"Kieran, why do you look so down?" a woman with a mocking smile asked as soon as the Elven God arrived at the meeting.
"Don't be so arrogant, Clarisse. What happened to the elves could happen to that empire you love so much."
The woman raised an eyebrow.
"No, that will only happen in Azure," she replied confidently, a trace of sadistic amusement in her voice.
At that moment, another woman intervened.
"Stop arguing. What happened to the elves was a tragedy. I'm sorry, Kieran."
The man looked at her and nodded.
"Thank you, Evelyn. I hurried back to attend this meeting and found that..." He lowered his head as he clenched his fists tightly. "Whoever did it will pay dearly."
Evelyn narrowed her eyes slightly and nodded. Then she shifted her attention toward Clarisse.
"Are you sure Nereon will be enough? Belthor thought he and Zarian would be sufficient, but they still haven't reported any success."
Clarisse leaned back confidently, crossing her legs in a seductive manner, and merely looked at her arrogantly.
Evelyn sighed in resignation. Then she swept her gaze across the rest of those present, rose from her seat, and began.
"Everyone should know why I asked you all to gather here."
Some faces seemed to understand. Others appeared distracted or simply didn't care.
A deep voice suddenly echoed through the room.
"The meeting of the Upper Empires is approaching, but... is that really a reason for us to discuss it? I think you're exaggerating, Evelyn."
"Idris is right, Evelyn," Clarisse interjected. "There's no way the few powerful people opposing me within my empire can accomplish anything significant. Most of those attending will only go for appearances. I don't think it'll be much different for the others."
"I know... That's not the only reason I wanted to talk. Kieran, you went to Pradiles recently, didn't you?"
"Mmm. I went to see what had happened with 'that.'"
"Lady Asteria insisted we needed to deal with it quickly, but she also said it was already too late more than five years ago... Did you notice anything unusual during your visit?"
"The Empress there broke through the Third Limit, and it doesn't seem she forced it the conventional way. Even so, a Transcendent doesn't concern me. And that woman's children with that unpleasant man..." He sighed before continuing. "I wasn't able to meet them in person, but I don't feel they're a threat like Asteria claimed back then. What concerns me more is whether either of their parents is still alive."
Evelyn's eyes dimmed slightly, as if remembering someone.
Idris spoke again, this time more angrily.
"Are we here to talk about things from the past? Or about two brats who don't even know who their mother is? Or their father?"
He rose from his seat and, after shooting an angry look at the woman standing at the front, left the room.
Many of those present did the same, though some looked far less certain than others.
Clarisse was one of them. She gave Evelyn a look as if to say this was pointless, yet a faint concern for her could still be seen in her eyes.
With a sigh, she turned and left.
In the end, only Evelyn and Kieran remained.
"You're not leaving?" the former asked uncertainly.
"I need something to do, especially after what happened to the elves."
She shook her head and bit her lip in frustration.
"Come on... I want to meet them..." she muttered under her breath.
...
At the Sterling Mansion, an argument was taking place.
"Why isn't she waking up?" Julius demanded, his brow furrowed in frustration as he criticized Fengyue.
"I gave her the medicine he gave me. I have no idea why it isn't working. Those pills always worked whenever I was injured, and they don't require much skill to use."
The old man's voice echoed in Julius's mind.
«Go see your grandmother. Perhaps I can find the reason behind this. The girl isn't lying to you, Julius.»
He shot Fengyue a sharp glare before approaching Sylvia with concern.
He had always admired her. Seeing her like this clouded his mind.
Fengyue's eyes softened.
"Julius..." she whispered as she stepped forward and took his hand.
"She really doesn't know what to do..." Seraphine, who changed with Fengyue just now lowered her gaze anxiously.
Noticing the change, Julius softened his eyes as well and gave a slight nod. Then he moved even closer to the woman resting on the bed.
«Well? Can you do anything?»
The old man frowned within his spiritual space.
«Take her pulse. I can't tell what's wrong just by looking at her in my current state.»
Julius sighed and gently took the director's hand.
«Like this?»
The elder shook his head.
«Try sending your energy into her body and see what's happening.»
Julius frowned as he tried to concentrate, but he had never done anything like this before and didn't seem likely to succeed.
Meanwhile, Fengyue was criticizing him to Seraphine.
"What's he doing? Does he think he can do something I couldn't? Call that unpleasant man, Seraphine."
She practically dragged out the last words in disgust, though a contradictory blush was slowly growing on her face whenever she mentioned him.
"His name is Cassian, Fengyue, and I don't want to bother him. He clearly entrusted this to us... Is there really no way to help her wake up?"
"I don't know. The pills he gave you should work wonders. They practically perform miracles, speaking from experience. That's why I don't understand..."
"Ungh..."
A sound of discomfort came from the bed, drawing the attention of both women and the young man.
Startled, Julius released Sylvia's hand, but the old man quickly calmed him.
«You were close. Try again.»
Before he could, however, the sound of the door interrupted what was happening inside.
"Would someone mind telling me what's going on here?"
The Duke and Duchess Sterling arrived and found their two children and the sister of their grandmother—who was also the pillar supporting their family—in a situation neither of them had expected.
"What happened to her?" they asked worriedly.
For both of them, everything that had been happening recently had gone completely unnoticed. They lived in a constant honeymoon phase, leaving all the work to Sylvia and frequently neglecting their children.
Julius looked at them angrily, but instead of ignoring them, he said:
"Grandmother got her revenge."
The Duke's eyes widened.
The Duchess immediately understood and looked at her husband anxiously.
"Dear..." She took his shoulder and pulled him into a comforting embrace.
"But how? My mother... she..." As if the memory itself hurt him, he stopped and couldn't continue.
He looked at Sylvia lying in bed and sighed.
Separating himself from his wife, he approached the resting woman with clenched fists.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked hoarsely, looking at his son for an explanation.
"She won't wake up. Her injury doesn't seem to be healing despite the treatment."
The Duke frowned.
"What treatment? Did you call the doctors? Professor Elena knows some excellent light mages. Have you spoken to her?"
The two siblings exchanged uncertain glances. Their parents were in the dark about far too many things...
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Author's note:
Clarisse and Evelyn's looks are available on Patreon, go check them out!