Alex was listening intently to Genia.
Genia continued, "Mara Mother told me that my task wouldn't be easy. To save this world, I must gather all the messages and powers hidden in four different corners of the Black Tiger Clan. She explained that the mothers of the four brothers, themselves supreme servants of the Forest Goddess, had hidden some vital and secret messages in their own time. If I were to restore peace to this world and eradicate this darkness, I would have to visit each of the brothers' territories one by one and find those hidden messages. Each territory holds a new mystery and a new test. That's why I asked you to come to your territory, but if I had said it directly, it would have sparked a new war between you and Kevin, which I couldn't tolerate. That's why I asked you both to choose your mates and gave you a one-month condition."
Alex, lost in thought, said, "The territories of all the brothers... This means you will have to enter the most dangerous and restricted areas of this kingdom. It's like jumping straight into the well of death. Did Mara Mother tell you anything else?"
"Yes," Genia said, "As soon as Mara Mother's form disappeared back into the water, I suddenly fainted. When I woke up, I found myself in my room. You two were with me at that time, pressuring me to choose one of you as my mate. Frustrated with you both, I asked you for some time to think and during the day, I came near the same waterfall that had completely dried up. I sat on the dry stones, looking at the dry stream where the waterfall used to flow at night. For the first time, I removed the handkerchief from my face so that I could breathe in the open air without any fear."
With that, Genia looked at Alex.
"So, did you really breathe fresh air?"
Alex couldn't help but wonder, his curiosity growing as Genia continued to tell him.
Genia continued, "At that very moment, I heard someone approaching. I was afraid someone might see me, so I hid behind the dry rocks. Just then, a small figure emerged from the dense bushes near the rocks. It was much larger than a normal bird. It told me that it was a messenger of Mara Mother, sent by Mara herself into the Beast World to help me, so that it could guide me when the time came. The Beast Bird took me deeper into the forest, where there were three other birds like it. They were all very cute, though their feathers were all different colours, just like energy. Red like fire, blue like water, green like the forest's greenery, and white like air. As if it wasn't a Beast Bird, but an element!"
"What? Beast Birds? But I've never heard of or seen any Beast Birds. Besides, Mara Mother herself didn't tell me anything about them?" Alex's questions seemed endless, forcing Genia to interrupt.
"Mara Mother hasn't told you much. Furthermore, she hasn't told me everything, or she didn't have the time to tell me everything. I feel like there's a lot more that will gradually come to light. She didn't tell me that I have some connection to the Guardian Andromeda mentioned in this book, and that my soul belongs to this world. I'm still tormented by the question: if my soul was brought from the human world to the Beast World, why did she tell me that my soul was exchanged with a soul from this world?"
Genia looked into Alex's eyes, where questions of curiosity were beginning to take root. She continued, "Those Beast Birds had eyes as intelligent as humans, and their wings emanated a supernatural energy. They could even speak like normal humans. Those four birds were actually the magical vehicles and servants of the Four Mothers. They told me that whenever I would visit the territories of your four brothers, they would secretly assist me. Alex, now you understand that I am not part of any ordinary game. I must go to your territories and find those messages at all costs."
Genia finished speaking and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when there was a heavy knock on the huge wooden door of the library. The door was already slightly ajar, and it swung open completely. A shadow stood in the yellow light of the corridor ahead. That shadow was none other than Kevin.
Kevin's face had turned completely pale at this moment. Anger, disbelief, pain, and deep betrayal were clearly visible in his eyes. He had been standing on the parapet of his palace, watching Genia. But he hadn't seen Genia for a while, so he had come to Alex's palace to find her. He once loved this palace the most because Alex's mother, Gia, loved him deeply. However, after her death and the relationship between the brothers began to deteriorate, he stopped coming to this palace. But deep inside, he still missed those moments.
Today, he had entered this palace again for Genia, but he never expected to stand behind the door and overhear everything Genia and Alex had to say. He had heard that Genia wasn't from the Monkey Clan, but from the Rabbit Clan, whom his clan had handed over to his elder brother. Furthermore, Genia was a spirit from another world, not from this world, and he had even heard Genia mention his mother, Mara, in her own words.
"So... it was all a lie?"
Kevin's voice held a bitterness that pierced the silence of the library. He slowly walked inside. His eyes were fixed on Genia. "You're not from the Monkey Clan. You're not from this world. And you mentioned my mother... You said my mother met you? Why did you tell me such a big lie, Genia? Or whatever your real name is!"
Genia's blood froze upon hearing Kevin's words. She looked at Alex, whose face was also flushed. Neither of them had imagined the situation would suddenly spiral so out of control.
Genia panicked and tried to move on. "Kevin... please, listen to me. It's not what you're thinking. I didn't want to deceive you."
"Then what is this?" Kevin shouted, his anger now sky-high. "I saw you in that forest in a predicament, so I went against the rules of the Black Tiger Clan and saved your life, kept you with me, trusted you! And you hid your identity from me? You fabricated a whole story! And Alex..."
Kevin turned and looked at Alex. "You're the protector of this palace, and you're hatching a secret plan with this girl? Using my mother's name?"
Alex tried to diffuse the situation. He extended his hand and said calmly, "Kevin, calm down. You don't know the whole truth. What Genia said isn't a conspiracy. It's a matter of this clan's destiny. Your mother's appearance and message are an absolute truth."
"How can I trust someone who hid his entire truth from me?"
Pointing to Genia, Kevin said, tears welling up in his eyes. "Genia, I considered you mine. But today I realise I was trusting a stranger, an impostor. Tell me clearly what you two are hiding; otherwise I have no bigger enemy than you two right now."
Genia and Kevin stared at each other. Explaining this entire supernatural phenomenon, the exchange of souls, the forest goddess's orders, and the hidden messages in the four brothers' territories to Kevin seemed impossible. No ordinary person could accept this magical and complex truth so easily, especially when it began with a profound lie. The atmosphere in the library had now become extremely tense and serious.
The air in the library was heavy with the disbelief and anger etched on Kevin's face.
Genia's heart was pounding, and Alex knew that if Kevin's anger wasn't calmed right now, everything would be ruined.
Alex took a step forward and tried to place a hand on Kevin's shoulder, but Kevin jerked his hand away. "Stay away from me, Kevin! Do you two think I'm crazy? Have you woven such a web of stories and magic that I'm starting to doubt my own eyes? My mother... my mother was a simple, kind woman. She never performed any magic!"
Alex lowered his voice and deepened it. "Kevin, you're running away from the truth because your heart doesn't want to feel that pain again. But remind yourself. Do you really not remember those childhood memories? When you were very young, the people in your clan considered you different from others. Remember, when you were sick, our mother would bring down your fever without any medicine, just with the touch of her hands. Don't you remember the night when there was a severe drought in the Black Tiger Clan's territory, and our mother went to a secret part of the forest and prayed, after which it rained only on our clan's land?"
Kevin froze at Alex's words. A confused expression crossed his face for a moment, as if an old memory was knocking at a hidden corner of his mind. But the next moment, his anger resurfaced. He covered his ears.
"No! This is all nonsense! You're using my childhood memories to mislead me. My mother wasn't a witch. And this girl... whom I saved by risking my life, thinking she was a helpless Monkey Clan girl, is an impostor. You two have betrayed my trust."
Genia cried, "Kevin, please understand me. I had no intention of hurting you. If I had told the truth at that time, the Black Tiger Clan would have killed me. I lied to save my life."
"Enough! Enough!" Kevin shouted angrily. Tears of betrayal now welled up in his eyes. "I won't stay here for a moment longer. I don't know what your true motives are, but I won't be a part of this deception."
With that, Kevin turned and ran out of the library. His heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor, leaving him in the distance.
Genia looked at Alex in alarm. She said, "Alex, we have to stop him! If he goes out like this and reveals my truth to the clan or anyone else in the palace, it will be all over. No one will accept my identity right now. If the leader of the Black Tiger Clan finds out, he will immediately arrest me."
Alex's face turned serious. He said, "You're right, Genia. Kevin is in deep shock and anger right now. He can't think. If he reveals this to anyone in the palace, the whole world will turn against us. And right now, you're completely vulnerable without your powers. We have to go after him."
Without wasting any time, the two of them left the library and ran after Kevin.