Fiery Lucrezel. Terra Azacrese. Zephyrus Elyzel. And Ocean Flyril. They are called the Elemental Quad due to their ability to wield elemental magic. Their names are derived from the magical abilities they possess.

How did they determine who wields what?

During the Empress's delivery, their friends and families are present. They desired to witness their children's deliveries and thus clustered near her.

When the oldest, Terra, was born, he altered the properties of the floor on which they were standing. It transformed into a quicksand, and hell and heaven know how close their panic came to killing them.

Zephyrus, the Prince of Wind, came next. Tornadoes were created, which blew the roofs off their homes. It came dangerously close to catching them, but thanks to Schionna's reflexes, their niece and Astaroth's daughter escaped after erecting a solid barrier.

Their experience during the Empress's delivery became increasingly traumatic and infernal for them. When Ocean first cried, water streamed out of his eyes in surges. They are then submerged in water while still stuck in the quicksand. Schionna was compelled to remove her barriers, or they will drown. When she did, the tornado snatched them up and swung them around in circles, leaving the Empress with the first three safe.

Finally, there is Fiery, who has been aggressive and intense since birth. The Empress delivers him in a single push since Xerene and Voltage are also caught in the tornado. He incinerated the entire island on which they lived. The quicksand transforms into mud and then into lava. His fire vaporized Ocean's water and Zephyrus' tornadoes. Everyone suffered third-degree burns and came dangerously close to death.

Among the four, Fiery's birth is the most traumatizing.

Following that, the Empress healed them.

On the other hand, their families and friends were absent from the Empress's delivery this time. Resolving their workloads had them occupied. It has not been long since the war ended. They are still working on the changes they implemented in Cosmo-Vale.

"Since it is still early, let us begin planning a celebration," LIFE says as he places his daughter beside her mother. The Empress smiled, turning to her side to hug her child.

"In that appearance?" Voltage mentally stated it but did not imagine it slipping out of his mouth.

They froze and shivered as the ignited LIFE's chilling aura ensnared them in his hostile domain.

"What's the deal with that tone? Must I conceal her from the public eye? Is that what you're saying?" He rose from his seat and made his way over to Voltage. Voltage Xirquit cannot be shaken by anything or anyone. However, he admits his mistake, stating that he did not intend to express his thoughts vocally. However, given his familiarity with LIFE, he cannot help but get cold chills. His face remains stolid, but he's freaking out like a gay man on the inside. He desired to communicate. He liked to retract his remarks. On the other hand, his throat is parched, and his lips are sealed. He is unable to.

LIFE comes to a halt in front of him, facing directly across Voltage. A strand of sweat cascades down his cheeks from his forehead. Izaac approached them, ready to stop whatever his father planned to do to Voltage. On the other side, there's Xerene, as well as others.

Voltage shuddered as he felt a sharp blade against the back of his neck. Excalibur was flying next to him, controlled by LIFE.

"I'm going to let this pass. Regardless of who they are or their status, anyone criticizing my daughter will have the honor of experiencing Excalibur through them. Voltage Xirquit, there are no exceptions. There are no exceptions."

LIFE brought Excalibur closer to Voltage's neck, tearing his skin. He bleeds. Although Izaac and Xerene are present to thwart him in any way possible, they are powerless. The quadruplets are concealing themselves behind Davorin, who is silent—feigning ignorance of what is occurring to save himself.

LIFE withdrew three steps from Voltage. Excalibur vanishes as he lifts his finger.

"As your private punishment, you will organize the party. For one year, your salary will be halved. Lashings until noon, beginning at daybreak, for your public penalty. Following that is the March of Shame. Finally, you will be at the forefront of the Veil Obliteration—-"

"That, I believe, is already excessive. Such penalties are excessive and overwhelming." Finally, Davorin spoke up.

He was likely to remain silent, but upon hearing the penalties meted out to his Uncle, he broke his silence. He is the only one in this room with the fortitude to speak up. It's a trait he shares with Astaroth's fearlessness. However, Astaroth's audacity has yet to be matched. He is simply following in the footsteps of his courageous brother. He is cowering deep within. He is frightened of his father. He, and everyone else, is well aware of the lengths he will go if he is stimulated by anger. LIFE was previously ranked lower than the others. But anyway, take a look at how far he has risen. Only Astaroth is capable of defeating him in an argument. Only Astaroth is capable of folding LIFE. Regrettably, he is away with his family.

LIFE cast piercing glances at Davorin, assessing his unusual courage. Davorin pressed his lips together, taking his father's intimidating glares in stride.

"How did it become excessive, Davorin, when this cretin mocked your sister's appearance?"

The four boys, concealing themselves behind Davorin, tremble. They are completely overcome by fear. Even if their eyes are welling up with tears, there is no way of knowing whether their father would sympathize with them and apologize for his rage. Even if they use their charms on him, it will be ineffective. Their father is sometimes colder than Ocean's water.

"I understand that you are offended. I am, too. However, I believe Uncle Volt did not intend it to be that way. He is concerned that the public will mock her. We can punish them, but the penalties you've stated sound like tyranny to me. Utilizing your authority to such an extent constitutes abuse. If I were to read his mind, he's probably considering concealing her appearance until we can figure out how to fix her---"

"Fix her, you say,"

Davorin's eyes widened when he realized his error. It might have worked out better had he not been so careless with his choice of words. He's already persuaded him, but now he's exacerbated their predicament.

"You said it as if your sister were a broken doll needing fixing, Davorin."

LIFE widened his eyes in the direction of Davorin. Excalibur flew to Davorin's place from behind as he clenched his fist. An unexpected backstab. They reacted too slowly. Everything happened so quickly that they barely had time to lift a hand.

1 centimeter.

Excalibur would have stabbed Davorin through if its momentum had not been halted. It was a centimeter gap that brought Davorin to his knees. His face flushed, and his complexion paled as he stared at his menacing father, who had every intention of murdering him for making a mistake.

"I was aware of it. You, one of the last Veil Lords standing, should have also been obliterated."

The familiar tone of voice took them aback. His arrival became a source of hope for them. There is another Astaroth. He possessed the same boldness and courage as him and the trait of never giving a fuck about whom he was going up against.

Izaac Dragunovv's only child, Izylidas Dragunovv.

"Ah, my baby!" 

Flowers bloom, and a blinding light shines on Izaac's heart when he sets his eyes on his son. The heaviness and fear he was experiencing moments ago had been washed away by the arrival of his son, their salvation.

He runs momentarily towards Izylidas, laughing moronically as he opens his arms wide to cuddle him.

Izylidas clicked his tongue and flicked his finger, sending his father flying away. Aurora Vermont-Dragunovv, his mother, peers out from behind him. She held her mouth when she saw her husband affixed to the window.

"H-He—wo, my wife..." Izaac smiled and waved his hand.

"Oh, sweetheart. Why are you sleeping over there?" Her graceful, low voice soothes the hearts of the other individuals in the room. Izylidas relieves the force holding him against the window. Izaac fell, but he regained his footing.

"He did that to me!" Izaac expressed while feigning injury and sadness in the manner of a puppy.

Aurora purses her lips and tucks her arms around her waist. She shifts her gaze to Izylidas. "Izy, bad! You remember how I told you to get along with Daddy?"

"He deserved it, Mom," he hissed, his gaze fixed on his father. He averted his gaze from him; he grimaced as he scanned LIFE from head to toe.

"The only time you're this protective of your children is when they're small. But when they grow up, you're so insensitive that you can already kill them. Is there a way for you to make a change? You stung. What's the deal, GRANDFATHER?" He mocked, highlighting the final word.

LIFE's brows drew together.

The way LIFE looked at him annoyed him. So, he warns him, "Do not look at me as if you intend to harm me as well, Dragunovv." He addressed him as if he did not share the same name.

"I'm curious as to why it's so easy for you to thrust that divine sword into the necks of others. What should one expect from a Veil? I would have you executed if I were the Empress. You are the most inhuman being I have ever encountered. What makes you remarkable is your strength and breeding ability. However, being a father does not even raise the bar."

LIFE felt the sting of his words penetrate his body.

Izylidas strolled to his grandmother and little aunt, paying no attention to LIFE. He even pressed his shoulder against his. The spectators are pleased. They are internally cheering for Izylidas.

Astaroth and Izylidas are eerily similar, almost like father and son.

"To me, she remains endearing. I'm certain her peculiarity will distinguish her. She has the same aura as you but cherishes her family."

'CRITICAL HIT!' The spectators gripped their fists and whimpered.

There is no more satisfying show than witnessing LIFE criticized by a blood relative. It's a source of amusement for them.

Izylidas stroked the Princess's face, infusing his mind with her uniqueness. She is tiny, easily broken, and harmed---oblivious to the events around her. She is a child he wishes to protect and remove from her father's twisted grasp.

"I feel sorry for your children. Your affection for them is limited to their infantile state. Then, as they age, you discard them. Why? Are you afraid that they will bare the fangs you cut at you? Your approach to parenting is a load of bullshit. Seeing you alongside the Empress makes my stomach turn."

He shrugged and walked away from the Princess's side. He confronted everyone.

He locked his gaze on his father. Izaac trembled. "Stupid Izaac, you wield the most authority in this situation. Whether or not he is your father, you can easily order Uncle Volt and Aunt Xerene to take him away if we include our rankings here. After all, he is the Empress's lapdog and breeder, not the crowned Emperor." Izylidas smirked in response, hoping to elicit an outburst from his grandfather.

"As you stated, if the rankings are included, he can easily order Uncle Volt and Aunt Xerene to assassinate you as well,"

Their attention was drawn to the speaker. Ascel is standing on the windowsill.

He leaped to his feet and walked right to his mother. She's probably too exhausted from childbirth to sleep despite the commotion in this family.

"Veil Lord, Excalibur wielder, Knight, a descendant of the empire's first and longest-living honorable knight, and our father, the King. While I admit that his attitude and personality can be unpleasant, we must not forget that he is still the Empress's husband. Although he has not been crowned, he retains the authority of an Emperor."

His eyes met those of Izylidas. They lock gazes with the same amount of coldness and pride.

"I'm not sure if you're attempting to emulate Brother Astaroth or seek attention; whatever it is, I will not tolerate you disrespecting my father by running your mouth in front of my unaware mother. I am neutral, but he is still my father. Do you believe my mother would keep him if she hadn't memorized his most insignificant flaws?"

"So, instead, you tolerate your father's obsessive and possessive behavior toward your mother and his insanity? You allow him to come dangerously close to murdering your brother, being as callous and cold-blooded as he is?"

Izylidas waited for his Uncle's response following his rebuttal, but he did not receive one.

"What? Are you going to say it's a matter of discipline?" He giggled. Ascel clenched his fists, restraining himself from punching his disrespectful nephew.

"Regardless of what you say or how we look at it, pointing Excalibur to Uncle Davorin's neck just because he made that minor mistake is wrong. That is not how you should treat your child. If Izaac does that to me, I will not like it." Izylidas shakes his head in disbelief, palming his head. He then pauses for a moment before continuing.

"This explains Uncle Astaroth's absence. He despises seeing his face. After everything that has transpired, an apology will never be sufficient. Had the Empress not there that time, then his wife—"

"I think that is enough." Davorin drew himself back and walked between them, attempting to appease them. He doesn't like where it's already going. They might indeed press blades against each other's necks if they continue.

LIFE remained mum, recollecting what had happened. All of Izylidas's assertions are true, which is why he cannot dodge him. He is powerless to deny it. He is incapable of speaking up and acting cleanly. He cannot help himself; regardless of how hard he tries, he finds himself brandishing Excalibur at anyone who mocks his wife and now his newborn daughter.

Voltage took a deep breath and collected himself. "I will take responsibility for my mistakes. I am willing to pay any penalty."

Xerene frowns, concerned for her husband.

"Putting this aside, we should be concerned about the light outside." Ascel straightened his posture and proceeded to open the balcony's double doors. They gathered and made their way outside.

Their eyes squinted as their hearts continued to beat steadily but rapidly. They mistakenly assumed it was the sun. They'd lost track of time and were unaware it was already dark. They've watched the Empress and the Princess for so long inside her room. And so, they supposed it was still morning due to the light outside. It transpires that it is not the sun.

The Oracle Tree is aglow.