costumes of different countries, and it cost her a fortune. Luckily for her, she didn''t have to worry about that. As for the person she said she would get to buy the mine, it was her and so, she had herself act as a middle man. Acting as a middle man wasn''t that hard. All she had to do was pay someone else to act as the buyer. And as for what happens after, she had once had a terrible idea. To kill him. But, she couldn''t go that far. She knew her assassin tendency still lurked within her despite the facade she put on, trying to mask it. Shaking her head, she thought about the incident that happened the first time they went for site seeing. After that incident, they went again and this time around, the appraiser died, leaving them in shock. He died neither by the hands of the sniper but mysteriously. She remembered how his body was sliced in half. Up till now, she still wondered how sharp the blade was to slice someone in half and how the person had managed to do it. She didn''t even sense anything, let alone a person which led her to start questioning her skills. Ella''s words echoed in her head, reminding her of what she was supposed to be doing. Taking a deep breath, she heaved a sigh of relief. Shaking her head to remove the negative thoughts she was having. She remembered what brought this thoughts. ''Yeah... The mine'' Due to the incidents, Richard had no thoughts of trying to maximize his benefits, when he could be the next person to have his body sliced, especially now, he was still compensating the Appraiser''s family. Now, Richard just wants to sell them. At least he could use the money for something else. Exiting the Firm building, she was met with Dominic who had flowers in his hand. Face palming her face, she felt like turning invisible and not meeting him. The thought of becoming invisible brought something to her mind, but it was thoughts for later. She watched as Dominic stepped down from his car with flowers in his hand. "Such a lovely boyfriend." "Lol, looking at him, he is just a novuea rich. She would be dropped by him in no time." "Tsk, you are just a sour lemon." "Maybe that''s how she even graduated." "Ehhh.... You shouldn''t go there, you all know best her capabilities, if not would Barr. Kamil have her as his student." "Yh, we all know her capabilities in bed." "Pfft... I wonder what she has that caught his eyes." "Well, her skills of course." Many of such whispers continued, entering from one ear and leaving through the other. Zosia turned off the murmurs from her colleagues and bystanders. She definitely did not want to escalate the scene, so she walked to the other side of the car and entered, leaving the dumbfounded Dominic standing. Despite his plans being thwarted, he was more than happy that she used her own hand to enter his car, which means, he didn''t have to wheedle her and it also means that, Just.... Maybe, she was also interested in him. The smiling Dominic, did not care about how it went, all he knew was that, Diana was willing to follow him. ...... In the car..... "Where are we going to?" Zosia broke the silence, bringing the lost in thought Dominic back. "I am sure you have not eaten, especially after such hectic day." His eyes held concern as he gazed at her. Feeling his concerns, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Zosia felt that such concerns were unwarranted, she wasn''t really the main Diana anyway. Indeed she hadn''t eaten and true, her day was also hectic. As a lawyer involved in the case and witness to the incident, she also had to help Richard pacify the Appraiser''s family as well as some workers Richard had sent to try and mine some gold but unfortunately got injured. The injuries were minor with the worst having his leg amputated. Remembering the first do''s in the guide book, she shook her head. ''I better delay whatever blooming love, till the moment I go. I can''t let myself be tangled by emotions.'' her eyes shone in determination. '' I wonder how many times I shook my head today. What a bother.'' she thought. "Alright. You are not wrong but I still have something to do after that." Zosia tone held indifference though a little bit stiff. The stiffness in her voice gave hope to Dominic. He believed, that she was just closing herself up but he will slowly warm his way into her heart. Dominic didn''t believe he couldn''t warm Diana''s heart. Zosia felt the shift of emotions in him. ''I will be selfish and give him hope, for the sake of the main host. If I push him away and Diana likes him, it would be hard for them to get together.'' her face indifferent as she thought. ''I need to rush things up. I have only a little over a year left.'' she thought, but was she right? Zosia felt the need to relax, she just began her work as Realmrider and she is already getting ahead of herself- Her thoughts were cut off by Dominic question. "How did you escape?" "From?" Zosia eyes held a hint of confusion before understanding what he was asking. "Why do you care?" Her eyebrows rose. Dominic felt her becoming defensive and knew he approached the question wrongly. "I care. After all, you are my Fianc¨¦ and everything about you concerns me. Down from your hair to your toes." He leaned closer to her and caressed her hair. Zosia heard his chuckle beside her ear. " Tsk, you are sick. You better watch the road before we kiss our souls goodbye." "Of course my angel." His words earned Zosia eye roll, "Cringe." " But I am serious, if you don''t want to tell me yet, I understand." His voice becoming more soothing. ....... Zosia carried on with her plans while maintaining the relationship between her and Dominic, but as time for her departure drew near he became more anxious. She had only two weeks remaining and she would have to leave. Gazing at the galaxy of stars above her head, she could not help but think about her interactions with her family. The host father had come to see her in her office two weeks after the accident Trisha had encountered. She had thought he had come to thank her but unfortunately she was wrong. Not only did he tell her that she should have helped in clearing her sentence, instead of allowing her to still go to prison for drunk driving. He also asked her to stay away from Dominic. Zosia shook the wine in her hand, as she remembered the scene of her stepmother coming to see her followed. Zosia who was still an intern was running up and down fulfilling the wish of her seniors. From getting coffee to water, tissue etc. "Diana, your mother is looking for you." The woman at the reception called her when she finally had time to sit down. Tired, her eyes lazily looked at the receptionist in front of her, "I do not have a mother, so that person is an imposter." "Tch, what has it got to do with me, you better go and take a look." The receptionist made a loud sound with the gum in her mouth. Zosia watched as the receptionist eyed her before walking away. Lazily standing up, she followed behind her. Arriving at the reception center, she recognized the so-called mother. "What are you doing here?" Zosia tone was not good. Zosia definitily did not forget to deal with the family but she did it subtly that it couldn''t be traced, even most of the money she spent came from their pocket. Well, they would never know. "I''m doing fine and you? You must be weary, why don''t we talk over a meal." Cecillia had a kind smile plastered on her face. Zosia looked at the kind smile which seemed almost flattering in her eyes and thought: ''The kind smile she always wore outside. I wonder how it would look when ripped.'' "Follow me." Zosia knew that whatever the woman came for wouldn''t be good, besides, she was being offered free food. So, she may as well take it. She walked out of the firm, leading Cecilia to the restaurant opposite the firm. After taking their seats, she sat on the chair facing Cecilia. "Speak." Her voice indifferent and cold. "Is that how you speak to your mother?" Cecilia voice carried a hint of admonishment and a forced smile. "Tsk... I have only one mother and she was killed by you. So, get straight to the point or I am leaving." Cecilia detected the chilling tone in Diana''s voice. Cecilia did not miss the threat in Diana''s voice, but to her, she knew she had to play the long game if she needs Diana''s help. "Aye, I can''t come to see you. After all, you ran away for a long time. Everybody was worried about you. If not for your dad telling me about your whereabouts, I wouldn''t know." Her voice a little loud to draw some customers attention to their conversation. "Get straight to the point, don''t make me repeat it again." Zosia was definitely not in the mood for games. Especially when the food was taking time to be delivered. She was already irritated and Cecilia served to further irritate her. She had other things to do. "I came to invite you for dinner, at the house. It''s been long, even grandma is asking about you." "Not coming. If that is what you came to deliver, well you have done that." She stood up from her seat as she said that. "Hey, hey... i''m not done." Cecillia called out, but Zosia would be damned to go back and listen to her ramblings. Fuck!!! She was so hungry. Zosia walked out of the restaurant, ignoring her calls. Zosia arrived at the dustbin on the road side. "Should I throw this?" She asked inwardly as she stared at the needle. "Nah, I will just keep it." Zosia had poisoned the needle and pierced it on Cecilia while she was talking. As for what the poison was, it poisons the person''s breath and staying with such a person for a long time causes irritability and spike in anger and some negative emotions. "Now, I just have to watch, while the family crumbles from the inside. As for me, I better go grab a bite." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for how she got the poison, she had made use of her little chip ability. By allowing it to access all kinds of medical knowledge, she had it make a way on to make such poison. She also made use of it to make different recipes, especially those that would help her in getting stronger but her ability couldn''t make up for it. Cecilia did not stop coming to see her after that day but became more persistent that it became annoying. "What is it?" Zosia screamed as she tugged on her hair. Zosia felt like she had dropped a stone on her feet by giving that poison to Cecilia. Not only did it amplify her persistency but also her hatred. She had been causing trouble for her in different ways. It was so petty that it was annoying. "Take the fall for your sister." Cecilia tone certainly wasn''t like one of a begger but as a superior person. Someone who had come to beg and instead of lowering her tone of position, she still had that air of superiority. "No, and if you keep disturbing, don''t blame me for when your good daughter gets more jail time." Her cold words made Cecilia shudder and unable to refute. Zosia did not know if her words had any effect or if the poison had started working on the family, but Cecilia had stopped coming to look for her. .... Back to the present..... Taking a gulp of the remaining wine, she twirled the empty glass. "A very nice poison." She muttered under her breath. Not only was it untraceable, but it was slow. You would never know the cause and may only attribute it to stress. Opening her phone, she looked at the latest news. Well, Trisha was in Jail. Richard and Ferdinand are fighting because of the money that came from the land and mine sold. That old woman was now in her last breath. As for Cecilia, she couldn''t be any worse. She was suffering at the hands of both brothers and the old woman who keeps blaming her for their current misery. Pouring for herself another glass of wine, "I really tried making this wine. Though it doesn''t taste like the one I know, but it''s better. I just need to work on the skills more." She raised the glass of wine as the bright moonlight reflected on it. "As for those animals I am training, I better get more. Tsk, am turning my space into a zoo." She twirled the glass and poured the wine into her mouth, allowing some to trickle down her face from her lips. The scene looked seductive. Her dark red lips with the wine and her short, almost transparent night gown, could make even some strong willed men have dangerous thoughts. Chapter 26 - 25- Arc 1 Ring! Ring!! Ring!!!! The annoying sound of the alarm made the beautiful lady on the bed to stir. Her red lips parted as she murmured some incomprehensible words. Her outstretched arms, moved in search of where the annoying sound came from. She slapped the alarm off before going back to her sweet dream. But, such peace did not last long as a buzzing sound came from the headboard. Ring! Ring!! Ring!!!! "Ahh!!! What dah frick. I shouldn''t have drank." She said under her breath as she stood up. Yesterday, she had drank so much that now the effect was coming to act on her. She never knew that the wine she made had such alcoholic content. Yip, she hadn''t even tested how much alcoholic content it had. Leaning on the soft headboard, she picked her phone to see who was disturbing her. Not checking if it was a video call or a normal call, she picked it up. "Who the hell is he to disturb me from my sleep" she shouted, feeling frustrated. "You! " Zosia looked at the face that appeared on her screen after she picked it up and felt like punching the face. Her face morphingll from that of frustration to shock. But such urge vanished when she noticed what she looked like. "Ahh!!" Zosia felt like she had screamed more than she has screamed her entire life, today. Hearing Dominic''s chuckle, she threw the phone on the bed and rushed to the mirror. After dressing her bird like nest hair well, she took several deep breaths, in attempt to forget the scene that just occurred. Yet, her cheeks turned red in embarrassment the more she tried to forget it. "Aish." Slapping her face, she tried to calm down. Ppp Feigning aloofness, she walked back to her bed and sat down in an elegant and sexy position before picking the phone up. Seeing his face, the cold look on her face threatened to crack. "How may I help you, This Morning?" She did well to emphasize on the timing. "Hahahaha" instead of an apology, she was met with laughter . "What is it?" She said, her brows creasingp into a frown. "Well, my dear Fianc¨¦, it''s evening already." His words caused Diana eyes to widen in surprise. Her emotions went from being flabbergasted to surprised and after checking the time, the emotions settled for embarrassment. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes held some tears that never fell but made her eyes sparkle more. "I overslept." She muttered quietly. "Did you drink?" Dominic''s voice held some firmness to it. "Well, yes I did. I was celebrating the crime case I had just finished settling." "You will do a better detective, don''t you think." He suddenly said, his voice becoming softer. "I''m okay with my job. Though the pay is not high but it''s okay to live by." "You wouldn''t have to worry about that, if you marry me." He winked at Diana who rolled her eyes at the scene. "Alright, thanks for waking me up with a headache!" "Says a lady who stood me up on OUR date" his Baritone voice emphasized the word, "OUR". "Sorry, I never knew I was that bad of a drinker." Her tone becoming softer while inwardly cursing the host. "Alright, would you be available tomorrow?" "Not really, I have to go somewhere." Dominic raised his eyebrows while his eyes held interest and hope she would let him in on what she was going to get. Their conversation continued. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had gotten closer during their conversation. Zosia was willing to put a distance between them but not only had he helped her in getting most of the equipment she desired, he also got her some books that were not easily accessed. Taking her phone, she opened it to check the time. "Seems like we talked for long" she whistled. "How time flies." Standing up from her bed, she entered the bathroom. ... ?Dominic POV? He looked at his watch one more time. "Where could this lady be?" His brows furrowed into a frown. He picked up his phone. Opening the phone app, he clicked on her number which rang for sometime, then he cancelled the call. He clicked on the video option and called her again. He was surprised by the words that came out of her mouth after answering his call. Not only did it show she didn''t even see his name but her voice was also filled with sleep. Seeing her sleepy face and the hair that looked like a bird nest, he unknowingly let out a chuckle. A small smile adorned his face. His eyes sparkled. Hearing her small scream he smiled and gazed at her, her reddened cheeks made her look cute. Since, he was in a private room, he didn''t have to care about anyone hearing their conversation. They had gotten closer than he thought he would. He was surprised that she was asleep and felt that she didn''t care about their date or dinner... Well, it is a date to him. But, after hearing that she got herself drunk without knowing her body''s capacity, he calmed down. He was quite down when he heard she wouldn''t be free tomorrow. Using the call to console himself, he was happy just seeing her face and the smile on her face. Dominic knew that the distance between them was slowly closing, very soon he would be able to propose to her. He was sure it would be a sure Yes. His eyes sparkled just at the thought alone. He felt confident in his charm and their current relationship. The moment the call was cut, the door to the reserved room, opened. "Boss, here are the documents you asked me to get." A black haired man dressed in black cooperate suite and a checkered tie with black shoe that seemed to resemble boots. Dominic turned to stare at him. Thinking for a while, he said: "Take it back, we would be going back home." "Which of the house, Sir?" The man asked, neither questioning his superior for the reason of his change of mind. He knew when to ask and talk. Dominic thought for a while, "The one at Pan Ville. I would be going for the business trip from there." "Ok." The man promptly walked out of the room allowing the door to close itself. Bang! "Sigh!, this guy." his eyelids twitched at the sound of the door slamming itself. Dusting his clothes, he picked his car key which was on the table and left the room after making sure he was leaving nothing behind. Even if the date he planned for didn''t occur, he was happy. He got to see his Fianc¨¦ morning face.... Well, sleepy face, since it was no longer morning. Thinking about her reaction, he got happy. He was sure, he would never forget such reaction and face. He rubbed his forehead when he remembered the business trip he would have to go for. He couldn''t skip it. "It''s not going to be long anyway, just two weeks. At least by then, I can start planning how to propose to her and test her reaction towards the thought. His eyes held a special glint as he thought more about his plans. Chapter 27 - 26- ARC 1 ?Zosia POV? Zosia combed her hair into a pony style as she looked at herself in the mirror. Making sure that not a strand of hair was out of place. She wore an all black outfit. "I can only use this night to find out, what exactly is on that land." Her eyes sparked with a special glint. Spraying a special spray on her body which did well to hide someone scent. "Sigh! This only works for dogs or those animals who can perceive smells from a mile away." She said with a sufhunder her breath as she strutted out of the room. Taking an off road vehicle, she sat in the driver''s seat. "At least I don''t have PTSD for off road vehicles, else it would be a shame." she said as she switched on the vehicle and drove out of the estate. .... Arriving not far from the site, she switched off the headlights. Putting on her boot, she did not forget to put a pad-like material under her boot. It not only helps in making sand not to stick to her shoe but also covers the track she would leave behind. Tucking a short gun on the left side of her waist, she made sure it was loaded before tucking a dagger by her right. She also brought some grenades and bombs. She could see very clearly in the dark, so she did not need a night vision goggle. Opening the car door, she walked towards the site. "Such unusual energies." She said with a frown on her face. "What does this mean." Sitting down crosslegged on the ground, she slowly spread out her consciousness. "Hmmm... What is ¡ª this?!" Touching the blue film that covered the entrance, she muttered to herself: "A Barrier?! What kind of barrier is this?" She used her consciousness to touch it. Ah!!!!!! A piercing scream echoed in the night sky scaring the birds away. "Such killing power." Her breathing becoming rapid. Her chest heaved. Staring at the barrier in horror. "So that''s what killed that snobby Appraiser." She said. Her breathing was already calm and her heaving chest stopped. "According to those web novels, maybe it should be a killing formation." She thought about how to bypass it but nothing came to her mind. "I will just continue feeling it. I will not try to pass through it." Despite saying that, it was less than simple when carrying it out. She slowly felt the barrier. "It has the same kind of energy it gives off as my own but mine is a little bit different." She thought about her to manipulate when something came to her mind. It was something she had seen when watching one of those fantasy C-Dramas. "I can wrap myself with my energy and try to manipulate the energy around the barrier to cloak me as well. Might be strenuous, but it''s better than getting killed." She slowly carried out her thoughts. And started by experimenting with her finger, she noticed that it passed so smoothly without any obstacle. Zosia stood up from where she had sat for more than an hour. Dusting her clothes, she stood up. Using power (Qi) to cover her body, she arrived at the barrier. She slowly manipulated the energy in the barrier to cloak her figure. "Tsk, I can already feel the strain." She said with a click of her tongue. ''I really am weak.'' she thought. Her experiment was a success, as she smoothly transitioned herself into a dim cave, whose only source of light was glowing stones. áê????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????? áê Zosia heard a foreign voice the moment she entered. The energy from the barrier was slowly receding. [ ????????????????????, ???????????????? ???? ???????? ????????????????????.] The same foreign voice spoke and a figure appeared before her. [ ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????????????????¡ª ????????????, ???????????? ???? ????????????????????????????????????????.] Zosia still in shock, stared at the figure in front of her who was dressed in otherworldly white. After her surprise, what came to her mind was: "Is he such a narcissist." She was not wrong for asking that question. The figure kept on looking at himself in the mirror that was floating in front of him and only looked at her once. "So, what am I?" She asked, her voice very calm despite how tense she was feeling. "Well, a trespasser obviously." He clapped his hand, making the mirror disappear, while the effect of his voice echoing disappeared. Zosia raised an eyebrow at his response. "How?" As a Realmrider, she isn''t sure if she was a trespasser, but well, if she thinks about it, she is indeed an outsider. " Well, you tricked the barrier to enter."He said pointing out the obvious . Zosia secretly heaved a sigh of relief at his words. "It isn''t yet time for your world to enter the apocalypse, it''s remaining three weeks. How did you discover this place?" "It''s on my land and mine! I wanted to dig out some gold but ended up killing people. Now, this place, is a famed ghost area." "Hmm... Well, since you used your ability to get here, I would allow you to free me by going through the test. Not everything is ready yet, so the tests are easier to pass." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Free you?" She looked at him with confusion in her eyes. "We are beings sent here to be like managers of the test. This is a one time opportunity, so after you are done, I would be going back to where I came from." "Still skeptical?" His raised eyebrow on his face made him look comical due to how sparse his eyebrows are. "Not really, but anyways, Can you tip someone about maybe a few more places like this?" Her brightest smile appeared on her face. "No." The smile she had on her face was doused with cold water by his cold response. After a little bantering with him by presenting her space bombs which he fell in love with, he took up the proposal and gave her two more points which have no administrator or manager. "If the apocalypse, as you called it, happens. Rate the danger of this dungeon." "SSS" "Really?" The tone of her voice went a notch higher at his answer. "Then the ones you gave me?" "They are both S" "Why don''t they have someone like you there... I mean the manager thingy.." "Because, people for the slot are not much, and those dungeons are among the ones I am overseeing. Well, not really overseeing overseeing. Never mind. And they are not one time dungeons." After some small talks, it was time to attempt the test. "I must say, thanks for keeping me company." Zosia smiled and replied to him, "Same here. Friends?" "Yes, would have added you but, you are not yet a player." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. Zosia decided to carry out the test. Since he had tipped her of two more places, one for Dominic and one for the host. ''Tsk, now I even have him in mind.'' she shook her head lightly. "Alright, once I am out, would you still be here?." She asked as she stared at the figure that was becoming transparent. "Let''s see first " ........ Zosia rugged breath and torn clothes were evidence of her perilous journey. At the background, the off road vehicle was overturned on the desert road with colorful snakes coiling around it. "Phew! I thought he said it was easy." She said while running towards the bright blue light that seemed to pierce the sky. "I hope this is the end checkpoint." If not for my space talent, am sure I would be dead, sooner than I expected it. ''The place still has some unfinished things, yet it''s already this dangerous.'' Her train of thought was paused by the attack of a giant snake that suddenly appeared. Her already ragged breathing became rougher. Using her space talent, she appeared on top of its tail. If not for her space talent being an innate one, she was sure she would be dead by now. The giant snake who noticed that it''s prey had disappeared and reappeared at it''s tail, opened it''s wide mouth with the flickering tongue that held it''s poisonous spit and spat at her. Zosia dodged again but what followed next was a ball of fire. "Well, at least this one is normal unlike the other one." She kept on running, the closer she got to the blue light, the more weaker the snakes attack. "It''s just remaining small ¡ª i just need to run a little" Zosia encouraged herself, her weak body was already on the verge of breaking apart. But the snake surely wasn''t planning on letting go his prey. It spat another fire but instead of red, it was green and the smell generated from it alone made her already weak body, weaker. Throwing more greenades at the monster, she tried to put a distance between them and dodge the incoming fire. ''I have already used up all my space bomb'' she lamented inwardly. ''If push come to shove, then I will enter my personal space.'' Looking at the snake''s head that had its mouth open coming at her, she decided to try what she had in mind. Her body was already drained but she couldn''t die here, and definitely not in this test. "Just ... one..... more!" Her breathing painful . Zosia turned to face the snake, she materialized space energy into a blade and slashed it at the snake while also directing some life energy into it. The theory behind it is pretty simple but hard to execute, if the space blade doesn''t kill it, at least it would scratch its surface and allow the life energy to perfuse the injury. The life energy has already been tweaked by her, but as for the effect, she was not yet sure. Zosia was already tired that she was on the verge of fainting. Not waiting to see the effect, she just knew she had to keep running. ''Just 10 more meters -" her thought was interrupted by the scene. The blade did not only slice the snake into two but the life energy imbued in it, blew the monster to bits. The residual energy sent her flying. Raising her head to look at the sky that had falling snake meats, she frowned. "If I don''t get out of here soon, more dreadful monsters will appear." The moment she said that, she heard the sound of an eagle. ''Fuck! Another predator.'' Not turning back to look at the kind of monster it came from, she picked up some of the snake''s meat and stuffed it inside her space while running. "Luckily, the bile fell by my side. And the distance between me and the checkpoint has been lessened." The moment she reached the blue light, Zosia felt herself loosing consciousness. Her tired body slumped on the floor, illuminated by the blue light which sent sparks before disappearing with Zosia''s body. ... Opening her eyes, she was met with the sight of glowing stones. "You are awake." Hearing the foreign voice which was also familiar, she tried to stand up. "Congrats to you, you passed." "Great. Thank you." Zosia said with a smile on her face as she patted her chest in relief. "You should try calling out your system." He replied with a smile. Zosia did as he said but couldn''t. Apart from her chip, she couldn''t sense any other thing. Her chip also has so many notifications. ''I will check them out later.'' she mused internally. "I don''t have that." "Hmm, that''s strange." He said with a thoughtful look. " Well, you would have that when the apocalypse comes. Your reward may also come then." He replied with uncertainty in his tone. "Then how do I add you?" ....... Zosia looked at the mineral she thought was gold. "Is this how an Impure mana stone looks like?" She muttered as she picked up a piece she had broken off. Using the invisibility talisman given to her by Kael, after she had traded some knowledge with him. Yup, his name is Kael. The talisman not only allowed her to bypass walls but also allows her to pass through the ground. Moving forward, she arrived at the centre of the mine. "Wow" her mouth hung open as she stared at the stagnant lake before her. She was surprised that there was even a cave here. After all, she had just passed though walls of sand to get here. Cancelling the talisman effect, she allowed her self to admire the wonders of the place. The roof of the cave had stalactites that gave off faint lights. With many of them at the ceiling of the cave, it brightened it. At the corners of the cave grew different times of herbs. Beside the entire circumference of the lake was another type of herb. On the walls of the cave, glowing gems lined some part of it, while some were embedded too deep into the wall. She did not notice any murals on the wall and she did not feel any sense of danger. "Will collect some herbs first." She brought out another set of gloves and digging tools. After kitting herself she got to work. "Hmmm, I wonder the depth of this lake." She threw a stone inside but didn''t hear any sound. The lake was not clear but milky while perfusing with a nice smell. She threw an apple inside but it only made the surface of the lake ripple. Changing her clothes to that of a diving suit with an oxygen tank plugged in, "I really am daring." She cracked her knuckles and neck before diving into the lake. Zosia opened her eyes but was met with another pair of eyes. "Ahhhh!!!!" "Ahhhh!!!" The owner of the other pair of eyes screamed as well. "What the f*ck!" Zosia shook her head to clear her eyes but was still seeing the same thing. "A carp, that can talk?" She said with confusion was written all over her face. She looked below her to see if she could see the bottom of the lake, and yup. The lake wasn''t that deep. She turned to face the carp. "What are you?" "Blubble, blubble" "Huh?" ''Oh, it''s sentient but knows no words. Then if I trick it into coming with me, it wouldn''t be bad.'' The more she thought about it, the more evil her smile became. The carp did not understand why it suddenly felt a chill. "Will you like to go with me?" "???" Zosia looked at the confusion on the Carp''s face. She was not sure how she could tell it was confused. Using her life energy, she tried to sense it''s emotions as she does in plants. The moment she injected the energy into it, she noticed that it became more relaxed. "Would you like to go with me?" She asked again and tried to sense it''s emotions. She noticed it was happy and it suddenly became sad. "Can''t go?" She sensed how it became more depressed. "Tch, what can I do now?" "Con...trac...t" The Carp said trying to form words. "A contract?" Sensing the affirmation, she continued with her question. "How to do that?" Zosia watched curiously as the Carp nudged her hand. "Ouch! What was that for-" Zosia was w surprised as her blood turned into a droplets that was swallowed by the Carp. "Wow! I can suddenly sense it''s emotions." She also smiled happily as she sensed the happiness radiating from it. The Carp swam out of her hand to the bed of the lake. It used it''s hand to nudge one of the glowing pebbles nestled at the bed. "I should take this? Then I will take more." After taking all of it, she also took the carp into her space. Walking far away from the stream in her space, she used her authority of the space to dig a little bit deep of the land far from the house she had installed there. She appeared back in the cave, then used a huge bucket to scoop large amount of water. Pouring the water in the place she had dug, she poured the pebble inside with the Carp as well. "What do you eat?" "Anything?" She asked again. Well, since she did not see the apple she had thrown inside, it was safe for her to assume it ate anything. Zosia used a tray to bring lots of fruit from her warehouse to the lake. "I wonder if you can eat this?" She said while giving it the apple. She was surprised as not only did it eat the apple but it also opened it''s mouth to form a small typhoon, swallowing everything into its stomach. Looking at the bulging stomach, she was speechless. "I don''t think you would be hungry anytime soon. I better get you fish food as well." she muttered "I will come to check up on you every day." She bid goodbye to the Carp. Reappearing back at the cave, she took some gems and those glowing stones. "I'' m just starting my journey to be a hoarder." Looking at the stalactites, she was not sure if she could get a piece of it. "Well, time to go anyway." She reactivated the talisman and arrived back to the surface. "Wow, it''s morning already." She looked at the sky that seemed to be suggesting it was 6 O'' Clock. Bringing out another off-road vehicle, she entered it and drove back to her estate. On the road she thought about many things. "It seems like some people are also aware of this. The person might either be a reincarnator or something like that." "I would write this in that diary to also warn the host of this." "This world sure is different." She muttered under her breath. .... Arriving at her house, she immediately entered her room. Removing her clothes, she put them in the laundry basket. Entering the bathroom, she turned on the tap and allowed the water to wash away her fatigue. She had checked the time and it is still 6 am, which means, she could still go to work, but she would go late. "Oh right! I told the chip to start recording before I got there." "Stop recording and sort out all information into necessary and unnecessary. When I wake up, I will look at everything." After a while, she left the bathroom. Taking her phone, she called in late. "Now, I can sleep in peace." She wore her nightwear and immediately jumped on the bed. Zosia opened the notification screen. She was dazzled by the amount of notifications she got. Scrolling down to when she left the house, she opened the first notification. ¡ï????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????.? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????????????? ????????? ????????????????????. ¡ï ? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????.? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????..... ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????... 36 ???????????????? ????????????????????..... ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????..... ¡ï ????????????????? ????????????????????.? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???? ????????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????????????... ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????. ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? & ????????????????????????????????????. ¡ï ????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????, ???????????? ????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????? ????????, ???????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????? ????????????. ¡ï ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????.? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ¡ï ????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????. ¡ï? ???? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????. ????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????. Zosia whistled after going through the notifications. After reading the descriptions attached to them, she was happy, especially after reading the third and last notifications. She left the notification panel. Drawing the side panel, she clicked on the library. Admiring how organized the information was arranged. Anything she thought of appeared, the little she was aware of even expanded. She suddenly noticed some information she was unaware of. Even when she was talking to Kael, he hadn''t mentioned something like that. "So this is what it meant by, it has come in contact with higher grade information (knowledge.)" ''I would need to make out time for that.'' Zosia decided to sleep first, tomorrow she would work on all the information she needs to work on and write them down for both the original host and Dominic. She also needs to bring out time to help Dominic conquer one of the dungeons. She wrote down all her plans and timed them to avoid forgetting. "Yawn! Time to sleep" Chapter 28 - 27 - Arc 1 ?Dominic''s POV? He was in the meeting when his phone screen lit up. Looking at it, it happened to be a message from Diana. Just seeing her name pop up on his screen already brought a smile on his face. ''Hmm, is she missing me already?'' He thought as he stared at the text which says: "When are you coming back?" His eyes twinkled and his lips curled up into a smile as he quickly replied. "Is there a problem?" He typed. "Not really. When is your birthday?" Zosia''s message came in immediately. ''Is she planning something for me. Maybe she heard my birthdate from someone and just wants to confirm, but, indeed my birthday would be coming soon.'' He was still typing when her text came in. "Can you come back earlier than planned, maybe for a day, then you go back and continue with what you have to do?" He thought about it for a while before he replied. "Well, since you asked, I would come back...." While he was lost in his own world, typing away. His subordinates were stunned. Whispering, they turned to each other to be sure they are also seeing what they are seeing. "Is he smiling?" "Who could he be talking too?" "So the vice chairman can fall in love too?" "Hey, does that mean we would have a sister-in-law soon." They chatted away forgetting about the vice chairman''s personality. "Are you all done?" His calm voice reverberated in the room causing a hushed silence to descend. They all lowered their heads at his words and knew no excuse to give. "Back to the meeting" ..... ?Zosia''s Pov? On her own end, she wrote down everything they would need. She had to take a week off just to work on it and Yup, it was tiring. Opening the storage bag she had created, she smiled happily but soon frowned. "The stability is just more than a year. Even after using the leather from the horse i had trained and fed diligently with the stream water, it only increased the durability and nothing else." "At least, it''s better than nothing." She muttered. She placed the two bags beside two boxes. One box had male clothing''s and some male necessities while the other box had female clothing''s and it''s necessities. Opening the storage bag, which has only a 100 cubic meters, she began placing the things in the female box. First she placed the clothes which not only included workout clothes but fighting wears. She didn''t place much as she was not sure if there would be enough space for food. After placing everything including pads, napkins that could take on the role of the pad in dire times, underwears, water and food, she placed some toiletries, not much but enough for survival. She did same for the other storage bag, in which she put the male belongings. Zosia stood up and walked to her bed side, shifting it aside, she opened the loose tile floor. A strange panel revealed itself, which was quite strange on its own. The room separated in half, revealing a basement, which was quite strange. Walking down the stairs to the basement, crates of potions and her stream water was lined up. She wouldn''t need to have done so many potions if not for the fact that she was considering the safety of her host and Dominic. She wouldn''t lie, she had gotten quite some unusual feelings for him. "Damn the feelings I am not supposed to have. Should I consider taking up her offer of erasing my emotions after each run?" She thought out loud as she stared at the crates of potions piled up in the cramped basement. Sending a whole section of potions into her space, she used her space powers to warp some to her room. Walking back up the stairs, she closed the panel and covered the tile back, before pushing the bed to its original position. Zosia sectioned the potions and put them in both storage bags. "Now the books." After she said that, two green books appeared before her. Despite looking small, it was heavier than it looked. Tearing out a page in her note pad, she used her sharp dagger to cut herself. Allowing some blood to flow into the bowl, she wrote something on the note pad. After chanting some words the words written on blood disappeared. Sticking the paper note to each of the books, she placed them in the storage bags. "Finally, I am done" she wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead. "I need to catch up on my sleep, after clearing this place." Her face alone can already tell how fatigued she was. ..... ?Dominic''s POV? Dominic looked out of the airplane window. Staring at the clouds, he muttered under his breath. "Tomorrow is my birthday and since I can''t stay for long , I would have to return the next day. I wonder what kind of gift she has in place for me." Closing his eyes, he decided to catch up on some sleep. To free some time to come, he had stretched himself taut by working. Even his sleep was less than 3 hours, a day. ... Walking out of the hanger, he followed the VIP section to come out. The moment he came out he was met with a beautiful lady with her clothes differing from her normal formal or casual wear. He wondered if it also had to do with his birthday. He looked at Diana who stopped leaning on the car and came to greet him with a hug. "Hope you slept well, cos we are going somewhere?" "Where?" He asked with a smile on his face. "I hope you can still smile after we get there" Diana muttered not to his hearing. Entering the car, he allowed Diana to be the driver. "You should still get some sleep. You had a hectic day." Feeling her concern and worry, he did as he was told. When he woke up, he found himself in the forest with Diana still at the driver''s seat. "Where are we? And what are we doing here?" He asked with a frown. "You will know soon. Gear up, I will be waiting for you outside." Her words made him look at what was on the chair. Seeing the registered gun, some unrecognizable bomb and a black outfit made of unrecognizable material as well as a boot. "Are we going hunting or are we going to assassinate someone" he muttered under his breath but still decided to play along. Since it was already wee hours of the morning, the fog in the forest hindered their visibility. "I am done." He came out of the car and stood in front of Diana. With everything tucked in, like a master, he eyed Diana waiting for praise. "Seems like I got your size right. Let''s go." They walked for a while before arriving at a huge stone close to the cliff. "Where are we and what are we doing here?" He asked, this time with caution and wariness in his tone. "Just trust me and give me your hand." Dominic looked at her and decided to trust her. Giving her his hand, he felt something wrapping around him. It flickered for a moment revealing a lilac like color. He watched as Diana touched the huge stone and another energy covered them. Like the first one, it flickered, revealing its blue color which became stable after while. Diana held his hand and walked through the stone. His mouth opened in utter disbelief. "Are you playing?!" His mouth opened, wide enough to fit in an egg. "Calm down. We just need to start the test, I would be your support while you do the rest. I am sure you are not weak." Still confused, he watched her touch the stone stele. A bright light flashed and when he opened his eyes again, he was met with harsh winds of winter. ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????: ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ?????????????????: 0/3 ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????? ?????????????????. ????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???? ????????????????????????. His eyes went wide at the Holographic screen in front of him. Turning to Diana, "I demand an explanation." The surprise on his face was already wiped off. "It''s like this..." After Diana explained, he got the whole gist. "So, you are the owner of the land and gold I was eyeing for." "That is not the main focus." "True. This place is really dangerous." "Yeah, I know you are not one to back down. I hope you get the qualifications for a player system and talent before the apocalypse comes. " "Thanks Babe." He said with a genuine smile. "Babe?!" Zosia turned to stare at him. "Well yeah, don''t you like it." He winked at her. Even know, he still didn''t forget to test the waters. Zosia scoffed but did not reply. Due to the distraction, he forgot to ask Diana of what her own powers or more about the player stuff. "Alright, accept the quest." She urged him. ... Opening his eyes, he was met with the face of Diana. Seeing her scrunched brows, he had the urge to caress and soothe her worries. Diana was not really sleeping. Her thoughts were on how the situation would unfold after she leaves, especially the original host. Her space and life talent were innate in her soul and not of this body, so if she leaves, she wasn''t sure how or what the original own powers would be. She wondered how the original owner will raid the remaining S-class dungeon. ''I need to ask Dominic to help the original host when the time comes, but how will I explain it to him.'' Opening her eyes, she noticed that space between her and Dominic had narrowed. Ignoring the situation, she had to table her worries. Dominic on the other hand, seeing the wry smile on her face, had concern written on his face. Even what he attempted to do was thrown out of the window. " Luckily, we are done. You would help me with my own task as i did. The Talisman given to me is a one time use and all the powers added to it has disappeared. I would need your help to go back home." Dominic clenched his teeth at Daina''s words. He felt bad that she had used such an opportunity on him, instead of herself. "You don''t have to worry about that. Thank you." His hand stroked her face. "I need to sleep." Diana slowly closed her eyes. ''I was able to finish this before I leave. At least, I believe I have done more than enough. I should be expecting a good reward.'' This was her last thought. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dominic eyes held deep concern and worries but knowing how tired she was, he let her be. Carrying her on his back, he walked out of the cave, which led him straight to their car. He was a little bit surprised but from what he had seen today, the surprise wasn''t to the extent he felt awe. He carefully laid her down, unaware that the souls has been exchanged. Zosia is gone and the real Diana is back. Entering the car, he started the car immediately. Leaving the eerie forest, his thoughts went back to what Diana had told him. According to her, she was lucky to find a mechanism which led her to the final boss room where she got a glowing gold chest. As for her powers, they were something deposited in the talisman she used in helping him complete his task after her careful calculation. He could not help but wonder if there were also more places like this. ''Well, there should be.'' He glanced at the pouch given to him by Diana to which he asked her to drop his blood on it. Pouting his lips, he felt a little uncomfortable. He didn''t know why. ''Everything has gone as it should. So why the feeling?'' ''Maybe it''s because I can''t see my reward till the apocalypse starts. But at least I can feel the increase of my powers. ... ... ... ?Diana''s POV? At the back seat of the car laid Diana. Diana cautiously opened her eyes. "You are awake. We are back." A little confused and disoriented, she showed a confused look. "Let me help you go in." She watched as Dominic helped her into her house. After dropping her, Dominic wanted to stay but Diana sent him back with the excuse she needed to be alone to think. Which, isn''t a lie. Watching Dominic leave with the car, she closed her eyes and slumped on the chair. "So, I have been away for how many years? That isn''t what I should even be thinking about." After review the memories, she pursed her lips. "So, I am a lawyer and a hacker as well." She said with pursed lips. She noticed that, when she wanted to dig into the memory, they were becoming vague. "Some memories are becoming vague. If I don''t write it down, I would lose them for real." Rushing into her room, she saw a note on her table, held down by her perfume bottle. Opening a compartment by the bed, she put in the password in her almost fading memory and also wrote it down. Opening it, she saw the pouch, made of an unknown material and a cloth as well as a boot. Doing as instructed, she carried it to the kitchen and used a knife to slice her hand. Diana allowed the blood to pour freely on the pouch. Click! She opened it. Seeing the amount of things inside, she felt teary. "Such a good Realmrider. She prepared everything for me. I don''t even have to struggle. I..." Diana started choking as she burst into sobs. ''I was so timid but seeing how she looked so confident. I never knew I was this beautiful.'' she thought as she allowed her memories to replay in her head. She did not feel an ounce of jealousy but felt it was fair. ''She even helped me get close to Dominic. But how do I feel for him?'' the question stumped her. Diana spent the entire day thinking of what to do. "I will just go with the flow, besides, he promised to help me complete my own task." She suddenly noticed that she couldn''t differentiate between her and the person who helped her. Some things in her memory were foggy, even the skills. Her eyes opened wide that she flew from her bed to her reading table. Taking one of the case file on the desk, she opened it. A sigh of relief escaped her lips followes by a sad sigh. "I do not have her - " she couldn''t complete the sentence as she suddenly seems to have forgotten something. "Hmm... What was I saying" She continued thinking when she heard a knock on her door. Opening the door in her pajamas, she was met with Dominic hand filled with flowers. Diana smiled. ''It doesn''t matter. Now I have my happiness and wish fulfilled. Chapter 29 - 28- Back Zosia''s eyelids flickered in an attempt to open them. After a while, her eyelids opened. Finally opening her eyes, she stared at the silver wall in a daze. ¡º???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ?????????????????¡»Asgar''s voice echoed in the room. Turning her head to the flickering hologram, she spoke. "For?" ¡º???????? ???????????????? ????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????, ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????.¡» "No need to worry about me." ¡º????????????????, ???? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????????, ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????.¡» Zosia raised her head to stare at the hologram after hearing Asgar''s words. She scoffed not taking it serious. Asgar taking note of her expression continued. His voice held hurt, nonchalance and numbed emotions that were trying to find an outlet but couldn''t. ¡º???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ????????????????????, ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????, ???????????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????. ?????????, ???? ????????????''???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????.¡» Zosia''s expression turned serious. Opening and closing her mouth, she couldn''t form words. Closing it, she turned her head to stare at the silver wall again. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I will go and delete those emotions, though I wonder, could I ever see the lives of my contractors after leaving that world?" ¡º????????????, ???????????? ????????????. ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????.¡» At least she got her answer. Picking up herself from the ground, she used her hand to dust the invisible dust on her cloth, before walking towards the hologram. "My rewards." Settling her emotions was not as important as getting her rewards. ¡º???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ?????????????????¡»Asgar asked with worry in his tone. "No, I am fine. Will go do the emotions thingy after we are done here." ¡º????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????.¡» Zosia nodded her head at his words. ¡º???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ????- ???????? ????- . ????????????????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ???? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????. ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????, ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????.¡» Zosia was quite surprised. She had never heard of a world upgrading itself and by so many levels. She wondered what rewards she was going to get and at how many folds it would triple. But reality always has a way of dousing one''s spirit. ¡º???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????''???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????.¡» "Are you kidding me now?" She asked, her tone rising. Using her fingers to comb through her hair, her face held frustration. ¡º???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????, ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????. ????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????.¡»Asgar remarked nonchalantly. Hearing his words she turned to glare at him even if she couldn''t see him. "You have luck that you aren''t in a physical form, if not I would punch you." She said with a scoff. Asgar chuckled and continued, ¡º????????????? ????????????????. ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????.¡» Zosia turned to him, her eyes gleaming at his words. "You think so." ¡º????????????''???? ????????????????. ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????.¡» "You certainly did well by ruining my mood." ¡º???????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ?????????????¡» Zosia ignored the concern in Asgar''s tone and spoke. "You certainly have been chatty today. Unlike you. Tell me- Do you perhaps have a hand in this reward? Or maybe, are you actually a Realmrider like me? Or ¡ª" ¡º????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????. ????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????, ???????????????????? ?????????¡» Zosia could tell Asgar didn''t want to continue in the direction their conversation was going. Unwilling to probe further, she nodded her head and laid down on the floor while thinking, ''After this, I need to decorate this place.'' ¡º???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????, ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????, ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ????????????????????????????????.¡»He remarked. ¡º???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????; ?1 ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ? ????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ? 50 ???????????????????? ????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ????????????????????.¡» "I got merit points?" ¡º????????????????. ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????.¡» "So why didn''t I get one as a military personnel. I was saving lives." ¡º???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????.¡» Zosia was speechless, anyway the reward for the points were quite okay but they don''t suit the task she had carried out. Frowning, she stared at the hologram, "This rewards aren''t enough. Don''t you think you are cheating me? Considering the task rating and the level of the world." ¡º????????????????. ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????.¡» "Now that''s better. Why didn''t you mention them before?" ¡º???????????? ????????????????''???? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ????????????????????????????????.¡» Zosia raised an eyebrow at his answer and didn''t comment on it. "Then I shall take my time to sort myself out." She watched as the hologram disappeared. Breathing a sigh of relief she called upon her status. ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ?????¨T¨T¨T¨T? ?????????????????????????: ? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: ????- ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????: 110 ? ????????????????????????????: 120 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????: 3000 ????????????????? ????????????????????: 30,000 ?????????????????(????): ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Novice Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Novice Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Novice First Aid ? Novice Tactical Training ? Novice Navigator ? Intermediate Close-Quarters Combat ? Novice Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Novice Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Novice Poison Knowledge ? Novice Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Novice Disguise and Impersonation ? Novice Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Intermediate Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Intermediate Weapon Mastery ?????????????????(????); ????????????????????? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ?????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: 50 ? ?????????????????: 0 ? ????????????????????????: 1,100,000 [???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: ? 10,000 ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? ???????? 3 ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????] ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ?. {Note: The first seven skills are classified under Novice Lawyer skill while the rest are Zosia Skills before she started the tutorial World and were improved upon in the tutorial world which is why the skills are recognized by the system.} " Wow, so many skills. I never knew I had that many skills." She said in awe. "Seems like some were seperated instead of putting them as one." She said her thoughts out loud. Zosia could not help but feel prideful as she gazed at the number of skills she had acquired especially the law skills. Going onward, in various new worlds, the skills would help her navigate better through some sectors. "Sigh! I have also become a hoarder. Isn''t this nice." She said with a genuine smile on her face. Would be easier for her going forward. While others worry about food, clothes and water, she doesn''t have to worry at all. Amidst the pride she felt, she also felt a sense of urgency. "Ella mentioned something about my 10th Run. It is best if I can keep getting the same rating or better ratings. It would keep me ahead in the game" she said with a sigh. Zosia made a mental note to continue pushing herself, to strive for better ratings in each world she entered. For she knew that the journey was far from over, and that the challenges ahead would require her to be at her very best. As she sat there, surrounded by the hum of the holographic interface, Zosia couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement for the adventures that lay ahead. Looking at the requirements to upgrade to the next level, she decided to be faster in her missions. She suddenly remembered the notification she received while she was in that world. Clicking on the notification button, she pulled down the notification panel. ¡ï????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????.? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????????????? ????????? ????????????????????. ¡ï ? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????.? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????..... ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????... 36 ???????????????? ????????????????????..... ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????..... ¡ï ????????????????? ????????????????????.? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???? ????????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????????????... ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????. ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? & ????????????????????????????????????. ¡ï ????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????, ???????????? ????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????? ????????, ???????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????? ????????????. ¡ï ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????.? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ¡ï ????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????. ¡ï? ???? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????. ????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????. Her gaze went down to the last notification. "I wonder how the carp is doing? Did it even follow me here? I better go check it." She immediately sat up and entered her space. Walking to the pond she had created, she saw the lovely carp still swimming comfortably. Zosia smiled, " How beautiful." She muttered. Walking towards the house, the purple holographic screen still open. She laid down on the sofa with an apple in her hand. Taking a bite of it, she turned her gaze back to the notifications. She noticed the second notification and decided to check the inventory, which she was not sure she had. ????????? ? ? ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? ? ????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????????? "I really do have an inventory. Must have appeared after this Run." She clicked on her inventory. The screen changed to display the inventory in a separate panel. ©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥??©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥ ? ????????????????????????????????????: ? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????: ????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????''???? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ?????????????, ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????: ???? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????: ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????: ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????. ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????? ????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????: ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????; ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. ©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥??©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥ {Author; You Don''t have to worry about the status screen and notifications taking space. Just enjoy the novel as it''s not usually counted.} Chapter 30 - 29- Inventory ©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥??©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥ ? ????????????????????????????????????: ? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????: ????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????''???? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ?????????????, ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????: ???? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????: ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????: ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????. ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????? ????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????: ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????; ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. ©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥??©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥ Looking at the inventory panel, it looked different from the one she knew of. In movies and mangas, they all described inventory as small square boxes and only when you click on the object being held in the inventory would the description appear. Hers was different and quite detailed. Squinting her eyes, she felt that things were strange. She is a cautious person by nature, though at the same time carefree forming a contrasting nature. "Am I special?" She thought out loud. "Nah! Will just go with it. I just have the feeling it''s to my benefit, so why worry." Clicking on the first box. The description became bolder. ? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????: ????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????''???? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ?????????????, ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????. She clicked on the box again and a loading bar appeared. ????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ????1%>>5%> S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. >10%>>15%>>30%>>50%>>>>>>100%???? Zosia licked her lips in anticipation. When the loading was completed, she was ready to explore the shop. When another loading screen appeared. Staring at the screen, she wondered what was going on. ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ?1%>>>5%>>>10%>>>15%>>>30%>>>50%>>>>>>>>>>>>100%? What exactly was being deposited she wondered. ''Is it everything in the shop that would be deposited?'' she thought, her eyes gleaming with happiness just from thinking about it. ?????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????? ????????????? ????????? ????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? 1. ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????? ???????????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????/????????? ????????????? ???????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????/????????? But as usual, fate had a way of playing tricks, and the reality was like cold water had been doused on her, wiping away the smile on face. Zosia clicked on the VIP and upgrade token to get more information or description on them but got nothing. Her instincts were telling her not to use the upgrade token, she didn''t understand why and she was also very reluctant to use it. She wondered if the shop VIP token would work in the realm shop and decided to try it. Unfortunately, it didn''t. Leaving her with only one option; which was to use it and see if she could get anything from the invalid shop. She decided to leave it first and open the Newbie gift bag. She wondered what she would get. ? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ? ???????????????????????? {????????????????} ? 30 ???????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? { ????????????????????} ? ???????????????????? {????????????????} ? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????{?????????????} Her eyes were drawn to the last one. She clicked on it for further description. ????????????????????????????? ????????????????????{?????????????}: ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ?????????????. ????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????? ???????????? ????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????. Her jaw slackened forming an O shape. What? Calming herself down, she decided to go from top to down. [ ????????????????: ???????????????????????? ????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????] [????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????.] Zosia nodded her head at the description. Clicking on it, the dagger materialized before her. Wrapping her hand around it into a tight grip, she swung it. "Light, with high degree of penetration and slashing." She commented. She imbued her power into it. A silver light shimmered, surrounding the blade of the dagger. She swung it again and felt that it was now very fast. Her speed of penetration and slashing were not only improved but also more precise. The next one on the list was the silver. She wondered how the system would bring out the description. [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????????????] [ ????????????????????????: 30] [????????????????????????????????????????????: ???? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????.] After glancing at the description, she turned to the next one. [ ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????] [ ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????, ???????????????? ????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????.] [ ????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????????...?] Zosia glanced through the description. "This would be very useful. If I can get everything present in its content, if I enter another world, I could have them in large quantities." Zosia sighed while glancing a her feet lost in thought. "This has brought something I overlooked to my notice." Zosia eyes flickered, hiding her thoughts beneath the eyelashes that spread out covering her beautiful eyes. "I do have some medicines but they won''t be enough. Apart from the Mana and healing potions present in the first aid kit, the rest are pretty useless since I have them already. But at the same time, it reminds me of the dangers of the world." Closing her eyes, her mind began to replay the task she had completed. "They were all so simple. I don''t think I would continue to have it easy." She muttered. Going back to the holographic screen that hung in the air revealing its contents to her, she went to the next thing on the list. [ ????????????????: ????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????] [ ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????? ????????????????????????.] "Well, the dagger, coins, first aid and armor are pretty normal. Nothing noteworthy." Going to the next one, she clicked on the description. [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????] [ ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????? ?????????????, ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????????????.] [ ????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ?????????????] Zosia drew down the arrow to see the contents. [ ????????????????????????????????:? ¡ò ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ¡ò ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ¡ò 1 ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????] "I should have expected that." Clicking on the next one, the description appeared. [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????????????] [ ????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????????] [ ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????.] [ ???????????? ???????? ????????????: ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????.] "Oops! Unfortunately mine is invalid." Her eyes gazing at the last line on how to use the scroll. Zosia suddenly remembered something. "According to the notification, I am to check my status and inventory and now I have a meditation scroll which clearly points out to being a mage. Did I get any talent?" She muttered, her eyes flickered at the thought. "Would need to check it again. But, after this." Gazing at the last one, her eyes gleamed with happiness and in anticipation of what the description would be. [ ????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????? ????????????????????] [ ????????????????: ????????????????] [ ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????] [ ???????????? ???????? ????????????: ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????????? 2 ?????????????. ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????????? 4 ?????????????.] "So, its a first clear reward." She decided to check her status first. ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ?????¨T¨T¨T¨T? ?????????????????????????: ? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: ????- ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????: 110 ? ????????????????????????????: 120 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????: 3000 ????????????????? ????????????????????: 30,000 ?????????????????(????): ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ? ?????????????????????????: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Novice Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Novice Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Novice First Aid ? Novice Tactical Training ? Novice Navigator ? Intermediate Close-Quarters Combat ? Novice Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Novice Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Novice Poison Knowledge ? Novice Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Novice Disguise and Impersonation ? Novice Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Intermediate Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Intermediate Weapon Mastery ?????????????????(????); ????????????????????? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ?????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: 50 ? ?????????????????: 0 ? ????????????????????????: 1,100,000 [???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: ? 10,000 ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? ???????? 3 ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????] ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ?. She noticed a bold blinking cursor she didn''t notice before which she was sure wasn''t there before. She clicked on it, which was just below her gifts. ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ?????¨T¨T¨T¨T? ?????????????????????????: ? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: ????- ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????: 110 ? ????????????????????????????: 120 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????: 3000 ????????????????? ????????????????????: 30,000 ?????????????????(????): ????????????????????, ???????????????? , ????????????????????????????????. ?????????????????????????: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Novice Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Novice Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Novice First Aid ? Novice Tactical Training ? Novice Navigator ? Intermediate Close-Quarters Combat ? Novice Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Novice Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Novice Poison Knowledge ? Novice Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Novice Disguise and Impersonation ? Novice Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Intermediate Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Intermediate Weapon Mastery ? Basic Hypnosis. ?????????????????(????); ????????????????????? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ?????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: 50 ? ?????????????????: 0 ? ????????????????????????: 1,100,000 [???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: ? 10,000 ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? ???????? 3 ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????] ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ?. Glancing at her status which now had three things added. One was to her gifts, another was to her skills and another to her titles. "Hypnosis, huh?" Zosia liked how it rolled off her tongue. "Would be good if I have someone to practice on." Clicking on the skill fold button, her list of skills disappeared, making the scroll increase in size while the length of the space reduced. "Now, the shop." Zosia decided to use the special shop token as well as the VIP shop token. The moment she clicked on it, the screen blinked and released a humming sound before returning to normal. Zosia looked at the screen and noticed that there were not many differences. The screen design remained the same but the things present in the shop had changed from the basic necessities to things she had never seen or heard of. Like the Jumping pirarue seed or the Arapaima gigas fish. Taking a deep breath, she saw a blinking Note at the top of the screen and beside it was a Level and the number written in the box, was 4. Below it was a timer. Zosia wondered what the counter was for and decided to read the small note. {Author Note; I don''t know if I forgot to add anything to the status ????, but if I did and I remember, I would come to add it back but if I didn''t then that''s great. If I did and forgot to add it in this chapter but in the later chapters, pardon me and call me back to it.} Chapter 31 - 30 - Deposit Zosia wondered what the timer was for and decided to read the small note. ????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????, ????????????????????? one ???????????????????? ????????? ????????????????????? ????????????? ????????????????????????''???? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????.? Zosia looked at the count down timer which should be the time frame given. She had only four minutes left. Would four minutes be enough to search for anything unique, after all, it would be a waste of opportunity if she ended up choosing something unusable. Using the scroll bar, her eyes kept moving among the goods available. While scrolling she came across something, which said: [????????????????????????????]???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????. Zosia hesitated for a while, unsure on whether to choose it. She decided to take a look at other things first after glancing at the countdown timer. Using the scroll bar, she continued scrolling down, unaware of the fact that the countdown timer was down to one minute. Raising her head to look at the countdown timer which was already reading 57 seconds, she scrolled up again, but was unable to find the technique that had caught her eye. Her eyes roamed among the ones she was seeing and a technique caught her eye. [????????????????????????????] ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? She clicked on it before the timer hit Zero. Breathing a sigh of relief, she glanced at the screen that popped up, the shop becoming a backdrop for it. It was none other than a loading screen for the deposit to occur. Remembering that her inventory was small, she wondered how the deposit would occur. Feeling tensed and filled with anticipation, her arms folded against her chest with her fingers repeatedly tapping against her arm. With each tap, following a set of rhythm, which was quite odd considering how tense and anticipated she was. What followed next was a pouch appearing out of nowhere, followed by a text. ?????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ?????????????????. ? "Mhm.. such a considerate system. Unlike the one I have." Sending the pouch into her space, the holographic screen released a hum before the invalid player system disappeared. "I wonder if the system gave me one of everything or just the amount they had in stock." The more she thought about it the more she wanted to confirm it, but she had other things to do. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Glancing at the screen that had returned back to her holographic screen, she clicked on the survival Kit. The survival Kit not only included a movable house that was well furnished and supplied with electricity but also food rations and medical supplies, as well as a warehouse. As for the upgrade token, she did not know what to do with it yet. Clicking on the upgrade token. It materialized before her. It floated in the air for some seconds before falling to the ground with a tack. The illustrious colour surrounding it faded, revealing a pitch black token. Zosia clenched her fist that held the token, yet it could not bend. "I am not surprised." She said, her voice betraying the surprise in her tone. Putting it into her space, she closed the now almost empty inventory. Zosia breathe a sigh of relief, her eyes glancing around the empty space covered with silver walls that made the place feel depressing. Entering into her space, she walked into the warehouse she had built, which was not much when you compare it with the one in the moveable house, which she decided to call MV. Going into the warehouse, she sent the wallpaper she had taken from Diana''s world into the system space, alongside some furnitures, books and decorative items. Coming out of the warehouse garbed in a working attire, she raised her head to glance at the sky but was met with a shocking sight. The upgrade token had flown up to the sky and the Gem present in her heart and mind were reacting. She started convulsing, her body felt like it was being electrified from inside out. She felt a searing pain from those two places, the pains she had felt before were not as much as the one she was currently feeling. Her body went into hyperdrive. Like as if she was experiencing tetani, her muscles kept twitching. Zosia could feel the gemstones coming out of her body, she didn''t know why she was not dying despite the pain and the fact that the gemstones were lodged in the most important organs of her body. "Maybe, it''s because I am already dead" she thought. Biting the insides of her tongue which had become a habit, whenever she was teethering in a thin line of death and pain. She watched as the gems floated up to the sky. The upgrade token disintegrated forming particles of dust that rained upon them. Zosia suddenly felt like some force were being drawn out of her and it slowly became intense. When the soul power in her body was completely drawn out, that she became so pale and with just a little breeze, she could be sent into oblivion. Suddenly the next force to be drawn out of her body was her life force. At first, she was not really afraid, believing if she cultivated well, she could still cultivate back her soul power, but could somebody tell her why her life force was being drawn. At this rate, she was really going to die. Despite being a carefree person, it didn''t mean she was carefree with her life. Zosia felt like screaming but her lungs were already hurting. Her life force was being overdrawn, that her already difficult breathing became more difficult. She suspected that at this rate, instead of gaining something, she would be loosing her life. Zosia felt like lamenting. Her fate was really bad. She had just started a new life and she was already on her way to loosing it. Her gaze flickered and her sight became blurry. She watched as the two gems revolved around the sun and moon that hung stationary in the air before it was then split into a thousand, maybe more? She was no longer sure as her eyesight was becoming more blurry. She couldn''t even move a muscle, well that was if she had one. Up till now, she had yet to understand the fundamentals or basics of her existence. Well, that was something she wasn''t sure she would ever know, which was why, she was happy just being alive. A tear drop slid down from her eye. Gazing at the gems that shone brightly above the sky, she suddenly felt the thing sucking her life force stop, but the next thing that happened shocked her. She was not sure if to be shocked or horrified. At least, her situation wasn''t that bad anymore. All the plants, animals everything she was rearing slowly became thin, they lost their life force to the thousands of gem like stars that hung in the sky. Her blurry sight was still there, though she couldn''t see clearly she could still tell what was going on. Even the earth surface which was no longer cracked and caked as before, returned to its original state. She didn''t not know how to feel. Should she be happy that it was not her life force being sucked or should she be sad that all her efforts had vanished. She watched as the forestation slowly wilted. All trees shrunk both in size and length. Some thoroughly disappeared. The animals were sucked dry till they became only a flap of skin left. Even those skin were slowly disintegrated forming dust, that seeped into the earth surface. She did not know if it was nourishing the earth or if the earth was trying to also get some life force. She wanted to stand up from where she was but, she had no strength. What followed next, was the plants experiencing the same fates at the animals. Her heart ached at the expensive herbs that were being destroyed and the floras that were yet to completely come to life. Zosia sighed. She suddenly remembered her carp. "F*ck, don''t tell me that one died too." Feeling frustrated she muttered under her breath, "What a loss." She suddenly felt some painful tingling like as if a string had been cut off. Tears poured out of her eyes. The carp was dead, there was no need for her to check. She could feel their connection had been severed. Her blurry eyes which were slowly recovering but was further blurred by the tears turned to the pond the carp has stayed. She watched in surprise as the water from the stream and lake gurgled, making splashing sounds. The water was like as if it was being boiled. Steam was coming out from both of them . Watching as the steam rose to the sky, her mouth was opened in an O shape, her eyes reflecting her surprise and awe. The lake and stream dried up, then the stones she had gotten from the lake the carp was staying, rose up into the air in doves and in a straight line. Today, she could swear, she had not seen as much wonder as she had seen today. *Pack!!* Turning her head to the direction the sound was coming from. She watched as the ware house door flew open with a bang, bringing with it, everything that had life. The fruits she had stored and most importantly, the inferior Mana stones and the stones that shone with blue light that she had collected, appeared. They all followed the milky white stone. Zosia watched as they were all disintegrated. They were absorbed by the gems that had split into stars that adorned the sky. She suddenly felt a huge wind, the ground shook along with it like as if there was and earthquake. Could someone tell her where the wind was coming from. Her eyes widening in horror. "Oh! I sure am damned!" Chapter 32 - 31- My Space Really Loves Me In This Position. She suddenly felt a huge wind, the ground shook along with it like as if there was an earthquake. Could someone tell her where the wind was coming from. Her eyes widening in horror. "Oh! I sure am damned!" The earth shook, the sound was grating to her ears making her wince. Using all her will, she struggled to sit up but the gravity she felt was three times that of normal, to which on a normal day, it wouldn''t have been a problem for her. She could feel her ribs caving in, their sharp edges piercing her lungs, making her already difficult breathing even harder. Her breathing turning hot and fiery, even blood was already dripping out of her nose and from the side of her lips. Tasting the bitter iron taste left behind on her tongue, she felt despair. "I can''t allow myself to die from what I own." Her words seemed to echo with the earth that the place she was lying down on cracked, threatening to break into two. Using her will power, she gathered the strength remaining in her body and rolled away from the crack that appeared beside her. She decided to leave the space but noticed that the space was on lockdown. "Fuck!!!!" She cursed inwardly. After a while, when Zosia felt that she had recovered and tried moving her body but the pressure and gravity made her unable to move. Suddenly she noticed that her blurry eyesight had become clear. The stationary Sun that hung in the sky released a blinding light. Zosia closed her eyes by reflex. She noticed that the light was so hot. It felt like she was lying down on burning coal. She watched as her sweat sizzled away, leaving her dry. The cracks formed by the earth moved. "Is the tectonic plate moving?" She asked no one in particular . She watched in daze as the cracks gave way for hot steam to spew out from. Not too far from her were erupting geysers. She looked at everything, her face mirroring the expression of despair. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The heat accompanied by the hot air that bellowed out of the crack made her uncomfortable situation, unbearable. After a while, Zosia could feel the eruption of the geysers reducing as well as the shift in the tectonic plate. The earthquake ravaging the cracked earth stopped but was accompanied by bellowing lava. Unable to move her body, she could only wait and watch. The movement of the tectonic plates began again, carrying with it the spewing volcano and the lava. Mountains were formed, dust were raised. The bright light of the sun receded. Gazing up to the sky with a wistful look on her face, she watched as the sun bright light remained but not as intense as before. She watched the Blue moon she had seen before alongside a now purple one, from whence she knew not where it came from. She watched as the edges of the space expanded, alongside the land with the moons and sun alternating in the sky. Zosia could faintly feel that time was passing, and at a very fast rate. She watched as the cracked land repaired itself, the movement of the tectonic plate and deposits of minerals stopped. Even the volcano became dormant but not without making a route for the hot lava to flow to which she knew not the end. The stream filled up but no vegetation appeared. Before the change reached the end, Zosia who was finally able to move. She still needed to nurse her wound, which was still a surprise to her, that she was still alive. Entering the house - the one she had built in the tutorial world. She decided to properly nurse herself back to full health, especially since she couldn''t cultivate. Her core was broken and her soul force depleted. She didn''t even have up to 10 allocated in her status anymore. She was a fine example of grace to grass. Her soul force had plummeted from 30,000 to less than 10. Nursing her wounds, since she couldn''t go out, she could only stay here till the space lockdown was lifted. The world kept on changing, despite not observing any season, she could see that if the world underwent another upgrade, more things would be added and so would the seasons. "If I could get another upgrade token." She said. Suddenly remembering something, she shook her head. " I am not a masochist, why would I want that . Besides I can''t even cultivate now can I?" Coming out of the house, she looked up at the sky and around the now stable space. Heaving a sigh of relief, she tried to sense if she could finally leave, when a burst of light from the multitude of stars and heavenly bodies came pouring down on her. Groan!!! She bit her lips in pain. Zosia could feel every fibre of her being was filled with the unknown light. Her body felt lighter and her constitution had improved. She could feel her space, life and illusion gift was being strengthened. Argh!!!! Zosia suddenly felt like her head was being split followed by the pain in her chest. Surprisingly those places had covered up before she started nursing her injuries which had left her stupefied. But nevertheless, those same spots were being attacked again, if that was the right word to use. Crack! Crack!! She could vividly hear her bones breaking. Her eyes widened in horror with only just one thought in her head: "I thought this phase had ended. Am I really destined to die?" Unwilling to succumb to the pain, she bit the mucosa of her cheeks which were not helping but adding to the pain she was already feeling. Thump!! Her body fell weakly on the floor. "Seems like my space really loves me in this position?" She thought, a dark, eerie smile surfaced her lips, revealing her bloodied teeth. She suddenly noticed that the owl tattoo on her arm seemed to come alive for a moment. The owl tried to flap its wings but her skin being the canvas trapped it inside. Zosia suddenly felt her skin peel, seeing her bones, the will she had cultivated so hard disappeared and she fainted. Unaware of what happened next and how the owl escaped, moving from her hand to her chest. At this point, it was left to wonder why the placing or positions of the gem or the owl were so important. The owl which had moved from its former position to a higher pedestal, tried to appear in the material world. Its image kept flickering, like a mirage, but not sure, if it would always be a mirage. The owl spread its wing apart. Its wings extended to each of her shoulder blades. Her body metamorphosis was still ongoing. Her skeleton which held her important organs were wrapped in a cocoon. The sun rose and the moon fell and time passed by. No one knew how many seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks or months that have passed. Unable to tell, Zosia was still snuggled in the cocoon. Crack! Crack!! At first, the sound was not noticeable in the vast expanse, but the sound became more intense. The milky liquid contained in the cocoon spilled and was absorbed by the earth. The space was perfused by a special kind of energy, that even the author knows not its name or what it''s like. The shell of the cocoon also disintegrated into ashes that was taken by the wind and blown to various parts of the space. Unable to measure the space, Zosia could not tell how big the place had become. Opening her eyes, she was met with the serene light emitted by the moons in the sky. "F*ck!" The first thing that escaped her lips after she woke up was a cursed word. Closing her eyes back, she could now vividly feel her connection with the space. She could teleport anywhere in the space without needing to use her space talent. In her consciousness, she could feel the round world which was the space. Her own personal world. Once the world laws are complete, then she would give it a name. Chapter 33 - 32- Changing her system space outlook. In her consciousness, she could feel the round world which was the space. Her own personal world. Once the world laws are complete, then she would give it a name. She could even tell how big the space was, it should be bigger than a small country. Zosia could not help but day dream. If she could have people in her space work for her, turning her space which was the size of a small country or even bigger into a huge industry by producing many things. If she sold those things in the world she goes to and exchange them for valuables which she could in turn sell in the main world and get points, faith or merits. Just thinking about it made her drool. Wiping away the drool on her face she suddenly remembered the reward Asgar had promised to give her but had disappeared. "That bastard." Standing up from the floor, she dusted her clothes. Zosia noticed a change in not only her physique but as well as the thickness of her soul. It was so thick that one could mistake it for a real body. "Tsk... Thanks for the space cleaning function, I wonder how I would have been smelling. Well, that is if souls smell." Clicking her tongue, she entered back into the house for a quick shower. Wearing another work clothes, she appeared back into her system space. She tied her hair with a rubber band into a pony tail, then made it go round, forming a bun before using another rubber band to hold it in place. Zosia looked at the things she had brought to decorate the place and nodded her head, feeling pleased with herself. She immediately got to work. Since the place was not dirty, she didn''t have to start cleaning. By the time she was done, she was sweating but not too much. Feeling mentally satisfied, she gazed at the newly renovated space with a smile. It was no longer depressing. She cleaned up the remaining bits. "Now where do I throw this?" She wondered as she stared at the trash. While she was lost in thoughts, Asgar came back. His hologram flickered, bringing Zosia back to reality. "Hey, you''re lucky you came back. The rewards?!" She asked, not even allowing Asgar to speak. Zosia suddenly noticed three other people appearing in her space. One of them was quite familiar to her. She thought for a while and tried to remember where she had seen him. Oh! Yeah, she had seen him in that upgrade room. ''What name did Ella call him again?'' she thought, trying to dig into her memories to get the name. "Hi!" The first two said in unison. As for the other one who she assumed as the leader, he did not say anything and just leaned against the wall. Zosia didn''t care but she needed an explanation. Turning to the holographic Asgar, she could feel her rage building up. Calming her breathing, she started in a very slow voice. "Asgar, can you turn into your physical form?" [?????, ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? --] Asgar words were cut short by the one who was leaning on the wall. Zosia wondered why he was leaning on the wall when he could sit, but suddenly remembered that they were intruders. "Just change. Be fast, we need to get out of here." His husky voice echoed in the room. Zosia felt like the voice was ringing behind her ear making her ear blush. Without a change in expression, she kept looking at how Asgar would transform. Looking at the now transformed Asgar, she felt her heart ache at how reality once again doused her expectations. Thinking about it, what exactly was she expecting. Shaking her head, ''I just need my rewards and these people out of here.'' she thought. Looking at the innocent white face which still had some baby fat, as well as his hair which was a bird nest. There was silence in the room for a while before she broke it. "So?" "Yeah, they are..... No, this is Kevin, we call him Ken" he said, pointing at the blonde haired man. Zosia turned to stare at him. He looked quite laid back. Asgar pointed at the glasses wearing guy, which she figured was very sly. Even now, his eyes were glinting as he stared at her. Turning her head to the last person, who had the most enigmatic presence in the room and bore the presence of their leader, which she was not sure he is. Just staring at the four of them made her wonder if the group was filled with a group of handsome men whose work was just to enchant others..... Or... If they were actually capable. She did not know if they had detected her thoughts, but the atmosphere in the room grew more pressing and tense. The relaxed and carefree smile she put on changed. Her eyes held a sharp glint of that of a predator. Her whole body was wrapped with her soul force forming a thick barrier, which she was not sure if it was impenetrable. The air around her got thicker. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia detected the surprise that flickered in their eyes followed by the easing of the atmosphere. "Tsk, are you here to attack me or give me my reward." She clicked her tongue in annoyance as she removed the soul force barrier that cloaked her. "Here to give you your reward. Besides, no one was planning to attack you." Asgar said, trying to dispassiate the awkward air that filled the room. Zosia glanced at him without saying anything. Her eyes moved from Asgar to Kevin then to the one whom Asgar had yet to say his name. Sitting on the chair facing them, her whole body exuding a fierce aura, filled with dignity and elegance, yet heavy. Crossing her legs she turned to the enigmatic one. "Seems you''re not much of a sitter, except you''re expecting me to invite you." Since none of them were sitting down and didn''t seem like they planned to. She felt it must be because their leader had yet to sit down. Thinking about all the things she had experienced, plus their intrusion. She really wasn''t in a good mood. "Mhmm." The enigmatic person whom she had yet to know his name moved. His body radiated a gentle wind that swept around the place like it was doing some cleaning. Zosia scoffed. "Such a mysophobic." She muttered which was not in any way a whisper. "Now, since you are seated. How may I help you? Why are you all here? Well, except for Asgar of course." She asked. Her tone being neither humble nor servile. "We came to see who they assigned our Asgar to?" The man on glasses gave a perfunctory reply. "And you are?" "Percival." "Hmmm.... So by Our you mean?" Zosia said. Feeling that her tone may have sounded rude, she added: "Could you explain to me in detail." Percival turned to look at Kevin who had been glancing around the room. "Alright. I will do the explanation." Kevin patted his chest, a warm smile decorating his lips as he said. "Well, Asgar is our group system. We are a group and as you can see, we aren''t complete as the rest are handling their own missions, and you can also consider him each and everyone''s personal system in the group, except for our Boss of course." He said pointing at the enigmatic presence. "So why do I have him as a guide then?" Zosia enquired. "As you said.... A Guide. Something happened and he had to be your guide for a period of time before we take him back." Zosia nodded her head in understanding, though not understanding the intricacies. ''Did they do something wrong and had Asgar take the blame or something happened and being my guide was his punishment. Are they missing him, that they came to see him? But why did they come to my system space?'' she thought. Her face revealing none of her thoughts on them. "So..... Why are you here and since Asgar is a system, I thought his human form would be a cute something, wasn''t expecting a human." She said with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have prejudice against that?" The husky voice from the owner who hadn''t spoken, was heard. "No. Just wasn''t what I was expecting." Her eyes gleamed as she continued talking, " I was expecting a fur ball or something..... Something cute." Seeing the expression on her face, Asgar shivered. He felt lucky that his group had chosen him to be in human form, else he wondered what the vile woman would have done to him. "Well, that still hasn''t answered how I can help you.... All?" Her eyes pausing briefly on the leader. "We just came to see who Asgar is guiding." Percival said with an enchanting smile. She had to admit that all of them were handsome, each representing the best figure that all females would wish to have in their boyfriend or husband. Zosia raised an eyebrow at his answer while the enigmatic person turned to stare at Percival for a while before looking at her. His deep black eyes reflecting her image. "He is not wrong, but that''s not the main reason. Long story short. We would be borrowing your system space for a mission we want to carry out." Zosia scoffed as she stared at him, her lips curling into a sneer. "What do I gain from it?" Her question was direct. She didn''t even mention the fact that he hadn''t said please. "What do you want?" He asked. Asgar gaze moved from his Boss to the girl he was guiding. Aware of the little knowledge she possessed and afraid that she would anger his temperamental Boss, he spoke. ***************** A big thanks and shout out to Omega_Foxwolf and Velvet_Nicholas. As my number one and number two fan. I say a big thank you to you with this chapter, which I hope you enjoy. Lastly, thanks to Shimeiyi for supporting my work with her power stones. I hope you keep loving my book and don''t drop it halfway, for the ride is still starting. And I would try to update faster, but I am still working on the plot of the next arc. Can''t let it be too flat and neither to complex. I hope you enjoy it(???????). Chapter 35 - 33- Meeting Asgars Group Asgar''s gaze moved from his boss to the girl he was guiding, aware of her limited knowledge as well as how temperamental his Boss could be, so he decided to intervene. "How about giving you a slot for the mission? Even if you can''t contribute and would be a burden, at least, you would see how high-level missions are conducted," he said with a shrug. The trio turned to look at him for a moment before nodding their heads, seemingly accepting his proposal. "Name?" Her cold stare directed at the enigmatic man. "Lucian," he responded, his voice carrying a husky timbre that sent a subtle shiver down her spine. Hearing his husky voice say his name made her ears blush. She allowed the name to roll off her tongue and liked the way it sounded. Blinking her eyes to school her features, she asked the main thing that could cause a rift between them. "What reward will I get in the mission, and would I be told the details of the mission?" Her cold voice drifted into their ears along with her question. Percival turned to look at the petite lady before him and wondered how she dared ask for a reward when she would practically be a burden. He frowned and was about to reject her when he heard his boss''s low husky voice. "Mhmm." Percival turned to stare at his boss, who had his eyes closed with his fingers tapping against his leg. Each tap created a sound with brief interference yet still rhythmic. No one could tell what their boss or the enigmatic man was thinking, so they began to think of how to approach the matter without losing their interest as well as the interest of the remaining members. "Boss, are you saying we would have to share our reward with her?" Kevin asked in a begrudging tone. The rhythmic tap of his fingers against his leg stopped for a moment. Silence descended in the room, creating a tense atmosphere. Zosia frowned but did not say anything. She just leaned against her chair and allowed their boss to decide. "Well, that''s dependent on her contribution," Lucian''s husky voice replied. "If she is able to carry out some roles perfectly. It won''t hurt." Kevin nodded his head, agreeing with his Boss. As for Asgar, he turned to look at Percival who still had a frown on his face. Asgar nodded in agreement, relieved that their boss had sided with him. He knew that convincing Percival would be a challenge, but with their boss''s support, they might stand a chance. Percival hated outsiders joining them for a mission. Despite understanding him and his nature as well as the reason for such, he felt that it would hinder Percival in the long run. They wouldn''t always be there to go for a group run as he may think and if it was a run very important to him, that he must have to do. Then partnering with people would be the only way, but with his attitude.... It''s a question of who would want to go with him. "Very well," Percival conceded, albeit begrudgingly. "But the reward will be dependent on her performance. If she proves to be more of a liability than an asset, she will receive nothing." His tone a little harsh as he glared at the intruder in his group, forgetting that they were the ones who had intruded into her house ¡ª System space. Zosia who was not sure if they even knew her name or even asked Asgar for her name, since with the character she has seen so far, they seemed more annoying than aloof. She just simply nodded in response, unfazed by Percival''s tone. Percival''s tone wasn''t as harsh as the ones in her memory, so they were nothing but tickling feathers. Besides, she had confidence in her abilities, and she was determined to prove herself to the group and get a better reward. She didn''t like being belittled. Turning her head to stare at Lucian whose dark eyes were seemingly staring at her and assessing her. "I am Zosia. Not sure if Asgar told you." Clearing her throat, she continued. "You can use the place, since for you guys to be able to enter here, it''s also possible to overwrite my authority for the system space." Lucian nodded his head, which means she was right. Lucian''s gaze lingered on Zosia for a moment longer, his expression inscrutable. "Thank you, Zosia. We appreciate your cooperation," he said, his voice smooth and low. Zosia turned to stare at Asgar who had a smile on his face. "My Rewards?!" Flustered, he replied with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I forgot." "Tsk... How could you forget something as important as that?" She remarked. "Well, it''s not like you won''t see me later, so no need to be worried." Zosia scoffed and watched him continue talking but was interrupted by Percival. "Just get to it, we need to go. I don''t want that witch to stark keeping tabs." He said with his voice dripping with sarcasm. Kelvin and Asgar nodded their heads. They couldn''t agree more. Zosia was confused as to whom they were referring to as a witch but since it wasn''t her and she didn''t want to probe, she let it be. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia watched in focus as Asgar turned back into his holographic form. She wondered if he could not be in his materialistic form and still be able to project the hologram. Feeling curious, she was tempted to ask, but she knew that they may not be willing to tell her. She shook her head and stood up. Stepping forward towards the hologram. "Choose your skills." Kelvin said with a mischievous smirk. "Tsk..... I wonder if she would be able to get any good skills." He said to Percival. "Let''s watch." Percival directed his attention towards the two. Lucian''s interest was also aroused, so he turned to stare at the holographic screen. Zosia clicked on the blue button to spin for skills with her hands crossed. ''Please.... Let me get a good skill at least.'' she prayed inwardly. The wheel spun for a while then rested on the option with an unknown symbol. "Hmmm...Did she..... Percival can you..... Am I?" Kelvin stammered in shock. Even Percival stood up in shock. "A Soul Forging technique. Thats¡ª Just what?!" He said with shock in his tone. "She is so lucky. Aish.... I had to spend all my points just to get it." Kelvin grumbled. A green jade token materialized before her. She has yet to understand it but Kelvin words gave her a clue. "Ooh!!!! It''s a one time use." The envy he had for her reduced upon siting it. Zosia could also tell but that wasn''t her issue, she clicked for the next spin. The wheel spun again before landing on a basic mental technique. "At least this one is permanent." She muttered to herself before spinning the wheel again. The wheel spun for a longer period this time around before landing on a skill occupying only 0.01% of the remaining part of the wheel. Taking a deep breath, she watched as the skill materialized before her. Others also held their breath in anticipation. Looking at the materialized skill, which had some words she couldn''t understand written on it. Gasp!!!! Percival who behaved aloof, also had a shocked look on his face. "Can I exchange something with you for that book?" He asked in a quivering tone. "What is the skill called?" She asked not answering his own question. "Can''t you read the name?" Kelvin interjected from the side. "No." Percival smacked Kelvin on the head and turned towards her. "Don''t mind him. He forgot that you don''t know the soul language. As for the skill book, it''s called a faith gathering skill. Despite it being basic, it can go a long way." He replied. "Thanks for that." "Then are you giving me the skill book?." "Will think about it later. May give it to you when we meet to discuss the mission." Her lips curled up into a smirk. Looking at the glint in her eyes, Percival coughed realizing that his facade has slipped off for a moment, but at least he got a desired answer. "Cough! That''s good. Will be waiting for your reply then." She watched in amusement as Kelvin patted Percival on his shoulder. With a smile, she turned back to the General roulette wheel. She clicked on the button again. The wheel Spun before stopping at the skill section. She watched as everything faded and the skill card turned to reveal a black looking skill book sewn with gold threads at its edges. "Is that what I think it is?" Percival asked. Kelvin feeling confused, turned to stare at his Boss. "What is that?" " It''s called Venquidra Ithralm Echthirra. A technique that not only cultivates your mind but your soul, gift, and spiritual consciousness. Unfortunately, such a technique has been lost in the rivers of time. What she is holding is incomplete and by incomplete.... It''s incomplete with broken parts. It can''t be cultivated. It''s best she avoids cultivating it, except she wants her soul to be wrung dry in Oblivion." "Huh? What do you mean by being wrung dry in Oblivion? I thought Oblivion was just a term meant to say your soul will dissipate, unable to enter the reincarnation cycle?" Asked Zosia curiously. They all turned to look at Lucian, waiting for him to clear their confusion including Asgar who had returned back into his human form. "It''s not something for you to know. Just know that, the Oblivion is a place you can''t survive." He muttered, his gaze becoming hollow like he was remembering something painful." Shaking his head, his husky voice rang in the room, "Let''s go." The rest stood up and followed Asgar to leave while he stood at the back. Before he left, he turned to stare at her. "Be careful if you are going to use the technique." Zosia watched his back as he left, her gaze becoming deeper. "He is different from the rest." She thought about something and decided to forgo it. For now, she should focus on her own development. Touching the book that sent chills, literal chills down her spine. She endured the discomfort and sent it into her space alongside herself. As for other techniques, she was going to incorporate them into the library. In total, she got 4 skill books: |? One time use Mind training technique |? Basic Mental technique |? Faith gathering skill |? Venquidra Ithralm Echthirra "Hmmm, no weapon." She muttered under her breath. Taking a look at the things placed before her as she sat in her bed, she took the last one. Zosia tried opening it but it refused to open. "Chip, can you scan this book and it''s contents?" Chapter 35 - 33- Meeting Asgars Group Asgar''s gaze moved from his boss to the girl he was guiding, aware of her limited knowledge as well as how temperamental his Boss could be, so he decided to intervene. "How about giving you a slot for the mission? Even if you can''t contribute and would be a burden, at least, you would see how high-level missions are conducted," he said with a shrug. The trio turned to look at him for a moment before nodding their heads, seemingly accepting his proposal. "Name?" Her cold stare directed at the enigmatic man. "Lucian," he responded, his voice carrying a husky timbre that sent a subtle shiver down her spine. Hearing his husky voice say his name made her ears blush. She allowed the name to roll off her tongue and liked the way it sounded. Blinking her eyes to school her features, she asked the main thing that could cause a rift between them. "What reward will I get in the mission, and would I be told the details of the mission?" Her cold voice drifted into their ears along with her question. Percival turned to look at the petite lady before him and wondered how she dared ask for a reward when she would practically be a burden. He frowned and was about to reject her when he heard his boss''s low husky voice. "Mhmm." Percival turned to stare at his boss, who had his eyes closed with his fingers tapping against his leg. Each tap created a sound with brief interference yet still rhythmic. No one could tell what their boss or the enigmatic man was thinking, so they began to think of how to approach the matter without losing their interest as well as the interest of the remaining members. "Boss, are you saying we would have to share our reward with her?" Kevin asked in a begrudging tone. The rhythmic tap of his fingers against his leg stopped for a moment. Silence descended in the room, creating a tense atmosphere. Zosia frowned but did not say anything. She just leaned against her chair and allowed their boss to decide. "Well, that''s dependent on her contribution," Lucian''s husky voice replied. "If she is able to carry out some roles perfectly. It won''t hurt." Kevin nodded his head, agreeing with his Boss. As for Asgar, he turned to look at Percival who still had a frown on his face. Asgar nodded in agreement, relieved that their boss had sided with him. He knew that convincing Percival would be a challenge, but with their boss''s support, they might stand a chance. Percival hated outsiders joining them for a mission. Despite understanding him and his nature as well as the reason for such, he felt that it would hinder Percival in the long run. They wouldn''t always be there to go for a group run as he may think and if it was a run very important to him, that he must have to do. Then partnering with people would be the only way, but with his attitude.... It''s a question of who would want to go with him. "Very well," Percival conceded, albeit begrudgingly. "But the reward will be dependent on her performance. If she proves to be more of a liability than an asset, she will receive nothing." His tone a little harsh as he glared at the intruder in his group, forgetting that they were the ones who had intruded into her house ¡ª System space. Zosia who was not sure if they even knew her name or even asked Asgar for her name, since with the character she has seen so far, they seemed more annoying than aloof. She just simply nodded in response, unfazed by Percival''s tone. Percival''s tone wasn''t as harsh as the ones in her memory, so they were nothing but tickling feathers. Besides, she had confidence in her abilities, and she was determined to prove herself to the group and get a better reward. She didn''t like being belittled. Turning her head to stare at Lucian whose dark eyes were seemingly staring at her and assessing her. "I am Zosia. Not sure if Asgar told you." Clearing her throat, she continued. "You can use the place, since for you guys to be able to enter here, it''s also possible to overwrite my authority for the system space." Lucian nodded his head, which means she was right. Lucian''s gaze lingered on Zosia for a moment longer, his expression inscrutable. "Thank you, Zosia. We appreciate your cooperation," he said, his voice smooth and low. Zosia turned to stare at Asgar who had a smile on his face. "My Rewards?!" Flustered, he replied with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I forgot." "Tsk... How could you forget something as important as that?" She remarked. "Well, it''s not like you won''t see me later, so no need to be worried." Zosia scoffed and watched him continue talking but was interrupted by Percival. "Just get to it, we need to go. I don''t want that witch to stark keeping tabs." He said with his voice dripping with sarcasm. Kelvin and Asgar nodded their heads. They couldn''t agree more. Zosia was confused as to whom they were referring to as a witch but since it wasn''t her and she didn''t want to probe, she let it be. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia watched in focus as Asgar turned back into his holographic form. She wondered if he could not be in his materialistic form and still be able to project the hologram. Feeling curious, she was tempted to ask, but she knew that they may not be willing to tell her. She shook her head and stood up. Stepping forward towards the hologram. "Choose your skills." Kelvin said with a mischievous smirk. "Tsk..... I wonder if she would be able to get any good skills." He said to Percival. "Let''s watch." Percival directed his attention towards the two. Lucian''s interest was also aroused, so he turned to stare at the holographic screen. Zosia clicked on the blue button to spin for skills with her hands crossed. ''Please.... Let me get a good skill at least.'' she prayed inwardly. The wheel spun for a while then rested on the option with an unknown symbol. "Hmmm...Did she..... Percival can you..... Am I?" Kelvin stammered in shock. Even Percival stood up in shock. "A Soul Forging technique. Thats¡ª Just what?!" He said with shock in his tone. "She is so lucky. Aish.... I had to spend all my points just to get it." Kelvin grumbled. A green jade token materialized before her. She has yet to understand it but Kelvin words gave her a clue. "Ooh!!!! It''s a one time use." The envy he had for her reduced upon siting it. Zosia could also tell but that wasn''t her issue, she clicked for the next spin. The wheel spun again before landing on a basic mental technique. "At least this one is permanent." She muttered to herself before spinning the wheel again. The wheel spun for a longer period this time around before landing on a skill occupying only 0.01% of the remaining part of the wheel. Taking a deep breath, she watched as the skill materialized before her. Others also held their breath in anticipation. Looking at the materialized skill, which had some words she couldn''t understand written on it. Gasp!!!! Percival who behaved aloof, also had a shocked look on his face. "Can I exchange something with you for that book?" He asked in a quivering tone. "What is the skill called?" She asked not answering his own question. "Can''t you read the name?" Kelvin interjected from the side. "No." Percival smacked Kelvin on the head and turned towards her. "Don''t mind him. He forgot that you don''t know the soul language. As for the skill book, it''s called a faith gathering skill. Despite it being basic, it can go a long way." He replied. "Thanks for that." "Then are you giving me the skill book?." "Will think about it later. May give it to you when we meet to discuss the mission." Her lips curled up into a smirk. Looking at the glint in her eyes, Percival coughed realizing that his facade has slipped off for a moment, but at least he got a desired answer. "Cough! That''s good. Will be waiting for your reply then." She watched in amusement as Kelvin patted Percival on his shoulder. With a smile, she turned back to the General roulette wheel. She clicked on the button again. The wheel Spun before stopping at the skill section. She watched as everything faded and the skill card turned to reveal a black looking skill book sewn with gold threads at its edges. "Is that what I think it is?" Percival asked. Kelvin feeling confused, turned to stare at his Boss. "What is that?" " It''s called Venquidra Ithralm Echthirra. A technique that not only cultivates your mind but your soul, gift, and spiritual consciousness. Unfortunately, such a technique has been lost in the rivers of time. What she is holding is incomplete and by incomplete.... It''s incomplete with broken parts. It can''t be cultivated. It''s best she avoids cultivating it, except she wants her soul to be wrung dry in Oblivion." "Huh? What do you mean by being wrung dry in Oblivion? I thought Oblivion was just a term meant to say your soul will dissipate, unable to enter the reincarnation cycle?" Asked Zosia curiously. They all turned to look at Lucian, waiting for him to clear their confusion including Asgar who had returned back into his human form. "It''s not something for you to know. Just know that, the Oblivion is a place you can''t survive." He muttered, his gaze becoming hollow like he was remembering something painful." Shaking his head, his husky voice rang in the room, "Let''s go." The rest stood up and followed Asgar to leave while he stood at the back. Before he left, he turned to stare at her. "Be careful if you are going to use the technique." Zosia watched his back as he left, her gaze becoming deeper. "He is different from the rest." She thought about something and decided to forgo it. For now, she should focus on her own development. Touching the book that sent chills, literal chills down her spine. She endured the discomfort and sent it into her space alongside herself. As for other techniques, she was going to incorporate them into the library. In total, she got 4 skill books: |? One time use Mind training technique |? Basic Mental technique |? Faith gathering skill |? Venquidra Ithralm Echthirra "Hmmm, no weapon." She muttered under her breath. Taking a look at the things placed before her as she sat in her bed, she took the last one. Zosia tried opening it but it refused to open. "Chip, can you scan this book and it''s contents?" Chapter 36 - 34- New Arc "Chip, can you scan this book and its contents?" ¡ºN????????????????????????????.¡»the chip replied in its usual female robotic sound. "What a waste." She remarked and dropped it in the bedside drawer. She turned to look at the other ones. After opening them, she realized that she couldn''t understand anything. "Aish.... Another waste. I wish I had drawn something that would be useful for me for the next run." Closing her eyes, she leaned against the head board. Suddenly Percival''s voice rang in her ear. "Soul Language." "Seems like I need to learn the Soul language." She decided to dress up and go out. After taking a quick shower and dressing up she put on the space pouch she had made with a shelf life of only one week. With the upgrade of her physique and constitution as well as her gifts, they had only become stronger but she still had weak control over her gift. Walking out of her system space, she wondered if she should get a house in the main world instead of staying in the system space that were like small space pockets. Shaking her head, she decided against it. She was not yet rich enough for her to consider such options. She walked straight to the Departmental centre. Arriving at the departmental Centre which had many floors, her destination was the seventh floor. She had already prepared what to sell. Entering the elevator, she heard the familiar robotic voice, "Which floor is your destination?" "Seventh Floor." It didn''t take up much time, she was not sure if it was even up to a minute and she arrived at the sales centre. Her eyes scanned the crowd, mostly moving between each staff. She walked up to the one who she had sold her things to. To her, it was best to deal with one person and after asking Xen. Xen had assured her that he was trustworthy. Well, she wasn''t really selling contraband goods. "Hi..." She had a smile on her face as she stared at the well dressed young man with well trimmed hair. "Oh! It''s you again." "I still need your services." "That''s great. Please follow me." Zosia followed him as they both entered the room they had stayed in before. After she was done settling with him, she had a total of 5 Million points. "It was nice doing business with you." They said in unison as they both shook hands. Leaving the place, she entered the elevator. Arriving at the 6th floor which was the task centre, she was amazed by what she saw. There was a section that had tables and chairs and some people were busy chatting. Mostly talking about their task or different missions. At the other section was the task board, lined up on the wall. She noticed it was self servicing but still unaware of how to go about it. She walked to the receptionist whose position was facing opposite the elevator circle. "Hi. I need help in navigating some tasks." Her words concise with her usual professional smile adorning her lips. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, glanced up from her desk. "Of course, dear. What kind of tasks are you interested in?" Zosia leaned forward slightly, her expression eager. "I''m looking for tasks within my capabilities and level." "Hmmm, then what is your ID?" She asked. "Do you mean the ID for payment or my name?" She asked with confusion written on her face. "Both are the same thing ma." The receptionist replied with a warm smile. Feeling confused, she wanted to have a clearer understanding of her situation. "Ma, I don''t have an ID as a name but my real name, so how is my payment ID the same as my name?" The middle aged receptionist looked at her in surprise. "Alright. What''s your name?" "Zosia Meave Branden." The holographic screen in front of the woman changed, revealing Zosia''s face and some basic details. "Mhmm indeed, your name is your name and not a serial number." The lady muttered with a tilt of her head. "Now, your level and the task you can take." There was a pause for a moment before rows of task appeared. Since the holographic screen was set at two people, only Zosia and the receptionist could see it. Looking at the rows of task, one caught her eye. It was an apocalypse task with great reward and a time limit. Since she decided to push herself, she felt that was better. Turning to the receptionist, she spoke: "I will take this task." "Okay." The receptionist said followed by another pause as her hand moved fast along the holographic screen. "I have sent you the details to your task panel. Do check it out." "How will I get the rewards ma?" "Since you are a newbie, you may not know but since you have collected the task, your chip is linked to it, so once the task is completed, the rewards are immediately deposited." "Ooh, Okay. Thanks." She said with a professional smile. "Goodluck in your task and remember there is a time limit." Zosia nodded appreciatively and turned to leave, her mind already buzzing with plans for the upcoming task. As she exited the task centre, she felt a surge of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness. This was her first time going to an apocalypse world, so she definitely needs to get a book with some knowledge about it. Besides this was also her chance to earn even more rewards and further enhance her abilities. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Taking a deep breath , she left the Departmental Centre. She decided to check out the stalls on the marble pavement. She walked to the commercial street which had some street stalls and roadside peddlers occupying some space on the pavement. She walked towards the first person she was seeing, who happened to be an old man. Looking at the old man whose ear was the only body part that was strange from the normal humans she had seen, she wondered why an old man was here anyway ? She was a little surprised to see the old man but suddenly remembered that apart from not seeing people below 18 years of age, she had at least met, three people who were behind in age, so she shouldn''t be prejudiced. After going through the old man wares, she kept on going till she arrived at a big shop located close to the heart of the commercial street. Opening the glass door, the bell announced her presence followed by a female voice. "Welcome! What can we help you with?" "I am looking for books on apocalypse and soul language." She said to the female receptionist. "Mmm. Please go to aisle 45 and 65 for what you are looking for. The little robot will guide you." The female receptionist answered. Zosia followed the small robot with its height only reaching her calf. Passing through different aisles, she was surprised by the wares they had as well as the points needed. She even saw a Love talisman which she had seen in the old man wares but this one should be stronger as the price was on a higher side. Arriving at Aisle 45 which had the soul language, she looked at the soul language skill. They each had varying prices and different contents. The basic/novice one consist of just daily communications. Intermediate ranged from basic communications to identifying some complex structures and the more you go, the more contents there are. Picking out the Expert dictionary, she paid one million points for it, which was quite expensive. Going to Aisle 65, she bought a comprehensive book on Apocalypse which cost her 10,000 points. So in total, she spent One million ten thousand points on just two books. Feeling the heart ache of her points being spent, she quickly left the shop, unwilling to spend one more minute there. She took note of the fact that despite how long time had passed in her personal space, it didn''t seem like she had been gone for long when measured with the main world time. Zosia also hadn''t checked the new features of her system. Thinking about it, she immediately clicked on the return button in her holographic screen. Appearing back in her personal space, she gazed at the decorations in the room and smiled. As for how genuine her smile was, it would only be known to her. Sitting on the couch in the room, she clicked on the holographic screen . ????????? ? ? ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? ? ????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????? (new) ? ?????????????: ???????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? 100 ???????????????????????? ????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????? ????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????????????????? (new) ? ?????????????????????????????????: ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????? ???? ????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ?????????????. ????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????. Gazing at the two new functions, her eyes gleamed with happiness. The functions had also increased her rate of survivability. She was not strong and neither did she believe she was invincible. Even when she faced Lucian and his group, she was so nervous inside. If they hadn''t relented, she was sure she would have succumbed. Right now, she didn''t want to think about those things but to quickly learn the things in the book she had bought. ================ {Author: Right now I need to create a well detailed system of cultivation for this world and as it stands, everything is still in its rough patches, so may have to change some things. If you have any suggestions, do not hesitate to let me know in the comment section. Thanks ????} Chapter 37 - 35- Arc 2 Zosia felt a presence looming over her as well as countless eyes that seemed to be boring holes into her body. At first the feeling was faint but slowly became stronger. Her senses also became sharper. She could hear the muffled giggles as well as some faint murmurings. Opening her eyes to take in her surrounding, the first person she met was a beautiful woman full of fury written on her face. Looking at her surroundings, she could tell she was in a classroom. Still feeling disoriented, she couldn''t really hear the words of the teacher. "Miss Mirabel , are you deaf? I said you should solve whats on the board." The woman angrily said. Finally getting her bearings, she raised her head and looked at the board. Slowly standing up, she bowed her head. As for what was on the board, forget about solving it, right now, her body wasn''t in the best situation. The woman felt irked as she looked at Mirabel who stood up sluggishly. "Get out!" She scolded at Mirabel, her eyes holding apparent disgust. "Thank you ma." She muttered and slowly shuffled out of the class but not without receiving a marker being stoned at her by the teacher who was angry. "You-" ''That brat even had the guts to thank me.'' she muttered, the disgust in her eyes almost materializing. Upon reaching the door of the classroom, Zosia collapsed, throwing the classroom into a pandemonium. "What happened?!" The teacher who was still confused about the situation, stuttered. She was quickly rushed to the school clinic but the clinic was unable to figure anything wrong with her and she was sent to the Hospital. ============= At the Hospital.... The teacher who had followed the Ambulance to the hospital stood outside as the nurses sent Mirabel into the ICU. Confused at what had just happened, her body stiffly leaned against the wall. Thinking about how the incident had happened. First she had caught Mirabel sleeping and not paying attention, even after calling the child''s name many times, she was still sleeping and this irked her. Then when the young lady finally woke up, and unable to answer her question, she sent her out of the class, then she fainted. Thinking about it now, for the child to stand up so sluggishly, even when walking, she should have known that something was wrong with the child, but she was buried in her own disgust, due to the child''s background. Still lost in thought, she was brought back to reality by the attending doctor. "Are you the child''s guardian?" "No... I am her teacher?" "Is there anything wrong with her? Is... She alright?" She asked with fear lacing her tone. Looking at the doctor whose lips were pursed with weary eyes, her eyes shook. "Her prognosis is not looking good." "What the hell does that even mean?!" She shouted, pointing at the door, she said to the doctor. "I just want to know, is she okay?" "It''s best you call her guardian. Incase we need to do a surgery, there would be someone to sign the document and if that still doesn''t work..." The doctor paused in his words before continuing, " As for the girl, everything depends on her will, whether she survives." The maths teacher feeling frustrated pulled at her hair. She could only watch as the doctor walked further and further away. "Sigh! That girl is actually pitiful." Evelyn heard a nurse whisper to her colleague. "Yes, her insides are completely ravaged by poison." "Indeed, her case is very strange. Even I, I am surprised she is still alive." "I hope her will allows her to get through this." The third nurse said. Listening to the words of the nurse, she was shocked. ''Poison?'' ''Where is the poison from?'' Closing her eyes, she tried to relax her taut nerves. "Miss. Evelyn where is Mirabel?" Opening her eyes, she was met with eyes of the Dean and some of her students that stood behind the Dean. "She is inside. They have sent her out of the ICU ward." She said pointing at the ward close to the end of the corridor. "Nobody is allowed inside." She said, causing them to halt in their steps. "Why?" The Dean with clean shaven beard asked. His eyes holding worry and concern. "She is fighting for her life. So going in now might not help. Please call any of her guardians." "Miss what do you mean fighting for her life?" A student with Brown hair asked. Her short brown hair was tied in a short pony tail. "It''s literary what I mean." "Do you know her family?" She asked the girl who seemed to be the most worried among them. "Her parents line is not going. Even her elder brother''s line isn''t going." The Dean said after trying to call her family. Feeling frustrated he shoved his phone into his pocket. "Do you know any of her family member. Any body that can act as her guardian?" Evelyn asked the girl again. Others also turned to stare at the girl. Feeling the pressure from their eyes the girl relented. "She doesn''t really have anyone to care for her. But their butler could at least stand in." Others may not understand the implication of the girls words but she did. Clicking her tongue, she thought inwardly. ''The inner battles of a wealthy family. Maybe that''s why she was poisoned.'' "Do you have the butler''s number?" The Dean asked the girl again. "I do." Another girl with blonde hair said making them turn their eyes towards her. The Dean didn''t care about how she had it and immediately dialed it. After the second ring, the call was picked. Evelyn did not know what the Dean and the butler spoke but she could feel that the dean was in a bad mood. After seeing him end the call, she asked. "What happened?" "He said, he is not in town. He had gone on a business trip with Mr. Quinn. Right now the only person in town is her younger sister and her elder brother." The Dean was still explaining when his phone rang. Putting the phone on speaker this time, others could hear what the person on the other end was saying. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The butler said something is wrong with my sister?" "Yes, we have been trying to reach you¡ª" "Mhmm.... I don''t usually answer unknown numbers, so my phone usually filters those out." "Well, according to the doctor, they need her guardian to sign a consent form and your sister is fighting with her life, she may not survive according to the doctor." "Hmmm..... Let them send the form to my email, will sign it and if she dies or lives, call the line I would send to you. It was nice speaking to you but I''m busy." His cold voice sounded, chilling the hearts of everyone with his words and actions. The Dean looked at his phone with a stupefied look in his face. Evelyn frowned as well. She didn''t expect this kind of nonchalance. Even fake families, would still not want to wash their family''s dirty linen in public. They decided to walk towards Mirabelle''s ward. Arriving at the ward, it didn''t take up to a minute and they heard a boarding sound. Their faces paled as they realized what that meant. "I should take the children back to school." Evelyn said with difficulty as she realized that the children may be loosing a classmate soon. The Dean waved his hand unable to refute otherwise as that was the best thing they could do now. The mature ones already had an inkling to what was about to happen or what had happened. The blonde girl lowered her head, her eyes wet with tears. She stared at the girl surrounded by people in white coat and machines connected to her body as they tried to revive her. She walked slowly, her eyes still fixed at the sight as she stared at the girl through the small transparent glass on the door. Feeling a surge of emotion, the blonde girl''s tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She couldn''t tear her gaze away from Mirabel, her heart heavy with worry and fear. Mirabel may be unable to remember what she did for her, but she could and it was etched in her memory, never to be forgotten. As the medical team worked tirelessly to stabilize Mirabel''s condition, the atmosphere outside the ICU was tense. The blonde haired girl was unwilling to go and asked to stay back, which after some consideration, they allowed her to stay back. Evelyn decided to send the rest of the students back to school. In the car, there was solemn silence, each lost in their own thoughts and prayers for Mirabel''s recovery. The Dean who was left alongside the girl at the hospital sat on the chair opposite the ward. The Dean decided to start a conversation. "Are you her best friend?" "No." "Ok." He was about to continue with the small talk when a doctor emerged from the ICU. He immediately stood up, his face reflecting a mix of hope and apprehension. "How is she? Is she going to be okay?" the Dean asked, his voice trembling slightly. The doctor sighed heavily before speaking, "Mirabel''s condition is critical. She''s stable for now, but we''re doing everything we can to help her fight through this." Relief washed over him at the doctor''s words, but he knew that Mirabel still had a long road ahead of her. "Can i see her?" The blonde haired girl asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The doctor nodded, "Yes, but only one person at a time and please try to keep your visit brief. She needs as much rest as possible." With that, the blonde haired girl entered. Sitting beside her,she tentatively stretched out her hand to hold the hand on the bed. "I am Celine. Not sure if you would remember me anymore....." She kept on talking till her time was up. "I will come and see you again." She said before leaving the ward. As the hours passed, the reality of the situation began to sink in. Mirabel''s life hung in the balance, and there was nothing they could do but wait and hope for the best. Outside the hospital, the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the quiet streets. Meanwhile, back at the school, rumors began to spread about Mirabel''s sudden illness. Students whispered in hushed tones, speculating about what could have happened to their classmate. But amidst the gossip and speculation, there was also an outpouring of support and concern for Mirabel. Once it struck Midnight on the clock, Zosia Opened her eyes. Chapter 38 - 36- Arc 2 Once it struck Midnight on the clock, Zosia Opened her eyes. Her eyes held different emotions that one couldn''t understand. Turning her head to gaze at the equipments pinned into her body in different parts, she moved her hand wearily and a bottle containing a clear transparent liquid materialized. Using every bit if her strenght, she opened the cock covering the bottle. Pouring the contents of the bottle into her mouth, she felt the refreshing feeling that came with it. The poison that had been ravaging disappeared, like it had never been in her body before. Her body slowly repaired itself. Trying to sit up, she suddenly heard the clock on the door and pretended to be asleep. Since she couldn''t open her eyes to see who it was, her other senses helped her detect the gender and who the person might be. Perceiving the feminine smell that filled the room upon her entrance, she quickly recognized it with the help of the original owner''s memory. It was her mother. In the original owner''s memory, though her mother loved her, she was too strict. She didn''t even have playtime, all her time was spent on being better than her peers, but that changed later on. Her mother''s sister came back to the city and after meeting up and taking various pieces of advice from her sister, she started allowing her to slack off, to which the Original Mirabel appreciated. She even became close to her mother''s sister daughter, whom everyone refers to as her best-friend. But to Zosia, there were many things that seem wrong. It felt like her mother''s sister was of no good and this can be seen in her daughter''s character who liked behaving like a white lotus. Her mother''s voice suddenly drifted into her ears. " I am a bad mother. I couldn''t even be there for you, when you needed me." She said with a sob. "The doctor said I can''t cry, but I promise you. I would no longer chase after your father and will take care of you. I promise to no longer be strict or neglect you. Please.... Don''t leave me. I can''t loose another one." She continued sobbing despite trying hard to stop the unending flow of tears from her eyes. "Please be alive for mummy. Even if not for me, for all we had shared so far." Holding her daughter''s hand which had no infusion needle, she massaged it and continued. "Who am I kidding? .... Did we even have any memorable memories together." She laughed with mockery in her tone. Her eyes reflecting the irony of the situation. "Neither of your siblings came to see you. They still believe I killed their mother, and still hate us." She paused and continued, "But what about me? I never hated them and even tried to treat them as my own despite their mother killing two of my babies..... Two of them.... Yet...." The hand holding Zosia''s clenched revealing her hatred and anger. Zosia didn''t mind and allowed her to continue talking. She would be able to get clues for her tasks. "This isn''t something I should be saying. I just..... Hate myself. If I had stood my ground, then none of this would have happened." She sighed. Composing herself back she stood up. "First let''s get your room upgraded." Hearing the click clack of her heels, as the sound went further away, Zosia guessed that she must have just come back from the trip she went to. Opening her eyes, she gazed in the direction her mother had left for a while. She opened the task panel to what she had to do. ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T???????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡ºT????????????¡» ? ???????????????? ????????????????: ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: 1 ????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? (1): ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? (????????????????????????????????) ???????????????? ????????????????????: 1 ????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? (2): ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????''???? ????????????????????r (????????????????????????????????) ???????????????? ????????????????????: 14 ???????????????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T???????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T "As always, the side task comes first." She muttered under her breath. Even though she was feeling rejuvenated, mentally she wasn''t. While fighting with the will of the body she had to relieve the memories she wished not to even remember. Memories that she had buried in the recess of her mind. During that period, she even saw some memories she wasn''t aware of. She wondered if that was her past life. Her eyes flashed at the thought, but she quickly suppressed it. Unwilling to dwell in it further, she closed her eyes and drifted into slumber. She would think about where to start from tomorrow. Drifting into deep sleep, she was unaware of when she was being moved into the VIP room her mother had booked. ========== In the Quinn''s Villa..... "What was even wrong with that woman, why would she expect us to go see her daughter?" Crystal''s voice laced with mockery and disgust was heard making the older boy who sat at the other side of the dining table frown. "Tsk.... What does she take us for? Did she forget she is a mistress and will always be one." She remarked losing appetite for the food that lay before her despite it being her favorite food. "It''s okay. At least neither her nor her annoying daughter are around. For once we can eat in peace without having to see their disgusting faces and forced smiles." His icy voice echoed in the room, making the servants who stood by the side lower their head more, unwilling to be the drum that would be vented upon. "I pray they stay there forever." Crystal''s voice held hatred. As for why she hates them so much, only the siblings could tell. Suddenly Crystal had a terrible idea which would not only help send the vixen away but would also make their father give them more attention. "Hey... How about we do this?" She said, turning to her older brother. "What?" Mark looked at the cunning glint in his sister''s eyes and wondered what she was planning again. She stood up from her chair, pushing it back in an unladylike manner. Walking up to her brother, she whispered in his ear, ignoring the servants who stood by the side. Mark listened intently to Crystal as she whispered her plan, his expression shifting from mild interest to a smirk of approval. He nodded slowly, a sense of mischief dancing in his eyes as he considered the implications of her suggestion. "That''s diabolical, Crystal," he murmured, a hint of admiration in his voice. "But it just might work. I never knew you were quite smart." "Of course I am." She replied with a proud expression. "I would handle the evidence etc. You just need to whine to dad." He added. "Okay. That''s good." As for what the plan was, that was only between the two of them, with the servants as witnesses. Chapter 39 - 37- Arc 2 As Zosia''s eyelids fluttered open, she found herself bathed in the dim glow of the sunlight that filtered into the hospital room. The sterile scent of disinfectant, which was as annoying as always, lingered in the air as she struggled to orient herself. Gradually, the outlines of looming figures began to materialize in the shadows cast by the sunlight that filtered into the room. Realizing that the figures were doctors, she closed her eyes back with a wry smile on her face. Just from their whispers, she could tell what they were talking about about. Their faces were obscured by the harsh glare of the sunlight, Making their features hazy that she couldn''t see them. "I can''t believe she survived." A jovial voice sounded. "Yeah, this is another miracle." The doctor close to the head of the hospital bed echoed. "You are lucky man!, with this alone, I am sure your promotion is assured." Another doctor said. "Did that poison actually ravage her insides beyond saving. The test result shows that she is normal. More healthier than ever.". "That is the problem. It''s so strange. A very strange miracle indeed." Another doctor echoed. Through their voices she could tell there were about four of them, plus her mother who was beside her, crying tears of joy. Zosia did not like the atmosphere and since her time was already ticking, she needed to get started. She tried sitting up, which startled the doctors. They quickly helped her to sit up and since she was no longer attached to different wires, she was able to move her body freely. "You are awake." The doctor that had handled her case, said gently. "Mhmm" "We would still need to do some other tests, before you can be dismissed. It''s good to have you back in the land of the living." The doctor said with a smile. "I would leave you with your mom, she has been here since midnight. Enjoy your day ma''am." He said with a nod of his head before leading his fellow doctors out of the ward. "Child you have suffered." Ariana- Her mother said with a voice full of heart ache. "Thank God you are awake. I really wouldn''t know what to do if you left me." She sniffed. Ariana blinked her eyes, unwilling to let the tears fall. Zosia stared at the scene. She didn''t know what to do and she had never actually experienced such a situation before where she was in the recieving end. She remembered when Ken fell sick, how anxious she was. She even shouted at the doctor. Recalling this memories, she leaned forward to hug her mother, well Mirabel''s mother. It didn''t matter since she was now occupying the body. Even though she had only been a mother for a short period of time, she felt she could sympathize with the situation. Ariana''s body went stiff when she felt her daughter hug her. She felt like she was dreaming. ''Am I dreaming?'' she asked herself inwardly. Carefully placing her own hands on her daughter''s body, she wept. Her wish had been fulfilled. She tightened her hug on her daughter feeling that her daughter would disappear. "I am sorry." She said in a sobbing tone. "Is alright ma." She said as she gently patted Ariana on her back while she cried. After a while, Ariana gently pushed her daughter away. She felt very embarrassed that she had cried in front of her daughter, even to the extent of being patted. Looking at her daughter, she wished that this moment could last forever but she knew that was just her illusion. She still had a lot of things to settle, if she wants she and her daughter to have such peaceful times. She suddenly recalled what the old woman she had met said. "Bad times don''t last long." Taking a deep breath, she said. Her voice cool and calm passed into Zosia''s ear, though she could still hear the sniffling. "I know you are curious about how I and ur dad and the stuff about how I killed their mum." Reaching the ending she rolled her eyes. "I would tell you all of that, and you have reached the right age to know¡ª" she was interrupted by the rumbling of her daughter''s stomach. "Aiya.... I forgot about your meal. I would go get it." Ariana said with a smile and immediately stood up. When she opened the door, she was met with different pairs of eyes and some of them were those of children on school uniform. "Good day... How may I help you all?" Her gaze directed at Evelyn who was the eldest and seemed like..... Hmm... A teacher. It suddenly occurred to her that the school uniform they were wearing looked like the one her daughter wears. "Are you all here to see Mirabel?" She asked with a smile. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes ma''am. Is she okay?" Evelyn asked in a tentative tone. She feared for the worse. "She is more than better. Thanks for caring and worrying about my daughter." Ariana clasped her hand together before taking a deep breath. Evelyn breathe a sigh of relief. "At least she is no longer in danger." She muttered. "You can go and see her. I am sure she would be happy to see you all. I need to go get her meal." Evelyn nodded her head in response. The children who were already worried and antsy, immediately entered the ward upon given the chance. They surrounded Mirabel in a blink of an eye. Zosia stared at their curious eyes which held relief and happiness and smiled. ''Such care. Were they the Original Owner''s friends?'' she thought Inwardly. Scouring her memories, she only saw a few familiar faces, the rest were practically unknown. "Thank you all for coming to see me. I appreciate your condolences." "Yeah, it''s great you are alive." The blonde haired girl punched her shoulders playfully with a giggle. Zosia looked at her and realized she was their Class monitor. "Yeah... Do you think you will be able to start school soon?" The only boy present asked. There were four people who had come to see her, which were three students, being a boy and two girls and then the teacher. Their Maths teacher¡ª Miss Evelyn. She was the one who had told her to stand up and then the series of events occured. " I will. But what about you guys, why aren''t you guys learning?" "Miss Evelyn allowed us to come since what we have this morning is her class." They kept discussing about trivial things, till when it was time to leave. Seeing them with their phones reminded her of hers. ''If i touch their phones and activate InfoLink, I wonder if it would work.'' Her gaze flickered, she considered if she should find a way to get her hands on it. To her, everyone is a suspect. Even the smiles they put on might be a facade. "WTF!!!!" The black haired boy who she figured was Ashton, cursed. "What happened?!" The ladies asked in unison. As for the blonde haired girl, her name is Celine and as for the brown haired, she is Elise and her seatmate. "Stop Cursing!" Evelyn reprimanded with a frown. As for Zosia, she just watched the scene with a confused and curious look on her face. "You need to see this!!" But that look disappeared, as she gazed at something that almost made her laugh in disbelief and incredulity. Chapter 40 - 38- Arc 2 Ariana stepped out of the hospital. She had called for the driver to come give her the food made by the chef. Her plan was to get the chef at home to make food and send it through the driver, but where the hell was the so called driver. Her feet made rhythmic taps against the floor as she stared anxiously for the driver. She finally saw their family car but the person that came out, wasn''t the person she was expecting. "Kael!?" Her voice came out in a subdued whisper. Kael was supposed to be in Country S with Philip - their butler. So why was he here and at the hospital. When did he even come back? S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately or unfortunately for her, another person was blocking her view, which happened to be the driver she was waiting for. Taking the food from him with a smile, she wondered if Kael came to see their daughter - Mirabel. "But I didn''t tell him anything about Mirabel being hospitalized." She muttered under her breath. Ariana felt a sense of unease and she just couldn''t grasp what it is. Her eyes flashed as she thought of something. "Did those dare devil children whisper something else to his ears... I better make sure Mirabel is okay." She immediately ran after Kael in order to catch up to him but saw something else. She saw him meet up with her sister and a strange lady. Ariana blinked her eyes in confusion and halted in her steps, unsure if to keep following him. Her curiosity was already at all time high, so she had to find out what it is regardless of what may be the consequences. She quickly increased her steps when she saw them getting farther away from her. She watched as they walked into another ward. Arriving at the said ward, she just stood rooted on the ground as she stared at the ward number. The ward number wasn''t that of her daughter''s. ''What exactly is going on?'' she thought. The door slowly opened revealing the strange lady who was with them, as she stepped out of the ward, closing the door behind her. Ariana couldn''t even peep in. "You are? Who are you looking for?" Ariana stared at the closed door, ignoring the lady''s question, but seeing she couldn''t get much, she turned to face the strange lady. She noticed the small glass window on the door that gave her some access to see the room. Ignoring the lady''s question as her mind was already in disarray, she looked back into the ward through the small glass window on the door. She didn''t know if to laugh, scoff or cry as she watched her sister flirt with her husband. She couldn''t see who the person in the ward was and wasn''t planning on guessing either. In her family, there are three sisters and are triplets. She was the one with the most Emotional Quotient (EQ) as she believed. Her other sister whom she hadn''t seen in years after a fall out with the family, had the highest IQ. As for the sister inside there, she was only good at tricks. When they were still small, they were known as the TRIPLE DARE DEVILS. But now, they couldn''t even be called triplets anymore. "Are you hearing me? I''m asking you?" The lady who was already irritated from being ignored, touched Ariana. It may seem like a touch but it was smore of a light push, making Ariana stagger. "What is going on outside?" Kael''s cold voice was transmitted from the closed door, followed by the opening of the door. The air seemed to still for a moment as they gazed at each other. The silence lasted for a while making the atmosphere tense. "Cough!" Kael cleared his throat as he tried to clear the tension in the air. Giving him her most professional smile despite the sinking feeling she had, she spoke: "Why are you here Kael? And with my sister no less." Kael''s gaze flickered as he stared at his wife. Staring at the face that made him marry her, he pursed his lips unwilling to answer. He had no reason being here and really couldn''t find anything to say or spin any lie that matched the scene to tell her. "Oh! Sister. My daughter Lucy was hospitalized. He just dropped by to see her." Her sister said, her tone a little too cheerful to Ariana''s liking. Frowning she turned to stare at Kael. "Is that true?" "Yes." He said with a voice devoid of any emotion. "Then you wouldn''t mind if I go in to see my niece then. After all she was also hospitalized." "No" Kael immediately cut her off. He didn''t even give her the chance to say anything, ignoring her, he called someone to have them upgrade the room of the person inside. Ariana felt sick in her stomach. Blinking her eyes to withhold her tears, she turned to stare at her sister. Staring at her sister reminded her of her own daughter who only had her and was alone in the ward. As for Kael, she couldn''t even describe her emotions. Maybe it was because her heart was already hurt or because somewhere in her mind already , she felt that the situation was not impossible. Even making a scene was not possible, all that was in her mind was her child. For her sister, despite knowing how cunning and slippery her sister could be, she still accepted her back, believing that she must have mellowed out especially now that she has a child. But hell no, she became trickier and more scheming. Thinking up to this point, her lips upturned into a derisive smirk. What did she expect from someone like him. Right now, she just wanted some time alone to think about her life decisions. "Who is she?" Ariana asked, her eyes trailing the strange lady. Kael who was already feeling guilty and unwilling to face being questioned, answered harshly. "It''s none of your business and meet me at home." His eyes flashed with a cold glint when he thought about the news sent to him by Mark. As Ariana watched Kael''s retreating figure along with the strange lady, her mind churned with a mixture of confusion, anger, and hurt. Her emotions were brought to check by her sister''s giggle. "Oh sis! You don''t need to worry much. You should just meet him at home instead of having your thoughts written over your face." Hearing her words, Ariana turned to stare at her sister. ''Since when has their sister-sibling relationship become like this.'' she thought. She just couldn''t fanthom why and how they had reached this point. "Oh right? You should worry about your daughter first instead of chasing a man that wasn''t yours in the first place." Her sister words pierced her heart. She just couldn''t understand. Indeed she never knew Kael was engaged already, it wasn''t her fault that she wasn''t aware that he was engaged and got pregnant for him. The calm facade she had put on cracked, like shattering glass, the sound echoed in her ears. With a heavy heart, she watched as her sister also left to follow after Kael. Suddenly remembering the old woman words about bad times not lasting long, she couldn''t help but mutter out loud in frustration : "So does Good times." She also turned to leave for Mirabel''s ward, the weight of the unresolved doubt and fear wrapped around her neck like a cord, intending to choke air out of her. She didn''t know how she arrived back at Mirabel''s ward. Placing the food on the wardrobe beside the bed, she turned to stare at her daughter who was looking at her with worry filled eyes. "Mom?" "Are you okay, Mom? You seem...distressed. I have been calling you but you did not answer " Mirabel said, her voice laced with worry. For a moment, Ariana considered brushing off her daughter''s concern, plastering on a smile and pretending that everything was fine. But as she looked into Mirabel''s eyes, she saw a reflection of her own turmoil staring back at her, and she knew she couldn''t keep up the facade any longer, besides now, she only had her daughter left. As for Kael, she could no longer put up with him. Taking a deep breath, Ariana reached out to her daughter, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "I''m okay, sweetheart," Ariana said, her voice soft with emotion. "Just...a little overwhelmed, that''s all." "Mom! I thought we just made up, why do you still keep brushing me off. As your daughter, I am meant to be your paddy jacket and help you with your worries. I understand, you may be thinking of my age, but you should also understand that I am growing. I can learn from your life lessons and problems to avoid that same pit in the future..." Zosia wanted to convince her, cos she was the closest person who could help her in accomplish her tasks. It would be more easier if they were close. Maybe she could even solve a hidden task and get more reward. According to Xen.... Usually hidden task don''t matter but they give higher ratings which gives more rewards. Why she always got higher ratings was because her actions pleased the hosts and did more than their expectations. Ariana gazed lovingly at her daughter. Hearing her daughter''s words brought tears to her eyes. If she and her parents had this kind of relationship, maybe she wouldn''t be lost and would know how to navigate the situation better. Maybe things wouldn''t have come to this. The tears she had been holding came pouring along with her suppressed emotions. She started bawling followed by a sob then sniffles. "Mommy is sorry for crying." "Mom, what do you mean? You are my mother and you are also a human being. If you are still not satisfied, you can keep on crying. Who dares to say otherwise!" Ariana laughed, her eyes forming a crescent as she gazed lovingly at her daughter. To her, her daughter words were like soothing balm to her heart, soul and mind. "Alright. Since you asked, I would tell you." ============= {Author: Wanted to keep the suspense going further but don''t want to keep extending the chapters and making everything slow paced. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please vote for me using power stones or golden tickets, share the novel, Add it to your Library etc.} Chapter 41 - 39- Arc 2 Ariana laughed, her eyes forming a crescent as she gazed lovingly at her daughter. To her, her daughter words were like soothing balm to her heart, soul and mind. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright. Since you asked, I would tell you." She was willing to tell her daughter everything. Maybe if she died unknowingly, her daughter could tell what went wrong, besides she had been longing to open her heart to someone. "So this is how it happened...." Ariana started talking, her eyes shone with bright light as she reminisced about her past. She started talking about how she met Kael. "You know.... Your father was such a handsome and charismatic man when he was young. Everything he did made it seem like i had butterflies in my stomach.... His looks took my breath away¡ª" "Mom, pause. Taking your breath away, means you have asthma and as for butterflies in your stomach, that''s your illusion. It might even be tape worms¡ª" "Aiya.... What do you know? With this your thinking, how would you even fall in love. Yish, just let me tell the story." She said with a smile on her face as she pinched her daughter''s cheek. Looking at her daughter''s disgruntled face made her smile. "So, I met him when I had just graduated from College. I was so unwilling to work at my parents company and since they wouldn''t agree to either of my hobbies, so..... when things weren''t going well for me when I was looking for a job, I encountered your father." "He was so handsome, that many people on the street stopped to stare at him. He had this aura that made you not want to look away. I fell in love with him at first sight.... But, he didn''t even know who I was." "The next day, I was called in for a job interview but the position I had applied for has been taken, so they asked me to join the fashion design department since I had something like that on my resume." "During the end of the year celebrating, I won one of the awards given by the company and they promised to sponsor my schooling in fashion design. I had studied finance management and since I needed the diploma as it would be useful in the long run, I accepted. I was so happy and I really wanted to get formal knowledge, so it would be easier when climbing up the ranks. To me, it was a dream come true, but it was also the beginning of.... My... Nightmare." Her tone becoming sullen at the end. "I was told to go thank the president, so I tried to meet him before he leaves. When I finally met the president, he was leaving with an entourage of people and your dad was among them. I was surprised when I found out that the same guy that made people stop and stare, was among the upper executives of where I work. When I met him, I was stunned, that I could only stare at him. Then the secretary coughed bringing me back. I blushed furiously and was so embarrassed. I wished the ground had opened up to swallow me. Even the thanks I wanted to give escaped my mind." Zosia stared at her mom whose face was filled with embarrassment and how the top of her ears were red.... Really red. She suddenly chuckled. Her chuckles caused Ariana who was gesticulating in the air to stop and turn to her daughter. "Aish.... Are you laughing at Mom too. I was so embarrassed. I didn''t even thank the President again till the next time I saw him.". "Then, your dad was just the Director of the fashion design department. Later I rose up the ranks and even graduated early due to my talent." She said with a proud look on her face. "But, then I was being bullied. It was nothing anyway ¡ª" Ariana planned to just brush it off and continue with her story. "Mom, just tell me. Alright." "Owkay.... So... Well. Since I am good looking and beautiful..... I always like doing things the moment It has been given to me. Except, if I am so busy. I prefer doing it than postponing it. So due to how early I turned in my drafts, pieces etc, they took advantage of the fact that I was their junior and gave me their own tasks to fulfill. Your Dad~ the Director got wind of it and this caused mass relief, by relief I mean being sacked. Guess what he said when he did that?" Zosia looked at her mom who had a wide and genuine smile on her face as she asked her the question. "How can I guess.... I don''t even know Dad well." "That''s true." Ariana became sullen at the thought of that. Zosia didn''t mean to dampen her spirits, but she wasn''t wrong. Since, Ariana had given birth to Mirabel, Kael didn''t look at her. Whenever he gazed at her, his eyes were always emotionless with no hint of warmth. Apart from when he gazed at Ariana and his children from another mother, who were her step- siblings, she hadn''t ever seen her father gaze at her with a little bit of warmth in his eyes. Even her last name was her mom''s. "Mom, don''t worry about me, I want to know more about dad, so continue. I would be sad if you stopped now." She said coyly. "Alright" Ariana said and continued with her story. "He said that, he didn''t want talentless and lazy people filling up the slots that could be taken up by others. He wasn''t wrong though but it earned some people''s ire. What he did made us become a small team but despite being small we were strong and united. We went for different fashion shows, and even won some awards. Your Dad was also having promotions and got more busy but we still stood and became his personal team. He opened a studio for us and the studio has grown to what it is today. One night, when we went for A S A show, he got drunk and I had to send him to the hotel room, since others were either planning to enjoy themselves more. That was when it happened. " "What happened?" Zosia asked curiosily. She knew that she could get some clues through this story. "Our small little team knew I had a thing for him, so I was happy when they left us alone." "I took him to his hotel room and made sure he lay on the bed. After.. looking at him, I planned to leave but he opened his eyes at that embarrassing moment and I flinched. I almost fell but he caught me. He then asked me, why don''t I look more, or was he not handsome. In my mind, I was like, how could he say that. Someone who made heads turn just to gaze at his beauty. I was stunned and speechless and my mouth was a little open." "So... Well, you..... Aish, how do I say this now." Ariana said with embarrassment on her face. "So he kissed me and from there , you know...." Ariana stammered. Looking at her daughter who stared at her with a hint of schadenfreude, she blushed. "Ooh.. my he took you took you flying right?" She winked. Ariana blushed in embarrassment and could not help hitting her daughter, though lightly. "Didn''t think you would know such things. You look so innocent. Aiya, my daughter has deceived me." "Well, here comes the worst part. Your dad was already the vice president and I didn''t know he had a fiancee, by then I was already pregnant. She came looking for me and caught me retching. I couldn''t even say a word as I was still stunned and she pushed me down the stairs." "How did you let her in? How did it happen." "I told your dad, I was pregnant and he was happy to hear it. I asked him when he would marry me, but he said after I had given birth to which I believed. I had never been in love before and he was my first. My first everything." "As for Krisha, she had gotten someone to forge my house key and had come to plant cameras then she saw me retching in the sink at the parlor. I didn''t understand why she had entered my house or what I had done to her. She just dragged me, I couldn''t even do anything as her body guards were with her. They were the ones according to her order who pushed me down." Zosia could hear her sniffles and closed her eyes. Ariana may not have been detailed but she could imagine how it had been. "I not only lost the children but I also had a concussion and some broken bones." "Children?!" Zosia said in surprise. Even though she had heard something like that from Ariana, when she was crying at her bedside early this morning. "Yup. I was carrying twins but they died..... They were killed by her." Zosia could hear the frustration, anger and hate in her tone. "Kael dumped me in the hospital, I was angry and hated him. I was only 23 years old and yet I lost two children. If he had told me, he had a fiancee, I would never have thought about dating him. I wouldn''t even dare tell him I loved him." "Anytime he comes to the hospital, he would always have this cold face on. He said he was dealing with his family and that things would be alright." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I didn''t believe him and left for abroad. I also made sure to resign and everything was done in order. I don''t know what he was thinking but he was the one that approved of my resignation. It didn''t matter to me anymore. I was consumed by anger, hurt and betrayal, as well as guilt, guilt for being gullible and losing my children." "I promised myself not to come back to the country, I also told my parents the same thing and they agreed. I left the country and stayed away for about five years or more. I Have forgotten... But, I met Kael again. He kept pestering me and I just didn''t want to have anything to do with him. But, I finally gave in. I wanted to have a reason to completely hate him." "We decided to book a private room in a restaurant. He told me that he and Keisha had long since broken up. I was stunned and decided to carry out my own investigation, because I could no longer trust him. Everything from the investigation to the results were manipulated by him, I did not even know. He became so relentless in pursuing me. I forgave him, I was so stupid.....and we got married abroad. We were.... I mean I was happy. Everything was peaceful, but that peace was just an illusion. One day, I was getting ready to go to the hospital , when Krisha came knocking on my door with Mark and Crystal. I was shocked. They each had some resemblance with Kael. I was shocked, speechless, name it." "As usual, Krisha wasn''t nice with her words and what she said made me more baffled. Funny thing is, Kael had gone back to the country on a business trip as he told me and I was left to deal with her onslaught of hatred, which I understood at some point but stopped trying to understand. I also hated her for killing my own children, but never had anything bad in mind. I decided to go back to the same country I said I won''t come back to for my mother, your grandmother funeral." She paused and drank some water to moist her throat. "She wasn''t planning on letting me go, I could tell but I didn''t want to get entangled with her madness, especially after she had been diagnosed of having mental issues. The night of my mother''s funeral, I had rode alone on my motorbike. I wanted to release my pent up emotions to the wind, so I rode to a place of higher altitude. While on the road, a car suddenly appeared in my front, I was stunned but witty enough to drive away, the road was big for both my bike and the car, and since I was on a bike, it was easier for me to doge. The person didn''t seem satisfied and kept pursuing me, I didn''t understand the person''s reason until I saw her face and heard her curse at me. Due to her blind rage and anger, she did not see the incoming truck and slammed her car into it, while me, I had dodged by jumping off the bike and rolling to the side of the road. I called the ambulance, Kael, anybody I could reach. But guess how Kael looked at me?" She asked with a mocking smile on her face. "He had hate and anger in his eyes. I had never seen him look at me with such eyes. I just didn''t understand what his aim was. Did he love me or her? If he did not, why pursue me? If he did, why have a child with Krisha and why hate me for her death that she caused herself. After all, she was the one who killed herself not me." "His family decided to bury the matter under the mat but his mother hates me and still does. Up till today, I still don''t understand. Luckily, even though I was carrying you in my stomach, you were so strong. I didn''t have a miscarriage or anything." Zosia did not say anything but in her mind, she had classified her father as a scum bag. She also felt her father might have a split personality, but that was for later to be verified. "His family found out that I was pregnant and since we were already married, so we should be living together and I should take care of Krisha''s Children. Even though I was against, I still tried. The first day I met them, Mark looked at me with hatred and said, I Killed his mother and he will kill me too. I tried to explain to the young boy that his mother was planning to kill me and if not for the truck, she really would have killed me. Guess what he said?" She wiped the tears on her face and turned to her daughter who was listening intently. "He said, then why didn''t I allow her to kill me. Why did I have to run, that if his mother had killed me, then she wouldn''t die and she would still be with them. The servants were also against me. I felt like the world was against me, but I stood my ground and fought, now the only people who hate me or remember the past are Kael, Crystal, Mark and Philip. As for his parents, they had died in an airplane crash which was strange. Even his elder brother died at the hands of drug dealers in country M. While I was coming to give you food, I saw him with my sister Trisha, your aunt. I saw her with Kael alongside another strange lady in a ward. It wasn''t yours and I can''t tell who it was that made Kael rush back from his trip. I know my sister loves Kael but I didn''t know she didn''t even consider my feelings, but it''s okay. Right now....." She paused and turned to stare at her daughter while reaching out to hold her hands. "Mummy is considered divorce. I am tired. I¡ª" "It''s okay mom. I support you regardless and I am willing to follow you, is just, would he agree?" "He would have to. Mummy is grateful." Ariana gave a wide smile and started crying, her sob louder than before. She pulled Zosia into a hug and continued crying. Zosia patted her back at intervals, giving her the support she needs. When Ariana finally calmed down, she remembered her daughter had yet to eat. "Sorry, you were listening to me and haven''t even eaten." She opened the flask, pulled the table like stuff and placed the food in front of Zosia. "Thanks to you, I feel like a heavy weight has been removed from my shoulders." She said with a genuine smile on her face. Today had been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride for her but she was happy. Now, her daughter was close to her, she would be getting a divorce soon and lastly, her daughter wasn''t against it. ''Aish, I was worried for nothing.'' She thought. After eating, Ariana helped Zosia arrange the plates, then unwind the bed to allow her lie flat. "Mum, can I get your phone and mine. I don''t know where mine is and.... Others play games on their mothers phone. I haven''t tried it before ." She said with limpid eyes. Ariana felt her heart ache, she and Mirabel hadn''t done anything as mother and daughter. Since her daughter asked for her phone, she immediately pulled it out of her pocket and gave it to Zosia. "Use it and play any game you like. " Zosia accepted the phone happily and smiled. Ariana''s heart steeled with determination. She must create time for she and her daughter and the first step is to clear her schedule. "Mom, what is the ward number of the ward you mentioned?" Zosia asked. "Why do you ask?" "Just curious." "456." "Alright, mom your password." Ariana mentioned some string of numbers and Zosia unlocked it, which was not really necessary as InfoLink bypasses all virtual locks, though, it also depends on access. The moment Zosia received the phone, she immediately activated InfoLink. The progress bar was quite fast and within seconds, she had access to both the phone and all the information, both deleted and backed up ones. Ring! Ring!! Ring!!! Zosia looked at Ariana''s phone which was ringing and felt that the call came at the right time. Giving Ariana back the phone, she used InfoLink on her own phone. Ariana received the phone and picked up the call, since it was from her assistant. Zosia who has just finished with her own phone looked up to stare at Ariana who was still in call. Zosia looked at Ariana whose expression kept on changing. "I need to deal with something. Take care and mommy will be back in a jiffy." Ariana said immediately she cut her call. Ariana quickly picked up her bag and was about to leave. She paused when she held the handle of the door. "If I don''t come back on time..... Go back home . I will send a driver to pick you up ." She turned the handle and left. "At least take a shower before you go!" Zosia shouted towards the door but no response came . Sigh! She already knew why Ariana has left in such a hurry. Her assistant had told her the news circulating the Internet, as for who anonymously posted it and boosted it in the school website, she did not know, but it shouldn''t be hard to find right? Cracking her knuckles, she used her phone to try and hack it, but it was so slow and there was a higher possibility of being caught. She immediately dialed a number and allowed it ring. Her plan had just started. First find out who the murderer is. While she waits for the person she called, she decided to go through what she had gotten from her phone and Ariana''s phone. If Ariana doesn''t come back on time, she plans to visit the person in ward 456, just a friendly visit. Chapter 42 - 40- Arc 2 Zosia stared out of the window, it was already getting dark and Ariana was not yet back. Zosia looked at the time and muttered to herself, "Where is Ashton and the rest?" Since, the driver her mother called to pick her up would come later in the evening, she decided to check out the ward as well as get to know this body friends and see if she could get anything. Entering the bathroom by the side of the room, she washed her face. Gazing at the face looking back at her, she could not help but smile. "So beautiful. I guess I was poisoned, because of jealousy. Well, it''s so obvious isn''t it?" She spoke to herself with a smile. Splashing water on her face, she first had her bath, then brought out a modern day black sportswear she had bought in Diana''s world. Putting it on, she left the bathroom. After dressing up the bed and leaving a note saying she was going out with her friends, she left. The hospital had already discharged her but she was waiting for Ariana, who didn''t seem like she was coming back anytime soon. Creating an Alibi was a must, so she left the hospital but returned later. Since she had yet to start cultivating in this world, her body was empty and devoid of any world energy. She also wasn''t sure if this world used Chi, Mana, Qi etc. Well, that would be for later. Feeling disgruntled that she would have to use the invincibility talisman she had gotten from the level four shop, she gritted her teeth and still decided to use it. She entered the hospital and walked straight into the ward. "Huh?" The doctor looked at the door with confusion written on his face, why did the door open. Was anyone planning on coming inside. ''Is it the people who were meant to upgrade the patient''s ward?'' he thought. He waited calmly for them but it didn''t seem like they were the ones. Squinting his eyes, he hoped it wasn''t what he thought it was. He decided to continue with what he was doing and leave the place. Ghosts were a common place in the hospital and are mostly associated with the gynecology department. He hoped it wasn''t one. Well, that''s actually what he believes, but he hasn''t met a ghost before. Zosia watched as the doctor who was in the ward did not detect her despite being surprised that the door had been opened. Zosia looked at the doctor as he documented some data in the file he was holding. She tip-toed close to him. Bending down, she looked at the name written on the file. Her eyes widened in surprise at the name written on the front cover of the file. The name is Keira Quinn Hayes. Quinn is Ariana''s last name and also her last name while Hayes is Kael ¡ª her scumbag father''s last name. ''Who is she?'' she thought, her gaze traveling to the figure that lay on the bed. Her gaze returned back to the doctor. She blinked as she thought of how to get the file from the doctor, but first she had to take a picture of the lady. "Scan her." She said inwardly to her chip. Zosia wondered if she could send the picture of data gotten from the scan to her phone. Thinking about it, she decided to try it. But, before she does, she has to follow the doctor, she could come back later, but she definitely couldn''t miss the file. Her gaze flickered between the two and decided to follow the doctor. She followed him closely despite his long legs and how fast he moved. At some point , she got tired and wanted to rest. She wondered if the doctor wouldn''t be going back to his office. She had followed him and watched him enter from one ward to the other, inquiring about the patients and even having some chat with them. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Calming her breath, she continued following him. This time around he was going to his office. ''Finally.'' She made sure to follow behind him so he doesn''t end up locking her outside. Luckily, his colleague distracted him, allowing her to slip into his office. Zosia watched him remove his coat, then walk towards his desk. She followed behind him, her eyes mirroring his every move. The doctor who was unaware that a pair of eyes was watching his every move, opened the file he had been carrying. He first called the person he wanted to call. "Hey, the guardian of the patient in ward 456 is asking to move the patient to the VVIP ward. Has he made all the necessary payments?" He asked the person at the other end of the phone. "Yes, and we are already in front of the ward to move the patient." "What''s the new ward number?" "V5" "Ok..... Make sure to handle it well...." He started giving out various instructions. Zosia stood behind him and listened intently. She engraved the ward number into her mind. The doctor closed the file after writing down some things, which included the patient''s new ward and his current observation as well as the current prognosis etc. After he was done, he opened the last drawer which had some files, removing the files on the top layer revealed a safe. She watched as the doctor put in his pin, put Keira''s file then locked it before placing things back in order. Zosia made sure to take note of every detail including which file came before the other. After locking it, the doctor wore his suit and left the office. This time around, Zosia did not leave with him. She gazed at the clock on the wall and realized that it must be time to get off work. She couldn''t help but wonder if Ariana would also be coming back soon. Since she had some time, she decided to try if the things scanned by her chip using InfoLink could be sent to her phone. After some trial and error, she finally got the hang of it. It could be sent but she had to immediately designate where the file should be sent to and must have come in contact with the device before. She could even place a timer. ''Should I send it to Ariana like this?'' she thought inwardly, her gaze drifting to the window. Watching as people bustled about, she decided to show it to her personally, all she had to do was cook up a story and that was it. Zosia waited for some minutes, when she felt that the doctor wouldn''t be coming back anytime soon, she immediately got to work. Removing the files at the top delicately, she put in the pin for the safe, which opened with a click. Bringing out the patient''s file she was searching for, she asked her chip to scan the file contents, then immediately sent it to her phone to be sure. Looking at the details that came out, she smiled. Not only had her chip scanned the contents present in the file but it also scanned the paper type, make etc. The details were arranged as per how the one in the file looked like. She immediately placed everything back, making sure that nothing was out of place. Finally, it was time for her to leave, but how would she open the door and leave without arousing any suspicion. If it was when she had cultivated, she could easily scale through the wall. It was not only safer but she could return before anyone noticed her alibi. Thinking up to this point, she suddenly wished there was a way she could actually transfer her powers from one world to another. She suddenly thought about the restrictions that came with it and pushed the thought out of her mind. Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she opened the door a little and peeped. Seeing that there was no one who would notice it, she increased the gap within the door and the latch and immediately escaped. She did not forget to close the door behind her before she left. Returning back to the place she had put on the invincibility talisman, she saw the driver waiting for her not too far from where she stood. Removing the talisman, she calmly walked towards the vehicle, her eyes calm without any ripple. "I won''t be going back immediately, take me to First High school. I have to meet up with my friends." The driver only nodded his head before entering back into the driver''s seat. Entering the car, she sat at the back seat. Looking at the driver, it reminded her of the fact that she did not even have a personal driver dedicated towards her. She also did not think this person answered to Ariana. Pushing the thought about them aside, her thoughts went back to what Ashton had shown her. "Did you bring the laptop?" "Yes, it''s here." Zosia paused for a moment which was unnoticeable. She took the laptop from the driver and immediately booted it. She noticed that she wasn''t addressed with any honorifics, which was strange as she was from a noble family. Her eyes flickered with a hint of coldness as she began hacking into the school website, by the time she was done, she figured who had tried to ruin her reputation. "Mark and Crystal." She muttered to herself, her words frigid and cold. She decided to clear her reputation. But, doing it now may seem like she forged the hospital documents. She decided to use key figures account to clear her name. By the time she was done, they had already arrived at her school. Right now, they had just finished evening self study and the students were going back home. As for why she came here, she wanted to see if she could get any information on her main task. Who is Lysel? Chapter 43 - 41- Arc 2 Coming down from the car, she carried her laptop with her. "Thank you. I''ll call you once I am about to go home." She said. "Okay." Closing the door, the driver immediately left while she walked towards the school gate. She met her fellow students who stared at her in surprise, some in astonishment and some in disgust. Her arrival prompted her to be used as a common topic among the students. Some words even filtered into her ears. "Tsk.... Wasn''t she at the hospital." "Yeah.... I heard she was being treated for HIV." "Tsk... At such a young age. Maybe that''s why she is always being picked by a car. Must have traded her body for such luxuries." Zosia did not halt her steps, ignoring them, she entered into the school building and headed straight for her class. It seemed like her nonchalance angered them more, that the rumor became more strange. She even heard about someone saying they had seen her as a stripper in a KTV bar. Mirabel had never been to a KTV before due to how strict her mother had been. Even when her mother let loose on her training, due to how she had been raised, she hadn''t thought of stepping into one before. The only places she had gone with her friends were Arcades, Cinemas and the chicken and noodle shop owned by Terra''s family. Terra was the brown haired girl who had come to see her alongside Ashton and Celine. Looking at the lights still switched on in the classroom, she glanced at the time in her watch. Her classmates were yet to go cause of Celine. Celine was the type to abide by rules and being the class monitor, only until the time struck the exact time as stipulated, would she open the classroom door. So, right now, she could only stand outside and wait. Her action also brought more onlookers, which though was uncomfortable, she didn''t mind. Opening her phone, she glanced at how her mother had handled it, right now her name has been cleared but there would always be people who would want to believe what they want to believe. As for the key figures she had hacked, they were hackers and people with reputable name in graphic design and ability to identify photoshopped photos and the media. She helped the starlight media create a good headline and pushed them towards the top. Her lips curled up into a smile as she looked at the reactions towards the post. Mark and Crystal who were fanning the flames had unexpectedly propelled her to fame. Right now, people were already digging into her background and it wouldn''t be long before they find out. ''I wonder how Kael will react? When what he has been trying to hide, ends up being exposed by the children he loves so much.'' she thought. She could feel the change in atmosphere through the looks she was recieving. The judgemental looks were no longer there but filled with curiosity, doubt, self blame, envy. Zosia looked at her watch. Looking at the time, she knew her classmates would be coming out anytime soon, so she was about to shift away from the door and lean on the wall, when the class door flung open, followed by a flurry of students who were about to rush out but were halted in their tracks upon seeing her. They had the looks she had recieved from the students at the gate and those who had become onlookers that stared at her. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She raised her eyebrows as she stared at them. Unwilling to keep being the monkey in the zoo, she moved to enter into the class. The students who were still staring at her, subconsciously moved and made enough space for her to pass, their eyes following her as she moved. "Isn''t that?....." "Yup, she is the one. I thought she would still be at the hospital?" "Same here.... Do you think she came to give us her infection?!" The person''s words prompted them to shiver. Some were already having goosebumps. "The infection is not transmitted like that. You don''t have to worry, besides¡ª" another person who was speaking to diffuse the fear they felt was interrupted by his fellow classmate. "Oh my God!?!! Guys!!" "Hmmmm!!!" "What is it?" "Yeah, why such a reaction." "Guys quickly check the school forum and the school website." The fellow classmate continued. " What is there that could possibly make you react like that?" They muttered. They stood by the door which inadvertently blocked others from going out or coming in and with their loud voice, their discussion also spread to the students who were still arranging their books or ready to go. "So we were wrong?" "Yeah!" "Now I understand why mum says, some things should not be believed in." "F*ck who even thought of slandering her, did they not investigate her family background before cooking up this bullshit story." One of them cursed. "That explains why she is not only the youngest among us but her otherwordly beauty." "Tsk.... Looking at her now, I must say, the person who did that must have been jealous." "Yup.... It might have been those who asked her out but she refused..... Or even her fellow gender." "Possibly.... Do... You think, we should apologize to her?" "Huh?!" "After all, we are her classmates but never knew she was poisoned?" "Poisoned?!" One of them exclaimed. "Where did you see that?" "Did you not read the second article?" The person''s words prompted others to fish out their phone and search for it. By the time they got the full gist of the story, they had spent 30 minutes whispering. The number of gossips dwindled, leaving the initial 20+ students to 5 with the exception of Mirabel and her friends. Even the onlookers had dispersed. A pair of eyes at the back seat looked up from his phone, the phone screen revealed the article he was reading. His gaze traveling from his phone to Mirabel who sat with her friends as she replied to their occasional questions. He watched each expression on her face including when she blinks. Her fan shaped eyelashes fluttered, the breeze from the windows fluttered in, carrying with it her hair. Seemingly disturbed by it, she took a pink rubber band from Celine and tied her hair into a pony tail, revealing her fair neck which contrasted with the black sportswear she was wearing. His gaze shifted from her to her friends who chatted with her with smiles on their faces. He turned to look at the article on his phone. He had asked her out and instead of showing his support during the period she needed him the most, he ran away from her. Well, who said she was in need of his support. Feeling frustrated, guilty and annoyed, he slammed his book close. He wanted to get her attention, but all he got was a fleeting glance. His action even seemed to have irritated her more as she quickly urged her friends, so they could go. Zosia on the other hand, wasn''t even aware of who the boy was and what thoughts were going through their mind. She had gotten her hands on her friends phone and was able to use InfoLink on it. She didn''t have time to go through the information in detail, but she was surprised by one which she had seen. She could not believe that Mirabel had helped Celine before and had even forgotten about such good deed. Maybe, the good deed was the reason she inhabited the body instead of another. This thought also brought another thing to her notice. What was the relationship between the original owner and Lysel. She felt that each body she inhabits has a relationship with the main task, even if the relationship was so thin. So what was this body relationship with Lysel and who was Lysel. "Hey guys, how about eating in Terra''s family shop before we go home?" Zosia suggested. "Alright, we still need to discuss who the culprit behind the rumour is." Ashton said. "Mhmm.... Terra what do you think?" "Sure, but..." "Don''t worry, we will settle our bills, we weren''t planning to eat for free. I just came out of the hospital, so I will be treating." "Okay.... Let''s go." Terra said, leading the way with her school bag slung over her shoulders. They had just stepped out of the classroom, when they were stopped by someone. "Hey guys..... Mirabel.... How are you doing?" She said the ending in a sing-song tone. Zosia glanced at how familiar she acted with them , but she felt this rising disgust within her and the urge to walk out. Suppressing that feeling, she decided to follow through the second door, "leave her, let''s go through the second door." They had just turned around to follow the suggestion when they were met with another person who stood behind them. ''It was the guy from earlier who had slammed his book.'' she thought, her gaze shifting from him to the other lady that stood at their front. "Sheila, what do you want?" Celine asked. Her tone unwelcoming as she gazed at the girl with concealed disgust. "Heard you guys were going to Terra place for dinner. If you don''t mind, can I join you guys?" She asked with a smile, her small dimples appearing. The smile would have made those unaware of her character acquiesce but definitely not them. "Sounds like you are looking for more juicy story. See Sheila , we are just going to eat, so please can you excuse us, we don''t have time to entertain your whims." Celine said, her voice revealing her annoyance. "Alright, let''s go... If you do anything out of the line, you are out and your are paying your own meals." Zosia said as she walked out. Sheila made way, unwilling to be bumped into. Zosia saw her attitude and sneered inwardly. They arrived at the school gate and realized that someone else was follow them. "What''s with you?" Zosia asked, a frown appearing on her face. "Since Sheila can come, can''t I come?" He said, sounding defiant. "No!!!" The four of them said in unision, giving him no room to debate. Right now, Zosia wasn''t even in the mood for the dinner anymore. She brought out her phone that was buzzing in her pocket. It was a message from Ariana. It says: "Will pick you up after I am done." Zosia glanced at the words for a while, before swiping her phone lock and tucking it back into her pocket. While she was lost in thought the five of them were already arguing. "Suit yourself." Her words silenced the sound of arguments, making them turn towards her. "Is it because he once asked you out that you easily agreed for him to join us?" Sheila said, her face revealing how unfair she felt the situation was. Zosia eyed the young man as she muttered with unconcealed frown. "He asked me out?!" Everyone turned to look at her in astonishment. "You forgot?" "Did the poison mess with your brain?" Terra asked, her eyes flashing with an unreadable glint. "You¡ª" the boy stuttered, unable to mutter any words apart from you. "Seems like my memory is scattered, pardon me." Zosia apologized with her usual professional smile. It was as if it was engrained in her soul that regardless of whose body she used, she was always able to execute it. "Fine... Let''s go." Ashton broke the silence as he lead the way alongside Terra. "Let''s use the Alley, since it''s a short cut to our destination." The guy suggested. "Alright, it''s already late anyway." "Yeah, my mom is already messaging me." Terra said. "That means we would be passing Second High school on our way." Celine added. "Mmm" They kept on walking, after a few minutes, they arrived at second high school. They could hear sounds of someone being beaten. "It seems to be coming from the rooftop?" "Yeah.... Let''s go to the other side of the road, we wouldn''t want to be caught up in their cross fire." They had just crossed the road and could finally make out the silhouettes of some figures. "Who are they?" Zosia asked curiosily. She was curious since her main task involved someone who was always being bullied. "Must be those bullies again." Ashton said, his eyes holding disgust as he gazed at the figures. "Mmm, I pity for that Ly- ly....I don''t even know his name." "Lysel." Sheila and the other guy said at the same time. "Yeah, Lysel." Celine nodded, taking their corrections on the boy''s name. "Hey what are you doing?" Chapter 44 - 42- Arc 2 "Hey what are you doing?" They asked in unison as they watched Zosia bring out a sling shot from her pocket. The only thought they had in their head was: "What exactly was she doing with a slingshot? Shooting at birds?" It didn''t seem plausible, as the night sky was currently devoid of them. Their thought sequence quickly changed followed by, "What the fuck?" Not only had she used the sling shot to take down the bullies but her accuracy was also astonishing. "Wow, I don''t think I will ever forget that scene!" Sheila said in amazement. "Yeah me too." Celine echoed along. Terra''s eyes flickered as she stared at the scene, her eyes hiding fear and guilt. "You¡ª" Ashton could only mutter with his mouth open and wide enough to fit an egg. He wanted to go close to the scene, but was dragged back by the guy whose presence irked him the most. "Kent, why did you stop me?" His tone holding annoyance as he questioned the young man who had forcefully tagged along with them despite abandoning his crush the time she needed him the most. If Zosia heard his last thought, she would question him, on when she looked like she needed him. Kent ignored Ashton, his gaze flickered as he analyzed the scene, his gaze becoming deeper. He knew that such accuracy couldn''t be called luck, it has to be trained or the person should be a veteran. He decided to go with the latter two, his eyelashes fell down, casting a shadow on his face that hid his innermost thoughts. "I am talking to you?!"Ashton shouted. "Sorry, I was thinking about something, I¡ª" "Let''s go." Zosia interrupted them as she took the lead. Others who were still dwardling immediately followed leaving Ashton and Kent behind. They both glared at each other for a while before Ashton relented, immediately following the group with a huff, but not before throwing out the usual clich¨¦ lines. "Just youuu wait." "I sure will." Kent replied, a chuckle escaping his lips. His gaze moved from Ashton to Zosia who was taking the lead and then to to Lysel who was staring at them from the rooftop. He couldn''t discern Lysel''s emotion from where he was, but he knew he had found his mission target. He immediately quickened his steps to meet up with them. They hadn''t been gone for long when a car drove up to them. The window was lowered, revealing the figure inside. Zosia stared at the man whose face was as dark as a charcoal pot. It was this body dumb father¡ª Kael. "How may I help you, Mr?" Zosia asked with a professional smile. "Get inside." His authoritative voice was heard leaving no room for refute. "I''m sorry sir, but no can''t do." "Don''t make me repeat myself Mirabel." "I don''t dare make such a noble sir repeat himself." "You¡ª" he was really angry. "Good, just good." His face revealed his displeasure and anger. He was about to tell the driver to go when another black sleek car, came to a halt not too far from their position. The door opened to reveal a pair of flawless legs in a black heel, followed by her wavy, smooth and silky hair that danced in the gentle breeze. Her small eyes had purity that seemed detached from the filthy world. Her beauty revealed a huge resemblance to Mirabel. Ashton couldn''t stop himself from whistling, causing Kael who was already in a bad mood to become worse. "Just imagine the kind of friends you keep." He said gloomily, his facial expression alone was more than enough to talk about his emotions. Zosia glanced at Ashton with a raised eyebrow, silently chastising him for his behavior. She knew his tendency to flirt or make inappropriate comments, but this was neither the time nor the place. As for her friends who had wanted to whisper some questions to her, they had to stop and suppress their curiousity due to his words. "She is my mum." Zosia said, introducing Ariana who was approaching them. Turning to Kael, she pointed at him and said with a scoff, "You can address him as Mr. Hayes, Mr. Kael, anyone of your choice." "I thought your surname was Weston?" Sheila who couldn''t keep her curiosity suppressed asked. The atmosphere turned tense and awkward. "You can already guess, so no need to ask." Zosia said, titlting her head with a smile that was not so much of a smile. By now, Ariana had already approached them. The woman approached them with an air of confidence, her gaze shifting from one person to another before finally settling on Zosia. "Mira, are they your friends?" She asked with a smile, her voice gentle and soothing. "Yes mum. Meet my mum, guys." She pointed at Ariana then turned to her friends to introduce them to her. "This is Ashton, Celine, Terra, Sheila and Kent." She said, pointing at each of them. "Then who is that?" Kent asked as he used his chin to gesture towards the direction of Kael. Though his gesture was subtle and despite the hints, which someone as smart as him should have gotten. ''It seems like I overestimated him.'' she thought. "That''s a stranger, no need to worry. Can''t you see why I didn''t want to enter a stranger''s car." Ariana did not refute Zosia''s statement prompting Kael''s expression to become gloomier. Kael felt that this mother - daughter pair were his day spoiler. When he finally got good news, it would be doused by one of them, like today. The organization has finally relented to cure Keira, but then he had to meet Ariana who liked making those wronged expressions of hers. "Nice to meet you guys, thanks for taking care of Mirabel for me." She said with a sincere smile. "It''s alright ma." Terra said. "Don''t worry about that, we are her friends." Celine added. "Hehe...." Ashton gave an incoherent laugh as he patted his chest with a proud expression. As for Sheila, she just smiled followed by Kent who made a sound of acknowledgement. "Are you guys done? Enter the car." Kael''s cold voice doused the enthusiasm and brought back the tense atmosphere that has been doused. "Aish, Sir, I just told you that I don''t enter a stranger''s car. More news will surface tomorrow saying, rumored HIV patient in a big shots car or..." She kept going on and on, listing more titles that could make a headline. With each headline title she listed, the more creases appeared on Ariana''s face. As for Kael, his expression couldn''t be any worse. "I am your father, is that how you should be talking to me!?" Kael shouted, his voice reverberating in the empty street. The silence descended with the only noise being heard was that of crickets. "Tsk, even the crickets are making fun of your statements, I can''t ¡ª" "Mirabel!" Ariana said, her voice though gentle yet firm as she called out her daughter. "Don''t do that here. Let''s go." Her eyes no longer holding smiles but calmness. Not the usual calm eyes but the one that made it seem like there was no ripple on the surface of a water body, just enough to tell you, it''s dangerous. "Sorry mum." She apologized. Zosia gazed between Ariana''s car and Kael''s, before landing on her friends. "Mom, can you tell them to drop my friends?" She asked. "Sure why not." Zosia turned towards Terra. "Sorry we couldn''t go again." "It''s alright." They responded in unison. "Bye." She waved at them while entering the front seat, leaving the back seat for Ariana and Kael. "Bye!!!" ¡Á 5 Ariana suppressed the discomfort she felt and entered the back seat. The moment she sat down, the car drove away, leaving behind Ariana''s driver, car and Mirabel''s friends. Kael looked up to stare at his daughter who sat in the front, their eyes clashing in the rear view mirror. "Dad, if people see the way you are looking at me, they would think I dug up your ancestors grave." She said flashing her 32 white and sparkling teeth. Kael brows creased at her statement, turning into a frown. "You should stop looking at her like that and say what''s on your mind." Ariana interjected from the side. "What is with the rumor I hear?" He said in a calm voice. No hint of annoyance or anger could be detected, like as if the emotions he revealed before were just a facade... An illusion or an imitation. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia detected the change, with her eyelids lowered to hide her thoughts that surfaced in her eyes, she could not help but shiver. "Dangerous." That was the only thought she could come up with. How could someone who was angry just a while ago, abate his anger in just a few seconds. It was beyond human level of emotion control. ''Now I understand why Mirabel was always afraid of her father, yet always acted defiant.'' "Why don''t you ask your lovely children, I am sure they know better to answer your question." Zosia thought her statement would rile him up again, but she was met with only his calm eyes, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "Are you not also my child?" He asked. "I doubt." Her words curt and harsh. Kael scoffed, "Is that so?" "Mhmmm" Ariana hummed. "Are you siding with her?" Kael turned to his wife and asked. "She is not wrong." "What do you mean? Did you cheat on me?" Zosia could here the tremble in his tone. She was not sure if the tremble was due to his love for Ariana or anger. Ariana laughed, "You are funny." The laughter in her tone disappeared, replaced by a cold frigid voice, "I want a divorce." Kael looked like he had heard the most unbelievable thing in his life. "You!!!" he pointed at her and continued, "You want a divorce? You!...you really do?" Laughter erupted from his throat, Neither of them could tell if he was laughing due to anger or if he was really happy. Well, Kael was feeling the latter emotion. Since, that dreadful organization told him that Keira would be waking up soon, he was looking for a way to discard Ariana, and here she was, bringing up the solution for him. It was like giving him a pillow when he wanted to place his head and sleep, so convenient. Though it was a pity, he was satisfied with the situation. As for that daughter of his, it would be a problem if she followed her mother, well he still had a month left to fulfill the organization request, he could look for Keira''s child and hand them over to the organization or prepare to hand either Mirabel or Lucy. All of them were dispensable towards getting his lover to open her eyes again, so he didn''t really mind. Besides, they were going to be nuisances in his path. His gaze turned towards his so-called daughter. "Do you agree with your mum?" He asked, his voice betraying his happiness. Zosia could finally confirm the emotion this father of hers was feeling and couldn''t help but have goosebumps over her body. "Yes." Her words curt. She was already feeling uncomfortable under Kael''s gaze that seemed to treat her as an indispensable goods. He no longer masked how he looked at her. She was confused about why he was happy. She wondered if it was due to the lady she had met in the ward. She felt the need to take a good look at it this night. Ariana was not much better in terms of her emotions. She was staring at Kael in surprise. "Are you..... really that happy?" Ariana asked tentatively. "What... You don''t want the divorce again?" He said with a smirk. "No... I..... Never mind." "Good." "I will draft out the divorce papers and send them to you. You can either resign or continue working, you are free. I will continue my duties as a father to Mirabel, other things will be discussed later." He continued. Zosia looked at him, her eyes bland and devoid of any emotion, deep and dangerous. Kael met such eyes and flinched, guilt stirred deep within him but he suppressed it. "I must say. Thank you for how open minded you are. All this was settled under one discussion. It''s good I did not answer your last name in the first place, it''s such a hassle to go through Affidavit." Kael was not detered by Zosia''s biting remarks, he even found this one cute but she was definitely not cute. If the new fans Zosia had gained heard what he said, he would be in for a few rounds of cursing but considering his own good looks, it may be less. Zosia felt that the only thing Kael had contributed in the original owner life was his sperm, shelter and money. The rest were practically non-existent. Zosia felt that they should start moving from tomorrow, this night, she would show Ariana who had someone that looked exactly like her. She may be in for a new round of investigation. Chapter 45 - 43- Arc 2 Zosia opened her eyes but quickly closed it due to the sun rays that filtered in. She had woken up due to the sound of things being moved. She could already guess why such sounds were being made in her room. Closing her eyes back, she remembered that yesterday, Ariana and Kael had decided to divorce, which was good. She wasn''t sure she wanted to stay in this place any more. Yesterday, she noticed three cameras in her room and they were placed in some inconspicuous places like at the head of her bed, inside the bulb in her lamp as well as by the dressing table. "Miss, you should take your bath and be ready to go." Zosia could hear the excitement in the maids voice. Sitting up, she raised her eyebrows as she stared at the maid. "Seems like you are really happy?" "No... I..." she wanted to speak and defend herself but was stopped by Zosia''s raised hand, which signaled her to keep her mouth shut. "Not surprised anyway. The company? Are they already here?" She asked offhandedly, referring to the moving company her mother had called. "No." The maid said through her gritted teeth, her eyes flashing with hostility. She felt that Zosia was looking down on her, by cutting her short, with clenched fist and red eyes, she stared at Zosia with a stubborn and determined look in her eyes. "What is it?" Zosia asked sloppily as she slowly and lazily stood up from the bed, her eyes still had the sleepy look instead of her sharp but innocent look. The maid stared at Zosia and couldn''t help but admit that, she is one hell of a beauty. Thinking up to this point, she became angrier. "You are finally going yet you still act haughty. Now, haven''t you fallen." Her words elicited a chuckle from Zosia rather than the action she expected to see. "You are rather funny. I don''t know if you went to school, but if what you call my current state now as fallen, then I would like to tell you, that no, I haven''t and i won''t." The lady scoffed, feeling irritated by Zosia''s refute. She couldn''t help but remark, "Now, you don''t have any backing, I wonder what becomes of your mom, such a pity!" She continued, "Let''s see if you are still going to be proud or come back begging." She said with a vicious smile on her face, like she couldn''t wait to see that happen. Zosia laughed at her statement, she eyed the lady with a look full of unconcealed derision. "I don''t know if it''s my brother you''re working for, but you definitely wouldn''t be a chicken flying through the branches, or is it my sister, i wonder how much she must have paid you to move your lips, such an effortless task but the end is just going to be a butchered chicken. Or do you think that by doing this, my cold, unfeeling father would notice you? Don''t be stupid, with your half baked face and less than beautiful body, it''s impossible. So, just do yourself a favor before I turn you Into a butchered chicken and get out of my sight." "You! You, you!!!¡ª" "Are you a stutterer? Ooh! that''s even worse, that means you have been doing a thankless task, cause neither of my siblings would want you." Seeing how Zosia kept making fun of her, she became angry. Feeling embarrassed and angry, she was unable to utter something to refute since she was right. "Keep being proud and let''s see how it goes." She glared at Zosia and said before leaving with a huff, but Zosia next words caused her hatred and anger to rise up to another level "A lean camel still has more meat than a dead insect." Zosia said with a chuckle in her voice. Everything seemed like she had just been watching a play and she didn''t seem a little bit affected by her words. The other maids who were in the room did not dare dilly-dally, after all, they didn''t want to be the next person Zosia traded words with. Even though Zosia''s words could be considered mild,, it definitely wasn''t mild to one''s ego. As for Zosia''s last statement, they all agreed to it since it was the truth. Besides, their master had said that, he would still continue his fatherly duties. As for the dead insect , it was definitely referring to the maid. They all turned to look at the head maid who shook her head at them, meaning, the maid wouldn''t continue with them, worse, she may never really continue to see the city sky. Zosia turned to the head maid who had been quiet since the charade started. " Should I call your keeping quiet... In fact, never mind. I hope she doesn''t continue working here. All of you can go out, I need to have my bath." Zosia who had wanted to chide the maid as the original owner would do and decided to forgo it. It wasn''t worth it when she would be leaving today. They all filed out immediately, unwilling to stay a second longer. The head maid did not forget to close the door behind her. She had been unable to show Ariana the picture and what she had found yesterday and as for who poisoned her, she already got a lead. Terra and her so-called best-friend ¡ª Lucy, who hasn''t come to see her, since her hospitalization. She did not understand why Terra had done that, but the original owner was really blind not to see the obvious hate in Lucy''s eyes whenever the two of them were alone. Terra has been paid some money by Lucy to help them clear their debts, but, Terra''s parents being in sudden huge amounts of debts, didn''t seem like a mistake. It was definitely planned. ''Did Lucy have such ability?''She wasn''t sure, ''But it wouldn''t be hard to find out.'' Zosia thought as she stared at the missed calls she had received from Lucy on her phone. She played with the phone for a while as she thought about something. Since, she was almost 90% done with the side task, she was thinking of how to approach the main and second task. She did not know how to even approach Lysel. "Sigh! When we get there we will cross the bridge." She muttered under her breath with an audible sigh. Glancing at the phone screen one more time, she suddenly thought of something, it was like a light bulb suddenly went on in her head. She decided to try it out. She immediately walked to her table which had a packing brown box on top of it, alongside her laptop that they had yet to put inside. She opened her laptop, after booting it on, she typed away for a while but seeing the results when got which was unsatisfactory. She had thought of sending a link to Lucy. As someone who was anticipating something or had something to hide, she would definitely open the link. The link was a virus that would allow her to get details in her phone, most especially her chat. She had acted on the thoughts and sent a link to Lucy, who immediately opened the link, giving her access to her phone. The result was that, she was only able to get access to surface chats, some hidden chats were obscure. But getting the surface chats was more than enough to prove who her murderer was. Trisha ¡ª Lucy''s mother and Ariana''s sister. From Ariana''s words yesterday about her sister, she could already form a drama in her head. Trisha wants Kael and Ariana and Mirabel were obstacles towards that. What was one of the ways to make a mother depressed. Make her grieve. Especially with how bad Ariana and Mirabel relationship is and both love each other despite their lack of communication. If Ariana was grieving and gets depressed, they could easily kill her and term it as suicide or depression. They could even forge a mental certificate and say, she had mental issues. With Kael''s attitude, the task which would be hard for them to accomplish, would become easier. Even if Mirabel or Ariana died today, he may not even bother to investigate and even if he really did, he wouldn''t bring them to justice. Like, how the original owner was poisoned. Zosia was sure that he must be aware of it, but what was his attitude. Zosia pondered carefully, she felt that the situation of this family was like a tangled web, filled with deceit and manipulation. There is the mysterious Kael who seemed to have killed off his last wife Keisha and had a lover while Ariana was a substitute. Then Ariana, who seemed sharp but blind in the things of the family while believing she had a high Emotional Quotient. Zosia believed that Ariana really didn''t have that, because if she did, maybe she would have done better in she and Mirabel complex yet simple relationship. Then there is Lucy who was the daughter of Trisha, but her father was unknown. Ooh, and also her step- siblings. Theirs were less complicated and their relationship was based on hate and jealousy. They hated Mirabel and Mirabel was jealous of them. Then there is Keira, who seemed to be related to Trisha and Ariana as she looked more like Ariana or Ariana looked more like her. Her hand softly tapped against the table as she pondered on how to tell Ariana or make her realize it. "Sigh! I haven''t even yet figured out how I am related to Lysel in all these complex web. This is why I don''t like using my brain, it eats away my brain cells." She muttered to herself as she rubbed her forehead . She better go take her bath and prepare her mind for what is next. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had figured out a way to get Kael''s phone. She had just finished removing her cloth, when her room door swung open . Guess the culprit? Chapter 46 - 44- Arc 2 She had just finished removing her cloth, when her room door swung open . "Hahaha.....Fina....." She choked on her words when she saw the naked body that came to view. Crystal gawked at Zosia''s body, or more so, Mirabel''s body with an astonished look. "You can continue looking after you close my door." Zosia said interrupting Crystal''s wild thought process. "You!" She said. Subconsciously, she closed the door, her eyes moving with Zosia as she moved. Zosia smiled flirtatiously, "Do you like what you see?" She said in a slutty tone. "You!, you...." Crystal who was already recovering from being stunned, was stunned again by Zosia''s words, that she could only stutter. If the situation was a game, she would have so many negative red numbers above her head. Crystal finally calmed down, enough for her to glare at Zosia. "Came to call you.... Since, it seems like you don''t want to leave. Missing the house already?" She said sarcastically. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia scoffed at her statement. Folding her arms around her chest, which in turn, caused her breast to move rhythmically. "You must be joking. As you can see, I was stark naked before you barged in. No basic respect." "Coming from someone who only knows how to retort at her elder sister." Crystal remarked unwilling to lose out. Zosia smiled and stared at her, "I wonder what Dad would say, once I showed him evidence of you and Mark''s charade yesterday." "You!!....how do you know?" She said, her voice trembling slightly. Zosia clicked her tongue against her teeth, she did not know if it was because of the hate they held against the original owner, that made them willing to tarnish the host reputation on their own volition. "Tsk, are you with your phone?" "What do you want?" Crystal eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation, some hatred and underlying emotions she didn''t understand. "Give. It. To. Me." She said each word firmly leaving no room for hesitation. "Fine... Let me see if you can open it then." Crystal said with a scoff and gave her phone to Zosia. "I don''t need to open it." Zosia said as she took the phone. She immediately activated InfoLink, which only took up to a few seconds to get the information she needed. Her eyes flickered with a glint as she watched the progress bar. "What exactly do you need the phone for?" "You will know." Hearing Zosia''s stone made her shudder, all kinds of thoughts, surfaced in her mind. ''Was Mirabel planning to use her phone to send the evidence to dad?'' having this thought alone made her walk up to Zosia. Seeing that her phone had already been unlocked, she prepared to snatch it, but ended up falling on top of Zosia. Zosia quickly reacted but it also caused her to slip on the cylindrical object that was on the floor. Out of reflex, she caught Crystal who was also falling and they ended up tumbling on the bed. Their position was so compromising and it was at that moment bad luck decided to befall them, by having Mark open the door. "Close the door!!" They screamed at the same time. Mark who had just opened the door was shocked. His body froze in shock. Recovering himself, he immediately closed the door as commanded, but he was sure that he would never forget such a scene. Squatting down on the floor, he tried to calm his racing heart, which definitely didn''t seem to be calming down anytime soon. "Why are you here?" Hearing the voice that seemed to be coming from above his head, he flinched in shock. "What the f*ck!" "Mind your language Mark." Ariana cautioned. "Tsk, you are no longer my mother... Oh, no! My step-mother." He made sure to lay emphasis on the word step-mother, "So, you definitely can''t tell me what to do?" "Indeed, but my daughter is, and you are standing in front of her door, I sure do have all the right to accuse you of anything happening to me daughter. Now let me pass." Her words becoming cold at the end as she stared at Mark who immediately stood up from the ground. "You can''t go in there?" "What?! Am I hearing things now...." Her statement was cut short, when she suddenly thought of something. "What are you and your sister planning? If I look for one hair.... One hair!!! Out of my daughter''s head, you wouldn''t like my actions." She said with fury in her tone. Mark shuddered as he felt a chill run down his spine. The Ariana he knows hardly got angry, even if she did, it was always mellow, not like what he was seeing now. Suppressing the feeling of intangible fear that bubbled up, he scoffed. "The person in there, is in my house and so are you. Technically, you should no longer be part of this household, so I can''t let you pass. What you are doing now, is called trespassing." "I never knew you whined worse than a lady." Ariana''s words touched a nerve. Mark immediately got furious, at first he was thinking of letting her pass, well thinking, but now, he was going to block the door. Mark''s face flushed with anger as he squared his shoulders, determined to stand his ground. Ariana''s gaze met his fiery glare, creating an electric tension in the air. "Listen here, boy," Ariana''s voice was low and dangerous, her eyes piercing into Mark''s soul. "You are still wet behind the ears, don''t think you are the man of the house yet, your father is still alive and don''t push me, Mark. You have no idea what I''m capable of." Mark''s resolve wavered for a moment, he definitely did not want to get on the bad side of this dangerous Ariana, but at the same time, he didn''t want her to see his sister in a compromising position with her daughter. The kind of sparks that will blow and the rumors.... Just thinking about it made him have goosebumps. "I''m not a child anymore, Ariana," Mark spat out her name like venom. "I definitely won''t let you pass, besides, you should go deal with that mess your sister is creating downstairs." Ariana''s jaw clenched, her fists tightening at her sides. She took a step closer to Mark, her breath coming out in short, controlled bursts. "You think you''re so tough, don''t you?" Ariana''s voice was barely a whisper, but it cut through the tension like a knife. "Don''t you ever talk to me like that and get out of my way." Ariana thought for a while and finally relented, "Fine." She said with a scoff. With that, Ariana pushed past Mark, her eyes flashed with an undetectable glint. Mark watched her go, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never seen such Ariana, but he definitely knew she was a force to be reckoned with, but he was no pushover either. He was stupid for thinking that the women by his father''s side were pushovers. They may have just been tolerating them. Thinking up to this point, he knew that he had to speed up on his plans. If they kept staying by their father''s side, things would get more dangerous, especially if anything happened to him. He looked at Ariana who was walking down the hallway. "Fine, come." He had to leave a leeway for himself. ''It seems like Ariana knows something.'' he thought. For her to leave the man she loved so much, he didn''t believe it was because of Mirabel. If it was because of her, then she would have left since. "I thought you wouldn''t relent." Ariana said in a mocking tone. She hadn''t planned on going empty handed without checking on her daughter. She wanted him to relax his guard before she acts. "Just don''t be shocked by what you see." Mark said, his voice low, almost close to a whisper. His words made her frown, "What do you mean?" Feeling impatient, she bent the door handle which already had Mark''s hand on it. Feeling the force that should have been applied on the door handle on his wrist, he whimpered in pain. "Ouch, ouch, ouch. My hand!" "Wuss." He ignored her and stared at the scene before him. Seeing that nothing was out of place, he breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing here?" Ariana questioned Crystal who sat on the bed in a daze. She looked like she was questioning her life. Crystal turned to stare at her brother, her eyes brimming with tears. "Nothing." She answered with a sniff. Ariana frowned at Crystal''s expression. She didn''t understand why, but she didn''t feel the situation was right. It felt like instead of her daughter being the one that was bullied, it was Crystal who was bullied. Turning to Mark, she asked with a raised eyebrow, "What is the situation you said I would not like?" "How the hell would I know!" Mark answered. He also did not understand the situation. Well, at least it was better than seeing them tangled. Thinking up to this point, he felt nauseous. He looked at his sister who was also staring at him with teary eyes and at Ariana who was staring at him suspiciously and immediately suppressed the emotions he was feeling. "Now that you have seen what you want to see, can you go now?" Ariana eyed him suspiciously, "Where is my daughter?" "She is in the bathroom." Crystal answered with a sniff. She really wanted to cry, how could Mirabel''s assets be bigger than hers despite being her younger sister and also the daughter of the woman in front of her. The worst part, is that she had been turned on by Zosia''s flirtatious talks. At this point, she just wanted to die. She didn''t even know her orientation anymore. Ariana nodded, seeing that there wasn''t anything wrong. At first she wanted them out of her daughter''s room, but since they would be moving out soon, it didn''t matter. The moment Ariana left, Crystal burst into tears. Closing the door behind him, Mark moved towards his sister. "Why are you crying and what happened?" He asked dangerously as he peered down on his sister. He had seen his sister on top of Mirabel and not the other way round, so, in fact, he really didn''t want to read too much into it and hoped it wasn''t really what he thought. "Sob... Sob...sob." Crystal sobbed intermittently unable to say any coherent words. "Fine.... Stop crying." After a while, Crystal was able to stop her sobs and finished describing what had happened. "Then why are you crying?" He asked in confusion. Since, according to her, why they had ended up in such a compromising position was that, they had almost fallen to the ground and Mirabel''s reflex allowed them to hit the bed instead of the floor. But still, why was his sister in Mirabel''s room while she was naked. He turned to stare at her, his eyes becoming strange. "Brother!" Crystal exclaimed as she lightly hit him. She was already feeling embarrassed and annoyed, now her brother was looking at her in a strange manner. Only a fool would be unable to guess why. "Sigh!, we should go out of her room anyways." "True... She is so hateful." On a normal day, that sentence wouldn''t be anything strange, but thinking back at the scene, he immediately shivered. He was unwilling to touch that forbidden door. "Aish... I even forgot about why I came to meet her in the first place." Crystal said, her words earning a snicker from Mark. "You! I already told you, it''s not what you think." "I know, I know. Lets go... She would come down on her own. You may go to tell her and she might just be coming out of the bathroom. Another scene might ensue." "You!.... You, you''re not helpful at all." She harrumphed, "You need help." She concluded and walked away, unwilling to talk to her brother. Mark chuckled. He couldn''t help it. The image was still being replayed in his mind. As he approached downstairs, his face changed. Just like his father, their emotions were like controllable buttons. Well, Mark was still learning and as for Crystal, she was a lost cause. Chapter 47 - 45- Arc 2 ?Ariana POV? Standing on the staircase, she peered down at the scene, watching her sister who was causing a ruckus and her indifferent husband. She couldn''t help but be reminded of last night, when she proposed the idea of divorce. Did she regret it? No. Was she expecting some reaction? Yes. She thought he would be sad or convince her, just something different. She didn''t expect him to laugh and be happy about it. Even if the emotion he showed was fury, she would still be able to accept it. ''Was it because of my sister? Does he like her?'' she asked herself inwardly. She didn''t think so, the situation downstairs didn''t even look like it. She could see the flash of occasionally annoyance that flashed through his eyes. She didn''t understand if her sister was just stupid or if she was scheming again, or maybe, it might be another act made to fool her. As for her husband, she was surprised that he hadn''t sent her away. As someone who doesn''t like rubbish, even his dear children didn''t dare refute or retort at him. Well, except for her own daughter¡ª Mirabel. Mirabel was once like the other two, having fear for him. She had forgotten exactly how it happened but Mirabel had an outburst one day, when she was being scolded by him and retorted. From that day onward, she started retorting at some of Kael''s statement, especially the unpleasant one''s. But for Kael to keep sitting down there and reading his newspaper while Trisha keeps making a racket. "What are they up to? Well, it''s none of my business. The other is no longer my sister and my husband is now my ex-husband." She muttered to herself. Kael suddenly looked upstairs. Trisha who had been watching him, also raised her head to see what Kael was looking at. Ariana was not sure if Kael heard her words that made him suddenly look in her direction. Her eyes flashed with a mix of apprehension and defiance as their gazes met fleetingly. She couldn''t decipher the expression that flickered across his face before he resumed his attention on the newspaper, a veil of indifference masking any hint of emotion. Kael has always been like that. Always. Sometimes, she could catch glimpses of emotions and understand what he was feeling or how he felt, but sometimes, she just couldn''t. Like now. Just like how unpredictable his actions were, so are his emotions. Sometimes any emotion he shows, you may think it''s fake due to how quickly he regains his calm. Apart from her daughter who would occasionally rile him up and make him put some emotions on his face, she do wonder if she married a robot. Oh, another period she had seen some emotions on his face was when they were together, then the betrayal and after Keisha''s death. After those years, even when she had given birth to Mirabel, it was like he had become an emotionless shell. Everything he did no longer had any semblance of emotion attached to it, only a goal. As of recent, she couldn''t understand the goal he had been driving to. What exactly was that goal? Was the question she would ask herself sometimes. "You should come down already and stop watching your sister make a fool of herself in my living room." Kael''s cold voice cut through the palpable tension like knife. His words also elicited laughter from the surrounding servants. Lucy and Trisha were so red with embarrassment, that they looked like their head would blow up any second from now. "I don''t think I have a sister, as for the person down there, she is just a guest." Ariana replied. Walking down the stairs with crafted grace and elegance that created a seductive illusion. Kael''s eyes flickered at the sight. Ariana''s assets moved in perfect sync and harmony. None was in discordance with the other. Her pale skin glistened under the chandelier that illuminated her pale, beautiful and supple skin. It was so tempting. To a man, this was like a tempting dish. Just looking isn''t enough to wet his appetite. Kael''s Adam apple bulbed, which was hidden by the newspaper. Despite feeling tempted and having the urge, he resisted it. His face showing no emotion, still wearing that mask of indifference. Trisha unable to retort at Kael, decide to pour her anger on her sister. Looking at her sister seductive figure which she was always jealous of, she couldn''t help but compare. The result of the comparison only served to fuel her anger. "You seem awfully composed for someone who just had their world turned upside down," Trisha remarked, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. Ariana arched an eyebrow, her composure unwavering. "Unlike some, I prefer to handle matters with dignity and grace," she retorted, her tone dripping with disdain. "Besides, I had to come down to settle the foolery of a play you acted here." "Ha!!!... What do you know? At least now that you are gone, the position becomes vacant, who cares about the process." Their gazes moved to Kael, seeing his indifferent reaction, Trisha became bolder. As for Ariana, she lost interest in bantering with her sister. "Tsk...Ah...Ah!?" Trisha who was about to continue wagging her tongue, was pinched by her daughter. "You!" "Mom, we just came. You shouldn''t be acting like this." Lucy said in a low tone which could only be heard by the two of them. "You are right." Trisha said, her eyes flashing with a glint. After being called back to her senses, she ignored the servants who stood before her and sat on the couch in the living room. Kael closed his newspaper and turned to Ariana who was sitting on the Couch beside him. "Where are the kids? It''s already time for breakfast." Ariana was about to reply when she heard footsteps coming down from the staircase. "Dad, we are here." Mark commented. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Where is Mirabel?" Kael asked. Mark watched his dad stand up and head to the dining room, his voice devoid of any emotion. "She is taking her bath, she will be here soon." Mark said. Kael turned to look at his son upon hearing his response, his eyes hiding an undetectable glint before he looked away. "Mmm." He nodded his head in acknowledgement as he sat in his seat. Crystal turned to stare at her brother. It was strange of him to speak for Mirabel, if it was before, even though he wouldn''t speak for her, he definitely wouldn''t say anything against her either. As for why Mark had spoken for his step- sister, it was only to give the so-called guests who had their claws stretched out to grab a piece of their fortune, that at least the siblings had a good relationship. As for whether they were close or not, it was left for them to find out. "Tsk... It must be that she doesn''t want to leave.... After all, once she leaves, she becomes a bumpkin." Trisha mocked. "Aunt, it seems like your mouth is well oiled as always. Don''t worry, it still depends on your capability to snatch my dad." Zosia said as she approached the dining room with them already seated, well except for Lucy and Trisha. Walking past Trisha, Zosia continued, "Besides, my dad has more beautiful women by his side, your face doesn''t look anything new. My dad is a perfect example of a protagonist with a harem. Right Dad?" She said with a smirk, her gaze moving from Trisha to Kael who was placing his napkin. "Sit down!" Kael said. His voice, calm and without any ripples. Lucy clenched her fist, she glared at Zosia in hatred. Zosia noticed it. She wasn''t the only one to notice it. Literally everyone in the room did, well except for her mother¡ª Trisha, who was still blowing her horn and trying to establish her presence. "Keep quiet. It''s time to eat and not for dogs to bark." Kael''s voice which has been without ripples held a hint of annoyance as he glared at Trisha like she was a pest. His words were like cold water that doused the mother and daughter out of their illusion. Trisha coughed and quickly led her daughter to sit down. Kael''s voice successfully quietened the room, allowing it to descend into a period of silence with only the clicking and clacking of the utensil being heard. The meal was interrupted by the head maid who walked up to Ariana and whispered something into her ear and retreated It wasn''t long before the butler also came in. He walked towards Kael. His voice wasn''t in the form of a whisper, so everyone on the table heard him. "The moving company is ready to go. Which address should I tell them to send it to?" Kael turned to look at Ariana. Ariana was also staring at him. "Send it to Blue stone Villa. The villa is in her name." Kael said. Ariana''s eyelashes were lowered to hide her turbulent emotions. That was the villa they had stayed in when she returned back to the country, before they had finally moved here and before Keisha died. ''What was he playing at?'' she thought inwardly. "Yes sir." Philip answered and left. Mark was also befuddled. He also knew about the villa and knows that it was where Ariana and Kael had stayed. His mother had brought him there before when she was alive to confront Ariana as the madam to a mistress. The three girls kept eating their meal, oblivious to the importance of the villa and its value. Zosia could read the atmosphere and she could tell that the villa was worth a lot. Trisha who had felt wave upon wave of embarrassment since she came here felt her resentment towards her sister intensify, with Kael''s words acting as fuel to the already raging fire. Kael acted oblivious towards the subtle atmosphere in the air as he continued with his meal. "When will you be leaving?" Kael asked. Everyone''s ears perked up, waiting for Ariana''s response. "A few minutes after the meal." "Will call for you when it''s time to sign the divorce papers." Kael said. His words concluding his own end of the meal. He gently placed the utensils, folded the napkin, his actions elegant and gentle that they seemed so mesmerizing. "I am done." He said and left the dining room." Zosia''s eyes flashed as she watched him walk away, it was time for her to do it. She wasn''t sure she would get such a chance again. Chapter 48 - 46- Arc 2 Zosia''s eyes flashed as she watched him walk away, it was time for her to do it. She wasn''t sure if she would get such a chance again. Others watched as Zosia followed behind Kael, their faces having varying expressions towards the situation. Zosia glanced at the butler who kept throwing occasional glances at her. Keeping her face straight, she walked behind Kael. The gap between them being neither too close or too far, it was just right. Their footsteps made rhythmic taps on the floor as they made several turns and climbed some staircase, before they arrived at Kael''s study. At first, she was surprised at why they hadn''t arrived at Kael''s study, but then understood that they were either trying to throw her off or make her talk or to test her. She wasn''t sure which one it was. Unfortunately, she didn''t do what they expected her to do. Despite how long they had walked around the house just to throw her off, her steps did not flatter. Kael and Philip were quite surprised. They had expected her to complain or lash out as it was within their expectations of her character. What surprised them the most was that she was able to keep up with them despite being untrained. As they arrived at Kael''s study, Kael turned to look at Mirabel, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want Mirabel?" He asked in a tired tone. Zosia sneered inwardly, ''Might be another one of his faked emotions.'' she thought. "Could it be I can''t come to see my Dad one time before I leave?" She said sarcastically. ''Now that is the Mirabel I know.'' Philip thought inwardly, the frown on his face loosened up. "Fine come in." As they entered Kael''s study, she took in the surroundings, noting every detail from the arrangement of books on the shelves to the placement of family portraits on the walls. Kael sat down on his seat which was behind the well crafted wooden table that looked like one made out of agar wood but still different. She couldn''t tell what was different or the name of the wood since this was a whole different, new and unknown world to her. She could at least tell it was valuable. Kael hadn''t gestured for her to sit and she wasn''t planning on waiting for that. She sat down, choosing a chair strategically positioned to give her a clear view of the room. Philip remained standing, his arms crossed over his chest as he regarded her with a mix of curiosity and suspicion which she ignored. "Miss, you forgot basic manners. You should allow the host tell you to sit before you sit." Philip chided. Zosia turned to look at Philip, her eye brows raised as she stared at him in amusement. Philip frowned. He didn''t like how brazen she was. ''Since when did she have guts. It seems like master had allowed her to spread her growing wings.'' he thought Inwardly. "Mr. Philip, do you have children?" "No." "Tsk... If you did, then you would know that there shouldn''t be too much formality between family. It would strain the relationship. Just like how informal you are with my Dad, or am I wrong?" Philip frowned at her words, an emotion finally surfacing the emotionless mask. "Alright" Kael said, diffusing the situation. He didn''t want to see them bicker in front of him. Trisha''s bickering was more than enough dose for him, "So, Mirabel," Kael began, his voice low yet steady "What do you want? Hope you didn''t come here to waste my time." "Hmm... What I am about doing isn''t going to waste more than five minutes of your time." She answered with a good girl smile. "So you are here to waste my time and you admitted it, are you...? Alright." He paused for a moment and continued, "Tell me, what do you want." "Your phone." Zosia straightforwardness stunned the two people in the room. "What for?" "Who sent you?" Kael and Philip asked at the same time. "Calm down." Zosia chuckled, "I made a bet with Crystal, that I would take a picture with something of yours that she wouldn''t be able to touch." She said with a proud face. Philip and Kael stared at her strangely, their eyes meeting briefly. "Alright. Is that all?" "Yes." "Then you can go." Kael replied. Zosia blinked her eyes in disbelief. A disgruntled look appearing on her face. Taking a deep breath, she bit her lips. "Dad, you said you would still continue your fatherly duties, at least just this once." She pleaded, her watery doe eyes stared at Kael who still wore an indifferent look on his face. "So..." "Dad c''mon. Please. You have never loved me, I get it,... though I don''t understand why, i just for one, just once, shut the mouth of those that mock. Please." Her voice cracked as she begged pleading. Zosia allowed Mirabel''s emotions lead. If she did it, it would have some flaws which she couldn''t hide. "I have never asked you for anything, not once. Please. I just want to win this bet. Yes, it''s stupid of me to go into a bet I know I can''t fulfill, but I just couldn''t stand it. I can''t take it anymore!" Zosia''s voice rose a notch higher, her voice filled with resentment and anger. It took a while for her to calm down before she continued. "I would be going with mom, so..... you wouldn''t have to worry about having a daughter you don''t like.... Perhaps hate." She paused trying to control her tears that were already spilling out of her eyes. "Please dad. I wouldn''t open your phone and I am even doing it in your front. You can ask Philip to stand behind me. I just need to take a picture that I was able to take a picture of something others may never get their hands on." She sniffed. Kael looked at her, he felt that this situation was very strange. He had never seen Mirabel cry before him since she turned 8. She had become reticent and quiet. Till that day. ''Did they send her? Did they ask her to use her emotions to lure him?'' his eyes flickered as such thoughts flashed in his mind. He decided to take the risk, ''Lets see who is plotting against me and who sent her? If I get the person, it would be a slow, very slow painful death.'' Zosia caught the ruthless look that appeared in his eyes for a brief moment and understood his thoughts. "Fine." Kael answered. "Thanks Dad. Dad can you just show me the wallpaper. Like just using your own hand to switch on the phone, just for me to make a video. It would be a quickie." Kael frowned, "Don''t eat more than you have been given, Mirabel." He growled, his tone becoming dangerous. "Yes Dad." Zosia lowered her eyelids which hid her expression. Taking the phone from him, surprisingly the phone was switched on though it wasn''t unlocked but she could see the screensaver which was the familiar yet unfamiliar face that gazed back at her, the face held a faint smile. The same woman with a similar face as her mother. The wallpaper flickered for a moment replaced by a dark, depressing screen saver. She said nothing but silently activated the InfoLink which switching on her own phone. She first snapped it, then did a video. Kael pinched the bridge of his nose, his thoughts wandering. He was surprised that Mirabel hadn''t asked who the woman was, but thinking about her statement at the dining room, he understood that was how his daughter thought of him. Though untrue, in some parts, she was correct. He didn''t believe Zosia came to him for this. Who sent her? Was it her mother? What is her goal? His thoughts were halted by Mirabel''s voice. "Thanks Dad." Zosia said happily as she gave the phone back to Philip who stood behind her. As Zosia stood to leave, Kael''s voice stopped her in her tracks. "Mirabel," he called, his tone softer than before. "Tell me the truth, who sent you?" "Dad I don''t understand, I already explained why and you are still suspecting me. Alright, let me show you what I read and why I decided to do it." She said in an indignant tone. Opening her phone, she went to the post made by an anonymous poster about her being a HIV patient and scrolled to the comments where her classmates were commenting. She gave him her phone, "See it. I just want to prove them wrong, even though they are right." Zosia did not know if the effect she wanted worked since they were both wearing emotionless mask. Kael eyed Zosia with suspicion but still took the phone. Scrolling through the comments he frowned. Some were things even him could not say or tolerate if he had been on the receiving end. The more he read, the more creases appeared on his brow. "Read it." He said, giving the phone to Philip. Philip stepped forward and took the phone. He also had the same expression as Kael by the time he was done going through a section of the comments. " I thought you said it was nothing." Kael said, his voice cold as ice as he stared at Philip. Zosia looked at the butler who did not say anything and only lowered his head. Kael ignored Philip, he would handle Philip''s glossing over attitude later. He couldn''t chide his subordinate with his daughter around. "I understand. You can go." He waved his hand to signal Mirabel to leave. "Hmph...." She snorted and turned to leave. Kael''s lips curled, ''Now that is the Mirabel I know.'' He had suspected her because she wasn''t one to ask for such a strange request. He would believe it, if it were Crystal. After reading the comments, the little suspicion he had of her, vanished. What was left was a trace of guilt. He could not help but think of how many buckets her tears must have filled she must have made after reading such comments. Kael watched her leave before turning to Philip. "Watch her social media account and pull up the security cameras." "For?" Philip asked. "Were you not the one talking to Mirabel about respect, so, is it right to question an order given to you?" "Pa¡ª" Kael waved his hand interrupting whatever apology he wanted to say. "Just don''t do it again, now go." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. About an hour later, Philip re-entered the study. "Sir, she has released the video and I asked Miss Crystal, she admitted that they had a bet." "Mmm." Kael raised his head, staring at Philip, he closed the document on the table. He brought out his phone and opened his social media account. He did not have to search for it as his daughter did well by tagging him. His empty notification bell now had a red number attached to it. Clicking on it, he scrolled through the notifications. He noticed that Mirabel had tagged him in so many videos. Feeling curious, he clicked on one of them. "Tsk, Mirabel sure doesn''t like you." He said, raising his head to stare at Philip who had his lips pursed. "She sure does have talent in this. " He said and continued watching the videos, the more he watched, the funnier it became. He could help but chuckle, this time around, his feelings were genuine. "Hey, what did you do to Mirabel to make her hate you this much." "Nothing."Philip answered. He was really unhappy with how Mirabel made him look bad in all her videos. At least he was placated by some of the comments where they mentioned how handsome and young he was. He puffed out his chest in Pride. If the original Mirabel sees his reaction, she would wonder if it was the same butler she sees every day or had he also been replaced. Well that was a theory to think about. Chapter 49 - 47- Arc 2 Zosia skipped happily along the hallway, her thoughts were the exact opposite of the emotions on her face. "Mirabel!!!" Hearing Ariana''s loud voice coming from the other end of the hallway, she immediately increased her steps. Upon approaching her, she saw her coming upstairs, behind her was a throng of people. She turned to look at Ariana with a face that said, "What the hell Is going on." "Let''s go." Ariana said as she turned to walk down the stairs. Zosia immediately followed after her, a little bit confused. She walked closer to her and whispered, "What''s going on?" "We are leaving, so let''s go. Don''t tell me you want to stay back." Her tone, a little harsh. Zosia felt she was cranky and kept mute as she followed behind her. "Sorry about that, just.... Never mind. Let''s go." "Mhmmm." They entered the car Ariana had used yesterday. The driver was to drive them to their new house. He was someone that only answered to Ariana, unlike the one of yesterday. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ignition of the car was heard followed by passing sceneries. Zosia watched the sceneries with interest, from the tall buildings to medium sized ones as well as some companies they passed by. She took note of all the bends and turns. Suddenly the moving sceneries became static. Zosia turned to see the traffic light which still had a red color on it. Her gaze shifted from the traffic light to the street and happened to see her target- Lysel. "Mom, I just saw my friend, could I get down here?" " But you don''t know the road to the house." Ariana responded through her lightly open eyelids. She had been resting and heard her daughter call her. She was really tired. "You can call the driver to come pick me up once I am done." "Fine. Let her come down." She said and closed back her eyes. ******** Zosia who had just come down could be seen tailing behind Lysel. "Hey!" Was all she heard then her line of sight was blocked. Zosia felt like cursing. Like, what the frick!!! ''Couldn''t the person approach her from her side¡ª'' she thought inwardly. Her thoughts were cut off when she thought about how bad it would be if she was really approached like that. ''I could be hauled away, my purse or anything could be stolen.'' Thinking up to this point, she closed her eyes and sighed. It has only been a few seconds and her thoughts had ran like a wild charged horse. Staring at the person who stood in front of her, she muttered; "Thank you." "For?" Kent asked. "Nothing." She said curtly. She tilted her head to see if she could still see Lysel and unfortunately, No. Inwardly she relt frustrated. ''How could i make such a rookie mistake?'' she scolded herself. As for her mistakes, one was getting to absorbed in the mission. She had been absorbed in tailing Lysel that she forgot about her surroundings. Another one was, she could have found a better way to handle this than tailing him. She could have sent out a drone and found a cafe to sit in and watch. ''Nah, that would be too conspicuous.'' she thought. "What do you need, Kent?" She asked the supposed young man, who they said had asked her out before. Kent detected the hint that she did not want to engage with him. "Seems like you really don''t want to talk to me." "Yup." Zosia replied. Her answer made Kent feel a little awkward. "Well, I noticed you were tailing someone , and Lysel, right?" He asked. Zosia''s mind raced with thoughts on how he found out. If someone had observed her, they would notice nothing like that and just feel like she was a passer by. " I stay around here and I just came out to walk around." Zosia responded with a shrug. "So why are you here?" Zosia asked unwilling to be at the recieving end of his questions. Kent chuckled, his lips upturned into a smirk. "I am doing what you are doing?" "What? Taking a walk?" She asked. "Tailing Lysel." His answer earned a raised eyebrow from her. "Why?" She asked with curiosity written on her face. "Saw him getting bullied at the super market where I went to get some things for the house." "Well what about you?" Zosia shrugged, "Saw five guys tailing him." She used her chin to gesture at the burly men that were searching for Lysel after he hid. "Planning to watch a show princess?" He asked in a slightly mocking tone. "What!? You think I don''t want to help?" "Not that. I wonder if your helping also means getting beaten by them or worse, kidnapped." Zosia did not reply. She just stared at him, making him break out in goosebumps. Feeling uncomfortable, he directed his gaze elsewhere. As they stood there, a tense silence settled between them, broken only by the distant sounds of traffic and the occasional pedestrian passing by. Kent''s mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. He couldn''t let Lysel fall into the hands of those thugs, but he also couldn''t risk blowing his cover. Kent shifted uncomfortably, breaking the silence. "Look, I know you don''t exactly like me, but if we''re both after the same thing, maybe we could... work together?"Zosia eyed him warily. Trusting Kent was risky, but thinking about it, ''Does Kent not behave strangely? Could he be just like her, a Realmrider?'' She thought. Thinking about her task, she felt that the reason why he cared was because he might have also taken the task. She immediately became on guard. Thinking of the benefits of working together and the chance to know if he really was a Realmrider. And right now, he was giving her the chance. But she definitely wasn''t planning to let down her guard. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "But we do this my way. No heroics, no unnecessary risks."Kent nodded in agreement. "Agreed. So, what''s the plan?"Zosia glanced around, taking in their surroundings. "We need to find Lysel before those guys do. They won''t hesitate to use force if they catch him." Kent nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. "I''ll take the east side of the street, you take the west. We''ll cover more ground that way." Zosia nodded in agreement, and they split up, each scanning the crowded street for any sign of Lysel. Minutes ticked by with no luck, and Zosia''s anxiety grew with each passing moment. Though she knew that he wouldn''t use the Virus anytime soon, she was still worried. Her side task was related to punishing the bullies and definitely not having one kill him. While searching one of the alleyways, she noticed a figure sprawled on the floor. Stopping her breath by instinct, she was unwilling to breathe in the acrid air of urea. Moving forward, she noticed it was Lysel, she immediately ran out of the alleyway. Waving at Kent who stood on the pavement opposite from hers. She used her hand to send a signal to him. Walking back into the alleyway, she saw the burly guys she had seen following Lysel. They also noticed her. "Who is this chick?" One of the burly guy with a bald head spoke. His lust filled eyes stared at Zosia. He balantly used his eyes to scan her, which was a little uncomfortable. It was like he was using his eyes to undress her. "Maybe it''s the wuss girlfriend." The slim one among them spoke. "Tsk.... If she is his girlfriend, then why don''t we do it to her." Another one of the burly guys said. "She is free." The one with lust filled eyes said as he stared at her like a hungry and starved prey. "We will just do it. It''s better than going to spend money on a brothel bar just to release." "Yo! Bro..! " The slim man''s voice was drawn out at the end. "Not to release bro, but to relax and enjoy ourselves after a work well done." "Hehe.... It wouldn''t be bad if we did it to her." The man licked his lips, rubbing his palms together, he stepped closer to Zosia. The chick in front of them ticked all their boxes. Thinking about how they would pass her round tonight and feel how tight down there was. How it would wrap around their dick. The more they thought, the more intense their eyes were. Zosia also played along with them. Subtly jiggling her breast that bounced on her chest as she twisted uncomfortably in place. At that moment, Kent arrived. Seeing that Kent was here, she stopped her actions. He frowned as he stared at the situation, he understood that they must have also found Lysel like they did. Perciving the acrid odour in the air, his frown deepened and his nose wrinkled. He stared at Lysel who laid wasted on the ground. "Ooh! Two." The man who seemed like their leader spoke. "A friend?" The slim one asked. "Well, I don''t discriminate. Having them take it through the back isn''t a problem. Is just if they could handle it." "Hehe.... I am sure they will enjoy it just right brother." Kent turned to Zosia, "They seem like fools, who hired them?" His voice wasn''t loud but in the silent alleyway, it was. "More like, who had Lysel offended." Zosia said not bothering lower her voice. "May not be someone high." He responded. "Brats, don''t you see us here?" One of them scolded. "It alright, they will feel our presence when we descend upon them." The leader spoke lasciviously. By now Zosia and Kent had already been surrounded. Zosia stared at them and turned to Kent. "Usual thug practices. It''s alright." "You ready?" Kent asked. "Yup, been a while since I stretched my bones." She answered as she kicked the pole in front of her. Chapter 50 - 48- Arc 2 ?Lysel POV? Groan!!! That was the first sound that echoed in the quiet hospital with only beeping sounds of equipment accompanying it. The boy on the bed tried to stand up but ended up tugging at his bandaged wounds. Grunt! He couldn''t help but give a muffled sound of pain despite being used to such pain. A smile full of mockery played on his lips as he muttered, "Seems like I am still not used to the pain." His eyes were full of hatred as he clenched his fist which tugged at the inserted IV syringe. "Why?! Why!!!!? Why me?!" He growled. His voice filled with frustration, hatred, all kinds of negative emotions was thick in Lysel''s voice. He hates them. Those people who would always bully him. He wanted them to pay and make them pay dearly. ''Why do they always bully him? Why can''t he have the strength to fight back?'' All sorts of thoughts on how to make his enemies pay and questions on why''s roamed his mind. Feeling the intense pain that came with the wounds, he forced himself to lay back down. Lysel''s mind swirled with anger and resentment, his thoughts were consumed by the injustices he had suffered at the hands of his tormentors. He even forgot to think of why he was at the hospital rather than where he lay before, covered in urine. His mind, like a remote of its own, replayed the memories of the countless times he had been ridiculed, pushed around, and belittled, each memory fueling the fire of his rage. As he lay in his hospital bed, his body battered and broken, Lysel''s desire for revenge burned brighter than ever. He imagined scenarios where he would confront his bullies, his fists clenched tightly as he envisioned the look of fear on their faces when they realized they could no longer push him around. But beneath the anger, there was also a deep sense of frustration and despair. Lysel couldn''t shake the feeling of helplessness that had plagued him for so long. No matter how hard he tried, he always seemed to come out on the losing end. "Why can''t I be stronger?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper against the hum of the hospital equipment. His thoughts made him ignore the blood soaked bandages and the IV needle which had been pulled out. He longed for the strength to stand up for himself, to fight back against those who had made his life a living hell. But even as he cursed his own weakness, Lysel couldn''t help but feel a twinge of doubt creeping into his mind. '' What if he never had the strength to defeat his enemies? What if he was doomed to be a victim forever?'' So many negative thoughts. The thoughts sent a shiver down his spine, but Lysel quickly pushed it aside, refusing to entertain the idea of giving up. He had endured too much pain and suffering to simply surrender now. He pondered on how to get the strength he was in search for. He suddenly remembered the video he had watched. It was a video of his dad talking about the drug he was researching. A prototype was already available. Thinking up to this point, he remembered their side effects. Was he willing? Could he give up himself for that kind of strength? He didn''t know the answers to those questions. Closing his eyes, he thought of his mom. Oh, how much he hates her. He hates her so much that she ranked number one on his hate list. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Why did she abandon Dad and I? Why?!!'' he thought bitterly. His mother was a very beautiful woman. Sometimes, he wondered why she married his Dad. His dad, apart from wits and being a nerd, he wasn''t really that handsome. Being bullied had become a norm for him but then his mother was his backer. All those bullies feared him due to his mother. He was always being bullied due to his beauty, but at least then he was still happy, occasionally. But right now, he couldn''t even smile. He had long since forgotten how to laugh. Every day he saw those bullies he wondered if they were the ones that took his mother away from him, anytime he wanted to believe that, he would be reminded by the facts that lay bare in his face. Clenching his fists, tears rolled down from the corner of his eyes. Drip! Drip!! They wet the pillow in successful concessions. Pushing away the thoughts about his mother aside, he finally turned his head to take a good look at the place he was in. " Who brought me to the hospital?" He muttered to himself. His gaze flickered as he tried to remember anything that could link to how he got to the hospital. "Nothing." His lips, pursed. He gazed down at his bandaged wounds and found them red. He suddenly remembered that his actions might have tugged his wounds open. The pain suddenly assaulted him. Before, he could ignore it due to being lost in thoughts but he had just regained clarity, so the pain he had felt that wasn''t much, increased in folds. A primal scream escaped his lips. Lysel''s scream echoed through the sterile hospital room, filling the air with a raw intensity that seemed to reverberate off the walls. The sound startled Kent and Zosia who stood guard against the hospital door, sitting on the chair that was facing Lysel''s ward. Kent quickly rushed to call for a nurse while Zosia dashed into the room in a hurry. Zosia stared at the bloodied bandage in disbelief, her gaze moving from the bandage to the bed, then to the face of the bed occupant. "Fuck! How did this happen?" She questioned no one in particular. The nurse and Kent rushed in, followed by a flurry of curses from the nurse mouth. "Can''t you Just stay one place, the drip has also been removed and wasted....." She continued chiding Lysel despite the pain he was going through. Zosia and Kent kept quiet as they stared at Lysel in disbelief. They couldn''t understand how he had been able to endure for so long, till his blood had soaked the bandages and also the bed. Thinking about the cost, Zosia sighed. "Lysel, are you alright, now?" she asked, her voice laced with concern as she walked to his side alongside Kent. He gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the agony coursing through his body. "I''m fine," he managed to choke out, his voice strained with pain. "Just... just a little... mishap." The nurse frowned, her eyes scanning over his bandaged wounds. "You need to be more careful," she scolded gently, reaching for the IV bag to check the flow. "You don''t want to reopen those wounds."Lysel nodded weakly, his breathing shallow as he tried to ride out the wave of pain washing over him. He hated feeling so vulnerable. Being vulnerable in his daily life over the bullying he received was already enough. He didn''t want to feel vulnerable towards his own body. As the nurse tended to his wounds, Lysel''s gaze scanned Zosia and Kent who stood by the side, watching the nurse do her work. Thinking about it, he glanced at Zosia. He remembered that she was the one who had impressively knocked his bullies at the rooftop. He suddenly felt jealous, he couldn''t even hide the emotion as they spilled forth from his eyes. He felt powerless against his own body betrayal but it was also because he didn''t have control over them nor the will. Looking at the two of them with a pondering look, he felt that they must have been the ones to rescue him. ''Why did they rescue me?'' he thought inwardly, suspicion surfacing as he stared at them. The nurse stood up, throwing the bloodied bandage in the trash can by the door, she carried the things she had come with. "Be careful and don''t tug at your wounds. Also you need a while to heal, so do not do any strenuous activity...." She continued giving out instructions. Turning to Zosia and Kent, "His bills have increased, please settle them at the front desk." "Yes ma''am." Zosia nodded her head. Lysel couldn''t help but stare at her, ''Was she that rich? Why is she willing to spend so much on me?'' He thought inwardly. "What, why are you staring at me so intently. Don''t tell me you have fallen in love with me so quickly?" Zosia teased. Lysel''s cheeks flushed slightly at the unexpected comment, caught off guard by her teasing. He quickly averted his gaze, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. Coughing to hide his embarrassment, he turned to look at her, this time around, he regarded her with a look of suspicion. "Why did you save me? Why did you help me, not once but twice?" Zosia was about to answer, when she felt the person beside her move. Kent walked to the chair in the room and sat down, unwilling to continue standing up with her. "Just being a good Samaritan." "I don''t believe in good Samaritans." "Oh!, then if you want to pay me..." She paused her words, her eyes scanned Lysel tentatively and she said with a joking smile, "You can pay me with your body? Except you disagree?" "I disagree!" The two boys answered in unison. Zosia blinked her long eyelashes, her eyes flashing in amusement. "I understand if Lysel disagrees, but Kent?" She turned to look at Kent, her head tilted to the side with her eyes full of amusement as she stared at Kent. Kent noticed the amusement in her eyes. He realized that she was just teasing them to lighten up the atmosphere and his reaction was.... Quite much. Pursing his lips, he was unwilling to say anything. He couldn''t even think of any reasonable excuse and he was unwilling to embarrass himself. "Alright." She turned to Lysel, a smile still on her face. "We would come to check on you and you can enjoy the treatment. We couldn''t find your phone, but found your sim, so here is one." She said as she dropped the bag she came in with on the cupboard beside him. "We have already informed your father and you don''t have to worry about your payment." "Why are you being nice to me?" Lysel asked in confusion. He had never received such kindness from a stranger before. He had never believed in a good Samaritan. Those who had helped him before, all wanted something from him and when he refused, they stashed away their kindness and turned around to bully him. "I can''t give you anything, so if you are just being kind to get something from me, just forget it." "Really?" Zosia asked with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, you can use the door." He gestures with his chin. He suddenly felt embarrassed when he remembered that they were the ones who had brought him here and settled all his bills. But he had to be firm. Suppressing his embarrassment and guilt, his eyes flashed with determination. "You¡ª" Zosia immediately covered Kent''s mouth to stop him from saying whatever that was on his mind. "We will go." Zosia said as she dragged Kent out of the ward with her. Watching their backs, his lips pressed down into a depressing smile. "Sigh, I was right. They also wanted something from me." He muttered to himself. He looked at the ceiling of the ward, his thoughts roamed. "What could they want from him?" Thinking about Zosia''s words, he wondered if what she wanted was his body. ''Could I use my body to seek protection?'' he asked himself inwardly. Staring at his battered and broken body, a broken smile appeared on his lips. "Others could do it but definitely not me and definitely not in this state." His eyes roamed to the bag she had dropped on the bedside cupboard. Lysel hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grab the bag. He gingerly unzipped it, curious about its contents. Inside, he found a few basic necessities like clothes, toiletries, and a phone.Frowning slightly, he picked up the phone and turned it on. Surprisingly, his sim was really in it as she said. There were a few messages and missed calls, presumably from his father and maybe some from his bullies. Ignoring the messages for now, Lysel turned his attention to the toiletries. He looked at his body, he couldn''t freshen up now as he was still on drip. He was not sure if they had been able to reach his dad or had just sent him a text to inform him. Closing his eyes, he decided to worry about that later. Right now, his eyelids were already heavy. He wasn''t sure if they had added any drug to the IV but he wasn''t feeling the pains anymore and he felt sleepier. He allowed himself to drift into the Dreamland, this time around with peace and quiet and no worry about his bullies finding him. Chapter 51 - 49- Arc 2 After they had left the ward, Zosia released Kent''s hand which she had been holding. Kent glanced at the now empty hand which she had been holding and turned to her, "What, now that you have finished using me, you have abandoned me." Zosia stared at him, speechless. "Tsk, seems like I am right. But don''t you think you need to offer something in return?" Zosia stared at him in disbelief. As for Kent, he was just getting his revenge, he was that petty. "Cat got your tongue." He remarked. He actually wasn''t planning to do anything, but he felt the urge to see her blush. His eyes glinted sharply as he scanned her face. ''Sigh!'' he couldn''t see anything. Apart from being speechless and staring at him in disbelief, she did not react. Sighing audibly, he was about to walk away when Zosia spoke. "How about this?" He could feel her warm breath on his neck. His Adam apple bulbed. He could feel her leaning closer, stupefied, he immediately pushed her. "You!" "So now we are even." She smirked and walked away. Lost in the feeling he just felt, despite the proximity between them not being as close as one would imagine, but it was enough to make a teenager''s mind run wild. He stared at her back that got further and further away and immediately chased after her. "What was that for?" He asked the moment he caught up with her. "Payment." She answered, her answer concise . "That''s payment, more like an invitation to death." "Hahaha... How?" She laughed, her dimples in full display. Kent''s face turned red with anger, "You think it''s funny? You think it''s okay to just...just...ugh!" He stuttered, his words failing him. Zosia''s laughter only grew louder, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, Kent, you''re so cute!" She teased. Kent''s face turned an even deeper shade of red, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Cute? You think I''m cute? You''re the one who''s being reckless and irresponsible! If you were asked to take responsibility, would you do it?" He hissed, his voice low and menacing. Zosia''s laughter slowly died down, her expression turning serious. "I was just paying you back as you asked earlier, Kent. Don''t be so dramatic, besides, you were the one who asked for such payment." She said, her voice firm but cold. Kent''s anger slowly dissipated, replaced by a sense of embarrassment. He looked away, his eyes scanning the surrounding area to avoid eye contact. "Whatever. Just remember, don''t try this with someone else, you may end up finding yourself in a place you would not recognize." He muttered, his voice barely audible. Zosia''s expression softened, her eyes filled with a hint of apology. She has gone a little too far. She had allowed herself to allow the emotions lead despite at times it looked like she was the one at the helm of the ship. "I know, Kent. And I''m sorry if I overstepped any boundaries." She said, her voice sincere. Kent''s gaze snapped back to hers, his eyes searching for any sign of insincerity. But all he saw was genuine remorse. His expression softened, his anger dissipating completely. "Just be more careful next time, okay?" He said, his voice gentle. Zosia nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "I will. I promise." And with that, the tension between them dissipated, replaced by a sense of understanding and mutual respect. They continued walking, their footsteps in sync, their silence comfortable. But Kent couldn''t shake off the feeling that Zosia''s "payment" had left him with. It was a feeling he couldn''t quite explain, a mix of excitement and nervousness, as well as longing. They walked out of the hospital. Gazing at the evening sky, she felt her stomach grumble. "It''s been a long day." She couldn''t help but murmur." "Yeah. I just hope the police doesn''t call us in for another "Confession"." He said, using his hand to make an air quote, emphasizing on the confession. "Mhmm... It will be bad if our parents found out." "Hey," he turned to Zosia, "You still owe me the coffee treat." Zosia blinked her eyelashes as she tried to recall Mirabel''s memory. She suddenly saw a broken memory. In the memory, Mirabel was frowning as she stared at the dumbfounded boy before her. The boy was none other than Kent. She had just rejected his confession and then he had that look. She was already feeling irritated from all the stares, so she promised to treat him to a coffee as that was all she could afford. That was when the intense eyes on her eased and she was finally allowed to leave. "Don''t tell me you also forgot that?" Kent asked tentatively. "No, just thinking of, if to treat you to a meal instead of a coffee." "You said that. Better keep to your word. Will call you and tell you where to treat me to." He said and ran off. Zosia''s gaze followed him, she was surprised at why he suddenly left. Her eyes had a layer of suspicion, she immediately brought out her phone which had somehow been connected to the chip. She had come in contact with Kael''s phone, so she now has lifetime access to it. When they were fighting those goons, her phone had slipped out of her hoodie jacket pocket while Kent had used his as a weapon She was quite surprised that the phone had not broken to pieces after meeting one of the goons head. Anyway, she had done like she had mistakenly picked the wrong phone and voila. "Aish, I am yet to even go through my Dad''s own." Her eyes flashed as she muttered. Instead of checking what she had planned to check, she tucked her phone back into her pocket. ''I shouldn''t take advantage of this, else I will get addicted to it.'' she thought. Using the map, she decided to walk to her house. Which she found out wasn''t too far from the hospital. Arriving at the estate, she was met with another problem. Identification. "Who are you coming to see, child?" The security guard asked, flashing his brown teeth. "Hey, coming to see your rich friend or maybe a guy?" The younger security guard spoke. One of his hands twirled the cigarette. Zosia was unwilling to trade words with them. She brought out the phone that she had tucked into her pocket. She called Ariana, who was the second person on her call list. "Mom, send someone to come pick me up at the gate. The security guards won''t let me in." "How did you find the place? Never mind. I will send someone to come pick you up. It''s great you came back earlier." Zosia did not understand why Ariana had said it was great she had come back earlier. Was something wrong? "Hey, if they don''t come to get you, you should leave the gate and don''t block the road for others." Zosia turned to stare at the younger security guard and walked away to the side. Sitting on the pavement which has some shrubs planted by the side, she waited for the person that was said to come pick her up, to come. A few minutes later, a familiar face came to view. It was uncle Kenny. He was the one who acted as a father figure in place of Kael when Mirabel needed one the most. "Mirabel!" He called out with a wave. A big smile adorned his face, his eyes were narrowed into slits by the huge smile on his face. Zosia smiled and stood up. Dusting her butt, she walked up to him. She turned to look at the security guards who immediately opened the door. They didn''t dare waste time like they were doing before. Zosia gazed at their bent backs in the posture of greeting and couldn''t help but marvel at human nature. Clicking her tongue, she walked away. She knew they were just doing their jobs, but their words were not proper. As she walked alongside Uncle Kenny, Zosia couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. She could finally get some rest and calmly go through the information she had gathered today. She was really stressed out. She had used a lot of Qi which practically emptied her reserves. Her reason for walking back home was to see if she could be busy and still be able to circulate Qi through the numerous blockade that filled the body. Her plan was to arrange all the information and then using her spring water to cleanse the body. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey, kiddo, how was your day?" Uncle Kenny asked, his eyes scanning her face for any signs of trouble. Zosia shrugged, "It was okay, I guess. Just a lot of drama at the hospital." "Why were you at the hospital?" He asked, his eyes narrowed. "My friend got bullied and we happened to see how they had wasted him and took him to the hospital." Uncle Kenny nodded sympathetically, "I hope you weren''t affected ?" "No I wasn''t." "It must have been stressful for both you and your friends." Zosia nodded, "Yeah, but I''m fine. Just a little shaken up, that''s all." Uncle Kenny put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Well, you''re safe now. And I''m glad you''re home early. We have guests." Zosia raised an eyebrow, "Guests?" Uncle Kenny nodded his head, "You will see them once you are inside." Zosia''s mind raced with possibilities, but before she could press Uncle Kenny for more information, they arrived at the house. As they walked in, Zosia was greeted by the warm smile of Ariana, who enveloped her in a tight hug. "Welcome back sweetie. How are your friends?" Zosia hugged her back, "They are fine." She answered. "Heard from Uncle Kenny that we have guests?" "Yeah, my friend from University. We decided to meet and chat and then we became close. So now she came to see me with her son." "By the way, you two should be in the same class. Surprisingly, her son attends your school." Zosia did not reply to her statement but only stared at her with a raised eyebrow. Feeling curious, she walked with Ariana to see the so-called guests. Why would a guest come visit them at a time like this? When Ariana had just divorced. Entering the living room, she was met with an annoyingly familiar face and a pair of eyes that stared at her in amusement. "What are you doing here? ========== {AUTHOR: GUESS IN THE COMMENT SECTION WHO THE PERSON MIGHT BE.} Chapter 52 - 50 - Arc 2 "What are you doing here?" Zosia asked, her tone filled with surprise as she stared at Kent. "You too know each other?" Ariana asked. "Mhmm" Kent hummed in affirmation. "Yeah, we do." Zosia answered her. Hearing the response from Zosia''s mouth, Kent''s mother smiled widely. To Zosia it looked so eerie. She frowned as she stared at the woman before her. Her frown, subtle and undetected but well, except for Uncle Kenny and Kent. "Then what is your relationship with him?" Kent''s mom asked. Zosia could detect the scheming glint that flashed through her eyes, ''Why does Ariana only gather wolves around her.'' she thought inwardly. "Friends" "Classmate." They both responded in unison. Kent''s mom stared at the two of them, confused on which answer to take. She decided to take Zosia''s answer as friends. "Since you two are friends, then you wouldn''t mind dropping by one day to have a meal with us?" She asked with a wide smile. Zosia did not answer and only smiled in response. "It''s alright, you don''t have to answer now, just drop by one day." Kent''s mother said, seeing that she did not get a reply. "Alright, go play with Kent." Ariana said. "Play?!" She asked with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. "You get what I mean, just show him around." Ariana walked to her seat while correcting the impression of play in her daughter''s head. "Fine, But I am tired." "Just leave us." Ariana waved her hand to signal her to leave. She didn''t care where Mirabel takes Kent to, she just wanted them not to be here for now. She had to deal with the scheming bitch before her, without destroying the possiblity of connection in the future. One should always leave a leeway for themselves. ========== Zosia and Kent walked through the hallway leading to her room. "Was this the reason you rushed to leave immediately?" She asked, pausing in her footsteps as she turned to look at him. "Mmm. Though I did not know which friend she was talking about until I saw your mum." "So what do you wanna do? Today has been kinda hectic, and I need to sleep." "Tsk, I thought you were so strong." He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Well, you have seen it." She said with a shrug and continued leading him to her room. "This is my room. I haven''t arranged things as of yet, so there are still a lot of cartons." "What do you mean by haven''t arranged things? Isn''t this your house?" He asked. Zosia smiled but did not reply. She wouldn''t be telling an outsider about family matters. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was strange how she had quickly adapted to the body she housed, despite the low synchronization rate. Well, that was why the emotions of the body is stronger. Kent waited for her reply, but seeing the smile on her face, he knew she didn''t want to answer. He could already guess a possible reason, Divorce. Zosia bent the handle of door. The door open to reveal heaps of cartons with maids moving about to arrange things. The room was quite big. "Is this your room?" "Mhmm. They are still busy, let''s go." "Indeed a Princess." He remarked with a click of his tongue. "Jealous?" Kent turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow, "Of what?" Zosia looked at him, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Let''s go." She said with a smile. As they walked towatds the guest room, there was a brief silence between them. Only the sound of their footsteps as well as the flurry of footsteps emanating from the maids. Bending the door handle, she opened the door. Zosia walked straight to the bed and laid on it. Feeling how soft the bed is, she let out a moan. As Kent stepped into the room, his gaze locked onto Zosia upon hearing her moan, and for a fleeting moment, he froze, his eyes burning with a newfound intensity, their dark depths flashing with a spark of attraction that only she seemed to ignite. "You can sit by yourself and play on your phone. I need to sleep. "Mhmm" he hummed, his Adam apple rolled with it. Lowering his gaze, he sat on the chair in the room. Using his hand to comb through his hair, he tried to suppress the desire of two people. ''Calm down! You can''t do anything.'' He scolded inwardly. He was having a hard time suppressing the body owner''s emotions. His own emotions were also rampaging wildly. Grunt! Closing his eyes, he let out a grunt, followed by a sigh of relief. He couldn''t believe that what he thought he conquered was still lurking within him. ''This will spoil my plans.'' As Kent sat there, trying to calm himself down, Zosia''s eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at him with a soft smile. "Hey, Kent?" she whispered, her voice husky from sleep. She had thought, she could fight the sleep but the moment she laid down on the soft bed, she drifted of to sleep. It was only later she realized that she had forgotten Kent. Kent''s eyes snapped open, and he turned to her, his heart racing. "Yeah?" ''Has she been watching me?'' his eyes trembled at the thought. Zosia''s gaze held his, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Thanks for understanding." Kent''s face softened, his expression gentle. "Anytime, Princess." Their eyes held for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Then, Zosia''s eyelids drooped, and she drifted off to sleep, leaving Kent to his thoughts. He sat there, watching her sleep, his mind racing with emotions he couldn''t quite decipher. He felt that those emotions were that of the original Kent. He had thought he had control over those emotions, but being around Mirabel seemed to unravel him in ways he couldn''t understand. ''Does the original Kent really love Mirabel that much?'' He asked himself, lost in his thoughts. As the silence stretched, Kent''s gaze never left Mirabel''s face, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he had to leave, but his body seemed rooted to the spot, unwilling to depart from her presence. ''Fuck this emotions!'' He cursed inwardly. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Kent stood up, his eyes lingering on Mirabel''s peaceful face. He knew he had to get out of there before he did something he might regret. With a quiet exit, he left the room, leaving Mirabel to her slumber, but not before casting one last glance at the girl who seemed to have captured the original owner''s heart. ''What exactly did she have to make him crazy like this?'' Another question passed through his mind. Standing outside the door, his body refused to leave, like it wanted him to stand guard. Unwilling to let those emotions decide for him, he forced himself to suppress them. Groan! A red color streaked down from the corner of his lips, using his tongue to lick the wet liquid, the taste of iron filled his taste buds. Using his tongue to lick all the traces, he sighed. Sigh! Squeezing the door handle, he bent it, applying much more force than needed. He just didn''t understand why his emotions were off today. ''I better stay away from Mirabel if I want to do what I want and live my life freely.'' He entered the room quietly, gazing at the still sleeping Mirabel, he walked towards the bed side. Sitting down beside her, he could not help but stare at the long spread out eyelashes which were in fan shape and enough to make her eyes appear beautiful and bright against its shadow drop, once open. He could feel the other person trying to take over the body, feeling frustrated and bitter over his life, he gasped while trying to suppress it. Indeed, he wasn''t from this world but he also doesn''t know where he is from. All he knows is that, he wakes up in different world and in different bodies. Each have their own wish. He had to fulfill them to leave the world or he could stay there forever. Before, he always took his sweet time to carry out the tasks, whatever was asked if him, but now, he could feel the urgency. He wasn''t planning to stay in this world and definitely wouldn''t allow himself be trapped here. While he was in his thoughts, he hadn''t noticed that his body was leaning towards Mirabel, by the time he realized it, his lips were only millimeters away from hers. ''Since, I am already this close, let me just satisfy the idiot emotions.'' he thought. Lowering his eyelids, he placed his lips on top hers. As Kent''s lips touched Mirabel''s, a jolt of electricity ran through his body. He couldn''t believe what he was doing, but his emotions seemed to have taken control. Mirabel''s lips were soft and inviting, and Kent found himself deepening the kiss, his heart racing with excitement. But just as suddenly as it had begun, Kent pulled back, his eyes wide with shock. What was he doing? He didn''t even like Mirabel, and yet, his body seemed to be craving her touch. ''Does this body really love this girl that much?'' he found himself asking a similar question again. He suddenly realized that he had started dominating the other person. His eyes flew wide when he also noticed that, it wasn''t the emotions that led him to do what he did but the force. The same force that extracts him from the body he enters and puts him in various bodies. He had never understood how the force works but just a kiss from Mirabel allowed him to grasp some knowledge. Right now, staring at Mirabel''s lips was more inviting than he ever knew. ''If Kissing alone allowed me to get this knowledge, what about Sex.'' His gaze got deeper along with the thought. ''Alsi why is the force so adamant that I must know about it? If doesn''t seem conventional, but at least I now know a way.'' He leaned forward, he wanted to continue but his morals. Sigh! He sighed and left. The moment he left, Zosia''s eyes flickered open. ======== {Author: Guys, guess the Male Lead?} Chapter 53 - 51- Arc 2 The moment he left, Zosia''s eyes flickered open. She stared at the door Kent just left through, her eyes held unknown emotions. ''Does Kent really like Mirabel? I really need to speed up on my task.'' she thought Inwardly. At least she was done with one of her tasks, the rest¡ªshe had to snowball it. Lowering her eyelids, she continued to sleep while also trying to absorb qi to open some routes before she uses the stream water. Since her world upgraded, she hadn''t used the stream water which was now a spring. It wouldn''t be bad to try it with her current body, but that would be for later. She needed to recharge. As she lay there, Zosia''s mind raced with thoughts of Kent and Mirabel, her eyes gleaming with a hint of determination. She knew she had to accelerate her plans, but for now, she needed to conserve her energy. With a quiet sigh, she focused on absorbing the qi around her, feeling the subtle energies coursing through her body, despite how fast they disspasiated. As she recharged, Zosia''s thoughts drifted back to Kent. She couldn''t help but wonder if he truly had feelings for Mirabel, or if it was just a ruse. Her eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of a plan forming in her mind. She was not sure if she should keep such a time bomb close or ignore it, rather still, destroy it. "Aish, that tendency is here again. Damn! I got to learn how to control it." She smacked her head. Turning over to the other side, she settled herself in a more comfortable position. "Will think about all this later. My sleep comes first." She murmured and drifted off to sleep. Unaware of the ruckus being caused downstairs. ============= Downstairs..... After Zosia had taken Kent with her, Ariana eyes turned cold. Her stare on Kent''s mom was chilling. "Why... Are you staring at me like that?" She asked with an awkward laugh. "Juliana, you and I know, that you have been putting on a facade. Tell me, how did you find me and why?" "Ariana what do you mean?" Ariana did not respond but kept staring at Juliana, enough for her to have goosebumps. The air in the room heated up. "Juliana, let me remind you, you snatched by boyfriend away from him and had Kent with him and you even had the guts, the effontery, to send me a wedding invitation card. You didn''t even tell me you were coming and suddenly you are here, right at my doorstep." "It''s not what you think." "Ooh, then tell me, what should I think?" Ariana asked, her voice laced in mockery. "It was an accident. It just happened." "Ooh, three times a week is an accident or five rounds is an accident. Juliana, you and Crawford had the guts to send me a sex scene. Just tell me what you want?" Ariana asked, right now, she didn''t even care about the leeway again. She was tired of keeping up appearances. Juliana''s face turned pale as she realized that she had underestimated the situation, thinking she could just waltz in and pretend everything was fine. But Ariana''s words cut deep, exposing the truth Juliana had tried to hide. "Please, Ariana, listen to me," Juliana pleaded, her voice shaking. "It was a mistake, a moment of weakness. I was lonely, and Crawford was there... It didn''t mean anything." Ariana''s words was cold and mirthless. " Yeah Yeah.... accident, blah blah blah" she waved her hand dismissively like she was shooing an ant. Juliana''s eyes held unhidden anger and hatred, if not for what made her come here, she wouldn''t even bother. Who would want to act submissivly to someone who you think you are better than or jealous of. Yes, she had always been jealous of Ariana. Even getting Crawford was part of her plan to break Ariana. She had heard that heart break was the must painful. She had also felt it. At first Crawford was a tool to her but she ended up falling for him, to the extent she got pregnant with Kent. She was unwilling to do an abortion and wanted to use the baby to tie down Crawford. Till today, anytime she remembers it, it was the most humiliating part of her life. Since Crawford left, she directed her hatred to Kent. If not for the fact that she had only given birth to girls, she would have long forgotten that she has a son. "Juliana, I don''t really care about all those. At least I have Kael." "You mean, had?" "Huh?" Ariana asked with a confused look. "You once had Kael. Kael doesn''t belong to you now." Kent happened to be coming down and heard the news. Standing rooted in his spot, a whirlwind of thoughts followed. "Oh wow, news sure does circulate fast." "Tsk ... There is no need to act all haughty and mighty. You are already divorced. I just need your help for a small favor. "Let''s hear it." "Help My husband''s company." Ariana looked at Juliana with incredulity in her eyes. "Here me out first." Juliana said, trying to act convincingly. "If you supporty husband, it can get big enough to fight for some things for you, like Kael''s company. Ariana laughed out loud. Feeling that her first laughter wasn''t enough, she continued. "Wait, you mean Atler''s company?" Ariana asked. Seeing her nod her head, she scoffed with mirth in her tone, "More like Anthlers.." Juliana turned red with rage and embarrassment. "You!!" She stood up. Disbelief coloring her face as she pointed at Ariana. "Just you wait. You think you can stand on that high horse of yours for long. Just watch how it plays and you loose of everything." Ariana frowned at her words, " Whether I would loose or not, it''s not up to you." She refuted. "Kent!!" She screamed. Her voice reverberating through the walls. The sound made people wince and their eyelids twitch. They all had one thought, "What a shrew!" "You never change Juliana. Still as shrewish as always." Ariana''s remark touched a nerve. Juliana was shaking in anger as she kept pointing at Ariana. It was just self will that allowed her to hold herself and the fear of shame. Ariana could tell that one more word from her would tip Juliana like an erupting Volcano. She definitely didn''t want to see such a sight. Kent immediately came down. He could see how Juliana was, he knew if he wasted a second more, she would end up disgracing herself as well as him too. It wasn''t something he wanted Mirabel''s mother to see. It wouldn''t look good when the original owner and Mirabel starts dating. As for if the would date, that depends on fate? Maybe not fate. Maybe a force. Walking up to Juliana, he held her arms and literally dragged her out of the house. The moment they arrived outside, his face was swung to the other way by an unsuccpecting slap. He turned to look at the culprit. Licking the blood trickling from his lips, he realize that she had slapped him hard. Staring at the culprit who was looking at him without remorse, his eyes flickered. "Don''t you dare touch me you filthy brat." She warned. Turning on her heels, she walked away, not even waiting for Kent. Entering her car, she had the driver go back without also waiting for Kent. Kent stared at the departing vehicle, a ruthless look surfacing in his eyes. Forcefully wiping away whatever was left on his lips, he prepared to start trecking, when a car pulled up to him. He thought it was that of the wicked woman but seeing who it was, he was pleasantly surprised. "Where are you going?" Uncle Kenny asked. "Sir you don''t have to worry about me." "I am asking cos I am also going to where you are going." Kent smiled, "Thanks Uncle." He opened the front door and entered the car. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ============== Zosia opened her eyes, still feeling weak from the sleep, she slowly sat up. Using her hands to support herself, she leaned on the head board. Closing her eyes, she shook her head to shake away the remaining sleep. ''It''s time to check Kael''s phone. Chip should be done arranging the information.'' she thought. The panel appeared before followed by rows and rows of information. Feeling overwhelmed by the numerous data text, she had the chip transfer it to her mind. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the head board. By the time the information transfer was done, she was feeling dizzy. Letting out an audible sigh, she started summarizing the information. The first part revealed that Kael was once part of an organization, as for how or what it was, she only had an inkling. The organization was called dawn and they liked doing human experiments as well as training monstrosity. They were an evil organization filled with Madmen. Her curiosity was ignited, ''How was Kael part of this organization?'' She continued reading, the more she read, the more shocked she was. At first, she felt it was okay, since most business men had contacts with the underworld but Kael was dealing with them. If that wasn''t enough, she confirmed her guess. Ariana was nothing but a substitute among many other substitutes, but she was the only one who looked so alike with Keira. Her eyes blazed with fury. ''Such a scumbag.'' The next thing she saw almost broke her. Kael''s lover was in forced coma, this was done by the Dawn organization as she had escaped and being their most valuable specimen, she had been given a drug that once she was out of the organization, she would be in an induced Coma. As for how long before it''s effected or how long the coma will last, no one except the organization themselves that would know. Kael wants to save her and the only way, was to either look for Keira''s child which according to the information, exists. Or to exchange Mirabel or Lucy for his lover to awaken. "What a bastard father!" She cursed. She could feel the heart ache and hatred arising from the original owner''s emotions. Zosia wanted to soothe the emotions, but she remembered that, if she was the one, how would she react. Besides, she couldn''t even stay for long, If she could, then soothing the emotions will be what she would do. Closing her eyes, she sighed. "It''s so messed up." The door creaked open, revealing a pair of eyes. Chapter 54 - 52- Arc 2 Closing her eyes, she sighed. "It''s so messed up." The door creaked open, revealing a pair of eyes. "What''s so messed up sweetheart?" Ariana asked. Gently opening the door, she entered the room and closed the door gently behind her. "Sigh!" Zosia sighed. Looking at Ariana''s curious eyes, she wondered if she should break such a woman''s heart. The truth is always a bitter pill. Staring at Ariana, her eyes never leaving hers, she sighed again. She knew she had to tell her. She could feel the urgency. The need to speed things up. Once this month ends, she would end up becoming an organization plaything and Ariana completely abandoned or even being thrown to a psychiatric hospital. Worse, Kael may send her along with Mirabel. The more she thought about possible things to happen, she felt a chill up her spine. Shifting over to the side to give space for the curious Ariana to sit down, she patted her sides. "Aish, you have been sighing like an old woman. What worries you?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s your marriage, mom. Infact it''s everything. It''s our survival!" At the end, she shook her head like she could see the end happening already. Was she so tense that she wasn''t calm anymore. She had the right to be, because, Kael had just messaged them and he was given the ultimatum to bring his daughter instead. "What do you mean, Mirabel?" Ariana''s tone got serious. She stared straight at Mirabel, watching every change of her face, even her fluttering eyelashes. "You married a bastard, mom." "No... No.. I won''t take that from you Mirabel. No curse words." She warned. "Haha... You wouldn''t be saying that if you have heard what he has done. I think you would be in more despair than I am." Zosia thought she had a whole month to plan but everything had been shifted to two weeks. Why? She just couldn''t understand. ''Was Lysel blackening?'' she thought. Like the one in novels, where they say the villain is blackening and can do anything at that moment and walking back to the light was almost practically impossible. Can you withstand the pain they went through? The pain they are still going through and will always go through. They received no help when they needed it and were always surrounded by receivers and having an irrevocable mentality about the world. They were always psych or twisted. ''If Lysel is not blackening, is it the organization that wants.... Wait, could they have found Lysel?'' upon having this thought, she immediately turned to grasp her phone. "Ouch!" Ariana winced. Zosia had mistakenly hit her when she turned. She suddenly remembered that Ariana was here. "Cough!" "No need to cough. You were so lost in thought. Tell me Mirabel, what is going on?" She asked. Her face serious and the look in her eyes will tell you, she isn''t someone to be messed with. Zosia took a deep breath, her eyes locked on Ariana''s. "Mom you have been and always have been a substitute to Kael." Her tone filled with mockery at the situation. She smiled wryly and continued, "For a total of 16 years." "What do you mean?" "I mean what I said, mom. The main one has been in a coma for a total of five years, which was when Dad found out that his white moonlight was in a coma." Ariana gasped, she found it unbelievably. "Do you have evidence?" She asked, clutching her chest. The rate at which her heart was beating had surpassed the normal rate. It was as if it wanted to jump out of her ribcage. "Mmm." Zosia answered , opening her phone, she showed her the file that she had asked Chip to send to her phone. Clicking on the file which not only contained her medical records but as well as her pictures and different hospitals that she had been to or carried to by Kael. With shaky hands, Ariana took her daughter''s phone. Her eyes trembled as she read through everything. She felt her world collapsing. "What is this?" She asked in denial. "My sister!!!" Tears rolled down from her eyes. She couldn''t understand. She just couldn''t believe it. Her well controlled world, the illusions she had been living in shattered. Everything which she had overlooked or taken as nothing came rushing into her mind. Trembling, she scrolled through the medical records, she looked at each picture in detail. Recognizing her sister''s birth mark which was on her shoulder. In the picture, she was smiling, wearing a sleeveless top. Her white teeth shone in the lightening. Her eyes bright that they seem to hold stars. "Why? Why?!" She questioned no one in particular her voice filled with pain. Zosia watched Ariana, she could feel the emotions that filled the air. She suddenly felt a wetness rolling down from her eyes. ''I am crying?'' she asked herself inwardly in disbelief. Emotions were a bad thing. Suddenly Ariana wished she was emotionless. Maybe if she didn''t feel in love, she wouldn''t feel used. She wouldn''t be heartbroken, not into two but into pieces. She wouldn''t feel her world shattering. Maybe it wouldn''t even shatter in the first place. Clutching the phone, she slid down from the bed onto the floor, her body shaking uncontrollably as she wept. Zosia knelt down beside her, wrapping her arms around her, holding her close as she sobbed. The pain and betrayal were palpable, and Zosia felt her own tears falling, mingling with Ariana''s. "Why, Kael, why?" Ariana whispered, her voice barely audible. "How could you do this to me? To us?" Like the question wasn''t enough, she screamed. "Ahhhhhh!!!!" She felt so suffocated inside, she wanted to let it out. She was tired. All the men that loved her or so she believed, why did they always have to break her heart. Why did they always need to leave her broken In pieces. Was she that unlovable? Even her own parents didn''t love her. Her mother''s favorite was Trisha and her love for her was very evident. As for her Dad, his favorite had always been Keira. She had wondered why Keira disappeared, but now she knows. "My life.... Why is it so broken? Why can''t I ever receive love?" She screamed at the ending. Zosia held her tight, feeling the anger and hatred towards Kael growing inside her. She knew she had to protect her mom, to shield her from the truth that was tearing her apart, But could she? If she did that and Ariana ends up finding out too late, who would help Mirabel when she was gone. Opening her mouth, she tried to mouth words of encouragement but none escaped her lips. Biting her lips, she allowed her own tears to flow freely. ''Was I always this emotional?'' she was also feeling overwhelmed. As they held each other, the tears flowing freely, Zosia knew that their world would never be the same. The lies, the deceit, the betrayal - it was all too much to bear. But she vowed to stand strong, to fight for her¡ª Mirabel and her mom and for her task. She could only do as much till she goes. She hopes she could accomplish much. The darkness closing in around them, Zosia could feel the urgency. Time was ticking. She was not sure with the amount of time left, if she could even do much, but one thing she was sure of, she would strengthen this body. Her eyes blazed with determination and ruthlessness. But for now, they just held each other, lost in their grief, their tears a testament to the shattered dreams and broken hearts. Ariana''s body shook with each sob, her mind reeling with the revelation. She felt like she had been living a lie, that everything she thought she knew was a fabrication. The pain was suffocating, crushing her beneath its weight. Zosia held her, rocking her back and forth, trying to comfort her. But she knew it was futile. The pain was too deep, too raw. All she could do was be there for her mom, to support her through this nightmare. As they sat on the floor, surrounded by the shattered remnants of their lives, Zosia knew that they had to keep moving. They couldn''t always live in grief. She needed to be stronger. At this point, she felt the need for more power. But for now, they just held each other, lost in their grief, their tears a reminder of the pain they had endured. She hoped that this would forge her, even as it had broken her, forge her into a better person, a better woman and a better weapon. The minutes ticked by, each one a reminder of the time they had lost. The time they had wasted living a lie. The time Zosia had wasted crying instead of planning. But Zosia knew she wasn''t a robot. Her emotions were there and despite knowing that they couldn''t dwell on the past, she knew if it wasn''t released, it would become another time bomb. She didn''t want such but nevertheless, she knew that they had to focus on the future, on finding a way to heal, to move on and to plan and utilize the remaining time well. Ariana''s eyes were red and puffy, her face streaked with tears. She turned to her daughter. "How did you find out?" She asked, her voice nasal. "The doctor in charge of my own case was the one doing rounds, so he was with the file. The file has her picture. I thought it was you, since you looked so alike." Zosia said, lowering her head. "Indeed we look so alike. So alike that I am her substitute. Why can''t I have my own life? Everything she wanted to do and when she reincided on them, I had to do it." "Mom, then if she is your sister, why are you treated differently?" Her question seemed to have poked a hornet of tears, more tears spilled forth from her eyes. "I wish I knew. Maybe I wasn''t as smart as I thought." "Uh... Uh" Zosia shook her head. "Mom, no negativity." "Ha!.....Negativity. You wouldn''t understand." "I will mom." Ariana sniffled, her eyes wet with tears that seemed to want to go another round. "Thanks sweetheart. Thanks for being with me. Without you, I would have probably gone mad or parachuted straight into depression." Zosia nodded her head. Patting Ariana''s back to calm her down. "Mom, then your relationship with her?" Zosia asked the question that had always been on her mind. "We were triplets. Three sisters. I have always been the odd one out of them. My family is a military household, so it''s either you were good at fighting, that is martial arts or you could make a good socialite." "I was neither of them. I was always awkward in crowded areas and tend to cave inward. Regardless of how many etiquette teachers, history teachers that my mom hired, I seemed to have a block head. Nothing could enter. My mom was always frustrated when she heard the reports from the tutors. At a point she hated the sight of me. I remember she always said a sentence." Ariana turned to look at Mirabel. Staring at her daughter, who unlike her that was an eyesore to her parents, Mirabel was her strength. "She always said, I was the reason she couldn''t have a son. I wonder how that works. We are triplets, yet I am the only one who made her unable to have a son." "If she was in a good mood, she would call me useless. As I grew, she no longer addressed me by my given name. It was always this or that. I hated living in that house, so I escaped. The security on me was loose. I didn''t even have any. My sisters had body guards, they had people watching them 24/7. My parents didn''t even care if I died or got kidnapped. To them it would be way better." "I had even got kidnapped once, they wanted to use me to make my dad give in for something they had done and didn''t want him to dig further. They called him and guess what he said. He said he didn''t care and didn''t even count me as one of his daughters. If not they wouldn''t have easily capture me and whatever they wanted to use me tod, they can go ahead. Even..... As a sex toy." Ariana ''s lips trembled as she mouthed those words out. "Trisha was good at being a socialite. To me she was always dumb but in front of others, she was a star. My other sister, Kiera, to whom... I am unfortunately a substitute for. Was good in martial arts. Name the different fighting style you want and she would give it to you. She had won so many competitions. As for me, I was just a nerd. After I realized that if I want to get by, I must stay away from the limelight, any competition I went to, I always had a mask worn. Most of the time, I would even dye my hair a different color or do make up. I just had to look different from my usual self. All my awards were with our Dean who understood my situation and took me as his daughter. He was the one who funded my escape. Unfortunately, he died. I couldn''t even be there for him." "I could only attend his burial. I didn''t even know he was sick. His children also accepted me for who I was. They were my only friends, even though we don''t speak often again, but they were there for me when I needed someone to cry on and be my big brother or sister. They have all gotten married, so I stopped contacting them like before and learned to leave on my own." Ariana smiled. Zosia looked at Ariana''s smile which was worse than crying and sighed. Ariana started crying again. Her sobs and Zosia''s rhythmic tapping against her back was the only thing that echoed in the room. Zosia''s own eyes were wet. She couldn''t cry, she needed to be strong, she could cry later. Maybe when Ariana gets stronger, she could be the pillar for Mirabel to cry. After she was gone. Chapter 55 - 53- Arc 2 As promised, she went to visit Lysel the next day. Arriving at his ward, she heard indistinct chatters. Leaning against the door, she was able to hear the voices more clearly. "Why did they help you? What did they want?" A husky voice was heard. "I don''t know. They didn''t tell me." Lysel answered. "You better stay away from them. They wouldn''t be nice people." "Dad, is that why you came to see me. To tell me about this and that." His voice was filled with fury, if he could stand up, he would. "Dad, look at me. This is what bullying has turned my state into. If they hadn''t seen me, maybe by tomorrow, you would hear on the news of a dead body found dumped in a dumpster." "You can''t even help me? You can''t even stand up for me ¡ª Your own son, yet all you know how to do is dictate my life." Lysel''s father sighed, his expression softening slightly. "Lysel, I''m just trying to protect you. You don''t understand the world out there. It''s not a safe place." Lysel''s eyes flashed with anger. "You don''t understand me either! You never have! You only care about your own interests, not mine!" "You have only cared about researching this and that. Now we live a depraved life despite your salary. I can''t even boast of a good school bag. All you do, is tender to my wounds when I get back or leave me to it when you are in the lab. You have never fought for me, Not once!" He growled at the end. The room fell silent, the tension between them palpable. Lysel''s father''s face hardened, his eyes cold and unyielding. "You''re ungrateful, Lysel. I''ve done everything for you, and this is how you repay me?" Lysel''s laughter was bitter. "Everything? You call tending to my wounds ''everything''? You call ignoring me and letting those bullies torture me ''everything''?" His father''s face turned red with rage. "How dare you! I''ve given you everything you''ve ever wanted!" Lysel''s voice rose, his words pouring out like a torrent. "You''ve given me nothing but pain and suffering! You''ve made me feel worthless and alone! And now, you''re trying to dictate my life again, telling me to stay away from the only people who''ve ever shown me kindness? As for what I ever wanted. Do I have a gaming laptop, I don''t even have a laptop in the first place. I don''t even have a good book or a new table." The room seemed to vibrate with the intensity of their argument. Lysel''s father''s face twisted in a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury. "You''ll do as I say, Lysel. You''ll stay away from them, or you''ll face the consequences!" Lysel''s laughter was cold and mirthless. "Consequences? You mean like being disowned? Like being abandoned again? Mom already abandoned me, yours would make much difference. I''m already facing those consequences, Dad. And I''ll take my chances with the people who actually care about me. It might be because of your attitude, mom left. She must have been tired, just like I am." The silence that followed was oppressive, the air thick with unspoken words. Lysel''s father''s face was a mask of rage and hurt, his eyes flashing with a warning. But Lysel just lay there, his eyes never leaving his father''s face, his expression defiant and unyielding. Zosia who was standing outside, suddenly noticed that her actions must have brought prying eyes due to the stares she received. "Cough!" Coughing to hide her embarrassment, she did like she was arranging her hair in place. Squeezing the door handle she entered, despite the tension in the room. She pushed open the door and entered the room, her presence drawing the attention of both Lysel and his father. Lysel''s eyes locked onto hers, a mixture of anger and desperation in their depths. "You," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Zosia was not sure if they had introduced themselves that day, so the "You" was probably acceptable. His father turned to face her, a scowl on his face. "What are you doing here?" he growled. Zosia stood tall, her eyes never leaving Lysel''s. "I came to see Lysel," she said, her voice firm. Lysel''s father snorted. "You''re just like them, aren''t you? Thinking you can waltz in here and save the day." Zosia''s eyes narrowed. "I''m not like anyone," she said, her voice cold. "And if I may ask, who are the them?" "That''s none of your business, Miss smarty pants." He snapped at her. Lysel''s father sneered. "You don''t even know what you''re getting yourself into," he said, his voice dripping with malice. Zosia''s eyes never left his. "Indeed, but at least I have a goal and I am willing to venture into it," she said, her voice steady. "And I''m not afraid of you or your threats." Lysel''s father took a step back, his eyes flashing with anger. He was tired, his son was so ungrateful and the smarty pants before him didn''t even know that lives were hanging on the line. As for Zosia, she walked towards the sofa, crossing her legs like a mini madam. Finally, he turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Zosia and Lysel alone. Lysel''s eyes locked onto hers, a mixture of gratitude and desperation in their depths. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible. He had thought hard about it yesterday. He had decided to give having friends a try. If he was betrayed again, then he would willingly accept the consequences. There was this part of his heart that yearned for it. But he was still distrustful against them. Zosia smiled, her eyes softening. "Anytime, Lysel," she said, her voice gentle. "We''re in this together, remember?" Lysel nodded, a small smile on his face. And Zosia knew that she had made the right decision. She was going to help Lysel, no matter what it took. He was Keira Son. When she found out about it, she was as shocked as hell. If that Dawn Organization had found him, then they will be acting to take him away soon. They always do this under the pretext of one thing or the other, so no one would suspect that the people they took was still alive. She pondered on what she and Lysel''s own will be. Inwardly she hoped that Ariana would not be affected. As for Keira, she didn''t give a fuck. She sighed inwardly, her gaze meeting Lysel''s. Standing up, she sat down beside him, Lysel''s eyes locked onto hers, a question in their depths. "Mirabel" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Why am I always weak despite how bad I train. It always seemed futile." Zosia''s eyes never left his. "Because you are doing it all wrong, Lysel," she said, her voice honest. "Huh?" Lysel turned to look at her with confusion written over his face. "You trained, indeed, but the mindset. The mindset is very crucial." "Always think of every battle as a place where you can die if not careful but since this is bullying, you can tone the mindset down a little. The training method that would fit you, is the one where your whole bones may be reworked and reforged." "What do you mean, Mirabel? How is that done?" "Just trust me on that. You need to get well. First we would have to speed up your healing process." She brought out a small bottle filled with clear liquid. Stretching her arm that held the bottle to Lysel, who was looking at her in confusion. ''This looks like the bottle my dad used in containing that virus.'' "What is this?" He asked with caution. "Just drink it. It''s a healing potion, like the one in games." "Really? So I can drink it?" Mirabel nodded, a small smile on her face, encouraging him to do it. And Zosia knew that she had to uncover the truth, no matter what it took. ''Well she already uncovered half of it, the rest would be easier to deal with, or so she hoped. Lysel''s eyes widened in surprise, but he hesitated for a moment before taking the bottle from Zosia''s hand. He examined it carefully, then looked up at her with a questioning gaze. "Are you sure this is safe?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism. Zosia nodded reassuringly. "I''m positive, Lysel. Trust me, it will help you heal faster." Lysel took a deep breath, then uncorked the bottle and drank the contents in one swift motion. He was expecting a bitter taste, but it was so sweet. He couldn''t help but smack his lips against each other and gulp down his saliva. Zosia just smiled and patted his hand. "You''ll be feeling better in no time," she said, her eyes sparkling with encouragement. She wanted to know how far or how good, her spring water could treat. Lysel looked at her doubtfully, but as the minutes ticked by, he began to feel a strange sensation coursing through his body. His wounds started to itch and tingle, and he could feel his strength returning. "Wow," he breathed, his eyes wide with amazement. "This really works!" Zosia grinned, her eyes shining with pride. "I told you it would," she said, her voice filled with warmth. Zosia could tell that her emotions were slowly changing. ''Is it a sign that I would be going out of this world soon?'' she thought. Her eyes flickered and the task panel appeared before her eyes. The time limit had been restored, except for the days she has already used. ''So Lysel was blackening.'' Looking at Lysel, she thought to herself. '' Why not teach him and Ariana how to cultivate. She would use the spring water to reform their bodies.'' but at the same time, she was hesitant. What if they end up capturing them due to that. It wouldn''t be easy. As they sat there, Lysel''s eyes locked onto hers, a question in their depths. "Mirabel," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Why exactly are you good to me?" "There are so many reasons involved but just know that the only thing I want from you is your safety." Lysel didn''t understand. ''Was he in another danger? What exactly was going on?'' Zosia''s expression turned serious, her eyes clouding over with concern. "Lysel, why does your father treat you like that? How does he treat you in general." she said, her voice nonchalant, despite her eyes revealing the opposite. "It''s okay if you don''t want to tell me." Lysel''s eyes narrowed, his face set in a hesitant expression, should he tell her? "What would you use it to do if I told you?" he demanded, his voice firm. "So that I can make better training regime plans." Lysel''s face turned rigid at her statement. ''Was she intent on helping me? Should I tell her?'' he asked himself inwardly. He was still feeling distrustful. Zosia looked at the unhidden distrust in his eyes, "You don''t have to tell me. Maybe, when you are ready, you will tell me." Lysel nodded his head, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank you." "For?" "For not pressing for answers." "Lysel, I will be here anytime you need a listening ear." She said, patting him on the head. "I will need to change the doctor''s report and call a nurse for you." "Okay. But how will you do that?" "Don''t worry about that." She smiled and stood up. Reaching the door handle, she turned to stare at him. "Be okay, Alright. Don''t feel down and don''t let negative thoughts to cloud your mind. This is your first training." After saying this, she bent the door handle and pushed the door open to leave. She wanted to reconnect back the cameras, but since she has yet to clarify his record, it would not be possible for now. ===== {Author} I injured my hand, this chapter was a draft I made, so chapter update may be slow. Pardon me. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 56 - 54- Arc 2 (1 Mass Release) Walking along the hallway, she saw Kael talking to the doctor whom she had gotten the file from. ''Should I go listen?'' her eyes flickered as she thought. "Chip, using the link, activate sound recording. Immediately send the recording to my phone and delete all traces." She said inwardly. Taking a deep breath, she cast an illusion. She could feel her Qi being drained at a fast rate, especially as she had only cultivated a small amount after her body had been remolded by the spring water. Using one of the invisible talismans, which she noticed that in a modern world, its effect is halved but she had no other choice despite seeing it as a waste of resources. With a despondent smile she used the talisman and immediately stopped channelling her Qi, making the illusion disspasiate. Despite using an invisible talisman, she still practiced stealth as she walked to the doctor''s office. Walking to the doctor''s office was more tedious than she thought. So many people on the hallway, she either had to bypass them or wait for them to pass. She even felt that it was not worth it, but thinking about the security cameras which she couldn''t destroy, except she intends to cause panic or do something massive, so she had to endure. At this point, she wished she could get her hands on another upgrade token. While pondering on how to get her hands on one, she finally arrived at the doctor''s office. She watched as a nurse was also sneakily entering his office. Staring at the panel on the door which had a name, different from the one that treated her and the one handling Kael''s white moonlight. ''What a stupid man.'' she muttered to herself. To her, Kael despite being filled with smart and wits was really stupid. Sacrificing everything for a white moonlight whom you are not even sure remembers you and as well, has her own family. Would he snatch her away from her husband and child and lock her away, never seeing the sun or would he make her loose her memory. All this just to be with someone who never had him in her heart. It was such a ridiculous and crazy notion. She even felt that Kael was Crazy and had mental issues. Zosia stared at the door, unsure of whether to enter since a nurse had already entered. Braving herself, she decided to go through the vent which was such a long process. By the time she finished going through the vent to arrive at the doctor''s office, she was sweating. The heat in the vent was too much. Some smells even wafted over from different directions. Peeping through the vent, she saw something she shouldn''t be seeing according to the current age of the body she was occupying. The nurse was being banged by the doctor. Those who don''t understand banged, just take it as she was being f*cked by the doctor. ''Was he really in heat that he needed to cool off in his office? Couldn''t they just go to a hotel?'' She rolled her eyes, pressing her ear to the vent to catch any useful dialogue amidst the sordid sounds. Focusing, she strained to listen, hoping that amidst the grunts and moans there might be something of value. The doctor''s voice broke through, breathless and rough. "We have.....found Lysel. Tell them change of plans." She frowned, realizing they were discussing something crucial. Her thoughts raced. What Lysel? And why the change of plans? The nurse''s voice was muffled but eager, " Uh.. uh. They would hear of it..... Which.... Room?" "Shut up," he hissed, his tone dangerous. "F*ck, f*ck... I am cuming." Zosia who was listening intently shivered. Um, what was that sound that they make when they have reached the peak and have released. She thought of a better word to describe it. She hadn''t felt it before, so despite knowing the sound, she didn''t know how to describe it. "Mmm" "Uhh" "Should we go another round?" The nurse asked the doctor with a wink. "No. I need to go and check on Lysel. Also where is his file?" Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "On... The table." She said. Twisting her seductive body, she bent down, taking the doctor''s cock by her hands. "We can do that later, I still am not satisfied." She muttered before taking the cock into her mouth. "Uhh!" Zosia watched the doctor who should have gone out, being led again. Unwilling to keep listening to his moans or staring at their naked body that glistened under the sun light that poured into the room. She had noticed that they had rubbed oil on their body making their body seem to reflect off light. Taking a deep breath, she cast another illusion. Since she already knew where the file was kept, she opened the vent and gently came down. Since she had cast an illusion, she wasn''t worried about them hearing or seeing her. She first put a small camera in the room in various hidden places, then took the pen on the table. Glancing through the handwritings and the things she should take note of, she swapped the medical records. She changed Lysel''s case into a minor injury. Since she couldn''t completely erase Lysel coming to the hospital, she took the safer route. After changing what needs to be changed, she walked towards the doctor. The illusion, she had cast was the one that would make them ignore her, regardless of what she does. It didn''t take up too much Qi, but her reserves were not much in the first place. She pondered on tweaking their memories a little bit, which would use up almost all her current Qi, but it would be worth it. First she had the doctor imagine that he was signing a huge promotion contract. Putting the places she wanted him to sign. The doctor scribbled his signature on them, it was so praticed. Zosia could not help but click her tongue. It seems like the doctor was also the type to dream big. Since his actions would cause him to slow down in his activity, she also cast an illusion in the nurse, to which she realized, was the same nurse that attended to Lysel. As for what she made her imagine or feel, well it was what the nurse desired most at the current moment. The nurse imagined being rich and having multiple bangs at once. Zosia had the urge to puke, ''I can do that later, need to settle this first.'' she thought. The moment the documents were done being signed, which included Lysel''s leave and change in ward number etc. She tampered with an anchor in their memories. Anchor in memory, is a part of that whole scene that you remember which whenever you remember or are reminded by it, the rest comes flowing. Once the anchors are tampered with, the person could assume anything and it will replace that memory. Using her hypnotic skills, she had them forget Lysel or anyone related to him and tampered with some part about his association with the Dawn while also getting some information. First, the Dawn was an experimental organization. It was popular among the elites before, but something happened and they went into hiding. Now, only the old foggeys knows about Dawn. The rest that knew about Dawn, were either associated to it or like her and Ariana who got it from Kael''s phone. Second, why they needed Lysel so much was because of a strand in his DNA which they think should be passed from his mum. They can''t take adults as it would be very hard to extract, but should be impossible. Well, to the doctor. Zosia wasn''t sure if that was the same case with the Organization. Third, Kael and Keira were once part of the organization. As for how the doctor knows, it was when a member of the organization was convincing him and showed him the files of elites, supporting them. Zosia eyes flickered with ruthlessness. "That bastard." She cursed under her breath. She looked at the nurse and also tampered with hers. The nurse was only a messenger. All she did was send the information while she received cool cash. Very simple, right? That is why it was so enticing for her. All she had to do was send the message or anything given to her, to the said person and she gets paid. She even got a chance to interact with big wigs of different calibers and like the doctor, ensnared them with her body. She is a sex addict and using it to get favours and promotions didn''t seem bad to her, she was equally enjoying their services. She wasn''t emotionally attached to any of them, which was quite surprising for a woman. But not too surprising for her case. Zosia breathing roughened. Her Qi was almost exhausted. Feeling that she did not have much time left, she arranged things back to their appropriate order and left through the door with a paper in her hand. It was the discharge paper for Lysel. =======[========= As promised, a mass release. I promised some mass release of chapters but was unable to fulfill them. 1- Webnovel Anniversary - 3 Mass release Chapter 2- Ranking Up (Power stones, Collections, Golden ticket.) ¡ª 2 Chapters In total = 5 chapters. I don''t know if I can do that completely anytime soon, due to school. But here is a chapter from the mass release, making it in total = 4 Chapters. Encourage me by Power stones, Collections, Golden tickets, Gifts and Subscriptions. Do not forget to comment and leave reviews, they allow me to know what to work on and what the readers like. Take care and have a nice day while enjoying this chapter. Chapter 57 - 55- Arc 2 Arriving at the front desk, she did like she wanted to pay for the bills and also changed Lysel''s information in the system. By the time she was done, she was drained. Walking back to Lysel''s ward, she was walking sluggishly. The moment she arrived at the door to the ward, she met Kent coming out. "You are here." She said, rubbing her eyes sluggishly. She had no explanation for them, if they were to ask why she was like that, so she could only feing lack of sleep. Kent looked at Mirabel who looked dull. Feeling awkward, he played with the corner of his shirt. He couldn''t help but think about the kiss yesterday. He wasn''t sure if she knew about it, since he had done it while she was asleep. But after thinking it through yesterday, he knew it wouldn''t be that simple. Someone who could fight on equal footing with huge burly men wouldn''t be so unaware of her surroundings. Luckily, she didn''t bring that up. "I came to see Lysel." "Okay. He has been discharged." "Yeah... I noticed he seemed better than expected. Like, he seems well....." "Hmmm." "Not like I am against it or something.... Is just...." "Just what?" Zosia asked, her eyes turning a degree colder. "Not what I was expecting. Seems like his body heals faster. Maybe that''s why he is still alive despite all the bullying he has been through." "Yeah." "Let''s go inside, you seem tired." Kent said, opening the door, which revealed Lysel flexing his body. "I feel so good." He muttered, still having an unbelievable look on his face. Kent frowned, he felt that it was suspicious. ''Why would Lysel react like that, isn''t it something he must have been through multiple times?'' "Why are you acting like you aren''t used to it?" "Huh?" ''Does Kent also get such a treatment from Mirabel. No wonder he is so strong.'' "Don''t you also get such treatment?" Lysel asked with an envious look. Zosia glanced at the two of them and understood that a misunderstanding was brewing. She definitely wasn''t going to explain it either. "Lysel, you have been discharged. Do you wanna go... Back to your own house, or follow me?" "Tsk, since when were you looking for followers?" Kent asked, feeling a twinge of jealousy. Zosia sighed, her patience wearing thin. "Kent, this isn''t about followers. Lysel needs a safe place to recover fully, and his house isn''t exactly that." Kent''s expression softened, recognizing the truth in her words. He looked at Lysel, who seemed to be waiting for a cue. "Alright, it''s your choice, Lysel. What do you want to do?" Lysel glanced between them, his eyes wide with uncertainty. He had never felt so torn before. Staying with Mirabel meant safety and care, but it also meant stepping further into a world he didn''t fully understand. However, returning home meant vulnerability, with no one to protect him from the lurking dangers. "I''ll go with Mirabel," he finally said, his voice steady. "I don''t want to go back home yet." Zosia nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Alright, let''s get your things."As they gathered Lysel''s belongings, the tension between Zosia and Kent was palpable. Kent couldn''t shake the feeling that he was being left out of something important. He watched Zosia move with an efficiency that belied her tiredness, and he couldn''t help but wonder how much she was keeping from him. He didn''t know why he had the urge to know everything, to want to be part of her life and everything going on. Was that love? Or just plain Possessiveness? "Mirabel," he said, his voice lower. "What''s really going on here? There''s more to this, isn''t there?"She paused, her eyes meeting his. "Kent, there are things I can''t explain right now. But trust me, it''s better this way."He frowned but nodded. "I hope you know what you''re doing." The trio left the hospital, stepping out into the cool autumn air. Lysel seemed to relax a bit, the hospital''s oppressive atmosphere lifting from his shoulders. "Let me call my mom to inform her that we would be coming and that Lysel would be staying with us." Zosia said as she brought out her phone. "Tell her that I would also be staying." Kent said causing Zosia to pause in her steps. "What do you mean, Kent?" "Exactly what I said." "And why is that?" She asked. She didn''t understand where Kent''s curious or... She just didn''t know what to define his attitude. She didn''t even understand where it was coming from. "I don''t wanna go back to my own house. Your mom would know better than you do." Kent''s reply caused Zosia to frown. Her eyes scanned Kent''s face and seeing that he wasn''t lying, she sighed and walked towards the side to make the call. She clicked on Ariana''s number which was picked on the second ring. "Mirabel, is something wrong?" "No mom. Um two of my friends are coming to stay with us and it may be for a while.." "Ah!, is that it? Then there is no problem. We have enough food to feed more people. It''s great your friends can come to stay with you. I will call Wini to take care of it. Just go back home." "Yes mom. Thanks a lot." "It''s nothing for my precious baby." Zosia gave an awkward laugh and immediately cut the call. She wasn''t used to such sweet words and definitely wasn''t planning on getting used to it. Returning back to them, she said. "My mom agreed, so we should get going. Luckily today is weekend. Tomorrow is going to be school." As they walked towards Zosia''s car, Lysel glanced at her. "Thank you, Mirabel. For everything." She gave him a reassuring smile. "You''re welcome, Lysel. Let''s get you home." The drive to Mirabel''s house was quiet, the hum of the engine filling the silence. Kent kept staring at Mirabel, his mind racing with questions. What had he gotten himself into? And why did he feel so protective over Mirabel and jealous of Lysel? ''Gosh, I hope I have not fallen in love. It would be a disaster.'' he thought. It''s best if it''s only the original owner but it should definitely not be him. Lysel watched in awe as they passed the estate gate. He once lived in a place like this, but now, that was long gone. "Welcome to my Humble abode." Zosia announced as they came down from the car. "You call this humble?" "Pssht. More like proud." Zosia smiled and turned to the driver. "Thanks sir. Please bring in their things." Turning back to them, "Let''s go, oh, right. Kent, what about your stuff, how would you do it." "You don''t need to worry about that? It''s our school uniform I am worried about." "That''s true." She nodded, acknowledging the fact that apart from her, the two of them neither had their uniforms with them and Lysel wasn''t schooling with them. She thought for a while, this is where Ariana''s influence comes in. "Let''s get you guys settled down first." "Young Miss, Madam already told me about them. Leave the rest to me." Zosia turned to look at Wini, she was the butler and head maid of the house. She adores Ariana so much that she was like a little puppy. Sometimes, Mirabel had the urge to think that she was more of a daughter to Ariana than her. "Okay aunt Wini." Yup, Wini was older than her and by a huge margin. "I will go do my thing then." She immediately rushed inside. Lysel and Kent who were left behind, were stunned. They looked between Mirabel''s disappearing back and the young maid, well not too young as she was old enough to be their mother. "Let''s go." She said, leading them into the house. Zosia on the other hand, was rushing towards the basement. While in the car, she had thought of various ways to train while masking it from Kael''s prying eyes. And since this place, despite having some spies, they weren''t that curious about anything going on in the house, so it would be to her advantage and even if she ends up weeding them out, which she knows would not be completely possible till Kael hands her over to that Organization, but keeping them at the bare minimum, maybe one or two. As she arrived at the basement, she took in her surroundings. She noticed that there were no cameras. Even after casting her spiritual consciousness, she didn''t notice anything out of place. While coming to this place, she had also noticed that nobody came here so it was full of dust. Sweeping her spiritual consciousness made her head pound. Despite her reserve filling up a little, it still wasn''t much. "Well, I just need to confirm the place first." She muttered to herself as she stared at the place. Pushing open the door in front of her, she saw an underground staircase. Despite how dark the place was, she wasn''t afraid. Stepping onto the stairs, she swept her spiritual consciousness and noticed that the stairs were quite narrow. Arriving at the end of the stairs, she swept her spiritual consciousness again and noticed that the space was quite wide and empty. Zosia frowned. "Who would build such then leave the place empty?" Her eyes flickered with such thoughts. "Very strange." She muttered to herself while walking away. ======= {Author; Wanted to add another plot twist, but this Arc has gone on for so long. Also... Wini here is ¡ª mherewini3 } S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 58 - 56 - Arc 2 Knock! Knock!! The rhythmic knock on the door broke the silence, accompanied by a gentle voice. "Miss, dinner is ready." Zosia, still groggy from her slumber, slowly got out of bed, her movements sluggish. "Will be downstairs in a minute," she replied, her voice husky. As she made her way to the bathroom, she couldn''t help but think about her past life. "I''ve gotten too comfortable," she muttered to herself, running a hand through her tangled hair. "No wonder we always return to harsh training after a mission." Washing her face with water and soap, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes lingered on her features, and for a moment, she thought about Kent''s infatuation with her host body. "Sigh... I need to talk to her about their school uniform... what a mess." As she reached for the door handle, her eyelids twitched violently, and she felt a sudden sense of unease. "A bad omen," she thought, biting the inside of her cheek. Her intuition was on high alert, and she couldn''t shake off the feeling of impending danger. But since when was her intuition this alert or this high? She couldn''t shake of the feeling of danger as well as the falseness towards that due to her doubt in her intuition. Scrunching her brows, she decided to go with the fact that there is danger. Stepping into the hallway, she quickened her pace, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of trouble. "What makes me think it''s something in the house?" she asked herself, pausing mid-step. Her priority was to ensure Ariana''s safety, so she made her way to the dining table, where Lysel and Kent were waiting for her. Their faces seemed calm, but Zosia''s instincts remained on high alert, her senses heightened as she searched for any clues or potential threats. Just as she was about to call Uncle Kenny, Ariana entered into the house. Zosia eyes sharpened as she gazed at her. Her gaze becoming dangerous by the second. She watched Arianna''s every step and noticed that her way of walking looked like her left leg was challenged. Stepping close to the so called Ariana, her gaze never leaving her. "What happened to your left leg?" Her tone left no room for refute. Lysel and Kent felt that the situation was odd. "Calm down Mirabel. I had a fight with your Dad." Ariana said as she moved. What she said wasn''t something good to be said in front of her daughter''s friends, but she had to say it, else her daughter might blow, just from her looks alone. Zosia caught a glimpse of the tattoo which she had made on Ariana''s body around her neck. It was something she had done while Ariana had fallen asleep from tears. Others may think its a normal tattoo but nope, its a cultivation technique. Zosia knew Ariana must have noticed it and left it as it is, despite not knowing what it is. After all the drama, she plans on getting them to start training. "Mirabel, at least greet your mum first." Ariana said with a smile. "Welcome back, mum" she said, her voice low. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia turned to look at Lysel who stood rooted in the ground with shock on his face. "Lysel are you okay?" She walked towards him, and asked, despite knowing why he was like that. "You¡ª" he stuttered, pointing at Ariana. " Is he one of your friends dear? Then you guys should go and eat. I need to wash up and disinfect my wounds." She stepped out of the room with Wini helping her. Though she was suspicious about why her daughter''s friend reacted like that and why he looked familiar or like someone she knows. Shaking her head, she decided to ask later. "Lysel, are you okay?" Kent asked. He had tried to make Lysel move to the dining table but he stood still, only staring at Ariana''s back as she left. "Did you perhaps fall in love with her mother? Tsk, you have such a heavy taste." Kent said, clicking his tongue as he stared at Lysel strangely. Zosia glanced at Kent, ''Mark and Kent sure does share such similarity of always concluding especially in such situations.'' she thought. "You-" Lysel violently turned to Zosia after Ariana had gone upstairs. "Is she your mother?" He asked the strangest question. Well, it was strange to others except Lysel and Zosia. "Yup. Any problem?" "Yes! for how long have you known her?" "Since I was born, Lysel. She isn''t your mother, get a grip." "So, you know, Huh? Is that why you brought me here?" He glared at Zosia. His anger flaring as he pointed at her. "Did you bring me here....to intimidate me? What exactly do you want?" He shouted. He scoffed, seeing that Zosia was quiet without replying to him. "And I was beginning to trust you. Dad was right, I am such a fool." "Lysel would you calm down first and allow me to explain things as they are instead of being blind and poking holes." "No, I won''t. I am out of here!" "And you would go where? Sleep on the streets, get bullied again and have your body being battered." Zosia said mockingly. "Seems you like being bullied." She said with a sarcasm filled tone. Shaken, he bit his lips, "You don''t have the right, to tell me those things!" His voice trembling as he pointed at Zosia. "Lysel, you should calm down." Kent who didn''t understand what was going on decided to side with Mirabel. He knew she has her own ideas and reasons, while Lysel may just be acting on impulse. Patting Lysel on the back, he continued. " I don''t know what going on between you two, but I feel we should first hear her story or explanation, before you let your emotions lead you." His words silenced whatever Lysel was about to say. "You should sit down first. It may take a while for my mom to come downstairs." She glanced at him, her eyes glazed with hidden thoughts. " You can eat first while waiting for her." She said after hearing Kent''s gurgling stomach. "Aish, wouldn''t that be rude. I don''t want to be rude." Kent said with a smile. Gurgle! Kent and Zosia''s gaze turned to Lysel who was red from embarrassment. Zosia glanced at his pursed lips and laughed. "She wouldn''t mind. Just eat." Zosia stood up from the dining chair and walked towards the parlour. Her thoughts in disarray. She didn''t understand where or what her intuition was warning her about. ''Could it just be a fallacy? Could it just be false?'' Sitting down on the sofa, she crossed her leg, putting a throw pillow on her laps. Zosia decided to check through the people''s phone and remember all she had done today, if she had messed up somewhere. "Where have I messed up?" She thought. After going through her memories of today, she didn''t find anything off, Wait, except Ariana fighting with Kael. ''What could have caused them to fight?'' Her eyes sharpened at the thought. She immediately opened up her panel and called forth the Cameras she had installed in Kael''s house. "I really need to replenish wasted resources." She muttered to herself. She couldn''t place one in Kael''s study, since he usually had a sweep up through the house every month and the most intense place is his study. The rest would just be for doing sake. ''So many secrets are in his study. How do I get it?'' she thought, her gaze never moving from the panel. She started watching from after she had left that house. Zosia was surprised that Mark and Crystal also packed out of the house not too long after they left. "Tsk... Dog." She muttered, referring to Mark as a Dog. He was someone she had noticed that could sense the situation, especially when it has tilted out of his favour. Unlike Crystal who just displays her smarts and schemes, Mark was different. You wouldn''t even think he was smart, but his intuition has worked for his favor that he has been able to avoid some ugly situations. As she watched the video, she didn''t notice anything off, except that some workers were fired. Zosia suddenly narrowed her eyes. Since She and Ariana left, Trisha and her daughter Lucy had been coming to the place. And those who allowed them in, where the workers who got fired. What was he planning? She suddenly remembered something. ''Right, I saw Kael at the hospital today.'' she immediately swiped the panel and clicked on the cameras she had put in the respective doctor offices. Other videos had nothing reasonable, but the doctor in charge of Keira, had one. The video played, followed by the voices. "How is she doing?" Kael''s voice was low and even, but the doctor sensed a hint of menace lurking beneath the surface. "With the drug provided, she seems to be responding to it," the doctor replied, his voice trembling slightly. Kael''s gaze narrowed, his eyes glinting with a cold intensity. "Seems?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, "I want a definite answer, Doc. I don''t pay you to speculate." The doctor swallowed hard, his Adam''s apple bobbing nervously. "Y-yes, sir. According to our statistics, she would be waking up at the end of this month if things go well and the drug is being administered continuously and daily." Kael''s expression remained unreadable, but his voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "You better not be lying to me." The doctor felt a shiver run down his spine as he met Kael''s gaze. "I-I don''t dare, Sir," he stuttered, his eyes darting away like a trapped animal. Kael''s response was a curt "Better." He rose from his chair, his movements fluid and predatory, and exited the room without another word, leaving the doctor feeling like a small prey animal that had just narrowly escaped a predator''s claws. Zosia clicked her tongue at the scene. Zosia''s gaze suddenly sharpened. Her gaze moved from the doctor to the figure that flashed past the window, as well as another camera that was placed by that figure. "Seems like they are planning to two-time Kael." Chapter 59 - 57- Arc 2 Zosia clicked her tongue at the scene. Zosia''s gaze suddenly sharpened. Her gaze moved from the doctor to the figure that flashed past the window, as well as another camera that was placed by that figure. "Seems like they are planning to two-time Kael." She chuckled. "Why are you laughing?" Zosia glanced at the shadow of the person that suddenly appeared, her gaze moving from the shadow to the figure. "Mom." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who is he?" She asked the question that was bothering her. As for the he, she was referring to Lysel. "I will tell you about it, let''s go to the dining table." She held Ariana by the arm. "Mom, how did you get your leg injured?" "Don''t ask dear." She said with a smile on her face, patting Mirabel''s arm to assure her. Zosia pursed her lips, she was unwilling to drop the topic, but she knew she couldn''t press for answers. "Once I get back, I would need to have to clear my emotions." She thought. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she sighed. Ariana took the sigh as a sign of worry and patted her daughter arm again. Even pausing her footsteps and turning to stare at her. "Don''t worry about this. Mom will take care of it?" Her two arms held Zosia on her cheeks. Seeing that her daughter wasn''t responding, she got worried, "Promise me, Alright?" "Fine." She uttered with a sigh of resignation. Pecking Zosia on the fore head, she smiled brightly. Even the anger she was feeling before she came back, dispassiated. Her emotions became serene and Calm. Her thoughts process faster than before. "Good girl. Now let''s go and eat. I am sure you haven''t eaten, why leave your friends alone?" She asked, while Zosia led her towards the dining table. The moment they arrived, the two boys eyes turned towards them. Their gaze differing with Lysel''s own bearing more intensity and Kent''s own bothering curiosity. Zosia and Ariana took their seats with Zosia helping Ariana sit down before going to sit on her own seat. "We don''t have a projector here, so I would be using a laptop." She turned towards Wini and said, "Aunt Wini, could you please help me get my laptop on my bed." "Sure." She smiled brightly. Zosia turned towards them, "You all should sit this way." She said, directing them to sit in a semi circle way. "While waiting for Aunt Wini to get the laptop. My mum and I would be eating." After saying that, Zosia dug into the meal and by the time Aunt Wini came back, the food on the plate had been exhausted. "Wow, you are so fast in eating." Lysel said. Since Mirabel had agreed to explain and after calming down, he was almost back to his normal self . Zosia smiled at his statement , recieving the laptop from her, she turned towards Ariana and winked. Ariana immediately turned to the people in the room, " All of you should leave." Zosia watched as they scurried out and was reminded of how Mirabel had to live in the hands of the people working for Kael. Sighing, she switched on the laptop and connected it to her phone. As Zosia turned the laptop towards them, her fingers trembled slightly as she clicked on the button, revealing a slide ¡ª A picture Slide. The room fell silent as the image appeared, showing three sisters - triplets. Lysel''s eyes widened in shock as he recognized his mother among them. "In that picture are three sisters. They are triplets. Lysel, I am sure you can recognize your mom among them," Zosia said, her voice gentle, yet laced with a hint of Calm before the storm. She turned to look at Lysel, her eyes watching his reaction. Kent and Ariana exchanged a glance, their faces reflecting the surprise and understanding that dawned on them. They had finally pieced together the mysterious connection between Lysel, Mirabel, and Ariana. Lysel''s eyes welled up with tears as the truth hit him like a ton of bricks. He finally understood why Mirabel had always helped him, unconditionally. He wasn''t alone; he had family, he had relatives. The realization was both exhilarating and heartbreaking. "Then why didn''t you come to look for me all these years?" Lysel asked, his voice trembling with emotion. His gaze moved from Ariana to Mirabel, his eyes pleading for answers. Ariana''s face contorted. She didn''t know which emotion to face the child of her husband white moonlight or the sister she was never close to. She opened her mouth to speak, but Zosia raised her hand, halting her words. "The truth is very brutal, should I continue?" Zosia asked, her voice laced with a warning, her eyes calm and deep without a ripple. Ariana''s eyes locked onto Mirabel''s, and she called out, "Mirabel!" Her voice was laced with desperation, as if seeking support or guidance. Lysel''s voice was firm, his determination evident. "Yes, tell me. I''m tired of being lied to. I want the truth, no matter how brutal it may be." His eyes blazed with a fierce intensity, his jaw clenched in resolve. The room fell silent once more, the tension palpable as they waited for Zosia to reveal the secrets that had been hidden for so long. The air was thick with emotions - sadness, regret, guilt, and a deep longing for truth and closure. Kent kept quiet, feeling awkward listening to family secrets. He wanted to leave but at the same time, a part of him wanted to stay. He decided to stay and at least watch his target''s emotional state. "These three sisters do not share a good relationship. Trisha, the one in glamorous dress has a closer relationship to her mom and Keira - Lysel''s mom, has a good relationship with her Dad. As for my mom - Ariana, she was the outcast of the family. My mom had to do whatever your mom or Trisha didn''t want to do. This is a military family, so I am sure you know what they expect from their children." Zosia paused allowing the reality of things to sink in Lysel''s mind. "They expect you to either be good in Martial arts or fighting or be good at socializing. Lysel''s mom is good at fighting and Trisha socializing. My mom doesn''t fit into any, so you can guess what happened." "At highschool, they stopped funding her basic education, expecting her to survive on her own, so luckily for her, she was book smart and ended up bagging a one year scholarship for a different school. A one year scholarship wasn''t much but at least it solved her immediate needs. From there, she was supported by the Principal." She turned towards Kent and smiled. "Now that''s where Kent''s mom comes in." "Huh? She?" He said in a confused tone, then he suddenly remembered the scene yesterday, between his so-called mum and Ariana. "My mom was dating a guy called Crawford, which is quite a lousy name." She commented, making Ariana frown. She hadn''t told her daughter about this, how did she dig into them. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously but she decided to keep those suspicions to herself. "In highschool, My mom dated Crawford all the way to University, where they ended up breaking up due to Kent''s mom coming between them. By that time, she had already completely separated from her parents who no longer cared about if she lived or died." "She immediately finished her 4 year course in 2 years and started interning in my dad''s company." "I wouldn''t go deep into their relationship, but the funny thing is, Keira¡ª your mom, was my Dad''s white moonlight. And she still is, to the extent that he is willing to send me to an evil organization, just so that she can be woken up from the forced Coma they had induced her in." "What do you mean?" Lysel stood up violently, his eyes flashing with different emotions. Zosia looked at him, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips, "You should learn to calm down Lysel. And don''t worry.... I would repeat myself again." "Your mother left you and your dad, which I don''t know the reason why, and at that same period, my dad found out that his white moonlight was sent to the same hospital, i was hospitalized in five years ago. He immediately registered as her guardian, since he noticed that no one has come to visit her or claim her etc. As for if he met my grandfather, I don''t know, as I have also never met him." Lysel slowly sat down. He felt betrayed by his mother. Why didn''t she tell him that she wanted to leave or escape, if it was the organization that was chasing her. "Your mother had your father research a drug, she claims that once it''s completed, she would come back. You father doesn''t even know that the same Organization she was working for, put her into a coma." "The organization... How did she get there?" Kent asked tentatively, his parlor was so pale. Zosia eyed him suspiciously, "Is there a problem Kent?" "Yes, how... Why are you the one your father has to sacrifice?" His voice trembled as he asked, his hand shaky. Actually, that was not the reason of his pale parlor but he definitely couldn''t tell Mirabel that the person now in charge of the organization, is his father - Crawford or that he was the son of the evil organization, about to capture her. Gulping nervously, he stared at Mirabel, waiting for answer. Even Ariana and Lysel turned to look at her. "Because of the gene that runs in the Hayes family. The gene can only be extracted in the young ones. As for how Keira got into the organization, the organization was an organization known to the elites for training elite soldiers and they had seen results. So the moment a new slot came out, The old man signed up his daughter Keira." "As for the organization, they are now in hiding and only few people know about it now." Lysel trembled in his seat, tears poured out from his eyes, followed by sobs. Ariana and Kent were lost in their own thoughts while Zosia watched the scene unfold. As for Kent, she was no longer suspicious of him, believing that his pale parlor was due to being in love with Mirabel and hearing that she would be sent to an evil organization, he must not be feeling too well. Zosia sighed, "I have said all I can say. But one thing that stands is, we would need to train and train ourselves. If they find out that Lysel is Keira''s Son, he would also be captured. I am not sure if they have already found out about him." Ariana nodded, "How would we train? We don''t want outsiders, knowing about that, do we?" Ariana posed her question. "Leave that to me." Zosia patted her chest in assurance. Turning towards Lysel, she continued, "Your bullies, starting from the bullying that passed the mark, each have suffered various consequences." The slide continued, revealing each bully, their transgression and details as well as their punishment. "You!" Lysel was shocked, even though he had wanted to do it himself, he was more than happy that all those who bullied him have gotten what they deserved. "Lysel, before the training regime ends. You have to find a way to get that prototype as well as your dad''s research to me." "Why?" Lysel asked, immediately becoming vigilant. "What he is creating is not a strength potion but a virus and a sporelated one as well. If you understand its danger, then you will know that once it''s released into the air, it will cause the Zombie apocalypse you see in movies." "What?" Ariana and Lysel reacted violently in shock, while Kent just buried his head into his palms. Combing his hair backward with his fingers, he asked his own question. " What would you do with it?" "Destroy it." "How would you destroy it?" Lysel asked. "When the time comes, you would know." She answered with a faint smile. Ariana was now fully suspicious of her daughter. Clenching her hand into a fist, she placed them on her laps. Staring at her daughter, she didn''t know which approach to take. Chapter 60 - 58- Arc 2 Lysel looked at Mirabel whom he hadn''t seen in a few days. She was looking refreshed but despite that, he could feel her underlying tiredness. He wasn''t the only one that noticed it. He turned to look at Kent whom he realized had some feelings towards this cousin sister of his. He hadn''t thought of how to face her yet, especially after finding out that his mother was her father white moonlight and her father had taken her own mother as a substitute. If he was the one in her shoes, he would feel so uncomfortable that he might even hate that person. But, this cousin''s sister of his didn''t, she doesn''t hate him. She was willingly teaching them how to survive. For the past few days, his mood has improved, he was no longer being bullied and had rather become the object of envy to his classmates. Coming down from the luxurious car every morning, wearing a well ironed uniform everyday. He was slowly integrating himself in the luxury, that he was even starting to order the servants like they were his. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Turning his gaze to Ariana, Inwardly, he couldn''t help but whistle. Her figure was well sculpted and her pure eyes, which held worry as she looked at her daughter. He was beginning to fantasize about some dirty thoughts. Thinking about those thoughts his eyes got darker and a bulge was rising from within him. "Keep thinking about that and you will lose your head." Zosia''s voice, low and dangerous cut through his thoughts like a knife. Startled, Lysel snapped his head towards her, his face flushing with embarrassment. Zosia stood there, her expression stern and unyielding. Her eyes held a warning that he dared not ignore. "Continue thinking about that and forgetting why you are here and watch yourself being sliced through like butter," she continued, her voice cold as ice. "We have more important matters to attend to, so Focus." Lysel swallowed hard and nodded, trying to push aside his inappropriate thoughts. Her warning alone sent shivers up his spine. He realized how dangerous his cousin''s sister could be. Right now, he was aware of the gravity of their situation demanded his full attention, and he couldn''t afford to let his mind wander. The more wandering, just like she had said, the easier it was for him to die. Ariana, seemingly oblivious to the exchange, addressed the group. "We need to strengthen our defenses. The threats are increasing, and we can''t afford to be caught off guard." Her voice was calm but firm, her authority undeniable. But she still had to listen to her daughter. "We would start with some light trainings." The projector in the room light up, a video began playing. We would be following this routine and it would be an intense one. But before that, you all should drink this." She said bringing out three vials. "I have already drank mine, it would help strengthen your muscles and clean your meridians while also maintaining your muscles tone. It has other effects but these are the most pronounced for the current situation. " She turned to look at Ariana''s limping leg and continued, "As well as take care of injuries and diseases, depending on the range." Kent and Ariana were surprised. Taking the vial with a mixture of caution, curiousity and suspicion. They watched as Lysel took it and gulped it down immediately. The last one he took, he had noticed that not only had his internal and external injuries be healed, it had also made his skin smoother and more milkier, it also increase the length of his lollipop by some extent. It wasn''t that noticeable. Seeing that Lysel gulped it down without hesitation and even seemed to be longing for more, they quickly downed theirs as well. Kent looked at Lysel and it immediately occured to him that it might have been what Lysel had drank, that made those life threatening injuries disappear like it was never there in the first place. His eyes flashed with a hint of contemplation. He could even feel that force within him reacting to it. "You can feel the changes within you." Ariana stared at her daughter in surprise. Right now, she was 100% sure this wasn''t her daughter. Her heart, gripped in fear and guilt. She tried not to let those emotions appear but they still couldn''t escape Zosia''s eyes. Zosia sighed inwardly, she didn''t also want to do this, but she kept on meddling. Since, this was within her capacity, she decided to do it. If she left them, then all her efforts would have gone to waste. Ariana could feel that the pain she felt was no longer there. She had wondered how her daughter said, she would treat her leg, but now she understood. Her eyes flashed with a hint of contemplation and aversion. "Could, Mirabel or whoever was occupying her daughter, use it on Keira? Maybe it would stop Kael from taking her daughter away." The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to give it a try. As for the talk she had been postponing and thinking of how to approach it, she decided to approach it today. "First we would start with basic exercises and understanding our foundations." Zosia said, bringing everyone''s thoughts to a halt. As the group dispersed to begin their preparations, Lysel found himself standing alone for a moment, reflecting on the changes in his life. He realized that despite the luxury and the newfound status, there were responsibilities and dangers that came with it. He couldn''t let himself be distracted by petty desires or personal grudges. The stakes were too high. His life was on that stake. Determined to prove himself and to protect those he cared about, Lysel took a deep breath and joined the others, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. But was he actually ready? Kent on the other hand, did not go but walked towards Zosia. "Where did you get it from?" He asked, his tone, curious. "It''s not for you to know, Kent. Knowing too much can be your death." "At least can I get three vials,.... no five?" His eyes held silent plea as he stared at her. "Sigh! For what Kent?" She asked, hesitant. "Will tell you at the end of everything. Please!" "Give me time to think about it. It''s very dangerous to get it and I have only few." She said. Lying easily was one of the deception skill one should have. It can save you sometimes but can also throw you into a Quagmire. It''s very necessary to know when to do it and have a good reason for doing it. "Thanks." Kent said and left with twinkle in his eyes. Despite Zosia saying she would think about it, he was still happy, believing that he could convince her with time. He may even tell her about it, if she was willing to tell him how to get it. As for what he would tell her, that was known only to him. After Kent left, Ariana halted in her training and walked up to her. The her was the person hearing her daughter''s body. "I want to talk to you." Her icy voice entered into Zosia''s ears. She looked at Ariana''s eyes which no longer regarded her with concern and love. Sighing inwardly, she nodded her head. "Let''s talk outside." She muttered, turning towards Kent and Lysel, "Continue training, I am coming." She led Ariana out of the basement. Yup, after that night, she had completely refurbished the basement that it now looked like a training room for elites. Thinking about the resources she had spent on it, she immediately felt happy when she remembered that the money she used was the one she had snatched from Kael''s account as well as those bullies and the ones behind the scenes. If she could get her hand on some of Dawn''s resources, it would be better. Closing the soundproofed doors behind her, she looked at Ariana. She wasn''t sure if to hypnotize her and tell her that all she was seeing was a lie, but thinking about Kevin, the first being she had pushed out despite it not being her own body, she didn''t have the heart to do it. Where had all her decisiveness gone? Her eyes flickered, she decided to erase her memory of certain things, the moment she was leaving this world. "Who are you?" Ariana hands extended like claws, clutching her neck. She could escape it but didn''t. "Release me first. We can talk in a better way but I definitely won''t be answering you in this situation." Ariana thought for a moment and let go. "Talk." "I can''t say much but just know I am here to help. In a few weeks time, I would be gone and you would have your daughter back." "So you agree that you aren''t my daughter?" Zosia shrugged not answering her question, that was for her to guess. "How exactly.... Like give me an exact time when you would be leaving." "Give me your phone." Ariana eyes her suspiciously and gave her the phone. Despite having the relief that her daughter was still around somewhere and not replaced, she still wasn''t settled. Zosia keyed in the exact time, including the minutes and seconds left in the countdown timer. "You don''t have to worry, I won''t do anything to her body." Ariana finally nodded and decided to swallow back the questions she wanted to ask. Looking at Zosia''s eyes, she knew she wouldn''t get anymore answer. "What is your name? And what are you?" Since the person was unwilling to answer anything related to her daughter, she hoped to gleam more clues from this at least. Zosia who had turned to open the door, halted in her steps. Turning to Ariana who still maintained her composure, which she was glad for. "Those are unnecessary. No need to bother yourself with those questions." She turned an opened the door, entering back into the bright training room. Ariana stared at her back, glancing at the timer that was continuously ticking, she controlled her breathing and tried to calm herself despite how she felt inside. "Soon, my daughter would be back. Other questions are unnecessary. But now, how do I treat her?" She thought Inwardly, unable to answer the question. Let''s just go with the flow. Chapter 61 - 59- Arc 2 Zosia couldn''t help but think about how fast time moves. Now, she would be ending her mission in two days'' time. Lowering her head to glance at the paper filled with her handwriting, she smiled. A tear drop slid down from her eyes. "I am crying." She muttered in disbelief as she touched her cheeks. She didn''t expect to have gotten attached to anyone during this mission, but she had defiled her expectations. Putting her signature at the end of the paper, she folded it and sealed it inside an envelope. She did the same thing to the other papers. Placing each paper to its respective box, she sighed. "How time flies." "I wonder how far they have gone today. Just been cooked up in my room." Standing up from the chair, she headed for the door. Looking at the person standing in front of her door, she was a little surprised. "Ariana, what are you doing here? How did it go?" Calling the name of the mother of the body she currently inhabited reminded her of the conversation she had with her a week later. According to Ariana, she felt uncomfortable by calling her mum. Slowly, their relationship also got distanced and their talks were now based or centered around business, and dealing with Kael. Pathetic, isn''t it? Ariana lowered her gaze, her eyes staring into the ever so familiar eyes that no longer held warmth and concern. Every day she looks at the count down, waiting for when her real daughter would come, but she no longer feels happy with the distance between them. She longs for the relationship they once had. When their cold, fragile relationship had shifted from distant uncaring mother and daughter to a real mother-daughter relationship. Now that relationship had gone frigid and cold. Hearing her name that gave them a sense of distance, she didn''t know what to say. "Call me mum." Nervous, her voice trembled as she voiced out her request. Zosia chuckled. Feeling that the situation was ridiculous, she decided to leave. She wasn''t planning to cater to someone''s whims. Ariana watched as Zosia passed her by. Her fist clenched to the sides, "Please." She didn''t understand why she was so desperate, but she was more unwilling. She wanted that relationship back. Before, if she had a bad day, she could sit beside her daughter, even if she wasn''t hers and pour out her heart. She had someone to listen to her, what she never had in years. She could cry and not feel ashamed. Yes, she was selfish. But could she mend those broken seams. Zosia found the situation ridiculous. She no longer cared about those things and it had at least helped quench some feelings she shouldn''t have or should never have had in the first place. She wasn''t planning to bring it back and definitely not because a grown lady was looking at her with puppy dog eyes. "Mrs. Ariana Quinn. I can''t bring back what I... No, what you have discarded. Please forget about it and don''t have any hope." She turned around, her gaze scanning Ariana. "Your daughter will do better than me in calling you that." Ariana''s eyelids trembled. Indeed, she shouldn''t have tried in the first place. She first humiliated but she couldn''t lose her composure the second time. "Cough!... You are right?" She said with a smile, the despondent look on her face, vanishing like it was never there. Zosia smiled and nodded in response. "How was your meeting with Kael?" "He agreed. And we went there and gave it to her. According to the diagnosis, she should be waking up tomorrow or the next." "That''s good." Zosia smiled, "Then your daughter should be safe, at least it wouldn''t be Kael sending her." "Yes. Thank you for the training and everything." "You are welcome. If you would, excuse me then." She turned around and continued to her destination, leaving Ariana behind. Ariana has wanted to say something else, but seeing Zosia''s back getting further from her, reminded her of how their relationship currently is. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ************** Zosia walked towards the basement, her gaze not directed at where she was going. She was watching the scene at the hospital. She had been unable to check on it before, but now she had the time. She made sure to watch each micro expression and the surroundings. Seeing that nothing was off, she closed the panel. Arriving at the basement, she opened the door that welcomed her to a vastly different world. "You are here?" "Did you bring any snacks for me?" Lysel asked, his shirtless body dripping with sweat. Zosia''s gaze moved from his body that was ripples with muscles to Kent who did not seem to have gained an ounce of muscle despite having better results than Lysel. "What a strange physique." She murmured inwardly. "I didn''t bring any snacks, but you guys can rest. The next two days, we will take it easy. The mid-term test is upcoming so we need to read very well." "Yeah" Kent answered, his slim fit and well-toned body moved away from the equipment. "Gosh! I haven''t even done my assignment. And now, I have to read.... Ah!... So much work." Lysel commented, his face revealing his distress towards the news. "With all those muscles and a chicken brain, you would become someone''s puppet." Kent remarked, his eyes staring at Lysel with disdain. "Tsk.... You wish." "Hey... The two of you." Zosia said, calling them back to order. "Lysel, your mother will be waking up soon." "Really!" "Really?" Kent had a more suspicious tone while Lysel on the other hand was filled with happiness. Zosia glanced at Lysel and smiled which earned him a glare from Kent. "Yes, really." "You two, should shower and go do your thing. I just came to inform you." She turned and left. Kent watched Zosia leave. His eyes tinged with suspicion. "Is that Vial that potent?" He thought Inwardly. He has dug up some things on the drug that was used to induce coma but it wasn''t just any drug, it has things that if not corrected well, could turn the coma patient to a vegetable. Which is worse? "What are you thinking?" "Nothing." He replied offhandedly. "I am going." He crapped his shirt and left the basement. Leaving the joyful Lysel behind. Realizing that he was now alone, he quickly picked up his own things and chased after Kent. Chapter 62 - 60- Arc 2 (Mass Release) It''s been two days since she announced that news to Lysel and exactly the day she would be leaving. Gazing at herself in her school uniform, she sighed. ""Sigh! It''s well." Has really become my catchphrase recently." She muttered. Picking up her bag, she left the room. In the dining room, everyone was already seated, waiting for her. "Let''s eat. After that, Kent will be dropped at school and I will take you and Lysel to the Hospital." Ariana said, her voice filled with unquestionable authority. "Mmm." Zosia nodded and sat on her seat, quickly devouring the food before her. She could now survive without eating for days and without the fasting pills. Yup, she had progressed that far. "Unfortunately, I can''t take my level with me back to the soul world." She thought. Kent occasionally stole glances at Zosia. He couldn''t understand why his heart was so restless. This time he couldn''t attribute it to being the original owner''s feelings. It was his and he could feel it. He wasn''t even interested in following them. His whole mind, body and soul was bent on figuring that feeling. In a few minutes, they were done eating and it was time to go. Three cars were used this time, with Kent in one and them in the other one. The third car was for them to be sent to school after visiting. While they were on the road, they encountered an accident. At first, they had planned to ignore it, but it just had to be Trisha. Lysel was quite surprised. He was finally seeing the famed socialite that has always been talked about both on news and the fact that she was his aunt and his mother''s sister at that. He wasn''t sure if she had a good relationship with his own mother, so he was pretty much reserved. Luckily, she wasn''t entering their car and was given the second car. "Mom, don''t you think we should send Lysel to school or at least sneak him over later?" Zosia was feeling a sense of unease. She just quite couldn''t place her finger on it. "Why?" Lysel asked. Ariana didn''t even hear what Zosia was saying, she just felt good that she was finally called mom by her. She understood that she might have called her that due to the presence of Lysel, but it was still better than nothing. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia looked at them and replied, her voice low, "Dad may recognize him." "Huh?" Ariana gave a confused sound. She hadn''t been listening but savoring the name. "Uh... Yes, that''s true." She answered, feeling a little bit confused. Zosia caught on the fact that she might not have been listening. "I said. Kael would recognize him." "That''s true." "I would sneak in with him then. You go check on your own." Zosia said. Ariana wasn''t really willing to go see that sister of hers. She didn''t want to have any association with her, but in other to secure her daughter''s life, she had to do it. The moment everything gets fine. She wouldn''t hesitate to cut off all ties and disappear. Just like back then. "Okay." They both answered at the same time. Lysel was not really ignorant of the danger, despite wanting to see his mother immediately and see her smile at him again. Zosia on the other hand couldn''t really understand the gnawing unease she felt. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. ******* Arriving at the hospital, the car entered the parking lot built in the hospital. Stepping out of the car, Lysel''s grip on his school bag handle tightened. "Mom, you go first." "Mmm." Ariana answered and left swiftly; her teeth clenched. Her last meeting with Kael had been tense and the other ones always ended on a bad note. Taking a deep breath, she left. Zosia, still feeling uneasy, checked through everything, but couldn''t find anything amiss. She had even checked Kael''s phone and swept through his chats, contacts, everything. After a while, her phone buzzed. She didn''t have to check to know it was a signal. She didn''t know what Ariana did to make it happen fast and she didn''t really care. Taking the lead, she walked towards the designated floor. Arriving at the floor, she was met with the person she was unwilling to meet. It was none other than Kael. Luckily, he was still coming, so she could ignore him but first she had to hide Lysel. After sending him to go, she knew it was her turn to distract him. "Mirabel." Kael''s voice, low and calm as always reached her ear. She glanced at him but didn''t answer. "You can''t answer again. Did you perhaps go deaf." Zosia wasn''t sure when Kael started talking to her in sarcasm. He always never replied to Mirabel whenever she was being gutsy. Ariana must have pricked his nerves "Haha... What''s that for? Shouldn''t you be happy that your white moonlight is awake? At least you wouldn''t sell your daughter off." "Tsk... You knew. Like mother like daughter." He clicked his tongue, his eyes which always hid his emotions revealed his disdain. "Indeed. At least it shows I have a parent in my life, unlike you." "You¡ª" Kael was about to spit out series of curses, but remembering the reason he needed her, his eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness. Zosia saw it and frowned. "What is he planning again? Does he really hate Mirabel that much?" She asked herself inwardly. "Follow me." "Why would I? You must be dreaming that I would follow.... someone like you." Her gaze moved from his head to his toe, not hiding the sarcasm in her tone. Kael caught on her subtle behavior of looking at him and got angrier. "I am... Your father." He said, his tone laying emphasis on the word father. "Indeed... But who is the person that wants to sell me." She remarked. Kael''s eyes flashed. "So that''s the reason for her attitude." He thought inwardly. Returning back to his usual self, he tried to repress the urge to scold her. "Fine. Let''s go." ============= Another Mass Release ???? Remaining 3 more dearies. Chapter 63 - 61- Arc 2 (Mass Release) "Fine. Let''s go." Kael didn''t understand why she suddenly agreed, but nevertheless, it was better for him. Zosia looked at Lysel who was being chased away by an old nurse from where he hid. "He must have hidden in an embarrassing place for him to be chased like that." She thought. She couldn''t let Kael see him either, so she had to go with the flow. Kael led her towards his car and they entered. She was surprised to see Philip there also and as the driver. The unease in her heart got stronger. She wanted to run away. Thinking of her choices, she suddenly felt dizzy. Her gaze widened in shock as she gazed at Kael. "He must have worn something as a perfume on his body, how come I didn''t scent it or is it, Philip?" She thought. Her gaze moved to the surrounding, she wanted to run away but it will definitely cause a scene. On a normal day, the scene wouldn''t be much but where the hell did all these people come from. Her gaze moved to different figures with some being parents or family members taking their family member who were patients home. Using her Qi, she ran it through her system to disperse the dizziness, but it would take a while. "I am so dizzy. Dad would see you later. I need to go." She immediately turned around to run but was blocked by a huge shadow. Looking at the person in front of her who was at least 2Ft tall and filled with muscles, she decided to obediently follow while planning her moves. Turning to look at Kael who was looking at her with a smile, her lips twitched. "Dad, I will follow you for now." She replied, entering the car with him. Since she still has some time before she goes, she decided to deal with Kael once and for all but How? She didn''t want when she leaves, she would become a murder. Using her system panel, she encoded Kael''s misdeeds into pockets and disseminated it. If nothing happens, she would recall it but if something does happen, everything will spread like wild fire. It was just a contingency. Even if she ends up Killing Kael, it wouldn''t leave a bad record for her but it would become self-defense. The ignition of the car was switched on and with a little push on the pedal, they left the parking lot. Kael occasionally glanced at her so she pretended to be sleeping while using her spiritual consciousness to see if she could do something to the car. Kael glanced at Mirabel one more time before placing a hand close to her nose to check her breathing. "Master is she asleep?" Philip asked. "Mmm." Suddenly the car was moving fine suddenly swerved, using its back rear to hit the car at its front, sending it flying since it was moving with speed. Kael and Philip were confused. But their confusion was soon compounded when they heard a series of gunshots and some even strayed into the front window, missing Philips head by a hair breath. "Something is wrong." Philip said, his voice trembling with fear from almost dying. Kael''s eyes narrowed into slits. He looked at Mirabel beside him with a frown. Turning his head to look at what exactly was going on outside, he suddenly felt a cold barrel to the back of his head. Turning to look at the where it was coming from, he was shocked. "Mirabel.... That is not a game. Put it down." His voice trembling in fear and shock. He slowly turned to look at Philip and was shocked. His aide had already gone cold. He could see the bullet lodged into his brain, knocking him out for good. His eyelids trembled, he couldn''t die and definitely not after he hadn''t received the Body enhancement potion. If not, why was he willing to sell his daughter for it. It was something that could extend his life and keep his youth and also give him strength. His eyes lit up with hope when he noticed that the people he came with, despite reducing in number, they were still much, meaning they were done with their own end. Zosia''s grip on the gun tightened as she glared at Kael. "You''re the one who''s been playing games, Kael. And now, it''s time to pay the price." Kael''s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly regained his composure. "Mirabel, you''re being foolish. You think you can take on me and my men?" Zosia smirked. "Tsk... More like you are their lackey. What a foolish father. Till you are played to death will you understand." With a swift motion, she pulled the trigger, but Kael dodged just in time. The bullet grazed his arm, leaving a shallow wound. Enraged, Kael lunged at Zosia, but she was prepared. She delivered a swift kick to his stomach, sending him crashing into the dashboard. Philip''s lifeless body slumped forward; his eyes frozen in a permanent stare. Zosia''s gaze flickered to him, and for a moment, she felt a pang of guilt. She hoped to deal with this fast and clean up the scene. For now, she had to focus on taking down Kael. The car careened out of control, swerving as Zosia and Kael engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat. Punches flew, and glass shattered as they fought their way through the vehicle. The car was stopped to a halt by the 2ft man she had seen. Her eyes flickered, bringing out the dagger and grenade, she held Kael by the throat while using her teeth to remove the pin. Kael''s eyes bulged as he stared up at Zosia, his face twisted in a mix of fear and anger. He had to escape and somehow. He watched in horror as Zosia pulled the pin, throwing the grenade with precise throw towards the men who were still closing in on them with the car. With a swift motion, Zosia pulled herself out of the car through the broken door with Kael to act as a shield. Kael winced, he could feel the sharp glass and metal scraping through his back. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia suddenly felt the urgency. She didn''t have much time left. She immediately abandoned Kael. The 2ft burly man tried to block her along with series of gunshots that came her way. She fought her way through it, sliding beneath the 2ft man and using him as a shield for a second. Running forward, she took control of an empty car which was still working, but she stood regretted. The car was controlled, not by her and she didn''t have all the time in the world to figure it out. Just like how she always left the world, her body entered a slow response mode. She could only watch herself being dragged out of the car and handcuffed with a strange metal. She wanted to enter her space but she wasn''t sure if she would be able to go back after that. Glaring at Kael with hatred, the original owner of the body slowly took over but before the body completely took over, those pockets of information quickly left for their various destinations. She didn''t forget to send one to Ariana, Lysel and Kent as well. "I hate you!!!! I hate you!!!! You''re nothing but a bastard of a father. I hope you rot in hell." "If I ever come back. I will make sure not even your ashes remain." she growled; her hatred thick in the air. Chapter 64 - 62- ARC 2 The door to the hospital ward creaked open. She expected it to be Lysel and Mirabel, but only Lysel came in. "Where is Mirabel?" She asked, her heart thumping against her chest in unease. " She was distracting Me. Kael, she should be here anytime soon." "Okay." Ariana answered but it didn''t abate the sense of unease she felt. Lysel''s answer only increased it. Feeling antsy, she was about to walk out of the room, when the patient on the bed opened her eyes. Keira tried to get used to the influx of light she hadn''t seen in years. She was finally awake. "So Kael fulfilled his promise to save me." She thought, feeling fluffy in her heart. "You are awake." Ariana''s cold and icy voice, doused whatever enthusiasm and happiness she was feeling. Keira turned towards the source of the voice, feeling unhappy that the person she wanted to see the most wasn''t here, she replied; "Oh, you are here." Her voice lacked any source of enthusiasm and even seemed like she was talking to a stranger. Lysel halted in his tracks, unsure if to go meet his unfeeling mom. He was dissatisfied with how she spoke, after all, if it weren''t for her, Kael would not be head hunting him or his daughter. And, if it wasn''t for Mirabel, she wouldn''t even be awake. "Mom, do you remember me?" Lysel pressed down his dissatisfaction and asked. "Maybe, it was because she had just woken up, once she hears what has been going on, she would understand." He thought, a smile appeared on his face as he walked towards her. Keira glanced at the person approaching her and was taken aback. "Are you ¡ª Lysel?" "Yes mum, it''s good that you are awake." Lysel smiled brightly. Keira glanced at the son of hers who had transformed from the lanky stick she knew of to such a hulking body. She vieled the disdain she had in her eyes but Ariana still noticed it. It was the way Keira always looked at her, believing that she had masked how she felt. Lysel unsure of if to hug his mother who was looking at him strangely could only smile brightly. "Mum, your son is now strong... Strong enough to protect you." Keira veiled disdain oozed out for a moment, before she hid it back again. Lysel, with his chicken brain, did not see it. "Protect me?" She said with a derisive chuckle. Lysel thought she was chuckling cause she was happy, smiled and nodded his head. "Fool!" Keira thought, her gaze moving to the so-called called sister of hers. "Where is Kael? Don''t tell me you stopped him from coming to see me?" The mockery in her tone wasn''t concealed in the slightest bit, that even Lysel with a chicken brain understood. "Mom, you didn''t even ask for dad. You are asking about another man? You didn''t even ask how I have been all these years, all you did was chuckle and look away. Have I become unsighty in your eyes, too?" "Well, at least you have some awareness." She remarked. "Keira, that is your son. How¡ª" "Son? I could have another one with Kael." Ariana felt her already shattered heart break again. She had thought her sister was unaware of Kael''s love for her and it was just Kael illusion, but she got smacked in the face with the truth. "Had she always been an outsider?" She asked herself. Blinking her eyes to stop her tears from falling, she smiled and said, " I don''t know where you got the illusion from, but you can''t give birth again." Lysel was still wrapped in shock at his mother statement. He couldn''t believe that the person he yearned for, day and night. Didn''t even think about him as her son. He felt his world shattering. Tears streamed from his eyes as he looked at her. "Do... You really not love me? What about Dad huh? Is it Mr. Kael that you like so much?" He snapped, his voice rising by several octaves as they boomed in the hospital ward. Keira''s expression remained cold and unyielding, her eyes fixed on Lysel with a hint of disdain. "Love you? You were just a tool for me to get what I wanted, Lysel. A means to an end. And as for your father...he was just a stepping stone." Lysel''s face crumbled, tears streaming down his face as he felt his world shattering. He had always thought his mother loved him despite some disperencies, he thought it was how she loved, but, now he realized he was nothing more than a pawn in her game and the same thing with his father. Ariana''s heart went out to Lysel, seeing the pain and hurt in his eyes. She knew what it was like to be rejected and unloved, and she couldn''t bear to see Lysel go through the same thing. "Keira, how can you be so cruel?" Ariana asked, her voice firm but laced with coldness and some sadness, "Lysel is your son, your flesh and blood. How can you not love him?" "And for God''s sake, you just woke up and you are already¡ª" Keira snorted, rolling her eyes. "Already what? Already what Ariana.... Already breaking your heart. You are just as weak and pathetic as always." She says, dropping her facade. "Ha! Weak and pathetic? More like you are the one who is weak and pathetic!" Lysel said with a growl. He knew how much sacrifice Ariana and Mirabel had put in for him. Despite him having crazy thoughts about Ariana, those were just thoughts, he wasn''t planning on acting on them. He has a sense of priority. "You are the worst person I have ever seen." Lysel continued, if it was before, he would be cowering,unable to refute or say his mind. "Dad spent every bit of penny on making the drug you asked him to do and he did it diligently for Five good years without a proper rest. He hated himself for any roadblock he encountered in making that drug and one of them being money. It was still because of you, that Dad was fired from his job as a research and scientist and now can only send the last but if money he could have used to feed and cloth me on something that was still taken by the organization who never planned on waking you up in the first place." Keira looked at him in disdain, "I didn''t need him or the organization to wake me up, Kael did." Pah! Ariana couldn''t take it anymore. She moved her hand, sending a reality check slap across her sister''s face. "How did you think Kael did it, huh?" She did not allow Keira who was still stunned in silence to regain her bearings and grabbed her hair. If not for the apparatus that beeped, reminding her that Keira was still a patient, she was ready to drag Kiera from the hair or even topple her and beat the senseless hell out of her. Keira''s expression twisted in disgust and hatred as she stared at Ariana, "Jealousy would always make you ugly." She spat. "Jealousy? Yes, I was once jealous but now I am not. For your information, Lysel planned to send my precious daughter to that Organization. Unlike you who do not like your offspring, I do and I very much love her to my bones." "Even your own son, was to be traded to the organization to try and treat you. If not for my daughter finding a cure for you... You would very much still be in Coma and maybe a few minutes away from death''s door." "And you think I would believe your claims? Just give it up Ariana and for that slap, I would get back to you for it." Keira slapped away Ariana''s hold on her hair. "Ungrateful bitch, like¡ª" her words were cut short for the third time in a few minutes by Lysel screaming. "Aunt....." His tone trembled, filled with guilt and hatred. Guilt directed towards himself and hatred towards Kiera his mother, Kael and the Organization. "What is it?" Ariana asked, blinking her eyelashes. The unease came back with full force, she left Keira that she planned to teach a lesson and immediately took out her phone that was buzzing. "They took Mirabel. Kael handed Mirabel over to them." Lysel felt that his world had completely crumbled as he uttered those words. He couldn''t even deny it as the evidence was in his phone. The file, pictures everything was sent to him my an unknown source which was tagged as Mirabel. It even told him to rush and check on his dad. "My dad, he... He....." He couldn''t even complete his words as Ariana left the ward with a rush. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He also quickly followed behind her, leaving behind Keira. He didn''t even care if she ends up being taken by the organization. Infact, that was his wish. For her to be taken and for Mirabel to be returned, but despite how clutsy or dumb he was, he understood one thing. Once something loses it''s value, it would neither be looked at or considered for the second time. If Keira''s value hadn''t been to get Mirabel or him, she would have long since been dead with no one even being aware of it. Ariana felt like she was going crazy. Her daughter, her precious daughter was in the hands of that organization. Opening her car door, she immediately switched on the ignition. She was about to speed off when the front door was opened. Looking at Lysel beside her, she suppressed the silver of hatred that had started bubbling up from her chest. Stepping on the gas pedal, she connected her phone to the car panel. She drove towards Kael''s house, she felt that the transaction had occured there, but if it was there, then the person occupying Mirabel''s body, would have had a better way to deal with them. "Go to Crescent area." Lysel spoke. She turned towards him to shun him but his words immediately promoted her to drive towards that place. "The abadoned area was reported for several gun sounds, grenades and sound of car accident and about half of the place had an explosion. Ariana swerved the car and immediately sped to the place. By the time she arrived, the place had been codorned off by the police and special forces. " My daughter... My daughter.... Let me pass." Ariana shouted as she broke free from the officers hand. " Ma, no female dead body has been found. If we find it, we will get back to you. Please leave." A high ranking officer said. Ariana looked at the badge and understood it was a type of hidden force of the country. The person was neither a police officer nor special forces. "I want to see it first." "Ma, we understand your pain. Especially having your daughter being sold to such evil organization by her father and all that, but we can''t let you in, till we are done with our investigation. Please understand me. Your husband is also being chased, maybe you can help us find him." Ariana gulped. She was unwilling and so was Lysel. Lysel placed his hands on Ariana shoulder. He had glanced around and understood that their only way of getting an answer is from Kael. Ariana also understood that. "Fine." She turned and left. After seeing the scene, she checked the time. "She is gone. My daughter would now be all alone." She thought inwardly, her hatred increasing in folds. She hated herself for her inability to save her daughter, hated Kael, her sister and even her son. She didn''t know what kind of emotion to attribute to the person in her daughter''s body. "Why did she let Mirabel get captured, why? Why couldn''t she save her before she leaves like she had done for others." Chapter 65 - 63- Arc 2 After seeing the scene, she checked the time. "She is gone. My daughter would now be all alone." She thought inwardly, her hatred increasing in folds. She hated herself for her inability to save her daughter, hated Kael, her sister and even her son. She didn''t know what kind of emotion to attribute to the person in her daughter''s body. "Why did she let Mirabel get captured, why? Why couldn''t she save her before she leaves like she had done for others." Lysel''s question broke into her thoughts. "How did they know about it?" Ariana''s expression turned puzzled. "Know about what?" Lysel clarified, "That it was Kael who sold her and being aware of the organization." Her eyes widened, realizing she hadn''t considered that. "That''s true... I didn''t think about that." Ding! Ting! Their phones made the sound at the same time. They looked at each other with puzzled looks on their face. "Check what is." Ariana looked at Lysel and said, "I can''t check it since I am driving." "Mhmmm" ************** Seeing that Kael''s house wasn''t far anymore, the anxiousness in her heart increased. Speeding along the road, she finally arrived. Ariana''s gaze filled with hatred stared at Kael''s car that was entering the building. Following it along, she sped into the house, crashing her car into Kael''s own. Ariana came out of the car along side Lysel who was still in shock. Holding his chest, he thought of how his life just flashed before his eyes. Kael came out of the car, limping as he did. Ariana stared at Kael''s bruised body, a silver of appeasement flashed through her eyes. At least, just looking at Kael, she could tell that the person had tried to fight her way out. Ariana walked up to him, her eyes blazing with fury and hatred. "Why did you renege on our agreement? Why did you sell my daughter? Why did you let her get taken away?" She fired rapid questions at him. "Tsk... She had her use and I had to use it. Now, she is no longer useful, just like you." Staring at the smirk on Kael''s face, she had the urge to punch him and she carried out that urge. Grunt! Kael frowned. Using his hand to rub the liquid that trickled from the side of his nose, he stared at Ariana, unsure of which action to take. To ignore her or to retaliate. "I understand that you are devastated, but this is not the place for you to act rampantly." "Ha! Bullshit." She scoffed. "Kael, where is my daughter?" She asked, her tone, dangerous. Kael glanced at the almost erupting Volcano before him, then turned to glance at the guards in the house. "Send her away." He ordered and turned to go inside. "Kael, one more step from you and I don''t mind killing you." She said while bringing out a gun from her pocket. "Do you think you are your daughter that you can take on my guards? Don''t be so foolish Ariana. You should just live your life like before and forget about Mirabel. She is never coming back." "What did you exchange her for and where is she?" She asked again, her tone More dangerous than the last. Kael snickered and was about to tell her the same thing when a bullet brushed pass his cheek. His eyes widened in shock. Gulping, he stared at his Ex- wife. He only had one thought in his head. "She has gotten stronger." He didn''t understand how Mirabel was strong enough to overpower him, he could understand Ariana being strong but definitely not so strong that he couldn''t see her movement. "Where? How did they get so strong?" He thought inwardly. Unable to repress his curiosity, he asked; "How did you get so strong?" His eyes filled with greed. "Answer my question first?" The guards who were about to stop her immediately stopped in their tracks, unwilling to go forward. "Kael, I am not here to play games with you, you better get my daughter back and right now." "Ariana... You and I know, it''s not possible. She is gone and gone for... Good. I wish I could and you exchange how you got stronger with me." Ariana was unwilling to waste more words with Kael and immediately rushed at him but was stopped by another set of guards. Each of them had red eyes. Staring at their unsettling red eyes and the unusual aura they released, her instincts screamed danger. "Aunt, we should go. The police are coming." Lysel called out. "Ooh, Keira''s child. You found him before me. Just nice." He said, staring at the child of the person he loved the most. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Turning to Ariana, he smiled, "You already have an answer on how to get Mirabel back." "What do you mean?" "Don''t play a fool, Ariana." He chuckled, "You can exchange him for her." Ariana''s eyes flashed with a hint of hesitation as well as some brewing enotions, which Kael caught. "Ariana, you hate your sister so much, I don''t think, you would be so generous with her son either, no need to act all goody two shoes. You¡ª" Bang! His words were cut short by the sound of gunshots and the bullet whizzing past his ear. He turned to stare at the bullet that lodged itself into the door, his eyes revealed the horror he felt. His door was not something that a gun could indent on just one gun shot. It had to be repeated and at the same spot. "You!" He pointed at Ariana, shocked at the situation. "Let''s go." Ariana entered back into the car. No matter how much she wanted to act, she couldn''t land herself in prison, till she finds her daughter. Entering back into the car, she immediately drove away leaving behind Kael and his goons. Maybe if she had looked well, she would see the wriggling viens under those mass of muscles. Lysel, glanced at Kael through the window. He couldn''t help but think about how dysfunctional the family is. Thinking about his father, he remembered the virus he was working on. Thinking about the danger that the virus could bring and the fact that there was no vaccine, he felt happy that Mirabel had destroyed it. But, his father, was he okay? Clenching his fist , he knew he couldn''t move alone during this period, else he may be whisked away without him knowing. ********** Kent glanced at his phone under his desk which was beeping none stop and the teacher who was glaring at him. "Get out!" "Yes ma." Scrambling, he took his phone and left the class, not forgetting to arrange his book in place. Bang! The moment he stepped out, the door closed behind him with a bang that the walls vibrated. "Tsk... Angry witch." He muttered under his breath. Chapter 66 - 64- End of ARC 2 Bang! The moment he stepped out, the door closed behind him with a bang that the walls vibrated. "Tsk... Angry witch." He muttered under his breath. Opening his phone, a message sent to him by Mirabel popped up. Clicking on it, it happened to be a file. "Hmm... What is in the file?" He had yet to check it when his phone rang. Ring! Ring!! His phone buzzed, the name he hadn''t expected popped up. "What does he want now?" He muttered. Taking a deep breath, he answered the call. "What do you want?" His ice cold voice was transmitted to the other person at the end of the phone. "Is that how to talk to your Dad." The voice at the other end, jovial and full of joy. "Anyway,I got your little girlfriend. You better come back." "You! Don''t do anything to her." Kent warned, his voice dangerous. "Tsk... She is quite a feisty bitch. If you want to see her, come back." The call was ended with that last statement leaving Kent anxious. Opening the class door, he didn''t care about the presence of the teacher. Walking to his seat, he slung his bag over his shoulder and left, ignoring the words and curses that flew out of the teachers mouth. Leaving the school building he immediately flagged a cab. In the car, he texted Ariana. As for what he sent to her, it was something only known to the two of them. He immediately deleted it and wiped it out of his phone and the server. ***** Arriving at Mirabel''s house, he had seen the text Mirabel sent to him before she was captured by his dad. She has sent him some files that could cause Dawn to take a hit and destroy Kael''s company as well. She also said she left something for them. Entering inside the house, he met Ariana who was looking disheveled and Lysel who had a devastated look on his face. "What happened?" He asked. "They killed my Dad and took Mirabel with them." Lysel answered, his voice hoarse and broken. Kent opened and closed his mouth unsure if what to say or even his to say his condolence. "What do we do?" He asked. "I don''t know." Ariana said with a tired sigh. "First we need to train. With what Mirabel sent, Kael would be in hiding and can''t cause trouble for us, but it wouldn''t be the same for dawn. We don''t even know where their headquarters is except for the general location Mirabel said it is." "It won''t be easy." Lysel commented. "I know." "What about what she said she left?" He asked. "Follow me." Ariana stood up. They reached Mirabel''s room and Ariana unlocked the door. Kent looked around the well arranged room, on the table there were three boxes. They were the only odd things in the room. The box had each of them name on it. As for what was inside, it was only the owner and Zosia that knows. ******* A Few days later... A helicopter landed on the helipad. Jumping from the helicopter, he was followed by few people, everyone who saw him, accorded him with respect and bowed. "Young master, Master said he was expecting you. Follow me." A man with white beard and a mix of black said with a smile on his face. "Just take me to him." Kent''s tone perfunctory. He was unwilling to say more to him. Leading the way, the man with a white and a mix of black beard led the way. The people following him stopped and didn''t follow him further. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two of them walked down the hallway in silence. Arriving at the brown heavy double doors. The mixed bearded man signaled the guards there to open the doors. Entering inside the spacious room. Kent''s gaze met with the devilish handsome man sitting on the chair behind the desk. "Where is Mirabel?" "Calm down. If I hadn''t called you to tell you that I had gotten her, you wouldn''t even come back to see me. You would still be with bitch." The man twirled on the chair, his eyes holding a mischievous glint. "The same bitch you impregnated and cheated on your girlfriend with and now, you kidnapped her daughter." Kent remarked. "True... Ariana has a bad taste in men." "So, you admit you never loved her." He remarked in distaste. "I love her, that''s why I am going to take it easy on her child." Kent scoffed. He couldn''t reason with a mad man. "Where is she?" "Uncle Devon will take you to her. Deal with your feelings. I don''t want it getting in the way." His tone low and dangerous. Kent didn''t say anything and walked out. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Devon asked. "He would be taking over, he needs to cut of all ties. Luckily, he fell in love on time, it''s best I cut it off while I can." "This would destroy any possiblity of you two relationship." Devon said in a worried tone, his eyes held concern as he stared at Crawford. "Don''t worry about that. It''s a price I have to pay. Go show him the little lass, I can see he is restless." He waved Devon away, his attention shifting to the documents before him. Devon nodded his head and bowed, turning to leave the room. Crawford''s gaze stayed on the document. Thinking about the results he had read and the scene of that day, he couldn''t understand how Mirabel had achieved it. "The human body, sure do miracles in time of distress." He decided to conclude the scene as her body''s instinct to survive. **** Arriving at the room where Mirabel was kept, his heart thumped against his chest. For the past few days, he has been having the feeling of loss. "Am I really going to give up Mirabel?" He asked himself inwardly. Remembering what she had done for him, he believed that if he continued in the practice as she thought him, he would be able to surpass his father. But without people on his side, it was as good as becoming another new test subject. Entering the room, he was met with the sleeping Mirabel. "Why is she still asleep?" He asked Devon who stood behind him. "Her reactions have been particularly intense, we had to put her to sleep. I am outside, call me if you need me, Young master." Devon gave a slight bow and left. Kent didn''t say anything. He stood at the spot for a while. His mission was to defeat his father and get out of his claws. Lysel was his target as according to the memory of the body given to him after the body died. Lysel''s gene had something that if extracted and added with something and ingested in the body, it acts as an activator for a new gene sequence. Now it depends on the probability of what gene sequence that would be. It may be useless or something worthwhile like strength or speed. Thinking of how fast Lysel grew muscles and him still being lanky, he felt that his physique was strange but he loved it that way. He has seen Mirabel''s gaze lingering on his body a few times, much longer than how she looks at Lysel. Looking at the sleeping Mirabel, he didn''t feel that force propel him as before. Narrowing his eyes, he walked up to her. He decided to check it out. Usually if he kisses her, that force in him reacts. Leaning closer to her, he felt a sudden repulsion. The repulsion was from him, not from the force or the main owner of the body. Repressing the repulsion he felt, he closed his eyes and dove in for a kiss. Waiting for a few seconds, the force did not react. He waited for a minute or two, seeing that the force still did not react, he felt that it was broken. But the force was still present in his body, so what is going on? He suddenly remembered that he had once suspected Mirabel tk be someone like him. Now, he could confirm his guess. His eyes flashed with panic. The panic of losing something dear and valuable. Carrying his head in his arms, he slid himself to the floor. Leaning against the bed, he wondered how to treat Mirabel now? "I would still help her escape, but I need to start putting all my pieces in place. I would have stayed longer, now, I don''t even want to stay a second more." He thought Inwardly. He couldn''t help but think of the person who resided in Mirabel. "What is her name? Would I ever meet her again? Is the person even a girl or another gender?" Thinking about the last question made him shiver. As for if he would get the answer to those questions, that is for you to join us to find out ????. End of Arc 2. ========= Sigh! Pardon me for the poor release rate recently. School opened after a long strike and we started with tests and exams and we are trying to rush things up. I don''t know if I would be starting the third arc anytime soon, so the release rate may drop further. It''s not something I wish to see, I thought I could meet up, but after the long break and staying away from my books, I have forgotten most things. I am also writing professional exams, so it''s tougher. Thank you for your understanding. I hope you still support me, in anyway you can. Either by power stones, Golden tickets, subscription, gifts etc. Thanks for being with me through the journey and I hope you keep being with me. Thank you and have a nice day. Chapter 67 - 65- Return Zosia appeared in the system space, her facial expression ugly, like she could kill someone. Zosia felt the need to release her pent up emotions, especially the rage she felt and Asgar appeared at that moment. Bam! Asgar stared at Zosia in shock. Touching his cheeks that had unexpectedly received a punch, he blinked his eyes. "What the hell?!" Zosia blinked her eyelashes, suppressing back the emotions. "Sorry, I just couldn''t control myself at the moment." Asgar immediately frowned, sensing that something was wrong. "What happened?" His voice returning to the usual robotic one that she was familiar with. "Just.... My emotions." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Mmm, you didn''t remove it as I told you to." He said, staring at Zosia as she sat herself on the chair in the space. "I rushed into another mission after seeing my balance." Sitting on the other sofa opposite her, he couldn''t help but sigh. "Your safety comes first. Always have that in mind." Zosia looked at Asgar and gulped, she felt that the cutie looked a little handsome when he talked to her like that. A smile appeared on her face, "It''s fine. But.... Why can''t we choose when to go?" She asked the question she had in her mind. If she had stayed, maybe Mirabel won''t be captured. She could surely have done better. "You can say... it''s a protection mechanism." "Protection mechanism?" She said with a doubt filled tone, as she laid on the chair, her legs crossed. "Yeah. Imagine if everyone had the choice to come back whenever they wish or stay for as long as they wanted, they would not want to come back and then destroy the lives of the host they occupy. Remember, not everyone has the same psych and mentality as you do. Everyone is different." Zosia pondered on the statement for a while. "You are right." "Yeah, I know. Make sure to go and wipe those emotions. It would make you unstable in your next task." "I will." She murmured, "Why are you here, anyway?" She asked. "I didn''t take the normal task but from the task centre." "I know, I noticed, some fluctuations and came to check on you." He crossed his leg, his eyes meeting the curious eyes staring at him. Zosia opened her mouth to ask another question when she had to swallow it back. "Don''t ask me what type of fluctuations. Those details are not privy to you." "Fine. I don''t even have enough brain cells to bother about something like that." She muttered. "Yeah... So go wipe those emotions, I.. I will wait for you here." He wanted to ask if he should wait for her, but thinking about her character. He knew that if he left, she would shelve going to wipe her emotions. "You don''t have to wait for me." She said and grunted as she stood up from the chair. Her eyes inadvertently scanned her space, turning to Asgar, she asked; "Can the system space be expanded?" "Yes. And, you don''t have to go to the task centre to collect your reward. Just ask your chip to calculate it. Also, take this." He said, handing her a black card. "What is this for?" "Your system level is just basic library, notification and a task panel. This card helps increase the library function. It would be needed in the task we are going to go for." "Only increasing the library function?" She asked, her eyes scanning the card. "It also has a lot of knowledge pockets that give more knowledge to the things about the Soul world to it." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Lucian asked me to give it to you, so the knowledge is more expansive than you think." "How do I use it?" "Just call up your chip slot and put it inside. Before you do that, collect your reward first then wait, as you would be unable to go for the next normal task." "Ooh... Okay. Tell him thank you for me." He nodded,about to leave when he remembered he hadn''t satiated his curiosity. "Which world type did you go to?" "Modern world heading to apocalypse." "Willing to give me details? I want to know what made your emotional fluctuations so high." He immediately said his reason. "Well, it''s nothing much. Sure, I am willing." She crossed her leg, tucking the card in her chip inventory. Zosia sighed and stared at him. "So, this is the background summary of the world and...." An hour later, she was done telling her story. She had some emotional fluctuations, but they weren''t much and could be considered negligible as compared to what sge was feeling the moment she came back. "That''s cruel of Kael, but life is unfair. So, you can only work harder to have power to deal with such vermins when they come up." Zosia closed her eyes and didn''t answer. She had glossed over some details, but she knew that Asgar was smart enough to pick them up. "Thanks for sharing with me. Though some things didn''t link up, at least I have the general gist." He said and left the system space. "Tsk, someone that said he would wait for me till I do the emotional wipe." Just after she finished talking, Asgar reappeared. "I forgot, I said I would wait for you. Quick, go and do it. I need to go somewhere." "Aish, you don''t have to wait for me then." Hearing her statement, Asgar looked at her, his eyes looked like he was staring at a troublesome child. "Fine." She immediately left the space without doing what she usually did. Usually, she prefers taking her bath immediately after coming back from a mission. It reminds her of her former life, where after each mission, you are given a few days rest, your reward and continuing with your training. She always revised her mission in her head, thinking of the best ways she could have achieved the same result. She preferred thinking like this in a bathtub with warm water or cold water for distressing her nerves and tense muscles. Dipping herself in the water with her favourite body scented oil, cools her brain and calms her heart. "I better be fast with this and go do it. I am already feeling cranky without it." She muttered, appearing on the marble pavement. Chapter 68 - 66- Meeting Sara Putting her hands in her pocket, she decided to take her time to watch the soul world. The so-called system space anchors to the soul world, so it is different from the Main world. She watched as different spirits appear, some with different skin color which could still be seen despite how transparent most of them looked. Thinking about transparency, she looked at her own body. Her soul was thicker than a majority of the new souls or those who had transversed at least three worlds. Pondering on the fact that she was going to wipe her emotions, she wondered if it would affect her in the long run. Keeping those emotions, the likelihood of her becoming twisted is high. She still felt unfair about the mission she had done in the task centre and feel that her reward should be doubled. "Well, I don''t even know the reward in the first place." She muttered. Whiz! She watched as a flying car whizzed past her. "Tsk, where is the driver rushing to? I wonder who is inside?" She thought inwardly, her thoughts also mirrored the thoughts of the crowd. This made her realize that she really didn''t know much about the soul world. It was so expansive, yet, her knowledge of it was as that of a grain of sand. She frowned. She felt the need to visit the library. It was a wonder if the Soul world had one. "It''s to find out. First, wipe the emotions, then meet Asgar and ask." With a new found goal, she quickened in her steps, arriving at the department before she knew it. Walking towards the receptionist table, she chose the one who had less people to attend to and joined the line. Zosia glanced at the people who stood in front of her, she noticed that the moment it gets to the person turn, no one can hear what the person and the receptionist would be talking about. It gave someone the sense of security and privacy. Quite Nice. She hadn''t noticed it before, but seeing it now, it was really amazing. It was finally her turn. "How may I help you?" "I want a resident card and to wipe my emotions." She said, her eyes following the receptionist finger as they flew across the holographic keyboard. "A newbie, huh?" She muttered and turned to look at Zosia. "To get a resident card, you need to have you Realmrider level to have been upgraded at least once and here are certain parameters we would need to check as well as the requirements and the amount you would pay." Zosia looked at the receptionist, waiting for her to either give ger the details in a paper, card or anything used in the soul world. "Your ID Number?" Zosia spat out a string of numbers and immediately, a notification sound beeped in her ears. "Thanks, then.." "Yeah... Memory, emotion wiping all happens on the 5th floor." "Okay. Thank you." She said and left. Walking to the familiar blue circle, she waited for the female robotic sound that usually asked of the level she was going to. Mentioning the level, she immediately arrived on the 5th floor. It wasn''t even up to a second and she arrived. She couldn''t help but dream of when her world would become this advanced. "Baby steps first." She thought. Staring at the various figures in the large waiting room. "Did they come to do emotion or memory wipe?" She thought, her gaze shifting to the decreasing line. "I better go get my number." She muttered, her gaze moving to the people that came and left in a blink of an eye. "This is....quite fast." she thought. Taking her number, she sat on one of the chairs at the front. "Hi" a gruff voice spoke from above her head, prompting her to look up. Her eyes dilated as she stared at the Blue being that suddenly sat beside her. Staring at the sharp horns , she realized that the feeling she felt wasn''t danger, but just her instincts telling her that the person was dangerous. "Am I so fated with meeting people stronger than me every time?" She thought inwardly, her face not revealing any of her thoughts. "Hi." She responded back. Zosia could see the huge smile that formed on the being''s face that its sharp canine teeth came to view. "Are you here to clean your emotions or wipe your memory or receive psychological counseling?" Zosia wasn''t sure if that was an information that she should tell the blue person before her. "Let''s start with your name. Instead of asking for my purpose of being here." She said with a smile, unwilling to provoke an unknown enemy. "Oh!, sorry, pardon my manners." The being waved her huge hands in apology. "I am.... Just call me Sara." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Okay... Sara. I am Zosia." "Zosia. Such a nice name." "Thank you." Zosia smiled. She turned to continue looking at the screen that displays your number and room to enter. "Um... I am here to wipe my emotions, can we.... Um.... be friends." Zosia turned to look at the being that she thought was dangerous. Why was it... What is the right word she could use for this situation... Naive? Or too Kind? "Same here. Um... Sure." "Cool, no one wants to be my friend since I arrived here, I had to continuously keep going for missions, till I broke down and blobby asked me to make a friend, it would help me in the long run. So here I am, to try again." Zosia only had one word in her head, "A chatterbox." "Is blobby, your system guide?" "Uh uh. What''s yours?" "Don''t have." . "Um... Sorry." Sara replied. The air became awkward. Unwilling to let go of her first friend, she immediately changed the topic. "Did you know....." Zosia could only nod and smile as Sara kept talking. She couldn''t even determine if it was a female or male. It also reminded her that she needed to ask about her system guide. She would need one and knowing that Asgar would leave after her 10th main task, she felt the need to ask about it. Seeing that her number popped up, she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Her ears were already growing calluses from listening to her, but at least she gleamed some information. The benefits of a chatterbox. "I should go, it''s my turn." She said, interrupting Sara''s story. "Ooh, Add me." Zosia wanted to decline. Sighing, she called her Id number and left. "Well, it depends on if she will see me. I will be busy after this." She thought, not thinking much about it. =================== Just as I promised. I would be giving some of my characters, some of my readers name. Have done Juliana and now Sara. I hope you keep enjoying my novel and supporting me in anyway you can. Chapter 69 - 67- Meeting Xen Zosia had just left the building when her chip beeped. Thinking it was from Asgar, she opened the chat window to reply. "Hmm... Took her quite sometime to send the friend request. She must have been contemplating." She thought. Her hand hovered between the accept and reject and decided to go with the accept. Clicking on accept, she was immediately bombarded with series of messages. And all of them was from Sara. "Tch... Will reply to them later. This emotion wipe, really made me feel lost." She muttered to herself, her hand clicking on the return button. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Appearing back into her space, she was met with one more person. Her gaze landing on Asgar with a questioning look. "Didn''t I lock my space, how did he get in?" She thought inwardly, her gaze moving from Asgar to Lucien. Lucien still had his natural cold look on his expressionless face. "What do you want?" She said tiredly, her voice mirroring her current emotion. She was tired and fatigued. Zosia looked at Lucien when she didn''t hear any response from him after a while. She frowned. She didn''t like being ignored, and her temper wasn''t exactly good now as she was both tired and irritated. "What do you want?" She repeated her question. This time around, it wasn''t as casual as the first. The air got tense. Asgar was confused. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he looked at his Boss whom he still hadn''t expected him to come and the already irritated Zosia, whom he felt that they had already touched her nerves quite a few times. "Don''t you know?" Lucien''s voice low and husky. "Know what?" She lazily raised her eyelids and stared straight at the despicably handsome figure. Looking at his lean body suddenly reminded her of Kent. "Could Kent help Mirabel?" She asked herself. Feeling that the question wasn''t right, neither was she sure he could help, but nevertheless, she hopes they all remain safe and well, mostly alive. Lucien turned to Asgar, " Didn''t you give her the card?" "He did." Zosia answered. She scoffed, a smile playing on her lips, "Did you perhaps come, so I can thank you in person?" Zosia asked, her gaze never leaving Lucien''s. "Yes. You wouldn''t be able to meet me any other time except from when we meet to discuss the mission and you definitely can''t thank me in such a crowd. People would think I am doing favouritism." Zosia smiled. She didn''t believe in such a reason. If he had wanted her to thank him, he would have given it to her himself and not through Asgar. Remembering what Asgar had said when her came to see her, she realized that they may be unto something. If she dug deeper, the probability of loosing her head is high. It''s best to ignore it if she can. Deciding on taking that approach, still with a smile on her face, she spoke; "I am not an ungrateful person, I wonder how to thank my benefactor." "That''s up to you. Just do well in the upcoming mission and be fast on getting to your 10th main mission." Zosia couldn''t help but wonder if the 10th mission served for something. People she had met kept mentioning the 10th mission to her. There is Ella, Xen and now Lucien. What could the 10th mission possibly hold? "Have you used it?" Lucien asked, his expression still unreadable. "No, I would do that later, since I still have need for my chip." She paused, unsure if they were the right people to ask her question. "When will I be receiving my own guide?" She asked. "Isn''t Asgar enough for you?" Lucien asked. "He would be leaving on my 10th mission which I am more than sure, you are aware of." "That''s true, but you can also do without one. First use the card and get more knowledge on the soul world, it would help you navigate the world easier." Zosia looked at Asgar then at Lucien. She still hadn''t gotten the answer she was looking for. She more or less expected the half hearted answer. "What about the library? I didn''t see any on the map." "The Library is the departmental tower that serves as a major landmark. You would be able to identify it after using the card." "Are you done with all your questions?" His words prompted Zosia back to reality. She knew how valuable information was and since he was willing to dispense it to her and even give her card containing knowledge. Walking towards her bed, she opened the drawer. Bringing out a jug of fermented wine made of fresh fruits and the stream water. She had kept one there for when the group meets for the mission. Luckily, she had kept one there. Taking the wine, she walked up to Lucien who had a strange look in his eyes. Lucien received the wine and chuckled. "Thanks. I would be going then." He left just as he had said leaving Asgar and Zosia alone. Asgar exchanged looks with Zosia who was looking at him with the "what are you still doing here" look. "I should also be leaving. Bye." Zosia watched him leave and breathe a sigh of relief. Her gaze moving to the spot where Lucien was sitting. "Why was his aura so familiar?" Her heart gnawed in curiousity. She had felt that the aura Lucien exuded was familiar at the same time different. She pondered on where she had felt such a similar aura when the notification sound binged. It was a call from Xen. "Hi." Her lazy voice sounded, making the receiver feel their ear tingle. "Where are you?" Xen asked, his voice sounding gloom. "My space. Is there a problem?" "Nope. Just came back from my mission and kinda need a company for a drink." "From your voice alone, I could tell. You sure you don''t want to wipe the emotions?" "No, I would be better after a drink or two. Maybe a few more." Zosia looked around her space. She didn''t have much to do and decided to go. "I will come to accompany. Give me the address." She said, completely forgetting that she had to collect her reward and the insert the card. Entering her personal space, she had a shower and wore a new cloth. A black shirt, trouser and cap. She didn''t bother putting on any make up and entered her system space. She suddenly realized that she had to get her reward and card. Seeing that the reward could still be collected even after waiting for a long time, she wanted to slot in the card, but she wasn''t sure if she could still access it''s basic functions. Ting! Zosia heard the notification sound again. "Could it be from Xen?" She thought out loud. Opening the chat, if happened to be from Sara. Her current message read; "Hi... Do you mind if we hang out? I kind of need some company right now, maybe over a drink." Chapter 70 - 68- Xen and Sara Opening the chat, if happened to be from Sara. Her current message read; "Hi... Do you mind if we hang out? I kind of need some company right now, maybe over a drink." Zosia knew that being a lone island wouldn''t help her, which was why, despite their contrasting characters, she was friends with Xen. She clicked on the message button and sent her the address sent to her. Zosia then opened Xen''s message and sent a message, informing him that she was bringing someone. Leaving the space again, for the second time today, she walked to the pub with the address Xen had sent to her. Arriving at the pub entrance, she realized that from outside, it looked quite small for a pub. The Neon 3D sign that looked stand alone was quite eye-catching. Entering the pub, she was met with incandescent lights and the music that she had never heard before. The feel of the music is quite different and she wasn''t sure her vocal cords could produce such sounds. Her eyes scanned the pub in search of Xen, but didn''t see him. She walked towards the bartender. "Um, seat 305. Where is it?" " Oh, the person on the seat has upgraded to a private room." The bartender answered. "Can you direct me and what''s the private room number?" The bartender who had not raised his head to look at her, suddenly raised his head. Zosia looked at his eyes that seemed so strange, like they were wriggling in their sockets. "If you know them, then they will tell you." He answered and got back to what he was doing. Sigh! She sighed and opened the chat window. A message entered from Sara, to come to the second floor, room 305. "Have Sara and Xen met?" She asked herself inwardly. Leaving for the room as told to her, she walked up the stairs. She walked slowly, allowing her ears to pick on the open conversations that filtered into her ear. Old habits never die. Arriving at the private room, she knocked on the door, which was opened by a figure she hadn''t seen before. "Who are you?" The figure asked her. "Hey, Zosia you are here." Sara and Xen''s voices were heard in unison. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She glanced over the shoulder of the figure and spotted Sara''s blue figure and the always pale Xen. "You are the person we have been waiting for." The figure muttered and shifted sideways. Zosia glanced at the figure before entering the room. "You didn''t come with anybody?" Another figure in the room asked. The question sounded strange in her ears but seeing all the curious eyes that landed on her, she was a little bit confused. She did not allow the confusion to show on her face either. "Zosia doesn''t have a guide." Xen answered. "Ooh, No wonder she doesn''t know the rules." The other figure commented. "Rules?!" She asked and walked to sit on the seat beside Xen. "Yeah ¡ª" the figure was about to continue but was nudged by the figure beside him. "I am 063, his guide." The figure beside him spoke. Zosia nodded, " Nice to meet you 063." "Sorry, I am Pence." The person who 063, is his guide spoke. "Okay. Nice to meet you Pence." "Sorry for the late introduction, I am omega and my guide is 076." "Hi... Nice to meet you all. I am Zosia." Zosia said with a smile and introduced herself. "Sorry to ask, just a little curious, what do you mean by the rules?" Zosia watched as they exchanged glances before Xen opted to talk. "Well, remember I told you there are some unspoken rules?" "Yes, I do." "Well, one of them is not to talk or hang out with a different specie alone, except you are in a group." Xen explained, his eyes hunting at Sara. "Why? Is it racism or speciesism?" She asked. "No, it''s because, some species look down on us and always find ways to target us. Some even end up partnering with Rouges." Pence continued the explanation. "Huh? Why?" Zosia asked, Confusion and skepticism written on her face. " It''s because the humans occupy the main soul world and the Soul energy here is rich and has an extensive network of ways to collect souls and innovative ways of having them complete tasks. " Sara commented, clearing the confusion Zosia felt. Zosia blinked her eyes, "So, Politics, huh?" "Yeah. You can say that." Omega commented. She glanced at the figures in the room, totaling 7 which included her. She understood Pence being called Pence but why was his name Omega. "Did he pay to change his name?" She thought inwardly. Zosia glanced at Sara. "If Sara knew, why did she then invite her for a drink?" She thought. She turned to Xen, "Thank you. I didn''t know." "It''s alright. I understand, since you are a newbie." "Mm, it was Brother Xen that invited me." Omega answered. Zosia glanced at his guide who happened to be a female and was a little bit surprised. She noticed that guides usually matched with the gender of the host/ master. "The bill is on me." Zosia declared despite the twinge of heart ache she felt. She was still grateful for Xen helping her and then for coming. "Thank you." Sara whispered, her voice barely audible as they floated into her ear. Zosia just nodded her head in response, the goodwill she felt, plummeting a little. Pence whistled, "Such a rich Newbie." "You jest. My account balance made me run to do several tasks, just came back from one not long ago." "Aiya... Then we will pity you this time. You still owe us one more drink." Pence commented. Zosia nodded her head and popped open a drink, pouring it directly into their cup. Turning to Sara, she asked; "Will you drink this type?" "Yeah." "We won''t stop until we are drunk." Xen voiced, echoing their sentiments. "Cheers. Especially to you Xen and to you all for coming." "Hehe... You are welcome." They all laughed and clicked their glasses. Zosia smiled despite feeling uncomfortable inwardly. She had made another unnecessary expenses. Who would feel good about that, when it was something that could be avoided. She would take it as making new friends. It was better to spend money to send away disaster. It wasn''t long before omega got drunk. He stood up, his steps wobbly. Zosia hadn''t taken much except occasional sips. Sara had downed a lot. Zosia frowned when she saw the piling bottles and the decreasing account balance. "Sara, you should stop drinking. It''s time for you to go. It''s already getting late. I should also be leaving as well." Zosia said. "Right. I plan to take Omega back before he causes a commotion." 076 said as she held unto Omega. "Baby, I still want to drink." Omega said in a sultry voice causing Xen to choke on his drink and Pence to giggle like a fool. "You will drink once we get back. You should at least pity, your new friends account balance." 076 charming voice made Omega immediately agree. "I will go, after..... A kiss. I miss you." Omega continued. Zosia hadn''t thought much about the first one, but his words definitely cemented that their relationship wasn''t ordinary. "Hey, you two should go and stop throwing dog food on my face." Pence shouted, waving his hand to shoo them away. "Tch. At least mine is manageable, what about you 063." Omega rebutted. Zosia turned her gaze towards the two and noticed that Pence''s hand was tangled with 063''s own. "You all should go. Thanks for coming." Zosia immediately said, she didn''t want them to continue the charade. Her heart was already bleeding, just by thinking about the cost of the bills. Chapter 71 - 69- Slotting the Card. It didn''t take long for all of them to disperse leaving Xen and Zosia behind. "Thank you." Zosia stood up and said. "Aish... You have thanked me many times today." He said and looked around, "You must be feeling uncomfortable about the bill, right?" "What''s there to feel uncomfortable. It''s a price for hanging out with friends." Zosia commented as she clicked on the button in the room. Xen chuckled softly, "Well, let''s split the bill. After all, I was the one who called you out." "No need." "Your no need sounds like you aren''t planning to come out again." Xen suddenly remembered something and said, "What''s up with the Blue being?" "Her name is Sara." Zosia said. "Her? Are you sure?" Xen asked in a skeptical tone. "Well, Sara is a lady''s name from where I come from." Zosia shrugged, unwilling to think much about it. "Zosia, that may just be her moniker." Standing up, he patted Zosia on the shoulders and continued, "Always remember this rule, to strangers, only tell them a moniker." "Is, Omega a moniker?" She asked. "No, he had no name, only numbers. So that was what he registered in the soul centre as his name." "Sara might be a moniker and why did you even tell her to come in the first place?" "Just¡ª" Zosia''s answer was interrupted by a knock on the door. Zosia exchanged looks with Xen and went to open the door. "Your total bill is 500 thousand." "Okay." Zosia remembered she had called for someone to come so she could settle the bills and leave. After paying, she and Xen left the building. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You were saying something." Xen broke the silence. "Yeah. She chatted me up when I was about coming to meet you and said she needed company after the Memory wipe. So i decided for all of us to hang out together, as I couldn''t bring out any other time from my schedule after today." She said, her eyes holding no emotions. After paying the bill, she no longer felt uncomfortable and decided to forget the incident. Once she entered her space, just like Xen said. She wasn''t planning on coming out. "Did she forget or did she not know?" Xen muttered. "I don''t know." Zosia turned to look at Xen. "I will be going. Take care." "Mmm, take care." He responded. "Good luck in your next mission and don''t die." Xen called out. Zosia nodded her head, "You too." As she waved her hand and disappeared, returning back into her system space. She laid tiredly on the chair. Closing her eyes, her mind replayed today''s event, from when she came back to now. "What was Lucien and Asgar looking for? What is Sara''s aim?" She muttered the questions to herself. She couldn''t find an answer for them, no matter how she racked her brain. Her mind drifted to her last mission, the emotions she usually feels whenever she thinks about them have disappeared. Now, it looked like a movie she watched. "Since I am back, let me just use the Knowledge card. I still have to plant and harvest as well as arranging the things I have." Opening her panel, a message popped up. Zosia looked at the sender, it was from Sara. "What does she want now?" She muttered under her breath as she clicked on the message. Looking at the long epistle sent to her, she summarized it, into one word, "Sorry.", three words, " I am sorry." Zosia replied to the message with only one word, "Ok" and left the chat screen. Clicking on the settings, the slot appeared. Remembering her reward, she clicked on her inventory. One of the boxes had a glowing gift box. Clicking on the gift box. The gift box exploded into series of lights, before displaying her reward. |? Customized Bullet-proof weather control fighting suit. |? Rare level customized gun. |? 700, 000 points |? Food storage She clicked on the suit. The suit appeared before her. She immediately fell in love with it, the black sleek suit was her favorite, it also had space pockets for storing grenades, smoke bombs, guns, bullets etc. Gently and lovingly placing the suit on the chair, she clicked on the gun. The sleek silver gun came into view. She opened the cartridge but there was no bullet. "Did they give me a gun without a magazine or bullet?" She said in disbelief. She clicked on the description of the suit which on its own was self explanatory. Then on the gun. It was then she realized that the bullets were her soul power which would be compressed in the shape of a bullet. "A good training." She muttered, her eyes gleaming in delight. If she could learn how to control her soul power, it could impose itself on the material world, and doubling her control, making it finesse and more elegant, as well as increasing her attack power. She clicked on the food storage. A box used for storing food came into view. She used her space power to feel it and noticed it has a small storage and it could only store food, but they must be specified. One could reduce it in size if there was nothing inside, but can''t reduce it in size if there was something inside. Feeling satisfied, she put the suit and gun in her inventory and sent the food storage into her space. She planned to use it to arrange the foodstuffs she had. She couldn''t sell them in the last world, so the food stuff had rather become plentiful rather than actually reducing. Bringing out a pen and paper, she jotted down what she planned to do before going for the next main mission. Clicking on the settings again, the slot appeared. "I hope this could help me and not make me go to the library. I don''t plan on going out anytime soon." She muttered and put the card into the slot. Entering her space which had completely changed, she headed straight for the warehouse that she hadn''t visited. The change surprised her. She could feel a huge space blockade. It wrapped around the warehouse and upon touching it, she received a feedback of it being a warehouse. Putting a space blockade or expanding the space of something doesn''t take the recognition of that thing which had been expanded or enclosed. It''s just like when someone gives someone something. If the person recognizes it as a gift, it becomes a gift and if the person recognizes it as nothing or an insult, it becomes that. It technically means that the space has recognized it as a warehouse. "Is my world getting sentience?" She asked, but since she had no answer to the question, she dropped it. She easily passed through. The inside of the warehouse came into view. It was much bigger than before and everything apart from the food had been arranged into several small pockets like boxes. Opening each of them, she noticed they had been arranged in categories. Leaving the warehouse, she walked towards her room in the house. She took a description tape, a paper and a pen. Going back to the warehouse, she used the tape to put on the description of what each pocket box had. The pocket box looked more like drawers in a huge table or cupboard, so placing the description tapes was nice and something she could use to tell what each drawer contained. Once she was done, she looked at the foodstuffs that had been sent to one corner of the warehouse. Her eyes landed on the food storage box, "If I had more of this, it would be easier for me." She muttered. She first seperated the herbs and put them in empty drawers according to their species. The spices had a section, the herbs for GIT had another section. Since she didn''t know much about herbs, she only write down their names. The book, she used it in jotting down things. After she was done with that, it was time for her to go and harvest the plants that had riped. By the times she was done with everything she was meant to do. She was sweating buckets and her waist creaked as she walked, like an old rusted machine. Zosia suddenly wished that the cultivation she had in those material world could be brought back. A pity it was just a delusion. Looking at her handi-work one last times, she smiled. Her smile coupled with her face and her eyes, where enough to enchant people. Turning to look at the empty field, she promised herself to do the planting after she had rested. Entering back into her room, her gaze landed on the vial of virus and the research papers. It was something she had taken from Lysel''s father. Opening the completed research paper, she decided to take a look at it and let Chip scan them. After reading for a while, despite her high intelligence, she couldn''t understand anything. "I need to study medicine. It would be of help in the long run." She thought. "Chip scan it as well as the vial." She commanded. She took her bath and slept of. When she woke up, she continued with the planting. Due to the difference in time, a few minutes had only passed outside. From planting, she started training as promised. Starting from her basics, she couldn''t be so lax with her training in the soul world. Since she hadn''t deciphered the Venquidra Ithralm Echthirra, she could only train in other techniques. The more she trained, the more she saw the need for more brutal training as her soul adapted fast to the ones she was doing. At a point, she stopped it and started training only the techniques. Ding! Chapter 72 - 70- Zosia; Arrested in a Soul world. Ding! Zosia who was sitting in a lotus position, opened her eyes. She was doing the basic training when a notification sound interrupted her. Opening her panel, it happened to be that the card she has slotted in has been read and all knowledge has been transferred. As for the card, it had disintegrated. Zosia clicked on the library function. Below the window was an option, Sync Knowledge. She clicked on it and another window appeared. The window gave two options, one was to select the file needed or all of them. She clicked on all of them. The moment she clicked on that option, her body became static. It wasn''t noticeable to an outsider, but she felt it. Recieving the knowledge was like she put her brain in a vast sea with turbulent tides. Not only was she feeling dizzy, but she also felt down, like her body was burdened. It wasn''t up to a minute but during the period she was experiencing those feelings, it was like time was longer. She didn''t immediately review those knowledge, but started meditating. After a while, the burdened feeling she had disappeared and she became more reinvigorated. Zosia started reviewing it. She first seperated the ones she was already aware of, then started focusing on the ones she had never heard. Like, the incident with Sara, the knowledge card had more explanation on why such situation could land someone into trouble. The card also made mention of Soul tide. It''s a very favourable time for cultivation and it seems like the period of Soul tide wasn''t far off. Any one practicing or creating a technique, it''s during this period it can be experimented on. Resources are saved and more genius rise up the rank. But its also a period of invasion. Sub soul worlds like the soul world Sara is from, try to invade during that period as the Soul tide weakens the barrier. After going through everything, she figured out where the library is. Zosia dressed up and decided to go to the library to see if she could find anything on that forbidden technique. ****** Zosia in her usual black garb. She had come to love black, especially after the Memory wipe. It seemed to reflect the stillness in her heart. Anyways, it''s just a cloth. No need to put too much meaning in it. Walking down the pavement, she looked around to take note of the landmarks and the establishments. She may need them one day. The knowledge card has also taught her a way to bypass the condition of the level up and level up in rank. Ting! The bell on the door to the shop she pushed open, chimed. The sound Informing the owner of a customer. She had just entered when the ground quaked. "Is that an earthquake?" She thought out loud. She looked around, she wasn''t the only one in the shop. She called out her panel, preparing herself to immediately go back to her space. "No. The main world has never experienced such mortal disaster." The shopkeeper said. To confirm that the shopkeeper was right, an announcement sounded throughout the Main world. [ Please return to your respective space. The main world is experiencing an upgrade.] The cool female voice from the microphone said. Zosia immediately clicked the return button with a sigh. She hadn''t been able to purchase what she wanted. Appearing back into her space. She kicked of her shoes and was just about lying on the bed when she heard a knock. Knock! Knock!! Apart from Asgar and the group, who doesn''t even knock, this was the first time she was hearing a knock. According to the knowledge card. Each space was like a small pocket and if it''s yours, no one can enter, except allowed by you . Each space is like a house, so since there was a door, there had to be a place to knock. Right, she hadn''t even noticed that she had no window. Thinking about it, a question arose in her mind. "Do souls breathe?" [Miss. Zosia, please open the door, or we will be forced to carry out a forced entry.] A female voice said. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia frowned. She clicked on the button beside the open button, which revealed the people who were outside. They were two people, both on uniform. She recognized the uniform, being one of the soul enforcers of the main world. Zosia knew she hadn''t done anything but the only noteworthy thing that could warrant their presence, was yesterday, when she was with Sara. Remembering that, the frown on her face deepened. She suppressing the feeling that bubbled up just by thinking about Sara and if yesterday had been a trap set by her. She clicked on the open button and got ready to attack. But remembering that they had methods to deal with souls, her eyes flickered and she could only be on her guard and not show any signs, else if they couldn''t find anything, they may send her to prison for attempted attacking of officials on duty. Her being a lawyer wasn''t a waste. The door appeared and slid open, giving the officials way to enter. Zosia looked at the two officials. She tensed up, watching their movement. She had her chip record everything and also put on the stimulation. "Good day, how may I help you and who may you be?" The woman only glanced at her, her eyes scanning the room repeatedly. Her attitude made Zosia frown. She didn''t know what kind of powers the woman had, maybe it had to do with investigation or rewinding time at a particular scene to see what had happened there. The man was about to say something but was cut in by the woman. "We are SSR ¡ª Soul Realmrider Rangers and are here to arrest you on collision with Sub soul world beings on invasion of the Main world. Do not say anything or act as they will be used against you." Zosia was shocked, first she hadn''t done anything. How could she just be accused of something she knows nothing about. She decided to keep quiet and allowed herself to be handcuffed. After she was handcuffed, they disappeared, but not without her closing her space and barring entry to anybody who wanted to enter, including Asgar and the rest. Zosia found herself in a car after they reappeared. The man drove while the woman sat on the other chair. It was her first time being in a police force car even in her past life. She had never been arrested, rather she was the one reporting, building her good citizen image. She wasn''t surprised that the car was a floating one but she was unhappy. She still didn''t understand why she has been arrested. She closed her eyes to cultivate and prepare herself for the worst. If it comes to worst and she ends up fighting, she didn''t mind turning into a rouge. The moment she tried to circulate her soul force, she realized she couldn''t cultivate and only a small amount could be circulated and at a very slow pace. Before she knew it, she was panting. It was taxing on her body and it even seemed like the force she circulated disappeared. Zosia frowned and raised her head to stare at the woman who had handcuffed her. It happened that she was also staring at her through the rear view mirror with a derisive smirk on her face and a disdain filled eyes, like she was looking at trash. Zosia who had wanted to say something, paused and decided not to do anything and watch. Her eyes scanned the lady and the handcuffs on her wrist. The key was a crystal like square thingy and she wasn''t sure where the lady had put it in. She thought of how to tackle the handcuffs, but nothing was coming to her mind, she was feeling frustrated, angry. A lot of emotions started bubbling up. Zosia suddenly realized that something was wrong. "Feeling frustrated that your ally gave you out?" The lady taunted. Zosia''s frown got deeper. "Which ally?" She asked. "Ooh, seems like there are still more on the run. Then you will have to confess them, don''t you think so? Maybe we could help you plead and your sentence will be reduced." She said with a chuckle. Zosia could detect the hidden sarcasm in her tone and rolled her eyes. She didn''t plan on exchanging words with someone who would only twist her words and end up digging a pit for her. She closed her eyes and rested on the headrest of the chair. The lady seeing that the person she arrested was still calm and not panicking, she frowned. "Had she arrested the wrong person? No. If the person was innocent, the person would still be panicking." She thought. The more she looked at Zosia, the more she hated her attitude. She didn''t like people that always liked pretending. After all, her powers had detected a scent in that room that wasn''t of the normal resident of the soul world. Also, how could a newbie have enough points to decorate her room like that. She didn''t believe that Zosia wasn''t doing something shady. Zosia opened her eyes when she realized they had passed a barrier and entered another whole new part of the Main world she hadn''t seen before, came into view. Within a few minutes, they arrived at Soul World Police station. As for what happens from here, Zosia only prays she could reel in her emotions and not act out of turn. ================ I couldn''t post yesterday as I had test yesterday. But I did today. Thanks to everyone for their support. There are a lot of people and I am wondering if I should list them down. Thanks to Winx and MzHolliste4 for the Golden ticket. Also, thanks to Winx, MzHolliste4, sum_sum_sum, Jas_Dim, Lun_Na_6263, Jasme_M, J_Flow, Lunnanida, etc. For the power stones. Please support me in your own various ways as well by either reviews, comments, power stones, Golden tickets, subscription, gifts, etc. Chapter 73 - 71- Meeting Sara in Prison. Zosia watched as they parked the car. She didn''t move or attempt to come out. The woman who had arrested Zosia came down the moment the car was parked. She opened the door to where Zosia was sitting. The woman watched as Zosia stepped down from the car. Looking at Zosia calm deamanor. She got angry. "Why is the bitch still pretending when she would be sent to oblivion?" Zosia unaware that her calm attitude was eating a lady up from inside, that even the handcuffs placed on her was the kind placed on hardened criminals or a confirmed suspect. "Drag her. She is too slow." The lady commented. The young man following behind, looked at her in confusion. "Crimson wolf, I am talking to you." She said, her voice rising by a few decibels. Zosia frowned. She looked at her legs and the fact that she had been keeping up to their pace. What did she mean that she was too slow? "Am I just being targeted?" Zosia thought inwardly, her eyelashes covered the ruthlessness that flashed through her eyes. "But, what is with all this names. Crimson wolf? Is Crimson Wolf a code name for the officer on duty?" Zosia allowed herself to be dragged by the confused officer who was just following orders. They had just arrived at the entrance when some words filtered into her ear. "Wow, Julieann caught the terrorist?" "Tsk. Why won''t she when her "mother" is someone in high position." "At least the terrorist has been caught?" "But why doesn''t it look so?" The person''s question brought about confusion to the audience as they stared at the person waiting for him to talk. Julieann interfered at that moment. "What do you mean by that?" Her eyes stared fiercely as she glared at the New comer. Yeah, the officer was indeed a new one. Just like Crimson Wolf, he was also just new in working. Zosia glanced at the situation. She didn''t say anything but watched them, making sure to notice everything that could help her deduce how to escape and how to clear her name. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The crowd mentioned terrorist, but it hasn''t been long since she came to the Main world, so where did the terrorist that looks like her come from?" She thought Inwardly. Zosia noticed the tinge of hatred that Julieann had in her eyes as she glared at the New comer. "Are you questioning my abilities, just because you have been with the Captain for a week?" The newcomer, undeterred by Julieann''s fierce gaze, responded calmly, "No, ma''am. I just find it curious. If she''s such a dangerous terrorist, why doesn''t she look more, well, dangerous? She seems more like a victim than a perpetrator." His words made Julieann''s face flush with anger, but Zosia noted the murmurs of agreement from the surrounding officers. Julieann''s grip tightened on Zosia''s arm as they continued into the building, her nails digging into Zosia''s skin. "You just mind your place, rookie," she spat over her shoulder at the newcomer. "There''s a lot you don''t understand about this job." As they entered the prison, Zosia was struck by the harsh fluorescent lighting and the echoing clang of metal doors. She was led through a labyrinth of corridors until they reached a heavily secured wing. The walls here were reinforced, and the air was thick with tension. The clanking of the handcuffs around her wrists seemed to reverberate endlessly off the cold, stone walls. Finally, they arrived at a solitary cell at the end of the corridor. Julieann shoved her inside roughly, and the door slammed shut with a finality that echoed through the hollow space. Zosia stood silently, absorbing the oppressive atmosphere. She knew she had to remain calm and collected, to gather her strength and prepare for whatever lay ahead. Sitting down on the chair in the room, she looked at the handcuffs in her hands that had fallen off. When Julieann was being aroused by the rookie officer, she had found where the key was and when she was being dragged, she collected it sneakily. Flexing her painful wrist, her mind drifted to the scene between the rookie officer and Julieann. She noticed that Julieann was someone with high ego and that both of them treated her as a price to be captured. It may either be for acknowledgement, increase in salary or possibly promotion. She also noticed that Julieann had made mention of The Captain. She seemed to have intense feelings. She could guess some things, but it might not be correct. First, Julieann might or wants to be the one beside the Captain. Maybe it offers a more easier way for more missions as meet people in varying degrees of importance. Zosia felt that the first one might not be of importance to Julieann, since her mother is a big shot. Second, Julieann might have feelings for the captain and the captain of whatever gender it may be, might like the rookie, therefore the animosity. It seemed more like the two of them. That brings her back to Crimson Wolf, she noticed that despite how he looked, he seemed stronger than he was letting on. Remembering Something Ella had said to her before, plus Julieann who has a mother in the Soul world, she realized that people can actually give birth here. Well, that by the way. Zosia scanned the room but couldn''t find anything noteworthy that could help her go out. The wall was too smooth and everywhere is covered, no windows except the door. Zosia kept looking around but after she couldn''t find anything, she gave up. Looking at her wrist that had recovered enough, she tried to cultivate. Grunt! She let out a grunt when she noticed that instead of recieving, her soul force was being siphoned by the prison. She put back the handcuffs to avoid problem or a sentence. She hated unnecessary things that she could easily avoid. After what felt like hours, the cell door creaked open again. Two guards entered, followed by a petite woman with short, dark hair and piercing blue eyes. "Follow me." The woman said. Zosia glanced at her, then at her badge that read "Holliste." then at the two guards behind her. She followed the lady and stepped out of the dark room, reentering the hallway. She came accross some people in the cell and their eyes were filled with either despair, madness, craziness etc. Before when Julieann and her transversed the hallway, she hadn''t noticed anything or heard much noise like the madman with clacking iron wrapped around his hand, shaking the sturdy bars of the prison. The woman led her to the office. "Sit." Zosia did not sit immediately, but took notice of the people in the room. There were 8 people. The blue eyed woman called Holliste, the rookie officer she met before whose chair wasn''t far from Holliste, his badge read Nelson. So his name should be Nelson. The other people in the room include Crimson Wolf, Julieann and four others. She just glanced at them and didn''t look for long. "Captain, why are we using here, what happened to the interrogation room?" Julieann asked. Zosia took note of the drop in temperature and how tense the atmosphere got. She didn''t understand the office politics going on but she didn''t care, all she wanted was to be released. "Fine, let''s go." Holliste said and stood up, her countenance wasn''t looking good. She led Zosia to the interrogation room and entered with the rookie, while others went behind. She sat on the seat facing the officers, her expression calm and her face gave out no other emotions. "Your name?" Holliste asked, her piercing blue eyes seemed to look directly into her soul. "Zosia Meave Branden." Zosia answered with ease. "Is that really your name?" Nelson asked. "Yes. You can check the system which I am sure you have access to." Zosia answered. "Where....." The question carried on for some hours yet, Zosia answer towards some questions had always been the same and nothing was out of turn since the system itself confirmed it. "Did Julieann not say she is the terrorist?" Holliste muttered to herself but it was within Zosia hearable distance. "She looks like the terrorist, and the terrorism started on the day she came into the Main Soul world." Crimson Wolf said. "It doesn''t make sense." Holliste thought. Suddenly her eyes shone, she had an idea. "Take her to her ally Cell." She ordered and left. Her plan is to leave Sara and Zosia in the room and see if she could gleam anything from it. They may end up quarrelling, so she had guards stand on standby. From Zosia words, she had gone to wipe her memories, which was where she met Sara and Sara called her out for a drink. Her friend had also called her out for a drink and she decided for them to stay together and drink. She couldn''t find any loopholes in Zosia''s words since everything she said aligned with what the system data has about her whereabouts. The very day Zosia came into the Soul world, there was an attack but it was quickly quelled just like before and Zosia was in the tutorial world, but how did the two of them have the same face. Her steps quickened when she remembered something. Arriving at her corner, she switched on the cameras. When she was fighting with that terrorist, the body of the terrorist was bigger but Zosia''s own is on the slimmer side. Holliste felt it should be the work of an artifact, but she was sure that except the system ( Main world system.) have also been corrupted, there is no way it would allow Zosia skip her tutorial and allow her to terrorize. "Something, just wasn''t adding up." Chapter 74 - 72- Vindication in progress "Something, just wasn''t adding up." Holliste muttered to herself. While she was watching the footage, Zosia was being carried to the cell, Sara was in. Arriving at the cell, she looked at Sara that was sitting in the corner of the cell, her sharp eyes scanned Sara and she confirmed it was really the blue being she had met. The electronic cell door opened. Zosia''s eyes looked at the mode at which it was being opened and lowered her head. A curl on her lips formed as she thought of a plan. "You! How dare you frame me?" She shouted and charged at Sara. The officer by the side pushed her and slammed her back on the panel for opening the electronic door. Zosia immediately activated InfoLink which had the ability to bypass virtual passwords and dig up information. Since the password has already been keyed in, it was even easier. Since, only a part of her body needed to be in contact with it. Her back that was slammed on it, could do justice to that. "You better respect yourself, else the cell you would be transferred to will be worse than this." The officer warned while pointing a baton to her face. The baton looked different from the normal baton but she called it a baton since all of them had a general function, which was to make the prisoners obey either by electric or a surge of soul power suction. Thinking about it, she shivered. "But, she was the one that framed me. I was getting ready for my next mission and now it has been put in hold. Do you know what it means when I am only a few hours away from upgrading my level. I even spent a lot of money just to treat her despite her being the one that called me out." She retorted. Her face twisted in anger. The officer was about to retort when a familiar voice was heard. "You said she called you out? Tell me what happened and why you didn''t say it in the interrogation?" Nelson questioned. Zosia looked at him, her face returning to the previous calmness which caused Nelson to chuckle. "Futile calmness." He muttered under his breath. He believes that Zosia was only feigning calmness and with her previous display, he knew that the Captain made the right choice by putting them together. It would make them spill the truth in their fight. As for what he said before about her looking like the victim, it was only to counter Julieann. "First, I was not questioned on how I knew her. Everyone''s assumptions is that I am her ally? But How?" Zosia said. Her temper subtly revealing itself. "I was quite surprised by how I was arrested and why, and after the interrogation and all that, I started questioning you all ability. Cos, I don''t understand how after seeing my space, I was termed a terrorist and since I met her, that the points I got was from trading with them." Nelson raised and eyebrow, he was intrigued by her words but he couldn''t listen without recording it. "Follow me." He commanded and led Zosia back to the interrogation room. "Sit." He ordered Zosia to sit and left. Zosia stared at his leaving back, thoughts roaming in her mind as she went through the data of the lock in the prison cell. The last one she was in was a manual one, so she couldn''t do anything about it. She noticed that the source code for it was the source code for others, so it would be easier to hack. Thud! As she was lost in thought, she heard the sound of a water bottle hitting the table. "You were lost in thought. Are you thinking of how to lie to me?" "No." Zosia raised her head and answered, her eyes meeting his. Zosia had only wanted to say that but she suddenly felt something strange in Nelson''s eyes that seemed to compell her to talk. She decided to go along with it. It would be more believable. "No. I was thinking of if maybe I hadn''t obeyed my guide''s words to go wipe my emotions, maybe I wouldn''t meet her in the first place." "Hmm. You have a guide? I thought you said you had a chip. Chips don''t usually come with guides." "Really? Well I was meant to get a guide but then the Soul world was experiencing an influx in new souls, so they gave a chip to manage and that I would receive a guide later." "So your guide visited you that day? So the guide is someone you share with others?" "Yes." Nelson nodded his head. He felt that this was heading somewhere. "Why did he come to visit you?" "He noticed my emotional fluctuations and immediately came and asked me to go do a memory or emotional wipe instead of going for the next mission and that I should rest. The rest was what I had today and was planning to go for the next mission and then, I was arrested." Nelson became intrigued and sat down, drawing closer to Zosia. "Tell me, why was your emotional fluctuations, high?" "I had just finished a mission and in that mission, I had gotten attached to the people there and something happened and the host I inhabited may die." Zosia closed her eyes, but it still didn''t hide some body reactions that showed how traumatic it was. "That was my second mission as a Realmrider despite it not being a main one and I am not yet used to the seperations." Nelson nodded his head in understanding. It made sense that the Guide would feel it and order her to do the emotion wipe. As he stared at her, he was sure that the guide must have told her memory wipe but from the attachment she was feeling, she probably disagreed and finally agreed on emotion wipe. "So where did you meet Sara?" He asked. "Okay, I had just gotten my number for when to enter next for the emotion wipe when the blue being sat beside me. I was surprised and wanted to shift but to avoid looking like it was discriminatory, I could only sit and pray for my time to reach faster. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I didn''t even know her name or anything, she started telling me about her problems etc. I didn''t want to listen and wanted to tell her to shut up. I haven''t even dealt with mine, is it hers I will have to endure or start listening to. She didn''t even get the hint to shut up, she kept talking. When it was finally my turn. I was so grateful and wanted to immediately go but she held me back and said, she didn''t have any friends which is why she had been talking and complaining, that she was sorry. I told her ok and wanted to leave, then she asked for my number. I contemplated giving her my Chat id number but my emotions were also fragile and since she was the first blue being I was seeing, it wouldn''t hurt to make new friends, so i agreed. That was how we met." Nelson nodded his head. "So Sara made use of the window in your emotions?" "Yes." He believed what she had said, since she was under his spell, she couldn''t lie. "When I was preparing to go for the second main mission, she chatted me up. She asked if I could drink with her that after the Memory wipe she had, she was feeling empty and I said okay since a friend, someone who helped me in explaining some things when my guide wasn''t with me, said he was back from his own mission. I decided, let''s all meet so I would be able to go for the second mission immediately. When we met, my friend had already called others. He called for two more friends with their guide. I asked why and he told me that anyone that sees me with a sub being, I could end up going to the Oblivion. I asked Sara if it was true and she acknowledged it. I was angry. Why did she then call me out? what did she need? Why did she want to put me inside trouble? Was there any need for that hate?" Zosia''s voice rose by a few decibels, displaying her anger and disappointment. I decided to pay for everyone as If not for them turning up, maybe you people wouldn''t even listen to me and I would have been thrown into the Oblivion." Nelson nodded his head in agreement. Everything she said aligned with what they had found out and since she was under his spell, he was made to believe that this person was thrown to their radar to give the main person a leeway to escape. "So why didn''t you immediately go for the mission you wanted to go for?" "I wanted to visit the library. I didn''t have much money and I want to learn how to cultivate my soul and learn some things about the soul world. If my friend hadn''t helped me, it would have been worse yesterday. So I left the space and decided to stroll, any shop I enter, I would ask for the library direction. I asked my friend and he said he doesn''t know since he always threw himself into missions, he hadn''t considered that." Nelson looked at Zosia and felt a hint of pity for her. Indeed, no one knew of the library and her thinking of going to the library to see if she could get any for free, he understood that mentality very well. It was the mentality of those who had no money. But what about the luxury furnitures she had? "Your furnitures? If you do not have money, how did you get them." "My first main mission, my reward was a furniture and survival packet, so those things are rewards gotten from it." "Oh!" He finally understood. She wasn''t the first to receive such. He had once reviewed a fighting gear during a lucky draw chance, and that was the worst among the stuff he got. So he could imagine her getting only furniture and some measly points after an adrous mission. "Alright. Stay here " he said and cut off the spell. "Huh? Ah! My head aches." Zosia said as she clutched her head. Nelson glanced at her, her actions was the finally click that made him believe that the spell wasn''t being countered. Zosia had allowed the spell to take effect but she was still able to say what she wanted to say. So, the after effect was real. If it were others, they may have directly fainted. Nelson left the interrogation room. He needed to bring his findings to the Captain. The real person was still on the run. ========== I haven''t been able to update as usual and it''s because of school. When things start settling down, the update rate will peak back up. Thanks for your understanding and continuous support. Chapter 75 - 73- Vindicated The real person was still on the run and they needed to find the person before it would be too late. Nelson arrived at the office. He was about to open the door when he heard some indistinct chatter. "Julie, once this case is done and you get the credit. You would be promoted." A voice said. "Yeah. Congrats to you in advance. Remember to treat me." "Of course. I will." A familiar voice replied. "Aish, most important of all, you would be able to create your own team. Remember to choose me as a team member." Another voice echoed. Nelson''s hold on the door handle tightened. "What are you doing, standing here like this?" A voice came from behind, startling him. "Oh! It''s nothing. I was just about to look for you." "Oh, what happened? I still need to look at something." Holliste said. Twisting the door handle and walking in. Nelson entered the office with her. He noticed some new faces but the ever familiar Julieann was there. "Tch... So hateful." He muttered under his breath. "I thought you all were on holiday after being transferred here, what brings you here today? To get a pie on the big catch." Holliste said, her voice filled with sarcasm as she stared at the other two females in the room. The air got tense. But a groan tore through the tense filled atmosphere like a knife slicing butter. So smooth. Groan! Crimson Wolf groaned and rubbed his bleary eyes. He had been looking at the screen and had mistakenly fallen asleep. His groan drew the eyes of everyone in the room on him. Realizing that he had been caught sleeping in duty, he immediately stood up and saluted awkwardly. "Just sit. Did you find anything?" Holliste waved her hand and sat on her chair. "Yes. After comparing body size, fingerprints and some data''s, I can say for sure that everything is mismatched." Crimson Wolf answered. "Yeah. I got another testimony from her." "Huh? You interrogated my suspect without my permission?!" Julieann shouted, her voice filled with anger. "I told you not to cross the line boy." Julieann threatened. The tense atmosphere returning back to it''s previous state but this time, hotter. "First of all, the suspect doesn''t belong to you and second, you should mind how you speak. Your mother won''t help you once you offend someone higher than her." Holliste calmly said, her sharp eyes staring at Julieann which made her uncomfortable. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Biting her lips, Julieann felt so unwilling and Holliste words reminded her that if she ends up offending her, her mother won''t be able to help in the matter. She hates how Holliste keeps looking down on her. "It''s not what I mean. Sorry... Go on." She said awkwardly and side stepped, going to her seat. "Well, listen to this." Nelson said as he clicked on the holographic keyboard. A video began playing, starting from the moment he gave Zosia a bottle water till the end of the investigation. "So we captured the wrong person, huh?" Holliste said. "We? No, Julieann did." Nelson reminded. Julieann scoffed. "Now, it''s me no longer we. A good one, but what if she was lying? Huh?" "She was under my spell." Nelson said. "You used your powers?" Holliste turned to look at Nelson, surprise evident in her eyes. "Tsk... Who are you kidding? I also used my powers to scan her room and there was a different scent from the normal one." "She said her guide came to see her." Crimson said. "Ha! Tell me about it. Since when did we have guides in human form. All of them all occupy important positions, how could one of such guides be assigned to her." Julieann retorted, unwilling to believe it "Well, apparently. She is a VIP Soul. Would have been a VVIP but the token was only at that in the past government and has been degraded in the current one." Crimson said, showing them a picture on a tablet. "What?" Julieann screamed. Her face twisted in disbelief. The only thought she had in her head was; "Did I just arrest a VIP and one who wasn''t in the wrong? A victim?" She was unwilling to believe it. How could it be? Nelson raised his eyebrow at Crimson''s words, his eyes staring at the picture. Holliste turned to look at Julieann who had a ferocious look in her face. "Now, that we have gotten our answer on who she is, we can understand why they Targeted her. Being a person with a VIP status, they must think she is among the upper echelon and that what they had done using her body and face could easily be covered up and then when she can''t do anything about them even after reporting to us, she would go begging them to stop or threatening them. As the case maybe." "Yeah. They must not have known that we would go after her. Especially since what they had done coincides with the earthquake." Nelson nodded his head in agreement and said. "Still put the two of them in the same cell. Let''s try to wring the truth from Sara through her." Holliste said. "But we found her not guilty, sending her back to the cell, sends a wrong message." Nelson said. "I know. So we would have to ask for her cooperation." "Do you think she would agree? After all we delayed what she had to do." Crimson added. "We would see." Holliste assured and left to go see Zosia. Zosia who was left alone in the investigation room could only keep looking around and at a point where she was tired, she looked under the table. "It seems like the table is also tapped." She muttered to herself. "Mhmm" Holliste raised her eyebrows as she came in and saw Zosia musing to herself. "Nothing. Can I go back now? My guide must be looking for me." Zosia said with a pause, then continued, "Since it''s not possible to communicate with the outside world or tell my guide where I am." "Indeed, but don''t worry, we plan on releasing you. We need your help in catching the main culprit." Holliste said. "Sigh! Do you want partial, full or just be there effort?" Zosia asked with a chuckle. "Full of course." Holliste answered "Your bill? Or what do I gain from it." Zosia asked. "A good citizen badge." "Tsk, even if I were to be a good citizen, your treatment to me wouldn''t be any different." Zosia commented. She folded her hands into her bossom. Holliste couldn''t deny that Zosia was right, but she couldn''t offer anything much to Zosia. "Don''t worry, I know the limits of what I can ask you. I am asking for a permanent residency. Is that possible?" "Yes. The moment you are done with this. We would issue it to you." Holliste promised and breathe a sigh of relief. **************** The game for catching the mouse started while Julieann was sent home. On that same day, she made Sara say some clues which she was given access to the main system. Zosia used that opportunity to penetrate it as well. By the time it was approaching night, they figured who the person was. "So it''s a man. And it seems he came here yesterday to report about my meeting with Sara. And he was given a good citizen badge." Zosia said, showing them the picture of the man. "Quite ironic." "Trace him." Holliste ordered. Zosia tapped away while Nelson and Crimson looked on with awe. They suddenly felt a new round of awe for their captain and the victim they arrested. Nelson felt a new round of appreciation towards Zosia and her capabilities. "He is at xxx bar." Zosia said. The people in the room shouted yay and couldn''t wait to go catch the terrorist, until her voice doused whatever enthusiasm they felt. Zosia hadn''t planned to inform them, but she decided to. She didn''t want to feel guilty later on. "There is bad news." "Huh? What?" Everyone turned to look at her and even those already stepping out halted in their steps. "There are some soul bombs buried in the building. We have to dismantle them." "What do you mean? How is that possible?" Holliste said with disbelief coloring her expression. "This is one of the most secured places." Nelson added, feeling it was impossible. "It''s possible as it wasn''t the man who did it. It''s Julieann and another person. Whose aim of destroying the building is for political reasons. "Are you serious now? Where are all the bombs located?" "We would have to split and also call in other team while reporting this to the upper echelon." Everyone immediately got to work. Zosia helped in the diffusing the bomb after learning from Nelson. By the time the person was arrested and brought back to the station, the bombs had been eradicated. Standing outside the station and ready to leave. Zosia was surrounded by team one members. Well, majority of them. "Do you really not plan on entering the force, I can change the permanent residency to special entrance into the force." Zosia smiled and politely rejected. Holliste kept pressing on but after being rejected continuously, she felt it was a shame. "You have good skills. Train them well. As for the Library, come meet me if you still want to go." Nelson offered with a smile. He only respected those who were capable. Now he understood why she had multiple skills and even be a VIP. At first he was jealous after glimpsing at her status but after being with her, he realized, he was eating himself inside and she didn''t care. "Can I add you?" Crimson asked. "Infact add all of us." Holliste said. At the end of the day, she made new friends in the force. "Take care." She waved them good bye and returned back to her space. "Ahh! I missed my space so much." Chapter 76 - 74- New mission "Ahh! I missed my space so much." She groaned and slumped on the chair. She suddenly remembered something and stood up with force. First, she knew that staying in the main world would make her join the turmoil which she was of course unwilling to tangle herself with. So, everything she wanted to do including buying a house needs to be put on hold. She can''t even go to trade her wares as she was currently being watched. Second, if she entered the task world now, by the time she comes back, she would be able to upgrade herself and get the after news of what happened, for free. She immediately entered her space, took her bath as usual and reappeared back at the system space. "Chip, Scan the place." She had chip scan everywhere. Zosia wasn''t sure if they had done some illegal tapping in her room or planted things that shouldn''t be there. She repeated the act three times until she was sure there was nothing. Zosia clicked on reveal panel. ????????? ? ? ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? ? ????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????? She first clicked on the inventory which housed the survival and first aid kit as well as the gears gotten from the last mission. She didn''t really get much in the last mission but it was better than nothing. She then clicked on her status. ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ?????¨T¨T¨T¨T? ?????????????????????????: ? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: ????- ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????: 120 ? ????????????????????????????: 125 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????: 3500 ????????????????? ????????????????????: 31,000 ?????????????????(????): ????????????????????, ???????????????? , ????????????????????????????????. ?????????????????????????: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Novice Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Novice Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Novice First Aid ? Novice Tactical Training ? Novice Navigator ? Intermediate Close-Quarters Combat ? Novice Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Novice Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Novice Poison Knowledge ? Novice Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Novice Disguise and Impersonation ? Novice Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Intermediate Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Intermediate Weapon Mastery ? Basic Hypnosis. ?????????????????(????); ????????????????????? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ?????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: 50 ? ?????????????????: 0 ? ????????????????????????: 1,800,000 [???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: ? 10,000 ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? ???????? 3 ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????] ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ?. She looked at her stats which didn''t seem like much as it had reduced after she was sent to that prison. Just thinking about the experience was enough to make her teeth ache in anger. "Sara, has luck I didn''t later meet her. I would have asked for a refund on my points.... everything." She muttered to herself in anger and frustration filled face. *********** While Zosia was thinking of how to escape the turmoil that was taking place in the main world, it wasn''t that easy, since it made Asgar involve Lucien. Despite the culprit being caught and Julieann scheme being exposed, she wasn''t punished. Her mother shielded her and it caused a lot of dissatisfaction among people. Asgar whom had gone to ask them to bail Zosia was surprised that she had already been released and later got the full gist of it. He didn''t know why but the gist seemed like it was the end product of what Zosia was looking for. Not only did she get the permanent citizenship token but she also showed her expertise in the force. He wasn''t surprised when Holliste was asking him to convince Zosia to join. But knowing Zosia and how she loved her freedom, he didn''t think she would accept. He left to report it to Lucian. Julieann who was also leaving happened to bump into Asgar. She quickly apologized but Asgar only looked at her with cold chilling eyes that sent shivers down her spine. Asgar said nothing and left, leaving Julieann who stood there with surprise on her face. She tried to remember where she had smelled such an aura or scent before. "Tsk, what is she still doing here?" Julieann turned to look at the owner of the voice. "Nelson, you won only this time, don''t think you would win the next time. After all, you guys only won due to her help." Julieann retorted. She didn''t want to continue trading words with Nelson but his words reminded her of where she had perceived that aura. In Zosia''s space. "Tsk, she has such a handsome guide, so envious." She thought, completely blocking out whatever Nelson was saying. Even though Zosia was just a novice, she got a guide due to being a VIP, others could only get one, when they reached a certain level. She was so envious. Taking the box that contains her things, she stared at the familiar building. Indeed, if her mom hadn''t asked her to plant those things, saying it was nothing but for her own protection, maybe she would still be here. Arresting Zosia, even if she was a VIP did not mean she would lose her job. Highest she may be given a punishment like probation of a month or two or a forced holiday. Even though she had been shielded by her mother, she didn''t think she could work in any force in the main world, meaning she would be sent to the sub-world. She had never hated her mother like she did now. Sigh! She sighed and left the building. Entering her car, she drove off. ************* ============ Asgar appeared in a luxurious building. Everything in it, screamed luxury. They were neither shouty, but someone with a good eye for things could tell. Ding! The door slid open, permitting Asgar entrance. Asgar already used to the luxury wasn''t fazed. "What happened?" Lucian''s voice came from one of the seats. "It was a case of a sub world being trying to cause chaos." He answered and sat down on the seat opposite Lucian. "She solved it on her own, but I am keen on why you are invested in her?" He asked the question that had been in his mind. "She is useful. Asgar, you shouldn''t poke, just keep being her good guide. If everything goes as it should, you will find out." Lucian deep and languid voice was heard as he sat lazily on his chair. "Sigh! Don''t fall in love with her and I hope she doesn''t also fall in love with you." Asgar words prompted a raised eyebrow from Lucian. "What do you mean?" Lucian asked, completely dropping the wine in his hand. "You of all people should be more aware if what I mean. I don''t want her to get hurt." Asgar answered, his voice calm without any ripple. "Tch." Lucian clicked his tongue and chuckled, finding Asgar''s words funny. "It''s you I should be saying this to, since you are her guide. Meaning, you would always be with her, at least 80-90% of the time. You shouldn''t worry about me but yourself." Lucian said, picking up back the wine. Asgar didn''t say anything but just stared at Lucian. Asgar was more than 100% sure he wouldn''t and can''t fall for her. He has someone that he likes already, so his heart is already completely occupied. As for who he likes, only him knows. Even the person he likes is unaware of it. Taking a deep breath after staring at Lucian for a while, he decided to leave. "I would get going. Take care." "Mmm" Lucian responded, not planning on seeing him out anyway. The moment Lucian was sure Asgar had left, he walked inside the house with a frown on his face. "I hope this doesn''t affect our plans." He muttered to himself. ************************* Zosia who was about to click on start mission on the holographic screen, but was interrupted by the incessant knocking coming from outside. She frowned. "Who is that now?" She muttered to herself. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She looked to see who it was and found it to be Asgar. "What has he come for?" She muttered with a frown. Zosia opened the lock, allowing for Asgar to enter. "Why did you lock me out?" Asgar asked. And by locking out, he meant no longer direct entrance. She had done this before she was arrested and now it didn''t seem useful. Zosia looked at him and answered. "No reason." Asgar could only look at her in askance but since she has already answered him, despite it not being the answer he was looking for, it was better than none. Asgar decided to go straight to the point. "For the troubles you went through and since as your guide, I couldn''t help and you dealt with them beautifully. I decided to give you a gift." Zosia looked at him, waiting for him to bring out the gift. Asgar brought out two books, "This book contains some basic things about medicine. It isn''t much but would help you in the long run." He said referring to the gree covered book. "This other one, contains the encyclopedia of herbs. Some herbs native to some planets or worlds aren''t here, so don''t be surprised if you do not see any herb in the world you are about to go to here." Zosia looked at the books, cocking her head to the side, she knew the value of the two books. "Thank you. Are you sure, you are okay with parting with this two books, especially the encyclopedia?" She asked, referring to the red covered book. "Yes I am. This one''s are just copies, not the original. I hope they end up being useful to you." Asgar said and stood up. Zosia looked at Asgar in suspicion. If she hadn''t seen guides and host falling in love, she wouldn''t take it as anything. "Hey." Asgar who was about to go, halted in his steps. He turned to stared at Zosia. "Hmm" "Asgar." She called out his name and walked closer. "Hope, you don''t have feelings for me?" She asked, her eyes watching his every movement and facial expression. Unfortunately, she captured nothing, only calmness and unperturbness. "No. I don''t have those kind of feelings for you. So worry less and take the book." He said and left. Zosia stared at the spot Asgar stood before for a while before shrugging her shoulders. "At least, I wouldn''t need to worry much about Medicine. It''s like a pillow falling for me to use when I needed it. Now, what I have to find is more encyclopedia and a good books telling more about Medicine and even practice them." She muttered. "Chip scan the two of them and put it, in the library." She ordered. A purple light scanned them for a second and stopped. Everything in the book was then uploaded into the library. "Time for the next mission. This time, with no distraction." She muttered after putting the book in the inventory. Clicking on the Start Mission. Her soul which is her body in the main world, disappeared. Now, on her next task. A wonder, what would it be? Chapter 77 - 75 - Arc 3 (Last Mass Release) Zosia who had just arrived in a new world and a new body was welcomed in the most unexpected way ever. The pain struck suddenly, like a lightning bolt of agony searing through every fiber of her being. It started as a sharp, burning sensation in her stomach, spreading rapidly like wildfire through her chest and into her limbs. She tried to double doubled over and clutch her abdomen, but she felt like her limbs were clamped. Her breathing coming in ragged and shallow gasps. Inside, it felt as though her organs were being doused with acid, sizzling and bubbling as they broke down. Her throat burned fiercely, as if she had swallowed molten metal, and each breath was a struggle against the scorching pain. The lining of her stomach and intestines seemed to twist and convulse, sending waves of cramping spasms that felt like her insides were being wrung out. She could feel her heart pounding erratically, each beat a hammer blow that sent shards of pain ricocheting through her ribcage. Her muscles spasmed uncontrollably, limbs jerking in agonized reflex. Nausea surged up, adding to the torment, but yet, she couldn''t retch. The feeling was so uncomfortable, neither going up nor down just hanging in her throat, plus the pain. She wanted to scream... Scream out the pain and agony she was feeling. Her skin was slick with sweat, cold and clammy, as if her body were trying to expel the venom coursing through her veins. Every nerve seemed to scream in protest, and her vision blurred with tears of pain. She collapsed on the bed, her world narrowing to the raw, unrelenting sensation of her organs frying and melting within her. The background noises came flirting back and forth as she battled with the pain. Zosia strained herself, trying to kick off the feeling of hands that clamped her limbs to the bed. The pain blocked some noises but occasionally she would hear one or two things from unfamiliar voices that filled the room. "Get the chain." "Fast. We need to clamp her else, the princess will writh and claw against her own skin." Another voice was heard. Zosia suddenly felt like she was losing consciousness, when a soothing feeling spread forth within her. It started from her heart and brain. It made her more lucid while reducing the pain she felt. She wondered if the soothing feeling would act against the poison. She knew where the soothing feeling came from. Despite being surprised, she didn''t bother about it. Now, she could clearly hear the voices in the background. Her body kept thrashing around though it was slowly calming down. The spasms continued. "Is The Empress not going to call for the Chief Imperial Physician?" "Sigh! I heard that the Chief Imperial Physician along with the assistant are not available. They are treating the Duke''s children." "Then what would happen to the Princess?" "Unfortunately, it doesn''t seem like the Empress cares. She only sent a physician. And as you know, he has already declared the Princess someone who wouldn''t live." "Sigh! Now I feel for the Princess more. Us old bones are the only ones who have been with the princess since birth, we all know that the Empress barely looks at the child." " We shouldn''t talk much about the Empress, to keep our heads." "Sob! Sob! I pity the Princess. She has such a mother and is going through such a pain due to the schemes in the inner palace." "Let''s just pray the Princess survives it. We can''t even do anything to help. The empress has dismissed other maids that should have been watching over the princess, leaving us behind. We should be preparing for our deaths." "Indeed, once the princess dies, we die with her as well." From the voices, Zosia was able to gleam that there were 3 people and their voices sound like old women with one older than the other. "Sigh! Such a beautiful child, destroyed by schemes. If she was born in a different household, maybe it would be better." "Everyone has their own destiny. We can only watch the princess since there is no one for her." "What about His Majesty the Emperor?" "I wasn''t allowed entrance. And the Empress did not allow me to see her either and tell her that this time around, the child isn''t playing a prank." "The Empress is well aware and sure it''s not a prank. She must have just decided to give up on the Princess since she is now carrying a dragon heir." "Sigh! I remember when the princess was born, the face of the Emperor was not good, since he was expecting a male heir." "There was a male heir but he died and she survived. The Empress was good to the princess until that so-called prophet said the Princess survived because she has a wicked heart and shouldn''t be allowed to live. He also said she is a black star." "I know, I also heard it. When news of it spread, the person that suffered the most was the princess. Even people who served her despite her treating them well colluded with other concubines to deal with the princess. Maybe, it''s good for the princess to leave this world that doesn''t cherish her." "Despite the Emperor beheading him and getting into bad blood with the temple, he still hasn''t seen the child for once except on her birth." "Sigh! Those are old talks, let''s stop talking about what would make us sadder and pray for the princess to survive." While they were talking, that soothing feeling began turning her constitution from a normal one to a poisonous one. Viens bulged and extended, the arteries also extended the blood changed gradually from the usual red to green. Groan! Her groan brought the attention of the old women back to the Princess. Gasp! "What is going on with the princess body?" The person said with astonishment. Their eyes filled with fear as they stared at the green veins that became more visible to the naked eye. They ran along her skin, disfiguring the already disfigured skin into something else. Gulp! "The princess body has decided on another route of survival." The oldest among them said. "Which is?" The youngest asked. She had never seen such a thing before. She felt that rather than the princess body to be like this, disfigured an unable to see the light. It is better she dies and leaves the forsaken world. "Merging with poison." A male voice answered. It was the Physician who had said she would not survive had returned after reporting to the Empress. The Empress who was also following behind the Physician was stunned. She rushed out of the room after gazing at the distorted figure on the bed and retched violently. The room oozed with poison, dirty blood and red blood. The veins on the body changed from green to black and the arteries from red to green. "You all should go out, the Princess has become someone with a poison constitution." The old maids stared wide eyed in shock as they looked at the figure on the bed. They couldn''t help but marvel at her tenacity and willpower to leave. Such tenacity and Will power, if it belonged to a man on the battlefield, can do wonders. "Hurry, check the child in my stomach, hope it''s okay." The Empress urged the Physician who was leading the old maids out of the room. He stared at the Empress in surprise, he thought she would first of all ask about the Princess. Lowering his head, he brought out a gauze and held the Empress wrist to check her pulse. "The Empress baby is still alive. Hale and hearty." "Good. What about the one inside." "The Princess is still alive but now her life is dependent on poisons. She has become a poison being, no longer normal as us. Without taking poisons, she would be wrecked by the poison to death. Further diagnosis can be done. I recommend you ask the Chief Physician to help." The physician finished talking and kept quiet, lowering his head in fear and trepidation. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Empress eyes flashed with no one knowing what she was thinking. "Take this." She said to the maid beside her, "The Chief Physician should be back by now, tell him to come check on the Princess." The maid received the token and immediately left with a run, unwilling to waste a second longer, else may lose her head if the princess dies before she returns. The old maids lowered their heads but none of them had a good countenance. They all felt that the Empress was just doing this to put up a display of affection when there is none. Their heart ached just thinking about the fact that such a thing had happened to the child they treated as theirs. They were all maids former maids with different masters being a concubine or consort. But they had all been sent to serve the Princess as punishment and their family dead. That''s why they no longer feared death and being more than willing to escort the princess in the underworld or go tooth and nail for her. They were happy the Princess survived but, her current state was worse than surviving. They couldn''t cry in front of the Empress, so they could only swallow it. Chapter 78 - 76- Arc 3 While they were outside, Zosia''s body kept on changing. Zosia, still lucid and with the information she had gained from listening to them, she sighed at the kind of life the child she had inhabited had. She decided to start with the memories first. She saw everything in a third person perspective yet could completely feel the feelings and emotions of the body. The Prank one of the old maids spoke about, was due to the child always looking for ways to get her mother''s attention and carrying out pranks like being sick, unwilling to go for lessons etc, just to make her mother come see her which at the beginning worked but after being found, the Empress stopped coming entirely. The little child thinks that it''s because of those pranks that pushed away her mother and Self-inferiority started. Sigh! She sighed and checked her body. Noticing that the change was nearing completion, she clicked on the task panel. A holographic screen visible to only her appeared along with its task. ¨X¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ¨ˆ¨ˆ ? ¨ˆ¨ˆ ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ?????????????????? ? ???????????????? ????????????????; ????????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????; ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? 18 ????????????????????. ????????????????????????? ????????????; 7 ???????????????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: ????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? 18 ????????????????????. ¨^©¤©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥?¡ï?©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¤¨a Zosia double checked the panel to be sure that it was only the main task that was on the panel. Since she didn''t see any scroll button to tell her that there may be some hidden ones. She decided to start with the memory, she has just gotten it but has yet to understand why the task was only one. She wouldn''t be surprised if the task encompasses mainly revenge, but survive? It seemed strange. Zosia felt that the clues would be in the memory and focused on tackling it. She no longer felt the pain, telling her that her physique had completely changed. When she was about to review the memory, an old figure with white beards and a sage-like look entered. Her black turned green eyes stared at the newcomer. Her eyelashes blinked, its fan shaped spread lashes would have added more beauty to a lady but to her, it looked strange and ugly. The old man glanced at the black blood vessels that ran along the body, making the body look like a tree bark. It looked so strange. " Your Highness, there is nothing I can do. The princess has completely assimilated with the poison and needs to take more poison to keep it stable." Zosia listened attentively. He wasn''t the only one that suggested such, even the other doctor did. "It also¡ª" his words were cut short as everyone bowed to greet the figure that approached. "We greet the great Sun, the Emperor." They all chorused and greeted according to how the etiquette demanded. Zosia wasn''t sure if she should follow suit. Her body currently was better than before. Recognizing the saying, "In Rome, do as the Romans do." She struggled to stand up and bowed to greet, but being bound by the chains, she could only bow improperly. Opening her voice to greet, what left her throat were screeches and not words. Which others in the room realized. The old maids heart was further broken by the scene. Zosia realized that her Vocal cords were damaged. She didn''t realize that the bright light in her eyes dimmed and that the Emperor had finally approached. "Quick! Help her stand up. Who asked you to greet." The emperor ordered. He silently took note of the dim light in her eyes and the surrounding. He noticed the chain which Zosia had loosened, allowing her to bow on the bed, but that was just it. She was still confined in that position. The smell in the air, revolting as it was, the Emperor''s face did not reveal anything. He calmly surveyed the scene. "Where were you when the Princess was poisoned?" The Emperor asked, directing his sharp gaze to the Chief Physician who lowered his head. Filled with fear and trepidation, the Chief Physician could only answer truthfully. "I was treating the Duke''s children." "I heard they only caught a cold. So, why did you have to go? It''s not like they don''t have any family physician." The Emperor calmly said, he glanced at The Empress, nevertheless his eyes revealed nothing. He looked like an emotionless machine, or a human being with emotions but so adept at not revealing them. Zosia lips couldn''t help but twitch. She didn''t understand the full background story, but she could tell that the Empress must have been the one to send the Chief Physician to the Duke while she sent another to her daughter who had almost... No.... Was at the gate of life and death. Zosia couldn''t help but feel sad for the child. Such people weren''t worth being mothers. But, it begs the question, why? Why send the Chief Physician to the Duke''s family? What kind of relationship has the Empress and the Duke? Zosia also took note of the fact that the Emperor might know something. Thinking about how small she was and could easily be handled by the consorts and concubines in the palace, she decided to gain power. Everything would be step by step. Zosia slowly relaxed, unwilling to look at their faces. Who knew what they came for now, especially the Emperor whom the Child is seeing him for the first time. "So ironic." She muttered inwardly. "What is your diagnosis?" The Emperor asked. The Chief Physician who has yet to even check Zosia''s pulse, immediately brought out a silk handkerchief and held Zosia''s wrist. "The Princess body has completely changed. Her pulse has become almost non-existent if not listened to carefully. The princess no longer has a womb and would always be suffering from Heavy cramps despite not having periods. The Princess body, once completely adapted, would return to her former look but now everything about the princess is poisoned including her blood which could make a potent poison." He concluded and bowed his head. The Emperor looked at the child who had her head lowered. Who knew the kind of expression she had on her face as she hears the diagnosis of her own body. Something that could have been treated and wouldn''t have gotten to such an extent, if her Mother¡ª the Empress had cared. Well, if he had also cared for her, it wouldn''t have reached this extent. The Chief Physician also sighed, inwardly, he could not help but think. "The child''s fate has been decided. She would end up being abandoned. What a pity." The Empress didn''t want to continue staying here but leaving when the Emperor was still there would further exacerbate the issue. "Allow her to rest and give her the best medical care you can give to her. Don''t skimp on the herbs. The palace is not so poor that we can''t afford it." "Yes, your Majesty." They all bowed. "It''s futile." Zosia murmured under her breath to the hearing of others. Everyone went stiff at her words. Glancing at the 7 year old child, just from the scene alone, they could tell the torment she went through, but she still survived even when the odds were stacked against her. "The Princess Jest, with the kind of Will you have, I am sure things would only get better." The Chief Physician tried to lighten the air that had gotten tense, but was met with Zosia''s hollow eyes. Zosia didn''t say anything and turned, she no longer wanted to see them. Just from the diagnosis alone, she wondered how the host had survived. She wanted to watch the memory again, in the last one, she had only glanced at some things, and hadn''t reached the end of her life. This time around she wanted to start from the beginning to the end and follow the life journey of the child to when she died at 18 years. For such a poisoned child to live long, indeed her Will is strong. Zosia appreciated her more and was more than willing to dedicate herself to the mission. "Sigh! Tell us what to do?" The Emperor with a despondent air around him, sighed and asked the Chief Physician. "The Princess should take the medications I will write three times a day. Staying in one place isn''t good, so she should always walk around, it''s best in the morning when the sun is just coming out. The Princess shouldn''t take sweets or cold things either. The Princess mood should also not fluctuate too much and it''s best to always keep her occupied with books or knitting. " The Emperor understood the last part as an Idle mind can conjure a lot of things. The Emperor said nothing after listening, his gaze was only on the child. Seeing that the child still refused to turn and look at them, he could only sigh. She was his only child and he had neglected her. At first, his plan was to have the harem toughen her up, so when he starts training her as the heir, she would pick up faster. Unfortunately, the Harem turned her beauty into a monster and his only child could have died due to his neglect and the mother he chose for her. Steeling himself, he didn''t allow any of his emotions to surface, only planning on dealing with them one by one or in batches that wouldn''t cause a commotion. First, he has to move her to a new palace and assign extra maids as well as a Physician that would serve only her. He wasn''t sure how long the old maids will last and needs them to train New bloods for the Princess. "It''s also time I meet him." The emperor thought and left, but not without telling them to take care of the Princess well. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He couldn''t be bothered with the Empress, she still has her use. Chapter 79 - 77- Arc 3 After everyone left the room, the old maids put their hands together to start cleaning the place. It didn''t take long and everything was cleaned and everywhere became neat and sparkling. From the memory she had gleaned so far, the poison was audaciously sent to her from the Consort who also vies for the Empress position despite the Empress still on seat. The Consort has her family backing her which is one of the four Duke family. So, even if the Emperor knows, he may not punish her well or even letting her go scott-free. Unfortunately, she was wrong this time around. The Emperor planned to use it as a fuse to send away is saying it lightly but to deal with some consorts and concubines along with their family. After the Hot water was boiled and put in a wooden bath tub, she was carefully carried by the youngest of the three old maids. According to the memories, her name is Debrah. The second youngest is Maritza and the Oldest is Evelyn. Each having their own skill and area of expertise. Zosia closed her eyes, allowing the old maids to scrub her body clean. Out of embarrassment, she didn''t dare look at the face of the maid. She decided to let her mind wander into the original memories from her birth to her death. Surprisingly the Princess has the same name as Zosia. Her full name in this world is Princess Zosia Nora McGowan. Zosia''s life story from birth wasn''t anything special, but it also didn''t lean on the good or average side. After the first three years of her birth, her mother''s care for her waned, leaving jer to the hands of the old maids. The old maids were sent by different consorts with different missions to her but those consorts didn''t last long. The oldest being Evelyn was threatened with her family to kill Zosia but after finding out that her family had already been killed, she leaked the news of the Consort fornicating and she was beheaded and her family members demoted and some investigated. So she became free and seeing how the Princess was alone she took on the role to care for her. The second one being Maritza entered Zosia''s place when she just turned 5. At that age, she was very mischievous and kept playing pranks to see her mother but as usual, things didn''t go as planned and she ended up endangering another princess. At first Zosia who was going through the memories felt that nothing was wrong until she calmed down to go through that part again. What was a Princess doing in her deserted courtyard? It could only be something that had been preplanned. The mother of the other princess complained to the emperor for her to be punished, but the emperor didn''t agree. Feeling stifled, she looked for ways to deal with Zosia but since Zosia stopped coming out of learning with her other siblings, she couldn''t get her. As for Maritza, she had discovered some things that she shouldn''t know and the Consort using the style of sending the old maid to her and then kill Maritza in secret while using it to tarnish Zosia''s reputation. Unfortunately, her brother whom she had to execute the task was caught and her family was already being investigated for tax embezzlement. Her actions caused the ire of the emperor and she became another beheaded consort. It didn''t last long, the Empress sent away all the younger maids leaving only the two old maids. At first she wanted to send everyone away but knowing it might dent her reputation she left only just those two. At Age 6, the Harem was in turmoil as some people who hadn''t been visited by the emperor before were suddenly diagnosed with pregnancy. It wouldn''t take much for an idiot to know that something was fishy. The Empress took on the task and many of them lost their heads and their family in disgrace. Most of their personal maids were also investigated and those who were free were reassigned. The third old maid being Debrah decided to come here after so many dissuasion. And that''s how the three old maids came about. Due to their help, even if Zosia couldn''t learn from any tutor, they taught her what they knew, from embroidery to sewing, cooking, washing, gardening and household management. Zosia has always been grateful to them. She thought her life would continue peacefully but she was poisoned. While everyone was still sleeping in, she heard a knock on the door and was met with a maid holding a basket. "Princess, the Empress asked me to give you this. She said she is sorry for having neglected you, but unfortunately she can''t come as she will be having a brother for you soon." Zosia at first was surprised but didn''t believe it. She wanted to send the maid away but caught a glimpse of her mother¡ª the Empress imperial token. "You said my mother sent you?" "Yes Princess. Aish, princess you don''t need to doubt me. My name is Sime... Your mother calls me Little Sime. So you can also call me that." "Then, why did you come so early?" Zosia clear eyes stared into the maids shrewd own. The maids eyes flashed with guilt and pity. She pities the small child, but it''s what she has to pay for being born into the royal family. "The Princess should ease understand the Empress. She can''t come as if anyone sees you two being closer, you would start being bullied again. She can only make up in secret like this. Besides, today is your birthday." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia frowned feeling that something isn''t right. She doesn''t know her mother that well and her little brain couldn''t think that far. Nodding her head she accepted the food box. Knowing it''s wrong to open a gift given to you in front of the person, she bid the maid bye and entered inside. Placing the box on the table, she opened it. Her eyes widened at the familiar pastries and the sweet scent of food. Most of them were ones she no longer ate as the allocation of resources towards her courtyard is small. She ate all of them with gusto. By the time she was done, she felt guilty that she didn''t keep some for the aunties to have a taste. Standing up, she intended to wash everything when she was assaulted with bouts of pain. Sigh! "Princess what are you thinking?" The maid who was bathing her interrupted the memory she was viewing, bringing her back to reality. Zosia didn''t answer, her hand reaching for her neck as she softly touched her throat. The old woman sighed. She felt stupid for asking. How could she ask someone who had just gone through such an ordeal and could no longer speak, a question. Her eyes filled up with tears as she gazed at the princess. She blamed herself for being useless and unable to help the princess. Clenching her jaw she whimpered and increased her pace in bathing the princess. Zosia did not react, closing her eyes back, she continued with the memories. The original owner of the body was shocked when she realized she had been poisoned. Today was her birthday and instead of her mother celebrating it for her or ignoring her like she used to, she was poisoned. Weeds of hatred gnawed on her heart, tears lke fountains flowed from her eyes. Her screams woke up the old maids who rushed to attend to her. For three days, she faced such agony. Her mother never came to visit her during that period. She could only writh, cry and scream in pain. She wanted to live, she wanted to survive. She told herself if she could survive, forget revenge, she only wanted to get stronger. Stronger that whatever schemes plotted against her would not be possible. As she continued being in pain the wish changed. She wanted revenge but a lot of revenge would make the world blind, as how Evelyn had taught her. She remembered what the maid who had brought the poisoned basket had said. Her words ringing continuously in her mind. "Princess, the Empress asked me to give you this. She said she is sorry for having neglected you, but unfortunately she can''t come as she will be having a brother for you soon." The brother she had yet to see, she started hating him. Feeling that he was the cause of her pain. If her mother could not have the son, would she still be allowed to live. At a point, she began despising her thoughts. She could only think of the fact that it''s because she is weak, that''s why her mind keeps having demeaning thoughts about her own existence. She hates it. She wants to survive and be someone that her existence is glorified and talked about. She did not know if it''s because of her will. She survived and it was then just like today, her parents came to see her. The diagnosis was the same. But the reactions were different. The original owner was stunned when she heard she no longer had a womb and can never be with someone due to her body being a poison vat or the fact that she lost her voice. She could no longer speak and her face was beyond hideous. She tried all sorts of ways to return to her beauty but she couldn''t. The thoughts she she didn''t want to have before, she slowly drowned in it, completely losing her self-worth which she felt there was none in the first place. Her life continued with being bullied and her maids being assassinated yet she couldn''t find out the truth or who sent them. Slowly she was also being neglected , only her Emperor father tried to bring her together but in her eyes, all of it was just hypocrisy. She didn''t believe in him and couldn''t wait to disappear if they were in the same room. She hated him and her mother with everything in her. Even though she later found out that the poisoning was the work of a consort who was going toe to toe with the Empress. Before she died, she heard when the Empress and her so-called brother were planning on poisoning the Emperor. Thinking of all the things that her father tried to do for her even to the extent of being called a tyrant by beheading those who bullied her, she decided to save him. If that was the only good thing she could do, she would die happily. She drank the poison meant for the emperor which ended up disrupting the ecobalnce formed already in her body, she died a painful death. She didn''t know what happened next but she suddenly found herself in a foggy place. The mist wasn''t something she could see through, so she stood in place unable to decide her next action in such an unfamiliar place. It was then she heard a voice asking her what she could offer in exchange for being counterattacked for. She had nothing to offer and everything she could offer all amounted to only being able to wish for one thing. And that thing; is to survive. Even if she had to give up her soul, she wants to survive. ======================= Just like I promised using some readers names, I have been fulfilling it. Tomorrow or next, Infact anytime, I would release the names I have used so far and maybe where I used them. I hope you can keep supporting me. So far, we have entered various ranking. Well two, according to my knowledge. Bestseller and power rankings. I hope we can enter more rankings. Do support me by subscribing, Power stones and Golden ticket, Going premium, gifts, reviews, comments etc. You can support me in your own way and thank you for all your support. Remember to invite your friends or recommend the book to others. Thank you ????. Chapter 80 - 78- Arc 3 And that thing; is to survive. Even if she had to give up her soul, she wants to survive. Zosia finally understood why she only saw one task and what other side tasks there could have been. She decided to fulfill them all. Zosia was quite surprised seeing the ending part but she smiled anyway. It didn''t matter how or why she could see it. She understood that if she decided to do those tasks, they would not be included in her reward. Zosia finally understood that most of those rewards were what the people she was counterattacking for could offer. That was why they were not substantial. **** Slowly the maid helped her out of the bath tub, which brought her back to reality. She held onto the maid and tried walking. Her steps were still shaky and her breathing had only just calmed down from how ragged it was before. "Thank you." She muttered under her breath. Debrah red eyes reddened even more and the tears she has been trying to hold back, spilled forth. "Sob, sob, Princess don''t thank me. Your humble servant couldn''t even protect you." "Sigh! There is nothing we can do now but strive to live." She said, her voice calm and soothing. Had her body not been evidence of the poisoning, one might think she was comforting another person. Debrah whimpered, unsure of what to say. Just like the princess said, it''s best they look ahead, instead of crying over spilled milk. ******** Weeks passed by, and Zosia daily life came to a routine. Each day was either, trying to walk and do some minor vocal exercises or reading and eating. Her meal consisted of mostly porridge and drugs and she was beginning to get tired of it. Now, just taking another look at the porridge makes her want to vomit. She was actually healing faster than the time given, even her skin was returning to its former luster unlike the first day where she looked like a cracked clay pot. Even the Chief Physician was surprised that he kept praising her will and lamenting that she wasn''t a boy. Zosia didn''t mind and only smiled whenever he made such comments. Rather she focused her time on gathering information. Even the analysis function that came with the chip that she had forgotten, came into use. Her daily routine was disrupted by a sudden news. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Princess, the Emperor finally avenged you!" Debrah exclaimed as she rushed into the room where she was learning how to sew from Evelyn. "Huh?!" Zosia had an idea but she still made a confused face. "Huff! Huff!" Debrah huffed and patted her chest to calm her rough breathing. Putting her hands on her waist after she regained herself, she began narrating what she heard. "I went to get the Princess drug as usual and while passing Wealth palace where Imperial Consort Ella resides, I overheard some maids saying that the Emperor offered her a silk and a poisoned wine. Either she chooses to commit suicide by hanging or by poison as her punishment for attempting to poison the princess." "It''s still just a rumor not something that has been confirmed. Do not rush to celebrate." Zosia said in a gentle and firm tone. Even though she was aware that it was the truth, she didn''t want them to start harbouring hopes about the Emperor. In the original owner''s memories, the Emperor care and attention was vastly different from the one received from a fatherly figure. But it was better than nothing for the original owner who had no choice to choose in the first place. Thud! Zosia suddenly heard two thuds and turned to look at Evelyn and Debrah, her eyes filled with question on what happened. "We greet the great Sun!" She joined them to greet in unison upon realizing the presence of the Emperor. "Mmm" The Emperor hummed in response flashing a fleeting glance towards Debrah. Debrah shivered in her spot. She could only pray the Emperor ignores her. "Greetings Emperor Father, to what do I owe your presence?" Zosia greeted again but this time around, her posture was much more formal and not rushed like before. "Won''t you offer your guest tea." The Emperor replied in response. Zosia signaled Evelyn who stood up and arranged the table. "I do not have tea only water in my humble abode. I hope the great Sun can forgive my lack of hospitality," Zosia said, bowing her head slightly. The Emperor chuckled softly, a sound that seemed almost out of place given the severity of his presence. "Water will suffice," he said, his tone surprisingly mild. "I came to see how you were recovering. It seems you are making remarkable progress." Zosia straightened, maintaining her composed demeanor. "I have been fortunate, Emperor Father. The Chief physician and the care from my maids have been invaluable." Evelyn quickly served a glass of water, placing it on the low table before the Emperor. He took it, sipping lightly, his eyes never leaving Zosia. "And how do you find your daily routines? Are they satisfactory?" "Yes, Emperor Father," Zosia replied. "Though I admit, I am eager to resume more active duties. I feel the need to learn more." The Emperor''s eyes narrowed slightly, studying her. "Eagerness is commendable, but one must not rush. Your health is paramount." Zosia nodded. "I understand, and I assure you, I will not overextend myself. However, I believe that staying engaged will aid my recovery." The Emperor seemed to consider her words carefully. "Very well. I will see to it that you have some light duties to occupy your time. Nothing strenuous, but enough to keep your mind sharp." Zosia bowed her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Emperor Father." "How do you see your courtyard?" He asked. "It''s okay." Zosia response, concise not conveying much. "It will be refurbished and the teacher that I arranged for you will be staying with you, so it needs to be more spacious. For now, you will be staying at the Wealth palace." Zosoa frowned imperceptibly. It would be strange for a seven year old not to react to the sudden news. Maritza suddenly rushed in. Seeing the Emperor present, she knelt and greeted. The Emperor placed the glass back on the table, standing up with a fluid grace. "Rest well." As he turned, his gaze stopped on Maritza then on Debrah. "You can spend sometime educating them." With that, he turned and left the room, his presence like a storm dissipating, leaving a calm but charged atmosphere in his wake. The door closed behind him, and Debrah let out a breath she hadn''t realized she was holding. "That was..." Debrah started but couldn''t find the words. "Unexpected?" Zosia finished for her, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yes, it was. But it also means we must be more cautious. The Emperor''s visit was not merely out of concern. There are deeper currents at play." Evelyn nodded in agreement. "We must ensure we navigate these waters carefully. The court is no place for complacency." Zosia continued, "Also you need to control yourselves. We are now being put in scrutiny, I wouldn''t want any of your actions to harm me." "We understand." They replied in unison. With Debrah and Maritza feeling a little bit guilty. "But, Princess are we really going to go to the Wealth Palace, your reputation has been in tatters. I don''t know who started spreading another round of rumour." Maritza said in a perturbed tone, her eyes revealing her distress. "Oh, what are they saying?" Zosia asked calmly. Seeing how calm Zosia was, Maritza felt more helpless. She wasn''t sure if this was something she should be bothering a seven year old with. "Sigh! Seeing how Princess is calm, it''s stupid of me to bother and disrupt your mood." Maritza answered. Evelyn and Debrah who had been waiting to hear what was being said, also sighed, feeling that they have been inconsiderate. Zosia only raised an eyebrow, not bothering to say anything. She has learnt not to get too close to someone, it would lead to a painful seperation. Thinking of if she did not say anything and how they would feel, she could only mutter. "It''s okay. As far as our hands are clean, we will find a way to restore my reputation." The days that followed saw Zosia taking on small tasks like embroidery. She also started to exercise like running and taking walks. She thought she wouldn''t have to move to the Wealth palace again but coming back from a run in her space, she was met with Imperial guards who were tasked to help her pack. Evelyn, Maritza and Debrah had already packed everything and things were being moved. "Princess, your hot water bath is ready. You need to come out for us to pack your clothes." Evelyn said from the opposite side of the door. Anytime she enters the space, she always stays in her room and makes sure no one disturbs her while she is there. Making a sound of acknowledgement, she opened the room door, allowing them to do their job while she goes into the bathroom to have her bath with Debrah being in charge of her clothes. After dressing up, she, along with the maids from her secluded courtyard, entered the carriage arranged for her to go to the Wealth Palace. Upon arriving at the Wealth Palace, she was met with a scene. Chapter 81 - 79- Arc 3 Upon arriving at the Wealth Palace, she was met with a scene. "Third Princess, you should leave for your courtyard, the palace no longer houses the mistress. " An old maid consoled the Princess who was making a ruckus at the gate of the palace. Zosia didn''t want to go down, but she didn''t know what the old maids beside the Third Princess whispered to her, that triggered her. The third Princess turned to look at the carriage that had the seventh princess being Zosia. Her eyes flickered with a hint of trepidation and some unknown emotions. Her mother was killed for poisoning the seventh princess. At first when she heard it, she didn''t believe but the old maid told her that her mother really did do it. To her, since Zosia didn''t die, the poison wasn''t strong until she went to look for Zosia to have her tell the Emperor to not punish her mother. The scene she saw that day became like trauma to her. Just remembering how Zosia looked like something that had cracked inside out, her beautiful face was gone. She didn''t even know how to answer Zosia when she asked her if she was the one that they had poisoned, will she even be able to survive. Could she survive the pain let alone allowing her body to mutate just for her to live. She admired the seventh princess will but still hated her for being alive. Couldn''t she just die so that her mother would still be alive. Even if they ended up punishing her mother, it would only be a demotion in rank. The more she stared at the carriage, the more intense her hatred grew. She immediately rushed to the carriage. "B*tch come down now! Are you satisfied? Are you?" Her coarse language prompted the old maid to rush and cover her mouth. Zosia came down from the carriage. She came down with fluid grace, her elegance and stature creating a great contrast against the Third Princess who looks like a mad woman and was disheveled. "You asked if I am satisfied, huh?" Zosia said, her voice revealing how calm she was unlike the third princess who looks like a rabid dog. Zosia slowly removed her veil, revealing her face which still stayed the same despite other parts of her body recovering. Velvet staggered back at the sight. Despite seeing it before, she was still unprepared for the harsh reality of Zosia''s visage. The old maid, unprepared for the sight, moved to the side and vomited on the grass. Her contour pale at the sight. The Seventh Princess'' face, once a paragon of beauty, was now a patchwork of scars and deformities, a testament to the agony she had endured and survived. The old maid gaze moved from Zosia to the third princess, her gaze flickered atls some thoughts passed through her mind. The maids who stood behind Zosia frowned. The varying degree of frown increased from Evelyn to Debrah. "Satisfied?" Zosia continued, her voice gaining an edge, " That''s not something you should be asking me? Look at me, how old am I? And look at you, how old are you?" Zosia answered the question she asked, "I am just Seven and your are 13. At least you have been able to receive your mother''s love for the years she was alive and still have throngs of people and maternal family caring for you. Can your situation compare to mine? If you had been in my shoes, would you let your mother go? I once asked you a question but you didn''t answer me, now another question. If you were the one who was poisoned and ended up dying, Maybe you had a chance to avenge your killer, would you take it or not?" Zosia pressed. Her eyes firm as she looked at the princess who was taller than her. Zosia moved closer, causing Velvet to stagger and fall on her butt. "Third Princess Velvet, Your mother was the one who wanted to die, I did nothing and neither have I ever crossed her, but I was on the receiving end. There is no need to cry over spilled milk, it''s best to stop your charade and start doing something better with your life." She said and passed her, taking some strides towards the palace gate. Velvet eyes which were filled with hatred glared at Zosia''s back facing her. She suddenly lunged at Zosia, her nails which were more than long enough to pierce into someone''s throat. She pierced her nail into Zosia''s body and Zosia''s poisonous blood spurted out, splashing Velvet in different places. Her smug smile diminished when she noticed how Zosia and the rest of the people were looking at her. She lowered her head to look at her hand, which she had expected to see covered in red blood, but she saw black blood instead. Her hands had lost their color turning into a poisoned hand . "Ahhh!" She screamed in horror. She jerked with force and her whole arm fell into the floor and her blood spilled out. It showed signs of contamination. She looked at the hand that had fallen out of her body without herself acting and suddenly couldn''t feel the other hand. "You are a monster, monster! Ahhh! You should die!!" She said with a ferocious look on her face. "A monster? It''s what your mother turned me into." She said calmly, her eyes devoid of any emotions. Something that wouldn''t be seen in a seven year old but neither could Zosia be called a normal seven year old. She has grown through a more traumatic episode that most adults. Something that most of them wouldn''t even encounter. Turning to the guards who stood still and the third princess old maid who was standing with a petrified look. "Drag her away. It''s ominous if she dies in the same courtyard as her mother." She said and turned, not looking at the princess who was slowly degenerating. Most of her fallen arm had turned to powder. The guards who had been asked to drag her away had petrified looks on their faces, unwilling to take a step close to Velvet. Even the old woman was unwilling to go closer to the Princess. "Send her way! I wouldn''t repeat myself again." Zosia''s voice floated from afar. They all turned to look at where the voice was coming from and saw her staring at them with a cold look. Remembering the sentence she had said before, the shuddering people who formerly felt pity for the third princess no longer felt the same. "Use a huge cloth to carry her. Make sure not to touch her directly." This was the only advice Zosia could give them. The guards who were previously slacking in carrying their belongings, immediately exerted more effort, unwilling to continue being there. The people who had come to watch a show or ordered by the various places they worked for scampered away. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia paused in her steps, remembering that she had forgotten to cover her face back. Lowering her head, she looked at the black soaked veil which was now covered in blood. It reminded her that she needs to clean her wound, but the position from whence the injury is, wasn''t something she could do by herself. Clenching her fist, she has various thoughts about the loyal maids who stood behind her. "Are their hearts still with her, are they still willing to serve her." Evelyn looked at Zosia who had paused in her steps and in the direction of her gaze. Seeing the soaked veil, she glanced at the wound that was still open. "The princess must have started feeling the pain. Why do I always forget that the Princess is but seven year old, yet, she is better than most adults." Knowing that the most outstanding nail gets hammered down, she decided to act regardless of her fear towards the princess blood. She bent down and whispered to the princess who also acted alongside her. "Ah!!! The princess has fainted from excess blood loss." Her voice brought back the old maids who were still in shock at what had just happened despite the stoic look they had on their faces. Forgetting her fear, Maritza immediately helped in carrying the princess up. "Debrah, rush and call for the Chief Physician." Evelyn shouted with a frown on her face. The gaze which she usually looks at Debrah changed. The two of them immediately entered the courtyard, heading straight for the room the princess will use. "Princess are you okay?" Evelyn asked in a gentle tone as she laid the princess on the bed. They didn''t have anything to stop or treat the bleeding, they could only wait for the Chief physician to come. "Pain but not like the other I experienced." Zosia said. She didn''t know if she was trying to earn their sympathy. Her gaze moved towards their hands, " You shouldn''t worry, my blood only works against those who hate me." Her words brought them back to their senses as they were thinking of how they could die more honourabley. Glancing at theor hands, they realized that nothing was happening to them. They couldn''t help but smile. They are not dying, they could still serve the Princess. ================= My exams are starting on Monday, so I may not be able to update for the next three weeks or so. Even if I was to update, it wouldn''t be consistent. If you enjoy my novel, do introduce it to your friends as well. Do support me in anyway you can. Thank you ????. Chapter 82 - 80- Arc 3 Things were not the same on Debrah''s end. She was starting to have thoughts of changing to another palace. She didn''t want to inadvertently die when taking care of the princess, but leaving would seem like betrayal. "Aish, I need to think more on this before deciding. Maybe it''s best to leave the Imperial palace completely." She thought inwardly. Arriving at the courtyard where the Chief Physician reside, she was met with his disciple. "Tell the Chief Physician, that the Princess is in need of his services." "Unfortunately, the Chief Physician isn''t currently at home. What could I help you with?" "Um.... Things for treating injuries." "What type?" Feeling irritated, she snapped, "All types. Just get me the stuff before the princess dies of Blood loss." The disciple immediately packaged everything and gave it to her. Feeling worried that the maid wouldn''t know how to use it and the princess ends up dying, his head might have to be forfeited for compensation. " I will follow you." He said and immediately followed her. In his mind, he prayed that the Princess is a good tempered one, else he might be going home with various injuries. Right now, he felt the fear of working in the Imperial palace. They quickly arrived at the Wealth Palace. Debrah led him inside. Arriving at the Princess room, she had him stand outside and entered to go report. "Princess, the Chief Physician is not around, but his disciple was around, so I had him follow me." "Is the disciple a male or female?" Evelyn asked. "Male " "Just let him in, the injury is only at the back, tear of the piece of cloth at that side." Zosia ordered. Maritza who was standing closer to Zosia, did as told. "Princess, the blood, would it harm him, if not let him just stand and teach us how to do it?" "Okay." Zosia answered. Debrah opened the door, allowing the young boy to enter. "Teach them what to do." Zosia ordered, her calm and childish voice entered the young man''s ear. His gaze inadvertently moved to look at the Princess. "Greetings to her Highness, the Princess." Since he didn''t know which of the princess, he didn''t specify. Neither of them bothered to correct him as each and everyone had other things going through their mind. "You can''t touch me, so teach them how to do it." "But Princess, you would loose blood faster." He said subconsciously, remembering that he should have just obeyed orders, he clamped his mouth with his free hand. "If you want to die earlier, you can touch me." Her calm voice didn''t sound like a threat but it sounded like that to the young man''s ears. He immediately started teaching them how to go about it and disinfect the site of injury, how to wrap the gauze and to change it. It was not like they didn''t know how to do it, but they didn''t have any tools to assist them. They wondered if the young man would be willing to leave his room box behind. But tool boxes were like an identity to the doctors. The young man stood there and watched them do it, he was surprised that it was only the three maids present in this big palace but he knew not to be curious. At first he wondered where the black blood was from but seeing that it was from the princess, he got curious but knew not to ask. He could only allow suppress his curiosity. He also noticed some lines on the Princess back that looked like cracked areas. It did not look too visible as it seemed to be healing or going back but it nevertheless aroused his curiosity again. Once they were done with disinfecting the wound, cleaning it. Time to wrap it with gauze, they sent the young man away. "Thank you young disciple, unfortunately we are short hands to see you out. Take care on your way." Evelyn said with a smile. Getting the hint, he immediately picked up his tool box and left. Just after leaving the palace, he hadn''t gone far when he met some gossipy maids. With the intention to ignore them, he lowered his head and quickened his steps. But, he wasn''t as fast as them as they easily caught up. "What do you want?" He asked coldly "Hehe... You are the Chief Physician disciple right? Didn''t know the seventh princess would need to make use of a disciple one day." The maid said with a condensing look on her face. The young man was able to glean the identity of the person he treated. Seventh princess. "Tsk, that poisonous princess, did her blood get on your hands? " "Did you inadvertently get poisoned by her blood? " "Did she tell you not to say anything?" "Talk, we would double the amount she paid you." The maids who had gathered asked several questions in succession. Feeling overwhelmed he backed away. He suddenly caught sight of golden threads, black cloth and white beards. "I greet the great Sun, the Emperor and master." He bowed. The maids who were gathering around the young man paled. They quickly knelt down and greeted. The Emperor glanced at the young man first, then to the Chief Physician whose facial expression wasn''t good. He glanced at the maids who were sent by different Harem members to come and investigate. The coldness in his eyes increased and his sharp gaze directed at them made their scalp tingle. "Did you tell them anything?" "No, Your Majesty." He answered calmly. He felt lucky he hadn''t said anything, else he might be among them, kneeling and kowtowing for forgiveness. He would even be ashamed to face his master. The Emperor turned to look at the maids and asked," Did he tell you anything?" The maids looked at each other, the same thought crossing their head. Since they were already going to die, then they would drag him down with them too. "Yes, your Majesty." They answered in unison with some giving extra answers. The Emperor frowned, his gaze flashed with an undetectable glint. He pondered on if to have them beheaded and their heads sent to the different courtyards they come from. But, remembering his current reputation, which in the long run, would affect Zosia, he decided against it and decided to test them. The young man on the other hand, his face turned pale. His eyes shook in disbelief, "When had he ever said anything to them?" Now, he understood that even if the Emperor did not believe them and let them go, it wouldn''t be easy for them to let him go. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He gritted his teeth witg hatred, now he understood why his master said not to get involved and he should focus on treating commoners. The Chief Physician looked at his disciple and sighed, "His first obstacle." The Emperor had each of them tell the Chief physician what the disciple said. By the time they were done, none correlated, meaning, they lied. "Give them 300 strokes each and send them to the courtyard they come from." The Emperor ordered and strode forward, leaving behind the people who kept kowtowing and pleading. He got more annoyed by the ruckus they were causing and the fact they had made him late to see his daughter, he turned back. The maids saw the Emperor turn back and a hint of hope appeared in their hearts. Maybe the Emperor finally had a change of mind. "Increase the strokes to 500 and don''t do it here, do it in the courtyard they belong to." He commanded, his tone fierce and ruthless. The disciple shivered and followed after them. He made sure to keep his head low, only looking at his feet. They entered back into the Wealth Courtyard. With the Emperor leading the way, they were not obstructed. The Chief Physician and his disciple stood outside while the Emperor entered alone. The Emperor met Zosia as she sat beside the fire, reading a book. "I greet the Great Sun, the Emperor." Her courtesy was awkward due to the back injury. "Mmm" he hummed, his sharp gaze scanning Zosia for any abnormalities. "I heard what happened and came to see you." He sat down and continued, "Your blood can act as a weapon of self defense to you." "Yes." "Let the Chief Physician check on you. It''s good that you are recovering well." The Chief Physician was called along with the disciple. The disciple looked up and was met with a face full of black lines that looked cracked. It looked like a broken clay pot. He immediately lowered his head, his heart thumping against his chest. What the hell? Zosia noticed his reaction but said nothing. Such reaction has become a common thing to her. Since she was alone, she didn''t bother wearing a veil which led to revealing her face. The Chief Physician checked the sight of injury and her pulse. " The Seventh Princess is recovering well." "That''s good." The Emperor muttered, "Your courtyard would be finished by next week and then you would meet your teacher" He said and stood up. "Do not overstress your body. You need to recover faster. I will assign some guards to you for now." He stated and left. The Chief Physician and disciple quickly followed behind him. Zosia watched them leave and breath a sigh of relief, she knew those Consorts and concubines who can''t keep to themselves would soon start trying to make their presence known. Just thinking about it gave her a headache. ============ N/B: I changed the various places where the consorts, concubines etc reside to Courtyards. Please keep supporting me ????. Chapter 83 - 81- Arc 3 "Sigh!" A sigh escaped her lips, dealing with all those cunning consorts, cost her some brain cells. Some of the consorts even seemed downright stupid. Despite knowing their goal, which was having a chance to meet the Emperor, she still smiled and tried answering them. "Finally, they are gone." "Yeah, I had to hold myself from slapping one of them." Debrah said. Zosia sometimes wondered, why Debrah an old maid, was more impulsive than the new ones. She glanced at her but didn''t say anything. "You and Maritza can go and finish what you were doing. I will go and embroider with Evelyn" Since she came to this world, she had not left the palace. She was ignorant of the world outside. The more she thought about how ignorant she was of the outside world, the more she felt uncomfortable. One might think, Why doesn''t she just scale through the wall, disguise herself and go outside. This is not a novel but a reality. The Emperor guards are way more skilled than a toddler like her and even if they ignore her, what about the funds she will use. Aish, she felt more distressed thinking about it. Zosia looked at her feeble hands and felt the need to train her skills and body more. If she wanted to be safer in the Imperial Harem, the more knowledgeable she needs to be. Just remembering the tug of words she had with a consort this morning, made her frown and lose a lot of brain cells. "What is wrong with all these concubines and consorts? Don''t they have better things to do?" She asked Evelyn who was currently teaching her how to embroider. Evelyn smiled at the question, "They are more free than you think, Princess." "They are not like you who learn to improve your knowledge or add more skills to your skill set. The only skill they try to improve on is their art in seduction." Evelyn commented calmly. Zosia sighed. The answer wasn''t surprising. Glancing at the handkerchief she was currently embroidering, she marveled at how fast she became more skilled. Even her embroidery was currently better than Evelyn''s own. "The Princess Skill has surpassed mine. It would be nice if you could start embroidering a cloth rather than a handkerchief." Evelyn praised, her eyes filled with joy. "Mmm, we can use the bolt of cloth that consort brought to give to me." "No! Princess, there is a difference between accepting a gift to give face and accepting and using the gift. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unfortunately our coffers are empty and we have no way of returning the gift, that''s all the more reason we can''t touch them." Zosia bit her lips in frustration. Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Get me a paper and a brush." Evelyn didn''t ask what the Princess intended to do and only did as ordered. The paper and brush with ink was neatly laid out before her. Taking the brush, she allowed her hand to move freely against the paper. Her writing even incorporated some calligraphy techniques that are not of this world. After writing, she dropped the brush. "What do you think? Do you think the Empress will respond?" She asked Evelyn who was standing behind her. Evelyn marveled at how sharp, free, light yet bold the seven year old princess writing was. "The Princess is a genius. Unfortunately, she can''t bask in the glory of her skill." This thought brought something else to her mind. "Princess, if you are sending it to the Empress, let me write for you. You are aware of the Empress dislike, if she catches a hint of your talent, she wouldn''t waste time to snuff out your life." Zosia thought about it and agreed. They were still talking when the Emperor entered. Zosia and Evelyn greeted. Zosia''s bow, more courteous and graceful than before. She felt that the Emperor came at the right time. Behind the Emperor stood 10 guards and just from their aura, Zosia could tell they were more skilled than the rest of the guards she has seen in the palace. "What is the Emperor''s plan? Why does he favour me that much?" She couldn''t help but ask herself such questions. "I will just take it as they come." She decided but she thought about another problem. How would she properly practice martial arts. Even though she was practicing in her space and could be said to have trained this body to be better than an average guard, it was nevertheless the fact that no one knows and if something happens and she shows the skill, how could she explain it. She knew assassinations would be coming for her soon. With the care she receives from the Emperor. Also the family of the Former Consort of the Wealth Palace (Courtyard), may start sending people to probe. Zosia signaled Evelyn to go get tea. Since the day she offered the Emperor water, he sent her a lot of tea. Ranging from the most common to the most expensive. Her eyes suddenly shone. Sending tea leaves as a return gift isn''t that bad. But thinking about how to measure the value of the tea leaves in relation to the value of their gift, gave her a headache. The Emperor took the seat facing Zosia. His gaze inadvertently landing on the paper. "Was this written by you?" He asked. He noticed that the ink was not yet dried, which means it was something that was written a few minutes ago, not up to an hour. Zosia did not lie and answered truthfully. If she could rope the Emperor to give her all the support, it would be for the best. "Indeed your Majesty eyes are the best." She praised, indirectly answering his question. The Emperor frowned, he didn''t like how formal his daughter was with him. He didn''t say anything but turned to look at the guards behind him. "They would be in charge of protecting you. As for the other servants, they would come when you enter your new courtyard. You should be ready to leave in two days. You would also meet your teacher by then." "You can disperse." The Emperor ordered and the guards left in a very coordinated manner. Zosia was sure that they used something like stealth to leave as she didn''t hear any feet sound neither did she hear any shuffling of their feet. She didn''t know why the Emperor frowned, but remembering what she had written on the paper, she felt his frown was understandable. Evelyn and the rest also left leaving only Zosia and the Emperor. Zosia did the tea making process she had learnt, though not skillful, her hand still shook occasionally. The Emperor only watched on and did not bother her. His eyes holding many thoughts. After doing the tea, she prepared to sit down when the Emperor suddenly asked a strange question. "What do you think of the Empress?" Zosia almost fell down at his question, quickly steading herself to avoid making a fool of herself. Unfortunately, all her actions were captured in the Emperor''s eyes. "No formalities. Tell Dad what is on your mind. Pour out all your grievances." The Emperor''s voice turned softer and more soothing. Zosia had a dazed look on her face, "What is going on? What is about to happen?" She felt more anxious that she did not know what was going on in the palace. At least, if she knew, she felt that she would know how to properly address the question and avert whatever disaster was coming her way. The Emperor green eyes dimmed. But nevertheless, he had expected it. A child who has been living on pins and needles since she was born. A child who has to be careful of her steps else she falls. A child who has been walking on thin ice. It would be more stranger if she actually answered him. He was more than aware how far he was from being a good father, all the more he was anxious to be one. Zosia is his only child from his own sperm. Yes, the rest are bastard children from who knows whom their mothers slept with. They may think he was unaware but he was fully aware, even knowing whom the father of each child belongs to. As for the reason why he allowed himself to be cuckold, it was a reason only known to a few. Glancing at the message written on the paper, he didn''t want hus daughter to have any more association with that woman. So that when the time comes, he would be able to properly deal with her. Using his hand to trace the letters written on the paper, the more he admired the handwriting. So free, bold yet light. At the same time, he noticed a hint of constraint present in the writing. It reminded him of someone so dear to him, unfortunately, the person still refuses to speak to him, regardless of how many letters he sends. "You don''t need to answer, but also you don''t need to worry about being constrained when with me." "Come." He beckoned on Zosia. Zosia not understanding how fast the situation was developing, had some confusion on her face. She secretly breath a sigh of relief when she didn''t have to answer again but why was the Emperor beckoning on her now. Standing up, she walked to the side of the Emperor. She was expecting him to either point out some corrections on her writing or something else. He lifted Zosia up and placed her on his laps. Delicately patting her on her head. The corner of the Emperor''s lips curled up. He finally fulfilled one of his goals - getting close to his daughter. Zosia''s body turned rigid. Sigh!, she couldn''t help but wonder where all her boldness went to. The Emperor also noticed her stiffness and the light in his eyes dimmed a little. Zosia did not know that the light in the Emperor''s eyes has dimmed, she was busy getting herself to slowly relax. Her tense body became less tense but it was also on alert. The light in the Emperor''s eyes returned when he noticed that she was trying to relax. By the time the Emperor left, a few hours had gone by. To Zosia, it was a fruitful one as she not only learnt new things in wiring but her relationship with the Emperor got closer than ever before. All the more, she became more worried about assassination. The Emperor on the other hand felt that this was the most relaxing day ever. How long had it been since he last relaxed. He felt that his sleep this night would be better than before. He was more determined to get an answer from that person, even if it means leaving the palace to go meet him personally. That person was the only person he could entrust his daughter to. ========== Another update after a hectic exam. Please support me in the little way you can. Thank you. Enjoy this chapter and have a nice day/night. Chapter 84 - 82- Arc 3 Unfortunately things don''t really go as they planned. The day he was planning to leave the palace that night in secret, the Empress came to visit. "His Majesty, the Empress keeps making a ruckus outside. She says she wants to see you." His brows furrowed together into a frown. The Eunuch upon witnessing the Emperor''s change in countenance shivered subconsciously. Just thinking about being in the same space as that bitch, irritated him to the core, but he always had to pretend. At least, his cold face could do the job better. "Bring her to my study." He said and walked out. Arriving at the study, he sat down on the chair, "I don''t know why she is looking for me now, it better be important." He muttered under his breath as he dismantled his cloak and other accessories he was putting on. He couldn''t let her find out that he was leaving the palace. Taking a book from the shelf, he decided to calm his mind first, else he might say some things he didn''t want to say. He hadn''t started reading the first page when the Empress sauntered into his study. "Greetings to the great Sun, the Emperor." The Empress lowered her body in proper courtesy as she greeted the Emperor. The servants left, leaving them alone. "Speak, to what is the late visit for?" Aaron asked, his cold voice holding no hint of warmth. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Empress bit her lip in distress, she has been trying to repair her relationship with the Emperor since the last incident, where Zosia was poisoned, but to no avail. The Emperor avoided her like a plague, even now, she has become a joke in the Harem. An Empress even the Emperor detest to see. She didn''t believe that it was that incident that led to him distancing himself from her. "Aaron, I brought a meal for you. I am sure you must be tired. Let''s eat, like how we usually eat before. With no distraction." She stepped forward, opening the lunch box she came with. "Is that why you are here?" His cold voice, washed away her enthusiasm. "Can''t I¡ª" Her words were cut short by Aaron. "You can leave. I am busy with more things and can''t waste my time on you." "You! What is going on? You don''t even call me by my pet name again. You told me you love me and regardless of how many women you have in the Harem, it would always be me. But not only did you break your promise but you also forgot me." Amelia said, her voice rising by a few decibels. One could even here the sadness and heartache in her voice. Before she didn''t care, since the attention she needs, she could get it from the person she loves, but now she needs something and it''s only through the Emperor, it can be fulfilled. "Are you done? If yes, you can get out. I don''t have time for your shenanigans." "Shenanigans?! Aaron, since when has what I do, become a shenanigan to you? Do you really not love me anymore? Is it because of what happened to Zosia?" She asked with disbelief on her face. Stepping forward, she walked towards Aaron''s side. Aaron rolled his head and massaged his forehead. He could already feel a headache coming. "Don''t overstep your boundaries, Amelia." His cold voice thundered, pausing Amelia in her steps. "Amelia, you are more aware of the game you are playing. I don''t care and I am more inclined not to bother on behalf of our past relationship. If you still want to continue, don''t blame me for the consequences." "Game?! Aaron which game? It''s because of Zosia right? She is also my daughter, do you think I am also happy at how she has become." Aaron stared into Amelia''s eyes at those words, feeling guilty, she stopped staring at Aaron and moved her eyes somewhere else. Aaron chuckled, seeing her body reaction already told him all he needed to know. "You can get out!" His face returning back to its expressionless manner. It was like the chuckle was nothing more than an illusion. "Aaron¡ª" "Don''t call me by my name. You have no right to do that." "You! Fine. About Zosia." Inwardly she was gritting her teeth. She further cemented the idea to continue ignoring Zosia. She feels that once she gives birth to the child in her stomach, Aaron''s attention would return back to her, or better yet, kill off Zosia. If Aaron knew of her thoughts, he would scoff at them and beat them out of her mind. Why would he care about a bastard''s child? And if she dared to touch a hair of Zosia''s, she would be dead meat. "Zosia has already reached the age to start schooling. Other Princes and Princesses are also going to school, it''s not good if Zosia doesn''t go as well. She wouldn''t be able to make friends nor would she be able to learn well." "So, that''s the main reason you came to me. That''s alright, but you seem to forget that my daughter has become disfigured due to the petty games you all play in the harem. Don''t make me lose my temper and get lost while you still can." His temper was already simmering. He could already imagine the kind of rumor that would be generated and how her reputation would be floored to the ground. "Guards! Send her out." He ordered. Amelia stood rooted in her stop in shock. This was the first time she had seen Aaron lose his temper, even to the extent of using a Guard to send her out. Amelia clenched her fist in anger and hatred. "I will leave on my own." She immediately said, the moment the guards held her to drag her away. Aaron watched as Amelia left. Sitting down on the chair, a despondent sigh left his lips. When he was still young after his mother''s death. Him and his step-brother whose mother was also dead, were assigned to his mother''s sister who had entered the Harem. He didn''t really like this sister of his mother, so he entered the battlefield at a young age along with his step-brother. He could vividly remember the first time he saw Amelia how his heart thundered against his rib cage. At first he refused to acknowledge it but when they had to stay at Duke Herbert''s place for a while, he gradually accepted his love for her and he didn''t hide it. He finally asked her out which she accepted but that happiness was quickly doused, when he was transferred to another battlefield. He couldn''t even say goodbye to her. After winning, it was time to go back home and inherit the throne, he encountered another thorny issue but the worst was that his step-brother became broken and the person he loved was about to get married to his cousin. Unwilling to lose the love of his life, he fought for her and got married to her despite the voices that disagreed, including the Emperor at that time. At first, things were going well and he inherited the throne despite the bumps here and there, he was always happy just being with Amelia and felt he could withstand the pressure of not getting concubines. Unfortunately, that was shattered the day they were sleeping together and she kept calling another man''s name. The man was none other than his cousin. The son of his mother''s sister. He didn''t believe it and investigated if they still had contact and true to his findings, they did have contact and usually meet on specific days in the temple which he always thought she goes there to relax. Shaking his head a wry smile surfaced his lips. He had kept quiet about their affair since then and hadn''t planned to do anything because he still loved her, but seeing how she treated Zosia and even steeling her mind to get pregnant with another man''s child, claiming it as his, his love slowly turned to disgust. Now, he didn''t even want to be in the same room as her. She was also the cause of the bad relationship he has with his step-brother. Unwilling to think more about the past, he stood up and donned the black cloak along with a white mask. "Keish." He called out in the empty room. "Master!" A black shadow materialized in the room. "Prepare the horse for me and investigate what she is Planning." He ordered. "Yes Master." The voice answered and reappeared a few minutes later. "The horse has been prepared." The voice announced. Just like how the shadow materialized that was how it left and so did the Emperor. Climbing the horse, he turned to the voice again. "I won''t be around for two days, don''t let anyone know." Kicking the horse, he immediately led it to the direction he wanted and left, leaving behind only just that order. Being on the horse and traveling for one day straight, is something someone wouldn''t be able to do, but to him, it was easy as that is what most of his youth consisted of. ****** Arriving back at her courtyard, Amelia smashed a lot of things. After she felt her anger had subsided, she sent away the maids in the room leaving behind, only her aide. Slumping on the bed, her thoughts ran around. "What could the Emperor possibly refer to the games I am playing." She didn''t think the Emperor found out about her and Drew, neither would he still be angry for that incident that occured years ago, so it could only be the incident with Zosia. "It seems like the Emperor caught unto something." Amelia muttered out loud. "What could the Emperor possibly find that is bothering you." The old maid says as she massaged the Empress. "He might know that we instigated Zosia''s poisoning. I am still surprised that she is still alive after all of that." "The Emperor might not know, but he might be angry considering the fact that it was because the child was neglected, especially during this period." The old maid chimed. Amelia thought about it and felt that the old maid was right. "Hmmm..... You are right." Thinking about it now, Zosia was the only child between her and Aaron. As for the one she was currently carrying, it is the child between her and the love of her life ¡ª Andrew. Unfortunately, they couldn''t be together, because of Aaron, even when he didn''t want to have his child, he still forced her. So, how could she be happy with a child from the man she didn''t like. If she successfully gives birth to the child, she would train him to become the successor of the Empire. She would accomplish the dream of her father and her lover at the same time, as well as her dream of being on top, where no one would refute her words. Thinking about the bright future ahead, she giggled but upon remembering Zosia, she knew she had to remove that thorn as it may ruin their plan along the way. Andrew was still angry with her for having a child for Aaron and neither was she happy seeing the child either. "The Emperor refused my request of allowing her go to school as others do." Amelia said. "We have to find a way. Staying in the palace, she would be protected by the Emperor. Even the petty skirmishes in the palace has died down. It would be impossible to ruin her name or get her to say bye-bye to this beautiful world." The old maid said, her focus never wavering as she did the massage. Amelia thought about it and decided to give it a try again tomorrow, she was currently feeling sleepy. Sending the maid away, she prepared to sleep. =========== We are not yet done with exams, I had one yesterday being first so I couldn''t upload a chapter and we also have again tomorrow till next week. I am already missing this month MGS and WIN-WIN. It''s quite painful, but I don''t also want to fail. I do hope you enjoy this chapter and support me. Thank you and Happy New month. Have a nice a d blissful day ahead. Chapter 85 - 83- Arc 3 By the time Aaron arrived at the place, the night was already setting in. Coming down from the horse which despite running all night was not panting, neither was he. A weary smile surfaced his face as he gazed at the building in front of him. He couldn''t help but reminisce about the past. Before they became estranged, they were two tightly bonded brothers who swept through the battlefield. One was called the War God and the other the God Strategist. He was the War God and still is. While his brother from a different mother but if the same father was a God Strategist. If not for his lack of interest in the throne, he didn''t think he would be sitting on that sit either. He wouldn''t really care as far as it wasn''t any of his other brothers. Thinking of the only brother remaining from the multitude of siblings he once had, he lamented at the cruelty of the throne. "Why did you come to see me?" A cold voice came out from the shadow that suddenly materialized in front of him. "Tsk... Brother, it''s been so long, can''t you at least let me in." Aaron said with a pout. "Don''t play games with me, you have been sending me letters and I replied to none, doesn''t that send you a message." The cold voice rang out again, this time with a tinge of annoyance. "Aish, why behave like that. I thought you have forgiven me. Do you know how your little brother missed you." He said and went in for a hug. The figure snorted then hugged him back, patting him at the back repeatedly. "Fine. Follow me." Aaron followed behind his brother as they entered the courtyard. From a distance, it seemed odd to see a building without a gate and with no other structures around it. While those with keen eyesight might notice, most people, especially laymen, would overlook it and pass by, unaware that a house was even there. "Brother, your formation skills has increased." Aaron praised as his eyes scanned the area. The intricacies of the hidden defenses were evident to him, though invisible to the untrained eye. Each step he took was careful and respectful of the powerful enchantments he knew were in place. His brother, Adrian, acknowledged the compliment with a silent nod, his expression impassive. "You always were the more straightforward one, Aaron. Charging headfirst into battles while I worked from the shadows. Some things never change." Aaron chuckled, the sound echoing softly in the still night. "True. But we made a good team, didn''t we? Your strategies, my strength¡ªwe were unstoppable." Adrian stopped abruptly, turning to face Aaron. His eyes, cold and calculating, seemed to pierce through Aaron''s very soul. "We were. But things are different now. You''re the king, Aaron. You have responsibilities. The throne is a heavy burden, one that changes people. I''ve seen it and you know it." Aaron sighed, the weight of his position pressing down on him. "I didn''t come here to talk about the throne, Adrian. I came to see my brother. The one person who understands the struggles I face. The one person I can trust." Adrian''s expression softened slightly, a flicker of the old bond between them resurfacing. "Trust is a rare commodity these days, brother. But I do remember our bond. Come, let''s sit and talk." They entered the house, a modest yet elegant structure that reflected Adrian''s personality¡ªunassuming yet full of hidden depths. They sat in a cozy room, the flickering light from the fireplace casting dancing shadows on the walls. Aaron leaned back in his chair, relaxing for the first time in what felt like ages. "You know, sometimes I wonder how things might have been different if we had stayed together. If you had been by my side in the palace." Adrian shook his head, a wry smile playing on his lips. "The palace was never for me, Aaron. I thrive in the shadows, working behind the scenes. You, on the other hand, were born to lead. To inspire. We each have our roles to play. Besides, now I just want to live my life with Karl." Aaron nodded thoughtfully. "True. But I could use your counsel, Adrian. The court is full of vipers. I don''t know who to trust. I need someone who can see through the deceit and guide Zosia." "Zosia?" He asked with confusion on his face. "Oh my gosh! Don''t tell me you didn''t even bother to go through my letters?" Adrian shrugged in response, prompting Aaron to glare at him. "So tell me, who is she? Your new concubine or what?" "Do you really plan to go into the shadows forever? What about Karl, c''mon, you need to spread your wings as well." Aaron asked instead. "That''s not what I asked you, Aaron." Adrian voice turned colder, his expression returning to its impassive nature. "Don''t give me that look. You know I am right. Anyway, Zosia is my daughter, My only one." "Are the amount of concubines not enough to give you a daughter." Adrian clicked his tongue in askance. "Don''t rub salt on my wound, you know fully well what happened and why I can only have one child. The rest doesn''t belong to me." "You allowed yourself to be cuckold?!" Adrian asked in surprise and disbelief. "What choice do I have Adrian, do you want me to make it easy for the enemies to find a way to penetrate and give those old foggies a chance." "So, you want me to train your daughter?" "Yes, I need you to guide and teach her." Adrian leaned forward, his eyes intense. "You''re asking a lot, Aaron. To return to the palace, to the life I left behind." "Adrian, you should bring Karl along. He can become friends with Zosia." Aaron added with a persuasive voice. "Aaron, you know I don''t want to come back." Adrian planned to keep rejecting, his eyes unwittingly glanced at his brother. Thinking of how he still cared and even willing to come and meet him who was no longer useful, says a lot. "But for you, my brother, I will consider it. On one condition." He continued after decided to agree. Aaron breathes a sigh of relief at Adrian''s agreement. "Name it," Aaron said eagerly, hope sparking in his heart. "Promise me you will remain true to yourself. That you will not let the throne change who you are. Be the king our people need, not the one the court wants you to be." Aaron clasped Adrian''s hand firmly. "I promise, Adrian. With you by my side, I know I can do it." Adrian nodded, a rare smile breaking through his stoic demeanor. "Very well. I will come to the palace. But remember, brother, trust must be earned. And it can be lost in an instant." Aaron stood, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Thank you, Adrian." "About my identity, how will you arrange it." Adrian asked. "You don''t need to worry about that." Aaron assured. "Then I will leave that to you." "What about Karl, I haven''t seen him." "His injury rekindled, I had to induce him to sleep." Adrian said wearily. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aaron frowned, concern evident in his eyes. "How serious is it?" Adrian''s face darkened slightly. "It''s manageable for now, but I need to keep a close watch on him. Karl has been through a lot, and his wounds¡ªboth physical and emotional¡ªtake time to heal." Aaron placed a reassuring hand on Adrian''s shoulder. "I''m sorry to hear that. Karl is a strong lad. He''ll pull through." Adrian nodded, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of doubt. "I hope so. He''s been my anchor through everything. Without him..." He trailed off, his voice thick with emotion. Aaron gave his brother a moment before speaking again. "When you''re ready, bring Karl to the palace. We have the best healers, and maybe a change of environment will do him good." Adrian sighed, a mixture of hope and resignation in his expression. "I''ll think about it." They spent the next few hours reminiscing about their childhood, battles fought side by side, and the dreams they once had. The bond between them, though strained by time and circumstance, began to mend. As the first light of dawn began to creep through the windows, Aaron stood, stretching his weary limbs. "I should head back. The court will be waking soon, and I have matters to attend to. It may take me a while to get back." Adrian rose as well, walking him to the door. "Take care, brother. And remember our promise." "I won''t forget," Adrian replied, his voice firm. "And Adrian¡ªthank you. For everything." They embraced once more, a hug that conveyed more than words ever could. As Aaron mounted his horse, he looked back at Adrian, standing at the doorway, his figure a silhouette against the rising sun. With a final nod, Aaron spurred his horse and rode away, the road ahead uncertain but now with a renewed sense of purpose and the hope of getting his brother back and training Zosia to inherit the position from him. Chapter 86 - 84- Arc 3 At night in the Imperial Palace..... At the Wealth Courtyard.... Zosia''s senses tingled in her sleep and a frown surfaced her face. Sitting up on the bed, she spread out her spiritual consciousness which has grown to how it was in the last world. "Tsk, the range of my spiritual consciousness is too small." She muttered, her voice clear and no longer cracked as it was before. Calling out on her system, she clicked on the map function which immediately brought out the people 100 meters away from her with her at its centre. She noticed a red blinking dot and a blue one that seemed to be approaching it. Using her spiritual consciousness, she had noticed someone had joined their ranks yesterday evening. Thinking of if the person was someone the Emperor sent to watch after her, she decided to go check it out. It would be easier for her to clean up the spies that has been trying to infiltrate the Wealth palace. Donning on a black apparel which she had embroidered together, she followed the window to go out. Her existence slowly melded into the background. During her spare time alone, she either enters her personal space which she uses as a training ground. Now, her skills as an assassin is beginning to reveal itself in this body. Now her reactions were now much faster and her reflex has gone up a notch. From Zosia''s position, she could already see the two people she had noticed. Moving forward a little, she extended her spiritual consciousness again, this time she was able to see what was going on. Since, the person she had noticed yesterday had dealt with the intruder, Zosia decided to reveal herself. "Who are you?" "Did my Father send you?" They both asked their question at the same time to which neither of them answered. The place turned quiet for a while before the shadow figure reacted and bowed. Zosia noticed that his bow was not that deep, more like a bow to give respect and not for greeting. "Greetings Princess. I have dealt with the intruder, you don''t need to worry about anything and you can go back to sleep and Yes, the Emperor sent me." After talking he carried the intruder that has been put unconscious on his shoulder and left. Zosia followed behind him despite not being asked to follow. She wanted to know who actually sent someone to assassinate her and as well see the face of the shadow figure. "Is this world a martial artist world?" She asked herself Inwardly. If it was and the Imperial family is less than them, she didn''t mind leaving the imperial palace to go look for them or get one to accept her, that is if, there is any school or sect. "Princess, why are you following me? Do you want to ask him questions?" He asked. His question wasn''t out of the blue, since the princess could detect him and even learn how to blend into the shadows. He could also see the firm resolve in her eyes. The more he looked at her, the more he appreciated the Emperor''s decision of wanting to train her as the heir to the throne. "She would make a good Empress." He turned to look at the Seven year old princess who was not tired despite following him through various bends and entering many places in the Imperial Palace. "You can take it like that. Now that we have both revealed our identity, could you now properly lead the way." Zosia said straightforwardly. The figure did not know what to reply to her and decided to throw her off by moving faster, if she could follow him despite his speed, he would properly acknowledge her and maybe teach her some skills if the Emperor was willing. They could even start training her at this age. The more he thought about it, the more sparkle his eyes gave off. Zosia increased her speed, even sending some Qi to her legs and wrapping it around it. The figure arrived at the dungeon alongside Zosia. He was surprised that she was able to keep up. "Such a monster. The Emperor is lucky." He thought inwardly. As they approached the dungeon''s entrance, the heavy iron doors creaked open, revealing a long, dimly lit corridor. Zosia''s eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, her senses heightened by the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The shadow figure glanced back, his eyes betraying a mix of curiosity and respect. "Follow closely, Princess," he instructed, his voice low and serious. "This place isn''t good for your eyes, you can also return." Zosia nodded, her expression resolute. She was determined to uncover the identity of her would-be assassin and learn more about this shadow figure who seemed to hold secrets about her father''s plans. She wasn''t planning to go back empty handed after being tested like that. As they moved deeper into the dungeon, the air grew colder, and the walls seemed to close in, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Zosia''s spiritual consciousness remained alert, mapping out the surroundings and detecting any potential threats. They finally reached a small, cell-like room where the unconscious intruder was thrown unto the ground like a sac of potato. Even sacs of potatoes were treated better. Another figure appeared, this time around it wasn''t shadow, but Zosia would not have noticed him if not for her spiritual consciousness and the map. The new figure walked up to the shadow figure and they discussed in whispers for a few minutes before the new figure left. The new figure came back immediately with a bucket of water while the shadow figure bound the intruder to the chair, his technique looked so practiced and was too fast. Her brain was slow in processing it but it didn''t mean her chip didn''t. "Princess, do you want to take the lead?" The shadow figure asked. Zosia turned to look at him, despite the little light coming from the candles placed on the wall, she still couldn''t see his complete silhouette, only knowing it''s a man from his voice. "Can you remove the shadow on you? I just want to know whom the Emperor sent to protect me." "Only on the Emperor''s orders." Zosia raised an eyebrow at his concise response. Since, she was putting on a veil, she wasn''t sure if he noticed any of her facial expressions. "Alright." "Princess, if you don''t want to do it, it''s alright as well." The shadow figure continued. "If I don''t do it, how will what I have learnt from books be put to use." Zosia looked at the assassin who had been caught, her eyes scanning for marks of poison that when activated could kill him. Zosia turned to him again and asked, "May I know your name, then?" The silence in the room continued for a moment. Zosia noticed a flickering silhouette of the head turning to look at her. It''s deep piercing eyes like as if it wanted to pierce deep into her soul. "Is the princess here for me or the assassin." Zosia smiled and refrained from commenting further, else she might step on the tail she isn''t meant to step on. "Wake him up." The shadow figure ordered, "Is the princess, still interested?" Zosia wanted to decline, she didn''t really care much about the assassin, she was much more interested in this shadow figure. "Is it human or something else?" She questioned inwardly. "I will watch you do it and learn. I realized I may mess it up and we wouldn''t be able to find anything from him. It would be so bad if that happened." "Do it." The shadow figure cold voice sounded in the room. Zosia thought he was referring to the other figure which she could at least see a silhouette of, unlike him. "Princess, you don''t need to bother about messing it up. Just do it." Zosia was stunned, she thought that after she has disagreed, they would just let her be. Unfortunately, she thought wrong. Knowing that she couldn''t keep refusing, since she was the one that followed him here and even asked to do it before, she took a step forward. "I don''t have enough physical strength, so I would need your help." She gave a slight bow . "Help her." The shadow figure said to the other figure. Zosia had expected him to call out a name, what the hell is with such concise talk. At least, call the name even if you wanted to make it concise. Sigh! She sighed inwardly. She didn''t know if to categorize her coming here as fruitless. Well, at least she knew that it was the Emperor that sent him to protect her and he only answers to the Emperor. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had only two choices, either mess it up or reveal her true self. In the palace, no one is true to him or herself, how could she be true to herself. She decided to do the interrogation without shedding blood. Most assassins are tight lipped, so without shedding blood, she didn''t think they would talk. "Open his mouth, remove the poison in his teeth, a poison patch on his neck, two in both of his armpits, two needles underneath his right and left leg." The figure nodded his head and began carrying it out. The shadow figure was a little surprised. He has been trained with poison, so sniffing out those areas isn''t a new thing, but for the princess... His eyes couldn''t help but trail after her. Meeting the veil that covered her face, he was reminded of the fact that she now has a poison constitution and it no longer seemed surprising to him. What surprised him is the benefit of such body constitution. "Wake him up." Zosia ordered and a bucket of water was splashed on the assassin after the places where the poisons are located were removed. The assassin woke up, startled. He first looked at the figures that stood before him, the most glaring was the short figure with a viel and from her posture, he figured it was a lady. "What is such a short lady doing here?" This was his first thought, before he realized he was in a dungeon. Staying true to the oath, he was prepared to kill himself. First he flicked his tongue against the teeth to cause the poison pill in there to roll out but he didn''t get anything. He hit his neck against the chair but it only brought him pain. He tried again with his armpit, but nothing. He was starting to feel despair with his only hope being the ones on his feet. When he tried it with his foot and didn''t feel any stinging pain, it was then he realized ¡ª He was fucked up. "What do you want? Don''t expect me to say anything." Zosia chuckled at his words. Was he trying to be fierce when things didn''t go his way. "I will try to be civil dear, don''t make me... Make you wish that you are dead." She said calmly. As her voice has fully returned, she could speak without one hearing her childish undertone or cracks in her voice. The assassin kept mute. He wasn''t planning on saying anything, his plan was to keep playing them till they left him. Zosia smirked. Since, he didn''t want to speak, she didn''t mind trying the skill she had in mind. She walked towards the candle on the wall. Taking one of them, she walked back to the assassin. The assassin''s eyelids fluttered, his eyes revealing a hint of fear. "What is she up to?" Everyone in the room had the same thought with the plan to watch and see. Zosia gently wrapped her life power around the candle. Since the candle wasn''t something she was sure could withstand her powers, she wrapped it around the candle instead of injecting her powers into it. Gently bending the torch (candle), she allowed the fire melt the wax around it, releasing melted wax. She dropped it on the skin of the assassin. The pain penetrated deep into it''s body. Something that could have been endurable became 10 times worse. The smirk on the Assassin''s face also wiped off replaced with pain and terror accompanied by screams. By the time she was done, the assassin had revealed everything he was aware of. The two figures stood in shock by the side, especially the shadow figure. He was more in the know of how old and how the princess has been cooped up inside the palace without any teacher. "There you have it. Hope you wrote them down?" Zosia said with a smile as she kept the candle back in its place. Her gaze landed on the other figure who was nodding his head at her in a daze. Shifting her gaze to the assassin on the floor who kept having spasms, "What do you plan to do with him next?" She asked. "It''s not Princess duty to worry about that. I would send you back to your room. The assassin has cut in on your sleep time, child." Zosia blinked first before she registered that he was trying to remind her of her position. She rolled her eyes and took the first step to leave. It was true, she shouldn''t be here anyway. "Princess, let me." The shadow figure appeared in front of her. Before she could register anything, she only felt the wind and before she knew it, she was back in her courtyard. "Oh!" She muttered with her pouty lips. She thought she could use this time to stroll through the areas that they hadn''t passed through. "At least chip was able to make a rough map of the palace." She thought Inwardly. She wondered if that shadow figure would tell the Emperor, "Unfortunately I don''t have access to information, and I didn''t even get his name." She thought as she removed her cloth and laid down on the bed. Zosia decided to make more plans for her safety, she knew that since this assassination did not work, The family behind Consort Ella would still come for her. Only until she had enough power to go against them and squash them to the root. For now, she still appreciates them coming, they can become training dummies for her. As for those spies who had joined her ranks, she can''t do anything to them yet, she''d have to still keep them till a planned day or snuff them out, one by one. Chapter 87 - 85- Arc 3 The trotting of hooves against the marbled floor sounded for a moment before coming to a halt. A figure jumped down from the horse, handing its reigns to the figure encased in a shadow. "Hope nothing much happened in my absence?" Aaron asked as he made his way through the secret passage back to his room. "An assassin infiltrated the palace with the aim to kill Princess Zosia." Keisha''s answer made Aaron halt in his steps. "I am not surprised. Were you able to keep the assassin alive?" Aaron asked as he pushed open his room door that looked like what two people needed to push open with just one hand. "Yes. We were also able to extract all he knew about the assassin and some bonus information as well." "We?" "The Princess was actually the one that did the extraction." Aaron turned to look at Keisha in shock. He didn''t even know when the robe he was holding in his hand slipped off. "Are you sure? You know the consequence of lying." Aaron''s said, his voice becoming colder. "It indeed the princess that extracted the information." Keisha replied, unfazed by the Emperor''s cold tone. "And she was able to extract all the information the person knew?" Aaron still in disbelief, asked. He couldn''t help but compare himself at when he was at his daughter''s age to his daughter whose only resource might probably be the books. "Yes, Your Majesty." "Tell me all about it and show me the assassin." ******* Aaron looked at the sky that was already turning bright, he couldn''t help but question his daughter''s method. "How had she done it, that just from seeing me alone, the assassin was already having spasms?" Such trauma! With his hands behind his back, he walked back to his courtyard. "I can mention this in court and be able to send Sia outside. Brother would be able to stay with her then and there would be no questions." He arranged the answers to the questions he would receive from those pokey nosers. "There would be no need continuing renovating the house." He thought. Turning to the direction of where he had the new courtyard built, it was already half way through. "I will just keep building it. It would be there anytime she decides to come back." "Trion¡ª" he had just called out one of his aide when he remembered one question, he might not be able to maneuver through it. He was sure one of those oldies will ask if the palace was not safe enough and if he answered yes, it would be a dent in the Imperial family reputation. If he answered that she was going to recuperate, they would tell him to send her to the temple. He didn''t want any of that. The plans he has for her, he didn''t want it to be tampered or messed with by uncalculated variables. Thinking about it, he came up with a better answer,which could not be any better. "While the palace is safe and secure, my daughter needs a change of scenery and fresh air to fully recuperate. A different environment will be beneficial for her health and recovery." He thought Inwardly. ******* At the Imperial Study... "Your Majesty, The Empress wishes to see you." Aaron rubbed his forehead and sighed. A few hours ago, he was able to smoothly deal with those oldies to get his daughter close to his brother and now, the Empress was looking for him. It wouldn''t take someone with a chick''s brain long to understand. She''d probably be here for how to get Zosia to stay, after all, it would be easier for her to deal with Zosia. "Bring her in." He waved his hand to send the Eunuch away, before bending his head to continue dealing with the documents. "I can''t wait for Sia to take over, I am really tired of this documents." He muttered to himself. "Greetings to the Great Sun, your Majesty." Amelia greeted with a beautiful and dazzling smile. Her dressing and makeup, made her look a lot younger. It didn''t look like the pregnancy had any effect on her. Aaron didn''t look up and just spoke, "What do you want?" Hearing Aaron''s cold voice, she stiffened and her hold on the basket, tightened. She smiled back again, "Your Highness, I brought food for you. I am sure you must be so tired." She opened the food basket she came with. "I am indeed tired, so tell me, what do you want?" He finally raised his head to look at her. "What do you mean by what do I want?! Do I only come to you for when I want something?" She sobbed, "You have been neglecting me and going to meet those concubines of yours, completely forgetting that I also exist and that I am carrying the heir to the throne." Her words triggered something in Aaron, especially the last words. He tried hard to regulate his rough breathing. " Amelia, if you don''t get out of my sight in the next second, don''t blame me when you miscarry." Hearing those cold words from the same man that used to grovel at her feet and treat her like she was his whole world, what had happened? "Get out!" Aaron screamed at her sending the food basket flying along with it. Scared, she immediately left the study. Her mind in disarray, filled with thoughts. "Is it what I said that triggered him? Which of them could possibly have been the trigger?" She stepped out of the study and immediately arranged her hair. Turning to the Eunuch who was standing at the door side, she decided to still do her duty as his wife. She also needed to exercise her right and show those people she was still the Empress. "Get someone to go and arrange the inside after a few minutes." She ordered and added quietly but still to the hearing if the Eunuch, "Emperor was a little rough." If the Eunuch didn''t know any better, maybe he would have believed it. He couldn''t really hear anything from the opposite side of the door, but he was knowledgeable enough to know that thr Emperor wasn''t a few seconds man. "Yes, your Highness." The Eunuch answered with a bow. Sauntering away and lost in thoughts, she was still wondering what had made the Emperor angry. Thinking about the fact that the Emperor cherished their child together after something like that had happened to her and while she was here, worrying about the one that is yet to come out. It was probably why he was mad and she coming with pregnancy hormones on top of it, probably ticked him off since she doesn''t care about that child of hers and she also couldn''t bring herself to care. She decided that anytime her hormones were acting, she couldn''t go see the Emperor as he might just throw another fit. On the other hand, she was actually far from the truth. Who would be happy seeing you declaring another man''s child as the heir of the throne he was sitting on. He hadn''t even yet died and she was already planning and seeing how inconsiderate she was to the child, the fruit of otheri love being neglected. Maybe, it was only him that felt they were probably in love. Thinking back to the past, Aaron felt pained and filled with frustration, he wanted to let it out. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do that in the study room, he was still disciplined enough to know that. Leaving the study room, he met the Eunuch that was coming with some maids to clean the place. "Do not touch the documents. Just do the cleaning and get out." His cold voice rang in the ears of the maids that they shuddered. Walking away, he headed back to his courtyard. In a room in the courtyard, he used it for training, that was while, despite being the Emperor, he was more fit than you can think of even after being away from the battlefield for many years. Removing his clothes, he punched one of the dummies. He couldn''t help but relieve the memories buried deep in his mind. He remembered how he had found out that his brother''s lover was a spy and had already gotten to the Emperor. She had given him a poison that even his brother who could boast about being one of the best had never heard of it. Adrian was so devastated and unwilling to believe it. He remembered how his brother kept muttering,"Why she? Why must she be the spy?" Adrian couldn''t face her anymore and even when asked why she did that, she only told them to ask their father. How could they ask someone who was already teethering on the brink of death. Before, the Empire hardly relates with the temples but inorder to get an answer to what could destroy the empire if it ever came out. The Minyan Temple which is currently the most popular temple in The Roza Empire provided them with an old woman whose bargain was to meet the Emperor. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After she met the Emperor, she did make the Emperor stay alive for a while to confess what he really wanted to carry to the grave with him. That was when he found out that, after the decline in martial schools, to revive it, the need for a treasure which only the Imperial family had, has been used by the Emperor to try and resurrect his dead lover who was Aaron''s mother. The old woman whom should not have had any grudge with the Emperor cursed him that his descendants will only be able to give birth to one offspring till they are completely wiped from the surface of the world. At then he didn''t understand why she made such a curse and even killed herself to seal it, until he heard the Emperor call her name. "Treasure, Forgive me, I could never love you as I loved your friend." He didn''t know if it was because the Emperor was already dying or if he had gone completely senile and wanted to trigger her. Aaron could still remember those words clearly before the Emperor crowned him the next Emperor and gave up the ghost. As for his brother''s Lover, she had come to steal the treasure but got caught by the Emperor and to survive, she stabbed the Emperor with a dagger that contained the poison. Later, after some investigations and asking some of his father''s aides, he found out that, the old woman was actually betrothed to his father and when they met, his mother ¡ª her friend was also there and he fell in love with her instead, which led to Treasure''s unrequited love. The curse was also surprisingly effective, apart from giving birth to Zosia, he had been unable to actually get another concubine pregnant, when he noticed that, he had disguised another man to sleep with her and had wanted to end it there by not sleeping with any of his concubines again, but they ended up giving theirselves out to other men to do the job. How could his ego not be pained? He knew how many times he cursed the old woman and even sometimes begged the heavens to release him from the curse. Unfortunately, even his own daughter has become a recipient of the curse, unable to give birth due to her constitution. Sitting down on the floor and panting, he lowered his head. He couldn''t even cry anymore again, he was happy seeing his daughter had survived. He regrets not giving her the attention she should have gotten. He was afraid and he let that fear best him. Maybe if Zosia wasn''t poisoned, the curse might be broken on her own end. The more he thought about it, the more he was filled with regret. "I should do better from now on. Maybe instead of sending her to a place where she could easily be seen, I can send her to stay with brother, but I also would not be able to see her as well." He muttered. This was the first time he was feeling so undecided despite so many hours of thought. Sigh! "The life of a father who loves his daughter." He muttered to himself. He couldn''t bear to part with his daughter. Standing up, he decided to go have his bath and go and see her. Seeing her each time has become a source of joy to him. =========== Finally done with my papers. I hope I can start updating daily now and write more chapters for you to enjoy. I keep postponing, posting those whose names I have already used and now i encountered another problem and I hope I can get it fixed before school resumes again which is in five days time. My laptop is dead and it''s charger got soaked after my friend''s room got flooded by water from not turning off the sink. That is by the way. I want to thank all of you for your support during this period of on and off. Thank you very much. Enjoy your day and have a nice day ahead. Chapter 88 - 86-Arc 3 Zosia had a weird look on her face as she stared at the figure in front of her. "Father, why the gifts?" She wasn''t surprised to see him, but was surprised by the gifts he came with. After, what she did yesterday, she was sure that the shadow figure must have reported to him after she didn''t feel his presence till late afternoon. "Can''t a father come to see his daughter?" "No, not that. Of course you can visit me anytime, but isn''t father busy with work?" Zosia was surprised at how fast she had started blending Into the life of her hosts. Before, she would find it hard to call the host father figure, father or even mother, but right now, it could easily roll out of her tongue at the drop of a hat. Despite formerly being an assassin, there were just some things she wasn''t used to doing. "I should still make out time to come and see my daughter." He said, his gaze fixed on her despite sipping his tea. Dropping the empty tea cup on the table, he just stared at Zosia, wanting to take in all the features of his daughter whom he might not see again. "Father, is there a problem?" Zosia asked tentatively as she refilled the empty tea cup. "You don''t need to worry about the gifts, from here, you can also gift back to those who sent you medicinal herbs during this period." He said, taking the now filled tea cup. Talking about medicinal herbs, she had planted those she could plant and used the rest to concot some common poisons, even creating one that she used her blood. Though she doesn''t know their potency or efficacy yet. Even without going through a proper school of medicine, with the simulation effect of her chip, she has been able to make some drugs. Apart from using her analysis on plants, objects etc, she has never actually used it on a human being. She was tempted to try it on the emperor. "Tsk, I should first try it with my maids, else I might put myself in some trouble." She thought inwardly as she remembered the shadow figure. "About the assassin, Keish told me everything. Tell me, what method did you use?" "Oh, so Keish was his name." Was the first thought in her heard upon hearing the name of the shadow figure, followed by, "I definitely can''t tell him about how I did it but I can''t as well escape the question." She thought for a solution and finally came up with something. "Father, I used a pin which is usually used by us ladies when parting parts of our hair, if the style needs to be extra neat. The pin is not too tiny or too big, but it is mostly ignored when reflected by light. I sent the pin into the pressure point on the shoulder, then using the wax, I poured it into the hole that was left open, so it will increase the pain by 10 times." Hearing her explanation, he was beyond surprised. "Where did you hear pressure point from? How did you come to know about this method?" "During my treatment with the Imperial Chief Physician, I learnt some things under him during that period. As for the wax Idea, it was something I thought of after understanding the principle behind poking someone''s pressure point." The Emperor nodded his head repeatedly, appreciatibg what he just heard. It was a new knowledge for him. He wondered if he could ask his daughter to teach Keisha, but he refrained from it. Luckily he did not ask, else her lie might have been exposed and even if it worked as she had said, the pain wouldn''t be so high as the one she used her life energy to do. She actually didn''t lie much, the pressure point stuff is actually true but the pin is not true and neither is the hole thingy. "It''s good you are willing to learn. I decided to send you out of the confines of the palace to stay with your uncle, you would be able to see a new scenery and even make a new friend. Is that okay with you?" Zosia blinked her eyelashes twice to be sure of what she was hearing. Thinking of the fact that she was now going out, how could she not be happy. She was going to finally leave the palace that was filled with crouching tigers and scorpions. "Of course." She answered with a beaming smile. "Thank you father." The Emperor''s expression became sullen. "Seems like you are so eager to leave your father? Are you still mad at Dad for not being with you since? Could you forgive your old man?" The emperor asked in rapid succession. Zosia was a little dumbfounded, did he just apologize? That was strange. Very strange for the Emperor to apologize. Something is off somewhere. Aaron heart rate increased as he waited for his daughter response. After he met his brother, his brother had told him to come down from his high pedestal and apologize while trying to mend the relationship between them. It would be good for the throne and for himself. After waiting for a while and not receiving any response from his daughter, he coughed to clear his throat. "Um¡ª" "Father, to forgive is a little hard but I am willing to mend our relationship." She said. She couldn''t forgive him, not her but the original host should be the one to do that. "That''s good. That''s good." He said with a smile. "Tell Daddy anything you want. Come, come." He used his hand to beckon towards her. Zosia stood up and walked up to him and before she knew it, just like before, he carried her and placed on his laps. "It''s good I always send the maids and everyone around away whenever he comes, else if this leaks, she wasn''t sure her life will ever be peaceful, even though it currently wasn''t peaceful, but it''s better than what would happen." She thought inwardly. Aaron looked at the child that was leaning on him and his heart felt full. After what happened between him and Amelia, especially after he found out that she was cheating on him with his step-brother whom he had never seen eye to eye. Sometimes, he wondered what was wrong with him, there were many times he cried and sometimes he felt that life was unfair but he would also console himself as he was the one on top, over seeing the whole world. Sometimes, he also got tired as well. "My brother would teach you everything you need to know and anything that he can''t teach you, I will hire someone to do that. Don''t worry about the maids, they would also follow you." He assured with a gentle and soothing voice. "Thanks father." "Call me Dad." "Dad." Hearing the word Dad filled him with happiness that a bright light appeared in his eyes, making his eyes look like a bright star in the black sky. "Mmm." He hummed and patted her back rhythmically. Unsure of if it''s due to how comfortable they both are, Zosia felt a sense of security that she didn''t even know when she slept of. Aaron noticed that Zosia''s breath has slown down and was more calming. Yawning, he lowered his head to look at his daughter''s face. Seeing the black mark that decorated her face, he closed his eyes to hide the depressing light in it. "I really regret it." Tracing the mark over her face, he muttered, "I am really sorry. If I never neglected you, you wouldn''t have to learn a lot of things to protect yourself. If I had ignored the rumors that would rise up, I would have brought you closer to me but at the same time, I feared for your life, yet, my fear still came to fruition. Dad is really wrong." A tear drop slid from his eyes and landed on Zosia''s face. Zosia was already awake when she felt his touch but did not move, only maintaining her breathing. Her heart felt a little stuffy as she heard him speak. She knew it might be the Original owner''s emotions. "You know, when you first came out to this world. I was really happy. Finally my own child. Unfortunately, your brother who could have been your companion died. I thought your mother would do a better Job, but I was wrong and fooled. As I am sending you to my brother, anything he does that you don''t like, don''t hesitate at all to tell me. Sia, I know you are awake. Dad, would give you some advices. Anything you do, be prepared for the consequences and think twice before you do anything. If you want to do something, make sure it doesn''t affect your reputation in the long run. Do not allow yourself to be bullied by anyone but if you have to be bullied to lie low, lie low. Know that Karma exists and if you don''t want the thing you would do to someone to be done back to you, don''t do it. Another thing you should know is that, Death is not that scary, it is dying with regret or not knowing how or why you died. I pray for you to always be strong, alive and healthy. " "Thank you, Dad" she clasped his hand against hers. Zosia felt warm in her heart. In her main life before she died, she never had a father and the only person who had given her advice was her master, who was so unapproachable. It is her first time receiving such care, it made her feel warm and cared for, giving her a sense of security. "Mmm, you are welcome." He smiled as he looked into his daughter''s eyes. "I should be going. Take care and make sure you take your medicine on time." "Dad, wait, I also have a gift for you." Zosia stood up and ran inside her room. She had packed some tea leaves that she had grown with her spring water, so it''s effect is much more better than any of the teas given to her by the Emperor. Bringing out a packet, she wondered if she should bring out a basket. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shaking her head, she decided to give him two packets and a pouch of scented leaves. She hadn''t planned on giving him anything and this was the only thing she had in store. Going back, she hadnded them to the Emperor. Seeing how surprised and happy the Emperor was, she noticed that he wasn''t faking it and from his words before, she decided to build a good relationship with him. Besides, he was this body''s father. Aaron stood up. He was more than happy with the gifts and immediately wore the pouch on his waist. "Thank you." Zosia watched him leave. She even noticed that his steps had become lighter. "Is he really that happy? Seems like he really is sincere." She muttered. Chapter 89 - 87- Arc 3 Zosia stared at the potted plant with a lost gaze. It''s been a few days since the Emperor came to tell her that she would be leaving the palace and was asked to use this few days to pack. Today, she would be leaving. During these few days, her power has grown more than how it was before. She has even entered a new realm. Using these few days, she thoroughly mapped the palace and even found the secret passage way the Imperial family usually uses. Some were already dust and old that they could fall at anytime while others are new ones and she also saw a passageway used by the Emperor a few days ago. She wouldn''t have known without her Analyz function. Still lost in thought, she was suddenly called back to reality by a maids voice. "Princess, Her Majesty the Empress has given birth!" The maid announced in a joyous tone. "Oh." Zosia''s response was way lackluster than the joy that the maid exhibited, except for the three old maids who understood the ins and our of the matter. "Princess, are you not happy?" Another maid asked. Zosia lazily looked at them, "Prepare some gifts. I can''t go and see my mother and her new son without gifts, can I?" She said with a subtly mocking tone. Others may not have heard the subtle mockery but the three old maids did. She couldn''t disregard it, its best she goes and the Empress would use her hand to send away, further cementing the fact that her mother did not love her. She watched as the maids scuttled around, trying to find the best gifts. Evelyn approached her with a concerned look etched on her face, "Are you sure you want to go? You know the Empress hates... Your presence." "Mmm. Are you worried about how I would feel if I go? Don''t worry about that. I may have felt that way before if I did not have Father''s backing, but now I do." "Then Princess, the only suitable gift we have is tea and Medicine and maybe a brocade of silk that can be used to make clothes for the new Imperial Prince." "Bring them then." All the clothes she has been embroiding, they were only made for her and she hadn''t done for anybody yet, well, apart from the Emperor, whose cloth she finished embroiding this morning. She had wanted to use fine leather but most of the things she had ended up being swallowed by her space. Even her live animals were all gone. Thinking about it now, she still felt an ache in her heart. "Princess, everything is ready." "Mmm." Zosia hummed in response and took the first step, leading them to the Empress Courtyard. The Empress Courtyard is called the Faithful Courtyard. Funny how the courtyard is called faithful but she is cheating on the Emperor. She had found out about it yesterday while mapping out the Palace. She saw the Empress meeting with a man in a secret garden and their conversation was nevertheless revolting. Remembering how they have already planned to start poisoning the Emperor after she has given birth. They wanted to introduce the poison little by little into his system, so that by the time the Prince grows up, it would be easier to kill the Emperor. Zosia''s gaze darkened. She couldn''t let their plan succeed but at the same time, she was no longer staying in the palace, she could only package the stream water in bamboo bottles, crushed tea leaves, she also added some sun dried ones. She didn''t forget to also add the fragrance pouches that she had made. All of the above has the effect of taking care of poisons and other health issues. She would try to see if there is a way to send such things to the Emperor monthly when she arrives at her uncle side. They finally arrived at the Empress Courtyard and the Emperor arrived just immediately as well. "Greetings to the Great Sun." They all courtesyed and greeted. Zosia''s eyes roamed on the flamboyantly dressed figures who were looking for ways to enchant the Emperor. "Zosia, follow me." The Emperor called out. Following behind the Emperor as they entered inside. She watched as the maids carried bloody water out of the room. As they entered inside, the maids quickly greeted. "Gonghui, how is the mother and child?" He asked, his tone cold and his face was expressionless. Not even a hint of joy could be seen in his eyes. Zosia took a sneak peak at the Emperor and noticed a hint of disgust in his eyes. "Did he know? Maybe he knew they were all cheating on him, but why did he allow it?" She thought inwardly with her lowered head. "The Empress and child is fine. You can go in to see the child." The mid-wife called Gonghui said with a smile. Zosia followed behind the Emperor as they walked inside. Entering into the room, a woven colt greeted them with a small bundle laid inside. "Do you want to see him?" The Emperor suddenly asked. "Yes." "You can go and carry him." Zosia walked up to the colt. She just stared at the baby that kept crying. Sigh! Seeing the baby reminded her of Ken. She didn''t carry the baby but stood there in a daze as she reminisced her time with Ken. The Emperor stared at Zosia who was just staring at the baby in loss. "She might not like him, just like I don''t." He thought Inwardly. Just looking at the child reminds him of the fact that he could no longer father one and the result of their cheating. He didn''t know if these people treated him as a fool, especially the Empress Dowgar who was running back to the Imperial Palace and even using the baby as an excuse to stay back in the palace. "I will just send Zosia before all those Vultures arrive in doves. I also need to deal with them reasonably." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By reasonably, he means killing them off with a proper explanation. Zosia stroked the child''s head and she noticed it was calmer and his cries subsided, "If you were not my half brother, maybe things would have been better. I wonder who or what you would grow into. Would you grow up to be like your father? Who is so greedy and selfish or like your mother, who doesn''t know when to stop and hates her first daughter with everything in her." She thought. "The Empress want to see the child." A maid entered and announced. "Oh. Just lead the way and I would follow." Zosia said and took the child from the colt. It''s show time. Zosia entered the next room, where the Empress was staying with the child. The Emperor did not come in but stood outside. Amelia turned to look at her child but noticed that the maid wasn''t the one carrying it, but her daughter. "Get my child away from her and send her away. I don''t want to see her here!" Amelia screamed. Zosia watched as the baby was snatched from her hands and she was roughly pushed out. As she was leaving, she could even hear Amelia calling her a bad luck and spitting out consecutively. Aaron who was outside heard everything with his sharp ears, he didn''t even need to go in to see it. He felt a fury of anger boil inside him. It was alright if she didn''t want to care for Zosia but to even call her bad names. The same child that came out of her womb. His own child that bore his flesh and blood. What else could it mean other than the fact that, Amelia also disregards him and the child. Seeing Zosia come out with her head lowered, he was further enraged, that a stormy aura brewed around him. The maids and even the consorts who stood outside, had heard everything and how much disgust and hatred that she held in her tone. Before evening, Zosia was sure that the news would have circulated and even the commoners would hear of it. The courtiers and maids who had witnessed the scene whispered among themselves, their eyes following her every move. She kept her head lowered, further giving them enough room to speculate. Aaron patted Zosia, even lowering himself to her height. "Go to the carriage and wait for me." He told her and entered inside. Everyone could tell that the Emperor was definitely angry. "Princess Zosia," Evelyn''s voice was gentle but firm, drawing her attention. "It''s time to leave. The carriage is ready." Zosia nodded, her expression unreadable as she followed behind her. The people who came to visit the Empress and congratulate her on the new addition to the palace, decided to wait to hear the punishment bestowed upon the Empress. Everyone could tell that after what happened to Zosia, that the Emperor had come to cherish her more. It also made others jealous but finding out that she was leaving the palace, brought joy to them. They could now compete for the position of being the Emperor''s jewel. It didn''t take long for the Emperor to enter and come out and for them to hear the Empress allowance has been completely deducted. Meaning, she no longer had one and to properly take care of the Prince, she was also grounded. They watched the Emperor leave and his countenance was definitely not looking good. But it had nothing to do with them. Chapter 90 - 88- Arc 3 Zosia followed Evelyn through the palace corridors, her steps measured and deliberate as she pondered on the result she got from using Analyze on her half brother. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? ????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ????????????: 0 ???????????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????? ????????????????????? ????????????????????: ???????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????? ????????????????????????: ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? Zosia''s gaze was on the Remark. "Duke Chrisen, huh?" She muttered under her breath. She couldn''t fathom what was going on in the Empress head that made her cheat. Lowering her head, she remembered the figure she saw last night. The man wasn''t as handsome as her father either, so what exactly does she see in him that she decided to cheat. "Princess, Princess¡ª" Zosia heard her name being called and looked up. She had been following behind Evelyn, unaware they have arrived at the Palace gate. "Princess, I have been calling you. Do not allow what she said to bother you." Evelyn said with concern. "I am not bothered by that." Evelyn sighed with a look of concern. If she was not bothered, what made her to be so lost in thought. Debra who had heard their conversation, snorted. The princess always said the same thing. "Was she trying to console them, or not injure her pride? Such a seven year old, already thinking about her pride." She thought inwardly. The Empress people have been approaching her, but she wouldn''t lie that the benefits they put forward were enticing. "Hey, Debra." "What?" Debra answered with a gloomy look. She didn''t want to follow the Princess to one Rural place. Did the Princess think that the Emperor sending her out of the Palace, is out of love? It''s more like a banishment. "You didn''t follow us, so you are not aware that the Emperor lashed out on the Empress." "What?!" "Shhh... Reduce your voice." The maid told her as she looked left and right. Seeing that no one was coming, she happily spilled the beans, faintly acting superior in front of Debra. Even after hearing the news, it only made her ponder. Which other palace apart from the Empress own could she enter? While she was pondering and the other maid beside her kept blabbing, they were unaware that the maids were being arranged and counted. Maritza who was in charge of having the maids arrange the things well, noticed that two maids are missing. Turning on her heels to go look for them, she saw the two of them coming out from a corner. "Join the others." The others she referred to are the servants who stood in front of Zosia in an arranged manner. "Thank you for your services during your stay with me. Now, I would be leaving but I definitely can''t carry all of you. If you wish to leave, please do now." The moment she said that, more than half of the servants dispersed, leaving those who wanted to show some loyalty before grumbling and leaving. Zosia and Evelyn was not surprised seeing Debra among those who left, but Maritza definitely was. She was surprised that Debra was not planning to follow them. She was among the three of them who showed their undying loyalty before the Princess even became loved, so what has happened? "I will say it again, if you want to leave, you can leave." "Princess, we will miss you!" "Princess, I would love to follow you but my family resides here." "Princess, I have to take care of a sick mother." Zosia''s ears almost got calloused by the amount of excuses she had to hear. By the time they left, she was left with only a maid with faint burns on her arm. Zosia walked up to her, her eyes scanning every part of her body. Zosia used analyze on her. Looking at the result, she frowned a little. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? ????????????????: ???????????????????????????????? ????????????: 17 ???????????????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????????? + ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????: 2 (???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ????????????.) ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????????????? Loyalty: Nil ????????????????????????????????????????????: ????????????????, ????????????????????????, ?????????????????????????, ????????????????????????????????????????.... ????????????????????? ????????????????????: 3 (???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????.) ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????, ?????????????????????????, ????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???? ???????????? ????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????, ???????????? ????????? ???????? ???????? ????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? Zosia''s gaze shifted to the personality. She didn''t like indecisive people, they could easily abandon you and when they are tasked with doing something important, they will cause a last minute mistake. "So you are the only one remaining. Quite strange. You can go. I can tell that you wouldn''t be of much use to me anyway." Thud! "Princess, I swear.... Please let me follow you." "Please go, you are embarrassing yourself as a future marriage prospect." Fristine stood up, her heart was filled with hatred towards Zosia. If Zosia decides to help her, wouldn''t she be able to leave. But remembering that the Princess was being sent to a Rural area, she calmed down. Lowering her head, she left as well. "Seems like you are through." The Emperor''s voice sounded in her ear. Nodding her head, she turned to look at him. "Dad, I will miss you." "Me to. Do take care of yourself well and I sent Keish along with you." It was surprising how their relationship had gotten to this extent within a short while. Zosia nodded her head, she turned to look around, seeing that everyone had gone far leaving only Zosia and the Emperor. "Dad, in my room beneath the third floor board underneath my bed, I left some things for you. Just a little of what I have learnt to do so far." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Okay, Daddy will check it out." He said as he rubbed her fluffy hair. "Dad, you are messing up my hair." Zosia complained. Aaron smiled, stopping himself from continuing. Zosia had been his source of joy anytime he saw her since he started bringing her close to him. At least after every day''s work, he either goes to see her or instruct her to come. He was really going to miss her. "It''s time for you to go. Take care and just allow Keish and the rest to deal with the pests till you arrive." Zosia nodded and waved at him. From afar it looked like she was reluctant to go and the Emperor was the one encouraging her. Stepping back, she turned and walked to the carriage. Before entering the carriage, she turned to wave again. Aaron also waved back. He looked like an indulgent father. This also prompted those who had come to kill the Princess and act like bandits decide not to kill but capture her and use her against the Emperor. Aaron watched as the horse was kicked and the carriage started moving. Apart from Keisha, he had sent a team of six to follow her with three in the shadows and the other three on the horses that followed behind the carriage flanking it at different strategic angles. He stood there until he could no longer see the carriage. Seeing that the pests sent by different households had followed after her, he sighed. "Would be nice if I had no enemies." He muttered but he knew very well that it does not work like that. Pushing the thought aside, he first needed to go secure what his daughter has given him. He wondered what it would be. The tea leaves she gave him before not only helped in making him feel refreshed but also made his mind more sharper. Just taking it alone made his workload finish faster. He had asked her how she does it, despite how simple she said it, though he had never tried it, but he was less inclined to believe. If it was as simple as drying it, many people would surely do it. Arriving at the Wealth Courtyard where she was staying before, he had some guards condone off the area. Entering inside, he headed straight for her room. "Trion, push the bed." Trion who had directly followed the Emperor, quickly acted on the order. Pushing the bed away revealed nothing but the Emperor walked to the third floor board starting from where the head of the bed was situated. "Open up this place." He said, his foot lightly tapping on it. He tried tapping on the other floor boards and the sound was the same. He frowned a little but still watched as Trion removed the floor board. Since, it''s a wooden floor, it was easy to remove. After the floor board was revealed, what came into view is a delicately woven basket that had no holes or breathing space. Aaron brought out the basket. "Trion, close it back and follow me. Make sure to put everything how it was before." Trion quickly covered the floor board and pushed the bed back into position. Since everywhere was cleaned before, there was little to no sand. By the time he was done, a little bead of sweat had formed. Aaron stood up and left with Trion following behind him carrying the basket. Aaron walked fast, his heart thumping against his chest. He couldn''t wait to open it. Aaron noticed that since he and Zosia became closer, his facial expression was on full display for her. It was his way of displaying sincerity. If she couldn''t read his facial expression, then it would only make her reserved. Just like his brother. It took a while before he arrived at his courtyard. He saw the personal Eunuch waiting for him and he frowned. After what had happened with Amelia, he came back and a new scented incense was put. The smell was nice and he even appreciated the Eunuch, only for Zosia to come later and tell him it was poisoned. Since, Zosia had a poison constitution, poisons are like food to her, so it would be strange if she couldn''t recognize it. He sent it to the Imperial Physician, who also affirmed the same thing. "Greetings to the great Sun, the Empress Dowgar has arrived along with Duke Chrisen." Aaron hummed in response. "They can go see the Empress if they want to." He wasn''t planning on spoiling his good mood by seeing those two. "Yes, your Majesty." The Eunuch bowed and left. Aaron headed straight for his room and asked Trion to guard the place. Calming his breathing, he gently opened the surface of the basket that seem to have no seam. When he opened it, he was met with a black cloth. Looking at the Embroidery, he was dazzled, the Life-like dragon that seemed to be looking at him. Opening the cloth, he noticed that the cloth was a set. An inner shirt, a trouser, the gown and the cloak. "Beautiful." He praised, "Zosia''s skills have increased once again." He wasn''t really surprised by Zosia''s talent, since that was how his brother was, when they were still little. Just that his brother wasn''t good at Embroidery or the women kind of stuff, but was good at anything that requires his intellect, poisons and making medicinal food. Beneath the cloth were sealed bamboo tubes. He opened one of them and found it to be filled with clear sparkling liquid. Turning the bamboo tube around, he saw a familiar writing. It says, "Drink when poisoned." He checked out the others and realized that they were just crushed tea leaves or whole tea leaves. The last one contained poison that could be rubbed on the sword or any weapon. After bringing out everything, he noticed a book. He opened it and it only had a warning. "Be careful of the Empress and Duke Chrisen." "It seems like she is aware of it already." Shaking his head, he covered the book and arranged everything back in order. He promised himself to manage them. He was suddenly reminded of his time in the Military. "How time flies." =========== Enjoy today''s chapter. I hope I am keeping up to expectations. Please add to your library and also support me in any way you want or can. Thank you and have a nice day. Chapter 91 - 89- Arc 3 In the Carriage. Zosia sat inside the carriage, her back straight with her leg bent in a 90¡ã angle. She placed her hands on her lap with one overlapping the other and her eyes closed. Keisha who suddenly appeared in the carriage looked at Zosia''s standard sitting posture in surprise. He expected her to maybe, be free. "You are?" Maritza asked in a cautious tone. This time around Keish wasn''t on his shadow form, so his human figure was revealed. Zosia opened her eyes as she perceived the familiar aura. Raising her eyebrows in slight surprise as her gaze met with the charming sea blue eyes, a chiseled face, fan shaped eyelashes and bloody red lips. Looking at the man who seemed more beautiful than a woman with his lean figure, Zosia couldn''t help but tease, but since they weren''t that familiar and remembering how coldly he spoke to her, she could only mutter. "Is he here to protect me or seduce the enemies." Keish heard Zosia''s mutterings and his eyes darkened. He hates being called that, a word he hates the most¡ª seductive. Zosia closed her eyes after that, uncaring about the cold aura that suddenly appeared. Evelyn wanted to ask Zosia who Keish was, but seeing her eyes closed, she refrained from asking. The four of them sat in the big carriage with dripping quietness. As they traveled in silence. Zosia on the other hand was reminiscing about the time she came to this world. At first, she thought it was a normal ancient world, and then the shadow guard appeared, prompting her to reveal her martial arts. After finding out that this was a low level martial world, she still hoped to find something in this world. After all, each world had given her its own little surprise. She couldn''t help but wonder what this world will give her. That''s why she doesn''t really care much about the reward the individual gives but what she could take with her when leaving. Bump! The carriage suddenly bumped, it seemed like they had passed a pothole. Apart from Keish, who did not shake when they passed the potholes, the rest shook causing them a little disorientation. Zosia opened her eyes to look at the old maids, to be sure they are alright. Usually, for such a journey, its best not to carry the old maids, but knowing that she wouldn''t have any loyal person beside her for a while, she decided to bring them along. "Sir Keish, I have some questions." Keish whose ears had been on alert since they started the journey, turned to look at her. "Apologize." Zosia blinked her eyes, her long lashes cast a shadow to her beautiful sea green eyes that had a wicked charm to it. "For What? Sir Keish." She asked, her eyes showing confusion. Keish just stared at her, not saying anything. A silent stand off began between both of them while Evelyn and Maritza exchanged uneasy glances. They were unwilling to interrupt the standoff, afraid that anything they say will put the Princess in a bad light. Zosia sighed inwardly. "I should have just kept my mouth shut, now I have to apologize. Lesson learned." She thought inwardly. Finally, Zosia sighed softly, this time around, the sigh was audible. Breaking eye contact, she said "Very well," her tone indifferent. "I apologize, Sir Keish, for any offense my words may have caused." Keish''s expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained cold. "Accepted," he replied curtly. "What questions do you have?" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Would you let on, on the imperial secrets. At least, a little?" Zosia asked. "You want me to tell you some things, that you shouldn''t know? Princess, it''s best you focus on what''s in front of you, else you end up chasing shadows." He warned and closed his eyes to rest. Zosia nodded her head, "I understand." Keish definitely wouldn''t tolerate her whims and her supposed uncle might be like that also. Thinking about it now, she felt like she had gotten more arrogant and forgot that not everyone has her playful personality either. She might end up offending someone she shouldn''t. At least for arrogance, she had strength to back it up, so it is alright. Zosia shifted slightly in her seat, her mind drifting back to her past tasks. From her past experiences, she had been taught to be alert, strategic, and, above all, adaptable. This world, the Imperial Palace and journey into an unfamiliar place was testing all those lessons. Every interaction, every bump in the road, was a reminder that she was navigating not just a physical journey, but a complex web of relationships and power dynamics. Her gaze moved towards Keish who had his eyes closed and his back straight. He was sitting ramord straight and his body suggested how alert he was. Keish''s presence was a stark contrast to the usual courtiers and guards she was used to. His demeanor, cold and distant, suggested a past filled with secrets and a duty that went beyond mere protection. Zosia couldn''t help but feel a flicker of curiosity. What had shaped him into the formidable figure before her? How close is he to the Emperor and how loyal exactly? The carriage continued to jostle over the uneven road. Evelyn and Maritza remained silent, their hands gripping the edges of their seats for support. The silence was heavy, filled with unspoken questions and the weight of their destination. Zosia erected a barrier unknown to Maritza and Evelyn who had their thoughts roaming elsewhere. For the kind of conversation she wants to have with Keish, she is yet to completely trust them and needs to test them. She had given them that respect and have yet to use Analyze on them. "Maybe, I should do it after this. I wonder if he detects the barrier." The barrier is also a test. If Keisha could feel the energy fluctuations, then she would have to be more careful. "Sir Keish," Zosia began again, her voice softer this time. "I may not understand all the intricacies of the imperial court, but I do know that alliances are built on trust. If I''m to navigate this web," Her hand forming air quote signs in the air as she continued, "I need to know who my allies are and who I can trust." Keish opened one eye, studying her with a hint of amusement. "Trust is earned, Princess, not given freely. And in this world, trust is a rare commodity." Zosia nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. But I believe that by working together, we can achieve more. Your presence here is not just about protection either." Keish closed his eyes again, as if considering her words. "Perhaps, Princess. But remember, in this world, even the strongest alliances can be fragile." He paused and continued, "I don''t know what you did, but I can feel that sound has been blocked off." He said, eyeing her with amusement and a hint of curiosity. Zosia flashed a smile and released the barrier. "We have entered an unofficial road, be prepared." Keish said. Not long after he spoke, sword clashes were heard outside and the carriage came to a halt. Keish stood up and opened the door, closing it tightly behind him. "Princess, should we hide." Maritza asked with panic in her tone. Patting Maritza gently on her hand. Zosia could feel the wrinkles on her skin. "Calm your mind. It''s nothing and should be over in a few minutes." Evelyn glanced at Zosia. Since, the Princess became closer to the Emperor, she had began hiding more secrets and she felt the princess was getting far away from her. To her, the Princess is like her granddaughter and she could never let anything happen to her. She just hoped to keep being by the princess side, regardless. Her eyes flashed with a hint of determination and willingness to kill as the Princess blade. At least, she could do a good thing for the Princess before she dies. She already felt death calling her, but after the Princess started giving her and Maritza tea, her body system and response also started improving. It was unlike before and it gave her hope. Debra was also among but later Debra began looking for excuses to go out and would return later for her meals. Sometimes, the Princess stuff would also be missing and she had begun to suspect Debra. Her reason for suspecting her was not due to bias. Everyday, she sees a new thing in Debra, if not a new hairpin, it would be shinier nails. Just like Zosia said, the fight ended in a few minutes. Keish didn''t return back to the carriage but sat outside. Zosia didn''t bother to ask either. They continued on their journey but after a while they would be stopped by the so- called bandits. The continuous interruptions had begun to wear on everyone''s nerves, but Zosia remained composed, her face a mask of serenity. It could be more said that she was not bothered. The carriage jostled again, and Zosia took the opportunity to observe her surroundings through the small window. The landscape had changed from the lush, rolling hills to a more rugged, forested area. The path was narrower, flanked by dense trees that provided ample cover for potential ambushes. It was clear that they were no longer on the main road, which added to the sense of unease. "Princess," Maritza finally broke the silence, her voice trembling slightly. "These attacks... they seem too coordinated to be mere bandits. Do you think there''s a larger plot at play?" Evelyn glanced at Maritza. She was the most thoughtful among the trio and being older, she had seen her own shares of the dirty laundry of politics. "What do you think Maritza. They are after the Princess. Let''s just pray we reach our destination safe and sound. It took a while but soon they left the narrow path and entered a broad road. Zosia felt something was wrong with this broad road. How could the change between the two junctions be so vast. It''s like entering a new world. Zosia frowned and looked out, through the window, using her spiritual consciousness, she felt a barrier erected around the carriage. She decided to stay put and not keep extending her spiritual consciousness. "Let''s see where this takes us." She muttered. Chapter 92 - 90- Arc 3 As the carriage resumed its journey, Zosia leaned back, her eyes closing momentarily. She needed to gather her thoughts and strength for the upcoming challenges. The imperial court was a battlefield of a different sort, one where words were as sharp as swords and alliances could be as fleeting as shadows. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the carriage approached the gates of the estate. The grand structure loomed ahead, its tall walls and guarded entrance a stark reminder of the power and prestige it represented. Zosia took a deep breath, steeling herself for the next phase of her journey. If Aaron saw the place, he would wonder how fast his brother moved from his former residence back to his estate. Indeed, this was the Estate of the God of strategist. The huge gates opened, letting them into the estate that had low-key luxury written everywhere. Zosia was quite awed. Her gaze moved from one structure to another even taking note of areas that were guarded. "No openings." She muttered under her breath. Her eyes flickered with some thoughts. "My uncle sure is dangerous." Zosia thought, her lips curled up in a wicked smirk. Now, she was looking forward to the training, more than ever. "Princess, we are here." The door to the carriage opened. Maritza and Evelyn came down first. Holding unto Evelyn''s hand, she came down from the carriage. "Follow me. My father is waiting for you in his study. Your maids can go to your room first." A young man in a wheelchair rolled towards them, his voice composed and steady. Zosia nodded, her eyes briefly scanning the young man before her. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who would lead them?" Zosia asked. "I will lead them to your room. You don''t have to worry about that." The lady who stood behind the young man spoke. Zosia glanced at the basket she had packaged as a gift and wondered if she should still carry it. "Follow her, give me the basket." Maritza nodded and handed the basket to Zosia before following behind the maid, who led the guards with their belongings in tow. Zosia glanced at the young man, his presence exuded a quiet authority, despite his apparent physical limitations. She wondered how much influence he wielded in the estate and made a mental note to learn more about him. "Lead the way," she said, her voice airy as always. The young man nodded and began to roll ahead, guiding them through the intricate pathways of the estate. As they walked, Zosia couldn''t help but notice the meticulously maintained gardens and the subtle yet imposing architecture that surrounded them. Every corner seemed to speak of careful planning and strategic foresight. "This estate is a fortress," she thought. "Every detail has been considered for both beauty and defense." "If I was asked to infiltrate here, I don''t think months of planning without an internal influence would be of any help." She thought. Keish glanced at the princess whose eyes were scanning everywhere, even her measured footsteps could tell that she was being both alert and scouting the layout of the place. Zosia''s senses suddenly tingled, "Should I retaliate or dodge?" Just as she was thinking, volley of arrows came her way. Bending down, she dodged them by hair length, her eyes calm and steady throughout. At the last arrow, she caught it between her fingers. "Quite a welcome for a seven year old." She said calmly. A small smile hung on her lips. "Cough.... " A burly man who was behind the pillar came out, "It''s not what you think Princess. I just came back and didn''t know you were here, this is just one of my training for Karl." " I hope the Princess doesn''t take offense." He gave a slight bow as he said. "What did you call me?" Zosia asked as she scanned the arrow with analyze. "Princess." The man replied, not feeling there was anything wrong. The young man ¡ª Karl, sighed. He knew the burly man lost to the intelligence of a seven year old. He was quite surprised by her age though. "You called me Princess, yet unaware I was coming. Or¡ª" she was about to continue when Keisha nudged her. Zosia turned to look at Keisha with a questioning look. They communicated through eye glances, not sure of what she communicated though, but she stopped pushing further. "A Nice arrow. I will keep it." Zosia said and handed the arrow to Keisha who looked at her in confusion. Why was he being handed the arrow? Since, when was he her attendant. This little brat and her revenge. "Quite sneaky." He muttered under his breath. "Please lead the way or am i in for another surprise?" Zosia asked with a smile adorning her face. Karl was unable to decide if she was angry or happy. He decided to go with angry. Turning on his wheels, he couldn''t help but admire her reflexes. His eyes flashed with a hint of competition. Taking the lead, they reached a large wooden door adorned with intricate carvings. The young man paused and gestured towards it. "You can go in, we would wait for you outside." Karl spoke. Zosia nodded. With that, she took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Inside, the study was a haven of intellect and strategy. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books and scrolls that spoke of countless hours of study and contemplation. At the center of the room, behind a grand desk, sat her uncle. Funny enough, she didn''t know how to address him, from what she had read about him. He was referred to as the God strategist. Adrian looked up from his papers as she entered, his sharp eyes assessing her with a mix of curiosity and approval. He had gotten the results of Zariah''s test before the reached his study, since they were following the long route. "Zosia," he greeted, his voice smooth and controlled. "You can remove your veil." Zosia removed the veil she had been putting on, revealing her face that still had the black marks, though the ones on her body are gone. "You came faster than expected." His gaze scanned the vein like marks on her face, "Just like brother said. A poison constitution." He though inwardly. "I came as quickly as I could, Uncle," she replied, stepping forward. "Thank you for agreeing to train me." She said, dropping the basket in front of him. "Your father gave you to give me?" He asked. "No, just a gift of mine. I hope you appreciate it." Zosia replied with a smile. "Sit." He gestured towards the seat in the room. He stood up from his chair and sat opposite Zosia, "Are you afraid?" He asked while boiling water for tea. His hands moving in a fluid manner. "No." "That''s good." He dropped the tea cup and relaxed on the chair, "Your Dad has been praising you, tell me what you want to learn?" "My father didn''t say much about what you could teach. I am sure being with you would expose me more to a vast expanse of new skills and knowledge." She said, her gaze on the books on the shelf. "Just have a nice rest today. You wouldn''t have such time after this." He poured tea into her tea cup. "Drink some tea before you go." "Thank you." Zosia picked up hers, "Am I not going to accept you as a master, like an apprentice or disciple ceremony?" She asked. Adrian blew the steam coming from his cup as he stared at his brother''s daughter. "She does look calm." He commented inwardly. "Is that what the gift is for?" He asked, taking a sip of the tea. "No. It''s a first time meeting gift." "Don''t worry about master-disciple stuff. You are not yet qualified." His words made Zosia raise an eyebrow. Curling her lips, she muttered. "I see. Pardon me for my ignorance. I should go and start arranging my things to get ready for the training tomorrow." She stood up and courtesyed. "Call Keish in on your way out." Adrian called out. "She does have a temper. Quite bitchy like her mom." He muttered, the steam covering the emotions in his eyes like a haze. After coming out of his shell, he had called back the members who had been with him through thick and thin and had been unwilling to leave to head back to their fortress. So, finding out the recent information associated with the Imperial family was not hard. What struck him in the gut was the Empress cheating and seeing how his brother allowed his concubines to cuckold him, without him doing anything. Just thinking about his reason made him sigh. "Did he tell you to tell me anything?" Adrian said as he dropped the tea cup. After they finished discussing, Keish left and Karl entered. "Father." He called out as he wheeled himself into the room. His eyes scanned his adopted son, "If his body could evolve like hers, it would be a good thing if it could free him from the pain." He thought Inwardly. "What do you think about the Princess?" "Quite arrogant. But she knows her stuff." "Okay." He gently opened the tightly sealed basket. "A bunch of tea leaves." Karl noticed that the basket was the one Zosia was carrying. Seems like she brought gift. Looking at the tea leaves, he wondered if the Emperor was the one behind the idea of the gift? It didn''t look like it or is there a reason behind the tea leaves. "Have you sent her to her room?" He asked, closing the basket. "Yes I have." "How is your study going?" Adrian asked as he stood up, going back to the chair he was sitting down on before he had to attend to his guests. "It''s been going fine." "She would join you for your training and from there I will sketch out a training plan for her. You can go." Karl nodded and rolled himself out. Making sure to close the door behind him. "Tomorrow would sure be interesting." He muttered under his breath, his eyes flashing with a competitive glint. Chapter 93 - 91- Arc 3 Zosia panted as she ran across the rugged terrain with 50 kg weight on her back and weight bracelets and anklets as well as one that had jingles on her waist. Her breathing remained steady as she ran. As she approached the top, she noticed a figure and a smile appeared on her face. "Karl!" She called out as she threw the weight on her body to the floor. "Are you done?" Karl asked with a smile, his gaze scanning his cousin who was not still out of breath despite all the weights she had been using to run. He was surprised that despite all the training she does, he had not seen her gain any muscle. It was just strange. "Your father is here?" "Huh?!" Zosia had a confused expression on her face followed by a frown. "Did anything happen?" Karl sighed. His cousin was such a person, always thinking about the worst. She is such a worry wart. Looking at her sea green eyes suddenly reminded him of one time he was close to the Jaws of death during one of their missions with his father. He remembered how he almost couldn''t make it due to the poison acting up again. He ended up being the cause of the mission failing but his cousin then had tried her best to save him, even taking him on her back as she was being chased by the enemies. An arrow even ended up stabbing him on his shoulder, but he was happy that he survived. He noticed that anytime he was with his cousin, he felt more happy than staying with his father who always had his stoic face on. "I don''t know. You would have to go down to find out." Zosia turned to look at him, a playful smile playing on her lips. "Hey Cousin, you always wait for me here everyday after my training, tell me, do you have feelings for me?" "YOU!" Karl felt he must have heard the most stupefying thing today. Slapping his ear to be sure he heard right, he looked at her with a stupid look on his face. "Are you crazy? How could I possibly have such feelings? " He scolded, his voice an octave higher, with his fingers pointing at her. "Cousin calm down, no need for such reaction. I was just joking." "Then you should know that there are some things which you shouldn''t joke with. Do you understand?" "Yes cousin." Zosia answered with a smile,, "Alright cousin how about a joyful trip down the forest mountain." Karl eyebrows jumped. He had an ominous feeling, "I didn''t bring a tuck in belt." The tuck in belt, was something Zosia had designed to keep him locked in his wheelchair whenever they were escaping after carrying out missions, to avoid him falling off and minimizing the stress impacted on him during the ride. "Don''t worry, I carry it with me, wherever we go." Zosia said with a smile as she opened the back. Sneakily rolling the wheels of the wheel chair, he wanted to go back or hide, then after Zosia has gone, he could then follow the artificial road that has been done. Zosia ears twitched when she heard the rolling wheels, unfortunately for him she was much faster. "Sia... Sia... We promised to do it only in dangerous situation." He stammered. Unluckily for him, his cousin was in a much more joyful mood than he expected. "Did she eat a joy mushroom or what?" He couldn''t describe her mood today. In the morning, she was moody and sad, then in the afternoon, she was unusually quiet and now she was hyperactive. "One time." Zosia pleaded as she looked at Karl. Seeing her pleading eyes, his heart softened. When Zosia first came, he was always trying to compete with her. Imagine a 14 year old competing with a 7 year old. Just thinking about himself back then made him cringe. As time passed and they got closer, he realized that despite Zosia being bitchy or arrogant, she always made sure not to put those around her in danger. She has a kind heart but definitely not when it comes with dealing with her enemies. She becomes the most hateful person, if you are her enemy. He remembered how a gang leader whom they caught to extract some information had his balls crushed by her when he was listing all his crimes. He realized the closer he became with his cousin, the more free tea leaves he receives. He noticed that those tea leaves had the effects of detoxifying the poison in his body and with the help of them, he has been able to push the poison just halfway below his knee. Before, he was paralyzed from waist down, now he could feel sensations from his waist to a little below his knee. At first he had a motive of becoming friends with her, but the closer he got to her, the more he treated her a s a sister he could never have. Sometimes, she even acted in place of his mother. Was it shameful? He didn''t think so. When he had no one who would comfort him during the pains he was going through, she would always sit beside him and comfort him, something his father would never do. It does not mean he hates his father, just that there are some things his father just can''t fill. Even though he was older, he really respects his cousin and would occasionally fulfill her whims, like joining her to concot things he didn''t even know. Putting on the tick in belt, he gave a despondent sigh. "Cousin don''t be like that, you would enjoy it." She patted him on his shoulder. Walking towards the back of the wheelchair, she cracked her arms with a smile. "Cousin get ready." "Yes. I am ready." Karl replied through gritted teeth. "1, 2, 3..." Zosia pushed the wheel chair back and forth preparing for the ride. "Here we go!" she shouted, pushing off with a sudden burst of energy that sent the wheelchair speeding down the rugged trail. Karl clung tightly to the armrests, his heart pounding in his chest. The path ahead twisted and turned, each bump and dip making the ride a wild and exhilarating experience. Zosia''s laughter and Karl''s scream echoed through the trees, a joyful sound that seemed to merge with the rustling leaves and the distant calls of birds. Despite the initial rush of adrenaline, Karl found himself relaxing into the ride. The wind whipped past his face, carrying with it the fresh scents of pine and earth. For a moment, all his worries and the weight of his condition seemed to melt away, replaced by the sheer thrill of the descent. The trail narrowed, and Zosia skillfully maneuvered the wheelchair around the sharp bends, her eyes gleaming with concentration and excitement. Karl couldn''t help but admire her. Despite the playful exterior, Zosia had an incredible focus and determination. She always seemed to know exactly what she was doing, even when the situation appeared chaotic. As they reached a particularly steep section of the trail, Zosia leaned forward, using her weight to keep the wheelchair steady. Karl''s grip tightened, but he trusted his cousin completely. The world around them blurred into a whirl of green and brown as they picked up speed. A laugh bubbled up from Karl''s chest, surprising even himself. It had been so long since he had felt this kind of pure, unadulterated joy. Unlike before where she would stop to analyze any tree she saw or any plant to know which one to plant, she didn''t bother this time around, she had long plucked and dug each valuable species of plant she found. Zosia finally felt the weight of her thoughts loosening. Her mood swings hadn''t been without reason either. Recently, each time she closed her eyes, she would see the original host spirit. Did the Original host want to come back? It was something she didn''t know. "It would have been nice if Asgar was here to give an answer to this question." She thought inwardly. Unfortunately, she didn''t even know how to contact Asgar apart from when she has finished her mission. Even then, he was the one coming to see her and not the other way round. During this period, she had been thinking, thinking about her life. Her coming into the know of the Soul world was by luck. Sometimes, she wonders if maybe she hadn''t come in contact with that box, maybe her life would still had been as boring as it was. Now, she had to teether each day on ice. She wasn''t unhappy, she even loved it. But, she has begun to think about something she had shelved off in her mind. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That 10th mission. The same thing Ella and Xen had talked about. To her, the 10th mission looked like a deciding factor. But a deciding factor of what? Then the group mission she is to have with Asgar''s group, she could only gather more materials to protect herself. She didn''t need to worry about cloth or food. Zosia felt thankful to have learnt some poison concoction and a little about medicine from her uncle, it would help her in her group mission which might likely be the next. "Sia concentrate!" Karl called out, bringing Zosia back to reality. He had noticed that Zosia had suddenly slowed down, but at least she didn''t get them injured and they were already close to the bottom of the hill. "We are already here, Karl." She looked down at Karl, her face flushed with excitement. "How was that, cousin?" Karl''s breath came in ragged gasps, but his eyes were bright. "Incredible," he admitted, a wide smile spreading across his face. "But, we are not doing it again." Seeing Zosia not respond, he added, "Promise?" "Fine, let''s go meet our Dad''s." She said and started pushing him back to the estate. Chapter 94 - 92- Arc 3 Zosia and Karl arrived back at the Estate. "Do you think I should go and bath first before meeting them?" Zosia asked with a frown. Karl blinked, unsure if he should answer the question. "Why don''t you go first to know why you are being called?" Zosia took a deep breath. She decided to go see them first. Taking over the handle of the wheel chair, they both walked towards Adrian''s study. Arriving at the study room after being greeted by all the servants, guards and the likes they saw on their way here. Karl pushed open the wooden decorative door that weighed heavier than lead. "Greetings to the Great Sun, The Emperor." They both greeted at the same time. During her stay under Adrian''s care, she was still communicating with the Emperor. Sometimes she would send him tea leaves. There was a time they had something to do in the Capital and she sneakily went back to see him after receiving some unhappy news. The Empress Dowgar had been relentless, looking for ways to make her son ¡ª Duke Chrisen be more outstanding than the Emperor, refusing to go back to the temple and trying to throw mud on the Emperor''s name. If she hadn''t passed through a village under a Baron''s jurisdiction during her adventure with her uncle and Karl, she wouldn''t have known that the villagers were suffering from drought and disease. The government had not provided any relief, as the Baron had told the villagers that the Emperor had instructed them to go and die. She knew that the Emperor couldn''t say such, so it was definitely the mechanitions of someone''s handiwork. "Sia... Come here." The Emperor called out to his daughter with a smile. He looked like he had just won a lottery. Picking her up like he used, he sat her on his laps. "You didn''t take a wash before coming to see me?" Aaron blinked as he looked at his daughter who was sniffing herself. "I knew I should have taken a wash." Zosia muttered while Karl lowered his head, reducing his presence. Smiling sheepishly Zosia looked at Aaron, "Do I smell that bad?" "No, not that." He immediately responded. "How could the Princess of Roza Empire smell bad? Whoever said that is lying, don''t believe them, Alright." He patted his daughter head with a smile. Adrian who was watching the scene felt like vomiting. What is this? His brother was treating his daughter like she was some fragile glass. He had seen her break skulls, alright. He scoffed, "Brother, since you would be with her throughout the remaining years, you can do" he paused, using his hand as a gesture, "Whatever pampering you need to do later." "Huh?" Zosia turned to look at the Emperor with a confused look. "Am I going back to the Palace?" " You don''t want to go back?" The Emperor asked in return. Zosia smiled awkwardly. Just thinking about the little schemes that occur daily in the palace, she knew she would be using her brain juice more than ever. She shivered just at the thought of meeting those slippery snakes. She could already hear them hissing in her ear, either with insults or flattery. "Um¡ª" "You''d have to go back with me. And don''t think you are going there to slack off. Your training will still commence as always but this time you will be more invested into learning politics and everything that has to do with the throne." Zosia face whipped to the side as she met the serious gaze of the Emperor. "He is not joking, does he plan to make me the Empress?" She thought Inwardly. Zosia wasn''t the only one surprised, even Karl was. He turned to look at his father, he didn''t notice any hint of surprise in his eyes. "It seems my guess was correct. So that means I made the right bet." He thought inwardly, his gaze turning back to his cousin who was staring at the Emperor with a look of shock on his face. "Dad..." Zosia called out gently and cautiously. "Are you?" "Yes. I plan to make you the Empress. Do you not like it?" The Emperor asked with an expressionless face. Zosia knew that despite the fact that the Emperor treated her well and would protect her with all he had, though she doesn''t understand why. Well, if she had analyzed all the children under the Emperor, maybe she would have been able to guess why. Despite that, she knew the Emperor wasn''t someone that liked variables in his plan but that didn''t matter now. The problem was how should she answer the question. She has to avoid the question, and she definitely can''t say no or yes. According to her pitiful knowledge, she knew that saying either of them could lead to a wrong reaction or misunderstanding. "Dad... Are you dying? Did they poison you?" Tear drops fell from her eyes as she panicked, touching the Emperor all over his chest including bringing down his lower eyelids to check if there was something wrong. Holding his daughter wandering hands in a grip, he smiled, "No, I am just preparing you for the obvious." "Go pack your things, we would be leaving immediately." Aaron order. "Dad, can''t we just leave tomorrow. It''s been long since you had a good time with your Brother, isn''t it nice spending today together. You can even try the new wine I made." Zosia eyes sparkled as she suggested. "What mischief is she planning now." Karl thought inwardly. Adrian turned to look at his niece. He wasn''t against the suggestion and he really liked her tea. He had seen her planting it and how she spent her time each day taking care of it by the window side. If he didn''t know whom her mother was, he would surely commend the woman for teaching her some skills. Even if Zosia ends up not being the Empress, she could survive. He didn''t think, her not being the Empress was possible. Anybody who sat on that throne other than her would first have to beat her till she thoroughly accepts, else she would be like an invisible ant. It stings, yet you can''t see it to kill it. Aaron turned to look at his brother, seeing that he wasn''t against it, he sighed. "Alright. Just get ready as we would be leaving tomorrow morning.... Very early." He made sure to enunciate the word very early. Zosia smiled. As for why she delayed their departure, she needed time to scan through all those books that were forbidden for her to touch and she must do it this night. Her eyes held a hint of determination. Throughout her stay here, she had gotten more information than she had ever thought. Especially on Martial artist and the history before their decline. Going back to the palace aligned with her wish perfectly, though at the same time, she hates dealing with those cunny idiots. "Let me go and get the wine and have the Kitchen make a sumptuous meal." Zosia was not really a good cook but she also wasn''t that bad and could make simple dishes that wouldn''t kill you. Her cooking skills had gotten a notch better with Maritza help. Now she could even make banquet dishes but... With guidance. Skipping in her steps, she left for the kitchen leaving Aaron, Adrian and Karl in the study. Aaron watched as Zosia left before turning to Karl. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter." Aaron said with a smile. Karl bowed slightly. "It was my duty and my pleasure, Your Majesty." Aaron nodded in appreciation, "Just call me Uncle." Karl nodded, "Uncle." Aaron smiled before his gaze shifted to Adrian. "Brother, it''s been too long since we had a moment to ourselves. How are things faring here?" Adrian leaned back in his chair, eyes studying Aaron intently. "Busy, as always. Especially since you made me come out." He said in a slightly blaming tone. His brother had returned to using him as the hidden hand to uproot some things that shouldn''t exist. "Indeed," Aaron replied, his tone reflective. "And with Zosia coming back to the palace, things will undoubtedly become more complicated." Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You really intend to train her for the throne?" Even though his brother had told him about it before, he still asked to be sure. Aaron''s eyes hardened with resolve. "Yes. She is my¡ª" he didn''t complete his sentence. " Just know that, She has the intelligence, the strength, and the will to lead. The Empire needs someone like her, and you know it?" Karl sat silently by the side, listening intently to every word, but at the same time, he was unsure of if to leave or stay. The magnitude of what was being discussed was overwhelming. The weight of the Empire''s future was being placed on Zosia''s shoulders, and by extension, they were her protectors. "Does she know?" Adrian asked, his voice softer now, as if treading on delicate ground. "She does. She is smart enough to realize that." Aaron said with a smirk, "Just that I haven''t told her yet. Still I need her to grow into the role naturally, to understand the complexities of ruling without the pressure of an immediate coronation." Adrian nodded slowly. "It''s a wise approach. Zosia is strong, but she''s also young. She needs time to learn and grow." Aaron sighed, the weight of his responsibilities showing briefly in his eyes. "I just hope I have enough time to prepare her." The study fell silent, the gravity of their conversation hanging in the air. After a moment, Aaron broke the silence. "Let''s not dwell on heavy matters. Tell me more about this wine Zosia mentioned. She''s always been full of surprises." Adrian chuckled, the tension easing. "Ah, her wine. She''s quite proud of it. It''s a blend of local berries and herbs she''s cultivated herself. Remarkable, really. I never expected her to take such an interest in horticulture." ...... Few hours later... Zosia entered back into the study. "The food is ready." Zosia led the way to the dining table while Karl put his wheel chair on automatic. They arrived at the dining table and quickly sat down. Zosia poured the wine into their cups. "Cheers." Adrian raised his cup to a toast, "Cheers to the family and to the Empire." Others did the same and they delved into their meal. "This... Is good. Sia... How many more bottles do you have in stock?" Aaron asked, "You never sent me one." "I made it recently, so apart from the first time we tasted it. I don''t have much." As they enjoyed the meal, the older men drank more of the wine, ending up drunk. Karl was slightly drunk Zosia glanced at them, seeing how drunk they are, she patted her stomach. "I am so full and sleepy. I also feel sticky." She complained. "Ooh... Go.. go." Adrian waved at Zosia, allowing her to go. Zosia bowed and stood up. "It sure does have a lot of alcoholic content." She thought inwardly. Due to her constitution, she couldn''t get drunk, so even if she drank a bottle alone, she would still be okay. She wasn''t sure if they were pretending, so for safety sake, she decided to use the invisible talisman. "Sigh! I am using such an expensive thing to steal... no, to peruse through the knowledge contained in those books." Zosia waited till midnight before she started her operation scan the books. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. .... By the time she was done and returned back to her room. Zosia''s mood was not that great. Standing by the window and gazing at the beautiful moon in the sky, she allowed her thoughts to roam. "So I am the Emperor''s only child. Now, I understand his reason." Zosia muttered under her breath. But, why did he let himself be cuckold? The answer to such a question was still a mystery to her. Chapter 95 - 93- Arc 3 After spending 3 years with her uncle, she was now back to the Palace. Before she left, just like the gift she left for the Emperor before she left the palace, she did same for them but she didn''t sew them any cloth, only pouches and handkerchief. Karl was more than happy when she told him about his gift and where she kept his and his dad''s gifts. Zosia felt it was strange. Karl said he was adopted but after using Analyze on him. The result was different. Karl was and is Adrian''s biological Son. Though his Mother''s name is strange. Father- Adrian McGowan Son- Karl McGowan Mother - Lunnanida Atir Zosia was aware that Karl had only come close to her due to the tea leaves, it helped in not only suppressing the poison from acting up but was also in clearing it. As for Maritza and Evelyn, she didn''t take them with her this time around and after using Analyze on them and sure they were loyal to her, she trained them in taking care of the shops in her name. Now, she could be said to be a little rich woman. Without money how could she accomplish some things. Looking at the approaching Imperial Palace and the figures standing in front of the estate gate, she rolled her eyes in annoyance. The carriage came to a halt. Aaron came down, seeing the Empress, The Empress Dowgar as well as the other consorts whom he calls free loaders. Zosia noticed that the consorts weren''t as much as before, they had been reduced to 5 from the initial huge number. "That means I can now rest easy, without worrying about how to deal with them, though, where are their children?" Zosia asked herself inwardly. She doesn''t actually care what happened, all she knew was that the variables have been reduced. Using Analyze, she scanned each of them but didn''t check the results, only following behind the Emperor who ignored their greetings and kept moving. "Should I greet or... Never mind, I will just follow behind him." Zosia thought as she quickly increased her pace but also keeping it steady. She lowered her head, but not without catching the fleeting hatred from the three of the them. The Empress, the Empress Dowgar and Duke Chrisen who was standing like he owned the Imperial Palace. As they entered inside, they entered into another carriage. "Sia, The carriage will take you to your courtyard, I still have things to do." He patted her head and entered another carriage. He could have just allowed the carriage to enter the palace instead of entering a new one, but it is a safety rule in the palace. It was something he set, so he can''t violate it either, even if he didn''t want to meet those people. Zosia nodded her head and got in the second carriage. Holding the tree pot in her hand, she didn''t leave it for the maids to carry it. Among the many tree pots she used in planting the tea leaves, she only took one back, leaving the rest for Karl and Adrian. The wheels rolled on the cobblestone pathway, leading towards her new courtyard. Seeing that the carriage was moving so slowly, she decided to take a look at the results from the scan. The result she got was not a surprise, now she knew with whom the consorts cheated with. Though it still is a mystery to her on why the Emperor could only have her? She wondered if there is a story behind it. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It didn''t take long and they arrived at her courtyard. She wasn''t surprised by how close it was with the Emperor''s courtyard . Since her lessons would start tomorrow, she decided to take her bath and sleep. ******** Zosia was preparing to sleep when a maid sent by the Empress came to see her. "What message do you have for me?" "The Empress said, you should come to the banquet hall, they had arranged a welcome banquet for you." "Greetings to the great Sun, The Emperor." They both greeted in unison. He had come to tell his daughter some things, but hearing about the invitation, he knew they wanted to do something to her and make her soil her reputation. "Who held the banquet without informing me?" The Emperor asked, his cold voice thundering through the room. The maid shivered in fear, "It''s the Empress Dowgar." "Now, I can use this to send that witch away and have her settled on the road." The Emperor thought inwardly. "Follow me." Zosia was dressed simply but not shabbily, so it didn''t matter if she followed the Emperor like that. Since her viel was on, she followed behind the Emperor and the maid followed behind her with lowered head. ****** At the banquet hall... "The Great Sun, the Emperor has arrived!" The Eunuch announced in a very loud and shrill voice. Zosia frowned in response to the shrill voice. Since she wasn''t announced, she stood outside while the Emperor entered. "Greetings to the Great Sun." Everyone in the room knelt down to greet. Aaron didn''t tell them to stand up, he scanned his gaze among them before putting it on the Empress Dowgar. "I had just left for a day and now, you want to usurp my power. I have respected you as the Empress Dowgar, but you don''t reciprocate it. The Imperial Palace doesn''t want you here anymore. Tomorrow you would be leaving for the Temple, whence you came from and do not interfere with the inner court again." His cold but calm voice reverberated throughout the room. "Empress, you can go back to your confinement after today." After saying that, he turned and left, leaving the two women in shock. Kamal looked at his father in astonishment. Why did his father always treat his mother like that? "Why does he not love me as well? Only his sister." He thought as he stared at the Emperor''s departing back with anger and hatred welling up in his eyes. Zosia had spread her spiritual consciousness, so she was able to see what was going on inside. She felt some malice directed towards her direction and looked, only seeing her supposed half-brother was staring at Aaron with hatred filled eyes. "Let''s go." At first he had only asked Zosia to follow him on a whim but now he was able to kill three birds with one stone. One, Sending the Empress back to confinement. Two, sending the Empress Dowgar away thereby cutting off whatever excuses Chrisen would use in entering the Palace. Three, making that Child that thinks he is the father, to meet Zosia. Now, how Zosia would settle the problems on her way, is what he wants to see. They went back with The Emperor informing her of who her new teacher would be. The Imperial tutor. He is also the father in-law to Duke Chrisen. Arriving back at her courtyard, Zosia went straight to her room. She didn''t allow the maids to take care of somethings, not that she was afraid of poison or anything, but she still wasn''t used to them and couldn''t allow them in on some things, especially the scars on her body. As for the Imperial tutor being the one to teach her, she wasn''t sure if it was okay. Even though, publicly, the Imperial tutor and Duke Chrisen don''t get along, being like fire and water, she knew it was still a variable, except the Emperor has something on him that would make him not to talk. If Aaron heard her thoughts, he would laugh and say she was worrying too much. Closing her eyes to rest, she began reviewing the things she had Chip scan from those books. Tsk, she has come to love the name chip that she didn''t feel like giving it any new name. After reviewing it, she felt so tired and her head felt a little heavy. The knowledge she had scanned was so voluminous and taking them in at once had its side effects. At least, she knew where to get the next thing that she needed in this world. In the last world, she got a Carp which had consciousness, though she didn''t get anything in the tutorial world. This time around, she was going for the said stone that has the ability to revive the martial path. She didn''t think so, but it wouldn''t hurt to get it and she was neither loosing anything. Her greatest gain currently is her ability to cultivate her soul rather than the body. Now, even if she left this body, she wouldn''t completely lose her powers but rather just a chunk of it. The chunk goes to the body. It isn''t a technique, it''s something she learnt by instinct when she kept condensing her powers to make them stronger and purer. Now, she could freely use her powers without feeling any constraint in this world. It was like she had become part of it. She suddenly remembered the soothing feeling she felt when she got rid of some bandits that kept harassing a village, making carvans unable to pass through the road. "Could it be... Merit?" She thought out loud. The virtues of human according to a scholar, says that the four virtues of man, to which one of them is Merit has the ability to keep the body with the world. Zosia now understood what the scholar meant by keeping the body with the world. "So the more Merit I have, the less rejection I feel in a world, allowing me to use my powers as freely as I want." But something keeps bothering her, her powers what is the correct name for them. The status board calls them gifts/talents. "Sigh!" She decided to push that to the recess of her memory and rest up first. She needs to get up earlier to do some training before meeting the Imperial tutor. ================ This Arc would be coming to an end soon and for those who can''t wait to see Zosia get the said revenge, she might not be the one to do it, who knows. Tighten your seat belt and get your popcorns ready. Chapter 96 - 94- Arc 3 While asleep, Zosia suddenly finds herself in a white space. "Huh? I am here again." Zosia muttered with a despondent sigh. She decided not to move, crossing her leg and sitting down. Spreading her spiritual consciousness, she decided to check what is actually going on. She noticed that the place flickered in and out like an illusion. Zosia frowned, she decided to use her illusion power to test the place out. Melding her gift with the space, she closed her eyes in meditation. She didn''t know how long it has been, but the moment she opened her eyes, she was met with a sleeping beauty lying down beside her, no... A cracked beauty. "You are finally done?" A hoarse shrill voice sounded. ''Seems like her vocal cords never recovered.'' Zosia thought inwardly as she stared at the original host figure....err a spirit. "So why did you bring me here? I thought you should be gone?" Zosia asked the question that was bothering her. "I can''t go till my wish is fulfilled and so far, you have been doing well. Please take care of my father. This is my obsession. Even if you don''t get revenge, please." Zosia stared at her pleading eyes. "You don''t need to worry about that, it''s something I will do anyway." "Thank you." The spirit bent her body in a bow, "Thank you, I am really grateful." "I know I wouldn''t be able to live after you are done, but I hope to get to know you better." The spirit sat down in a lotus position as she sat across from Zosia who was still wondering how possible this was. If it was possible for the spirit or ghost¡ª whichever one she currently was to be able to meet the task taker in¡ª, she looked around the place, she didn''t know what to call the illusion like landscape she currently is in. "This place, what is it called and where is it?" "I don''t know. I just wanted to speak to you and I kept trying and then this happened. I almost disappeared by trying to bring you in, your soul is very strong. If you hadn''t allowed yourself to.come in, it would be impossible for me." She commented. So that''s why she kept dreaming about the original host. Zosia nodded, she had indeed felt a miniscule pull, and allowed herself to be pulled in. "Is her intention really to just beg me to take care of her father?" Zosia didn''t think so. Nobody in the Imperial palace big or small had a naive mind. Staying in the palace taints a person mind. It forces you to do something in order to protect yourself, and sometimes, it ends up being extreme. Zosia didn''t think someone whose mother ignored and has been bullied without being able to fight back had a good heart. She could either be selfish or have the mentality of wanting the world to burn with her. She decided to use Analyze on her. "Um... Can I get to know you better?" The spirit asked again, this time around, her statement becoming a question with her voice lower than before. "Why do you want to know me. My work is to fulfill your wish and let your body rest in peace in the mortal world. If you end up knowing me, what good does it bring you?" Zosia said fiercely, scaring the spirit that she cowered. Zosia frowned, seeing how she cowered easily, it made her look like a spineless coward. Zosia wasn''t wrong in feeling that things weren''t that simple, maybe if it was another person, she would have been right. "Give me a moment." Zosia took a deep breath to calm herself before opening the result she got. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????: 18 ???????????????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????: ????????????????n???????? ???????????????????????? (????????????????????????????????????????) ????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????: ????????????r???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????? ?????????????????. ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????, ????????????????????????, ????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????. ????????????????????? ????????????????????: 5 (???????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????.) ????????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????????????, ????????????????????????????, ????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????? ????????????????. ????????????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? "Sigh, I judged wrongly." Zosia muttered. "I shouldn''t use my narrow mindset to judge." Opening her eyes, she stared at the somewhat naive spirit, who even has an occupation. "Usually, I am not meant to tell any soul anything about myself, but you already know about the soul world and you are also a taskee." Nora looked at Zosia with a happy gleam in her eyes. She finally saw someone to talk to. She was getting bored out of her mind in there and decided to follow the thread she kept seeing and was led to Zosia. "I will call you Nora while we talk, since you are my namesake." Nora nodded her head like a chicken pecking on grains. "I am Zosia Meave Branden. Meave Branden was the name I gave myself when I was applying for a household registration. Zosia was given to me by my master." "Master? Where you like a martial artist or those immortals described in books." Nora asked, her eyes filled with curiosity. "No. I was an assassin and I died at 25 due to a scheme. I found myself in the soul world by chance." "Then, can I be your little sister." Nora asked. Zosia thought for a moment, then reached into her space. Two black bracelet appeared in her hand. "Sure." She gave a bracelet to Nora and put on one. It was something she had done during her free time and it had no magical use whatsoever. Nora giggled, playing with the bracelet, she put it on her hand. After admiring it for sometime, she turned towards Zosia. "Thank you. I was getting bored to death, I had to come out of that enclosed space they put me in. Then I noticed a thread and followed it to meet you." She shrugged. Placing her hands under her chin, she had a bored look on her face. "I wonder if I can come to the soul world?" She asked Zosia who was just staring at her. Zosia was still digesting the information she got. So those souls were usually kept in an enclosed room and they had Karma threads linking them to the task taker. Zosia looked at Nora, "And she could leave the place with ease. " She thought. "I don''t know, I am just a newbie in the soul world. Barely able to make any wave." "Sigh!" Nora sighed despondently. "Can I stay with you and at least talk to you anytime?" Nora asked. She didn''t want to go back there. She might end up being suffocated to death with boredom. "Can you see what I do outside?" Zosia asked. "No, except you let me." Nora shook her head in response. "Tell me. Do you know why the Emperor only had you as his daughter?" Zosia asked the question that has been on her mind since she found out that the Emperor only had one child. "Well, it''s the curse. It took effect during Dad''s time but funny how it didn''t affect his other brothers only him who is sitting on the throne." "Tell me more." "I should start with, it''s a long story. Actually my grandfather had an engagement with a lady but fell for her friend instead, who is my Dad''s mother. There were a group of uprisers who infiltrated the palace in a guise to get a stone which up till today, I don''t believe it has the kind of power accorded to it. The Emperor found out the traitor when she was in search of it, and in a bid to silence the Emperor stabbed him with a poisoned dagger. The person happens to be Uncle Adrian''s lover, so he hates himself for it, feeling that it was through him she was able to enter the palace. They didn''t understand what was going on and to remove the poison they had to first find out where the stone they are looking for is and ended up inviting a Female monk who happens to be my grandfather engaged lover. She woke him up and he spoke about what happened but cursed his descendants that they will vanish from the face of the earth. Luckily for my Dad, he was able to get, you know who pregnant though I ended up loosing my brother and hence came my title as the black star." Zosia could tell that Nora just summarized everything for her. She could see the hurt in her eyes. Zosia kept quiet, unsure of how to comfort her. "No need to feel for me. Thanks to you, I no longer feel that hurt or obsessed with them. Apart from my father who cherished me and the only person I want to protect, I don''t really care about the rest." "Are you sure you are okay?" Zosia asked, she could see tears brimming in the young girl''s naive eyes already. Scooting closer to her, she patted her at her back. Nora burst into tears. Burying her head into Zosia bossom, she suddenly felt the sense of security she had never felt before. Feeling safe, her cries got louder. She knew the world was bad and not everything was in black and white either. Even as naive as she is, she still knew that somethings are not easily found. It''s either by fate or luck. Nora suddenly felt that, maybe it''s fate that connected her to Zosia. "Thank you." She muttered as she snuggled in Zosia''s embrace. Zosia chuckled. "It''s okay." She patted her back rhythmically. Remembering that she has her lessons tomorrow, she held Nora by her shoulder and raised her up. "I don''t know if they will notice that you are gone, but you can meet me here every night. For now, we should each go back." Nora nodded her head and wiped her tears. "Thank you sister." She smoothly called out with a smile. Zosia nodded her head and waved at her before leaving the space. She opened her eyes to see the ceiling of her new courtyard. "What a day." She muttered and drifted off to sleep. ========= Sigh! School would be beginning in Monday. I pray I would still be able to maintain the daily updates. Thank you for your support so far. I am really grateful. Please enjoy this chapter.(?????) S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 97 - 95- Arc 3 The sun rays poured in through the window seeping through the gaps of the curtain. Knock! Knock! Getting no response, the maid who stood outside, paced around anxiously. The princess had told her not to disturb her and now it''s almost getting late but the princess has yet to come out or even call her to get her bath water. She decided to push open the door and brave whatever punishment the princess would give her. Pushing open the door, she was met with the princess''s pale back that looked like they hadn''t been under the sun. But the horrific things, were the scars that marked the Princess back. She noticed that the Princess hair was still wet which showed that she had taken her bath, but how? She immediately lowered her head, unwilling to think further. Panicking, she stuttered in her greeting. "Princess, I didn''t hear a reply, so i was worried and decided to enter." She explained. Zosia just nodded her head as she put on her inner gown, followed by the other clothing. Once she was fully dressed, what was remaining is a light make up which she hadn''t done before as she never owned one, even in her world and the task worlds, the only thing she ever did was a powder and a lipstick and it was useless when she needed to train, so she hadn''t thought of getting one either. The Emperor being so thoughtful, bought a lot of make up and Jewelry for her. On a normal she wouldn''t bother herself with it, but in the Imperial Palace where looks matter, she had to put on one. Since, she was going for her lessons she couldn''t look too plain and neither could she look extravagant either. Looking at her face in the mirror, she sighed. The vine like marks still existed and she wasn''t sure, rubbing such chemically loaded makeup on her face was something she could do. It can''t cause her poisoning but what if it irritated her skin. Turning to the maid that was still kneeling with who knows what going on in her head, she asked. "Do you know how to do a hair?" "Yes. Does the Princess need my service?" "Yes and also a jewelry that would fit with the cloth I am wearing." The maid nodded and quickly stood up, hurrying behind Zosia. Zosia sat down, staring at the mirror in front of her and seeing the blood vessels that stretched across her face like tributaries, she wondered when they will go. The ones on her body had disappeared. "What is your name?" "Grace, your Highness." Grace answered with a lowered head, her eyes on the hair she was making. "Am I scary?" Zosia noticed that Grace had avoided looking at her face, and she could even detect a faint hint of fear. Seeing that Grace did not respond after a while, Zosia smiled and closed her eyes, when she suddenly heard a whisper. "My apologies, Your Highness," Grace finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I am not frightened of you, but rather... I respect you immensely." Zosia arched an eyebrow, intrigued by the maid''s reply. "Respect? For what reason?" Grace hesitated, her fingers continuing to deftly weave Zosia''s hair. "Because despite everything, you remain strong. The scars... they tell a story of resilience and courage. Not many would endure what you have and still carry themselves with such dignity. Even to the extent of surviving such poison. " Zosia smiled, not really taking the maid''s words to heart. She had grown accustomed to fear and pity, but respect was rare, despite that, she still had her manners. "Thank you, Grace." Grace finished the intricate braid and chose a simple, yet elegant, piece of jewelry that complemented Zosia''s attire. As she fastened the necklace, she caught Zosia''s eye in the mirror and offered a small, reassuring smile. "You''re ready, Your Highness." Zosia nodded, rising from the chair. "Thank you, Grace. You''ve done well. Now time for my lessons." Zosia took the books into her arms as she made her way through the palace corridors. She couldn''t help but notice the whispers and curious glances that followed her. She even heard some unpleasant things. She didn''t let that affect her mood this sunny morning, such people whose lives are not even in their hands are not worthy of affecting her mood. She had more important matters to attend to¡ªher studies, her training, and the responsibilities that came with her position. Upon arriving at the study hall, she was greeted by the Imperial Tutor and The Emperor. "Greetings to the great Sun." She courtesy to the Emperor, then turned to the Imperial tutor, a stern-faced man named Mislar Elric. He is known for his rigorous teaching methods and his strict attitude. "Greetings to Teacher." Elric nodded in response, "Greetings to you, Princess." "Princess, I don''t think you need a veil while I teach, how would I be able to tell if you understood me?" Zosia blinked, "Don''t end up getting scared." She muttered inwardly. Gently removing the veil, her face was slowly exposed. Elric has been curious about what the famed black star princess looked like and how destroyed her face is, as mentioned in the rumors. The Emperor sat by the side, saying nothing, his eyes on the Imperial tutor to watch his reaction. Elric inhaled sharply, his eyes widening then narrowing into slits with his lips drawn into a thin line as he stared at Zosia''s face. "Now that you have seen my daughter''s face, are you still willing to teach her?" The Emperor coldly asked. Elric shuddered upon hearing the Emperor''s voice. "Of course, Your Majesty," Elric replied, regaining his composure. He schooled his features into a neutral expression, though Zosia caught the initial flicker of revulsion. "I am here to teach, not to judge." The Emperor''s gaze remained fixed on Elric, unyielding. "Good. Ensure that remains your focus." Elric nodded, visibly steeling himself as he began the lesson. He opened the book he came with as he spoke, "Today, Princess, we will delve into the history of the Southern Kingdoms and their diplomatic relations with our empire." Zosia sat attentively, absorbing every word. Despite the tutor''s earlier reaction, she refused to let it distract her. Knowledge was her armor, and she intended to fortify herself with it. Hours passed as they navigated through the complexities of alliances and treaties. Elric''s rigorous teaching methods left no room for distraction, and Zosia found herself fully immersed in the lesson. The Emperor watched quietly, his presence a constant reminder of the expectations placed upon her. Zosia couldn''t help but wonder if the Emperor had nothing to do that he spent hours watching her. "Very well, Princess," Elric finally said, closing his book. "You have shown remarkable understanding today. We will continue tomorrow." Zosia nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Thank you, Teacher." As she gathered her books, Elric spoke again, " You should read what I have taught you and get your questions ready. Tomorrow I would answer them." Zosia nodded in response as she put on her veil. "Remember to come on time tomorrow and our lessons will be getting stricter." He said and left, leaving Zosia and the Emperor. The Emperor rose from his seat. "Zosia, walk with me." They left the study hall together, the silence between them comfortable yet charged with unspoken words. The corridors of the palace felt endless, each step echoing with the weight of responsibility. "Father," Zosia began, breaking the silence, "Do you think I will ever be able to remove these marks?" The Emperor''s expression softened, a rare glimpse of vulnerability. "I don''t know, my dear. But remember, they are a testament to your strength. Wear them with pride." Zosia nodded, though her heart was heavy. A woman''s appearance is her pride. She has always been proud of being beautiful and not having the need to put on make up. It was something Mia had been so envious of. "I will, Father." She responded. They walked in silence for a few more moments before the Emperor spoke again. "You have done well today, Zosia. Do not let others'' reactions diminish your worth. You are destined for greatness." "Thank you, Father," Zosia replied, her resolve strengthening. "I will not disappoint you." "I know and I trust you." The Emperor nodded, patting Zosia on the head, "If he wrongs you, just tell me." The Emperor said as they reached the garden. The Emperor stopped and turned to her. "Spend some time here, clear your mind. You have earned it." Zosia watched as her father walked away, his regal figure disappearing into the palace. She took a deep breath, allowing the tranquility of the garden to wash over her. The vibrant flowers and chirping birds offered a stark contrast to the rigidity of palace life. Lost in her thoughts, she didn''t notice her so-called Half-brother staring at her from the building situated in the middle of the pond. Kamal had watched as the Emperor, his father, pat his sister on the head, something he had never done for him. What does his sister have that he doesn''t? His eyes filled with hatred and confusion as he stared at her. "Why does Father favour her so much?" The attendants with him lowered their heads, only the boldest among them had the courage to say something. "It''s because she has no one." "Huh? What do you mean? Doesn''t she have father already." He said in an aggrieved tone. "She didn''t before until she survived the poison. The Empress...." He stuttered, but still continued, "doesn''t like her and never cared for her, so the Emperor decided to fill in that role." Kamal nodded his head in understanding, but he still felt wronged. He continued to stare at her, wanting to see if she would notice him, unfortunately, she just lowered her head and left. He was only just three years old, but he was already intelligent enough to understand some things. He didn''t want to feed the fishes again and wanted to go and see his mother. Maybe, if she decides to like Sister a little, father would have no choice but to like him also. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Unfortunately, it was just a pipe dream as he received the first scolding of his life that day. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ============ We are almost at a 100 chapters, please do support me by introducing the book to your friends or those of similar interest. You can also support me with power stones, gifts, Golden tickets etc. Thank you and have a nice day. Chapter 98 - 96- Arc 3 Three more years flashed by and Zosia had grown more beautiful despite the vine- like marks on her face that refused to disappear. Without seeing her face, only her body shape, one would appreciate her beauty. She has grown accustomed to wearing a veil that many who don''t know about the rumor, calls her an elusive beauty. Walking down the Palace hallways to the study room, she met her half-brother running with his attendants chasing behind him. They had met a few times in the past three years and Zosia had grown used to it. Sometimes they talked. She knew it wasn''t the child''s fault that he was born and since his mother is the one training him, it would be strange if he didn''t have his mentality twisted. "Sister! Are you going for your lessons?" Kamal who was running came to a stop and the breathless attendants behind him, finally breath a sigh of relief. "Yes, I am and you should too. Else, you may not be able to see the Emperor or hear him praise you." Zosia chided. "I understand sister, then..." He paused, his eyes brimming with tears, "Will you follow me to see mother?" Kamal asked Zosia''s eyes flashed with an unknown glint for a moment, if she hadn''t taken her time to educate the young one everytime, he probably would have gone astray with many things she has seen him do. Plus, she didn''t understand his insistence of wanting her to meet the Empress. Could there be something more? She had decided not to immediately jump into conclusions after that day she met Nora and had even taken her time to educate her half-brother. "Fine." Another voice answered on her behalf. Turning towards the sound of the voice, she noticed that it was the Emperor. "Greetings to the Great Sun, the Emperor." Zosia courtesied. Kamal hearing the voice he always dreamt of so close to him, he turned to look at the person who had spoken, shock evident in his reaction as he almost stumbled. His eyes widened with admiration and a touch of nervousness as he quickly bowed. "Father," he said softly, the word filled with reverence. The Emperor, a tall and imposing figure with an aura of authority, looked down at his son with a mixture of sternness and estrangement. "Kamal, you must not let your studies fall behind. Since, you want your sister to see your mother with you, she would go. Only if you do well to study." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kamal nodded vigorously. "Yes, Father. I will do better." The Emperor''s gaze shifted to Zosia, his expression unreadable. "Zosia, walk with me," he commanded. It was not a request, but an order. Zosia inclined her head in acquiescence and fell into step beside him, her veil fluttering slightly with each movement. As they walked through the grand corridors of the palace, the silence between them was heavy. The Emperor finally spoke, his voice low and contemplative. "You have done well with Kamal. He respects you, listens to you. That is no small feat." Zosia kept her gaze forward, her thoughts different. "He is a bright child and if he isn''t led astray, he could be a good ally." Zosia said her thoughts. "He simply needs guidance." The Emperor nodded, "It''s good you are observant. So what would you do if you were the one?" The Emperor asked, his steps coming to a halt as he turned to look at Zosia. Zosia kept mute not answering the question. Some things asked by the Emperor could be a test and could be a double-edged sword just like his praises. Aaron seeing that Zosia wasn''t answering or did she plan to, he wasn''t bothered. Even though Zosia could be playful at times with him, she knew her boundaries so well, that sometimes it puzzles him. He had once asked her why and her reply left him astounded. "Without boundaries, you can''t define a relationship or even know what you want, easily leading you to covet or ask for things that are not yours. One could also easily loose their heads." He even asked her for an example, which she gave. It was an example between a master and a servant. "If a servant feels that since he/she is close to his master and becomes more loose with the mouth and ear. He/she could say what he is not meant to say or hear what shouldn''t be heard." He began to ponder on the intelligence of the child. He found it surprising how she actually stuck to her own principles. Never has she ever greeted him as Father like how Kamal did, always with the standard greeting and posture. He couldn''t find fault in any of them and could only swallow his displeasure. "Speak your mind, you wouldn''t be held accountable for it." He urged her to say what was on her mind. "Nothing, I actually just hope he grows into a better person than what his mother is." Zosia shrugged her shoulders as she replied. "You would be having your last class with Elric today." The Emperor changed the topic. Zosia nodded. So far her classes with him have been fruitful and she was even given access to the Imperial library. "Indeed, I have learned much from him," Zosia responded. "He is a knowledgeable teacher." "Good," the Emperor said, resuming their walk. "You are of age now, Zosia. There are matters we must discuss soon regarding your future." Zosia felt a chill run down her spine. She knew this conversation was inevitable, but the reality of it still felt daunting. "I understand, Your Majesty." "After today, Pack some of your things, you would be going to the Army." He said and turned to her. "An important part of power is Military power. I am sure you understand the depth and how useful it is." Zosia nodded her head in response. "Good, so get ready." They reached the doors of the study room, where her lessons with Elric were held. The Emperor paused before opening the door, looking down at her with an inscrutable expression. "Do not underestimate your own importance in this palace, Zosia. Your role, though veiled, is crucial." Before she could respond, he pushed open the door and gestured for her to enter. Elric was already inside, a stack of ancient scrolls and books laid out before him. "Greetings Teacher." Zosia greeted. "Ah, Zosia," he greeted warmly. "Please, take a seat. We have much to cover today." As she settled into her chair, the Emperor left, closing the door behind him. Elric observed her closely, his sharp eyes missing nothing. "You look troubled." Zosia shook her head. "Just thinking about the future, Master Elric." "Ah, the future," Elric mused, stroking his long beard. "A concept both exciting and terrifying. But today, let us focus on the present. We have the final stages of your education to complete." He handed her a scroll, the parchment yellowed with age and covered in elegant script. "This is a treatise on the art of statecraft. It was written by one of our greatest philosophers. Study it well, for you will need its wisdom in the years to come." Zosia unrolled the scroll and began to read, her mind absorbing the intricate details of governance, diplomacy, and strategy. Elric''s voice guided her through the complex ideas, his explanations clear and insightful. Hours passed, the sun shifting in the sky outside the study room window. When they finally finished, Zosia felt a sense of accomplishment, but also a weight of responsibility. The knowledge she had gained was powerful, but it also came with the expectation that she would use it wisely. Elric leaned back in his chair, regarding her with a satisfied smile. "You have done well, Zosia. I have no doubt that you will make a significant impact in this palace, and beyond." "Thank you, Master Elric," she replied, her voice steady. "I hope to live up to your expectations." As she gathered her things to leave, Elric''s expression turned serious. "Be cautious, Zosia. Knowledge and power can attract both allies and enemies. Trust your instincts, and remember that not all battles are fought with swords." She nodded, understanding the weight of his words. "I will, Master Elric." Leaving the study room, Zosia''s thoughts were a whirlwind. Elric watched as Zosia left and also packed his things, intending to go meet the Emperor. As Zosia walked back through the palace halls, the evening light casting long shadows, she felt a renewed sense of determination. The vine-like marks on her face might set her apart, but they did not define her. Her strength, intelligence, and resilience were what truly mattered. So she could only depend on herself. Reaching her quarters, she paused to look out at the sprawling gardens below. Their beauty under the evening sky looked beautiful. Remembering what the Emperor had told her before she started her lessons, she gently touched her hair. "Seems like you would be going under the knife again." She muttered. Zosia suddenly remembered that in ancient times, the hair is regarded as sacred, meaning, she couldn''t cut it even if she wanted to. "I haven''t even rested and yet I am on another journey. The Life of a Heir." She thought inwardly. Zosia was about to step inside when she noticed Kamal sitting by the side of the garden. Zosia sighed and walked up to him. "Prince Kamal." She called out, bringing the young child out of his daydream. "Sister!" He called out joyfully which turned into a frown, "Sister I told you to address me informally or don''t you.... like me?" He asked, his voice breaking towards the end. Zosia bent down to face him. "In life, there are boundaries used to define things including relationships and your decisions. If you don''t have one, you can make terrible mistakes." Kamal nodded his head, he felt like he grasped something, yet it remained elusive to him but it didn''t stop him from etching those words to his memory. "I understand sister, but it still shouldn''t stop you from addressing me right." He complained. Zosia smiled and ruffled his hair. "Alright." She agreed, "Let''s go little brother." Kamal smiled, his milk teeth coming to view. He led the way to the Empress courtyard, skipping joyfully in his steps. They talked on their way, their conversation quite pleasant. =========== Hi guys... How are you all? School has begun and I thought I could use this week to stockpile, unfortunately, lectures began immediately. I am really sorry that I would not be able to keep up to expectations but I would try my best. Please keep supporting me and I plead for your support during my absence. Thank you all and have a nice and enjoyable day. Chapter 99 - 97- Arc 3 They arrived at the Empress Courtyard. The courtyard was strongly guarded with the guards standing in disciplined rows. They straightened even more as Zosia and Kamal approached, their eyes fixed forward, betraying no emotion. "Who goes there?" one of the guards challenged, though his tone softened upon recognizing Kamal. "It is I, Kamal," the young prince replied, standing a bit taller. "And my sister, Zosia." The guards nodded, stepping aside to allow them entry. The Empress''s courtyard was a lush haven within the palace, filled with vibrant flowers and meticulously maintained hedges. A small fountain bubbled in the center, its soothing sound a stark contrast to what Zosia was currently feeling. Kamal led her through the courtyard to the Empress''s private chambers. The doors were grand and imposing, carved with intricate patterns of blooming flowers and swirling vines. Kamal knocked lightly, and a voice called out from within. "Enter." A cold voice came from inside. They stepped inside to find the Empress seated on a luxurious divan, her elegant features composed as she surveyed them. She was a striking woman, her beauty un-diminished by time, though her eyes held a hardness that Zosia found unnerving. "Mother," Kamal greeted her with a bow, his voice filled with childlike affection. The Empress''s gaze softened slightly as she looked at her son. "Kamal, my dear. And Zosia," she added, her tone neutral as her eyes landed on this daughter of hers. Zosia noticed the flicker of disgust in her eyes. She couldn''t help but wonder what exactly the original owner did to warrant such hatred from her mother. Why did she hate her like that? Was she so unloving? She noticed the expression full of love the Empress had in her eyes as she looked at Kamal. It made her feel uncomfortable. Now, she understood why the original owner dislikes her brother and why Kamal always seeks for the Emperor''s attention. They each had a parent that loves them. Though she wasn''t sure if either of them even loved their favorite unconditionally. The Empress wants Kamal for the throne while the Emperor wants the same. At least the Emperor is better. Zosia still found herself puzzled by the Empress''s reason to cheat. Why did she cheat? And with a married man, at that. So what does that make them? A married woman who cheated on her own husband with a married man. "Greetings Your Highness." She greeted, her posture in accordance with the norms. Amelia''s eyes flickered with a hint of astonishment. She expected Zosia to fail in her greeting so she could find fault and punish her. Because she had been confined, she had been unable to properly deal with Zosia. She knew sending poisons is as good as useless, since she was very aware of the fact, that her body loves poison. She couldn''t send an assassin either, since Zosia is currently staying beside the Emperor. If she still wants her head to be on her neck, she knows what to try and what not to. Her gaze scanned Zosia, her eyes stopping on her veil for a moment. Turning to her first hand maid who is also her aide, she whispered into her ear. Zosia watched the Empress whisper into the ears of the maid and watched the maid leave. She actually heard what the Empress had asked her to do, but she lowered her head like she heard nothing, being the obedient girl she is. If Karl or the Emperor heard her thoughts they would scoff. Obedient? It would be great if she doesn''t force your hand when she needs something. Kamal had gone to stay beside his mother, his eyes bright and filled with affection. "Mom, I tried to come and see you but they refused to let me. If not for sister who has been taking care of me, I probably would have cried till I am sick." He continued laying out his complaints unaware about the emotions going through the Empress. Her eyes darkened and her had clenched into a fist. Her nails dug into her palm, but she still had to put on a smile and nod occasionally. Zosia observed the subtle but telling signs of the Empress''s agitation. Her ability to maintain a composed facade while clearly seething inside was both impressive and unnerving. Zosia decided to stay silent, knowing that any wrong move could trigger the Empress''s ire. "Thank you, Zosia, for taking care of Kamal," the Empress said, her voice smooth and controlled. "It is good to know that he has someone looking after him." "It is my duty, Your Highness," Zosia replied, keeping her tone respectful and neutral. The door opened again, and the Empress''s maid returned, carrying a tray containing tea leaves and some herbs. Zosia''s eyes flickered to the tray, her instincts alerting her that something was amiss. The tray consisted of natural healthy herbs, she isn''t generally good in medicine, so she turned to chip, she had learnt a little in poisons but she had heard of nothing about mixing the herbs will do anything to her or act as a trigger. The moment she thought of the word "trigger", she suddenly remembered what the Chief Imperial Physician had said when he diagnosed her. He had mentioned about her sustaining her body with poisons as any healthy thing could offset it. Unfortunately that would be correct if the poison had not become an innate part of her turning her normal constitution to a poison constitution. She has been taking the stream water that had great detoxifying effect, antioxidant effect, etc and yet, she still remained the same. If such couldn''t offset her, would it be such herbs that even have some faults. "Chip scan their properties." She said Inwardly. It was still better to be on the safe side, so she had chip scan them. "You know it isn''t right covering your face when talking to your parents." The Empress said while the maid did the tea. "I don''t dare disgust the Empress with my countenance, spoiling the Empress mood." Zosia responded. Amelia frowned, Zosia''s response was perfect and immaculate. She couldn''t say that she was not being considerate. "Sister, How could mother feel disgust. If mother feels disgust, how is she still your mother?" Kamal chipped. He felt that his sister is too rigid and up-tight. "Is this why father likes her?" He thought inwardly. He remembered that sister has always been formal around the Emperor and anybody, including her teacher. He had never seen her wheedling the Emperor or acting like she was so favored. "Or are what people saying wrong?" Since he had never seen any of those, how could it be considered favouring. Feeling that his brain was too small to think further, he sighed, "The adults have a lot of strange thinking" He muttered to himself. Zosia smiled at Kamal but inwardly shook her head. "He is still a child." Amelia turned stiff at Kamal''s words. Kamal would not be wrong if she actually loved Zosia but.... Nevermind, she decided to go with flow, as far as she could get what she wants done. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inwardly, Zosia was going through the result of what she had checked. She found the tea leaves to be strange as the system had marked its name as unknown as well as it''s properties. Her eyes flickered. "Seems like my knowledge bank is still not enough." She thought inwardly. "Chip scan through the knowledge bank." She ordered. Her attention was pulled by the Empress voice. "Remove the Veil or didn''t you hear as your brother said." The Empress cold voice entered her ears. Kamal ears twitched. "Why is mother sounding angry?" Zosia gently and smoothly removed viel, revealing the vine-like marks on her face that stretched from her neck to her forehead. The Empress face flickered with disgust while Kamal shivered inwardly. Despite seeing his sister''s face many times, it still scares him. The maids present in the room all had varying degrees of expression. But they immediately lowered their head, unwilling to be caught. Zosia took in everyone''s expression but said nothing. "Sit, you have been standing, unwilling to sit even after being dragged by Kamal." The Empress spoke. "Thank you, Your Highness." "Kamal, my dear," the Empress said, turning her attention to her son. "Why don''t you go with Lila and pick out a treat from the kitchens? You deserve something special today." Kamal''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Really, Mother? Can Zosia come too?" The Empress''s smile didn''t reach her eyes. "Not this time, Kamal. I need to speak with Zosia alone." Kamal feeling disappointed but he obediently followed Lila out of the room, leaving Zosia alone with the Empress. The maids also took the cue and left. The door closed behind them, and the atmosphere in the room grew tense. "Zosia," the Empress began, her tone now devoid of the warmth she had shown Kamal. "Why are you treating Kamal nicely, what do you expect to get from it?" "What is she planning again?" Zosia looked at the Empress dropping the good girl look she had few minutes ago. Since the room was currently devoid of maids, she didn''t have to pretend much again, but she could finally say somethings. "Since I can''t receive love from you, for reasons I do not know. And since he also can''t receive the Emperor''s love, we have just each other." Zosia responded calmly. The Empress scoffed in response, her lips curled up to form a dangerous smile, "You can keep dreaming. I will just warn you. Stay away from my son. He will be the heir to the throne and shouldn''t be tainted with your bad luck." She spat coldly. Zosia maintained her composure, despite the searing disdain in the Empress''s voice. She had expected this hostility, but hearing it directed so blatantly at her still stung. "I understand your concerns, Your Highness," Zosia replied, her tone calm and measured. The Empress leaned back, studying Zosia with cold, calculating eyes. "You are a clever girl, Zosia. But do not think for a moment that I am fooled by your innocent facade." Zosia met her gaze steadily. "I have no desire to deceive you, Your Highness." "But I do have a question for you. I wonder if the Empress is willing to grace me with an answer. I have been pondering over this question." Zosia eyes flickered with a hint of mischief, just like how the Empress looked at her with derision and hateful eyes, she decided to wipe that look from her face. Since she would be leaving soon and knowing that the Empress wouldn''t be in confinement for long, as the matter had been discussed every day in the morning court, causing the Emperor to get angry many times. She wasn''t sure Kamal would still be salvageable by the time she comes back, so it''s better she gets the Empress to act on her own and let the Emperor find a reason to remove her. "Speak." Zosia asked her question with her voice tinged with a mix of incredulity and accusation, "How could you betray the Emperor and yet possess the audacity to propose Kamal as the heir?" Zosia''s blunt question touched a nerve. Amelia has never expected such a question and for her affair to be revealed. She looked around, seeing that there was no one, she breathe a sigh of relief. Turning to Zosia, her hatred and anger was in full view. "You should say what you are capable of taking responsibility for. " "I am well aware of the gravity of my words, Your Highness," Zosia replied, unflinching. "However, the question remains. Why did you risk everything for an affair? And with a married man, no less?" The Empress''s face twisted with rage, but she quickly masked it with her usual cold composure. "You insolent child," she hissed. "You know nothing of the complexities of this palace, nor the sacrifices I have made." Zosia''s eyes remained steady. "Enlighten me, then. What could possibly justify such actions?" The Empress rose from her seat, her movements graceful yet menacing. She approached Zosia, her eyes narrowing. "You dare to question me, after all I''ve endured for this family? You, who have been nothing but a blight upon my life?" Zosia held her ground. "I dare because I seek the truth. Kamal deserves to know the truth, as do I. We are your children, after all." "Children," the Empress spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You are a constant reminder of my failures. Kamal, at least, has potential. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a burden." Zosia''s heart ached at the harsh words, her pity for the original owner increasing. "If I am such a burden, why not rid yourself of me entirely? Why keep me around?" The Empress''s eyes glinted with a dangerous light. "Believe me, if it were within my power, you would have been long gone. But your father, in his infinite wisdom, deems you useful. For now." Zosia clenched her fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. "And what of Kamal? Is he just a pawn in your schemes for power?" "Kamal is my son," the Empress snapped. "He is destined for greatness, unlike you. I will not allow you to taint him with your poison." Zosia raised her eyebrows, "Tell me, what makes you hate me so much?" The Empress turned away, her back rigid with tension. Instead of answering Zosia''s question, she said, "You are a fool, Zosia. A naive, idealistic fool." "Maybe so," Zosia replied softly. "But I am not the only one living in a world of delusions." The Empress whipped around, her eyes blazing with fury. "You insolent bastard." She cursed swinging the tea cup she was holding onto Zosia. The tea cup broke on Zosia''s forehead. The sound resounding in the room leading to a pin drop silence. Luckily, there was no tea in it. Since she had been cultivating more of her soul and less of her body, the expensive tea cup was still able to cause her to bleed out but not a lot. Touching her forehead that was oozing with blood, she wiped it. Seeing the blood, Amelia''s eyes flickered. "Get out!" She roared in anger. Zosia''s gaze turned cold as she stared at Amelia but she turned and left, neither saying anything. ========== Thank you all for your constant support. I decided to try the italics today, may not be constant though. Please enjoy today''s chapter. I hope I could keep posting but, I don''t see myself fulfilling it. Please keep supporting me. Thank you and have a nice day. Also thank you Elraven and ridpose for your golden tickets this month. Please keep enjoying the novel. Thank you. Chapter 100 - 98- Arc 3 Zosia buttoned her shirt as she put on her clothes. Since, she would be going to the army, she would not be wearing only gown, she needs to wear an inner trouser. She had done some while staying with Uncle Adrian and had been using them, so it wasn''t strange for her to wear. "Princess.... Are you really going to the army?" Grace asked cautiously, her eyes filled with dread. She had heard a lot of things about the army and she just couldn''t imagine the Princess going there. To her, it was no different than sending the Princess to exile. She had watched the Princess for the past 3 years and noticed that the Princess always kept to herself. Despite people saying that she is pampered by the Emperor, she has not seen anything like that. To her, pampering is to indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness. But that was not the same with the Princess. The Emperor practically dictates everything the Princess should do and hates it when she refuses. Sometimes she felt that the Princess seemed more like a bird in a gilded cage, longing for freedom. Grace''s concern grew with each passing moment. Zosia sighed, adjusting her belt. "Yes, Grace. I must go. It''s my duty, and it''s the only way to prove myself. Don''t worry, I will be fine," she reassured with a smile. Even though the Emperor, Karl and Uncle Adrian knew her capabilities, she still needs achievements that will completely shut people''s mouth once it''s time for her to ascend the throne. Grace''s eyes brimmed with tears. "But Princess, the army is no place for someone like you. It''s dangerous, and the soldiers¡­ they are ruthless and smelly and filled with men. What if something happens to you?" Zosia''s lips curled up softly, "Do you think I am that weak? You shouldn''t worry about me. I have experienced more things than you could think of." Grace bit her lip, struggling to find words. She could tell that the Princess wasn''t lying just from some of the scars she had seen on her body. The Princess is the most diligent and most hardworking person she has ever known. She has never seen her throwing a tantrum though the princess has her occasional mood swings but those were still normal unlike some princesses that she heard about from other maids. She noticed that apart from other miscellaneous things, she was the only one serving the Princess and she felt like her job was much easier than her pay. Sometimes she wondered why she was the only one. She had once asked the princess and her reply left her stunned. "I wanted no one at first, if not for the Emperor asking me to take at least one." Thinking about how the princess treated her, she opened her mouth. "Princess, I will follow you." Zosia chuckled at the girl''s declaration. Walking up to her, she brought out a dagger. "Do you see how sharp it is. On the battlefield, swords have no eyes." Grace gulped in trepidation but her eyes were filled with determination. She wants to be beside the Princess and protect the Princess. Zosia felt that Grace''s emotions were strange today and couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure you are not ovulating and feeling a rush of emotions to make you say this?" Grace shook her head. "Princess, you don''t have to worry, I would not regret it." Zosia used analyze on her and seeing that her loyalty was just way of the charts, she scratched her head awkwardly. She decided to take Grace with her. "Alright." Zosia walked up to her drawer, bringing out another set of clothes. "Put on this." She ordered as she handed the clothes to Grace. "Princess I can''t wear your clothes. I don''t dare." Grace immediately responded. "Did I ask you? I ordered you to. Wear it before I come back." Zosia said and left. ************ Bang! Another teacup suffered the same fate as the rest on the floor, including the expensive vases. "What does he mean by this?" Amelia growled in anger. Her eyes were practically about to spit fires. Pacing around the room, she felt furious at the decision Aaron had made. Anyone could piece things together as far as the person was not a fool to understand that the Emperor was training Zosia to be the heir to the throne. She couldn''t allow it. From Zosia''s words yesterday, she could tell that the probability of Aaron being aware of her infidelity is already high. "But, when did he know? How did they know?" She thought inwardly. She had made sure to clear all traces and hide whatever she was doing, even his family doesn''t know about it. She had counted on Aaron''s indifference to her movements, his preoccupation with the Empire affairs, and his trust in her. But now, everything was unraveling. "No, I cannot let this stand," she whispered fiercely. "I must act, and swiftly." Amelia''s thoughts raced as she tried to devise a plan. She needed to undermine Zosia''s position in the Emperor''s eyes and create a situation where Aaron would have no choice but to discard her. But how? An idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. She needed an ally, someone within the palace who could execute her plans discreetly. But she remembered the Emperor dealing with many of his concubines. She had been happy when he was dealing with them, feeling that he was fulfilling the wish he made to her when he was wooing her but thinking about it now, it was clearly him removing the weeds and using her as a target. She couldn''t do it herself, so she can only let Chrisen do it. It would be less suspicious and besides, if they found out her plan, they would likely do it but would cut her off once they are done. The Emperor had drastically reduced her hands in the Palace and now she was feeling it. At first she hadn''t bothered much since Chrisen was doing his own part on building connections outside for their child and most likely while the Emperor is doing his clean up, he may find things related to her, so she had cut them off. "Get me an ink, grindstone, brush and paper." She ordered. She needs to send a message quick and fast before Zosia leaves. "Don''t blame me for acting. Blame yourself for not knowing your place." She muttered, her eyes filled with hatred. While she was making her plans, the person in question was already geared up to go. "Are you taking her with you?" Aaron asked, his gaze landing on Grace that stood with her head raised high and her chest puffed out. He noticed that the cloth material wasn''t something a maid could afford, meaning, Zosia had given it to her. "Seems like she is now accepting people into her heart." He thought Inwardly. Aaron believed that he could confidently beat his chest and tell anyone who ask him how many people his daughter cares for. Apart from him, Adrian, Karl, Kamal and those two veteran maids that he doesn''t know what she did with them, Grace would be a new one. They were so few and whenever he thought about it, his heart would ache, especially remembering that his daughter couldn''t give birth. He didn''t think she would want to marry either. "Yes." Zosia responded concisely. "Who would be taking care of your tea tree then?" Aaron asked. He didn''t want such valuable tea tree to go to waste. "I am taking it to the barracks." Aaron nodded at her response. He didn''t care what she does with it, as far as he gets the tree leaves. "I have informed General Solenneves. He would take care of you and meet him if you want to send any message to me." "Yes Father. I would miss you. I should get going." Zosia bowed but her bow was cut short by the Emperor who drew her into a hug. "Take care. I know you can take it but remember to tell me if something goes wrong." Zosia lips curled up into a wicked smile. "I will." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Grace who was watching them from a distance, stood rooted to the ground with a confused look on her face. "So, the Emperor really does care about the Princess." She muttered, feeling a burst of Joy in her heart. She is very well aware of the rumors about the Princess, including how unloved she is by her own mother and being called a black star of doom. Following the Princess into the carriage, she suppressed whatever thought she had. ************** Zosia arrived at the training grounds just as the sun began its slow ascent over the horizon. The encampment was already bustling with activity. Soldiers moved with purpose, their armor clanking, and the air was thick with the scent of sweat, metal, and morning dew. As she approached, a murmur spread through the ranks. Zosia, the Emperor''s daughter, was not a figure they had expected to see here. Some soldiers cast curious glances, while others whispered among themselves. Zosia squared her shoulders, her gaze nonchalant and even lazy. A tall man with a stern expression and grizzled hair stepped forward. His eyes narrowed as he took in Zosia''s presence. He was Captain Yotaku, a veteran known for his strict discipline and no-nonsense attitude. "Princess Zosia," Yotaku said, his voice laced with skepticism. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence?" Zosia met his gaze steadily. "I''m here to join the army, Captain.... Yotaku." She said after reading the name sown on the uniform. "I wish to serve and prove myself." Yotaku brows furrowed. He was tired of all these noble children being sent to the barracks as they would end up causing disruption. Luckily most of them don''t last long and run away on their own. He felt that that would be the same thing with the Princess. "With all due respect, Princess, the army is no place for royalty. Our conditions are harsh, and our training is rigorous. Are you prepared for that?" "I am," Zosia replied firmly. "I understand the challenges, but I am not here to be treated as royalty. I am here to be a soldier, to fight and to lead." Yotaku studied her for a long moment before turning to his second-in-command. "Lieutenant Arlyn, show the Princess to the barracks. Ensure she has everything she needs." As Zosia followed Arlyn, she could feel the weight of the soldiers'' eyes on her. She knew she had to prove herself, not just to the captain and the soldiers, but to herself as well. The barracks were a stark contrast to the palace. The wooden bunks were bare and the space was cramped. Zosia found an empty bunk and set her belongings down. Grace, who had insisted on accompanying her, looked around with wide eyes. "Princess, this is... different," Grace said, trying to keep her voice steady. "It is," Zosia agreed. "But we will adapt. You have to." Grace gulped and nodded her head. Zosia had yet to arrange herself and trouble came knocking on her door. "Hey, Princess come out." A loud voice sounded, drawing the attention of other soldiers. Zosia rolled her eyes, "It must be a planned one." Zosia concluded inwardly. Walking out of the room, she was met with a young man dressed differently from the soldiers. He was dressed in blue. "You are?" Zosia calmly asked her voice as airy as always. "Hahaha... Princess introduce yourself first." He laughed and those following behind him laughed as well. Zosia completely lost interest with them and was about to turn and go back when she was held back by him. Zosia stared coldly at the hand touching her and strongly removed his hold on her hand. "Speak what do you want?" Zosia asked coldly. The young man''s eyes flickered as he stared at the face with vine-like marks, he snorted. "Don''t act like you are a beauty with that monstrous face of yours." Zosia eyes got colder as she stared at the idiot. "Princess, you should know that we are in the barracks and there is no distinction between male and female, why don''t we go bath together let''s see if you are really a male." He words elicited laughter from those following him and from a few soldiers standing to watch. From afar, Captain Yotaku watched the scene. Lieutenant Arlyn wanted to act but was stopped by Yotaku. "Let''s watch the Princess handle it, before you act." Zosia chuckled at his words, her smile widening. Since no one was acting or saying anything. It means she could act. Cracking her neck which made sounds that made the soldiers gulp and even the young man stopped smiling. "If young noble decides to play, I don''t mind playing with you throughout." She said, bringing out a dagger that wiped off the smile on their faces. "I.. I was just joking with the Princess." He stuttered and turned to leave. He was just sent to test the Princess, he didn''t want to get on her bad side either. Unfortunately, others couldn''t read the room and decided to take up from where he stopped. "I don''t mind playing with the princess." A young man dressed like the soldiers with his hair packed in a bun and dark blue eyes said. "Okay. Been a while I stretched." Zosia said. They left for the training field. Arriving at the training field, Zosia tied her hair into a bun and then put on the mask she decided to wear while in the army. The mask was a surprise to many people but it relieved them from seeing the Princess face. The duel commenced, and the soldiers gathered around to watch. The air was tense with anticipation, as many were eager to see if the Princess could hold her own against a seasoned soldier. The young soldier, smug and confident, took the first move. He lunged at Zosia, swinging his sword with a wide arc. Zosia sidestepped effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise. She countered with a swift strike of her own, her dagger glinting in the morning light. The soldier barely had time to react, stumbling back to avoid the blade. The onlookers murmured in surprise, not expecting such agility from the Princess. Zosia pressed her advantage, her attacks relentless. She moved with the grace and speed of a dancer, each strike calculated to disarm and subdue her opponent. The soldier''s confidence quickly waned, replaced by desperation as he struggled to keep up. Within minutes, Zosia had the soldier on the ground, her dagger at his throat. She stared down at him, her eyes cold and unyielding. "Yield," she commanded. The soldier, breathing heavily and thoroughly beaten, nodded. "I yield," he gasped. Zosia stepped back, allowing him to stand. She turned to face the gathered soldiers, her expression unreadable behind the mask. "Let this be a lesson," she said, her voice carrying across the training grounds. "I am here to fight, to lead, and to prove myself. Anyone else who doubts my place here is welcome to challenge me." Captain Yotaku watched with a mixture of surprise and grudging respect. It seemed the Princess was more formidable than he had given her credit for. He stepped forward, his voice booming. "Training begins now! Everyone to your stations!" As the soldiers dispersed, Zosia returned to her bunk, Grace trailing behind her. "Princess, that was incredible," Grace said, her voice filled with awe. Zosia shrugged, untying her hair and removing the mask. "It was necessary," she replied. "I need them to respect me, not as a Princess, but as a soldier." Grace nodded, her admiration for Zosia growing. She realized that the Princess was more than just a noble; she was a warrior, determined and fierce. As they settled in, Grace made a silent vow to stand by Zosia''s side, no matter what challenges lay ahead. =========== We just resumed but we are already having test and I need to read so the release rate may drop but I still hope for your support in my absence. Thank you all for your continuous support. Thank you Kimberly, cherry_perrt, Elraven and ridpose for the Golden tickets. Thank you all for the power stones as well. Thanks a lot and I hope and pray you keep supporting me. Please introduce my novel to your friends, family, colleagues and those of similar interest as well. Thank you once again and have a nice day. Chapter 101 - 99- Arc 3 Zosia''s days in the army were well spent, to the extent that her fame had spread far and wide. She was known as the Black blade. Once she appears on a battlefield, the enemy will be sliced clean. Most people referred to her as the Bloodless Soldier. Wherever she goes, the enemy dies without loosing any blood. "Grace, pack our things, we would be going back home." Zosia said as she fixed her mask in place. She had gotten used to the mask in the last five years she had spent in the army. Grace turned to look at the Princess and uttered a tired sigh. "Princess, you just came back from another war, where are you going again?" Indeed, due to her contribution the war they had been at with the southern Kingdom Alliance had come to an end. She had assassinated their Generals, disrupted supply lines, and shattered morale, all without shedding a single drop of blood. Her methods were swift, efficient, and terrifyingly precise. Zosia had become a legend, whispered about in the darkest corners of enemy camps and celebrated as a hero among her own people, well except for the nobles. To the nobles, she was seen as anything but good. Zosia turned to Grace, " General Solenneves called for me. I feel it has to do something with going back home." Grace nodded, though she couldn''t help but feel a pang of concern. Zosia had been relentless in her duties, always pushing herself to the brink. She wondered if the Princess ever allowed herself a moment of rest, a moment to be anything other than the unstoppable force she had become. Indeed it made her worry more. She couldn''t help but think negatively. She didn''t think the Emperor would like Zosia''s fame and neither would the Empress who hates her to the bone. She even fears going back to the Palace. When they were coming to the barracks, she remembered how many times they came close to the Jaws of death. She was even more shocked when they pried out who was behind the assassination. She knew in her heart that their journey back to the palace may be far worse. But then, she still had to obey the Princess. "Very well, Princess," Grace said, gathering their belongings with practiced efficiency. "I''ll have everything ready within the hour." Zosia nodded and turned to leave, her heart a little restless. She kept having a bad feeling and she just couldn''t place her hand on it. What could possibly have gone wrong? Lost in thought she soon arrived at General Solenneves office still on her mask. She had come to like the mask better than the viel, just thinking about putting on that thin veil again when she goes back to the palace, gave her headache. Knock! Knock!! She knocked rhythmically on the wooden door. "Enter." An old but vibrant voice came from inside. Entering the office she was met with a man in his sixties garbed in military attire. Zosia greeted in the standard military posture. "Aish... Forget the formalities." He waved his hand at her, stopping her from continuing with the greetings. "Sit." Zosia sat on the seat he pointed at. Turning to look at the General, her eyes held a hint of concern. "General, you called for me." Zosia calmly said. "Yes. The Emperor told me about his choice and I don''t know what to say, to support or not too support." He said with a smile. "It depends on the General, what he thinks is better for the Empire." "Hahaha" Solenneves laughed, "Really? Good for the Empire, I think you are good for the army. You can have the power of the military in your hands and help your brother rule." Zosia suddenly smiled, but with her mask on, it couldn''t be seen but her eyes became chilly. "I wonder on whose sides are you on? Seems to me that General Solenneves has already made up his mind." "I do know that if you prove something to me, my mind could possibly change." He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly. Zosia chuckled softly, "Like what? Seems if my achievements couldn''t prove something to you, then I possibly must have wasted my time." General Solenneves leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Your achievements are indeed remarkable, Princess. But what lies ahead requires more than just skill on the battlefield. It demands leadership, wisdom, and the ability to navigate the treacherous waters of court politics." Zosia''s gaze hardened."And you think I don''t have that. Who led most of the soldiers into the war that there was no hope of winning." She paused and continued, "I''ve navigated far worse. The court is no different than a battlefield, only the weapons are words and the bloodshed is in the shadows." Solenneves sighed, a hint of smile creeping into his expression. "Perhaps. But the Emperor''s decision comes with its own set of challenges. Your brother is a capable ruler, but his grip on the throne is still tenuous. You would be his greatest ally, or his greatest threat." The room fell silent as Zosia processed his words. She had always known that returning to the palace would not be easy, that her role in the Empire''s future was fraught with peril. But she had never shied away from a challenge before, and she wouldn''t start now. "General Solenneves, if you called me here just to tell me this. I am not sorry to say this but what is mine is mine and I have never shied away from any challenge and it wouldn''t start now." Zosia coldly said. "I beg to take my leave." Zosia said as she stood up, heading for the door. Solenneves cackled, shaking his head, he looked at the little girl he had watched grow up for five years. He didn''t want to do it, but unfortunately his hands are tied. "I don''t want it to end like this. But take this as a favour. What''s yours has probably slipped away from your hand." Zosia paused in her steps. She stood still for a moment, processing Solenneves words. There was no way he would say such without being sure, it could only mean, something has happened to the Emperor. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia slowly turned back to face Solenneves, her eyes piercing through the slits of her mask. "I would return the favour later but tell me, how is the Emperor''s health." she demanded, her voice cold and steady. Solenneves could see that despite how sharp Zosia''s eyes were, there was a hint of worry. "I don''t know but neither do I know how long he can last. But definitely not long I presume." Solenneves said with a shrug. "One last question, how many Loyalists are left and how many people did you sell me out to?" Solenneves chuckled, "Princess those are two questions, I don''t know if Princess forgot how to count." "I would answer only one, there are very few Loyalists left and would not last long, as for the other question, you can find out on your own." Zosia turned after hearing his answer and left. Her heart, heavy and filled with anxiety. She couldn''t let them succeed and she couldn''t fail her mission. Returning to her quarters, she found Grace waiting with their belongings neatly packed. "We leave immediately," Zosia commanded, her voice steady but urgent. Grace, sensing the gravity of the situation, nodded without a word. Mounting her horse, she signaled Grace to follow. The journey back to the palace was fraught with uncertainty. Zosia could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders, but she knew she had to remain steadfast. The sound of the galloping of horses thudding against the ground as they sped out of the barracks, her eyes cold and determined. They hadn''t even gotten far from the barracks and she encountered the first enemy. By the time they arrived at the Palace, only Zosia was left. Zosia had hidden Grace in a village that was under Uncle Adrian. She knew Adrian wouldn''t be in support of the Empress considering what she has done. But it begged the question, how had things gotten this precarious and she hadn''t gotten any information. She suddenly thought of something. She remembered when suddenly there was a rule of shooting down birds in the sky as they could be messages carried by enemy spies. She had even shot down some. Zosia suddenly felt like a fool, how couldn''t she think of that. She hadn''t even been able to go and see Nora for a while now as she had been strategizing on how to win the war with an overwhelming advantage without giving anybody the room to refute. Arriving at the Palace, she stood afar and watched the palace. She dismounted from the horse which immediately dropped to the floor with a thud. The lower part of her cloth had some blood stains which was unlike Zosia. Whenever she killed, she never lets their blood touch her. Zosia didn''t have time to care about the horse, her gaze moved to the palace gates that were tightly locked. She would be a fool if she openly badged in. She looked around, her sharp eyes didn''t notice anybody. Spreading her spiritual consciousness, she also didn''t detect a soul. "Something bad has happened." She thought, the only thing she could hear was her heart beating against her rib cage. Gulping her saliva, her hand trembled. She cocked open a small bottle and fed the contents to the horse who immediately became energetic. Patting the horse, she helped bring it back up before mounting it again. All that was going on in her mind was to be fast and quick. ============= Thank you all for your support, would probably have missed today''s own but I tried to write this chapter though not as long as I wanted it. But it''s good. Please enjoy today''s chapter and do support me. Thank you. Chapter 102 - 100- Arc 3 Zosia had a hunch that things weren''t that simple. Where could all the guards have gone? "Did they carry out a siege?" If they did, she felt she would have noticed some things. Looking at the tall wall she was about to scale through, she became a little hesitant. She hates the feeling of not knowing what was happening. Currently, she is like a blindfolded cat struggling her way to find food. Gritting her teeth, she decided to continue with it, but not without using the last invisible talisman she had. She her heart ached at the loss of the talisman, but she couldn''t do anything. She was doing it for her mission and since she had vowed to get revenge, she wouldn''t be herself if she didn''t do it. Activating the talisman, she decided against scaling the wall. Going to the secret passage that leads directly to the Emperor''s room. She kept her spiritual consciousness active at all times. Getting close to the Emperor''s room, she felt the presence of a lot of people. Zosia was about to turn back and follow another route, when she heard a loud voice. "Why leave when you have come? After all you came to save your father." Hearing the familiar voice, Her heart pounded against her chest as she ran a list of possible people who could do this. It didn''t sound like Adrian''s voice, so she breath a sigh of relief. She first removed the invisible talisman. Pushing open the door, she looked around the room that seemed crowded. For the Emperor''s room to be crowded, you could imagine the kind of crowd. Among the People in the room, there was a man sitting on the throne chair in the room with others surrounding him. Beside him, were the Empress, Duke Chrisen and her brother ¡ª Kamal. Her gaze shifted from them to the bed. Her gaze became horrified. On the bed the Emperor''s skin had turned bluish purple. He looked like he would be taking his last breath soon. Zosia used Analyze on him and the results were anything but good. "What did you do to my father?!" She questioned, her voice loud and filled with a frightening chill that made those in the room shudder. Kamal looked at his sister and lowered his head. He had actually liked his sister but during these past five years, he had not heard from his sister and being with his mom, his psych had changed. Now, he didn''t actually like his sister as much again. If he took over the throne, he would at most, probably spare her life or use her to form alliances. Zosia ignored their looks as she stepped forward with a rush to the Emperor. The result from the scan wasn''t also good. ?©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤?©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥©¤©¥? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????: 40 ???????????????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? 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"What did you do to him?" She asked again, this time with a growl. She could imagine the pain he would be experiencing for his soul to dissipate. Kneeling down beside him, she cocked open a bottle and poured the liquid into the Emperor''s mouth which was tightly shut in pain. She noticed a slight relief and that his time increased a bit and slowed down how fast his soul was disppasiating. "Answer me!" Her voice reverberated and the building shook. People who had planned on ignoring the Princess and watching the show, looked up to see the Princess who had caused the building to shake at the sound of her voice. Their hearts were filled with awe and fear. Whoosh! Zosia swiped her hand and the tea cup that held the tea the strange man was leisurely drinking was swiped away and the tea evaporated with a whoosh. "You even dare drink with my tea leaves." Her voice reverberated again. Everyone could tell that the Princess was very angry. This was the first time they had ever seen the Princess angry. In fact, it was as if, the Princess had never been angry before. Zosia looked at the man but decided to start with the shrimps first. She could use this opportunity to kill them all. Starting from the last person, "What happened?" The person was shocked, he didn''t expect to be asked. Quivering in his place, he soiled his pants with urine, before he could even get to speak. "Princess, I.... don''t..... know." The man stuttered. Before the man could blink, his head was cleanly seperated from his neck. Kamal frowned at the sight. The sister he knew wasn''t one to be brutal but thinking of the fact that it was her favorite person that was dying, he understood. "Since none of you have decided to tell me what happened. Then I would cleanly send you all to hell as my kindness to you." Bringing out her sword, she swiped it and more than half of the people fell down, their head separated from their body but no blood was spilled. Others who remained, finally felt the horror of her fame ¡ª The Bloodless Princess. The Man who had been quiet, his eyes widened at the sight. "Seems like my guess is right. But from which department does she come from or which soul world?" He thought inwardly. He couldn''t help but wonder where she had gotten such liquid that could slow down the soul disppasiation process. His eyes glowed with greed. He must have it. Everything and then make sure he deals with her, if possible destroy her soul so that she would be unable to return. Indeed he wasn''t of this world. Just like Zosia, he had come here to complete a task. His task was to take over the Roza Empire and the Southern Alliance. Currently, he is the southern Alliance leader. So, his first task has been completed. He has met Zosia once before, unfortunately Zosia doesn''t remember. Suddenly the man laughed, drawing Zosia''s attention. "What you are doing is not helping the Emperor." "That familiar voice again." She thought inwardly, her eyes turning a degree colder and a shade darker. "Give me the antidote." Zosia said, unwilling to exchange more words with the person before her. "Hehe.... Princess, that is not impossible. Just give me the Royal Seal and you can have the antidote." "D..o..n''t" a croaked pained voice spoke., interrupting their conversation. Zosia turned to look at the Emperor. For him to speak despite being in pains, she could tell that even if he died, as far as the Empire still remains standing he would be happy. He didn''t want the Empire to enter the hands of the enemy. "My father has given you an answer. But, I still want my father alive. I wouldn''t care if it was my cheap mother you did it to." Zosia''s words caused Kamal to frown, "So mother is right. Sister is a demon." He thought inwardly. Zosia knew that her spring water couldn''t cure him, it would only slow down the process or extend his life a bit, but who would want to stay alive and endure the searing pain of the soul. "Let''s duel. A minute duel that will decide both the winner and the loser. If I lose, I will give you the Seal and if you lose, you will give me the antidote." The man frowned. He wasn''t confident in beating Zosia as his skills lay in planning and deceit. "And what assurance do I have that you''ll honor your word?" he countered, his voice dripping with skepticism. The room grew tense, the air thick with anticipation. Zosia''s eyes blazed with determination, her jaw set. "You have my word as a princess of the Roza Empire," she replied. "And you can have this." She produced a small, ornate box from her robe, revealing a gleaming royal crest inside. "If I break my promise, this crest will be worth nothing. But if you refuse and lose, I will kill you and every single person in this room." Everyone shuddered. Some tried to leave but found out they couldn''t even move their legs. Their eyes shook at the Princess statement. Now, they understood that just like how the Princess is the Emperor''s reverse scale, it is the same with the Princess. They turned to look at the Empress and Kamal, even Duke Chrisen turned to look at them. Nobody wants to die, they want to live. They didn''t want to participate again. And if words get out, there was no way to accuse the Princess of mass killing the officials since she wasn''t the one that called them. Even if they could do it, How? The Loyalists groups have either been killed or taken to a place they don''t even know about. Their eyes were filled with hatred towards the Empress and Kamal. They were on their own but because of them, they had found themselves in a quagmire. The man hesitated, eyes narrowing as he calculated the risks. Finally, he nodded. "Very well, Princess. A one-minute duel." Since, he wasn''t sure he could win it, he decided to use the trick he had used against the Emperor. Zosia moved to the center of the room, her sword glinting in the dim light. The man stepped forward, drawing a thin, wicked-looking blade from his side. The onlookers held their breath as the two combatants faced each other. With a swift, fluid motion, Zosia struck first, her blade flashing towards her opponent. He parried skillfully, their swords clashing with a sharp ring. They moved like dancers, each strike and counterstrike a deadly ballet. Zosia''s mind was focused, her every move calculated, but her heart pounded with the urgency of saving her father. Zargoza''s eyes focused, as he looked for a way to disperse the Soul devoring powder. He knew his strength was waning and that he wouldn''t last long. Time seemed to slow down as the duel continued. The man''s blade was quick, but Zosia''s was quicker. She could see the strain in his eyes, the realization that he might not win this fight. Just as the minute mark approached, she saw an opening. With a final, decisive strike, she struck, Imbuing her powers into the sword. The blade moved with an illusion of her losing but it was heading straight for his heart. Zosia noticed a strange smell and covered herself with multiple barriers as she struck. The smell was quite familiar. She remembered perceiving it from the tea leaves the Empress had wanted to give her. Her eyes flashed with a ruthless glint, increasing the concentration of her power. The powder landed on her with a swing of Zargoza''s blade and Zosia blade pierced his chest. "Hehe¡ª" Zargoza laugh suddenly came to an abrupt halt. His heart wasn''t in the normal place a person''s own should be. So he had thought he had won but feeling the ravaging force inside him that was tearing him from inside, even his soul was suffering some degree of pain. He looked at the place he had been stabbed in shock. Raising his head slowly, he looked at Zosia who was also experiencing some degree of pain due to the Soul devoring powder but yet, she could still stand up. Zosia shakily stood up, drawing her sword out of his body. Zargoza vomited blood at her action, "Give me the antidote." "Antidote!" He laughed, "There is no such thing as Antidote to the Soul devoring powder. I will see the Princess next time, I will accept this failure but not the next, you will die by my hands." He laughed out loud, entering a coughing fit. Using his own blade, he slit his wrist. The onlookers eyes widened. They couldn''t have ever imagined in their life that the man they had seen as a god would die like that and at the hands of the Princess. They could already see that their death wasn''t too far. Some began begging while others who didn''t want to be tortured followed the footsteps of Zargoza. Zosia had scanned him before the duel, but his last words made Zosia feel anxious. She scanned him again and she got a whole different result. Her eyes narrowed, as she made some calculations. She decided to think about it later. She decided to scan him one more time and received another different result. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as a thought popped up in her head. Pushing it down, she walked up to her father, unconcerned about the traitors that were begging. She knelt down beside Aaron. Zosia suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotions and tear drops slid from her eyes. "Dad, I am back but I am late. Unfortunately this your daughter couldn''t save you." She sniffed. Someone among the crowd suddenly had an idea. If the Emperor said to forgive them, the Princess would have no choice but to do so. "Emperor please forgive me. I didn''t ¡ª" he wasn''t even able to finish and his head left his neck. Zosia felt a ball of fury within her. Her eyes were already red and if she doesn''t control herself, more blood will flow. The soul devoring powder was already working on her spiritual consciousness. It was greedily swallowing it up. She doesn''t know how much longer she would last. "Father, it seems like your daughter would end up following you." She cracked a smile that was worse than crying. Aaron slowly stretched his hand to his daughter. His hands trembled and, he forcefully opened his eyes, he decided not to conserve any strength. He was already resigned to die and today is his death day. "You won''t follow after me. I pass on the Luck of the nation to you. Take care and release your uncle and cousin from below this bed. Your mother cheated on me with my Half-brother. In this life, I thought I could use my own hand to finish them off." Those who heard the news were petrified. Duke Chrisen was more shocked and so was Kamal. Chrisen didn''t think his brother had already found out about it. Kamal stood in his place in shock, he doesn''t understand what they are saying. "Father, how could you say that? If you want to die why destroy mother''s reputation?" He shouted, unwilling to believe what he had heard. "You can ask her, she is beside you. Also, never call me father as I wasn''t your father. See your father standing beside you as well." Kamal eyes widened in disbelief, his hands trembled and his eyes twitched. Rotating his head mechanically, his gaze moved from His mother to the person he had always called Uncle. Who treats him exceptionally well unlike his own father. Now he understood the reason for why he was never favoured by his father. "Tell Adrian that he should take care of his son well as they are father and son. Tell him not to be like me and also tell him to tell you what I asked him to tell you. Do not die! I love you! Sorry, I couldn''t escort you during your debut." His hands dropped and he left the world with a smile on his face. Zosia screamed silently that things of breakable quality like vases, broke and it reached the ends of the Palace. Anyone who saw the phenomenon knew that something wrong had happened. Zosia finally calmed down after an hour. But her body was getting weaker. She noticed that when the Emperor died, Nora had returned to the body, so it was the expression of her emotions that led to things breaking. "Ring the Gong!" The Gong was rang nine times signifying the death of The Emperor. The commoners were shocked and those in the know, shook their heads. The nobles who were waiting for the sound to decide what to do, made their decisions. Zosia first dealt with the traitors, despite the weakening of her body, she was determined. She needs to complete everything before she also dies. ============== Yay! We are almost done with this Arc and we finally clocked a century chapter i.e we finally reached chapter 100. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thank you all for your support but I will keep updating and we would continue to the end. Please keep supporting me and Thank you. Have a nice day and enjoy today''s chapter. Chapter 103 - 101- Arc 3 Unlike what many expected, including Zosia, she noticed that she was beginning to feel a certain degree of relief and that even her body had adapted to the soul devoring effect, even to the extent of devoring it instead. Walking down the Palace Hallways with a throng of followers behind her. They were all dressed in black funeral cloth. The loyalist nobles had been released but not all of them were alive. Some were either injured or had been killed. She made sure to compensate their families very well. As for the traitors, she currently had them locked up. Later, they will be sent for execution. They walked towards the Emperor Mausoleum. From the Palace to the Emperor Mausoleum is a long stretch but they walked instead of making use of carriages. The only carriage is the one carrying the Emperor''s body in a gold coffin. The procession moved forward, the sound of the Emperor''s golden carriage wheels crunching against the gravel path adding a somber rhythm to their steps. As they exited the palace gates, the full scale of the mourning became evident. Thousands of citizens lined the streets, their faces a mixture of sorrow and reverence. Some wept openly, others stood in silent tribute, but all eyes were on the golden carriage and the woman leading the procession. Zosia looked up to the sky filled with grey clouds. A sense of melancholy draped over the procession like a heavy shroud, the sound of footsteps echoing. They had left the palace, now walking to the Emperor''s Mausoleum. Luckily the road was smooth as the Emperor had tiled the road. As they continued their slow march towards the Mausoleum, Zosia''s thoughts turned to the future. The traitors would be dealt with, justice would be served, but beyond that, she needed a plan to rebuild. Since, she could stay in this world till she dies a natural death or is killed either in the battlefield or by anything, she needs to rebuild the Empire she would rule. She also needs to heal the wounds that ran deep within the fabric of the empire. She glanced at the nobles walking behind her, noting the mix of determination and weariness in their eyes. They had lost much, but they were still here, ready to rebuild, to fight for a better future. Upon reaching the Mausoleum, the grandeur of the structure was a stark reminder of the legacy she had inherited. Massive stone pillars rose into the sky, and intricate carvings depicted the history of the empire, each ruler immortalized in stone. The golden coffin was carried inside with great care, and as they placed it upon the marble pedestal, Zosia stepped forward, her heart heavy with the words she needed to speak. "Today, we lay to rest a great man," she began, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "A leader who dedicated his life to the prosperity and protection of our empire. His legacy is one of strength, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to his people. We mourn his loss deeply, but we must also honor his memory by continuing his work." She paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle over the crowd. "We face a challenging road ahead, but I believe in our strength, in our unity. Together, we will overcome this darkness and emerge stronger. We owe it to him, and to ourselves, to build a future worthy of his sacrifice." As her speech concluded, a chorus of voices rose in unison, a solemn vow to uphold the values the Emperor had embodied. Zosia felt a surge of determination. The road ahead would be fraught with challenges, but she was not alone. With the support of her people, she would guide the empire through its darkest hours and into the light of a new dawn. She had never ruled before but she definitely would not back down. The ceremony continued, filled with rituals and tributes, each one a step towards closure and the beginning of a new chapter. As the final rites were performed, Zosia looked around at the faces of her people, seeing not just grief, but also resilience and hope. The journey ahead was uncertain, but with their support, she knew they could face whatever challenges lay ahead. But before rebuilding, she has to clean the court inside out, open new trade channels, also create a way of employment for both the nobles and commoners.... She had a lot of ways to improve the Empire, but it is something she couldn''t do alone. ******** A year has gone by and the Empire was finally on the right track. Unlike before, the smiles on the citizens face have become more sincere and happy. Walking through the tiled road, the young man looked sideways, admiring the joy on the faces of people and the varieties of things being sold. "Father sure chose right. Sister is doing really well." He muttered under his breath. He didn''t think he could do this much if given the chance. "Young master, Young master!!" He turned towards the person calling out to him. "Young master, please do not leave on your own again, how would I explain¡ª" He was cut short by the fan of the young master. "Let''s go." He snapped the handfan close with his hands behind his back as he lead the way towards his carriage, his thoughts else where. Entering the carriage, he opened the window slightly, watching the moving scenery. He remembered when he was locked up with his so called parents who didn''t waste a second blaming each other. Did he hate them? He did and very much. His mother lied to him about his sister and even led him in plotting against the Emperor. He was also guilty, maybe if he had stood his ground, things would have been different. But, he didn''t hate his life now. Despite, what had happened his sister didn''t kill him along with his parents, allowing him to live and even sponsoring his education. Now, he lives like a young master. He didn''t lack anything and he was okay with living his life without any expectations that acted like burdens on his shoulder. Arriving at the Palace, Kamal came down. Just like the law practiced during the former reign of the Emperor, it continued. He entered the next carriage that led him straight to the study of The Empress. Staring at the scene that showed how empty the Palace is and would have been emptier, if not for the servants. Watching the servants move about, carrying out various tasks, he turned to look at the servant assigned to him by his sister. His thoughts drifted to when he first met him. He happened to be someone that his sister used as a messenger to send letters to him. Unfortunately, during his first time of delivering the letter, he was caught by his mother who had him locked up. Thinking that his sister forgot about him, his mother used that window to sow doubt and misleading thoughts in his mind. Shaking his head, he removed the thought from his mind. The carriage rolled to a stop and the horse neighed in response. They came down from there carriage, breathing in the air in the palace, he sighed again. He noticed that the air in the Imperial Palace has become fresher unlike how it was before he left. "Hihub, carry what I brought for sister." He ordered, leading the way to the council room. "Young Master, the Empress is still in a meeting." The Eunuch at the door stopped Kamal from entering. Kamal turned to look at him and noticed his sister first hand maid who had a worried look on her face and behind her were maids carrying a tray of food. "Sister hasn''t eaten?" He turned and asked her. Grace nodded her head in response, "The princess hasn''t taken anything since morning and it''s already evening." He suddenly remembered the disease that he was taught in class that arises when a person has irregular diet. Due to his sister''s condition, he plans to become the best physician. The rest are quacks. Frowning, he pushed the Eunuch aside and opened the double doors to the meeting room. Zosia raised her head in surprise when she heard the door opening, pausing in her discussion. She didn''t think anyone had the audacity to do that, well apart from her naughty brother. She had let him and had him educated for a while before sending him abroad to study. She didn''t let him study here, not because she hates his presence or is afraid of his uprising, but she knew that another way to acquire knowledge and develop is to be open to new things. "Kamal, sister is in a meeting." Zosia said calmly as she stared at the 13 year old boy. Seeing his clear eyes and the worry in them she sighed. She could already tell why he was worried since Grace was following behind him and the smell of food that wafted into her nose. Zosia turned to look at the person opposite her. "Teacher, we will continue the discussion later." She said with a smile. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright. I shall take my Leave Her Majesty." He bowed and turned to leave. "How was school?" Zosia started a conversation as she opened the covering of the food. "It was fine. I learnt so many new things. I even brought you some of their classic wares." He said happily as he sat beside his sister. Taking the gift from Hihub, he presented the gift to Zosia. Zosia took the gift, gently opening the box. She sighed in amazement. "I appreciate it, a lot." She said with a smile when she caught the frown on Kamal''s face. "Sister, why don''t you like eating? Is it your constitution?" Kamal asked worriedly. His heart ached whenever he sees his sister unable to enjoy normal things. He had even seen her one time, deliberately taking poison like it was some good herb... Well it is for her, but, he just couldn''t bring himself to be happy. At least even if, he couldn''t do anything for his sister, he wants to take care of his sister, so she wouldn''t have worries. Unfortunately, it''s a farfetched dream for him. His sister is even more capable than their father. He refuses to call his original father as father, rather, he calls the person who sheltered him instead of killing him off as his father. If he was the one, he didn''t think that he would let such people live. Sometimes, he couldn''t help but wonder about the mentality they have. How deep, scheming, yet wide and a broad heart. This is why, he hates the position of the Emperor more. You can''t do like you want, always being constrained by rules, even those made by the person on the seat. "I am fine Kamal. I just didn''t feel hungry." Zosia said as she pushed the gifts aside, taking the food to eat. Truly, she didn''t feel hungry or fatigued. She could spend hours talking, thinking about the next plan or drawing blueprints or reading things submitted by the different organization created by her. There is the Dance Organization, that includes those that perform arts, dance etc and they are being paid, making it a lucrative job, her people are also there, and she uses them as spies to get information. Who wouldn''t call such people to show off their wealth during celebration. Even the commerce and literature organization. The literature organization includes scholars who publish the news paper and the commerce comprises of merchants. And the above two, also had her people in it, that help to get more information. You could say, her eyes and ears are everywhere. "Sister, don''t worry, I will cure you." He vowed, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Okay, I will be waiting." Zosia responded with a smile. Apart from her constitution, she didn''t think there was anything wrong with her, but anyways, she was more than happy at how Kamal had turned out. Nora was shocked when she told her, but she was nevertheless happy. "My teacher praised me as his best student. I can even speak those foreigners language smoothly." He puffed his chest out, looking smug. =========== I have finally edited the chapter and since I wrote 4k plus words, I decided to separate them into two chapters. Thank you as we come to the end of this Arc. See you in the next Arc. Thank you all for your support. Chapter 104 - 102- End of Arc 3 *NEXT DAY* Zosia, Kamal, Adrian and Karl were dressed in white clothes as they stood in the mourning hall. Kamal turned to look at Adrian and Karl who ignored him. He understood how they felt and he was sure that if it weren''t for his sister, they probably wouldn''t think twice before killing him. "Sigh!" He sighed Inwardly and joined them to observe them in observing a minute of silence. He had actually returned to mourn or celebrate whichever one they were currently doing, the anniversary of the late Emperor. After they were done, Karl turned to look at Zosia. "Cousin, how have you been?" Karl began. "Been more than good. I will talk to you later, I am going to the Mausoleum. Thank you all for coming." "It''s nothing. Its something we should do." Adrian calmly said. "You already have your rooms, so I don''t think you would be needing someone to guide you." Zosia said calmly. As for if she was actually calm, only her knew but the rims of her eye tells a different story. Adrian sighed inwardly as he stared at Zosia. He guessed that she must have been crying. "The child sure does miss her father. Even I miss my brother." He knew that people would always die but he didn''t expect his brother to die so soon. He thought he would even die before him. Feeling down, he left first, wanting to calm his mind. ****** Arriving at the Emperor''s Mausoleum. Zosia rolled the stone away, then walked down for a while before arriving at a massive Jade Gate. In front of the Gate were the Golden statues of the past Emperor''s and Empress since the founding of the Roza Empire. Zosia walked towards the side. Clicking on a mechanism, the double doors opened. The Gems glittered in the hallways, bringing forth a warm glow. She had actually come here for the so-called stone. In the Mausoleum only the ruling Emperor or Empress are buried. As for the concubines, they have another place were they are buried. Walking down the hallway, she spread her spiritual consciousness. She couldn''t search for the stone during the Burial so she had planned to come later but things were not yet settled. Now the Emprire is set in motion. She had actually thought that she would die, she never expected that she would still be alive and standing. Remembering the Emperor''s last words about Luck, she felt that must have been what helped her survive. Even her space has undergone some varying degrees of changes but she is yet to understand them. She remembered, Nora telling her that the stone was buried with Empress Mist. She was known as Empress Mist. As a General daughter, she moved like the Mist in the battlefield. "I hope Father didn''t remove it." She thought Inwardly. She had come to accept calling Aaron Father. Suddenly her senses tingled. Following the direction of where she had senses something, she came across a road with a Plaque. Reading what was written on the plaque. "So this is where those lovers were buried." She muttered, referring to Empress Mist and Aaron''s father. Pushing open the door, she saw the valuables that decorated the place but continued walking. Arriving at another door, she couldn''t help but sigh at how complicated the Mausoleum is but at the same time appreciated it. She finally arrived at the coffins that were placed side by side. Knowing that those coffins are just a mask and not the real one, she clicked on the Eagle statue hung on the wall. Click! Crick! Zzzz! Zosia turned to look at the space beneath the coffin. "Another work." She sighed and climbed down the staircase. After going through a few staircases, she arrived at the main coffin. The main coffin was made of fine transparent glass. Zosia suddenly frowned. "How is this place so cold?" She couldn''t attribute such cold to being underground. Her spiritual consciousness tingled. Following it, she arrived at the coffin. Whoosh! Zosia heard a sharp breeze pass by and turned. Her eyes sharpened and a lilac color appeared in her eyes. She noticed a woman dressed in simple white and the ornate jewelries she was wearing. "Quite a beauty." She commented Inwardly. "Greetings to her late Majesty." Zosia courtesied in greeting. "You can actually see me!" The woman cocked her head to the side with a frown. "What are you here for? I can perceive the luck of Roza on you, are you the new Empress?" Zosia nodded, "Yes, ¡ª" she couldn''t complete he statement when the figure appeared few centimeters away from her. She blinked but didn''t move from her position. "What happened to my son? You can''t be an imposter, since I can feel the bloodline flowing within you and I can neither say that you are like the other lady that came here one time to steal what belongs to me." The woman said coldly. "This is going to be hard." Zosia muttered inwardly but her smile didn''t fade. "I am His Late Majesty Daughter. As for the strangeness of my Constitution. I was poisoned and in order to live, I chose to become one with the poison." Zosia explained. "So My son is dead." From her statement, Zosia gleamed that maybe she couldn''t leave here. "So what are you doing here?" The woman asked. "I came for my Father''s death anniversary and then I remembered what he asked me to get. He said that the luck of Roza is dwindling due to the curse and it wouldn''t last long and we would be overthrown by the South and Northern Alliance." "Those villages band together! " The woman said in surprise. She wasn''t surprised by the curse since her son had once come to see them and she could only watch him complain. "Yes her Majesty. I was only able to eradicate the Generals of the South Alliance, I haven''t been able to get to the North. I want to improve the Empire so that during the War, nothing will affect it." "Are you being delusional, war will always affect the economy." She scolded. Mist couldn''t help but wonder if her granddaughter is stupid or what. Zosia smiled, she started explain her plans and by the time Mist finished listening, she was astounded. "Hahaha... My son trained a General'' daughter indeed!" She laughed happily. She was finally hearing a good news in this depressing place. Due to the stone she has been able to live as a spirit and unwilling to become an evil spirit, she lived as a Yin spirit. "Good, Good!" She praised. "Take the stone. In fact, let me get it for you." She also hoped that the stone will help with her granddaughter being able to get pregnant. Zosia breath a sigh of relief, she was able to bluff her way through. But, she didn''t necessarily lie. The luck on her has been dwindling. She knew it couldn''t last forever but she needs to make the Empire stronger. That is her main goal. She didn''t necessarily care about the rest. They could be solved as she forged ahead. Mist brought out the stone from inside her body and her spirit turned faint. "I can''t last for long. Go and make sure the Empire keeps rising and it would forever be remembered In the annals of history. I can finally rest" she said with a faint smile. Zosia promised and bowed. She watched as she turned faint and sighed. Turning back, she left, making sure to close everywhere properly. She promised to offer more tribute to the late Emperors and Empresses. *********** In a restaurant.... "And after the Empress defeated the South and Northern Alliance, she merged them to the Roza Empire." "Valiantly returning from her conquest, she made more conquest and Roza Empire became what it is today, She¡ª" "Storyteller, I have a question." A child interrupted the storyteller. The old man who looked to be in his sixties smiled and turned to look at the person. "How old is the Empress, I heard she never died." "It''s been 400 years now according to history book. Who knows, but there have been sightings of her. She left the stage of the throne at age 200 and ruled from behind the scene, training the successors for a 100 years, but one thing is that, the Empress never aged. Not for one day. She remains as beautiful as she is despite the cracks on her face." ************ Many more years passed..... Zosia stood in the Luxurious palace that has stood the test of time. Since she came to this world to present, it''s been 500 years. And the Luck didn''t completely dwindle as she thought but increase along with her conquest, but nevertheless, she did not remain arrogant, even becoming calmer. She made sure that the history of Roza Empire remained complete and now that the traditional days are slowly dying out and the modernized way is the current trend. She was happy to have done a lot. Thinking about the people she had trained both those that had helped her in the long run and are long since dead, she decided it was time for her to go as well. Kamal, Adrian and Karl had long since died.she still remembered how they shook their head whenever they met her and saw she was still young. Even to the extent of wondering if that was the effect of the poison constitution. Kamal wasn''t able to cure her but he found a lot of cures for many things and she learnt medicine from him. Entering Nora''s self made spirit prison, she met Nora whose soul was shining brighter than ever. "Thank you. You have done more than enough." Nora said with a smile. "Its time for us to go. The sould world invited me, so we will meet again sister." She sniffed. "Thank you.... Thank you. I don''t know what would have happened without your help. Thank you." She hugged Zosia and entered a crying fit. After crying for a while, they both suddenly felt a pull on their soul. "Take care. See you next time. If we end up in the same place. Type Zosia Meave Branden in your contact list to find me or chat me up with this Id number....." She was still talking but Nora was already becoming fainter. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sigh! It''s also time I leave. My space has refused to let me see it, since it ate up that stone." She muttered, returning back to her host body. Ringing the bell beside her, the attendants who had been in wait, immediately entered. Zosia handed them the various scrolls and which department they would be taken to. "Ma, are you going?" A Handsome young man with sea green eyes like hers spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. It was the current Emperor. "Yes. Don''t forget my teachings and keep up the good work in growing the Empire." Zosia smiled and laid down. He has always been told about how she was feeling that she was dying soon, he never believed that such a day would come soon. They all Knelt down. Zosia closed her eyes and muttered. "Let the remaining luck go to this child and let him spread it around the Empire." Zosia let her soul be pulled. Suddenly a rain shower with a freaking bright sun appeared everywhere in the empire, followed by the gong that announced her death. Her body glowed a golden light before dying down. They kept kneeling down. Inwardly the young man sighed when he felt a strange feeling. It was something he wasn''t strange to as she had educated him on it. Closing his eyes, his head throbbed at the impending work he had to do. "Emperor see!" His attendant called out with a shout. Raising his head, he watched as the body of the greatest Empress in history dissolved into ashes. Standing up in shock, he approached the ashes that also disintegrated and disappeared. He was so shocked that he stood there in a trance. He was completely stupefied. "Emperor what do we do?" His secretary asked worriedly. Indeed, Instead of Eunuch, there is now a secretary. "We can''t do anything. We would bury her picture instead." He said and turned to look back at the bed. "And maybe the bed. Also the clothes she wore. I just don''t know!" He broke down, crying as he buried his head into his palm. The attendants lowered their heads, no one said anything, allowing the Emperor to cry. After getting himself and pulling himself together, he organized her burial and that was how the Greatest Empress in Roza''s History Died. He buried her in the grandest way ever and that marked Zosia''s death and the longest time she ever lived in any of the worlds she has currently been to. ==========? Thank you all for your continuous support as we come to the end of this Arc. Thank you all and I really appreciate. I am considering going on hiatus due to school, things are not really looking out well, I hope I don''t. But my rate of update will reduce. Please keep supporting me and this book. I hope I reach the threshold to withdraw but it isn''t looking like that anytime soon but still, I hope for the best as life in school is getting harder. Still, I Thank you all who journeyed with me from the first chapter to the end of this Arc. The novel will still continue as there are still many more Arcs to transverse. Thank you once more and enjoy your day. Happy New Month in Advance. Chapter 105 - 103- Back and a New Mission. Arriving back in her space she was met with various pairs of eyes and some unfamiliar faces. Blinking her eyes, she turned to look at the people in her system space with a confused look on her face. Turning to Asgar, she raised her eyebrows in askance. "You are finally back, I thought you would stay in that task world for a longer time." Asgar commented. "Welcome back." Kevin said with a smile as he stood up, giving her the chair he was sitting on. Sitting down, she turned to Lucian. "Since you are here, let''s go for the mission. Join the group." Zosia looked at the new face and even a familiar back that was sleeping on her bed. Opening her panel, she noticed a blinking red dot above the notification icon. "I will introduce you to the rest, while you take a look at the mission." Lucien said and continued, "You already know the rest. The person on the bed is Xenon, short ¡ª Xen...." Zosia raised her eyebrows in surprise, " No wonder his back looked so familiar." She muttered. "Then, the ladies are Tanya and Mina. Everyone, she is Zosia." Zosia nodded. Following Lucian''s finger, she was able to know who is Tanya and Mina. Clicking on the notification button, she accepted the invite and joined the group. Clicking on the briefings, that is the mission panel, she quickly read it. ¨X¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨[ ? ???????????????????????????? : ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????; ???????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????. ? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????: ????????????????????????????????. ? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????: 8. ? ????????????????????????????: ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???? ????????????????????. ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???? 4 ????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????. ????????????????? ???????????? 32 ????????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????? ???????? 8 ????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????''???? ???????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????????: ? ???????? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????, ???????????? ????????????????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ? ????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????? ???????????????????? ?????????????????????????''???? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? ????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????. ?????????????????????????????????!!!? ¨^¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T?????¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨a Zosia breathed deeply after she finished reading the mission panel. Raising her head up, she was met with so many pairs of eyes. "So we are 8?" Zosia asked slowly. "Yup, and you can back out if you want to." Percival said as he stared at Zosia for a sign of fear on her face. "No need. We should go, I still have to do some things." Zosia commented as she turned to look at Lucian who had a lazy posture, with his fist on his cheek, supporting his head. Lucian Lazily stood up and said, "Since we are all here, we should go." A vortex appeared behind him as he said that. Zosia glanced at everyone including Asgar and Xen. She couldn''t help but wonder if Asgar is also a task taker or just a system. She didn''t understand what was going on. Her eyes briefly met with the two strange girls and she noticed that the eyes of the blonde haired girl answering Tanya, lit up anytime she glanced at Lucian. "I hope this mission doesn''t flop." She thought inwardly, with a calm face, so Xen who had approached her did not notice anything. "Hehe, Zosia, I didn''t think I would be coming to your space anytime sooner." He nudged Zosia a little as he said with a smile. Zosia smiled in return, her eyes glancing at the still forming Vortex. "Didn''t think so too." She answered. "After this mission I will lock down my system space. Because of them, I couldn''t even check for my reward or enter my Personal space." She closed her eyes to think. She wasn''t sure of what much she had in her arsenal, but she just hoped, that it wouldn''t be as bad as the Mission panel makes it out to be. The Vortex was fully formed and Lucian entered first, followed by the rest. They arrived in a black room. Zosia frowned, but she soon gained her mobility to move around and so did the other. Suddenly, tarot cards appeared in front of them. "Sure enough." Mina tucked her hair away as she cranked her neck to get ready. The Tarot card quickly shuffled themselves in the Air and four cards were revealed to them. Lucian glanced at it, his cold voice echoing in the room. "It''s just the same as the briefing in the summary but it is giving us the list of defects." "What are the defects?" Tanya asked. Her voice a little coy. Zosia could already tell what the defects are, but she still turned to look at Lucian. "The first card is the summary, the second card is the defects. Which are; ? Loss of Sight. ? Loss of Balance. ? Loss of Hearing. ? Loss of Touch. ? Loss of Taste. ? Lameness. ? Memory Loss. ? Extreme Fatigue. ? Hallucinations. ? Extreme Hunger. ? Extreme Water. While the third card is the Warning and the fourth card says, everyone''s defect will occur at a different timing, but a maximum of three defects each day." "So let''s go. Remember to tell us what you know as well as your defects, when it happens, so you can be looked after." Zosia didn''t think that such will work in such a mashed up group. Maybe it could occur between Lucian''s group but she didn''t think Mina would but Tanya could, since, it seems she apparently has a thing for Lucian. Zosia swallowed hard, the list of defects sending a chill down her spine. This mission was going to be more challenging than she initially thought. The stakes were high, and the unpredictability of the defects made it even more challenging. She glanced at her teammates, noting the mix of expressions¡ªdetermination, anxiety, and a hint of excitement. Lucian stepped forward, his demeanor cold and Lazy. "Remember, communication is key. If you experience any of the defects, notify the group immediately. We need to adapt quickly to survive." The team nodded in agreement, and Zosia took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the task ahead. She looked around the black room, trying to find any clues or signs that could help them. The vortex that had brought them here was now gone, leaving only an eerie silence. She also didn''t notice anything apart from the Tarot cards. "Let''s move out." Lucian ordered, leading the way. The group followed, stepping into what felt like an endless void. It wasn''t long before the environment began to shift, colors and shapes emerging from the darkness, slowly forming a landscape of Ice and snow. Tanya and Zosia shivered unconsciously. Zosia immediately clicked on her inventory. Clicking on the customized fighting suit, she felt the suit meld into her skin. That was when she noticed that all of them were actually in their normal form but instead of souls, their body was corporal. Like the human bodies. Zosia glanced at her body in shock, "Wow." She muttered subconsciously, a little surprise. "Tch.. country bumpkin." Mina muttered, rolling her eyes, and she looked away from Zosia. "We would communicate through the group chat and once the light goes red, it means the person is out and would no longer be able to communicate, if it turns gray, then the person is dead." Lucian said as he took the lead. They walked towards the east. The landscape was barren and harsh, with the wind howling around them, carrying sharp bites of cold. Each step they took crunched loudly against the icy ground. Zosia kept her eyes on her surroundings, trying to push aside the tension gnawing at her. Kevin, walking beside her, muttered, "If the defects start kicking in, we better have a solid plan." Lucian glanced over his shoulder, his eyes sharp. "We''ll deal with them as they come. Just stay vigilant." As they trudged forward, Zosia noticed strange formations in the ice¡ªspires that seemed almost too symmetrical, too deliberate, to be natural. She couldn''t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The eerie silence was broken only by the wind and their footsteps, amplifying her unease. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After what felt like hours, they noticed smoke coming from afar. "That should be a village." Mina who was walking alongside Lucian spoke. Zosia frowned, she felt some unease about the village. She decided to spread her spiritual consciousness. "Zosia we will be noticed, tone it down." Lucian glanced at Zosia, his cold eyes held warning. Zosia nodded, then wrapped her spiritual consciousness around her body and activated the formations on her body. "You must have harvested a lot of Force stone to waste it like this." Tanya who was behind her, spoke. Zosia didn''t explain as she doesn''t even know what a Force stone is. She knows about Mana stone and Spirit stone. But, Force stone... Nah. "What is a Force stone?" She asked Kevin using telepathy. "It''s a stone that is just like Mana and Spirit stone but it is of a universal type. It converts Mana, Qi, Ether etc to a universal force that can act as a power source to anything. It can even absorb soul force." Kevin replied. Their faces didn''t display any sign of their communication. Lucian ears twitched for a moment, his steps didn''t flatter as they headed towards the village. They arrived at the village and noticed an old man using a snow shovel to remove the snow at the front of his house. "Good day Sir. We are coming from a long distance place but we met an avalanche and our carriage broke down." Percival said as they stood in front of the man''s house under the snowy weather. Listening to Percival''s words, she realized that, they didn''t actually know what style of world this is. Is it Ancient, Modern or Very advanced like Sci-Fi? The man kept shoveling the snow, completely ignoring them. They looked at each other, seeing the confusion in their eyes, they turned to look at the old man. Mina stepped forward, approaching the man. The man slowly raised his head up, his eyes blank with only the whites showing and his body moved mechanically. The expression on their faces changed dramatically. =========== Happy New Month Everyone. Wishing you everything you wish yourself and enjoy this new month with a new chapter. This is a new month and I would still need your support. I may not be able to post tomorrow due to test, but I hope to do better as this is my Last MGS and WIN-WIN and I am asking for your help and support. NO PRESSURE! But, your little support could go a long way. Thank you and have a nice day. Chapter 106 - 104- Horror Mission The expression on their faces changed dramatically. Mina shifted back with a starlt. "Oi! Who is that?" An old lady''s voice was heard. They all turned to look in the direction of the voice. Just like the voice, it was that of an old lady. Zosia looked at the old lady who was all kitted up and then turned to look at the old man who was still staring at them. The scene looked eerie and out of place. Mina who was startled shifted to a distance, feeling embarrassed, she coughed awkwardly. They walked closer to the house, completely ignoring the embarrassed Mina, well except Tanya. Tanya walked towards Mina, "You shouldn''t feel embarrassed. Let''s go." Mina who had recovered from her embarrassment, turned to look at Tanya, a condensing look surfacing in her eyes. "Mtcheww!" She hissed and walked away, leaving the now embarrassed Tanya behind. Hearing Mina''s hiss, Zosia turned to look back and shook her head. She could tell that Tanya was trying to make herself look good in front of Lucien, but she couldn''t understand, if Tanya thought that with those little tricks of hers, she would be able to get Lucien. "Well, I will just watch the show, what business does it have to do with me." She muttered inwardly, facing her front as she walked behind the rest. "Oi! You must be another set of travelers. Please come inside, the weather isn''t looking good here." The old woman warmly welcomed them. Zosia''s ears twitched. She caught the word another in the woman''s statement, which means there have been more people. Seems like she wasn''t the only one that caught unto it, as Xen asked, "Ma, what do we refer to you as?" "Just call me Sister Marionette." She said with a gentle and warm smile. Opening the door behind her, she led them in. "Sister Marionette, you mentioned other travelers, seems like many people have passed here?" Xen continued his question. "Indeed, sigh! Unfortunately my children and I, can''t go to the Capital, that is why here is kind of deserted." "Ooh!" Xen made a dramatic sound of understanding while frowning inwardly. She wondered what could make the old woman and her children unable to go to the Capital. Where is the Capital actually? Zosia who walked behind the rest, out of habit, started measuring each of her steps and so she seemed a little slow, yet no one could detect her aim. She needs to be prepared for whatever defects she gets. "So she has children? Also all of them are unable to go to the Capital, is it because of the stringed man outside?" She questioned inwardly as she picked up some clues from the woman''s words. Suddenly, she frowned. "This wood is not creaking." She made another observation. Staring at her feet, she noticed the fine line of the wood and its shiny surface. "Good wood." This isn''t a wood you would find in places with such extreme and thick snow. Well, she isn''t an expert, so she couldn''t judge and besides, it''s a parallel world, but nevertheless, she could tell the wood is expensive and has been regularly maintained. A stifling wave of heat hit them as they stepped into the house, making everyone except Sister Marionette instantly uncomfortable. Zosia wiped the sweat from her brow, her eyes darting around the room. Luckily for her, her suit quickly adapted, making her comfortable. The parlor was dimly lit, with heavy curtains blocking out most of the daylight. The air felt thick, almost oppressive, and yet, it smelled strangely of a flowery fragrance. Zosia scratched her head as she tried to recall. She didn''t understand why her memory was failing her. Zosia immediately shook her head, a thought surfacing her mind, "The defects... Hers was just beginning to manifest." Luckily, she had asked Chip to begin recording, the moment they decided to start the mission. Zosia sent a telepathic message to Lucien, who received it with a frown, before nodding his head. "Please, take a seat," Sister Marionette gestured to a set of mismatched chairs around a large wooden table. The group hesitated but eventually complied, the creak of the chairs a stark contrast to the solid, well-maintained floorboards. "Would you like some tea? It''s a special blend that helps with the cold." Without waiting for a response, she busied herself at a stove in the corner, her movements methodical. Zosia''s eyes were drawn to a series of old portraits lining the walls. Each depicted a family, presumably Sister Marionette''s, but there was something off about them. The faces were solemn, almost too perfect, their eyes appearing to follow the group as they settled in, also she didn''t see the father or any fatherly figures. "Thank you, Sister Marionette," Lucien said, his calm, almost too calm. "We''ve been traveling for quite a while. It''s been... a hectic journey, we wonder if you are willing to let us stay for a while till the snow reduces." "Oh, I can imagine," Sister Marionette replied, her back still turned. "This place has a way of bringing out the unexpected in travelers." Zosia exchanged a glance with Xen, who seemed equally on edge. The entire situation felt wrong, like they were stepping into a well-laid trap. She made a mental note to stay alert. It also made her feel that her Chip might malfunction, so she decided to write the things down but she couldn''t do it now, as not to arouse suspicion. "Here we are," Sister Marionette said, turning with a tray of steaming cups. She placed them on the table, the fragrant steam curling into the air. "This should warm you up." The group murmured their thanks and took the cups. Zosia sniffed hers cautiously, detecting a blend of herbs she couldn''t identify. She took a small sip, feeling the warmth spread through her body. "Do you get many visitors out here?" Tanya asked, trying to make conversation. "Not as many as you''d think," Sister Marionette replied, sitting down with her own cup. "But enough to keep things interesting." The old woman''s smile was serene, but Zosia noticed a flicker of something else in her eyes¡ªwas it sadness or perhaps a hidden agenda? She couldn''t tell. Her instincts screamed that something was amiss, and the others seemed to sense it too. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucien leaned forward slightly. "Your home is lovely. It must be challenging to live in such an isolated area." "It has its moments," Sister Marionette said, her eyes distant. "But we manage. It''s peaceful here, in a way." "Do you ever feel... lonely?" Mina asked, surprising everyone with the bluntness of her question. Sister Marionette''s smile faltered for a split second before she regained her composure. "Loneliness is a state of mind, dear. We find joy in the little things, besides, I have children and neighbors." The conversation continued, but Zosia''s mind was racing. There were too many unanswered questions, too many inconsistencies. The way Sister Marionette answered their questions, made it seem like she was talking in reverse order. She doesn''t know how to explain but she took note of it. "Who are these other travelers you mentioned?" Xen pressed, leaning forward. "Did they come through here recently?" "Yes, not too long ago. A young couple, actually. They were heading to the Capital as well, but..." Her voice trailed off, eyes glazing over as if recalling a distant memory. "But what?" Kevin prompted, unable to hide his curiosity. "They never made it," she said simply, pouring the tea. "Such a shame. The roads are not safe these days." "You mentioned, you have kids. They must be such lovely children, since they have you as their mother." Tanya said. "Of course," Sister Marionette said with that same gentle smile, her eyes lingering on each of them a moment too long. "My children should be back soon. They went to gather more firewood." As if on cue, the door creaked open, and two figures stepped inside. They were young, a boy and a girl, both with strikingly pale skin and wide, unblinking eyes. They moved silently, almost gliding across the floor, and sat at the table without a word. "These are my children, Lionel and Lydia," Sister Marionette introduced them. "Children, please greet our guests." "Hello," the two chorused, their voices eerily in sync. Zosia''s instincts screamed at her to get out, but she maintained a calm exterior. "Nice to meet you," she said politely, her eyes narrowing as she studied them. There was something profoundly unnatural about the way they moved and spoke, they moved like they were being drawn by strings, Just like the Old man. Her eyes flashed with a peculiar thought. "They are a little tired, which is why they are like this." Sister Marionette explained with an apologetic smile. "We don''t want to impose," Tanya said, her voice trembling slightly. "Maybe we should be on our way soon." "Nonsense," Sister Marionette replied firmly. "You must stay the night. The weather outside is turning foul. You''ll be safer here." Zosia glanced at the window. Snow was indeed beginning to fall heavily, obscuring their view of the forest. She knew they had little choice but to stay, at least until the storm passed. "Thank you for your hospitality," Asgar said, trying to sound sincere. "We appreciate it." "Rest well," Sister Marionette said, her smile widening. "You''ll need your strength for the journey ahead." As they were shown to their rooms, their mind raced. There were too many unanswered questions, and the entire house felt like a carefully constructed illusion. =========== Please Keep supporting me and Thank you all for your support. Thank you Amanda_Cross for the Golden ticket. Also, I made a mistake. My MGS and WIN-WIN has actually ended, I am now among the classic works. Unfortunately, I couldn''t even meet any of the requirements for an MGS or WIN_WIN, But, it''s well. So if you are searching for my book in the WIN_WIN, it''s located in the classics. Lastly, Thank you and Enjoy your day. Chapter 107 - 105- Clues and Defects. As they entered the room, the girls had a separate room and so did the guys. Zosia closed the door behind her as she entered. Turning back, she was met with Mina and Tanya staring at her strangely. "Why did you drink her tea?" Mina asked. "Were you trying to follow after Lucien?" Tanya asked almost immediately. "It would be strange if none of us drank it and it would be more suspicious." Zosia responded as she scanned the room. "So you just decided to follow what Lucien did. Isn''t that bitchy of you?" Tanya continued. She didn''t have the courage to drink it, but still, if it was maybe one of the guys who followed Lucien to drink it, she wouldn''t be angry and be having this itchy feeling in her chest. Mina snorted at Tanya''s question as she sat on the bed. Zosia ignored Tanya, her gaze landing on an ornate box. Seeing that she was being ignored by both of them, she felt furious. "You! I am talking to you." She stood in front of Zosia. "And?" Zosia looked at her, cocking her head to the side. It took Tanya a moment to process what Zosia meant by "And?" and when she did, the expression on her face soured. Zosia turned her attention back to the ornate box. From afar, she noticed that the box was beautifully carved with intricate patterns that seemed to swirl and twist in an almost hypnotic manner. She walked towards the cupboard in the room, above it, the box was placed overlooking the room. She reached out and ran her fingers over the surface, feeling the smooth, cool wood beneath her fingertips. "What''s in there?" Mina asked, curiosity piqued as she watched Zosia''s fascination with the box. "I don''t know," Zosia admitted. "But it looks important." Tanya huffed and crossed her arms, clearly still irritated. "Why do you always have to be the one to take charge? Just because you drank the tea doesn''t make you the leader." Zosia sighed, turning to face Tanya. "Look, I didn''t drink the tea to show off or to follow Lucien. I drank it because I wanted to understand what''s going on. We need to stay calm and work together if we want to figure this out." Mina nodded in agreement, but Tanya remained stubbornly silent. Zosia, deciding it was best to ignore the tension for now, turned back to the box and carefully opened it. Zosia opened the box slowly. Inside, she found a collection of small, intricately carved figurines. They were beautiful, each one unique, but there was something unsettling about them. They seemed almost lifelike, as if they were watching her. "This..." Mina stated as her eyes flashed with a hint of incredulity. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia turned to look at Mina and Tanya drew closer to them in curiosity. "What did you notice?" Zosia asked Mina who seemed like she was trying to recall something. "What clothes was Sister Marionette wearing?" Mina asked . Zosia thought for a moment, she tried recalling it but noticed she could recall it clearer but anything that happened before they entered the house was slowly disappearing from her memory, she frowned, but still answered. "She was wearing a flowing, floor-length gown made from rich, deep burgundy velvet. The fabric looked heavy and luxurious. The gown also had intricate embroidery in gold thread along the hem, cuffs, and neckline, depicting swirling floral and geometric patterns reminiscent of a bygone era." Zosia answered. "Then her children?" Mina continued asking. "The girl was wearing a breathable fabric of a pastel pink dress. The seams of the dress looked like it was done by a machine. While the boy was wearing a charcoal gray T-shirt and Trouser. They looked like packet shirts...that is if you know what packet shirts are." Zosia replied. Mina shook her head, she couldn''t be bothered by what packet shirts are, "The old woman is wearing ancient style clothing but her shoe was of a modern one and the children were wearing modern clothes throughout. Look at this figurine, it looks like what the girl was wearing." She said as she picked up one of the figurines that held strikingly similar features of the girl. The figurine was delicate, its pastel pink dress a perfect match for the one the girl had worn earlier. The craftsmanship was astonishingly detailed, capturing the essence of the child with an eerie precision. Tanya, despite her earlier irritation, was drawn to the figurines as well. She picked up another one, examining it closely. "This one looks like the boy," she said, her voice softer now, a mix of curiosity and unease. Zosia nodded, her eyes darting back to the remaining figurines. "If these represent the children, then maybe the others represent other people that have been here before." Mina''s face paled slightly as she picked up another figurine. "This one... it looks like that old man outside." "Let''s count how many figurines there are?" Zosia suggested. They suddenly heard a knock on the door, causing them to halt what they were about to do. They looked at each other for a moment. "Who is that?" Zosia asked. "It''s me Lucien." Lucien''s calm voice sounded. Tanya immediately rushed to open the door. Lucien entered following behind him were the other guys. "What did you guys find?" Kevin asked. Zosia didn''t think that them meeting together was a good choice as that old woman might be listening wherever they are. "Well, first this figurine." Mina said as she handed them the box containing the figurines. "We were just about to count them." Zosia added. "Okay let''s count it." Xen said as he began counting it. "In total, there are 12 figurines." Xen said as he looked up, his eyes crashing into Zosia''s who was intently staring at the figurines. "Wait," Asgar took the box from Xen. Gently knocking on it, he listened to the sound. Closing the box, he turned the box upside down. Underneath the box they noticed a small hole that acted as a mechanism. Intrigued, Asgar pressed the small hole, and with a soft click, a hidden compartment in the box slid open, revealing a small, yellowed piece of parchment .Everyone leaned in closer as Asgar carefully unfolded the parchment. The paper was old and fragile, the edges crumbling slightly as he handled it. "It''s a letter." Asgar said. "The writing is strange." Xen whispered. "It says, Be careful for the Eternal Lord of Strings is coming." Lucien read. The room fell silent as everyone absorbed the ominous message. Zosia felt a chill run down her spine, but she quickly shook it off. They needed to stay focused. "What does it mean?" Tanya asked, her voice a mixture of fear and curiosity. Mina looked at Lucien, who seemed deep in thought. "The Eternal Lord of Strings¡­ it sounds like a title, maybe someone or something with significant power or influence here." Zosia nodded, looking at the figurines again. "If these figurines represent people who have been here before, maybe the Eternal Lord of Strings is connected to them in some way. Perhaps he controls them, like puppets..... Puppets... Yes, those children and that Old man." Zosia exclaimed. Others nodded their heads at her reasoning. "The old woman''s belt had a bronze carving like a religious symbol." Percival mentioned. "She mentioned the Capital and it seemed like people were going to the capital for celebration, but they can''t go." Xen mentioned as he sat down on one of the beds. There are a total of 5 beds arranged in how it would be in a motel or local inn. "I also noticed that when we mentioned carriage, it didn''t look strange to her and she was wearing ancient styled clothes but her children are wearing modern styled clothes." Mina mentioned her observations. "Also guys... My Defects has already started manifesting." Zosia said, prompting them to look at her. "What is your defect?" Xen asked with worry. "It''s nothing, just memory loss." Zosia blinked her eyes and answered. "Oh!" Tanya lost interest after hearing her defects. Turning to look at Lucien, "I feel that we are already getting closer to night time, is there a way of we all stay together." Tanya suggested. "That is if the Owner of the house let us." Kevin answered. As they were each lost in their own thought, a knock was heard on the door. Xen couldn''t help but count the people present, seeing that they were complete, he turned to look at Lucien who is the leader of their group. Lucien stood up and walked to open the door. While Lucien walked to open the door, Zosia quickly arranged the ornate box, making sure to put everything as it was and dropped the ornate box back where she saw it. Opening the door, Lucien revealed the girl that Sister Marionette had introduced as her daughter. "It''s already late into the night and you all should sleep soon." The girl''s voice was much better than what they had heard when they first met. They curiously peered at her. Lucien opened the door wider, allowing her to enter. The girl walked straight to the cupboard bringing out some bed coverings. "You can use this to cover yourself as the temperature drops at an all time low at night." She said with a sweet smile. Zosia noticed that even as she approached the cupboard, she walked carefully and couldn''t even see the next thing before her. Zosia narrowed her eyes. "Is she really blind?" Zosia felt that something was off but couldn''t pin point it. "Thank you." They thanked her but Lucien kept quiet, something else was going through his mind. "Is it possible for all of us to stay in the same room?" Tanya couldn''t help but ask. "I don''t know but maybe tomorrow my grandma will tell you. Right now, she has gone to bed." "Okay. Thank you." Mina responded with a smile. They watched the girl leave. Zosia raised her head and noticed that the ornate box had shifted, but how? Chapter 108 - 106- Next day. On the bed, Zosia closed her eyes as she did some mental calculations. After the girl left, Lucien directed the rest of the guys back to their room. Starting from how long they trekked to this place from where they landed, she categorized it as four hours, then her defect till when it ended was another four hours and now, it is time for them to sleep which is another 8 hours, totaling 16 hours. So what happened to the remaining 16 hours? How would they make up for it. Suddenly, she started hearing the ticking sound of a clock. Zosia didn''t sit up immediately but turned to look at where Mina and Tanya who were lying down. She noticed that they were so fast asleep. Zosia felt that they may be pretending like her and was about to stand up and check, when she heard a click. She paused for a moment and the click stopped. Suddenly it started again and this time around, it was followed by a whirring sound. Zosia started feeling a piercing pain in her head then she heard a sleeping lullaby. She was slowly lured to sleep, but deep down, she was fighting against the effect that suppressed her consciousness. But, before she completely lost, she gave Chip an instruction to keep recording. =============== "Have all of them slept." The aged voice asked. Her eyes closed with prayer beads in her hand as she made her prayers to a statue upon the altar in the room. The room was dimly lit with the incense flowery scent that wafted and produced a kind of smoky effect. At the edge of the room is an altar. It had some figurines on the altar but they were more exquisite and polished. "Yes grandma." The blind girl answered. "Your Brother, what is he doing?" Sister Marionette asked. "He is cleaning the scene to make everything look normal. We weren''t expecting people." The blind girl answered with her head lowered. "Luckily, they came, we would sacrifice them to the Lord to cure you and your brother. Your future will be bright. Tell me, whose eyes do you want?" Sister Marionette turned to look at her daughter as she asked. Yes, it''s her daughter but to the outside world, it''s her grand daughter. In order to save her, her daughter had regressed while she had gotten older. As for the Son, it''s actually her daughter''s son and the old man outside is her daughter''s husband. She had long gotten used to referring to them as her daughter and son, to her, it made no difference. "Give me more time to find out, I don''t want to be hasty." "I understand. You can go. Let me continue Praying." Sister Marionette said and turned back to continue her prayer. "Lord," she whispered, her voice filled with both devotion and fear, "accept these sacrifices and grant my children sight and health. May their lives be restored through the purity of these offerings." The blind girl bowed and turned to leave. Her steps didn''t seem like someone who is blind, but it could be, because she is used to the terrain. She navigated the old mansion''s creaky corridors with practiced ease, her thoughts swirling. Whose eyes should she choose? She hadn''t been able to observe their new guests very well and to her, the ladies where in a sense, weaker than the guys. She had only three days for them to prepare for the ritual, she needs to collect some of their belongings without them knowing but at the same time, with their consent. She paused in her steps when she suddenly remembered that she hadn''t actually seen them with much bag. "Could they have left their things in the carriage?" She thought inwardly. Smiling she shook her head and walked back to her room. Her smile eerie as she navigated the dark passageways. Zosia struggled against the heavy blanket of sleep that was rapidly enveloping her. The lullaby''s melody was hauntingly beautiful yet laden with a sinister undertone. In the midst of her internal battle, Chip, continued its work, discreetly recording the surroundings and the sounds emanating from the room. As Zosia''s consciousness dimmed, she faintly perceived the figures moving in the room. The indistinct outlines of figurines but on a bigger scale. She wanted to spread out her spiritual consciousness but found out that it couldn''t even exit her body. She was clamped still and unable to move. Her vision was slowly covered by fog. She tried sending her consciousness to her space but her space still locked her out. She decided not to struggle anymore and slept off. In the shadows, an eerie white and red eyes were watching her struggle. ======¡Ù===¡Ö¡Ö¡Ö The Next Day... Mina woke up, seeing that the two girls were still sleeping in, she frowned. She looked at herself, there had been nothing strange, except that her defect had acted up, putting her into sleep. Only, if she knew it wasn''t her defect. She turned to look at Tanya and slowly stood up from the bed. Stretching out, "The sleep wasn''t actually that bad, also nothing happened." She thought inwardly. She found it strange that nothing happened, but first, they still had a Job to do. Today is the second day, so they had to be quick on their feet in finding clues. Standing up, she walked towards Tanya. After patting her for a while to wake up, she heard Tanya mutter, "So tired. I want to sleep more." "Is it your defect?" "Yeah, Extreme Fatigue." Tanya grumbled as she tried to turn her body. She noticed that her body didn''t even want to move, even feeling heavy. Zosia slowly woke up. Her eyelashes fluttered for a while before opening. Zosia struggled to open her eyelids. Frowning, she noticed that the fog covering her eyes, slowly dissipated. She raised her upper body up and leaned against the head board. She slowly ran her powers through their circuits, feeling better, she turned to Mina and Tanya. "Tanya is currently going through her defect, so you stay and watch over her." Mina said and stood up. Walking towards the mirror, she arranged her hair and then left, not sparring Zosia another glance. The room fell silent again as Mina''s footsteps faded down the hall. Zosia sat still, trying to piece together the events of the previous night. Something about the whole situation felt off. Her intuition was rarely wrong, and she knew she needed to be cautious. She glanced over at Tanya, whose breathing had deepened, indicating she had fallen back asleep. Zosia decided it was time to investigate further. Carefully, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She moved slowly, her muscles still sluggish from the effects of whatever had happened the night before. While she was still stretching, the door opened, as the guys entered but this time around, Lucien wasn''t with them. "Good morning!" Zosia greeted. "Good morning!" They greeted in response apart from Percival who directly asked the question he came for. "Did the Boss come here?" "No." "Okay, we are each spreading out to look for clues and first we are going to start outside while you girls do the inside. Don''t be too open with it." Percival said coldly. "Unfortunately, I can''t do that. Currently, Tanya is going through her own defect and needs to be watched. "What is her defect?" Xen asked. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Extreme Fatigue. Fortunately, we are yet to begin anything, else she would have become a burden." Zosia commented calmly. Xen looked at Tanya with a hint of concern. "Is there anything we can do to help her?" "Not really," Zosia replied. "She just needs rest. Her condition usually passes in a few hours." Percival nodded, his face impassive. "Alright. We''ll handle the outside. Keep your comms on and call if you notice anything unusual." The guys left the room, and Zosia turned her attention back to Tanya, who had begun to stir. "Tanya, can you hear me?" Tanya''s eyes fluttered open, and she groaned softly. "Yeah, I''m awake. Barely." "Just rest," Zosia said gently. "We need you at full strength." Tanya nodded weakly and closed her eyes again. Zosia sighed and decided to make the most of the quiet moment. She needed to clear her mind and focus. She took out a small notebook and began jotting down her thoughts and observations from the previous night. The ticking clock, the strange lullaby, the pain in her head¡ªit all pointed to some kind of manipulation, something designed to incapacitate them. But why? And for how long? Also, was she the only one affected. Mina didn''t mention it and neither did Tinya, or did they just kept it to themselves? She had no answers for that. Pulling up the recordings of yesterday, she started watching it, noting down everything. Even the temperatures. Especially the night temperature that fucking reduced to -100¡ã C. Shocked, she couldn''t help but touch her suit and Marvel. For it to still be working without any damage, shows how awesome it is, Or, maybe it''s just her limited knowledge and experience on things better than this. Scribbling on the note, she didn''t know when four hours passed and Tanya was slowly recovering. Tanya opened her eyes. Scanning her surroundings, she noticed Zosia calmly sitting on the chair, engrossed in doing whatever got her attention. Gently standing up from the bed, she stretched her body. "Hey, Zosia let''s go!" She called out. Heading for the door while yawning, her stomach rumbled. She kinda felt hungry, no she was hungry. "Hey, Zosia!" She called out again. Seeing that she was being ignored, she frowned and paused in her steps, turning towards Zosia with anger on her face. She walked up to Zosia, about to peer down to see what exactly got her attention, so much, that she was being ignored. Knock! Knock!! The knock brought Zosia back to reality. Tanya turned to stare at the door and so did Zosia who finally noticed Tanya behind her. A little startled, she coughed and asked, "What are you doing behind me?" "I have been calling you for a while now, what exactly are you reading?" Tanya asked as she gazed at Zosia with slight curiosity. "None of your business." Zosia answered airly and stood up from her seat, putting the notebook into her inventory. Tanya scoffed, losing interest in whatever Zosia was hiding. She turned towards the door and opened it. It wasn''t someone they were expecting to see but nevertheless. ================ Guys ..... I will be honest with You, I am not too good at writing horror but I hope I am able to pull this off. so because I am not too good at it. This part wouldn''t be extended for long and will come to an end soon. I have series of tests this week and the following week, so update may drop but I seek your continuous support. Thank you always and a Happy Sunday. Chapter 109 - 107- Punishment The boy that they hadn''t seen after the introduction, stood there, all smiles and even with a hint of naivety and innocence. "My mother said you should come and eat." He announced and turned to leave. Tanya and Zosia exchanged glances. Zosia stood up and Tanya followed behind him, with Zosia at the back. "Hi, how was your night?" Tanya asked in an attempt to start a conversation but was completely ignored. Zosia watched as Tanya''s face twisted, but she quickly calmed down and attempted communicating with the kid, but the result was the same. Tanya balled her fist in anger and disbelief. She felt that since she joined the group, she had been ignored so many times. It was starting to get on her nerves. Zosia felt tempted to use analyse on him, she decided to act on her thoughts. Zosia suddenly felt her ears ring. [????????????????????????????!!! ????????????????????????????!!! ????????????????????????????!!!] S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [???????????????? ????????????????????????????????. ????????????????????????????????????????: ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????.] "Fuck!!" She cursed under her breath as she felt her balance tilting. She grabbed the nearest thing besides her which happened to be Tanya. Tanya stared at Zosia with a frown in her face. "What exactly could be wrong with her now?" She thought Inwardly. "What is it?" Her tone wasn''t good, especially after being ignored many times. Zosia closed her eyes and tried to find her bearings. After a while, she recovered but she was still experiencing the defect and this time around with a loss of taste. Opening her eyes, her vision was in 160¡ã angle, so to her, Tanya and the boy looked like so blurry to her, more like warped and distorted. She closed her eyes and opened it again, "I am fine. Just you know....what happened to you, so it''s my turn." Zosia muttered. Tanya frowned, raising her eyebrows with skepticism on her face. Not that she didn''t believe Zosia, but, she had heard a voice. She wasn''t able to pick up what the voice was saying as it seemed so distant in her ears. She decided to accept Zosia''s explanation. The boy, oblivious to the tension between the two women, continued walking down the corridor, humming a cheerful tune. The walls of the narrow passageway seemed to close in on Zosia, making her feel claustrophobic. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Yeah, let''s just get this over with," Zosia muttered, trying to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. She noticed that she now had a broader vision of her surrounding. "So the loss of balance has to do with vision?" She thought Inwardly. Since, she couldn''t use her spiritual consciousness, it made her more aware of potential dangers. Walking behind Tanya, lost in thought, she noticed that having a broader vision made her have headache due to the influx of new information, so her steps began to slow down but still steady. Tanya turned to look at Zosia when she noticed that she had slowed down. Seeing that Zosia didn''t ask for her help or anything, she couldn''t help but scoff inwardly. She didn''t think a Newbie like her would have a much more stronger mental fortitude than her. Believing that Zosia would still ask for her help, she ignored Zosia slowing down and continued walking, not waiting for her. As they were about to pass through the door leading to the Parlor, Zosia noticed something different. Despite the headache, her memory had become clearer and possibly more acute without Chip''s help. She noticed that unlike normal wood, the wall had a wood wallpaper. Zosia''s eyes flashed with a hint of contemplation, when the parlor door opened revealing the guys and Mina, who all had snow flakes on them except for Lucien. "You arrived just in time for breakfast." Tanya said with a wide and genuine smile as she walked up to Lucien. Zosia noticed that Lucien''s face was a little frigid. "What did he find out about?" She thought Inwardly. Among all of them, Lucien is the calmest, so what could have possibly made him to have such a face? Despite being a little curious, she didn''t say much, only greeting them and entering the dining area that had a large beautiful hand woven rug that covered the floor. She was about to step on the rug when she noticed something. It was just a flash and she felt like she was wrong. "What is it?" Xen who had appeared behind her asked. "The..." She was about to say something when she was interrupted by sister Marionette. "You don''t seem to like the meal?" Sister Marionette asked. "I am sorry ma, unfortunately yes. Thank you, I will just eat the food I have with me." Zosia apologized with a bow. Zosia shifted out of the way to let the others pass. She glanced back at the rug, noticing the flicker again. She glanced at the wall not far from her and noted them down. Every other person entered the dining room to eat. "I will go drop the bags in the room." She didn''t know where they got the bag from but it was enough for them to use it as a disguise. Zosia glanced at the wall again before she left. Lucien glanced at Zosia as she left and noticed when she looked at the wall. He was still angry at what she did as he had heard the announcement. It means that she didn''t take his warning to mind. He glanced at the wall after she had left and noticed that the wall looked normal. What could she possibly have seen? Tanya who had been looking at Lucien noticed that he was watching Zosia. A frown appeared on her face and she felt a little Jealous. "Are you worried about Zosia''s defect?" She said with a smile as she stared at Lucien. Her voice was a little higher, so others heard her clearly. Xen who was scrutinizing his meal, raised his head to look at Tanya, his eyes flickering with some thought. He noticed that Tanya had stars in her eyes as she stared at Lucien. "Sigh!" Apart from when he is in a task world, the only people he had received such looks from were weak ladies who wanted to latch on him for the resources he could help them with. Even Zosia who is a newbie ignores him and what fascinates him, is the fact that she is just a newbie, yet, she has such capabilities, even to the extent if being able to escape the Soul Bureau Police Forces and even help them, making them recognize her. He was even surprised to see her among Lucien group and for her system space to be used as a meeting place, it could only mean, they considered her as one of their own. "You don''t need to worry about her, I don''t think her defect is anything much, since she could still walk and hear properly. Probably loss of thirst." Tanya continued. The others didn''t care and calmly continued with their scrutiny on the food. "Ah! How is the meal? It doesn''t seem to you people''s taste, since the food doesn''t seem to have been touched." Sister Marionette said as she entered the room with water in a tray. "Thank you, Sister Marionette. The meal looks delicious, but I think everyone is still adjusting," Percival replied smoothly, forcing a smile. He glanced at the others, silently urging them to eat. Lucien didn''t say anything, but began eating. Mina silently admired Lucien''s etiquette as he ate. She noticed that Lucien wasn''t really bothered by what was going on or how crazy things were. The more reason she fought to be among the people that joined for this mission. She suddenly remembered what her sister asked her to do and she groaned inwardly. Her stupid sister had messed up and now to clear her mess, she had to make sure Zosia doesn''t leave this mission alive, if possible, incriminate her with something. She had thought about how to do it cleanly without being suspected, since it seems like Zosia is a member of Lucien''s group and even Xen seems to know her. Her eyes inadvertently met Tanya and an idea began forming in her head. Smiling, she lowered her head and started eating, though it was a little hard to suppress her psychological barrier. Zosia who they were thinking about unaware of their deceptive thoughts, was walking through the hallway. Her steps were slow but steady as she took in everything in her mind. Zosia formed a map in her head as she walked. She placed the objects in her mind the way she had seen them when coming and noticed that something was off. Zosia suddenly paused. Her gaze glued to the vase then to the wall. She didn''t know if she was being watched. "Wow, I didn''t think I would see this piece here." She exclaimed, gently touching the vase. She shifted the vase a little, seeing that there was no effect, she continued her act not letting her surprise show on her face. "Sigh! Unfortunately, I don''t have enough money. I wonder if I could exchange it." She said, biting her lips in contemplation. Zosia sighed, her eyes held longing as she left the vase and walked forward when she suddenly came to a stop. She noticed that the hallway was longer than before. A frown appeared on her face. "Seems like I am right. There was definitely something wrong with that vase." ============= Sorry guys, I was unable to post for the past two days and the chapter is also not long as I should have made it be. I couldn''t post yesterday due to tests and today it is also shorter due to time. Please keep supporting me in anyway you can and thank you. Have a nice day. Chapter 110 - 108- Clues and findings Zosia kept walking down the hallways. She noticed the same rune she had seen beneath the carpet in the dining room and the color of the rune was the same as the one used as a glue for the fake wallpaper. "Blood!" She perceived the faint metallic odour that came with blood which could only mean that the blood had been preserved well and some things had also been added. Zosia couldn''t help but wonder about the technique behind it. Gently rubbing her hand against it, the stain looked different from blood, yet, it still couldn''t hide the smell of blood. Opening her panel, she clicked on the Map function. "Huh?!" To her dismay what she saw on the map was entirely different from what she was expecting. She thought it would be just another hallway in the house but no, it was more like a semi enclosed world with only one opening. It reminded her of the Prison space. The one Nora had made and she strengthened it. She remembered how Nora told her that it had helped in making her more familiar with her powers and even allowed her to easily accept what was going on around her. Zosia decided to continue walking since she couldn''t find the exit. As a one way world, it could only mean that there is one key and it can only open one door for both coming and going. But, why does the world look like their hallway. The map didn''t dictate that the world was small, even though, it could only reveal 100 meters with her at the centre, so why did they make it look like their hallway? A question she didn''t have an answer to. Thinking about the various possibilities, "Maybe they don''t actually have the Key and can only move around a certain section. And since they could be allowed in, it means there is someone behind them." The more Zosia thought about it, the more she felt how complicated things were. Her eyes kept looking around, taking into notice the little difference, but the headache that came with taking in too much information didn''t seem worth it. Luckily, her soul is strong and helped her in processing the information she received. She suddenly paused. Since she could wrap her spiritual consciousness around her but not use it on others or as her sixth sense, she wondered if she could wrap it around her hand and use it to touch the rune being drawn with the preserved blood. As daring as always, she decided to carry out her thoughts, but not without hesitating. If she ended up having another defect, it really wouldn''t be good, especially if it happens to be something she couldn''t work with. Nevertheless, she still placed her hand on the Rune, coating her hand with her spiritual consciousness. The moment she inputted her spiritual consciousness into, it travelled far, but due to not being strong enough, it was suddenly cut. Within the period, the spiritual consciousness was in there, she had received some information. The Rune being drawn, was as expected. It is an exchange rune. You give something to get something in return but unlike the one she had seen in books or in the knowledge packet given to her by Lucien, it looked more complex, archaic and even broken. "Does it mean, they hadn''t used it in years?" She thought Inwardly. She remembered the old woman, who was asked to be referred to as Sister Marionette, mentioning that the neighbors had gone to the capital, but what if, she was lying? What if, everyone had been killed by them. Groan! Zosia let out a muffled groan, when her mind was suddenly assaulted with memories. They include the memories of all who had been dealt with by the rune to form a complex array. Opening her eyes, she realized that she had only noticed the rune and not the array. Taking a step back, she realized that this wasn''t something she could fend or fight on her own. The memories had only flashed and the key things were missing. Like the figurines, they all looked like the people she had seen in her memory. She also realized that people of different worlds end up venturing into this place and so far, she hadn''t seen any from a Sci-Fi world. It explains how such an old and ancient house could have some modern equipments. By modern, she referenced to things of her own era in her own main world. Turning around, she decided to go back through the way she came from. The moment she turned back, she was met with the eyes of the blind girl. She still didn''t know the name of blind girl. Zosia was not surprised to see the blind girl here, but the fact that she must have been staring at her for a while, did make her feel uncomfortable. "I saw a vase of a famous collection and while touching it, it brought me here. Can you please lead me back. I don''t think this is a place I should intrude upon. Inwardly, Zosia couldn''t help but ask, "Did she see me while I was sending my spiritual consciousness? I hope she didn''t." The blind girl didn''t say anything only staring at Zosia. Her eyes were fixated on Zosia eyes. Despite the white color that made her eyes were appear lifeless, there was an intensity in her gaze that made Zosia shiver. To the extent, Zosia questioned if she was really blind. The girl''s silence felt more unsettling than words ever could. Zosia''s heart raced as she wondered what the girl could see¡ªor perhaps sense¡ªbeyond her physical sight. The way she stared, as though looking through her and into her very soul, made Zosia feel exposed. "Hey! Hi!" Zosia repeated, sounding very calm. One thing she had learnt, always appear silly or calm to let down the guards of others. "Can you show me the way back?" Zosia asked again. The blind girl finally blinked, breaking the unnerving eye contact. She turned her head slightly, as if listening to something only she could hear. The silence stretched on, thick with unspoken tension. Then, without a word, the girl reached out her hand, not toward Zosia, but toward the wall beside them. Her fingers brushed against the wallpaper, tracing a pattern that Zosia hadn''t noticed before. Zosia stepped closer, peering at the wall. The girl''s fingers moved with purpose, revealing another rune hidden beneath a thin layer of paint. This one was smaller, but the lines were sharper, more defined, as if it had been recently drawn. "You''re not supposed to be here," the girl finally spoke, her voice soft but firm. It wasn''t the first time Zosia had heard her speak, but her tone then and now was so different. The tone alone sent a chill down her spine. There was something ancient in that voice, something that didn''t belong in the body of a young girl. "Do I have to act weak to escape this?" She thought Inwardly. Zosia swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "I didn''t mean to intrude. I just¡ª" "You should leave before the others find you," the girl interrupted, her hand still resting on the wall. "They don''t like visitors. Especially not those who can see." Zosia frowned. "See what?" She couldn''t help but ask. The girl smiled, instead of answering Zosia''s question, she turned and showed Zosia his back as they walked down the hallway. It didn''t take up to a minute and she found herself back in the hallway. "My name is Jasmine." She uttered and disappeared, leaving Zosia with lots of words but not knowing how to put it. Zosia stood there, trying to process what had just happened. The blind girl¡ªJasmine¡ªhad led her back without answering any of her questions. Zosia felt a mixture of relief and unease. She felt that she had entered a more elaborate trap. She decided to first drop the bag in the room and maybe rest her head while going through the memories. Not far from her, Jasmine stood with an expressionless face as she watched Zosia leave, her lips curling up a little. "The fish has taken the bait." She muttered, her eyes glinting. She has finally found whose eyes to collect and soul to use as an exchange medium. After so many years of searching and not recieving any visitors, it seemed like the Lord of Strings, finally answered her prayers. But first, she had to make her lose her guard before she would act. She didn''t have much time, since it didn''t seem like they were planning to stay for that long. *********** Lucien who was calmly eating his meal, suddenly paused. It wasn''t really noticeable but Tanya, whose eyes had been glued on him, noticed the unnoticeable pause between each of his meal intake. "What could she had met again?" Lucien thought Inwardly. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The way Zosia kept either doing something wrong or meeting the wrong things, reminds him of those Sons and daughters of heaven whose luck and destiny could easily be snatched away, well under the right conditions but the main thing is that they are trouble magnets. Wiping his mouth the the handkerchief provided, he gently stood up. "Thank you Sister Marionette." He said his thank you and left. Tanya was about to follow immediately but was held back down by Xen who stopped her. "The Boss wants to be alone and not with you following him around and not helping." Xen scolded. His voice lowered, almost to a whisper but Tanya heard it. Tanya snorted and forcefully, removed her hand from Xen''s grasp. She felt that Xen and Zosia must have known each other, if not Xen would not always be worried about her, seven to the extent of helping her. She didn''t know if he actually likes Zosia. But, she was sure that they must have something going on between them. Tanya stood up, followed by the rest. To them, Lucian leaving might be a sign for them to stop eating. Xen watched them leave and sighed. Indeed, the food wasn''t poisoned, but it was too healthy. It reminds him of the tea yesterday. He still hasn''t been able to identify the active ingredients and how they would have a counter¡ªaction. Xen stood up with a smile and thanked Sister Marionette, who smiled in return. He noticed that just like yesterday, Sister Marionette perfume was a little flowery, reminding him of the perfume used by young girls to display their innocence and naivety. Wait... Perfume? Innocence? Naivety? ===================== Thank you all for your support. I am most surprised by the comments of HirsuiteGremilin27¡ª You have given me the most chapter comments, I''ve ever received and I hope you keep loving the book. Also thank you to those who had given me advices and I promise to take them, so I would be revising the novel from chapter one for any mistakes I have made. Thank you Amanda_Cross, Joy_Toludan, ridpose, JusteMoi, Tambre_Knox_0331 for the Golden tickets. I hope you keep supporting me. Thank you all and yup, I have revised this chapter and I hope it doesn''t have any grammatical error that I might have skipped. I hope you keep enjoying my novel and thank you all. Chapter 111 - 109- Lord of Strings. Zosia laid on her bed. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. Her eyes flashed with various memories. "Can my Spiritual consciousness act like InfoLink?" She asked herself inwardly, feeling that everything was suspicious. She was also starting to feel paranoid. From the memories, despite how voluminous it was, she was only able to gleam a few things. Like how they looked, how nice and peaceful their interactions had been, and how they had died, though they had died in inexplicably ways. From one of the memories, she watched as one of them was controlled like strings attached to a stiff body to kill his friends and even his lover. The cycle had been like that until recently. The most current memory was of one of the victims dying in his sleep. She also noticed that Sister Marionette looked much younger. Thinking of how Sister Marionette looked like currently and how she looked like in the last memory, the difference was huge. It''s like comparing a lady in her thirties to a woman in her sixties to seventies. Zosia stood up from the bed and walked towards the box that contained the figurines. She remembered the letter they had seen that night, she wondered if it was still inside. Opening the box, she glanced at the figurines. A thought popped up in her mind, why were there figurines of their victims? As an assassin, she knew some liked to keep souvenirs of their grand feats or their murder. She still didn''t think it was worth the time of calming down to carve such elaborate pieces and paint them. She brought them out, one by one and from the memories, she recognized them but at the same time, she felt that something was off. Zosia was about to place the figurines back into the box when she noticed a writing on the box. "I didn''t see this yesterday." She muttered, her eyes flashing with a cautious glint. The writing read; "The Lord of Strings, We hail Thee." She didn''t read it out aloud, as she doesn''t know the consequence of what would happen if she read it aloud. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was neither ready for a new defect nor ready to have a match with a god or deity. Thinking about what the letter at the back of the box had said, warning them about the Eternal Lord of Strings. "Seems like this diety is a Lord of puppets." She muttered to herself, closing back the box and placing it back at the top of the cup board. Opening the cupboard that they hadn''t searched yesterday, she suddenly heard a Knock, causing her to pause in what she was doing. Zosia gently closed the cupboard and walked to the door. Opening the door, it happened to be Lucian standing outside the door. She shifted to allow him come in and he entered the room. Closing the door, she turned to Lucian. She didn''t know if to tell him her findings, because among all of them, he was and is the strongest. She didn''t think she could do much. Remembering the intense smell of death she had perceived when she entered the hallway and the strong premonition, that made her not dare to continue going forward. "Here." Lucian said as he held out some snacks. Zosia glanced at the snacks, she wasn''t really feeling hungry. With what was happening and with how tense she was becoming, she didn''t think her stomach could accept any meal, but still, she knew she had to put something into her stomach. "Thank you!" Was Zosia afraid? Yes, she was getting scared but since there is a big shot to carry her along, the fear in her reduced. Someone, might say, as an assassin why was she afraid, but don''t forget, this is a supernatural world with a cut off section of the world that is set to reset every seven days. It means that once they fail, they become integrated into this world. Even if she manages to escape, where could she escape to? Lucian sat down, his glance at Zosia a little sharp. Sensing Lucian''s gaze, she couldn''t help but roll her eyes Inwardly. She wondered what Tanya saw and thought that Lucian likes her. "I asked you not to use your spiritual consciousness on them, now you got what you asked for." Zosia flinched slightly at Lucian''s words. He was right, of course, but the way he said it made her feel like she was being scolded. She had acted impulsively, letting her curiosity get the better of her, and now she was paying the price. "I didn''t mean to," she murmured, avoiding his gaze. "I just¡­ I needed to know." Lucian sighed, leaning at the headboard of the bed. He hates it when people can''t follow a simple Instruction. He wasn''t stupid when he asked her not to do it. "Zosia, you need to understand that this place isn''t like the outside world. Everything here is designed to mess with your mind. The more you try to dig into the past, the more it latches onto you." He said, his tone was a little cold. In fact, it has always been cold but this time around it was directed at someone, who happens to be Zosia. The door to the room was swung open by Tanya and behind her were the guys. Tanya gaze moved between Zosia and Lucian, seeing the distance between them and that nothing has happened, she regained her calm. "Why are you guys here?" Lucian asked, even though he already knew why, he still asked. As for how he knew, just looking at Tanya''s anxiousness and the gaze she used when she looked at Zosia or the gaze she always used to look at him, already says it all. "Boss, we followed you since you gave us a signal not to continue eating." Kevin said. He glanced at Zosia and seeing that she was okay, he couldn''t help but ask, "What exactly are your defects?" Zosia glanced at him, "Tell me yours and I will tell you mine." Zosia sat on her bed and turned to look at them. Tanya eyes shone seeing Lucian sitting in her bed. Seeing that Zosia had already sat down and the rest were all sitting down, she walked up to her bed and sat beside Lucian. Lucian only glanced at her then at the bed and sighed inwardly. "Alright, let''s all say what we found and along with the defects." Percival said. "I will go first." "There is actually a god or diety that they worship. I saw a statue in the kitchen this morning and linked it to the letter, the god is called The Eternal Lord of Strings. Also, the boy seems deaf but at the same time, he is not, I feel it''s a pretense. My defect today are Loss of hearing and Loss of touch." Xen raised his hand, intercepting Kevin that is about to speak. "Let me go second." Kevin nodded, allowing Xen to speak. "Have you guys noticed that the food is too healthy. The more healthier the food, when something, maybe a drug or something has a counteracting effect with the food, it becomes a deadly poison and currently we are in a flesh state, so technically we could die. And I feel... No, I am sure, the counteracting agent is Sister Marionette''s perfume." Tanya felt some chills. Her missions since she entered the soul world hadn''t been difficult and could be described as smooth sailing. "As for my defects today, Extreme Hunger and Lameness. I am still experiencing the Extreme Hunger, so, don''t mind what I am eating ." Zosia glanced at him and shook her head, she had noticed the series of snacks that Xen had been munching on since he entered the room. "I would just confirm Percival''s suspicion. Indeed, The blind and deaf girl are neither blind nor deaf and I believe that they are much older than they look. I came across a picture Album in the neighbors houses and they were all grown up and even the old man we saw yesterday, is actually the husband to the girl." Kevin said, "We still don''t know her name." "Her name is Jasmine." Zosia said, making them turn to look at her. "How did you know?" Mina asked. "I intruded somewhere and saw an exchange array which is what they plan to do with us. They use us to exchange things with their god. She met me and led me out, even saying we should be friends." "Did you agree?" Lucian asked. "No... I just didn''t say anything." "Apart from the Extreme fatigue... I didn''t have another defect and I didn''t notice much." Tanya interjected. She didn''t like seeing Lucian respond to Zosia, so she said something, but towards the end, she had nothing else to add, so she could only sulk. Mina who had been quiet for a while raised her head to glance at Tanya. Well, she had been with the guys, so she allowed herself to be carried along, not really putting any effort. "What about you guys?" Zosia asked, her gaze landing on Asgar. Asgar summarized what they had discovered and everyone kept silent. Zosia felt the bed to completely search the room and just like before, she acted on her thoughts. Lucian glanced at Zosia, a flicker of thought passed through his mind. He has decided to use this opportunity to train Zosia, she had the potential to join his group but, he wasn''t sure if she is willing. Unlike when they first met, he noticed that she is much calmer. What could she have possibly experienced in the last task world? Tanya who had been watching Lucian, became annoyed. Zosia had been shining more than her, even despite the defect, she was still able to compose herself, but it wasn''t the same with her. She couldn''t do it. To sum it all, Lucian has been watching her. Feeling jealous, she bit her lips. Mina who had been concocting a plan on how to deal with Zosia and as Tanya as a tool, smiled seeing the jealousy in Tanya''s eyes. It would be more easy to lead Tanya. Xen watched as Zosia ransacked the cupboard and brought out things in it. It took a while to ransack the room, but still, they found nothing. Afyer a while, seeing that they couldn''t get anything, everyone started leaving. Zosia didn''t mind and only sat down, lost in thought. Mina left. If she wants her plan to succeed, then she had to make use of those weird house owners. She decided to contact them when others are either busy or not around but they must not know. While others had their own plans, Zosia felt that things wouldn''t be the same tonight. And her guess was right. ============== Thank you all of you for your continuous support and I promise to do better. Also, I would start working on the earlier chapters to correct the grammatical errors that I have overlooked. Thank you once again and I hope for your continuous support. Enjoy this chapter and have a nice day. Chapter 112 - 110- Plans & The strange book Mina walked through the hallway, lost in her thoughts. "Aren''t you too young to be thinking about trivialities?" Sister Marionette''s voice entered her ears. Mina''s eyes sparkled. It seemed like everything was working for her favour. Dorning a weary smile on her face, she shook her head gently. "If I don''t think, would anyone be willing to help me." She threw her bait. Sister Marionette smiled, walking closer to Mina, she exuded the aura of a gentle sister, "Tell me, maybe I could help." Mina looked at her, feigning worry, she shook her head. "I was taught not to bother others with my problem." "Aish, I don''t consider it a bother." Sister Marionette said as she patted Mina at her back. Mina grimaced, a sense of disgust welling up inside her. She didn''t like being touched, especially by people she looked down on. Putting on a face smile to cover the disgust she felt, she looked around. Age couldn''t allow herself to be seen by others. "Are you worried about being seen? Let''s go." Sister Marionette turned, leading Mina towards one of the empty rooms in the house. Sister Marionette opened the door, leading Mina into the room. She sat down, pointing at the chair opposite her, to which Mina sat down. "You don''t need to feel afraid, tell me." She coaxed. "It''s nothing serious. It''s just that because of Zosia, my friend and I keep being ostracized because of her. It''s like as if, the guys can''t wait to worship her feet....." Mina kept talking with an aggrieved tone. She even made up some stories, twisting some things things that happened recently. She only has to change how Sister Marionette saw Zosia, and Zosia would become the sacrifice. While she kept talking, she was unaware of the smile forming on Sister Marionette''s face. Sister Marionette''s eyes met with the spider she had sent to pluck a hair of Mina, her smile got wider, but more gentle. Mina happened to catch her smile, and paused. Her heart thumped for a moment. "Sister Marionette, is it possible that you are laughing at my situation?" Mina asked. She wasn''t really afraid, she believes she could escape if things get awry, but she definitely doesn''t want such to start with her. As for why she was the one that came to meet Sister Marionette instead of using Tanya. One, she is yet to discuss it with Tanya or lure Tanya into it, besides, she met Sister Marionette alone and not sure if she would have such a chance again. From what she had noticed so far, Tanya wouldn''t want to meet with any of the household members alone, since if she does and Lucian misinterprets it, it would end up making her look bad in front of Lucian, another thing that will make Tanya reject the proposition. "Not really. I don''t laugh at people''s problem. It''s just that it reminds me of when I was still young and here was vibrant, unlike how gloomy it is. Then, I was the least liked due to how gloomy I was, but now they are all begging me." Sister Marionette smiled, her smile a little eerie. "Hehe..." Mina faked a laugh. "Thank you for hearing me out. I should get going." Mina said and stood up. "Wait, before you go." Sister Marionette stood up and left the room. Coming back again with a pouch. "Inside the pouch is a powder, sprinkle it at your room door." Sister Marionette gently instructed. Mina glanced at the pouch. It wasn''t what she was expecting and her enthusiasm dwindled. But, since she has already been given the pouch, it would be a waste not to use it. "What would happen if I use it?" Mina asked. "That would depend on you then." Sister Marionette answered with a smile. Mina raised her eyebrow and just nodded. "Thank you, Sister Marionette." She thanked her and left. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sisters Marionette watched as Mina left, before turning to her daughter that just appeared. "I found someone we could use to get to the rest." Sister Marionette said with a smile. "Leave no traces." Jasmine warned and left. Jasmine walked towards the guest rooms, heading for the ladies room. Her footsteps became slow and deliberate to exhibit signs of her being blind. Arriving at the ladies room, she sensed two people where inside, so she couldn''t drag the girl called Zosia as she wished. Putting on a fake and innocent look on her face, she gently knocked on the door. Inside the room, Zosia and finished arranging the room with nothing in view. She decided to shift the cupboard when she is alone. Hearing the knock behind the door, Tanya and Zosia shared a look. It wouldn''t be Mina since, she could easily push open the door and it wouldn''t be the guys since their knock is a little heavier. Tanya stood up, she walked towards the door, hoping for it to be the guys, well, maybe only Lucian. Opening the door, she was met with the blind girl whom Zosia called Jasmine. Tanya''s smile flattered a little but quickly recovered. She wasn''t sure if the guys were close by, since she couldn''t check it, she could only fiegn a smile. "Hi.. How are you doing?" They had spent a few hours here, so it should be getting to afternoon, meaning, the next defect. "My mom is unavailable, she went to help out with something and due to my disability, I am unable to see where the ingredients are placed. Please could you come and help me in the kitchen?" She asked "What about your brother?" Tanya didn''t want to help out with such menial work. "He followed my mother to go get more firewood. We have burned more than the needed firewood as we have you all as guests." Tanya sighed. Since, the girl has already worded it that way, she decided to go and watched them. Especially how the food is being cooked? Or if anything was or is added during the cooking process. Zosia glanced at Tanya who was talking with Jasmine. She wondered if she will be willing to go. Tanya turned to Zosia, "I will follow her to prepare lunch. Make sure you tell Lucian." "Okay." Zosia responded as she watched Tanya leave. Tanya had made no effort to hide that she likes Lucian. After waiting for a while and it seemed like they had gone far. She stood up from the bed. She had checked what was inside the cupboard, so she didn''t bother. Using her strength to push the cupboard to the side gently, she realized that the cupboard was heavier than she thought. Zosia using her strength, was finally able to shift the cupboard. As the cupboard slowly shifted, a small, hidden compartment came into view¡ªa dusty alcove embedded into the wall. The faint scent of something ancient and forgotten wafted out, making Zosia''s heart race with anticipation. Inside the alcove, a small, intricately carved wooden box sat, covered in dust and cobwebs. Zosia hesitated, her hand hovering over the box, a mix of curiosity and trepidation swirling within her. What could be so important that someone went through the trouble of hiding it here? With a deep breath, she brushed away the cobwebs and dust, revealing the delicate carvings that adorned the box''s surface. They depicted strange symbols and figures, almost like a story frozen in time. Zosia''s fingers traced the intricate patterns, trying to decipher their meaning, but it was beyond her knowledge. The box seemed to hum with a faint energy, a whisper of power long forgotten. Suddenly she heard that clock sound again. Tick! Tock! Tick!! Tock!! Tick!!! Tock!!! The sound seemed to remind her of the time being lost. Zosia''s fingers froze as the ticking echoed in her mind, each sound reverberating like a warning. She hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. Should she open it? The logical part of her mind screamed at her to leave it alone, but something else¡ªcuriosity, perhaps¡ªurged her to continue. It was as if the box was calling to her, compelling her to uncover its secrets. Taking a deep breath, Zosia gently lifted the lid. The hinges creaked as if they hadn''t been moved in centuries, and for a moment, she feared the box might crumble in her hands. But it held firm, revealing its contents. The inside of the box was covered with red velvet and inside the box laid a book. Zosia''s breath caught as she stared at the small book resting on the red velvet. It was bound in dark leather, worn with age, and the pages were yellowed at the edges. The book was bound by golden strings. The cover bore no title, only the same strange symbols she had seen on the box. They seemed to pulse with a faint glow, as though imbued with some ancient magic. At the centre of the book is a blue glowing gem that seems to have liquid in it. The ticking sound grew louder in her mind, urging her to take action. Zosia could feel a pull towards the book, an inexplicable compulsion to open it. She hesitated for just a moment, then gave in to the allure, carefully lifting the fragile cover. As she flipped open the first page, she was surprised to find that the text inside was written in the same mysterious language as the parchment she had seen earlier. Yet, just as before, the words seemed to blur and shift, rearranging themselves into sentences she could comprehend. It was as if the book was speaking directly to her, translating itself in real-time. The first page read: "In the hands of the one who seeks truth, this book shall reveal the secrets of the past. But beware, for knowledge comes at a price, and the past is never truly forgotten." Then the book clamped itself shut. She gently closed back the box. She wondered if she should take the box along with the book. Biting her lips, she decided to take both of them. She put the two of them in her inventory, to look at it in detail later. ============ Thank you all for your support and please continue supporting me. Enjoy this chapter. Chapter 113 - 111- Death and Jewels. For that split moment that she had held the book, her memories which had been faint or perhaps locked up, all came rushing back. Groan! She suddenly felt something stirring within her followed by a sound of something being popped. Pop! She finally remembered why that flowery fragrance was so familiar. It is a powder gotten from the pistles of a flower called the Red Thorn Lilly. She had gotten her hands on it, in the last task world. The effect of the pistles is to sublimate the soul, giving you a cool feeling and like as if your soul is about to ascend with warmth spread around your body. But if added alongside its petals, it will have an opposite effect. It would make your soul loose and more easily extracted when needed. Pacing around the room, she remembered when Sister Marionette mentioned a young couple who had come here and were meant to go to the capital, but hadn''t made it. How did Sister Marionette know? Was she behind their demise? In fact, that wasn''t the question she should ask, but how had she done it? Zosia was aware that they worked for a god called the Lord of Strings, but, what is the relationship between the two? Could they be servants or members of a cult. Beep! Beep!! Beep!!! Zosia opened her panel that was making a beeping sound. Since she couldn''t access most of the functions, especially status, she opened the group chat panel. She noticed that Xen sent a message but it wasn''t something that was bearing good news. It was a message for a call for help. She noticed that the light indicating if a member was alive or not had changed. Xen and Kevin''s light had changed from green to red. Her breathing became a little rapid. "It seems like the person behind the scenes has decided to stop watching." She muttered. "But, what were Xen and Kevin doing? How did they die." She questioned, leaving the room to check on what exactly is happening. Walking through the hallway with the flickering torches that kept the hallway warm enough. Mina suddenly appeared from the side of the hallway, her eyes meeting with Zosia''s. She had also seen the notification that two of her members were already dead, so she had quickened her steps when leaving. Zosia glanced at Mina, noting her neutral expression. "Let''s go." Zosia turned and left not bothering to ask where she went to or if she found anything. They soon arrived outside together. "What happened?" Mina asked. "They said they noticed something and left to go check for. It''s been a few hours and after each and everyone experienced their own defect, we planned to go explore again, when we received the notification of their deaths. "Well not dead dead.... But they are out." Tanya said. Lucian stood by the side, gazing into the distance and not saying anything. Tanya upon seeing how Lucian was, she decided to approach. Perhaps, if she could comfort him, then, he may end up liking her. The moment, she was a few centimeters away from Lucian, Lucian shifted away from her and entered inside. Asgar and Percival exchanged looks before following behind Lucian. Zosia opened the chat and sent a message to the group, "Aren''t we going to look for their bodies?" "No need. Any body that is out or dead, their bodies are taken and stored in that black space you saw." Asgar answered her question. Zosia stared at the snow, remembering the uniformly cut crystals she had seen on their way, that looked like it formed an array. "Could that be what they went to check?" Zosia thought Inwardly. Biting her lips, she wondered, if she should also go and check it. "Do you like him?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia heard Mina''s voice sound beside her ear and turned to glance at her. "Whom?" "Seems like there are many people in mind, since you asked whom?" Mina continued, "Do you like Lucian?" Mina asked. Tanya who recovered from her daze glanced at the two ladies and snickered. They were just bitches trying to get their hands on her Lucian. Clenching her fist, she couldn''t let them have him. Her eyes flashed with a viscous glint. Leaving, she wanted to nudge Zosia''s shoulder but realized that she was shorter. It only added to her anger. Zosia glanced at the person throwing a tantrum and shifted, giving her a wide space to pass. Tanya snorted, folding her arms, she stumped her feet and left. Mina glanced at Tanya''s face, feeling that she had gotten the effect she wanted, her lips curled up into a smile. As for why she had done that, her plan of using Tanya still stands. As for Zosia, she had offended someone she couldn''t afford to offend. Zosia watched Tanya leave before turning back to Mina whose face was back to neutrality. "You don''t have to answer, just make sure to keep your feelings hidden." She smiled, patting Zosia on her shoulder, "Just a little advice from a senior to a Junior." Mina turned and left. Zosia, now left alone, breath a sigh of relief. She had felt an intense malice from Mina, something she hadn''t noticed or sensed before. Sitting down on the floor, she watched the snow fall, while allowing her thoughts to run wild. The stillness was broken by the sound of crunching snow. Zosia looked up to see a person she wasn''t expecting to meet. It was the old man they had met before, walking towards her with his snow shovel being dragged behind him. Zosia stared at those hollow white eyes and gulped, her body tense and getting ready to attack. Upon reaching her, the man stopped and only said a few words, "Run! Run!" Zosia''s facial expression changed. She had noticed a hint of struggle in those old eerie eyes. Why had the man told her Run? Biting her lips with no answer to the questions that swamped her. The old man turned and started going, still dragging the shovel with him. She stood up, watching him as he disappeared back into the white abyss, his hunched form slowly consumed by the falling snow. The crunch of his footsteps faded, leaving only the whisper of the wind and the steady, rhythmic fall of snowflakes. She didn''t know what would happen next, but she had a nagging feeling that Xen and Kevin must have gone to investigate those ice crystals. She decided to follow behind the old man. Stepping on the snow that made a crunching sound beneath her feet. With her spiritual consciousness covering her, she knew it was something detrimental to her to always have it wrapped around her but it is better safe than sorry whenever she goes to investigate something. As she followed behind the old man, she watched him enter a bend and increased her pace, but upon arriving at the bend, she saw nothing. She was about to leave, when she stepped on something. The sound wasn''t anything like stepping on snow. Using her feet, she swept the snow aside and was met with a bone, a white sparkling bone. Her gaze hardened and she stepped forward to keep searching when she felt a tap on her back. "What did you find?" Zosia turned to look at who tapped her and she met Lucian''s cold eyes. "Just this bone." She answered. Lucian glanced at the bone, bending down to pick it up, he glanced at it for a while. Putting his hand into his pocket, he brought out a scalpel. Zosia glanced at the scalpel, wondering what he planned to use that scalpel to do. Lucian used the scalpel to make an incision at the growth plate of the bone. The scalpel sliced through the bone with ease, revealing a marrow. Inside the marrow is a jewel pendant attached to a black rope. Lucian glanced at the pendant and tucked it into his pocket. Zosia stared at his action in astonishment. "I found the bone, don''t you think that if you want to collect the contents, you should replace it with something else." Lucian raised his head, glancing at her with a raised eyebrow, "You would have just ignored it, if I didn''t cut it." "At least, I need compensation." Zosia retorted. Lucian chuckled and said nothing, just tucking back the scalpel. He threw the bone and left, leaving Zosia to stare at his departing back in anger. She was furious, after all, for Lucian to take it, it means it is something good. She liked to hoard and it had slowly become a thing for her, so watching what that should have been hers, slipping away from her very own hand, she was angry. Anger¡ª an emotion that she hadn''t felt in a while. Using her anger, she started searching around but was unable to find anything. It was as if that was the only bone and it was something that had been deliberately kept for her to see. Feeling angry and the feeling of unaccomplishment that filled her insides made her uncomfortable and grumpy. She decided to leave the place with the intention of checking it out again tomorrow. "Maybe that was why Kevin and Xen decided to go check those things out by themselves. They probably didn''t want their spoils to be taken by him." She thought Inwardly. As she left the place, she was unaware that the old man whom she was looking for appeared just at the spot she was standing few minutes ago. The old man''s eyes blazed fiercely before fading out. A weary sigh left the old man''s mouth. He glanced at the empty space in his body where the bone he had pulled out from resided and another weary sigh escaped his lips. He could only feel conscious, a few times a day and during those periods he had observed the guests and noticed that only the girl ¡ª Zosia, seemed to be purer at heart than the rest, as well as the guy ¡ª Kevin. But the rest all had their own plans but he wouldn''t mind as far as they could free him from that evil god''s hands. He wanted the girl to receive the jewel that would protect her and she could in turn help free him from that God, but now..... He sighed again and entered the shed beside him, returning back to the stringed man he was. ============== Thank you ridpose for another Golden ticket. Also I thank you all who have been supporting me. Thank you all. I hope you keep supporting me. Thank you once again. Enjoy this chapter and have a nice day. Don''t forget to support me in your own little way. Chapter 114 - 112- Death and an Extra one. Entering inside the house, she was welcomed with the smell of food. This time around, she distinctly perceived the petals and the pistil of the Red Thorn flower turned into perfume that Sister Marionette liked spraying . Zosia glanced at Tanya who was boasting about the meal she prepared. Zosia sighed at her method of.making advances to Lucian. She suddenly frowned. Jasmine had mentioned that her brother and her mother had gone to fetch firewood, they could have met Kevin and Xen. Zosia walked up to Jasmine who had her mother''s signature perfume on. "Hey Jasmine, is your mother and brother back?" Zosia asked, making everybody look at her. "Yes, but they are resting for now." Jasmine answered with a smile, her eyes still unfocused. Zosia offered a small smile and nodded. Zosia''s question to Jasmine had also successfully added another suspect to their mind. "The food is ready, please come and eat." Jasmine said with a good nature smile. Sitting on their respective seat, they dined again but those with sense knew how to handle the meal. Zosia kept sending hers to her inventory, then she stood. "Thank you, the meal was delish and I am full." She said, rubbing her stomach. Jasmine nodded and smiled, "Thank you for enjoying it." Zosia left the dining room. Walking through the hallway, she remembered that the temperature that night had been a -100¡ã C and the way it dropped and rose made no sense. It had no way of being detected. Funny thing Is how the woods they got from where she got them is able to keep the inside warm, even negating the effect of the cold, outside. "Should I follow them next time for that wood?" She thought inwardly. She couldn''t help but wonder what type of wood that is. It had to be something special, she believed. Arriving at the girls room, she glanced at the door towards the guys room. They hadn''t checked it, either the guys did and didn''t see anything, so they didn''t say, but, she still felt the need to search. She decided to search when the guys get here as, she didn''t want to open the door and see rubbish. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Well, it was just her thinking, she didn''t think she would see such anyway. But just for an act of respect. While waiting for them, she remembered the shadows she had seen before she slept off. What where they? Her Chip hadn''t captured it, so she thought it was the Defect-¡ª Hallucination. Bringing up the video again, she replayed it and the expression on her face changed. When she watched the video, she wasn''t able to see anything, now she could. It could only mean one thing? As for what that thing means, she wasn''t sure. But to her, it''s a good thing. The shadows were the figurines but not the figurines they had seen. So where could this one''s be coming from? Also she was actually being watched. Those red and white eyes.... Zosia closed her eyes and leaned on the door if the girls room. Suddenly she heard some footsteps. Opening her eyes, she glanced at the direction of the noise. She expected it to be those house owners, but they weren''t. It was Tanya. Seeing Tanya, Zosia hoped, Tanya will truthfully answer her questions. "About the food.... When you were cooking with her, what spices or things did you add?" Zosia asked straightforwardly. Tanya paused, seeing how Zosia stood and was asking her questions like a suspect, she frowned. "Tsk, are you now also suspecting me. Suspecter, keep those questions to yourself." She snorted and pushed Zosia aside. Zosia raised her eyebrow, dusting the place Tanya touched on her body. She raised her head and happened to meet the guys. "Did you guys find any figurines in your room, I feel that there are two sets¡ª" Zosia was cut short. "We didn''t find anything and Mina confirmed that Sister Marionette was indeed at home, so don''t go around suspecting people anyhow." Percival said coldly. Zosia wasn''t really surprised by how cold Percival addressed her, but rather the contents of his words. Percival opened the door and entered the room, followed by Lucian who didn''t bother to say anything. Asgar patted Zosia on her shoulder and whispered, "He is in a bad mood, don''t mind him." He said and entered the room, closing the door behind him. Zosia glanced at the closed door and sighed. "Let''s call it mission unfulfilled then." She muttered. A few minutes later, Mina appeared and behind her was Jasmine. "You have been offending a lot of people, you should watch your back." She said, pushing open the door to the room and entered. Zosia noticed something was on Mina''s hand. It looked like the pendant and rope she had seen Lucian take. "Seems like it is really valuable." She thought in her head. ********* Inside the room.... Mina stared at the door, seeing that Zosia wasn''t coming in anytime soon, she moved to talk to Tanya. Tanya who was still having a bad day, since Lucian had refused to look at her or say anything. She couldn''t even attract him to look at her. One might ask why she was so hung up on him, but ever since the day she almost lost her life in one of the task worlds she was sent to and Lucian saved her. She promised never to forget his face and have him for herself. If he becomes hers, then he would always protect her or give her treasures to protect herself. Also those girls that call themselves her friends would fawn over her. Just thinking about it gave her undescribable joy. Yet, reality always had a way to slap her face. Mina watched Tanya carefully, noting the tension in her movements as she clutched the bed sheet. Tanya''s face was flushed, a mix of frustration and yearning, and Mina couldn''t help but feel a pang of pity for her. Tanya''s desperation for Lucian''s attention was painfully obvious, and in a place where survival depended on trust and cooperation, emotions like hers could be a dangerous distraction. "Tanya," Mina began, her voice soft but firm, "You need to focus. With Lucian hung up on Zosia, you wouldn''t be able to get him and would only loose yourself." Tanya''s eyes flicked up to meet Mina''s, a flash of anger briefly lighting them. "What do you know about it?" she snapped, her voice trembling with barely contained frustration. "You don''t understand what it''s like to love someone and see them look at another person daily with the same look you beg them to look at you... Do you know how heart breaking that is?" "Besides, don''t you also like him as well. Why are you here acting like a goody two shoes." She snapped. Mina sighed, choosing her words carefully. "It''s not what you think. If I actually liked him, I would have eliminated you just to have him for myself. But I also know that letting your feelings control you is dangerous, especially here. We need to stay focused on the mission and on keeping each other safe. Lucian... he''s complicated, but you can''t force something that isn''t there. If you keep pushing, you might end up alienating everyone, including him. Besides, he has someone that he likes, as long as she is still here and alive, he wouldn''t look at any girl." "Do you know how.much I envy the fact that he is so focused on a girl, I wish mine could do the same." Mina said with a lowered voice. Tanya''s expression softened slightly at Mina''s words. The bitterness in her heart, however, was still potent. "But... what am I supposed to do then? Just give up? Let Zosia have him without a fight?" Mina shook her head. "No, I''m not saying give up. I''m saying be smart. You know Zosia is sharp, and she''s already suspicious of everyone. The more desperate you act, the more she''ll see you as a threat, and if that happens, she won''t hesitate to take you down." Tanya''s lips pressed into a thin line. "So what do you suggest I do? Sit back and watch?" Mina leaned closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "No. You need to be strategic. Zosia is standing in your way, not just to Lucian, but in everything. She''s a strong player, and as long as she''s around, she''ll keep overshadowing you. If you want to change the game, you have to remove the biggest threat." Tanya''s eyes widened slightly, " But how does she do that, isn''t she just a newbie?" Tanya asked. "That is what I am telling you, the only way to find out is by eliminating her." Mina said. Tanya eyes widened slightly, realization dawning on her. "You mean...?" Mina nodded, a cold, calculating look in her eyes. "Yes. But we need to be careful. Zosia is always on guard, and she''s not easy to fool. But there''s a way to weaken her. Here." "She finally took the bait." Mina thought inwardly. Mina reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial of powder. The container was delicate, almost ornamental, with intricate carvings on its surface. Tanya glanced at the Vial, a flicker of hesitation passed through her face. Should she do it or not? But remembering that Zosia might be outside talking to Lucian and how Lucian would smile at her and they will have their happily ever after, she steeled her mind and took it. "How do I use it?" Tanya asked. "Write Zosia''s name on it. Sprinkle it at the door and around Zosia''s bed." Mina instructed with a small smile despite having a serious face on. "When do I do it?" Tanya asked again. "Do it when everyone has gone for dinner." Mina eyes shone, she felt like she was finally able to fulfill the task. Tanya nodded. Clutching the Vail like her life saver, she tucked it into her pocket, sending it to her inventory. She wouldn''t forget to do it. Since two people are already out today, she wouldn''t mind an extra one. ============== Thank you KerryLeigh for the Golden ticket and others for your support including power stones, reviews, paragraph and chapter comments. Thank you for also adding it to your library. Please continue to support me with the little or best you can. Thank you and have a nice day. Chapter 115 - 113- 2 Deaths ====== S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Has been edited. =========== Ting! Ting!! The clock rang signifying it was time to sleep. Zosia glanced at the clock and sighed. She felt that today hadn''t been fruitful and she has been left with more questions than answers. "Sigh!" A sigh escaped her lips, a troubled look surfacing her face. Biting her lips, she stood up from the chair, glancing at her food that she hadn''t touched and Sister Marionette who kept staring at her with a worried smile, like a harmless old woman. "What is on your mind dear?" Sister Marionette finally asked. "Nothing. Thank you for the meal." Zosia bowed as she said her thanks. Zosia suddenly paused on her way out. It''s strange how she hadn''t seen the younger brother. Her pause wasn''t really noticeable and she continued walking towards the room. She had gone back to check to the place she had seen the old man enter and only saw him standing like a statue in the shed. He wasn''t covered properly, either. Though she felt pity, she could only glance at him and not provide any warmth, since, she didn''t have much in her inventory. After searching around the place for the second time, she still found nothing. Whoosh! As she approached the girls room, she heard a whooshing sound. Pausing in her steps, she stood still for a moment before searching for the source of the noise. She frowned when she saw nothing, " This night would be a windy night, for sure." She commented under her breath. She pushed open the room door and found Mina and Tanya already in bed. Lying down on her own bed with her face to the ceiling of the room, she couldn''t help but let her thoughts roam and a question arose in her mind. Was her guess was right? Since, she heard that pop sound that seemed to be like a liberation of whatever locked down on her soul, she had become more perspective. To the extent that, she noticed that it''s actually what she sees that influences what the chip records. So, if she didn''t see it or even if she did but she didn''t have the ability to keenly recognize the mystery, then she would also be lost. No.. no.... It''s more like the chip records everything but it depends on if she could see them. So that pop sound she heard must have been an upgrade but as for what kind of upgrade, she didn''t really know. Tick! Tock! She heard the same clock sound but this time around it sounded different. It was more ominous and even the lullaby she heard wasn''t a children''s rhyme, as she had thought. Suddenly, she felt drowsy, just like the first day. She decided to allow herself be lured into sleep. It wasn''t long, when she heard light footsteps. She presumed it to be the figurines. They walked close to her bed then Mina''s bed. Her calm breathing became calmer and she looked like she had been successfully lulled to sleep. Since, nothing happened, she decided to go back to sleep. It took a while but when she finally felt sleepy again, she suddenly heard the wordings of the lullaby that had been like an indescribable chants in her ear. "Rest not, for the night is long, Where shadows stretch and souls belong. Tick, tock, the hour''s near, When the truth of all will soon appear..." What followed the chants where heavy footsteps. Zosia Inwardly communicated with her chip. Seeing that the recording was still on, she continued lying stil. Her breathing and body did not give anything away. Zosia strained her ear to hear more but was met with sudden quietness. After a while, the oppressive feeling disappeared and the sound of the clock ticking reappeared followed by the lullaby but in a gentle tone. "Should I check out what happened?" She asked herself Inwardly but then decided against. It''s best if she doesn''t put herself into trouble. ****** While she had slept off, the door creaked open and Lucian entered. Looking at the scene, he glanced at Tanya and shook his head. He then glanced at Mina, his eyebrows raised imperceptibly. "Tsk..." He clicked his tongue against his teeth. Glancing around the room one more time, his gaze stopped on Zosia. Waving his had, dust like particles fell on her further bringing her to the dream world. "I can only help you rest well, tomorrow, you would have to handle the rest yourself." He muttered and turned to leave the room. "It''s seems like it''s time I actually handle him, else he''d think he has escaped my perception." He thought inwardly. ******** The next morning.... Zosia woke up to the sound of knocks on the door. Opening her eyes, her eyes widened in shock at the sight that lay before her. Seeing how gruesome Mina and Tanya died, it made her question, what exactly had happened? She hadn''t heard any other sound apart from footsteps and also how had she slept so deeply? She was even feeling refreshed and lighter. Knock! Knock!! The knocking continued, bringing her back to reality. She didn''t even know how to explain herself to her teammates. She didn''t know what happened and being the only one that survived. She became a prime suspect. Biting her lips, she couldn''t come up with anything. "Aish! Now that I need ideas, my brains aren''t giving me one." She lamented. Standing up from her bed, she looked at the scene and decided to just show it to the guys like that, hoping that they would believe her, though she wasn''t sure, they would. "Anyways, after this, I just hope I don''t meet them again." She muttered. At the same time, she knew that it is good to have connections, so there is no way, she would not meet them again. She walked towards the door and opened it, revealing the scene inside the room to them. There was a moment of silence. Zosia noticed that it was only Percival and Asgar and Lucian was not in sight. She sighed and glanced at Asgar, unsure of if he would believe her or not. "What happened here, Zosia?" Percival''s cold voice pierced the tension that enveloped the room. "I don''t know. I woke up this morning to your knocking on the door and I saw this. I didn''t hear anything last night, so¡ª" "Oh! Just shut it!" He cut Zosia''s words short. "You three had never had a good relationship, just because of your jealousy and sense of self entitlement. Now, you are telling me you didn''t plan this. Do I look like a three year old child?" His eyes narrowing on Zosia and his voice becoming colder and threatening. The air, thick with tension and filled with the metallic taste of blood. Zosia was quite surprised at how she had been quickly accused by Percival, wondering where the rational Percival she knew had gone to? "I didn''t do anything." Zosia''s voice, firm. "Whether you believe me or not." "If it wasn''t you then who?" Percival retorted, feeling incensed that Zosia dared to reply back. "It might be those things that we have been trying to figure out. I don''t even know if to call them.... Spirits." "Ha! Who are you trying to fool. If they had been killed by them, then their bodies should have already disappeared. What other excuse do you have?" Zosia frowned, "True their bodies where meant to disappear, so why where they still here?" She questioned inwardly. "I don''t know." She answered again, this time with contemplation in her voice. "Percival, let''s think this through," Asgar interjected, his voice calm but firm. "Zosia might be telling the truth. Look at the bodies¡ªthis wasn''t a typical attack. There''s something unnatural about this." Percival frowned. He turned to look at what was being pointed at. He didn''t notice anything, may be because his emotions were clouding his mind. Zosia glanced at Asgar, grateful for his intervention. But the relief was short-lived as Percival''s eyes darted back and forth between her and the bodies. He was clearly trying to decide whether to trust his own instincts or give Zosia the benefit of the doubt. "Unnatural? What are you suggesting, Asgar?" Percival asked, though his tone held a begrudging respect for Asgar''s insight. Asgar stepped closer to the bodies, kneeling beside Mina''s lifeless form. He didn''t touch her, but his eyes traced over the odd wounds¡ªdeep gashes that seemed to be caused by a blunt weapon. Percival eyes still held a steely glint. "If you didn''t do this, Zosia, then what did? And why are you the only one left alive?" "I don''t know," Zosia whispered, shaking her head. "I remember hearing footsteps, and then¡­ nothing. I didn''t even hear them scream." The tension in the room thickened, wrapping around the three of them like a suffocating blanket. Percival''s piercing gaze seemed to burn through her, searching for any flicker of guilt. Yet, all he found was confusion and determination in her purple eyes. He noticed that she wasn''t looking remorseful or anything. He couldn''t help but wonder, what exactly did his captain see and decided that she would be joining their group after this mission. He just didn''t like the idea of her being on board, he felt that she would be more of a nuisance than a helper. "Let''s search the room." Percival suggested, "But, you... Zosia, would not be joining us." Zosia nodded and stood by the door, waiting for them. It wasn''t long and Asgar dug out something from beneath her bed. It was the murder weapon, something she didn''t expect to be there. "So.... What do you also have to say for this?" Percival asked in a taunting tone. ====== Thank you burninghawkman, Ami_Dixion and LittleSilver for your Golden ticket. Thank you for those who also supported me with power stones, Chapter comments, Paragraph comments, Reviews. Thank you all and I hope you keep enjoying the chapter. Chapter 116 - 114- Not My Time To Die "So.... What do you also have to say for this?" Percival asked in a taunting tone. Zosia glanced at the blunt knife, her face was expressionless. Turning to Percival, "We are not children, so I very well won''t throw a murder weapon under my bed, when I could simply put it in my inventory." Asgar moved closer to the corpse one more time. He brought out a sterile glove and wore it on both of his hands. Using his left hand, he placed it on Mina''s abdomen and the centre of her forehead. Suddenly, a frown appeared on his face. Doing the same thing he did for Mina to Tanya. He shook his head. "Apparently, Percival, Zosia isn''t the culprit as both died of Soul removal. As for where their souls are, we can only guess that it''s with the so-called Lord of Strings." Asgar words made both of them frown, but Zosia was a little bit happy. She was vindicated. Turning to Percival, she raised her eyebrow with her upper lips upturned in a smirk. Seeing the smirk on Zosia''s face, he couldn''t help but snort. "Whatever, just know I would be watching you." "I also don''t care, just don''t fall in love with me while watching me." Zosia replied. Asgar chuckled at Zosia''s reply but Percival didn''t find it funny. "Don''t think too much. You¡ª" Percival words were interrupted by Asgar. "Enough!" Asgar''s firm voice rang in the room, lessening the tension that was building up. "Percival, we would talk later and Zosia, for now, just ignore Percival." Zosia nodded in response, her gaze moving from Asgar to the soulless corpse of Mina and Tanya. She couldn''t help but remember what had happened last night. What exactly had they done? To her, she had noticed that this place also operated by rules but instead of an established rule or a public rule. This one, you''d have to find out by yourself. Remembering the first day Lucian had warned her, but she didn''t heed his advice and was punished. But, how did Lucian find out the hidden rule? "Hey, where is Lucian?" Zosia asked. "You mean, Captain." "Yes. Who else is answering Lucian?" Zosia remarked with a tired sigh. "I corrected you on how to address him. Don''t call him like he is some guy, You¡ª" "Just stop." Zosia Interrupted, "I don''t know what''s up with you. You should take it easy." Knock! Knock!! They turned to look at the door. "Asgar, can you put the bodies in your inventory" Zosia asked. "Yeah. Sure." Receiving Asgar''s response and watching how he settled the scene, making sure that all evidence disappeared, she couldn''t help but appreciate his skill. "Who is that?" Zosia asked. Recieving no response, she could only open the door. Seeing that it was Jasmine, she could only fake a smile and said, "Good morning." Jasmine stood like a statue, not responding to Zosia''s greeting. Zosia exchanged looks with Asgar and Percival. Clearing her throat again, she asked, "Is there a problem, dear?" "My necklace.... Mina... Took it.... Want it back." Her words were broken that Zosia had to piece them together to form a sentence. Remembering the necklace she had seen Mina holding, she wondered if that was hers. Unfortunately, Mina was no longer alive and so the necklace is also gone with her. "Mina is not here, she must have left before I woke up." Zosia answered, her eyes watching every little expression on Jasmine''s face but noticed that she was expressionless. "Then.... Follow me.... to find her." She said again, her words still broken. It sounded more like a broken recorder. "We will follow you to go look for her." Zosia answered, making sure to emphasize the word "WE". Asgar and Percival nodded their head, since, they had decided to play along, maybe they could even deal with her and the rest of the strange things here to get out of this world. "No.... Only You!" Zosia had already stepped out of the room, when she heard Jasmine''s reply, causing her and the rest to pause. "Many heads are better than a few. With more people, we can cover much grounds." She said with a smile. She had to make sure that till the end, nothing was suspicious about her or to give them the room to act on her. "Only You." Jasmine repeated with her soulless eyes, staring at Zosia like she wants to pierce through her soul. Zosia felt a chill run down her spine. Jasmine''s eyes were unnerving, like she was staring right through her, and it made Zosia''s skin crawl. She took a deep breath and smiled. "Alright, Jasmine," Zosia replied, her voice steady, though her mind was racing. "I''ll come with you. Asgar, Percival, you two stay here and keep an eye on things. If I need help, I''ll call." "Once, Luc... The captain comes, you guys should come find me." She sent a telepathic message to them. Asgar and Percival exchanged a quick glance. Percival frowned but gave a reluctant nod. Asgar, however, seemed more intrigued than worried. "Be careful, Zosia," he said, his voice low but firm. He didn''t plan to let her go alone anyways, he would just follow behind them while remaining invisible. "Lead the way." Zosia turned to Jasmine with a smile. Jasmine nodded her head stiffly and turned to move with Zosia following behind her. Asgar and Percival stepped out of the room. They didn''t follow behind them but stood to watch. Things observed by an uninvolved persons do have the ability of seeing things that might not have been noticed by the person involved They hadn''t gone far when she saw Lucian approaching them. Jasmine who had been moving with an unnatural grace came to a stop, gazing fiercely at Lucian. Since, Zosia was behind her, she was unable to see it. "Where are you going with her?" Lucian asked the moment he approached them. "To look for Mina for her necklace." Zosia''s answer made Lucian frown. He couldn''t help but wonder what had happened to the bodies. "Had she not woken up to see them or had something else happened?" He thought Inwardly. Seeing a frown on his face, Zosia felt a twinge of unease. Lucian wasn''t someone that always had an expression on his face. He wouldn''t even offer you a smile except he found something interesting, needless to talk more than needed. "Where is Asgar and Percival?" "Oh! They...." Zosia was about to answer, when they answered by themselves. "Here!" "Here." "Were you guys planning to let her go by herself?" Lucian asked, his voice carrying a note of stern authority. "That was.... was he caring about me?" Zosia thought Inwardly with a raised eyebrow. It was a little bit suspicious. Percival opened his mouth to respond, but Asgar raised a hand to stop him. "We had no choice, Captain," Asgar said, keeping his tone neutral. "Jasmine insisted that only Zosia go with her. We thought it best not to provoke any.... you know or force Jasmine''s hand." "Also, we planned to follow behind them." Asgar added through telepathy to Lucian. Lucian''s eyes flicked to Jasmine, who stood eerily still, her head tilted slightly as if she were listening to a distant sound. Her expression remained blank, her eyes unfocused yet strangely intense. "Jasmine," Lucian said gently, taking a step closer. "Why does Zosia have to go alone? It''s safer if we all search together." Jasmine''s head snapped towards Lucian, her movements jerky and unnatural. For a moment, her face twisted with a flicker of confusion or perhaps frustration, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Only Zosia," Jasmine repeated, her voice hollow and distant, like an echo from a deep well. "The rest stay. It''s the rule." "Whose rule?" Lucian pressed, his gaze sharp. "Is this the Lord of Strings'' doing?" At the mention of the Lord of Strings, Jasmine''s body tensed. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and for a brief second, a ripple of fear passed through her expressionless face. It was gone almost immediately, but Lucian didn''t miss it. "Fine.... But don''t blame me.... when something happens." She said fiercely and turned to continue leading the way. They soon arrived outside. Just like before, it was still snowing, with the snowing flakes falling intermittently on her body which was blocked out by her spiritual senses. "Huh?" A frown surfaced her face when she started feeling the loss of sensations in her fingers. "My Defects have started acting up." Zosia informed them through telepathy. "Which is?" Percival asked in return, through telepathy. "Loss of touch." "Since, you can still manage, let''s go." Lucian said and continued walking. They quickly came to a stop when, they noticed they could no longer move forward. "What happened?" Zosia asked, her eyes filled with a hint of worry in them as she stared at how stuck they were to the ground. "I told you. Anything that happens.... The Lord... he watches," she murmured, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He knows... he knows everything." Zosia felt a cold dread settle in her stomach. The way Jasmine spoke, the unnatural quality of her voice, sent a shiver down her spine. It was as if Jasmine wasn''t entirely herself¡ªas if something or someone else was speaking through her. Lucian seemed to notice this too. He glanced at Zosia, a silent question in his eyes. Zosia nodded slightly, understanding his unspoken message: stay alert, be ready for anything. Lucian could still move but glancing at Asgar and Percival who was completely held down and understanding that he was getting weak as well as the fact that their defects were also manifesting. He wasn''t even done with his preparations, so going there with Zosia, might do more harm than good. "Zosia, I believe you can do it. Take this as a training and once you are out, maybe you could join us." He assured her through telepathy. Zosia could only nod her head, hoping that what she would deal with, should not happen when she is having a huge defect. "Alright," Lucian said slowly, turning his attention back to Jasmine. "If that''s what the Lord wants, we''ll follow the rule. But Zosia is one of us, and we won''t let anything happen to her. Do you understand, Jasmine?" Jasmine nodded mechanically. "I understand. The Lord wants... what the Lord wants." "Good," Lucian replied, his tone firm but calm. "Zosia, go with her. But keep your wits about you. If anything feels off, you get out of there and call for us. No hesitation." Zosia swallowed hard, nodding. "I will. Don''t worry." With a final glance at Asgar and Percival, Zosia turned to follow Jasmine. Their steps, made crunching sounds as they stepped on the snow. The snow seemed to absorb the sound around them, creating an eerie silence amidst the crunching sound. She could feel Jasmine''s presence ahead of her, moving with that same unnatural grace. As they moved deeper, she realized that they were going back to the same way they had come from on the first day. She noticed the strange ice crystals, that she believed must have been what caught Kevin and Xen''s interest. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Glancing at her surroundings, she could tell they were getting to the place Kevin and Xen must have died. Clenching her fist, she could still feel the numbness that followed with the loss of sensations. "Jasmine," Zosia called out, her voice barely more than a whisper in the oppressive quiet. "Where exactly are we going?" Jasmine didn''t respond at first, her steps never faltering. Then, without turning around, she spoke, her voice eerily steady. "To the place where the souls go." "To do what young lady?" Zosia asked with a hint of humour. Unfortunately, that couldn''t be caught in her current situation. Zosia brought out her sword and clung it to her back with her daggers taking their place by her hips. She wasn''t sure, if guns could work in this world, but feeling that they may be suppressed, she could only tuck it behind the daggers. She brought out some talisman that were in her inventory. Biting her lips, she knew that without entering her space, she was currently ill equipped. Zosia was still checking out herself, when they arrived at a hollow cave. "You wouldn''t be able to..... survive, so do not struggle, if you want a ....clean death." Jasmine''s eerie voice sounded, echoing even in the hollow cave they were yet to enter. Zosia didn''t believe she would die here. Even if she were to die, she would struggle to her last breath, making sure to take them down with her. She doesn''t fear death but she fears a worthless death. No..no, to put it in a better way as everyone fears death. It is more like her fear of a worthless death outweighs her fear of death. So, she couldn''t allow herself to die here, especially when she hadn''t even made it. She is yet to explore the wonders of the soul world, so, she definitely couldn''t die. ======= Hi guys, thank you for all your support. I would soon start editing the earlier chapters and may put the ending of this Arc on hold but, I will definitely finish it. I wanted to finish it in this chapter but it would look rushed. Thank you guys for all your support, both Golden tickets and power stones. Even paragraph and chapter comments. Please continue supporting me with gifts, reviews, paragraph and chapter comments, Golden tickets, power stones and even subscription. Please recommend to your friends as well and do have a nice day. Chapter 117 - 115- End of New Mission. "Captain, why did you allow her to go alone?" Asgar asked, his gaze on his feet that was suddenly freed. "We have to deal with the one inside and prepare for the final or more say, the decisive battle." Lucian said and turned back to return back to the house. They had to deal with her fast and go help Zosia. Unfortunately, things don''t really work that way, as Percival started experiencing his own defect. They all turned to Percival who suddenly slumped on the floor. "F*ck, why does it have to be now!" Percival cursed under his breath. Seeing Lucian looking at him, he stopped himself from cursing and could only allow Asgar to carry him. "You sure are heavy." Asgar muttered, causing Percival face to flush red. Asgar took him into the house with Lucian following behind them. The moment they entered, they were met with Sister Marionette, who had the same eerie look as Jasmine. "You are..... no longer.....welcome. You stole my ... jewelries. Thief! " She spat. Seeing that they just stood there looking at her, her eyes widened with anger. "We never stole anything of that kind ." Lucian responded in a firm voice. Lucian stared at the currently weak Percival and at Asgar and then the woman. He decided to attack. Lucian slapped her across the face, causing everyone''s eyes to widen in surprise. Asgar and Percival didn''t ask any questions and rather moved to the side. Marionette was thrown out of the house with the slap, transforming mid way before her body hit the snow. Sister Marionette who was now a hulk-like being with her fiery red eyes, stared down at Lucian with hate filled eyes. "Do you think you can beat me. All of you are part of the sacrifice." She cackled, rushing towards Lucian who only gave her a side glance. Lucian didn''t say anything, neither talking much in battle. Lucian charged forward, his fists clenched and his eyes locked onto Marionette''s monstrous form. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as the two clashed in a flurry of punches and kicks. He could just finish her off, but he wouldn''t be able to bring out the so-called ¡ª Lord of Strings. Asgar and Percival watched the battle, Percival''s defect momentarily forgotten. "He''s... he''s holding back," Asgar whispered, eyes wide with wonder. Percival nodded, his face pale. "He''s not using his full strength. What''s he planning?" Marionette''s massive fists swung wildly, but Lucian dodged and weaved with ease, landing precise blows that sent her stumbling back. The ground shook beneath their feet as the battle raged on. Suddenly, Lucian''s eyes flashed with a fierce intensity. He unleashed a devastating combination, each strike landing with precision and power. Marionette stumbled, her massive body wavering. Marionette''s face contorted, her eyes blazing with fury. "You... you see it, don''t you?" she growled, her voice barely intelligible. Lucian''s expression remained impassive as he asked, "What have they done to you?" With a snarl, Marionette launched herself at Lucian, but he was prepared. He delivered a crushing kick that sent her crashing into the snow. Using her huge body, she cleared a large expanse of snow. Her body kept moving, but soon came to a halt. Marionette struggled to rise. Lucian stood over her, his breathing even and he didn''t even break a sweat. "Doesn''t seem like much." He muttered under his breath. "End this," Asgar urged, his voice laced with concern. Lucian''s gaze never left Marionette''s. "Not yet," he whispered. Marionette''s eyes locked onto Lucian''s, a hint of desperation creeping in. "Please... stop... the Eternal Lord..." Lucian''s expression turned cold. "Tell me where Zosia is?" She should at least be aware of where she is. Marionette''s face twisted, her body trembling. "You''ll... never... leave... this place..." With those words, her body began to contort, twisting and morphing into an unnatural shape. Lucian''s eyes widened. "What''s happening?" Percival asked, concern and alarm etched on his face. Asgar''s voice was barely audible. "She''s... being controlled..." Lucian''s gaze never left Marionette''s, his mind racing. He wants to bring out the person behind them, but it seems like he would still have to use that route. He doesn''t want to fight in that person''s realm, else it''s just giving the person a free advantage. But as he raised his foot to deliver the final blow, a voice echoed. "Welcome, Lucian... to the Eternal Lord''s domain." The darkness seemed to deepen, the shadows coalescing into an unseen presence. Lucian''s lips curled up, his eyes glinting. The air grew colder, and a sinister presence weighed heavily on everyone. The shadows twisted and coiled around Lucian, Asgar, and Percival, the darkness seeming to come alive. "Stay close," Lucian ordered, his voice steady but tinged with an underlying tension. "It''s about to get dangerous." Suddenly, the ground beneath them cracked, and tendrils of darkness shot up, wrapping around Marionette''s twisted form. She screamed¡ªa guttural, inhuman sound¡ªas her body was lifted into the air, her limbs flailing helplessly. The darkness enveloped her completely, pulling her into itself until she vanished without a trace. "What the hell was that?" Percival asked, his eyes wide, glancing around for any sign of danger. "A gateway," Asgar answered. "To the Eternal Lord''s domain." Lucian''s eyes narrowed as he scanned the shadows. "We''re already here. The fight just became a lot more complicated." From the darkness, a figure began to materialize. Tall and imposing, cloaked in a flowing robe that seemed woven from the night itself, the figure''s face was obscured by a hood. Only its eyes were visible, glowing with an eerie, unsettling light. "Lucian," the figure intoned, its voice resonant and cold, "You have trespassed on sacred ground. The Eternal Lord does not take kindly to intrusions." Lucian clenched his fists, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. " I did have my suspicions, now you just confirmed it." Waving his hand, the darkness that enveloped them receded at a great speed. The figure that had come to talk to them disappeared. It couldn''t survive a wave of Lucian''s hand. The world started crumbling, the buildings, everything vanished and Zosia appeared, joining their ranks. "How was your own battle?" Asgar asked. "It was manageable." Zosia responded. When Jasmine had turned to attack her... No, not Jasmine but Lionel and Lydia. Lydia who is Jasmine had said her name is Jasmine and refused to accept being called Lydia. Indeed, they had forgotten about the name Marionette had used in introducing them. When fighting, she found herself, surrounded by Multiple Lionel and Lydia. It took a while but she was able to kill Jasmine off, though not without some injuries. Luckily, she hadn''t allowed Jasmine to go berserk, it would take a lot more to take her down. Seeing that some part of the domain is white.... Not white but devoid of darkness and another part being more of darkness, she couldn''t help but wonder what the so called Lord of Strings would look like. " Why are you holding Percival like that?" Zosia asked Asgar. "He is currently experiencing his own defect." Asgar''s response reminded Zosia that she is yet to experience her own defect, meaning it could come while they were fighting. Zosia watched as the white and dark part contended before coming to a stale mate. Suddenly, the dark swirl mass, parted, tracing a cloaked figure with only its red and white eyes being visible. "So those were his eyes." Zosia muttered. Suddenly, the ticking sound of the clock and the eerie lullaby was heard. Zosia frowned, she was beginning to hate that sound. The figure tried to initiate a conversation, but was met with Lucian''s sword strike that split the cloak into two, revealing the figure beneath it. Zosia was surprised to see a rat man. The person has a rat head, fingers, tail and even the legs. If not for the bulky build, one would suspect that his/her eyes are playing tricks. "Lucian, you still remain the same but I am no longer the same. I won''t run away like before with my tails tucked between my legs. It''s now my turn to get my revenge." "Seems like they know each other? Are we supporting him or to be on standby?" Zosia asked in succession. "Just be on standby." Asgar answered. Since, Asgar didn''t answer about them knowing each other, it''s likely that he doesn''t know either. "We will see about that." Lucian responded to the rat man provocation. The rat man grinned, exposing sharp, yellowed teeth that glinted in the dim light. "You really think you can face me, Lucian? Here, in the domain of the Eternal Lord, you''re nothing." Lucian didn''t respond verbally. Instead, he tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes locked onto his foe. The air crackled with tension, and the ground beneath them seemed to pulse with a dark energy, responding to the rat man''s words. Without warning, the rat man charged, his movements a blur. He was faster than any of them had anticipated. Zosia watched the battle with great interest. Seeing how slowly Lucian had raised his sword, Zosia became concerned, but that concern was wiped away when a single sword strike had sent the rat man flying with a cut on his shoulder. Blood seeped from the wound on his shoulder, staining his tattered robe. Despite the injury, he let out a low, guttural chuckle. "Is that all you''ve got, Lucian?" the rat man sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "I''ve faced worse than you in my nightmares." Lucian remained silent, his expression calm and unyielding. He advanced slowly, his sword gleaming under the dim light of the Eternal Lord''s domain. Each step he took seemed to resonate with an unseen power, his aura growing more intense. The rat man''s grin faltered, his eyes darting between Lucian''s blade and his own trembling hands. "You''re not supposed to be this strong," he muttered, as if trying to convince himself of his own words. Asgar and Zosia stood ready, watching the fight unfold with bated breath. They knew better than to interfere, but the tension in the air was almost unbearable. Percival, still weak from his defect, leaned against Asgar for support, his eyes locked on Lucian''s every move. With a sudden burst of speed, the rat man lunged forward, his claws extended, aiming for Lucian''s throat. But Lucian was faster. He sidestepped the attack with effortless grace, bringing his sword down in a swift arc. The blade sliced through the air, narrowly missing the rat man as he twisted out of the way at the last moment. The rat man landed a few feet away, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "You... you can''t win here, Lucian," he snarled, desperation creeping into his voice. "This place... it obeys the will of the Eternal Lord! It obeys my Will" Lucian''s eyes narrowed. "Then I''ll bend this realm to my will." He raised his sword high above his head, and a brilliant light began to emanate from the blade, cutting through the oppressive darkness around them. The ground trembled beneath his feet, and the shadows recoiled, as if afraid of the light. The rat man''s eyes widened in fear. "No... that''s impossible! You can''t-" But before he could finish, Lucian brought his sword down with a thunderous crash. A wave of light exploded from the blade, surging forward and engulfing the rat man. He screamed as the light consumed him, his body writhing in agony as the shadows around him were torn apart. Asgar, Zosia, and Percival shielded their eyes from the blinding light, their hearts pounding in their chests. They could feel the power radiating from Lucian, a force that seemed to defy the very nature of the Eternal Lord''s domain. When the light finally faded, the rat man lay on the ground, motionless. His once fearsome presence had been reduced to a pitiful heap, his body charred and broken. The oppressive darkness that had surrounded them was gone, replaced by a calm, eerie silence. Lucian lowered his sword, his breath steady and his eyes focused. "I know you are still alive." Lucian said as he moved close to the motionless rat man who immediately stood up. "Don''t.... Please... You can go, I don''t want to have anything to do with you again." He began pleading. Standing up, he tried running away but was caught by Lucian. "Where are their souls?" Lucian asked. "I don''t know. I only got two souls and I have already digested them." Asgar''s eyebrows jumped at the Rat man''s response. If it was only Tanya, it wouldn''t be anything, but Mina, there might be a problem. "Then I need some compensation." Lucian said with his expressionless face. Unwilling and very reluctant, the rat man produced two small jewel stones and handed it to Lucian. "This is all I have. If you search me up and down, you wouldn''t find anything." The rat man who was in the verge of tears said the moment he met Lucian''s eyes. Lucian decided to search him, to which after the search, he found nothing reasonable. "You should respect yourself in centuries to come, else you want to be killed for real." He dropped the piece of information for the Rat man. It depends on if he is willing to listen. Suddenly, the scene warped and they found themselves in a dark room. The same room they had seen before entering the mission/task world. Xen and Kevin were also there. Zosia looked around and unlike the previous empty space, it now had white statues that seemed eerie and out of place. [ Last Mission before Calculating Reward.] [Face the Statues and survive for 10 minutes.] They looked at each other, some with frowns on their faces. "Let''s just do it and get out of here." Percival urged. Walking to the side, he stood face to face with a statue. Still grinning and smiling, he stood in front of the statue. Suddenly, his smile disappeared and he entered a daze. "Seems like a hallucinatory or illusion mechanism." Asgar said. The rest each went to a statue. Zosia felt a pull in her and allowed herself to be pulled, when she suddenly found herself in a white expanse. Her past life appeared before her, some things she hadn''t fulfilled, she watched herself fulfilling it. Money, treasures, name it... She had all of them, unfortunately, it is but an illusion. She soon came out of the illusion. Looking around, her eyes crashed into Lucian''s,who was lazily leaning against the wall. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You finished quite quickly." Zosia said, she couldn''t help but have a sense of reverence towards him. She became more determined to work hard and surpass him. Zosia planned on sitting alone, but since she could get some free Information from him, she walked up to him. "Lucian, I have a few questions." Lucian Lazily raised his eyelids, his eyes that seemed to draw people in stared at Zosia. "Ask." Using that, they waited for everyone to be done, which didn''t take long. [Calculating Rewards.] [Rewards have been distributed.] [Task Cleared.] ============== Sorry for not updating throughout last week. I got sick and have been trying to manage myself plus school tests that doesn''t seem to end. Thank you all for your support during my time away and I really appreciate. Thank you for the power stones, review, Golden ticket, comments. Happy New Month and I wish you all the best. Please keep supporting me and thank you for your support. Please vote for me for WSA and also recommend the book to your friends, thank you. Chapter 118 - 116- Rewards [Calculating Rewards.] [Rewards have been distributed.] [Task Cleared.] That was the last thing they heard, when they found themselves back in Zosia''s system space. Since, the system had impartially distributed the reward, there was no need for them to keep staying back. Xen bid everyone bye and left. Lucian also left, deciding to ask Zosia to Join his group later. He had some things to deal with, due to Mina''s issue. Since, their captain had left, they also left. Finally giving Zosia some space. "Finally!" Zosia muttered as she threw herself on the bed. Glancing around her space that still had their smells present, she frowned. Closing her eyes, she wanted to try something but since, she is yet to understand the theory behind it, she could only forget it. "Sigh!" Waving her hand, the book she had gotten from the red velvet box appeared before her. "So what exactly are you about?" She muttered, as she opened the book. Opening the book, she noticed that the first page, whose words were arranged before had returned to the scribble she could not understand. "Sigh! What the hell am I going to do about it." She muttered, her gaze on the book. Feeling like it''s a waste of time to sit here, staring at it, she put the book back in her inventory. Opening her panel, Zosia clicked on reveal panel. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The holographic screen in front of her, became arranged and her panel functions appeared. ?????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ????????????? ? ????????????????????????????????? Clicking on the personal profile (Me), the drop down menu appeared. ?????????? ? ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? ? ????????????? Zosia clicked on her notifications, where her reward for both missions were pending, waiting for her to accept. [ Notification] The rewards were in the form of gift boxes that glittered with light. Upon accepting it, a break down of the contents appeared. [ ? 1 million points ? 30 Merit Points ? 100 Faith points ? Regent Empress Halo ? Good Sister Halo ? Empress Title ?Good Friend Title.] The above was for the task she went for alone while the one below is for the group task. [ ? 10 million points ? 15 Merit Points ? Skill upgrade ticket {Low} ? 10 Skill Points. ] Zosia looked at the two rewards, they weren''t that bad. For her to even get Merit and Faith points which were quite rare and expensive. From what she knew, Faith points comes from worship and only from those that sincerely worship you or feel grateful to you, can you get it from and also, you don''t really get everything as the space apportions you some and the rest goes to who knows where. Like the points, some goes to her and some to the soul world while some goes to her space.... For maintenance. The merit points come about from good virtues done. Thinking about it now, she doesn''t really understand how the faith and merit points are being calculated. "Finally, I can level up." She muttered to herself. Being able to level up but limited by the criteria of having to go or must have done three tasks was what had halted her from leveling up. Thinking about the fact, that she still has 7 more tasks to go, whether group or alone before she could know why people keep telling her to do 10 tasks first. She knew it had something with being scouted, since when she had gone to the commercial area, she had seen billboards of different guilds. "What could Lucian''s group or guild be called?" Zosia thought out loud with her legs crossed. Shaking her head, she couldn''t be bothered about those details for now. Glancing at the reward for the group mission, she couldn''t help but think if the reason it was good with the points, is because Mina and Tanya had died. "But, what exactly happened?" She frowned with the thought. Clicking on her panel, she went back to the last recording in the library with the title saved as Tanya and Mina''s death. Fast forwarding the video to when she closed her eyes to sleep. It took a while but soon it got to when she started hearing the Tic-toc sound. She watched as Tanya who had been asleep stood up. Tanya glanced around before walking up to Mina and putting her hand below her nose, she did the same thing to her. Zosia noticed that Tanya breathed a sigh of relief, then a satchel appeared in her once empty hand. Tanya sprinkled the powder around Zosia''s bed, then at Mina''s own. Zosia watching the scene frowned, she had actually thought it was a figurine, which was why she had laid still. The video continued with nothing really happening again. Suddenly, the figurines appeared and in the background a red and white eyes oversaw what the figurines did. Only the eyes were visible while the figurines this time around were cloaked. Unable to see beyond the cloak, Zosia continued watching as they sang the lullaby that still sounded ominous, despite no longer being physically there. This suddenly gave her an idea about her illusion powers. Zosia shelved the idea and decided to continue watching. The lullaby still echoed faintly though subsiding as the figurines kept moving about . Suddenly, the leader of the figurines paused in front of her bed, to be more precise, at the edge of her bed. Then a cloak of darkness descended, though the room remained visible through her chip''s recording. Her breathing slowed down, and she kept her eyes fixed on the screen. The cloak of darkness shield the beams of light pouring in from the window and even the sound of the bellowing winds at night, ceased to be heard. What followed next was a period of eerie silence and the manifestation of a grotesque creature.... Or a moulded head of an unknown creature. The eyes, glowed faintly as it lifted it''s eyelids. From the video , Zosia noticed that the glow from the creature''s eyes was blue. It suddenly shot a beam of light on her figure on the bed. The beam of light that shot from the eyes felt intrusive, as though it could pierce right through her very soul, or more so, their very souls as it did not only scan her. When it landed on Zosia, the light shone from its eyes was a soft, comforting blue. But as it passed over Mina and Tanya, it shifted to an aggressive red. It flared up, like as if it had sensed something deeply wrong within them. Zosia squinted her eyes as she noticed that the cloak of darkness began to shift, encompassing the figurines, Tanya and Mina. She was no longer within the cloak of darkness and she couldn''t see beyond it, so the recording could only continue without her knowing what was going on inside. Feeling frustrated, Zosia bit her lips. "Tch... What exactly were they doing to Tanya and Mina? Also, Why had the cloak of darkness moved to shield them from what they were doing?" "The red eyes," she muttered to herself. "It only changed color when it passed over them, but why? What was so different about them?" Her mind raced as she replayed the events in her head. The comforting blue light had touched her, but the aggressive red had targeted Tanya and Mina. Could it be something they had done or something inside them? Also, wasn''t Tanya sleeping deeply when she had entered the room? Actually, Tanya was indeed deeply asleep, but she suddenly felt like a bell was ringing in her mind, reminding her that she had something to do. This made her wake up, else she would have slept and forgotten about the satchel Mina had given to her. As for her spreading it on Mina''s bed side, it was just a contingency plan. What if she had only sprayed the powder along Zosia''s bed and tomorrow she dies, wouldn''t she have to contend for Lucian with Mina. It''s better she uses it to Kill 2 birds with one stone. Indeed, she had the same thought as Mina, unfortunately some rules present in the World, circumvented their plans. Zosia decided not to think more about it, since she couldn''t find an answer, it would only give her a headache. "Since, I have left that task world, it''s best I stop thinking about them." She muttered, her gaze landing on the figures of the dead Tanya and Mina . Zosia wasn''t sure about Mina''s background, since Kevin made mention of her having connections. The death of Tanya and Mina further reminded her of the dangers of being a Realmrider. "Not like I have any other choice." She muttered and closed the video. Going back to the personal panel, She clicked on her status. ?????????? ? ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? ???????????????? ???????????????? ? ????????????? ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ?????¨T¨T¨T¨T? ?????????????????????????: ? ????????????????: ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: ????- ???????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????: 200 ? ????????????????????????????: 205 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????: 4000 ????????????????? ????????????????????: 41,000 ?????????????????(????): ????????????????????, ???????????????? , ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????. ?????????????????????????: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Intermediate Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Intermediate Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Intermediate First Aid ? Intermediate Tactical Training ? Intermediate Navigator ? Advanced Close-Quarters Combat ? Intermediate Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Intermediate Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Intermediate Poison Knowledge ? Intermediate Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Intermediate Disguise and Impersonation ? Intermediate Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Intermediate Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Advanced Weapon Mastery ? Novice Hypnosis. {NEW SKILLS} ? Intermediate Leadership and Governance ? Intermediate Warfare and Military Strategy ? Intermediate Economic and Resource Management ? Novice Social and Cultural Influence ? Novice Innovation and Adaptability ? Intermediate Diplomatic Relations ?????????????????(????); ????????????????????? ????????????????, ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????. ? ????????????????????????: ???????????????? ?????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????. ? ????????????????????: 95 ? ?????????????????: 100 ? ????????????????????????: 12,800,000 [???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????: ? 10,000 ???????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? ???????? 3 ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????] [DO YOU WISH TO UPGRADE?] [ YES / NO ] ? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T ????? ¨T¨T¨T¨T ?. Zosia noticed that some of her skills has also been upgraded. "This shows that, I haven''t been slacking off." She thought out loud, her lips curling up into a smile. She also took notice of the amount of Merit and Faith points she had. "Remaining 5 more points to get to 100 Merit Points." She muttered. Her gaze moved to the Yes or No option before her. Due to how limited, things are for her level in the store, it would be strange if she doesn''t upgrade herself. Zosia clicked on yes and a loading bar appeared before her. ¨„©¦¨€¨U¨„¨U¨„¨U ¨U¨„¨U¨„¨U¨€©¦¨„¨„©¦¨€¨U¨„¨U¨„¨U ¨U¨„¨U¨„¨U¨€©¦¨„¨„©¦¨€¨U¨„¨U¨„¨U ¨U¨„¨U¨„¨U¨€©¦¨„100% The moment the bar reached 100%, another panel appeared. [ SCANNING HOST.....] [UPGRADING PANEL DATA....] ======== Due to network issues, I can''t check the Golden ticket notification to give a shout out and thank those who supported with golden tickets. Still, I Thank you all for your support regardless of my lack of updates. Both those that supported with Golden ticket and Power stones and also for the reviews, chapter comments etc Thank you all and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please keep supporting me and Happy Sunday. Chapter 119 - 117- Lady Elara [ SCANNING HOST.....] [UPGRADING PANEL DATA....] [Displaying Status] ======================== ? STATUS ? Name: Zosia Meave Branden ? Level: F ? Strength; 200 ? Agility; 205 ? Intelligence: 4000 ? Soul Power: 41,000 ? Gifts: Space, Illusion, Life, Poison Body ? Skill Points: 10 ? Skills: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Intermediate Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Intermediate Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Intermediate First Aid ? Intermediate Tactical Training ? Intermediate Navigator ? Advanced Close-Quarters Combat ? Intermediate Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Intermediate Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Intermediate Poison Knowledge ? Intermediate Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Intermediate Disguise and Impersonation ? Intermediate Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Intermediate Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Advanced Weapon Mastery ? Novice Hypnosis. ? Intermediate Leadership and Governance ? Intermediate Warfare and Military Strategy ? Intermediate Economic and Resource Management ? Novice Social and Cultural Influence ? Novice Innovation and Adaptability ? Intermediate Diplomatic Relations ? Novice Herbology ? Novice Medicine... etc ? Halo(s); Mother Halo, Regent Empress Halo, Good sister Halo. ? Title(s); Good Mother, Novice Lawyer, Pioneer Player, Novice Illusionist, Good Friend Title, Empress Title ? Merit: 95 ? Faith: 100 ? Points: 12,800,000 [To Upgrade to the next Level; ? 20,000 Points ? Minimum of 5 Missions (Former missions are also added)] Zosia looked at her status and noticed the section for skill points has been added. Truly, she had never actually received any skill points before. "So where should I add it?" She thought Inwardly as her gaze wandered through her skill set. "Let me save it for now, who knows when I will be in need of it." She muttered. "Time to look at my world that has locked me out." Zosia suddenly disappeared from the room, with only her scent showing that she had been here before. Asgar came back but realized that he could no longer enter her space as he used to. Frowning, he messaged her but received no reply. "Could she be asleep? Or has she gone out?" He couldn''t help but mutter to himself. Sighing, he left the place, deciding to come back later. ====== While Zosia was concerned with checking her space, Lucien had his system write the report and send it to the Spectral Order. The Spectral Order¡ª A branch of The Soul Association, deals with all Tasks given to Realmriders, including the Promotional Quest. Sitting down on the couch, he sighed, "Finally, I can rest. Unfortunately, I still have to deal with Mina''s mother." He muttered. Lucien decided to go through Mina''s history again. Suddenly, a transparent screen appeared before him. Using his thoughts, he controlled what should be shown on the screen and what not to. Opening Mina''s file, as he went through it, his gaze stopped at Mina''s sister''s name¡ª Julieann. "It finally explains why she wanted to deal with Zosia." Lucien just saw it as another leverage to be used and closed his eyes. He didn''t bother going to have his bath, as he knew his door would soon be knocked on. Just like he guessed, he soon heard Knocks. Lucien opened his eyes slowly, already aware of who stood on the other side of the door. The knock was firm but controlled¡ªdefinitely not someone seeking an audience but rather demanding one. Rising from the couch, he took a deep breath before walking over to the door. As the door swung open, Mina''s mother, Lady Elara Von Kyrath, stood before him. Her piercing eyes held the storm of a thousand unsaid grievances. Dressed in all black, the outfit''s severity matched the intensity of her expression. Behind her were two shadowy figures, no doubt bodyguards she had brought along for intimidation. "Lucien," she said curtly, not bothering with pleasantries. "We need to talk. Now." Lucien motioned her inside with a measured calm. His gaze on the bodyguards. Inwardly measuring their strengths, he calculated that even if they were to fight, he could still beat them. He had been expecting this confrontation ever since Mina''s death. Her mother would never let something like this go. Elara''s ambition and ruthlessness were infamous, especially when it came to her daughters. Mina''s death wasn''t just a loss¡ªit was a humiliation, and Lady Elara was not one to forgive easily. As they settled into the room, Elara wasted no time. "Zosia," she spat the name with so much venom in her voice. "You know why I''m here. I want her handed over." The way she called Zosia''s name, one would wonder what exactly Zosia had done. To Elara, her daughters are her treasures but, when it came to her ambitions or survival, they could be discarded in a twinkle of an eye. Not only had Zosia killed her precious daughter, but she had to mess with Julieann''s promotion and even making her daughter to be sent to a backward sub-soul world. If that was not enough, now her position was shaky and soon she would be impeached for colluding with a sub-soul world. If she got her hands on Zosia, Elara would make sure to tear her to pieces and make her feel the most treacherous pain ever. Lucien remained silent for a moment, studying her. The room felt tense as the shadows of her bodyguards flickered in the dim light. "She''s not yours to claim," Lucien finally said, his voice firm but calm. "Besides, who doesn''t know that one could die at any moment, starting from the moment they became a Realmrider." Elara''s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer. "Not mine to claim?" she echoed, voice trembling with controlled fury. "That girl killed my daughter. You think I''ll just let it slide. Besides, my daughter has more than enough strength to take care of herself. " "If a Novice like her could survive, do you think, my daughter wouldn''t." Lucien glanced at her, his eyes devoid of any emotion, "Unfortunately, that is the truth. I already sent videos as proof." The videos were of the scene of when Mina and Tanya were killed. He had kept an object of the soul world that could record such phenomena''s in detail in the girls room. "Ha!" Elara scoffed, "You expect me to believe those. Don''t make me laugh Lucien." "You can think what ever you want Lady Elara." Lucien leaned back in his chair, hands resting calmly on his lap. "Mina sought Zosia out, Elara. You and I both know this was no accident. She was your tool, and she made her move. Unfortunately for you, it backfired." Elara''s face tightened with rage. "You speak as though she was merely collateral damage. Mina acted on my orders, yes¡ªbut she was doing what needed to be done. Zosia is a threat, and she deserves to be dealt with." "Threat? I don''t see that. Though tell me, how is she a threat?" Lucien asked with a smile that was polite yet distant. Receiving no response to his question, Lucien chuckled softly, but it was devoid of humor. "You''ve always underestimated people, Elara. Mina''s death was unfortunate, but Zosia has always been more than capable of defending herself. And now, you''re here, asking me to hand her over." "You owe me, Lucien," Elara said coldly, her voice dropping an octave. "After everything I''ve done for you, if I hadn''t brought you out from the oblivion, you would be nothing but scattered ashes by now." Lucien''s expression darkened. "What I owe you, I''ve already repaid tenfold. Don''t mistake Mina''s foolishness for my responsibility." He leaned forward, eyes locking with hers. "I won''t be your pawn." Elara''s expression faltered for a moment, but her mask of cold arrogance quickly returned. "Is that your final word, then? You''d rather protect that wretched girl over our alliance? "I protect what''s right, not what''s convenient for you," Lucien said, standing up. "Zosia was never the threat you think she is. Your obsession with your ambitions has blinded you, and you''ve already lost one daughter because of it." Elara''s composure cracked at his words. For a brief moment, her eyes filled with a mix of fury and sorrow ¡ª a mother''s grief threatening to spill over. But it vanished just as quickly, replaced by an icy glare. "You''ll regret this, Lucien," she hissed. "I won''t stop until I see her broken at my feet." Lucien walked over to the door, signaling the end of their conversation. "That''s where you''re wrong, Elara. You''ve already lost. The only question now is how much further you''re willing to fall. After all, you would soon be impeached, I wonder if you would still be as rampant as you are." Elara said nothing but stormed out, her bodyguards trailing behind her like shadows. As the door closed, Lucien exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. "This is far from over." ====== As Lucien contemplated what to do next, he decided against going to see the person he had in mind. Currently, the storms were brewing and he just had to wait, wait till things became calm. As for Zosia, he decided against recruiting her for now. Maybe after her 10th task and she awakens a profession, he would then decide if it''s worth it. "I can finally have my bath." He muttered, as he walked up the stairs. Unlike others who lived in the system allocated space, he bought a house in the Soul world. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for his system space, he had none. In the system space, he could easily be watched, especially by those prying eyes that kept spying on him but it wasn''t the same with this place. Here, he truly owned the house and even if something happens to him tomorrow, he''d still have something to lean on. The system space could be snatched back by the soul association anytime. If he was staying in the system space, then Lady Elara wouldn''t have knocked but would have had her people in the soul association unlock his system space and permit her entry. The system space was for those who had little to no enemies or enemies with no far reaching hands. Else one would understand the horror of having to always be on guard despite being in a place that you should relax after the hectic tasks. Thinking about it, his thoughts drifted to Zosia. Knowing fully well, Elara''s ruthlessness, he decided to warn Zosia. As for her life or death, he was already kind enough to warn her and protect her for the time being. He couldn''t do more than that. =========={{=== May not update at all next month due to exams but I will try to post a chapter anytime I have chance. Sorry for the long break. Thanks for all your support still. Please keep supporting me. Thank you. Chapter 120 - 118 - A New Outlook As Zosia stepped into her personal space, the transformation was impossible to ignore. She felt an overwhelming change that enveloped her senses. It wasn''t just a subtle shift in the environment; the entire space had undergone a profound metamorphosis. The first thing that struck her was the dense fog that cloaked her surroundings. The mist was so thick that it seemed to weave itself into the very fabric of the world around her, blurring the edges of her vision. Activating her spiritual consciousness, Zosia attempted to penetrate the fog, to analyze it, if possible. She could have used the Analysis function, unfortunately, she couldn''t access her panel in her personal world. Yet, as she probed deeper, she realized this was no ordinary mist; it was composed of an intricate web of universal forces. The elements of soul, life, death, space, water, fire, and earth coalesced within the fog, each merging yet incomplete, creating a complex tapestry of power. The familiar forces that used to drift lazily in the skies or settle beneath the earth had now condensed into this dense haze, saturating the very air she breathed. The atmosphere felt heavy, pressing down on her as if trying to merge with her very being. As she pushed her consciousness outward to get a clearer view, a sudden shift occurred. The fog began to stir, as though answering her silent call. A whirlpool formed in the space before her, spiraling into life with a magnetic pull that reached out toward her. The concentrated force from the fog rushed at her, pouring into her body in an unrelenting stream. Her body, instinctively accepting the influx, seemed to hunger for the power, drawing it in like a black hole consuming light. Zosia did not resist. Instead, she sank down into a lotus position, her breathing steady and deep. She focused inward, her mind sharpening to refine the surging energy now coursing through her veins. She felt the chaotic forces flooding her system¡ªraw, untamed, and potent. Bit by bit, she began to process them, converting the turbulent mix into a form of power uniquely her own. The raw forces responded to her efforts, their colors shifting as she molded them into something new. A soft, lilac hue began to emerge, blossoming from deep within her core, and gradually spreading outward. She could feel the transformation extending beyond her soul form. As the lilac energy solidified, Zosia felt a shift deep within her soul¡ªa newfound clarity that she had never possessed before. It was like she could finally understand the change that happened in the space. Not only had to become larger than the world she was previously from but it had also developed its own minerals with one of them being Universal Force stone. She also finally understood the reason she had been previously unable to enter her space. The reason was that the time flow within the space had reached a point where the world''s rhythm would have severely harmed her. The very fabric of time and space was distorted to such a degree that her soul would have been unable to bear the crushing pressure. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If she had tried to force her way in, the consequences would have been catastrophic¡ªher soul would have fragmented, leaving nothing but a hollow shell. Just thinking about it made her shiver. As the fog has disappeared, she could finally take a good look at the space. The first thing she noticed was the sun overhead that seemed to pulse with life, filled with universal force, but with the fire element being the dominant force. The sun also seemed bigger than before. The moons above the sky also pulsed with life but wasn''t noticeable, it was just something she felt. It was like her instinct, telling her what was happening. The blue moon had the water and Ice element as the dominant force while the purple moon had the space and time element as the dominant force. Zosia suddenly felt a tugging in her inventory. Wondering what it was about, she suddenly remembered the book she had gotten from the last mission. Feeling that it might be the cause of the tugging, she left the space. Appearing back in her system space, she brought out the book from her inventory and entered her personal space again. The moment she entered with the book, the gem on the book flew out, while the pages of the book fluttered open with the help of an unknown wind. Zosia realized that her space could self-upgrade without her doing anything, all she had to do was provide materials and it would do the rest. Before, her space was the size of a small country, now it could rival more than half the size of earth or even more. As the pages fluttered open the gem disintegrated and the laws present in the gem was added to the laws of the world. The swirling energies began to condense, and Zosia could sense the air itself growing denser, vibrating with the sheer concentration of power. The book continued to flip open, its pages glowing as if lit by an inner fire. With every turn, new symbols and runes formed in the air, dancing before her eyes, interweaving into intricate patterns. It wasn''t just a simple process of absorption¡ªthe world itself seemed to be rewriting its rules, as if reshaping its own destiny with each new addition. Zosia watched in awe as the runes spiraled upward, merging into the lilac energy that now pulsed from within her. Her connection to the world intensified, deepening to a level where she could feel every shift in the flow of energy. The familiar boundaries between her and this realm had dissolved; it was no longer a separate entity but an extension of herself. She could feel the new laws integrating seamlessly into the world''s fabric, like a puzzle piece finding its perfect fit. A sudden surge of understanding washed over her. The Universal Force stone wasn''t just a mineral¡ªit was the crystallization of the very essence of this realm. It represented the purest form of the forces that flowed through the world. As the new laws settled, the once-chaotic energies began to stabilize, creating a foundation upon which Zosia could build. A voice echoed in her mind, not one of words but of pure intent. It was the will of the world, urging her to continue, to shape this newfound power into something greater. For the first time, Zosia felt truly aligned with her space, as though it had become not only her sanctuary but a living extension of her very soul. Zosia could still feel that the laws of the world were still incomplete. According to the new found information, she could make the world which was anchored in the real world to be cut off from the real world and truly integrate with her very being, but she decided against it. Apart from that, she realized that the world could now house humans and animals for longer periods, unlike before. Her eyes shone with bright light as she thought of how to develop the world. She decided to start with slaves from the next world that she would be going to. Since her world has the ability to max someone''s loyalty by subtly affecting the person''s train of thought, still she had to be careful even when choosing them. In this world, she was the god but she still preferred being cautious. Zosia decided to first explore her transformed space. She took note of the locations of the new minerals as well as their effects. She also noticed that her herbs had long since matured with the youngest being a thousand years old. She moved towards a patch of herbs, their leaves shimmering with accumulated energy. Each plant seemed to hum with life, pulsating softly with power that spoke of ancient knowledge and potent healing properties. She reached out to touch one, a silvery-blue leaf known for its regeneration capabilities. The moment her fingers brushed against it, a surge of vitality coursed through her, reaffirming her connection to the natural elements now thriving within her world. Zosia''s attention shifted to a distant mountain range, where veins of Universal Force stone glistened like liquid starlight embedded in the rock. She marveled at the sight, already contemplating the possibilities for crafting artifacts or refining the stone to enhance her abilities. A sudden buzzing in the air drew her focus. She sensed the presence of living beings, not mere constructs but actual creatures whose essence had melded with the newly established laws of the world. Zosia''s gaze sharpened as an insect came into view. The insect was no ordinary creature; its wings shimmered with a prismatic glow, each beat releasing a faint ripple of universal energy into the air. It had a slender, crystalline body that seemed almost translucent, allowing Zosia to glimpse the flow of power coursing through it like blood. It hovered before her, as though studying her as intently as she was examining it. A subtle connection formed between them, and she could sense its thoughts¡ªfragmented, but curious, like the mind of a child. The insect was aware of the changes in the world and appeared to recognize Zosia as the source of its newfound existence. As it flitted closer, she extended a hand. The creature landed delicately on her finger, and in that instant, Zosia felt a surge of information. She saw flashes of places within the realm she had yet to explore, regions teeming with creatures she had never seen before. It was as if the world itself was reaching out to show her what it had become, urging her to discover its hidden depths and untapped potential. Zosia decided to explore, enjoying herself on what her space had to offer. By the time she was done, years had passed in the space and some days had passed in the soul world. ========== Thank you all for your support though I do not update daily anymore due to school. I thought I wouldn''t be able to update at all this month but i finally did it and overcame the first road block. Thank you all and enjoy this chapter. Chapter 121 - 119 - The Next Mission 1 Zosia glanced up at the sun rays spreading across the wide field, casting a golden glow over the landscape. Her gaze wandered to the river, which sparkled under the sunlight as it wound its way toward the distant oceans. The scene before her was peaceful, yet held a sense of purpose. She had carefully mapped out each region. One area would serve as the animal center, designated for training animals¡ªwhether for food, labor, or companionship. It was also the place she had glimpsed through the eyes of the insect, gathering more insight than she could have hoped for. Another area would serve for planting of herbs, plants and food. As for other areas, she had only mapped them out but is yet to designate their purpose. Leaning back in her chair, Zosia took a sip of her locally brewed drink, letting out a contented belch. "Ah, time passes so quickly," she murmured, her voice filled with a quiet fondness. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She knew exactly how much time she had spent in this world. It had become a part of her¡ªa sanctuary where she felt at ease. Here, she was not bound by expectations or routines. Here, she could simply exist, savoring every moment in this secluded haven she had come to cherish deeply. She opened the book in her hand and continued reading from where she stopped. She stopped reading when the sun slowly set and night was approaching. Zosia calmly dropped the book, her gaze staring at the distant sky. She waited in silence as the night sky appeared, with stars of otherworldly glow twinkling in the sky. A smile appeared on her lips, something she was unaware of. She had come to love the night view in her space. It gave her this sense of tranquility. Something she was sure she couldn''t get anywhere else. Staying in her space for so long, her tense figure was now more relaxed but it didn''t mean she had relented on her training. She had trained more than one would expect and even her stats had seen a qualitative leap. Feeling the excess accumulation of energy, Zosia decided it was time to go take her tasks. Arranging the place she had stayed, she went inside her house and took a good shower. Changing into a sports outfit and a canvas, she left her personal space. Appearing back in the System space, she opened her panel and was met with so many messages. Opening the message panel, she deftly replied to all of them. Most of them were mostly concerned about her well-being. One person''s message stood out from the rest. It was Lucian''s message. After reading it, Zosia sighed. "I can''t believe that I have gotten involved with some powers." Zosia muttered. Sitting down on her couch in a relaxed posture that still screamed authority, she thought about her next move. "Since the so-called Lady Elara would be waiting for me to appear in the Soul world, I better not step out." Zosia muttered, crossing out the thought of going out to collect information. She decided to go for her task first, hoping that by the time she comes back, she will be able to get some information by then. Zosia placed the book she had been reading back into her inventory. The book was indeed that book she had gotten from her last mission. It had finally been translated by the translator, after she learnt a few things about the language that the book was written with. "I still haven''t been able to use that book." The book she was referring to was of course, the Venquidra Ithralm Echthirra. Zosia hesitated between opening the book and not opening it. She decided not to open it but go for her next task. Zosia opened her panel and the options came into view. ?ME? ? STATUS ? INVENTORY ? NOTIFICATIONS ? TASK MENU ? CHAT ? STIMULATION? ? LIBRARY? ? ANALYSIS? ? TRANSLATION ? ? MAP? ? INFOLINK? Zosia clicked on her notification options which had a red dot that kept blinking. Opening the notification, she realized that it was a reminder to go for her next task. Closing the notification panel, Zosia opened her status. ======================= ? STATUS ? Name: Zosia Meave Branden ? Level: F ? Strength; 500 ? Agility; 400 ? Intelligence: 5500 ? Soul Power: 52,000 ? Gifts: Space, Illusion, Life, Poison Body ? Skill Points: 10 ? Skills: ? Legal Knowledge and Research ? Analysis ? Negotiation and Mediation ? Advocacy ? Counseling ? Time Management ? Resolution ? Intermediate Marksmanship. ? Intermediate Logistics and Supply Management ? Intermediate Intelligence Gathering ? Intermediate Technology Proficiency ? Intermediate Survival Skills ? Intermediate Weapon Proficiency (Hot & Cold) ? Intermediate First Aid ? Intermediate Tactical Training ? Intermediate Navigator ? Advanced Close-Quarters Combat ? Intermediate Cryptography ? Novice Language Proficiency ? Intermediate Interrogation and Information Extraction ? Intermediate Poison Knowledge ? Intermediate Escape and Evasion ? Novice Lockpicking and Entry Techniques ? Intermediate Disguise and Impersonation ? Intermediate Surveillance and Reconnaissance ? Novice Psychological Manipulation ? Intermediate Stealth and Concealment ? Advanced Combat Proficiency ? Novice Tactical Awareness ? Advanced Weapon Mastery ? Basic Hypnosis. ? Intermediate Leadership and Governance ? Intermediate Warfare and Military Strategy ? Intermediate Economic and Resource Management ? Novice Social and Cultural Influence ? Novice Innovation and Adaptability ? Intermediate Diplomatic Relations ? Novice Herbology ? Novice Medicine... etc ? Halo(s); Mother Halo, Regent Empress Halo, Good sister Halo. ? Title(s); Good Mother, Novice Lawyer, Pioneer Player, Novice Illusionist, Good Friend Title, Empress Title ? Merit: 195 ? Faith: 150 ? Points: 12,800,000 [To Upgrade to the next Level; ? 20,000 Points ? Minimum of 5 Missions (Former missions are also added)] Zosia glanced at the skill points and realized that she didn''t even know where to put them or how to use them. She wasn''t sure if, just like how skill points are used in games that''s how it''s used here. She decided to put 1 skill points to her combat skill. She noticed that her advanced combat skill remained the same way. Suddenly, she felt some knowledge flow into her mind. It corrected her on her flaws and gaps that she had in her knowledge. Though it didn''t directly upgrade her combat skills, it at least corrected some things which helped boost her combat prowess. Zosia decided to save the skill points, since apart from the last mission, she didn''t know how else to get skill points. Zosia also took notice of the increase in Faith points as well as Merit Points. She couldn''t help but wonder how they had increased. "Is it due to my space?" She thought out loud, her eyes narrowing with the thought. Since, she knew Faith points came out by someone having faith in you. As far as any being¡ª anything that has life and is sentient believes in something, it will gradually produce faith which will be given to that person it believes in. Zosia felt that it must have increased due to the faith given to her by the animals. This suddenly reminded her of that faith technique. "It''s best not to entangle with faith as you can end up being affected." This was something Lucian had said to her when she had tried to understand faith workings. As for her merit, she felt it must be because she had done such a good deed of taking care of the animals, or so she thought. Zosia closed the status panel, her thoughts lingering on Lucian''s words. Faith was a tricky thing. It could empower, but it could also bind, creating unseen chains that connected her to the lives depending on her. She wasn''t sure she was ready for that kind of responsibility yet. Even with all her training, the idea of bearing the weight of others'' beliefs felt heavy. She sighed and glanced at the task menu, her finger hovering over the next mission. Before she could select it, a soft chime echoed in the space around her¡ªa reminder that her time was ticking. She sighed internally as she browsed through the task, deciding to take the one with the task world being a modern world. She planned to see if she could get some professionals and building materials for a huge range. She planned to industrialize her space¡ª her world. ========== Just like I promised that once I have time, I would write and post a chapter, I have fulfilled that promise. Though, I know it''s not enough. For those using audio, I have started changing the fonts that could not be read to avoid impeding on your reading. Thank you all for your constant support. Happy Sunday and please enjoy your day with this novel. Chapter 122 - 120- New Arc Opening her eyes, Zosia was met with a handsome young man, around the age of 25. Though, his facial expression wasn''t anything welcoming. It even seemed like he was holding a grudge ¡ª a hatred to be more precise. "Let''s break up." The young man coldly said. Zosia''s eyebrow twitched at the absurd situation. Closing her eyes and opening it, she realized that this was another reality that she had to face. "Let''s talk about this later. Don''t be brash." Zosia said in her usual airy voice, further irking the already irritated young man. The young man''s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he took a step closer. "There''s nothing to discuss, Auriel. I''m done with this¡ªdone with you." His voice trembled with a mix of frustration and pent-up anger, as if he had rehearsed this moment countless times in his mind. "So her name is Auriel." Zosia thought inwardly. Zosia tilted her head slightly, her expression remaining calm, almost detached. "You''re upset, I get it. But rushing to end things won''t solve anything. Take a moment to cool down, and then¡ª" Zosia didn''t really understand what was going on and she still needed to calm down to receive the memories of the original host. If she happened to be disturbed halfway, it would also affect the transmission of the memories. "Don''t patronize me!" He cut her off, his voice rising. "This isn''t just a phase or some misunderstanding. I''ve seen it. You''re not the person I thought you were." His gaze flickered with a hint of something darker, a secret he had unearthed, and Zosia could feel the shift in the atmosphere. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "And what exactly have you seen, hmm? What do you think you know about me?" Her voice was laced with a subtle challenge, daring him to continue. "You know what... Let''s both calm down, I am tired." Zosia said as she wanted to leave and find a quiet place. Zosia''s words seemed to have triggered him, to the extent of raising his hand to slap her, though, stopping midway in his action. Zosia''s gaze sharpened at the hand hovering in the air. The sharpened look slowly disappeared, replaced by a lazy look in her eyes. "What? Do you want to slap me?" she murmured, her tone calm but with an edge that could cut glass. The young man''s hand trembled before it slowly lowered, his expression a storm of emotions. "You''re impossible," he muttered, stepping back as if the distance could help him regain some semblance of control. "You act like nothing matters, like I''m the one overreacting here. But I understand, it''s because I am the only one in love here." Zosia felt a faint headache throb at her temples, she hated appearing in situations like this. She couldn''t help but criticize the original owner. Why couldn''t she clean up her mess before she appeared. Feeling a bout of headache coming and wanting to entangle herself out of the situation, she turned to look around the environment and noticed that she was currently in a school environment. "Let''s just talk later and maybe in a better place, than this." "Tsk.." the young man sneered, "No need to worry, I just came to tell you that we are done and no need to return all I have spent on you. I will take it as a wasted investment." Zosia''s eyebrow arched at his words, a glimmer of amusement sparking in her eyes. "Wasted investment, huh?" She echoed, as if tasting the bitterness in his tone. "Well, if that''s how you want to see it, I won''t argue." Her indifference only seemed to fuel his anger further. "You really don''t care, do you?" he spat, fists clenching at his sides. "I gave you everything, and you just¡ª" Zosia didn''t know what else to do about the situation. She couldn''t help but wonder, if the original host was a cheat to elicit such emotions from the young man. Or has she perhaps done worse? Zosia looked around and noticed that some public eyes were already beginning to look in their direction, with some indecipherable whispers floating into her ears. The young man seeing how Zosia kept looking around, finally composed himself and took a deep breath. "Fine," he said, voice colder than before. "Stay in your little bubble of indifference. But don''t come crawling back when reality hits you, Auriel." With that, he turned sharply on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as if punctuating the finality of his words. Zosia watched him go, her expression remaining unperturbed, but inside, a small wave of relief washed over her. The tension in the air began to dissipate, giving her the opportunity she desperately needed. Looking at the young man who was about to enter his car, Zosia briefly used analyze on him, but didn''t take a look at result. She planned to do that when she was alone. The moment his car zoomed off, Auriel''s friends who had been watching the situation from a distance, walked up to her. "Did you two quarrel again?" A blonde haired girl among the group asked. Zosia blinked at the approaching group, her gaze settling on the girl who had spoken. She appeared genuinely concerned, her brow furrowed and voice laced with sympathy. Zosia remained silent for a moment, gauging the dynamics of this new reality and testing how far she could stretch her act. "Something like that," she replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders as if it were of no consequence. "It''s nothing to worry about." The girl exchanged a look with another friend beside her, a tall boy whose gaze was heavy with suspicion. Another girl in the group spoke up, "How about you go apologize to him, you have always made him to be the one to apologize, it doesn''t seem right." Zosia glanced at the girl, picking up some information from her words. Another girl with black wavy hair, who was standing beside Zosia couldn''t help but say upon hearing their words; "So, what if he is the one always apologizing, do you expect Auriel to apologize to him... About what?" Her tone wasn''t anything good. Zosia glanced at the girl who said that, noting the fake smile and envy beneath her eyes. Turning back to the blonde haired girl, she said, "I will but currently, I just don''t feel alright. Please excuse me, I would like to leave." Luckily a cab approached the school gate, allowing Zosia to hail a cab and leave. Upon entering the cab, She closed her eyes briefly, focusing inward. The memories of the original Auriel were beginning to seep in, trickling into her consciousness like fragments of a broken mirror slowly coming together. Faces, places, and emotions swirled around her mind, painting a picture that was still incomplete. From the original host''s memories, she could sum up her life story as a lady from riches to rags. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The young man was none other than her boyfriend ¡ª her childhood friend, someone she had grown up with and fell in love with. In the host''s memory, the blonde haired girl was the only one among her friends that seemed to care or that really cared, the rest were just facades. But, she still hung out with them due to the flattery and worship she received. The host boyfriend and the host were the total opposite, it was surprising how long they dated, despite the differences. Zosia could tell that it would have been a nice relationship, if the host had been willing to put in as much effort as the young man put in. Finally understanding why the boyfriend chose to break up, or so she thought. She decided to delve deep into the host background. The host and the daughter of the Queens family were exchanged during birth by Auriel''s birth mother. She didn''t know that the Nanny was her birth mother either, until she found some things left by the Nanny after her death and understood that she was not the Queens daughter. Aware of her soon looming status, she decided to find the real daughter of the Queens and kill her, so that her position would still be in place. She had just found the real daughter, after some behind the scenes, she was able to bring the girl to her university. She thought it would be easier to get the deal done with her being so close, but things end up going awry. From the host''s memories, it was later in life that she found out, that her friend who happened to be the black haired girl had wanted to get close to her brother and seeing how her brother and Kerry looked so alike, she decided to carry out a DNA test using her brother''s hair. Her friend could have hidden the result but since she had been envious of Auriel and wanting to see her break down, she sent the result to Auriel''s brother. But, she wasn''t aware of another result that was sent to her parents and the words that had been said to make her parents suddenly hate her. All she knew was that, the moment she got to the house on the 3rd which happens to be today. She found her stuff thrown out of the house. "Where are you going girl?" The voice of the cab man made Zosia remember that she hadn''t given him an address. "Telong Housing Estate." She said before sinking back to the original host memories. Just like today, she and her boyfriend had broken up and she decided to come back to the house earlier, ditching her plans with her friends to go painting. Only for her to realize that her status was no longer the same. Chapter 123 - 121- Arc 4 Kilian who had left In a fit of anger, returned upon remembering that today was the day Auriel had been thrown out of the house. He came back to take her home, even though he was still angry at her. Upon returning, he happened to hear her friends talking behind her back. "Tsk... They finally broke up." Oriel said, her black hair cascading as her gaze was still on the place Auriel last stood. "I can finally try my luck." The other girl in the group said, "Auriel is quite lucky to have such a boyfriend, unfortunately, she doesn''t deserve it." Kerry couldn''t stand their words and had to speak up, "Guys, how could you even say that? We should be comforting her or trying to bring them back together." "Tsk... Oh! Please. It is not like you don''t know her attitude. If she wasn''t part of the Queens, she''d probably be like us, looking for whom to attach to." The boy in the group couldn''t help but chime in. "You!" Kerry pointed at them in disbelief. Since when have all of them started talking about Auriel like that. "She will soon lose that status.. just soon enough, it shouldn''t be long." Oriel added, her gaze flickered with a hint of hatred and schadenfreude. Kilian who had heard all their conversation, couldn''t help but frown. His frown was not only due to the kind of friends Auriel had but also, how had the black haired girl known that Auriel would no longer be part of the Queens. "Could she also be reborn like me?" He thought Inwardly. He decided to leave, besides he didn''t owe Auriel anything. ========== Zosia, now fully merged with Auriel''s memories, stood alone in front of the house. Her gaze drifted to the bags outside the lawn, a stark reminder that she should enter her acting mode. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Zosia walked up the steps and pushed open the heavy front door of the mansion. The hall was eerily quiet, Inwardly, she couldn''t help but frown. "Where was everyone?" She muttered. Spotting the housekeeper, Mr. Rowan, wiping a silver vase nearby. "Mr. Rowan," she called as she approached him. "Why are my things outside?" she asked with a frown. He looked up, almost startled, and set the vase aside. "Your brother ordered it, Miss Auriel." Her brow furrowed. "Where is he?" "Living room, miss," he replied, gesturing down the hallway with a tilt of his head. With a curt nod, Zosia (Auriel) strode past him and headed for the living room, her footsteps echoing through the quiet corridors. The sight that greeted her in the room was that of the host''s older brother, seated casually on the plush couch, and was deep in a conversation with a girl who practically radiated the white lotus halo¡ªAisha, the daughter of the Queens, unlike her. Zosia braced herself for the upcoming drama. "Brother," Zosia''s voice cut through the air, quite sharp but just enough to display her anger. "What is the meaning of this? Why did you have them throw my stuff outside?" Damian, turned his cold gaze toward her, his lips curving into a smirk. "Ah, Auriel. Finally decided to grace us with your presence?" he drawled, not bothering to stand up. His tone was casual, almost mocking, as if her anger was no more than a source of mild amusement to him. Zosia tightened her grip on the strap of her handbag, reminding herself to stay calm. "I asked you a question, Damian. Why is my stuff outside?" He sighed, stretching his arms across the back of the couch. "I thought it was fairly obvious. You don''t belong here anymore." Aisha''s lips twitched with a barely concealed smile. Blinking her eyes to make them watery, she lowered her body like she was timid, unwilling to say too much. "What do you mean by that?" Zosia asked in return, her gaze cold but not as cold as Damien''s. To her, she just needed to play her part, stay safe and complete the host mission. She wasn''t interested in playing house with them or playing the role of the fake sister or fake heiress in the story of the true heiress return etc. Damian let out a slow, mocking laugh. "What do I mean?" He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at her with that cold, calculating gaze. "Let''s not play pretend, Auriel. You know you''re not really one of us. Did you think we wouldn''t find out?" Her eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" "Oh, drop the act," he sneered. "I know you''re aware that Aisha is the true daughter of the Queens. And knowing how wicked you can be, I am sure you must have been plotting on how to kill her." Zosia rolled her eyes and said, "Wicked?! Oh please!" Just then, her younger brother appeared at the top of the stairs, rubbing his eyes and looking disoriented. "Sis?" he mumbled, his voice soft, still thick with sleep. "What''s going on?" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia threw a glance his way before looking back at her older brother. "If I wanted Aisha gone, I would''ve done it. Why would I need to go out of my way to get her a scholarship and even bring her to this city, to be under your nose?" Damian''s face hardened, his composure wavering slightly. He hadn''t expected her to counter so directly. Aisha quickly interjected, a tremor in her voice as she looked between the two siblings, playing her part to perfection. "Please, I didn''t mean to cause trouble. I only wanted to reconnect with my family¡­" Zosia turned to her, her expression neutral. "Then maybe you should try doing that without spreading rumors about me. If you wanted a warm welcome, Aisha, perhaps manipulating my family against me wasn''t the way to go." Aisha''s eyes filled with feigned tears, and she clutched Damian''s arm. "I¡­ I don''t know what she''s talking about, Brother. I never said anything against her!" "Oh! So quick to call him brother." Zosia thought inwardly as she sneered at the white lotus act. Damian scoffed, his gaze flicking back to Zosia. "Oh, of course, you''d accuse her. Always the victim, aren''t you, Auriel?" Zosia took a steadying breath, feeling the weight of her task settle over her. "You''ve already made up your mind about me, haven''t you, Damian? No matter what I say, you''ll always believe the worst." He shrugged dismissively. "Maybe I just finally see you for who you are." Her younger brother at the stairs, watching the tension with wide eyes, piped up, "Brother, who is that? And why are you shouting at sister?" His puberty like voice caused them to look at him. "She is no longer your sister and you should understand that. Also your real sister is Aisha." He said, holding Aisha''s hand firmly. "I don''t care whether I am real or fake, just tell them to get my things back to my room." Zosia immediately interjected, unwilling to continue the charade. She knew that she would still have to leave and needed to start packing but having her stuffs thrown out like that was a no go. Damian sneered. He was about to say something when their parents entered. "Damian, did you tell the housekeeper to throw Auriel''s stuff out?" A lady who looked to be in her early thirties spoke. Zosia glanced at the lady, internally seizing her up. The lady was none other than Damian and Chris''s parents. As Zosia sized up the woman who had just entered, she couldn''t help but note her youthful appearance, almost ageless despite nearing her fifties. "Looks so young for her age," Zosia mused inwardly. In Auriel''s memories, Zosia recalled that this woman, Keira, was her father''s second wife. Auriel''s mother, the first wife, had passed away after giving birth. Only a year later, her father remarried Keira, who brought her son, Damian, into the family. Though technically Auriel''s half-brother, Keira never let her forget their bond was less than whole, even if they shared the same father. Damian shifted uncomfortably, his eyes dropping as he answered, "Yes¡­ yes, ma." His voice held a hint of remorse. Keira glanced at him, the slight furrow in her brow conveying a mixture of reprimand and subtle disappointment. "Don''t do that again," she murmured, her tone firm but quiet. She cast a brief, dismissive look at Auriel, her dislike barely concealed. If not for the family''s insistence that her husband marry his first wife, Keira would have been the one Ashton would marry first and she wouldn''t have to bear the subtle insults thrown to her by other madams. Damian, looking chastised, offered a small nod. Zosia watched as the housekeeper alongside some other servants took her stuff back to the host room. "When your father comes back, we will discuss this in detail." Keira said, her voice firm and filled with authority. ================= Thank you all for your continuous support. I really appreciate and I am so grateful. Thank you! Thank you!!!! Also I would like to inform you all, that I would only use the first top 5 fans names to name the characters of this book. I don''t see myself being able to use all the fans name, so I have to limit it. Maybe, I would increase it to 10. Thank you all once again for your utmost support. Chapter 124 - 122- Momentos {ARC 4} "When your father comes back, we will discuss this in detail." Keira said, her voice firm and filled with authority. The group nodded in unison, and Zosia took the cue to leave, retreating to her room. Closing the door behind her, Zosia finally breathing a sigh of relief. "I need to check the host account balance and map out my next steps," she muttered, throwing herself onto the bed. The faint creak of the mattress filled the silence as she settled in, ready to focus. Without hesitation, Zosia opened the Quest Panel, her gaze locking onto the information it displayed. [TASK] [Main Task] [Title; Make a Name] [Description; In the host past life, she was unable to make a name by herself due to the constant, subtle interference of Aisha and her family (The Queens). She could only watch herself being battered and judged by society, unable to stand-up or find her footing.] [Reward; ???] [Side Task 1] [Description; Clear up the air with Killian] [Reward; Uncover the Mystery of Killian''s Behavior.] [Side Task 2] [Description; Leave the Queens Family with your head held high] [Reward; No Reward.] [Side Task 3] [Description; Graduate with a degree.] [Reward; No Reward.] [Time limit; 30 years] Zosia glanced at each of the tasks and couldn''t help but mutter to herself, "What could be wrong with Killian. According to the host''s memory, she and Killian did indeed break up today. After the break up, she didn''t have the face to go beg him to let her stay with him after she was thrown out, so, she stayed with his brother who was willing to take her in. The more Zosia watched the memories, the more her facial expression took on a peculiar turn. The original host and her ex brother had fumbled the sheets, it not only didn''t help her but got her life more chaotic and messed up. She suddenly remembered that she had used analysis on Killian, maybe it could help her find out what was going on. Zosia was a little surprised by the results. [Name: Killian Randall.] [Age: 27] [Gender: Male.] [Status; Healthy, Feeling Betrayed, Soul sickness.] [Bloodline: Nil.] [Occupation: CEO, Mafia Lord.] [Reputation: 60 (feared by his men and underworld gang)] [Affiliation; Randall Family, DIOS Cooperation, R-Den] [Personality: Cold, Loves with all his heart, Hates Betrayal.] [Threat Level: Middle.] [Skills: Draw down to see] [Remark: The Mafia King is Reborn.] Zosia understood that the souls sickness must have arised from the fact that he was just currently reborn and his soul was still adapting. But, what she didn''t understand, was his anger. Why was he angry? What had Auriel done to make him angry? "If I don''t even know what happened, how do I appease him." Zosia clicked her tongue, her gaze scanning the room that was filled with cluttered boxes. The servants (Workers) saw no need to arrange her stuff, since she would soon be leaving. Zosia decided not to bother with that for now but to deal with what was in front of her, else she may lose the advantage she had now. Taking out the host phone, she opened her bank app to check her balance. What was left wasn''t much but enough to get her a house of her own, close to the slums area. Zosia felt the need to remove the money from the bank, since the Queens have the ability to freeze her account and make her unable to use the money. Using the host memories as reference, she knew the Queens would watch her like a hawk, so she couldn''t just produce money from nowhere, meaning, she could only honestly go find a job. Knowing fully well that the jobs available to her would either be tutoring, handyman, cleaner, waiter etc.. She knew she still had to do one of them. Zosia took a deep breath and began packing. The room was quiet except for the soft rustle of her movements. She reached for one of the empty boxes by the bed and started with the books. One by one, she placed each volume in the box, running her fingers over their worn spines before setting them down. They were like old friends, familiar and comforting. Some of the books included her school books and novels. She moved to her clothes next, picking out only what she''d need or could easily carry. Some items she folded neatly, thinking they might fetch a bit if resold, while others she set aside. "Every bit helps," she whispered to herself, tucking a few shirts and sweaters into the box. As she reached for the bottom drawer of her dresser, her hand froze. Opening it, she realized the other side was packed with small, wrapped gifts. For a moment, she simply stared, confused. Then, slowly, memories surfaced. The host¡ª that Zosia inhabited¡ªhad a habit. Whenever she was at fault or had a fight with Killian, she would buy him something. But her pride never let her actually give the gifts to him. She''d leave them here, tucked away, where neither of them would ever see them again. A secret pile of half-hearted apologies. Zosia''s chest tightened. These gifts were little tokens of regret, a silent admission of feelings she¡ªor rather, the host¡ªhad struggled to express. If not for the system task, Zosia didn''t see the need to go that far to apologize to Killian or appease him. Zosia opened the drawer fully and behind the gifts lay a bigger box. She reached for the larger box. She felt a little bit curious, what could the original host have gotten for Killian? She eased the lid open, revealing a sleek, black handgun nestled inside. The weapon lay there, silent yet ominous, its polished metal glinting under the soft light. It was no ordinary gun. The grip was custom-crafted with a rich, dark mahogany finish, smooth to the touch, yet textured enough for a firm hold. Along the barrel, intricate silver engravings traced patterns of vines and sharp, geometric lines, giving it a look both elegant and deadly. Zosia''s breath hitched as she took in the details. This was a high-caliber weapon, made for power and precision. From the weight of it alone, she could tell it packed immense firepower, capable of taking down even the most formidable target. The trigger was sensitive, designed to fire with the slightest squeeze, ensuring there''d be no room for hesitation or error. A single shot from this gun would be enough to stop an opponent in their tracks. As she examined the weapon, she recognized the hand gun as Vulcan X1 Hybrid with a caliber of .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum These rounds are powerful enough for longer-range engagement and have sufficient stopping power, making them suitable for both close-range encounters and sniping purposes within a moderate range (up to around 150 yards). It''s Barrel Length also had an Interchangeable System with a sniping Mode of 10-12 inch extended barrel for improved accuracy and range and a handgun Mode of 5-6 inch standard barrel for easier handling and mobility. Zosia glanced at the equipped compact, detachable 4x scope for sniping mode with Iron sights or reflex sight for quick acquisition in handgun mode. The gun has an adjustable recoil spring and customizable grip to provide stability in sniper mode and manageable recoil in handgun mode. It also has an optional foldable or detachable stock to steady the firearm in sniper configuration, which can be removed when used as a handgun. Twirling the gun, she couldn''t help but mutter, "A semiautomatic gun that allows for rapid follow-up shots if needed in both configurations." As for the materials used, she guessed they were constructed from lightweight but durable alloys, such as titanium or a polymer-metal hybrid, to maintain mobility without sacrificing durability. She checked the magazine capacity, which had about 8-10 rounds, balancing size with capacity to ensure reliability in various roles. Looking at the sleek, modular design that has an ergonomic grip for comfortable handling, she felt a memory flicker in her mind as she recalled one scene of the host''s memory. It was when Auriel had seen a picture of this exact gun on Killian''s phone. She''d asked him if he liked guns, and he''d mentioned, almost casually, that he''d love to own one like it. Now seeing the gun, Zosia was more than sure that Auriel must have always taken Killian words to heart. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just looking at the gun, she could already imagine how much it must have cost Auriel to get it and the connections she either had to sacrifice or get. The host must have loved Killian, just that she didn''t know how to express it. Going through the memories of the host interaction with Killian, she sighed. "Gosh! How had the two dumb children dated?" Killian gave his all and Auriel being on the receiving end, whenever she want to reciprocate will hold back due to fear, pride and some words her step-mom had once said to her in passing. One time, her Step- mom had told her that if she always behaved like she was in love with him that Killian would leave her. "Sigh!" Zosia couldn''t help but sigh. Couldn''t the foolish host had known that her step-mom didn''t like her and seeing how happy she was with Killian wanted to spoil their relationship. Zosia''s heart softened, the weight of the gun heavy in her hands as she made up her mind. This wasn''t just about a task from the system anymore. It was a chance to make amends, to show Killian that he was truly cared for, even if the host could never say it out loud. With a steady breath, she carefully placed the gun back in the box and closed it, a quiet resolve settling within her. She would find a way to bridge the gap left by the original host pride. But first, her situation was truly dire. Zosia opened the remaining gift boxes and to every box she opened, a related memory would pop up in her mind, further cementing the fact that Auriel really loved Killian. "Sigh! So stupid." She muttered. Gently arranging the gifts, she packed them in another box and sent it to her space. Zosia continued with the rest of her packing. By the time she was done, it was already evening. ====================== This chapter would have come earlier but I was busy editing it. I think there might still be some things that I may have missed, please pardon me. Enjoy the chapter and have a nice day. Also thank you all for your constant support. I really appreciate it a great deal. Thank you LongXie and FumiXi for the Golden ticket. Thank you all as well. Have a nice day. Chapter 125 - 123- ARC 4 {Evidence} Zosia continued with the rest of her packing. By the time she was done, it was already evening. Looking at the sky, she guessed that the host father should be coming back anytime soon. "I better go shower." She said as she gave one last look to everything she had packed. The room now looked a little bare. The room wasn''t exactly small but you couldn''t say it was as big as her brothers. Entering the bathroom, she felt the need for a long shower to cool herself down. Zosia stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her fingers lightly tracing the dark circles beneath her eyes. This was actually the first time she was looking at the host''s face, and she must say, each body she occupies is just beautiful- a beautiful piece of art. Touching her body, she felt the host bone structure. "It may take a while for my soul to fully adapt to this body." Zosia muttered, her gaze still on her reflection. Her soul had become stronger and the body needs to be strong to be able to fully accept her soul and exert her strength and powers in this world. Turning away from the mirror, she peeled off her clothes, letting them drop carelessly to the tiled floor. She stepped into the shower, letting the hot water cascade over her. The steam quickly filled the small space. Zosia leaned her head against the cool, tiled wall, eyes closing. She felt a sense of relief, but knowing that she still had things to do, she could only sigh. After a while, she turned off the shower, the silence that followed was almost deafening. She stepped out, wrapping a soft, fluffy towel around herself. As she padded back into the bedroom, still drying her hair, she heard a soft knock on the door. Knock! Knock!! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Seems like he is back." Zosia muttered, glancing at the wall clock in her room. When she opened the door, a young maid stood there, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. "Miss Auriel," the maid began, her voice quiet but respectful. "Your father has just returned. He asked me to inform you that dinner will be served shortly. He requests your presence in the dining room." "Thank you," Zosia said, offering the maid a small smile. "I''ll be down shortly." The maid gave a quick nod and scurried away, her footsteps fading down the hall. Zosia closed the door. She couldn''t help but think about the maids attitude, "Seems like that woman really knows her job." As for the woman she was referring to, it is the host''s step-mother. If it was in a house where the master has no grip on the servants, Zosia was very sure that instead of that maid being nervous when she opened the door, it would have been a round of demeaning words being thrown at her. Thinking about it now, the host father really did have a good eye for a wife. The host step-mother, didn''t really do anything to the host and has only left the host to her own devices, never really caring about what she does or needs. She put her energy on her sons and didn''t stop Auriel from associating with her sons, though the eldest didn''t really like her, he hadn''t done anything to her either. The highest form of quarrel, they had ever had was both of them having a fist fight. Since, her grandfather wasn''t in support of her father''s marriage to the step-mother, she had been trained by him since she was young, until two years ago, when her grandfather sent her back to her father''s house, asking her to try and bond with him. Zosia could understand what the grandfather must have been worrying about. After all, if he dies one day, her next backing would be her father. But with a father that doesn''t love the child or feels anything for the child, how do you think it will turn out? Zosia dried off and slipped into a simple, homely outfit¡ªa soft, oversized sweater paired with comfortable leggings. She glanced around the now-bare room one last time before heading downstairs, her eyes glinting, as she thought of how to act out her part. Zosia hoped that they would give her at least three days, to settle things on her end before she leaves. As she entered the dining room, her gaze swept across the table. The host eldest brother was the first to catch her eye. He looked up briefly, his expression unreadable, then returned to talking to Aisha. The younger brother, however, gave her a bright smile, patting the chair next to him. "Auriel, sit here," he called out softly, his voice laced with affection. Zosia glanced at the cloth Aisha wore. "She is really integrating fast." Zosia thought with a raised eyebrow. Her gaze then landed on her stepmother, who appeared indifferent to her arrival. The woman sat poised, her face an unreadable mask as she sipped her wine. There was no warmth, no welcome in her eyes. She seemed more concerned with adjusting the napkin on her lap than acknowledging Auriel''s presence. Zosia''s eyes finally found the host father. Despite being in his early fifties, he looked remarkably young and handsome, his strong jawline and neatly groomed hair making him appear years younger. He was talking to one of the servants but looked up when she entered, offering her a tight-lipped smile. "Welcome, Father," Zosia greeted, her voice airy,like she wasn''t the one who would soon get thrown out. He gave a brief nod. "Good evening, Auriel. Please, take your seat." Zosia sat down next to her younger brother, who gave her a reassuring smile. She returned it with a small, grateful one of her own. "Let''s eat," Ashton announced, his tone commanding but not unkind. "We''ll discuss things after dinner." Zosia felt her stomach rumble and immediately began eating. Despite how fast she ate, her etiquette was still standard. Keira who had wanted to complain about her fast Auriel ate and noticed how impeccable her etiquette was. "Does she think this would make Ash reduce his anger on her?" Keira thought Inwardly, but no expression was worn on her face. By the time dinner was done, Zosia had cleared more than half of the dishes on the table, leaving them flabbergasted. "I can see you really love the meal the head chef made." Keira commented, a slight smile on her face. Zosia smiled and said nothing, only patting her stomach. She dabbed her mouth delicately with a napkin, placing it down with an air of finality. It was the first proper meal she''d had since taking over this body, and she could feel the strength returning to her limbs. As the servants began clearing the table, the tension in the room seemed to spike. Damian leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. He was clearly waiting for the right moment to unleash whatever it was he had been stewing over since her arrival. Zosia lazily raised her eyelids to look at them and caught the downtrodden look of the younger brother, like he was the one being sent away while Damian has a smirk on his face. Zosia noticed the curl on Aisha''s lips as she adjusted herself in her chair. As dinner came to an end, the air in the room thickened with anticipation. Zosia, maintaining her calm facade, glanced around the table, sensing the impending storm. Her fingers lightly traced the rim of her water glass as Ashton, the host father, pushed back his chair. The room fell into a hushed silence, all eyes turning towards him. Ashton cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping across the table, finally landing on Aisha. "I want to officially welcome you into the family, Aisha," he began. His voice held a formal, almost rehearsed tone. "Enjoy your new status. You''ve earned it, I suppose." To Ashton, he would prefer having Auriel as his daughter as she never made him worry. Seeing how weak Aisha acted, he had a headache on how to handle her. Zosia¡ªnow fully embodying Auriel¡ªfelt the words like a slap, but she remained expressionless. She knew this was just the beginning of the show. Ashton shifted his focus to her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Auriel," he continued, using her given name with a bite that hadn''t been there before. "As of today, I am revoking most of your rights as the original daughter of this household. You can still stay in the family, the Queens don''t lack the money to feed one more mouth." Aisha whose smile widened in response upon hearing about the revoke of Auriel''s status, felt the smile dwindle upon hearing that Auriel would still be here. She tried to put on a fake happy smile, but couldn''t portray it well as it was 100% the opposite of her current emotions. She could only lower her head and take a sip of her water. Keira, leaned forward and pulled out a sleek, black card from her purse, sliding it across the table towards Aisha. "Here," Keira said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "This is for you, Aisha. A little gift to celebrate your place in our family." Aisha''s face lit up with genuine delight as she accepted the card. "Thank you, Mother," she said, her voice honeyed and warm. She glanced at Zosia, a smug smile tugging at her lips. It was a clear attempt to gloat, but Zosia merely raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Ashton watched the interaction with a smirk, then turned to Keira. He didn''t think much of the interaction, "Why don''t you take Aisha shopping tomorrow? I''ll transfer some additional funds to your account for it. Make sure she gets whatever she needs." "Of course," Keira agreed immediately, her gaze flickering briefly to Zosia, as if daring her to say something. Just like her husband, she preferred Auriel. Auriel was someone who knew her place, but thinking about the fact that Aisha doesn''t know that her own mother is already dead, she thought of manipulating Aisha into her own favor. If she was able to do it, her father-in-law would have no choice but to hand over the company to her sons on a silver platter. Aisha''s smile faltered for a second before she replaced it with her perfected look of gratitude. "Thank you, Father. I have never felt such in my life." Zosia, observing the scene just watched on like she was watching a drama. She knew everyone had their own games they were playing. She could also see Aisha''s attempt at playing the innocent, grateful daughter, but Zosia knew better. Aisha''s white lotus act was in full display, her eyes welling up as she played the part of the appreciative, demure newcomer. "So, Aisha," Keira said, leaning back in her chair, "How have you been? I understand it''s been quite a transition for you, coming into our family." Aisha''s expression shifted, and she gave a pitiful, almost tearful smile. "It''s been difficult," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Adjusting to this new life, leaving behind everything I knew... But I''m trying my best. Besides, it''s better than my past." Damian, who had been quietly watching the entire exchange, finally spoke up. "Is that so?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the saccharine atmosphere. He turned to Ashton, his expression unreadable. "Father, what are your plans for Auriel now that you''ve made your decision?" Ashton''s gaze flicked to Damian, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "I''ve already revoked her rights as the original daughter. What more do you think is necessary?" Damian''s lips curled into a cold smile. "I think you might want to see this before making any final decisions." He pulled a small stack of photographs from his jacket pocket and tossed them onto the table. The pictures scattered, revealing grainy screenshots of a chat conversation. Zosia frowned, not realizing what the photos were for a moment. Damian pointed to the photographs. "These are screenshots of Auriel''s conversation with an assassin. It appears she was planning to have Aisha... taken care of." The room fell into stunned silence. Aisha gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she gave an Oscar-worthy performance of shock and horror. "How could you?" she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I never did anything to you, Auriel. Why would you want to kill me?" Zosia feigned disbelief. This had happened in the original host''s memories and It was true that the original host had thought about it in a moment of weakness, feeling cornered with the looming status of her place in the family, but she had never acted on those thoughts. In the original host''s memories, Aisha had been provoking her constantly, undermining her position, and painting herself as the perfect victim. But Zosia knew she had never gone as far as contacting an assassin. But to get her out of the house on the same day, this plan has been cooked up by who knows who and her grandfather had thrown her out of the house. Funny how the person who had sent her out of the house was her grandfather not even her father. That was why Auriel felt betrayed. Ashton picked up one of the photographs, his eyes narrowing as he studied it. He seemed to weigh the evidence in his hand, suspicion growing. He glanced up at Zosia, a calculating look in his eyes. "This is a serious accusation," he said slowly. "Where did you even get the contact for an assassin? Access to the dark web isn''t something anyone can just have." Ashton had his thoughts straying to his own father¡ªthe one person who might have given her such access. Else, if it wasn''t his father, he doesn''t know how else she could have gotten access to the dark web. He had begged his father for years to share his unique code, and it had never been granted. Yet here was his daughter, possibly in possession of it. The betrayal was palpable in his eyes. "Father," Damian cut in smoothly, "I think it''s worth investigating how Auriel managed to get such access. It''s possible she had help. Maybe... from someone we least expect." Chris, the younger brother, looked between his father and sister, his face pale. "I don''t believe this," he said quietly, shaking his head. "There has to be a mistake. Auriel wouldn''t do something like this." Ashton took a deep breath, rubbing a hand over his face. He seemed to age in that moment, the weight of the accusations heavy on his shoulders. "Everyone, leave us," he ordered suddenly, his voice tired but firm. "I need to speak with Auriel alone." Keira stood immediately. She ushered Aisha, Chris and Damian out, her hands gently guiding them as though they were delicate porcelain dolls. Chris lingered for a moment, his eyes locked on Zosia, but eventually, he too followed them out. As the door clicked shut behind them, the room felt colder, emptier. Ashton dropped the photographs onto the table, the clattering sound echoing in the silence. He leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Did you do it?" he asked quietly, not looking at her. Zosia still calm, said, "No," she replied, her voice steady. "I thought about it. I won''t lie to you. But I never took any action. I don''t even have access to the dark web, let alone know how to hire an assassin." "No matter how grandfather loves me, there are some things he won''t give to me and I know my place well enough, besides, I already planned on leaving the family in three days time." Ashton''s eyes flicked up to hers, studying her face, searching for any sign of deceit. For a long moment, he said nothing, simply observing her. Then, he sighed, a deep, weary sound. "You''ve put me in a very difficult position, Auriel. Whether you intended it or not, this entire situation looks damning." Zosia swallowed hard, meeting his gaze. "I know," she whispered. "But you have to believe me. I didn''t do this." Ashton leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment, as though trying to gather his thoughts. When he finally opened them, the cold, calculating light was back. "We''ll get to the bottom of this," he said. "But until then, consider yourself on thin ice. Any more missteps, and there will be consequences." "Father¡ª No, Mr. Ashton, I hope you can do me a favor." Zosia said, her eyes firm as she looked at him. Ashton felt his eyelids twitch at the address, "What is that?" "I hope you can change my family registration and help me deal with the issues surrounding it. I don''t need much." Ashton raised his eyebrow, "Are you doing this to be able to run away if the truth actually shows that you are the one who did it?" "No! And I will try to find evidence on my own end." "No need, you may just end up putting yourself in a more difficult position. I will report to Father About this. Don''t leave the house if possible. I will have Mr. Rowan take a leave for you at school." With that, he stood up, leaving Zosia alone in the room, the photographs still spread across the table like damning evidence of a crime she hadn''t committed. ============== Thank you all for your support. Thank you Denise_Neckeles for the Golden ticket. I have finally finished my exams though school would be resuming in two weeks time. I hope I can keep updating daily, cos I took some works that I need to finish before Tuesday. Thank you all and I hope you keep supporting me. Chapter 126 - 124- ARC 4 {Inconsistencies} In the room.... Zosia typed away on the laptop, jumping from one website to the other in search of jobs. If there was one thing she hates about this part of the country in this world, it is their ability to trace suspicious money. It didn''t mean that the rich couldn''t launder, but the laundering has to be done with more connections involved. Taking a sip of the water on the table, Zosia closed down all the websites she had opened. Just as she was about to switch off the laptop, she decided to see if she could get her hands on some evidence to prove her innocence. Zosia didn''t immediately tap into anybody''s phone, rather she opened the search engine, then did some back end coding before typing in some string of web data. A loading icon appeared, followed by the appearance of a pop up. Deleting the pop up, Zosia''s gaze landed on the website logo and name. Bringing out the pictures from the evidence shown by Damian, she compared the website to the one in front of her. She noticed some inconsistencies. Just as she was about scrutinizing them, a knock was heard on her door. Zosia glanced at the door, a frown appearing on her face. "Who could possibly be on her door by this time of the night?" Zosia muttered, her gaze landing on the clock in her room. "Could it be because my lights were on?" Zosia stood up to switch it off, when the knock was heard the second time. Zosia frowned but said nothing, only hoping that whoever was knocking on her door could leave her alone. She has some guesses but wasn''t sure. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her guess was soon confirmed, by the sweet honeyed voice that entered the room. "Auriel," Aisha''s voice called softly from the other side, "Are you awake?" Zosia stayed silent, her heartbeat quickening slightly. Her gaze flickered to the locked door, and she held her breath, waiting. "Auriel, it''s me, Aisha," the girl continued, her tone a practiced blend of worry and sweetness. "I was feeling thirsty and wanted to get some milk... But I don''t really know my way around the house yet. I thought you might help me find the kitchen." Zosia''s grip tightened on the edge of her desk. Milk? At this hour? It was an obvious ploy, a poorly disguised attempt to get her to open the door. Aisha must have been sent to spy on her, or worse, manipulate her into another setup. She remained quiet, not moving a muscle. The only sound was the faint hum of her laptop as it cooled down. Zosia could almost picture Aisha''s face, pressed close to the wood, straining to listen for any sign of movement inside. Aisha''s voice came again, this time with a slight edge. "Auriel? Are you there? I just arrived today, and I don''t want to get lost. Can you please help me?" Zosia stayed still, her eyes fixed on the door as if she could see through it. A moment of silence stretched out, and she held her breath, praying Aisha would give up and leave. Outside, Aisha''s smile faltered, her brows knitting together in frustration. When no response came, she twisted her fingers anxiously, her pretty face contorting into a vicious snarl. "Playing hard to get, aren''t we?" she muttered under her breath, her voice no longer carrying the pretense of innocence. Zosia, though unable to see Aisha, could sense the shift in her demeanor. She knew that behind Aisha''s angelic fa?ade was something darker, more calculating. It seemed the girl''s patience was wearing thin. After a moment, Aisha huffed softly. "Fine," she whispered to herself. "Ignore me all you want. But let''s see how long you can keep this up." She stepped away from the door, her footsteps retreating down the hall. Zosia listened intently, only relaxing when she heard the distinct sound of Aisha descending the staircase, her light steps fading into the distance. Zosia let out a breath she hadn''t realized she was holding. Her fingers felt cold, still gripping the edge of the desk as she slowly eased back into her chair. "That was close," she murmured to herself. She couldn''t afford to let her guard down for even a moment. She could have played along but this wouldn''t follow the host wishes and her score would be lower. Whatever game Aisha was playing, she was clearly determined to draw Zosia into it. And from the look of it, this was only the beginning. "Sigh! I may have to leave earlier. By morning, it wouldn''t hurt to check out some houses." According to the host''s memories, her grandfather came back in the evening and believed that he had wronged his granddaughter by putting all his love on an imposter, he immediately had Auriel sent out of the house, along with her properties. He didn''t care if Auriel lived or died the moment he sent her out of the house. He even proposed setting up a big welcome banquet for Aisha. Due to her grandfather''s attitude, you could guess the attitudes of those aristocrats. After a month, Aisha also convinced them to stop Auriel from attending the same school as hers, as she felt it was a disgrace to her. As for how she convinced them to expel her from school, she had no idea. "Luckily, I am currently doing my graduation thesis, if I can rush it up and have it done by the end of this week, I''d only have to wait for graduation to collect my certificate." Zosia muttered. Knowing that Aisha might not want to see her graduate, Zosia felt the need to get some support. As for who that support would be? It''s the Host''s father. Despite the poor relationship between them, it wasn''t to the point of being uncaring. Maybe while giving him the evidence, she could ask him to help secure her graduation and destroy Aisha''s influence on it. Taking a deep breath, she decided to finish checking out the inconsistencies. The dark room was illuminated only by the soft glow of Zosia''s laptop screen as she leaned closer, scrutinizing the details. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her brows knitted in concentration. The website on her screen was a dark web marketplace, infamous for illegal services including hitmen for hire. She pulled up the photographs Damian had thrown onto the table, placing them beside her laptop for comparison. The timestamps, usernames, and chat interfaces all appeared genuine at first glance, but Zosia was no amateur. Her skills with technology went far beyond the average user; it was one of the reasons she had been sought after in her previous life. The first discrepancy she noticed was subtle but significant. The screenshots Damian presented had timestamps formatted in a military style, using a 24- hour clock format. However, the actual website she had pulled up used a standard 12-hour format with AM/PM indicators. It was a detail most would overlook, but not someone like Zosia. The inconsistency was clear: whoever had fabricated the evidence didn''t know the website''s actual interface. "Sloppy work," Zosia muttered under her breath, a small smirk tugging at her lips. She quickly snapped her own screenshots, saving them to a hidden folder on her laptop. This was her first piece of evidence, but she knew she needed more. This kind of evidence could be easily disproved. As she navigated through the dark web portal, she noticed another glaring difference. The font style and size on the actual website didn''t match the ones in the printed screenshots Damian had provided. The real site used a sleek, minimalistic font designed for discretion, while the ones in the evidence pictures were bulkier, almost cartoonish. It was a subtle design choice difference, but one that stood out to someone with her eye for detail. Zosia leaned back, tapping a finger on her chin. "It''s almost like whoever made these wanted to make the site look more intimidating than it actually is," she mused. It suggested the involvement of someone who wasn''t just trying to frame her but wanted to make it believable enough for non-tech-savvy people like her father to fall for it. She decided to dig deeper. Accessing the website''s backend required skills and a specialized access code, the kind only a seasoned hacker¡ªor someone with the right connections¡ªcould possess. Zosia''s fingers flew over the keyboard as she tapped into the server logs, searching for traces of the alleged chat logs Damian had shown. "There," she whispered triumphantly. The IP addresses linked to the conversations in Damian''s evidence didn''t match the actual log records of the site. In fact, the IP used in the screenshot logs was a masked VPN linked to a public library in a nearby town. It was a classic tactic used by amateurs trying to hide their tracks. However, the real logs showed no trace of such a conversation involving her username or any access from her known locations. Zosia''s mind raced with possibilities. Someone had gone through the trouble of faking this evidence, but who? Damian''s smirk during dinner replayed in her mind, his almost-too-eager expression when presenting the photos. He seemed prepared, almost expecting Ashton to confront her without hesitation. Was this all his doing? Or was he merely a pawn in a larger game? Zosia decided to recreate the fake chat to verify her suspicions. She opened a sandbox program on her laptop, a safe environment for experimenting without risking exposure. Carefully, she replicated the chat interface using the fake fonts and timestamp formats. It took her only a few minutes to mimic the exact screenshots Damian had produced. She stared at the two images side by side: one from the evidence, the other her own replica. They were indistinguishable from each other, except for one small detail she intentionally altered¡ªthe positioning of a single comma. If she could recreate it so easily, so could anyone with basic coding skills. Zosia took a deep breath, pushing away a wave of frustration. It was clear now that the entire setup was fabricated, designed to look like she had orchestrated a hit on Aisha. But what didn''t make sense was why. Was it just to get her out of the house, or was there a deeper motive? And how had Damian gotten his hands on such supposedly damning evidence so quickly? She navigated back to the dark web''s message board, pulling up a hidden directory that housed archived chat logs. Zosia knew most people didn''t even realize these logs were saved beyond a user''s session. After a few minutes of scrolling through the logs from the supposed timeframe of the chats in Damian''s evidence, she found something interesting. The username implicated in the screenshot logs was a slight misspelling of her known alias, "Aurielle_Queen," but the fake chat used "Auriell_Queen"¡ªmissing an ''e''. It was a minor error, one that most wouldn''t notice. She copied the logs and added them to her growing file of inconsistencies. Whoever set her up knew about her alias but made a critical spelling mistake, suggesting they weren''t as familiar with her as they claimed. Zosia''s heart raced as she saved the files onto a secure USB. This was her lifeline, her proof of innocence. But she knew she couldn''t confront her father with it just yet. Ashton''s mind was clouded with suspicion, and presenting this now might only solidify his resolve to keep her under house arrest. No, she needed a plan. She closed her laptop and slipped the USB into her space. Since she had gotten the evidence that she needed, it was time to sleep. She had to sleep well to allow her soul to adapt faster, since she couldn''t cultivate. Laying down on the bed, the moment her head hit the pillow, she immediately slept off. Such sleeping ability is so envious. Chapter 127 - 125- ARC 4 {Nonchalance.} Zosia awoke with a start, her eyes fluttering open as the first rays of morning light streamed through the sheer curtains. The events of the previous night played in her mind like a fragmented dream. For a moment, she lay there, listening to the faint sounds of activity in the distance¡ªthe muted chatter of the staff beginning their morning routines and the chirping of birds in the garden. After a few moments, she forced herself to get up. She padded over to the bathroom, quickly brushing her teeth and splashing cold water on her face. The coolness jolted her fully awake, chasing away the remnants of sleep. Zosia glanced at her reflection briefly, noting her Rudy complexion. It showed that her body was getting stronger due to the influence of her soul. Her long, dark curls framed her face in a wild halo, but she didn''t bother taming them. Pulling on a loose pair of pajamas, she decided she didn''t need to dress up just yet. There was no point; it wasn''t like anyone in this house cared about her appearance. She headed downstairs, her bare feet making no noise on the polished wooden steps. The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the air, mingling with the subtle aroma of baking bread. It was a comforting smell. As she reached the landing, she spotted Damian and Aisha by the entrance hall. They were dressed in casual yet stylish outfits, ready for their respective lectures. The siblings were clearly waiting for their driver, having their usual banter while they adjusted their bags. The moment Damian''s eyes landed on her, a smirk curled his lips. "Well, well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," he drawled. "I was starting to think you''d sleep through the entire day, Auriel. How lazy can you get?" Zosia ignored him, her expression blank as she continued her path towards the kitchen. She didn''t spare him a single glance, which only seemed to irk him more. "Did you even hear me, or are you just playing deaf?" Damian''s voice followed her, laced with mockery. But Zosia kept her pace steady, slipping into the kitchen without a word. The head chef, a middle-aged man with a kind face, turned to her as she entered. His smile was genuine, though a bit cautious. "Good morning, Auriel. What can I get for you this morning?" Before Zosia could respond, Damian sauntered in after her, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Oh, come on," he scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You don''t need to ask her what she wants. She''s no longer the daughter of the Queens, remember? Her status now is more like... a servant, at best." The head chef''s smile faltered slightly, a frown knitting his brows. He glanced between Zosia and Damian, clearly uncomfortable. He knew the rules of the house, but Damian''s words were cutting and unfair, even if he was technically the heir. Swallowing his displeasure, he forced a polite smile. "Of course, young master. I''ll whip up something for you, Auriel." Damian''s smirk deepened as he observed the chef''s compliance, but there was a flicker of dissatisfaction in his eyes. The head chef hadn''t followed his suggestion exactly; he hadn''t dismissed Zosia outright. The man''s deference was more to maintain peace than to obey Damian''s implied command. Annoyed but unwilling to press the issue further and risk displeasing his mother, Damian grumbled under his breath before turning to leave. Zosia watched the exchange with a passive expression, letting the tension roll off her. She walked to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of milk. She didn''t need the chef to make her anything elaborate. A simple glass of milk and a piece of toast would do. Her indifference to Damian''s antics seemed to only add fuel to the simmering resentment she felt from Aisha, who had followed Damian in just in time to see the interaction. Moments later, Keira descended the stairs, her presence commanding the room even in the simplest of attire. She was dressed in a sleek outfit that showcased her role as the matriarch of the household, exuding an air of authority. Her heels clicked against the marble floors as she made her way towards the kitchen. "Good morning, darlings," she greeted smoothly, her gaze sweeping over her children before landing on Zosia. Damian and Aisha straightened slightly, adopting smiles as they greeted her. "Good morning, Mom," they chorused. Zosia, however, kept her eyes on her glass of milk as she poured it. "Good morning, Mrs. Queens," she said flatly, lifting her head only briefly to acknowledge her. Keira''s lips curled into a smile, her eyes narrowing just a fraction. There was an odd satisfaction in her expression, as if Zosia''s formal greeting was exactly what she expected¡ªan affirmation of her place in this household hierarchy. "Good morning, Auriel," she replied smoothly. "It''s nice to see you awake early." Turning back to her children, she gently brushed a strand of hair from Aisha''s face. "Aisha, darling, be careful at school today. I''ll come pick you up later so we can go shopping. We have a lot to prepare for the weekend." Aisha''s eyes lit up, her earlier irritation momentarily forgotten. "Of course, Mom. I can''t wait!" she beamed, clearly relishing the attention. Damian, meanwhile, only gave a noncommittal shrug. "I have classes all day. Don''t wait for me." Zosia kept to herself during their exchange, nibbling on her toast quietly at the dining table. The head chef had left her meal without another word, his sympathy evident in the way he avoided looking at her directly. Aisha, stealing a glance at Zosia, felt a wave of irritation wash over her. She had hoped to see Zosia grovel or show some sign of discomfort, especially after Damian''s taunts. Instead, Zosia''s complete disregard was like a slap to her face, a silent declaration that she refused to be provoked or belittled. For Aisha, it was infuriating. No matter what she did, Auriel wouldn''t react the way she wanted. The nonchalance with which Zosia carried herself, sitting calmly at the table as if she were the true mistress of the house, made Aisha''s blood boil. "You won''t be so calm for long, Auriel." Aisha thought darkly, forcing a smile to mask the fury simmering inside her. She still needs to be the good girl everyone thinks she is. ======= Zosia waited until the house fell silent. She listened for a few minutes, confirming through the window that the car had pulled away and no staff lingered nearby. Her fingers tapped against the counter rhythmically, her mind already working on her next move. Zosia decided that it was time to leave the house. She''d noticed that this is the time the security was a little lax around the house. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After ensuring the coast was clear, she quickly changed into something that would help her blend in¡ªa plain hoodie and jeans, both a size larger to hide her curves. She pulled her hair back into a simple ponytail and slipped on a pair of sunglasses. A baseball cap finished her look, masking her face just enough. Satisfied, she glanced in the mirror once more, "Quite poor of a disguise, but anything goes." She muttered. The neighborhood was quiet, only a few early morning joggers passing by, not sure if you call them early joggers or late since it was already past 10. Zosia kept her head down, making her way toward the bus stop. It wasn''t a long walk, but she was cautious. The last thing she needed was to be spotted by anyone associated with the Queens family. Once she was on the bus, she relaxed slightly, pulling up the address of a real estate company she had found online. It was one of the top-rated in the area, known for its discretion and quality listings. This was a critical step; she needed a place that was her own. Even if she gets sent away in the afternoon, she could at least assure herself of a roof above her head. When she arrived at the company, she wiped a faint sheen of sweat from her forehead. The sun was already warm, promising a hot day ahead. Zosia took a moment to steady herself, then pushed open the glass door, stepping into the cool, air-conditioned lobby. The receptionist was a young woman with flawless makeup and a cheerful smile. She looked up as Zosia approached, her eyes lighting up with professional courtesy. "Good morning! How can I assist you today?" "I''m looking to purchase a property," Zosia said, her voice steady. "I have a budget in mind and would like to see what options are available." The receptionist nodded, her smile never faltering. "Of course. May I ask your budget and the type of property you''re interested in?" Zosia leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I''m looking for a house¡ªpreferably a duplex in a good neighborhood. My budget is around 10 million." The receptionist''s eyebrows lifted slightly, impressed but not overtly surprised. "That''s quite a good budget. We have several listings that might interest you. Let me show you our catalog." She pulled up a digital tablet, quickly scrolling through options. Zosia scanned through the pictures, her eyes darting across the screen. Most of the houses looked decent, but she wanted something that felt right. After a few moments of discussion, she pointed at a particular listing¡ªa duplex with modern architecture and plenty of space. "This one," she said, tapping the screen. "It looks perfect. I''d like to go ahead with it." The receptionist smiled, a hint of excitement in her eyes. It wasn''t every day a client was ready to pay in full upfront. "We can arrange the paperwork immediately. We do have installment plans¡ªthree months, six months, or even a year¡ªbut if you''d like to pay in full, we can proceed with that as well." Zosia nodded, her decision firm. "I''ll pay in full today." The receptionist''s smile widened. "Of course! Please give me a moment to get the documents prepared." She quickly disappeared into the back office, leaving Zosia to her thoughts. Zosia took a seat, her hand tapped lightly on the armrest, her mind drifting back to the original host ex-boyfriend, Killian. She didn''t really mean to think about him, but she remembered that when the host had been chased out, she had gone to beg him, so she could stay at his place for a while. As if on cue, he walked through the entrance. Zosia glanced at Killan who entered the lobby with his tall body and aura that had a commanding presence to it. His dark hair was tousled stylishly, and his sharp jawline framed a face that could charm anyone. He walked with a confidence that seemed to draw the eyes of everyone in the room, including the receptionists who immediately straightened up, casting glances his way. Zosia adjusted her cap and turned slightly, making sure to keep her face hidden. She had no intention of speaking to him, especially not now. "Why is he here?" she wondered. Zosia''s mind briefly flashed back to the task set by the system¡ªappease Killian. She wondered when she would actually do it. Fortunately, the receptionist returned just in time, holding a folder filled with documents. "Here we are! If you could just sign these, the house will be officially yours." Zosia felt a wave of relief wash over her. She signed the papers quickly, barely glancing up as Killian moved to speak with another staff member across the room. It seemed he hadn''t noticed her presence, a small mercy she was grateful for. "Would you like to see the house now?" the receptionist asked with a bright smile. "Yes, that would be great," Zosia replied, standing up. She followed the woman to the company car parked outside. A driver was already waiting, ready to take them to the property. The ride was short, and soon they pulled up to the duplex. Zosia stepped out of the car, taking in the exterior with a critical eye. The house was beautiful¡ªmodern with clean lines, large windows, and a sleek, minimalist design. It was situated in a quiet neighborhood, just as she had requested. Inside, the house was even more impressive. The living room was spacious, with high ceilings and large windows that flooded the space with natural light. The dining area flowed seamlessly into a well-equipped kitchen, complete with an island and plenty of counter space. Downstairs, there was a gym room equipped with basic fitness machines. The basement offered extra storage and potential for a home theater. Zosia felt a sense of satisfaction growing; this was a place she could call her own. Upstairs, she found the master bedroom, large and airy, with an en-suite bathroom that featured a bathtub and a walk-in shower. Two secondary bedrooms were situated down the hall, each with its own bathroom. There was a study room with built-in shelves, perfect for quiet reading or planning her next steps. After a thorough exploration, Zosia nodded in appreciation. The house was perfect, worth every penny she had just spent. "I''ll take it," she said simply, turning to the receptionist with a smile. The woman beamed. "Wonderful! Here are the keys, and your copies of the documents. Welcome to your new home." Zosia thanked her, checking the time on her phone. It was getting late; she needed to head back before anyone at the Queens household returned. She slipped the keys and documents into her space and quickly made her way back to the bus stop. Sneaking back into the Queens mansion, she slipped upstairs and took a long shower. The cool water washed away the faint smell of the city and any evidence of her secret outing. As she stepped out, wrapping a towel around herself, she decided to work on something while waiting for them to chase her out. She glanced at the boxes, she had packed. She checked around to be sure she wasn''t missing anything. *************** I feel I am drawing this Arc too much, so, soon I may have to speed run through some things. Also, Thank you all for your constant support, it means a lot to me. Take care and have a nice day. Chapter 128 - 126- ARC 4 {LEAVING THE HOUSE} Zosia changed into a fresh set of clothes¡ªa simple T-shirt and jeans. "What could I possibly do to while away time?" Zosia muttered out loud, her gaze scanning the room. Her gaze landed on the laptop and an idea came into her head. Opening her laptop, she settled at the small desk in the corner of her room. The screen lit up, displaying her project thesis. As she started typing, adding more notes and adjusting the citations. She was able to immediately flow with the project, since she still had memories of what is meant to be done. She also added some things and deleted the things that either made the work redundant etc. A sudden bellow echoed through the house. The voice was unmistakable¡ªthe host grandfather''s. It was loud, filled with anger. Zosia''s fingers froze over the keyboard. "Seems like it''s time." Zosia leaned back in her chair, rubbing her forehead as she tried to figure out how to act as not to arouse suspicion. "There is no need to act again, after all, I am already leaving them." Zosia muttered. Recalling the request she made to Ashton, the host father, yesterday. She wondered if he was able to do it. He had agreed to change her family registration and take care of other identification documents, effectively cutting ties with the Queens family. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, but it opened before she could respond. Mr. Rowan, the housekeeper, stepped inside, his expression a mix of surprise and resignation. "Oh, you''ve already packed," he noted, glancing at the suitcases neatly stacked by the wall. Zosia nodded, closing her laptop and tucking it into her bag along with the charger. "Yes. Can you help me take these downstairs?" Mr. Rowan hesitated but then gestured for the servants behind him to gather her things. "Of course," he said, his voice gentle. He seemed almost apologetic, as if he were ashamed of what was happening. Zosia slung her bag over her shoulder and followed them out of the room. As they descended the stairs, she could see the host grandfather at the bottom, his face red with fury. Aisha stood next to him, her lips curled into a triumphant smirk. Zosia was still a few steps from the landing when the old man hurled a glass vase at her. It whizzed past her head, shattering on the floor behind her. The sharp sound echoed in the foyer, drawing gasps from the staff. Zosia''s eyes narrowed as she looked at the broken shards. According to the host memories, the old man had always been strict, but this was a new level of hostility. She raised her gaze to meet his, her expression calm and indifferent, which seemed to infuriate him even more. "You vile girl!" he shouted, pointing a trembling finger at her. "How dare you try to harm Aisha? You think I wouldn''t find out about your schemes? You''ve crossed the line this time, Auriel!" Zosia glanced at Aisha, who was trying to appear distraught, though the gleam in her eyes betrayed her satisfaction. She had clearly fed her grandfather lies, twisting the story in her favor. "What are you talking about?" Zosia asked, her voice steady. "I didn''t do anything." Her grandfather''s face turned a deeper shade of red. "Liar! How did you get access to the dark web code? Who are you working with? You''ve been plotting against this family all along!" Zosia sighed, shaking her head. "I have no idea what you''re talking about. And I don''t have any code. But I guess it doesn''t matter, does it? You''ve already made up your mind." "You are no longer a part of this family!" he declared. "Pack your things and leave. You will have no association with the Queens from now on." Zosia nodded, unfazed. "That was my plan all along." The old man seemed momentarily taken aback by her calm response. He opened his mouth to continue his rant, but just then, Ashton, the host father, entered the room. "What''s going on here?" Ashton asked, his gaze flicking between his father-in-law and Zosia. The grandfather jabbed a finger in Zosia''s direction. "Don''t act like as if you don''t know what''s going on. Besides, you were the one who told me about it." Ashton held up a hand, trying to placate him. "Let''s not jump to conclusions. We are still investigating what happened." "What''s there to investigate?" the old man snapped. "Her motives are clear as day." "Oh my! How did I not see that she is an imposter. How did I not know that my real grandchild has been roaming the streets." "Dad, it''s not anyone''s fault. It''s a mistake." Ashton said. "How is it not anyone''s fault. It''s your fault. If you hadn''t been so caught up...." The old man didn''t finish his words as Ashton immediately cut him in. "Dad!" Ashton''s voice turned cold, causing the old man to take a deep breath and pause, but it was only for a moment. The argument escalated, voices growing louder. "Enough!" Zosia cold voice rang out loud in the room, causing both adults to halt their arguments. "Whether I did anything or not, it doesn''t matter. I am already leaving and I have been planning to leave for a while, so technically, I have no reason to harm her." Zosia said, her gaze landing on Aisha who had her head lowered, like she was being bullied. Zosia walked over to the table and pulled out a folder from her bag. "Here," she said, placing it down with a slight thud. "These are all the documents related to your mother. I''ve already prepared them for you. All the houses in my name, land, shops etc." "They are not much, but neither am I greedy to go with something that doesn''t belong to me." The old man''s expression darkened even further, clearly enraged by her organized departure. "Mr. Ashton, can I speak with you?" Zosia said and it seemed like the address irked the old man, that he took another object to hurl at her. Zosia glanced at him and without another word, she turned and followed Ashton to his study. Once inside, Ashton closed the door and handed her a small envelope. "Here are your new identification documents and household registration." Zosia accepted them with a nod. "Thank you." She then pulled out a flash drive from her pocket. "These are the files I could gather. They might help you figure out who''s actually behind all this." Ashton took the flash drive without hesitation. "What do you want in return?" he asked, his tone cautious. "Just make sure I can finish my degree without any issues," she replied. "I don''t need anything else." He raised an eyebrow. "Not even a place to stay?" Zosia shook her head. "No. I''ve made other arrangements." He sighed, seemingly impressed by her resolve. "Alright. I''ll ensure you finish school without any problems. There''s a car waiting to take you to your hostel." "Thank you," Zosia said quietly before leaving the room. As she stepped outside the house, she noticed that Aisha was waiting for her. "Sister, I didn''t want to tell Grandfather, but grandfather forced me to say it." Zosia rolled her eyes. "Spare me the act, Aisha. I don''t have time for this. I need to leave." Aisha suddenly started crying, "Sister, I¡ª" Zosia didn''t wait for her to finish and began wailing loudly. "Why can''t you just leave me alone? I''m already leaving! Just let me go!" Aisha was stunned into silence, taken aback by the outburst. It was a tactic she often used herself, and seeing it turned on her left her speechless. Aisha immediately distanced herself from Zosia, clearing the road for Zosia to enter the car. Without another glance, Zosia slipped into the waiting car, the door slamming shut behind her. As the car pulled away, she caught a glimpse of Chris, watching from a distance. Chris waved at her and she did the same in return. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chris had seen everything Aisha did and couldn''t help but I sneer. He didn''t plan to make any small conversation with her and returned back to the house. Zosia leaned back in her seat, a small smile playing at her lips. Finally, she was free. "Next step ¡ª Get a Job." Also, she needs money, since she just emptied her account due to buying a house. Thinking about it now, she wondered if she could try hypnosis on the driver and have him drop her at the new house. Zosia decided to give it a go. Though the output was small, it was quite straining to do it, since her soul hadn''t fully adapted. "I need to do more exercises if I want to adapt faster." Zosia muttered. ========= {Author''s note} Time to speed run. It wouldn''t be that fast but, I wouldn''t be describing her day to day activities till she gets to that point. Also, Thank you all for your support, I really appreciate Please keep supporting me in any little way you can. Thank you. Chapter 129 - 127- ARC 4 {Meeting} Three months later... Zosia glanced at the calendar on her laptop, it''s been three months since she graduated. Despite a few bumps along the way, Ashton kept his word, ensuring she completed her studies. Life settled into a comfortable rhythm, but she knew she needed a job¡ªnot just for herself but to honor Auriel''s last wish. Even with a solid resume and a finance degree, rejection emails piled up. It didn''t take long to realize why: the Queens were pulling strings, blacklisting her in the industry. It was a power move to back her into a corner. "Should I perhaps leave the country?" It was a thought that had been crawling up. She didn''t want to do something illegal to get the job, like threatening someone with their illegal activities etc. Even dealing with the Queens wasn''t something she wanted to do, if anyone should do it, it should be Auriel. Also, she didn''t want to leave the country, not yet. Sitting in her living room, Zosia scrolled through job listings on her laptop. Her eyes flicked over positions like financial analyst, risk management consultant, and investment advisor. Suddenly, her phone lit up with an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hello?" "Hey Auriel, it''s Nicholas¡ªKillan''s brother." "Oh, hey. Why are you calling?" Nicholas chuckled. "Can''t I call just to chat? Fine, I need something. Let''s meet. I''ll send the address." Zosia hesitated, weighing her options. "Um... Okay," she replied, skepticism clear in her voice. Nicholas hung up without another word, leaving her staring at her phone. She muttered, "What game are they playing now?" With a sigh, she closed her laptop and prepared for the meeting. Moments later, her phone chimed with a message: an address to a French restaurant. After a quick shower, she dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit. Sliding into her newly bought car¡ªa modest model, nothing flashy¡ªshe set off. Her space had destroyed the vehicles she had bought in the last modern world she went to. Since it hadn''t been in the warehouse, it couldn''t survive when the space was undergoing some changes. She planned to get some things in this world to prepare for her grand plan of indistralizing her space. During the period she was preparing for her graduation and after her graduation, she had learnt how to make video games and he programming skills made it easier. Currently, she didn''t even have to sell some herbs in her space or gold. Her money had been coming from graphic design, web design, video games, programming etc. So she didn''t have to worry about her financial status. The GPS led her to an upscale French restaurant. The chic exterior and valet service screamed high-end. "A nice place." Zosia mused, her thoughts going back to some investments she had made recently in real estate. They weren''t much and she wasn''t seeing any returns soon. Zosia walked towards the receptionist, before she could speak, she collided with a familiar face. "Sorry," Zosia said coolly, planning to bypass the person and walk to the desk. Unfortunately, some things just have to happen. Oriel''s eyes gleamed with malice. "Well, well, what''s a fraudster like you doing here?" she sneered. Zosia rolled her eyes, trying to walk past her. But Oriel blocked her path, making a dramatic show of stepping in front. "Don''t rush off so quickly. Everyone, look who''s here," Oriel announced, waving her friends over. "The fake daughter of the Queens family, the one who tried to kill the real daughter for her place." "So that got out." Zosia muttered, referring to the stuff about sending an assassin to Aisha. Zosia rolled her eyes as nearby patrons turned to stare, some whispering, others openly gawking. She felt uninterested but it didn''t mean she would want to be humiliated. Zosia raised her eyebrow at Oriel, her patience wearing thin. A security guard stepped in, sensing the tension. "Is everything all right here?" Zosia met his gaze calmly. "I have an appointment with Mr. Nicholas Azet, I''d like you to help me get him here and tell him, I am having some issues going in." she said, her voice just loud enough for Oriel and her group to hear. Oriel laughed mockingly, her eyes blazing with jealousy. Looking at how Auriel didn''t seem to be affected even after leaving the Queens, her heart burned with jealousy. "Oh, I see. After being dumped by Killan, you''re trying to cozy up to his brother? Climbing your way through high society now, Auriel." "Tsk.. what do you expect." One of Oriel''s cohorts muttered, followed by another. "Else, how do you think she still looks great even without the Queens." "Hehe! Who knows how many men she must have slept with or dined with." The snickers from Oriel''s entourage grated on Zosia''s nerves. "If you guys are done barking, be a good dog and get out of my sight." A man who seemed to be among Oriel''s crew snickered, "Do you think you are still Auriel Queen?" "Come down from your high horse girl." Another said. Just as Zosia opened her mouth to retort back, a voice cut through the air. "You came. I thought you wouldn''t." Nicholas approached, his easy smile silencing the crowd. His confident presence commanded attention, making heads turn. Just like his brother, his presence alone left people in awe. Oriel''s expression shifted from smug to startled, then fearful. She hadn''t expected Nicholas to appear. And from his words, it seemed like he had been the one to invite Auriel. Oriel clenched her first, hatred brewing in her eyes. He glanced at Oriel and her friends, then looked at Zosia. "Who are they?" he asked, sounding more curious than concerned. Zosia smirked, locking eyes with Oriel. "Just some barking dogs," she said in her usual airy manner. Oriel''s face turned red with embarrassment and anger, but she held back, knowing who Nicholas was and the power he wielded. Nicholas chuckled. "Let''s go upstairs and talk," he said, placing a hand on Zosia''s back and guiding her away. Nicholas didn''t forget to whisper to the manager who was walking beside him. The manager stood and watched as Nicholas led Auriel away, before turning to the people who didn''t seem to know their limit. Unlike the docile appearance and energy he had beside Nicholas, now his gaze was fierce. "Throw them out and ban them from coming to this establishment again." The manager said to the guards who had already appeared. The onlookers were shocked and turned to face their meal, not wanting to get tangled up in the mess. Oriel and her friends began to beg but seeing that begging was of no use, they started blaming her, leaving the stupefied Oriel to stand outside the restaurant. As they ascended the staircase to a private section of the restaurant, Zosia wondered what Nicholas wanted. "Maybe I could ask him to help me with a job." Zosia thought inwardly as they entered the room. ==== ...Killan''s Pov... During the comotion that happened downstairs, Killan had happened to see it. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He felt a little surprised, not at the scene but at seeing his brother and Ex-girlfriend together. In his last life, Auriel had gotten together with his brother Nicholas, instead of with him who had been dating her for years. He didn''t think his brother loved Auriel as much as he did and yet Auriel chose to marry his brother instead of him. When he heard that the two of them had feelings for each other was when Auriel had come to break up with him. He still remembered that day vividly. Even after getting a new lease of life, he still has a trauma about it, that he immediately moved away from home and stopped communicating with his family, especially his brother. He could still remember how that day started. It had started with a good sunny day, with him directing the wedding planners on what to do. Suddenly, he received a call from Auriel asking where he was. He had been over the moon and couldn''t wait for her to come and see how far the wedding planning had gone. He wanted to give her the best wedding and the most memorable wedding. He wasn''t the best at drawing, but he drew their wedding rings and had it crafted with the best metals and jewels. The expenses for the wedding planning was running into millions of dollars, yet, it seemed like his love wasn''t enough for her. Auriel came that day to the house and straightforwardly told him that she wanted the wedding cancelled. Despite how he begged and groveled at her feet, asking her to change her mind, yet, she refused. He felt betrayed by both his brother and girlfriend. One could imagine how he had felt, when he was already planning their wedding. He couldn''t let it go and thoughts of killing both of them sprouted. Just like a seed planted in a soil, it was watered by jealousy. Jealousy of seeing them together, seeing how she laughed whenever she was with him, seeing how she behaved like a young girl, something she had never done with him and killed both of them, then died with them. "Hey, what are you thinking?" Feeling the tugging of his arm, he shook the memories off from his mind. "Nothing, let''s go." He held the girls hand and led her inside. The manager was surprised to see him and immediately rushed towards him, "Boss!" The manager bowed, his expression full of reverence and respect. Killan gave a sound of affirmation and continued on his way, leaving the manager to wonder about what the two great bosses were doing here. Chapter 130 - 128- ARC 4 [New Girlfriend] "Sit." Nicholas said, pointing at the seat opposite him. Zosia complied, lowering herself into the chair with a faint arch of her brow. "So, why did you have me come here?" Her tone carried curiosity, though it leaned toward impatience. "Always in a rush." Nicholas muttered as he poured a drink into two glass cups. Turning to Zosia, he said as he handed her a glass. "Nothing much though." Zosia did like she hadn''t heard his comment about him, saying that she was always in a rush. She couldn''t help but wonder if to them, that was how Auriel appeared as ¡ª as someone always in a rush. "Just spit it out." She commented, taking the drink offered to her. Taking a sip, she looked at Nicholas, waiting for his answer. "It''s about my brother." He started, his tone full of worry, "What exactly happened between you both? Why the sudden break up? Why is he acting like that?" Nicholas threw a barrage of questions at Zosia, who had to pause her drinking and look at him. "First..." She was about to say something, but she was interrupted by the door being pushed open. She looked at the door to see the person and seeing Killan appear before her, she looked at Nicholas, her eyes filled with inquiry, "Why is he here?" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Brother, I didn''t know you would be coming here." Nicholas said, approaching his brother to give him a hug, but Killan placed his hand on his chest and gently pushed him away. Zosia watched the scene while sipping from her drink, not caring about what was happening. "Brother, who is she?" Nicholas asked, his gaze landing on the girl whose hand was held by Killan. "She is my girlfriend." Killan announced, his gaze on Auriel, as if waiting for her reaction. Zosia looked up, her gaze moving from Killan to the girl beside him. Looking at the girl with chestnut eyes that glinted under the warm light of the room like a gem that sparkled under the sunlight. Zosia studied the lady''s face. Seeing that it had no resemblance whatever to her, she thought inwardly, "Seems like he has really moved on from Auriel." Zosia used the analysis function on her, "Nice to meet you, sister-in-law." She said with an enchanting smile. Killan intensely scrutinized Zosia''s actions and seeing that she didn''t even have any emotion apart from happiness, he couldn''t help but clench his other fist. Nicholas noticed the clench fist and frowned, "What could brother be planning?" He wondered, his gaze darting between Zosia and Killan. Zosia relaxed in the chair, "Why are you guys still standing?" She asked, seeing that they still stood at the door. Killan sat down, his hand still clasping the girl''s hand in his. "So, why are you guys here?" Zosia asked, taking two extra glasses and pouring a drink for them. Killan looked at Zosia, his eyes flashing with something imperceptible. "Could it be that she and Nicholas had already started dating?" He thought inwardly. Instead of answering Zosia''s question, Killan asked in return. "I should be asking you that. What are ''You'' doing here? "I don''t know... He called me here." Zosia said, pointing at Nicholas. "I had to. No one has heard your voice ever since. I thought you''ve died or committed suicide without anyone knowing." Nicholas said, downing his wine in one go. "Tsk... I don''t have such a weak mentality." Zosia said with a sneer. "Hey, which family is she from?" Zosia asked Killan, her gaze landing on the quiet girl, who had a nervous smile as she looked at them. "Don''t be uncomfortable. We wouldn''t do anything to you. Besides, you are now part of the family.. I guess," Zosia said, pouring herself another glass of wine. "Yeah, brother, introduce us to her." Nicholas said with a smile. Killan glanced at the two of them, his eyes narrowing. He glanced at the girl by his side and, seeing how she shifted nervously in her chair, he decided to introduce them to her. "This is my brother¡ªNicholas." The word brother tasted bitter and sour in his mouth, but he could only suppress the feeling that surged in his heart. "And this is Auriel." He said, pointing at Zosia, who glanced at the nervous girl with a smile. "Everyone, her name is Layla." "Hi.. Nice to meet you all. Please take care of me." The girl said shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Nice to meet you too," Zosia and Nicholas said at the same time. Just then Nicholas'' phone rang. "Excuse me." Nicholas said and walked to the side of the room. Zosia glanced at him but said nothing. Inwardly, she couldn''t help but think. "Should she still stay or take an excuse to leave. After all, she hadn''t come here for anything serious." "I should get going. I still have to look for a job." Zosia said, gulping down the last drink in her cup. As she was about to drop her call, she heard Nicholas'' frantic voice. "What do you mean, there is a problem with the boxing ring?" Zosia didn''t have to strain her ears as the voice from the other end of the phone drifted into her ear. "Someone died during the match and now, we don''t know how to settle it....." "I am coming. Just stay there and clean up everything." Nicholas said, rubbing his furrowed brows. "Brother, sister-in-law, Auriel, I am leaving. Enjoy." He said, picking up his coat. Turning to Zosia, he said, "Sorry I couldn''t entertain you even after making you come out." "No problem. I am also leaving anyway." Zosia said and stood up. "Then let me drop you off," Nicholas offered. "No need. I came in my car." Zosia said. Killan, who was about to sip his drink, paused, his eyelids lowered, covering the emotions that clouded his eyes as he gazed at them. To him, they were acting, and all they were doing was just a cover. "I thought you are running to go deal with the problem your men caused?" Killan said, his voice a little cold, masking the emotions in them. "Yeah. I will leave then. Take care." Nicholas said and immediately left the room. "I should also go," Zosia said with a smile. "Since Nicholas can''t drop you off, let me drop you on the road. I still need to go somewhere with Layla." Zosia raised her eyebrow at his words. His words and tone of saying them just sounded wrong in her ears. Cos, why did it sound like she is the one begging him to drop her off? "Like I said, I brought a car with me. Bye then. Take care, Layla." Zosia offered a meticulous smile and turned to leave. "Let''s go as well." Killan said to Layla, who nodded her small head in response. Zosia rolled her eyes, then bent the door handle and left the room. As she walked down the stairs, she noticed that Killan and Layla were behind her. She felt a little uncomfortable by Killan''s intense stare, and Layla also noticed how Killan was looking at her. To Layla, today had been a huge surprise to her. First, she managed to escape the dreaded place that had kept her hostage, then she almost got into an accident. Thinking about the scene where Killan had almost hit her with his car, she shuddered. She may not have been walking beside him if he hadn''t stepped on the brake on time. Luckily for her, he''d picked her up, seeing how ragged she looked. To her, Killan was a good Samaritan. He even took her to a hotel to bathe and dress up, then brought her here to eat, even though she is yet to actually eat anything. Thinking of the scene where Killan had introduced her to his family, as his girlfriend, she blushed. Her heart felt ticklish, like as if a feather was brushing around them lightly. Looking at the lady in front of her as they went down the stairs, she noticed how Killan looked at her. Despite losing her memories, it didn''t mean that she was a fool not to notice the tension between them. "Could Killan have introduced me as his girlfriend due to her?" She thought inwardly. The more she thought about it, the more plausible it felt. She couldn''t help but glance sideways, her eyes taking in the handsome face that had captured her heart upon first glance. She couldn''t help but get lost in looking at his handsome face that she skipped a stair and almost fell. Killan immediately grabbed her hand, halting her fall. "Thank you." She muttered shyly. Killan nodded and said nothing. Only holding her tighter as he led her down the stairs. Killan, on the other hand, was lost in thought. Him following behind Auriel was just to see the car she spoke of. To know if she was actually bluffing, or she really had one. As they left the restaurant for the garage, he watched as Zosia took a car key from her purse and walk to a modest car. Seeing how modest the car was, he wondered if the Queens had bought it for her as a parting gift. Zosia entered the car, not bothering with the duo who were following her. Switching on the engine, Zosia pulled the car away from her parking spot and reversed. "Thank you for having me and nice to meet you, once again sister-in-law." Zosia said the moment she drove to their side with the car. Killan said nothing, his intense gaze peering into Zosia''s eyes like as if he was searching for something. Layla smiled shyly and nodded, "Me too." Zosia nodded in response, her gaze lingering on both of them one more time as she used analyze on them before leaving. The moment her car veered off, Killan turned to Layla, "Let''s go... You still need to eat while they try to find who your parents are and where you are from." Killan walked towards his car after saying that. Layla immediately followed behind him. "Um, could... Could... I stay with you till then. I don''t have anywhere to go.. and I.. am scared." Layla stuttered, her head down as she stared at her toes. Killan glanced at her. Since he already made up a lie about her being his girlfriend, he decided to continue it. "Fine. But I have some rules." "That''s not a problem. I will make sure not to violate anything." Layla swore, her smile becoming radiant. Seeing how Layla smiled inevitably reminded him of Auriel. Shaking his head to get rid of his thoughts about her, he decided not to care about what she did to his brother or whatever they had going on, else he might not be able to restrain himself and kill them the second time. They soon left the parking lot as well. Chapter 133 - 131- ARC 4 {3 years later} Zosia with her ear pods plugged in with music blasting in her ear drums, threw various punches at the combat robot. The music as loud as always, spurred her on. Her body moved with precision, her muscles flexing and stretching under the strain of her training. She sparred with a sleek, advanced robotic device designed while suppressing her power. To anyone watching the fight, the robot''s movements were swift and unpredictable under the weight of artificial gravity. The environment was set to 10 times the norm, yet Zosia''s movements were fluid and graceful. The combat robot was designed by Kamal. She had allowed Kamal to be trained in his expertise and now, he could build such a device. Its polished, metallic surface gleamed under the gym''s overhead lights. It had no human features¡ªno face, arms, or legs¡ªbut moved on a sophisticated system of gyroscopic wheels and articulated extensions. The device adapted to her every move, anticipating her attacks and forcing her to think three steps ahead. Its cylindrical body could twist and rotate, projecting energy shields or launching foam-tipped strikes that packed enough force to test her reflexes. Zosia struck with lightning speed, landing a calculated kick to the robot''s sensor core. The device spun back before shutting down with a low hum, signaling the end of the session. Breathing lightly despite the fight she had just gone through, she pulled out her ear pods. She grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from her forehead, her lips curling into a satisfied smile. The aroma of something delicious wafted through the air as she stepped out of the gym. Her stomach growled in response, reminding her she hadn''t eaten since last night. Following the scent, she walked into the kitchen, her towel draped over one shoulder. Kamal stood at the stove, a bright grin on his face as he turned to greet her. "Big sis, food will be ready in a few minutes. By the time you''re done with your shower, it''ll all be set," he said, his voice full of enthusiasm. Zosia nodded, her smile softening as she looked at him. "Alright, I''ll be out soon. Take it easy," she said, her tone warm but firm. She had taken Kamal under her wing three years ago. She remembered how he looked like the first time they met. He had been a scrappy, cunning boy who had tried to steal from Layla. Instead of punishing him, Zosia had seen herself in his bold yet desperate actions¡ªa mirror of the younger, lost version of herself. Seeing him, reminded her of how she had been living in her first life. If her master hadn''t taken her in and taught her some of the skills she could use today, maybe she wouldn''t even have survived. Adopting him hadn''t been a decision she made lightly, but his loyalty and eagerness to learn had cemented her choice. Kamal had come a long way since then, and now, he was not just her adopted brother but also an ally that she was grooming. He had a brilliant mind, especially when it came to technology, and Zosia had already started grooming him to take on more responsibilities. Having someone she could rely on was a rare and valuable gift. But, she still wasn''t sure, if she could take him with her back to her space. Sometimes, she wondered, if he would be willing to part with the materialistic things here and follow her. As Zosia made her way to her room, she paused when she heard Kamal''s voice rise above the clatter of pots and pans. "Sister, don''t forget¡ªyou have your last match today!" Indeed! Today was her last match and work. Nicholas had accepted her deal and allowed her to deal with Marco. A scene she wasn''t sure he could ever forget. The fight had been so clean, swift, quick and decisive, leaving both Nicholas and his arch enemy astounded. Even the people at the scene were left flabbergasted. It even caused Nicholas to stop looking at her as the weak girl he saw her as. To him, Auriel was someone, who was always under his brother umbrella. To him, she seemed so weak that she could barely trust a chicken. As she stripped off her gym clothes and stepped into the shower, the hot water washed away the sweat and tension from her body. Her thoughts drifted to the notification she just received not long ago. Using the effect of the stimulation, she had it stimulate all knowledge that her space would require, including the resources and how to get them. Then using a code, she had designed, she always put it on a run, thereby gathering information and knowledge that she needed without doing much. Today, the information she had, has just finished undergoing it''s upgrade. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in casual clothes and with her damp hair tied back, the table was set, and Kamal was waiting for her. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he gestured for her to sit. "Big sis, you''re going to crush it today," he said with unwavering confidence. Zosia chuckled softly, ruffling his hair as she sat down. "Let''s just enjoy the meal first. One step at a time." Just as they were eating, Zosia noticed that Kamal was behaving a bit sluggish. "Tell me... What''s wrong?" Zosia asked, placing her cutleries in the right order. "Um... I just seen to have this feeling, that you are leaving. Which is why you want to stop working for Uncle Nicholas..... Are you leaving?" Kamal asked tentatively, his big eyes looking at Zosia. Zosia smiled and paused in her meal."You are very perspective. Indeed, I am leaving. You don''t need to worry about your schooling and other issues. They will all be settled without issue." Zosia hadn''t asked him if he was willing to go with her. She didn''t want to make choices that she will have to regret tomorrow. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kamal lowered his head, tear drops sliding from his eyes. After a moment, he raised his head, his fist clenched, "Sister, I want to follow you. Allow me to follow you everywhere, even if, it''s to be your shadow and also protect you." Kamal declared. Zosia looked at the young boy who seemed like all the words he said had drawn away all the strength he had left in his body. "Why do you want to follow me?" Zosia asked in return, rather than accepting the young boy''s declaration, "Besides, you have seen how strong I am. What you see is but a pinch of salt." Kamal''s hands trembled slightly as he clenched his fists tighter, determination flashing in his teary eyes. "Big sis, it''s not just about protecting you," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "I owe you my life. You gave me a home, a purpose, and a future when no one else would even look my way. You believed in me when I didn''t even believe in myself." He paused, struggling to steady his breathing. "I don''t care how strong you are. You''ve always fought alone, always carried so much on your own. I want to stand by your side, even if I can only be a shadow. Let me be there, to learn, to grow, and to repay everything you''ve done for me." Zosia sat quietly, her piercing gaze locked onto Kamal. The boy was no longer the scrappy, street-smart thief she had met three years ago. He had grown into someone who valued loyalty above all else, someone who was willing to follow her into the unknown without hesitation. "So after repayment, what next?" Zosia asked, her voice calm. "I will still follow you." Kamal declared. "Kamal," she said, her tone softer now, yet tinged with the weight of her wisdom. "The life I live isn''t easy. It''s filled with dangers far beyond anything you''ve seen here. Following me means giving up comfort, stability, and even the chance to live a normal life. Are you sure this is what you want?" "Yes," Kamal answered without hesitation. "I''ve never had a normal life, and I don''t want one if it means being without you. I don''t need comfort or stability¡ªI need purpose, and my purpose is with you." For a moment, Zosia felt a flicker of something deep within her¡ªa mix of pride and guilt. She admired Kamal''s resolve, but she couldn''t ignore the risks. "You''re still young, Kamal," she said finally. "You have so much potential to create your own path. Following me might mean sacrificing all of that." Kamal shook his head fiercely. "You''ve already shown me my path. It''s with you. Please, big sis, let me prove myself." The room fell into a heavy silence, the only sound the faint clink of dishes on the table. Zosia leaned back in her chair, her sharp eyes studying the boy she had come to think of as her own. "Very well," she said at last, her voice carrying a finality that made Kamal sit up straight. "But this won''t be easy. If you come with me, you''ll need to be stronger¡ªmentally, physically, and emotionally. I won''t hold your hand every step of the way." "I understand," Kamal said, his voice steady now. "I''ll do whatever it takes." Zosia''s lips curved into a faint smile. "We''ll see about that. Finish your meal. We have a long day ahead." The conversation ended there, but a new chapter in their lives had begun. Kamal''s heart swelled with a mix of relief and excitement, while Zosia''s mind turned to the challenges ahead. Chapter 132 - 130 – ARC 4 -Meeting {Happy New Month} Stepping out of the bathroom, Zosia paused in front of the mirror, inspecting herself critically. She''d kept her makeup light¡ªa little concealer, a touch of blush, and mascara to define her eyes. No need to overdo it. This wasn''t a date, after all. Her conversation with Nicholas had left him conflicted and curious that he had invited her out for a proper discussion. He''d invited her to meet him, and after some thought, she''d agreed. Neutral ground seemed the safest option. She didn''t want to risk revealing her current location, especially with Oriel still sniffing around. Not that she was scared of Oriel¡ªfar from it. But dealing with her petty antics would feel like an ant biting her in an inconvenient spot: not painful, just irritating as hell. By now, news of her encounter with Nicholas had likely spread like wildfire among the upper circles. She could almost hear the whispers and the new rumors weaving themselves into existence. Zosia sighed, she couldn''t wait for all her plans to fall in place, brushing her hands down her blouse to smooth out imaginary wrinkles before heading to the garage. --- "Huh?" Zosia frowned, turning the key in the ignition again. The car sputtered once and fell silent. She tried once more, only to be met with the same stubborn silence. "Seriously?" She leaned back against the seat, exasperated. "I really need to get a new goddamn car." The old sedan had been on its last legs for a week now, but replacing it wasn''t exactly a priority right now. Even fixing it herself, wasn''t exactly her priority now. Ding! Her phone vibrated in her bag. Fishing it out, she glanced at the notification¡ªa debit alert. "Great," she muttered under her breath, scrolling to view the details. "Broke again." Most of her money had been funneled into the orphanage she''d purchased. The place was undergoing massive renovations, and the expenses were piling up faster than she could replenish her funds. But she had no regrets. The orphanage wasn''t just a charity project; it was an investment. Her plan was simple¡ªoffer the children education, training, and opportunities they''d never dreamed of, and in return, she''d gain their unwavering loyalty. People with minimal emotional ties were exactly what she needed, and orphans fit that profile perfectly. Ding! Another notification popped up, this time a message. "Ma''am, when will you be coming to inspect the renovations?" Zosia ignored the message, swiping over to her cab app instead. With the car out of commission, she didn''t have the patience to troubleshoot. Booking a ride, she sighed when the app informed her it would take 30 minutes for the driver to arrive. "Perfect," she muttered sarcastically, leaning back in her seat. It seemed the universe wasn''t done testing her patience today. -------- Finally arriving at the meeting place, which surprisingly was close to her orphanage. Standing at the crossroad that lead to both the orphanage and Nicholas Boxing ring, she wondered, of she should give the orphanage a tour before going to meet Nicholas. Checking her wrist watch, she still had extra 1 hour plus before meeting with Nicholas. Just then, Zosia felt an intense force coming from behind. Turning to see what it was, she noticed a running child, who looked like he was being chased. The child kept turning back occasionally, that he didn''t seem to notice someone standing in front of him, till he was about to collide with Zosia. Zosia could have overlooked the young boy and shift out of the way, allowing him to run to his destination, but she just had to meddle. With a firm yet gentle motion, Zosia extended her hand, placing it squarely on the boy''s head just as he was about to barrel into her. The boy stumbled to an abrupt halt, his small frame jolting slightly from the unexpected resistance. "Whoa there, kiddo," she said, her voice calm but commanding. "Slow down." The boy blinked, his dark eyes wide with confusion and a flicker of fear. His breath came in ragged pants, and he looked up at her, his expression a mixture of panic and desperation. For a moment, Zosia studied him. He couldn''t have been more than eight or nine, his wiry frame clad in mismatched clothes that hung loosely on him. His cheeks were streaked with dirt, and his hair was a tousled mess, but it was his eyes that caught her attention. They were wet with unshed tears, glistening as they darted nervously from her face to the street behind him. But none of those things were what caught her eyes. It was the cunning glint that lay deep in his eyes that caught her attention. That dark yet subtle ruthless glint was something she couldn''t mistake. Her lips curled up into a subtle smirk that one could mistake for a gentle smile. "I''m not gonna hurt you," she assured, softening her tone. She crouched to his level, her hand still steady on his head. "What''s going on? Are you okay?" The boy sniffled, his small fists clenching at his sides. But instead of answering, he suddenly darted behind her, clutching the back of her blouse. Zosia froze, her brows furrowing as she felt the tug. She couldn''t mistake the tug for anything else. "Little thief." Zosia muttered. Just as she was about to turn and face the young boy, she noticed that another person was coming. Zosia narrowed her eyes, noticing a figure approaching from the corner of her eye. The woman slowed her steps, stopping just a few inches from where Zosia stood shielding the boy. Zosia straightened, brushing the dirt off her blouse as she sized up the newcomer. Layla. The recognition was immediate, and Zosia''s eyebrow arched slightly in surprise. "What was she doing here?" Zosia thought inwardly, sizing up Layla that stood before her. Layla, dressed in a flowing cream blouse and fitted jeans, seemed just as taken aback as well. Her chestnut eyes widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing with a hint of wariness. She couldn''t help but wonder, Why was Auriel here? Could she be here for Killan? Thinking about it, she suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Auriel," Layla greeted, her tone cordial but tinged with an emotion Zosia recognized all too well: discomfort. "Layla." Zosia''s voice was calm, almost pleasant, but her posture didn''t shift. She could feel the boy behind her trembling slightly, still clutching the back of her blouse as if his life depended on it. For a moment, neither woman spoke, the tension between them palpable. Zosia wasn''t sure about what the Tension was all about, since, she was actually waiting for Layla to speak. Maybe tell her that the boy stole something from her? Or why she was chasing the boy. Layla''s gaze flickered briefly to the boy hiding behind Zosia and then back to Zosia herself. Her lips pursed, as though she were deciding on her next words carefully. "Didn''t expect to see you here," Layla said finally, her voice measured. "Are you¡­ visiting the area?" "Something like that," Zosia replied vaguely, folding her arms across her chest. She tilted her head, studying Layla with quiet curiosity. "What about you? I noticed that you were chasing the young boy?" "Hmmm. He stole my purse. Do you perhaps know him?" Layla asked, her voice tinged with a hint of curiosity, burying the emotions she currently felt. "Nope." Zosia said, turning to the young boy who had his head lowered. "Let me see the purse you stole?" Zosia said, titling her head a little as her gaze rested on the boy, watching his every action. The boy thought for a moment. He felt that he could outrun both ladies, so he didn''t see the need to stand there and answer their questions, not like after pitying him they would give him anything. They''d probably just throw crumbs at his feet, while he could actually gain something more from the purse alone. Just before he made his move to run, he glanced at Zosia, seeing how she held her purse, he knew he couldn''t snatch it, so he made a run for it. The boy bolted, his small frame darting to the side in an attempt to escape. But Zosia was faster. She moved with godly speed that startled both the boy and Layla, stepping into his path and blocking him effortlessly. "Not so fast, kiddo," she said, her voice firm but not harsh. Her hand shot out, catching his shoulder gently but securely. The boy glared up at her, his teeth gritted in frustration. His defiant gaze met hers, and for a moment, they were locked in a silent standoff. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, but his eyes remained fierce, challenging. "You''ve got guts," Zosia remarked with a wry smile. "But guts won''t get you out of this one." "Let me go!" the boy spat, his voice sharp with a mixture of fear and anger. He squirmed under her grip, but Zosia held firm, her expression unwavering. "Not until you hand over what you took," she replied calmly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. The boy hesitated, his small hands balling into fists. He looked past Zosia to Layla, who stood watching with crossed arms and a guarded expression. "Kid," Zosia said softly, crouching slightly to meet his eye level. Her voice was low, almost soothing, but her eyes held a sharp, commanding glint. "You''re quick, I''ll give you that. But you''ve got to be smarter. Running won''t solve anything." For a moment, the boy looked as if he might argue, but then his shoulders sagged. With a reluctant sigh, he reached into the oversized pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small leather purse. He held it out, his fingers clutching it tightly as if reluctant to part with it. Zosia took it and passed it back to Layla without looking away from the boy. Layla accepted it with a nod but stayed silent, her gaze shifting between the two of them. "Now," Zosia continued, her voice softer but still firm. "Why were you running in the first place? What''s your story?" The boy hesitated, his eyes darting around as if searching for an escape route. But Zosia''s steady presence seemed to leave him with no choice. Finally, he muttered, "I needed money." "For what?" Zosia pressed, her tone still gentle but insistent. She could feel Layla''s eyes on her, likely wondering why she was even bothering with this. The boy hesitated again before mumbling, "To eat." Zosia studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she stood, straightening her blouse. "All right," she said finally. "Come with me." The boy blinked up at her in confusion. "What?" "You said you needed food, right? Let''s get you something to eat," Zosia said simply, already turning toward the small caf¨¦ across the street. She glanced at Layla, her expression neutral. "You can join us if you want. Or not." Layla seemed taken aback by the offer, but she quickly masked it with a polite smile. "I''ll pass. But¡­ thank you for this," she said, gesturing to her purse. Zosia waved a hand dismissively. "Don''t mention it." Just as they were about to go their separate ways, Killan and Nicholas appeared, but from different directions. Killan was coming from the orphanage while Nicholas was coming from his boxing building. Killan noticed Layla and Auriel from afar and his expression darknened. "Could Auriel be threatning her?" The moment he thought about it, he immediately increased his pace, quickly approaching the two ladies. Just then, he noticed Nicholas coming from another direction towards them. "Auriel, you are here and who is this?" Nicholas said, gesturing towards the young boy that stood beside Zosia. "A brother. No need to worry about him." Zosia said with a smile. "Oh! Brother what are you doing here? Did you bring your new girlfriend to look around?" Nicholas asked. Killan replied expressionlessly, "You could say that." "What are you doing here? Are you perhaps stalking me?" Killan said, referring to Zosia. Zosia glanced at him with a smile, "Nah, besides you still owe me." Killan frowned at the word owe and was about to ask more questions, when Zosia interrupted him. "I still have something to do. So please excuse me.. or perhaps us." Zosia said and walked away, leading the young boy with her. "Um... Brother, mom is asking when will you come back to see her, her health hasn''t been the best." Nicholas said to Killan before turning to Layla who felt ignored. "Greetings sister-in-law." Nicholas said with a smile, "Please excuse me." He said and chased after Zosia, leaving the two of them standing there. "What was she telling you?" Killan turned to look at Layla. "Huh? Uh! Nothing." Killan raised an eyebrow at her response but decided to go with it, since she refused to say anything. "Don''t let her intimidate you." Killan said and turned to walk back to the car, since they couldn''t find what they had come for. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had actually come to look for any trace that could lead to Layla''s family. Layla followed behind Killan, her thoughts going back to Auriel. Thinking about the fact that Auriel and Killan had once dated, she couldn''t help but imagine it and compare it to if she was the one dating Killan and the difference was vast. Just comparing herself to Auriel alone, she found out that she couldn''t match Auriel''s aura. Just standing there alone, she is like a beacon of light, that seemed to draw people to her. "Let''s go." Killan''s words snapped her out of her thoughts. Smiling wryly, she entered the car. Her mood was no longer as happy as it first was when she came here. Now, she just wished to go home and bury her head into her pillow. She knew Killan had just made up the fact that both of them were dating to piss of his ex, but she was still happy when he said it. Now, she just felt.... She couldn''t even describe the emotions. "Could I ever date him?" Layla thought Inwardly, her eyes resting on Killian''s face as she took in how handsome Killan was. ============== Thank you all for your constant support. I can''t listen everyone''s name but I really do appreciate all y''all have done for me. Happy New Month My Lovelies. I wish you a new month filled with prosperity and everything you wish for this month. Have a nice day y''all and enjoy this chapter. Don''t forget to add to your collections, give gift, Golden ticket, power stones etc. Thank y''all once again. Chapter 133 - 131- ARC 4 {3 years later} Zosia with her ear pods plugged in with music blasting in her ear drums, threw various punches at the combat robot. The music as loud as always, spurred her on. Her body moved with precision, her muscles flexing and stretching under the strain of her training. She sparred with a sleek, advanced robotic device designed while suppressing her power. To anyone watching the fight, the robot''s movements were swift and unpredictable under the weight of artificial gravity. The environment was set to 10 times the norm, yet Zosia''s movements were fluid and graceful. The combat robot was designed by Kamal. She had allowed Kamal to be trained in his expertise and now, he could build such a device. Its polished, metallic surface gleamed under the gym''s overhead lights. It had no human features¡ªno face, arms, or legs¡ªbut moved on a sophisticated system of gyroscopic wheels and articulated extensions. The device adapted to her every move, anticipating her attacks and forcing her to think three steps ahead. Its cylindrical body could twist and rotate, projecting energy shields or launching foam-tipped strikes that packed enough force to test her reflexes. Zosia struck with lightning speed, landing a calculated kick to the robot''s sensor core. The device spun back before shutting down with a low hum, signaling the end of the session. Breathing lightly despite the fight she had just gone through, she pulled out her ear pods. She grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from her forehead, her lips curling into a satisfied smile. The aroma of something delicious wafted through the air as she stepped out of the gym. Her stomach growled in response, reminding her she hadn''t eaten since last night. Following the scent, she walked into the kitchen, her towel draped over one shoulder. Kamal stood at the stove, a bright grin on his face as he turned to greet her. "Big sis, food will be ready in a few minutes. By the time you''re done with your shower, it''ll all be set," he said, his voice full of enthusiasm. Zosia nodded, her smile softening as she looked at him. "Alright, I''ll be out soon. Take it easy," she said, her tone warm but firm. She had taken Kamal under her wing three years ago. She remembered how he looked like the first time they met. He had been a scrappy, cunning boy who had tried to steal from Layla. Instead of punishing him, Zosia had seen herself in his bold yet desperate actions¡ªa mirror of the younger, lost version of herself. Seeing him, reminded her of how she had been living in her first life. If her master hadn''t taken her in and taught her some of the skills she could use today, maybe she wouldn''t even have survived. Adopting him hadn''t been a decision she made lightly, but his loyalty and eagerness to learn had cemented her choice. Kamal had come a long way since then, and now, he was not just her adopted brother but also an ally that she was grooming. He had a brilliant mind, especially when it came to technology, and Zosia had already started grooming him to take on more responsibilities. Having someone she could rely on was a rare and valuable gift. But, she still wasn''t sure, if she could take him with her back to her space. Sometimes, she wondered, if he would be willing to part with the materialistic things here and follow her. As Zosia made her way to her room, she paused when she heard Kamal''s voice rise above the clatter of pots and pans. "Sister, don''t forget¡ªyou have your last match today!" Indeed! Today was her last match and work. Nicholas had accepted her deal and allowed her to deal with Marco. A scene she wasn''t sure he could ever forget. The fight had been so clean, swift, quick and decisive, leaving both Nicholas and his arch enemy astounded. Even the people at the scene were left flabbergasted. It even caused Nicholas to stop looking at her as the weak girl he saw her as. To him, Auriel was someone, who was always under his brother umbrella. To him, she seemed so weak that she could barely trust a chicken. As she stripped off her gym clothes and stepped into the shower, the hot water washed away the sweat and tension from her body. Her thoughts drifted to the notification she just received not long ago. Using the effect of the stimulation, she had it stimulate all knowledge that her space would require, including the resources and how to get them. Then using a code, she had designed, she always put it on a run, thereby gathering information and knowledge that she needed without doing much. Today, the information she had, has just finished undergoing it''s upgrade. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in casual clothes and with her damp hair tied back, the table was set, and Kamal was waiting for her. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he gestured for her to sit. "Big sis, you''re going to crush it today," he said with unwavering confidence. Zosia chuckled softly, ruffling his hair as she sat down. "Let''s just enjoy the meal first. One step at a time." Just as they were eating, Zosia noticed that Kamal was behaving a bit sluggish. "Tell me... What''s wrong?" Zosia asked, placing her cutleries in the right order. "Um... I just seen to have this feeling, that you are leaving. Which is why you want to stop working for Uncle Nicholas..... Are you leaving?" Kamal asked tentatively, his big eyes looking at Zosia. Zosia smiled and paused in her meal."You are very perspective. Indeed, I am leaving. You don''t need to worry about your schooling and other issues. They will all be settled without issue." Zosia hadn''t asked him if he was willing to go with her. She didn''t want to make choices that she will have to regret tomorrow. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kamal lowered his head, tear drops sliding from his eyes. After a moment, he raised his head, his fist clenched, "Sister, I want to follow you. Allow me to follow you everywhere, even if, it''s to be your shadow and also protect you." Kamal declared. Zosia looked at the young boy who seemed like all the words he said had drawn away all the strength he had left in his body. "Why do you want to follow me?" Zosia asked in return, rather than accepting the young boy''s declaration, "Besides, you have seen how strong I am. What you see is but a pinch of salt." Kamal''s hands trembled slightly as he clenched his fists tighter, determination flashing in his teary eyes. "Big sis, it''s not just about protecting you," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "I owe you my life. You gave me a home, a purpose, and a future when no one else would even look my way. You believed in me when I didn''t even believe in myself." He paused, struggling to steady his breathing. "I don''t care how strong you are. You''ve always fought alone, always carried so much on your own. I want to stand by your side, even if I can only be a shadow. Let me be there, to learn, to grow, and to repay everything you''ve done for me." Zosia sat quietly, her piercing gaze locked onto Kamal. The boy was no longer the scrappy, street-smart thief she had met three years ago. He had grown into someone who valued loyalty above all else, someone who was willing to follow her into the unknown without hesitation. "So after repayment, what next?" Zosia asked, her voice calm. "I will still follow you." Kamal declared. "Kamal," she said, her tone softer now, yet tinged with the weight of her wisdom. "The life I live isn''t easy. It''s filled with dangers far beyond anything you''ve seen here. Following me means giving up comfort, stability, and even the chance to live a normal life. Are you sure this is what you want?" "Yes," Kamal answered without hesitation. "I''ve never had a normal life, and I don''t want one if it means being without you. I don''t need comfort or stability¡ªI need purpose, and my purpose is with you." For a moment, Zosia felt a flicker of something deep within her¡ªa mix of pride and guilt. She admired Kamal''s resolve, but she couldn''t ignore the risks. "You''re still young, Kamal," she said finally. "You have so much potential to create your own path. Following me might mean sacrificing all of that." Kamal shook his head fiercely. "You''ve already shown me my path. It''s with you. Please, big sis, let me prove myself." The room fell into a heavy silence, the only sound the faint clink of dishes on the table. Zosia leaned back in her chair, her sharp eyes studying the boy she had come to think of as her own. "Very well," she said at last, her voice carrying a finality that made Kamal sit up straight. "But this won''t be easy. If you come with me, you''ll need to be stronger¡ªmentally, physically, and emotionally. I won''t hold your hand every step of the way." "I understand," Kamal said, his voice steady now. "I''ll do whatever it takes." Zosia''s lips curved into a faint smile. "We''ll see about that. Finish your meal. We have a long day ahead." The conversation ended there, but a new chapter in their lives had begun. Kamal''s heart swelled with a mix of relief and excitement, while Zosia''s mind turned to the challenges ahead. Chapter 134 - 132-ARC 4 {Last Match} The crowd roared, their cheers bouncing off the high, steel walls of the consortium''s underground arena. Zosia tightened her stance, the sweat on her brow trickling down her cheek, as her opponent staggered before her. She didn''t give him the chance to recover. With a quick pivot and a sharp jab, her gloved fist connected squarely with his jaw. The man crumpled to the floor, his body limp and unresponsive. A hush fell over the audience for a split second, the air crackling with anticipation. Then, as the referee raised her hand high, the arena erupted. "Winner! X!" The name echoed through the vast chamber. Lights danced across the boxing ring, which was surrounded by tiered seating packed with spectators, their voices blending into a chaotic chorus. Above them, high-definition screens displayed the fight''s pivotal moments on a loop. To the sides, rows of betting booths buzzed with activity as attendants doled out winnings or took in fresh bets for the next match. Zosia smirked, her mask covering her expression. She walked to the edge of the ring, waving her bloodstained gloves to the crowd before stepping down. The moment her boots touched the ground, two burly guards flanked her, clearing a path through the throng of spectators. Ahead, a heavily guarded door stood ajar, with black suited guards flanking each sides. Before she could reach it, a well-dressed man intercepted her. His posture was impeccable, his demeanor calm. It was none other than the manager of Nicholas Boxing Ring. "Miss X," he addressed her in a low, respectful tone, leaning slightly closer. "Boss Nicholas is waiting for you upstairs in his office. He said you could collect your last salary there." Zosia nodded, her face unreadable. Without another word, she followed the man through a labyrinth of wide hallways dimly lit by overhead fixtures. The muffled roar of the crowd faded as they climbed higher into the building. Halfway down a quieter corridor, a familiar voice cut through the stillness. "Sister boss!" Zosia sighed and turned her head just as Oswald, Nicholas'' temperamental but loyal underling, sauntered toward her. His mischievous grin was already in place. Before she could react, he threw an arm over her shoulders. She ducked out of his grip effortlessly, smirking. "Wanna get beaten again?" Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Oswald chuckled, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "You can''t let me live that one down, huh?" "Not a chance," Zosia shot back. His grin widened, though a flicker of something serious passed through his eyes. "So, I heard you''re leaving? Say it ain''t true, sister boss." "Your news informant is slow," she replied casually. "Only telling you now?" "Hey, don''t blame me. I don''t live and breathe gossip." He paused, his expression softening. "It won''t be the same without you." "Life moves on," she said, her tone devoid of sentiment. "How about removing the mask to breathe well at least." Oswald said. "It''s breathable." Zosia said, but she nevertheless still took it off. As they approached Nicholas'' office, Oswald hesitated. Before he could say anything else, the door across from them opened, and Killan emerged. The sight of him made Zosia pause. Tall, imposing, and always so put together. Killan''s expression was a mix of surprise and a flicker of anger and subtle hatred. His sharp gaze fell on her gloves, still speckled with blood, then moved to meet her eyes. He had watched the match. To be honest, he had felt the figure was familiar from the onset of the match, but seeing that it was Auriel, he didn''t know what to fill. He felt angry that she couldn''t come to him if she needed help. Since, to him, she was here for making money. He was also angry at his brother. He couldn''t believe that his brother would let Auriel do this. "Don''t Nicholas love Auriel? Or is there something I am unaware of?" Killan thought inwardly, his gaze heavily scrutinizing Auriel. "What are you doing here?" His voice was low, laced with restrained anger. The atmosphere shifted. The chill in the air was almost tangible, and Zosia felt Oswald stiffen beside her. Zosia didn''t respond immediately, but glanced at Oswald, tilting her head slightly, she said, "You can leave now." Oswald didn''t need to be told twice. He gave Killan a nervous nod and disappeared down the hall, muttering something about needing to check on the next fight. Killan''s jaw tightened as he stepped closer to Zosia. His piercing eyes searched hers, and for a moment, he seemed on the verge of saying something, but stopped. "Why are you doing this?" Killan asked, his tone becoming softer. "What do you think?" Zosia said casually with a smile on her lips. -------- While Zosia and Killian were having a standoff, unaware that two members of the Queens had watched her battle. The two members were none other than Damian and Aisha. Damian had brought Aisha here to seek thrill and introduce her to one of his hobbies. Seeing how X had fought, he was completely fascinated by the person and couldn''t wait to meet the person. He didn''t want to carry his precious sister to follow him, so he had asked her to wait in the car. Damian had just ensured Aisha was securely seated in the back of the sleek, black SUV before turning his gaze back to the towering consortium building. "Stay here," he instructed firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. Aisha rolled her eyes but nodded, waving him off impatiently. He knew leaving Aisha alone might be detrimental but so was taking her inside. He didn''t know what kind of person the boss might be, who knows, he may fall in love with Aisha and want to have her. Satisfied, Damian shut the door and adjusted his coat, slipping his VIP card into his palm as he strode back inside. The chaotic hum of the betting booths greeted him as he entered the main hall, but he ignored it, his focus narrowing on the heavily guarded door at the far end of the corridor. Two burly guards in sharp suits stepped forward as he approached, blocking his way. One of them barked, "Private access only. Move along." Damian smirked, unfazed. Wordlessly, he held up his VIP card, its polished surface gleaming under the fluorescent lights. The guards exchanged glances before stepping aside. "The manager will escort you," one of them grumbled, motioning to a suited man who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "Right this way, sir," the manager said, his tone a mix of politeness and unquestionably authority. Damian followed him without a word, as they entered the elevator. Stepping out of the elevator, he noticed that the crowd''s distant roars was muffled by thick walls, even being very faint that he had to strain his ears just to hear it. Just as they were about to reach the boss office, Damian''s steps flattered. Before him wa someone he didn''t expect to see. There she was. The infamous X¡ªstood across from Killan, her bloodstained gloves still on, her mask hanging loosely from one hand. They were locked in what seemed to be a tense exchange, their postures rigid, their gazes sharp. Damian''s stomach twisted as realization dawned on him. Damian had not expected that the person he admired the most would be Auriel. Looking at the blood stained gloves and mask, he didn''t have to deny it as the evidence was clear for him to see. No wonder he felt the body figure was familiar. The manager, noticing Damian''s hesitation, turned to him with a concerned expression. "Is something wrong, sir?" Damian tore his gaze from the scene and schooled his features into neutrality. "Take me to the lounge," he said, his voice steady. "I see your boss has visitors. Just inform him of my presence." The manager nodded and gestured for Damian to follow. As they moved to the lounge, the sound of footsteps behind them made Damian glance back. Nicholas had stepped out of his office, his expression twisting into an awkward smile when he saw his brother and Zosia facing off. "Killan! What a surprise." Nicholas''s voice was light, but there was a hint of unease. "You didn''t mention you were stopping by." Killan barely spared him a glance. "Attend to her first," he said curtly, nodding toward Zosia. "We can talk later." Zosia removed her gloves with a satisfied smirk, tossing them onto the desk. "You paired me up just how I like it," she said, her tone laced with approval. "The opponent had some substance¡ªnot like the weaklings I''ve fought before." Nicholas laughed, retrieving a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and handing it to her. "It''s only you who sees them as weaklings. You''re a tough one to please." She took a sip of water, then got straight to the point. "My pay?" Nicholas nodded, moving to his desk and pulling out a sleek briefcase from beside his chair. He placed it on the table and flipped it open, revealing neat stacks of cash. Zosia''s eyes gleamed as she inspected the contents. With a wicked grin, she closed the briefcase. "Exactly the amount, and there''s even some extra. It''s nice doing business with you." Nicholas chuckled. "Indeed. It''s a pity you''re leaving, but it''s for the best. This life is dangerous." "Not dangerous to me." Zosia replied with a smirk, causing Killan to frown at her words. This was not the Auriel he knows. Indeed, he knew Auriel had some combat prowess, but he didn''t think it was enough to defeat the opponent she had faced of. Well, that would have been his thought, if he hadn''t seen the match. Turning to Killan, she added, "You still owe me, young master Killan. I hope you''ll have some time this weekend. I want to collect that debt." Killan blinked, his confusion evident. "Debt? Since when do I owe you anything?" Zosia didn''t reply as she picked up the briefcase and headed for the door, her smirk deepening. "Don''t forget. I will message you the details." Zosia said before leaving. The door clicked shut behind her, and she turned to leave, only to find herself face-to-face with Damian. His expression was unreadable, but his piercing gaze bore into her, flickering briefly to the briefcase in her hand and the faint bloodstains on her gloves. Zosia froze for a moment, her smirk fading into a more neutral expression as their gazes locked. The silence between them was electric, the air heavy with unspoken tension. ===== Thank you all for your constant support and I hope you keep supporting me. Chapter 135 - 133- ARC 4 {Face Off} The door clicked shut behind her, and she turned to leave, only to find herself face-to-face with Damian. His expression was unreadable, but his piercing gaze bore into her, flickering briefly to the briefcase in her hand and the faint bloodstains on her gloves. Zosia froze for a moment, her smirk fading into a more neutral expression as their gazes locked. The silence between them was electric, the air heavy with unspoken tension. Damian slowly walked up to Zosia, his eyes filled with derision,"So, this is what you are now?" He said with mockery filled tone. Zosia said nothing, just staring at him, wondering if punching him on the face would be okay. The thought alone sounded tempting. "Tsk.... What was I expecting. All you know how to do is soil the family name." Damian continued, his eyes filled with unknown fury. As for why he was angry, even he himself doesn''t know why. Maybe, it''s because he hadn''t known that Auriel was X. Maybe, if he had known, he wouldn''t have admired her or even boast to his friends that X was his role model. "You seem to be forgetting something young master Damian. I am no longer part of the Queens. Now, excuse me as I have somewhere to go." Zosia turned to leave but was dragged back by Damian, who had is hand latched on the brief case. "Oh! Now I understand. You are after my money." Zosia said with a derisive smirk, her gaze gradually turning cold. "I don''t mind using you for a warm up, if you don''t remove your hand." Zosia said coldly, making Damian turn stiff. Damian''s hands trembled, that he hurriedly stuffed them into his pockets. He couldn''t let Auriel see such an embarrassing side of him. Seeing Damian''s embarrassing actions, she sneered and turned to leave. "Father said that you weren''t the one who sent an assassin after Aisha, but your work now says otherwise." Damian words halted Zosia in her tracks. Zosia turned to look at Damian like as if she was gazing at some idiotic ant. "Sometimes, you should use your brain. Why would I hire an assassin for Aisha when I could do it myself and it will be cleaner, easier and there will be no traces left. If I really hated Aisha as you think, then do you think she would have been able to live for the past three years? Besides, you Queens keep suppressing me left and right without a breathing space, only wanting to see me crawl on the streets. Yet, after finding a way to fend for myself, I am still referred to as a disgrace. You know what?" "What?" Damian asked, his adam apple budging. "It beats me that the person who finds my job a disgrace, still comes to admire the same action that is considered filthy for his eyes." Damian froze at Zosia''s words, his face hardening as her accusation hit home. He clenched his jaw, his pride battling against the truth she had so bluntly thrown at him. For a brief moment, neither spoke, the tension crackling like static electricity in the narrow corridor. "Tsk, so you you think you are something worthy." "What''s it to you?" she said, her voice cold, her smirk returning. "Don''t you have something better to do than criticize me, Damian?" "Tsk." He scoffed, crossing his arms as he looked her up and down with disdain. "I used to think X was someone worth admiring. Turns out, it''s just you. Disgraceful as ever." Zosia''s smile didn''t waver, but her eyes glinted dangerously. "You seem upset. Did your idol just fall off the pedestal you built for them?" Damian''s fists clenched, his jaw tightening. "I didn''t know it was you," Damian said finally, "If I knew you were the one, It would have been different. Besides, the Auriel I know is as disgraceful as ever, just like now." Zosia let out a dry laugh, the sound devoid of humor. She let Auriel emotions take control. From the moment she saw Damian, Auriel emotions have been threatening to unleash itself. "You think you know me? You don''t. You never did. Just like the rest of the Queens. All of you see what you want to see. A tool, a scapegoat, or, in this case, a disappointment." She stepped closer, her eyes locked onto his, her tone venomous. "But X? That''s all me. Every punch, every victory, every damn drop of blood spilled in that ring¡ªit''s mine. And I won''t let you or anyone else take that from me." "You think your measly words would hurt me? Nope, not even a scratch." Zosia''s ice cold eyes stared straight at Damian, causing him to feel a chill. Zosia said each word, one by one, making sure to lay emphasis on them. Walking close to him, her hand produced a dagger. The sudden appearance of a dagger, scared the shit out of Damian, but he couldn''t let himself show any weakness or flatter, so he stood there defiantly, wanting to have a face of with Auriel. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You know not suffering, but I can give you one." Zosia said venomously, tracing the silver dagger across Damian''s face, "Imagine this dagger, creating incisions across your face and each wound made, iodine, methylated spirit and salt is poured on them. Tell me, how much pain you would feel?" "Don''t try me Damian, you wouldn''t like the consequences and not even the Queens will be able to back you up. Just like how they threw me like garbage, they will do same to you without a second thought." Suddenly Zosia felt a drop of sweat land on her palm. Looking at the sweltering Damian, she smirked. "See how you are sweating, like as if you are being roasted." Zosia said, dropping her arm down and sending the dagger back into her space. "You may think that bonding with Aisha will give you the right as an heir, but you forgot something and I wouldn''t be the one to tell you that." Zosia said with a smile and continued, "You know? It''s surprising how despite being the eldest, you have the brain of a fly." Damian hands clenched into a fist but he was unable to retort. He gritted his teeth as those were the same words his father always said to him. How much he hated those words? How much he hated how they looked down on him, insulting his intelligence time and time again. Zosia seeing how worked up Damian was from just one word had a smile bloosoming on her face. "How does saying those words, make you feel?" Damian didn''t answer but threw a punch at Zosia who easily dodged it. "You want a fight?" Zosia asked, her aura changing from her usual lazy aura to that of a predator, almost suffocating Damian who tried to balance himself on his feet. Before Damian could figure out what to say, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted them. Both turned to see Nicholas and Killan striding toward them with Nicholas face bearing a mix of irritation and concern, while Killan on the other hand was as expressionless as always. "What''s going on here?" Nicholas demanded, his gaze flicking between them. "Damian, this isn''t the place for your family drama." Seeing how Damian reined in his emotions, Zosia scoffed and turned away. "Coward." She spat and started walking toward the elevator, her grip on the briefcase tightening. "Zosia, wait," Nicholas called after her, but she didn''t stop. Damian watched her retreating figure, his emotions a tangled mess. He couldn''t even properly describe his emotions. Killan watched the scene, a flicker of emotion passing through his eyes before fading back to his usual expressionless look. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you tired of making her life hell enough?" Nicholas said as he berated Damian who stood there without saying anything. "Be careful not to corner a rabbit with nothing to lose. As a cornered rabbit, is more dangerous than the wolf in the forest." Nicholas said and walked back to his office, leaving Killan standing with Damian. Killan glanced at Damian but said nothing and turned to leave. From what happened, he could guess some things. The Queens must have been pressuring Auriel, making her unable to make a living but to work here. Knowing Auriel''s pride, unless on the verge of death would she beg you. --- Meanwhile, in the underground parking lot... Zosia reached her car, the brief case no longer in her hand. She had put it into her space, when no one or camera was watching. Learning against the car door, she allowed Auriel''s emotions to settle before locking it back up. This time around, she had control over the host emotions and reactions, if not it would have been disastrous everytime she met Killan. One might ask, has her power not reach the point where she could snuff out the original host emotions. Indeed, it has reached that point. But, what''s the need of doing that, when she would still leave, returning the body back to the original owner. Instead of having to do that, she could lock the emotions, thereby making sure it wouldn''t interfere with what ever she was doing. Zosia noticed a peering gaze that had been locked onto her for a while. She had some guesses, as for how correct the guess was, it was left for her to see. ======== I seriously can''t wait to finish Arc 4, yet, I don''t dare skip some scenes. Sigh! Thank you all for your suppory and thank you brownyn for the Golden ticket. I implore for more support towards my book. Thank you once again. Chapter 136 - 134- ARC 4 {Just a little Warning} Zosia noticed a peering gaze that had been locked onto her for a while. She had some guesses, as for how correct the guess was, it was left for her to see. Leaning against the car door, she brought out a cigarette and lit one, allowing the smoke to cover her gaze. Just as she puffed out a smoke, she looked in the direction of where the gaze had come from. She noticed the car at the other side, had someone inside. Looking at the plate number, she sneered inwardly. Just then, the car door opened and Aisha who had been in the car stepped down, her eyes filled with derision. She had noticed Auriel (Zosia) when she had entered the garage and it would be a lie to say she was not shocked. She thought Auriel would have succumbed to suicide by now, after all, the reputation she has in the socialite circle now, wasn''t something a few words could clear up. Aisha had tried to make life difficult for Auriel while she was still in school, just before her graduation, but her father had vehemently refused. He had even asked her if she was not satisfied enough to have Auriel thrown out of the house. "How dare he? I am his real daughter, yet he still favoured Auriel. A fake who had stolen her position." Remembering how she had to force her self to pretend to be a good daughter, a good girl, even flattering some people to further squeeze into the socialite circle, she clenched her first in anger. Even though she couldn''t do much to Auriel while she was still in school, she was able to make her grandfather make sure that Auriel was unable to get a job. What''s the use of a certificate when you can''t even get a job. She also made sure that all of Auriel''s funds were blocked and the account she had when she was still part of the Queens were blocked and frozen. It''s been three years and she had completely taken her place and everything that Auriel had that should have been hers. Well, except for Auriel ex- boyfriend. No matter how she tried, she couldn''t get him. What further infuriated her was the girlfriend beside Killan. She had always felt suffocated, but seeing Auriel today, she could finally let out some steam. Zosia exhaled a puff of smoke, her sharp gaze veiled behind the curls of gray mist. The figure from the car finally emerged, it was none other than Aisha. So her guess was correct. Clad in designer clothing and dripping with the confidence of someone who believed they owned the world, Aisha strode toward her, each step echoing her self-entitlement. Zosia didn''t move, leaning casually against her car as if she hadn''t just locked eyes with a predator in designer heels. "Well, well, well," Aisha began, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "Look who''s crawling back from the shadows." Zosia tilted her head slightly, feigning confusion. "Crawling? Funny, I don''t recall being on my knees. You must be mistaking me for someone else." Aisha''s expression faltered for a split second before recovering. "Still as delusional as ever, I see. But then, what can one expect from someone who couldn''t even keep her place in the Queens? Thrown out like the trash you always were." Zosia took another drag of her cigarette, letting the silence stretch long enough to unsettle Aisha. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, laced with an undercurrent of disdain. "Funny thing about trash," Zosia said, flicking the ash off her cigarette. "It''s only trash until someone realizes its worth. And here you are, three years later, still obsessed with me. Makes me wonder who the real loser is." Aisha''s perfectly polished nails clenched into fists at her sides. "Obsessed? Don''t flatter yourself. The only reason I''m even talking to you is out of pity. It must be humiliating, scrounging for scraps in the shadows while I''ve taken everything you once had." Zosia chuckled, a low, mocking sound that echoed in the empty garage. "Oh, Aisha. You''re still playing dress-up, pretending you''ve won. Let''s be clear¡ªyou didn''t take anything from me. It was handed to you because you were too incompetent to earn it yourself." Aisha''s eyes flashed with fury. "Incompetent? I''ve built everything I have! Unlike you, I didn''t need to hide behind a mask or a borrowed name to get ahead." "Built?" Zosia repeated with a raised brow. "No, you inherited. Big difference. You''re nothing without Daddy''s money and the scraps he throws your way. And let''s not forget¡ªdespite all your so-called achievements, you couldn''t even keep Killan. Or was that failure conveniently erased from your perfect little narrative?" The color drained from Aisha''s face at the mention of Killan, replaced quickly by a flush of anger. "You have no right to talk about him! He was never yours to begin with." Zosia smirked, crushing her cigarette beneath her boot. "And yet, here we are. You still can''t stop comparing yourself to me, can you? Even with everything you''ve ''won,'' you''re still chasing my shadow." Aisha stepped closer, her voice low and venomous. "You think you''re so clever, don''t you? But look around, Auriel¡ª Or whatever you go by now? Trying to reinvent yourself, but you''re still the same pathetic nobody." Zosia straightened, her calm demeanor shifting as her presence filled the space. She stepped closer, forcing Aisha to look up at her, despite Aisha being on heels, she still wasn''t as tall as Auriel. Zosia''s voice dropped, cold and cutting. "And yet, despite being ''a nobody,'' you can''t seem to leave me alone. Let me tell you something, Aisha. No matter how many names you call me, how much dirt you throw my way, you''ll never be more than a pale imitation. You know why?" Aisha stared at her, lips trembling with suppressed rage. "Because unlike you, I don''t need anyone''s approval to exist," Zosia said, her words precise and deliberate. "You, on the other hand, are nothing without the validation of others. That''s why you''ll never truly win. And deep down, you know it." The silence that followed was deafening. Aisha''s fury was palpable, her composure cracking as Zosia''s words hit home. "I should have destroyed you when I had the chance," Aisha hissed, her voice shaking. Zosia leaned in, her smirk returning. "Should''ve, could''ve, would''ve. But you didn''t. And now you never will. Also, You never could destroy me." "You should take your fantasy somewhere else, to someone who has the time." Zosia said. Aisha''s fists clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palms, but Zosia didn''t flinch. Her calm, unbothered demeanor was like a slap in the face to Aisha, who thrived on the chaos she thought she could create. "Tch, coming from a smoker who tried to assassinate me," Aisha spat, a smirk playing on her lips. Her voice was steady, but the fury in her eyes betrayed her. Zosia tilted her head, her sharp gaze locking on Aisha like a predator sizing up its prey. She could see the position of Killan and Damian. Their life energy was just bright enough for her to see through the cars that lined the garage. The knowledge brought a flicker of amusement to her features, though she kept her expression neutral. "Oh, Aisha," she said, her tone dripping with mock amusement. "You even believe the lies you make up yourself. It''s almost admirable, really." "Tell me, if I truly wanted to assassinate you, do you think you''d still be standing here? Breathing? Or do you think someone who allegedly tried to kill you would bother giving you a scholarship? You''re not even worth that effort." Aisha''s smirk faltered. "You think this is a game? You tried to end me. If it weren''t for¡ª" "If I wanted to end you," Zosia interrupted, her voice cold and sharp, "you wouldn''t be here to play the victim. Let''s not flatter you into thinking you were ever important enough for me to waste such effort." "Besides, you and I know where that assassination evidence came from." Zosia said. Aisha''s smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before she recovered. Deciding to behave like she hadn''t heard Auriel''s words, she said. "The scholarship was nothing more than a ploy to gain favor. You''ve always been arrogant and manipulative. You thought, you could use that to make me get on your good side and give up my position." Zosia let out a low, humorless chuckle. "Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night? That I''m the one scheming while you''re the innocent victim? Spare me, Aisha. I don''t have the time or the patience for your delusions." Zosia thought for a moment, How about sowing some seeds... After all, she wasn''t exactly lying. Deciding to do it, as for whether Damian would take it as a warning or not, it would be up to him. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking up to this point, a sly smile appeared on her face as she leaned casually against her car, deciding to stir the pot. "You know, Aisha," she began, her voice loud enough to carry, "you may think others are blind, but some of us see everything. I don''t know who sent you to the Queens, but your presence there was no accident." "I no longer care. After all the Queens threw me out. I just find it strange that the Queens should have felt something was off and investigate, but still.... Anyway, I just hope you remember that the Queens is your family and still is. If you destroy them due to impulse or emotions of the heart, you would lose the backing you so much struggled to get." Zosia said and opened the door of her car to enter. "What do you mean?" Aisha asked, trying to hide the panic in her voice but failed. "You know. So why ask or try to pretend. It''s only 2 of us here." Zosia said. Aisha frowned and decided against saying anything. Seeing that Aisha wasn''t planning on saying anything, Zosia curled her lips into a faint smile. Aisha''s lips pressed into a thin line. The panic in her eyes was evident now, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. But she didn''t respond. Instead, she stood there, fists clenched, while Zosia turned the ignition of her car. As the engine roared to life, Zosia lowered her window and cast a final glance at Aisha. "Every action has its consequences, Aisha. And karma... well, karma has a way of catching up with everyone. Who knows? Maybe yours is closer than you think." With that, Zosia reversed out of the parking spot, the screech of her tires echoing in the enclosed space. She didn''t look back as she left, but the smirk on her face lingered, knowing she had planted just enough doubt to unsettle Aisha and warn the Queens. ===== In the shadows, Killan and Damian stood motionless, their expressions unreadable as they processed everything they had just heard. Neither spoke immediately, letting the weight of the conversation settle. Meanwhile, unaware of their presence, Aisha mused out loud, her voice laced with venom. "That bitch. What does she know? How did she even find out about that? I''ll deal with her. She won''t see it coming." Her anger coiled around her like a storm as she stalked back to her car, slamming the door shut with more force than necessary. She was too consumed by her rage to notice the 2 pair of sharp eyes watching her every move. "Your family really needs some cleansing, don''t you think?" Killan said, a smile playing on his expressionless face. He didn''t care about what just happened, anyway to him, he happened to stumble on the scene. Besides, that was the least of his thoughts. From his conversation with his brother, he had some unsettling feelings and the need to see Auriel whom he always wished not to meet, increased. He couldn''t help but wonder when she would contact him. "Does she even have my number? And I didn''t ask Nick for it." Killan thought Inwardly. Damian upon hearing Killan''s words clenched his fist. He didn''t want to believe what he just heard or saw. From their position, they had seen the scene of the two girls very well. Just like they say, "Seeing is Believing". But at this moment, Damian wished he had not seen anything. Clearing his throat, he suppressed his feelings. "I will see you around, Mr. Killan." He said and left. Killan didn''t stand there for long, he also left, not bothering to greet Damian back. Chapter 137 - 135- ARC 4 {BEHIND THE SCENE} Damian''s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he navigated the winding road back home. His mind raced, replaying the confrontation he had just witnessed in the garage. The tension in the car was so thick. The silence between him and Aisha felt like an invisible wall. Aisha sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed out the window. Her usual air of superiority seemed subdued, as if the exchange with Auriel had rattled her more than she wanted to admit. For Damian, the silence was suffocating. He couldn''t ignore what he''d overheard¡ªor the venom in Aisha''s tone. He had never heard Aisha use such tone before and today was the first for him. He glanced at her briefly, catching the slight tremor in her hands as she clenched and unclenched them in her lap. The realization that Aisha might be hiding more than just petty grudges gnawed at him. The drive felt both endless and too short. As the car rolled into the garage, Aisha didn''t wait for Damian to open her door as she usually did. Instead, she bolted the moment the car stopped, her heels clicking hurriedly against the concrete as she disappeared into the house. Damian stayed behind, gripping the steering wheel with enough force that his knuckles turned white. The image of Aisha and Auriel confrontation replayed in his mind. He suddenly remembered what Auriel had said to him: "You know? It''s surprising how despite being the eldest, you have the brain of a fly." It was the same words his father had said to him when he had pressed him about why he was letting Auriel off the hook. Now, thinking about it, maybe his father had known something. Clenching his fist, he decided to clear his head first and decide on what to do later. ------ Aisha''s heart pounded as she entered the house. She did not look back, only heading to her room. Upon entering her room, she slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, trying to steady her breath. Her mind raced, replaying Auriel''s cryptic warnings. "What does she know? How does she know?" She muttered under her breath, her chest heaving. The thought of Auriel discovering her secret made her stomach churn. She couldn''t let that woman ruin everything she''d built. But the doubt Auriel had planted lingered, festering like an open wound. Could the Queens already suspect her? And if they did¡­ "No," she whispered to herself, pushing away the thought. "She''s bluffing. She has to be." Not still feeling assured, she rushed to her table drawer. Using the key to unlock the last drawer, she brought out a burner phone. Aisha''s fingers hovered over the burner phone, hesitating for a moment. She couldn''t afford mistakes¡ªnot now, not ever. Her uncle was the only one who could calm the storm inside her, the only one she trusted or could trust. She clicked on the only number in the contact list, her pulse pounding in her ears as each ring echoed through the line. The first ring. Silence. The second. Her heart sank, thinking the call might not go through. On the third, the connection clicked, and a familiar voice, deep and thick, filled her ears. "Aisha, what is it?" The words were soft but carried an edge of concern. Hearing his voice immediately eased the tension in her chest. She closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. "Uncle, I think Auriel found out." Her voice wavered despite her efforts to sound calm. There was a pause on the other end, "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone careful and measured. Aisha swallowed hard. "I met Auriel today¡­ she said things¡ªthings that make me think she knows more than she should." Her words tumbled out, her earlier composure crumbling. "Tell me everything." She recounted the garage encounter, leaving nothing out¡ªthe accusations, the veiled threats, the piercing look Auriel had given her that seemed to strip away every layer of pretense she''d built, she also included her own replies. When she finished, silence stretched between them, so heavy that it felt like another weight pressing on her chest. Finally, her uncle spoke. "Calm down and don''t do anything rash," he said, his voice steady but firm. "Hope no one else is aware?" "I don''t think so," she replied, though uncertainty crept into her tone. "Good. Don''t give anyone any reason to suspect something is wrong. And as for Auriel¡­" His voice turned cold, almost dangerous. "Leave her to me. Focus on your task. The Queens'' young masters are your priority. Nothing else matters." Aisha nodded, even though he couldn''t see her. "Okay," she murmured. "Good. And Aisha¡ªhide the phone better this time. If someone finds it, it''s over for you. Understand?" "Yes, Uncle." The line went dead before she could say more. Aisha stared at the phone for a moment, her mind swirling. She switched it off, as instructed, and sat motionless, gripping the device like a lifeline. She exhaled a deep breath, deciding where to hide the phone. After hiding the phone, with the assurance given to her, she regained her lost confidence. ---- Damian on the other hand, entered the house after a while and noticed his younger brother watching something in the living room. He approached to see what his brother was watching and noticed it was an album of pictures containing his brother and Auriel. "What?! Do you also want to scold me for looking at her pictures?" Chris said coldly. Seeing the cold look in his younger brother eyes, he couldn''t help but wonder since when his relationship with his younger brother had strained to this extent. Shaking his head, he said nothing and left. Everything that has happened today just made him feel weak. Entering his room, he immediately entered the bathroom. He needed a cold shower to calm his mind and think things through. ==== Night Time at the Queens.... After a thorough thinking and still unable to come up with something, Damian decided not to talk to Aisha but meet his father. Despite what his father had said before, he was still his father son, so he belived his father would help him clear the confusion he had. Leaving his room, he headed to his father''s study, when he suddenly noticed his brother Chris was still watching the album. Clenching and unclenching his fist, he didn''t even know what or how to feel. Taking a deep breath, he continued with his steps to his father''s study. Damian knocked firmly on the study door, pausing as his father''s deep voice granted him permission to enter. He pushed the door open, stepping into the spacious room. His eyes swept over the study, noting the dark mahogany shelves lined with books, an antique globe in one corner, and the faint scent of leather and aged paper hanging in the air. The heavy desk dominated the room, papers and files neatly arranged in disciplined stacks. His father, Ashton, sat behind it, the glow of a desk lamp casting sharp shadows across his features. Damian moved to the chair opposite and sank into it. Ashton glanced up from the document he''d been reviewing, his eyes sharp beneath his furrowed brows. "What is it?" Ashton asked, his tone clipped. Damian hesitated, gathering his thoughts. "Father, do you think Aisha''s sudden appearance in the family is¡­ strange?" Ashton''s eyes narrowed slightly. He set the document down and leaned back, studying his son. He couldn''t help but wonder where the question was coming from. "You finally grew a brain," Ashton remarked dryly. Heat climbed up Damian''s neck at the jab, and his face flushed red. "I''m serious." "As am I," Ashton replied. "Of course I thought about it. Receiving an anonymous text with a DNA report tying Auriel, Aisha, you, and me together? Anyone would find that suspicious. Naturally, I tried to trace its source, but I came up empty-handed. Then Auriel started lobbying for the company to offer a scholarship to Aisha. It was peculiar, but I chose to wait and watch." He folded his hands, resting them on the desk. "I didn''t plan to act immediately, but then you brought her home and sent us your own DNA report. I assumed you were the one who''d sent the initial message. Or were you not?" Ashton''s gaze sharpened, making Damian shift uncomfortably. "No," Damian admitted, his voice low. "I received the text and report out of the blue. I didn''t believe it at first, so I ran a test at our hospital. It came back positive." Ashton raised an eyebrow, genuine surprise flickering across his face. "And the assassin evidence? Same source?" Damian nodded, his discomfort evident. He clenched his hands together, the realization dawning on him. "Someone''s been pulling strings from behind the scenes. Every move I''ve made, it feels like they anticipated it. They''re manipulating us, and I fell right into their plans. Could my estranged relationship with Chris also be their fault?" He thought inwardly. Ashton observed him quietly before speaking. "Auriel suspected something too. She started her own investigation but hit a wall. Then your grandfather intervened." "Grandfather?" Damian echoed, his brows furrowing. "He ordered me to send Auriel away. At the time, I thought it was a harsh decision, but later I realized it was his way of protecting her. If she''d stayed, she might''ve been killed or abducted by whoever''s behind all this." "But Auriel doesn''t see it that way," Damian said softly. Ashton sighed, the weight of past decisions evident in his voice. "I reached out to Killan, hoping he''d watch over her, but they''d already broken up. He refused to get involved. I still don''t know what happened between them." Damian hesitated before revealing, "I saw Auriel today." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ashton straightened in his seat, his expression unreadable. "How is she?" "It wasn''t a pleasant conversation, but I learned she''s been working as an underground boxer in Killan''s brother''s ring. She retired today." Ashton blinked, clearly taken aback. "Boxing? Of all things¡­ Still, it''s good. It means she''s capable of surviving on her own." "But, Father," Damian pressed, "why did we help Aisha suppress Auriel in so many ways?" Ashton''s face darkened. "Once we started, we had to follow through. Pulling back would have exposed us, and we couldn''t afford that." He didn''t share the other truth lingering in his mind¡ªthey already had an idea of who was orchestrating everything, but the evidence wasn''t solid enough yet. "You need to keep close to Aisha," Ashton continued, his tone firm. "Maintain appearances. If there''s anything that can lead us to the mastermind, you''re our best chance of finding it." Damian nodded, though unease twisted in his gut. "What about Chris?" he asked after a moment. "He misses Auriel. A lot." Ashton sighed again, rubbing a hand over his face. "Chris¡­ He''s struggling. But until this is resolved, we can''t risk dragging him into it." Damian clenched his fists. Whoever was behind this chaos had torn their family apart piece by piece. Thinking of his relationship with his younger brother, he felt the need to fix it before it became unrepairable. ===== Thank you all for your constant support and all. I really appreciate. Have a nice day and enjoy your day. Chapter 138 - 136 – ARC 4 {Fast Forward} Twenty-five years had brought a tide of changes, yet some things stayed remarkably the same. Zosia leaned back in her chair, her sharp eyes fixed on the young man bustling around the kitchen. Kamal was carefully plating the meal, his movements very slow, as though he were hiding something. "Are you going to tell me what this is about, or do I need to guess?" she asked, her voice laced with playful suspicion. Kamal glanced up, startled, but quickly masked it with a grin. "Sister, if you keep staring at me like that, I''ll think I''ve done something wrong." Zosia clicked her tongue, unimpressed. "Kamal, come on. Just spill it. What do you want?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why do you always assume I need something to come see you?" Kamal shot back, feigning indignation. "Because you don''t usually cook like this without a reason," Zosia replied smoothly, gesturing toward the impressive spread on the table. "It''s not a holiday, it''s not the new year¡­ Unless..." Her eyes lit up as a thought struck her. "Wait. Is there a girl you want to introduce to me?" Kamal froze mid-step, a light cough betraying his composure. "It''s not like that," he said quickly, though the flush creeping up his neck said otherwise. "But yes, there''s someone I''d like you to meet¡ªwell, two people, actually." "Two?" Zosia leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "My twin sister and her adopted mother," Kamal admitted, his tone suddenly serious. "And¡­ I also need your help." Zosia raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. "Let''s eat first, we can talk about it after the meal." Kamal said with a smile, quickly sitting down. "Alright, if you say so." Zosia muttered digging into her meal. ------ "Are you ready to talk now?" Zosia asked, her eyes narrowing as she watched Kamal, who was stalling by sipping his water, even though his plate had been empty for a while. Kamal set the glass down slowly, his gaze dropping to the table. Then, with a hesitant smile, he looked up at her, his brown eyes wide and pleading. "Sister," he began, his voice deliberately soft, "can you give me some of that healing liquid you always use on me?" The healing liquid Kamal was referring to, was the water gotten from her space. Since the water had healing properties, she always used it on Kamal after each training. Since Kamal had sold himself to her, she had considered taking him with her, when leaving this world. She wasn''t planning to let her investments on him go to waste either. Zosia tilted her head, her sharp features betraying her suspicion. "What do you need it for?" Kamal hesitated, his fingers fiddling with the edge of his napkin. He knew there was no point in trying to outmaneuver Zosia¡ªshe could see through him better than anyone else. Taking a deep breath, he decided to speak. "I found her," he said quietly, his voice laden with emotion. Zosia frowned, confused. "Found who?" "My twin sister," Kamal clarified, his tone steady but his hands trembling slightly. Zosia straightened in her seat, her sharp gaze softening. She knew how long Kamal had been searching, how much he had sacrificed for the chance to reconnect with the sibling he''d been separated from so many years ago. Both of them were at the orphanage, but his sister got adopted, while he could only stay at the orphanage, well, until Zosia found him. "And?" she prompted gently. Kamal''s adam applebobbed as he swallowed. "She''s sick. It''s an illness that causes unbearable pain¡­ and it''s incurable. Her adoptive mother has it too. I don''t know how much time they have left." "Her adopted father had also died from it." Kamal added. The room fell silent, save for the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Zosia leaned back, her arms crossed as she stared at him. "And you think my healing liquid will help her?" Kamal nodded, desperation flickering in his eyes. "I don''t know if it will, but it''s the only thing I can think of. Please, Sister." "Sigh!" Zosia sighed, leaving Kamal in anticipation. "I will give it you, but I hope you remember the fact that you can''t be too emotionally entangled with them. Also, train your replacement." Zosia said as she stood up. "Huh?! Sister, are you sending me away? Why would you need a replacement? Is it because of my request?" Kamal asked rapidly, his hands trembling. "No. Do you remember when I told you that in 27 years time, I would no longer be here and you said, I should take you everywhere I go. So, soon I would be leaving, are you still interested in coming along?" "Of course... Hehe... Sister, why won''t I." Kamal said with a grin. "That''s good. Follow me." Zosia said and walked towards her study. On one of the shelves in the study room, was a box. Inside the box were vials containing sky blue liquid that shimmered under the yellow light in the study. "Take it. See how well, it works and have them go to a hospital under us to check their vitals before and after taking it....." Zosia dishes out a series of instructions, before sending Kamal off. "You can go." Zosia said with a wave of her hand. Kamal nodded, cradling the box in his arms with care, afraid that any mishap would come onto it. Turning to leave, he didn''t forget to thank his sister one more time, engraving her kindness deep into his heart. Even if he had found his twin sister, it didn''t mean that he had as much affection as he has for Zosia for her. To him, it was still the affection cultivated when they were small, so how strong could it be. Zosia watched as Kamal turned to leave, her face expressionless. She couldn''t help but have some thoughts. Could she make use of the humans of this world for research purposes on life evolution? Shaking away those thoughts, she focused back to the task on hand. Her hand deftly scrolled the screen of the iPad, her gaze on the eye catching headline. "RQ Opens Doors: Top Industry Leader Offers Public a Stake in Its Success!" Zosia clicked on it and read the article. Being one of the private shareholders, she was very much aware of the IPO date, though it hasn''t been mentioned to the public yet. Scrolling through, she came across another headline. "Mystery Unveiled: Is ''Boss Killan'' the Elusive CEO of RQ?" Article: For years, RQ, the industry titan that has outpaced its competitors, has been shrouded in mystery¡ªnot least because its CEO has remained an enigma. While the company''s successes are undeniable, the public and even many within the industry have been left to wonder: Who is the mastermind behind RW''s meteoric rise? This week, an unexpected encounter may have cracked the code. A reporter, eager to interview RQ''s vice president, stumbled upon a remarkable scene. The vice president, known for their steely professionalism, was overheard addressing a figure with the title "Boss Killan" before bowing respectfully¡ªa gesture that left little doubt about the person''s significance. While RQ has not officially confirmed the CEO''s identity, speculation is rife. Could this mysterious "Boss Killan" be the driving force behind the company''s unparalleled success? And why has their surname and full identity remained under wraps for so long? Industry insiders are abuzz with theories, but one thing is certain: RQ''s leadership has managed to captivate not just markets but imaginations. If "Boss Killan" is indeed the enigmatic CEO, their emergence promises to add another layer of intrigue to RQ''s remarkable story. For now, the world waits, watching and wondering¡ªjust who is Boss Killan? And why has RQ kept their leader''s identity a closely guarded secret? Seeing the article, Zosia was not surprised, since she had done her investigation before investing. "I wonder how he would feel when he finds out that I am the second largest shareholder apart from him." Zosia mused, closing the iPad. She couldn''t help but let her thoughts wander, her memories taking her to the day she and Killian had met to settle the debt. Their conversation had been quite good, with Zosia mostly doing the talking. She had also left the gifts with him, not sure what he later did with it. Did he keep them safe? Did he throw them away? Or did he just abandon it in his treasury? Those questions, she had no answers to. After giving the warning to the Queens, she was quite surprised to see them act on it. She had thought they would dismiss it, thinking of her as someone who was jealous. As for Aisha, after the Queens had acted on the person behind the scenes, who surprisingly was once a student of Amak - Auriel''s grandfather. Zosia had gone to see him, when the Queens had caught him, and made him confess with the use of hypnosis. According to him, the Queens were behind his parents death. As for how his parents died, the father was a manager of the subsidiary company under the Queens, but his gambling nature had cost him and he was prepared to liquidate the company with the Queens being unaware. The Queens weren''t kept in the dark for long and punished him, stripping him of everything. The father unable to take it committed suicide, especially since he couldn''t pay the debt, neither was he willing to sell his wife or son to them. The mother unable to handle the fall from grace to grass followed suit. All these had happened while he was still in school, so he was unaware of the ins and out, only the surface matters which was that the Queens had stripped his father of everything. Being in the university and unable to pay the school fees, he started taking various part time jobs and being the best in Amak''s subjects, Auriel''s grandfather had taken a liking to him. Auriel''s grandfather sponsored his school fees and even adopted him as his grandson, and that was how he met Aisha. He never knew Aisha was the daughter of the Queens, until one night, when Amak had gotten drunk and spilled some details, leading him to investigate. He found out that Amak''s daughter had actually had a one night stand with Ashton. She was not sure if Ashton would acknowledge the child, so finding out that, Mrs. Queens was also pregnant, she had resolved to do the exchange and live with the child as a maid. According to him, he said Prof. Amak always lamented, unable to understand the thoughts of his only child, feeling that it was because he had spoilt her a lot after the death of her mother. "It is not like we can''t train the child ourselves, why did she have to do such a terrible thing." Prof Amak would always lament. So from there, Hasan became close to Aisha, ingraining himself into her life, as he slowly planned his revenge. After Amak''s death, he began to carry out the scheme in a full scale. He would have succeded if Zosia hadn''t found out. Zosia hadn''t expected such a confession, especially the one where he confessed his love for Aisha. She had cut out that part from the confession and sent it to Aisha. As for what happened next, you can already guess. They fell in love with each other and now, they have quiet a happy home, though Aisha was yet to give birth, but they had adopted some children. The Queens had let him go Scot free and had in turn, used his talent to boost the company. Now, one could say that the Queens was now a behemoth. Closing her eyes, "2 years more to go and the original host will be back." She mused, leaning back on the chair. Two years was neither far nor close, so she had to start tying up some lose ends. ===== Hi guys.... Thank you all for your support and soon, Arc 4 would be coming to an end. Chapter 139 - 137- ARC 4 {LAYLA DEEDS} RQ Headquarters Zane stood awkwardly in his father''s office, the faint hum of the central air conditioning doing little to cut through the heavy tension in the air. His father, Killan, sat behind the massive mahogany desk, stacks of papers and folders neatly arranged around him. "Dad, there''s a board meeting tomorrow. Are you going to come?" Zane''s voice was steady but cautious as he asked. Killan didn''t look up. "Yes," he replied curtly, his eyes still glued to the document he was reviewing. Since the IPO date had been announced, Killan''s workload had only increased. Unlike the early days of building his first company, where every step was uncertain. This time around, he was faster and quicker in handling the situation. Though the pressure was still there, nonetheless. He actually didn''t have to be here. He could hand the job over to others. All he had to do was oversee them and sign the documents that needs to be signed. Zane shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure whether to ask the question that had been weighing down in his mind. Though he was accustomed to his father''s cold way of responding, sometimes he wondered if the way his father responded had something to do with his birth. He was accustomed to his father''s intensity but still struggled with how to breach sensitive topics. "Dad, about Mom..." he began, his voice quieter now. That made Killan pause. Slowly, he raised his head, his piercing eyes locking onto his son. "And what about her?" he asked, his tone calm and devoid of warmth. As for the young man, his name is Zane. The son he had with Layla. Zane didn''t come about through proper husband and wife marital intercourse but after Layla had drugged him and she did it so badly that he slipped into a 3-days coma after that. Anytime he remembered that scene, he would get angry. A flicker of anger passed through his eyes as he remembered Layla. After he helped her find her parents and some background information, since he couldn''t dig too deep. He had asked Layla if she was keen on returning? When he met the Swiss family, it was then he realized he still had a long way to go, but none of that mattered. To him, as far as he kept going, he believed he could reach there eventually. Unfortunately, Layla dragged him down below his starting point. "Dad, did you ever love mom?" Zane asked, his voice softer than when he started, though firm. He looked at his father, watching his expression, to see if he could catch even a flicker of emotion. "Not really." Killan answered, closing the file in his hands, deciding to focus on his son. "Are you curious about why I and your mother''s relationship is this strained?" Zane nodded his head in response. He had always wanted to know, though he had buried the curiosity within his heart, as if he had ever dated to investigate. He''d get a beating from his father for sure. "I never loved your mother. And I couldn''t because of my last relationship. I saved her, cared for her, never maltreated her and everything I did was with her consent. One day, I met with my ex and, out of spite, introduced Layla as my girlfriend. That was the only thing I''d ever done without discussing it with her first. I told her that if she wants to stay with me, she''d have to keep bearing the title of being my girlfriend and can''t fall in love with me and neither would I, and she agreed, to which we signed a contract on. The day, I found out about her family. I told her and she was so happy. To me, everything I had done was always logical and with reason, except for when it came to my ex-girlfriend. I told her that since she would be going to her parents, there was no need for the contract. Though she was sad, as for the reason, I guessed she had fallen for me. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It further fueled my reason to send her back to her parents. Since Layla started staying with me, she loved cooking for me. That night, I ate the food as usual, not suspecting anything. Who knew that she''d have drugged my food and so heavily at that. I didn''t even know what happened that night. I just knew that I woke up 3 days later. I was shocked when I was told that I had slipped into a 3-day coma after doing the deed with Layla. I didn''t want to believe it, but the truth is in front of me," Killan said with a wry smile forming on his lips. "You know, it would have been good if she wasn''t pregnant. I''d have sent her back to the Swiss family, and break off whatever relationship we had. I couldn''t tell her to abort you, so I married her. I thought she would be obedient as she had always been, but nope. She felt the need to make trouble, and I had to clean up her mess. Throughout the marriage, I never cheated on her for once. I was faithful both to her and to you and despite not loving her, I always did my best to be responsible." Killan paused for a moment and continued. "I didn''t think much of the mess she made, always telling myself that it''s my responsibility, but one day, she suddenly decided to go back to her family. I was surprised and, to be honest, happy. I had everything prepared and flew her to the Swiss family. I didn''t let her go alone and went with her. That was when I learned that she had once been married and they had a child before she was kidnapped and lost her memory. I also found out that she had actually regained her memory, which was why she wanted to go back to her family." Killan paused, a flicker of anger and hatred flashing in his eyes before he continued. "If everything had ended like that, it would have been better, but guess what she gave her husband and child as a meeting gift?" Killan said, his tone filled with mockery and anger. Zane slowly shook his head. He realized that his mother might have done something so unforgivable. His father could overlook some things as far as it was within his bottom line. But there are also things his father hates the most. Lies and betrayal. Anyone that did that to him never ended well. "During the period she drugged me, she had also made me sign a document to hand over my shares of DIOS company to her. Since I wasn''t aware of anything, I never realized that I was no longer the DIOS largest shareholder. I was so hurt and angry. I couldn''t help but wonder if I had ever wronged her. I treated her so well. Was it money? Care there was nothing she asked for that I didn''t give to her and it only grew after she had you. I asked her, since she had given them the shares, what about you? Did she not think for once that you''d inherit the company? She said she had done that, so that I could never leave her. And that as for you, that you only served to remind her that I never loved her, so how could she love you in return." Zane clenched his fist upon hearing his mother''s answer. Indeed, he was aware that his mom didn''t love him as other mothers loved their son, and in recent years, it was even more so. She no longer stayed at home, but always went to the Swiss family to enjoy her time with her son and that husband. She hadn''t even divorced Killan yet and she could already not sit still. Zane could count how many times he had seen his mother in the last 7 years. Zane felt his heart clutch. Now, he didn''t even know who to blame. He believed all his father had said. His father wouldn''t lie about such things. Besides, the signs were all over the place. Even a fool could put the pieces together. He didn''t know if to blame his father for never loving his mom? After all, knowing his father, he was someone who would always make things clear from the beginning, as he hated complications. He was well aware of what had happened to DIOS company. His eyes narrowed slightly as his memories drifted back to one day his father had come back drenched in rain and weary. Both his mom and dad had gone out together, yet only his dad came back. His father had always hated the attitude of smashing things when angry, smashed quite a lot of things due to anger. He didn''t dare confront his dad, and that was the first time he had seen his dad so angry and broken. That night, as usual, I was listening to the news. The habit of listening to news or reading newspaper had been trained by his father, who told him that some things that the normal folks are unaware of can be deduced from listening to news. That was when I found out that my father had lost his position as the chairman of the DIOS company and some accusations followed it. You could say that we had entered the worst era of our lives. Many called to ask what was going on? But Killan never said a word, only bottling up everything with him. "Dad, then why haven''t you divorced her?" Realizing that his mother had actually been the one to cause their lives to enter that dark era, he no longer felt any sympathy for her. "I did, but she is yet to sign the divorce papers." Killan said as he regulated his emotions, which had surged when he was told Zane about what had happened. Zane couldn''t help but imagine himself in his father''s shoes. If he was the one, he''d probably have killed them by now. "Give me a list of the shareholders." Killan finally said, breaking the atmosphere. "Okay." Zane said as he broke away from his thoughts. Using the iPad on his lap, he brought out the information and handed it over to Killan. "We have only one shareholder?" Killan said with a raised brow. "Yes, the person bought the shares of the smaller shareholders and became the second largest shareholder. "See if we can meet with the person today instead." Killan said, as he handed the iPad back to Zane. "Yes." Zane bowed and left, leaving Killan to immerse himself back into work. ========== I don''t think i brought out the emotions of both Zane and Killan well, but i hope i tried. Please enjoy the story and i wish y''all a Happy Christmas and Boxing Day. Sorry its coming late though and thank you all once again for you support. Please keep supporting me. Have a nice day. Chapter 140 - 138- ARC 4 {Guardian Book, Questions and Meet Up.} Zosia had planned to stay at home and account for her wealth, when she received a message from RQ company to meet. She thought for a moment and decided to send her home address for them to meet. She was already so busy and didn''t have the time to go to the company. While she was searching for something among her many inventory, she came across a paper. "Where did this come from?" She thought inwardly. Taking the paper into her hand, she unfurled it. She caressed the edges of the paper to remove the folds on it. Since it was an ancient paper, she made sure to be careful to avoid it from tearing. Who knows how long the paper had existed? As the was slowly unfurled it, she noticed it was blank at first and her brow couldn''t help but crease together. Her intuition told her that the paper didn''t seem that simple. Just as she planned to place the paper aside, she noticed that golden words slowly appeared on the paper. After each word was written, the golden ink faded and turned black, looking like it had been written with a blank ink. Zosia didn''t think she was seeing an illusion. She slowly read the words written on the paper. Though it wasn''t written in this world''s language but in soul language. Just seeing that it was written in soul language, it further confirmed her guess that the paper wasn''t simple. But the question remains, where had this paper come from? The words written on the paper read, "Create a Team so strong that no one knows the Leader. The sentence looked more like a quote and it didn''t seem to make sense to her. Her eyes flickered as she suddenly thought of something. Zosia was reminded of the fact that she wanted to create a team, a world. A team is too small to describe her ambitions. But, for the paper to show or tell her such words, it didn''t seem like a coincidence. Her expression became more somber. To this world and other worlds that she has been to, she probably seemed strong to them, but she knew herself better. In the soul world, she was nothing but an ant that could easily be crushed. "Am I perhaps in a rush?" She couldn''t help but ask herself the question inwardly, her mood further worsening. Leaning against the table, she allowed her mind to replay everything she had done since she became a Realm rider. As her memories finished replaying everything, she realized she has been too hasty. Even now, she only had a general direction of her future. Besides, who could say that their future could go according to their plans? Lost in a daze, she chastised herself. Why was she in a hurry? It''s not like as if, she even knows what would happen to her after completing the 10 Newbie missions. What about the department she would be assigned to? She didn''t even know about that either. Smacking her head, she realized that her life had probably been too smooth sailing which allowed her to dream big and forget that some things don''t happen because we wish for it to happen. "I have been so arrogant." She muttered, her face bearing a forlorn expression. It''s good she realized this early. She couldn''t help but I imagine if it had been any later, what would have happened? Just thinking about it, made her shiver with a chill running up her spine, causing her to stiffen. Zosia suddenly felt a little bit uneasy. Had she done something that could cost her? Or was someone after her life? Many questions and thoughts ran through her mind but she had answer to none of them. Looking at the paper once again, she realized that some words were being written on the paper. As she read through it, she realized that maybe the paper was a guide and it could only carryout its guidance through quotes. She realized how precious the paper was. "Is my luck this good?" She thought with a hint of skepticism. She didn''t believe that she was so lucky, that she could encounter items that may be at the B-SSS level in every world she entered. Reading through the quote that says, "Even the best things take time. Patience is a Virtue of the Wise." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She couldn''t help but agree with the quote and realized that what she had been doing, though good and all, was quite foolish and might seem even more so in front of those big shots. If she had carried on in this path, she was sure to encounter a huge steback, that may topple her plans and relegate her back to the grass root that she started from. "No wonder the ancients always say, those who think of themselves as clever end up toppling in their own schemes." Zosia watched as all the words written in the paper slowly disappeared, leaving a blank sheet of paper. She still didn''t understand how the stuff works, but she was grateful that it had at least help rein in her grand ambitions. Zosia didn''t know that her aura had also undergone a qualitative change. Before she was like a calm unsheathed sword. Her aura was so sharp yet calm and at the same time, eye catching that told others that she wasn''t simple. But now her aura was like a sheathed sword yet as calm as avast ocean that even a ripple would not be noticed. "Sigh!" Zosia couldn''t help but sigh as she thought of Kamal. What should she do? After all, she had promised that she would take him with her when she is gone. Besides, just imagining the vast amount of resources she had poured on the people she had also selected to go with her, her heart couldn''t help but ache. "Sigh! I will take it as a payment for the lesson well learned." She wasn''t sure if when she goes and the original owner returns, if the sudden change in character would alert them, making them guess some things that they shouldn''t. She and the original owner character was quite different yet similar. The host was not as ruthless as she was, nor was her heart as steadfast as her. Even some of her skills, the host didn''t have, but you could say that she had all the skills of the host. "Could she leave the mission world earlier?" She thought inwardly. Since she wasn''t sure, she decided to call on Asgar. It took a moment, but Asgar soon responded. The panel flickered for a moment, but soon Asgar''s cold yet mechanical voice sounded in her mind. "Can I leave the mission world earlier?" She asked, her tone calm and airy. There was a moment of silence, before Asgar respond. [I checked your mission box and it seems like everything has been fulfilled. You may leave when you want to, but note that the moment you decide to leave, you would have only one hour left in the mission world before returning to the soul World.] After hearing his response, Zosia thought for a moment and decided to suspend leaving for now. She still had to finish dealing with everything here. She wasn''t the type to leave the lose ends unattended. "Thank you. That was the only question I wanted to ask." Asgar hummed in response and disappeared. Zosia was sure he had left since she could no longer sense him. It suddenly reminded her of the question she once harboured in her mind. How could Asgar be the guardian of many people? Also why did he have a corporal body? Zosia knew that some things should be left as curiosity and should not be asked. Though curious but her curiosity didn''t reach the point of wanting to seek death. Zosia decided to quickly arrange everything. Since she had done some rethinking, you could say her road was much clearer and the things she didn''t have the heart to discard, could now be discarded with ease. Just as she was done, she heard a knock on her study door. "Miss, the guest is here." A voice from the other end of the door said. Looking at her filthy self, Zosia decided to have a good wash before meeting with them. "Serve them well, I will be done in 15 minutes." The moment she said that, she immediately woshed into the bathroom. ----- Downstairs... The butler quickly served Killan and Zane, asking if they needed anything. "When would your master be done?" Killan asked. It was his first time having to wait for someone, especially as he was used to being in power. The butler smiled as she responded, "In 15 minutes, Sir." Zane was quite surprised by the house interior. He knew that any stray thing here was worth millions, if possible more. Thinking about how the person was able to buy their shares and even the shares of the other shareholders without blinking, he felt that it made sense for the person to be filthy rich. Ever since that incident were his father lost the DIOS company and started creating the RQ Company, his father had began teaching him the ropes. So, he had always followed his dad and had met many people, so you could say he has a trained eyes for things. Killan didn''t like being kept on wait and his mood after that conversation with his son wasn''t anything good, and this wait further served to incense him. Unfortunately, he could only wait. Killan decided to calm himself by drinking his tea. As he took a sip, he realized that the tea probably had some special effects as his mind became clearer, sharper and even his emotions became calmer. "Good tea." He couldn''t help but praise. "You have a good taste." Hearing the voice that he hadn''t heard in ages, Killan became dumbstruck. He felt that his ears must be playing tricks on him and looked up. His gaze following the person that came down the stairs. "Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" Killan muttered, his heart rate spicking up. He could even hear the thumping of his own heart against his rib cage. Zane who had stood up to greet, noticed that something was off between his father and the woman. "Auriel!" Killan called out tentatively. His hand trembling as he stared at her in a daze. ============= {A/N: The Quotes above where made up on the spot, so in case there is any similarity with any Quotes, please do tell me. For now, i don''t think there should be any similarity. Also, the plan to add some sensual parts had to be scrapped. Though it''s sad for me to start the month with a poor update, unfortunately, I can''t help it. I have side gigs that I take up, plus school and this. I don''t really have much time, but I can only do as much as I can. Thank you all for your support throughout this year. I can''t tell y''all how grateful I am. Happy New Month and Happy New Year to each and everyone of you. I hope I can start this New Year with a New Arc. So, let''s see if it works out. Thank you all once again and have a nice day. Don''t forget to support me in your own little way and I appreciate every comment, gift, Golden tickets, power stones, etc that is given to this book. } Chapter 141 - 139- ARC 4 {Tying up lose ends} "Auriel!" Killan called out tentatively. His hands trembling as he stared at her in a daze. He didn''t know when he stood up, his leg carrying him to the person he had always imagined in his dream. After their farewell conversation many years ago. He had never heard from her again. Killan realized that during his relationship with Auriel, neither of them had actually understood the other. Their communication was so poor that everything they did could lead to a misunderstanding, and with each of them bearing their own pride, neither was willing to clear up the air. Killan realized the only thing he ever did was apologize. He never asked why, only enduring and putting up with Auriel and it only led to his twisted sense of love and accumulated dissatisfaction. But after their conversation that day, he realized how twisted and funny their relationship was. When he was reborn, he was filled with anger about the past and didn''t want to associate with her, so he didn''t even know how she was doing. The anger further blinded him that he always thought that his brother was in love with Auriel. Despite his brother denying it countless times, he refused to believe it and only believed it when neither of them had contacted each other for a year and counting. Twenty - Five years later, they still hadn''t contacted each other, even a fool would realize that their communication had been based on their connection with him. When Zosia had given all those gifts to him during their last conversation, he thought she would ask for them to get back together, but after her long lengthy talk and advice, he realized that it might probably be a farewell message and he wasn''t wrong. After that day, he no longer heard about her. It was like as if she had disappeared, even searching online for the headlines she once made, he realized that they couldn''t be found. It was like she vanished and even with his connections and power, he couldn''t find her. He didn''t even have a clue about where she was or her well being. It was on that same day¡ª that they had that conversation¡ª that Layla drugged him. Actually, he could just have Layla bear the child and take care of the child by himself, but remembering the words Auriel had spoken to him. He decided to marry Layla, though he straightforwardly told her that he couldn''t love her. Was he wrong for marrying Layla despite having someone else in his heart? Even after he lost DIOS, he wasn''t left with nothing. After all a rabbit should have 3 burrows and as a Mafia Don, DIOS only served as a front cover, so he was okay losing it. Besides, he felt he owed Layla which was why he hadn''t made things difficult for her, else she''d be 6 ft below the ground by now, regardless of her being from the Swiss family. Right now, looking at Auriel who stood before him, his emotions were in a riot. He loved her and still does, at the same time he hated how she had left him without looking back. "Auriel!?" He called out tentatively once again, taking her hand into his. Zosia offered him a smile and led him back to the chair. "It''s indeed me." She gently tried to remove her hand from his, but Killan wasn''t budging, rather his grip tightened, like as if he was afraid she would disappear. Gently patting his hand, she couldn''t help but remind him. "I think you should let it go, now." She said with a smile. He tightened his grip on her hand, as if afraid she would vanish again. His eyes searched hers, looking for answers, for reassurance. Zosia gently patted his hand, her smile patient but firm. "Killan," she said softly, "you need to let go now." He hesitated, his hand trembling. "I¡­ I can''t believe it''s you. After all these years¡­" She nodded, her expression unreadable. "It''s been a long time. But we''re here now." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zane, who had been silently observing from the corner, cleared his throat. "Dad, maybe we should sit down and talk. That''s why we''re here, isn''t it?" Killan blinked, as if just remembering his son''s presence. Reluctantly, he let Auriel''s hand slip from his grasp and sat back down. Zane looked between the two of them, his sharp eyes picking up on the tension. "I didn''t expect to find you here," Killan said finally, his voice quieter. "It seems you are living well." "Indeed I am." Zosia responded, her smile polite. Zosia glanced at the tea, seeing that it wouldn''t last, she called the butler who though not close was neither far as well. "Refill the tea." Zosia ordered softly. Killan''s eyes narrowed slightly. "Why didn''t you reach out? Why hide yourself all these years?" Zosia met his gaze directly, her voice steady. "Hide? That''s a wrong word my friend. I never hide. Besides, we both made our choices. You made yours and I made mine." "You two have a lot to talk about," Zane couldn''t help but interrupt. "But maybe we should start with why we''re really here. Business first, emotions later." Zosia chuckled softly, breaking the tension. "Spoken like a true businessman." Zane could already guess the relationship between his father and the lady. "Tsk, Dad really has a good eye for women." Zane thought inwardly. Unlike what one would expect that a 50 year old woman to look like. She looked like she was in her late twenties. The body shape, the... Cough... Zane interrupted his thoughts, before his dirty mind would assume something else. But he had to say that she is really beautiful. Now he understood why his father still couldn''t let go. If he was the one in his father shoes, he wouldn''t let go as well. He may even kidnap her and lock her up. She''d be his and his alone. Zane cleared his throat as he began discussing business with her, while his father sat by the side, supervising him. He knew that his father emotions were probably in turmoil and his mind may not be here, so he wasn''t suitable to discuss the business proposition. The discussion lasted for quite a while. By the time they were done, it was already night. "Please stay for dinner, if you don''t mind." Zosia said calmly. Zosia had said it out of courtesy, who knew that Killan and his son would really stay. By the time they were done with the meal and it was time for them to leave, Killan was reluctant to go. Just as he was about to propose staying in Auriel''s house for the night, his son whispered something in his ear. "Dad, currently your status is that of a married man. You can''t do anything that would give her a leverage to use it against you or Miss Auriel. Besides, do you even know if miss Auriel is married?" Hearing his son''s words, he realized that he had indeed not thought about, especially with his already muddled mind. Before he wasn''t interested in if Layla signed the divorce papers or not, but now it was different. As for the ''her'' Zane mentioned, it was referring to Layla of course. Layla had never for once treated him like her son, so it was easy for him to quickly shed the title of calling her mom. Just as they were leaving, they bumped into Kamal who was rushing to share the good news to his sister. With the help of that blue liquid, not only was his sister and mother healed, but there was no sequel and even their hidden injuries were taken care of. After they had gotten healed, he had settled them down which took so much of his time, else he would have returned earlier. Killan upon meeting the young man, was reminded of the face he had seen in the shareholder profile. "Could it be her son? Was she married?" He thought inwardly. Killan didn''t dare think further. Only just these few thoughts and he almost had a heart attack. "I will ask her when next we meet." Killan thought inwardly, his gait which had slowed down resumed in its normal pace. After a simple exchange of greeting, they each went their own way, with each having different thoughts. ------- A few days later.... Killan who hadn''t bothered Layla about the divorce, began pressuring her to sign it. When her current husband learnt that she still hasn''t signed the divorce document, it sparked a huge quarrel between them. Even her sons from different husband didn''t spare her in the quarrel. Layla didn''t understand why Killan who had been casual about the signing of the document was suddenly pressuring her to sign it. "Was he seeing another woman? Could he be cheating on me?" More thoughts sprouted in her mind but all were in the direction, that she was being cheated upon. Killan even threatened to take her to court, if she doesn''t sign it. To save face, she could only sign it against her will. As usual, whenever she is unhappy, she would splurge on shopping. Who knew that she would stumble on the same woman whom had caused the strain in her relationship with Killan. If eyes could kill, she would have killed the person 10 times over. ----------- Thank you all for your support (???????). I really appreciate it. Happy New Year and Happy New Month to everyone. Thank you for your support throughout last year. I hope you don''t drop the book, but keep supporting me this year as well in your own little way. Thank you and have a nice day. Chapter 142 - 140- Arc 4 Ends As usual, whenever she is unhappy, she would splurge by going shopping. Who knew that she would stumble on the same woman whom had caused the strain in her relationship with Killan. If eyes could kill, she would have killed the person 10 times over. Layla glared at her, wanting to spit fire through her eyes to burn the bitch to ashes. Layla walked up to Zosia who was walking beside Kamal with the sales manager dutifully following behind her. "Auriel!" Layla called out, making Zosia turn to look at her. A hint of confusion passed through Zosia''s eyes for a moment before regaining clarity and she finally remembered who the person was. Recognizing the person who called her, she gave a small smile, wondering what she wanted. Layla smiled back in return despite her eyes being filled with jealousy. Staring at the face that was still looking so young with no blemish and even the wrinkles were non existent, while she on the other hand, was already having crow feet beside her eyes. Walking up to Auriel, she took her arms naturally, like as if they were close. Zosia frowned at the closeness and attempted to remove her hand gently, when Layla started her theatrics. "Ria are you married?" Layla asked, a small smile playing on her face as she schemed in her mind on how to make Auriel embarrassed. Zosia looked at the hidden glint in Layla''s eyes and could tell what she was planning. She thought Layla would be different from other ladies, but it seems like she was wrong. When investigating RQ company, she had only investigated about the company and to know who the owner was, she had never investigated into Killan''s life or thought about him since their parting many years ago, else, she probably wouldn''t have been surprised by Layla''s attitude. "No. But this is my son." Zosia held Kamal''s hand and introduced him to Layla. Kamal had noticed the thick jealousy and venomous glint in Layla''s eyes, so he didn''t have a good opinion about such a person. "It''s nice to meet you Mrs. Layla." Kamal said with a smile and Layla smiled back in return, but who knows if the smile was from her heart. "Then Ria, could it be you are here for Killan?" Layla asked, her gaze on Auriel''s face, watching her expressions and emotions, not letting one of them to slip past her. Layla noticed that Zosia was confused for a moment, then her eyes rolled trying to remember the person attributed to such name. Looking at Auriel and realizing that she wasn''t acting, her face fell. What did this mean? "Oh! You mean your boyfriend, then?" Zosia said like as if she was saying a statement while asking tentatively, like she wasn''t sure of her answer. Layla hands clenched, but she forgot that her hands were wrapped around Auriel''s own, therefore causing pain to Zosia, who frowned slightly in response. "Am I right? It seems like I am." Zosia said with a smile and continued, "It''s been so long, I never thought I''d still remember any of you. How are you all doing? I am sure you and Killan must have gotten married. How are your kids?" Zosia asked enthusiastically. Layla laughed nervously. She realized that she had thrown a stone on her own feet. Just from this few interaction, she could tell that just like her investigation, Zosia and Killian had not come in contact since they separated so many years ago, so everything had been her own delusion. Layla lowered her head to her hands which had been used to destroy her own marriage. Her eyes suddenly flashed. No, she wasn''t the one that destroyed her marriage. Her marriage was destroyed because Killan still had this bitch in mind. Why is she still even alive? Layla glanced at Kamal who stood beside Auriel, his back straight and his steps confident. She then thought of the son she had before she lost her memory who couldn''t even compare to Kamal''s aura and jealousy surged in her heart. ''This bitch is living well and even her son is better than mine.'' Layla realized that she has lost to Auriel without even knowing. Auriel was still better looking than her, her son was even more handsome than hers. Feeling uncomfortable, she released her hold on Auriel, her mind filled with thoughts on how to embarrass Auriel without embarrassing herself. "It seems like no one came to accompany you." Zosia said, her gaze looking around the place before landing back on Layla. "How could none of your children come to accompany you? Sigh! It seems like they are so busy. Unlike mine here." Zosia said, patting Kamal on his hand, her smile filled with doting. Layla smile froze at the Mention of her children. The child she had with Killan had long since stopped talking to her and the other one prefers staying with his father to work. "Indeed my children are busy. Unlike you, I don''t dare use filial pity to disrupt their work." Layla said. She had noticed that some people were slowly crowding at the scene while some who looked like they were shopping, still had their ears here. "Unfortunately, it seems like Mrs. Layla can''t tell the difference between filial pity and love. He loves me¡ª his mother and decides to take some time off to accompany me, besides, when he gets married all this would go to his wife. So are you saying I shouldn''t enjoy this bit of company between mother and son?" Zosia retorted but she didn''t stop at that. "I understand that Mrs. Layla must feel heartbroken that your sons can''t accompany you, after all, they are busy making money for you to go shopping." Zosia said, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Indeed. I don''t have a fortune like Ms. Auriel, even dragging the person making the money to join you to squander it." Layla said coldly. Zosia smiled and said, "Mrs. Layla has misunderstood. This is my mall and my building. My son and I are just doing routine checking. Don''t tell me you don''t go to check your business to see if they are doing well or not. Just like I suspected, everything is going fine and every customer is well satisfied." Hearing Auriel''s words, Layla pinched her handkerchief which didn''t feel good as pinching on someone''s skin. Layla could hear the implicit meaning behind each words and was furious, but knowing that she may not get Auriel embarrassed today, she could only twist her handkerchief in hatred. Even her desire to shop wanned, especially with the shop owner being Auriel. "Since, Ria isn''t here to shop, I won''t delay you any longer." Zosia smiled on response, "Indeed you shouldn''t. Have a nice shopping." Looking at the smile on Auriel''s face, Layla felt like slapping her and scratching those beautiful face that could still mesmerize men despite already being in her fifties. Even her body remained fit and still had the right curves and proportions, unlike hers which had gotten flat with time. Layla snorted and left. If she kept staying here, she wasn''t sure if things would end peacefully. It''s very likely that she would carryout what she had in mind. Zosia watched Layla leave, her almost bony yet soft hips, swaying left and right as she walked away. A sharp glint surfaced in Zosia''s eyes. She realized that she still needed to investigate Killan else something might happen and her investment may end up going down the drain. "Should she investigate it or have him tell her." She thought inwardly, her hand caressing the jade bangle that she had carved. In this life, the skill she had learnt was carving and some mystic arts. When she had first arrived in this country with Kamal, she had almost had her fortune stolen by a family who was in the same business as her. Luckily due to her spiritual power, she had broken the curse and made the person suffer the backlash. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This further prompted her to learn them. She sought different masters and made sure to learn with due diligence. She even took up painting, though due to her last life of being an Imperial Princess, painting was easy for her. She also learnt about other types of painting, further improving her skills. She never forgot about practicing her skills and had many things she had done in store. One of her paintings in this world could go from 50 million to a hundred million or more depending, with her carvings not imbued with spiritual power going from 200 million and above. Imagine the one with spiritual power, how much it could go for if she sold it. But, she never sold them,only giving them to people whom she has date with. Her carvings were something that could even save a life. Using the carvings and some basic array knowledge that she had learnt from the mystic arts of this world, she could imbued a protection array in the carvings and make it protect its owner. In her life as an Imperial Princess, she had learnt military arrays, but she still haven''t found a way to carve them on the materials she used due to its complexity. "Mom, should I deal with her?" Kamal lowered his head and whispered in her ear. Since, she had introduced him as her son, Kamal took up the role of her son. Infact, Kamal found nothing wrong with it, since Auriel had acted as both his sister and mother in various areas of his life. Zosia glanced at Kamal, realizing that she still had to find a way to tell him that she wouldn''t be taking any of them again. "Sigh! What problem have I caused." Zosia lamented inwardly. "No need. Wait until she strikes first." Zosia said and continued walking, her gaze landing on different things in the shop. The crowd which had gathered had long since dispersed after Layla left. -------- Than night, Zosia finally explained to Kamal that she would be unable to take him away again as assured. It took hours to convince him and some back and forth arguments, but it was worth it. But, seeing how down he was the next day, she could only pray that he adapts easily. Luckily, this had happened before she finally left. It took a while but things fell back in order, though there was one thing that seemed strange. And that strange thing was Killan. He keeps coming to see her, finding various reasons just to be with her. There were some things Zosia hated handling the most and one of them was emotional entanglements. Emotional entanglements to Zosia were just complicated, very complicated if she was to give her own opinion. Thso was why she preferred leaving such things to the host to deal with as she knew her place very well. Also, if she were to handle it the way she wants to, it may become an irreparably relationship. Looking at the city night sky, a small smile played on her lips as she twirled the wine glass that held wine in it. "It''s time." Time for what you may ask. Time to leave. Downing the last cup of the wine, she dropped the wine glass cup and laid on her bed, ready to leave this world. By tomorrow, the body will be returned to its original owner, as for how she would handle the things she had left behind for her. Zosia was kind enough to leave her a manual and detailed accounts of everything. As for what would happen next, she didn''t care. After this world, she planned to run through the remaining five to quickly reach the 10th Task. "Goodbye Everyone. It was nice meeting Y''all." After that, Zosia closed her eyes. The next day when the eyes opened, the souls had changed. Auriel looked at her surroundings, the memories for the past years she had been absent in this body came gushing into her mind. Tears poured out from her eyes. She was grateful to the person who had loved her life. The person had been careful not to damage her life, reputation or anything. She was happy and at the same time grateful. If it were before she had experienced her end, she would have said that since she paid the person, the person was supposed to do a good job. But after suffering the harsh reality that befell her, she realized that even if someone took the job as far as the outcome was what she wanted, the process wouldn''t matter and the person wouldn''t care about interpersonal relationship, only feeling that they should fulfill their tasks. Auriel sighed. Wiping her tears, she kowtowed. She didn''t know where that person had gone but she felt that she should do this. ---------- The next day, Kamal and Killan arrived at the house at the same time. Auriel upon seeing Kamal, she felt more grateful to that person, even though her memories of the person were begining to fade as she could no longer grasp anything. As for how she would live her life from now on. She would be carefree and live as a salted fish. As for Killan, she no longer felt anything for him and would just watch how everything turns out. Later, in that same year, she heard that due to the Swiss family struggle, Layla had died and her husband had become a cripple with her son clinging onto the eaves of what was left for him. Zane had a better life following his father and also supported his father in chasing back his beloved. As for if his father could get back together with Miss Auriel, it would depend on his father capability. The End of this ARC. -------------------- The next ARC is loading ??????????? Thank you all for your support. I can''t say thank you enough. Have a nice day and thank you. Chapter 143 - 141 - Soul Monster Zosia''s breath hitched the moment she appeared in her system space. Alarm bells echoed in her mind, a warning so loud and urgent that it was impossible to ignore. Her heart hammered against her ribs as her sharp eyes scanned the room. Nothing seemed out of place, but her instincts screamed otherwise¡ªa deep, primal unease that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Her instincts had never failed her. Suppressing the chill that snaked down her spine, Zosia tapped on the screen to claim her rewards. The faint glow of the interface was the only source of light in the room, but even it couldn''t soothe her growing anxiety. Her hand hesitated, hovering above the screen. Her eyes twitched involuntarily, and every nerve in her body demanded she leave this place. Biting her lower lip, she forced herself to press the button, collecting the rewards without even checking what they were. It was unlike her, but her unease had become unbearable. Something was wrong¡ªterribly wrong. The Soul World was vast, complex, and full of dangers. Its sub-soul worlds, each with their own characteristics and inhabitants, were in a constant state of unrest. During rare periods when barriers weakened, sub-soul worlds would clash, leading to chaos and instability. System spaces like Zosia''s, positioned at the very edges of the Soul World, were the most vulnerable. Even though, there were towers that protected the soul world, the system spaces at the periphery also acted as the first line of defense, often becoming the target of invading forces or wandering threats. And among these threats were soul monsters. These grotesque entities emerged from the deeper, darker recesses of the Soul World, preying on the weakened edges. They were unpredictable and deadly, their arrival heralding destruction. Zosia''s instincts screamed louder. She didn''t have the luxury of hesitation. Without resting, she tapped on the next mission. The screen flickered briefly before displaying her new objective. Wasting no time, she pressed "Accept." The moment she did, her body was enveloped in light, vanishing from the space just as the air behind her twisted violently. A soul monster erupted into her system space. The creature was monstrous, a manifestation of pure malice. Its form was unstable, shifting and warping as though reality itself rejected its existence. Black, ichor-like tendrils slithered across the floor, leaving trails of decay in their wake. The ground beneath it withered, and the vibrant energy of the space recoiled as though trying to flee. Its eyes¡ªhundreds of them¡ªglowed with a sickly yellow light, darting around the room as it searched for prey. The air grew heavy, suffused with an oppressive darkness that made the once-serene system space feel tainted and malevolent. The creature emitted a low, guttural growl that echoed through the room, a sound that could freeze even the bravest heart. The soul monster had been drawn to Zosia''s space by a disturbance in the Soul World, or so one might think. The weakening of the barriers had allowed it to breach her defenses, targeting her system space at the periphery. It was a predator, and it sensed the faint remnants of her presence. Frustration emanated from its writhing form as it prowled the empty space, searching for what had narrowly escaped its grasp. With a deafening roar, the soul monster''s frustration turned to rage. It lashed out, its tendrils striking the walls of the space and leaving behind scars of void-like nothingness. This creature, a product of the Soul World''s most sinister depths, sought to consume all in its path. Since, its prey wasn''t here, it decided to go after other shrimps. But then, a blinding light cut through the darkness. The light was sharp, searing, and it struck the monster with unrelenting force. The creature howled in agony, its numerous eyes flashing with hatred and fear. It recoiled, trying to retreat, but a sudden space warp blocked its escape. A figure emerged from the light¡ªLucian. His eyes emotionless as he wielded his power, striking at the creature without hesitation. "Halt!" The creature shouted, but Lucian had no intention of stopping. "Wait, I have an information to share with you." The creature pleaded, fearing that Lucian would strike at it once more, it''s body trembling with fear. It''s numerous eyes flashed. A scheming glint appearing in its depth while there was a flicker of hope and fear. "I don''t care about your information." Lucian said closing, swinging his sword once more. Since he had tested the strength of the creature, it was time to kill it. Lucian eyes flashed coldly as he swung his sword in a horizontal slash. "It''s Lady Elara Von Kyrath that sent me. If you deal with me, she definitely wouldn''t let you go." The creature threatened. Unfortunately, that didn''t phase Lucian who struck down on the creature. As for Lady Elara Von Kyrath, he had a way to deal with her. With one final, devastating blow, the soul monster let out a bloodcurdling scream before disintegrating into nothingness. Lucian stood amidst the emptiness of what remained. Zosia''s system space, once vibrant and full of life, was now hollow. The walls were scarred, the air still heavy with the residue of the monster''s presence. He sighed, his expression unreadable as he surveyed the devastation. "What a mess." He muttered, the deep pools of his eyes calm and undisturbed, his thoughts and emotions unreadable. When Zosia returned, she would find her system space gone, reduced to a chilling reminder of the Soul World''s dangers. The ever-present threats that lurked beyond the fragile barriers were now no longer abstract to her¡ªthey were a terrifying reality she would have to face. Just as the last traces of the monster''s presence faded, the space trembled. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A ripple spread outward, distorting the air like heat waves on a scorching day. Then, in the blink of an eye, five figures materialized. Each of them was clad in gleaming silver uniforms, the metallic fabric reflecting the eerie glow of the broken system space. Their presence was imposing, their postures rigid and disciplined. These were not ordinary people¡ªthey were enforcers of order in the Soul World. Lucian barely spared them a glance. His deep, unreadable gaze lingered on the shattered remains of the space before he turned away. "The monster has been dealt with. The rest is up to you." he said in a voice as cold and detached as ever. Before any of them could respond, his figure blurred, then vanished, swallowed by the void. The leader of the newly arrived team, a tall man with sharp features and an air of authority, exhaled heavily. His silver eyes remained fixed on the empty spot where Lucian had stood just moments ago. His mind whirled with thoughts. "The Soul World will become more turbulent." he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His brows knitted together, concern flashing in his eyes before he schooled his expression back into neutrality. A younger man among them, his face angular and still carrying the sharpness of youth, scanned the space warily. His dark eyes flickered with unease as he took in the lingering energy of the battle. He frowned. "Captain," he said, his voice laced with worry. "How did this monster manage to bypass the tower guards?" His fingers curled into fists at his sides, tension evident in his posture. "It was a Level 5 monster," he continued, his frown deepening. "Any of us here could have handled it, though it would have taken some effort. But the real question is¡ªhow did it get in?" His voice wavered slightly, betraying the fear creeping up his spine. The Captain glanced at him, his silver eyes cool and unreadable. But before he could answer, another member of the team¡ªa man older than the rest, his hair streaked with silver despite his youthful face¡ªspoke up. "You''re new, so you wouldn''t know," the older man said, stepping further into the ruined space. His voice carried a knowing edge, tinged with bitterness. "Some big shots use methods like this to get rid of people they see as nuisances." The square-faced man who had first questioned the Captain went pale. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, the color draining from his face. His eyes darted around the space, as if seeing it in a new light. "So... this wasn''t just an accident?" he asked, his voice quieter now filled with dread. The older man scoffed. "Accidents rarely happen in the Soul World, rookie. Everything here has a purpose. Someone wanted the owner of this space gone." He kicked at a broken fragment of the ground, watching as it crumbled to dust beneath his boot. The young man shivered, suddenly feeling the weight of the Soul World''s hidden politics pressing down on him. He had heard rumors before, but seeing it firsthand was different. "Is the owner of this space¡­ still alive?" he asked hesitantly, his voice almost hopeful. A woman, the only female among them, was crouched near a cluster of residual energy, her hands glowing faintly as she analyzed the remnants of the battle. She didn''t look up as she answered, her tone calm but firm. "They should be. The system space is still intact, which means the owner is alive¡ªsomewhere." She rose to her feet, brushing her hands together as if dusting off invisible residue. "But for how long? That depends on who they''ve crossed." The atmosphere grew heavier at her words. The group stood in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. While they processed the implications, another member began erasing the traces left behind by the monster, his hands glowing with purification energy. Wisps of dark mist curled and dissolved beneath his touch. The Captain watched for a moment before stepping back. "Now, the only thing left to do is assign the owner to a new system space," he said, his voice steady but it further served to remind them that without power, they would forever be treated as ants, not worth mentioning. There was no point in keeping the ruins of this place. The Soul World did not tolerate remnants of failure. A soft chime broke the silence. The Captain pulled out a sleek, metallic device and glanced at the screen. A single message blinked at him. It was a message sent to him by his direct superior. Imagining the superior''s voice, he read the message. "Destroy the place and get back." Those simple words, a simple command, yet it somehow chilled his heart which had gone through so many muddy waters. His jaw tightened slightly. It was as he had suspected. This wasn''t just about clearing a corrupted space¡ªit was a direct order from above. Someone powerful wanted this place erased, along with any lingering traces of its existence. But why? Who had the owner angered? The Captain didn''t have those answers. And besides, it wasn''t his place to ask. He exhaled slowly, shoving the questions aside. "Since we''re done here, let''s move out," he said firmly. With a final nod to his team, he turned away as the last remnants of the system space collapsed into nothingness, its anchor point dissolving into the void. A portal shimmered into existence behind them, swirling with silver light. One by one, they stepped through, their figures vanishing into the unknown. And then, silence. The space that once existed was now gone, leaving behind only emptiness. ========== Thank you very much everyone, especially you (Mathew_Phelps). I am more than grateful for your constant support. I am also thankful to others who are also supporting me, both silently and with their own little token. Thank you all and I really appreciate. Chapter 144 - 142- A New Arc {ARC 5} "Second Young master!" "Second Young master!!!" "Second Young master ...Bad News!" A servant rushed in, his appearance dishelved as he approached the bed. Zosia opened her eyes upon hearing the voice. A little disoriented, she slowly took in the environment of where she was. She turned to face the servant who was separated from the bed by the curtain with a detach and serene gaze. "What happened?" Her voice hoarse and deep. Hearing her voice, her eyes flew wide open in shock. "Am I?!" Zosia touched her body frantically, her mind not daring to think about such a possibility. "I am a.... Male?!" She muttered in disbelief. Realizing her current body gender, she was so stunned, that she even felt a chill run down her spine. Closing her eyes in despair. She thought that she wouldn''t encounter any gender issues, until the Newbie period was over. "Second young master, the master has died in battle as for the first young master, his life and death is currently unknown." The servant reported with deep sorrow filling his voice. Now that the Master was gone and what was left was the second young master who was known throughout the city as a dandy, unable to carry the family lineage. The servant sighed in despair. Their lives as servants would probably get harder. "Does anyone else know about this?" Zosia asked, trying to gleam as much information as she could before accepting the memories. "Apart from the Madam. News have yet to reach here. We had only heard it from the messenger the Master sent back, telling us that he had died in battle and should prepare." Prepare what? Prepare for the vultures who can''t wait to swoon down and eat them up. "Is the messenger still here?" "Yes. He is currently on the brink of death. And the Madam has fainted." The servant answered, his mind whirling with thoughts of what the young master wanted to do. "Use the best doctors we can get to sustain him and arrange the servants. If possible, gather all of them at the front yard. I will be there soon." Zosia commanded and the servant upon hearing the orders, rushed to execute it. Zosia took a deep breath before accepting the memories which flooded into her mind. After accepting the memories, she came to understand her situation better. Zosia''s gaze moved to the ring on index finger, which usually looked quite inconspicuous among the many rings the dandy young master usually wore. "Such wonderful ring." Zosia commented, her eyes gleaming with radiant light. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ring had the ability of changing a person''s gender to the opposite gender, including the voice, face and the reproductive organs. When the host mother was about to put to bed, the royal family had called them to the palace, under the guise of congratulating him about his pregnant wife. But, rather it sealed the future of the unborn child. The host mother hadn''t been able to take in since she got married to the Duke and the Duke being a loving person refused to take in a concubine, but his mother didn''t think the same. The old madam drugged him and schemed to have him bed the person she had always had in mind. The woman took in quickly and gave birth to a boy, who is the current young master. Unfortunately, she died while giving birth. Many thought it was the Duke''s main wife who had killed her, but the doctors brought by the old madam whom had wanted to cause a ruckus, confirmed that the concubine was already suffering due to the pregnancy and after she gave birth, the vitality which she had been using to sustain herself and the child was depleted and she couldn''t hold on. Even the Imperial Physician had confirmed the same thing, leading to the old woman to be racked up with guilt. Just as the host mother name was cleared, the old madam suddenly said that the host mother, should mother the child. The host mother had argued that she didn''t dare. What if something happens while she was taking care of the child and she is blamed for something she knows nothing about. That since the old Madam had loved the child''s mother so much, she should take care of her grandchild. The old Madam cursed and said that, she didn''t dare take care of a child that had the guts to take it''s own mother''s life. Even the Daoist of the divination faction had proclaimed that the child was a black star. This further steeled the old Madam''s heart that she didn''t even want to stay with the Duke anymore and left to live with her second son, afraid that something would happen to her. And her mother had no choice but to take care of the child, even though she didn''t want to. Few years later, the host mother got pregnant. During the host mother third trimester, the Duke who had returned valiantly from war with many military merits was called to the palace along with the host mother to congratulate them as well as offer them some praise. The king probed the Duke when he arrived and realized that the Duke had planned to stop going to war while surrending military power, which should have assured the king. But, the king wasn''t fully assured and feared that such a man would give birth to children that would usurp him. Taking the current Duke house young master who was better than the King sons in many aspects. He feared that if left unchecked that things would go awry. The king then called the Imperial Divine Daoist to divine the child future. The King despite knowing that divining a person without the permission of the child parents were wrong, he still did it. The Duke''s face upon seeing the Daoist try to discern his unborn child future, was as dark as it could get. He had learnt a lesson about divining a child''s future from his first son. Even though he was still the Duke, there are already oppositions concerning his position due to the prophecy from that Daoist. He turned to look at his pale wife, who was anything but fine. She could only endure it. When the Daoist was done and he gave the prophecy, she knew that her child''s future had become bleak. To protect her child, she has to curb the child''s brilliance. The Daoist was shocked when he received the results of his divination. He knew that he had to say the truth, because lying would hinder his own cultivation. He looked at the couple who had pale looks and a flash of pity crossed his eyes. "The heavens have opened their eyes, and fate has woven a thread unlike any before. A child shall be born, a daughter of unparalleled brilliance. Her talent in cultivation is one in a million¡ªno mountain, no river, no storm shall bar her path. From the moment she draws breath, the world shall tremble, for she is destined to rise, towering above all, an insurmountable peak that none shall surpass. Glory shall follow her footsteps, her name etched into eternity, sung in the tongues of men and spirits alike. Yet, even in death, her radiance shall not fade, for the echoes of her might will never be forgotten. Thus, the stars decree, and the Dao affirms¡ªnone shall obstruct her destiny." Unlike the happiness that should be expected from the couple, they were unhappy, even to the extent that the host mother fainted. The King despite the fake smile that adorned his face, anybody could tell that he was unhappy. It would be more appropriate to say that he wants to kill them at that moment. "Since, the Duke''s wife is not feeling too good and is pregnant, let her stay in the palace till she gives birth." The king ordered. But the Duke wasn''t going to give in to the King this time. He was even ready to go into a full blown fight of it needs be and escape with his child and pregnant wife. After some argument, the King relented but sent some guards to them, in the name of protection. When the host was born, the so called guards attacked to kill the host and if possible wipe out the family, but due to the ring her mother had put in her index finger, her gender was changed to a male. After the Duke relinquished his title, some wealth and other things, the King was still unsatisfied and only relented, when he had the Duke make a promise to him that he would enter the battlefield one more time when needed. The Duke promised, only if he would spare his family. Now, that one last mission had taken the Duke''s life and the fate of the eldest son was unknown. She could tell that soon, the King would come for them. The king can''t wait to wipe them out and now that they already have a chance to do so, they wouldn''t step back. Zosia gave a deep sigh after understanding the ins and out of the matter. ======= Thank you all for your support last month and all through the course of this novel. Thank you and I hope, you can keep supporting me. Have a nice day and enjoy this chapter. Chapter 145 - 143- ARC 5 Zosia entered her space and quickly washed up. After dressing up, she left the space. Appearing back in the room, she decided to check out the mission while going see the injured messenger. [MISSION: MAIN TASK: SUBVERT THE CURRENT KING RULE. TASK 2: CULTUVATE AND GET STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT MY FAMILY. TASK 3: TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY. TIME LIMIT: UNTIL ALL TASK IS COMPLETED.] Zosia looked at the time limit, "So I can either go slow or fast in completing the task, but if I die, then that''s end game for me." Zosia muttered as she arrived at the room where the messenger was kept. "How is he?" Zosia asked the moment she stepped inside after making the panel disappear. "Not good" the doctor said as he began mentioning how badly injured the messenger was. "His vital organs were injured, now, I can only maintain his vitality. Surviving now would depend on him or if an immortal is willing to save him." The doctor commented. Zosia looked at the messenger who was yet to be cleaned and the bamboo he kept clutching. She walked up to his side and used her hands to pry the object out of his hands. She didn''t open it right away. "Thank you for your hard work. Unfortunately, this may be the last time we would meet." Zosia said with a smile, scaring the doctor so much that he whimpered. "Am I going to get killed?!" The do tor fearfully asked. "No. Why would you think that way." Zosia laughed as she said with the doctor laughing along, but you could tell that he was still afraid. "It''s us that are getting killed." Zosia added with a serious tone. The doctor was stunned and didn''t know how or what to respond. Zosia didn''t mind and left the place. She didn''t have the time to fathom the thoughts of a doctor when she still had to deal with some servants. Walking out of the room, her steps took her to the hall where all the servants were gathered. From afar, she could hear their voices with each of them speculating different things. The moment she entered the hall, everyone kept quiet. The butler approached her and whispered, "Young master, what do you plan to do?" "Get a paper and brush alongside the contracts of the servants and some money. Take some servants with you and be fast." The butler nodded and left to carry out the young master instructions with some servants that he hurriedly pointed out, despite not understanding what the young master wanted them for, though he had some ideas. "I thank everyone here for serving us well. Unfortunately, we don''t have the opportunity to keep being served by you all. So, if you want to leave we won''t hold you back. Just indicate by raising up your hand." The servants looked at each other, some had some ideas of why they were being dismissed while some who weren''t smart, just thought that they were being dismissed. Zosia looked at them and used her Analyze function to get their details. She still had need for the loyal servants. Though it depends on if they were willing to stay and didn''t have anything holding them back. While each individual were occupied in their own thoughts and business, no one responded to Zosia''s question. By the time the butler had returned, Zosia has already known the people she would like to keep or discard. She had even found some spies in the servants midst. The butler quickly returned alongside the servants he had taken with him. Zosia with a smile looked at the servants who had gone with the butler and were about joining the people she had scanned. "Halt." She ordered, a smile still adorning her beautiful face, nevertheless, her voice carried unquestionable authority. The servants looked at each other, confusion clouding their features. Though the hall was big, it still felt a little crowded considering the amount of servants the Duke''s family had. The servants who were about to join the crowd halts, fearing the consequences if they refused to comply. Zosia smiled and quickly scanned them. "You can join the crowd back." Zosia said after a while. Since she had gotten the details she needs to know about them, she sat down on the chair that had been brought for her. A table was also placed in front of her with the butler placing the paper and brush. By the side was an inkstone and an ink grinder. "Esteemed Servants of Our Household, Dark times have fallen upon our family. The king''s wrath looms over us, and the fate of our family head and eldest young master remains uncertain. Though their deaths have not been confirmed, the battle reports paint a grim picture. In this perilous moment, the king will not rest until he has dealt with us entirely. I will not force any of you to share in our misfortune. If you wish to leave, step forward now. You will receive your settlement fees along with your slave contracts, granting you freedom. For those who choose to stay, know that the road ahead will be treacherous, but your loyalty will never be forgotten. The choice is yours. Make your decision now." "In light of the fact that we do not have time, pardon me for not giving you enough time to think it through." After Zosia finished speaking, there was a moment of silence followed by an uproar. "I hope everyone would have made their decision in five minutes." Zosia added and crowd quietened down with only whispers being heard. After saying that, Zosia kept quiet and only had a smile on her face as she took in everyone''s interactions. The butler who had guessed Zosia''s action somewhat, was still a bit surprised. The young master being a dandy had never for once been serious nor was he someone to be considered importantly. But, seeing how the young master was handling this, the butler couldn''t help but wonder what is the next step the young master wanted to carry out. If it was only to dismiss the servants, it wouldn''t be enough and it will only further increase the chances of the King accusing the Duke household with another crime. The king being an immortal pratictior of the Daoist way has been rulling for 200 years and more and it doesn''t look like he will be dying anytime soon. With the vast amount of children the king has, both those that are dead or those pretending to be dead, with some pretending to be the pig to eat the tiger, the fight for the throne wouldn''t be simple. The butler''s thoughts kept straying and at the end of the day, he could only let out a sigh, asking the immortals above to protect and guide the family. The first servant stepped forward. "Name?" Zosia asked. Zosia decided to be the one to do the writing. "Wanson." The servant answered, his voice trembling a little. He was a little scared of this young master, whose deeds he has heard were plentiful. It is not a surprise, since the Duke had spread some rumors, hoping that it would conceal the brilliance of this his child, in hopes that she could grow safely. Some of those rumors were not limited to him whipping the servants due to a slight mistake or because he was annoyed. Some rumors even said he flogged his servants just because he felt like it. His reputation was down in the muds and didn''t seem salvageable. Zosia reason for writing the dismissal record wasn''t on a whim. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She wasn''t sure if the butler could write as fast as she and with her wrist being more flexible, she believed, she could write it fast enough. Zosia started writing down everything and had the butler ask them the questions that should be asked while also showing him where the servants signature should be. By the time the first three person had done theirs, the rest started coming forward. They realized how serious the matter was. They immediately started coming forward. It took a while and it was starting to get late. Zosia looked at the remaining people who had refused to come forward, she realized that among them were some of those spies, some were fence sitters and were still wavering while the remaining few were actually loyal. The loyal ones consisted of those who had taken the Duke''s house as their home. Where they will live and die. Some were people whom the Duke or a family member has rescued from an unfavourable position. Zosia smiled seeing the remaining people. Her smile made the spies feel uncomfortable. But, they each had varying expressions. "If you die what would happen to the family who are waiting for you outside for their daily bread?" Zosia''s words made the fence sitters finally waver and decide to step forward and leave. If they stayed here, hoping that things would pass and nothing would happen, in hopes that they could continue with this their stable job. But what if while they had this thoughts and the Duke''s family were wiped out with them inclusive, who would take care of their family? Won''t their family become a plaything for their enemies or the vultures who have their eyes on their wives or children. Seeing that, they may end up not gaining anything and may even lose their lives, they decided to step forward. If they could use the money to establish something for themselves to keep their family going. They would watch out and see if the Duke''s family still remains. If it does, they could come back and work for them. Besides, since they would become a free person, it will help them in the position they wished to apply for. While all these thoughts were running in their brain, Zosia who still had a smile on her face, began mentioning the spies names one after the other and the masters they served. The butler who was beside her, turned pale up on hearing those names, not realizing that there were spies among them. It was something that shouldn''t have made him surprised, but his surprise, stemmed from the fact that the current Duke household was already in decline with its end almost in sight, yet these spies belonging to people whom the Duke''s current status couldn''t touch, were paying attention to their family, only meant one thing? That the King''s decision to act against the family didn''t begin from the last military merit achieved by the Duke''s house hold, but probably something else. Among the spies present, the least years of servitude was 15 years and the current young master was precisely 15 years old. The butler turned to look at his young master, his thoughts were, "How did young master know they were spies? And how does he know their master?" His thoughts were also the same with the spies who were in shock with their faces become so pale and white. "You better come forward on your own and receive the settlement and leave, else don''t blame me if this Duke house decides to change his mind." The spies who were already quaking in their feet quickly rushed forward. The butler didn''t understand the young master reason for showing them mercy but nevertheless, he went along with the young master decision. He believed that the young master who had changed or maybe stopped hiding his claws, must have his own plans. The young master plans were more thorough that his. As for Zosia, who said she was planning to let them go Scot free. She actually has something for them, but for now, she could only set aside her little plans until she was done with the one in front of her. The spies looked at each other, wondering if they could band together and deal with the young master and the people present. But seeing as someone already took the lead to take the settlement money and leave without anyone acting against him, they decided not to risk their lives when they could actually go scot free and even earn some sweet money. Chapter 146 - 144- ARC 5 While Zosia was dealing with her tasks, Lucian had gone to confront Lady Elara Von Kyrath. Lucian knew she was the one who had sent that level 5 monster to kill Zosia. Just as he was heading to confront her, his system beeped. He paused in his flight as he opened his panel to look at the notification. It was a message. "Don''t go and confront her. Come to my house." After reading the message sent by his elder brother, a subtle frown appeared on his expressionless face. Taking a deep breath to cool the simmering rage he felt, he decided to change routes and go see his elder brother. They are actually brothers from same parents, occupying different positions in the soul world. The main soul world had been a domain of their father before and accident that sent him to the never returning oblivion. Their mother who was in charge of the sub soul world''s then had burnt out her energy while facing the invaders. She had died in the process, leaving not even the cinders or ashes of her soul or body. They had fought the enemy, taking the enemy down in the process but they ended up being exiled to the oblivion as well. Because they had entered the oblivion unconscious, unable to fight the corroding power of the oblivion, their youngest sibling had used his soul to cover them, saving them in the process while sacrificing himself. Their youngest brother action had helped drawn out their father who stood guard to safeguard them from the other souls in the oblivion as well the monsters that prey on the souls sent to the oblivion. The oblivion as described by both past and current generations as a place that one can never escape from. But Lucian and his elder brother defied that. On a normal, no one could come out of the oblivion once one has entered it, because the energy of the oblivion latches unto the person''s soul. Due the that act of latching, it''s like having its presence on you, so if you try to come out, it would drag you back and the consequence was unimaginable. Even finding the door to leave was a task that many could not accomplish. They had only managed to accomplish it because of their father. He once being a master of the main soul world was exposed to secrets not known to others. To help both brothers escape, he had opened the door and let them out, but some consequence also followed with his actions. He was no longer able to leave the oblivion. Lucian who had gotten to his brother''s house, didn''t knock this time around and entered. "Why did you have me come back?" Lucian asked the moment he saw his brother. Aleron could tell that his younger brother was really angry even with that expressionless face he always put on. Aleron smiled and sat down. Pointing at the seat opposite him, he gestured for his brother to sit down. Lucian looked at his brother but didn''t respond to his gesture, rather his face became even more sullen. "Do you plan to stand and drink your tea?" Aleron said as he poured the tea that had been brewing for some time into both tea cups. The tea upon being poured looked red but once it settled into the cup, it became black with a faint shimmer appearing on its surface. Lucian snorted and sat down. He loved drinking this tea but his brother has always refused to gift him a box, always telling him that only when he visits him, can he drink it. He also doesn''t know where his brother usually got it from, else, why does he need to visit this pretentious brother of his. His brother always wore a faint smile on his face, and when angry his smile always becomes brighter. If you took him as a naive person, you would really regret it. "Devious." Lucian muttered as he drank the tea. Aleron laughed but said nothing. "I called you back, so that you wouldn''t spoil the plan. Lady Elara wl be receiving her punishment tomorrow and you going to visit her would cause you to be entangled in her matter." Aleron said, his tone becoming serious. Lucian didn''t think it was because of the monster issue as there are other people who have used this method as a means of settling grudges or hatred. "She has offended many people and during this period, she hasn''t been careful therby leaving so many gaps for people to latch unto. Now, they can''t wait to bring her down." Lucian''s anger dispassiated somewhat as he poured another cup of tea for himself. "What punishment will she be given?" "It''s unknown yet, but I will push some strings behind the scenes, to have her sent to the oblivion. Dad will deal with her there." "How far is Dad''s control?" Lucian asked. "So far, he control''s more than half of the oblivion," Aleron stated, "While I am still yet to take back half of the main soul world from them." A wry smile formed on his lips as he spoke. "So far, among the 100 sub soul worlds, I am currently in charge of 57. There have been problems arising from the rest, making it an issue for it to be controlled." "Get me the reports, I will see what I can provide you with. As for Zosia..." Aleron paused as he looked at his brother, not sure how to spill the news. "What if she is our sister?" Aleron asked tentatively, his eyes watching his brother''s expressionless face. "What do you mean by that?" Lucian asked with a frown, "We only have one sibling and he is a male. My younger brother." Lucian said firmly. He didn''t like his brother''s statement. "C''mon. Besides Dad said that day that we should look for our sister that he had managed to send her into the reincarnation cycle into one of the worlds connected to the main soul world." "I thought we agreed that Dad words of our brother being a girl was a slip of the tongue." Lucian retorted. He has always thought of his younger brother as a male and now, being told that he really didn''t know his younger sibling gender just rubbed him the wrong way. "You know mom had given birth to the child when we were all grown up and busy, rarely returning home, how are we so sure it could not be a girl? After all, in our many adventures, we have seen a lot of crazy things." Lucian didn''t know how to feel at this moment, his head throbbed and his mind was filled with confusion. They were always busy, not really caring much for this younger brother of theirs when he was still alive because they were always busy and had to go to different worlds almost every single time. Their emotions had even become sparse as time went on, resulting in him always being expressionless. It wasn''t until their younger brother sacrifice, that they realized how much they had neglected him. It was something that ate deep into their bones and something they always blamed themselves for. After they had managed to escape the oblivion, and their father''s last words, they had never stopped looking for this brother of theirs. Unfortunately, they could only use his aura to trace him and in recent months, they have been getting strong signals of their younger sibling aura. But, this has only been possible with Zosia''s help. "When that monster had attacked Zosia, the aura she let out was similar to Quinn''s. Infact it was Quinn''s aura." Aleron said as he sent Lucian the report from the Aura analysis he had done. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It might just be similarity." Lucian stated. "Everyone has a unique aura, Lucian." Aleron said while looking at his brother who was still in denial. "Even we brother''s do not have the same aura." Aleron understood his brother''s current state and it only added to the heartache and guilt he felt. When he analysed it, out of fear that his feeling was wrong, the result had shocked him. He didn''t believe it at first, but he was someone who adapts easily. Besides as someone who has seen many bizzare things in his lifetime, you could say that his experience was very vast. The only reason that they were in denial was because, they didn''t know their younger sibling gender. Imagine having a younger brother who was 30 years old and the amount of times you have met him could be counted on two hands and during those periods, you didn''t notice that he was a girl. "But... Younger brother''s hair was always short." Lucian stated, even though that was not enough to rule out the possibility of their younger brother being a girl. Aleron shook his head which only served to make Lucian more anxious. "Younger brother was flat both at the front and at the back.... Always wore male clothes and loved to play with Dad''s sword." "You should know better that those things can''t rule out the fact that she is a girl." Aleron''s statement, made Lucian to go limp on the chair, his expressionless face filled with guilt and self-hatred. "Sigh! We will investigate more before we decide." Aleron''s words didn''t help to ease Lucian who was lost in the past memories of his younger brother. "Drink more tea." Aleron said after a while, bringing Lucian out of his memories. Lucian didn''t respond and just stared at the tea. Usually, he wouldn''t hesitate to finish a pot of tea, even asking his brother to get more for him, but now, he was just lost. Aleron just hoped his brother wouldn''t lose himself in self-loathe and would soon adapt. ============== Thank you everyone for your support. I really appreciate it. My exams will be starting next week and will be finishing on April. Due to the nature of my exams as we have a paper everyday for the next three weeks, I can''t update any chapter. Even though it''s not like I update regularly either. I hope you enjoy this chapter and once again, I thank you all. Chapter 147 - 145- ARC 5 Zosia unaware of the fact that she now has siblings, was busy talking to the host mother. "What do you mean you are burning the house?" The duchess screamed as she stood up forcefully from the bed. "Mom, you should calm down. After all you just woke up from a car....." Zosia paused and changed her wording to a fainting session, instead of the cardiac syncope she had wanted to say. Smiling warmly, she gently stroked the duchess back. The duchess calmed down, then turned to look at her daughter. "Explain." Zosia nodded and began explaining her plans, her voice soothing, which helped in calming the host mother''s taut nerves. "Now that father is dead and even big brother is missing, the King will soon come for our own heads....." Zosia slowly said her plans which left the host mother stunned for a moment. "Sigh! My baby has grown up." The duchess said after a while of silence. The duchess felt that she was useless, since instead of standing strong and helping to make plans, she had fainted upon hearing the news of the death of her husband, even though, it was something she knew would still happen. An inevitable fate that her husband and child could not escape from. Holding her daughter''s hands, she couldn''t help but tear up. "The plan is good. I will follow your arrangements. But what if your brother comes back and realizes that everyone is gone?" The duchess asked. Though the first son was not a child from her womb, it was nevertheless a son she had trained and fed since the child was born. Her fondness and love for the child was not in anyway less than what she had for her own child. "Brother once told me that if anything happens, I could contact store owner Cheng. So, we will tell store owner Cheng about the situation on ground and have him help, when brother comes back." The duchess nodded, "Store owner Cheng is not known as an affiliate to the Duke Household, so he should be safe." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Mom, you seem to know Store owner Cheng." Zosia commented. "He was formerly my person but I gave him to your brother, so that he could help with the stores under your brother." The duchess said. Feeling that it may look like she had overlooked her own child, she added, "If you are worried about what your father and I left for you, you don''t have to be worried." Zosia nodded her head in response, not really worried about if she would or would not get anything. But she couldn''t say the same for the original host of this body. The duchess stood up and walked into her inner room. After a while, she came out with a small box. The duchess gave the box to Zosia, while she sat beside her. Zosia looked at the box, taking it from the duchess hands with a raised eyebrow. Out of curiosity, she opened the box. The first thing she noticed were the deeds of various lands and shops. "I thought our Duke household is quite on the poorer side." Zosia commented. Based on the memory of the host, it didn''t seem like the Duke''s family had the financial capacity to have these things, as the King had made sure to leave the barest minimum of assets for a lower noble household. "A lean camel still has meat doesn''t it." The duchess said with a smile as she stroked her daughter''s hair. Zosia calmly went through everything, noting that the contents of the box. "Mom, what''s this?" She asked, her gaze scanning the object she held in her hands. She also used analyze to know what the object is. "It''s a sect token." The duchess smiled, her gaze turning distant as she narrated what the token was about. "With the token, you can bypass all sect tests and directly become an inner disciple. After I left the sect, I had my master give me one, on behalf of my child. Unfortunately, I couldn''t let you use it because of that damn king." The duchess said the ending of her sentence through gritted teeth. "Thank you mom." Zosia smiled and gently hugged the duchess. From the information, she had gotten from analyze, the detailed perks of having the token were listed. Just like what the host mother had said, it could help you bypass the tests of the sect and directly become an inner disciple of the sect. Another benefit which the host mother hadn''t mentioned was that it could protect you from three strikes of a golden core cultivator. The benefit that most interested Zosia was the fact that channeling a trace of spiritual power into the token, could transfer the basic set of meditations of the sect. "Mom,do you have any techniques and meditation sets?" Zosia asked. She didn''t want to start practicing without understanding how people actually cultivated in this world and see if her own method was similar or contrary to it. Also, if she were to cultivate without getting a meditation set from the host mother, if she becomes strong later, it would only bring about suspicion. "Sigh! In other to protect the clan, we had to curb your dazzling talents. Unfortunately, even if we end up leaving here, it will still be the same thing as being too dazzling would attract the malicious and covetous eyes of others." The duchess continued, "Those spies you sent away, many of them were sent here to take the token or steal some arts from me, but I have always been careful and didn''t let them succeed." "Mom you did well. Now, none of your efforts will be in vain." Zosia said as she gently patted the host mother on her hand. Zosia still had her own plans on how to deal with those spies. "Mom, what about the technique?" Zosia asked once again. The duchess, removed the pouch that was always on her waist and gave it to Zosia. The pouch looked more like a fragrance packet, always carried around my females of this era. "The techniques are all inside the pouch. The space inside the pouch is not much, just 1 cubic meter." "I pour in a trace of my spiritual power, even though it''s not as strong as it used to be." The host mother did as she said and quickly poured her spiritual power into the bag, making the pouch mouth to loosen. "Mom, why do you say that your spiritual power is not as strong as it used to be?" Zosia asked. She sensed that there must be a story. "Sigh! It''s been a long time since it happened. I don''t really want..." Genevieve words were cut off as she stared at her daughter''s doe like eyes. "Mom, it seems like I don''t actually know much about you and..." Zosia didn''t finish her words, allowing them to sink. There was a moment of silence. The only thing that could be heard was their breathing. Finally the duchess relented and began talking; "Before I had you, I went on an expedition with your father which had helped him win the last war. On that expedition, we encountered a powerful foe and it was due to my carelessness. We battled and we lost. We lost miserably at that. Luckily, the cultivator was in a good mood and after a bet with your father, he left us and promised not to join the war. Unfortunately, that battle had left me injured and I could only slowly heal." The duchess paused as she tried to regain her bearings. "Your father decided to stop going to war after we returned, but then I got pregnant and you know what happened next." Zosia looked at the duchess who seemed like she wanted to say something but was hesitant. "Mom, just say it." Zosia''s soothing voice compelled Genevieve to talk. "After the King had promised to let you live after we had given him everything. That same night, I got attacked once again and the attacker was that same man from that day. He didn''t kill you as ordered by the king but had me become crippled as well as your father." Genevieve eyes which were already red, had rims of tears that threatened to drop from her eyelids. She could still remember that painful night. How she was at the mercy of a stranger and couldn''t retaliate. She realized that she had to get stronger to protect the kids, but unfortunately, she couldn''t do that as she became a cripple. "No wonder." Zosia thought inwardly. The disparity of the host father physical appearance could now be explained. "Vivienne, I didn''t tell you this to nurse a grudge or start having fantasies of being able to kill that person. I am telling you these, so that you will know that there is a sky above the sky and that the Royal family has a powerful backer behind them." Genevieve clapsed Zosia''s hands in hers as she spoke. "For whatever you do, be safe for me." Zosia gave a slight smile and withdrew her hands. She placed her hands above the duchess own as she spoke. "I understand. No need to speak like you will never see me again." Genevieve didn''t speak again, even though she knew within her, that soon, her daughter would go out to explore the world and the amount of times she may see her daughter again would become sparse. "Sigh! I hope your brother is safe wherever he is." Genevieve sighed, her tone filled with melancholy. She felt very sad. Her son is currently missing and her husband is dead, yet, she couldn''t even perform a proper burial for him. Just thinking about it made her feel suffocated. Tears welled up in her eyes and like dew drops, they fell. Her body radiated profound sadness and loneliness despite her hands being held by her daughter. How would she feel if she knew that the soul in her daughter''s body was no longer there, but was now occupied by Zosia. She would probably go crazy, commit suicide or try to kill Zosia. Zosia didn''t say anything as she watched the host mother cry. She knew this moment wasn''t for saying anything and neither did she know how to profer comfort. She slowly patted the host mother''s back rhythmically, while holding her hands. Zosia could have stayed and allowed for the host father to be buried, but the possibility of that happening is very slim. Rather, they may not even survive past that day. Right now, she could only wrong the host father, hoping that she could make it up in the future as she understood that, this will become a regret for both the host and the history family. After a while, Genevieve got herself, a wry smile adorned her beautiful face as she looked at her daughter. "You should go and do what you need to do. Don''t let me hold you up." She said, quickly shooing Zosia away. Zosia found nothing wrong, only making sure that the host mother emotions have stabilized. "Don''t cry anymore. I am here for you." Zosia comforted. "I know. Don''t worry about me. Go do your thing. I know you can''t wait to go through the techniques." Zosia was actually not in a rush to go through the techniques, rather, she was in a rush to deal with those spies. "Alright." Zosia smiled and left. After Zosia had gone far enough, Genevieve suddenly coughed out blood. "Sigh! I don''t think I would live much longer." She muttered. Her gaze held no emotion. Standing up, she walked to the painting of her husband. The room was adorned with paintings, one contained a painting of her, another contained a painting of her husband, another contained a painting of her daughter and another contained a painting of her son. There is also a family painting which was placed in the outer room. "We promised each other that we will die together, with our hands clapsed in each other hands. But, you are gone?" A tear slipped out of her eyes as she traced the man in the picture. "I can''t even bury you properly and it hurts." Her voice choked up, with her eyes stinging as they became blurry due to the tears. Staring at the picture of the man that always made her heart flutter, the father of her children. She felt a knife was being twisted into her heart as she is reminded that he was no longer alive. "I am no longer strong enough. Do you think I can continue to watch after the kids? Even Rafael is missing and there is no news of him." Her back slowly became hunched with her tears flowing in unending stream. "Do you know that our daughter has grown up. She has made plans on how to make us survive without the King being able to do anything, even though it means leaving this house. But, I don''t want to leave. This house has all our memories, it''s a place that has gone through weal and woe with us." Genevieve said. She continued narrating all that has happened so far, including the fact that she has finally decided to let Vivienne start cultivating. "Vivienne should not be caged anymore. I just hope she gets strong enough to roam free and be unfettered as the wind." Genevieve whispered. She hoped for the best for her daughter and even if her body has become so weak, she would still use the last bit of strength within her to protect her daughter, which is why she couldn''t die now. She still needs to bury her husband. She also wants to see her son come back alive. She hoped she would be able to do these, despite the current turbulence that they were going through. Holding the painting, she curled herself up while still speaking to the painting. ============ Thank you all for your lovely support so far and I am really grateful. Please enjoy this chapter. Chapter 148 - 146- ARC 5 As Zosia stepped out of the Duchess room, she was met with the butler who seemed to have been waiting for a while. "Is everything ready?" Zosia asked. Her face bore nothing like the soft and kind smile she had on her face when she was with the duchess. The butler had a lost look on his face as he looked at Zosia. "Is everything ready?" Zosia asked again as she adjusted her clothes, promoting the butler to snap out of his trance. "Yes, young master. I had everyone arrange everything in the store room and I have all the deeds of the remaining stores here." The butler said as he gave Zosia a stack of papers. Zosia took the deeds and flipped through them. The deeds were for the stores that were publicly known to people that it belongs to their family. So, if the stores were to suddenly change hands, it will be strange. "Those shopkeepers who handled the stores, what do you think about them?" Zosia asked. The butler began to talk about each shopkeeper and the stores they handled. "Have them close the stores and come see me. As for the shop keepers of the stores in far places, I will write a letter that you would send to them." Zosia said, her gaze on the sky that was beginning to get cloudy. "Yes, young master." The butler bowed slightly and left, leaving Zosia to keep gazing at the sky. "Sigh! As my powers have grown, it takes a longer time for me to get used to the body." She mused inwardly, her eyes reflecting a pale screen that could not be seen by others. The screen reflected red dots on the map. The map of the capital city was reflected before her eyes and the dots belonged to the spies she had let go. ''Did they think they could leave without a bit of punishment?!'' Zosia''s lips curled up into a wicked smile. ''I can''t believe I had to use this ticket because of them.'' Zosia thought inwardly with her hands behind her back as she watched the activities of different spies. The ticket she is referring to, were the ones given to her as her reward for her last mission. The tailing talisman was something she had seen in her inventory, meaning it must have been from her last task. Since she was currently in a task world, to which apart from her library and some miscellaneous functions of the system, she can''t access her notification and status panel. "Tsk... Other task takers can access theirs, I am the only unique one. And uselessly unique at that." She muttered inwardly, her brows furrowing in annoyance at the thought of it. The tailing talisman had the effect of her map which Zosia would have disregarded if not for the other benefits it came with. The scale of the tracking was largest than her map and it could also project a video and audio of the actions of the people she is tracking. Taking a deep breath, she calmly walked back to the courtyard, where they had placed the injured young man. While walking, she thought about the things she still had to do. Dealing with the people who sent the spies would surely raise an alarm especially since most of them were nobles. Zosia didn''t plan to just uproot them from their roots, she planned to use them to cause chaos in the capital city, keeping the kingdom on its toes for a while. Just as Zosia was approaching the courtyard, a servant rushed out of the room. Upon seeing her, the servants eyes lit up and immediately rushed towards her. "Young master, the injured messenger hopes to speak with you." From the servants words, Zosia could guess a thing or too. "It seems the young man can''t last any longer. He has probably sensed that he is about to die." As Zosia allowed her mind to conjure up possible things the messenger may probably want to tell her while increasing her pace. Upon reaching her courtyard, her personal servant was also standing there, in wait. Zosia entered inside the room, her eyes moving from the tired doctor who was zoning in and out of sleep on the chair to the person on the bed. "Young master, Thank you for saving me." The messenger started. "I thought I could live for a longer time, but I can already feel my life force waning. I can only ask the young master for a favor, knowing that I can''t be alive to fulfil it." "Speak." Zosia said, her eyes holding a gentle and comforting smile. "Please help me take care of my family. My family only has me as a man and they would be bullied once I die." The messenger eyes held a pleading look as he looked at Zosia. If he could stand up and kowtow, he would surely do it, but now he can''t even move his body. "You should be more than aware that soon we would become either be dead or become refugees. What makes you think that I would be able to protect your family?" Zosia asked, the gentle and comforting smile was still on her face. "I...I trust the young master." The messenger said after a moment of thought. Zosia smiled without responding, her piercing eyes looking at the messenger whose mouth moved without saying a word. "For your sacrifice, I will do it. As for how possible it would be, I can only try my best." "Thank you, Young master." The messenger said with gratitude. "You can go in peace." Since, the young master had accepted his request and knowing that the Duke household was one to fulfill the promise they had made, he stopped struggling and could finally leave the world in peace. Soon, the messenger stopped breathing. The servant behind Zosia sighed. He couldn''t help but be saddened at the death of a fellow servant like him. Even the doctor who was already tired and lethargic sighed. Despite having witness many deaths, he still felt emotional. Zosia didn''t feel anything. If anything, she felt that she didn''t need to spend money to close his mouth. Though she would have to spend money to take care of his family. She suddenly turned to look at the doctor, "Thank you for your hard work." "It''s nothing. I am just doing my duty." The doctor waved his hand and replied, his voice held a bit of fawning. He knew that his life or death currently depends on the young master decision. "Give it to him." She commanded the servant who was standing behind her. The servant stepped forward with a pouch of money. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The doctor received it but didn''t dare weigh it in the young master presence. But just that light touch before he tucked it into his bossom, told him that the pouch was heavy. "Thank you, young master for your grace." Zosia smiled and turned to the servant. "Escort the doctor out." The doctor bowed one more time while secretly breathing a sigh of relief. The servant led the doctor out, leaving behind Zosia and the dead messenger. "Young master, I have gathered everyone and we are ready to leave." Her personal servant said. "Mm. We won''t be leaving anytime soon, I still have to settle some things. We can''t leave in a rush." Zosia said softly, before turning to look at her personal servant who was also in charge of the Black guards. The Black guards were people personally trained by the host father. They were the Elites of the Elites. They were in charge of protecting the family, gathering information and assassination. "I still have some things for you to do." Zosia said and started giving orders. She told him to send someone to get the messenger''s family and give them one of the smallest courtyards and shop that they may not be able to liquidate on time as well as a pouch of money. She then had him take some men and deal with some of the less troublesome spies in the least noticeable way possible. "When everything is done. Come and report to me." Zosia said. "Yes, young master. The personal servant bowed, though there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes. He has been the host personal servant for so many years, so he quickly noticed the subtle change in his young master behavior. "No need to be suspicious, Argon. The tides we are facing is enough to make anybody at the cusp of it, to change." Zosia said, making Argon suppress his suspicions. Zosia didn''t say anything again. Whether he believed her or not, it didn''t matter as far as he is loyal to her. She had also checked his loyalty. Even though it wasn''t at a 100% it was still at a good level. Currently it''s at 90%. Argon was about to leave, then he turned to look at Zosia. "I like the change but it still feels off to me. Because the young master I know, doesn''t have that deep look in his eyes." The deep look he was referring to, was the look of someone who has gone through so many things in life. A look you would see in an experienced or aged person. The young master he knows, even though the young master could be cunning or smart at times, he still has this clueless look about the world in his eyes. Even seeing blood alone, always irritates the young master, yet, the current young master could stay in the place that was filled with a thick stench of blood and still smile warmly to the messenger. "You will get used to it." Zosia said with a smile. His words had acted as a warning to her, reminding her that the eyes were the windows to the soul. Closing her eyes and opening it, she noticed that Argon had left. But, he didn''t see the fact that the young master eyes which held a hint of vicissitudes, now had a clueless look about the world. For the personal servant to realize that the young master has changed, she wondered if the host mother had noticed it as well. ''Why didn''t the host mother say anything?'' Zosia thought inwardly, her gaze becoming calm and the turbid look in the depths of her eyes, vanished. ============ Thank you all for your constant support. I really appreciate. Chapter 149 - 147- ARC 5 3 DAYS LATER... It''s been 3 days and everything has been settled. Currently, the capital was in chaos and the person behind the incident was standing at the centre of the Duke''s house. "Young master, everyone has been settled and the Duchess has safely arrived in Nashville." Argon said, his gaze on Zosia holding a hint of admiration. The arrangements that the young master made while accounting for everyone safety, had made him admire the young master more. Even the suspicion he had about the young master had disappeared. The way the young master spoke, talked and acted was still the same, even the clueless look had returned, though when the young master encountered something troubling, that other look would return. The young master''s mind worked like a well-oiled machine, ensuring the safety of those he cared for while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the perfect illusion. "Mmm. Are the bodies ready?" Zosia asked. "Yes young master. The bodies have been decorated and designed as asked. All evidence have been planted." Argon said, admiration seeping into his tone. The young master had made so many arrangements that even he himself wouldn''t find any loophole, except he was hell bent on believing that the Duke household members were still alive. Even if someone were to examine the scene with a fine-toothed comb, they would find no discrepancy. Especially now that the capital was in chaos, with rifts appearing in key places in the capital, harboring some monsters and even some noble household suffering from the loss of their wealth, it would be hard to do a thorough investigation. "Put fire to the building." Zosia ordered, her gaze held a deep calmness as she looked at the fine building about to be burnt, it''s heritage dying in the fire. Argon inclined his head. "As you command." The fire took hold quickly, licking hungrily at the estate''s once-pristine walls. The glow illuminated Zosia''s face, casting long shadows that flickered with the movement of the flames. She watched the destruction with an unreadable expression, the heritage of the Duke''s bloodline dying in the very inferno she had orchestrated. Argon took a step back, watching the flames consume the estate. "Master, we should leave." "Leave first." Zosia said calmly, "I have to make sure that the person in the palace can''t find anything." Zosia''s body lit up with a purple glow, her eyes becoming purple "Wait for me at the meeting point." Zosia said, snapping Argon out of his surprise. "When had the Young master started cultivating? It seems like the young master got some fortune or..." His eyes flickered as he realized what exactly the King was really afraid of. It has only been a few days and the young master could already wield such power. Imagine what kind of power he would have if he had started cultivating at a younger age. If, in mere days, the Young master had managed to wield such power, what would he become in years? In decades? He would probably become a nightmare. He bowed and turned to leave. Zosia spread out her consciousness and watched all of them leave. Once she was sure that they were gone, her eyes turned cold. Her plan was to use her space powers and interfere with timeline. So, even if the person in the palace decided to rewind time, it wouldn''t be possible and even if he did, he wouldn''t be able to get anything out of it. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia released a large amount of space powers, causing rifts to appear. She made sure to close all of them while messing with the timeline. Zosia channeled some of her life powers into the fire, turning the normal fire that could be quenched with water to become unquenchable. Using that, she then caged the fire to only burn everything in the Duke''s place and shouldn''t spread. Seeing that all loose ends were successfully tied, she immediately left the scene. -------- A few hours after she left, a man in black flowing hair and white cloth appeared. His gaze was deep with some complicated emotions surfacing as he looked at the fierce fire that seemed to burn forever. "What kind of enemy had they encountered¡­? Or was this their own doing?" he murmured, his voice barely audible over the crackling embers. He looked around, realizing that many people had gathered. Some were watching the scene while some where trying to quench the fire. Shaking his head, he swept his sleeves which made the fire die out. The effort of the people below seemed meaningless at his action. He entered inside the place that had been burnt beyond recognition. He perceived the smell of burnt flesh and shook his head. He had gone back to the academy, since there was nothing to do here, but just after he left, the kingdom became chaotic. He had been on the road for days and upon arriving, he sensed a strange power not too far from the palace. He decided to check it out first, before going to meet the incompetent King. He walked around the place, his eyes surveying the place. The fire didn''t seem like it was caused by an artifact or array but more like from a spell, yet, he perceived gasoline. He entered each place within the house, finding nothing was salvageable. He realized that the occupants of the house might have been drugged to sleep, and those who had managed to struggle, couldn''t make it out before they died a gruesome death. "Apart from the eldest son whose status is unknown, everyone from the Duke''s household is dead." The man declared and turned to leave. He saw no need to stay here again, to him, the signs he had seen showed that the Duke''s house might have been attacked by a cultivator. As for the level of the cultivator, currently, he couldn''t guess, but it didn''t stop him from guaging it. When he arrived at the palace, he strode directly to the throne room, where a servant was faithfully reporting everything. "What do you think about this?" The King asked the man, his tone carrying some reverence. "They were all burnt crisp and all signs point towards the fact that they were attacked by a cultivator." The King on the throne looked at the man, his gaze flickering with some thoughts. "Currently the kingdom is in chaos and then they die, doesn''t it seem suspicious." The King said, trying to hint to the man that the Duke household could be the ones behind it. Just then a servant rushed. The King frowned, finding the action of the servant disrespectful. "Your highness, Two other households are currently experiencing what has happened to the Duke''s family. One of the survivors said that, a cultivator had come to discuss with their family head about something, but the family head turned him away and now, they are currently experiencing the threat of what the cultivator said." The servant truthfully reported. The Kings face darkened with embarrassment and anger. He had just tried to play smart and hint to the man that the Duke''s household could be the one behind it but, now he was slapped in the face with an irrefutable evidence. "Leave." He sent the servant away first. He knew the man was about to scold him and he didn''t want the servant to see it. He turned to look at the man after the servant had left, but seeing the man being nonchalant and seeping tea, his heart clenched. His attitude could only mean that the man has given up on them. The man was someone his ancestor had sent to watch over the kingdom using the favor of life that the man owed the ancestor. If the man decides to leave anytime, they wouldn''t be able to hold him back either. After all, the man had become so disappointed in him, that he even decided to go back to his sect. The King decided to mellow down and forgo the issue with the Duke''s family. If it''s that they were still alive, especially the youngest son of theirs, he would need the man to be here to protect them all the more. Who knows when the brat would come to seek revenge. Thinking up to this point, his gaze on the man held a hint of fawning. "Seems like they have offended someone they shouldn''t." The King said trying to break the tension between them. The man just nodded, dismissing the attempt of the king to break the ice. If not for their ancestor, he wouldn''t want to be here either. Even though he had come here to escape an enemy, but at least he has always done his job. The first King he had met here was okay and teachable and was willing to learn, but the succeeding generations were just downright worse. Now, he had heard that his enemy had died during a tribulation, so he no longer felt the need to be cooped here. The spiritual energy here couldn''t match the one in his cave abode in the sect, though he had tried to transform the spiritual energy here, making it match the level of spiritual energy you would see in middle grade sects. That was something you wouldn''t see in any mortal Kingdom. =========== Thank you all for your constant support. I really appreciate. Please refer the novel to your friends and please keep supporting the novel in any little way you can. Thank you. Chapter 150 - 148- ARC 5 The golden leaves of the pear blossom tree swayed gently in the cool autumn breeze. They floated down slowly, as if they were tiny golden snowflakes, drifting through the air before settling on the soft ground. The tree stood tall and strong, its branches moving slightly with the wind, shedding its leaves one by one. A man stood beneath the tree, his long black hair cascading down his back. He remained still, his hands clasped behind him in a composed manner. The sunlight filtering through the branches cast a warm glow on his face, highlighting the serene moment. Everything around him was silent except for the quiet rustling of leaves brushing against the earth. The scene felt almost like a dream, frozen in time, peaceful and untouched. For a long time, he did not move. The leaves continued their gentle descent, creating a moment of pure stillness. It was a rare kind of peace, as if the world itself had paused just for him. However, the tranquility was soon interrupted. "Argon, how is the progress?" A calm yet firm voice broke the silence. Argon sighed, feeling it was a shame to disturb such a beautiful moment. "Master, our presence in Nashville is now firm and strong and can be considered the highest powerhouse currently. Using master''s training method, we have gotten stronger, much more stronger...." Argon continued reporting their progress for this month. It''s been 7 months since they came to Nashville under the guise of a noble merchant family. After they settled down, Zosia used one of the shops that they had, to open an embroidery house, employing the loyal female servants with good embroidery skills. Zosia gave them some designs to work on as well as different grades of clothing materials. The finished cloth, were then displayed in the first floor of the Embroidery house. Each day, there is an increase in progress and by the end of the month, the embroidery house has become one of the best places for the wealthy noble women of Nashville to come and shop. The following month, Zosia using another one of their stores, she opened a tea house. She used some of the skilled male servants, who were adept in making tea and as for those skilled in planting, she sent them to the outskirts, where she had bought a huge farm for tea planting. So far, each month after a business stabilizes, she enters another branch of business with some loyal black guards, appointed as guardians in each store. Now, they had a very good information network and a steady stream of income. Even when jealous noble families attempted to sabotage their success, Zosia''s careful planning and swift actions ensured that their enemies were swiftly dealt with and suppressed. "Get ready to start branching out." Zosia said. "Yes master. We have already started making plans for it. We plan on moving northwards for now." "Any news about my brother?" Zosia asked, her calm gaze fluctuated with a bit of emotion. The host mother unwilling to take treatment and unwilling to die, only hoping to see her eldest son before dying. It wasn''t like Zosia didn''t want to use her spring water to help in healing her, nor was it her intention to delay finding the eldest son. In this world where, information was slow to disseminate and finding people was like looking for a needle in a haystack. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though, using the foodstuffs she had grown in her space, they helped in stabilizing the host mother condition. Now, if she was willing to revive treatment, she could live for extra 10 years. "We have gotten some traces. Old Chen said that someone had come to see him, asking about the Duke''s family. Old Chen feared dropping hints could lead the enemy to us, so he didn''t say anything but had someone follow him." Zosia turned to look at him, "I hope that before this month runs out, you would give me a better news." "Yes Master." Argon smiled in response. "You can go." Zosia said with a wave of her hand, signalling him to leave. Argon bowed and turned to leave. The ethereal scene returned after Argon left. Zosia''s gaze was on the falling leaves. Her eyes held a lost look as she gained enlightment. After Zosia started cultivating, she found out that the body''s spirit root was of the wind type and a very pure spirit root at that. The body was also a pure sword body, suitable for practicing sword cultivation. Zosia has been cultivating for the past 7 months and her cultivation has only recently entered the core tier. There are 4 known teirs in the cultivation realm. They are: The Mortal tier consisting of 4 mortal levels and 5 awakened levels. The Foundation tier consisting of 3 Qi gathering levels, 4 Body tempering levels and 3 Spirit refining level. The Core tier consisting of 5 core formation levels and 4 soul manifestion levels. The last tier is the Nascent tier that consist of 5 Nascent levels. The host parents were at the first level of spirit refining before they were crippled and currently she was at the first core formation level. Zosia wasn''t sure if the so called Nascent tier was the last tier and her knowledge of this world was based on books and what she had heard. Even as a pure sword body and a pure spirit root, her cultivation had suddenly come to a slow plateau. It''s pace has slowed down drastically and it didn''t seem like it would improve without her going on an adventure. Zosia sighed, breaking out of the enlightenment. Since, her level had hit a plateau, she had focused all her energy on developing her skills. Most of the skills were from the ones she knows and had made a lot of derivations from them. She had even used her system stimulation feature to create new skills that suit her. Zosia entered inside the house, her legs taking her to the host mother. If she wants to leave for any adventure, she had to first find the host elder brother. As for the reasons, one is to make sure the host mother leaves the world in peace and the other reason, is for the host brother to take over. Zosia knew she couldn''t leave without entrusting everything to someone capable. Not like she didn''t have someone capable to entrust it to, but she felt it was better to entrust it to the host elder brother. But, before she entrust it to him, she had to make sure that he was worth it. ------------ Just like that, a few days passed in the blink of an eye. Zosia''s cultivation was interrupted early in the morning by the butler. "What you have to say better be important." Zosia said with a frown, her tone cold yet calm. The butler understood that Zosia was angry, considering the fact that she had asked that she should not be disturbed for the next one week, except it was very important. "Young master, we have found the eldest young master." Butler Winn said with a smile, not taking Zosia''s cold tone to heart. Apart from those she had trained with her hand, the rest still addressed her as Young master. "That''s great. Where is he?" "This.." the butler paused, his face bearing a look of struggle as he wondered on if to speak or not. "Young master, I think you would have to go see him yourself." Zosia''s expression darkened slightly, "What do you mean?" "The eldest young master got married into the Demanies family. A lowly noble household of Nashville. So, now the eldest young master is a live-in- son-in-law." At the mention of the live-in-son-in-law, Winn''s face darkened. "Does my mother know?" Zosia''s asked with a hint of worry. She knew that the host mother wouldn''t take it lightly, especially after she has just found her son. "I didn''t tell her. I immediately came to inform you after I heard of it." Winn said, his expression not looking too good. He knew that the young master would want to give everything to the eldest young master to manage after he leaves. Now, with the eldest young master marrying into another family and becoming that type of son-in-law, if the young master gives everything to him, it would end up benefitting that family. He couldn''t imagine what must have happened to force the eldest young master to succumb and become a live-in-son-in-law. "Let''s go." Zosia ordered, her gaze cold as she stood up. Just like what Winn was thinking, she also had similar thoughts. This world was like a feudal world and as someone who had once been an Empress, she has a deeper understanding of how the current status of the eldest young master could affect the business, if she was to give everything to him. Not only could that family interfere with the business, they could even have him give it to them and end up pursuing the husband and wife from the family. Essentially becoming a winner of all. Just as Zosia stepped out, she saw Argon standing outside in wait for her. "Master I have investigated the Demanies family, down to their ancestors level." Argon said and began telling Zosia the information he has gotten. "Tsk. What kind of rubbish family are they." Zosia felt disgusted. The family not only favored boys against girls but treated their girls like weed and were excessively greedy. The host elder brother had saved one of their daughters during a bandit attack and had gotten injured, so she took him back home to treat, since the injury was quite severe. Their eldest daughter whom they were planning to marry out to a lecherous Baron in exchange of silver and opportunity for their son to climb up, drugged the eldest young master and then framed the eldest young master for trying to defile her. She then used the opportunity to have the eldest young master marry her to escape marrying the Baron. Even the girl who had taken the eldest young master home, couldn''t even provide a better treatment because her family refused to bring out silver to invite a doctor to treat the eldest master legs. Now, the eldest master left leg can no longer be used, because the poison has seeped deep into the legs. ============= Happy New Month to Y''all. I wish the April babies a happy birthday in advance For the Christians, a Happy Easter and for the Muslims, A happy Eid Mubarak. Please keep supporting me. Thank you. Chapter 151 - 149- ARC 5 "Bastards." The usually calm old butler cursed. Even Argon who was quite reticent agreed with the butler cursing, to show how angry they were. The butler had already arranged for a carriage for her, so, the moment she arrived, there was already a carriage in place. Its polished frame gleaming under the sun. Zosia wasted no time. She stepped into the carriage, but before the door closed, she turned to face the butler. Her expression was calm, yet her words carried weight. "Stay at home and keep the new away from my mother." Zosia said, her gaze calm as she stared at the agitated butler. "Argon, follow me." With that, she signaled for the door to be shut. The butler, though still seething, bowed his head in acknowledgment. Argon gave a slight bow to the butler, finding the butler''s red face funny as he made his way to the helm of the carriage. The carriage quickly left the butler sight, heading towards the Demanies home with a throng of guards following behind and in front of the carriage. They didn''t meet any hindrance on the road, as seeing the emblem of the guards alone was enough to make the crowd shift, hoping that they won''t catch the ire of the noble in the carriage. The carriage moved at a steady pace and quickly reached the Demanies household. Seeing the amount of people that have come at their door, the Demanies hearts jumped into their throat. The menacing aura released by the guards -------- At the ancestral Hall of the Demanies..... "Master, a noble with a throng of guards are at the gate. What should we do?" The servant asked in a panicky voice. This was the first time he was meeting such kind of people and it didn''t seem like they had come with good intent. The Baron, a man of indulgence, squinted his small eyes, nearly lost within the folds of his plump face. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Baron quickly went through the recent events and couldn''t find anything that could warrant such a guest. Suddenly he had a bold guess, ''Could the noble be interested in one of his daughter?'' The mere thought of it alone caused his eyes to shine and he felt thrilled. The very idea made his heart leap with excitement. His mind quickly spun fantasies of securing a powerful connection. He quickly stood up, rushing out to see the great noble who has come to his humble home. His wife, seeing her husband show such thrill, wondered if the noble''s visit was a good event. Nevertheless, not daring to shortchange such a noble, she quickly had the servant arrange for a tea. After all, if things go well, she could fleece the noble master for the tea and many more things. Little did she know, if Zosia were aware of her scheming thoughts, she wouldn''t care. Whether they played nice or acted out, the result would be the same. Zosia who was still sitting down in the carriage, felt it was beneath her to come down and argue with them. "Tell them to dissolve the marriage and bring out my brother. If they agree give them some gold coins. Such greedy people, if the want to associate with us and refuse the coins, don''t hesitate for a wipe out." Zosia said calmly, her tone turning icy at the end. For such in-laws, they would never help you, rather they will be the ones to bring your downfall. For such kind of people, Zosia didn''t dare have them around. Just like the saying, the worst thing to have as an ally, is a pig team mate. The moment the Baron''s gate was opened, he was met with the fierce aura of the man in front of him. His body trembled, especially the fats accumulate in the subcutaneous area, making it look like flaps of flesh were hitting against each other. "How... How... May I help you gentle man." The Baron said, quickly regaining his wits. He realized that he has been delusional. Now, he could only wonder what had brought such a great god to his gate. "Waiting for you at your gate is already the bit of the respect we can give your family. We have heard what your family have done to our young master and ask you to dissolve the marriage and hand him over." Argon spoke coldly, despite keeping his aura in check though his agitation made some part of it leak, causing deep seated fear in the Baron''s heart. But fear was one thing and greed was another. Realizing that the live in son-in-law he had taken in was from a great household, he realized that he has gained a deep connection. Immediately an ingrating smile which Argon found disgusting, appeared on his face. "My in-laws, please come in." Argon noticed that the man didn''t even bother the greed in his eyes that was almost overflowing. Argon didn''t need to say anything and the guard behind him punched the Baron, sending him flying. "Since you refused to toast the cup given to you. Do not blame us." Those were the words the Baron heard before he found himself floating and landing not far from a tree. The guard had made sure to control his powers well. He didn''t injure him, only sending him flying and not allowing him to hit his back on the tree. Argon noticed the Baroness and a few other of the Baron''s wife as well as his kids. Sighting the lady that had forced herself on the eldest young master, his eyes burned with fury. If not for the fact that the Master was in the carriage, he would have beaten her to a pulp first, before talking to her. "Search and bring out the young master." Argon immediately ordered. While the guards were searching with the Baron family standing in trepidation, Zosia who was in the carriage, transmitted her voice to another young man who standing in the midst of a crowd that had gathered not to far from the Baron''s house. Zosia knew that if things aren''t handled well, the Baron could come out and twist everything, painting black to become white and soiling their reputation. So instead of giving them the chance, why not use her hand to do it. She feared staining her hand with innocent blood, since some of the Baron''s children were quite innocent. But, if she killed the Baron as well as some of the evil members of the family, it may cause the innocent ones to develop a seed of hatred. From what she has heard, the Baron had raped quite a few young ladies to death and was so lecherous that he gazed at anything in skirts. The Baroness, in order to keep her position didn''t mind using some underhand tactics and the blood on her hands were not few, especially the blood of children. "What''s going on? So many guards?" One bystander asked curiously. "Yeah. Which noble family is that?" Bystander 2 asked. "I think I know that emblem, isn''t that the Valtieri household?!" A bystander said, a hint of skepticism in his voice. "It is. I just wonder why such a noble household would come to see the baron?" "I know." The person Zosia had transmitted a message to, finally found the right moment to speak. "Actually this matter would not be that complicated, if not for the kind of person the baron is." "Who doesn''t know how that bastard is. Chasing everything in skirt and having his wife deal with the little girls, causing them to die unknown death." An old woman among the bystanders soar fiercely. Everyone echoed their sentiment since they had all suffered one way or the other in their hands. "The eldest young master of the Valtieri house was going on an adventure and on his return, he encountered fierce bandits that had cornered the Baron''s family youngest miss. Out of Chivalry, he saved her but ended up taking a poisoned arrow to his legs. The eldest young master was offered to be treated by the girl and since it was because of her that he took the arrow, he agreed. On that same day, upon their return, the Baron''s family refused to call any doctor and the young master legs deteriorated. If not for him being a cultivator, he would have been as good as dead. Since he had fainted, the Baron''s family took the opportunity to strip him of everything he had and he could not call home. The day he finally woke up, the Baron''s family eldest miss drugged the man and did it with him despite the man being crippled and unable to move, only able to endure the torment. Now, the family has found him but can only take him back by force, because the Baron''s family had bound him as a live-in-son-in-law." The man narrated, ending his statement with a sigh and a pitying look in his eyes. The crowd also sighed along after getting the gist of what was happening. "No wonder they had to break their promise to the man whom had wanted their eldest daughter." a bystander said. "Break!? If you were the one would you give your daughter to that kind of person? It''s only this family that would try to do so, since all they see is money and not their children." A bystander spat. While the whispers of the crowd was ongoing, Zosia who was in the carriage, had her eyes closed as she waited for her brother. ========== Thank you all for your support and please keep supporting me. Chapter 152 - 150 - Arc 5 Soon, the guards found the eldest young master where he was eating. They couldn''t even call what the eldest young master was eating food, since it was just water, some radish and onions sprinkled in the water with a pancake. The pancake was even worse. It was so hard that someone''s teeth could break if they ate it without dipping it into the water to soften. Seeing what the eldest young master was eating, their eyes turned red with rage. One of the guards left to report to Argon while the rest were left, standing in wait. They knew that the young master may not recognize them since they had now changed their surname and were now hiding under the noble title and name, the Duke once arranged. And just like they guessed, Zaphir didn''t recognize any of them. He raised his head from the awful meal he was eating and turned to look at the people who have come. ''Who are they?'' Being in the Demanies household for the past few months, he could tell who and who belonged to them, so seeing this set of people, he didn''t recognize them. "Young master, we are here to take you home?" Argon who had arrived said. Looking round the place where the young master was kept, his eyes flashed with anger. Everything around the place had faults. If the woods weren''t moldy, they were broken or chipped on one end. Even the bed in the room had issues. Worst, the place was cramped and there is no ventilation. Argon noticed that the food in front of Zaphir and his face changed. "How dare they?" He said through gnashed teeth. Zaphir upon seeing Argon, realized that it was his family who had come to take him home and he smiled. Since escaping the battlefield, this was the first smile that had appeared on his face in a long while. "Where is my brother?" Zaphir asked. He has noticed that his brother wasn''t among them and couldn''t help but ask. "The master is waiting for you in the carriage. The master fears that if he is to come and see you, he may end up killing everyone in this household." Argon said. Having been with Zosia for a while, he knew that despite her temper being mild to indifferent at times, when it comes to her own people who had suffered an injustice, her temper would become an erupting volcano. Zaphir raised and eyebrow at Argon''s address to his younger brother, but he didn''t mind. Zaphir attempted to reach for his stick to walk, since the Demanies had refused to even do a wheelchair for him. Just thinking about this family made his teeth ache. Argon realized what Zaphir wanted to do and immediately reached out to carry him. "Young master, please pardon this impudent servant." Argon said as he lifted up the young master. He noticed how light the young master was and even his legs had started atrophying, becoming thinner. His eyes turned red with anger and he wasn''t the only one angry as the others felt the same. They hadn''t come with a wheelchair as they had not expect the Demanies to be so cruel as not to provide even a wheelchair. "Let''s go." Argon said and immediately left like a whirlwind. As he approached the Demanies gate, the Baroness who had been standing in fear, suddenly tried to stop them. "How can you come to take our son-in-law and leave like that?" She said shrilly. The Baron who had been trying to stand up, immediately fell back on his butt. His body shivering. He wished he could stand up and slap his wife. ''Can''t she see that the guards were all releasing a menacing aura?'' "So stupid." He cursed under his breath, forgetting that he is also stupid. The Demanies eldest daughter seeing that her husband whom she had schemed and won from her step-sister was about to leave, felt dissatisfied. To her, since her husband was from a big household, shouldn''t he have a big heart and forgive them, while also taking her a long. But he didn''t even look at her while leaving, seemingly intent on having nothing to do with her. Her mind spun with various ideas. She suddenly turned to look at her step-sister who was the one that had brought Zaphir home, her eyes glowing with a sinster light. Brittany shivered upon meeting Jessica''s gaze that was filled with malice. She hid behind her mother, trying to reduce her presence, but it was futile. "Son-in-law, please don''t make me laugh. If not for the weakened state of our young master, do you think you would have been able to make him your son-in-law. A son-in-law that you can''t even treat well?!" "How we treat our son-in-law is up to us..." She didn''t finish talking when she suddenly felt a gust of wind that sent her flying away, slamming her back on the tree. Argon was already angry and her words were just as irritating as the sight of her. Jessica eyes flashed. She didn''t want to lose Zaphir, after all this was her chance to climb the social ladder. She knew that the words of her parents were probably what had ticked them off, so she had to be careful with her words. Argon didn''t look at them and continued walking. Jessica seeing that they were about to leave was truly anxious and ran after them, just in time to see Zosia who had come down from the carriage. Seeing Zosia that was more handsome that Zaphir, her heart lurched and was filled with lust and greed. She couldn''t even hide the insidious look in her eyes, making Zosia who had come down to greet the host brother, turned to look at her. Her gaze turning cold and a hint of disgust surfaced in her eyes. Jessica thought that the young master must have taken a liking to her which was why he had looked her way. "Brother, you have suffered." Zosia said as she helped Argon put the host brother in the carriage. The gathered crowd happened to glimpse at the legs of the eldest young master, were filled with revulsion towards the Demanies. They felt that the Valtieri were too calm. If they were the ones, they would have already flattened the Demanies. But seeing how handsome both young masters were they couldn''t help but sigh. "No wonder those greedy people had that their daughter marry him. If I had such a son-in-law, I will do the same thing." A bystander said and others also agreed to his sentiment. "Young master...." Jessica started but Zosia didn''t allow her to continue and turned to look at the host brother. "Brother, are you willing to divorce her?" Zosia asked, her gaze calm as she stared at the host brother. "We aren''t married in the first place. We did not do any wedding rites. They just claimed that I am now their son-in-law. We had no agreement whatsoever." Zaphir said. Jessica after hearing his words immediately rushed forward but was stopped by the barrier created around them by Argon. Zaphir upon seeing the barrier was quite surprised. He realized that their family had really changed. Especially his brother. "You can''t say that. We have already had sex before and even now I am carrying your child." Zaphir turned to look at Jessica for the first time today, "You drugged me and as for the child, it''s not mine. I can''t have a child." Zaphir voice wasn''t loud but it was still able to travel wide and reach the crowd. Zosia looked at Zaphir in surprise. Even Argon was surprised, he couldn''t help but wonder if the young mastrr poison had affected his thing. Seeing the look of surprise on their faces, Zaphir felt the need to clarify. "The technique if practice don''t allow for that and because i was drugged, my cultivation dispassiated and becoming infertile is the backlash. So that child can''t be mine." Zaphir said calmly, not caring for the pitying gaze coming from them. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From his words, Zosia understood why she had felt that Zaphir had no cultivation at all. With Zaphir cultivation before, it would have been a piece of cake for him to deal with this family. Jessica was stunned and stood rooted at the spot. She realized that there was no way for her to truly keep this man and her family may soon suffer the consequences of their actions. "Since you people never got married, its still better to make it official. So that they won''t start spreading any false news." Zosia said an brought out a scroll. The scroll also known as the heaven earth scroll. It was also recognized by Argon and Zaphir who looked at Zosia in surprise. The Heaven Earth Scroll is a rare and powerful artifact used primarily by cultivators to formalize and seal agreements. It serves as a sacred witness, ensuring that any oath or contract made with it is upheld by the very forces of heaven and earth. Because of its immense significance and binding nature, it is seldom used by mortals, as its price is exorbitant and its effects are absolute. Once an agreement is made and recorded on the Heaven Earth Scroll, it enforces compliance from all parties involved, preventing them from breaking their word without severe consequences. It is particularly valued in the cultivation world for matters of great importance, such as alliances, pacts, and disputes where trust is uncertain. The scroll''s authority is unquestionable, making it a revered tool in legal and personal affairs among powerful cultivators. Chapter 153 - 151- ARC 5 [Between Zaphir and Zosia, Instead of her answering the pronoun he, it will become she, because he knows her real gender.] Zosia unsealed the scroll and unfurled it. "Brother, I am sure you know what to do next." Zosia said as she looked at Zaphir who was looking at her in surprise. Zaphir nodded and took the knife handed to him by Argon. He slashed his finger and using his blood, he wrote on the scroll. After Zaphir finished writing, Zosia gave the scroll to Argon. "Have the girl do the same thing." Zosia commanded. Jessica realized that the scroll was not your anyhow scroll and immediately got scared. "Write that as you have never married our young master Zaphir ..." Zosia slowly spoke as he said what Jessica should write. Jessica shook her head like a rattle drum. She didn''t want to do it, but neither of them was having it. Zosia didn''t look at her. She held the host brother''s hand slowly used her powers to treat the wound. Her actions prompted Zaphir to be surprised. ''When had his younger sister started cultivating?'' Unlike others, he was aware of his brother''s real gender and the reason behind why she had to appear as a boy, so his shock was great, seeing that she had started cultivating. Zosia knew that one thing about the scroll was that it had to be done willingly by both parties and she couldn''t force Jessica. "If you want your family to live, you better do as said." Zosia said slowly, her words cold. Jessica didn''t care about her family but she knew that without her family, she would be at the mercy of the people she had offended due to her status. The other members of the Baron''s family had approached the gate and were watching the scene. Each of them has varying expressions, but their words to Jessica all seemed like they were watching out for her. "Jessica just do as the young master say, after all your status can''t compare." One of Jessica''s step-mother said. Their words incensed Jessica and she couldn''t help but glare at them. "At least my younger sister was the one who brought him home and even helped him get treatment. Isn''t your attitude towards us too harsh? If not for us, your young master would have died in the forest." Jessica said with anger and discontent in her tone. She didn''t want to write anything on that scroll and even if she did, she would also include her family to write it. She can''t be the only one loosing out. Zosia saw through her thoughts. "If my brother hadn''t saved your sister from those bandits, she would probably be in one of the brothels, serving who knows how many men. " Zosia''s words dripped with sarcasm. "If you feel that we are harsh on you. I can have those bandits come and raid your house and if you people could survive on your own, it''s your luck." Zosia''s words caused the faces of the Demanies to change. They didn''t want to know if the young master could do it or not and could only urge Jessica to do as the young master said. Jessica still unwilling, bit her lips as she stared at Zaphir, hoping to appear pitiful but noticed that Zaphir had been adjusted into the carriage and she could no longer see him. "Fine. If I was to sign it, let everyone in my family do same. They should never have anything to do with your family as well." "Okay." Zosia answered, ignoring the voice of protests from the other family members. They could only watch as the scroll extended in length. Jessica took the knife offered to her by one of the guards and slashed at her fingers and wrote down the words of Zosia. The other family members had no choice but to do same under the menacing aura of the guards. Even the Baron and baroness also signed it. After everyone had signed, the scroll was folded and given to Zosia who injected her powers into it. In the eyes of the crowd, the Valtieri household became more mysterious and out of reach. The scroll divided into two and one flew to Jessica''s hand. The moment she held it, thunder was heard in the sky, causing the crowd to look up. They saw a lightening that briefly appeared and their facial expressions couldn''t help but change to one of surprise. "The oath has been bound. The moment you decide to not fulfill your own end of the oath, get ready to die." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite Zosia''s voice being calm, it sounded chilling to the ears of the Demanies. The way they looked at Jessica changed and one could guess that she would probably have to suffer in their hands. "Let''s go." Zosia ordered and entered the carriage. Soon the carriage started moving. In the carriage, both siblings now alone stared at each other. The atmosphere turned a little awkward. Zosia had no choice but to speak. "Brother after we get back, I will have the poison expelled from your body. As for your cultivation.... We will see if we can find another technique to practice." Zosia said, her voice softening as she spoke. Zaphir nodded, a smile adorning his face. He stretched out his hand to ruffle his sister''s hair as usual but suddenly stopped midway. After all, it''s been so long since he separated from his sister and the changes his sister had undergone, made him unsure of how to relate with her. Zosia noticed his actions and bent forward. Touching Zaphir hands, she placed the hand on her head. Even though she wasn''t the type to be fond of being touched, she still did it. After all, this brother of the host had treated the original host well and their relationship could be said to be tight knit. Zaphir seeing his sister''s action smiled and the restraint he had in his mind vanished. He realized that even if his sister had changed, it was still his sister and their relationship would not change. Ruffling Zosia''s hair, some memories of their past came rushing through his mind. He couldn''t help but reminisce. He remembered the day they returned from war. He had just taken off his boots, ready to rest when his younger sister barged into his room, eyes glowing with excitement. "Brother, let''s go see the Moon-Sun Festival," she had said. "I just came back. Let me rest," he had replied, voice heavy with exhaustion. But Vivienne smiled sweetly, her words dancing like honey. "You''ll feel better after some fun. Think of it as a reward for all your hard work." He sighed. Her charm always worked. Somehow, she twisted his arm with nothing but sweet nonsense. And before long, they were out under the night sky, the scent of roasted meat and fresh flowers filling the air. The streets had been alive with laughter and music. Vivienne dragged him from stall to stall, her eyes wide with wonder. She tried everything¡ªspiced nuts, sweet buns, and even a dancing mask. She bought trinkets and snacks with a wide grin, each time pulling coins from his pouch. At last, Zaphir raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you didn''t drag me here just to rob me clean?" "Tsk, brother! How can you say that?" Vivienne pouted, pressing a hand to her chest. "I missed you. This is how I show it." He flicked her forehead with his thumb. "That''s an expensive kind of love." Vivienne''s eyes shimmered like tears were close. Zaphir panicked. "Fine, fine! Buy whatever you want." He had regretted those words. She truly did buy everything. Another time, he caught her sneaking out, her feet light as a cat''s. "Where do you think you''re going?" he had asked. Vivienne spun around, startled. Then, with a mischievous grin, she said, "Since you caught me, you might as well come along." Before he could protest, she grabbed his wrist, and soon, they were slipping past guards, giggling like thieves. He rembered when they were younger, she used to dress as a ghost to scare him awake. The first few times, he had jumped out of bed screaming, his heart racing like a war drum. But one night, he had caught her in the act and poured a bucket of water over her head. She had screeched like a banshee. "You planned this!" He laughed harder than he had in months. Those memories brought joy to his heart, he even remembered one habit his sister had to which she always used to gain money from him. Vivienne had a habit of dragging him to the hot pools for a bath, pretending they were both boys. Zaphir, knowing her true gender, had always refused. She''d beg. He''d bribe. "I''ll give you five silver coins if you stop asking." She''d grin and hold out her hand. "Deal." Thankfully, she grew out of that phase¡ªor so he hoped. Back in the carriage, Zaphir''s smile deepened as he looked at Zosia. No matter how much time had passed, or how much she had changed, she was still his little sister. Clever, stubborn, and full of trouble. And he wouldn''t have it any other way. ============== I pray I have the strength to continue this streak . Please keep supporting me. Chapter 154 - 152- ARC 5 Seeing him smile, Zosia couldn''t help but mention their mother to him and her current state. "Mom has been waiting for you to come back. After father''s death, mom refused to continue to treat her injuries. She keeps saying that she want to leave but she would only do so when you come back and her husband is properly buried." Zosia said softly as she watched Zaphir facial expression turn grim. "So what do we do?" Zaphir asked. "Mom''s injury isn''t serious and can be fully treated but mom refuses. Her will to go with Dad is very strong." There was something Zosia did not add. She had seen it¡ªthe fragile mortal thread that tied their mother''s soul to the world. It was almost gone. Even if they healed her body, her heart had already begun to let go. If her will remained the same, she would leave them soon. "So far, I haven''t been able to get anything about Dad''s corpse." Zosia added, her expression downcast. "I am with Dad''s corpse. After Dad died that rainy night, I had them bury him in a casket which I transported to Bezhou. I bought a house and buried him there, planning to return back to the battlefield and protect our armies at least, but I was ambushed and since then I was on the run. During that period, I met the Demanies daughter where she was about to be defiled by the bandits. I rescued her but I ended up taking a poisoned arrow to the leg. To which... Now... ." He paused, his gaze landing on his shriveled leg. Zosia wasn''t too good at comforting and didn''t know what to say. "It''s good you are alive. Soon, the leg won''t be an issue. After you are completely set back onto your feet and your cultivation returns, I will hand the family back to you." "You...." It would be a lie to say he wasn''t surprised by his sister''s words. If it were other families, it surely wouldn''t be this simple. Zaphir was very aware that he was nothing but a child from a concubine by virtue of the old cooth that calls herself their grandmother. Even him being called a black star, was from her that he found out. His childhood was almost ruined by her, but he was lucky to have the kind of parents and sister he has. He never felt like he was a curse when with them. He was always free and happy. Now that he has returned, his sister didn''t hesitate to pass the helm of leadership to him. "Sister, what if I can''t do well?" He said. "Don''t worry about that. I am behind you." Zosia answered. Having used analyze on him, she was willing to give the helm of leadership to him. "Isn''t that something I am suppose to say." Zaphir said with a laugh, his eyes smiling as he looked at his younger sister. Zosia smiled as well. "Brother, after you get healed, I still want to eat your food." Zosia changed the topic. The original host had always been a picky eater and it only got better as they grew older. During her younger days, it was her brother who did the cooking since she detested eating the chef''s food. Only the food done by her brother would she eat with gusto. Zaphir smiled. "I can even do the food for you before my legs are completely treated." They continued talking and before they knew it, they were back to the house. ---------------- While Zosia was undergoing her task, the soul world was in turmoil. Lady Elara was arrested by the soul world police and was thrown into prison where she had to wait for trial, that is if there would be any. The evidence had against her was something provided by the same people she calls allies. Lady Elara was quickly arrested and brought to the inspection bureau. Her butt was not even yet warm in the inspection bureau and she was transferred once again the the soul chanqing station that dealt with high level criminals. She stayed there for some days until the trial arrived. Elara thought she could plead and wiggle away out of the heavy sentence, but when she realized that none of her allies were responding to her, a sinster expression appeared on her face. "Since that''s how they want to do it. They should not blame me for my response." She said coldly, her gloomy eyes reflecting the room she was currently in. She thought about all the people she could threaten and call to help but none of them responded to her. As the trial approached, she became more anxious. She was very aware that her sentencing would be worst than life imprisonment, considering the deeds she has done and the people she has offended. Suddenly a light bulb went on in her head, "That''s right. I still have those brothers." She muttered, her gaze frantic. Elara quickly got to work and tried to contact any of the brother''s especially Lucien, who was the only person she had something against. Her effort didn''t bear any fruit and the day fi the Trial came. Seeing the guards approach her prison cell, she realized that was done for and there was no way to overturn things. Knowing that things will become harder for her daughter, she decided to use the last bit of connection she hadn''t wanted to use. "I want to make a call " Elara said to them. They didn''t agree but after convincing them, she was finally able to make the call. "Please help me take care of my daughter. As for the stuff, It will follow me to my grave, not to be known by another person." After she said this, the person at the other end was silent for a while before responding. "I will. And I hope you fulfil your own end of the deal." "Don''t worry. I have no where to run to again, so you need not worry." She said with a wry smile. She could no longer be oblivious to her situation which was beyond dire. Despite having her assistant arrange everything for her daughter, she still felt insecure and the only thing left that she could do to suppress and destroy the insecurity she felt was to call this person and her daughter over to him. She could only hope that she had made the right choice, since that person was her children father. At least on the consideration of their children, she hopes he will take care of them. She sat back against the cold wall, her face pale but calm. The secrets, the schemes¡ªthey were over. All that mattered now was her daughter''s safety. Even though she had in essence threatened him, considering their past relationship, she didn''t want him to rescue her or help her but hoped he would protect their child. The guards led Elara through the long stone corridors of the Soul Chanqing Station. Her chains clinked with every step, the heavy cuffs felt cold against her skin. The trial hall loomed ahead¡ªtall and merciless, filled with the cold aura of judgment. Inside, the air was tense. The judges sat high above on their seats, faces hidden behind ceremonial masks of truth. Every movement echoed in the silent hall. The moment Elara was brought forward, the evidence against her began to pour in. Documents. Spirit recordings. Blood-soaked scrolls. Witnesses who had once served under her, now speaking against her. Everything was real. Everything undeniable. Not even Elara could find a crack in their claims. Her crimes¡ªmanipulation, betrayal, unlawful use of soul power, and attempted assassination¡ªwere laid bare for all to see. The trial didn''t take long. The lead judge lifted the golden hammer of judgment and brought it down. "For crimes against the Soul World and the living realm, Elara, you are hereby stripped of all power. Your title, your rank, your soul energy¡ªgone. You are sentenced to be thrown into the Oblivion, where no light nor soul shall reach you again." The sound of the hammer hitting stone echoed like thunder. The hall stayed silent. And then, Elara smiled. It was a small, dry smile, one corner of her mouth lifting. She didn''t cry. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She didn''t beg. She didn''t even flinch. Her gaze swept across the room and landed on familiar faces. Lucien. Aleron. Both of them were there, standing behind the crowd, their expressions unreadable. She met their eyes¡ªand her dry smile twisted into something darker. A sinister smile. The kind that didn''t belong on someone who had just lost everything. They thought it was over. They thought they had won. But she had nothing left to lose¡ªand that made her dangerous. Her thoughts turned to the message her assistant had managed to pass to her on the way to the trial. Her daughter¡­ dead. Killed two weeks ago during a monster attack. Torn apart before help could arrive. She was only a child. If people of the mortal world knew that a 90 something year old lady is still considered a child, they wouldn''t know how to react, since the teen age for anybody in the soul world began from 150 years. The words had hit Elara like a blade to the chest, but she hadn''t let the pain show. She kept it inside, like a flame waiting to burn. She didn''t know who had sent the monster. But she had her suspicions. Lucien. After all, she had once sent a monster after Zosia. Maybe this was his way of returning the favor. Her daughter for the girl. As for what their relationship was, she didn''t know. The thought festered inside her like poison. At first, Elara had planned to let all the schemes die with her. She wanted to vanish into the dark with silence and pride. But now? Now she wanted to leave them with something more. Something to think about. Something to fear. Let them wonder. Let them whisper in corners. Let them ask themselves¡ªwhat else had she prepared? As the guards dragged her away toward the gates of Oblivion, she didn''t scream. She didn''t curse. She just kept smiling. A crooked, broken, knowing smile. Because even if she was gone, her shadow would remain. And maybe her death wouldn''t be the end of her game. ============== Begging for your subscriptions. Please. Chapter 155 - 153- ARC 5 Aleron who had noticed her sinster smile could guess what was in her mind. He had known about Elara''s daughter death and was the one who had gathered the evidence and sent them to the assistant who was busy trying to save his neck. The person who had killed Elara''s daughter was still her ex-husband whom she had entrusted the child to. And the man wasn''t done with his destruction. He didn''t see eye to eye with Lucien, so he decided to kill his daughter using a monster to make Elara reveal any secret she knew of Lucien, then he could use the secret to hold Lucien by the throat. Elara hadn''t even been dealt with completely but he was already swallowing her business and properties. He didn''t even spare the assistant. He felt that the assistant should know many secrets and with him being hidden very well by Elara under many layers of assistant, the more he wants the assistant. The assistant with Aleron''s help, was able to meet Elara one more time. "Tell me everything." Elara said not minding the kind of place she currently was. "The person who orchestrated the killing was your ex-husband and he has already absorbed most of the business and properties. He is not even sparing me and wants me to work for him..." The assistant described everything vividly and Elara who had been confident that the culprit was Lucien became stunned. "He... How... How could he? She is also his child." Elara felt that she was going crazy. When she had looked at the crowd today, she had not seen him either. "Mr. Lucien and Mr. Aleron said that you shouldn''t involve them in whatever skewed plan you are planning. Since he has already tried to keep me alive and he mentioned something that I am really confused about." The assistant said, a hint of confusion clouding his features. "He said since he has already preserved me, your first child, he has already helped enough and the life owing grace you feel they owe you is settled. But, how am I your child?" The assistant heart thundered as he spoke. Hearing his words, Elara eyes shrunk in fear. ''No wonder they weren''t afraid of me. They had another place to hold me. Besides, the only thing I know about them was that I rescued them from the areas around the oblivion. It was nothing since they could have still crawled out by themselves, but she just had to use it to make a mountain out of it.'' Elara became weak, not knowing how to answer. After a moment of silence and after her son had regained his composure, she began to speak. "Indeed you are my son. I had you before I had Mina..." She began to tell him the full story. She also told him all the secrets she knew and where the evidences are. "Meet Aleron. He would help you wash this identity and give you a new one to be able to combat for what is left. Don''t let that man take everything. Tell Aleron that I will carry the secret to my grave and would not speak about it. It would die with me and no one else knows." Indeed apart from her, no one else knows that they are brothers nor that they were from the oblivion which was why they had somehow catered to her wishes. Elara didn''t also tell her son this secret and neither did he ask. Since, if that secret was used in exchange to protect his life, he was better off not knowing it. After he left, Elara was taken to a room where her powers were quickly stripped off, but being someone with a higher level of power, it took a few days and within these few days, a lot of power change had happened in the Soul world. The chamber where Elara was held during the stripping process was dark and quiet. Thick runes lined the walls, glowing faintly as they pulled power from her body bit by bit. Every passing hour made her feel lighter, weaker. It was as if pieces of her soul were being peeled away. The process was painful¡ªmore painful than she had imagined. Her body trembled. Her lips cracked. Her once brilliant soul energy turned dull and thin, like a dying candle in the wind. But she said nothing. She didn''t scream. She didn''t beg. She simply watched the light fade from her hands, her fingers shaking, her breath shallow. She had accepted her fate. All that remained now was to finish what she had started through her son. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her two daughter''s face. Their laughter and smile with their soft voice calling for her. The memories made her heart ache in ways no power could fix. At night, in the corner of her cell, she wept silently. But in the day, she wore the same calm face, the same sharp eyes, like someone who had nothing left to lose¡ªand maybe she didn''t. When the final day of power extraction came, her body was too weak to stand. The guards had to carry her to the chamber. Her long black hair was now streaked with grey. Her skin had lost its glow. Still, her back was straight, and her eyes cold. Aleron arrived during the final hour of the stripping. He didn''t say a word as he entered. Just stood at the door, arms crossed, watching the process. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elara looked at him, then gave a weak nod. After everyond had left, leaving both of them in the cell alone, she finally spoke. "Did he leave?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes," Aleron replied. "He left two days ago. I gave him the new identity, just like you asked. He''s already begun moving." Elara closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek. "Good¡­ then I can rest." Aleron walked closer and looked down at her. His face was calm, but there was something sharp behind his eyes. "You''re lucky," he said quietly. "If not for that son, I would have let them tear your soul apart." Elara gave a faint smile. "I know." "You''ve caused too much damage, Elara. But I''ll keep your secret¡ªbecause he doesn''t deserve to pay for your sins." She looked up at him, her gaze distant. "I know," she said again. Then, with a faint breath, she added, "Thank you." Aleron didn''t respond. He turned and walked out, the door closing behind him with a deep thud. The room fell quiet again, the runes humming low as they completed the process. Elara lay on the cold floor, her body now just a shell of what it used to be. The once powerful lady of the soul world had become a shadow of her former self. A few hours later, the guards came for her. They brought her to the edge of the Oblivion gate¡ªa massive black void surrounded by silent watchers. One of the judges stepped forward. "Elara, for your crimes, you are to be cast into the Oblivion, never to return." No one cried. No one objected. She stood there, weak and pale, and smiled for the last time. But this time, there was no sinisterness. No hate. Only peace. She looked up at the sky one last time and whispered, "Daughters¡­ I''m coming." Then, without resistance, she stepped into the void. The gate closed behind her with a loud, final sound. And with that, Elara disappeared. But not her story. Because far away, in the shadows of the Soul World, a young man had begun his quiet war to reclaim what had been stolen. And through him¡ªElara''s legacy would live on. ------------------- This episode wasn''t known to Zosia who was currently sitting in the hall with the host mother and brother. Genevieve eyes were red as she had just finished crying. "It''s good you are alive. It''s good." Those were the words Genevieve had been saying for a while, despite the ache in her heart. Her son had lost his cultivation and even his leg was almost destroyed in the process. "Then, your father?" Genevieve asked tentatively. She hoped to see her husband''s body one last time and bury it, so that she could leave in piece. Zaphir took the chance to explain what had happened, how he had escaped and where he had buried their father. "I have already sent Argon with some people to Bezhou. So, father''s body should be here in a month or two." Zosia said calmly. Genevieve sighed. She was lucky to have such understanding children. "Your brother''s leg. When would he start treatment?" "Today. Everything would soon be arranged and by the time father''s body gets here, brother should be able to stand on his own." Zosia paused, her eyes watching the expression on their face, "Brother''s cultivation can also begin a month after the treatment. Since, he has once gone through the process of cultivating, it wouldn''t take much time and he should be able to regain his former cultivation in about half a year to a year." Zosia added. "That''s good." Genevieve said with a smile, her eyes filled with hope and joy. ================= I am begging for subscription. I don''t know what happened but my average subscription has been decreasing in recent days and even my earnings are no more. I can only come to beg for subscriptions since even getting gifts is close to nonexistent. Thank you for your support as always. Chapter 156 - 154- Arc 5 It''s been two years now since Zosia had been in this world. Sitting in the futon mat, she released a turbid breath from her mouth before opening her eyes, her gaze sharp and filled with sword Qi. Her gaze alone was enough to intimidate those with a higher cultivation than her, let alone those with a lower cultivation than her. Despite having been unable to go for the adventure as she hoped. She had been able to advance from the core tier up to the early Nascent level. With her help, the host brother had reached the core tier and even Argon was currently in the core tier. Zosia stood up, deciding to take a walk, since she had just had her breakthrough. It would take a while for her cultivation level to stabilize and since she felt no need to rush, she decided to walk around. Stepping out of the room, she met the host brother who seemed to have been waiting for her for a while. "Sister, how was it?" Zaphir asked, his eyes scanned his sister. Since he couldn''t determine his sister''s level, he could only ask her. But, he had a feeling that she had finally achieved the breakthrough she wasn''t able to achieve for the past 3 months. "Mm. I have broken through. Currently, I am at the Nascent tier." Zosia said calmly. Zaphir though surprised was really happy. Now, their family had a Nascent tier cultivator, something that some sects do not even have. During these period, their family had grown to become a behemoth and even the palace had sent someone to come and visit them. "Sister, the palace sent an invitation to the empress dowgar birthday. Would you be going?" He asked, his expression dimming a bit. He didn''t like them one bit, especially since they were the ones behind their family downfall. "Brother, let''s walk." Zosia said and took the first step. "What do you think of becoming an emperor?" Zosia asked directly. She didn''t see the need to prove or beat around the bush. "Not interested. But we could have someone on the throne and be behind the scene." Zaphir answered. If he became the emperor, not only would he not have time to relax but he wouldn''t even have time to cultivate. Plus, he''d have to deal with treacherous officials, who not only did not mind their business but took it as a duty to force women into the harem. Zosia stopped, her gaze landing on Argon who was approaching him with his younger brother. "What do you think?" Zosia suddenly muttered to the hearing of Zaphir. "Isn''t Argon your man?" Zaphir asked instead. "No, the younger one." "That, I am not sure. But it wouldn''t hurt to watch him and see. Besides, it still depends on if he is willing." Zaphir commented as he watched both men coming closer to them. Zosia had used analyze on him the first time she saw him, which gave her the idea of using her person to place on the seat which is the throne. Considering his talent which excels in leadership and being able to make strategic plans. Argon had even once mentioned his brother''s talent, "If it was when we had to go to the battlefield as the duty of the Duke, Terez talent would have shone on the battlefield. Unfortunately, his talent may end up going to waste." Argon had lamented. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zosia nodded slightly, her eyes fixed on Terez. He looked calm, but alert. His steps were steady, and his eyes swept over the surroundings like someone trained to watch for danger. When they reached her and Zaphir, Argon gave a respectful nod. "You''re out early. Feeling better?" he asked. Zosia returned the nod. "I broke through." Argon smiled. "Congratulations Master. It''s well deserved." Terez said nothing, but he met Zosia''s gaze for a moment. She noticed the spark of curiosity in his eyes. As for what he was curious about, Zosia didn''t know since she was neither a mind reader. Zaphir stepped forward and clapped Argon on the back. "How goes training?" "It''s going well," Argon replied. "Terez has improved a lot. His control of Qi is now stable, and his sword forms are sharper than mine at the same stage." Zosia raised a brow. "Terez, do you enjoy training?" Terez looked at her. His answer came quick. "I enjoy learning. I don''t like fighting unless I must." "Hmm," Zosia hummed. "Would you ever consider ruling a nation?" Argon and Zaphir both blinked, surprised by her direct question. Terez, however, didn''t look shocked. His brother had given him quite a few things already. He couldn''t say that he wasn''t surprised when he first unraveled the hints dropped by his brother. At a point he even hit scared, but his brother had told him that the Master was someone he could trust and since her plan was to put him in that seat, he could and only be Loyal to her. To the master, loyalty is a currency. He thought for a moment before speaking. "Only if I can protect the people I care about. If I must sit on a throne to do that, then I will." Zosia''s lips curved up slightly. "Good answer." Zaphir leaned close to her and whispered, "Are you really thinking of pushing him toward the throne?" "Maybe," she whispered back. "He has the heart for it. And the mind." "The day he decides to have a change of mind. Maybe if the change of mind isn''t good, that would be the day his head would roll." Zosia answered with a faint smile on his lips. They walked together toward the training field. Other cultivators in the estate greeted them as they passed. Everyone stepped aside for Zosia with a bow. Her new strength was already known. At the field, young disciples trained hard, swinging swords, forming seals, and sparring in pairs. The place buzzed with life and energy. Zosia stood by the edge, watching for a moment before speaking. "The empress dowager''s birthday is next week. I plan to attend." Zaphir frowned. "Why? We owe them nothing." Zosia''s voice remained calm. "We owe them revenge. But we also need information. And allies." Argon stepped closer. "You plan to shake the court?" Zosia looked at him. "No. I plan to take it." Argon''s eyes widened. Zaphir stared at her in silence. Terez, however, nodded once. "Then we must be ready." Zosia smiled. "Yes. We begin now." The wind blew through the training ground, lifting the edge of her robe. The journey that began two years ago had just taken a new turn. This time, Zosia was ready to fulfill the main task on the list. The task was; [MISSION: MAIN TASK: SUBVERT THE CURRENT KING RULE. TASK 2: CULTUVATE AND GET STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT MY FAMILY. TASK 3: TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY. TIME LIMIT: UNTIL ALL TASK IS COMPLETED.] Zosia left the training field and returned to her quiet courtyard. She needed to prepare for the birthday banquet. Although she didn''t care for celebrations, this one held value. Her going to the banquet wasn''t to just party, but to make them aware of her presence and make them act. If she suddenly attacked, she would gain the reputation of an usurper, but she doesn''t want that. She opened her drawer and brought out a small wooden box. Inside it were the emblems of several clans. She had either saved, helped, or protected their people over the past two years. Most of them also had some of her people within their ranks. She picked the one she needed and tucked it into her sleeve. Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door. "Come in," she said. It was Mara, one of the young girls she had rescued a year ago during a raid from the eastern bandits. Now, Mara served her as an attendant but also trained under her. She could no longer make use of Argon as her personal attendant after she had changed her gender. Though the ring was still on her finger, it was not activated. So she has been living as a female after the host brother came back. "Master, the tailor arrived. He brought the clothes for the event," Mara said, bowing slightly. "Bring them in," Zosia replied. Mara brought in two sets of robes. One was deep blue with silver threads. The other was red with golden phoenix patterns. Zosia touched the blue one. "This will do." Mara looked at her with quiet curiosity. "Master, will you be going alone?" "No," Zosia answered. "Terez will come with me." Mara blinked. "Terez?" "Mmm." Zosia just hummed and said no more. Seeing that her master didn''t want to talk about it, Mara excused herself and left. Later that evening, Zosia found Terez sitting alone in the library, reading a book on old laws and royal customs. "You''re studying?" she asked, stepping in. He looked up and nodded. "I thought it might be useful someday." She smiled slightly. "Good. You''ll come with me to the empress dowager''s birthday. Wear something formal." Terez didn''t argue. He simply nodded again. "Understood." Zosia turned to leave, but paused at the door. "Terez." "Yes?" "You might see things that make you question everything. Don''t look away." "I won''t," he promised. Zosia sat alone on the roof of the east wing, her eyes scanning the dark sky. The stars were dim tonight, like they hid behind a veil. She liked this quiet. It helped her think. The mission felt closer now. The palace. The throne. And Terez. Once she was done with this mission, she would be able to leave this place and go for an adventure. "I hope I can get my hands on more artifacts and knowledge." She murmured. Suddenly remembering something, she brought out a book from her space. "Introduction to the art of Tailsman craft." Was written on the cover page. Unlike her usual knowledge of talisman, the one practiced in this world was different. Just as she was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a familiar presence but didn''t turn to look behind her. Zaphir walked up quietly behind her and handed her a warm drink. "You always sit here when something big is coming." Zosia took the cup. "It clears my mind." He sat beside her. "You really think Terez can handle the throne?" Zosia didn''t answer right away. She looked down at the estate. The industrial light she had some people build, glowed like stars on the ground. "I think he''ll be better than anyone else we''ve seen sit on it." "But can we control him?" Zaphir asked. "We don''t need to control him. We guide him. And if he ever forgets why he was placed there, I will remind him." Zaphir sipped his own drink. "With your sword?" Zosia''s lips curled. "If I must." A small knock came from the courtyard below. It was Terez. "I brought the documents," he said. "Come up," Zosia replied. He climbed up smoothly and handed her a few old scrolls. "These show the current alliances within the palace. I think two of the main noble clans are trying to push their own candidate forward." Zosia opened one scroll and studied it. "They will not expect a new player. That''s our advantage." Zaphir leaned over. "So, how do we start?" Zosia looked at both men. "At the birthday banquet, we make our first move. I want to see who still fears us... and who dares to challenge us. Currently there are only 3 princes. One is currently at the border and can be killed anytime. The second one is known as the weakest prince among them but he is quite cunning and likes to use others to do his bidding while remaining innocent. The last one is the crown prince. He is quite arrogant and has a mediocre talent." Terez nodded slowly. "You want me to test them?" "No. You watch. You learn. And when the time is right, you will act." He understood. As for the royal family, upon seeing us, they would be afraid. So, they will try to eradicate us with any means necessary. That alone would give me the opportunity to act. "What if he doesn''t?" Terez asked. Zaphir nodded, his thoughts aligning with Terez question. "The old man has been getting wary and now that each noble family is bringing out their own candidate to support with the fight for the throne already ongoing, despite him not yet being dead. His heart is full of anger and he has already started suppressing them, but the people in the harem are not idle either." Hearing her words, they understood. The King doesn''t have the time to acknowledge them and others that see them as a threat would act even if the King doesn''t act. --- The next morning, Zosia called a meeting in the war room. Zaphir, Argon, Terez, and other leaders of different departments stood around the map table. The map of the capital lay open, marked with ink dots and small metal flags. "This is our plan," Zosia began. "We do not strike with swords. We strike with our presence." She pointed to three noble houses marked in red. "These clans hold the most power in court. They have ties to the empress dowager, the current Empress and the most favored concubine, Concubine Luo. At the banquet, I will speak to one of them. Terez will speak to another." "Why me?" Terez asked. "Because you are new," Zosia said. "They don''t know your face. That makes you the perfect bait." Terez nodded. "What should I say?" "Say very little. But listen to everything." Argon crossed his arms. "And the third house?" Zaphir answered, "We leave them alone for now. If they approach us first, then we know they''re afraid." Zosia rolled up the map. "We will go in as guests, but we leave as a threat." They made various plans before dismissing the meeting and everyone left to prepare. ================= Thank you all for your continuous support. Unfortunately, I couldn''t do as I hoped, due to my exams. I had an exam the following day, so I couldn''t update cos despite reading, I felt my brain was blank. So, I was anxious and not in the mood to write. The following days, I had returned home and with my parents traveling, I had to take care of both my siblings, the house and shop. It hasn''t been easy and neither have I had the room to write. This chapter was written from countless daily 10-20 words. Please enjoy and I hope I am not suffering from a writers block. Thank you ????. Chapter 157 - 155- ARC 5 They had gone to the capital a week before the banquet. "Is everything ready?" Zosia asked without looking up to see the person entering. "Yes. We have also acquired the Majo mountain. It''s now a personal territory of the Valtieri." "Very well. The plan should begin as planned." Zosia said, her hands moving along the calligraphy paper like flowing water. Her plan after acquiring the Majo mountain, a mountain with great dragon vien and energy that overflows in abundance but was locked due to it being used to suppress a great demon long forgotten by the people of this time. If she is able to resolve it and create a dome surrounding the entirety of the mountain using an array plate and spiritual drawing array, that place would become a heaven for cultivation. It even has a small spirit stone mine. With proper cultivation and time, it will be better than thise heavenly cultivation places in sects. She plans to utilize the mountain to create a family clan with the host brother at the centre. All orphans would be screened either by her or with the detection bead. To which upon entering the mountain, they will be trained for a few years then put in places were they would be able to use their talent. Her plan is huge, something she has to stay to oversee it. But, she currently doesn''t have that patience. One might wonder why? She would soon complete everything on the task list and after that, she would be promptly ejected out of these world. For a hoarder like her, it would be so painful if she leaves without acquiring some things, especially the mine species of these world, cultivation manual of different major sects, etc. Besides, she is yet to use the token given to her by the host mother. Just thinking about all these made her sigh. "I wish I can divide myself into two." Thinking up to this point, she wondered if this world dealt with puppetry. She has never heard of it or seen it in any books she had procured. It would be nice if she could get her hand on it. Despite all her plans, currently everything was just thoughts and some things are yet to be achieved. The day of the banquet arrived. The estate buzzed with movement. Servants packed robes, gifts, and sealed scrolls. The guards lined up at the gate, dressed in clean armor. Zosia stepped out of her room in a black and silver robe. She wore no crown, but her bearing alone made her look royal. Terez wore dark blue. Argon and Zaphir followed behind. Zaphir looked like the villain prince that just stepped out of a fantasy book. Before they mounted the carriage, Zosia turned towards the host brother, "I am removing the illusion." Zaphir nodded at her, giving her the go ahead order. Now, they were no longer afraid of the Royal family. All they had to be wary of was the person behind them, who is their ancestor. But that didn''t mean they still wouldn''t carry out their plan. With a snap of her hands the illusion she had placed on everyone wore off. The host handsome brother''s face came into view. Argon though aware, still couldn''t help but be surprised. He has almost gotten used to their faces. Though not shabby, it couldn''t compare to their real appearance. The servants gasped. They did not understand what had happened. Especially, how their master had became a girl with overflowing beauty. Her small face with limpid eyes and fan-like eyelashes, made whoever saw her, feel like melting into her beauty. The servant''s gazes darted between both of the them. The host brother Charm was max and everything about him screams nobility. His usual soft smile that he always wore on his lips, further accentuated his charm that even the servants of different and the same gender seemed like they were refalling in love with him. "Tsk... Tsk, brother after this banquet, you may end up having a lot of matchmakers coming to knock on the gate. It''s even possible that the gate wouldn''t be able to hold them back." Zosia teased with a smile. Zaphir snorted, his ears having a faint red blush from being embarrassed, especially with the drooling look each servant had. "Isn''t it the pot calling the kettle black." He retorted. He has always been aware of his sister''s gender, but it didn''t mean that he always saw her real face. Now that she has grown, she looked like a world toppling beauty. If he wasn''t his sister, he would definitely ask for her hand in marriage. Terez was also stunned. Seeing the face that every smile and every frown would cause one''s heart to beat and flutter without a landing place. His heart beat sped up and his ears heated up. He hurriedly lowered his gaze to avoid showing the wrong look. It will be a lie to say that he wasn''t enchanted, but his reasoning hadn''t left him yet. He still knew his boundaries and where the line stops and start. If he dared to have any funny thoughts, they wouldn''t even have to deal with him, his brother would. Opening her small rosy lips, Zosia spoke. "Let''s go." The group mounted their carriage and headed toward the palace. Inside the carriage, the carriage was quiet with no one speaking. Though not awkward, Zosia decided to speak, since she had something to tell Terez. "Terez, why do you think we chose you instead to seat on the throne?" Zosia said softly as she moved her chess piece against her brother. "Because I have the capabilities." Terez answered confidently, making a small smile to appear in Zosia''s face. Terez upon seeing that smile was lost in a daze. He quickly circulated his cultivation technique which brought about a calming effect to his mind. Zosia laughed up on seeing his situation. Her bell like laughter rang, making Terez heart speed up. Argon shook his head, knowing that his younger brother would be teased to no end today. When he first found out about her gender and seeing her face, he was teased so much that he even began to avoid his master. But, he could not lie that it also helped him. With his master throwing different illusion techniques his way and seeing her real face every now and then, even when working. He has been able to learn how to ignore it and be focused without getting side tracked. It took a while for him to get used to it, before he could finally adapt to all kinds of illusions and even slowly got immune to it. "When we get back, I have another training for you." Zosia said, her eyelashes slowly fanned, her pearl like eyes coming into view. The scene left Terez enchanted with a face so red that it could drip oil. "Well, you are wrong. Putting you in that throne is because you are also a prince." Zosia''s words snapped Terez awake. "What? I am confused?" He said, his eyes regaining clarity. Zosia nodded in appreciation. He was able to gain clarity and speak without being incoherent after a minute. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hmm... Not bad." She commended inwardly. "Your mother was the former empress. An empress who sat on that position for only 6 months before she was brought down by the current empress. The harem fight is as bloody as it can get and she was on the verge of losing you. She has already pinned all her hopes on using you to gain back her position. But, how could the current empress allow her. The King didn''t care, seeing everything they do as squabbles between women. Squabbles that reap lives like a harvester." Zosia paused, her gaze on Terez expression that was anything but good. "Remember, you have to learn how to control your emotions and neither should it be written on your face." She reminded. Terez schooled his features before answering, "I know. It''s just because I am with the people I trust." Zosia said nothing towards his statement but continued. "My mom owed her a favor and knowing that she may end up dying anytime soon, she had her personal maid servant deliver you to us, the moment she put to bed. It wasn''t easy as the maid servant ended up getting attacked and almost died but before she did, she gave you to Argon. We didn''t want anyone to suspect a thing, especially as we were under the scrutiny of the King. So, we had Argon take you as his brother and made sure you received the best of education alongside us." Terez now understood why he was so favored. He thought it was because of his brother but now, he realized that it was because of the favor owed to his mother. If they weren''t good people, they probably wouldn''t have kept to the promise or they would sell him back to the empress for favor or power. Even if they couldn''t do that, they could also decide not to care for him, since the favor only included helping him survive his birth. While he was still lost in thoughts, they arrived at the palace. The gates opened wide. The palace guards checked every guest, but when they saw Zosia and the rest, they didn''t dare delay her. Not because they knew her but because of the logo of their Valtieri family. Some guards privy to some news were already afraid. They knew about the Royal family pressing down on the Duke''s family. They all proclaimed them dead, but now they have returned. "What could this mean?" Some of them asked out loud. They led her group into the grand courtyard where music played and nobles stood in groups, whispering and smiling with fake faces. "The house of Valtieri is here also known as Duke Heggins household." The Eunuch at the gate announced, causing Zosia''s eyes to narrow. She turned to look at him, her cold eyes like dagger, causing the Eunuch to shiver but he stood his ground. He was the Eunuch close to one of the concubine in the harem, but because he had offended the Noble consort as directed by his master, he was sent here to be an announcer for the banquet as punishment. So, he was able to identify Zaphir. His calling out of their former Duke household name, was a way to win back favor. At least, since he had announced it. The people inside will be quick to react, or so he thought. Zosia looked at his face and threw analyze on him. She didn''t bother checking it out. Deciding to do that later, as she couldn''t be distracted. Zosia moved with calm steps. Her eyes scanned the crowd, picking out the key players. The empress dowager sat on a high platform, surrounded by officials, ladies, and bodyguards. She looked older now¡ªweak in body, but sharp in the eyes. Zosia bowed slightly from a distance. A polite move. Not too low. Not too warm. The dowager noticed and nodded back. But her heart was not calm. "Didn''t the Heggins household not have any female, who is this female fatale?" The empress dowgar thought inwardly. Her thoughts also mirrored the thoughts of some people in the hall. Many sensitive ones, realized that this birthday would not be calm. Some perspective ones were either already making plans or having a wait and see attitude.