Sensing the questions arising in Genia's mind and her growing restlessness, James understood that if he didn't act immediately, this memory-swiping would expose his lie.
To completely distract Genia from her past, James devised a unique plan.
"Genia," James said, gently breaking away from her embrace and looking into her sad eyes. "Come, today I'll show you a part of this palace that no one knows about except a few people in my area. A place where this unknown emptiness and pain of yours will disappear in an instant."
Genia wiped her eyes and asked curiously, "Where is that place? Is it inside this icy palace?"
James smiled mysteriously and took her hand. "Not just inside the palace, but it's the biggest magical secret of this icy valley. Come with me."
James led Genia to a heavy, carved iron door behind his private room. As he pressed a secret switch, the heavy door slid aside without a sound. Behind it was a long, winding staircase leading down to the underworld.
Magical crystals on the walls radiated blue and golden light, making the entire passage seem like a dream.
"Don't be afraid," James said, gripping Genia's trembling hands a little tighter. "Hold my hand."
Genia looked at him. James's gesture touched her heart. She smiled and nodded, "As long as I have your hand in mine, I'm not afraid, Shantanu."
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Genia let out a startled scream. Her eyes widened. It wasn't a closed cellar, but an endless, magical 'glass garden' hidden among the stones.
While bone-chilling icy winds blew outside, the temperature in this secret area was pleasant and warm. The entire cave's ceiling was made of glass and sparkling crystals, allowing the snowfall outside to filter in as a wonderful light. The most magical thing was that blue, gold, and purple flowers bloomed all around, releasing particles of magical light floating in the air. In the center of the cave was a small lake, its waters sparkling like silver.
"This... this is so beautiful, James!"
Genia reached out playfully and tried to pick up a floating speck of light on her finger. Her eyes sparkled with joy. "It feels like I've entered another world."
James's heart skipped a beat when he heard the words "another world" from Genia's mouth, but he quickly composed himself. He slowly approached Genia. Her strange silk cap, made of scraps, still adorned her head, adding a touch of innocence to her imposing figure.
"This place is made just for you, Genia," James said in a deep, velvety voice. His eyes were filled with Genia's reflection. "Whenever I get tired of clan politics, war, and hatred, I come and sit here. But today... today, the flowers in this garden look so blooming for the first time, because before them stands the most beautiful bud in the world."
Genia turned and looked at James. In the magical light, James's face looked even more attractive. His romantic and deep words brought a rosy hue to Genia's cheeks. She lowered her eyes, feeling a little embarrassed. "How do you always talk so nicely, Prince? Did you talk like this to every one of your mates?"
James laughed and lifted her face with his fingers. Their breaths clashed. "I have no other mate, Genia. My stone heart has never held any place for a woman. But ever since you came into my life, I feel as if all the ice within me has melted. If I had to choose between the throne of this kingdom and you, I would kick this crown away with a smile, just so you could stay with me."
Genia's heart melted at James's deep devotion. She felt so lucky to have such a loving partner. She leaned forward and rested her head on James's broad chest.
James wrapped his strong arms around her. The golden vapor rising from the lake water and the magical flowers floating in the air showered them both.
James thought his mission was accomplished; Genia was forgetting her past and becoming completely his. But at the very moment Genia felt James's heartbeat near her ear, the green crystal of Gia hidden within her heart suddenly glowed brightly.
For a second, a blurred vision flashed before Genia's eyes—she saw a boy, whose face seemed familiar to her, crying and extending his hand to save her from falling into the ditch, and another boy, holding a sword, was protecting her from falling.
Genia felt as if she knew both faces, and recognized them intimately. She jerked away from James's chest. She was gasping for breath, and her face had turned pale.
"Genia? What happened?" James nervously grabbed her hand. "Why are you shaking?"
Genia clutched her forehead, "James... again. I... I just saw someone's face. Someone was screaming. They... they were two people. James, I'm not lying, I have a different past! Are you telling me the truth? Or are you lying?"
Seeing Genia suddenly lose control and talk about that blurry scene, James felt the ground slip from under his feet. The shadows of Kevin and Alex's faces had followed Genia even into this magical glass garden.
James understood that if he didn't take concrete action right now, this beautiful lie he had woven would fall apart forever.
"Genia... calm down. Look at me, just me," James nervously cupped Genia's trembling face in his hands. There was a strange anxiety in his voice.
"No, James! That face... those eyes were so real. That boy was screaming for help. Why do I feel like I don't belong here? You're hiding something from me!"
Genia cried and tried to free her hands. Her forehead was throbbing with pain, and the green crystal inside her was pulsing violently.
James took a deep breath and put on a false, but deeply comforting expression. He thought, "I'm sorry Genia, but I can't lose you. Your past will take you away from me, and I won't let that happen."
He slowly walked towards the silver-glittering, magical lake. He picked up an intricately carved crystal cup on the table and filled it with the lake's ethereal, blue water. This water was no ordinary one. In the ancient history of the Beast World, it was called the "Water of Oblivion," which could lull the human mind's restlessness and painful memories into deep silence.
This water was created by his mother, and she had told him not to tell anyone about this magical water, no matter how close they were! This is why he wouldn't let anyone into this place. Not even Arthur!
James returned to Genia. Bringing the cup to her lips, he said in a soft and seductive voice, "Genia, you are going through a lot of mental stress. Drink this water. It is the sacred essence of this magical lake. It will cure your headache instantly and put this terrible delusion in your mind to rest forever. Trust me, my mate."
Genia looked into James's eyes, yearning. She sensed a protective sweetness in James's words, but deep within her, she refused to drink the water. Yet, the unbearable pain in her head and James's loving face made her lose her willpower. With trembling hands, she took the cup and drank three or four sips of the magical water. As the water went down her throat, a strange miracle occurred.
A cool, soothing wave ran through Genia's entire body. Her panting chest slowly calmed. The sharp pain in her forehead vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed. Most importantly, the blurred faces of Kevin and Alex, which had floated before her eyes, were obscured by the water's influence, hidden behind a thick, dark fog.
Even the glow of Gia's green crystal gradually dimmed, as if helpless against the water's magical power.
Genia's eyes began to feel a little heavy. Her agitation had completely dissolved into a calm, playful laziness. She looked at Shantanu and said with a slight smile, "Wow, James... this is truly magical. My pain has completely vanished. And... and what was I saying? I was saying something strange, wasn't I?"
Jmaes breathed a huge sigh of relief. His bet had paid off. He set the cup aside and gently gathered Genia into his arms. "You weren't saying anything, Genia. I told you it was just a little hallucination. You're perfectly fine now."
Genia playfully turned the button on James's shirt and said, "Yes, you're right. I'm such a fool. When I have such a wonderful friend like you, why bother worrying about trivial matters? Come on, tell me about those golden flowers here."
James smiled and nodded, leading her deeper into the garden. He had completely distracted Genia, and the playful play of memory had once again been suppressed by the triumph of James's lie. But James knew this peace was temporary.
The water's effect may wear off over time, and until then, he'll have to completely woo Genia. The waters of the magical lake had calmed the storms in Genia's mind, but the fog of intrigue outside the palace was thickening.
Even though Arthur had returned empty-handed from James's territory, he wasn't one to give up. Upon reaching the fort of his tribe, the White Tiger Clan, he began preparing a new and extremely dangerous game to trap James and the girl.
Arthur called Maya, the clan's most cunning and masterful disguise spy, into his secret room.
Maya was a master of the magical arts of hypnotism and invisibility.
"Maya," Arthur said, swirling his wine glass, a cruel glint in his eyes. "James thinks he's very clever. He lied to me, saying there's no girl in the palace. But I'm sure she's there. You have to infiltrate James's palace. This time, I don't just want news; I want a secret spy network within James's palace that will allow me to monitor every move."
Maya smiled wickedly and bowed her head, "Rest assured, Chief. No matter how secure James's palace is, my eyes will reach it."
Within a few days, on Arthur's orders, Maya entered James's palace disguised as a new maid within the Black Tiger Clan. Using her magical skills, she mesmerized the palace's chief cook, easily securing her a place inside the palace. She began to cleverly lay her spy net around Genia's room.