Leon was taken aback by Little Han's words and he almost choked upon seeing his son's mischievous expression.
In the end, he could only dotingly laugh as he stretched out his hand and ruffled his son's little head filled with silky blood-red hair.
Seeing the two giggling as if sharing a joke with each other, Eli blinked and asked in confusion, "What is this all about?"
"Jihihi…" Little Han clung to embrace her mother's neck again with a bashful expression as Leon answered,
"Well, I just taught our son how to pray to the heavens last night. Who would have known that his prayers would be granted at this moment."
Eli's eyes beamed brightly, surprised that while she was away, Leon and Little Han found a way to bond with each other.
"Yes, he actually prayed for you to come back today… and look… you are standing in front of us right now." Leon smiled as he replied, his eyes were full of warmth and affection.
It took several seconds before Eli understood everything. She was pleasantly surprised but more than that, she could only imagine how heartwarming it must have been for the father and son to pray for her safe return last night.
The warm and pleasant feeling bloomed in her heart and answered them with a smile as her dark obsidian eyes looked back with love, "I'm glad to be back…"
With such a warm and safe environment, the reunion of the family of three was spent well with the Forgeworns and Faraulds.
After that, Eli, Leon, and Little Han, together with the bunch went back to the cottage to retire for the night.
"Alright, stay here obediently while Mommy is taking a shower ok?" Eli patted the freshly dressed Little Han with his warm fluffy onesies while giving a look at Leon to take a look at him while she was in the shower.
"Aye, Mommi!" Little Han happily rolled in the bed as he looked at his parents who are now together.
Finally, they were already complete!
He giggled in satisfaction as he curled and hugged the fluffy pillows around. Soon after, it was Leon's turn to take a bath so Eli and Little Han bonded for a little while.
"Mommi, mommi~~ can you pway peeno (play piano)?" Little Han looked up with pleading and anticipation in his eyes.
"Oh… do you miss listening to the piano, my love?" Eli was surprised to hear the little buddy's request. She watched her as he coquettishly rolled his body shyly while he looked at her with great anticipation.
Of course how could Eli resist with that cute pair of misty crystal blue eyes?
"Alright, all for you little bun!" Eli smiled as she helped Little Han up. She met his cute little face and gently rubbed their noses together.
"Tickiesss!" Little Han squealed and scrunched his nose with a playful smile as he received his mother's tickle attack.
Then the two went to the living room where Baobao was lying peacefully on the carpet. Tonight he had the egg Wisey warmed in his big fur body.
Little Han and he both believed that Wisey needed enough warmth to wake up and so they kept on doing this no matter how many days it was.
Rosea on the other hand was sitting on a nearby stool as she continued to knit some little handicrafts to use around the house.
Baobao lifted his eyelids and looked at the mother and son pair who were walking into the grand piano which had not been played in such a long time. Rosea nodded at the two with a smile.
"What do you want to hear me play my dear?" When they sat on the bench, Eli let Little Han sit on her lap and asked him what he likes to hear.
Little Han excitedly looked at the keys that tilted his head up to look at his mom, his legs wiggled in rhythm as he replied, "Mommi, winkle winkle pleezz?"
Eli chuckled at Little Han's action and said, "Alright, here we go."
Soon the soft happy melody sounded in the entire cottage. Everyone smiled as they looked at the pair, Eli playing the arpeggio on the left hand while at some point she allowed Little Han to play the melodic verses.
Leon and Kayden stepped out of their respective rooms and watched the two with warmth and happiness.
And so the cottage has once again been filled with liveliness and color.
–
Meanwhile, on Crown Prince Ranon's side, it is quite gloomy and eerie.
Crown Prince Ranon sat blankly in front of the cushioned couch, facing the starry night view outside his sleeping quarters at the Seirente Inner Temple.
Neither Nikolai nor Arabella dared to show up inside, it is because they were aware that the inner temple is ridden with countless curse magic detectors.
In order not to raise suspicion, Crown Prince Ranon instructed them to contact them only when he stepped outside the temple and was alone. No matter how much they were itching to cause chaos inside the Empire, they had no choice but to follow the Pope's arrangement.
Looking back at everything that happened, Crown Prince Ranon could have thrown tantrums and cursed the Pope for getting ahead of himself. But surprisingly, he did not cause any trouble but instead followed obediently, much to his trusted men's surprise.
They would not know that at this moment, the Crown Prince, which was known as the most talented, cunning, and capable prince of the Vanderford Empire was now staring blankly at the night sky.
With his purple eyes seemingly unfocused and his beautiful charming face remaining nonchalant, one would think that he was just relaxing after such a long, heavy day in the Court of Sinners.
However, the next few seconds were mystifying, as his unfocused amethyst eyes would turn into a dark shade of red, like a ferocious monster living only during the night.
It remained like that for several minutes, not moving a single inch, not mumbling a single word, not even blinking a single second.
After that, the bright red glow started to fade, and the lustrous purple shimmer in Crown Prince Ranon's eyes returned.
Crown Prince Ranon finally blinked, shook his head in confusion, and turned to look around for anything amiss.
'Did I just fall asleep?' He asked himself, as he had no recollection as to how he remained seated facing the windows on his bed chambers, which is a habit he was not fond of.
Rubbing his temples after feeling a little lightheaded, he stood carefully and finally came to bed while thinking,
'There will be a more strenuous charade coming in the next few days. I must cherish a good night's sleep before the bloody battle days come.'
–
On the other side of Prasinos, in a certain dark castle that was filled with the darkness of the night.
There lies a throne where a rather familiar person sat languidly.
His blackish purple hair draped on the back of his head down to his shoulders and the side of the throne, like a wine river.
His body was ridden in ornaments and precious jewels as if none of it was enough to satisfy his cravings. His eyes remained closed, like he was asleep, but one could have gulped nervously the moment they looked at his face.
For his beauty was devilishly poisonous.
The moment Crown Prince Ranon came to his senses was also the moment he opened his eyes. Which turned from amethyst to blood red.
"Hmm… it seems like the vessels that were put in the Seirende Empire were no longer of use." His voice drifted softly in the empty throne room.
To the Vesala and even the Duke of Cuervo in the Vanderford Empire, they will immediately recognize this voice.
It was none other than Lord Raven's voice.
There was an eerie smile on his face as he lazily stood up, slowly stepping down on the throne as his silky black robe trailed on his pale porcelain skin.
On the cold carpet, his toes pointed towards the direction he was walking, his nails painted in the darkest black.
His feet did not stop when he stepped down the platform, he continued to walk out of the hall and into the palace hallways.
Mystifyingly, the knights in patrol did not sense his presence at all. It was like he did not exist, like a ghost wandering around the palace.
He continued to walk into the depths of the castle, with the decorated corridors that were decorated with the portraits of the Vanderford Emperors from the current and succeeding generations.
Surprisingly, while he was the one who sat on the stone earlier, his face does not match the appearance of the current emperor.
But he continued to move as he mumbled, "All has been set and prepared. What only awaits you, cursed Seirende's death…"
As he muttered this with crazed excited eyes, he reached the end of the corridor, where a portrait of a couple with crows on their head, on their lap, a young prince, sharing the bits and pieces of the couple's appearance, then standing behind them was a young lad - The Vanderford First Imperial Family.
While the father looked like he was not sharing any features similar to the young man, the mother with pale purple hair was similar to his amethyst hair and eyes.
Only then would one conclude that they are family, albeit the mother's features became dominant with the firstborn son, while the second had both.
He looked at the young man that stood behind the King and Queen in the portrait, his facial features were identical.
"Only then will I reign supreme and would never hide under the shadows again…"
