After leaving Aunt Valeria’s house, I settled into the carriage and watched the streets of Eldoria Imperium drift past. The morning sun shone gently on the cobblestones, yet I was already running behind schedule. I was supposed to arrive at my grandparents’ estate earlier, but time had slipped away while I was with Susanne.

  Of course, I couldn’t tell my grandparents that reason. Such an explanation would only invite questions I wasn’t ready to answer. Instead, I reminded myself that careful timing and discretion were always part of maintaining both appearances and safety.

  The ride was brief. The Valemont estate wasn’t far from Aunt Valeria’s house; in less than fifteen minutes, we arrived. I stepped down and immediately saw my grandmother waiting for me on the porch, her expression filled with gentle concern.

  “Edric!” she called, hurrying to meet me. She embraced me in a warm, firm hug, her voice carrying both worry and relief. “I heard what happened. Are you alright?”

  I returned the hug, pressing my cheek against hers. “Don’t worry, Grandmother. Everything’s under control. I have my own plans,” I reassured her with a soft smile.

  She looked at me carefully, searching my eyes for any hint of deception or trouble. After a long moment, she exhaled softly and gave a small nod, clearly accepting my words at face value. She probably thought I was simply trying to soothe her concern, as I had done many times before.

  “Come inside,” she said gently. “Your grandfather and Aunt Seraphine are waiting for you.”

  I followed her into the grand estate. My grandparents, Gareth Valemont and Elara Kainridge, both in their fifties, had maintained a surprisingly youthful appearance thanks to their careful practice of mana. Aunt Seraphine, my oldest aunt, was thirty-six this year, and she carried the family’s distinguished features: black hair, piercing black eyes, and a graceful, curvaceous figure reminiscent of our lineage’s elegance.

  Inside, grandfather and Aunt Seraphine were seated around a polished wooden table. Their expressions were serious, tempered by concern and the weight of family responsibility.

  “You’ve arrived,” my grandfather said, his voice calm yet edged with expectation.

  I bowed respectfully. “Grandfather.”

  “Sit,” he said, motioning to an empty chair. “Elara, have someone bring Edric lunch.”

  My grandmother nodded and departed, leaving me with my grandfather and aunt. Once she was gone, grandfather’s gaze returned to me, sharp and assessing. “Edric… what are you planning to do?”

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  I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. “Don’t worry, Grandfather. I have a plan,” I began. “It’s just… I can’t speak about it openly yet. I still need to discuss it with Marielle first.”

  Grandfather’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing my words. After a quiet moment, he let out a long sigh. “Your aunt and I were discussing this earlier. There is a simple way: you and Marielle could renounce the Valemont surname and take ours. If you were no longer considered heirs of the Eldoria Imperium, perhaps the emperor and empress would stop making things difficult for you.”

  I blinked, momentarily surprised. Their proposal, though well-intentioned, felt extreme.

  “But…” I shook my head firmly. “Impossible.”

  Both grandfather and Aunt Seraphine regarded me with quiet concern, their eyes reflecting a mixture of confusion, understanding, and respect. My resolve, I realized, was as unyielding as theirs.

  “You understand,” I continued, “that abandoning the imperial lineage won’t guarantee our safety. Being heirs grants a small measure of protection—even if minimal—from certain threats. Forsaking it could expose us to dangers that even you might not foresee. Some would lose all scruples, and the family could be implicated in ways we cannot control.”

  Grandfather’s face darkened slightly, and Aunt Seraphine exhaled, a complicated sigh escaping her lips. “I knew you would refuse,” she murmured. “You and Marielle are stubborn… just like your mother.”

  I remained silent for a moment, letting the weight of their care and concern sink in. Even knowing the risks, they were willing to propose sacrifices to protect us. Blood truly was thicker than water, in any world or time.

  I clenched my hands lightly. “That emperor… after all he did to Nyssa, he still seeks to control our lives?” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

  Aunt Seraphine’s gaze burned with anger. “That man… he never loved her! He was obsessed, not in love. His obsession cost her everything!”

  Grandfather’s expression softened as he remembered the past. A shadow of sadness crossed his features as he looked at me seriously. “Your mother suffered greatly,” he began. “Even though she passed after giving birth to you, the primary cause of her suffering was the emperor himself.”

  I listened, my jaw tight, though my expression remained composed. I already knew much of this story, yet hearing it confirmed the depth of the injustices she had endured.

  “Many said he loved her,” grandfather continued, “but it was one-sided. From the moment he first saw her, he became obsessed. Your mother had someone she truly loved, someone she trusted… and she never wished to be his wife. She rejected him time and again.”

  His voice hardened as he added, “When he learned of her affections for another, he acted with fury. That man… your mother’s true love… was taken from her, secretly and cruelly.”

  I closed my eyes, letting the weight of the truth settle over me. The past was heavy, but the present gave me power to protect what mattered most. My mind focused not on anger or revenge, but on keeping my family safe.

  Grandfather’s gaze softened again, acknowledging the determination in my eyes—the same strength that had marked our family for generations. “Edric… you are your mother’s son. Her courage and resolve live in you. Protect those you love.”

  I nodded, gripping the edge of my chair, feeling the warmth of their trust and the responsibility it carried. “I will,” I whispered. “I promise.”

  The room fell into a quiet calm, each of us absorbed in our thoughts. Past wrongs and future hopes hung in the air, intertwined. For a moment, I allowed myself a deep breath, feeling the comfort of my family’s presence and the steady determination to face whatever came next.