Zackary POV
"Ugh…" Zackary groaned, blinking against the pale glare of the ceiling above him. Sunlight glinted faintly against his red eyes as he shifted in his massive bed.
A rustling beside him made him snap his head to the side—and froze. Two pairs of crimson eyes stared back.
Amelia and Gray.
Before he could react further, a chorus of barking and whimpering erupted from the other side of the room. Five tiny black-and-white wolf pups tumbled into view.
"What… is happening?" Zackary whispered, confusion tightening around his chest.
The door burst open. Aurelius's voice rang out. "Children! You cannot be in Master's room!"
As if obeying his command, the pups bolted—but one by one, they shifted into humanoid forms, dashing past Aurelius. Not long after, Amelia and Gray followed.
Zackary collapsed back onto his pillow, letting out a long, baffled sigh.
"Sorry about that, Master," Aurelius said gently. "Children of the Fenrir species are born the size of three-year-olds… they're a handful."
Zackary slowly climbed out of bed, still bewildered. "I'll be out in a bit. Let's talk." His words left Aurelius silently puzzled.
Garden
After bathing and preparing himself, Zackary stepped into the mansion's sprawling garden by the lake. At the center platform, Aurelius sat with his mate, now in humanoid form.
"Your Grace, it's an honor to meet you," the female wolf greeted respectfully.
"Darling, you forgot to tell him your name," Aurelius teased, drawing a blush from her.
"My name is Lilithina, Your Grace," she said sincerely. "Thank you for caring for my husband and allowing us to stay here with our children."
"You needn't thank me," Zackary replied. They exchanged greetings and sat together as a maid brought an array of food and tea.
"You've probably heard about the children, haven't you?" Zackary asked, sipping his tea.
"I have. Honestly, it's a shock," Aurelius admitted, watching Amelia and Gray play with his own children.
"I'm… confused," Zackary confessed. His eyes lingered on the children, unsure how to interact with them.
Lilithina spoke softly, "Is it… about your past life?"
Zackary's brow furrowed, but he accepted it without surprise. "In this world, my mother died early. In the other… I was abused by both parents. Affection came only in her final moments. Now, with children of my own, I don't know what a parent should do. I'm… lost."
Aurelius nodded. "I understand. I lost my parents shortly after birth. I can empathize with your confusion."
Lilithina added, "I was abandoned by my parents, but a human couple raised me with love. I've never truly known parenting either, so… I go in blind." She glanced at her children with a gentle smile.
"Don't worry, Your Grace," Aurelius said. "Confusion will fade. And if needed, we can always ask Lance for advice—seeing as we're both… green."
Zackary managed a small smile.
"Right, and don't forget about me," said a voice. Sofia appeared suddenly, walking beside Lance.
"Confusion is part of the process," Lance explained calmly. "You weren't there for their birth. You're just… feeling everything out of order."
Zackary felt a small relief settle in his chest. "Thank you all. I'll do my best."
He looked at Amelia and Gray—their elf-like features, their red eyes mirrored his own. Doubt began to fade.
"Do you know where their mother is?" Aurelius asked, drawing everyone's attention.
Zackary hesitated. "No…" Unease tightened in his stomach.
Lilithina's voice was firm. "You should at least find her, Your Grace. Some support would help."
"Indeed. They'll one day wonder about their mother. Confirm whether she's alive," Lance added.
Zackary exhaled slowly. "You're right. I should find out." He gazed at Amelia and Gray, now fully accepting them as his own.
Amelia darted toward them Gray and Aurelius's children, following quickly.
"Done playing?" he asked, noticing their focus on the table instead of him.
"They must be hungry," Aurelius said, handing each of his children a sandwich. Zackary mirrored him, giving Amelia and Gray their own.
After eating, fatigue overtook them. "Nap time," Sofia suggested, and she and Lance escorted the children to their room.
"They're about to fall asleep too," Zackary observed. Lilithina chuckled, watching her children being carried off.
Zackary rose from his seat abruptly.
"Where are you going, Your Grace?" Aurelius asked.
"To find answers about my children's mother," he replied, vanishing into thin air.
Lilithina watched her husband, sensing his loyalty. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"You really shouldn't play like that, darling—you just gave birth."
"That was three days ago," she teased. "We both know I've healed." She kissed him again. "I'm open to anything… as long as I don't get pregnant."
Aurelius scooped her up, carrying her toward the mansion with a grin.
The Constantine Domain
In the Constantine Domain, Vlad, Klein, and Elfreda convened with vampire nobles. Surprisingly, Elfreda sat on a throne, the men standing beside her.
"Lady Elfreda, I apologize for disappointing you," an elder silver-haired vampire said, kneeling.
"Did I permit you to speak?" Elfreda's voice echoed through the throne room, freezing Vlad and Klein.
"I will oversee the training of the Blood Knight Corps myself," she declared, shocking the nobles into silence.
Klein and Vlad tried to retreat, but she disappeared in a swirl of bats, leaving them baffled.
Later, in her bedroom, Elfreda reappeared on her bed in a nightgown. Thoughts of her mother's final words—seek happiness, find love—filled her mind.
"Every man in this territory is annoying… maybe I should find my true love," she murmured, gazing at the approaching night.
Demon King Dungeon
In the Demon King's castle dungeon, Luciferus stood over a bloodied Vogarth.
"Hit me again!" Vogarth screamed, driving Kaito and Akira to shock.
"Shut up already, you masochist!" Luciferus yelled, punching him into the brick wall.
"Release him. I'll call a maid to treat his wounds," he said, tossing a key to Kaito.
As he walked up the stairs, Luciferus reflected on Vogarth's bizarre forgiveness and endurance.
Back in the castle, Zackary walked beside Aisha. Luciferus paused, curiosity piqued. "What are they talking about?"
(Forest between Vermillion and Stardumn Domains)
Elsewhere in the forest, between the Vermillion Domain and the Stardumn Domain, Nia rode through the rain atop a giant shadow cat. The beast's sleek form weaved through the misty trees, heading toward the Stardumn Domain.
But the moment they crossed into enemy territory, monsters emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming, their snarls echoing through the forest.
"Faster, Midnight!" Nia commanded.
The shadow cat surged forward, muscles rippling under wet fur, claws digging into the muddy ground. But before they could put distance between themselves and the monsters, a wolf-like creature lunged, ramming into them. Nia was thrown into the air. The shadow cat twisted mid-leap, reshaping its form to cushion her fall.
Yet they were surrounded.
Nia pressed herself against the trunk of a giant tree, heart pounding with each step the monsters took. As they closed in, a fleeting vision flashed before her eyes—a hooded figure commanding beasts to kill her parents. Her chest tightened.
The shadow cat fought valiantly, slashing and biting, but it wasn't enough. Before it could react, one monster lunged straight at Nia. Frozen in fear, she braced herself—but before it could strike, a wave of destruction ripped through the monsters. Limbs were torn apart, and from above, only crimson rain fell, pattering against leaves and earth.
"How did you get here?" Xoraxys' voice cut through the chaos, calm and questioning as he looked down at her.
Nia, unable to speak, broke into tears, clutching him without hesitation. The shadow cat was absorbed into Xoraxys' own shadow, and in his mind, he saw a memory—the cat ferrying Nia to the edge of Vermillion territory, moving unseen through the shadows.
"Clever girl," Xoraxys murmured, scooping her into his arms. "That was dangerous. Don't do that again."
Nia clung tighter, determination flashing through her tear-streaked face.
"I want to be strong… like you."
Xoraxys arched an eyebrow, surprised. "It's dangerous… to get as strong as me."
"I don't care," she said fiercely. "I don't want to be weak. I want revenge… for my parents."
Xoraxys felt the raw anger radiating from her, sharp and burning.
"I won't stop you," he said quietly, "but for now… go to sleep."
As he walked, he lulled her into slumber with a gentle wave of magic. His shadow flowed around him like black ocean waves, tearing through any remaining monsters in his path. Step by step, he moved deeper into the forest, carrying Nia safely through the darkness.
(Eclipse Tower)
Far away, between the Midnight and NightFall Kingdoms, the Eclipse Tower stood tall, its spires piercing the silver light of the moon. At its highest point, a black-haired woman sat in serene stillness, basking in the glow, while low-level spirits hovered lazily around her.
Thump!
The sound of heavy iron echoed through the tower. She turned, her silver eyes narrowing—but she looked past it, as if it weren't there.
Face-to-face, standing before her, was Emperor Lucian.
"It's been awhile, Ailaria," Lucian said, arrogance dripping from his words as he studied her unyielding gaze.
"Are you here to brag about how many women you've slept with again?" Ailaria's voice was calm, almost bored. "If so, save your breath. I already know how pathetic you are. No need to give me more reasons to pity you."
Her expressionless words struck a nerve.
Thump!
Lucian slammed his hand against the iron bars. "You—bitch! You're lucky I haven't killed you yet!"
"You know you can't, even if you wanted to," she said, a mocking smile on her lips. "Unless you want a war with both the Midnight and Dusk Kingdoms."
Lucian opened his mouth to explode again, then stopped, taking a deep breath. "A whore like you wouldn't understand. This would have been so easy for your family if only you had become my wife… but you had to fuck a demon, didn't you?"
Ailaria felt only pity. He rattled off insults like a child, trying to provoke her, but she remained unmoved.
"Like I said," she snapped, irritation creeping into her voice, "I'd rather die than marry a pathetic piece of shit like you."
Lucian's face twisted into a sadistic grin. "Well… I suppose I should tell you the real reason I'm here."
"What?" Ailaria asked, tilting her head.
Lucian held something up, letting it glint in the moonlight. "Does this ring a bell?"
A crystallized head stared back at her.
"Mera?" Her voice caught in horror. A person she had considered family, reduced to this—lifeless, frozen.
Lucian's smile grew more maniacal.
"Just know," he yelled, laughter tearing through the tower, "when I find your children, I'll bring their heads to you as well!"
A surge of raw magic exploded from Ailaria, tearing through the left side of the tower. She scanned the rubble for Lucian, but standing before her was Ophiuchus, blocking the attack.
"Luckily, those chains seal your power, or I'd have lost my head," he said, calm and composed. "You really should collect yourself, Princess."
Ailaria froze, confusion and fury warring within her. "Arden… why?"
Ophiuchus's green eyes glimmered through brown strands of hair. "Because I have loyalty to my Kingdom. Unlike you, I would do anything to protect it."
Lucian's laughter cut through her shock. "Well, would you look at that—your best friend is calling you a disgrace of a princess."
Ailaria's disbelief held her frozen.
"This is goodbye for now," Lucian said, voice cold as steel. "The next time you see me… it'll be with the heads of your children."
He and Arden walked away, leaving her heart pounding, her mind teetering on the edge of despair.
When the door slammed shut, Ailaria collapsed to the ground, chains rattling around her wrists.
"J… just three more days. Just endure it… three more days…" she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
Moonlight spilled across the room. Her black hair shimmered silver, and spirits of all classes—drawn by her raw, unleashed magic—filled the chamber.
They tried to communicate with her, circling closer, but she ignored them all. Her gaze fixed on the moon, prayers for her children trembling on her lips.