Among the realms that make up the Warlock Empire, Voxwein of the South is the largest state. The Pure Nobility or the direct kin of the Empress were legally entitled to reside there.
The Empress's uncle, Archduke Karrygyl's (the Empress's biological father) brother, Grand Duke Breuce Warlock, is currently in charge of its duchy, second to the largest territories in the Warlock Empire. He was the late King's third-born son, a real Prince by blood. However, on the Day of the Restoration, the Empress bestowed upon him the title of only a Grand Duke.
The Pure Nobility has a well-deserved reputation for resentment towards the Empress's return and her reign. They oppose her and are arrogant since they still have the same blood coursing through their veins. The imperial rules ensure their safety, however antiquated they may be. They retain all authority and claim to the throne. They are confident that their destruction has begun with the delivery of the new Princess.
To begin, the Matriarch was the very first woman to be born in the patrilineal lineage of Warlocks, and the Warlocks were blessed with the Creation Bloodline. They are above all other families, not because of their Bloodline, but because they were made from the flesh of the being that created all life, their Creator.
Yes. They are, alone, are at the summit. Children of the Creator, beloved by the Creator.
And so, the Matriarch was born from a humble couple. Her parents, quiet and unambitious, chose exile over obedience. They abandoned their life of extravagance to raise the Matriarch in solitude, believing peace could outrun lineage. It could not. When the Matriarch awakened her Creation Bloodline—the same power that once shaped all life—the Warlock men saw not a miracle, but a threat. That is, because, despite being Warlocks, their power is not as potent as hers. The Matriarch bowed. She promised submission. She swore to stay away from power. It was never enough.
A threat allowed to breathe is still a threat.
It led to the murder of her parents.
Grief turned to fire. The Matriarch slaughtered the elders who ordered it, tore apart the old order, and rewrote the concept of rule itself. From blood and ash rose the Warlock Empire, and she crowned herself Empress—the first in known history. She decreed laws no man could ever amend: as such that only women of Warlock blood would inherit her throne, regardless of generation. Men would rule only as Kings, their authority forever limited beneath an Empress's shadow. Power, at last, would answer to what it tried to erase.
They tried to eliminate Empress Siofra when she was born, but failed to do so. The Great Knight Daro took her to safety in another world, which is Earth. Prince Astaroth, the God of Time, found out that they are not in where they truly belong, so he plotted, changed the course of their fate and destiny, and finally, the Second Lady of Heart made it back to her motherland. She shouldered two of the heaviest duties: as an Empress and as a God who saved the world.
She returned, but not alone. She brought the most notable figures from Earth who dominated all fields for their brilliance and skills. People of Cosmo-Vale labeled them as 'Earthlings'.
Now, the Pure Nobility; appreciating the Earthlings' expertise and science, they devised a study to augment their political stance in the social class.
They created Artificial Princesses. Not one, but two. Twins.
After numerous tries and mishaps, two princesses were successfully born.
Viscount Crolly stutters, "Y-Your Grace, the Princesses," while presenting the young girls in his arms to the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke peers at his daughters with icy disdain.
His magic, flesh, and blood were all used to create these. He never anticipated a miracle would occur after so many errors. All of this is made possible by their pet's amplification power. To take the throne, they plan to use these princesses as pawns. Once seated, they will fire back at those arrogant Dragunovvs and put those filthy Earthlings to their places. How dare they reign on their land, those inferior beings.
"Are you not going to hold them, Your Grace?"
The Grand Duke takes a deep huff through his nostrils and rotates his heel. "The wretched bitch birthed a daughter earlier today. Prepare at once. We will make this about us."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
Despite the Princesses' artificiality, the Diamond Palace still welcomed them because they have Warlian blood and flesh. This happened in Empress Azarese's first life. The Warlocks in Voxwein have created masterpieces that the Imperial Family was unable to fault. They were recognized as legitimate and eligible to ascend to the throne since they were granted entry to the Diamond Palace by the Palace itself. It's one of the Palace's ability, a strict magic bestowed upon by the Matriarch: to detect Warlian Princesses.
Now, there are four Warlock Princesses in total. Sun, Moon, and the two Artificial Princesses.
A race, indeed. A very messy race; not just a race to see who is the best and most worthy, but also a test to see who is evil enough to eliminate the other threats.
It is long over before it could begin, though. Because Empress Azarese's history was retained when she was granted a second life. And that history, only she and the world knows. And if she were to compete in that race---Wait, who will be the contenders?
Not only she will kill those Princesses, but wipe out their entire lineage.
Only her sits alone at the top.
.
.
.
Rumors churned through the palace like wildfire: the Empress had collapsed, fainting after hours of forcing order onto chaos. They are taking things seriously---as they should, because the most threatening beings to them were sighted once again. It hasn't even been that long since the Armageddon War. The eldest Princes worked together to investigate. Yet for all their searching—magic, science, tracing—the Princes returned empty-handed. They rewatched the memory of Crown Prince Claxiord over and over again, and Prince Izaac even went to the location himself to see things happen with his own eyes...only to see the same thing as Crown Prince Claxiord.
Their attention were halved between the investigation and preparing for the Princesses' same-day birthday.
"Azazel,"
King LIFE went behind the Empress. He started giving her a massage. It had been days. The Empress is pushing herself too far.
"How about a break, my love? Leave the investigation to us. We will do...something about it."
Empress Siofra closed her eyes to feel the goodness of the King's massage. Relaxing.
"I can't rest easy unless I look into it myself. It's not even that long since the War... Why are they back already?"
The Oracle Tree hasn't glowed yet. The last time was when she was born. The Oracle Tree did not glow when Sun was born. To become a God Candidate, the Oracle Tree has to glow. At the same time, the newborn's body will, too. If no other candidate is born after, then the only one will become the God itself. And a God's sole purpose and duty were annihilating Veils, the only threat to Ancients' immortality.
The Creator is the most generous life-giver ever. He made all Ancients immortal. But despite being one, there's a sole race that can kill them: and those are the Veils. There's also another way for an Ancient to lose their life: by breaking a declaration to the heavens. Once they have died, they return to the heavens or to the skies because they were made of stars, not soil.
That said, Earthlings are far inferior to them. The Ancients' discrimination and racism were silent but obvious. Heavily, that they drag the Earthlings' creator even, who was once the Creator's acquaintance.
"We will know soon. Leave it to our sons. I will do your work, so be with our Princess for now. Hmm? I love you."
Moon looked down and went on. She was watching her parents from the walkway outside the Palace, having a little stroll by herself. King Liorei was busy. His attendants were convincing (or begging) him to return to his post and manage the empire he's ruling temporarily. She hasn't seen Princess Lorreign again since the Crown Prince's testimony. The Princess is spending her time with her twin sister, Duchess Selene.
She reached the Imperial Garden. She found a wonderful swing and sat there alone.
"Why did you do it, Bad Azarese?" She mumbled to herself and looked up to the clear sky.
Everything is new. She's having the hardest time adjusting, but she can manage. No one's dying. Nature doesn't wither before her presence anymore. She loves how green her surroundings are, and colorful. Before, once her curses touch nature...
She smiled.
It's one of the good things she's enjoying now. There is hope. There is still hope.
Going back, why did Bad Azarese do it? She knows it's her. Only Bad Azarese can do that. It's one of her identities, too. She keep monsters in her shadow.
Moon closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of flowers deeply. The bees are big and cute. Their beehive was structured like a palace even, and it's adorable.
A bee hovered in front of her. It tilted its head to the side as if analyzing her. Then, it left. But it came back. This time, it brought three other bees. They were dancing in front of her.
Moon chuckled. The bee brought its friends.
"Hello!" she waved her hand to them. The bees circled around her, and they started tugging her hair.
"Okay, I'm going with you!"
How easy. If they were strangers, she must not go with them.
The bees brought her to the field of lavenders behind the Heart Palace. There were only five rows of lavenders in different purple shades. When they passed through the archway, it says, 'Princess Diamanda's Lavender Field'. She is Prince Davorin's first and only wife.
"Hmm~" Moon twirled, inhaling the fragrant scent of the lavender. Each color smells different!
This reminds her of someone.
Someone she never met, someone she never get to know. Someone who was forgotten, someone who was very sweet like its scent with a mind so creative. That someone loves pink. That someone built her own fashion boutique for girls and ladies. That someone suffered the same fate twice, and that someone, though Moon never met her... She feels a connection to that someone somehow...because they have quite alike experience.
"Oh!"
Moon gasped and immediately looked behind. She gasped again and stepped back when she found the Princess in her gardening outfit, holding a pair of shears and a basket.
"Hello, Princess!" Princess Diamanda smiled, trying to make an impression especially when she noticed how Moon turned pale and started trembling. Does Moon think she will scold her for trespassing her field?
"I-I'm very sorry! I'm never going back here again!" Moon apologized while already running away, leaving Princess Diamanda surprised and alone.
"Oh... That's not... I'm not mad..."
She frowned and sighed. She should've said it first. She's aware of Moon's position and she's hearing various things from her servants. She's in no position to make nor share judgment, but she feels bad for the girl. The girl deserves compassion.
"Aww, man. I will just invite her next time."
The Princess hummed a song and was about to walk when she sighted Prince Davorin marching her way. She started laughing awkwardly.
"Aww, man. I'm caught already."
"I told you to not tend to your field WHILE PREGNANT."
Princess Diamanda pouted. Her husband took the tools from her. He doesn't seem mad. Just annoyed that she tried sneaking behind him. Whenever he's annoyed, the Prince scrunches his nose.
Moon sprinted back to the Diamond Palace with her eyes tightly shut. She didn't want to look back. What if Princess Diamanda was chasing her? What if the guards were behind her? What if---What if she accidentally stepped on a lavender, and the Princess is mad?
"Princess?" King Liorei furrowed his brows when he found Moon coming. He was on his way out to go to Heart Palace and get his pile of paperwork there.
"Uwaaah! Daddy Liorei!"
King Liorei almost lost his balance when Moon jumped to hug him.
"Princess, easy. What's wrong?"
"I'm gonna die!"
"Huh---what!?"
~
King Liorei sighed.
"Princess, Diamanda isn't that petty. I'm sure she would love to see you visit her field again. Diamanda is nice. Really,"
He served the plate of blue rare steak before her. Last time, Moon did not eat his cooked dishes. She refused to tell the reason. When he forced her to, Moon threw up and apologized in tears. But he can't leave her be with an empty stomach. In the end, Moon gave her preference. Steak. Blue rare.
Moon pouted. And then, she became silent. Her silence almost spoiled her steak, and King Liorei sensed that something is bothering her.
"Daddy Liorei, you're on my side, right? You will believe anything I will tell you, right? You will believe me, right?"
He was taken aback. He knew it. Something is bothering her.
He pet her head with a smile on his face.
"Of course. As long as you're a good girl, I will believe you. You know what, even if you're in the wrong, I will take your side. Even if your sister Lorreign is in the wrong, I will take her side."
Moon's head fell low.
She hate the Vernignacs, that's for sure. But there's someone she don't hate among them. It just occurred to her now. The lavender field reminded her of that someone, of that person. So, she will ask the King about that person. That is, if she still can be remembered.
"Do you know anything about the existence of Aviana Lavender?"
King Liorei's smile slightly faded, and his face contorted with confusion.
Because, why.
Why did the Princess ask him about Grand Duchess Aviana Lavender Lee-Forester in that way?
"I do. Why, Princess?"
Her eyes widened. Her head almost flew when she raised it to look at him.
"Y-You can remember her!?"
"What---" The King is so confused. What does the Princess mean by that? It's intriguing and disturbing in some way at the same time.
"Princess, she is still alive. And even if she, well, I hope not yet, but passed away, she will still be remembered. She's an amazing person. A very sweet little girl---but why do you ask?"
Moon covered her mouth.
Impossible---! She checked the date before to make sure that this 'second life' is not a kind of dream or some joke. If she were to compare both lives, then, Aviana Lavender Lee should've went missing four years ago and completely forgotten by now. But---But she's still here!
"Daddy Liorei, you will believe me, right!? You promised me! No, promise me!"
King Liorei does not understand, but he will if he will give her his word. So, he raised his hand for a pinky promise.
"I promise, Princess. Whatever the Princess says with this kind of urgency, I will believe you."
She's a mystery. He knows that if he listens to her now, he will get to know her more.
And he's so glad he did.
Because after hearing her, he immediately went to the Heart Palace and stole the Griffin from its nest and brought it to the Diamond Palace. He was caught in the act. Though he didn't notice, Prince Ascel saw him. The Empress, his mother, entrusted the welfare of the griffin to him. And he just witnessed the King stole it from its nest.
"Wow."
Should he turn a blind eye about it or chase the King? It's not like King Liorei will kill it or something.
Griffins are one of the Matriarch's created beings, and they became the Imperial Family's trusted pet. It has the same form as what Earthlings know about its kind---lion's body, eagle's wings—but its fur glows faintly like sunlit bronze, and its feathers shimmer with silver streaks that ripple when it prepares to use magic. Its eyes burn bright gold and its voice is clear, humanlike, and confident. It can lift off with a single beat of its wings, soar for months without tiring, and fold itself into a burst of light to teleport anywhere its mind can picture and has seen. It is both the empire's protector and messenger.
"Where are you taking me? Let me go, let me go!"
King Liorei grabbed the huge griffin by its neck when he had enough of it pecking him.
"If you don't stop, your egg will be the last of its specie. Maybe, YOU will be the last, because I will smash your egg and remove your reproductive system. HOW ABOUT THAT?"
Moon trembled as well when she heard that threat. The King is serious. Not just he sound serious, but SERIOUS.
When Aviana Lavender and Colt Forester remarried five years after the War, he did the honor of walking her down the aisle as per her request. Like Moon, he sees that girl as his daughter, too. Or maybe, he do because of what she had went through. He felt guilty for what had happened to her even though he's not at fault.
A griffin can reproduce on its own, but it takes time. Long, long time.
Moon told the griffin the message she wanted to relay. The griffin was staring at her closely. Closely, as in CLOSELY. It was pressing its forehead against hers, and Moon said her message with her eyes tightly shut and anxious. What if the griffin bites her? This bird is scary and bigger than her. How did the King carry it? He's so strong.
"Now, off you go, birdie."
King Liorei threw it away. As in, THREW IT AWAY.
In return, the griffin shit on him.
"Fucking---BIRD!"
The Griffin smirked at him with satisfaction before vanishing from their sight. It teleported to where it must go.
To Emperor Maxism.
Earlier, he asked Moon, "Why not, Princess? I can go find her right now and save them. Why won't you let me go?"
And she answered, "To redeem himself for not being there when it happened the first time."
"Y-YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTIES! A---A GRIFFIN! THE GRIFFIN---IS HERE! NO, OUTSIDE!"
The knights announced after busting through the doors of their office.
Emperor Maxism raised his head with an arching brow.
"What?"
He wasted no second and left alongside his wife. When they made it outside their home, they found their eldest son talking to it. The griffin refuses to state its business unless it's the Emperor himself.
"You need me?"
Empress Clastigaufeas crossed her arms, squinting her eyes suspiciously at her husband.
Why would a griffin need to speak with him? For what?
"Emperor Maxism, your sister Aviana Lavender Lee-Forester stands at the edge of oblivion. If you do not make haste, she will be erased."
The Emperor froze. Shock cracked across his face, confusion twisting in right after—as if his mind couldn't keep up with the sudden warning. But the moment he heard his mind repeat the same words, everything inside him snapped into focus. His breath steadied, his jaw clenched, and the haze of disbelief burned away. He locked in, eyes hard and blazing, already moving with the ruthless urgency of a man who refuses to lose the last person he cannot bear to mourn.
The griffin left right after and they didn't even get the chance to ask who sent them the message.
Emperor Maxism faced his wife and approached her. He seek for the touch of her hand to his cheek, then he knelt and kissed her hand.
"My Goddess Empress Wife, allow me leave at once."
Empress Clastigaufeas understood and nodded.
"As long as you will return."
The Emperor smiled and went back on his feet to kiss her sweet lips. They went inside. He left her at their bedroom with their eldest son and a request.
"Stay close with your mother, Claxiord. I will go alone."
"I want to go---"
Empress Clastigaufeas raised her hand to stop her son from speaking. The Emperor had left already. The butler informed him about the exact location of the Grand Duchess. The knights were already outside their chambers with his clothes and tools. The Emperor checked if everything were prepared, then nodded. Their archmages performed a ritual. Next, the Emperor is fully equipped and dressed like a hunter.
Empress Clastigaufeas laid down the bed.
"Bring it to me."
Her lady bowed and left for a moment. When she returned, she gave her Empress what she need. A human-sized stuff toy that looked like the Emperor.
Crown Prince Claxiord stared at his mother, weirded out.
"Mom, is that necessary?"
"Shut up. You're single, you don't know what it's like."
The Crown Prince rolled his eyes. He sat on their bed with his arms crossed, thinking deeply about the warning they received from the griffin. He's worried for his aunt, but he's grateful that his younger brother is not here to hear it. Prince Maxigaufeas loves his Auntie very much. They will have to sedate him just so he won't go with the Emperor to see her.
"But you're so mean and cold to Dad whenever he's here," he said, a distraction.
"Yeah, he likes it when."
The Crown Prince looked back at his mother with a disgusted look on his face. The Empress was smirking at him.
He hissed and laid down beside his mother.
"I hope they are safe. I hope Dad will make it."
"He will." Empress Clastigaufeas rested her head on the stuff toy's chest part. "I know there's a part of him that want to prove himself to her. He was not there when... It was Paris who was there back then to save her. Your father will make it. He will be there. This time, it will be him."
Hearing those words gives the Crown Prince the relief he needed. His mother...trusts his father so much. She have so much faith in him.
"Should we tell Uncle Paris?"
"Hmm, yeah. You should."
"What if he follows Dad?"
Empress Clastigaufeas chuckled. "You're so sad. Go find yourself some friends."
The Crown Prince frowned. What was that? He don't understand.
She said with eyes closed, tightly hugging the stuff toy, "He won't." She smiled. "He knows what your father is capable of. He will just go here and wait for them. Tell your Uncle Paris, and then follow your Dad. Watch him yourself. How he do things. Then you will see him in a different light."
"I can?"
The Empress nodded.
"Yeah, just don't bother him and watch from afar. Whatever happens, don't interfere. Just watch. And if he spots you after, tell him I'm with Paris."
"O-Okay!"
Crown Prince Claxiord got up with an exhilarated smile. He won't miss this chance. He won't ask his mother again or else, she might change her mind. The Empress chuckled by herself when she was alone. The Emperor will know. Well, she will cover up for their son and what's he gonna do---against her? Nah.
Just a kiss and the Emperor will forget it.
Or a make love.