It was an early night, and in the pace, most of the leading nobles were having a good time, mingling, sharing drinks, and well-wishes as they waited for the new Emperor to arrive. At the same time, Xendar and Anya sat calmly at their tables, sipping on their fruit wine while Ren was munching on some sweets as Leinor smilingly fed her. Nobody found it weird, as they were soon to be married; in fact, everyone knew this banquet was most likely where they would receive their blessings from the new Emperor for their marriage.

  The chatter quickly died down when Aerthus X arrived, holding his wife's hand, who was rarely seen as she disliked the spotlight and usually kept to herself. Ren only recently learned that her name was Anniel, and she was only barely taller than she, with short, shoulder-length bck hair and blue eyes, a rare mix in the empire... Only, she was still well endowed... unlike her.

  "She has a great hip for bearing children. Maybe now I'm going to have my first grandsons, huh?" Dermitos murmured, smiling at them from his table while his wife nodded, looking on with an anxious expression for some weird reason, "Soften up a little, MeiMei... Are you still upset about what I said?" He sighed, but after that, he ignored his wife, who looked as if she didn't even hear him.

  As for Anniel, she looked on with a shy, fearful expression, which she tried to mask, without much success, as she disliked the many pairs of eyes looking at her. She liked to spend her time between the pace walls or in the library, enjoying the calm and quiet, rather than attending the usual noble meetings and banquets like this.

  Upon arrival, they were followed by two figures who immediately caused a stir: a fox demon and a tall chimpanzee, both in formal attire. The first instinct of some nobles was to fall backward, looking for guards, especially those with weak or nonexistent cultivation.

  "Hah, Niji walks like a dog with socks on." Ren giggled, looking at the pair.

  "Those trouser clearly is not made for his size…." Leinor held back a ugh while Niji, as if he knew their remarks, just gnced at them, rolling his eyes.

  "No need to be afraid." Feynor spoke up, signaling to everyone that they should take their seats, and he let her wife sit down next to him before continuing, "Let me introduce you to our test guests. Her dyship is Emi, emissary of Lady Rumira, the leader of the fox demons."

  "Mm." Emi nodded, not knowing what was expected of her, standing beside him with a stiff posture that mostly came off as someone who was... self-absorbed.

  "And he is," Feynor continued without a hitch, turning to his other side, "Niji, leader of chimpanzees and ambassador of Thunder Valley."

  "Thunder Valley?" Xendar turned towards Ren questioningly.

  "What?" She blinked her eyes innocently. "It wasn't me who named it. Rem came up with the idea!"

  "Aren't you the-" but Leinor couldn't finish it as Ren elbowed him hard, making sure he didn't spill the beans that she suggested it to the little fairy.

  "I knew it!" Anya sighed, but with a smiling face, shaking her head.

  "It wasn't me~" Ren said again, with an innocent, childish look, clearly telling her parents.

  "I'm honored to be here," Niji spoke up first, presenting a perfect greeting gesture. "My kind would like to express our wish to cooperate with you in the future. We hope we can build fruitful cooperation in the coming decades!"

  "As I said this morning," Feynor nodded, "I will make it my goal to bring demons and humans closer together. We must realize that if we want to keep advancing, we must stop the constant skirmishes and find a solution together. I know this will be hard and won't happen by tomorrow, but we are already taking the first steps!" The new Emperor looked around, taking a breath before continuing. "Miss Emi is here to tour the capital and see what we can offer if we work together. Also, Ambassador Niji and I have already made some deals," he signaled as maids delivered paperwork to the most prominent ministers and nobles.

  Soon enough, surprised voices were heard from many of the tables as the nobles read through the deals, suddenly changing their outlook on this weirdness and seeing the opportunities id out before them in numbers.

  "As you can see, we will pay with bor, materials, and equipment to build and expand their city while we receive the listed resources nowhere else found on the continent. For example, fruits containing earthly energy are something you can't find on the market anywhere else. Also… I won't forbid private contracts." Feynor looked around his ministers. "But I'll examine everybody before letting it go through! You can all draft your offer and pass it to Rawanz, the finance minister, and then it will get to me, and I will consult with Ambassador Niji about what is acceptable for their side."

  The prospect of drafting lucrative contracts immediately captured even those minds who were, at first, afraid of the presence of the two demons. Now they saw them as gold mines rather than monsters.

  "I'd like to thank you all in advance." Niji bowed, while Emi just nodded, clearly wishing it would be over so she could go. The long dress she was wearing was making her body itch everywhere...

  "I hope this will be a great new chapter in our Empire's history book!" Feynor said, raising his gss of wine, smiling, and nodding to Niji, who returned the gesture.

  Knowing that both of them felt uncomfortable in their clothing, Feynor did not make them stay more than necessary, and the first who darted out was Emi, leaving as fast as she could, swiping the air with her fluffy tail. In contrast, Niji stayed a little, speaking with some braver nobles who approached him, before excusing himself from the banquet.

  "Cowards!" Ren giggled, watching the whole thing unfold from their table, not bothering to join the fun.

  "I totally get it. I always disliked events like this!" Xendar groaned next to her, "It's just fluff and nonsense gossiping all around. Waste of time."

  "You wouldn't st a day in the Kingdom." Anya ughed, "There is usually a banquet per week for some weird reason."

  "Ugh… Even I wouldn't want that!" Ren grimaced, hearing her mother say that.

  "Please. A moment!" Feynor's voice came again, silencing everyone as he looked over to their table, "Leinor. Ren. Please come before me."

  When they walked out, standing in front of him, holding hands, Feynor smiled at them warmly, watching his younger brother and his soon-to-be little sister. He was just about to give his blessing for the wedding next week when a guard hurried in and whispered into his ear, making Feynor furrow his brows and look at Anya, which surprised many people.

  "Let them in." He said, and as the door to the room opened, a whole entourage of people walked in, strutting as if they owned the pce.

  The six newcomers, almost all with silvery hair and deep violet eyes, except one, wore silky white dresses with golden trimmings. The only outlier was a person with blue eyes and blonde, curly hair, wearing all-bck clothes... Looking almost like Dermitos himself. All of the newcomers were male; five of them looked middle-aged, while the only youngster was around sixteenish, wearing a slight smile, checking out Ren as soon as they stepped inside.

  "Sentios," Dermitos grunted, but by now, Xendar and Anya were already standing as he pced his hand on her wife's trembling shoulders. This was a meeting... he didn't want to have, ever again.

  "Brother," Sentios replied, then turned his gaze towards Feynor. "You've grown up, little Feynor. Congratutions on succeeding your father."

  "Uncle." Feynor nodded before looking at the others as one of the males stepped forward.

  "Greetings, Aerthus X. My name is Yurik Naulin; I'm here on behalf of my grandfather, King Rudrick!" The man excimed, his voice booming in the chamber, "I'm sorry for the te arrival; please accept this small gift!" He gestured as one of his followers presented a small box containing a beautiful pair of amethyst rings. "Also, I have an official letter from my grandfather." He smiled, offering it himself.

  "Don't-" Anya spoke up, clearly wearing an infuriated expression as her powers were billowing inside her; if not for Xendar holding her shoulders, it would have already burst out...

  "Please, little sister!" Yurik looked at her, "I know we haven't seen each other for decades... But we can catch up ter; this is now an official matter. You stay beside your husband and stay quiet! Just like before." He sneered, and even though they were indeed one blood, it never actually felt like that.

  Hearing it pying out, Ren just raised her eyebrows, watching the scene unfold, holding back her thoughts, showing an innocent expression, more in line with her appearance, easily fooling those who did not know her. Leinor also wanted to cut in, but seeing her react this way, he knew her switch was flipped successfully... and he just had to py along.

  "Let me see," Feynor muttered, rolling open the paper and reading it through. "You are here to recognize Ren as the direct descendant of the Naulin line?" he asked, his voice surprised, sending the hall into a cacophony of murmurs.

  "You-" Anya choked, gasping for air.

  "Rex. Look at your daughter; act like she does!" Xendar whispered, trying his best to hold her back.

  "Even if her mother was exiled, she has the royal bloodline flowing through her," Sentios added, looking at Dermitos as if he wasn't even talking to Feynor. Of course, their auras were already quietly battling in the background, brother against brother, equally matching each other at the moment.

  "Exactly." Yurik nodded. "Even though my little sister was stripped of her family ties, her daughter carries the royal bloodline; just look at her appearance! Those eyes are the only proof one needs to be recognized as the continuation of our bloodline."

  "Why now?" Feynor asked, his voice cold as he read more of the letter, handwritten by Rudrick himself.

  "We weren't informed until recently that... the traitor had borne a child." Yurik answered, holding his smile, "Our King is magnanimous; he restored the child's family line and accepted her back to the fold."

  "..." Feynor looked up silently, but his fingers were trembling on the paper, almost tearing it apart as the second half was not a proposal, not an offer… but a statement, a command, ordering them, ordering Ren as the child of the Naulin family, that she was to be married to her fourth cousin, Astair, the young boy standing between Sentios and Yurik. By their words... it was her duty to protect the bloodline from further contamination.

  "Oh?" Ren blinked her eyes suddenly, asking shyly, realizing that the letter was all probably about her, "You are my… Uncle?"

  "Yes. I'm sorry I never came to see you before, but I never knew you were born; your mother never informed us about it, little one!" Yurik smiled at her with fake warmth.

  "I see, so… did you bring anything?" She giggled with sparkling eyes, walking up to him.

  "Oh, yes, yes~" He ughed, presenting a golden bracelet to her. "It's a family heirloom. Your great-grandmother wore it before passing on."

  "Whoa, thank you! Sooooo... More?" She asked, pocketing it, and holding her hand out once again.

  "M-more?" Yurik asked, surprised.

  "Yeah! This can count as my first birthday present! You still missed another fifteen..." Ren grinned, flexing her fingers, waiting for the next present.

  "We…" Yurik blinked, not knowing what to say, while Astair looked on with an even more curious expression.

  "What? No more? Are we poor?" Ren asked, looking unsure, "You can take it back if you want." She pulled the bracelet back out. "I don't want to trouble you if you can't afford it!" She said, with sincere concern, giving back the gift, while the other people behind Yurik were already furious, having picked up on the mockery in her eyes.

  "You are really different…." Yurik looked at her stretched-out hand, watching the bracelet and then her still, concerned expression.

  "Am I? Didn't you just say you never heard of me before?" Ren replied with a pyful tone.

  "Prince Yurik." Sentios cut in before Yurik would dig himself into a deeper hole. "Lady Ren," He turned towards her, "You can keep it; your Uncle will bring more the next time he comes for you, taking you home."

  "Home? But I live here." Ren murmured, tilted her head.

  "You ought to visit your grandparents." Sentios continued, "Also, you need to get ready for your wedding."

  "Ready? But I'm already ready~" She smiled, grabbing Leinor's hand and snuggling up to him, pulling him into the spotlight.

  "You are a daughter of the Naulin family." Sentios continued, without flinching, "Your King decides your marriage, as every family member's marriage is handled the same way in Naulin. We heard the rumors, Emperor Aerthus IX." he stepped forward, watching his brother, which prompted Dermitos to stand up. Xendar and Anya were also ready to jump in, while the other members of Sentios' entourage were ready to fight anytime. Even hoping for it after Ren's mockery... Clearly, all of them were of the Harmony Realm as they came prepared for any possible outcomes. Almost any... "People of the Empire," Sentios added, looking at everyone, "You can't determine the marriage of hers… when she is one of us," he finished.

  "So you wish to marry her to… him?" Feynor snorted, looking at the young boy who stood there bravely, his chin poised upwards.

  "My name is Astair." He spoke up, "I'm only fifteen but already at the 5th stage of Body Refinement." He smiled, as something like that was considered genius-level talent. Previously... "It's great to meet you, Lady Ren." he bowed, provokingly looking at Leinor, who was now just watching with a stoic look, holding back a ugh under it.

  "Oh, then you are strong! I also cultivate!" Ren giggled, pying along without dropping the act.

  "Of course, every member of the royal bloodline is a gifted cultivator." Astair nodded, "I'm not surprised that you also stepped on the road of cultivation! We heard you are the smartest child alive, reading and writing at a young age, and coming up with ideas left and right! I can't wait to exchange some words with you in private~" He smiled at her, and it was clear he did not really know what level Ren had achieved, especially as she made her advancement in the forest where not even Naulin spies follow.

  "Mmm, we can exchange a few moves now. I'm still at the first level, though…." Ren murmured with a shy expression, prompting Astair to gulp back a ugh, but before he could accept, Sentios cut in.

  "We can talk about this ter. We aim to annul her previous engagement that was made without consulting the King and bring her back home." Sentios said calmly as he sensed that something was off with Ren... He didn't know what... but something was, and he wasn't going to risk it.

  "And why does a traitor to the Empire do the talking instead of the son of the Naulin bloodline present before us?" Ren's young voice rang out with a cute, childlike giggle, suddenly attacking Sentios's position, without looking at him, "Uncle, are you a pet of the offspring of Aerthus?" She asked, sticking out her tongue and dumbfounding them, including Feynor and Dermitos alike.

  "You-" Yurik fred up.

  "Fuck off!" Ren spat at him while her voice got colder, her saliva nding promptly on the tip of his shoe, "You can't make me do anything, motherfucker. You hear?" She grimaced, her voice sounding like some hoodlum, "I decide who I marry! If I had fallen for someone else in the past, then even the original Aerthus wouldn't be able to make me submit to Leinor! You got that?" She looked around them all before, gazing at Astair. "Find another cousin of mine to bang, 'kay? Or jack your dick into a cup and drink it for good measure. Maybe you will become a mother... Heh, if that is not up your alley, just fuck my Uncle in the ass, as I see he likes to be bitched around by others!"

  "How dare you!" Yurik roared again, but soon he saw a bolt of violet lightning striking straight into his abdomen, sending him flying, crashing through the main doors, and nding somewhere outside.

  The others, now without a leader, simply watched with wide eyes as Ren stood between them while her body flickered with lightning bolts, buzzing and raising everyone's hair towards the sky. Standing close to her, Sentios' gaze became serious as he looked back at Dermitos, then the others, before closing his slightly open mouth, ready to speak. Ren, on the other hand, just looked at him calmly, wearing a deadpan expression, resisting all of their auras without a problem, even pushing back against it, starting to overwhelm everybody present.

  "You are welcome to my wedding next week when I marry my husband, Leinor." She sneered, "But behave yourself from now on." She snorted as Leinor just watched on with a wide grin. "And tell your King," she looked directly into Sentios's eyes, "I'll visit him when I have time. No promises, though," she slowly turned back everything around her. "Because if I visit him in a bad mood, I may just kill him." Astair was gobsmacked, and goosebumps were running up and down his body, realizing that if they fought, he would be squashed like a bug... or worse...

  "I see," Sentios said, resuming a calm expression, simply nodding before herding everyone out, leaving the room.

  "Will they cause trouble?" Feynor asked, looking back at Dermitos, who was deep in thought.

  "Probably." He murmured an answer.

  "Who cares! Nobody can mess up my big day!" Ren ughed, skipping back happily next to Leinor, hugging his waist. "I'll just kick anybody's ass if they try!"

  By now, the nobles were used to her antics, and the show they had just witnessed was the perfect gossip for months to come... Nobody would compin... Except Anya, who wore a painful expression, tears in her eyes.

  "It's okay… it's okay…." Xendar hugged her.

  "I'm so sorry…." She whispered, fighting her tears.

  "No need to feel sorry for anything, Mother!" Ren grinned, looking at her mom, "I am your daughter, not some Naulin bloodline or other idiocy! Hmph!"

  Anya's tears finally burst out, burying her head into Xendar, who smiled gently, stroking her head while Feynor patted Leinor's and Ren's shoulders.

  "Don't worry. We will make sure nothing happens!" He ensured them.

  "I'm counting on you!" Ren winked at him. "And don't worry... I'll behave. Probably."

  The mood suddenly returned to a jovial tone, as if nothing had happened, and the young ones surrounded Anya, trying to cheer her up; even the now-silent, scared Anniel stood up, walked to her, and hugged her, telling her that everything was going to be okay.

  The only one trembling with fear was a woman who didn't dare look up to meet her husband's gaze as Dermitos's eyes nded on Meishan...

  "I wonder who informed them about the wedding that was only publicized recently…." Dermitos said calmly, sending a shiver down her spine once again, before Dermitos signaled to her to follow him as he retreated from the resuming banquet...