Emilia stared at the hand extended toward her with a dazed look. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her own hand to take it. Her fingers trembled slightly, and her movement was stiff. Emilia’s eyes narrowed faintly, and a small smirk touched her lips as she stepped down from the carriage, Jess and Lyria close by her side. Ruth walked ahead without a word, leading Emilia into the mansion. The onlookers were stunned by the sight. Some even rubbed their eyes to make sure they were not imagining it. They had always heard the Grand Duke and his wife had a poor relationship. Yet, what they were seeing now felt completely different from the rumors. Seraphina stood a little away, her eyes wide in shock. She looked at the couple as if she could not believe her own eyes. On Kael’s shoulder, Elfina, the tiny baby dragon with shimmering scales, sat perched comfortably. She tilted her head and chirped softly, sensing Kael’s frown deepen. "Papa... Papaa..." Elfina’s soft voice broke the silence, her tail curling around Kael’s neck for balance. Seraphina and Ariana, who stood beside him, exchanged a glance. They could see the darkness growing in Kael’s gaze. ’He isn’t angry just because his parents seem fine with each other now, is he?’ they both thought. Seraphina stepped forward a little. "Why do you look like that?" she asked, noticing the tension in his face. Kael’s brows drew together. "Something feels wrong," he replied. "What do you mean?" Seraphina asked, her curiosity rising. Kael narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin slowly, his thoughts racing. "Mother’s hysteria started when she was in the mansion. But she became completely calm after going home. Now she is meeting Father, and she is not showing any strong reactions at all." Seraphina tilted her head. "So?" "What if this is not as simple as it looks?" Kael’s tone was low and steady. His words sent a faint chill down their spines. Seraphina frowned slightly. "What exactly are you trying to say?" "I don’t know yet," Kael admitted. "But something is not right. I can feel it." His voice carried a quiet weight, and both Seraphina and Ariana knew he rarely spoke without reason. Elfina shifted on his shoulder, letting out a small puff of smoke from her tiny snout as if echoing his unease. Kael reached up absently to pat her head. Her golden eyes blinked slowly, her gaze flicking toward the mansion as though she too sensed something was off. Kael’s attention shifted when he spotted Rami walking out. The man’s expression was as calm and professional as ever. Kael lifted a hand and waved casually. "Yo, Rami. How have you been?" Rami offered a polite nod. "I am doing well. I trust your journey was pleasant?" "Pleasant, huh..." Kael’s lips curled into a small grin that made Rami narrow his eyes. It was not a friendly grin, and Rami could feel the unease rising in him. ’Don’t tell me he caused another incident,’ Rami thought grimly. "Young Master, what did you do this time?" Rami asked, his frown deepening. Kael tilted his head slightly, his voice calm. "Why are you blaming me already? I wasn’t the one who caused trouble. And I’ll be reporting to Father anyway." Elfina gave a soft chirp at his tone, her wings twitching faintly as if ready to take flight. Kael reached up to steady her, his fingers brushing over her smooth scales. She leaned into his touch, but her gaze remained fixed ahead, watching the people around them. "By the way, where is that old man?" Kael asked suddenly, his tone shifting. "Don’t tell me he just died halfway through something?" Rami’s lips twitched slightly at the blunt words, but he didn’t comment. He shook his head. "Lord Ramos went to meet an important friend." Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Important friend? How important?" There was a note of sharpness in his voice. Rami simply shook his head again. "I cannot say more than that." Kael didn’t push further, but his gaze lingered on Rami for a moment before turning back toward the mansion. Elfina let out another soft sound, her tail tightening slightly around his neck. She didn’t understand the words, but she could feel the tension in Kael’s body. The air between them felt heavy. Kael’s thoughts remained unsettled, and even without clear proof, he could feel an ominous certainty growing inside him. Something was wrong here, and it would not be long before the truth revealed itself. TREMBLE... TREMBLE... TREMBLE... The ground began to shake slowly at first, then more steadily, until the entire building trembled. A violent clash of aura burst out again and again, each strike meeting the other with a deafening boom that rattled the place. Lightning erupted where the powers collided, sharp and blinding. The mansion, perched on top of the building, was surrounded by flashing streaks that writhed like snakes in the sky. They hissed and twisted, striking at anything in their path without mercy. All of this came from two old men who sat facing each other in the main hall. Neither moved, but neither was willing to lower their strength, each refusing to give way to the other. One of them finally spoke, his voice calm but edged. "So, you finally crawled out of your hiding place and came here. I thought you didn’t care anymore." The other gave a dry chuckle. "How could that be? Since my dear friend is about to be on his deathbed, how could I not come for one last meeting? Who knows, I might even enjoy the funeral." The words hung in the air for a moment before they both broke into laughter. "Ramos, you’re still the same as ever, always provoking people. You should do something about that rabid temper of yours," the first man said with a faint smile. "Your Highness," Ramos replied evenly, "those words don’t sound right coming from you. After all the things you’ve done, earning the title of Blood Emperor." They both fell silent, the air between them heavy with unspoken memories of the past. Their power slowly withdrew, and the space around them seemed to breathe again. Pleard, standing to the side, clicked his tongue. In his mind, he could already see the trouble that would follow. Edward Val Luther, the current emperor, looked at Ramos with growing frustration. "You should stop clinging to that appearance and just marry. Retire already. How long are you going to keep grieving? And shouldn’t you at least leave behind a descendant?" Ramos’ expression didn’t change, but there was a brief flicker in his eyes. "I’m not heartless like you. The one I gave my heart to, I will remain faithful to until the end. And what good would bearing children do? My family already has capable people to handle everything." He gave a small snort. Edward smiled bitterly. "Still as stubborn as ever." "You too," Ramos replied. They both chuckled softly, but the moment was broken when Edward coughed. The sound was deep and harsh. Pleard and the other attendants quickly moved to steady him. "My Lord, you shouldn’t be straining yourself," one of them said, worried clearly in his voice. Edward waved them off, his breathing uneven but steadying. "Ramos, I know you wouldn’t come here unless it was to see her. This might be the last time you get the chance. Prepare yourself, because in this life you won’t be able to visit that place again." Ramos fell silent. His gaze lowered as he thought for a moment."Can I take my nephew with me?" A flash of shock crossed Edward’s eyes. His lips parted as if to speak, but he stopped, drawing in a slow breath. After a pause, he shook his head. "You can. But make sure you don’t cause trouble. That place is forbidden to outsiders. It’s only my kindness that allows you to enter at all." "Yeah, yeah. You’re a great and generous soul," Ramos said, brushing the words aside with a wave of his hand as he stood to leave. Edward watched him go, his eyes lingering for a moment before lowering in thought. Ramos stopped at the doorway, his steps slowing. Behind him, the soft, uneven sound of Edward’s breathing filled the quiet room. He turned his head slightly, seeing the emperor seated in his chair, shoulders heavy, a faint pallor under the dim light. The man who once stood unshaken before storms now seemed fragile, his strength flickering like a dying flame. Edward looked up, their eyes meeting. For a moment, neither spoke. The silence carried the weight of years ,battles fought together, losses endured, and words left unsaid. Finally, Edward’s lips curved into a faint smile, though it carried no joy. For a long heartbeat, they simply looked at each other, as if committing every detail of the other’s face to memory. Then Ramos turned, walking toward the open doors. He didn’t look back. Edward’s gaze followed him until his figure disappeared from sight. When the doors closed, the emperor let out a slow, shuddering breath. His hand rested against the armrest, fingers curling slightly. Pleard approached quietly, but Edward raised a hand to stop him, his eyes still fixed on where Ramos had stood. "Some goodbyes," Edward whispered to himself, "are heavier than a lifetime of war."