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Arc 3: The Case of the Commandery Princess and the Prime Minister’s Narrow Escape Chapter 14 Azula rode a fast horse from the Old Docks back to the Doriel Manor. At some point in the last year, the Sura people had started calling it the Prince’s Manor. He had no choice but to accept their respect, but at this point, it was the hardest thing he could ever face. Being chieftain of the Sura clan made his heart ache, especially when he had to face a man he’d once thought of as being as str

Arc 3: The Case of the Commandery Princess and the Prime Minister’s Narrow Escape Chapter 13 Azula finished crushing nuts for the children, then sat back, his gaze fixed on the ship approaching from the horizon. The mere thought of the clan council debating their stance on the Lyria Kingdom brought on the dull throb of a budding headache. He pressed his index finger to his temple, closed his eyes, and took several measured, calming breaths. Who would dare sail for Sura Island? Mos

Arc 3: The Case of the Commandery Princess and the Prime Minister’s Narrow Escape Chapter 12 Raithion dressed in formal clothing for his official visit to the palace. It was a day after the funeral, and the city was awash with gossip of Naeri’s death. Under Soriel's guidance, the scribes had published the story of Naeri’s death at the hands of her most trusted lady-in-waiting. Gesi Ajai was busy trying to control the narrative, but there was no way to hide the truth. Raithion had insis

Hehe, I'm guilty of lurking, really. Excited to be able to post today. Someone asked a question, and I just flew over like a guilty chile. Will try to be more present here.

Arc 3: The Case of the Commandery Princess and the Prime Minister’s Narrow Escape Chapter 11 Soriel entered Basileus Dio’s office in the afternoon with a joyous wave for his staff. Dio stopped reading the reports from the military office and gave her his full attention. His wife looked radiant in a pink dress that whispered and shimmered with every step. Her long black hair fell down her back, pinned with butterfly clips that caught the light when she moved. She approached his des

Arc 3: The Case of the Commandery Princess and the Prime Minister’s Narrow Escape Chapter 10 Five years was a lifetime that passed by in a wave of burning ambition. For the Basileus, his young Basilinna, and Gesi Ajai, who worked at collecting money using the acquired Sura Clan workshops like a sandstorm devouring the landscape. His daughter, Naeri, now a Commandery Princess, turned into a desperate wife in the Maenaer residence that belonged to her husband. Faced with a cold husband a

9 On Sura Island, at the foot of Mount Sura, Azula sat in his boat in the middle of the lake, staring at the letter delivered by Vandra, Teba Inn’s manager in the port city. He was the only one willing to show them kindness and sent them messages by pigeon. Magnus claimed that Vandra owed him a favor for saving his daughter from a bandit, so their ties could not be easily severed. Still, they had to be careful not to place Vandra’s livelihood in danger, so they would not rely on him too hea

8 Raithion watched Haedor seal the gates of the Doriel Manor. His trusted legion officers had searched it thoroughly, making sure no one was inside. They left everything untouched, even the food was as just as Azula’s family had left it. Haedor supervised the officers nailing the gates shut and then painted the new Draeya Commandery Prince seal on the gates. A white lion’s head with the name Maener under it. Raithion stared at it with mixed feelings. The first time his father told him abo

- Dante: One of the main characters, father of Zach and April. He is the son of Nora and Christophe Arturo, and Landi is his great-grandfather and grandmaster. Dante is a blood-born fire warlock and the master of Artri House. He has a history of past lives with Tani Ryuzo. •Nora Arturo: Dante's mother, grandmother of Zach and April. She is married to Christophe Arturo and is the matriarch of Artri House. Nora is knowledgeable about fire magik and runs a side hustle where she sells artifacts

Chapter Twenty-Five Dante lay on the bed where Tani had left him. Kinon stood on the right side of the bed, while Amu stood on the left. Sahdrina stood at the foot of the bed. Together, they held up a barrier to keep the fire magik from leaking from Dante, flooding the room, and spilling into the rest of the house. Cale sat in an armchair by the door, his gaze fixed on Dante. “When do you think he’ll wake up?” Cale asked. “When nature is done with him,” Kinon said softly. “His fir

Chapter Twenty-Four Seeing Dante in pain made Tani forget he could have used a simple teleport to get him onto the living room couch. He only realized it once Nora, Kinon, and he had laid Dante there and made sure he was comfortable. Nora brought a pair of scissors and cut away the sleeve of Dante’s T-shirt. Tani gasped at the sight of the kara ot crystals squirming beneath Dante’s skin, forming a disturbing black scar—like ink poured under his flesh—that snaked along his right arm.

Chapter Twenty-Three Zal charged forward, every muscle burning with the relentless determination forged from years of pain, sacrifice, and desperation. He had poured his heart, soul, and sanity into transcending the cruel limits of his bloodline, molding power from the merciless dark. He gripped his black crystal sword until his knuckles whitened, the blade humming fiercely with the corrosive fury he had so painstakingly harnessed. Anit stood unarmed, save for deceptively fragile vines

Chapter Twent-Two Nora Arturo was at a loss for words. She had arrived home at five in the evening, returning from a visit with her best friend in town, only to find Artri House trembling. Upon stepping inside, the house seemed to guide her straight to the kitchen and out through the open back door. In the backyard, she discovered three visitors lounging on her garden benches. The trio stood as soon as they saw her, and she could scarcely fathom the shock that seized her. She never wou

Chapter Twenty-One Tani frowned at his elder bushes. He was beginning to realize the futility of trying to keep them trimmed, given the numerous ekho creatures that visited his home. With a scoff, he turned around and found Sunu—his father—standing in the middle of the library, staring up at the mural on the ceiling. “Cale’s painting skills have improved,” Sunu said. “He has quite the memory; this mural is remarkably accurate.” “He restored it a few weeks ago,” Amu said, coming cl

Chapter Twenty Tani signed the documents his lawyers needed after listing his assets and deciding who got what. Now that his calamity was coming to an end, as Dante had said, he had to start thinking about the future. He would leave the residence to Hera and her descendants, while Tom would look after the fortress with Uncle Amu’s help. Tani was rereading the last page after signing when a wave of distress from Dante hit him—fear, really, which was strange, because Dante was exceptiona