A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.

***

Yohanne finally meets his wife, Freya, who is Denise by real name. They embraced tenderly, warmly---they don't want to let go of each other. They haven't seen or talked to each other for months. None of the people they are with can tell how madly they missed each other.

While on the other side, the husband and wife, Minerva and Locke, can't even touch each other because of Luther, Minerva's (or Luisa by name) little brother, and Locke's best friend.

"Uhhm, can I hug my husband at least, baby bro?" Minerva hoped, but Luther firmly answered, "No."

The couple pout.

"Ah, I've seen Dad's face again. It's tiring to see you again, Dad!" Eddrien jokes as he kisses LIFE's cheek and his mother's.

Ocean, Terra, and Fiery entered and they positioned on their mother's sides. "I love you, Mommy," Fiery muttered lowly and goes back to his sleep, lying comfortably on her lap.

"You're grumpier than ever. What's the matter?" Ascel noticed. LIFE just clicked his tongue. So, they look at their mother to seek an answer and she just smiled at them awkwardly.

"Let me guess: the Aunties called while you two are in the middle of it and he didn't get into the climax, are you?" Ascel nonchalantly said.

LIFE stomped his feet. "Do you really have to announce it like that!?"

"Yes. It's fun teasing you, Dad. Didn't know you can become grumpier and grumpier every time,"

And everybody laughed.

"We're not late, right? We're not late!" Dean came with Xeina, his wife, on his back. She's fast asleep while drooling.

"Gawd, I want to throw her out of this tower! Ugh, so heavy! So heavy!" He threw his wife across the sofa but it didn't woke her up.

"There's a handsome man---"

The moment she heard the word 'handsome', Xeina went up and turn her head like crazy around, looking for that 'handsome man'.

"WHERE!?"

Dean placed his hands on his waist, couldn't believe his wife, and asked why and how did he end up with her to himself. Thorn, his best friend, gave him pats on his shoulder as he settle down to his seat with his wife Sennoma.

"Are we late?"

Xenos and Auberon came in a rush. Auberon is buttoning Xenos' shirt, while Xenos is combing her disshelved hair straight.

"Wow, multi-tasking," they teased.

Denver, LIFE and Siofra's great, great, great...descendant came next with his spouse Emilia.

The last ones to arrive are Volt and Xerene, with husband and wife Paris and Maxine.

Maxism stands up with open arms and a wide grin. "My men! Long time no see! Bansot!"

They share a loving group hug, feeling each other. It's been a long time since the last time they reunited. The four greatest assassins of Earth---Aloisia, Calamity, Avalanche, and Wildfire have reunited.

"I missed you," they said to each other. Xerene became emotional, and so she was teased by Paris and Maxism.

"Still a crybaby. C'mon, you didn't have to cry. You look stupid!" Maxism chuckled. Xerene slams her fist on his back hard.

"Ooh, don't tease our baby Bansot, ha! Ooh, don't cry, baby Bansot. Don't cry~" Paris defended while ruining Xerene's hair. Volt just stood by watching them with a poker face.

[Bansot is a Filipino term used to tease or mock short people.]

Maxism elbows him. "You're always a statue. At least show you're happy to see us again!"

Volt looks down on him since he's taller than them. "What's there to be happy with? It's tiring to be with you three together."

"Ooohh, Bansot! He's telling you that you're a handful to handle!"

It pissed Volt off how they bent his words. Xerene then looks at him, eyes tearful and hurt. "Y-You're tired of me, Volt? A-Am I too much already? Am I... Am I..."

Shoulders down, Volt scoops her head and buries it in his chest. "Don't listen to them. You know they are liars and spread fake news,"

He glared at the two, telling them, 'I will fucking kill you two later,'

The two locked each other's arms on each other's shoulders and stick their tongue out at him before joining the others in their seat. Paris left Maxine alone beside the Voltage and Xerene.

"He dumped you," Volt nonchalantly said.

Maxine's eyes went wide. "He just left me here and he already dumped me!?"

Volt just shrugged and left her standing. Maxine pouted and joined them. They left three empty spaces for Astaroth and for his daughter and wife.

"Before we begin discussing the matter, is the presence of our parents not necessary?" LIFE.

Liorei stands up to get something to drink. Chase Hyatt (belongs to Chancellor Titania's group) followed to help him.

"It's better to leave them out yet. They will understand anyway if we move by ourselves. We can tell them later." Maxism.

Minerva crosses her legs and rests her spread-out arms on the sofa's backrest. "Where's your wife? She's part of us, she can't be left out,"

Maxism shrugs. "She yelled at me when I tried to wake her up. She will yell at me again once I return, so don't worry about it." He then clicked his tongue and turns to Titania's group. "Where's my baby sis? She's supposed to be here, right?"

He's asking about Aviana Lavender, his only sibling.

"Why are you asking us? She lives in Vernignac. You're with her." Although he spoke with boldness, Jett is confused at the same time.

"She lives with your minion, her husband. And that bastard is not here too. Where the fuck are they?" His brows puckered, already glaring at Titania's group.

"Drinks here!" Liore entranced and served the bottles of liquor and ice buckets on the table. Chase served the glasses and snacks. Then they settled down.

Givenchy leans forward and pours champagne into a glass. She shakes the glass and leans back on the sofa. "We don't know where they are. The last time we met them was months ago. I thought they're handling some business?"

"Business? What business?"

With the confusion going around, it pauses everyone.

Maxism fixed his position and stares at them sharply. "I didn't give her any job. To her husband, yes. Simple military duties. I argue with Clast when she proposed the idea of her becoming a counselor or something because I don't want her to work. What work are you saying? Where is my sister!?"

"Max," Xerene and Paris called and placed their hand on his shoulder when he almost get up. Max is patient and cool all the time, but if it involves his family, especially his sister, he will fuck things up.

"L-Let's calm down. She can't be missing. She's an assassin too, Max---"

"My sister isn't like us! She's not built to kill or harm anybody! Stop calling her an assassin, will you!?"

Minerva, or Luisa, raised her hands. "Okay, okay. She's your precious, little sister. But she's strong. Colt isn't here too, then he's probably with her. Right after our discussion, we will look for her. How does that sound?"

Maxism brushed his hair back, lips sealed tight. He's trying to control his emotions, trying to stay positive. He lets his sister do whatever she wants to do. She's the typical girly chick who loves the color pink and beauty products and fashion. They have a painful history, and he wants to give her the bests of life. If she's missing, then he doesn't know what he might do.

"Okay. The Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess are coming here with their artificial Princesses,"

Their brows all raised. They didn't speak a word and let Luisa and Denise finish what they are about to say.

"Using the knowledge we taught them, they created something they can use to threaten Siofra and use against us. We don't know where their laboratory is located yet, since they have skilled mages with them. But recently, they successfully created two flawless artificial Princesses. And they are on their way now to announce it." Denise.

"This is perfect timing, actually. We will hold a banquet for Princess Azarese's birth. Foul rumors are already spreading. First, her being cursed, and second, her hideous appearance. Actually, there's a tornado of rumors whirling outside," she continued.

Luisa raised her hand and speak, "If they came here and announced about the artificial Princesses they brought with them, it will be disastrous. We can't just tell the people and accuse them that the Princesses are artificial since they are made of their flesh. They are partly Warlock and magic. Half and half. The real one is cursed, and the people's faith in Siofra might falter. Somehow. I mean, everyone knows that she's cursed! They still can't accept Dragon as their King since he's a Veil Lord. Liore too. And Yohanne. What's more a Princess, the future mother and Empress of their motherland? They wouldn't accept a Veil as their Empress. They will choose the artificial ones whether they like it or not,"

[A/N: Dragon, LIFE's underground codename back on Earth.]

"But they know what those bastards did to them! They exploit them, tortured them, abused them, and everything! Mom's rule is their heaven, so why would they crawl back to that hell?"

Davorin pats Izaac's back. Izaac thanked his brother and nodded as he calm himself down.

"It won't only leave us in a tight spot. We already have a glimpse of what they are trying to do, but we don't know their whole plan yet. We have to protect Mom. She will be their target." Ascel.

"Why would we worry when she can switch into her DEATH mode at any time?" Paris smirks, then winks at Siofra. "Man, I didn't know that I will miss you as 'DEATH'. You're hot when you're cold as hell, you know!"

"So, you admit you fantasize about my wife," LIFE coldly stated as he pull Excalibur from its space. His sons stopped him from what he was trying to commit.

"Eyy, chill bruh. Your wife is yours. At least I have your stepsister." His crazy laughter comes next. Maxine slapped his arm while blushing.

"You're pitiful. I don't even carry their blood," Maxine hissed. She is adopted. LIFE's parents adopted her.

"But you carry their name, baby,"

He lifts her chin using his finger and kisses her. Their audience rolled their eyes.

"If they harmed Sio, they will use the Princesses as their shield, since there are laws protecting the descending ladies of this lineage. And if the people question their legitimacy, we can let them enter the Diamond Palace. The Diamond Palace will recognize them as Princesses if it's true that they have the fucker's flesh. It will be critical once the Princesses grow older. They will poison their minds and use their 'rights' as Princesses to justify their evil deeds and crimes to get away safely. Sounds like a tough pain already," Liore pointed then takes a sip of his rum.

"Then, we'll have to educate and teach Azarese properly. We need her with us to stabilize her authority and power here...although it will most likely slant once they arrive. But as long as she's with us, then, we can keep tabs on them. Our defense is absolute, but with her curse as her weakness, there's a hole they can poke," LIFE worried with interlocking fingers.

"Why was she cursed anyway? How did it happen?" Yohanne finally speaks up. He's dying to ask that to them, and it's been bothering him like hell ever since he read their letter.

"Stalled time for the Veil Lords to run their mouths. I don't know the things he said, though. Only Flyme," Siofra calmly asserted with a faint smile.

"So, we just have to believe in her, teach her, and understand her, until she's grown enough to bite?" Yohanne guessed, and Izaac just flicked his fingers. He nodded while shrugging.

"That's challenging, since her father is him." He pointed at his cousin with dismay.

LIFE snorted. "Shut the fuck up. Don't speak. Your opinions don't matter."

"Don't breathe then. Your life doesn't matter anyway," Yohanne returned, challenging his cousin.

Their family sighs, shrugging at each other.